Senior Year!

Well, today was my last first day of school. Ever. (I mean, there's college, but I mean actual school.) It was our first day, and I still can't really believe that I'm a senior! It's happened so fast! I've loved high school, and it seems like it's flown by so fast, so I really plan to enjoy this year super much.

There are only three seniors at Calvary this year- David, Brandi, and me. And that's the biggest graduating class yet. (I know, right?! lol) So we are very excited.

Today we didn't actually do any work, which was nice, and kinda got us back into the swing of things. Well, actually, as nice and wonderful as our teachers are, I don't actually think they were trying not to give us work, us seniors just haven't started our math class yet because we're going to do an online college one. So while the other high schoolers did math, we went to another room and got the middle school quiz packets ready for Mrs. Harris. It was a nice day.

So now I'm officially a senior, and I'm still taking it in. That hit me last year, when I knew that the next year I'd be a senior, but now that it's actually here, I'm still a little in shock. Like this year I have to get in college applications, take the ACT a couple more times, la de da de da...... and I'm a little sad it's my last year. But actually I'm much more excited than sad. Actually, I don't even feel sad. It's just that the thought of this being my last year of high school is a little overwhelming to me, but very exciting too. Very very exciting! :)

Oh, here is a picture my mom took this morning of Gabriel, Jacqui, and me before we left for school. I still don't have a car, but yesterday evening we went up to my Papaw Johns' house, which is in Louisa, and we borrowed his bronco so my dad could drvie that and I would drive his truck this week. So that was all very nice and wonderful. But anyway, this is before my mom left for work and us for school. I think she got this because it's a pretty big year for all of us- my brother started middle school, my sister started high school, and I started my senior year. I think my mom is a little overwhelmed too. But she's happy for us. Very very happy.

So I am looking forward to this school year and to see what all it (and God, precisely) has in store for me.

Girls' Grandcamp!

Well, as some of you may know, each summer Aldersgate does a camp called grandcamp, where grandparents and their grandkids can go and hang out for a couple days. So it's been a tradition in our family for my Mimi and Papaw to take us to grandcamp each year. But as many of you also know, we are like, many years too old for grandcamp now, obviously (lol) but when we first were too old, Mimi and Papaw didn't want to end the tradition. So the next few years we would go on our own retreat to Aldersgate (just Mimi and Papaw and us girl cousins) and stay in the cottages a couple days, and have like our own schedule. It was a lot of fun. Then these past couple years we realized it'd be just as much fun to do it at our Mimi and Papaw's house in Grayson. So the beginning of this week, that's where we've been, and we've had a blast.

It started on Sunday when our little cousins Anna Keren and Joseph had their birthday party. So after we celebrated and ate cake and such, Aunt Barbie and Uncle Kevin (Anna Keren and Joseph's parents) told us they'd rented a pontoon, and we were all going to go out to Grayson Lake. So we did and we had such a fun time. We and Anna Keren would laugh so hard when we went over the waves from other boats because water would splash up on us, and we managed to get pretty wet, actually, even though we never got out of the boat. It was really fun.

Then we went back to Mimi and Papaw's house and were going to pick out a movie. We had about decided on The Last Sin Eater when we realized we'd better choose something Anna Keren could watch too. The Aristocats is was! :) Mimi made us popcorn and peanut butter fudge, and we watched the classic disney movie and laughed and had a good time. Then we got out a bunch of blankets and pillows, and all camped out on Mimi and Papaw's living room floor. It was great.

Monday morning we woke up around eight o'clock to the sound of Joseph's talking/ laughing/ baby noises. haha. We tried to doze a while longer, then got up to Mimi's delicious pancakes. They are seriously the best ones I've ever eaten. They're so good! So I ate three of those, then we went on a nature walk outside on the quiet little streets of the neighborhood behind Mimi and Papw's house. Then we decided we'd go and help Randee and Mark in their apartment, cause they still had a lot to do in it. And Kentucky Christian University (where they both go to school) is only 5 mins away from Mimi and Papaw's, so we drove over there, washed dishes and such for around two hours, then went back to Mimi and Papaw's house and got ready to go to the fair! We try to go to the Carter County Fair each year we can, and we have so much fun! The only problem was, when we got there, very dark clouds were overhead an quickly traveling our way. So we waited a few minutes, then decided we'd do it anyway. It didn't look like they were going to close down the rides, so off we went! We did the scrambler, the pirate ship (my personal favorite =]) the superman, and quasar, or something like that, and that one was not cool. It made a couple of the cousins sick, so we took a break for a couple minutes (it's been raining for a while now, and it's beginning to lightning too), did a few more rides, then decided we were ready to go. It was dark, pouring the rain, and lightning hugely! So we went back to Mimi and Papaw's, got into warm, dry clothes, and just relaxed a little before heading off to bed.

Tuesday morning (again we awoke to Joseph! lol) Mimi made us cinnamon rolls, cherry turn- overs, and bacon for breakfast, then we just chilled and watched tv until Anna Keren got back from her dentist appointment. Then we went swimming in the neighbors' pool, and it was sooo super duper fun. We had a good time. After over an hour of that, we came back and did music. I played the guitar and we sang for a long time, then Leanndra got out her fiddle, and we did a few more songs. Then we went in, and Mimi and Aunt Barbie wanted to hear some of our songs, so then we did some for them, and little Joseph played along by doing percussion w/ whatever he could. And he'd bounce up and down and clap to the music. It was very cute. Then Papaw brought us all pizza, and we ate and visited, then said our good-byes. It was so much fun, though. It was a very relaxing, happy time together with family. My cousins are like my best friends ever, and my Mimi and Papaw are the greatest! I'm so glad we still keep up the tradition of "grandcamp." :)

Aldersgate, Wedding, Cooking... : )

Well, I'm still kinda behind on here, so I'm just going to try to squeeze in everything I've done these past couple wks. So to begin...

Well, the week after dance camp, I just stayed home and relaxed. Well, actually Sunday- Wednesday, because Thursday we went down to Aldersgate again! Hooray! We went down to my Uncle Lee and Aunt Debbie's house, and we stayed the night there, and Friday, my cousin Leanndra came home from GSP! We were sooo excited to see her! So we hung out w/ her at Aldersgate that whole day, then late that night, we (this being my mom, sister, brother, and myself) headed to Aunt Debbie and Uncle Lee's house in Lexington, the one where they stay during the school year since Aunt Debbie pastors a church there. So we took Andrew back w/ us and dropped him off at a friend's birthday party (and it was like 1 in the morning, but his friends were spending the night), then we went on to our couins' house and crashed out. We stayed there the weekend, then Monday morning we went back to Aldersgate to drop off Gabriel for camp, then my mom, Jacqui, and I hurried back to Ashland where my cousin Randee was having a bridal shower. It was a really great, spiritual, fun time, and the food was really great too.

Tuesday we went over to my Mimi and Papaw's house to see our cousins who are in visiting from England. We spent the day w/ Anna Keren (5 yrs.) and Joseph (11 months), and they are so cute. Then that evening we went to Ironton to have Randee's bachelorette party at Buffalo Wild Wings, and that was fun too.

Wednesday we pretty much just chilled at home. Thursday, on the other hand, was quite eventful. My sister and I got up, went w/ my dad to meet my Nanny at the doctor, then dropped him off there and went to the mall to shop for school clothes- polos and khakis. We found a few polos, but didn't have as great luck on the khakis. Anyway, I'll move on, cause I don't really want to talk about school right now. So after we shopped a couple hours, we drove to Grayson where Randee and Mark (her fiance) were moving into their KCU apartment, because their wedding would be that Saturday! So them, Chelsey (Randee's sister) and their dad, Jacob (one of Mark's friends), Will (one of Jacob's friends), and Jacqui and I helped move all their stuff in. Mark and Randee both go to KCU, so they are going to live in the married- student housing. Their apartment was actually really nice, and they were very excited about it. Then Randee and Chelsey's mom and some of their family from Florida brought us pizza, and we ate that on the floor of their apartment, since there was no furniture set up yet or anything. It was fun.

After being there for a few hours, we went over to my Mimi and Papaw's house (just 5 mins. away) and visited Anna Keren and Joseph for a couple hours, then went home. That was a fun but busy day! : )

Friday afternoon my sister and I just relaxed at home, then that evening my mom and us went up to Louisa to my Nanny's house where my Aunt Sandy (visiting from NC) was staying for a couple days, and my dad was up there visiting too. So we went up and had a very fun time, and we laughed a lot, and it was good too see my Nanny and her two kids- my Aunt Sandy and Dad- having such a happy time together. It was a lot of fun.

We headed back home late that evening, then I had to pack because I was going to spend the next wk at Aldersgate as a cook, because even though that wk was actually the last wk of camp, there was still a retreat and a football camp coming. And since Saturday was the wedding at Aldersgate, I was just going to stay that weekend w/ Uncle Lee, Aunt Debbie, Leanndra, and Andrew, since I had to be back at Aldersgate on Monday anyway. So...

Saturday was the wedding!!! We got up early, packed up our dad's truck w/ folding chairs, ferns, and coffee pots for the wedding, and we headed down to Aldersgate. When we got there, we (being the families of both Mark and Randee) hurriedly set up. We decorated and prepared food, and set up all the stuff, and by the time we were done and got to get ready (the music for the wedding started at 4:30, btw), it was 4:00! Ahh!!! So everyone had to get ready super super quick, but we made it!

And oh, the wedding was splendid! It was sooo beautiful and sweet, and Randee was a gorgeous bride, and Mark's dad (who has stage four colon cancer and has been very very very sick) was able to stand up and preach some of the wedding and do the vows. It was so wonderful and such an answer to prayer. Also at the wedding, Mark and Randee served Communion, which was super cool too. It was just perfect.

A lot of people got pictures, but Aaron, one of Randee's cousins from Pennsylvania, took some good pictures and put them on facebook, so I put a few on here. So here is a picture of the beautiful bride and groom:

Here is the wedding party: The bridesmaids from left to right are Sarah, my cousin Lauren, Katie (Mark's sister), and the maid of honor, Chelsey, Randee's sister. Then of course there are Randee and Mark, and the little flower girl is our cousin Anna Keren from England, and the ring bearer is Matt, Mark's brother. Then the groomsmen from right to left are Matthew, Jacob, Josh (the best man) and Michael.

This is a picture of all us girl cousins: from left to right it's me, Bethany, Lauren, Randee, Chelsey, Jacqui, Leanndra, and Anna Keren in the front. They are like my best friends in the whole world!!!

And here is a picture of our family. I won't try to name everybody cause that could take a little while, but that's all of us. I love them very, very much.

After the wedding, we (who had been setting up earlier) hurried up to the chapel where the reception was going to be, and we served food (well, punch actually), and I got to see my friends, then we went back down to the field in front of the covered bridge where the wedding took place, and we got family pictures. Then, back up to the reception, then: clean-up. Wow, I thought setting up for a wedding was hard! But it was so worth it. And at the end of the day (like 11 pm or so), everything was great. Super. Perfect.

I spent the night w/ Leanndra, then Sunday morning we got up and went to their church in Lexinton, stayed the day there, went to Leanndra and Andrew's youth group that night (and I even got a free t- shirt), then went back to Aldersgate. We spent the night here, then Monday morning-

Clean-up!!! The Hyde Park retreat would be there that afternoon, and we had to finish cleaning the chapel from the wedding, the cottages, the lodge, and cook dinner. But everything worked great. Actually there were only two other summer staff members there, but Tuesday morning three more came, and we've had such a super fun week. Actually, I'm here right now while I'm writing this. Everyday between lunch and dinner I have like a three hour break, so today Leanndra is cleaning her room, and I decided I needed to catch up on here. But this wk-

Oh, it's been so fun! I've loved it all! I stay the night w/ Leanndra each night, then at 7:15 each morning I go cook! But once I'm up, it's so fun. Since summer camp is over, the summer staff could go home, but there were five helping here this wk. Thom, Zac, and I were the cooks, Zach works w/ the horses, and Daniel and Josiah help out w/ whatever they're asked to do. Working in the kitchen has been a blast, and it's been really funny too. I can't even begin to explain everything that's gone on, so I won't even try. But it's been really good. And remember there's been a football camp (consisting of like at least 60 some high school football players or something) going on, so that's made this wk quite, umm, interesting. They eat a bunch of food, and get concussions and broken ankles, and use up all the water..... haha jk, it's ok. It's been a great wk.

So that's been these past three weeks, and they've all been wonderful. And this one has been soooo much fun!

But for now, I'm gonna go cook soon, and after dinner Leanndra, Andrew, David, and I are gonna go on a hike up to a cave, then maybe go for a night swim. We did that last night too, and it was really fun. Well, I'll tell about that really quick before I get off. So Andrew had been really wanting to go up to this cave that's been found recently, and Leanndra, David (he's been lifeguarding here this wk), and I were gonna go w/ him cause there have to be four people. But it's been hard to fit our schedules together because David has so many hours he works at the pool, and I'm usually cooking or cleaning, so by the time we got things worked out last night, it was like 8:30. So we began the hike, but then realized it would be quite dark on the way back, so we decided to go tomorrow (which is today, now) and came back and went swimming. So when I got to the pool, it was David, Daniel, Zac, Thom, Josiah, and Andrew, and the water was kinda cold at first. So I just sat at the edge of the pool w/ my feet in, but they kept saying I had to get in, and I said I would, but I just like to work my way in slowly. But I guess I was going a little too slow because Thom and Josiah came over and picked me up and were about to throw me into the water, but thankfully they were kind and didn't (although they had counted to three and everything!), but then Leanndra got there, and I got in the pool, and everything was fine and dandy. But anyway, I really will get off here now. Jacqui, if you read this, I love you and I'll see you tomorrow, and I've got a lot of funny stories to tell you! So... good-bye for now! : )