Friday, June 29, 2007

Newness



You know, I'm not really sure what to say. I have a lot in my heart, and I think it's pretty complicated, so basically this post will be about my laptop. I got a laptop...because my mom wants me to take pre-calculus. I was adament that I did NOT want to take Pre-Cal on the computer -- until my mom said, "we'd have to buy you a laptop." that perked my ears up... =) So, it's a laptop. It was a great price. The thing is, it doesn't have much memory. It seems to have about twice the memory of my memory card in my camera...and the memory is almost all used up. So, I guess my brother needs to put more memory in it.

I have been getting to hang out with Glorie, and she is so sweet. You can't know the sweetness of a little person through pictures, but once you see her and hold her and interact with her, there is something to ethereally sweet about this Glorie-be.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Rain, rain go away

Nothing today has worked out quite like I thought it would. Which is fine. It's just different. It's raining. Really, really hard.


So, the gym is flooded. The school gym. I know that because I've been at the school....I thought I would be at Amy and Rachel's....so I didn't bring a lunch....but I didn't go to Amy and Rachel's....so I didn't eat lunch. My mom is completely soaked because she went out in the rain to fix the problem that was causing the gym to flood; now the nice YWAM people are cleaning it up.


I got some good stuff done for my mom today...working on the computer...typing documents...answering the phone. I like the phone on the reception desk. It feels so official. Much nicer than the old phone. In fact, here's a picture.


I like talking on this phone. I was glad when Mr. Pan called on the phone and we talked about how there's no volleyball today...because it's raining. No volleyball....no volleyball....just for the record, I brought four hamburgers, three hot dogs, eleven hot dog buns, mustard, and ketchup for the barbecue we were supposed to have at volleyball tonight.


I can still have a good day today...in fact, I have had one. And the fact that there's no volleyball doesn't leave me feeling like I'm at the bottom of the ocean or alone in the middle of the Sahara desert. But I was prepared. Board shorts. Waterbottle. Oh yes, I was prepared.


I'm leaving in two days for Kansas City. And then when I come back, I have a day and a half to get ready for Tacoma. In that day and a half, I want to be with my friends. Today, I almost got a doctor's appointment during that time, but, aha! they didn't have openings. I feel like there's a lot I need to do; but I'm not sure what it is. I think I will be going to Office Depot in a few minutes to get the backpack that I need before I travel. My old one broke. I had that backpack since fourth grade (well, I've had it since third but have been using it since fourth). My brother bought it for me. That was a good backpack. It finally gave out at the end of this year, and I spent the last few weeks of the year carrying around my plethera of books in a backpack that didn't zip. Props to Jansport for a long-lasting backpack.

But now I don't know what color to get....hmmmmm....

Yesterday was succesful. I sent a postcard. I paid some book fines at the library, but found out that the book I ordered came in. But I didn't know it came in, so I didn't come get it, so it went away. But I did rent Les Miserables, the story where I've heard the music but I'm waiting to see the movie until I see the play but I guess now I'm reading the book before "see" anything. I should play the music while I read and imagine it.

One other thing: my orthodontia has come loose. My bracket came off, and I tried to get a hold of my orthodontist numerous ways, but it has not yet happened. Wait and see!!

I hope this isn't a complaining blog entry. The writing feels quite succesful, actually. Complaining would be bad. I can still have a great day; and you know what, the changes make it more interesting. Maybe tonight I'll have the most amazing night. I don't know. But Jesus' plan is perfect, and his plan today did not include volleyball.

It did include this, though: this morning on the way to school, my mom surprised me by stopping the car in a forest preserve (I was confused) and letting me drive!

Actually the wonderful thing that His plan included was this: on the way to school, we were listening to music, and all of a sudden, my mom is crying...out of joy. She began talking about how why would God bless her and my dad so much, that all of their children are so in love with Jesus. She used the word "captured" and spoke of how wonderful Jesus was that my brother, at fourteen, had already had his heart captured by the Lord. Our God is most beautiful, most tender, most gracious, most merciful, most worthy to be loved and worshiped. He is ours. Our God...we belong to Him, and He abides in us.

By the way, the sun has just come out. =)


Sunday, June 24, 2007

Blurry Summer

Summer makes the weeks seem so fuzzy. It's so much harder to remember what day it is, and what day you did a certain thing, or how long it's been since you ate lunch... lol. This might just turn into the longest post ever, trying to remember what I've done recently...

I went to church today and then I came back and I ate a red bell pepper as a snack with ranch dressing...yum. =)

Well, I have spent TONS of time at Amy and Rachel's house. We stayed up late most of the time. We picnicked, we tackled, we drove a lot (well, Rachel drove), we danced, we cooked, we watched movies. [I should have done this blog a long time ago so that my fuzzy would be slightly less summer...I mean, my summer might be slightly less fuzzy.]

When Rachel is driving, Amy helps operate the radio; when a song they like comes on, Amy
cranks it up to a massive level and Rachel puts her seat back real far and drives gangster style. And then Mr. Pan can do it too.


Two Thursdays ago we went on a picnic. We grilled and had some brats and burgers and potatoe salad. We even played football (well, kind of...our version of football isn't very, um...official).


And then! We went swing dancing! It's this thing that Chicago has during the summer downtown in Grant Park. Rachel's friends from college came into town, so her friend Jeff taught us some steps. If you don't have someone to dance with, somebody just asks you to dance, and it's fun! I got to dance with this guy who totally knew what he was doing and told me that if anything goes wrong, it's ALWAYS the lead's fault. He taught me the Charleston. Fun!














We had a fun time walking back to the car.
Amy's feet hurt, so we carried her a little ways...



And then there was this general guy up on a horse. Who knows what he did, but we liked hanging out (literally) with him. Actually, he was a little stiff.... hahahahahahahahahaha -- okay, not funny.

The Petersons and I went to go see Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. And then we were in the weirdest mood. We didn't want to go home, because we didn't want to be bored. So we sat in the parking lot. For half an hour. We were kinda crazy.

Wow....so what else have we done. We went to have ribs! We had done sushi, but had been waiting for ribs for a really long time.



I thought they were really yummy. I have steered away from them in the past, but these ones were so tender and great. They were really good.

I also went to go see Nancy Drew with Vicky. That night, we went to go play beach volleyball with some friends. It was SO fun.

I have been doing a lot in my summer; it's quite exciting. Coming up this week: volleyball on the beach again, perhaps some Dutch Blitz playing, and getting ready for leaving for the summer. I am going to Kansas City on Thursday, and then after that I am going to Tacoma, Lord-willing. Busy-ness coming up! (But fun busy-ness)

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Class

This is a nice little sample of our classroom.

Biking

Yesterday was such an awesome day....

First, I had a great day at home. I was cleaning and getting ready for the barbecue that we had for all the staff from the school. Both my parents were already gone when I got up, so I didn't see anybody until my mom came home around 4:00 to start cooking for the bbq. The great thing was that I didn't feel lonely the whole time! For me, that is amazing. Usually, I have to be with people. But yesterday, it was just me and Jesus and I was totally fine and had super fun time. Crazy dancing happens best when one is alone.


Then, everybody came for the barbecue. That was pretty much just okay, until Mr. Pan rode by on his motorcycle. I have to say that the split second I saw the bike, my heart jumped (literally), I couldn't breathe for a second, and every ounce of blood I have went through my whole body in one, count it one, nanosecond. I have been waiting so long to be able to ride it, because there was this one night when the other people got to go and I couldn't; I have been waiting for a really long time. Anyways, I got to go and Kim and Abby went and it was so fun. I smiled for so long; I'm still smiling.

That's Abby with the gear on and Kim on the bike.

Me and Mr. Pan had to take some biker pictures.

So, the boots: Yes, they were brown boots with black capris. But they're the only boots I have! Mr. Pan said to wear something that covered the ankle, and they were the only thing I had, so I wore the boots, heels and all. And I have to say that it went pretty well...

I like this picture even though my eyes are closed.

And I have to say, the boots MAKE this picture.

Monday, June 11, 2007

Graduation

So, this might be kind of random, since it only matters that much to people who

were there or
know these people, but I had fun, and I like the pictures. I think looking at any pictures are fun, even if I don't know the people in them. I wonder what it is about them? Stories, perhaps.


So then, I felt very much like a photographer at some moments, and these are the photos that were the result:
The Light! The Light!!!

Mr. & Mrs. MannSo pretty. =)So instant, city, something that just looks really cool.

Downtown all alone




About a month ago, Amy and I got to go downtown...all by ourselves. It was super fun. We were shopping for the formal, and I got to buy a shirt at one of my favorite stores; I've never gotten to buy anything there before...White House|Black Market. We were down in Water Tower Place and then hangin' out on Michigan Ave. We went to Starbucks on Michigan Ave. anyway...it was really fun.

But then, we didn't find everything we needed there, so we went to good ol' Target. And, we found everything! We were very happy. Plus, we got some pretty sweet pictures.
Amy looked pretty awesome in the cowgirl hat. Oh, and, this was with her long hair. Now it's really cute and short!!!!

Old School; well, young school, actually


This is an old picture...old. Can you find me?

Friday, June 08, 2007

Amy pics






I promised my sister Amy so long ago that I would post the pictures of us from when she came to Chicago.