Another writing asignment

Right now in  our writing program we are working on reports about a person from the Revolutionary War. I have chosen to write about Molly Pitcher, because I think that the women who fought in the war don't get enough credit. Molly was an amazing woman who, when her husband was wounded in a battle, took up his position at the cannon he was helping to man. The battle was do fierce that at one point, a cannon ball flew right between Molly's legs, taking part of her skirt with it. She and many other women helped fight the war in many different ways, and I think that they don't get enough credit for it.

This Fall

This Fall, I would like to read more classic literature, such as Mark Twain, C.S. Lewis, and Jane Austen. I would also like to take a lot more pictures, as well as branch out in the style of pictures that I take. This should be easier to do than some other things, as I am currently taking a photography class at the local community collage.  Something else that I would like to do less, procrastinate on school work, as well as other things in general. In school I would like to learn more about world history, as well as more about our country's history. Something that I wish I didn't have to learn more about is math, I am almost finished with Algebra 1, and will be starting Algebra 2 in just a few weeks. I think I would enjoy school a lot more if I could just stop having to do math altogether, but as that is not very likely to happen, I guess that I will have to just push on and do it anyways. All in all I am hoping that this year will be a rather productive year for me, in school, as well as in everything else I do.   

September 11, 2001

We recently celebrated the eleventh anniversary of one of the saddest, and most influential events in our nations history. September 11, 2001, began just like any other day, people got up and ate breakfast, kids went to school, and parents went to work, just like any other day. I was only about seven when it happened, so I don't remember very much, but I do remember knowing that planes shouldn't be flying into buildings like that, and that the men who caused it to happen were not good people. Later that day, and in the days and weeks following 9/11, I remember wondering if we would become colonies like we were before the revolutionary war, or if things would be even worse, and we would become slaves, with no say over how we got to live our lives. As more and more time passed though, I felt more and more safe, after seeing how the American people banded together against this threat that affected all of us.

Some of the things that I want to accomplish this year.  I want to start getting up early to go swimming.  I have a license I should use it for something other than errands.  I would like to improve in all of my subjects, but I don't want to add any more to the list.  I wish that I could stay focused more and not get distracted by doctor who and books.  I wish that I could start eating better but I doubt that will happen.  I want to become a better violinist, I have a lot of room to improve there and I would like to.  I would like to get a good job and learn to support my self. 

So I'm back I don't have any thing better to wright about, so I'm just going to ramble on till I can stop so here gos.  We started school a little over a month ago but I am already tired of it.  I would rather be reading one of my favorite books or watching one of my favorite TV shows.  We started pathfinders two week ago.  I miss Enaea and Rosee because they went to boarding school and when they came back for their first home leave last weekend I was very happy to see them.  Dana had her birthday party when they where here but I could not go because I was sick.  My wrist has been hurting me for a wile and I don't know why and it is getting old.  I have tried ibuprofen and arnica and the next thing to try is advil but just thinking that word makes me want to barf so I don't know what to do about it. I recently started watching doctor who and fell in love.  My favorite doctor is the 10th but 11 is cool too.  I cant wait for "mark of Athena" to come out in about a week and then "the promise part 3 comes out soon after that.  My little brother got a new hamster and he is very fast in his green little ball.  A thought just occurred to me that I don't like riding horses and that I should, but I don't know why I should.  I'm weird like that which some of you probably know.  I am going to turn 17 on my next birthday and it scares me more than turning 16 did.  I think that should be enough more me to stop so by-by. 

So I'm back, thanks to my mom.  And this time I'm supposed to write about how I felt when two of my three friend went away to boarding school.  How does she think I feel?  I was sad to see them go and I missed them the day after they left.  Part of me wants them to come back and part of me is happy for them.  I'm not sure why I had to write that down, I mean isn't it what any one would feel about their friends leaving.  So thank you mommy, thank you for making me wright this down when I could be emailing them. Thank so much.  :-p

So you guys know by now that I only blog when my mom makes me so you know that I am not doing this willingly.  But I have to do it for school so here it is.  My summer was pretty cool, I was on the swim team at the local YMCA and that was a lot of fun because i got to swim every single day.  I made some new friends and my coach was awesome, Tommy even decided to join next summer.  The rest of my summer was rather relaxing and I got to sleep in a lot.  All in all it was a very good summer I just wish it didn't have to end. 

Well, last Friday was the one year anniversary of the storms that caused the tornado that hit our house. Thinking back to what we were going through this time last year, we were still in shock.  Trying to put our lives back together from the pieces that we could find scattered around the house and yard.  Seeing how far we have come in just a year really makes me appreciate just how much we were blessed in the days and weeks following the storms.  Between our church family, friends from across the country, and all the business and churches in the area that brought things like water and food to people who needed it, we are in a much different place than we could have been had things gone differently. I think that even if I could change what happened that day, I'm not sure that I would. We received so many blessings after the storms, and I don't think I would give those up, just to avoid going through the storms.  

Well it's been a year today - the last few days have been sort of odd - thinking about how, this time last year we were tripping merrily along, not realizing our lives were about to be shattered.  Fortunately the weather has been VERY nice the last few weeks, so the nerves have been mostly calm. 

The one thing that is interesting is that we are still finding things that have glass and debris in them...  and...about three weeks ago, Lon backed the van into another vehicle, parked in our driveway, and shattered our back glass - while we were on our way to the church for a campout - so we got glass in all of our stuff that we were taking on that trip, so MORE glass.  But, honestly, a YEAR later, and we are still finding little pieces of glass in things?  I have a suspicion it will go on for quite some time yet to come.  We even find debris between the pages of a book we have not opened since the storm!!  When I got out the Easter stuff a few weeks ago it was FULL of glass and debris.  Apparently we had just put it away, not realizing how much debris was in there.  I went to get it out and discovered that it had apparently been sitting out (since the storm hit just a few days after Easter last year) during the storm, and mixed in with the Easter grass and other things was alot of glass and other junk.  I pulled out the stuff I cared about and tossed the rest.  So, while my Christmas stuff was all safe in the basement, I had to get almost all new Easter stuff.  Fortunately I was not as attached to my Easter stuff, so it was actually kind of fun, shopping for new things.  : )  (and also, fortunately, I have only one or two boxes of Easter stuff, as opposed to the 18-20 boxes of Christmas stuff!) 

Maybe, since we have gone through a whole calendar year now, it will slow down.  Though, there are at least 2 boxes that I have purposefully not gone through yet.  I need to tackle those one of these days!  They will be emotional though, so I need to do them on a day that I have strength to do that. (the boxes of things I had saved to scrap-book some day) (they got at least a little wet, so I'm sure there will be some 'lost' items in there) Also - I was cleaning out the garage last weekend, and found some boxes of 'stuff' that had been tossed in there, and never gone through - just odds and ends that would get picked up while we were over at the old house various times.  One had the letters from Sarah's bedroom wall, that she had wanted to save, but then we couldn't find them.  : )  I guess my point is, the recovery continues.  But, really, for the most part, we are in a good place now.  God has taken care of us, and we are moving on.  But there is still some 'cleaning up' to do, even a year later, and I'm not sure but what that aspect (at least emotionally) won't continue to be the case for quite some time to come.  Maybe the glass is there to remind me of that. 

Well my mom is making me blog again so here is my life from the last few weeks.  We just got off of spring break and back into a routine.  I like most of my school, grammar being my least favorite.  My mom is making us do a kind of geography fair and I'm not too happy about that.  I will be getting my license soon and am very happy about that, though my mom is probably going to make me run all the errands that she does not want to.  I like to hang out with my friends and the weekly pathfinder meetings are a lot of fun.  I baby sit two little boys two days a week and that is fun also.  I read a lot and one of the books that I am currently reading is the fourth book in the Dahveed series.  All in all my life is pretty normal, mayby the next time my mom makes my blog I will have more to  talk about.

The same path...

I'm sure many of you have heard that the tornadoes that came through on Friday, March 2, followed much the same path as the April, 2011 storm did - it did hit our old neighborhood - but in a MUCH more minor way - probably an EF3, and not a direct hit on that particular neighborhood.  At that location it went a tiny bit south of last year's path, but people who were hit last time (on a street just south of ours) are 'digging out' again - it sort of overlapped on them. Poor souls. One manufactured home was picked up and moved 30-40 feet. Several people who had 'just moved back in' are back out into other housing, awaiting more repairs now. One fellow on our street who is re-building, but had more minor damage than most, (he is the southern-most house to be torn down - those south of him were 'just repaired') -- anyway, he had his new garage, that is still very much in construction phase, torn apart, but the house seemed mostly fine. And no one was hurt.  No one was there!  They have not moved back in yet!!

Our new place is about three miles south of the 'path' for this storm, it went a bit further north of the old path at this particular location - we are about 8 miles southwest now, of where we used to live.

If you heard about it hitting a prison  as the crow flies the prison is just about in the middle, between the two houses - last year it tracked just a few hundred feet south of the prison (there is footage of it going by, on youtube, shot from the prison), and it just clipped Mayahna's school, they are about half a mile apart, on the same road, with nothing but crops between them. Last year, it apparently just knocked down some awning, etc. at the school. But, of course, she was not IN school last year. This year, it went a tiny bit further NORTH at that particular spot also, and actually hit the prison, but apparently things are still secure there.  You can see the prison guard towers and fencing from Mayahna's school parking lot  - I remember looking up there, when I picked her up, and thinking about how last time people shot footage from there - I didn't hear the report that the prison had actually been hit till well AFTER I had picked her up, fortunately. Scary stuff.

We were in our shelter for about 30-40 minutes Friday morning, at about 10:00. Usually stuff goes over much faster than that, typically we are in there for no more than 15-20 minutes, but we were just ready to come out and they tacked another warning, right on to the end of the first one. It's a LOT more cramped in there, than it was in the basement at the old house. But we were happy to have it, and happy to come out!!

The other thing that was odd was the progression of the warnings. Usually the first notice is "Severe Thunderstorm Warning" - that means, there will be storms, and you might need to move in stuff that might fly around, (lawn chairs and garbage cans, etc), and then STRAY inSIDE if you hear thunder. If there is going to be HIGH wind, I usually have the girls stay out of their bedroom, as it is at the back of the house and we have alot of tall trees in the back yard. Then comes "Tornado Watch" - that means this storm has the potential to develop into something more dangerous and we usually have the kids put on shoes, have jackets ready, put the small-animal pets' cages into the shelter, and the musical instruments into their cases and into the closet under the stairs. And I don't typically leave the house, the kids do NOT like to be home alone when we are on 'watch' (understandably!) Then comes "Tornado Warning" - usually, that means you are in the path of what appears to be an actual tornado, and at that point, we go into the shelter. This one went directly from 'Thunderstorm warning', straight to "Tornado WARNING" so that was a tad un-nerving.

There were supposed to be a series of storms that day (again, eerily familiar), but we only ended up on 'warning' the one time, thankfully.  So only one trip into the storm shelter.

The power was out for about 8 hours, but we have a generator, so we were able to power the necessary things (like the incubator with our new flock of chickens inside of it!)(and the modem, so we could track the weather and stay in touch)(and the fridge) it was nice that Lon was home to deal with that. He had been supposed to leave on a backpack trip early Friday morning, but it got cancelled, Thankfully.

Anyway, nerves were on edge, and no one slept real well Friday night, because when we went to bed there was still the potential for more, but, it's all past now, and nothing on the horizon for at least 8-10 days, which is about the furthest they ever predict stuff, so -- whew.

Thanks for checking on us! Please pray for those who were hit - we sure felt the prayers of those who prayed for us last year, it might seem like the 'least you can do' but really - it's the "BEST you can do"!!  It makes a difference, a BIG one!!!

So my mom is making me blog to so mine will probably be as random as Annie's.   I just finished the third Dahveed book by Terri Fivash, for those of you who don't know who she is, she is the author of some of my favorite books. 
I have a job two days  a week, I babysit for a friend who has to work, it's a lot of fun.  
I miss my old room it was nice to have a place that I could be alone. 
I wish that I could  go swimming more, maybe I can when I get my drivers license in April. 
My little brother is showing me pictures he took of some flowers out in the front yard.  
I had to leave in the middle of writing this, my dad, Annie, and I just got back from a driving lesson.  We practiced parallel parking.  My mom is in the process of making dinner, we are having frog-leg patties, they are one of my favorite meals.  My music lessons are going well and my teacher is happy with my progress.   I have to go now, my mom just called us for supper.

Random Happenings in My Life Right Now

My mom is making me blog again, so this post may be a little random. As some of you may know, I read a lot of books, and while some people will read maybe two or three books at a time, I am currently reading about eight or nine, which is a lot even for me.  I am currently in algebra 1, and lets just say that math isn't my favorite subject, but I am doing well enough to keep my mom satisfied. We are learning about Columbus and the early explorers in history right now. It's ok, but I can't wait  until we get to the mid to late 16th century and the revolutionary war. I hope to be starting Latin by the end of the semester, and if not by then, then definitely by the end of the school year.  I am hoping to go out and work at Camp Mivoden again this summer, I'd like to go out for the whole summer if I get hired on as payed staff,  but if I don't I 'll probably try to volunteer for about 6 weeks if I can. Well I better be going, I have other home work to catch up on, and Castle is on tonight, and I want to be done by then so that I can watch it.

debris

One of our neighbors took down a tree recently and had all the branches and trunk sitting out in the street, waiting to be hauled away.  I drove by there twice today, and both times I got a knot in my stomach.  The branches/etc are gone, but what is left is alot of tiny pieces of tree debris laying in the street.  I'm amazed how the sight of that debris on the road brings up such feelings.  We are all healing, but there are still 'things' to deal with.  I'm sure they will increase as we get closer to the anniversary, and as storm season ramps up.  Please continue to keep us all in your prayers.

Sharon

A reply I wrote on Facebook that I thought I should share here...

A friend posted this as his status on Facebook:

Trust your Shepherd. He'll do anything for His sheep, especially if you're the one who ran away.

One of his friends, Roxie, replied:

How I wish I could be so sure and trusting as you are! I really need some guidance and self assurance!

Here is what I wrote: (I felt God helping me find the right words - praise goes to HIM!)

I don't know you Roxie - but I have felt the same way in the past (as recently as last March/early April) I've struggled with it ALOT through the years. But it is DEAD now. I prayed for God to remove it from my life, and He DID - in a powerful way - and EF5 Tornado hit our house on April 27 of last year. I will never again doubt His love and care for longer than what it takes me to remember how we felt Him walking with us through that day and the weeks and months to follow. He BLESSED us in the storm and protected us, and many of our friends and even our stuff. He used the tornado to remove debt and distractions from our lives and provide us with gifts and a clear understanding of the infinite love He has for us. 

My recommendation would be that if you wish for that - turn that wish into a prayer - if you ask God for something that is within His will HE WILL GIVE IT TO YOU - there is no if's, and's or but's about it. And having a closer relationship with Him is definitely within His will. BUT (and this is the tough part) beware- He might use a shocking method to draw you closer to Him!! Before you pray that prayer - brace yourself - the ride might get a bit crazy - but in the end - it will be worth it!!!


--  just thought I should share this here too, for some reason - hope it touches someone who needs to hear it.   And lest anyone think >> I <<  'have it all together' - please know that I am facing this next storm season with a fair bit of apprehension.  It seems to have gotten an early start with two 'storms' in January!  But I am exercising those 'trust Him' muscles and getting stronger and stronger.  Please continue to hold our family in your prayers!!

Every day is a potential tornado day??

Lon just dropped that little bomb shell on me this evening, as we were tucking instruments into the closet under the stairs because we are on tornado watch tonight until 5:00 in the morning (it's 11:30 now, and it started about an hour ago).  ( ! ) (that's a LONG one - usually they are for a few hours at the most) I had commented that it sure seems the storm season has started early this year, and he kindly pointed out this little fact about life in Alabama.  Every day has the potential of being a storm day.  It has more to do with where we live than what time of year it is - the time of year just makes it more or less likely, and more or less likely to be severe.  Ok - can I just say - I didn't probably need that little bit of information in my human data-base of a head.

I should probably stop and let you all know that we were able to recover most of my data, there were a few things lost and of course the HUGE inconvenience of it all, particularly in the fact that I essentially have a new computer and have to migrate all my stuff over to it, and not every thing migrated well, or easily.  And we also did an upgrade to Lion, at the same time (bad idea) so there is a huge learning curve there and a whole 'nother set of 'migration' issue.  So, life with the computer has settled down, though it is far from perfect - I end up frustrated with it not doing what I expect it to do on a much more frequent basis it seems.  However, once again, 'stuff was saved from the brink of disaster' but it is NOT all peachy keen. We ARE, however, doing REGULAR back-ups now.  : )  That is a good thing that came out of it.  

Anyway- just checking in - it's been a while.  Lon and I did take our trip to Hawaii in December. It was pretty wonderful.  Relaxing and fun, just what we needed.  There are a bunch of pictures up on facebook.

The holidays were very nice.  FEMA came through with money from the portion of the truck pay-off amount that wasn't covered on insurance and the portion of my leg PT that wasn't covered (plus some!).  So that helped for us to have a VERY nice Christmas.  It was also just a nice relaxing, family time.   Enjoyed that.  : ) 

Then, New Years weekend our friends, the Fernando's came over from Texas - so another trip up to the old house, so show them around - they had been out to visit us just about four weeks before the storm last year, and it was pretty shocking, for them to see that area, SO different!  It was also VERY fun to have them here - always lots of laughter when they come, and it truly is the best medicine!

It's been good to launch into the new year and get back into a routine.  It seemed that the fall was pretty broken up with trips out west (two, and then Hawaii) and other things going on, and so, now, we have a stretch of school/life ahead of us, that seems as if it can proceed without major interruption.  : ) That feels good.   Just to be in a routine, with predictable days feels nice. 

Lon is REALLY enjoying his job/work.  And we are hoping that his contract will be easily extended, as they really like his work, too. 

Emma has started a gluten free diet - she just has tummy aches so much, we sort of figured that we could try it and see what happens.  Certainly better than letting the doctor continue to throw this and that different heartburn med at it, which questionable results.  The diet seems to be helping, quite alot, actually, and we are only two weeks into it so far. 

I"m back on track for my weight loss - I had lost 15 pounds going into the holidays - gained just under half of it back, and am back on track now, to keep getting more and more off.  It feels good.  I'm using a meal-replacement plan called Visalus, and the ELMM plan - Eat Less, Move More!!

Not much else new - just same old same old, which is good.  I could use a little 'boring' in my life.  Kids are settling back down now, succumbing to sleep - perhaps I'll give it a try myself.