But I was super happy that I found my dress at a thrift store for such a great price that I bought 2. Only I would buy more than one dress for prom. hehe. The only problem is that they both need straps to meet the modesty requirements for our homeschool prom. But I hope that can be fixed easily.
Whoops that's not a prom dress! But he's still cute so I think I'll keep him.
Traveling to North Carolina one weekend and Richmond the next is exhausting. Let me tell you. Lucky for me, in between those travels there was a birthday party, virus, iron deficiency problems, soccer, school, and lots and lots of medication. Also, prom dress shopping, a hilarious opera at the Kennedy Center, the start of lent and penances, and some very happy news.
I was accepted into the honor's institute at Belmont Abbey!
So all my travels were worthwhile and wonderful and exhausting, but mostly wonderful.
The best part about traveling? I got some one on one time with my parents.
The trip to North Carolina was spent with my daddy and the trip to Richmond with my mom.
Also, in one weekend I got to spend some quality time with both sets of my grandparents! It is rare for me to see one set of grandparents at all, but to see both in the span of one weekend - inconceivable and purely awesome.
But back to my one on one time with the padres.
I guess I've transitioned from this stage of thinking of my parents as authoritarians and am starting to view them more as companions? They still provide for and protect me, but there is also this (blessed) freedom during this stage in my life where I get to spread my wings a bit. After all, I will need to be able to manage myself when I go off to college. I feel very blessed with the parents God has given me and everything they do for me. I tell them thank you at certain moments, but all they do and have done is really starting to sink in.
See I have a Choleric temperament and I have issues when people (*cough* parents) tell me when to do something and how I should do it. Being a senior is hard because you are right at the cross roads. Almost gone from the house, not wanting to listen, because we have it all figured out right? But - oh those stupid buts - we still have to remember our place and God's rules. Yes, I'm talking about that whole fourth commandment thing. So it was really swell that I got to spend 2 weekends just hanging out with my parents. Sure we had itineraries and places to go, but we also got to have deep discussions and moments in the car rides (which were long) where we just enjoyed each other's company and shared common interests.
And my parents are both so different that it was really an awakening for me to notice how differently I related to my mom as opposed to my dad in such an intimate setting.
Other than travels and sending in my deposit for college (!) nothing much is going on. Well, actually, I might have just found my roommate....so that is pretty exciting.
Personally, I find the beginning of lent to be rather dull and the end to be much more exciting...
I’d like to take you through a typical *cough* day of me being a homeschooler.
7:45 – I wake up. As in, I open my eyes hoping that this state of being awake is just a bad dream. But, alas, as I lay there for a minute or two my brain begins to function. I begin to remember the mountain of schoolwork that I must complete and all the things I must do before my trip this weekend! Curse you brain for using your organizational powers on me at this exact moment. Now I feel obliged to do something productive. Lately, I’ve been noticing my mood when I wake up and the impact it has on my day. Like this morning I woke up in an optimistic “I’m going to start fresh and have a good day,” mood. Whattadifference.
8:15 ish – I walk downstairs, eat cereal, CHEERIOS are the way to go imho, and start school. Mi madre is really into classical music these days; something about appreciating real talent. Whatever that means. Haha.
10:02 - Some people in my family are sick so somehow the baby, 2 yrs, is getting away with watching Thomas the Tank Engine. Why, when I was a kid, I never got to watch TV in the middle of the day.
10:15 OK so sometimes I write little love notes to my future husband. Because I’m a romantic and yesterday was Valentine’s Day. Hey I’m single and I can do what I want. Don’t judge me!
11:30 Lunch break! One of the most beautiful things about being homeschooled is how creative you get to be in the kitchen. Like today I had a scrumptious salad for lunch with some cookies. I also *had* to do some things like discuss prom forms for my 3 dates with my mom, brother, and 2 friends. And I’m pretty sure I talked to my sister somewhere in there.
3:30 School day is technically over. I did some Macbeth, Woman in White, government, religion and bio. Now it’s time to babysit!
6:30 Whew. Why am I so tuckered out after only 3 hours of babysitting? I babysit weekly for a 4 yr old and twins for a family who lives right down the street from my house. C, one of the twins, is soo adorable. There was this one moment when I was holding him and he just randomly gave me the sweetest kiss on the cheek. What a ham! Also, it’s kinda fun and challenging to hold the twins in my arms at the same time. Don’t worry, I’m careful!
7:30 Doing dishes for 10 people when the dishwasher runs out of room for all the soup bowls is loads of funnn.
8:30 I look in my inbox to find a recruitment questionnaire needs to be filled out for some press conference. Yipee. My recruiting coach called and I called him back but I got his voice mail. Wonderful. Atleast I get to listen to Taylor Swift’s new song “Safe and Sound” while I write this questionnaire out. I’m also looking into buying Audrey Assad’s album “Heart”. From the demos on itunes, all her songs sound really beautiful. I love authentic Christian artists!
10:36 Forget that government test. I need me some Downtown Abbey! Buying season 1 was a mistake….I’m so obsessed with the time period, characters, COSTUMES, and setting. I highly highly recommend it!
10:40 GAH there is so much to do before I leave on Friday morning!
Today is the day that I sign the National Letter of Intent, which binds me to play soccer at Belmont Abbey in the fall.
Talk about a major decision!
After much praying, talking, and deliberating it has come down to this:
This is the college I believe God has put a special place for in my heart.
This is where I can see myself being totally fulfilled academically, spiritually, and athletically.
I'm a little nervous because I'm human and we worry about big decisions, but, at the same time, I know worrying ultimately isn't doing me any good. It'll just add more pressure and who needs that? Besides, I'm pretty confident next year will be great no matter the challenges or rewards!
Also, I'd like to give a shout-out to College Girl for selecting me as the winner in her 10,000 post drawing! Thanks for the gift card College Girl!
I shouldn't be blogging. I should be doing school, but this just made me a little upset. Very upset. Let's start with a little quote by these pro-choicers.
"Our life, our right."
Oh boy, let's go to the very beginning. Sexual Reproduction 101, when the sperm (male gamete with incomplete set of DNA) meets the ovum (female gamete with incomplete set of DNA) a new nucleus is formed with a NEW set of DNA. Let's look at the 4 criteria for life.
1) All life forms contain DNA.
2) All life forms must be able to extract and convert energy from surroundings to sustain them.
3) All life forms must sense changes in their surroundings and respond to those changes.
4) All life forms reproduce.
An embryo, in fact, meets all these criteria.
That group of cells that is forming in a woman's body that magically pops out and becomes a baby right as a woman goes through labor and gives birth is ACTUALLY a living human being from the very beginning.
How is that so? From when his/her DNA from the father and mother merge, a new nucleus is formed. Yes, this person has his/her own unique set of DNA. This person uses energy from the mother to sustain his/her life. This person senses and responds to changes in his/her surroundings. Ever see an ultra sound? I have! If moving and having a heart beat isn't sensing surroundings and adapting to the womb than what is? And if you really study the process an embryo undergoes during the stages of pregnancy you can obviously see that his/her cells are reproducing asexually and that the embryo is DEVELOPING.
Thus, we can only conclude that this blob of cells is actually a baby. A person. With their own unique set of DNA.
To me, it is illogical to presume that getting rid of (killing) a person with a unique set of DNA is NOT murder. Abortion is wrong because it is murdering an innocent life.
And I understand that it's scary and you feel alone when you are faced with an unwanted pregnancy. But there IS help! So many resources like project Gabriel are available to women who want to put their child up for adoption or need funds. Women do regret abortion. And we have help for that too, such as project Rachel.
Being pro-choice means you have the ability to make good and bad choices. Being pro-life means that you stand up AGINST the bad choices and fight for the good. It means you are FOR life; that you honor and respect that all man are created equal. From the moment of being created we all have a right to live in an equal manner as any other human being until we naturally die. No life, no matter how small or undeveloped, is a bad choice. Life is a very good choice! After all, the only people who claim that life is a bad choice are people who have chosen to live!
As Fr. Pilan says, "Death cannot drive out death; only life can drive out death." Only the voice of the living is going to stand up for the voice of the dead, or those who cannot speak. Just because they haven't fully formed and been born does not mean their right to live is not equal to ours!
So the answer to "Our life, our right." Is simply: it's not your life at stake here! It's not YOUR right to take away a life! To murder!
"Pro-life that's a lie you don't care if women die"
Hold on! Being pro-life doesn't equal not caring if woman die. We do care; hence why our name is FOR life. Pro=for. We are for life! We are for all men being created equal! We are for standing up for the innocent so that they are not murdered! We are for helping women so that their souls and bodies don't die!
This video is created by the Washington Times and I thought it was pretty well done.
How ya been?
Good to see you my old familiar friend!
Yes, that's a Lady Antebellum song.
This is going to be quick, but I just wanted to update ya'll on what I've been up to the past few weeks.
The week after Christmas was spent with my mom's side of the family. We had a wonderful time surprising my Great Grandma for her 95th birthday. It was a mini reunion and I loved being able to see cousins, aunts, uncles, and nana. One thing these reunions always show me is how different, unique, and awesome my family is. We had a great time and a great party with lots of love, laughter and cameras!
Last week, I went skiing for the second time in my life and got to conquer a black diamond. My brother, L, went for the first time. It was pretty cool to see him go from never having skied before to mastering a black diamond. That trip was spent with great friends and good memories!
This week, unfortunately, has been more depressing as I have to get back to reality and catch up on some school work. That and being sick hasn't made this week the best. *sigh* I miss Christmas already! Don't we all?
