Hello, hello!

I’m sitting here on my bed.  My new bed, actually. :)  (more coming on that…)

My window is open about halfway.  There’s a little bird sitting on our raspberry, just outside my window, and it’s tweeting to me. :) 

I took a shower this morning, so feel all nice and fresh in my favorite black sweats and Shade t-shirt. :)

My iPod is on shuffle.  ‘Follow You’, by Leeland, Feat. Brandon Heath, is playing. 

Well, I’m back. :)  

 I had an amazing time at the OCEANetwork conference!!  Todd Wilson and Voddie Baucham were the general session speakers. 

I really enjoyed getting to see Mr. Baucham in person – finally!  I’ve heard so many of his sermons online, via CDs, etc., but it was different – and great! – to see him live.  I got to meet him afterwards too.  Jasmine wasn’t there. :(  But he said that she was ‘joyfully at home’. :) 

Todd Wilson was great too!  I loved how funny and down-to-earth he was.  Very easy to listen to – and enjoy – his sessions.  I didn’t get to meet him…Mama and Noah did, though. 

(It’s Your Life, by Francesca Battistelli)

The first day (Friday), I went to a workshop that was supposed to be by John Mayner, but something happened that he wasn’t able to be there, so Mrs. Lee Binz took over.  I enjoyed the session.  It was called ‘Moving Through the Maze of College Information’.  I’m not even sure I’m going to college yet.  Not sure that that’s what God has planned for me, but…we’ll see. :)

The next workshop, I decided to try out was by Elizabeth Knopp.  Haha  Boy, am I ever glad that I did!! :)  I SO enjoyed it!!  She is a delightful young lady and I just loved her.  Her workshop was called ‘Eye Appeal’.  It was about how we are so worried – and obsessed! – with how we look and act.  How we are so discontent with the way God made us.  How Satan wants us to believe that we’re not beautiful, that we’re not worth it, etc.  She gave her testimony of how discontent she was with how God made her.  She is 6’ 1”.  Wears women’s 14 shoe size.  She used to get teased and insulted a lot when she was younger, but now…she has accepted how God has made her.  It was a beautiful talk!  I took lots and lots of notes!!  Not just on that workshop, though…on all of them. :P heehee

(Don’t Take the Girl, by Tim McGraw)

The next workshop was in the same room…by the same speaker. :)  On ‘Lies and More Lies’ (Teen Girl Session).

On Friday evening, we were going to go stay at my aunt and uncle’s house.  (They don’t live too far from the convention center.)  I don’t know if you’re familiar with the Doorposts ministry…?  Well, anyway, two of their daughters are like, super good friends of mine. :) <3  So…they had a booth at the conference, and they invited me to their house – and then they’d just bring me with them the next day.  So, Mama said I could go (while everyone else – except Noah (he went to an MSOA family’s house) went to our aunt’s and uncle’s)…so I did. :)  Suzy wasn’t there, though, because she was attending the birth of a mutual friend of ours.  Okay, get this, people!  This sweet family has had 7 boys in a row.  No girls.  But on June 24^th, the Mrs. gave birth to a LITTLE GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!  I literally screamed when I found out!! :)  So special!!! 

So anyway…Suzy wasn’t able to be there, but I hung out with Bethany…till 1:30 (that’s when Suzy got home)!!  We just hit the sack…but talked for a while. Heehee  Oh, but during dinner, we watched ‘True Grit’.  Who all has seen that movie?  Did you like it?

Then on Saturday…we went to the conference.  (Oh, ‘I Promise’ by Jaci Velasquez is playing now)

And this whole day, I only went to Elizabeth’s workshops. :)  Oh, and one of her brothers (David) speaks too.  So I went to one of his too. :)  The Knopps are an amazing family!!  Seriously!  They are just so sweet…and willing to talk and get to know you.  I mean, they encourage people to come up and talk to them, ask questions, etc.  I had a really good chat with Elizabeth.  <3

My family and I spotted tons of friends that we knew.  From church, MSOA, our old homeschool co-op, etc.  We actually counted all the families that we saw (haha) and came up with the grand total of 33!!  And some of those are just counting families in general…and most of the families have, roughly, 4 kids each. Haha  So yeah…you do the math. ;)

Oh, and I got to meet a reader – Kaitlin P.!  And another reader commented on my last post and said that she was there, but that we weren’t able to meet. :(  I got to hang out with my friend, Isaac. :)  And I got to catch up with some sweet friends whom I have not seen for quite a while!

All in all, a great weekend!!!  Thank You, Jesus!

(Someday Soon, by Francesca Battistelli <3)

So…yes, about my new bed. :) haha  I know that I said that I’d tell you more about it…

Well, a few weeks ago…(oh, and I hope this isn’t boring for ya’ll :P  tell me if it was!)…

Anyway, a few weeks ago…we bought a daybed that came with a trundle bed.  We were going to put it in our guest room, but I asked (more like, begged :P haha) Mama if I could put it in my room instead.  You see, I’ve had a bunkbed in my room for the past few years, and I…well, I just wanted to try making my room look a little nicer. :P  That huge thing of a bed took up half of my room!  Or at least, that’s what it felt like. :P  So…Mama said that I could put my bunkbed in the guest room and have the daybed in my room!!  I was so happy!! :)  So Noah (my amazing older bro!!) and I worked all day at taking the old bed apart, and getting the new one in my room.  ::sigh::  And now, my dear readers, my room looks a LOT nicer. :) heehee  It actually echoes too! Haha  So I’ve been busy hanging posters, paintings, etc. up on the walls…yay!  I feel like I have a new room. :)  Oh!  And now I can sit up in bed without bonking my head on the top bunk. :P 

(That’s How We Roll, by Britt Nicole)

I’ve been editing my novel. :)  I am SO excited about getting it all polished up!!  There’s just one chapter/scene that I’m having a little trouble with. :P  Grr!  I just want to make it really, really good.  It’s one of the climaxes of the whole book, so I want to give it my best!!  Thus, I’m taking my sweet time on writing it. :P haha  After I’m done editing it, I’m sending it to a couple friends to look it over…and help edit too.  THEN, maybe a publisher??!!

Oh, and before I end, I have a few prayer requests…

Number 1:  Mama and three of my siblings are really sick with some sort of cold or flu.  If you could keep them in your prayers to get well soon, that would be great.  AND for the rest of us not to catch whatever it is that they have. :P

Number 2:  One of my girlfriends left on a mission’s trip to Poland yesterday.  Please keep her and her group in your prayers.  This is their first time over there.

(The Outsiders, by NEEDTOBREATHE)

Number 3:  ANOTHER one of my girlfriends is leaving for Uganda next Monday.  Pretty rad, because she’ll be flying over the East coast around 9 or 10PM…maybe in time to see fireworks from ABOVE! Haha  Pretty cool!  So anyway…she’s going with her best friend.  And she has been to Africa before.  She’s so excited about going back. :)

Number 4:  I’ve started getting some more anonymous comments from people again.  I’m trying not to let it stress me out, but sometimes I wonder if maybe I should just stop blogging…Please pray that the LORD would show me what He wants me to do.

So…comment and let me know how y’all have been. :)

Blessings!