The Time Has Come...

...For me to blog again.

I'm just a mess. I've got so many thoughts bouncing around in my head. All I want to do is:
A) paint.
B) sleep.
C) go home and crawl into my bed and have soup and just recover from this semester.
D) go back to Atlanta and goof off with the boy.
E) GO HOME.

I love Lee. Don't get me wrong. But today (and the past few days for that matter) has just been a little season of missing home. I miss Nashville, I miss Franklin. I miss swimming holes and Fusion and (gasp!) FHS. I guess I'm just burnt out on school and such. But I miss home. Miranda Lambert has this song out called "The House That Built Me." It makes me bawl everytime I hear it because I've grown up in the same house for 15 years, and because Franklin "
built" me. People laugh at how much I talk about Nashville. But I truly do miss it. And love it. It is my hometown.





<< Me in the first few weeks of college.

>>Me and Court (I'm on the right) today.


I am almost done with my first year of college. This freaks the tar outta me. For multiple reasons. I've grown soooo much! But it's just weird. Because I guess it really hasn't set in that I'm in COLLEGE. I'm almost a SOPHOMORE in COLLEGE. In THREE YEARS I will have my own classroom. Wooooa.

I'm almost done with my first year of college. That's so strange. No longer am I going to be a freshman, but a sophomore. It doesn't seem like that big a difference, but at the same time, it seems like a WORLD of difference. It's really really strange. I guess it's so strange because I am making decisions everyday that affect the rest of my life. Freaky.

I've changed SO much in the past 9 months. It's really kinda strange and sometimes makes me nervous that I'm not being true to myself, or that I'm going to let someone down by changing. But I feel like it's change for the better. I feel like I am growing, even though sometimes I have to take steps backward first, in order to take giant leaps forward.

Top Ten Things I've Learned During My Freshman Year (so far):
1. I am a clean person. (My parents thought I was kidding when I said this. But I'm not. I'm an extremely clean person now that I'm living on my own.)
2. It's never too late for a Steak and Shake run....
3. ....or a Krispy Kreme run...
4. ....or a Taco Bell run.
5. a 4.0 IS possible.
6. Time management is KEY.
7. Find a quiet place where you can be alone. Visit that place everyday.
8. Professors do care.
9. Adventuring, by yourself or with others, is a really fun Sunday afternoon activity.
10. You can never ever ever visit WalMart too many times in one week. (I think my record is 4 times in one week.)

Of course, there are serious things that I've learned as well. There have been ups, and there have been downs. There have been insanely frustrating moments, and there have been moments when I want to leap for joy. It can get really really tiring, all these ups and downs. But it's such a rush. It's such a thrill, getting to experience college and life on my "own."

All in all, I am thankful. All in all, I wouldn't trade college life, and this past year, for anything in the world. The Lord has been FAITHFUL and GOOD. He has seen me through rough times and great times. And it is by His strength and love that I live from day to day.

I can't wait for the summer. I'm not just saying that because I'm ready for school to be out, but I know that the Lord has big plans for this summer. :) And I can't wait for Him to reveal those plans!

woooooooa! take a look at me nooooooo-ow!

PRAISE THE ALMIGHTY SAVIOR IN HEAVEN,


I AM DONE WITH MY ART PORTFOLIO! :]


A little taste of what's in it (more soon!) :

<"Goldfish in a Bowl" -abstract, happend on accident. Cleaning off my palatte from another piece, I decided to use the extra paint on this sucker. Turned out to be a beaut!


So, now that I'm officially done with my art portfolio, and I took my English 4 AP exam today...I'm practically done with high school. I have 4---COUNT THEM, 4!!!!!---days left of my high school career. This is kinda freakin' me out, and making me so stinkin' excited at the same time. Yuuuuuus.


Africa is soon! it's like 42 days. Man oh man, this is going to be so great. I can't wait to get back!


Grad parties have already started. The yearbook came in yesterday. It's beautiful! I'm done with Studio Art. No more hanging in Ms. Saylor's room at all hours of the school day. Lunches on the lawn are drawing to a close...man, sad day!


But in other news, our cruise to Mexico got cancelled, due to "Swine Flu."


-----Swine Flu is a HOAX. All it is is the media of the US blowing it up into this HUGE deal. More people have died from the regular flu since the beginning of the year than Swine Flu.


Where is the media coverage about the 15 MILLION children that die EVERY YEAR of hunger? Where is the media coverage about the 2 MILLION people that die EVERY YEAR of AIDS? Swine Flu isn't a pandemic. AIDS and world hunger are pandemics.


World hunger is completely preventable. The average American family spends $800 on Christmas. This could give 7 children in developing nations 1 meal per day for a year.


Okay, hopping down off my soapbox...

So, our cruise was cancelled. I was excited, honestly. I loved the cruise, but am much more of a beach bum, hang out by the pool type o' gal. So we are now looking at our favorite beach house in Seaside, FL. Or possibly flying down to Cozymel (which stole our hearts last summer) and staying in an all-inclusive. I'm purty pumped. :]


Here are some Prom 09 pictures! We had a blast.



Karl and I at the Angles. >



























Half the gang, at Picture Station #1. >








So now I'm off to work on Senior Slideshows for my grad party (WOO!) and the Senior Recognition for the class of 2009 (aka Kono) at church next week. Could you pass the Kleenex box, please?

the home stretch.

Well howdy there, Mr. Blog!

This is becoming my "Holy Crap I'm Graduating! Brain Dump Place." But I promise that I'll sprinkle in some other tidbits of news in here too.

I just planned out my next two weeks. This week is full of catch-up...both academically and socially. Mainly socially though. Because I'm a 4th Quarter Senior. And I don't do school work anymore. But get this: I HAVE 41 DAYS UNTIL GRADUATION. 41! 41 school, weekend, bummin' around school, and exam days left. In 41 days, I will be gradumatated. Praise the Lord!

I spent last weekend at Lee University signing up for classes. This was so surreal to me. I'm going to college. I'm signing up for classes that sculpt my future. I'm leaving home, and embarking on a new adventure. Hot dog! I absolutely cannot wait. From rooming with one of my best friends to discovering new cute coffeeshops to new friends and people to meet (read: boys), I am so excited!

This week was spring break. And boy howdy, was it needed! Here's some snippets of what I did...

< Raced shopping carts in parking lots...

Had Fake Fusion with the youth group, where we had great roomie boding time... ^

< and aided the Senior Boys in their fashion show at Target.
(Where we were stalked by an employee that kept giving us looks. We were just killing time before our movie!)

All in all, a great spring break. :]

In other news, high school consists of getting ready (and pumped!) for Prom '09, sending in final transcripts to our choice colleges, and eating lunch outside. :]

Summer holds: GRADUATION, Vacation Bible School, Youth Camp, AFRICA, return trip to Mexico, THE POOL, girl time, last memories with the Class of 09, Kid's Camp, a possible mission trip to NYC, a possible beach trip with the girls....and COLLEGE! Wooo hoo! Let's go!

Mr. Golden Sun

Here's the top ten reasons I would really like the sun to come out:

1. Photo outings! Do you know how hard it is to take pictures in sub-40 degree temperature? Exactly. Frozen fingers!

2. Sundresses. Boy, do I miss my sundresses and skirts. Jeans get kinda old after awhile...

3. Going barefoot! I hate wearing shoes. I hate cold, it makes me wear shoes. I hate shoes. Wait. I love shoes, I am a girl. I love buying them, I love looking at them in store windows and drooling over the ones I can't afford. I hate WEARING shoes. Yeah, that's it. I hate the act of wearing them. I love shoes themselves.

4. Farmer's Market. So I've actually not been to the Farmer's Market in awhile. But I miss the colors, and the people. And now that I have Marty the Cannon Rebel, it will be more of an adventure.

5. The beach. So I was born in southern Alabama. On the Gulf. And I basically love the beach, and would totally live on the beach if I could. But because it's cold, I can't go to the beach. Warm weather, please come!

6. Driving with my windows down. So I do this now, but it's not nearly as fun. Because it gets really cold when you have all that wintery wind blowing into your car...

7. Days at the park. Man, I miss Pinkerton. I miss just going to camp out for the day and play Frisbee and eat snacks and swing.

8. River hopping. A branch of the Harpeth River is right behind my house. I live with a very adventurous dad and brother. We usually wind up in the river at least twice during the summer, doing all sorts of things from fishing to skipping stones to swimming. The dog usually gets roped into our adventures too. Great fun.

9. Fireworks. We do fireworks in the winter, but it's not quite the same. There's just something about sitting around on a hot July night eating watermelon and watching the fireworks. Or watching them after a baseball game.

10. Various Summer Activities. I miss Vacation Bible School (speaking of, isn't it about time to announce the theme?). I miss kid's camp, and playing in the pool with the 3rd grade girls. I miss youth camp and crawling through mud that smells like New Orleans, and eating Nutella and M&Ms on the back porch of our cabin.

It's a safe thing to say that I am not really a fan of the cold. It's almost like the cold makes me become a hermit. All I want to do is curl up with a warm blanket and a good book. And some hot chocolate.

So, dear summer, HURRY!

(And Mr. Groundhog, please don't see your shadow next week!)

hello sweet summer.

hello summer and all it brings:
-SWEET TEA. and lots of it. :]
-watermelon.
-strawberries.
-BBQs.
-the BEACH.
-the pool.
-the sun.
-my moon roof.
-warm nights.
-beautiful sunsets
-kono bonding time. :]
-seashells
-PAINTING DAYS.
-youth camp
-kids camp
-----AFRICA!!!!--------

So I survived! I survived my first year of AP classes, and a killer band season [insert band geek jokes here...], and Junior year altogether. It was not easy, let me tell you. God is still in the business of miracles, I got out of 11th grade in one piece! Now I can call what I have "Senioritis."

AFRICA IS IN 8 DAYS. As each day grows closer, I grow more and more excited. Which I didn't think was possible, because I was pretty stoked about a month ago. Emily and I are teaching on God Loving All People. We are very excited- think "Red, and yellow, black and white... They are precious in His sight." Totally both of our hearts!
Now, I'm not going to lie. This is my first trip out of the country. I do love flying, but it makes me nervous. The whole "let's go up in the air in a metal BIRD. THAT'S HEAVIER THAN AIR" thing does not fly too well with me. (No pun intended.) But my Daddy is bigger than anything. So there will be alot of praying going on. Here in TN, and up in the air somewhere over that big ocean.

AFRICA PRAYER REQUESTS:
1. Travel mercies- both in the trip over to Malawi and travel in and around the village.
2. Safety on site- building+teenagers (espeically klutzy ones like me...) could be dangerous.
3. PATIENCE. - 28ish hours of plane rides, and 2 weeks in close quarters with different personalities... yes. Patience would be good.
4. Open eyes, and and open heart- this trip is going to be SO out of my comfort zone. I know the Lord likes to work in me when I'm uncomfortable. Pray that my eyes will be opened to what He has in store. (This goes for the rest of the team having open eyes too!!)
5. Love- I will be the first to sign up for Grumpy Sleep Deprived Citizens Annoymous. Yet another possible foothold for the Devil and buttons to be pressed. Please pray for our team, and that our love for each other is EVIDENT. We are known by the love we have for each other.
6. Awareness- So I'm from little ole' Tennessee, and I've never stepped foot outside the good ole' US of A. I'm not fully prepared to be hit with the different smells, tastes, sights, and sounds of other cultures. Please pray that I (and the team!) will be aware of how we dress/interact/portray ourselves. [And yes, I am fully aware that I said 'ole' twice in one sentence. Yikes.]

So that is kinda a hefty list. But it's what's on my heart. Expect about 8 more "____ DAYS LEFT! AHHH!" posts. :]

Ps--- Pray for Katie W. and Brittney H., they are leaving tomorrow morning for the Ukraine! How exciting!