The Last Hour...

One little note before I zonk out for the night:
Goodbye August of 2010 - It was nice knowing ya. You weren't that great this year, but I'm not gonna hold it against ya. I will enjoy this last hour of your existence by listening to music and sleeping.
Farewell.

The Focus Point and other news.

I am really enjoying getting "The Focus Point" up and running. I think that it's going to be a ton of fun. I hope y'all enjoy it too! Tonight, I have been working on some photos to post over the next few days. The excitement level is very high. lol
In other news... RI IS WORKING ON MY BLOG DESIGN!!!!!!!!! I can't wait to see what she has done!

Oh, and this the 200th post on this blog. Happy blogging!

Good day :)

Riah, Becky, and Bree came today on their way to get milk... and on their way back. lol.
They were at our house for a couple of hours before they left. Riah and I, of course, went up to my room and talked, and talked, and talked. Did I mention that we talked? I did? Ok, I just wanted to be sure.
After they left I noticed that Bree had left her purse. I called Riah and we had to laugh... almost every time they come one of the little girls leaves something.
So they came back to my house after they got milk.
We are all trying to convince my mom to let me go spend a weekend over at their house.
Mom? are you reading this? Please... I really wanna go...
Now, I am going to go finish dishes, and clean.
Love and smiles,

It is done!

http://thefocuspoint365.blogspot.com/

Here is is, y'all, my new 365 Photo blog. Looking forward to seeing you there!

365

I'm thinking about doing a 365 Photo blog.... I would post a new picture everyday for 365 day (a year). What do ya think?

My "Secret Garden"

This is a spot in the lot beside my house. It has a creek (which is dry mostly right now), tall grasses, trees, black berries, and deer live down there too.
In this photo you will notice the "hole" in the trees. It's a deer path. To me, however, it looks like an entry way into a secret garden.
This photo has such a peaceful feel to it. It's going to be hangin' on my wall in the next month or so. :)

Someday.... Oh and news!

Ok, this is really sad, but I promise you Lys that I will, at some point in time, fix up your blog.  I figured a public apology was due here.  I haven't really worked on the design yet, but I have e-mailed somebody about how to do a more professional looking blog design.  Thank you for waiting so long, and thanks for the patience that you have, thus far, exhibited.
I guess the second half will be an apology to my mom.  She wants her blog redone too... but she's in line after Lys.  Guess how long she's having to wait?  If you said forever, then congratulations you are correct!  Sorry you have to wait mom... Love you both.

Now onto more news...  Lys has begged me to do a post about graduating, but there is not much to tell.  I crammed in tons of school and finished my last math book ever the day before my graduation.  Being homeschooled I didn't have to wear a cap and gown or have a ceremony.  So at the huge joint birthday party we hold in June, Mom and Dad gave me my diploma and announced that I had finished.  Thats pretty much it.  All I can say is that I am so happy to be done!  It was a slightly bittersweet moment though.  My grandfather died earlier this year and since he was a professor he was extremely dedicated to education.  He was really excited about the graduation and I really wish he could have been there.  Other than that, the day went well.  I didn't like being in the spotlight.  In a large graduation you are at least standing up with lots of other graduates, in an at-home-graduation its all you baby.  Frightening really.
More news... I turned 18 shortly after I graduated and I can honestly say... wait for it... I feel NO different!  Not really much of a shocker I guess.  Being 18 feels no different, execpt when 15 year olds look at you in complete shock and repeat over and over again that they can't believe you're 18.  Yes, that happens.  Not really sure why, but it does ;)

The only other news is that we are hoping/praying that Lys can come and spend the weekend with me someday soon.  It would really be awesome, but she lives quite a bit away from me so our parents have be reluctant to let us spend the night with each other.  Fingers crossed that this actually happens.

Love you Mom and Lys again!

~Riah 

 

???

I've noticed something about myself lately. I've noticed that I have been impatient. I'm not just talking about little things like waiting for dinner or waiting for someone to answer a question I ask, I'm talking about the big things. Things like deciding on if I want to go to a local college for a History major, or when I will find a job, or even for the year to go by quickly so my big trip will be here. I have been so consumed with my many thought and questions that I don't think I've really been giving God the chance to speak very clearly to me. I just need to be quiet long enough to listen.
Today, I was very angry. It was something small with Bee. Not a fight really. Just a change in plans. I was so angry! I went to the barn to get some things done before the show tomorrow, and I was grumbling to myself about how everything seems to be in a jumble. There was no one there except for my dad, and he was mowing. I finally paused in what I was doing and said, "God! I just want to know what to do! Why is everything so complicated?!" I went back to work, not as angry anymore, just impatient. I felt a small tug at my heart.
Patience.
I didn't really want to hear that, but I knew He was right, of course. He always is. I sighed deeply.
It still didn't change the fact that I wanted clear answers about what to do and when I'd finally find a job.

I continued to help my dad with different things on the property. Praying silently most of the time.

I'm still thinking and wondering. I'm still trying to be patient. There are so many things all of us would like to have clarity on when we want it, but we just need to have some patience...

Love,

Once Upon a Night...

...it was mid-summer of 2010, my big dog chased this up a dead tree:

Needless to say that this opossum wasn't to happy that night. It didn't help that I kept blinding him with my flash every two seconds :)

Photoshop (The dramatic changes)

Photoshop is so great. It can take pictures and do this:

Before.                                                      After.

                                  Before.                                                                          After.

Before.                                                      After.

Yes, I like the burnt edges... lol.

I'm gonna say this again: These pictures are mine and are not to be used by anyone without my permission!!!  

Sisterly love.

When you are younger, as in 15 and under, your sister(s) mostly seems like a person placed on the earth specifically to annoy you. Older or younger...it doesn't really change that. My sister and I were very mean to each other a lot of the time. She broke my nose when I was six - an accident, or so she says (heheh), she has thrown TV remotes, phones, pencils, and such at me, locked me in the scary basement of our old house, and my favorite, burnt me with the hair dryer! I haven't done quite that much to her, but I have retaliated. Hey, it's my job. lol.
As Bee and I got older, we became closer and closer. We are now best friends! Yes, we still have our little arguments, and yes, it can get bad, but that is very rare!
With that...I want to let all of you older and younger sisters out there know that it won't always be like that forever! There's hope! haha.
And I say that because this summer I saw a bunch of sisters and they kept saying how annoying the other was, and how they wished they could trade the other one (even though they did love each other)..yada yada. Sisters become your best friends after the years of annoyance. HAHA!
I hope that put a little light on your day. :)
(Bee, if you are reading this, I MISS HANGING OUT WITH YOU! I haven't seen you in 57,000,000 years!! not really but it's been a while)

A tear-jerker.

Driving to the barn this morning to do chores, I saw a dead (and cute) puppy in the middle of the road. I almost wanted to cry at the sight.
When driving, watch what you are doing and where you are going, because there are dogs out there... (and other animals.) ...and I will find you if hit a dog.
I have a very large soft spot for puppies. Can ya tell?
Sniff.
:)

Coffee.

In one word coffee is:

awesome.

delicious.

yummy.

wonderful.

comforting.

aroma-full

tasty!

More could be said for coffee, however I am going to stop there. Right now I have a purple mug filled with coffee sitting in front of me. Every couple of seconds I take a sip. I get inspired about this post with each one. Ridiculous, I know... doesn't mean I agree with it. haha. I think it's great.

Today has made me want to drink coffee and then sleep. I filled out another (long) job application while trying to keep my puppy-who-just-had-surgery-on-Monday-and-won't-stop-spazzing, calm. It's been interesting in that endeavor.

(Excuse me while I take a big sip of this magical coffee - ok, not magical, just incredible!)

AND I'm back.

Now for some quotes:

I believe humans get a lot done, not because we're smart, but because we have thumbs so we can make coffee. ~Flash Rosenberg

Sleep is a symptom of caffeine deprivation. ~Author Unknow

Coffee smells like freshly ground heaven. ~Jessi Lane Adams

Deja Brew: The feeling that you've had this coffee before. ~Author Unknown

I orchestrate my mornings to the tune of coffee. ~Harry Mahtar

I never drink coffee at lunch. I find it keeps me awake for the afternoon. ~Ronald Reagan

I like my coffee strong, not lethal! ~M*A*S*H

All the coffee in Columbia won't make me a morning person. ~Author Unknown

If your are still reading this, and haven't grown bored, I thank you for sticking with me through my coffee acknowledgement. Hey, coffee is a very huge beverage staple in this world. It needs a little bit of applauding...

That's all folks!

Randomness Wednesday!

It's been a while since I have done one of these so please bear with me here...

What I'm thinking about right now:

• Music
• Job applications
• My puppy
• Riah
• Driving
• Horses
• Books
• Food
• College

Now to explain!

• Music: I have my Hillsong cd playing right now. I love it!!!
• Job applications: I have been filling them out all morning - it's rather boring and it makes my brain tired.
• My puppy: she got spayed on Monday and she hasta wear those cone things on her head. She looks so funny with it on!
• Riah: She came to my house yesterday! We had a great time talking the whole time. lol. I missed her!
• Driving: I gotta go out, but I hafta motivate myself to drive first.
• Horses: Camp is over and I haven't seen he horses since Friday! Tigger misses me like I miss him... trust me, I know these things.
• Books: I have been reading a lot again since I have more time. I just started a new book last night!
• Food: I'm hungry, need I say more?
• College: I have a ton of lessons to do this week and posts to do on them. I am also considering doing an online History major next year. That depends on my finances by then, though.

THE END.

Drum roll please....

Let the job hunting commence! Again...

Story time.

Once upon a time, in a land not far away, there were two girls who were best friends. They were inseperable. One day they both got very busy and didn't talk hardly at all for weeks! And didn't see each other for over a month.
The sadness of it went on and on forever, or so it felt. Still, to this very day, those two girls have not talked or seen each other yet!
The end.
Go blow your nose and wipe your eyes and then get ready to cry again...
ready?
ready?
ready?
It's a true story. About Riah and me.
Go ahead and cry. Riah and I sure are.
Sniff.

A mess

I have been so busy lately! Everything seems like a mess in my life right now. I am about to get on the job hunting path again. Yippie. But it's all good.
I apologize for basically neglecting this blog like I have been. Riah and I are trying to get the redesign for my blog done but we haven't been able to get any further in that task because I haven't sent Riah any pictures to use!
My online college is really irritaing right now. The guy who runs the site has not posted my lesson from last week or this week yet! Grr.
I have had so much drama lately that I could scream. But that would do a thing.
There is one more weeks after this week of camp left. It's been fun and I'll be sad when it ends. Sniff.
So, my dear blogger friends, I must go for now. I'll try to update this more often...
Much love,

Lyrics.

verse 1/ You were near though I was distant / Disillusioned I was lost and insecure / Still mercy fought for my attention / You were waiting at the door / Then I let you in / verse 2 / Trading Your life for my offenses / for my redemption You carried all the blame / Breaking the curse of our condition / Perfection took our place / chorus / When only Love could make a way / You gave Your life in a beautiful exchange / When only Love could break these chains / You gave Your life in a beautiful exchange / verse 3 / My burden erased my life forgiven / there is nothing that can take this Love away / And my only desire and sole ambition / is to love you just the same / bridge / Holy are You God / Holy is Your Name / With everything I've got / My heart will sing / how I love You

*Hillsong Live 2010 - Album: A Beautiful Exchange / Song: Beautiful Exchange.

This is a new favorite!!