So so so so busy!!!!

Wow...where as the summer gone. It is already almost the month of July. I leave for college in less than 2 months!!!!
Here is an update on my busy summer:

~ I got a full-time job - I am working at The Goddard School in Wake Forest. It is a good job, just busy and at times overwhelming!!!

~ I graduated from High School!!!! - Graduation was amazing, fun, happy and sad all at the same time. The ceremony went great. Amanda and I sang the National Anthem. My party was tons of fun. I enjoyed being able to fellowship with my family and friends, especially the ones that I haven't seen in a while.

~ I went to the beach for a couple of days - 3 of my friends came with me to the beach for 5 days. We enjoyed body surfing, digging holes, and just hanging out with one another. My family came too which made all the more special!!!

~ I did Tae Kwon Do sports camp - so on top of working from 8-5 Monday-Friday, 2 weeks ago I did Tae Kwon Do sports camp. It was so much fun. I got to hang out with good friends, play with amazing kids, and most importantly help teach the campers about Christ's love for us. It was soooo much fun, but tiring.

~ I did Vacation Bible School - this past week I did VBS at our church. I helped in a 3 year old class. It was fun, but again tiring. It was the Big Apple Adventure. We traveled to "New York" to learn about how Jesus loves us!!!

~ Next week I go to ECU for orientation!!!! - I am excited that I will finally be able to see my dorm, get my class schedule and start meeting new people.

~ Then I am off to Costa Rica - I am sooooooo excited for this trip and I cannot wait for it to come. We will be redoing an orphange there during the day, playing with orphans at night, and spreading the love of Jesus. I am also excited because we get to go zip lining on the last day that we are there!!!!

~ I am going to the beach for a week - I can't wait to be able to lay out and relax at the beach.

Wow...I am tired after writing all of that...I can't believe I have done over half of that list. I am looking forward to see what else God has in store for my summer. I hope I continue to stay energized and that I will still be able to enjoy my summer and hang out with friends!!!!

I am a Senior! I am a Senior!

Sometimes, I have to remind myself that I really am a senior. I think as the time gets closer to graduation, I rebel against the fact that, in reality, I am a Senior.

My Senior year has had its ups and downs. I have finished classes, started classes, and had good classes and bad classes.

Last semester, I didn't feel like a Senior. I had the most hectic semester I think I have ever had. I was always going to this class, studying for another, and trying to have a life in between.

This semester has been a lot more laid back and (as of right now) I feel like a Senior. I told my mom the other day that I wasn't going to graduate, but that I was going to be done with school. I don't think I am scared about going to college. Don't get me wrong, I have had many an ulcer over going to college, finding a roommate, making new friends, and finding a church. However, over the last couple of weeks as things have started to take shape, I finally came to the realization that I don't need to worry, I have God on my side!!!!!

I think, because of my "I can do it myself" personality, that I could handle all of my stress by myself. However, recently, I have just had to step back and give everything to God. Having done that, I have had some "mini-miracles" in my life. I wanted to share some of those with you:

1) I decided to go to East Carolina University this coming fall. - I had been struggling with picking the right college. I wanted to go to UNC Chapel Hill. However, I didn't get into UNC. God closed that door for me and opened up another. My mom told me that she felt that God decided that that decision was too hard for me, so He made that decision for me!

2) I found a roommate. - Living with someone I didn't know was a dark cloud over my head. I knew that I needed at least one person to be there at ECU with me. A couple of weeks ago, I was at a youth retreat with my church and there was a girl in my group that had just recently decided to go to ECU. We started talking over the weekend. A few days later, the girl's mom called and asked if we wanted to be roommates!!!! I was SOOOOOOOOO happy! Again, God showed me that He is in control.

3) I am going on a mission’s trip to Costa Rica. - Normally, I go to Texas each summer. However, this summer I decided that I wanted to try something new. I have never been anywhere (especially out of the country) by myself. I have always had a parent, a sibling, or a friend with me. However, I think God was trying to show me that I will be just fine going somewhere to shine His light (by myself :-) We found this trip 2 days before the final sign up deadline!!!! That was definitely a God thing. I am so excited to go on this trip. We are going to repaint cottages, play with 75+ orphans and go zip-lining through the jungle!!!!

So, I have had an exciting few months.

Some things that I have been up to lately:

1) School - Lots and lots of school :-)
2) Zumba Dancing - I LOVE Zumba dancing!!!!!
3) Teaching Tae Kwon Do - I teach 4-8 year olds on Tuesday nights.
4) Sunday School - I have the best Senior Sunday School class ever!!!!!
5) Spending time with my family!!!
6) Spending time with my friends!!
7) Trying to not die of excitement over Prom!!!!!!!!!!! - Prom is in less than a month away!!!!!!!!!!!
8) Getting all of my stuff ready for Graduation!!!
9) Enjoying life!!!

This Is The Stuff Lyric Video

This song explains me!!!

Wow...Summer is almost OVER!!!!

I have been very busy the last couple of weeks. I have been gone for 3 weeks total. First week I was at Worldview Camp in Lynchburg, VA. Second week I was in Del Rio, TX. The third week I was at Topsail Island.

Worldview:
Worldview camp was AMAZING. It was so much fun. We were at Liberty University. I was in a suite with 7 other girls. I shared a room with one of my bestest friends, Amanda. We had so much fun. We did a lot of walking, sitting, listening, eating and laughing. Here is a mini schedule of our day from my perspective :-)
1) Get Up
2) Meet small group leader and walk down several big hills and through a tunnel.
3) Have Quiet Time
4) Walk some more and then eat breakfast.
5) Walk to the lecture hall and then have 2-3 lectures (they were amazing lectures about different worldviews and how to study your bible etc.)
6) Eat Lunch
7) Have small group time
8) Walk some more and then on Mon. and Tues. we had free time or Ultmate Frisbee, on Wed. we went out and evangilized, and on Thurs. we had the SPAMLEY CUP. The spamley cup was when the 4 color groups competed against each other in a relay (The colors were red, yellow, green, and blue. I was green. Blue won) It was a lot of fun.
9) Walk down the hills and through the tunnel to Supper.
10) Have 2-3 more lectures
11) Walk back up the really big hills and through the tunnel (while singing)
12) Have another small group time where we talked about our day and just laughed :-) ALOT!!!!
13) Then Bed time
Then we did it all over again. It was an amazing time. I met some really awesome girls and I LOVED my small group leader. It was an altogether AMAZING week :-)

Texas:
I got picked up a day early from Worldview because I had to leave for Texas the next day. I got home and repacked and then I was off to the airport to leave on my missions trip to Texas. This was my 3rd year going but my 1st year going without my dad or Owen. It was SOOOOOOO much fun. I had a great time. I go with my Tae Kwon Do group. Our whole group was amazing. We had so much fun together. The kids were incredible. The week was tiring but amazing. While I was there Master Jamie and I got locked in the shower trailer. There is only one shower inside and there were 9 girls. So, every year the church where we stay brings in a shower trailer. It is powered by this really loud engine thing :-) There is one side with four showers for the girls and on the other side the boys have four showers and there is a door that connects the two but it is always locked. So, I had gotten out of the shower and had just finished brushing my teeth (just to let you know this was all at like 6:30 in the morning and I am not a morning person). I went to open the door and the handle would turn but the thing on the inside wouldn't move. Master Jamie and I were not very happy :-) We tried to get the door open but it wouldn't budge. I started banging on the middle door, yelling and screaming for help. Luckily, Mr. Kent heard me and went and got the key to try and unlock the door. It wouldn't unlock. So, Mr. Kent went and get Master Cromwell and he used his credit card and got the door open. Needless to say, I did not take a shower in the shower trailer for the rest of the week :-) Other than that, Texas was amazing and so much fun. You could definitely see the Lord's work.

Topsail Island:
Then I got back from Texas at 11pm on Saturday and straight from there we went to the beach. It was a lot of fun. The first couple of days I was really tired but I finally got rested and was able to enjoy it. There was a sea turtles nest on the beach right next to where we were staying. We sat out there for 4 nights from 8pm-12pm. No turtles came. On the 5th night we didn't go out there right at 8 and all of a sudden we see all these people running. The turtles had hatched. So, we dropped everything we were doing and ran out to see the turtles go into the ocean. It was really cool and I am glad we got to see it. There were about 100 baby turtles in the nest. They were so tiny and very cute. On Monday my face got terribly sunburned so for several days I looked like Bob the Tomato from VegiTales. It was not pleasant :-) I was still able to enjoy my week. We played games, went fishing, and just hung out. It was a great way to end the summer.

Now school starts next week and I will be a Senior in High School. That shall be fun. I will let you know how that goes soon :-)

Summer!!!!

Wow...I have not posted in a very long time. The last time I posted it was a couple of days before prom. Well, if you were wondering prom went great. It was one of the most amazing things I have ever done. I can't wait for next year. I have been so busy these past few months. You would think that when school let out everything would slow down a bit. Well, not for me!!!!
Here is an overview of my summer:

June:

* TKD sports camp - I love doing TKD sports camp. It is a lot of fun. However, it is also very tiring! We have 2 sports camps. A morning one for kids ages 4-7 and a evening one for ages 8-12. I did both camps because Ian went to the first one and Alexa went to the second one. So I drove them everyday. It was very tiring but still fun. During all of this my dad and Owen were in Kentucky on a missions trip! We hardly saw each other all week.

* Two weeks ago was VBS at our church. My whole family participated. I helped in the 4 year olds. Owen and my mom did 5 year olds. My dad did 5th grade and Alexa and Ian were in it. It was a lot of fun. The teachers, crafts, stories, and music were all fantastic. I had a lot of fun.

* I also went and stayed with my grandma for a few days. She is a teacher so I helped her clean her room. It was fun.

* On June 30th, the 3rd Twilight movie, Eclipse came to theaters. At midnight on the 30th, my mom, my aunt and I went to see it. It was the best one yet!!!

July:
July has hardly even started but it has been busy already and it is about to get even busier.

* For the 4th of July we went camping. My dad got a tent for father's day and then he got the camping trip for his birthday. We had a good time. It was a little (very) hot and the bugs were terrible but we had a great time none-the-less :-)

* This week the boys are getting their room re-done.

* One of my bestest friends in the whole world is turning 17 next week so we have to celebrate her birthday at some point this week :-P

* The week after next, I am going to Worldview Academy Camp at Liberty University. It is hopefully going to be tons of fun and a great time for me to be able to grow and learn.

* I have to get picked up from Worldview Camp early because on that Friday I leave for a missions trip to Del Rio, TX. This is my 3rd year going on the this trip but this will be my first time going alone. The first year my dad went with me. Last year my dad and Owen went with me. I am excited and nervous at the same time but I am sure it will be fun :-)

* Then I get back from Texas the following Saturday at 11pm. Then the next morning we are going to the beach for a week. I am going to be so tired. But what can I say. It's summer.

Then it is the 2nd week of August and school starts the next week.

Man, I am tired just typing all of this and now I have to go and physically do it :-) Well, I will have to let you know how it goes...if I survive!!!!! :-P

PROM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Prom is only 2 days away. Now I know what some of you are thinking, "Homeschoolers don't have proms!" or "Homeschool Proms are boring." However, this is not the case for this prom. My friend Amanda and her mom are in charge of the prom committee. My mom and I and several other moms' and daughters' on also on the committee. We have been planning this Prom since last July. That is almost a year. I can hardly believe that it is already here. I am so excited. This is going to be the best prom in the whole world. Homeschoolers from all over are coming. We have about 120 people coming. Some are coming with dates, some are coming with a group of friends and some are just coming by themselves. However no matter how you come or who you come with, EVERYONE is going to have a great time. At least they better because a lot of love, thought and devotion as gone into this prom!!! I will tell you all how it goes :-)

The SAT kills your Brain!!!!!

On Saturday morning, my alarm clock went off at 6:15am. I turned over and was slightly confused at why I would be getting up this early, because I am not a morning person, and then I remembered....I had to get ready to leave for the SAT. The worst and longest test a person can ever take in their entire lives!!! So I left the house promptly at 6:50am to go pick up my good friend Amanda. She and 2 of my other friends had to suffer through this test with me. Amanda is also not a morning person but we were on the road towards Millbrook High by 7:05am. We got to the school around 7:25am because I wanted to get there early so that I could make sure I got a good park. Amanda and I followed the mass of people and waited outside for instructions. Forty-Five minutes later, Amanda and I were both assigned to Building 100. Amanda was in room 132 and I was in room 127. My room didn't actually start the test until 8:15am. The test is said to only take 3 hours and 45 minutes but I am pretty sure it takes a lot longer. The test consists of 1 25-minute Essay, 6 25-minute sections, 2 20-minute sections, and 1 10-minute section. Needless to say, it is an extremely long test!!!! :-) I didn't get done with the test until 1:15pm. We only got a break every 50 minutes. They were only 5 minutes long and we only had 3 of them. After we all finished, we all went to lunch at Panera. I think that is one of the best lunches I have ever had in my entire life! :-) On the way home I also stopped and got a large tea from Bojangles. It was very yummy. Then I went home and watched Sherlock Holmes. I liked it. When the movie was over, my dad asked me to run to the grocery store to get some stuff for dinner. I didn't want to go but I went anyway. I had the hardest time trying to find things in the store that I knew I knew where they were. I only had 7 things on my list and it took me 1/2 an hour to find 3 things. I could not find the pizza sauce, the pizza cheese, or the bacon bits. I was talking to myself and wandering up and down the same aisles over and over. It's a wonder that Food Lion didn't kick me out! :-) I finally found everything I needed and started heading towards home. I decided to go the back way because there aren't any traffic lights that way. I got to the railroad tracks and stopped because those tracks make me nervous because you can't see around the curve and it isn't protected. So I started over the tracks. Then all of a sudden I hear metal scraping across the pavement. So I pulled my car over into someone's front yard, turned on my hazard lights and got out to see what was making that noise. There wasn't anything! So I got back in and tried to go again and the sound started again. So I called my dad and told him I hadn't wanted to go to the store in the first place and now my car was making a terrible sound and I couldn't figure out where it was coming from. He told me he would be right there and to just stay where I was. While I was waiting several cars came and went past me and no one stopped to ask if I was okay and needed help. I was thinking to myself that the people of Youngsville were not very helpful or friendly when a man (who wass quite scary looking I might add) slowly passes me and asks me if I was okay. I said that I was and that I was waiting for my dad to come. He asked me if I had run out of gas. I politely said that I hadn't but that my car was making a terrible sound and that my dad would be there any minute. While I was saying this I was thinking, "I know when to put gas in my car. I am not dumb! What do I look like a Damsel in Distress!" However, I decided that it would have been rude to say those things because 1) He was an adult, 2) He had stopped to ask if I needed help, and 3) He was scary looking :-). After the man was convinced that I was okay he went on his way. So finally my dad got there and and told me to switch cars with him so he could listen to the sound to figure out where it was coming from. We had to get it home some how because I was parked in someone's front yard. So he gets in and cranks it. It made the sound once and then didn't make it the rest of the way home. Apparently, I had picked up something from the railroad tracks and it just happened to fall of when my dad drove it! :-( So when we got home I just decided that it wasn't my fault that I couldn't function properly. I decided that it was the SAT's fault because I had used up all my Brain Cells that morning while taking it and that my trip to the store and my car episode was the last straw and so my brain officially died. However, after I got some sleep my brain has slowly come back to life. I don't think it is fully alive yet but it is getting there :-)