Halloween

Happy Halloween sisters!

As you know, last weekend I went to visit Lindsey! It was so refreshing to see her/you and miss a day of school. I was so excited to meet her roommates and friends, and I loved them all. Friday I went with her to her Psychology class, but unfortunately, Lindsey got me a paper with a crossword puzzle and sudoku right before class, so I ended up not paying attention. This bodes well for my coming college experience. That night, we went out to eat at the Melting Pot with Taylor and his parents. Yum. Saturday we got up early and went with Lindsey to her crew practice. Cold. Tired. Wet. Lindsey's crazy. =]. That afternoon, we went to the Missouri Botanical Gardens. Incredible. We couldn't have gone on a prettier day, the autumn colors were at their peak. I went into it thinking, "This is really pretty, I bet I could take lots of pretty pictures," but by the time I left, I wanted to chuck my camera into a pond because I knew it could never truly capture the beauty of what I was seeing. It gave me a new appreciation of the subtle parts of nature, from every blade of grass to the last leaves on an autumn tree. That night, we went to this restaurant called Oishi, which was one of those Japanese restaurants where you watch them make the food, with Lindseys roommates/friends. It was very entertaining. And her friends were very fun. Sunday morning, we got up and watched Lindsey's regatta. It was really exciting, I'm glad I got to watch. After we had to say goodbye =[. I hope I can go back at some point.

Monday afternoon, I left for Knoxville. The bus drive took way longer than it should have, but what can you do? I roomed with Nikhita, Whitney, and my friend Melissa. A lot of us were still a little restless when we got there, so we decided to explore. We weren't technically supposed to, but our hotel was literally right next to the World's Fair Park so some of us walked around there. The next morning we had to have all our stuff ready to check out by 6:30, which was 5:30 for us. That sucked, our room ended up oversleeping and woke up at 6:26, so I looked awful for the rest of the day. We took the test around 8 which was relatively difficult. I only answered 13 of 25. We got the results later, and one girl from our school made it to the next test (they only took the top 50 out of the 600 or so people that took the first test), so we were happy for her. Our quiz bowl team did decently well (I got out of doing that, phew), but eventually got out. There were just so many genius kids there that it made me feel really inferior, but that always happens at math tournaments for me. Around lunch, I got see McCall! I called her and she stopped by for a few minutes on the way to her class. It made me really happy. Overall, it was pretty fun, lots of games of presidents, ers, and mafia.

I fail at Spanish.

Last night, some friends and I went to a haunted house. It really wasn't bad at all. Compared to the one we went to last year (and that one wasn't even too bad either), this one was pretty tame. But it was still really fun, I love my friends. The number of cheezy movie references we made were rather entertaining. Such as when these creepy black cloaked figures came up to us and I shouted "Expecto Patronum" at them.

Tonight is Halloween! We're being very low key this year. My friends and I are probably just going to stay home and watch Halloween movies. Most likely lots of Tim Burton stuff. I don't think most of us are dressing up, but I still want to. I don't know what to dress up as though. I was looking some ideas up online, and I found one that I might try if I don't get to lazy. It said to just wear all black, and then get glow sticks and make yourself a stick figure! So I'd just make a circle around my head, and straight down by legs/arms. That way in the dark I just look like a stick figure. I thought that was rather clever, but I don't know where to find glow sticks, so I'll see if I actually make the effort to do it. Are any of you dressing up?

I want to be in New York already.

Hey.  I'm in my room right now, I had class this morning.  This week is short because we get Friday off for fall break.  And on Thursday night my group will be en route to NEW YORK!! I am ecstatic.  I have 3 tests standing in my way- one tomorrow, one Wednesday, on Thursday.  Hopefully I can pull it out and not fail them all.

This past weekend Alison, Olivia, and I went to Valdosta- where Al is from- to make jelly.  It was so fun!  It was relaxing and really good to be in a home, plus Alison's mom is the most welcoming sweet person in the world (rivaled only by Sherry Kernodle).  It was great.  We sat around and ate way too much food- baked brie, mulled cider, homemade pizza, ratatouille, salmon, etc.  It was delicious.  Making jelly was actually not hard at all.  I think that's what I will have to do all the time from now on because I will now be a snob toward store-bought jelly.  Hehe.

I talked to Mom this morning and she told me that Mr. Lunsford passed away over the weekend.  We can all keep Mrs. Lunsford and their family in our prayers.  That is so sad.

Lindsey- I hope you had fun with Rebecca and mom and dad this weekend!  I am now the only family member that hasn't gotten to go to St. Louis and see you.  Not bitter.

PS.....what should I be for Halloween in New York?  There will be seven of us girls there...plus maybe Kevin (Becca's bf).  What should we all be?  On a similar note, this is something from an email that Kristin sent me the other day.  I laughed and died.  My someday child will definitely be a peep one year for Halloween.

Love you all.

Mary

captivating

Here it is, Sunday morning, and I am reading the book Captivating that mom gave all of us for Christmas (I think... well she gave it to us at some point) and I just felt compelled to share with you guys. These words are really speaking to me. Listen to this:

"Why did God curse Eve with loneliness and heartache, an emptiness that nothing would be able to fill? Wasn't her life going to be hard enough out there in the world, banished from the Garden that was her true home, her only home, never able to return? It seems unkind. Cruel, even.

He did it to save her. For as we all know personally, something in Eve's heart shifted at the Fall. Something sent its roots down deep into her soul - and ours - that mistrust of God's heart, that resolution to find life on our own terms. So God has to thwart her. In love, he has to block her attempts until, wounded and aching, she turns to him and him alone for her rescue.

'Therefore I will block her path with thornbushes;
I will wall her in so she cannot find her way.
She will chase after her lovers but not catch them;
She will look for them but not find them.' (Hos. 2:6-7)

Jesus has to thwart us too - thwart our self-redemptive plans, our controlling and our hiding, thwart the ways we are seeking to fill the ache within us. Otherwise, we would never fully turn to him for our rescue. Oh, we might turn to him for our "salvation," for a ticket to heaven when we die. We might turn to him even in the form of Christian service, regular church attendance, a moral life. But inside, our hearts remain broken and captive and far from the One who can help us.

And so you will see the gentle, firm hand of God in a woman's life hemming her in. He'll make what once was a great job miserable, if it was in her career that she found shelter. He'll bring hardship into her marriage, even to the breaking point, if it was in marriage she sought her salvation. Wherever it is we have sought life apart from him, he disrupts our plans, our "way of life" which is not life at all."

Wow.

I imagine I'll be digesting this for a while.

I hope you girls are having a wonderful Sunday. Love you all.

apple cider and naps

hi sisters! i miss you all already. i looked pretty pathetic in the airport security line sunday, crying and just thinking about how lucky i am to have all of you.

this week has been interesting so far for me. i haven't gotten very much sleep at all (5ish hours each night) because i've just been working pretty nonstop. there are a lot of separate issues at work right now that are all stressing me out, although some may have been resolved today. once tomorrow is over i will have a bit of a breather, i think. friday will be good.

this is homecoming week at flint hill, so there have been dress-up days every day which is so fun! it's SO much nicer to wear casual/comfortable clothes. yesterday was jersey day so i borrowed a UVa jersey from another teacher (it was HUGE and awesome) and today was clash day so i wore one red chuck and one black chuck, different patterned knee-socks, my black pants with the legs rolled up, and a striped shirt. it was awesome. i can't wait for this weekend and the festivities - football isn't really a big deal at this school the way it is at brentwood because the games aren't on friday nights, they don't have a marching band, etc etc so i've been missing out on that school spirit/togetherness that comes from going to the games and getting to see all the students and families and other teachers. but i think that this weekend it will be very spirited and everyone will be there.

this past weekend was so fun, and i can't stop thinking about how much fun it was to sing and play with you. here's the vid, mar:



can't wait for thanksgiving and more family time. i talk about you girls ALL THE TIME to everyone up here so i can't wait for the day when you get to visit. love you all so much. <3

Space heater

So I love this music vid.  I think the stop motion is super.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_HXUhShhmY


Home was really fun being with you all, I think Mom wanted to freeze time.  Thanksgiving will be exciting to see ya'll again!  I am going to Al-Pal's home this weekend, Valdosta (South Georgia), with Alison and Olivia.  It will be fun- we are going there to make jam for Olivia's wedding.  Alison's mom is really good at making it.  Next week is hell I have three tests in four days.  But next weekend is New York!!!!!!!  I can't even think about how close that is.

Our house is really cold- like 56 degrees.  It's unreal.  But Olivia and I have a space heater which has magical powers, so I am staying warm and cozy.  When I am in the kitchen, I literally turn on the oven and open it so I don't die.

Rachel- email me the Belle & Seb song video, or better yet put it on here.  That way I can listen to it and it will make me happy.


Goodnight,
Mary

Punkin.

Hey hermanas.

It's raining so hard right now! My rainboots are paying for themselves we've had so much rain.  I had a real good weekend, filled with fallish activities and birthdays and wedding showers.  Thursday we made Alison coffee cake to have in the morning for her 22nd birthday, and that night we took her out for a birthday drink and made her a birthday cake (caramel).  Friday I woke up and had no voice, literally.  I felt okay except a dull headache and congestion and coughing a lot, so I've been religiously taking Tylenol cold and sinus and eating cough drops.  Friday night we held a "fall festival" at our house to celebrate Alison's birth, and the love of all things fall.  It was a lot of fun!  We carved pumpkins and ate baked brie and drank apple cider and danced to the new Jay Z album which I am currently obsessing over.  Really though, it's like on repeat in our house.  Hehe.  Saturday I went to Atlanta with Livs for a wedding shower.  I had to socialize with so many older ladies and explain that I don't normally sound like a man.  It was hilarious.  The shower was really fun though and the food was so good.  Olivia got tons of kitchen things from her registry, and I want to get married just so I can get cool gifts.  Hehe.  Since we were already in ATL, we went to Anthropologie and H&M, where I got some cute stuff.  Saturday night I was so tired getting back from Atlanta that I did laundry and went to bed.  Yesterday I still had no voice (today it's starting to come back), and by this point I was just tired of not being able to talk.  My friends called me Karla- with a K, because I sounded like a chain smoker, and I needed a more suitable name to match my husky voice.  Side note- I got so many compliments for having a "sexy" voice.  What?  Boys dig deep voices on girls...weird.  This week isn't too busy school-wise, and I am going to for sure come home this weekend.  I can't wait to see you guys!

[Don't worry, I carved a baby pumpkin with an exact-o knife.]

I hope ya'll can breeze through this week easily and have fun.  I love you so very very much.

"May the Word of God dwell richly in my heart from hour to hour.  So that all may see I triumph only through His power."  (hymn, "May the Mind of Christ my Savior")

Mary

Beta bubbles and fall break excitement!

So last night was one of the best nights since I've been here! Ironically, it was because I went to a frat party :) But not just any party, but a bubble party. They filled the basement with sudsy bubbles, up to my waist and constantly regenerating from machines from the ceiling. This bubble basement also had music and lights and was a dance floor. It was sooooo fun! we stayed for like three hours, and then we had to run back to our dorm sopping wet and cold and scantily clad. pretty awesome.

Sundays are never that fun because I always feel guilty for not having done more work on saturday, and simultaneously not wanting the week's craziness to start up again. This week shouldn't be horrible workwise, but the following week is, and I want to spend as much of fall break as possible having fun. so... I'M PRETTY MUCH CRAZILYYY EEEECSTATIC ABOUT THIS WEEKEND. 

it'll be great.

Long Week, Long Day

This week has been a long one. The grading period ends next wednesday, so lots of my classes have been trying to squeeze in one final test to go on the grades. I know you guys probably won't believe me, but I'm turning into more and more of a slacker. And the true culprit is music. I come home everyday, grab food, and go straight to the piano, my violin, or guitar. Then I alternate between the three for the next couple of hours. Around six I realized that I probably should've done my homework first, and should now start on it, but I won't want to. Instead I'll spend time eating, watch one or two episodes of Bones (which I've discovered I can't do homework during Bones, not sure why, but I've given up trying), and then around nine resignedly go upstairs to start work. At this point, I conclude that I'm tired and it would be better off for me to just sleep. I don't know how this started, but I can't seem to fix it. Everyday I say I'm going to start homework before music, and then as soon as I come home, I grab food and walk up to the guitar, surprisingly not feeling that guilty. Ah well, good thing I'm a senior. Although, I hope I don't get too caught up in this slacking thing and risk my rank. Because I know there's this one really smart guy who's in a zillion AP classes and I think he's moved up to number 2, but I'm not positive. Woah, sorry to bore you guys with my school life, moving on.

I just finished taking my SAT Subject Tests this morning. I took Math 2 and Spanish. I feel fairly confident about the Math 2 (especially in comparison to the last time I took it). The way it is scored allows for you to skip 6 and still get a perfect score, and I skipped 5. I'm proud of myself, because usually when I take these and see one I don't know, I have to figure it out before I can move on (resulting in me ultimately running out of time), but this time if I didn't remember how to start it right away, I put a dot by it and moved on. Its a really good thing I did, because I was still working on the last problem when the time was called. I'd only skipped four prior to that, so overall skipped five. If I had stopped on those problems, the outcome wouldn't have been so great. For the Spanish one, I really knew nothing about it going into it. But it wasn't really that bad. It started out incredibly simple. It got somewhat harder, and there were a few I wasn't sure about, but I still think I did fairly well. Hopefully. Its harder to tell on Spanish then math. With math, you either know how to do it or you don't.

In around twenty minutes I have to leave to go to a violin concert. I basically have to go to this one because I missed the last one (which was an all-weekend thing, so I think I definitely chose right). Not really looking forward to it, mainly review pieces from a long time ago, but oh well. I'm staying content because tonight I'm going to Andrew Bird. I'm very excited, Kelsey and I are going together. Tomorrow we're making our homecoming shirts, which is always really fun. Then I'll babysit again. So basically, it's a Kelsey-filled weekend, which I have no problem with. I never get sick of her.

I'm looking forward to Homecoming week, especially since its my last one. Monday is Woodstock day, which should be exciting and Tuesday is Nerd day, which will be hilarious. I'm definitely pulling out the suspenders for this. I'm annoyed though, because they put our Career Shadow Day on Wednesday. Why they thought it was a good idea to put in Homecoming week I don't know, but I'm sad because that eliminates one of our dress-up days. But I am excited for Career Shadow day. I'm shadowing Mrs. Jennifer! So it'll be fairly low key, but still actually insightful to stuff that I'm considering doing. Plus, any excuse to get out of school is great. But most of all, I'm looking forward to this weekend. I'm annoyed though, because I couldn't find any theaters that are showing Where the Wild Things Are at midnight, which I was planning on doing. Ugh, hopefully I can go that afternoon before Homecoming that night. And the best part about this weekend is family. I really need you guys, and the prospect of next weekend is really keeping me going. Homecoming + family + McCall + Where the Wild Things Are = best day ever. Can't wait.




oops, forgot to hit the publish button, so yah. doing it now.

Grandma sweater

I am at home right now trying to study for a test tomorrow marnin'.  I like fall.  This past weekend I went to an art show Olivia was in at the art school.  They supplied Cali n Tito's food, which is this really good Mexican restaurant, so we went to that "to be supportive of Olivia" and stuff.  Hee.  On Saturday I went on a day hike with Hannah at Tallulah Falls.  I made to make Hannah keep pace with me because I am very out of shape and there were lots of stairs.  But it was prettyyy.  I went to Clemson and spent the night Saturday because Charlie Carr was in town there for a water polo match.  I was glad to see him.  The three of us just hung out and watched movies at Hannah's house Saturday night.  This week is going by fast which is nice.  I watched Breakfast at Tiffany's the other day and it made me really happy.  Rachele Giles, one of my younglife girls, and I hung out and ate dinner together last night.  She's so dear to me.

Tomorrow is AlPal's 22nd birthday and we are throwing a fall festival birthday party for her at our house on Friday.  We're making cider and spiced-type desserts and toasting pumpkin seeds.  Yay.

I'm really distracted right now and all of my roommates are home so I'm going to go and maybe write more later?  Oh and the first picture I took on a UGA game night.  The stadium lights are why it's so bright.  There is the lovely Pearl, and the last is from Tallulah Gorge.  Wooooooo.

Love ya'll.

Mary

Fall

The sun is out, though its starting to cool. Its been getting increasingly cooler here, and mornings for me are becoming more and more difficult. I'm already having to use the defrost on my car to get to school. However, everyday as I leave school I'm sitting in my car sweating, wondering why I ever needed the heat on that morning. I'm dreading when my car will really start icing over and I'll have to get up earlier to scrape it every day. Though, I am eagerly awaiting the colors of fall, despite the fact it means that winter will follow soon in its trail. I was late to school Friday, luckily it was one of the few days I didn't have a meeting (and lucky for me I have a free period first). In my defense, this is only my first time to be late, though I've cut it pretty close before.

I'm struggling in my spanish class. Its just constantly so much work that I struggle to keep up with it, and I'm getting frustrated with the constant tests. I have two tests on Monday (how that's going to work, I have no idea?), another on Tuesday, and another on Wednesday. And its not as if they're easy small ones either, they're all long and difficult. The other day he handed out an article and told us to read it, and that the next day we were to give a 2-minute speech that we make up on the spot. Now, we've done these speeches numerous times over the past two years, but usually we're supposed to write it or plan it beforehand and memorize it. So come classtime on Wednesday when we were all supposed to give our speeches, I was superbly annoyed to notice that half of my classmates had written out full speeches. About 3 or 4 of my classmates besides myself did what he actually asked, and I felt like I got punished for it. First of all, there were about 5 people who just didn't go at all when their names were called, and the rest had memorized speeches. So out of the people who actually spoke, mine was definitely the worst. He called me "una bomba". I'm frustrated, because at least I tried, unlike some of my classmates, and I actually was brave enough to try it without writing it before, unlike everyone else. So me and the 3-4 other people who did it right are all mad.

Later today Dad is going with me to Guitar Center in Nashville where I'm going to start looking at electric guitars! I decided I really wanted one a couple of weeks ago, and have been doing research on some ever since. There was this one on ebay that you have no idea how mad I am for not bidding on it. It was beautiful, barely used, and about 500 dollars cheaper than usual. Above all, I can't find it anywhere. I've looked it up online, and it doesn't exist in that color anymore. I was able to track down one picture, but thats it.
Isn't it beautiful? I want it so badly =[. Also, after I'd already missed the ebay for this one, I found another one that I also loved (though not quite as much). I actually bid on that one, and lost by a dollar in the frantic last 10 second bidding, which was really disappointing. But dad wanted to take me to an actual guitar store so I could hold some and see how they feel. I think that ultimately I'll probably just end up buying one on ebay because you can find brand new ones for half the price of retail stores, but it will still be nice to actually try some out.

Lindsey, one picture is not a substitute for two weeks worth of updates!