What You've Done To Me

Today is my baby sister's 12th birthday. She keeps calling herself a pre-teen but I keep telling her that it isn't until you are 12 and a half. After that, I will probably tell her that it isn't until you are 12 and 3/4. 

Lily brings so much joy into my life that it is almost unbelievable. We have more inside jokes than anyone I know, and we have so much fun when we are together! Without her, I wouldn't know that butter goes with everything, even if indirectly. I wouldn't know how to plan the perfect murder, and I probably wouldn't laugh as much as I do. I love her so much.

She is such an incredibly special girl. She is so full of laughter and energy. She is a genius (not kidding). There is no one in the world that is more like me, yet so different from me. 

I love everything about her, even the parts that get on my nerves sometimes. I love the way she sings (screams) along to the radio. I love the way she tells mom what to wear in the mornings. I love how blue her eyes are. I love the way she uses big and impressive words out of context. I love the way she knows all of the bones in the human skeleton. I love the way she knows more SAT vocabulary words than me and uses them as insults. I love the way she dresses, even if she doesn't always match. I love the way that she wanted a baby monkey pillowpet so she could put it inside the big monkey pillowpet and have the mom 'birth' the baby. I love the way she loves to have sister sleepovers. I love how she tells me all of the weird vegan food I try out on her tastes good. 

Lily is my very best friend in a way no one can understand.  She has taught me what it means to truly love someone else. I would lay down my life for her without a thought, and I know she would do the same for me in a heartbeat. I can't wait to see what an amazing woman she will turn in to, and how see our friendship grows through the years.  

happy birthday lily

After All This Time

One day, seven years ago, I was just a girl holding a doll, and you were just a girl who pretended to hate pink. 

We have grown so much together and have been through so much together. We've had so many firsts together, and we have many firsts together that are yet to come. 

We have done things like, yelled "What?" when the superhero song said Jesus was better than Barbie. I went nightswimming with you for the first time. We walked all over the streets around my neighborhood last summer and sat in the 'rain' and talked about New York. We started college together, have endured SAT prep together; we even got our first 'tattoos' together. We will be each others' first roommates when we go to real college and then we can have our first apartments together when we travel the world and live in New York and London together. We saw Wicked together (and almost died in the process;)), and we found this awesome video together and still quote it. We saw Dick and Jerry Van Dyke and waited for them to sign our pictures forever together. You had your first stalker with me and I'm sure he still loves you;). 

You will always be my Bananas, my 'bad' friend, my person-i-can-tell-my-hopes-dreams-wishes-and-future-plans-too, my future roommate, and rich husband marry-er buddy. I love you so much and I can't wait for our awesome plans to unfold;)

P.S. I put 'our song' as the title;)

P.S.S I can't wait for your amazing party.

P.S.T. "Awesome things do happen! Just look at us!!"

we are really cool. just sayin'

Some Kind of Wonderful

I bought a tea kettle. 

It came on Wednesday and it is very pretty. In fact, I think I love it. 

Caden was here when it came to the house. I got very excited and he, being 3(almost 4, Dachee), got even more excited because, well, he likes to be excited... 

So, we, being thrilled and all, decided to have a tea party! 

It was smashing. 

I made brownies.

Caden picked and 'watered' flowers.

We played Etta James

 and had, Lucky Charms? Yes. That's just how cool we are. 

Tea kettles are amazing and they make your tea taste better. Trust me.

 Do not let your mom try to convince you that it's a waste of money. It isn't. AND, in the morning, when you have to wake up really early and you are really cold, you can put your kettle on the stove and put your hands over the spout to warm up. multifunctional. and awesome. 

P.S. today is the 40th anniversary of Carole King's album Tapestry. One of my absolute FAVORITE singer/songwriters ever. I will still love her tomorrow, and it's not too late to start listening to Carole King. The Carnegie Hall Concert cd is the best. Hence the title of this post.

We're Going To Be Friends

first week of college: done

all the rest of my weeks of college: still pretty daunting

I have officially completed one week of college classes. 

I was scared out of my mind on Tuesday when I sat down in my seat for my first class(a&p). The hour and fifteen minute class went by pretty fast because I like science and my instructor is funny. Once I found out that my other classes were all in the same building, it was smooth sailing. Mainly because most of my anxiety came from the fact that I am extremely directionally challenged and thought I wouldn't be able to find the classrooms.:)

As a homeschooler, I was always told that I would have a hard time adjusting to college. I didn't give the naysayers much merit because, obviously, they weren't homeschooled, so how would they know? Although I usually brushed these comments and questions off, the thought still stuck at the back of my mind when I was getting ready for my first day. Looking back, I can't believe I ever worried about it!

As it turns out, college is not that much different from homeschooling. Really, the only significant changes are that there are tons of people and the cafeteria is really confusing (embarrassing confession #1: I spent 2 hours in the lunchroom trying to figure out how the line worked. I never did. I did not eat lunch). My teachers expect me to be prepared for the lesson ahead of time. I am supposed to read my books by myself, on my own time. I am supposed to do my homework without my teacher reminding me. I am supposed to study for a test without my teacher giving me a detailed study guide or playing a quiz game in class. I am supposed to take notes on my own time. All of my homework is online (anyone remember SOS? yeah, it's pretty much the same concept). My instructors don't care when I get there, when I leave, or even if I show up at all as long as I understand the material and get the work done. And really, they could even care less about that because if I don't do any work, it doesn't reflect poorly on them as a teacher. I can wear whatever I want, even pajamas. I can eat in class. I can text message my friends in class. In A&P lab, we get to dissect a cat and I don't have to pretend I'm not excited about it, just like homeschool:).

I know that it's going to be a LONG road, that it is going to be REALLY hard, and that it will be a change, but thanks to my parents, I think I can handle it. 

All I Could Do Is Cry

Sitting here in Hawaii, in my beautiful bedroom, looking at my fantastic view of our inner courtyard, and listening to the rain. Oh wait, it's not raining anymore. Just kidding now it's raining again...(not really.. but seriously, the next time someone tells me the weather in Texas is bipolar, I am going to laugh.)

I feel so blessed to be here. Every 2 inches there is a new kind of flower, the sunrise is so magnificent it makes you cry, and absolutely everything is green and in full bloom. Being here is a constant reminder of God's love for us in that He didn't have to make everything so beautiful, but He did anyway. Living in nature's blowdryer, I think sometimes I forget that. The only bad part is that I have to go home today... (although I am starting to have Mexican food withdrawals...;)) 

We have done so many amazing things in just 6 days that it just blows my mind to think about it all! We have seen over a dozen waterfalls, a double rainbow, witnessed dolphins jumping in the air and doing flips in the ocean, rode in a boat to go snorkeling (that part didn't go over too well with my stomach..), and saw steam come straight out of the ground! 

This trip has been a much needed reminder of God's glory and the beauty that surrounds us. I am dreading going home and getting ready for school and being in 465 degree weather, but it's all good. I can handle it now that I have pictures of beaches and whales to look at.