The Break.

well, friday ROCKED. I ran into CA screaming right as they were getting out for christmas break. and then there was more screaming. it was AWESOME. then Colin drove me to a coffee shop, where my mom had arranged a surprise with all sorts of people! Gasp. Fun-ness. Then the shop closed, so we talked in the parking lot. and then a smaller group of us went to mcdonalds. and then i went to Laura's house. and it was fantastic. The next day we went to goodwill and i bought a dress and purple shoes. :] and then i stayed over another night. Yay!

Sunday or so there was Christmas with mom's side of the family. Cute babies included. Yay! 

My brother got a tattoo - his arm now tells people to 'Never Falter'. he's also bulked up like crazy much. Lots of working out I guess. but it isn't as easy to get my arms around him anymore!

Mondayyy I went to see Yesman, and that was fun. And then Katelyn Johnson came over and we watched Phantom of the Opera, and she laughed because I sang along. it WAS funny. 

Tuesday I was going to go dogsledding, but it didn't work out because the roads were bad. Aaaand so Josh and I played Monopoly, and I owned him. like, A LOT. And THEN Brad and Liz and Lauren Blauer came over and we had dinner and it was fun. 

On Wednesday... um. Was that Christmas eve? Yeah, it was. What did I do? um. I was sick-ish, kinda. um... I don't remember, sorry. I remember that it wasn't incredibly special.

On Christmas we went over to Kaytlin's house after a Christmas service at her church. We ate yummy food and then opened presents, which was entertaining as usual. Note: If you open the the present and see a box that says 'Blackberry', by no means should you expect there to be a blackberry in that box. This is the second year Dad has pulled this stunt, first to Kaytlin and now to me. We got all excited about a cool new phone, and what was it? An OLD phone. Hahahaha.

Tommy got me Stargate Atlantis season 4 - He's finally figured something out that I like, wonder of wonders. 

Hahaha... M. DUANE G... M DUANE G... >D Oh, I am slightly evil and demented.

FRIDAY we went to Texas! ...Really early in the morning. Aaand This POST IS GOING TO TAKE FOREVER.  I'll add more later, ok?

The journey!

Well it’s been an exciting day so far. Mom and I got up at 4:30 or so, which was not as bad as I thought it would be. Probably because I was so excited! We got up, got presentable, and loaded the suitcases (Ok, I loaded the suitcases) onto the elevator, off the elevator, and out the door so the taxi driver could load ‘em up. We drove to the airport, and took some time finding the right place to check our luggage. This place! No, this one, no back the other way… you know how that goes. Then we stopped at our usual place for croissants, before starting the long trek to our gate. The flight to London was very short, and we arrived 20 minutes early, THANK GOODNESS. After picking up our luggage, clearing customs, and figuring out the tube to the right terminal, we got into line to re-check our luggage. Aaaand we were in that line for what, an HOUR? They gave us our ticket and said, hurry! Your plane is boarding! 

Terminal 32 was apparently 15 minutes away. This did not go over well with either of us, but especially mom. So, we ran and RAN to catch the plane. Thank goodness the delay was at the baggage counter – the plane was half empty because so many people were held up. So we caught it – of course, we were completely out of breath from running. We didn’t have any water, either, because of going through security! Mom practically had an asthma attack. But now, we’re doing ok… and by ok, I mean only slightly peeved, because there is a child in our row who is either going to grow up to be a gym teacher or a football coach… ok, maybe a drill sergant. The point is, that child has QUITE the pair of lungs! I slept two hours, I don’t know how many mom slept.

And now we’re over Hudson Bay with two hours and twenty minutes left. The reason I am ESPECIALLY excited though, is because we land at just after 1pm MN time, meaning that I will be there at CA probably by 2:30!!! WHICH MEANS I WILL BE ABLE TO SEE EVERYBODY THAT I HAVEN’T SEEN FOR A WHOLE FRACKING YEAR!!!!!!!!!! (explodes with excitement and anticipation) Yessssss.

Oh and Nathan, btw, you still need to give me the name of that vinyl.

I started another scarf, with ivory yarn. It was a really cool pattern – knit 4, purl 4, but then after four rows you switch so it ends up looking checkered/patchwork. Tres cool.

Ahhhhh.

So, I survived Exams. WOW. With just about NO panic whatsoever! This is REALLY EPIC for me!!!! Really, really epic. 

Wow.

And then I spend a blissful period of time this morning after I woke up, lying in bed and enjoying the fact that I'm ok. Just laying there... in my tshirt, boxers, and the socks that Johnna gave me for Christmas. My ipod playing DCFC. My warm purple blanket being warm and soft and purple.

Wow.

Is this strange? That I'm so impacted by the feeling of "Wow, I made it, I'm actually ok!"? Because it seems just a bit crazy.

But exams? I think I might actually like them, at least this time around. during exams is one time when I can actually focus, and that's nice. (If I've studied!) 

Exam day four

I am currently at 4/6, or 4/7 if you count my TOK essay/exam. 

• English took FOREVER, but went ok.
  
• Religion was a joke.
  
• French was easy, as I thought it'd be.
  
• Biology was a lot easier than I thought it'd be, and actually fun because I got to draw fun and colourful diagrams.
  

And Tomorrow is Math and Philosophy. Math I probably should have been studying all afternoon for, and philosophy I'm not worried about.

Johnna came over tonight. It ROCKED, and we had soooo many giggles! Hehehe. And now to bed, I suppose!

Exam day one

Ok. I’m pretty calm so far, but I can feel that slipping away… I have my first exam in less than an hour. It’s English, too, my longest exam. It’s three hours, and I have the option of taking 45 extra minutes if I need to. But I really hope I don’t have to, because that would put me at about 12:30, only a half hour before my next exam! Ugh. I NEED to study for my religion exam! But I probably won’t, because I have a lunch date with Johnna. I had better study now…!

 

Don’T panic.

My favourite colours in order:

 

1.     PURPLE (bright violet, preferably)

2.    Yellow (Bright! Like sunshine!)

3.     Red (Pretty bright!)

4.    Black J

5.     Green (Vibrant mint)

 

Even though black isn’t technically a colour, it’s a shade.

 

            Ok, so let me tell you about Friday. On Friday, I was in 2^nd period, which was French. My French teacher, mind you, is VERY particular about us being there for every minute of class. If you are late to class, you have to make up the time later. If you have to go to the bathroom or go get something, you have to make up the time. But this morning, something interesting happened. I was…. Well, tired is kinda really an understatement. But anyways, I was sitting there, doing my review assignment, and she asks (in French of course) if something’s wrong, and if I’m ok. I say I’m fine and continue working. She looks at me and asks me if I want to go to the nurse. I tried to say something coherent like ‘oh, that’s ok, I can work’, but I’m guessing it didn’t come out very clearly, because then she decided that I definitely should go to the nurse, and so she actually SENT me there! In the first 10 minutes of class! Where, of course, I promptly fell asleep… for the next three hours. Oops? I missed the rest of French, Break, TOK, a free, and English class! Heh.

 

Agent Danger…

 

Ranger Danger, or was it Danger Ranger? I don’t remember! Botheration. That was a funny freshmen year inside joke.

 

Brrr, I’m cold. NOT that I would verbally admit that! I’m Minnesotan, I don’t get cold, remember? Or at least that’s what I claim. Unless I think I can get a hug out of it. J Muahahaha…

 

On Saturday I was going to go to the wrestling meet, but I didn’t end up being able to go. L The guys did well, though! And I’m bringing them all banana cake this morning. So on Saturday I just worked on my essays, which was extremely frustrating. My chronic lack of concentration makes everything little thing a hundred times harder, and the essay wasn’t an easy one to begin with! When one is ready to cry with frustration, then something has to change. Later that night, dad and I watched Iron Man, which I love and can honestly only be described as bad@$$. It’s that cool, ok? Hehe.

 

Sunday (yesterday) was not too bad… the service was good, and very sentimental, because it was our pastor’s last Sunday. And I sat by Nathan, and afterwards there was a food reception. Tasty. Then when we went home, I went back to work. ICK. How does this work? I can write a prose commentary in 80 minutes in class, but not in a whole afternoon at home? Absurd! Absolutely ridiculous!

 

Oh, but it is pretty outside. There was a hard frost, so everything is coated in white, and there’s a faint mist hugging the low ground.

 

We’re only to Rode St. Genese, which is about halfway between Brussels and Waterloo. Mind you, I’ve been on this bus an hour already, and we will be to school is about 15 minutes. Does this make sense? Absolutely not. Does this suck? Um YEAH. I think I’m going to doze the rest of the way…

Happy St. Nikolas Day!

Also, I am 17 and 1/4 today.

I decided, since I have christmas on the brain (We had our Choir Christmas Concert on Thursday night)to do a couple things. Firstly, this is my schedule for the holidays:

Dec. 19th - I'm flying out of Belgium at 7:30am (Hey CA kids, if I arrive in time, I'll try and come to school to see y'all!!! ) And sleeping over at Rachel or Laura's that night

Dec. 20th - Hopefully I'll be at Rachel or Laura's most of the day! <3

Dec. 21st - Christmas with Mom's side of the family

Dec. 22nd - Dinner with Eliason's, morning and early afternoon still free

Dec.  23rd - Dogsledding with Josh and maybe Laura, dinner with Blauers after

Dec. 24th -  Christmas Eve church services, rest of day free

Dec. 25th - Family Christmas late afternoon, morning free

Dec. 26th - Fly to Texas

(4 amazing days with my dad's side of the family!!!)

Dec.30th - Come home from Texas

Dec. 31st - Free

Jan. 1st - Free (IT'S A THURSDAY!!! LET'S GO SWING DANCING!!!!!!!!!!!)

Jan. 2nd - Free

Jan. 3rd - Fly back to Belgium

Jan. 5th - SCHOOL

So any of those free times, just send me an email or something and we'll set something up, ok? :) AHH! I'M SO EXCITED TO GO HOME!! I Can't wait to see my family! Especially my Texas folks, I haven't seen them for a whole YEAR, which is WAY too long! I bet Matthew and Madison are taller than me by now... Ha. I wonder what I will make for them this year? Maybe something Belgium-ish... I wish I could bring them Waffles! They are SO yummy. 

BTW!!!!!! I DID grow, though! I'm about half an inch taller than mom now! Holy excess of exclamation marks, Batman. :]

 

Oh, and here's my wishlist, although time with my friends and family is of course my biggest wish of all.

• a pair of pumps! 
• Clear converse! To show off all my cool socks!
  
• nail polish
• Black studded belt
  
• yarn to knit with
  
• a tutu (:D)
  
• new headphones
• The Twilight books
  
• another piercing
• a phone that actually works
  
• a pocket knife (ask dad which kind)
• rainbow striped socks, Toe socks, yellow socks, purple socks
• purple pumps
  
• basically anything purple... xD

I Question your Logic! *EWOK*

Currently Listening to: I Will Possess Your Heart by Death Cab For Cutie

Priorities.

This is my list:

1. TOK ESSAY, due Friday.
   
2. 2 English Essays, due a looooong time ago.
   
3. A French Dictionary of vocab words related to 'Caractére', due Tuesday
   
4. Bio Lab report, due a loooooooonger time ago.
   
5. STUDY FOR EXAMS STARTING THURSDAY!!!!!

And then my non-schoolastic list:

• Survive.
  
• Do whatever it takes to stay sane
• Get enough sleep (ha)
  
• Do 50 sit-ups a day
  
• Finish Christianna's scarf that I'm knitting
  
• Try not to pig out on chocolate
  
• Finish writing my murder mystery party
• Figure out christmas presents. oh, CRAP.

Stefan is having his next round of chemo this week. He's lost all his hair, but his white blood cell count is basically what it was when they started, so that's good. I plan on visiting him this thursday, provided I don't get sick.

Have I mentioned that I feel dryer/thirstier than a plant being taken care of by my sister? (haha, just kidding...) (More like MY plant, LOL) During the last few days of Godspell, I was drinking like 2 liters a day! and now, only about half a liter, on average, because I keep forgetting to fill my water bottle. Ick. 

Nathan. *ewok*

Well, I wrote about a bunch of days, but it's on the other computer, which I forgot at school. So yeah. 

I'm knitting a scarf again - but with a pattern this time. Knit 2, Purl 2. Yes, not that complicated, I know, but complicated for ME, with my ADHD brain. Hmm.

I'm listening to harder music again.