Note: the Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis is absolutely awesome! Well, we didn't actually go IN the buliding, as it was closed (as are most museums at 11 on a Friday night, right?), but we walked around outside of it, looking at all the tributes to the counties. We = Chris and I, by the way. You are probably asking yourself, what the heck is she talking about? I know, I ask myself this question sometimes, too. It happens. Anyway, the museum is in Indy, right by the Canal Walk. It's an awesome building; the architecture is great. Since there are 92 counties in the state, there are 92 different pieces of art, each one somehow representing a different county, all incorporated into the architecture of the building. And it's not just, like, a simple painting or anything, but really neat designs and images. Some were very minimalistic, while a few were elaborate. There were some really abstract ones that you had to look for a while to be able to understand what they were. Each county had a metal plaque, explaining the history of the county, and usually gave some knowledge of what the art was of. The detail was incredible! I know I am doing a huge injustice to the concept of the building, so I am encouraging all of you to go and check it out if you ever get tha chance. It's just cool. I liked it a lot. Again, I was inspired to take my art supplies and create.

Yay for Fridays! As of right now, this weekend looks fairly promising. Fun stuff to do!!! Tonight, I am meeting Chris in Indy for dinner. We haven't decided what we are doing after that, but I'm looking forward to it. I haven't seen him all school year, and dang it, I miss my friend! :) Tomorrow, Hannah is supposed to come and stay the night. Also, LOTR 2 is being shown in the Globe Theater, so Mark, Ben, and both Jeremy's are coming for that. That should be fun, too.

I met with Shea last night for our accountability time. It was really, really good. We are working through the book Experiencing God. It is such a good book. We went through the first chapter and answered all the questions. I love it when I can look back and see God's hand in my life: how he brought me to today. In Spanish class yesterday, we were supposed to think of one moment in time when our lives changed, if we could. Just one really significant time. And then we had to tell our partner about it, in Spanish of course (There is a link to these two events, by the way). So, that got me thinking. I ended up telling Janeen (a.k.a my partner) about the day LeeAnn died, and how that absolutely rocked my world. I remember that day in vivid detail, it’s incredible (Yeah, we were both misty-eyes by the time I finished. I was impressed that I could tell the story in as accurately as I did in pretty good grammar. Go me? And then J-mo told her story, and I just wanted to hug her. Oh, the old roommate. How wonderful.). So, when the question came up with Shea, something along the lines of "How have you experienced God being all that you need?" I was ready. Because that was the time when I learned the most about grace and love and how to serve other people to help heal your own hurt. And I learned that putting aside my own stuff to help someone else is great ministry, as long as I can deal with my own "stuff" sometime. And God is very much still in control, regardless of what is going on. That, to me, is amazing. AND, I don't have to understand everything. I'm not supposed to understand everything. It's so hard to think that something good could have come out of a 16 year-old losing her life in a car accident, but, wow, so much good HAS come from it! I HATE thinking that it took death to bring about the changes that have occured since August 25, 2001, but it did. I don't think I would be nearly as close with a few of my friends, nor would YWAV be as impacted and united. And I'm fairly certain that I probably never would have met a few of my friends, and there are some people who probably wouldn't be Christians today... dang! That's mind boggling.

Right now, I am skipping chapel. Mwahaha.

We wrote a poem tonight at late meal. We = Angie, Amy, Katrina, Joanna, Carol, another Angie, and I. I revised it and added some more to it. I'm kinda partial to it myself, so I thought I'd share with the rest of you. Here's the finished product.

Ode to the Red Jello Cubes
By: all of us

A quivering mountain of luscious rubies,
glistening temptingly under the glow of lights above,
You sit, enchanting, trembling, and anticipating.
I eagerly gaze at you; affection pours forth.
And so, dear Jello cube, I gingerly lift you up.
Held high by my silvery spoon,
You enrapture all that gaze upon you.
The wonder of your beauty,
Your taste I have yet to behold.

So, that's that. Now it's time to re-write my Spanish paper and finish some homework for that class. I will be waking up in less than 5 hours, as I have to spend my morning in the library, finding sources for my research paper, which I am supposed to have by 12 tomorrow. If I didn't have class from 9:25 until 10:50, it wouldn't be as big of a problem. I did choose a fairly difficult topic, though. basically, am I am trying to find out if there is a connection between playing with Barbie dolls and low self-esteem later in life. This should be interesting, if I can ever find material about it. But, I will not give up! My 1 1/2 hour long trip to the library might have ended with nothing solid to show for it, but hey! I will succeed (I always feel better about things if I can pump myself up, even with pretend enthusiasm and belief. Ha ha.)!!

Wednesday. Middle of the week. Hump Day. Hello, Heather Brown.

There are a few songs that I absolutely love. I'm listening to one right now. It's called "All Things Are Possible," and it is just great. Brittany and I have a little dance that we do to a certain part of it (Imagine that. Brittany and I? Dance? Never!). It makes me want to dance around and scream at the top of my lungs. It's songs like this that make me wish I had an amazing voice, b/c the lady singing does, and I want to sound just like her. However, I've found that if I turn up the music loud enough, I do sound a lot like her... either that, or I just can't hear myself. Yeah, that's probably it. :)

This week has been fairly interesting. A few heartaches here and there, but nothing that has to do with me. Just some not so fun stuff that my friends are going through. I guess that does sorta involve me, then, if they talk to me about it? Ok, so I'm not directly involved, but effected.

I've had some very good chats lately, too, with people I have never really gotten the chance to talk to before. Yay for friends!! I was told that I made someone's day today. That, in turn, made my day. Everybody likes to be told they are valued, unless they are just really weird and need help. Hmm...

Halloween is rapidly approaching. I have never once gone trick-or-treating. I don't know if I really missed out on much by not being able to participate in that when I was a kid. I think I turned out fairly well. Angie, Amy, and I decided that we should dress up this year, just as really random things. That got my brain a-working. Actually, it only took about 2 seconds for me to decide what I am going to be. I want to be a fried egg. Yep, a fried egg. All I need is a white sheet and a yellow felt circle. Voila! Egg, sunny side up, thank you very much.

"Joy to the world! All the boys and girls! Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea! Joy to you and me!"

Days like today put me in absolutely great moods. Better than my usual bubbly self, that is. I listened to an old song by The 5th Dimension earlier and had a great time dancing around my room and singing out my window to whoever was walking by, all by my self. But now Angie is here and we are listening to the Forrest Gump soundtrack, disc 2, and eating some of Noz' Japanese candy. It's pretty good, but no big thrill. But hey, it's not everyday that we get to munch on authentic Japanese goodies.

Days like today, you just have to suck it up and lift up your chin b/c the heartbreak that comes with finding out that you have a world literature test on the day you are supposed to go on a wonderful fishing trip with the main man in your life (in my case, that'd be my dad, as I am still very much single). Instead of being able to enjoy the wonders of the Platte River in Honor, Michigan, I get to sit in a class room in the PPAC, taking a stupid test that my prof won't let me take early OR late. BLAST HIM!!! But oh well. I really am bummed that I can't go with Dad, because I love fishing. And there's nothing like walking the river wearing lots of warm clothes and waders, forging the flowing white rapids in quest of a fish to snag. Ok, the water isn't flowing THAT hard, but it is SO MUCH FUN!!! AHHH!!! I want to go!!!

Days like today remind me of what is really important, like having plenty of toilet paper in the bathroom. The simple things in life... oh how often we forget them. Luckily, I was not caught in the awkward moment of realization when, after doing one's business, you glance to the left and see that the lovely toilet paper roll is no more than an ugly cardboard tube, empty and mocking to all who encounter its ugly face. We've done a good job of keeping a nice, healthy supply of TP on hand. Well, not on hand, but on the back of the toilet. I applaud my roommates, as I have not once been the one to go to the desk and request more toilet paper. I am not the one to leave an empty roll on the holder for that matter, either.

Days like today make me want to sit outside and do something artsy. I don't know what, exactly, that something might be, but I have been known to get the artistic juices a-flowing. I have plenty of half-completed projects that demand my attention. For instance, there is the oil painting that I never finished in 12th grade, a scratchboard for my dad for Father's Day... looks like this might turn out to be a Christmas present. I also have a cross-stitch thing, a few colored pencil drawings, and 2 or 3 charcoal pieces to complete. Oh, and I have a few poems I'd like to perfect, too. But did I do any of these things today? No. I sat right here in my chair and read some, while singing to that great 5th Dimension song.

So, I just got off the phone with this awesome girl named Rachel Wesseling. She was on my floor last year. Lee Snyder, if for some WILD reason you happen to be reading this, you really should give her a call, b/c she thinks you are extrememly hot. Heck, who doesn't? There, let that be a boost to your day. Like I told Hot Guy last year, "Be encouraged!" I hear that the Pick-A-Date Rollerskate is coming up soon... you should ask her to go with you. I know she'd say yes (How was that for advertising, Rach?).

Ok, I suppose that's enough for now. ¡Más luego, mis amigos!

So hot:


Playful Orlando


href="http://quizilla.com/users/

I stole this from Shea's journal, who stole it from Jeff's.

Firsts
First best friend: Kalee
First real memory of something: Staying with John and Carrie Wilson when my parents went to England. I think I was 2?
First car: The Blue Meanie. Blech. No me gusta.
First date: hmm...I don't remember. I think it was in 11th grade.
First real job: I was a hoe-er, and proud of it! Every summer, I worked for Barb and Tracy Cole.
First screen name: kpruett13
First self purchased album: Jars of Clay debut album, in 7th grade.
First funeral: I think it was my grandpa Hennessee.
First pets: Goldfish who jumped out of their bowl and met their deaths on the cold, hard kitchen floor.
First piercing/tattoo: My ears, on my 8th birthday.
First credit card: I still don't have one, but debit cards are wonderful things.
First true love: I haven't been in love yet. And that's ok with me.
First enemy: Jill Rosentrater.
First big trip: We took/take family vacations every summer, I don't remember what the first one was.
First play/musical/performance: When I was little and could sing, I was in all sorts of stuff: school choir concerts, complete with solos, Indianapolis Childrens Choir, and lots of church things. Kalee, my best friend Katie, and Kalee's best friend Kendra were in this group called The K Quartet. It was awesome. I remember singing a song called "Powder Room Politics." I didn't even know what a powder room was, but i still remember my part! Go me!
First musician you remember hearing in your house: We always listened to music. I remember lots of stuff, but no clear "this is the first song I ever heard in my house!"

Lasts
Last big car ride: Hmm... driving back from that family thing a few weekends ago with my mom, Jeremy, and Ciara was really fun.
Last kiss: Wow, 9th grade.
Last good cry: Sometime this summer. I don't remember, I don't cry much. It's got to be pretty serious (or God stuff) for me to cry a lot.
Last library book checked out: Anna Karenina by Tolstoy. Pretty good book.
Last movie seen: Sleep Hollow. I like Johnny Depp a lot.
Last beverage drank: cherry coke from Wildcat
Last food consumed: A sub, also from WIldcat.
Last phone call: My dad.
Last tv show watched: I watched a few football games this weekend.
Last time showered: Last night
Last shoes worn: Red flippy-flops. It's getting colder and I'm afraid I won't be able to wear them too much more. :(
Last cd played: Forrest Gump soundtrack, disc 1
Last item bought: Dishwashing detergent for my mom.
Last disappointment: Waking up at 7 on Friday morning, the only day I could sleep in.
Last soda drank: Cherry Coke, my favorite!
Last ice cream eaten: Root Beer float, so I guess that'd be vanilla.
Last time wanting to die: Never
Last time scolded: Brittany, probably sometime this weekend, right before she jumped on me and beat me up.
Last shirt worn: The Beach and Social Club of Outing, Minnesota. It's dark blue with gold print, PLUS a cool profile pic of a loon, the state bird. I always thought it was just a duck with an exceptionally long and pointy bill, but my roomie last year, who happened to be from MN pointed out the difference between the two. Who knew?
Last website visited: My Yahoo email.