T.G.I.F.

Today, at work there were some important visitors from Meridian Idaho. My boss was freaking out and we had to totally clean everything up for them. The cleaning started yesterday, and this morning was funny. When I trim the little plants, I always have a bucket there to let the trimmings drop into, but this time, we had to sweep everything up after that too. Aaaaand, I got to do the honors of sweeping the entire big greenhouse. It SUCKED. Today, while the visitors were in Virginia's office, we had to be really quiet. I had to tip-toe upstairs and down, and I took off my shoes when I got upstairs, careful to not make any noise, Lindsey Aitkin and I were totally bummed that this meant that we had to cancel our tap dancing routine for the day. Haha. No, it was really not too bad. Buuuut the worse part, is at our 10:00 break, when Virginia joined us for break. She said the visitors were from Meridian, and she didn't know where that was, and did any of us know where it was? I almost burst into tears, because I AM SUPPOSED TO BE THERE RIGHT NOW!!! My family was supposed to travel to Boise, well, Meridian to where my aunt lives, and stay for about a week, while checking out future colleges for me, and school shopping and just hanging out. Buuuut, there were some issues that came up that thwarted that. So, much to my dismay, I had to work all week, and then those humans showed up from Meridian and I wanted to punch them. All though, I did feel really bad for them, because I know how long of a drive that is, and they got there around like 8:30, which means they must have left there a little after midnight. Wow, that sucks.

In other news, I have my senior pictures on Thursday, and I'm totally stressed about them because I always look like poop in important pictures. I just know something BAD is going to happen, like I'm going to break a nail or something, so I'm going to look like a loser in the piano ones. Or, I'm accidentally going to catch my hair on fire the night before, and end up having to cut it, and wear my hair suuuper short for pics. I had a dream about that one.

I was sooooo happy it rained today. Because, not only did it smell suuuuper yummy, but I didn't have to ride my bike to the shop to meet my dad! :) yey! Well it's mostly a "yey" after yesterday's fiasco, with a crazy half way drunk guy on a bike chasing after me. Seriously, it freaked me out. I thought I was going to die. Fortunately, I had Devon's words locked away in my brain, that trying to capture me would be like trying to grab onto a tornado. And, now that I think about that, that may have been rude, but I thought she meant because of my cat-like reflexes and because I would be suuuper fast and he wouldn't be able to hold onto me. My dad always joked about how if I got kidnapped, it wouldn't matter, because they would probably have me for like 30 seconds and then bring me straight back. Wow, now that I think of THAT, that was RUDE too! Jeeeezzzz!

Senior year starts in like 10-ish days. Good grief. I am soooo not ready to not be at East Linn. That place is home to me. I know I have griped and complained about it, but really. I don't know where I would be without that place. Everyone there is forgiving and loving, and especially the faculty. Someday, I will give back to East Linn, and thank them for everything they've done for me. Someday, I will do something to make up for all the crap I gave them. I looked online for my tentative schedule this year, and I think this year's going to be very interesting. I haven't decided what I am doing for my other elective, besides choir, obviously. Right now I am signed up for the speech/drama class but who knows. I am kind of rethinking that. I would also like to have a free period where I could have study hall or be a TA or something.

Wow, I'm so glad it's Friday. It has been a very long week, and I'm sooo ready for this weekend. I think I'm going to the zoo tomorrow with some friends, but who knows. With Megan, you never know what's really going to happen. And that's exactly why I love that girl!! :)

Shoulda Coulda Woulda :(

So, as the summer is coming to a close, I will sadly go over the things that I didn't get to do this summer that I was FOR SURE going to do this summer:
1.) Ride the train to Washington to visit Mogie Pogie
2.) Jump off Larwood Bridge with Mogie
3.) Go with KP to Seattle for a shopping trip.... who knows... there is still time... :)
4.) Eat ice cream upside down on monkey bars
5.) Finally suck it up and get my license haha, that's not happening soon!
6.) Try out for a musical at ACT (albany civic theater)
7.) Get voice lessons
8.) Read Jane Ayer
9.) Help out with the soup kitchen
10.) Go to Prince Edward Island and meet Anne of Green Gables and walk with her through "Lovers Lane" and the "White Way of Delight" and swim with her in "The Lake of Shining Waters" ...ah well... next summer.

Just a note...

Just a little note for my little Danae-Nay, so she knows I'm still alive:
I love you Danae! Thanks for always reading! :) I've been praying for you, and I hope this post makes you smile! :) Have a FANTASTIC day! Keep Smiling!

The Crew!!!

So here is a picture of all the cool people I get to hang out with every day at work... well, chelsie, the second girl in just left us recently. She went to grad. school, I believe in Colorado somewhere. And her brother, Brad, who is standing directly behind her, is leaving on Friday for the University of Idaho. He will be a sophomore this year. Good luck to him! :) I suppose since I introduced those two, I will introduce the rest of the crew. Erin, is on the end. She's sweet and spunky and one of the most intelligent people I have ever met in my entire existence. She is pretty funny when you get her one-on-one. I just love her. Next is Chelsie. She's pretty cool, also very smart. Then Brad is behind her, he's also very smart. He's going to school to be a engineer and is going to make bank. :) Then in front of him to the right is Lindsey Aitkin. She's also freaking funny and a joy to be around. I just love her. She is inspirational and is just an all around great girl. She will be traveling to Chile to be with her Chilian boyfriend in September, and hopefully come home engaged :) She's soooo much fun!Then behind her to her right is Virginia. This woman is officially THE MOST INTELLIGENT woman I have ever met. She's sooooo smart, and I just look up to her and respect that about her soooo much! She is super nice, and has a big heart. The only downfall is that she LOVES cats, and owns 4 of them at the farm. But I am very honored to work for this woman. I couldn't have asked for anyone better to work for. Then in front of her is Lindsey Bellinger. This girl, I have had the honor of knowing all my life. She is HYSTERICAL. I'm sure you have all heard stories about this one. She's is just a joy to be around. She makes it very interesting out on the farm. She is constantly our comic relief. She's got a GREAT sense of humor. I just LOVE this girl, and she is the reason that we don't go insane around there :) haha. Next, is obviously me, and behind me is Antonio. He is very quiet but very nice. He speaks very little English, so things get very interesting. Like, the other day when he was trying to get my attention, and I had my headphones on, he was like jumping up and down making noises flailing his arms about. It was soooo cute :) hahaha. I just love this picture of all of us girls. We had such a great time when we were doing all the measuring (aka PVP) we just had a blast! I don't know why Lindsey B likes seed cleaning so much. I just loved hanging out with these three all day long. It was a BLAST!!!!!!It's crazy to think that all of this will be over in a couple of weeks. At the beginning of the summer it seemed like forever, but really it's gone by soooo quickly. I have enjoyed it very much. This is definitely and experience that I will want to have again. I cannot wait for PVP next summer! I know that sounds nerdy, and if Lindsey B is reading this, I'm sure she's puking, but really, it was a blast!!!!

When God Speaks

Isn't it crazy how God speaks to us when in way that we least expect it?The past month or so, God has really been speaking to me. I was at a point where I didn't think that I was able to be used for Him and that He was just not interested in me. He soon pointed out to me that it was ME that wasn't interested, and ME that was running from him. I began to read the Word and to just be in constant prayer and realized how much God can use you, and begin to change you from within.I have realized how important it is to read the Word. I have had countless times in the past month or so, where I have had the right verse in my head at the right time, and it's be FANTASTIC!!

I have also been convicted of many things. One of these things has been realizing what I put into my mind. I have for so long just read whatever seemed interesting to me. I realized that it's true, what you put INTO your mind is what comes out. That has been my conviction, and I have really been praying about what it is I read. And even the music that I listen to. As everyone who knows me, knows that I am totally and irrevocably passionate about music. And so many times I find myself singing songs that would not be glorifying to the Lord, so I have been trying to not do that as part of my obedience to the Lord. I love the songs "Beloved" and "By Your Side" both of which are by Tenth Avenue North. They bring me to tears, every time I hear these songs. If you haven't heard these songs, you totally NEED TO ... I put them on my sidebar for you all to hear... PLEASE listen to them. And I'm going to make it very easy for you all and write the lyrics to these songs here:

Beloved

Love of my life, look deep in my eyes

There you will find what you need

Give me your life, the lust and the lies

The past you're afraid I might see

You've been running away from me

You're my beloved, lover I'm yours

Death shall not part us, it's you I died for

For better or worse, forever we'll be

Our Love it unites us; and it binds you to me

It's a mystery

Love of my life, look deep in my eyes

There you will find what you need

I'm the giver of life, I'll clothe you in white

My immaculate bride you will be

Oh come running home to me

You're my beloved, lover I'm yours

Death shall not part us, it's you I died for

For better or worse, forever we'll be

Our love unites us, and it binds you to me

Well you've been a mistress, my wife

Chasing lovers, it won't satisfy

Won't you let me make you my bride

You will drink of my lips and you'll taste new life

You're my beloved, lover I'm yours

Death shall not part us, it's you I died for

For better or worse, forever we'll be

Our love it unites us and it binds you t me

It's a mystery

It's a mystery

Megan and I were just talking this morning about how our relationship with God is a marriage, and I LOVE this picture. It makes me feel so loved, so desired and just so wanted. It's great.

By Your Side

Why are you striving these days?

Why are you trying to earn grace?

Why are you crying? Let me lift up your face

Just don’t turn away

Why are you looking for love?

Why are you still searching as if I’m not enough

To where will you go, child?

Tell me where will you run?

To where will you run?

Cause I'll be by your side wherever you fall

In the dead of night whenever you call

And please don't fight these hands that are holding you

Yeah my hands are holding you

Look at these hands, and My side

They swallowed the grave on that night

When I drank the world's sin so I could carry you in

And give you life, I wanna give you life

Cause I'll be by your side, wherever you fall

In the dead of night whenever you call

And please don't fight, these hand that are holding you

My hands are holding you.

Cause I, I love you

I want you to know

That I, I love you

I'll never let you go

Cause I'll be by your side wherever you fall

In the dead of night whenever you call

And please don't fight these hands that are holding you

Yeah My hands are holding you.

God's love is so amazing. I have experienced His grace this summer in ways that I cannot even explain. So many times throughout my life, I have tried to fill that God-shaped hole with different things,different people and finally I think I'm doing it right by giving HIM my all. It's been really hard, because I'm someone who always wants to be in control. I have been convicted day after day about this, because He wants me to allow Him to be in control, and that's hard. Because it means that I am weak, and I have recently just realized how true that is. I AM WEAK!!! But with Christ, I can do all things, because HIS grace is sufficient. But, that's not to say, that all my problems have been solved. I still struggle. I've realized that it's about DAILY and often times MOMENTARILY making that commitment to obey him, and to confess and repent when I screw up. I look in the mirror in the morning, and realize that I can at any point in the day screw up royally. I can make a decision so bad that even my grandchildren or maybe even their grandchildren could suffer for my decision. So I have to ask God constantly "God, give me wisdom"and "God, keep me humble."

Catching Up

Okay, It's been a while. I totally suck at being a friend right now because I owe Danae one blog post, two poems and a letter. My goodness. I better get on those right away.

Things have been going well at work. I actually find myself enjoying it quite a bit. I have made friends with my co-workers and it's been great fun. Some days it seems that we actually laugh harder than we work, and that's what makes it all worthwhile. AND I have some GREAT exciting news! I found a FOUR LEAF CLOVER!!! I know- I could hardly believe it! But it's true. It was super duper exciting, and I'm not even like very into the whole "good luck- bad luck karma" thing, but I did offer up my thanksgiving to God! I was psyched! Anyway, about work, I don't mind the hours, it's nice when I have time after work to go to the Library to hang out before I have to meet my dad. There is this really sweet librarian that I just love seeing every time I go in there, and she's just the sweetest lady ever. She helped me find a bunch of new authors that would be good for me to read as well as fun to read. I told her that I was a Jodi Picoult fan, and she tried to help me find some cleaner Christian authors that might have the same kinds of stuff that I may enjoy as well. Which I thought was very nice of her. So far, I am really enjoying the one by Terri Blackstock called Double Minds. I like the writing style and how it just was so easy to get into, but I don't think I like the main character very much. She is so dramatic in an UN-Anne (Anne of Green Gables of course) way, and it annoys me. There was a murder and she was like "aaaaaahhhh!!! a murder!!!" Like, that wasn't the whole point of the book or something. Idk.

Okay, what else has happened... GIRL SCOUT CAMP!!! Oh my goodness, I can't believe I forgot to post about that!!! Well, the good news is that I think I still rank somewhere in the top favorite "PA"/ Adult there!! Aaaand the bad new is that I'm not sure If I will be returning to that particular camp. I had a blast with the girls this year. Even the ones my age were a ton of fun. We camped all week at one of the leaders' house (because there was so much bickering going on with all the leaders and the adults that set the camp up, so we stayed away)-- and for the most part, it was very calm and drama and trauma-free. Well, until two little girls decided to be little brats, but they got sent home, so that was over fast. Not that it was that easy to send two campers home, but you do what you have to do right? Especially after you lay down the rules before hand and they know that they are to abide by them, then the cross the line and cross the line and suddenly find themselves in a heap of trouble.. hmmm that sounds vaguely familiar. :) As you might remember last year was not pleasant because I almost got my eyeballs sucked out by a moth flying around in my camper. NOPE! Not this year. This year, because we were staying at the house, all the girls had tents in the back yard, but I slept in a bed!!! I got to shower whenever I liked, I had FLUSHING toilets. (No stupid best pots!) Aaand I got to wash and dry my clothes if I wanted to. It was awesome!




This one was my favorite Daisies. Her name was Lexie. SOOO Cute! She was waaay the sweetest girl in like the whole world!


Over to the left is Sharon, who has the blond hair, Rose-with the red hair, and then Lexie and I again. :)



This was the group(minus a few)that I spent my week with. The girl on the other side, her name was Katie Beth, and then the lady behind me was the camp program lady named Alma Gene.


And this is when I turned Brandy into a vampire! It was sooo much fun! It's so stupid that Edward didn't really turn out to be the bad guy and then kill Bella. That was what I was rooting for!!

Any way, camp was a blast, well with the girls. But the adults were the annoying ones this year. I'm going to have to give it some serious prayer before I go back next year. So yeah. I will have to blog more some other time, when I'm not so tired and when my tummy doesn't hurt so much!

I'm so glad it's friday!

Oh my goodness. I got a bee stuck in my hair today. It was sooo scary. I thought it was going to sting my entire head. I was out in the field gathering samples of grass to measure. It was nice and warm, but windy, but beautiful, so I was of course, singing to myself. I think I was actually singing "If I Were A Rich Man" from Fiddler on The Roof. Anyway, I was just minding my own business and then a bee just rammed right into my head. It was very rude. Then, he got himself stuck into my bun in my hair. And I was freaking out trying to get him out, and he was freaking out trying to get him out. It was crazy. I was so scared he was going to gobble me up. And every time I would go to brush him out, he would scream. Then I would scream. Finally after about an entire 2 minutes of this I took a deep breath and picked up my glove that I had thrown in a brief moment of terror and put it back on. As I was doing this, the bee was also taking a deep breath and trying to figure out what to do (I know, because I could feel him moving around up there), then I reached up and felt around and ripped him out-- forgetting that he was attached to my hair, which WAS attached to my head, and not I think I may be bald in that spot. Anyway, I threw him, I decided to spare his life, because I figured he was just as scared as I was. But nooooo, he came back for more. He was very angry and came back at my face, but I deflected him at the last second, as he was rocketing at my face at a million miles per hour. I hit him hard and he fell to the ground. It was very dramatic. I squished him and he was gone. Phew.