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Monday, December 27, 2010

*Sighs*

Things I want to do on my vacation -

1. Read - Why do I laze around when I could use the time to read????
2. Sew - I have so much I want to make - and my silly sewing machine had to up and get mad at me! *Sighs and shakes head* What a time to choose to not work right!

Things I need to do -

1. Clean house
2. Clean A.C.'s apartment
3. Drop off passport application and get that all set
4. Put the Christmas cards I wrote out into the mail - yes, I know it's after Christmas, but what can I say? ;-)

~~~~~~~~~

Although today was a bit of a flop, I did get the two baby blankets I am making finished, and spent some time with Kay just being silly and then watching a movie - haven't done that with her in a while, so I guess today wasn't a TOTAL flop! ;-)

Ok, I'm tired! Off to bed!! :-) (VIDEO CHAT WITH BEE TOMORROW!!! EEEP! :OD).

My Christmas Snickers has a lot to fix today...

You know those days when you go to bed excited about all you are going to do the next day, and you wake up with the same feeling, and then you try to get out of the wrong side of the bed and hit the wall instead? Yeah, that sums my day up! (I didn't really hit the wall, it's just how I feel.).

So much for sewing, and cleaning, and cooking. It's only 12:45pm and I am already despairing of life. These are the days I wish I had school just so I would have somewhere to go and get something - anything - done! Here the house is messy, and my sewing machine is broken, and Mom's hates me. (Mom's sewing machine I mean!).

Happiness - I have Snickers bars!

Friday, December 24, 2010

Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas!!!!!!!
Tonight I was one of Santa's Elves and wrapped lots of presents (Bags and tissue paper rock! WOOT! ;-)), and stuffed seven stockings!!!
It used to be my Mom did it all - well, ok, I guess Dad might have helped her a bit with carrying things down the stairs! ;-) But as long as I can remember, my Mom has had stocking fruit hiding in the basement long before I even would think about it - doing laundry at our current house, you'd have to make sure you keep your eyes on the laundry because not far from you would be bags of things, and something MIGHT be peaking!!! ;-) (One time we even kept a bunny rabbit down there for my sister!!! The rest of us had lots of fun visiting it before Christmas morning actually came! ;-)).
But this year, my Mom was asking me what she should buy for the stockings, and we went shopping together for the stuff, and then she went to bed while I did it! Poor dear must be very tired! <3 For the last couple years I've started to do much more of the wrapping, and stuffing, and I really enjoy it! :-) I love making the living room look really special for the morning, just like my Mom used to do! I like stuffing the stockings with fun stuff Mom bought, and I like it if she doesn't feel that she has to do it all alone (she still usually does feel like that until I remind her - I'm going to help you!!! Hehe!).

So, this started out as a Buzz status, but it seemed like it would make a good blog post, so there you go! :-) Now you all get to read it! :-)

Tonight we had clam chowder for dinner, and then sat around the fire we made in our living room fire place while drinking egg nog, reading the Christmas story, and singing Christmas hymns! Very nice! :-) All Christmas eve traditions! Although, we haven't done the clam chowder tradition for several years since my Aunt Colleen started having her wonderful Christmas eve parties, but this year was different, so clam chowder was very nice to have too!!! :-) It brings to mind how when I was little we used to go do the Christmas pageant at Church, and then come home to clam chowder - yum! :-)

Merry Christmas all!! I hope it is beautiful and magical for you, and that you remember that Jesus and family are the reason for the celebration!!! <3 <3 :-) (So go make people you love feel loved by gifts, and or cards, or just and I love you if that's all you can afford!! :-) And as you give each other gifts that the greatest gift of all was Jesus!!!! :-)).

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Grades aren't everything I guess...

Found out today I totally failed my evaluation!!! (The one I cried after, remember?). Phooh... No ASL 4 for me this year... Oh well, going to meet with the director and talk about my "options"... Only like 4 people passed, so I don't feel quite as bad. :-P I'll live anyways! :-)

Oh an up note, my little sponsor girl sent me a letter which I received today!!! AWWW!!! :OD Made my day!!!!!! I love her sooo much! I hope I can meet her someday!!! <3

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Grades!

Oh, and I forgot to say in my last post that I got all my grades back today!!! :-) And I passed Deaf Culture!!!!!! EEEP!!!! :OD :OD Sooooo happy about that!!! (I passed all my classes, but that one was my big achievement! ;-)).

And just because I feel like posting a video! :-)

Maybe not is right! :-P

As I was crawling around on the floor of the movie theater patting around trying to find my lost cell phone that had fallen out of my pocket, I began to wonder what it would be like to be one of you normal people, who don't have such silly things happen to them! (Thankfully only Janna saw me!!! Hehe!). I truly do wonder at myself sometimes! I mean, everyone else seems to always be so cool and collected, and I'm always the one to trip in front of random people, spill my drink on them or myself, drop food in my lap, drop my cell phone in random places, loose my keys several times in one day, burst into tears in front of people, make little kids start going crazy just by looking at them, tell all my embarrassing stories to everyone I talk to, and then wonder WHY ON EARTH I just told them that???
*Sighs*

Anyways, had a fun day yesterday with a Peppermint Hot Chocolate chat with Janna and then "Tangled", then today I have a video chat with Livy, and phone chat with Sam, and now Bible study with Bee!!! :OD So fun to catch up with all the girls!! <3

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Is it really...?

Is it really Sunday again? Has the week really gone by already? It took so long, and yet flew by, and suddenly it is the beginning of Christmas week!

Cherish every moment of your life! Give glory to God, and bless others! :-)

Enjoy your week!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Um, yeah, that's totally me! :-P

"The hidden nature of dyslexia - not knowing what to expect or when the difficulty will manifest itself..." - Sally Shaywitz

"As a (dyslexic) child gets older, she may resort to using words that lack precision or specificity to cover up her retrieval difficulties, such as using vague words like 'stuff' or 'things", instead of the actual name of the objextt. Sometimes it is hard to follow the conversation of a dyslexic because the sentences are filled with pronouns or words lacking in specificity, 'You know, I went and picked up the stuff and took it therre. The things were all mixed up, but I got the stuff anyway." It is important to remember that the problem is with expressive language and not with thinking. She knows exactly what she wants to say; the difficulty is with pulling out the right word." - Sally Shaywitz

"As a dyslexic child matures into adulthood, his speech continues to show evidence of the difficulties he has getting to the sound structure of words. His speech is littered with hesitations; sometimes there are many long pauses, or he may talk around a word, using many indirect words in place of the single word he can't seem to come up with." - Sally Shaywitz

This is one of the most frustrating things for me!!! I so often just CAN NOT find the right word, and end up screaming, "ARGH! NEVER MIND! I CAN'T STAND MYSELF!!" (Or I may even use stronger language such as hate! O_O *Gasp gasp* ;-)). I hesitate a lot, and say, "Umm..." A lot as my brain is searching for what I'm even talking about. I also often talk like the sentence above. I caught myself doing all this stuff several times today!!!!!! :-P Very interest...

Sorry, you all are just going to have to bear with me as I dig into my dyslexia research! This is key to finding out about my own learning styles, making things easier for my siblings (And maybe for me as well), and maybe to helping homeschool Mom's who may have dyslexic children! And I love to type up what I'm learning about, so be prepared! ;-)

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

That special calling!

Do you have a special calling that you believe God wants you to pursue? Does it just gives you excited shivers to think about it? Do you want to run and tell everyone? Can you not wait to get started? Does it make you smile, and cry at the same time? Do you get a ache in your heart when you hear of something that goes wrong with someone else in that area? Does it make you want to hide under the covers for the rest of your life sometimes, and yet you know you just CAN'T? Does it light your heart on fire, and shoot passion through your heart?

I know mine does that for me! Orphans are my calling! I want to rescue them, hold them, love them, tell them about Jesus, wash and dress them, feed them, find them, feel their little hands on my face, wipe their tears and comfort them, care for them, give up my whole life for them, play with them, be with them when they are sick, rejoice with them when they are well. When I think about it, it lights my heart on fire, it makes me know that God is calling me to lay down my life in that way someday. One step at a time I am getting closer and closer, and when I reach it, I know there is no turning back. Each step I take scares me more, but I can't turn back. I have to move forward, because I hear His voice, gently calling me away from everything I know, and am comfortable with. Every big decision I make I think about them, God's little children who need His people to care for them here on earth. Someday I know I will probably have to leave everything behind - my home, family, friends, comforts, wonderful American life, maybe I will be persecuted, maybe I will be killed, maybe I will see something happen my rescued children. But no fear can hold me back now. God has His hand wrapped all the way around my heart, and all I want to do is run after Him! I know no matter what happens in my life He will be taking care of me, and all the Orphans around the world. Someday I hope to tell a child they are not Fatherless, that they have a heavenly Father who loves them soooo much! And no matter what happens, that He will be with them always!

That is my calling - What is yours? What lights YOUR heart on fire? :-)

Never Say Never - Justin Bieber

See I never thought that I could walk through fire.
I never thought that I could take the burn.
I never had the strength to take it higher,
Until I reached the point of no return.

And there's just no turning back,
When your hearts under attack,
Gonna give everything I have,
It's my destiny.

I will never say never! (I will fight)
I will fight till forever! (make it right)
Whenever you knock me down,
I will not stay on the ground.
Pick it up,
Pick it up,
Pick it up,
Pick it up up up,
And never say never.

I never thought I could feel this power.
I never thought that I could feel this free.
I'm strong enough to climb the highest tower.
And I'm fast enough to run across the sea.

And there's just no turning back,
When your hearts under attack,
Gonna give everything I have,
Cause this is my destiny.

I will never say never! (I will fight)
I will fight till forever! (make it right)
Whenever you knock me down,
I will not stay on the ground.
Pick it up,
Pick it up,
Pick it up,
Pick it up, up, up,
And never say never.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Dear Math... (Or any school for that matter! ;-)).


P.S. I'm doing some research on Dyslexia, because a friend of mine was telling me about it, and after hearing and reading a bit about it, I'm pretty sure that's what my troubles in learning come from. So after I do some more research I will write a big blog post about it, and hopefully it will be helpful to someone else too! :-) Just thought I'd warn you about what I shall be doing during my winter break! ;-) ;-) ;-) It actually is really really interesting to me!!! :-) (P.S. Come to find out, dyslexia is more than just flipping letters and reading backwards. Because I don't do either of those things. There is a lot more to it, which you can find out by either waiting for my blog post, or looking it up yourself! :-) Or asking me what I have learned about it so far next time you talk to me! ;-) ;-)).

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Crazy!

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Pure and Undefiled religion before God is this...

Friday, December 10, 2010

Oookkkaaayyy, soooo....

Ok, so, let's just say my evaluation didn't go very well!
The first part went ok, and then I totally totally flopped the 2nd part, and ended up crying in front of the director of Deaf Studies... Lovely... Yeah...
Here's what I posted on my buzz last night - :-P
"Let's just say, hypothetically, that I like began sobbing as I ended in a totally blank notebook, told him that I didn't know anything, and then gave the girl behind me a hug, and then ran out into the hallway and sobbed into my friends hug, ok? Yeah, that's how bad it was!!! The director came out and was all nice, and calmed us all down though, which was nice of him. I think I totally shocked him with my reaction, and that we were lite his most dramatic group so far (one of the other girls threw up before hand, and my friend cried yesterday), but he was really nice, and calmed us down. AHHH!!!!

One happiness - I didn't cry in front of Job, because he had to leave before ours because he had class - Thank you Lord it wasn't my teachers there!!!! AHHH!!"
Yeah, so that pretty much sums it up! Pretty pitiful, huh? Yeah, don't say it... ;-)

Monday, December 6, 2010

*Happiness*

Somethings make stress, and finals, and evaluations, and headaches, and everything, so much more bearable, and even surrounds everything with love! And one of those things would be great friends!!!!! Because, you all really are so amazing!!!! I know I couldn't have possibly done anything to DESERVE friends like you all, but for some reason God decided to give me the best group of the best friends in the whole world!!! *Huge hugs to all!!!* :OD

Happiness of the day!!! -
1. A package put together from some besties just cause!!! AWW! Thanks guys!!!! Now I have lots of chocolate, and tea, and hot cocoa, and snickers, and sweet notes, and a CD (which I am listening to right now!), and nail polish, and Christian gum (WAY to cool!!! :OD), and a bookmark, and a knitted heart, and the CUTEST ladybug necklace ever!!! to last me through finals AND beyond!! And believe me, it will help me get through these next couple weeks!! Wow, that sure picked up my day - my week - my month!! :OD I feel so loved!!!! <3 <3 <3 I love you all!!! *Dances around* :-)

Thursday, December 2, 2010

School Stress!!!

First, if you haven't commented on my other post and answered my question about what makes YOU feel loved, please go do that now. It will only take you one minute, and will make me extremely happy. :-)

Anywho...
I AM SO STRESSED OUT!!!!! AHHHHHH!!!!! Finals and evaluation for ASL stuff coming up!
My VG class I'm not to worried about - I DO have to do some study for that one, but I SHOULD be ok... I hope... I also have an annoying paper I have to write - blech. It's 15% of my grade, to big to skip it do you think? ;-)
My ASL 3 class - ALL WORK FINISHED!!! WOOT!!!!! :OD Handed in my last paper and final exam vid tonight! We'll still have class, but yay! :-)

So, there are the only two good things... ;-)
Bad stressful things -
Deaf culture class - STRESS!!!!!!!!!!!! I not only have a Research Paper due next week (only 4 pages long, and I have most of the info, just have to write it and give an oral report - blech, hate those!). And the exams are sooo hard. I have done really horrible on the last two. There is a lot of essay involved, and I'll have to make sure I know all the answers to the book questions we've had over the whole semester, because he is going to pick and choose, and he does pick the weirdest, randomest ones sometimes! Grrr! (That's two books worth BTW! *Head bash*). So yeah, I'm hoping for a passing grade - is that a C or C+?? That's ok with me! Just please let me pass God! Please!!!!!!!!!!

Evaluation for seeing if I can go to ASL 4 next Thursday -
AAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can anyone say stress, nervousness, fear, feeling ill? Yes, this is with the Director of the Deaf studies program, and my teacher Job (glad it's Job though, because I'm used to his style of signing.). I'm most worried about the fact that they are going to show us a video and we will have to either write down what it's about, and what the person says, or interpret it, or both. I'm SOOOOO bad at that!!! If I don't pass... Well... Let's just say trusting God is hard right now!

So, prayers would be soooooo wonderful!!!! Not only that I would not be stressed, that I would pass my classes, and not be nervous, but that I would trust that what ever happens, God knows best!!!!!! Sooooo hard to do sometimes, but I DO know that, I just need to act on it! He is sooo good to me, and no matter what happens, it's in His Hands. He's the one who sent me into this program in the first place, and if He wants to take me out, then... I'll shed some tears and get out. But, I don't want to just give up either, just because I fail or something, I want to only get out if I KNOW God doesn't want me there any more. I don't believe that every thing that goes wrong is a sign from God that we should stop doing something, but rather there are some things He wants us to be strong about and overcome. And that's what I want to do, until He really shuts all doors and windows in my face, and paints a big sign that says, "NO AMY! YOU'RE DONE WITH THIS. I WANT YOU SOMEWHERE ELSE."

I need prayer about money as well please. School is expensive!!! My care-taking job has been downsized a bit, so I've lost some money there. But I DID get a call today from a friend of a lady who I used to babysit for, and she wants to meet me, and maybe have me babysit/nanny her kids when she goes back to nursing school. We'll see how that works out, because of my school schedule makes me less flexible then I used be, but I'm really hoping it will work out! God seems to have opened this door for me. I did nothing to pursue this, my old "boss" just gave her friend my number, and her friend called me today, so we'll see!!!! Also, I'm working on saving money for a missions trip this year with HannahBeth, Lord willing. I'm praying about everything right now! But money is a big thing on my mind. *Sheepish* I'm trusting you Lord!! Or trying too! <3

Well, like I said, go comment on my other post!!! :-)
Night all... Er... Good morning. *Sheepishly looks at clock and dreads the days ahead with late nights*

Oh, and my resolve - NO TV OR MOVIES TILL AFTER THE 16TH! MY LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!!!!!!!! If you hear I lazed around instead of studying, beat me. I'm serious here.
Thank you!

Love you all!! Sweet and salty dreams!! <3

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Love

1 Corinthians 13:1-10 &13

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love,
I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge,
and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains,
but have not love, I am nothing.

3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor,
and though I give my body to be burned,
but have not love, it profits me nothing.

4 Love suffers long and is kind;
love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;

5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own,
is not provoked, thinks no evil;

6 does not rejoice in iniquity,
but rejoices in the truth;

7 bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail;
whether there are tongues, they will cease;
whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part.

10 But when that which is perfect has come,
then that which is in part will be done away...

13
And now abide faith, hope, love, these three;
but the greatest of these is love.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The greatest of those three is love. Love is such a part of our lives, isn't it? It affects our moods, our relationships, how we talk to one another, etc etc etc.
Jesus was the perfect example of love. He loved us SO much that He died a horrible death for us!!!!! :-)

John 15:13 - "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends."

Wow!!! Imagine having that kind of love!!!! When we follow Jesus, He will help us become more and more like Him, and show us how to have a love like His!!

Now, I think laying down your life can mean many things, not only literally, but also in other ways - such as giving up what you want for someone else, or taking the lower job, or getting up every morning and taking care of those who are in your care, or taking time out of your busy schedules for someone, or driving the extra miles to be with someone, or making a meal for them, or sending them a card when they are sick, becoming a missionary or a pastor, being a mom or dad, etc etc etc, I'm sure you can think up more ways! :-)

I am going to make it my mission to love other people in a selfless way. Sometimes this is very hard for me (especially with my own family, who I am around every day!). I want to give up my life to God, so that He can teach me how to give up my life to those around me.
I want to love people in the way that makes THEM feel loved! Often I just do things that I know would make ME feel loved, but I want to make my friends feel loved in THEIR "love language".

So, I have a question for all you lovely people - What makes YOU feel loved? I really really want to know! (So if you love me, you'd better comment and tell me! ;-)).