An Apology and Catching Up

Hey folks. I'm just going to cut right to what I wanted to say. Recently, someone read my blog that I never imagined would. What I said in the post I'm sure they read was bitter, critical, and mean. I was disappointed when I wrote what I did and I'm sure that it was really hurtful for that person to read. (And no, this isn't about the soccer girl with amnesia.) So, if you're reading this, you know who you are and I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for what I said. Even though my blog is a place for me to rant and rave, it's not a place for me to make fun of people. Unless they keep forgetting where I go to school. So I'm sorry and it will never, ever, ever happen again.

On that note, here's been my life for the past three months:
1. Soccer: Is over! It ended on October 8th and never had I been so happy to... do absolutely nothing. I'm really glad I did (getting in shape, making new friends, realizing how thankful I am that I'm homeschooled) but I'm really glad it's over. I'm trying to decide if I should do it next year.
2. School: Going well. Two weekends ago was MEA (Minnesota Educators.. something) weekend but we postponed ours until last weekend when we went up north. My mom dubbed it BEA. The North Shore is always amazing and even more so this time. The waves were a lot bigger this time and it was so fun to just sit outside and watch them.
I'm taking Geometry this year, and could I have a show of hands of who has actually used it in later life? Because personally, I don't see how knowing that triangles are congruent is going to help my life much. Unless I want to be a Geometry teacher. Which I don't.

Yikes, Sorry Folks!

What can I say? One word: soccer. Actually, four words: Stillwater high school soccer. My mom calls it Vampire Soccer because it has totally sucked up my life. We have at least two games a week and practice every school day from 3 to 5:30 that there isn't a game.
Before the official practices started, there was a Captain's Practice, where the Varisty captain's led a practice. I didn't know anyone (surprise, surprise) when I got there so I was lamely stretching and trying not to look like I needed friends. The two captains were stretching and chatting right next to me and noticed that I needed a friend. One of them smiled at me, "So, what grade are you going into?"
"Tenth," I replied, trying to look as normal and non-socially awkward as possible while saying one word that just happens to be a number and isn't giving much room to be normal.
"Oh cool!" she beamed, "Are you excited for the high school?"
"Umm," suddenly a fork in the road appeared before me. I could either pretend I was an exchange student from Australia with an awesome accent or I could admit I was homeschooled. Never one to fake accents, I decided to make the best of my life. "Actually, I'm homeschooled," I explained while tearing a piece of grass to shreds. "Yeah, my parents let me out of the basement!" I joked.
Note: Usually I can get a laugh and the person realizes that yes, I'm homeschooled but I know the stereotype and no, I'm not it and yes, I can make fun of myself.
Suddenly there was an awkward silence and the girl quickly glanced at the other captain.
"Um, yea..." I finished up lamely.
A couple days later, the actual practice started and we were having one v. one tournaments. To my dismay, I was paired with the same captain. As we waited for everyone to find their field, she tried to make small talk. "Hey! What grade are you?"
All of a sudden I realized she had no idea who I was and that I might actually have a chance of redemption.
"Tenth."
"Ooh, high school!"
I groaned inwardly. Does anyone else see an annoyingly obsessive pattern here?
I shrugged, "Actually I'm homeschooled, so I don't really get the "high school experience." "
She peered at me for a minute then recognition crossed her face. "Oh yeah, I remember you talking about that at the Captain's practice."
Excuse me? I said one sentence about it.

Needless to say, she beat me and has only asked me what grade I'm going into twice since then.

No Trophies Tonight

Well, we didn't win. We weren't really expecting to, but there was kind of that irrational hope burning in all of our hearts that by some chance, we could win. When we got there, we immediately studied our opponents. No one really stuck out as a big competitor and our hopes grew a little stronger. The show was kicked off by two sisters singing a song called, "Black and White" while someone accompanied them on guitar. They were pretty good. After them, another girl sang while her dad backed her up. She was good, but didn't really stick out that much. Next, Taylor Swift was massacred by a 10 year-old. We performed after the slaughter of "Love Story."
Personally, I thought we did really well - we were hardly nervous, my solo went well, Grace's back up was incredible, and Eli was a brilliant performer. The only thing was that the microphones were set up pretty awkwardly and Levi couldn't reach them so our setup was less than perfect. Right after us an amazing band called "Apple Blossom" performed and wow! they were incredible! They were all high school/college kids and had a fiddle, mandolin, bass, lap steel guitar (I'm not sure what it's called), and a singer straight from the '40s. Obviously, our hopes were kind of extinguished by the coolness of Apple Blossom. An hour later, Taylor Swift had only been murdered two more times and we were getting a little tired of 10 year-old girls.
Finally the top three places were announced. In third place was Apple Blossom. That's kind of when our hopes started to rise. Because if Apple Blossom was in third, well, maybe we had a chance at second? Next he announced that second place went to the two girls who sang first. Suddenly, as he asked for a drum roll for first place, my brain imagined us winning, us playing on the main stage in front of thousands of cheering fans, telling everyone that we *ahem* got first place, a record-company signing a deal with our little band. Suddenly he announced some other band that wasn't ours and all those dreams kind of faded.
Have you ever entered a talent show and then not won? It's kinda sorta humiliating. You feel like you gave everything you had, but it wasn't good enough, and now everyone's secretly laughing at you because you're the pathetic little band that didn't win.
That's okay though. Our family's joy isn't found in winning talent shows.
"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever... But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all yours works." Psalm 73:26 & 28.

Sorry about all the mistakes and comma errors that probably exist in this post. When you get eight hours of sleep, then drive to St. Cloud (from Stillwater) in a thunderstorm, then play in a talent show and lose, then feel free to email me with the proper punctuation.

More about the festival to come.

Of Apologies, Bluegrass, and John Piper

Yikes, how can I even be forgiven for not blogging? I didn't even post a Mute Monday which is silly because all you have to do is post a stupid picture. Sorry!

Tomorrow our family leaves to attend our first ever bluegrass festival! It's called the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Festival and is in St. Cloud. It started yesterday, Thursday, but since this is our very first bluegrass festival we decided to just go one day. There's a talent show at 1:30 that our band, Inviting Interruptions, is going to enter. We'll be singing "The Fox" with a sweet three part harmony and Levi will be singing with us. My dad thought that we needed the sympathy vote so we're plopping Levi in the front. Obviously, our dad is the optimist of the family.

And finally, click here. Don't ask. Just click.

Experiments in Photography

A couple weeks ago, Zeke was looking especially cute and the flowers on our porch were looking especially pretty. I snapped approximately two pictures of Zeke while he was willing to pose. After about five minutes of our photo shoot, Dad and the boys started playing soccer on Dad's iPhone and Zeke was drawn away. I was still in the picture-taking mood so I started taking pictures of... well, myself. Once I uploaded them I got kind of crazy with the digital enhancement and might have overdone it with the two of the pictures. Let me know.

This is more or less the original.

Then I faded the color. Creepy?

Our woodpecker-scare-owl used to be in the background, but I blurred it out.

I love, love, love this picture! I love how the flower perfectly covers his mouth.

This one is my absolute favorite. I love everything about it.

Mute Mondays

Okay, so this isn't mute and there are two pictures. Kill me.

Mute Mondays

A couple days ago my mom had a blog up on her internet browser and the woman had just posted something called "Wordless Wednesdays." Every Wednesday she posts a picture and nothing more. So, the homeschooler is going to follow suit. Except mine will be "Mute Mondays." And I know that Monday was yesterday and that today is Tuesday, but I'm really in the picture posting mood sooooooooooo enjoy Mute Monday on Tuesday, just for today. After this week it will always be on a Monday and only a picture, nothing more.

World, Meet My Future Husband

Okay, so I'm not engaged nor does it look like I will in the near future. However, I just met the man that I want to marry and the woman who created him.
For a while I'd thought that Romeo was the ultimate lover. Obviously, he's not the best at communicating in his relationship, hence that dream died. And so did he.
My next goal was, of course, Prince Charming. The name says it all, right? However that dream slowly eroded when it was realized that the Prince only noticed Cinderella when she was wearing the amazing dress. Sure she's in rags when he puts the shoe on her foot, but by that time he was so committed that it was kind of too late to back out. What if the shoe hadn't fit? He would have ignored her just like all the other girls. So Prince Charming was forgotten as well.
After reading Pride and Prejudice and watching the BBC version movie and whatever the new one is, my standard was now Mr. Darcy. He seemed like the perfect guy - he changed for Elizabeth, he was rich, good-looking, sensitive, gentlemanly. But all of his qualities were forgotten the moment I met...




















Mr. Knightley.

After being totally disgusted by %99 of all teenage books, I decided to read a classic. Let me just say that there's no going back. I started Emma and can barely put it down. How Jane Austen portrays each character is so amazing - you feel like you've known them all your life. Emma and Mr. Knightley's relationship is definitely the best one that Jane Austen has written of. Mr. Knightley is Emma's brother-in-law and one of her best friends. He's the only one who can see faults in her and is brave enough to point them out. He is constantly encouraging Emma to do better and while, for some people, it could be extremely nagging, he does it in such a way that it strenghtens their friendship. On top of that, he's the ultimate gentleman. At a ball the town holds, Emma's best friend, Harriet is snubbed by an arrogant couple, the Eltons, and has no one to dance with. Mr. Knightley not only notices but asks her to dance, even though she's not the brightest person, her situation is beneath his, and obviously, no one else wants to do it. He's a gentleman even when Emma isn't around to see and will probably never find out. He's constantly on the lookout to help the friendless, the poor, and the lowly. He quietly hides his love for Emma until he's sure there is return of her affection. He never flirts with her, or tries to impress her, or boasts about himself. He just silently tries to win her heart.
So, Mr. Knightley, even though you don't exist and will never ever read this blog, I dedicate this post to you and your chivalry, discretion, compassion, and love.

*If you're looking for something to do over the weekend, rent Emma (starring Gwyneth Paltrow). I promise you'll love it. Satisfaction guaranteed.