31 December 2008

Happy New Year!!!!

Well, with only about twelve hours until 2009, I'd like to reflect on this past year.

TOP TEN THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN 2008:
  1. I recieved Christ as my personal Lord and Savior.
  2. I went to Maui!
  3. I made the desicion to homeschool for my final year of school.
  4. I got a puppy and I love him to death.
  5. I started a blog.
  6. I got over a horrible back pain.
  7. I was diagnosed with PCOS.
  8. I went ice-skating for the first time the other day. (And I did horribly, didn't I, Jade? lol)
  9. I snorkled within inches of a huge sea turtle.
  10. I lived.

I can't beleive how fast this year has flown by. I've only been on this Earth for 16 short years, but I've noticed how much shorter each year feels. I wish everyone a very Happy New Year.

26 December 2008

Happy Boxing Day!



Okay, I know that I'm not Canadian, but that's the only subject I could think of. lol


Well, I'm almost done with 11th grade and it doesn't seem possible. I really have to start planning for my graduation in May. It's so much work and I don't even want to think about it. Wow, when when you go to public school, the most you have to think about is Senior portraits and invitations. Now, I have to plan the ceremony itself! I'm so nervous about it all, because with graduation comes public speaking. Everyone that knows me knows that I am not at all shy, but I am the world's worst public speaker. I become so nervous and have to hold onto the podium to prevent falling down. I'd rather sing in front of the Queen of England than to say a speech in front of my family. It's so terrifying.


Well, I really want to go back to Maui. My family and I went there this past May and fell in love with it. I was looking through my pictures from there earlier and I felt basically home sick. lol It's so peaceful there and the people aren't always rushing like they are here on the mainland. We lived in Georgia for 11 years of my life and I loved it there. Now that we live in the city, I don't feel like I can breathe. Living in Texas is not my idea of fun. I love my friends and my church family here, but man, I love Georgia and Maui so much more. lol We're trying to convince Daddy to let us go back to Maui for my senior trip. Oh, it would be SOOOOOO fun! When we went in May, we stayed at the Nohonani condominiums in Lahina. (The people that own the unit we stayed at sent us a Christmas card. Isn't that sweet?!?!?!) We stayed in Maui for a week and had so much fun there.

Oh! This is funny. My parents were already there for my dad's company meeting and so my brother and I flew out there and met them. About twenty minutes after they picked us up, we were in Lahina and we saw this group of Hawaiian men sitting in their yard waiting for the parade that was coming by soon. They were singing and playing their ukuleles. I happened to be wearing a marching band T-shirt that has a picture of a labryinth on the front. The biggest man looked at me and said, "Hey! That is the Hawaiian symbol of life! I have one, too!" Then, he stood up and lifted the back of his sarong to let me see the labyrinth tattooo on his butt. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!! What a greeting! It was so funny. Any other day or place, I would have gotten mad. Maybe it was because we were in Hawaii (or I was jetlagged) that I just stood there and laughed. We listened to them play a pretty song and were on our way. I thought I would share this with you. This is a picture of my friends. The man sitting by the door of the truck is the on who gave me the knowledge that a labryinth is the Hawaiian symbol for life. I still can't believe we forgot to get a picture of him and me.

20 December 2008

Merry CHRISTmas!



Well, with only five days left until CHRISTmas, we've got a lot of work to do. Today, we're going to finish our last-minute shopping and we'll probably go to see a live Nativity scene tonight. Tommorow, our church's Junior High class is putting on their Christmas play and a few of us senior teen girls are going to be singing and signing a medly of "Silent Night" and "O, Holy Night". It's going to be fun because we'll be dressed in black from head to toe except we'll wear white gloves. All the lights are going to be off except for some black lights so all people will see is our hands signing.


Well, the other new news is that we bought a puppy! Well, he's eight months old (almost nine months, now) but he is still full blown puppy. His name is T-Bone and he's a Redbone Hound mixed with Golden Retriever. We rescued him from Noah's Ark Shelter in Gainsville, TX while going to Oklahoma. (BTW, that's like three hours from where I live).
Well, i've got to go! Ciao

21 November 2008

Senior Stuff!!!

Well, we ordered the rest of my books this Wednesday. When it comes in, I'll be SOOOO happy. I'm already almost completely done with American Literature, American History, and Health. Next, I'll be working on English Literature, U.S. Government and Economics, Speech, and be finishing up Physics and Home Economics. I can't beleive that in just a few short months, I'll be a high school graduate!!! (Now, if I could just get my driver's lisence.) After graduation, I would like to get either a job as a nannie or at a clothing store, such as Lane Bryant, so I could get a discount and get some awesome clothes for college. It's so strange for me to be a senior since I was supposed to be a junior this year. It feels like this year is going by so fast. It's as if the world is speeding and I'm just along for the ride.
Well, I'm bored now, so I'll TTYL!!!

23 October 2008

France, Andorra, North Ireland, and Hawaii


Our teen group at church has started a new mission project. We're to pick a few countries and a U.S. state to pray for everyday. We're also to e-mail a Independant Fundamental Baptist missionary or preacher living there and get any prayer requests. I've chose to pray for France, Andorra, North Ireland, and the state of Hawaii.
Many people in the U.S. have never heard of the small country of Andorra. I learned about it my freshman year when I had to do a report on a country and I searched for small countries. As the map on the left shows, Andorra is a small country between France and Spain. In fact, it's about half the size of Manhattan Island. The people there speak Catalan (the national language), French, and Spanish.
The small country of Andorra has an amazing history. "Tradition holds that Charles the Great (Charlemagne) granted a charter to the Andorran people in return for fighting against the Moors. Overlordship of the territory was of the local count of Urgell and eventually to the bishop of the diocese of Urgell. In 988 Borrell II count of Urgell gave the Andorran valleys to the Diocese of Urgell when the count expanded to the south.[2] Since then the Bishop of Urgell, locally known as the bishop of the la Seu d'Urgell, has owned Andorra[3].
Andorra did not have any type of protection and the Bishop of Urgell, who knew that the Count of Urgell wanted to reclaim the Andorran valleys,[3] decided to ask for help and protection from the Lord of Caboet. In 1095, the Lord of Caboet and the Bishop of la Seu d'Urgell signed under oath the recognition of their sovereignty over Andorra. Arnalda, daughter of Arnau of Caboet, married the Viscount of Castellbò and both became Viscounts of Castellbò and Cerdanya. Years later their daughter, Ermessenda,[4] married Roger Bernat II of the French Count of Foix. They became Roger Bernat II and Ermessenda I Counts of Foix, Viscounts of Castellbò and Cerdanya and also sovereigns of Andorra (shared with the Bishop of Urgell).
In the eleventh century a dispute arose between the bishop of la Seu d'Urgell and Count of Foix. The conflict was resolved in 1278 by the signing of the first paréage, with the mediation of Aragon, which provided that Andorra's sovereignty be shared between the count of Foix[3] (whose title would ultimately transfer to the French head of state) and the bishop of Urgell, in Catalonia. This gave the small principality its territory and political form.
Over the years the title passed to the kings of Navarre, and after Henry of Navarre became King Henry IV of France he issued an edict (1607) that established the head of the French state and the Bishop of Urgell as co-princes of Andorra.
In the period 1812–13, the First French Empire annexed Catalonia and divided it in four départements. Andorra was also annexed and made part of the district of Puigcerdà (département of Sègre)." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andorra#Languages)
The most dominant religion in Andorra is Roman Catholicism. I haven't been able to find ANY Baptist churches there yet.
I've had a love for France since I was about 10. This summer, I met the Dodeler family, a sweet missionary couple to France. Actually, both of them were born and raised in France by American missionaries to France. Each of them have one American parent and one French parent. lol They visited our church and we took them on for support. Madame Damarias Dodeler was very sweet to me and actually invited me to come and help work at their Christian youth camp, Camp Arc-en-ciel (Camp Rainbow). She also invited me to spend a year in thier Bible college so I can become fluent in French. I took two years of French already and was quite good at it, but I'm not at all fluent yet. About .02% of the French population are Independent Baptists. For more information on the Dodeler family, go to http://www.dodeler.com/Home.html Please keep them in your prayers.
I'm still looking for information on missions in Northern Ireland.
This past summer, my family and I visited the Hawaiian island of Maui and I fell in love with the people. Whenever we go on vacation, we always try to find a like-minded church to visit. We fortunately found Grace Baptist Church, the only IFB church on Maui. It's a very small church in Lahina, and the people are so kind. We were very grateful for their hospitality and love.
Please pray for these missionaries and projects as they grow.

First Homeschool Co-Op

Well, today, our church homeschooling group is having a co-op. This means we all go up to the church and work on different subjects together. This will be basically for the extra curricular activities. It's a good thing that we're not doing school subjects because the person that's closest to me in age is just starting 10th grade. It would be difficult for me because everyone is younger and I'm the only one taking senior courses. lol So, we're going to be learning photography/yearbook, Spanish, art/calligraphy, weapon safety, and home EC. It'll be fun. I'll have to put pictures up later.
Well, I've got to go.
Chow Mein!!!

22 October 2008

Homeschooling, Work, and Graduation

I never would have thought that homeschooling could be this complicated. I've been getting caught up for the past, um, week and a half. My grandmother and her new hubby came up, so that was distracting because we, of course, wanted to spend time with them. Here's some advice: during your senior year, NEVER LET ANYONE COME TO VISIT YOU FOR MORE THAN A NIGHT!!! You get so far behind. For English, I'm on lesson 74 when I should be on lesson 80. I know that's only, like, six lessons, but it's hard to get caught up.

I'm still getting used to the fact that I'm going to be graduating in just a few short months. I was supposed to be a junior this year, but because I took advanced classes in public school, I only had two eleventh grade courses (American History and English 3) to take. The rest (English 4, U.S. Government/Economics, Physics, Home EC, Speech, and Health) are all 12th grade classes. Well, the last three can be taken at any time in high school, but I took French my first two years and didn't have time to take them. My estimated finished-with-school date is May 7, 2009. This means I will be able to graduate before my seventeenth birthday which is in late May. WOW!!! I feel so smart! lol

I've noticed that when you're in public school all of your life except for your last school year, you expect things that people who have been homeschooled their whole lives expect. Like when we were at our first A Beka preview when we were just thinking and praying about finishing my education at home, I was looking through their catalouge and saw that you can buy letterman jackets from them. I told my mom and a lady who was sitting at the same table as us said, "Is that really important, though?" I couldn't beleive it. This was something that seemed normal, nay, necessary for every high school student. I've saved patches from marching band and vocal competitions. This is something that I've worked for and have earned. I can't imagine not having a letterman jacket. lol Also, my homeschooled friends aren't worried about class rings and yearbooks and other school "necessities" as they are seen in public school. They couldn't care less about these things. It seems so hilarious to me.It's like almost as important as kissing a statue at your sweet sixteen. lol Long story!
Well, I'm still getting used to being homeschooled. It's so fun! But very different.

20 October 2008

New Beginnings

Well, I'm joining the 21st century- I'm starting a blog. I'm so excited.


All my life, I've been in public school, but this past summer I asked my parents if I could be homeschooled. The school I had been going to was quite rough and there was a lot of gang influence. After much prayer, we agreed to homeschool me. I was supposed to be in the 11th grade, but due to taking advanced classes in regular school, I will be able to graduate this year. WOW! I'm a senior!!! Next year, I will spend a year working to raise money for some of my college funds. My parents say that they will pay for my first year of tuition, but I would like to help by paying for my other needs such as shampoos, clothes, etc. I don't like to feel like a mooch. LOL I hope to get a job as a nanny if possible, because I'm going to work with kids and would love to have a large family. I'm going to need a lot of training.


I would like to share my testimony with you all. When I was nine years old, (in 2001) I asked Christ to be my personal Lord and saivor. But, although I meant it with my head, it never became true in my heart. I love the Lord and I always have, but I also was raised in church, so this is normal. Last month, on September 20, my mom's bff was telling us how she thought she got saved at the age of 13. These past few years, she's been having doubts about her salvation, but didn't think that she wasn't saved. Well, I've been having these same doubts about my eternal securrity, but I didn't tell anyone. As her story progressed, my heart was being convicted and I realized that I truly wasn't saved. I accepted Christ as my personal Lord and savior that night. I'm so happy that I will be with God for all of eternity.


Please pray for me as I travel this new road of homeschooling. Thanks.

God Bless,

Caitlyn Mae