Merry Christmas, Happy New Year!

First of all, I hope you all had a merry Christmas! Mine was very different this year.

I went to the coast with my mom, dad, and sister and met up with Tom(my dad's twin), Kumi(aunt), Alex(cousin), and Kumi's parents, who are from Korea and speak nearly no English. There was a definite language barier. I felt kind of bad because they would try to tell us something and we wouldn't understand, or the other way around. Although I have to admit, it was a tad amusing when Alex, who is only 3, was trying to call his grandpa in for dinner...in English. He just kept yelling "COME IN FOR DINNER!!" over and over again. But he's a smart kid, even if he does use Korean and English in the same sentences(his teachers will have fun with that later on). Honestly though, how many 3 year olds use the word "awful"? So, anyway, it was pretty cool because I learned some new things about Korean culture, and anything Asian in any way interests me. I learned that when you toast, you go under their glasses to show respect, and if you want to be really respectful you hold your glass with two hands. Alex would bow whenever he said "thank you" to them. I almost learned how to say "thank you" in Korean, I said it once, to Kumi's parents, but couldn't quite retain that bit of info.

So after we ate and exchanged gifts and stuff we went back to our hotel and stayed the night there and then set off in the morning, to grandma's house we went to celebrate Christmas with my mom's side of the family. Of course Raynel, my uncle, teased me about Evan, and Alyssa and Tia were inquiring as to who my boyfriend was, but it was fun. I saw a short video clip of Raynel, trying to go off of a skate ramp(I thought he was going to face-plant into a tree...he came very close), on Tia's cell phone and I was laughing my guts out. And then there were all these pictures where it looked like he was doing some really awesome jump or something, but really he would just jump up and someone would throw the skateboard under his feet and take the picture really quick. They looked pretty convincing, so it was funny. Most of my gifts there were books(Raynel told me not to bother reading them because they would all be movies eventually anyway, but I'm a bookworm) and CD's. My second Christmas was just as good as the first, I love being with family.

So then, *as you all moan and say "my eyes hurt!!"* my mom and dad and sister and I did our own little Christmas on Monday with just the four of us. Nothin beats homemade doughnuts first thing in the morning. My sister and I got my mom a toaster, and she was thrilled. We went picture crazy because my mom got a new camera. My dad was surprised with a tool chest thing(you expect me to know what it's called?) and a table saw. Sarah got a new golf bag, and I got a new bookcase, which is very good. And, although this wasn't a Christmas present, I get to move the big Indonesian fan hanging on our diningroom wall into my room, which is perfect, because it will match perfectly. So I'm excited about that.

And now I want to say HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! Even if I am a few days early...

Wow

I found this book in my school library and I thought it looked pretty good, so I checked it out. It's called "Diary of a Teenage Girl: It's My Life" and I'm having such a hard time puting it down. I really feel like I can relate to what the main character is going through. Not her experiences, really...just the way she's feeling. Consider the following...it's an excerpt from the "diary"

"Wednesday, October 10 (ok, so no one's perfect)

Today in psychology class we learned about codependant personalities and now I'm afraid I might actually be one-- and let me tell you, it's not a pretty picture. But the good news is this personality disorder is preventable and curable, and I'm thinking if I nip it in the bud (not to mention going to God for help) I might be able to beat it. So what is codependent? At first I just thought it meant someone who depends on others too much, and I suppose that's partially right. But it's more like someone who thinks that they need to take care of everyone else and fix everything else to the point where their whole identity is tied up in caring and worrying about others. Sound familiar? And eventually they neglect themselves so much that they have no joy in living, and then they tend to just make everyone around them miserable with their guilt trips and meddling.
Well let me tell you, that's NOT what I want for my life. Not at all. No sireee! Now I'm trying to understand the difference between a person who is just naturally helpful and caring and one who's truly a codependent. And I'm just not sure exactly where I draw the line in myself. And I must admit that over just the last year, I've made myself almost sick with worry about others from time to time...

DEAR GOD, PLEASE SHOW ME THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REALLY HELPING SOMEONE THE RIGHT WAY AND BEING CODEPENDENT. I THINK IF MY CARING AND LOVE COMES FROM YOU, I'LL BE OKAY. BUT I'M JUST NOT SURE I KNOW THE DIFFERENCE. PLEASE SHOW ME HOW TO LIVE MY LIFE IN A WAY THAT IS HEALTHY AND PLEASING TO YOU. AMEN."

-Dairy of a Teenage Girl: It's My Life, pgs 162-164

There is so much more I would love to put up...but I would suggest just reading the whole book. I'm really really liking it. There's also a big summer mission trip she goes on, which I can equally relate to. Amazing.

Mission Statement

So last year in invert, we all came up with mission statements. It was really cool, helping everyone do theirs and listening to them help me with mine. I was happy with the end result.

My mission statement: My life will be centered on the needs of others.

I like it. I want it to be true...but what if I can't make it happen? People come to me with their problems, and I love that they trust me enough to do so, but all I can do is give them my opinion. I'm not a trained couselor, what if I say something wrong? What do I do when I really don't know what to say? My grandma almost went to the hospital this morning because she kept blacking out. How can I help there? I'm not a doctor. I don't know how to help people get better. There are people dying all over the world from hunger. What can I do to help that? Sure, I do the 30 Hour Famine, I do what I can, but I can only do so much. The needs of others are beyond my power.
I don't know why I started thinking about this now, but it's bugging me. I can't do all that I would like to, and I wonder...what if I can't live up to my mission statement?

It's...Christmas Time...I Guess...

Don't get me wrong...I love Christmas. Anyone who knows me knows that. It's just that all I can think about right now is all of the people I met working at Mission Possible in Vancouver. I wonder what they think of Christmas. Do they dread it? Or, despite their poverty, are they able to enjoy it still?
Christmas is the time to love. It says so in songs, on cards, and people talk about it...but Christmas seems to be the most selfish time of year. People get so caught up in getting, and decorating, and baking, and writing Christmas newsletters...the list goes on. These people I met this summer don't have the option of getting caught up in that. Maybe they get caught up in how they're going to make it through. Just how cold are they right now? Why should I get anything for Christmas if they don't?
I've always thought of the holidays as being so happy, but can they still be just as happy when you can't give your kid that doll she wants, or you can't make a big Christmas feast, or you can't roast chesnuts over a warm fire?
My life is so...easy. Sure, things can get crazy and stressfull preparing for holiday stuff, but the dominant feeling is still happiness. I look forward to Christmas all year long, because all I've ever known is a 'Merry Christmas' my whole life. But what if Christmas isn't so merry after all? What if it's only merry if you have the money to make it that way?
I can't even count how many times I've heard "Money doesn't buy happiness." But if that's true, why is our culture so focused on getting stuff, getting money? Has our world made that statement false? Have people lost all sense of real happiness? What really makes people happy these days?

Night

So we're reading this book in English class called Night, by Elie Wiesle, and it's about the Holocaust. Two chapters in, and I'm already crying.

Oh, yeah...this will be one of those books where I'm sobbing by the end. I know it...

And not only do I have to read this book and feel this mixture of emotions that is so confusing it's almost unbearable, but after every chapter I have to write a one page summary of my reaction to it. My reaction...

How do I put that into words? I don't think it's possible. So many thoughts and feelings whizzing through my head faster than I can process, it's enough to make me want to scream. Oh no, what I write down is just barely making a dent in what I feel...

Hold Me Back

Ok, so most of you who know me can say that I am usually a fairly docile person. But when I get mad...oh, man. I have a temper...although I don't usually act on it, I can get pretty mad. And, dang, if I'm not mad now...

So you're all probably wondering why I'm so angry. Go here: http://www.religionnewsblog.com/12499

I'm a major C.S. Lewis fan so what Philip Pullman said made me really mad. And even more so because three of his books are(were) on my Christmas list. I can see where he is getting it from, but I think he's reading way too much in to it.

New Stuff

Ok, so Joyce helped me out and put up a bunch of links and stuff on my blog, so now I don't look completely technologiaclly unskilled.

Thanks Joyce!

AH!

So, in English, we're doing all this stuff about the Holocaust now, and today we watched a movie/documentation thing on it. They interviewed some survivors and one of them talked about how she saw the Nazi soldiers taking Jewish infants and literally ripping them in half by their legs and then throwing them in a river. And I've been thinking about this for a bit, and I just don't get it. Maybe I'm just naive, or maybe I'm blinded by the way I feel, but I just can not understand how somebody could want to cause so much pain and suffering to anyone. It's driving me nuts, and I don't know...I just...I don't get it. It makes absolutely no sense to me. Usually I'm able to see both sides of an argument, even if I don't agree with one, but here...I'm drawing a blank.

This Weekend...

I had SO much fun this weekend! On Friday I went to the Verteran's Day Parade, which was fun, but very cold. I hung out with Heather, Kayla, Mike, and...Kayla's little bother(I don't remember his name). After that I went to Brianna's house because she was having a party. It was so much fun! It was Brianna, Monica, Tyler, Evan, Sarah, and Brenna, and me, who were there. We watched The Longest Yard and played pool...or at least I tried! And, ping pong...that was interesting! For fear of sounding like a love-struck schoolgirl, I won't elaborate on a certain event that happened(and totally made my weekend!)...cough cough cough...and most of you who read my blog already know anyway. So, Monica and Sarah and I stayed the night at Brianna's and were up till 3:30 in the morning watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory...I love that movie!! But I was so tired when I woke up, because we were going go to the rake-n-run at Brianna's church and it started at 9:30 in the morning, or was supposed to. We got there at about 9:30 and we were practically the only ones there, except for Tyler and Erin. The rake-n-run was a blast. Brianna was throwing worms at people and I found out what happens to a leaf when a bee stings it...haha...I hit Sarah, I think a couple times, in the head with my rake, and Evan just about took out her eye. After we were done raking we went back to the church and had lunch and then played Guestures and, sort of, Scattegories. Then we found an old video from water ski camp in 2002(!) and so we watched it. It was hillarious! We all looked like we were about 5 years old! I was laughing so hard!! And then we watched a Christmas play that they did, which Charlie also found along with the ski camp video. I had such a great time this weekend! But now I don't want to go back to school!

If I Were You, I'd Hit Me. Hard.

So, I did the 30 Hour Famine from Friday, 10am, till Saturday, 4pm. And I raised money, and I was all happy that I was feeding someone, and it's about 3:30 on Saturday afternoon, and we're just half an hour away from food. Heck yeah, I'm excited. We were all in the sanctuary and some people were sharing about what they thought of the famine, and their initial reaction when they heard about it, etc.

It's finally 4:00, and I'm really looking forward to a nice grilled cheese and chicken noodle soup meal, like we had when we broke our fast last time we did it. So we line up to go get our food and we get into the fellowship center, and the bowls are all put out on the table, so I go and take a seat and look into my bowl, thinking "I love chicken noodle soup!".

What I saw was not chicken noodle soup. In fact, I had no clue what it was. It looked like refried beans mixed with corn meal. The girl next to me kept saying "This is a really bad joke." So, I'm sitting there, staring at this bowl of I-didn't-know-what and having no intention whatsoever of eating it, when James says something like "This is called.....(I don't even remember)and it's what you all are feeding the people in Nigeria that you raised money for. It's a mixture of refried beans, corn meal, and milk, and it's for people who are malnourished. Eat up, because this is all you are getting."

People all around me are at least trying this stuff and I just sit there. I know that I don't need to eat this because in just half an hour, I'll be home and I can eat regular food. So, I throw it away. A whole bowl of food, in the garbage. Kids in Nigeria would see this as a feast, their first meal in a long, long time. They would eat it and it would be the best meal they had ever had. And what do I see? I see a gross, unedible, glop, that won't come out of the bowl when I turn it upside-down. I see it as something not good enough for me.

And yet, this is what I'm more than willing to give to somebody who's dying in Africa. At first, I tried to justify this by thinking to myself, "Well, they're hungry." but I knew that I was hungry too. It's just that I knew that, because I was born into a family with enough money, I would go home and eat my rice-a-roni and go to bed with a full stomach. The people who I was raising money for don't have that option.

So, I threw away a meal. And it's tearing me apart right now.

Which POTC Character Are You?

Which Pirates of the Caribbean character are you?

It's....

CHRISTMAS TIME!!!
...well...maybe not yet, but I'm already really excited. I love everything about Christmas, from baking, to decorating, to just being with family. I'm listening to Christmas music as I write this- very much against my sister's wishes("It's not even Halloween yet!"). And every little thing is making me think of Christmas, even though there's still, like...71 days till Christmas, and yes, I am counting down. I'm a Christmas maniac, and I love it!

And the very best part is: I hate red and green together!

30 Hour Famine

YAY!! I love the 30 hour famine!! I'm so so so excited to be doing it again. I realize that this is late, but the kickoff was awesome. I was laughing soooo hard during the game. Oh, and I liked the expressions on the guys' faces when Lacy told them Vasaline wouldn't come out of their hair...that and the fact that 2 of the guys had to cut/shave their hair.

Feeling Bad For the Bad Guy

Satan is the bad guy. Satan is evil. Satan is this, Satan is that. I understand it, I belive it. But at the same time, I feel sorry for him. I pity him. And you're all like "What? Are you stupid?" But it's not like I worship him or anything, I don't love him, I don't even like him. But I still feel bad for him, which I know is crazy, because he was wanted to be the devil, he was wanted to be the bad guy. It's not like he said "I really want to be good but..." It's not like he would've been content just being an angel, and I know he really doesn't do anything that would make me feel bad for him, but...I don't know. I just...pity him I guess. I feel bad for the bad guy.

So I guess what I'm asking is: Is that bad?

Yesss

My computer is up and running again!! I'm so happy! I think I was going through computer withdrawl symptoms or something, it was crazy. But now it's all fixed!

So on a different note:
Monica's birthday party is in like 4 hours!! I'm way excited because I never get to see you anymore Monica!!!!!! Wait...um, I'm not excited that I never see you anymore. I'm excited that I get to see you today...so, yeah...

Last night I started reading Scribbler of Dreams and I didn't stop until I was finished with the whole book. By the end I was practically sobbing(which makes it really hard to read), but it was a really good book. Definitely one to add to my "to buy" list.

I would say more, but now I have to wrap Monica's present...

...and I can say that this is probably my most random post yet...

Stupid Computer!

Ok, so my computer is totally broken, which is why I haven't been on in about a thousand years. I'm at a friend's house right now doing this because I can't even go to my blog on the school computers- it's blocked or something stupid like that- so chances are, I won't be posting for a while. Just so you know!!

School...

What to say, what to say? Wednesday was the first day of school, and I was so ready. So I get up Wednesday morning and I'm getting all ready for my first day, blah blah blah. So, skipping ahead to 7:30, I'm all ready and my mom is just going to get the keys and then we're off. One problem. Hmm...where are the keys? My mom and I are practically tearing the house apart looking for these keys, when my mom realizes that they're locked in the car. So I'm stressing, but it turns out ok because we take my dad's old truck. And, I get out of school at 1:08 every other day!! I'm so excited!!! So...hmm...OH!! I'm totally excited because next week are tryouts for "Arsenic and Old Lace", which is our winter/fall/whatever play this year. I don't know if I'll make it, but I'm excited anyway. Haha, funny little random thing: I got a letter in the mail from some beauty pageant lady saying that somebody had told them I'd be interested in it or whatever. It's pretty funny. Ok, so I'm out of things to say at the moment...

Which Family Are You?

The HP Family Quiz made by Sapphire.

Day At The Beach

So, I know that this is a few days late, but on Saturday the highschoolers and incoming freshman went to the beach for the day. Holy cow! I had a blast. I caught little sand crab things...dang, was I going crazy. They looked like giant potatoe bugs and were faster than lightning. They'd get washed up with the waves and then when the waves went back, they would dig into the sand, so you had to be really fast and scoop up a handfull of sand where you saw them go and then dig through the sand and find them. It was crazy. And I actually got almost up to my knees in the ocean. Yes, me. I was a bit dissapointed that I couldn't catch the little fish in the river thing. There were a kagillion of them, and I had a few in my hand, but then they would wiggle out before I got a good enough grip to pull them out of the water. Some kid caught one for me with his nifty fish-catching net, but I accidentaly dropped it back into the water. I think he got mad at me, because he wouldn't get me another one, hehe. And then after that I went back to where most of our group was and watched them play beach volleyball. Now that was interesting. I thought Logan and Lacy were going to duke it out right there on the beach...just kidding...kind of :). And while those of us who didn't play watched, I guess Luke's feet were getting hot or something, so he dug this really deep hole, that was about a foot and a half or so wide, for his feet. He would freak out if anyone stepped "past the line" that he drew in the sand. He was worried about the sides caving in or something, but he didn't see Brad throwing handfulls of sand back into the hole while he wasn't watching. But once it was probably three and a half- four feet deep, he got in the hole, on his knees, so it was like almost up to his chest. Everyone was messing around, like pretending to go and push a bunch of sand in the hole and burry him, and then he would freak out. And then there was Brad... while Luke was busy fighting off somebody, Brad goes and pushes the whole pile of dug-up sand back into the hole. Luke lost it. It was pretty funny. He was freaking out because he thought we'd all leave him and stuff, and then he was mad because we couldn't pull him out because the sand was like suctioning to his legs so he's like "Don't pull me out! You'll dislocate my legs!" so he had to dig himself out. Then we went to Burger King for dinner...I think we might have gotten on the nerves of a few other customers there...I don't know why...I mean, we were just 26(I think) teenagers talking, loudly. And then we went to the outlet mall for an hour and walked around, shopped, that kind of stuff. And then we went to another part of the beach and made this REALLY AWESOME bonfire...uhm...nevermind...and so anyway, we all got in a circle and sang some songs and James tried to get us to share some stuff. And then we got back in the buses to go home. We stopped at a McDonalds on the way for a "speedy pee" and while James was gone, Venisa got her Hawk Nelson CD and put it in the player. Heather warned us that James would notice...and he did. He took it out and was like "What's this?" so Venisa told him it was Hawk Nelson and that she really wanted to listen to it. So James is like "Okay, let's take a vote. Raise your hand if you think James cares about the outcome of the stupid vote." Nobody raises their hands, "Okay, now who wants to listen to some other crap?" we all raise our hands. James ignores us and procedes to talk about the origin of the word "crap", so I'm like "Hey James, let's take a vote. Who cares what you're talking about, raise your hand." and so then James is like, "Hey Chelsea, let's take a vote. SHUT UP!" I was laughing my guts out. Overall...great trip. I had WAY too much fun.

Mallory and Jeremy, A Match Made In Heaven

So Mallory and Jeremy's wedding was tonight. It was sooooo beautiful. I loved it. Actually, I cried. They're so perfect for each other. I remember when I was on the "LITE" team in middle school, everyone was always trying to set Mallory up with Jeremy, and they would just kind of laugh at us. Little did they know, we knew what we were doing...haha. The wedding was great though. It involved an impromtu pillow fight from the ring bearers(which was really funny), lots and lots of people, Jeremy giving his golden chain that signified his purity to Mallory, cute little bells on the programs that you were supposed to ring when the couple left, a beautiful song, called The Prayer, that Mallory walked down the isle to, and much much more. They're going to be really happy together. I'm excited for them.

Movie Reviews

Okay, so hopefully this will be a bit better than the last post...

So I was on vacation with my family last week and we saw some pretty good movies. So I'm going to say what I thought of them, and then you all have to tell me what you think of them(if you've seen them...) so I don't feel like an idiot, okay? Awesome...and now I'm talking to myself...so here I go...

Monster-in-Law: I thought it was pretty funny. My mom said that Jane Fonda(the mother) reminded her of somebody she knew. Over-all, I thought it was good...I give it 3 stars

Sahara: This movie ROCKED! I loved it!! Definitely going on my list of favorites. 4 stars

Star Wars: Episode III: Well...I liked what I saw, unfortunately, I fell asleep after Skywalker went bad. My dad was the only one who stayed awake through the whole thing...so I'm not sure what to rate it...

The Interpreter: Very good. A bit of suspense, but not an "on the edge of your seat" movie. I liked it a lot. 3.5 stars

I also saw previews for some movies that looked really good. They were:
Kingdom of Heaven (we almost watched it)
Alexander
Kicking and Screaming
Guess Who
And then my sister and my dad saw Stealth while my mom and I were watching Richard III(which was very good) at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. So my dad said Stealth was pretty good, so now I want to see that too.

The Island

Wow. I just saw a movie called "The Island". It was definitely a nail-biter, on-the-edge-of-your-seat, "dang, that was good" kind of movie. Totally insane movie. It really made me think. It was about...dang...i don't want to ruin it. Uh...well, there goes this post.

Shadows On The Stars

YAY!! Book Two of the Great Tree of Avalon, subtitled Shadows On The Stars, is coming out on October 6!!! I'M SO EXCITED! My only problem now is finding books that can draw me in like those did. Hmm... I guess I'll just have to be satiafied with the books I can find. Bummer :)

Merlin- The Movie

Holy cow! I'm totally excited! I was just at the official website of T.A. Barron, and he says they're making a movie out of the Lost Years of Merlin series!!! You have no idea how excited I am right now...I could explode!

The Lost Years of Merlin

So, I just finished one of the best series of books I think I've ever read. They're called The Lost Years of Merlin, by T.A. Barron. I highly recommend them. I think he now has found a place as one of my favorite authors. I'm reading another of his books now. It's called The Great Tree of Avalon: Child of the Dark Prophecy. Inside it says Book One, which means, I hope(!), it too will become a series. If you're going to read it, read The Lost Years of Merlin first, it will make more sense that way.

The Best Forward Ever!

A SPECIAL THANKS !
> >
> > I want to thank all of you who have taken the time and trouble
> > to send me your chain letters over the past several years. Thank you for
> > making me feel safe, secure, blessed, and wealthy.
> >
> >
> > Because of your concern...
> >
> >
> > I no longer can drink Coca Cola because it can remove toilet
> > stains.
> >
> >
> > I no longer drink Pepsi or Dr Pepper since the people who make
> > these products are atheists who refuse to put "Under God" on their cans.
> >
> >
> > I no longer use Saran wrap in the microwave because it causes
> > cancer.
> >
> >
> > I no longer check the coin return on pay phones because I could
> > be
> > pricked with a needle infected with AIDS.
> >
> >
> > I no longer use cancer-causing deodorants even though I smell
> > like a water buffalo on a hot day.
> >
> >
> > I no longer go to shopping malls because someone will drug me
> > with a Perfume sample and rob me.
> >
> >
> >
> > I no longer receive packages from UPS or FedEx since they are
> > actually Al Qaeda in disguise.
> >
> >
> > I no longer shop at Target since they are French and don't
> > support
> > our troops.
> >
> >
> >
> > I no longer answer the phone because someone will ask me to dial
> > a
> > stupid number for which I will get the phone bill from hell with
> > calls to Jamaica, Uganda, Singapore, and Uzbekistan.
> >
> >
> > I no longer eat prepackaged foods because the estrogens they
> > contain will turn me gay.
> >
> >
> > I no longer eat KFC because their chickens are actually horrible
> >
> > mutant freaks with no eyes or feathers.
> >
> >
> > I no longer go to bars because someone will drug me and take my
> > kidneys and leave me taking a nap in a bathtub full of ice.
> >
> >
> > Thanks to you, I have learned that God only answers my prayers
> > if I
> > forward an email to 7 of my friends and make a wish within 5
> > minutes.
> >
> >
> > I no longer have any savings because I gave it to a sick girl
> > who has been dying for the past seven years.
> >
> >
> > I no longer have any money at all, but that will change once I
> > receive the $15,000 that Microsoft and AOL are sending me for
> > participating in their special e-mail program.
> >
> >
> > I will now return the favor.
> >
> > If you don't send this e-mail to at least 1200 people in the
> > next 60 seconds, a large bird with diarrhea will fly over your head at
> > 5:00 pm and the fleas of a thousand camels will infest your armpits.
> >
> > I know this will occur because it actually happened to a friend
> > of a friend of a friend's neighbor's cousin, and he's a lawyer.



I was laughing soooooooo hard!

Oh, Canada...

I don't even know where to begin describing my week in Vancouver Canada. It was such an eye opener to me. Working in the part of town where the only tourists you're likely to see are lost ones, I really got to experience...reality. On Monday we did a prayer walk around town. I was terrified. Everything was just so open. It was legal to do drugs where we were, so nobody bothered to keep it hidden. I worked at a place called Mission Possible. For the first part of the day, we did secretary-type work, stuffing envelopes, etc. While my team and I were doing this, people were lining up outside of the doors, eagerly awaiting a free meal. When the doors opened at 1:00, I was in the kitchen preparing myself for an onslaught of horrible, thankless people. I've never been more wrong in my life. These people were so nice, and so greatful. I really bonded with so many people, and it broke my heart to see them there day after day. I was at such a loss for words to describe my feelings that I really wasn't sure what to say at our church group at nights. On Wednesday night, I completely broke down in tears. Cassie and I stayed after everyone else had left, just sobbing. We sat there for a good while, James prayed for us, and we, after a few more minutes, got up to go to bed(after talking to Lacy for a bit). But Wednesday evening, we went to street church. Street church was incredible. It was a church, right in the middle of all the drugs and everything. People came and got a free meal, and then could stay for the service. I had the privelige of helping to lead worship there. Several people gave testimonies, and one of the leaders from Canada spoke. And before we went to street church, we did another prayer walk. I felt so...uesd to it. I was seeing people I had met and served, and everything just seemed so normal. It was really hard, but at the same time, all too easy to leave on Friday morning. But I'm already eagerly awaiting next year's trip.

Raccoon Raid

So, it's about 11:45 now, and just, oh, 45 minutes ago or so, I went to put my kitten in the garage- that's where my cats sleep -and I opened the door to my garage and just about had a heart attack. I'm holding my cat under my arm, like a football or something, and I open the door and here are these 2 raccoons right on the doorstep, eating ALL of the catfood. When they growled at me I shut the door as fast as I could...duh. Only after hearing a meow of protest did I realize I was holding my kitten so tight I was squishing her. So my dad went out and got the raccoons out of the garage (I can hear the raccoons outside of our house right now) and I went in to put my kitten in the garage. Holy cow!!! I had forgotten how much of a flipping mess these things make, because this isn't the first time this has happened, and of course the garage smells like wet dog or something. Oh, raccoons are just bundles of fun!