the end.

Since I seem to have very little to write about, I've decided to just stop trying. It's been a fun year and a half experiment. But, when it all boils down, I don't have (more realistically, don't make) the time to write a blog. So, thank you to the people who read my posts. Better to announce it then to just never actually post again, right? I don't know, but that is the plan. OK, thanks again!

The Beach

#10 on "The List:" Go to the beach. 

I went to visit some friends who recently moved to VA beach and we went to the Neptune Festival. We went the weekend after the main event, but the sculptures were still there. That was the main attraction for us anyway. 

The sculptures were impressive! The sculptors came from all over the world. The sculptures were very cool to see!! I have pictures of a few of my favorites. 

Because who hasn't been sucked in by facebook?

This one was so cool, It had four sides to properly show the different soils that the seed fell
upon in the parable of  "The Sower."

In this one the mice carved a castle out of cheese. 

After we saw the sculptures we walked along the boardwalk and ate and played in the water and sand. It was great fun! It was supposed to be on the cold side, but ended up being a beautiful day. I even got a slight sunburn. :) While walking back to our vehicle, we saw two weddings. That was really fun. For both we got to watch the bridal procession come out of the hotel. 

It was a fun weekend, spent with good friends. Thanks, Will, Erica and family for hosting me and letting me ride along to the beach with your family!

August and September

I really should come up with better titles for these posts, huh? Month titles are soo interesting. 

Alright, I said I wouldn't post in August because it was very busy. That was true. In August, I moved moved to northern VA, started attending university, quit attending university and stayed in northern VA. 

Yea, that's right, I am not currently in school as I planned to be. Due to some advising errors, instead of spending money on useless classes, I decided to skip this semester. Right now, I plan to go back in January. The few days I did spend attending classes leads me to believe that I definitely will like the school!

So, what have I been doing the last month, since I haven't been in school? 

- Job searching. Basically I spend lots of time on my computer filling out job applications. -

- I've spent some time going back and forth between Mom's and Pete's. House sitting for either of them. -

- A fun little family reunion at Lake Gaston, in North Carolina. -

- More job searching. -

- Exploring D.C., a little, haven't done too much of that yet. -

- Holding Willow; snuggling my darling niece is definitely a perk of living with my brother and sister-in-law. -

Yea, that is about it. Pretty boring stuff. Alright, there is a quick update until I have something more interesting to say.

July and August: In List Form Because I'm Lazy.

• So, yea, I definitely didn't get two posts in this month. 

• My 30 Day Challenge for July was to sincerely compliment someone every day. That was a fun one, and sometimes [when my mood was bad] a tough one, but in the end really good for me! Looking for something to sincerely compliment on is a good exercise.

• I've been working evenings, washing dishes at a resort in WV; still being a T.A. at EWVCTC.

• August's 30 Day Challenge: To get through this month intact and get everything done that needs to before the big move! So, nothing specifically.

• Oh yea, in case you didn't know, I'm moving to Northern VA to attend university [George Mason]. 

• Moving day is 2 weeks and 1 day away, there is LOTS to be done by then.

• There will likely be no posts [for the two of you that read this] until September. Then again, I may surprise everyone and post something. ;)

• Pray for me if you don't mind, these next few weeks are chock full and there are big, exciting things happening. 

• And one picture so it's not all boring words. 

Half of our Maple tree fell down. It made a lovely picture. 

See you in September!

Run or Dye!

Alright, so #11 on my list of things to do this year is: Run a 5K. And.... it's done!

Finish line picture!

Technically, I didn't run the whole thing, ok, or even most of it. However, Taylor and I did our best, and it's officially marked off my bucket list :)

My good friend Taylor and I after the dye drill.

The race was called Run or Dye, held at Frostburg State University in Maryland. 

I'm still washing dye out of my hair 4 days later. :D

In conclusion, it was a fun day! And, I never thought I'd say this (I think I said the opposite during the actual 5K part), but I'd probably do it again. If you have a chance, sign up! It's worth it!

1/2 Way Mark

Halfway through my month of no sugar and this is what I have to say. Diet Cheerwine, it may have no sugar, but it tastes like death! Seriously, don't waste your money on it... Turns out, there is no substitute for real Cheerwine.

June Challenge

For June, I'm combining two challenges. (I'm starting today, I forgot to plan ahead, so I'm starting on June 3rd instead of 1st, no judgement.) Anyway, the two challenges are: no sugar and no fast food.

The no sugar is pretty general, no added sugar, I'll use artificial sweeteners if necessary. But, you know, that means no ice cream, or cookies, or Marshmallow Mateys cereal if I feel snackish. Or, realistically, I'm at home alone, and I don't want to cook, so CEREAL! So, that'll be somewhat miserable.

The second one, no fast food, is to teach myself to plan ahead more. I am often too lazy or just plain forget about packing a lunch, so then I usually just grab something from a fast food place, because "I'm starving, and I thought I could last til I get home, but I can't, so I'll just run to KFC/Taco Bell, and, obviously, if I"m going there I have to get a Baja Blast and Cinnabon Delights, because they are amazing..."  And there you have my chain of justification for purchasing the ridiculously unhealthy food I then stuff in my face... So, this challenge will be really good for me. I'll likely eat a lot healthier (obviously, no sugar..), and I know I'll save a lot of money. Also, I might start consistently packing a lunch. All good things, yea?

So, wish me luck. If you see me this month and I seem even grouchier than normal, assume it's because I'm in sugar withdrawal and I would basically do anything for some ice cream. ;)

Photo A Day: Lots of Photos

While I haven't been updating this, I have been taking the pictures. :) If you are observant you'll notice I missed a couple days, but whatever...

8: a smell you adore

I love the smell of water!

9: something you do everyday

Everyday I'm driving...

10: a favorite word

Snelfie: sneezing while taking a selfie. This word just cracks me up!

11: kitchen

Making pretzels in the kitchen

12: something that makes you happy

Doing pretty much anything with these people.

13: mum

Mom knitting, she calls it her stress reliever.

14: grass

Not just grass, but the grass in these woods is beautiful!

15: love

Dinner with my dear sisters and littlest nephew.

16: what you're reading

17: snack

Is there a better snack than Strite's donuts?

18: something you made

This is a throwback, the start of a comfort top.

19: a favourite place

Mt. Storm (and the drive to get there) is quickly becoming a favorite place. It is so gorgeous that there are no words to describe it's beauty.

20: something you can't live without

Words, I couldn't live without them, especially written words.

22: pink

There's pink in that sunset, right?

23: technology

25: unusual

While it has happened before, I don't usually have to duct tape my car ;)

27: something sweet

Lincoln, my nephew, who is a sweetie!

28: the weather today

The picture doesn't show it well, but the 28th was foggy, it didn't rain, but it was misty and just beautiful and perfect! I adore spring days like this. Look at how green everything is!

30: your personality

I guess my personality is random? Cause I have this picture... Does anyone else see the dragon? Cause I see it, and I thought it was pretty cool!!

31: something beautiful

My friends Amanda and Kyle got married on the 31st. It was a beautiful wedding, she was a beautiful bride, and is a beautiful person! 

Graduation

On Saturday, the 10th of May, I graduated from Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College. Technically I graduated in December of 2013, but my school has one commencement. I graduated with a dual major: an Associate in Art and and Associate in Science. I was given the honor of being the student speaker to represent the graduates of December 2013. ( It doesn't necessarily feel like an honor while you're doing it. ;) I was pretty nervous). Anyway, here is my speech, and some pictures to go with it.

-----------

Greetings on behalf of the graduating class of 2013.

Usually, graduation speeches are full of thank you’s; don’t worry, mine will be too. Dr. T. told me to make this speech personal, to say what Eastern has meant to me. I thought long and hard about this. What, after all, do you put into a graduation speech to make it personal? I still don’t really know, but here goes.

I’ll start out by saying a few thank you’s. First and foremost, I need to give God all the glory for his abundant blessings in my life. Without his help, I wouldn’t be standing here. All the credit goes to him. Secondly, I want to thank my mom: she has done so much for me. She is the one I relied on constantly to help me reach this milestone. Thanks to her feeding me, praying for me, and doing laundry (or reminding me to do my laundry); I managed to stay away from malnutrition, came to school in clean clothing and, for the most part, remained well rested, thanks to her reminding me to go to bed. Apparently, just because you are in college, you are never too old to be sent to bed by your mother. To any professor that had me write papers, the only reason I’m ok at writing is because mom was an English teacher, and she drilled it into my head from the time she taught me to read. It also helps that she is a great proofreader. In addition to my mother, my siblings have been invaluable to my learning process: acting as sounding boards for ideas, listening to me stress about projects, offering advice, proofreading papers, moral support, the list could go on and on. 

My wonderful Mother and I

Lana and I, photobombed by Martha

Pete and I

I want to extend a huge thank you to the faculty of Eastern. You are all so supportive; I wouldn’t have gotten here without you. From meetings with my advisor that stretched into hours as she graciously helped me figure out exactly how to work everything into my busy schedule, to the faculty that helped get me involved in student activities. And, obviously, thanks to all of my teachers, I learned so much from all of you! Thanks to your efforts, the friends I’ve made, and all the things I’ve learned both in class and out of class, I can honestly say that the past two years have been the best of my life.

One of the many things that Eastern has taught me is this: to appreciate my roots. Now, I realize I’m a Math major, but undeniably, my favorite class, was Appalachian culture. In order to succeed in “the real world,” it is essential to understand where you come from and how that affects you. I’ve lived my entire life in West Virginia; I’ve always had that classic West Virginia pride. I didn’t perhaps understand exactly how my background affected me. As Khaled Hosseini says “It is important to know this, to know your roots, to know where you started as a person. If not, your own life seems unreal to you. Like a puzzle… Like you have missed the beginning of a story and now you are in the middle of it, trying to understand.” It is as Hosseini says, in order to understand ourselves; we need to understand our roots. Otherwise we aren’t going to find our place in the world. I would say that the most important thing I learned during my time at the college is the understanding of where I come from, how living in Appalachia affects my future, and where I fit in this big, big world. That spot isn’t necessarily where I always expected it to be, but I guess you could say I’ve found myself.  It is not just the state I come from that defines me as a person, my faith in God also defines me. Being raised in the tradition of faith is a huge part of understanding my roots; faith is, after all, where I truly started as a person. The classes I’ve taken have given me multiple reasons to examine and re-examine my faith. After all, I did sit through a few class periods dedicated to evolution. You know those surveys we have to fill out for every class? The one that asks us if we are learning to think critically, whether the classes are helping us to develop ideas and personal values? My answer to that question, almost every time, was a definitive yes.

In the fall I’m planning to attend George Mason University, in Fairfax, VA. I’m going to miss this place. I’m going to miss seeing my best friends multiple times a week. I’m going to miss the way I feel like I’m home when I enter school, I’ll miss being greeted by receptionists who know my name. I’ll miss the classes where I basically know everyone’s names, I’ll miss going into a new class, but not feeling shy because I will definitely know at least one person there.  It will be different going to such a big school, and I know that I’ll miss it here. However, I believe, thanks to Eastern, I am prepared to face the challenges ahead. And, although it’s bittersweet, I’m excited to embark on this new chapter of my life.

Emily and I

I was privileged to graduate with 3 of my best friends!

A rather awkward group photo :)

Taylor and I

Nikki, Emily, and I at the park one evening

To my fellow graduates, I hope that this is not the end of our learning. Learning is the essence of life. When we stop learning, I think that we stop living. So, I encourage you all to go out and keep learning, explore your world, never stop being curious. Ed Helms said “So long as your desire to explore is greater than your desire to not screw up, you’re on the right track. A life oriented toward discovery is infinitely more rewarding than a life oriented toward not blowing it…Don’t be afraid of fear. Because it sharpens you, it challenges you, it makes you stronger; and when you run away from fear, you also run away from the opportunity to be your best possible self.” You guys: Go out and keep learning, do not be afraid to mess up, get in there and get your hands dirty, work hard, play hard, enjoy each moment, and expect great things, because you all deserve to have the best life possible!  I wish every one of you the very best in your endeavors. May God bless your futures and give you strength as you follow your dreams. 

Days 5, 6, & 7

Day 5 ~ Bird

Day 6 ~ You

Day 7 ~ Someone That Inspires You

Because I can't choose just one person. 

Day 3 and 4

Day 3 ~ Something You Wore Today

My trusty, old Rainbows

Day 4 ~ Fun!

Fireworks at Emily's party

Day 2

Day 2 ~ Skyline

Remembering Dad

     So, it's crazy, this past month, the month Dad died, 8 years ago, was filled with random people telling me memories of Dad. All of these random encounters served to give me encouragement. There is just something remarkable about seeing your parents through the eyes of others. It makes me happy to hear other's memories. And the timing of when these memories were shared makes them even better. 

     Someone at church, who was good friends with dad, told me, this month, that he thinks of my dad often, when he is drinking coffee. He just remembers coming to visit and drinking coffee and talking. It was so sweet, just someone telling me that they miss him too, and that he is not forgotten. A simple memory of evenings spent talking over a cup of coffee. 

     Another lady at church gave me encouragement, by saying that I take after my father, and she knows he would be proud of me. 

     (This didn't happen this month, but sometime this year) I was at work, demonstrating Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty to some customers, I knew them, they were a former teacher and her husband, who knew my dad long ago. Her husband told me that I just reminded him of Garnett; that the way I talked reminded him of my father. This is high praise for me!

     Just two days ago, I was driving to school, late as usual, and had to stop on our back road for some road work. The guy in the work van pulled up beside me to tell me that the back-hoe would be off the road in a bit. Then asked if I was Garnett's daughter. Since there aren't that many (ok, any) conservative Mennonites who live on that road, he obviously knew I was. I said yes, and he told me that he went to school with my dad. And that he never knew anyone finer, that "[my] father was number one." He went on to say that if he could be half as good as my father, then he would have turned out well. It was certainly a very fascinating encounter!

     These random encounters over the past month served to remind not to just forget about Dad, and I'll confess, the longer it goes, the more my memories fade. Time has a funny way of doing that to memory. But, these reminders, around the time of his death, meant a lot to me, and have made me reminisce about my childhood, and to ponder the gifts given to me from the short amount of time that I got to know my dad. I don't spend enough time being appreciative, but perhaps, this month, I honored my father with memories.

A Photo A Day in May

This past month has been crazy!! And May is shaping up to be the busiest month so far this year. So, I decided to do a relatively simple challenge for this month. Take one photo every day. It turns out there are tons of different lists for photo a day things, and I had lots of fun looking through them on Pinterest til I found the one I wanted to do (admittedly, I did go with the second one I clicked on, but hey, I did have fun looking). Here it is.

And, of course, the first photo is peace. 

I cannot take credit for this picture. It was a snapchat from a friend that I took a screenshot of this evening. Tonight, a bunch of friends and I just hung out after school and saw a gorgeous sunset. It was a peaceful, fun evening. So, it's not a typical picture of peace, but the pervading feeling of the evening was peaceful; I left school feeling peaceful. So, I think this works. :)

Challenges of March and April

     The challenge I chose in March was oil pulling. Now, if you've never heard of oil pulling, here is what it is. You put oil (coconut, sesame, etc) into your mouth and swish it around for 20 minutes. It is supposed to be really good for your teeth. I've read that people who oil pull don't have to brush their teeth anymore, that their bad breath is eliminated, and that it is great for tooth whitening. Those are the down to earth claims. I've also read that it can cause weight loss, heal your eyes, reverse cavities, heal cancer [ok, I made that one up]. Google it, you will find tons of info!

     So, how did oil pulling work for me? Well, since my goal was basically to find out if it really did help with bad breath and teeth whitening, my standards were set pretty low. And, those weren't met... I didn't really have too much trouble keeping the oil in my mouth for 20 minutes, which is a common complaint. I tried to do this while I was showering and doing my hair, (approx. 20 min). So, my teeth weren't noticeably whiter, and I still felt the need to brush my teeth. Maybe I used the wrong kind of oil, but since it was coconut oil (the kind that is solid at room temperature, the best kind ;) ) I don't think that was the problem. Perhaps I was expecting a miracle, and this is likely something that takes time to really see results.

     I won't keep oil pulling, it's too annoying, for the amount of time it uses. Now, to be honest, I didn't oil pull every single day, and since it seemed like it wasn't working, it kind of fell through the cracks. Plus, as I said previously, teeth whitening was high on my list of results. I found a better way to do that. Activated charcoal. (I saw it on Pinterest). Mom had some tablets, so I opened one up and put it on my teeth for 5-10 minutes, and my teeth were noticeably whiter. Quick results convince me ;) The pluses of the charcoal are that it really doesn't have a flavor, your teeth can be way whiter in 5 minutes, and it's much cheaper than buying whitening strips. Downside? Only one, charcoal makes a huge mess... The sink still looks a little gray, and my toothbrush will never look the same. But, hey, small price to pay for white teeth, yeah?

     April's challenge is going to be really hard for me!It's a running challenge. While I'm sure I won't actually be able to run 3 miles by the end of April, I will follow the plan, and since it's time based rather than distance based, I think that will work better for me. I do not like to run, but being healthier is important, so I can run every day for 30 days, right? Hopefully... Anyway, April 1, I'll start this. To be honest, I'm terrified about telling anyone that I'm doing this challenge, because I've done such a poor job of sticking to the previous ones. Accountability :/ Gotta motivate myself to do this somehow... 

     Alright, so, that is all for tonight, and March! See you in April.

Your Turn: 

 - What motivates you to run, or exercise, or stick to something like this? Any tips would be great!

February

     So, when I look back at February, I'm not exactly sure where it went. I certainly did not update the blog twice. I didn't do a 30 Day Challenge. I didn't memorize a passage from the Bible. 
     I did, however, eat sushi and snowboard a double black diamond. Unfortunately, I have no pictures to prove either of these things. I've been listening to audiobooks, so I'm still working on that one. 
     This month has been crazy busy, and this is what fell through the cracks. I have a few pictures of February that pretty well describe the month.

Snowboarding at Snowshoe at the beginning of the month. It was great fun! And the mountain is beautiful!

George Mason University granted me admission for the fall semester! Which brings along with it a whole lot of busyness; there's a lot of stuff to do to get ready!!

It snowed, a lot. I spent a lot of time shoveling snow, stacking wood, and doing wintry stuff.

Spent lots of time with this girl in between classes and stuff! Speaking of school, although I did graduate in December, I am working at the school as a T.A. for 5 classes, and am taking 2 classes. I'm there 4 days a week.

I received a lovely Valentine from my oldest nephew. I felt pretty special :) I don't believe I've ever gotten a Valentine from a boy before ;)

Question for you:

- Usually February and March crawl by, not this year... Is it just me or is this winter going by way faster than usual? 

- Any advice for getting ready to leave home for college?