Quote of the day from Karen, lol.

So today, it's church, right? And I've spent the past two days shopping, and I purchased some dress clothes, right? So of course I'm going to want to wear them today, right?

So somebody PLEASE tell me how I didn't catch this until 8:45 tonight:

Yeah, I wore it all day, and I ((or anybody else)) didn't notice it. . . unless others did and just laughed at me. *narrows eyes*

Forgive me, but I believe Cupid's been sent on an early release, and I was his first victim.

Hey, you naked baby with wings, get a better aim. I honestly believe you have me mixed up with someone else.

Make sense?

Does it ever?

Eh, that was more of a "I just need to get this out of my brain" post. i may write something a little more put together later. who knows.

Spring 2006 schedules are in the making right now. I know what classes I want to take. . . the problem is going to be getting the times that'll fit best with my schedule. I really want to try to take aerobic dance, lol. Oh my, can you imagine?

Ayer era el dia de los muertos. No se porque estoy escribieno en el espanol. Quiero tomar mas clases en el espanol, pero no puedo porque no tengo el tiempo.

Have you ever had one of those moments when something really random happens, and you're just like, "Okay, God, WHAT the heck?!"

And you say that only because there is no other way it could have happened?

Yeah, it's kind of like that.

Guys. . . wow. God has been showing me so many things about my life and I'm suddenly seeing that He really was listening to me as I ((literally and figuratively)) cried out to Him out of sorrow and pain last year. He's been teaching me so many things. . . patience ((huge biggie)), trust, faith, and most importantly, love. He's shown me through children I've been around that He will NEVER hurt us, and when we cry to him when we're troubled, He will pick us up and calm us. Guys, it really freaks me out to think about what would have become of me had I done some of the things that crossed my mind when I was suffering. I'm not perfect, and I will never be. I make mistakes, and I always will. I've learned that being a prideful Christian is a good way to get your butt kicked all the way to the ground. God doesn't want proud Christians, he wantes us to be HUMBLE. Barlow Girl sings a song containing the line "I've learned that pride comes before the fall." How true is that. I've been listening to the song "Undignified" by The David Crowder Band, and I don't know about y'all, but I want to be undignified for Jesus. I want to go crazy in His name, and have people look at me as though I've lost my mind. . . because it's not mine. It's His. This is weird. I haven't felt like this in a long time. But I like it.

. . . and if I have a faith than can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 1Corinthians 13:2b

So, this weekend was pretty cool. After work Friday, I went to my cousin's 13th birthday celebration. . .

Then I had to work from 8:00-5:30 Saturday. Agh. But I did have a nice feast from Wendy's: a double stack with cheese, chicken nuggets, french fries, and a coke. Oh yes, I was hungry. After work, I decided to go to this farm in the middle of nowhere with RFC for a bonfire/hayride, only I was too late for the hayride, lol.

Today, Chelsey and I went to the Titan's game

The refs made horrible calls, and the players weren't doing too great, but it was a pretty exciting game anyway. Especially that 70 yard touch down. . . that was called bad.

And of course, I had to take some other shots as well:

Halloween tomorrow.

About four hours ago, I discovered that my computer came with Windows Movie Maker. Complete with editing. . . yes, Amy Powers, you read right. My freaking computer has what we'd need to make short ((and very amateur)) movies.

. . . now all we need is a video camera, lol.

I've got a biology test Thursday and a test in understanding mass media. . . how glorious. I've studied this bio pretty thoroughly, but I'm afraid it won't matter. Dangit.

So. . . my aunt was supposed to have a bone marrow test today to see if she had leukemia, and before they did it, the doctors discovered that her white count had jumped up to 5 ((it was a 2-- anything below 4 is not good)), so he was certain it wasn't leukemia and they didn't have to do the test.

This is the first Monday since July 11th ((except for Labor Day)) that I'm not working. Taevan and I talked awhile back, and he told me that working on Monday can be optional for me since I've got a lot of stuff with school going on.

We had a speaker in Understanding Mass Media again, and he basically told us to screw what we thought would be "the way" to get into the business and start doing things on our own. Aside from some foul language, I enjoyed what he had to say.

Last night, my cousin Rob and his family threw a fall family/friend get-to-gether, and I had a complete blast. There was a moon bounce and a huge bouncy slide ((they'd ordered it for the night)), and of course I was jumping like, half the night. My 87 year old grandfather even went down the slide; it was amazing. I had so much fun just being around my cousins. The hilight of the night was when me, Karen, Marla Stephen, Nathan, Marty, and about four toddlers ((the rest of us range in age from 12-35)) were bouncing in the moon bounce, and it started deflating! So I start grabbing the kiddies so they didnn't like, suffocate and this thing is coming down all around us, lol. It was great.

Onto a little less lighter note, one of my aunts is in the hospital. The doctors aren't sure what's wrong with her, but her white blood count is down, and that can ((under certain other circumstances)) be some pretty serious stuff. Prayers for her and her family are appreciated.

Ah yes. I got some new scrapbooking material. Excellent.

((from the audience)) "With Jesus!!!"

Yeah. . . Allison gets quote of the night.

Siegel Variety Show '05 rocked.

Amy and I finally went on our long awaited photoshoot to Kid's Castle and Cannonsburg:

In case you're wondering why I have so many of her in my photobox and why there's so many of me in hers, it's because we took each other's picture with our own camera, lol.

Gah, I love taking pictures. I don't know what it is, but something about capturing the moment is literally breathtaking. . .

I worked from 8-5 today and learned a valuable lesson:

The oil pump will lock up if you do not press the button correctly, causing several quarts of oil to pour out uncontrollably on the bay floors.

. . . you'd think I'd have known this after working there three months.

My new nickname now?

Valdez

several noteable quotes from today:

Me: I learned to drive on a minivan.                                                    

Otis: The short bus doesn't count, Anna.

Me: Otis said he was gonna get a video camera and just follow me around taping all the stupid things I do and send it in to America's Funniest Home Videos. . .                                                                    Taevan: That'd be a long tape.

So. . . I went to Siegel's first homecoming at the new stadium. The game ((though it wasn't much of one)) wasn't very good. However, I did get to see some wonderfully amazing people whil I was there, and I really enjoyed watching band. For someone that isn't and never was in band, I sure am a geek about it, lol. Then presentations were afterwards, and that was neat. Kathryn-Claire, you looked sooo pretty!!!

Anyhoo. . . here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure:

KC and her date, Robert

Colorcuard during Canon in D

The great Sean Knox and me

My lovely Brian and me

Fall break is here. I'm working two days of it, but oh well. No school until Wednesday. That also means that next week is a three day week. And my biology teacher is going to DC, so I'm not going to that class for a week and a half.

Graham, Kate, and I got bored, lol.

This is reaaaaaly coooooooool

Lol, yeah, so all that's really crazy, but Nathan gave me the privledge of testing out GREENbox before it's unleashed out to you fine folk, and I'm just having some fun with it, lol.

Things. . . things are definitely getting better. Mom wound up talking to one of my bosses about it today ((in short-- he's also a plumber and was at our house fixing the hot water heater, which is another story)), and he agrees that I don't need to be working so much.

I cried Out last night. Very nice. Jesus = comfort.

. . . yeah, and our hot water heater has like, kicked the bucket. Now THAT'S interesting.

Tonight was REALLY crappy.

I could use some prayer.

. . . yeah, and my parents too.

We're all pretty wigged out over here for one thing or another.

I can't handle working 23/15 hours every other week on top of 16 hours of school and studying for that. I have to cut back severely. I'm talking to Taevan tomorrow. Hopefully it will go well, and we can work something out.

I'm frustrated.

I'm frustrated with myself mostly, with others, I guess I'm even a little frustrated with God.

. . . but it's all okay. Or at least it all will be.

I wish I could realize how blessed I am. It's like it's being shown RIGHT there in my face, yet I just don't get it. I always want more.

((edit-- a little while later))

As I flipped through the channels looking for something to watch, CNN caught my eye. I soon learned that it was a "special" on the kids/teenagers that lost everything through hurricane Katrina. Coincidence that I saw this? I think not. God's pretty cool that way.

I think the new Third Day was made for me. From what I've heard of it and from what I've read from the band, it sounds extremely close-to-home-hitting:

"Everyone gets a tiny taste of love sometime in their lives that serves as a picture of what could be. Energizing, purifying, and freeing. Suddenly, in one fatal moment, life happens and fragments of hope scatter. Scrambling to protect ourselves, we construct a fortress to shelter our battered hearts. What was built to keep us safe eventually becomes our prison. When we realize our need to escape, we find ourselves institutionalized and unable to engage. That's when Love busts through the walls and sets us free." - Brad Avery, guitarist, Third Day

You have no idea how much this statement applies to me.

I just spent two hours working on biology. . .

. . . and I'm not sure I even did it right.

At least I'm more than familiar with the material now.

. . . I think.

It's shower and bedtime.

photo from lauraebeth

Don't kid yourselves. You know you want us ;)

And Nathan: Sorry for staring you down today at Panera Bread, lol. Laura and I couldn't figure out whether or not it was really you.

I went on the Raiders For Christ ((RFC)) fall retreat this weekend, and I enjoyed it. Being one of just a few freshmen, I didn't know very many people, but I met and talked to a whole bunch of people, and they were really nice.

I took many pictures, but I think I'm most proud of this one:



photo from BeautyFromPain

It's also beautiful just in color:



photo from BeautyFromPain

Everybody crowding around a van to hear the game, go MTSU! I was very proud, lol:



photo from BeautyFromPain

The rest of my pictures are in my photo box.

Forgot to add this. It's one of the funniest things I heard the entire weekend:

"This is a church of Christ camp. *pause* No it's not; there isn't a large mountain dividing the guys and girls cabins." -Alesha