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.

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.

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