Big, busy day!

Whew! Today has been very busy! Here was my schedule:

We all got up extra early to take Noah to his art school in Clackamas/Sunnyside. (For those of you who don't know...from where we live, it takes about 1 1/2 hours to get there.) While he is there, we go to our grandparents' house (Mother's parents) who live about 1/2 hour from his art school. We get to spend the day with them every Thursday; which is really nice since we don't make such a long trip out there for anything else. Anyway, so after dropping Noah off, we went to grandparents' house and Grandma had breakfast all ready for us (apple pancakes with homemade berry syrup!! mmm!). After breakfast, Mother and I went to visit a make-up store that Mother has been wanting to show me. It was really fun, although I won't be able to make my purchase until Sunday (next week). :( Oh well..."patience IS a virtue"! :) After leaving there, we went to Sally's Beauty Supply. Mother just wanted to look around since we haven't been there for a while. We bought two really fun nail polish colors - one that I'm wearing on my fingernails at the moment. It's called: Sugar Plum. It's a very soft but distinct pink. I really like it! Then, we went back to our grandparents' house to pick up the girls and ate lunch before leaving. (And I even got to sneak in a little nap with my baby sister, Grace. :) Then we had to leave to go pick Noah up and after getting him, we had to make a stop at "Art Media" for him to get some things that he needs for one of his art classes. After that, we stopped at Nordstrom Rack for Mother and I to look at shoes - we need nice winter, church shoes. But they were outrageously expensive! The ones that I wanted to get were $43! So we're going to look at Ross later. Oh! But before we went to Nordstrom Rack, Mother and I dashed into "Great Harvest Bread Co." which was right next door and bought three yummy kinds of breads - garlic cheese sticks, raisin/cinnamon, and cinnamon bread. They're all so yummy! Can't wait to have them for breakfast tomorrow - toasted with butter slathered and dripping off of them. (My mouth's watering! :) So, without finding what we wanted at Nordstrom Rack (oh! we did get some new tights that we've been needing), we went to stop by a friend of ours who recently lost her husband to a brain tumor. :( I hadn't seen them for 4 or so years, and it was good to get to see her again. We talked for a few minutes, but had to be getting home to Dad. By the time we got home, it was already 7pm. Thankfully, Dad had already eaten, so we didn't really have much to do. We did clean the house up a little - from the whirlwind that we left it in this morning! :) And just a few minutes ago, I got out of the shower (hot shower!) so now, I'm all nice and clean. :) Ahh!! Mother said I could only be on the computer till 10pm, so I need to be getting off soon. I'm ready to snuggle in bed and read another chapter of "Jane Eyre" - have any of you ever read that? So, anyway, I just wanted to update all of you really quick. Tell me how school is going! How your families are! What you've been doing lately...any new hobbies? Would love to hear from you! :)

Blessings,

Bible Bee - I won!!

Guess what?! I got FIRST place for the local Bible Bee competition!!! I feel so honored to be the first (even in the local) of the nation's FIRST Bible Bee!!! I didn't qualify for the nationals, but then...I'm sort of glad I didn't. Each of the contestants must pay for their own flight and hotel lodging while the Bible Bee takes place, and just now, my family doesn't have the funds for that. And besides, I don't think I'd have enough verses memorized by November (that's when the national competition is)! Anyway, I got a certificate from the Bible Bee saying what I just said above. :) When I got to church...actually, HOFCC (Household of Faith Community Church), Kristina ran up to me and said, "Congratulations!" "For what?" I asked. "You won first place!" she exclaimed. I couldn't believe it! :) The whole day everyone kept stopping me (some people that I didn't even know very well :) and congratulating me! Sunday was a happy day.

Anyway, I just thought I'd share with you my happy victory! :) (I hope I didn't come across as bragging at any point.)

Blessings,

What Do I Know of Holy?

Lately, this song has just stuck in my head and I just thought I'd share it. Who knows? Maybe God has been putting it my mind so that I'd share it on my blog! :) This song is sung by Addison Road, the Christian worship/music group. The group is made up of 5 people: Jenny Simmons (lead vocals), Ryan Simmons (Jenny's husband; guitar, vocals, piano), Ryan Gregg (lead guitar, vocals), Travis Lawrence (bass, vocals, harmonica), and Jeff Sutton (drums). Ryan and Jenny Simmons recently had their first baby, a little girl, just a couple months ago! :)

I got the following from a website:

"In music and in community, Addison Road takes that call to action seriously, as enthusiastic supporters of Village of Hope in Uganda, a ministry to women and children ravaged by poverty and AIDS. Through Mocha Club, the group raises funds and awareness for this ministry. "We’ve always believed that living beyond ourselves is essential. One of the first things we did as a band was look for an organization that we could get behind as part of our mission, to use what small influence we might have to encourage others to reach out" Ryan Simmons says. Addison Road hopes to travel to Uganda in the near future to experience Village of Hope community in real time. In the meantime, this band of podcast-loving, worship-minded artists will continue creating music born in the reality of life infused with real hope, and fulfilling the mission behind their music."

Here are the lyrics to their song "What Do I Know of Holy"?

First Verse:"I made You promises a thousand times.

I tried to hear from heaven,

But I talked the whole time.

I think I made You too small.

I never feared You at all.

If You touched my face, would I know You?

Looked into my eyes, could I behold You?

(CHORUS): What do I know of You,

Who spoke me into motion?

Where have I even stood

At the shore along Your ocean?

Are You fire or are You fury?

Are You sacred or are You beautiful?

So what do I know...

What do I know of holy?

Second Verse: I guess I thought I had figure You out.

I knew all the stories,

And I learned to talk about

How You were mighty to save.

But those were only empty words on a page.

Then I caught of glimpse

Of who You might be.

The slightest hint of You

Brought me down to my knees.

(Repeat CHORUS)

What do I know of Holy?

What do I know of wounds that will heal my shame,

And a God who gave life its name?

What do I know of Holy?

Of the One who the angels praise.

All creation knows Your name

On earth and heaven above.

What do I know of this love?

What do I know of You who spoke me into motion?

Where have I even stood but the shore along Your ocean?

Are You fire, are You fury?

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed that. I'm sure you could find the audio player to this song, somehwere online. It sounds better with music. :)

Blessings,

P.S. Sorry if some of the lines are a little...out of place. I was having trouble with this post! :(

I'm back

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to let you all know that I am back from the fair. Actually, due to miscommunication on someone else's part (rather than my own), we only stayed two days. I was really disappointed about that, but thankfully, I was able to be around "my" horses for a while. :) It was a lot of fun! I got to meet new people, do new things, etc., so in the end, it was all fun.

Tomorrow we will be busy starting school, so this week, I will probably not be able to be on all that much. Leave a comment and let me know when YOU are starting school! And what grade, too. I'm interested in each of you. :)

Blessings to you and yours,