The ACT and Other News

I know it's been terribly long since I posted something that wasn't a video or political commentary, but I really have been doing a lot lately.

First, I completed geometry! Yay!

The amazing part is that I started it on February 4th, and then finished it on March 4th! I honestly don't understand how I did that, except that all of a sudden, just after finishing the Chaparral Cleanse that I think I mentioned, my brain "turned on" as I call it. I was able to do math better than I have literally in years.

That means, (drum roll) that I have actually finished all my high school coursework!!! I.E. I have graduated high school but haven't "walked" yet!!

That left me with exactly one month to study for that dreaded, avoided and generally feared ACT. I have now been studying for that month, and will be taking it tomorrow. I was doing quite well on the practice tests until yesterday, when I suddenly got a 19 (on a scale of 1-36 with 36 high) on the READING section of all things! I've been getting scores in reading between 30 and 34 or so, and then all of a sudden I got 19? It doesn't make sense. But, I think it may have something to do with the form of the test, that was the first one I did online. With the online tests, it scores for you and everything, but it also gives you much smaller type and you have to scroll through the text that you're reading, which I think makes it much harder to reference while asking the questions, so I was going far more by memory. (SAT people, on the ACT you can reference the passages as often as you like while answering the questions, and that includes the writing prompt).

Anyhow, I've been turning my clock around in preparation for this, and have been getting up consistently at 6:20am - an amazing feat for me! But, this morning and yesterday, I've been waking up at around 5:30, and having trouble getting back to sleep. That's hard, because I'm losing a bunch of sleep that I really need.

I could really use prayer about the ACT, that I'm not nervous, and that my brain doesn't just decide to quit on me and go to sleep, and also that I'm able to rest well today and tonight.

On another front, we have finally decided on a Church - send up a flare! It certainly took us long enough - 7 months since we moved here. It's a small congregation about 10-15 minutes from us, which is very nice, and we really like it. At the end of it all, we were deciding between that church, which we'd been visiting off and on for a few months now, and another that was down on the west side of the city. It was a hard choice! But, even though we picked the one closer up here, I'm actually getting involved in a group from the one further down in the city.

Actually, I'm scaring myself, because the group I've started attending is, get this, the college and career group! AHHHHH!!!!! It's just that I felt like it would be silly to join a youth group for 2 months until I had gone through a graduation ceremony just to leave and join the college group. And, since I've never been in a youth group, I didn't really think this was the time to start. So, I am now attending this group, and I have enjoyed the two weeks I've been to - there would have been more, but I had to skip a week, long story.

Oh, and really funny, Dad, my father, who is technologically advanced, but perhaps not so much on the Internet until recently, got a Face book! So, if you've got one, send him an friend invitation for me.

The Kansas City/Colorado Springs Debate

Some may not know, but just a week or so before the house sold, we suddenly were looking into changing direction from Colorado to Kansas City (KC). The reason was a disturbing piece of legislation passed by the Colorado State legislature and signed into law by the Governor - S.B.200. It was an "anti-discrimination" bill, making "discriminatory" acts and - if you believe it - areas illegal and able to be prosecuted. That's all well and good, until you hear what it actually does, and why.

The bill focused on the LGBT crowd. Among the 23 areas affected by the bill was the labeling of public restrooms as segregated by gender - no longer allowed in Colorado because of this bill. It also outlawed a business owner/employee from refusing to provide a service to a member of the LGBT crowd on religious grounds.

This caused us to seriously question whether or not we should move there. We seriously considered KC, until I found an article on CitizenLink that discussed the other areas of the country that are already taking on similar laws. The prevailing wisdom is that either S.B. 200 will be killed in CO, or it will become a "norm" in state laws across the country. Because of that information, and some other things, Mom and Dad decided CO was still where God wants us.

Politically, a very interesting part of the bill is how in the world it got through the legislature without a lot of fight. Colorado may be the "second California", but you'd think there would be some more hullabaloo about it.

Here's how it happened. A semi-silent yet very powerful gay-rights activist named Tim Gill, has been putting money into state-level senate and representative campaigns - and we are talking serious money with a lot of serious power to go with it. It's really quite brilliant how he's done it. Watch the video below to learn more... he is an interesting study for those who are politically inclined, and for those who aren't, I promise you want to know about this. (this one is about 6 1/2 minutes)



As a note, CitizenLink is suggesting that information about Tim Gill be circulated as much as possible in an attempt to make him more visible. To get the embed code for this video go here. For another shorter video, look up the Turn Signal video on the subject here.

More details

The following is an email sent out by Mom this afternoon. I've edited some of the personal info out and replaced it with brackets...

[start email]

Hello Everyone!

We are so excited and surprised after all this time on the market (1 year and 7 months), we were planning to take the house off the market sometime soon! God had other plans for us...

He sold the house! Closing is set for [very early August], but it might be sooner.

The buyer's house must sell but is set to close [this week].

House inspection is set for [this week, the day after the buyer's house closes].

After those things, we don't think there are any "holes" so to speak.

We are planning to move to [Colorado]. [Dad] and [Mom] need to go there and buy a house!

We are going to be on a wonderful God-gifted vacation in the middle of this time of moving preparation in July!

Packing and moving ourselves completely is planned with John driving rental trucks a few times back and forth. We were advised not to do too much inside until after the home inspection is complete [this coming week]. Today our huge swing set is being disassembled by [Dad] and the kids.

We appreciate all your prayers for the many details that need to be taken care of!

Thank you all so much!

In His Grace,
[Dad], [Mom], [the.joyful.one], [Buddy], [Birdie]

[end email]

I would like to add this verse as a close.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,
declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Isaiah 55:8-9

-the.joyful.one

SOLD!! More updates on the way...

Friends,
Life just took a quantum leap in the past three days or so. Short story is that the house is esentailly sold, with a few minor contingencies. We will need to be out by late July/very early August.

For now, that's all the details I can provide... please pray that all the many details come together. We havce a lot of time constraint because of some outside circumstances not related with the house, so details must be micro-engineered in advance, which basically means in the next two or three days.

Also pray for everyone's energy levels, we're still sick and this is a huge stress both emotionally and physically.

Mom is working on a letter to send out via email (inbetween realtors, planning etc.) that I will probably post when it's done.

We are praising God for finaly giving us this go-ahead, and are relying on Him for the literal strength to complete this.

For those living around here, we will miss you all, and for those living else where, we still do, and we keep all of you in our prayers.

-the.joyful.one

Quick... Before the Lion Comes!

As they say, March comes in like a lion, so I'm quickly getting a post on here before it comes. I know it's crazy that's it's taken me two months to post anything, but oh well...

Hm, first, did I ever mention that I actually recieved my Drivers License? Well, if I didn't, I am now fully licensed and am enjoying it.

I've had quite a bit of excitement over the past week, much of it good. On thursday of last week (the 21st) I got the oppertunity (organized by Generation Joshua) to go into D.C. and lobby at the Congressional Office Buildings! It was so neat! Then, on Wednesday, Gen-J asked me to write an article about it for the monthly newsletter, which, in the end, needed to be done by 10am on friday (today)! I got it done late last night, and I'm really happy with it :-). I'm going to see if I will be allowed to post that article anywhere else. If I can I'll probably post it on Thoughts of Aspiring Future Statesmen (http://futurestatesmen.blogspot.com).

Unfourtunately, though, the day in D.C. has really put me out of things. on the day after we went down, I had a migrane, little parts of which have sort of hung on, coming and going as they will. I've been really tired, and my brain was kinda fried until tuesday. Please pray that this passes.

Also, you can pray that some new, um, what are they, suplements I guess, that we're going to try (as soon as they arrive) will work. We've given up on prescription meds right now, and these new things are hopfully going to help.

Those of you here in VA who are STILL praying that we won't leave, don't panic, my hopes are not terribly high after 15 months, but we did have a good showing last week that sounded promising. Even if it's against you inner desires, please pray that we can get out of here, having the house on the market 15 months is really pushing it, don't you think? ;-)

I'm taking an American Government class with three other girls this sememster. It's been good, although a lot of work! I'm learning a lot, and enjoying it becuase of it's connections with politics.

Speaking of American Government, that's really the reason I'm online, so I'd best get to it. Have a good last day of February!

News, News and More News

1 Dad has a job!!!! His new company is Corrigo. If you want to know what they do, please go here.
2 Contrary to what seems to be common belief right now, we are not leaving in the blink of an eye, so please stop worrying that we are... the house must sell first
3 Please pray that a particular couple somehow get their finances in order some time soon. If they do, they will buy the house.
4 Don't panic, it doesn't look like that will happen, but we are praying.

I'll get more up here soon, but I have a bunch of stuff to get done.

I haven't fell off the face of the earth

Hey! (I know that a lot of you haven't heard from me for quite a long time, and that I missed the Federal Fridays post, but I've been out of town, and this was my first acces to a computer.

We had a death in the family, so Mom and Dad's trip to CO was leangthened and us kids were added to it so we wcould all go to the funeral.

but this means that we al get to go hunt houses!!! YEAH!!!!

See you all soon (on the net or in preferably in person)!

Realtors, Realtors, Realtors.

Hey people! We are waiting for this lady from NJ to call and tell us that she would like to come see the house again (her second visit). Please pray that she comes, and that the family will awnt to buy it and make an offer NOW!

Besides that, I had a great flute lesson yesterday (always a bright spot in any week). I've also been cooking, reading, cutting out a pattern for a dress I'm making for myself and watching movies in the evenings with the fam.

Not much else to say for now, but as soon as I get a chance to do a bit of research on the Net, I'll have something interesting and newsworthy for you!

CO trip - soon

More Exciting News!!
Dad is probably going to have two interviews set up in CO withing the next couple weeks! He is trying to get them close together so that he can bring Mom and combine it into a house hunting trip as well. This is SO encouraging to us, especially to Mom and Dad.

Also, we have some people coming for a second look at our house this week. This is expecially exciting as we are on the top of thier list right now!

Please Pray:
-That Dad is able to schedual the interviews
-That the schedualling of the whole trip (when it happens) works out just right
-That the interviews go well, and that both want Dad to work for them
-That they are able to choose a house
-That the people that are coming want to buy our house, and...
-That we have one of these:

In front of our house really soon!
Thanks all for your continued prayers!

See and be Jealous!

I have loved the Rocky mountains of CO ever since my family vacationed there when I was 8 or 9 years old. Two years ago I was back there with my dad for a conference we attended. We did bring a camera, and got nice pictures. The first 5 we took, and the other 2 I pulled from the Internet. Aren't they amazing? It's one thing to see pictures or to visit, but I actually get thee chance to live there!! As hard as it is to leave people here, I am very excited!! (can you tell?)


The Summit


Garden of the god's (over-view of part of the valley)


Another Garden of the god's formation (my favorite)


Not sure where, but not in garden of the god's


A stream we hiked up in a deep gorge


Internet pic


Internet pic

Houses, Jobs, and Guests.

Well, here we are it's already Friday night. The week has left us!

SOMEWHAT DISAPPOINTING NEWS
Bad news first. Dad lost his job a week or so ago..... again. I'm not going to get into it except to say that it was Dad's boss' fault. So, we are back to unemployment. (Sorry, but I won't even give you a chance to get your hopes up... we still plan to move to CO)

EXCITING NEWS!!
The exciting news is that Daddy already has two people very interested in him for jobs in the area of CO that we have pinpointed!! Please pray that these come through! One is with Sprint (a NAM [National Accounts something] which would be a sales representative job selling to national companies) and one is with an indirect dealer that only sells Sprint. Both would be nice, but the NAM position (from what I have pieced together) would be preferable. Mom and Dad are encouraged that these positions are opening up for Dad so quickly.

The other exciting news is that we are on the top of at least two peoples list's of favorite homes!! We have a number of probable buyers coming through soon, one of which is tomorrow morning. Please keep praying that this place sells NOW.

For the past few days we've been preparing for and cleaning up from guests. The parents of some students came and stayed with us. It was a lot of fun (as they always are).

One thing that I am noticing more as I am around more people (thinking I'm feeling better) is that people wear me out. I think it's the stimulation, as well as having to be engaged in a conversation. It's almost depressing, as I really want to be around people. So, what to do? well, I decide to be around people anyhow! I'm so sick of being sick, it's nice to not act sick for a while.

The First Post

Well, it took me long enough to figure this thing out, but I think I have it now. And so you all know, I have been requested (OK, required) by my mom and dad to not use my name or anyone else's name. so, if you leave a comment that has my or my fam's name in it, I am afraid I will have to moderate it out.

I have started this blog for the main purpose of having a place for people to come and see what I've been doing and how things are going.

To this end, here are some things that are going on (I sent this out in an e-mail to a bunch of people, but just for the record as they say):

Moving (Please don't cry, it'll work out by and by)
Just to review, we are doing our best to move to Colorado. Our house has been on the market since November '06 and we will be out of here six weeks after the house sells, whenever that is. We are now on our third realtor, and this one we really like. We have had quite a few people come and see it, and know that we are on the top of a number of people's lists.
Please pray that it will sell REALLY fast. We are REALLY tiered of living in an on-the-market house, and just want to get the process over with.

General life (May be more fun, but don't only read this one)
I Have been writing, cooking, writing, keeping up with flute, writing, reading, and then I go and write some more. Been writing poems, stories, and articles.
I've been doing a lot of the family's cooking, which I have enjoyed more than I thought I would. At the same time I have been teaching Birdie (Sis) the basics of cooking (chopping, browning meat, measuring, the correct order to add ingredients in different kinds of recipes, etc.), and trying ever so hard to get Buddy (Bro) to join in, with little success.
I'm also "teaching" Birdie about writing. This is a hilarious process as I thoroughly dislike grammar. Note: I have the ability to USE grammar, but could you remind me what a pronoun is? The funny thing is, she learns much the same way I do, and so we understand each other perfectly (her grammar has improved by the way).
Just in case you think Buddy fell off the face of the earth, he has been shoveling to his heart's content (he can't stand the fact that it is impossible to snow-blow ice, so he's stuck with shoveling). Also, he's been sledding, doing school with Mom, and trying to convince himself that he will like the things that I've been making for dinner. Lego's, taking apart VCR's, creating things out of random parts of the VCR's as well as other very boyish activities are also daily happenings.