Careers -Hattie Milligan

                I have always been very indecisive about what career I want to pursue when I graduate. My choices have always been something to do with the medical field. My choices have always been between an orthopedic surgeon, an ophthalmologist, or a nurse anesthetist. I just don’t know which one I will choose or if I choose one of those three at all. They are all different, and they all have qualities that attract me to it.

                An orthopedic surgeon is a doctor that works with bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscles. So, if you were to tear your ACL, they would be the ones to fix it. Most orthopedic surgeons work in hospitals, but some surgeons sometimes go solo. Some of the surgical procedures they perform include mending broken bones, reattaching ligaments and tendons, and replacing hips and joints with prosthetic devices. This just seems like such a cool job.

                An ophthalmologist is probably my least favorite of the three careers. An ophthalmologist is an eye doctor that specializes in diagnosing eye diseases and treating eye injuries. They are not the eye doctors that test your eyesight and give you glasses. These eye doctors do surgeries. They sometimes perform laser surgery and keyhole surgery. This career doesn’t sound as exciting as the orthopedic surgeon career.

                Next on the list is the nurse anesthetist. A nurse anesthetist is an advanced practice nurse that works in collaboration with anesthesiologist, surgeons, and other physicians and medical professionals to deliver anesthesia for medical and surgical procedures. They don’t actually do surgeries, but they put the people on the table to sleep. So, they do get to sit in on the surgeries.

                Overall, all three careers have struck my eye. On orthopedic surgeon would probably have a more unpredictable day, which I want. I do not like routine. An ophthalmologist would probably have more manageable hours. The nurse anesthetist would be able to watch many amazing surgeries.  I have a lot of considering to do. I know God will lead me down the path I need to take. So I have no reason to worry.

The Sky's The Limit #3 --Jo Baker-

     What do you think when someone tells you the sky is the limit? I think well what about space? What about all the other planets in the Universe? When you talk about your dreams and somebody tells you the sky is the limit, it's really not. There are so many jobs in the world. There are so many things to do, sights to see, and foods to taste. There is a million and one things that you have yet to experience.
     Don't limit your hopes and dreams by the sky. The sky only goes so far. Your hopes, dreams, fears, wants, or needs should exceed even space. I read a quote once, it said " Your life is like a coin, you can spend it any way you wish, but you can only spend it once" This quote made me think a lot. You only get one life. But the time you have during this one life, you should spend it in ways that go beyond the sky.
     You should take advantage of every moment you have in your life. You should try to do everything you want in life. You should travel to exotic places, taste new foods, see new things, and experience life as you want to. You shouldn't ever let any form of expression limit what you want. If you're not happy with the way your living, then how will you embrace every experience in life as a wonderful one?
     Before the many increases in technology leading up to today, most people probably didn't think there was anything beyond the sky. But today, there are so many things we've discovered that go a million miles beyond the sky. The human race has discovered cells, cures for diseases, tanning beds, insulin, medication, surgery's for the hurt, electricity, even a light bulb that creates light. Seeing how far the world has come today, there's no telling how it will be fifty years from now. 
    A long time ago, the expression the sky is the limit would've been a perfect example for everybody's hopes and dreams. But here, now, at this time today, your hopes, dreams, wants, needs, feelings, everything that makes you, you.. they should say infinity is the limit.
    
    

Vampire? - Brittany Tucker (#12)

    “I swear he’s a vampire!” Wendy whispered, pointing to their history teacher.
    Celine grinned, almost laughing, “I’m not sensing that kind of energy from him. Are you, Yui?” she looked to the small girl, who watched their teacher with interest while shaking her head.
    Mr. Willnorth scoffed at something in their book before turning to Jason, demanding he burn it. Jason reluctantly burnt the book, earning a dazzling grin from the young teacher.
    Mr. Willnorth was a dark-haired, green-eyed man who dressed in a suit and tie everyday, despite Headmaster Allen allowing everyone―including teachers―to dress casually. He claimed to be centuries old, but only a handful of students believed him.
    “Okay,” he clapped his hands together, “our books are liars. Listen up, geeks, I’m about to tell you what really happened during the revolution in Amortia.”
    Wendy grinned, “See? That happened centuries ago! The only way he would know what really happened is if he was there!”
    Jason turned around to face them, “Not necessarily. He could’ve just read many books that all have something that ours don’t. Like, say he read Tale of Amortia by Ignus Finch. That’s set during the revolution, and most of it’s true. Or, what if he read...”
    “Mr. Cage, are you listening?” Mr. Willnorth asked, glaring at the Dráka.
    Jason sheepishly grinned, turning back to the front of the classroom.
    Celine chuckled under her breath as Willnorth began to explain the Amortian Revolution in great detail, interrupted by the sound of the bell, ending class. As the room began to empty itself, Wendy and Yui turned to Celine as they put their notes away.
    “I’m still saying he’s a vampire,” Wendy remarked, earning a grin from Yui as they left.

Note:
 - Dráka are a species of dragon with the ability to take on a human form.
 - Amortia is a land based on France.
 - Wendy is the only human out of six main characters (Yui, Avery, Jason, Celine, and Aymeric all are or end up being non-humans).

Not So Fairy Godmother - Kim Wilson (20)

    This is honestly really stupid, I just don't have anything else to post.

     No one appreciates fairy godmothers. I give, give, give, and do I ever get anything in return? No, not even a simple thank you. That's right, no. Well, now it's my turn. I'm going to be my own fairy godmother. No, I'm going to be my own avenger, and I'm going to start with Cinderella.
     Oh, that Cinderella. She'll  would still be in rags if it weren't for me. I saved her from her wicked stepmother and what does she do? When I arrive at her wedding with gifts and food, she doesn't allow me in. So, I'm standing there with a beautiful, crystal vase and some of my homemade cookies that are to die for, if I do say so myself. I stand there feeling rejected. Not only does she not allow me in, she takes the gift and food and walks into her house, or should I say castle. She slammed the door in my face. Who takes gifts but doesn't allow the gift giver to attend?
     Still not convinced Cinderella is the bad guy? I've got more proof. The night I changed her life for good she couldn't even keep up with the time. I told her specifically: get home before the stroke of midnight. What does she do? She stays and parties all night until the absolute last minute and expects the clothes and coach to be the same. Who does that?
      Not only does she not allow me to attend her wedding, when her first child is born, she forbids me to see it. I never got a thank you, she wouldn't allow me at her wedding, and she would let me see her child. She wouldn't have been married or have had that child without me, might I add. So, this is why I'm going after Cinderella: she was the biggest brat of them all. What am I going to do? I'm going to strip her off her new life. She's going to live back with her stepmother and stepsisters. Not forever, just until she grows to appreciate what I did for her. And then, when she finally comes to appreciate my work, I'll give everything back. Or maybe, I won't. Who said I had to be a fairy godmother? Why can't I be an evil queen?

Dreams - Brittany Tucker (#11)

   Wren glares at the beings before him. It’s been a week since he last saw Ailsa, and any of the others. His parents, he knows, are worried sick. He figures Ailsa and Rosalie are as well.
    He breathes out a sigh before finally deciding to do something about his little predicament. “I’ll give you exactly thirty seconds to get out of my way. If you don’t, you’ll end up like those who crossed me and my family. Every member of it.”
    One of the beings stares at him for a moment, its head cocked to the side, reminding him somewhat of his mother-in-law. “How did they end up?” it questions.
    Wren stands, heating his body up enough to break his bonds. “You’re about to find out.”

*    *    *    *

    After taking care of his kidnappers, Wren slowly makes his way to the pilot room of the large, futuristic-looking ship. The ship is tedious to navigate through, but he eventually makes it.
    Wren stares at the buttons, listening to the sounds of the various monitors as he takes a moment to think. He has a lot of options to consider even if most of them resulting in his untimely death.
    “Well, if I die, at least Ailsa’ll know I love her. As for the rest of ’em… well…” he pauses in his mutterings, taking a breath to steel himself. “Calm down, Wren. You’re the son of Wendy and Jason Cage—son-in-law of Yui and Avery Wallace—the Demon Queen and King. You can do this.”
    He presses a button as the ship’s controls spark, rapidly increasing the sounds of the already loud monitors. He covers his ears in agony, letting out a scream a moment before his eyes fly open, revealing the familiar ceiling of his home.
    He sits up, breathing rapidly, as the sounds of his son’s crying woke his wife. Quickly, Wren is on his feet. “I’ll get Euca, okay? Ailsa, you go back to sleep.”
    He saunters into his son’s room, the sounds of crying filling his sensitive ears. “Hey, little man, what’s wrong? You have a weird dream, too?”
    Euca, only a few months old, answers with his wailing. Wren nods, picking the baby up, holding him gently in his arms. Lightly, he rocks the small boy, slowly coaxing him to sleep.
    With Euca asleep, Wren places a kiss on his forehead. Like his father, and his grandfather, Euca has gunmetal hair, but instead of hazel eyes, Euca has his mother’s glowing blue eyes.
    Wren turns, hearing Ailsa’s light breathing coming from the doorway. He smiles at her, smoothly placing their son in his crib. He gives him one last look before turning and leading his wife back to their room, managing to sleep peacefully for the rest of the night.

i am- sydney adams 11

this is not 350 words but maybe if i give it an intro it will be.
i wrote this one day a while back because i was trying to come to grips with who i was, not who i wanted to be, not what others thought i was but what came to my head when i thought about myself. im still not sure if I like it but 3 of my most trusted critics approved of it and said to post this so here it is.
I am not well liked
I am not perfectly rounded (in appearance or personality)
I am not painfully beautiful
I am not the deepest thinker
or the purest woman
I am not talented but I am determined
I am not a by the book girl but I am not exactly rebellious either
I am not cruel but I am not always kind
I am not the smartest person but I am intelligent 
I am not the most devout in my faith yet I fail to draw nearer to the Lord
I care what people say but not what they think, or at least I tell myself that pretty little contradiction
I claim to be adventurous yet my allergies and lack of desire to go outside say differently
I'm an okay writer but not a great one
I have many aspirations yet follow none
I claim to be brave but my voice quivers when I speak
I complain about wasting my life yet sit on my phone for most of my day
I do not have the best reputation but a lot of that was not of my own doing
I want to help heal the world yet at times I can be so selfish and close minded
I am not a marvel
nor am I a super woman who reaches goals before she even sets them or changes the world before purchasing her morning coffee
I am an almost woman trying to figure out who I am, what im doing, who im doing it for and why.
I'm just here, living an anti climactic life and wondering what's next

Arm's length - Kim Wilson (19)

     The worst feeling you get is when you trust someone and they let you down. When you truly love someone and they just leave you. When you're someone who built walls so high, you never thought they'd ever come down. But they did, and it was him to blame. You don't trust easily, but he somehow gained your trust in a few short weeks when it's taken you years to trust your friends. When he makes you open up and you finally feel like you have someone to talk to about everything that goes on in your mind. You're no longer scared to text him first because he makes you feel comfortable, a feeling you don't get often. He tore down your insanely high walls and you began to feel yourself fall. That was new for you because you always kept people at arm's length because you could never trust someone after what happened, but he made you trust him. He tore down your walls and actually made you feel something. But then you begin to sense him slipping away. He's drifting further and further from you and there's nothing you can do. No more texting, no more silly phone calls. He doesn't send you the good morning texts you loved. He doesn't ask you how your day is anymore. It hurts you so much. You cry because the boy who made you feel is now gone. You become angry at yourself for trusting him, and this may be the final straw. This makes your heart like ice and you like it that way. You can't feel pain if you don't feel anything at all. You once more begin to keep people at arm's length. It's better that way, you tell yourself every morning as you check your phone to see if today was the day he'd walk back into your life. But no, there's no text. Everyone you loved has left you; what makes him any different? You're the queen of ice. You keep everyone in the cold.

This is the story of how I, Maya Williams, became “the queen of ice.” Well, that's what all of the guys call me.

Favorite time of year Chloe Reese (6)

There are four seasons: spring,summer,fall,and winter. All of the seasons have their own pros and cons, but my favorite is fall. Fall time is the best time of year to me. Fall is the time of year that is not hot but just on the edge of cold.it is the time of year that is cool, just the right amount of wind blows to give you chills, and it is the right temperature outside. I also love fall because the leaves are just changing colors:  from green to red, orange, and yellow. Then right before winter comes they start to fall, hence the name of the season. I love seeing the trees change colors and the temperature change. But the thing I love most about fall is that it lasts from September through October, November, and ends in December. This time of year includes October one of my favorite months. October includes one of my favorite holidays, Halloween. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays because of all of the scary movies that come on tv, the haunted houses, and seeing all the cool decorations in people's yards. I love when all of the spooky and scary movies come on. Some of my favorites to watch are , lost boys, Scream, Ghost hunters, and the new movies that come out in theaters. I also love going to haunted houses and getting scared. I also like seeing all the people dressed up in the haunted houses. It's good to get scared every once in a while. Then finally my last favorite part about fall is going to pumpkin hallow with my family and picking out pumpkins. I love seeing all the selections of pumpkins out there and picking the plumpest one. Then my family and I go home and carve them. We always come up with and carve our own faces and set them out a few nights before Halloween. Then we get to see them glow every night up to Halloween by the candle inside. These are just a few of the many things I love about fall. But to add I love all the scents that go along with it. I love smelling pumpkin pie, pecan pie, the sugar candles, and warm cinnamon scents.

Technology good or evil? Chloe Reese (5)

This year is 2016 and we have evolved a long way with technology. We have iPhones, drones, Google and even cars that park themselves. These are just a few of our many technological advances. But, is technology as we see it good or evil? 

Yes, technology does help us do everything we need to do daily, but is that a good thing? We use our phones everyday. We use them to call people, see people, as calculators, calendars, clocks, navigators, weather men , and as photo albums. This is great and handy but it takes away from the use of our minds if you think about it. Don't get me wrong I love having my phone handy when I need something. But, we don't think twice when we need to do something, like add, we use our phones or when we need to know what time it is, we don't read clocks we just use our phone or when we need help with our homework, instead of trying ourselves we look it up. This isn't good people might say, but when we do need help to figure a question out, like how old was George Washington when he became president? We look it up and then we know which is great! By the way he was fifty-seven years old on April 30th in 1989 when he became president. I might have never known that if Google was easy to access. This helps us learn and understand different ideas. The only issue wrong with these abilities being easy to access is that we don't have to do much to be able to do so much. We don't have to go out and see our family to see if they are ok. This is sad, because there is at least half of my family I have never met. The only reason I know them is because of social media I can see their family and their lives. This is weird because it seems like I know them and have met them, but I haven't , which is why I believe technology is both good and evil at the same time.

Watch Tower - Shailey Wooldridge

Recently I went on a mission trip to Indiana and the church I stayed in was built in 1905 and  had a watch tower that I didn't know existed until my last day there. To get to the watch tower you have to go to the sanctuary where there's a door that leads to a stair case. You go up that stair case onto the balcony floor, but instead of going out the door onto the balcony there's a little door that could be easily over looked. That door lead to another set of steep steps that were covered in dirt and God knows what else. If you pay attention you could see skeletons of small animals. There was a bird skeleton intact on the fifth step. When you reach the top of the stair case you were in a small dirty room filled with only broken glass littering the floors and one seemingly unstable wooden ladder. You had to go up that ladder, skip the fourth step because it was broken and you were in the watch tower. Five stories from the ground. On each side of the four walls there multiple times I sat on the edge with my feet hanging off the side, or stood in the thing that was like a huge window but there was no glass so there was absolutely nothing preventing me from falling from the building and splattering onto the concrete and breaking all my bones and dying a brutal and awful death. But I stood there, and I took pictures in there, and I dangled my feet off the side and I wasn't scared. I even jumped over the ledge and sat on the roof for a good hour, Not even when I pretended to fall to freak someone out was I scared. But sometimes when I watched someone else do the exact same thing I did seconds before, or later when I thought about standing there on the building I got absolutely terrified. It just made me think about how many things we don't do out of fear. Also I just wanted to brag about how I did something cool.

My favorite Bible verses: Haven Robertson

  Reading the bible is something that I should do so much more than I do. The bible is the answer to everything: every problem, every worry, everything. The bible also tells us the amazing work of God and who He is. The bible is a gift that I should not take for granted as much as I do. Saying this, I still have so many verses that give me hope and remind me that the Lord is always with me.
  My first verse that I have always loved is Colossians 3:12. " Therefore, as God's chosen people , holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience." This verse reminds me to always strive to be like Christ and that I was chosen by the Lord, the creator of Heaven and Earth. He is so amazing. Because of this verse, I'm reminded that I will always be loved.
  The next verse is 1 John 3: 18. It says," Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." This verse makes me realize that actions speak louder than words and that we were called to be the salt of the earth and the light in this dark and evil world we live in. God wants us to stand out.
  My all time favorite bible verse is Colossians 3:23. It says, " Whatever you do,work at it with all of your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human matters." This verse has always been my favorite. I play a lot of sports and this verse reminds that all of the glory goes to God. God has given me the gift of athleticism and what I do with it is my gift back to God.
  These are my top 3 bible verses that I will always keep in my mind. I encourage everyone to read the Bible as much as possible and to have quiet time with God everyday. It can change your day and your outlook on life.

God's Masterpiece - Kim Wilson (18)

  (I write too many of these, but oh well.)

   In today's society, there is a lot of pressure on young girls to look a certain way. We have to have the right hair length, the acceptable amount of makeup, and we have to be the right size. Many people, like me, don't wear makeup and are labeled as "lazy" and that we "don't care enough." I have decided that I'm not going to let society tell me how I'm supposed to look. I'm perfectly content with sticking to my skirt, long hair, and makeup-free face instead of the standards of today. You girls should feel the same way about yourself. You don't need to look like what everyone thinks you should look like. Why? Because we are God's masterpiece, each and every one of us.

     "For we are God's masterpiece..." Ephesians 2:10

      Now this is really hard for me to believe. Many times I feel myself thinking I am far from being a masterpiece. I feel like I'm not pretty enough, smart enough, or nice enough. We all have insecurities, but we're all a masterpiece. 2 Timothy 3:16 (NLT) says: "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true..."
     Now, if we listen to what that verse says, it means ALL scripture is inspired by God and teaches us what is true. That means that all of the Bible is God's word and all of it is true. With that in mind, that means Ephesians 2:10 is true. We were all crafted by God and He believes that we are beautiful. So whenever you're looking in the mirror and feel bad about yourself, not judging I do this as well, think about how God made you how you are and you are His masterpiece.

     If you're like me and you need constant reminders, here are more bible verses about beauty that I think will really help one the days you insecure.

•Psalm 139:14 (NIV)
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

•Song of Songs 4:7 (NIV)
“You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you.”

•Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NIV)
“He has made everything beautiful in its time.”

Vacation 2k16- Wesley Jordan(#20)

This year for our family vacation we decided that we are going to drive up to Pigeon Forge on Friday and stay in a cabin with my mom, dad, sister, aunt, uncle, and four of my cousins. The cabin was a pretty big cabin. It had 3 bedrooms in it. Each family stayed in on of the bedrooms. My family got the upstairs because there was a fold out couch that we could sleep on.
The first day (Saturday) we were down there, we went to this aquarium. This aquarium let you touch jelly fish and crabs. It was a really cool aquarium at that. After that we walked up and down the main strip in Gatlinburg. After we did all of this we went home and ate some supper. Then we decided we were going to go do some race cars. They had about ten different types of cars and tracks to race. After, we went home.
The second day (Sunday) we woke up and ate us some breakfast and headed out to go to Cades Cove. Of course we had to do something historical. It was really boring and we were stuck without service for about four hours. When we got back it was about time for some dinner. We decided we were going to do a dinner show called, Hatfield and McCoy. It was really funny and the food was really good. After the show was over, we headed over to the  Alpine Coaster. It went really fast and it was really fun.
The third day (Monday) we woke up and ate some breakfast and headed to Gatlinburg again. When we got there, we knew we were going to do some attraction type things. We did this mirror maze and this 5D movie ride. Both of these things were extremely cool things to do. After we got done we were getting hungry so we decided to eat. Then we headed back into Pigeon Forge and went to the mall and did some shopping. Then we did this escape room and then went back to the cabin/
Today (Tuesday), we spent all day driving and we finally got home around four o'clock. It was a really great trip with my family. I'm glad that I went.

what in the heck am i gonna do with my life -- karlee sanders

Everyone gets so stressed out about what they should do when they grow up. I think that's normal, because there's a lot at stake when you choose what you want to focus on for the rest of your life. It's a big decision, and there are many resources that you have to put into a decision like that, such as time and money. My parents have always wanted me to do what makes me happy, but for a long time, I wasn't sure what that was supposed to be. They told me I could do anything but become a teacher, which is what I wanted to do for a long time. I flirted with the idea of going into the medical field, and at one time, I wanted to be a paralegal of all things. I have decided now, that I would like to follow in my dad's footsteps, and pursue a career in music. I would like to major in Music Business. I don't know where I'd want to go to college, but I feel like this is the right choice for me. With this degree I can become an artist manager, booking agent, music publisher, copyright specialist, music merchandising or marketing specialist, concert promoter, record producer, telecommunications, venue management, recording studio and production, or a facility manager. I like the thought of being on the business side of music. Out of all of those things, I'd probably like to be a booking agent, artist manager, or a music merchandising/marketing specialist. I think it would be fun to represent an artist and to put them to the top! I've always liked the idea of representing others and helping them be the best that they can be. And, I love music so much. Music is my first love! Being able to be around and help someone produce music is the best of both worlds for me. So, I guess I don't have to be so stressed about what I'm going to do when I grow up. I already have it all planned out and I couldn't be any more excited than I already am.

why worry?--karlee sanders

Matthew 6:34 says, Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. This has been one of my favorite bible verses since I was about fourteen years old. In the past, I had a lot of trouble in my daily life with worrying about everything. My mom used to tell me all the time, "Don't sweat the small stuff." I never really put that into play in my life and kept worrying. I was stressed with school, sports, and friends. I constantly worried for my safety. Then, one day I came across Matthew 6:34. I remember loving it so much. Knowing that Jesus said these words comforted me. I have a chalkboard on my wall, and my bed faces it. I wrote that verse on it and thought about it every time that I'd look at it. I felt a giant burden lifted off of my shoulders! I'm so thankful that I was able to find that verse. God truly has used it to bring me peace and to bless me daily. I think about that verse even now, years later. When I think about what the words mean, I imagine sitting in front of a sunset in a field of grass, just taking in God's beauty and creation. I think about God's hand coming down and removing all the worry, grief, and strife from my head about the future. I am blessed now to know that I don't have to worry about anything that will come my way, and that God's got my back every second of every day. So, if you're like I was, and you worry about everything and "sweat the small stuff", I encourage you to take refuge in a God who loves you so so much. There are many other passages in the bible that talk about how we shouldn't worry. Maybe if you take the time to study and immerse yourself in God's never ending peace and love through His word, you will become as blessed as I was (and still am)!

Compliments that aren't about looks - Shailey Wooldridge

I was just thinking about how almost every time you get a compliment it's about your physical appearance and I got kind of sad and thought that our looks shouldn't be held to the most valued quality about ourselves although a lot of the time it is. Beauty isn't only skin deep so I made list of compliments you can give someone that aren't about your looks, but I guess you've already gathered that much so I'll shut up now!!!!

1. You smell nice
2. You're really creative
3. I love how gentle you are (I got this recently and I'm still smiling)
4. You're such a sweet person
5. I love your voice
6. Your laugh is contagious
7. You are great at ___
8. You are so good with ___
9. You're pretty awesome
10. I can always count on you
11. I bet you could work a visor
12. I hope you're around for a long time
13. My mom likes you
14. I would trust you with my will
15. If I ever wrote a book you would be in it
16. You don't make me want to drop dead when you talk about politics
17. You have a great taste in music
18. I would raise a puppy with you
19. You're really fun/easy to talk to
20. I love your sense of humor
21. I bet your parents are great people
22. I  bet you're great at hide and go seek
23. You make me want to be a better person
24. I can tell you love Jesus
25. I bet you call your grandma regularly
26. I would share the last chicken nugget with you
27. Your kids are going to be so cool
28. You're extremely intelligent
29. I would watch the news with you if it meant I could be in your presence
30. I bet if you were a character on Greys Anatomy you would die

My Favorite Bible Verses --Karlee Sanders

I often go to the Bible for words of encouragement or in times of strife. I have some favorite verses/passages that I'd like to share.

They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
    but the Lord was my support. 2 Samuel 22:19

Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.   Proverbs 31:25-31

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!   Psalm 150:6
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. Colossians 1:16

Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “ Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.” Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.” Jeremiah 1:4-10

Lastly, my all time favorite verse.

Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12

things we shouldsay more often -- karlee sanders

I think that there's a lot of things we should say more often. of course, this was inspired by the kid president, who is overly adorable, so I might happen to steal a few things he says, my bad.
 1. Jesus loves you. (this seems overrated, but it's the truth!)
 2. good work!
 3. keep it up! (even the smallest of encouragement can help someone out.)
 4. hey man you look awesome today
 5. can you help me? (sometimes we just gotta ask for help. it's nothing to be ashamed of!)
 6. yes ma'am, yes sir, no ma'am, no sir. (respect is very important, people!)
 7. thank you dude (it seems like a small way to show appreciation, but a small "thanks" can go a long way)
 8. hey man you're so welcome (or if you work at chickfila, "it's my pleasure!")
 9. do you want some of this? (offering food to someone is the best thing you could ever do)
 10. "I just gave Lil Jon knucks." - Gary Brooks (okay maybe we shouldn't all say this more often, but I laugh every time I hear that so I felt like I should put it in here. also, it's nice to give people knucks.)
 11. hey man give me knucks
 12. HIGH FIVE
 13. miss me high hit me low
 14. YOUR MAKEUP IS ON POINT (I swear, if you say this to any girl she'll become super confident so just do it people)
 15. hey bae you are super fantastic at ________ (people love compliments so say them & be nice)
 16. oh my gosh you have to listen to this song it's the greatest thing in the universe please listen right now (I love it when people show me music)
 17. your eyebrows are very nice (self explanatory)
 18. hey I bought you this because it made me think of you
 19. I love you!
 20. do you want to come over and watch a movie with me?
21. you're the best thing since sliced bread :)
this isn't quite 350 words. if I type this sentence it will be

Home- Bethany Pace (19)

Home?
What is a home?
a home can have various strung out definitions,
But to me
Home is not quite
Where you live
And where you stay
And where you currently exist
And continue to be
Where you feel you cannot leave
Where you feel trapped
Unsafe
Scared
And lonely
That's no home
No place to live
But actually
Where you are wanted
And where you feel safe
And loved...
"You can't go around making homes of people"
Is what I continually tell myself
Day by day
Over and over
But I did it
I made a home of someone who was capable of leaving
A person is similar to a house
We have a roof
That occasionally
When the floods come
Strong breezes blow
Or Lighting strikes
Shingles may only strip off
But Sometimes sadly
The entire roof caves n
On top of the person that was counting on the home to keep it alive
And safe
And well
Be a life line
What once made you feel safe,
Severely damaged you
And your sense of security
But
What if home
Is a person
And that person
Is your safe place
Your go to
And where you're wanted....
But then it comes crashing down and you realize somethings eventually wrong
You haven't become lonely, you haven't become single...
What happens,
When you become
And feel homeless?
Because your home....
Has two legs
Two arms
Two eyes
Lips
A brain capable of rash decisions
And ears
That they don't ever use for listening
Because my home
Had a head on their shoulders
And lips to speak rude things
But what happens when they walk away
And your home
Grows legs
And leaves you..
When you watch the window frames smash
The lamps break
The mirrors crack
But sadly
The home
Seemingly stayed intact
It will easy find a new inhabitant
And forget about my footprints
And the way I lived
How I calmly existed inside
I have become emotionally
Erratically
And painfully
Homesick
For you

Youth Group Lake Trip -Hattie Milligan

Some of the girls in my youth group and I all went to the lake this past week. We went to just get away and have a good time together. We left Wednesday morning at around ten o’clock and got to my lake house at around twelve o’clock. My brother and my dad had gone up the day before to clean the boats and make sure everything worked as it should.
When we got to the house Wednesday, we unloaded all of the cars and then got ready to go on the lake. We just decided to take our pontoon and kayaks out since we would only be out for a few hours. We all just floated and relaxed. Some of us got on our kayaks and kayaked around. It was a nice and relaxing afternoon on the lake.
When we got back to the house we all took showers and ate supper. At our lake house we have a zip line and some of us wanted to go outside and do it. I went first so the rest of the group could see what it was like. Then, this really funny girl got up there. As soon as she pushed off the ladder, she got scared and let go. She then face planted. We literally all died. It was the funniest thing that has happened all summer! After that, we went inside, played cards for a while, and then went to sleep.
The next morning, we got up and went out on the lake around eleven o’clock. This time we took our ski boat and tube. We probably tubed for two hours straight. It was so much fun. We all wiped out so hard. One time, the girl who had the zip line incident and another girl flipped the tube. My dad showed no mercy pulling us. After we went tubing we just floated around the pontoon for a few hours.
At the house that night we ordered pizza and just sat in the living room telling stories. All of our stomachs hurt from laughing so much. The next morning everyone got up and left.
Going to the lake with some of my friends in the youth group was so much fun. It was a trip I will never forget.

A Day of Work -Hattie Milligan

                There is this lady at my church that everyone loves. She plays the piano in the church band, she cleans, and she makes the best coconut cake on the face of the planet. Recently her husband got very sick and had to enter a nursing home; therefore, no one is around to do yard work and keep her house in good shape. So, my youth group and I decided that we would help out this sweet old lady.

                We got up and around at eight o’clock on a Saturday morning and met at the lady’s house. When we got there we automatically saw that things needed to be taken care of. A few people trimmed bushes, cut branches, and did yard work. Some people even played with the dog. Others, including myself, painted the trim of the house, the car port, and the windows all around the house. It was tiring work, but it was fun. We had to use rollers to paint the car port and we somehow managed to get paint all over ourselves. I somehow got a huge white streak in my hair. I kind of looked like that woman on What Not to Wear. We managed to get everything painted and looking good in one day. Afterwards, we grilled hamburgers and hotdogs and ate ice cream. Before we left we all sat outside and just talked to the old lady for a while. The next day at church, everyone was so sore and some people still had paint on themselves.

                Even though it was super hot and tiring work, it felt good to do. The lady was so happy that we could be there and help her. I think our company in itself brought her so much joy. One of the best feelings in the world comes from doing something for someone who isn’t able to do it themselves. I would spend every Saturday morning doing what we did just to see the lady smile and be so happy. Philippians 2:4 says, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

Letter - Brittany Tucker (#10)

    To Whom It May Concern:
    My name is Slayer Grey. If I haven’t opened the door by now, I’m not here or ignoring you―which ever helps you sleep at night.
    I’m looking for my wife, Genevieve. She’s five-foot-one with the prettiest, softest, most amazing wine-colored hair you could imagine, and the brightest, shiniest, beautiful-est gray eyes you’ve ever seen.
    Let me know immediately if you’ve seen her. Leave a note or something telling me where. It’ll make me less likely to kill you for lying to me about this. Seriously. Don’t try to keep her either. She’s mine. I married her first.
    I’ve been looking for her for several days, and so far, have no ideas as to where she may be. It’s kinda annoying, having to deal with a smart kidnapper. Really, it is. Try it sometime.
    Actually wait. No, I take it back. Don’t try it. Do NOT try to deal with a smart kidnapper. You may have as much luck as I have―meaning, not much.
    If you're unable to reach me, contact Marc Fantam or Kiana Merjette. They'll get to me and tell me exactly what you said, so you better not lie.
    Also, if you see a guy with dark hair that's kinda tan, and fairly tall, tell him I'm looking for him, and walk away. Just walk away. Ignore him after that.

    Slayer scowled as he re-read his note. It got off track several times, but he figured it would give him the desired effect. He nodded to himself before hanging it on the door of Marc and Kiana's house, figuring they wouldn't mind. They cared about his Gem too, after all. Not as much as he did, but they still cared.
    Don't worry, Genny. I'm gonna find you.

Letters From Dad - Kim Wilson (17)

     My dad always told me that he would never have time or remember to write cards for each holiday or birthday. He then decided to hand write one hundred and fifty cards for many different occurrences in my life, not just holidays. He wrote for every holiday, when I started driving, my prom, my wedding, and any other important milestone in someone's life. He tucked them all in a drawer and told us to only open them at the right time.
     Last year, my dad was on his way back from a business trip and he died. His body was never found, yet we still had a funeral. I never believed he was really gone, but the amount of blood in the car pointed toward his death. I cried.
     I would count down the days until I got to open the first letter. It might sound weird but I really wanted to see something he wrote. I wanted to to see his handwriting on last time. I was really close to my dad. My mother never took any interest in me, just my cousin. My dad, however, spent most of his free time with me. We both loved painting, so that's how we passed time. We would sit in our "studio" and listen to music as we painted what we saw in the world.
     Months passed, and I finally got to the day I could open one of the letters. I woke with light falling on my eyes. It seemed so peaceful outside. Today was Valentine's Day, the first one without my dad. Today I wasn't going to wake up to heart shaped pancakes. (They really weren't heart shaped, but my dad tried his hardest.) I was going to wake up to a letter. The last few pieces of him.
     I walked down the stairs; my mother was still asleep. I slowly crept over to the drawer that held the letters. I wasn't sure what to expect. I was almost too scared to open one.
      "Valentine's Day 2012," it read. I turned the letter over in my hand and sat down on the sofa. I opened the it, the letter slipping out easily. I couldn't believe what I read before me. I wouldn't have believed he wrote what I read, if not for his unique handwriting. His signature was in the corner, slightly faded.

     "How are doing without me?" It read.

Imagine if - Shailey Wooldridge

Imagine if they had Thanksgiving in Turkey

Imagine if wisdom teeth removal made people dumber

Imagine if we didn't have finger nails

Imagine if Ed Sheeran isn't my soulmate

Imagine if lions liked to cuddle

Imagine if we were divided in social classes depending on our eye color

Imagine if aliens looked exactly like humans and they've been here the whole time

Imagine if we walked on our hands instead of our feet

Now imagine hand shoes

Imagine if birds swam and fish flew

Imagine if you lived at school and had classes at home

Imagine if we aged backwards

Imagine if babies were originally sent to spy on the human race but since they were babies they forgot they were spies

Imagine if it was a crime to contradict yourself

Imagine if everyone yodeled instead of talking

Imagine if we were all shape shifters

Imagine if when you cut your hair it hurts

Imagine if ice was hot

Imagine if there was something like a microwave that made things instantly cold (do not comment freezer/fridge)

Imagine if instead of getting shots you just got stabbed

Imagine if Mattie Lowery wasn't a total loon

Imagine if people were animal blind

Imagine if we lived in the sky and people vacationed on the earth

Imagine if puppets got annoyed when you put your hand inside of them

Imagine if your hair was awake

  

                                      

What If? #2 by Jo Baker

  Normally, people probably don't think a lot about how timing affects everything. Just a few milliseconds could put somebody's life on a path of destruction, or on a path of greatness. There are so many situations where a few seconds, an hour, a day, could change everything. Here are a few examples of what I mean.

•  What if because a bird landed in front of you and made you stop in your tracks your life was saved. What if after you stopped and looked at this peculiar little bird you saw about a block ahead of you a bus run off the road and crash onto a side walk right where you would've been walking if it wasn't for a few seconds delay? 

• What if you were in a café and there was a rude person behind you, so you decided to just leave without even picking up your coffee? What if after you left you still had to go to the store? When you walk into this store you are the four hundredth and fiftieth customer to walk in so you win five hundred dollars. If it hadn't been for that rude customer making you leave a few minutes earlier perhaps you would've been the four hundredth and fifty-second customer.

• What if by some odd chance you missed your plane? And then an hour later that same plane you were supposed to be on crashed?

• What if by a couple minutes your parents missed the moment in time that they were supposed to meet? What if you were never born? What if, you were born a year later because of them not meeting at the right time? What if because of this, every moment in life that you've ever had was altered?
• What if, by a couple seconds, you never walked out of the store and bumped into the man that is your husband now? Would you still be married to him? Would you have children? Would you be happy with who you would've been?

  Situations like these, if they happened to you, really make you question things. What if I wouldn't have stopped..? What if I would've waited for my coffee? What if I would've gotten to my flight five minutes earlier? What if? What if? Perhaps all we're left with is wondering what would've happened if only those few seconds, minutes, hours, or days, hadn't of went by at that certain time.

    

Things that have made me, me - Shailey Wooldridge

I think it's all about the little things that make a person, your favorite songs, kind words from a stranger, a movie you watched with a character you fell in love with, etc. These aren't necessarily my favorite things but I don't think I'd be who I am today if these events never occurred, these movies never made it past an idea in someones head, these books weren't written, and that one little act of kindness hadn't been done. These are just little things that left a big impact.

1. Hannah Montana, probably the same as most teenage girls. I was obsessed with this show from the first time it aired on Disney channel to the last time it aired ever. From 2006 to 2011 Miley Cyrus was my role model and everything I aspired to be. Obviously those aren't my hopes and dreams anymore but I know I wouldn't like to sing as much as I do if it were not for that show. I also never would've wanted to be a singer, a dream that till hasn't fully died yet.
2. Diesel Works. My dad worked as manager for Northeast Diesel for a really long time. It was a business where they fixed diesel pumps that were in tractors or something. When I was in kindergarten Northeast Diesel went out of business because the owner was retiring. So my dad quickly started his own business right outside of our house and he called it "Diesel Works." I spent most of my time in that shop that my dad eventually gave me a job. I earned one dollar an hour whenever I wanted to work. I answered the phone, put stamps on envelopes, and tried my best to stay out of the way. Sometimes I swear I can still smell diesel.
3. My third grade teacher Mr. Debbie Dunnigan. Probably the main reason I picked up the the pen, (I was forced to but that's completely beside the point,) and I've loved writing ever since. She used to leave nice comments on my journal entries and tell me that she could hear my voice in what I wrote. As a kid who was always picked last for dodge ball and had/still has the lowest self esteem that you could ever imagine, it was life changing to hear that I was finally good at something. She will never know how much that means to me. 
4. Karlee Sanders invited me to go to a basketball game with her. It was one of those things that when they're happening they have no significance to you at all, but looking back they're one of the few moments that you can pinpoint and say "That's where everything changed." I had no friends and she felt bad for me, but that was just the beginning of me finding some of my best friends.

There are many more, but if I tried to list them all, we'd be here all night. What are some things that changed your life?

Medical Misadventures - Brittany Tucker (#9)

    Wendy gave Avery an unamused look as she opened the fridge, finding her husband, Jason, grinning at her in his dragon form. “Avery Wallace, why is there a dragon in my fridge?”
    Avery shrugged, acting nonchalant, as if Jason was supposed to be there, “He was hot.”
    Yui and Celine appeared from behind him, “Well, see Wendy, he sneezed and almost burned down the house.”
    “What?” Wendy looked at them, closing the fridge.
    Celine turned, stepping into the hallway, yelling, “You can release it now, Aymeric!”
    Slowly, the neat, clean room disappeared, replaced with the same room, covered in burn marks and ash. Wendy’s jaw dropped in shock. “What...” she turned to Jason as he stepped out of the fridge, now in his human form.
    He scratched the back of his head, giving her a sheepish smile as he looked down at her. “I’m so sorry. It was an accident!”
    Wendy pinched the bridge of nose in irritation. “It’s... fine,” she sighed, turning to the others, “How long will it take for us to clean this up and get everything replaced?”
    Yui looked to Avery, shrugging, “A few seconds, maybe. What do you think?”
    Avery nodded, “Yeah, sounds about right.”
    Celine smiled as she and Aymeric entered the room as it disappeared again, revealing the room clean and just how it was before.
    Wendy glared at them, “You guys...”
    Avery grabbed Yui, holding her like a baby, before shouting, “She’s angry!” and running away like a madman.
    Wendy lost her composure, cracking a smile, as Jason and Aymeric burst into laughter. Celine patted her shoulder, a loud laugh escaping her. “He’s as odd as ever. How do you think Yui puts with him?”
    Wendy shook her head, looking over at their husbands, “Well, Celine, how do we put up with our dorks?”

The Awakening - Kim Wilson (16)

(This was inspired by tumblr where someone posted: "what if everything you see right now is just a hallucination caused by inhaling oxygen?")

     Dear Reader,

     This is the story about the world I loved. This is also the story of how I destroyed it, well the reality of it.
   
     Breaking news!


     Mankind has recently discovered that the world we live in is not real. For all of human history, we believed oxygen was a gas needed for life, but that wasn't the whole story. Everything we see in our consciousness is a hallucination caused by oxygen- the hallucination drug. About five months ago, a group of people from all over the world began to experience vivid dreams of another world. This world appeared to be too life-like. When we "woke up" it seemed the events occurring in the dreams actually happened. People who cut their hand in the "dream", woke up with the exact same cut. When people went missing in the dreams, they weren't found in our world either.
     This group of people began to wonder what was going on. Then, one night, we all had the same dream. Citizens of a place we only went to in our sleep were explaining that our world wasn't real and that oxygen was the cause. They gave information on this hallucination drug. It became aware to us that there was only one to blame: our government.
     The Alucinari, people who aren't aware of the truth about oxygen, believe that it is a silly conspiracy theory. But that is just what oxygen does to the brain. The people who aren't resistant to oxygen are instilled the mindset that everything in the world is fine. It locks their brains with invisible handcuffs, allowing no free thinking.
      I, Ella Hayward, am one of the Conissant. We see past hallucinations, we know they are just that: hallucinations. We are not fooled by the government's plan. We are resistant to oxygen, but we still need it, and that traps us here. Conissants are on a search to get back to the world we belong, the place in our dreams. We are on a race escape before the government discovers our plans.
     Each day we fight for our cause. As we race to discover a way to go back home, it brings out doubt in the world. Many Alucinari have listened to our case and were hit with realization. All over the world an awakening is beginning. The government is racing to stop this revolution, but the handcuffs are breaking off everyone's mind. People are now thinking for themselves.
     Although we know the truth, we are still struck with questions. But the most troubling question is: why? Why would the government go to such lengths to keep us in this hallucinated world? Are we safer here? Is the place in our dreams all an illusion in itself? Is it really a torturous place the government is saving us from?
     Is it really worth risking everything to go back to the place we belong?

Insanity of the Immortal - Brittany Tucker (#8)

    “That has got to be the lamest pick-up line in existence,” Genevieve grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest.
    “Don’t worry,” chuckled Jack, “That’s just Plan A.”
    “So what’s Plan B?”
    “To take you hostage,” he smiled at her, showing off his pearly white teeth.
    Genevieve’s eyes widened. “What?!”
    Jack let out a sinister chuckle, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, “Don’t worry, darling. Everything’s gonna be okay.”
    Genevieve gave him a threatening look, “Remove your hand or I will rip off your arm and beat you to death with it.”
    Jack noticed she began to sway slightly, “Are you sure about that, darling?”
    “What―What did you do to me?”
    Jack grinned, “Oh, nothing. Just wondering how your precious little Slayer will find you when you can’t remember him to tell him where you are.”
    He caught her as she fell unconscious, almost slamming into the bar in front of her. Jack smirked, putting her on his back as he exited the abandoned bar. He stepped into the shadows, reappearing in his tower.
    Jack turned to his underlings as they rushed to greet him. He handed her off to one of the few female underlings, watching the nurse until his precious Genevieve was out of sight.
    He turned to the rest of his underlings, “Get to work. We have to make sure my half-witted brother doesn’t show up to get her back.”
    His henchmen nodded, rushing back to do their jobs. Jack chuckled to himself, running a hand through his dark hair quickly, not caring if his fingers got tangled in it. “She’s mine, now. You can’t have her, Slayer―you can’t. She’ll never be yours again if she can’t remember you,” he let out an insane laugh at the thought of his older brother’s sorrow. “I’ve stolen your wife,” he continued to mutter, letting his mind wonder to the girl in the tower above him.
    She was beautiful. Yes, his brother knew a pretty women when he saw one. Wine-colored hair and silver eyes combined with peachy skin. Jack giggled to himself, “I have her, and you don’t know. Good luck finding her, brother. You’ll need it.”

Grace - Kim Wilson (15)

(I based this one one of my friends that I don't see often because she one of the best people I know.)

     Grace might not have been in her walk, but it was most definitely in her heart. You could hear it in her voice when she talked to others. You could see it in her smile as she listened patiently to everyone. She truly cared for everyone, even strangers. She demonstrated that with her every act. It didn't matter if they were her friend or a stranger, she cared for them the same. It was merciful and kind, and most people aren't strong enough to be like that these days.
     However, one can love as much as possible but still hate somethings. She hated it. Not them. No, as I've said before, she loved everyone. But she did hate the fact that she was ignored. She hated that she could speak in a crowd and not be heard. Was it not evident enough in her voice how passionate she was? Didn't they care? She cared, and it hurt her that others couldn't take a few seconds out of their day for her to explain what she was so excited about without rolling their eyes.
      But being the person she was, she would never let it bother her too much. She loved those that purposely ignored her and prayed for those who made fun of the strange things she would do. She didn't pay attention to the words flung at her. Instead, she took them to her closet and prayed. She cared so much about everything. She helped everyone she could and then helped even more.
     I don't see her often anymore. She moved to California because her dad felt God calling him there. I miss her a lot. She was older than me. A lot older, actually. I was one of those girls that idolized her and she dragged me along with her anyways, despite how annoying I probably was. She inspired me so much. She inspired me to be a better person and to be the best I could be. She inspired me to love like God loves and to care about everyone as much as she does. Before she left, I told her how much of an inspiration she was to everyone. What she told me in response changed me. Before getting in the car she gave me a hug. She whispered to me, “Be that person to someone else. Inspire others as much as I inspired you.” After that day, I went home and dwelled on what she said to me. It was that day that I didn't care what everyone else thought, I was going to live the way Christ wants me to live.

Ashes- Bethany Pace (18)

We were a time bomb
Waiting to explode
You were sheltered
I wasn't prepared
You exploded before my feet
Throwing shrapnel into my eyes
Sending a stab in the back with every outcry
Who were you?
I was a fuse
And you were a match
You set me on fire,
Just to watch me implode...
I had never felt more alive
Until the flame reached me
 And now
I'm burning alive
While you
Pour yourself a glass of water
And watch
Who are you?
To stand and watch
Sit and stare as I lit up
Cried in pain
Maybe
You just liked the heat I exerted
It temporarily warmed your
Stone..cold heart
And then when the fire died down
And the ashes crumbled
And night fell
And the breeze blew
You walked away...
You threw my ashes in the air
And watched as I sailed in many different directions
Blew in the breeze
Got tangled up in so many places
Crumbled into smaller pieces
Ran across your feet
Laid upon my grave contemplating
Whether or not
I wanted to hop in
Whether or not
I could take the pain
Of being
Nothing more
Than the dirt beneath your feet
You didn't leave me in the dust
I didn't
Eat you dust
I became dust
Small
Tiny
Rarely ever noticeable
And a nuisance to myself
And to you
a hazard
And I don't understand
How or why
It wasn't the best of interest
It wasn't the best idea for us
It didn't make me happy
But it seems as though my pain may have been used to your entertainment
I tried to blow back in your direction
And fill your lungs
But all that did
Was suffocate you
You couldn't stand it
And you eventually coughed me up and threw me back ok the ground
Ashes to ashes
Dust to dust
The person
I loved,
Broke
Me
And
My
Trust

Questionable Love- Bethany Pace (17)

Sonata of hate


There's no way
You
Loved
Me
There's no way
Love can be underneath you
Like a balloon
It'll pop underneath your weight if you move a certain way and question anything
Just like our "love"
I didn't move
Maybe I didn't want my heart to pop, just like a balloon
But before I even got the chance to ask
You brought pins and needles
I could either lay on them on my back
Or
Lay on my stomach and pop the ballon and create chaos
So of course I chose the post painful route
But regardless
You came along
And you should've laid beside me or lifted me off the needles
But instead
You popped the balloon
My heart with your bare hands
And along the way
Pushed me further down
Until the needles were
Stabbing me...
In the heart, even though it was shattered
In the lungs, I couldn't breathe
In the back, you betrayed me
In the head, I couldn't think straight
You don't hurt someone you love
You can't just blow up another balloon,
Another heart and expect everything to be fine
You stab someone
Kill someone
Shatter their heart
And blame them
You can shoot someone
And tell them
"I can't love you anymore
Because
There's a hole in your head"
But
How can you say anymore?
Because love never stops
If you could just
Stop
Pause time
Rewind
And rid yourself of feelings
Because you want to
Then why am I still holding onto
These needles praying you'll pull me off?
Maybe it's easier for a whole person.... Maybe
It's easier to tear someone apart
Than to be torn apart
Maybe you're better off than me
Maybe you're better at hiding your hurt
But maybe
Maybe so
You didn't love me at all
Maybe you don't care at all
Maybe you lied
Maybe you used me to feel better maybe I'm nothing more than a light fixture in the corner of your room
That you pull towards your bed when you need light
Possibly.....
But I don't understand
Comprehend
Can't process this without you
So
My question is
Did you love me?
Do you love me?

the silly misconception and the equally if not more so silly tale- sydney adams 10

alright guys. this blog post is going to consist of a comment I left on someone else's blog post because it was rather lengthy and interesting and i hope i'm allowed to do this because man, i worked hard on this incredible, riveting story.  this story was inspired by Harrison McCall and his story about shooting his friends. it was not at all what i expected but i hope you guys enjoy my version of how it all went down.
"Harrison, upon reading the title to this blog post I was automatically intrigued.
 as it reads "shooting targets and friends" I assumed this was going to be a tragic story about a practice shoot gone wrong and with that mindset, i was waiting for it to metastasize before the end of the post but it never came. So, now im going to tell you all about what I initially expected this blog post to be.
you see, its a sunny Sunday afternoon in Lake city Arkansas; After church you and gabe poe decide to go practice shooting (bows, were going to go with bows) at some targets. all is well and you are killing it, hitting the bullsye/key organs of that poor fake deer more times than not. one of those deadeye-sharpshooting shots is just a doosey. you manage to knock the target over. your fearless pal gabe goes to retrieve the arrow and make right the target you took down with brute force. alas, you don't notice gabe who is still hanging around behind the now upright target searching for more lost arrows and you use a your last sheathed arrow to annihilate that target. but your skills falter and the speedy arrow sails strait into gabe poes left quad. the end. after this I soon realized you were talking about shooting a rifle and that no one was harmed. I hope you enjoyed this. have a swell remainder of your summer and don't make my misconception and the story that accompanied it a reality."
I thoroughly apologize to gabe poe for imaginarily making harrison shoot him and for using his name without the proper permissions.

Trent Told Me To Write This - Kim Wilson (14)

     Trenton Kyle Patton. Words could not describe how awesome he really is, but I decided to give it a shot. Trent can play the guitar and also has a pretty awesome voice. He’s so talented, that he made it to the final round of Arkansas’ Got Talent. (AGT is something hosted at the church camp we go to.) He's so creative that he can write his own songs. His writing abilities really amaze me. One year I attempted writing songs and wrote a few, but they were always awful. Most of them ended up in the trash because I was so embarrassed of them. I did not want ANYONE to read them; they were that bad. So now, anytime I hear that someone can write their own songs, I am amazed. The fact that he has written eight songs blows my mind. I cannot understand how someone can be that creative. I think I'm just going to stick to writing. He can not only write songs, but he also writes poetry. I haven't had the privilege to read any, but I assume they are good too.
    Not only is he really talented, but he actually manages to put up with my random conversations where I change the topic every five minutes. The conversation can start with Jesus, move to preachers who hold up my breakfast line when I'm trying to serve the food, then move to babies with angry eyebrows. (I really don't know how to explain the last part.) I also don't understand why anyone would actually want to text me because of how random I am. Anyways, despite how annoying I may be, and how many messages I send in a row, he still responds. He also doesn't judge me when I'm really aggravated and start ranting about everyone. My rant sessions can get really annoying, trust me. I don't understand how anyone could deal with them.
     Trent also really loves God, which I also think is awesome. Many people are too afraid to show that they love God because they don't want their friends to make fun of them. Trent isn't one of those people. You can tell about his passion for the works of God by how he lives his life. He exemplifies his love for God in his words and actions. These are the things that make Trent a pretty awesome person. Even though he lives four hours away, he's still my favorite.

Glass - Brittany Tucker (#7)

    You’re grounded. Why? You don’t know. Your punishment? Cleaning the attic. As you’re cleaning, you can’t help but notice there’s a box of small glass balls, each with different names on them.
    Curiously, you pick one up, studying it. The name ‘Clementine’ is written on it, very neatly, with what looked to you like a calligraphy pen. “That’s odd. Why do we have a box of glass balls in our attic? How are these special?” you mutter to yourself.
    You panic as your mother calls your name. “Are you done yet?”
    “Almost! I’ve got one more section!” was your panicked reply.
    “Well, hurry up!”
    Still panicking, you barely notice the glass ball slipping from your hand until you hear it shattering onto the ground, breaking into pieces. A cloud of lavender-smelling smoke blinds you as cough after cough racks through your body. You attempt to wave the smoke away with your hand, finding it doing little more than stirring it up even more.
    When the smoke finally clears, you nearly scream as the sight before you.
    A tall young woman with lavender eyes and matching hair is standing before you, dressed as a maid, with cuffed chains on her wrists and neck. “You rang, master?” she questioned, the chains rattling as she folded her hands in front of her submissively.
    You fished around in your head for something to say, “Who―Who are you?”
    She gave you a closed-eyed smile, “I’m Clementine,” she answered sweetly.
    “Well, Clementine, why are you here?”
    Her cheerful expression turned bemused. “I’m here to serve you, master. Why else would you summon me?”
    Before you could give any sort of reply, you heard the attic door opening, revealing your mother standing in the doorway, a shocked and slightly terrified expression on her face.
    “Um, I can explain!”

Facts about me: Bethany Pace (16)

RaNdOm FaCtS:
-I was born at a very young age
-I like to make people laugh
-I make really corny jokes
-puns are very funny to me
-I laugh at everything
-I'm shy until I get around my friends
-I listen to a lot of music
-I cry a lot
-I scream all of time
-I have some very cool friends
-I went to BIC from kindergarten-9th grade
-I like to ride around and listen to music
-I rap a lot
-I dance
-I'm not very good at anything
-I'm in band
-I play French horn
-I'm deathly afraid of heights
-I tend to be really sensitive
-I have anxiety
-I sink into depression a lot
-I like to read
-you can text me anything if you have something going on
-I love Jesus
-I love all my friends
-I eat Mexican atleast 3 times a week
-I text back really fast
-I HATE amusement parks
-I talk to basically everyone at school
-I've been bored all summer
-I love the beach
-I have a really big birthmark on the back of my leg
-my friends call me lots of things:
-bessie
-bethie
-bertha
-soso
-bink
-I used to get mad about most of those, but I don't care anymore
-my favorite band is the 1975
-I'm really stupid sometimes
-I like YouTube
-I want to learn to play ukulele
-I like to sing
-I'm not amazing, but I'm pretty good^
-I like converse
-I believe in conspiracy theories
-I DONT THINK KURT COBAIN COMMITTED SUICIDE^
-mermaids are clearly real in my mind
-I make jokes about all of my problems
-I like shoes
-I try not to be basic
-I am part of the 3% that doesn't play Pokemon go
-My toenails are currently purple
-I have a big family
-1 step sister
-1 real sister
-2 real brothers
-2 step brothers
-I live with my dad and step mom
-we have a dog
-I want a llama
-bugs aren't my thing
-I'm scared of the dark
-I bowl
-I cheered for a long time
-I like 5sos
-I have dreams nearly every night
-I used to be bomb at Guitar Hero
-I love babies
-I love animals
-I like food a lot
-I want to travel the world
-I don't really like Starbucks all that much
-my celebrity crush is Luke Hemmings
-I can do a scorpion
-I have relatively small hands
-I could grow my finger nails out very long if I wanted to
-I love everyone
-please text me I'm always bored

HaNdS- Bethany Pace (15)

I think hands are a pretty cool thing.  Not only are they useful for picking up things, they're a form of expression.  Some people use their hands to make signs, or signals.
You can wave at your friends
You can make a not so nice hand signal when you're mad
You can make a heart
You can make the TØP clique signal
You can make gang signs, even if you're not in a gang

You can motion for someone to come towards you, or leave

Hands can also be used for other types of expression...
Like when you get married
You wear a ring on your finger, and that's the universal signal for
 "Hey it's not morally okay to ask for this person's phone number"
Hands can also be used as a sign of love
People hold hands
People fall in love
People touch
And feel
When you're in love sometimes
you can't keep your hands off of them,
and that can be a bad thing, and a good thing...
Affection
But the most acceptable sign of love or PDA in public is holding hands....
You can use your hands to touch
And feel
And show compassion to another person

From a young age
Babies discover that if you point at something everyone will understands
That's what you want

a more mesmerizing form of expression with hands is:
Sign language
Some people are born unable to speak
Some are born unable to hear

Due to this we as humans made modifications in our communication system, so that they too could communicate in this world...

And I understand that some people are born without hands
Or maybe something happens and they cannot use their hands the way they were intended,
But hands just make life more interesting
Hands are an art
A form of art created by God
And a way to express yourself naturally
And how you feel
And what you want
And who you love
And what you like

The Time I Went to Australia- Wesley Jordan(#19)

On June tenth two-thousand fourteen I traveled out of the United States for the very first time. I was a very lucky thirteen year old to get to fly out of the country when I was just a teenager. Most people don't get to travel out of the country until they are grown or sometimes not at all. But God had other plans for me.
I decided that I was going to go over to the little town that my aunt and uncle lived at. My aunt and uncle lived in the Outback. Where you would see all kinds of different animals just randomly roaming around. You would see a lot of kangaroos all of the time just roaming and hopping around.
Now, the reason I went over there, I went over there because I felt like God was calling me to go help them build a church camp. I helped them build benches, make signs that have verses on it for the trail, we did all kind of things. We also lead songs and motions to kids that were at the church.
For fun we went to a zoo. Now this zoo is not just like any zoo. This zoo there are kangaroos just randomly hoping around the whole place. There is a special place that you can go into to pet kangaroos and ostriches. They didn't have there animals in small cages, they had them in the open. It was a really cool experience to get to go see a different type of zoo.
I was so glad that God allowed my family to financially support me going to Australia. The plain tickets were extremely expensive, and everything down there cost a lot more than it does down here in the Lake City. It was a great experience to get to go and see what a different country lived like. I'm blessed that God called me to go down there to experience different things and help him build a camp for kids that are lost.
Unfortunately, God called my aunt and uncle back to the United States and the camp did not get to open and function like they planed on it. But God has different plans for them, and they will follow what he wants for them.

Pete Wentz(: -Ambria Curtis

Pete Wentz happens to be my FAVORITE celebrity. If you don't know who he is, you should. He is in my all time favorite band, Fall Out Boy. So, because everyone should know who Pete Wentz is, here are some random Pete facts about Pete just to make your day a lot better. (:
1. He is famous
2. He happens to be amazing
3. He has a son named Bronx
4. He is 5'7
5. He plays bass guitar in Fall Out Boy
6. He also plays piano
7. He was born June 5th, 1979
8. He is 37 years old
9. I was born in June as well, so him and I share the same birth month
10. His full name is Peter Lewis Kingston Wentz the third
11. He was born in Wilmette, Illinois
12. He has tattoos
13. I went to the Fall Out Boy concert on March 18th and I seen him up close
14. I was literally almost spitting distance away from him
15. He is a very good looking human being
16. He hates the taste of black licorice
17. He married Ashlee Simpson May 17, 2008
18. His son, Bronx Mowgli Wentz was born on November 20, 2008
19. His son, Bronx is eight years old
20. Pete gets stage fright when he orders coffee
21. Pete and Ashlee divorced in 2011
22. Pete had another son with his girlfriend Meagan Camper in 2014
23. Their sons name is Saint Laszlo
24. Pete's birth sign is Gemini....just like mine(:
25. Before fame, he was an all-state soccer player in high school
26. his nicknames are: Petah, Pete, Petey, Peter Pan, Peterpanda, Pete! At The Disco, Peter Panda
27. He wrote a book called "The Boy With The Thorn in His Side"
28. In 2003, Pete Wentz used more than 12,892 eyeliner pencils, which when stacked on top of each other would actually reach the moon!
29. He loves girls with southern accents
30. His natural hair color is brown
31. He has brown eyes
32. His hair type is straight
33. He has no facial hair
34. Pete Wentz is my Celebrity crush
35. I adore Pete Wentz
36. This should be enough Pete facts to make your day "Petey" (instead of peachy)

Friends R cool- Bethany Pace (14)

This won't have any deep sincere meaning
But I have a few people I use for leaning
I love them a whole lot
Most of the time they're all I've got
I know this cool chick
Her name is Mattie
One time I made her mad
And lick (she licked me don't take this weird, I just needed it to rhyme)
But she always helps me when I'm sad
There's another blonde girl named Sydney
Everytime I'm at a baseball game
She's with me
Her boyfriend is pretty cool
I like to call him Terry
She works at sonic
She always brings me a shake without a cherry
There's this cool dude named Austin,
NO,
He's not from Boston
He has a jeep
He's a good friend I'd like to keep
Faith has red hair
She is pretty
And she reminds me of baby bear
Because she's cute
There's also shailey
I don't think I've ever seen her wear a boot
She has pretty eyes
None of these are lies
I love Karlee
I wonder if she's ever had barley
She inspires me to follow Jesus
I wonder if we'll ever find a boy to please us
Sam is really pretty
Like BAM
I really like her makeup
I would text her more if I would ever wake up
I love Brittney Sain
She'll probably hurt you if you don't stay in your lane
She's good at basketball
If I tried
I'd probably just fall
There's a girl named Ashlyn
We call her cookie
She's got a good lookie ;)
There's a girl named Kaitlyn
She texts me back fast
Never leaves me waitin'
There's a girl named Kim
She likes to write
She uses cool words like "whim"
There's this girl named Haven
She always does cool things
She's probably been cavin'
Cara helps me a lot
We talk about serious things
Mostly we talk ab food
And soon I'll probably get a blood clot
I know this girl named Haydn
We're both on the bowling team
Her eyes have this cool gleam
I have a lot more friends
I just wanted to talk about the ones I talk to the most
I don't mean to boast
But I think my circle of friends is pretty tight
I'm glad they're all polite
I love them all
At any time
I can give them a call

Writer's block- Bethany Pace (13)

Writers block;
Aka hell on Earth for a writer or me..
Or the proper definition:
"The condition of being unable to think of what to write or how to proceed with writing"
It's like you put up a brick wall between your thoughts and your hands
Maybe a flower has sprouted and blocked your eyes and you can't see anything no matter how hard you look
Everything turns a dark grey and becomes dull and uninteresting
It's probably one of the hardest moments of my life
I love to write and express my internal feelings in a way that other people can understand
And relate to
And I hate written on a piece of paper
Documented how I felt that day and that time
And all of the reasons for it
Sometimes I want to write
But I don't know what to write about
Or how to write it
And I can seem to find the loose brick in the stack
Common causes of writers block are:
-timing: sometimes you should just wait until another time
-fear: sometimes you're afraid of being criticized for what you want to write
-perfectionism: everything you write has to be perfect, and you're too concerned with tiny things
I suffer from all of these things
And it's quite terrible
I search near, far, underneath the couch, down the corner, on the tv, in my music, within myself, and just everywhere for an idea
And more times than none
I don't succeed
I just have to sit
And calm myself
And think "what is going on that I can pull experience from?"
And then I can usually come up with an idea and writing and construct my writings
I never change anything I've written after I write it
the thinks I write come straight from the heart
 it's the first thing I thought of
It something
And yes
I did just write an entire post about how I couldn't think of anything else to write about,
Mission accomplished

Random Things to Think About- Wesley Jordan(#18)

There are always random things that always pop up in my head that I think hard about sometimes. Some of them are logical and some of them are the most dumbest things to think about. Here is a list of some of the things that randomly pop in my head that you could either, help me figure out or think on them too, I don't really know.
How could someone just come up with some letters and we form words with them and use them to this very day?
How much does it really take to make a iPhone? My phone cost nearly nine hundred dollars! Now I bet you it didn't cost nearly that to make it.
Why do teachers like to torture us with summer assignments? Do we not do enough work all the other months we are in school?
How do we constantly have electricity? Don't take this question like I'm dumb. I know there are power plants, wind mills, and solar panels. But, wouldn't we run out eventually?
Can we make a car that runs off of strictly sun light? Imagine this! Your car is setting out in the harsh summer heat (like it is now). All of that sunlight that is hitting the car, somehow runs the car so that you can get from place to place just like a regular car.
Why do plane tickets cost some much? If you have the whole plane full of people, why are they still three hundred dollars just to fly to Florida?
Why do teachers not get paid more than they do now? Look at all of them doctors, surgeons, nurses, orthodontists, dentists, etc. How do you think they came to be who they are today?
Why has the world progressed so much in a lot of different ways since my parents were my age? I know we got technology but still. How could someone not find these things in there times?
All of these things are some good things to think about if you ask me. There are a lot more things that just randomly pop in my head but I have no answer to.

Vacation Plans- Wesley Jordan(#17)

Every year we go on some type of vacation. Whether it be a small vacation or a big one. This year they have decide that we are going to Gatlinburg. Apparently, there are cool things to do around in that area.
There are quite a bit of people that are going on this trip. My family, my aunt, my uncle, and four of my cousins (two of which are babies). We are all staying in a condo together. Every family gets a room except for me and my sister. Were stuck on the couch and a blow up mattress. We are leaving this Friday. We will get up and be out of the door on the road by eight o'clock. It will take about eight hours to get there. So we will arrive (If we're lucky) around four, giving us some room for stops, for gas and restrooms.
The way that my parents are talking, it should be a pretty cool trip. Some of us are planning on going rafting one of the days that we are there. I have never been rafting but I have heard good stories and  bad stories about the whole rafting thing. On another day we are going to go to Dollywood. They have several parks in Dollywood so we may do different ones on different days. There are several different museums that are around in the area of Gatlinburg. We planned on doing a couple of those. There is one that is called Ripley's Museum and Aquarium that we are going to do. There are a lot of other things to do down there but, we will just plan the rest when we get down there.
The important thing that were going to do is just relax and enjoy time away from the hometown. I'm sure we're going to have a blast while on this trip. I'm not exactly excited about it at the moment but I'm sure when we get done driving and start doing stuff down there I will have a great time. School is almost here, I'm going to enjoy the time that I have free from constant studying and doing worksheets.

My favorite things -Ambria Curtis

Three of my favorite things are Netflix, art, and music. Yes, I know it's a weird combination. But, I like all three of them. So, first, let's talk about Netflix. I love lounging around all day doing nothing but watch TV shows on Netflix. There is nothing better than wearing comfy pajamas all day laying on the couch watching Netflix. It is my relaxation just laying back watching my favorite TV show series. My favorite TV shows on Netflix are: Pretty Little Liars, One Tree Hill, The Foster's, Vampire Diaries, the 100, The Secret Life Of The American Teenager, Life Unexpected, and Switched at Birth. To me, there is nothing better than that. Next, let's move on to talking to art. Art is one of the most beautiful things that I have ever seen. Mainly because it usually has a deep meaning behind it. But, most people just think that it is lines on a paper or canvas. For me, art is a great stress reliever. I draw when I am sad, mad, bored and have nothing else to do, or really stressed, I just pick up a pencil and draw until I feel better. Most of my family on my dads side are really good artists. I wish I could be as good as some of them. That is a goal of mine in life, becoming a great artist. I admire the beauty of art and I would love for people to admire the beauty of my art someday. Drawing has always been a passion of mine. Just like words, art speaks. Not literally speaks, but the meanings behind a drawing or painting speak. That is what I love most about art. Just like art, music is also another stress reliever. There is nothing better than listening to songs that match your mood, whether you are mad, sad, happy, in love, excited, stressed, bummed out, etc. That's why I love music because there will always be a song to match your mood. Music is a great way to escape from the real world. Just put headphones in and block everything else out.

Normal Day Gone Bad- Wesley Jordan(#16)

On a daily basis I wake up around eleven o'clock or around twelve. It just depends on how well I slept during the night I guess. So I woke up, went down stairs, and went straight to the bathroom. I always go to the bathroom when I wake up. I use the bathroom, brush my teeth, take a shower, then get dressed for the day. This normally takes me all about thirty minutes, give or take a few.
Today, I go and set on the couch and watch a couple episodes of One Tree Hill. After about one episode, I start to feel a little hungry. So like a normal person does when they feel hungry, they get up and go get something to eat. I fix something to eat and then I go set down and eat it, obviously. I watch a couple more episodes. I decide that I'm going to text some of my friends that I hang out with all of the time.
I text Delaney, Carson, and Haven to see what they are all up to. They text me back and say they are all doing absolutely, like normal. So we all decide that were going to go to Delaney's to swim and hang out. We all get there and were setting by the pool and we decide were going to get in. Like every time that I go swimming over there, I take my phone and wrap it in a towel and set it down. I don't want it to get splashed and it get ruined. Well, Delaney didn't think about my phone being wrapped in the towel, so she picked up the towel and there goes my phone in the water.
I started yelling at her to get it because she was still in the water. I jumped out of the water, dried off my phone, and it still worked........Somewhat! So Mrs. Nall takes my phone inside to put it in a bowel of rice. I took it out about a hour later, the sound or the plug wasn't working. By the grace of God, I hope in the morning when I take it out of the rice, everything will work the same.

Tears- Bethany Pace (12)

crying
Crying is a pretty genuine thing
It's not a feeling
But it comes alongside many emotions
It's the bow on whatever present you've received
When you're happy you can cry
But those are called happy tears
Tears of joy
Jumping up and down
Screaming
Crying
Your happiness is just so pushed up your throat that you can hold back tears
So they stream down your face as you thank god for whatever he has laid in front of you...
And
I don't think I've ever had those tears
Tears of relief?
When you're lonely you can cry
When you're in a room full of faces
But every single one is empty
When your heart is empty because the only person with color in their veins seems to me running the other direction from you
Avoiding you at all costs
Loneliness
Dark rooms
Staring into a blank space
And you can't hold back the tears
Because
There's no one to hold you
Depression
I don't think you just cry when you're depressed
Because you're drowning
Sinking with an anchor tied to your ankle while you watch your oxygen tank empty itself
Second
By second
Air bubble
By bubble
Floats to the top
To shore
Where you once belonged
And now can't discover again
So you stare into the abyss of your life as you sink into your self created black hole
And you can't hold back the tears because
You're in a sea full of them
The waves rise
And the waves tumble the waves fall
And the exhaustion rises
Sometimes you cry because you simply need to
Sometimes you cry because you've watched who you've loved for so long uproot their ties to you, and walk away...
Sometimes you cry
And sometimes you don't
And that's okay
Crying is okay
And you're okay
And I'll be okay, in the far stretch of things, I'm okay

My Summer -Ambria Curtis

Summer is the time to hang out with friends and family, go on vacation, relax, make memories and go on adventures. It is also the time we get a break from school. It's the time where we get to create stories to share later on. During my summer, I have spent time with most of my friends. I have been to the park with friends, shopping, and catching Pokémon on Pokémon Go. I didn't really go on what you would call a "vacation," I went to Hot Springs for two days for my sixteenth birthday. It was me, my parents, my brother Ethan, and my friend Shelby. Ethan, Shelby and I spent the first day riding roller coasters and playing in the water at Magic Springs and Crystal Falls. My parents watched us ride roller coasters and stayed in the water park. The rides were really fun and it was very hot that day, so we were all thankful for the water park. The next day, we went to Arkansas Alligator Farm and Petting Zoo. It was interesting to learn about alligators. In the petting zoo part, there were goats, horses, sheep, and a very evil looking emu. After we pet all the animals and learned about alligators, we browsed through the gift shop then headed home. For most of the summer, I have relaxed. There isn't much to do but sit around the house and relax. I have made a lot of memories with my friends and family and captured all of them so I can look back on them years down the road. I stayed four days with my nana, I've stayed the night with friends, I stayed the night in Hot Springs with my parents, and I have spent time with my aunts and uncles. I have spent most of the summer making memories. As far as adventures go, the only big adventures I've had is collecting Pokémon with friends. So, all in all, I have had a pretty great and eventful summer. Even though I have mostly stayed at my house and relax it has been really great.