Where to Begin...

Well, obviously, this is post is the first in a longgg time. I guess I just kinda forgot about this blog:) ha:) Anyways, so the title says it all. I have no clue where to begin. I know not with pictures because I let my sis take care of it. Therefore, there will be know visuals:) But even my words may not suffice to describe how faithful God has been, and how crazy my life has been in general. My days are pretty much set out for me. I wake up (at what I see as extremely unreasonable hours of the day), go to school until 2:30, come home, eat...a lot, finish homework, go to practice (and the days i dont have practice, I usually waste away in front of the television), come home, and sleep. Yep, thats my routine. However, through it all, God has been so faithful. He IS faithful still. As most of you know, I had a rough time adapting to the idea that I was not to attend CCS, but EHS instead. I guess you could say I struggled with major anger for while throughout this past summer. But now, from what I see, I am so thankful for God's perfect direction. For starters, if I was still at CCS, there would be no way for my parents to pay for swim. It would be too much in general. Also, to go deeper, there have been countless things to which God has thankfully exposed me. These things, though I could not say have brought me joy in any way, have opened my eyes, only through the grace of God, to His faithfulness in my life. Yes, I have been saying that word a lot, but get used to it:) Also, God has graciosuly given me just enough friends. While most would say 3 to 4 friends is not an anequate amount, I find it quite acceptable. I friends who are so much fun to hang out with, and I actually do have one friend, whom I could safely say is believer. It is so overwhelming how God works everything out. There is no other way for me to explain it.

"It's Just Four Years"

I'm sure by now most of you have heard bits and parts of this, but not the whole thing. Well, when we were going through the course at church on spreading the Gospel, my dad became very convicted and felt that he wasn't doing much to get God's Word spread. He also wanted to get us kids involved. He felt like at CCS, my sister and I didn't really have a lot of opportunities to witness to others, seeing as how its a christian school. He felt very convicted about this, and wanted to make some changes. This meant going to a new school...again. Rachel, of course, is going to be staying at CCS seeing how its her senior year. On the other hand, since I'm just starting high school, I have an opportunity to move schools. Consequently, I will be going to Etowah High School. There were also some other reasons for this as well, but those really aren't the main ones. Anyways, so 2 weeks from today, I will be starting high school in a public school, to which I have never been. I sort of have mixed emotions about the whole thing. I would love to be able to go back to CCS because I made some amazing friends there, for the whole 1 year I was there...ha...and I'm going to miss them a lot. I am also a bit nervous too. I have never gone to a public school before, so I really don't know what to expect. However, I'm getting a bit excited. I'm happy that I will be able to go to a real HS. I'm also excited about being able to spread the Gospel. I have never really had much practice of this, so I am a bit nervous, but I am praying that God will allow some open doors so that I will be able to witness to others. Please be praying that God will allow things to work out so that I am able to spread His Word and will be able to adapt the school easily...I need it! Thanks:)

~ALH~

4th of July

Melody Of Hope

I wrote this a few months ago and just found it. Its my first poem, so I decided not to go with a rhyming one. It talks about how through struggles, we as humans tend to put our confidence in ourselves, where our dwelling place is in Christ. Enjoy (hopefully) :)


As the world is moving on, I feel as if I am being left behind.
For those three assuring words, “I love you” is all I yearn to hear.
Lord, my foundation, it is to You who I implore.
I ask for reassurance of my standing in this realm.
Nothing else can gratify that wishful longing pervading my heart.
For You are the giver of everything good and just.
Please remind me of Your excellence.
I need not to forget that in all circumstances, You are the light I look to.
You are my corner stone.
Like a piano’s keys, I long to play the melody of Your grace.
I wish to sing the song of Your goodness.
When I ponder Your predominance, I visualize an overpowering wave,
crashing against the ocean, pulling everything in its reach back with it.
Your faithfulness gives me hope, and prompts me to adoration.
So now, because I know You hear every anticipative prayer,
I promise to be patient, and wait for You, My Lord.

This Summer and then Four...

Well, summer has arrived! I've only been out for a week, and I've managed to stay alive with out being too terribly bored. The pool, my keyboard, and friends have kept me wonderfully busy...i love it:). Actually, its very, very sad. The first day of summer I ended up hanging out with school friends that night, along with Katie, Connor,and Anthony friday...we're pathetic, i know. But then again..i've been catching up with others too...but i have alot more catching up to do! Well, here's some pics from graduation:

Conclusions

Hello! I know most of you are just about done with school if you're not already...lucky:P My school doesn't get out until the 29th...gross..but that's okay. Its so hard to believe that my first year at CCS is almost over. Its even more difficult to comprehend that my last weeks of middleschool are coming to a close. Starting August, I'll be in a whole new building, going from the top of the food chain in the middleschool to the bottom in highschool. So weird. However, as I look back on this last school year, I can see so many things I've learned, not just academically, and the things I have gained. Its so weird to think that at the beginning of the year, I was so scared because I was going somewhere where I knew nobody. And now, I am extremely saddened at the thought that one of my best friends form CCS has to leave and go to public school next year. BUt I am still so glad I have gone through this experience. Being around so many people everyday has taught me alot, and I would never give up the friendships that have been built. Today was the yearbook revealing, so all of my friends and I sat outside looking through pics since the first day of school..and man have we changed a lot since then. Although middleschool is about over, I am really excited about going into highschool. Even though I have heard alot about how the work load increases so dramatically, I think I'm ready. I'm especially ready for Mr. Khan's english class, where I'll be able to write alot more, and the thought of being in highschool drama makes me so happy:) From what I've seen in my sister's experiences in the drama club in highschool, its sooo much fun. So that's my view of school right now. As for the summer, I'm finally getting ready for it...kinda. Like I said, one of my good friend's is leaving after this year, so I don't really want this year to end. However, my summer does have alot of things for me to do. What I have planned so far is swimteam, HOPEFULLY a job at either Chik'fil A, or Publix(BTW, I'm most-likely going to both of those places 2moro to see if they're hiring...very exctited!), going to Hilton Head for almost a week with my mom and emily, and having my friend(the one who is leaving) hopefully staying with me for a week in the summer. So yeah, I'm getting pretty excited about all of that, esp. swim team which starts Monday :) Alrighty...I shall be going now :P

~ALH~

8th grade medieval banquet...AMAZING!

"It's funnny how you find you enjoy your life when you're happy to be alive"

Hello everyone! I hope the rest of your school year is going well. Mine is:) Today was my second day back to school from Spring Break, and I'm getting excited about summer. We don't have a lot of things planned, but I'm just ready for sleep. What is planned though, is Amanda is going to Chile all of July, and then graduating from college at the end of that month when she gets back. Rachel and my dad are going to Bolivia for the Mission X trip. Since Amanda, my dad, and Rachel will all be gone at the same time for one of the weeks in July, my mom, Emily, and I are going to stay in Hilton Head:) I'm also doing swim team, and I was going to go to Tittusville(sp), FL for the Mission X trip, but my parents decided that going would not be a good idea because I'm still having issues with my headaches. Speaking of my headaches, I've been getting a lot of questions about that lately, so I'll give you an update. Basically, the migranes are not going away, but when they do get really bad, I take this medicine that makes it settles down in like, 15 minutes. My head has also been doing some odd things lately, so my mom scheduled a CT Scan for me next week. Thank you all for your prayers; they are very encouraging! Also, as far as my theatre participation goes, I'm not doing much with that right now. Tom Sawyer at TLAC just ended a couple weekends ago, so the only thing I'm in is a "showcase" sort of thing for my school, which we are performing for the rising 6th, 7th, and 8th graders to give them an idea of what the middle school drama looks like. My friend and I are doing a scene from the Secret Garden, along with another 7th grader. I'm enjoying it though, because my teacher is giving us the opportunity to work out the blocking and staging on our own, which really helps. Well, I hope to see you all soon, and hang out over the summer :)

~ALH~

Jamestown, Williamsburg, and D.C

these r just a few! actually, i would have a lot more of D.C., but my camera battery died half way through...

~ALH~

B-day :)

Well, my b-day was pretty much amazing:) My parents, amanda, and the kiddos came to lunch today and brought cupcakes, i got a new camera cuz mine broke, and my daddy got me this amazing ring...that's too big..but we're work'in on that :). Well, thanks everyone for all your "happy birthday!"s! I must be off to bed...another long day tomorrow:)'Nite!