Pistols Firing!

This is at OSU Senior Open House!

I got to see my best friend this weekend. What makes it even better is that this was her birthday weekend. I love her so much. We went to Oklahoma State this weekend to try and choose where we wanted to live. Choosing housing is so complicated!

We got to explore everything from sororities to fully furnished dorms. It was quite exciting and our feet hurt so bad afterwards! Totally worth it though.

<3 OSU.

Two Down... Some More to Go!

I know I haven't posted anything in awhile and I feel horrible about it. Tons of things have been on my mind but really there is no excuse as to why I have not been keeping everything up to date.

For starters though I do have to  comment on the fact that I got a couple things done on my 18 Before 19 list! I'm feeling accomplished seeing as it's only been a couple months since I made this list... Anyways, the first thing I did was convince my best friend, Abi to come to Oklahoma State University with me! This is Abi and me. We are a couple of dorks, huh?

Aren't we cute? This was from eighth grade.

Other than that, I have also got myself a job! It's nothing too special and it's more than enough to let me get the feel of actually having to work. It's horrible that I haven't had a job before now, but there is nothing that can be done. It's a simple job, I'm the delivery person for a stationary store, but I love the people that I'm working with. I can't wait to see what all this oppurtunity in life has in store for me.

For a general update though, I'm taking two night classes that I hope will be lots of fun. Some of my best friends, including my cousin Tiffany, are taking them with me. So even if the teacher is boring, I should have an amazing time with the people I'm spending time with. For high school though I'm reading Crime and Punishment. It's slow going and I really hope that it gets lots better as I go... I have my fingers crossed! Well, have fun!

Life in Perspective

On a recent post I talked about how I wanted to buy my own vehicle. I bought myself a 1997 Ford Explorer. I was so proud of myself. Was being the key word in that sentence. Ten minutes within getting it, I took a turn too sharply and I rolled the vehicle.

Just to let everyone know, I'm completely okay. I only have a few bruises and a few scratches. Joseph was in the vehicle with me, and he's fine too.

For a few more details... We rolled one and three quarter times landing on the side. I was hanging from the seat belt. Joseph kicked out the windshield and then unbuckled me. He almost had to cut me out of it. Joseph's dad was following us so we had immediate help. I felt absolutely horrible about the whole situation, especially since I was driving. It definitely scared me. I would like to thank openly all of Joseph's family and his father's friend James for helping me get through this accident, I don't know what I would have done without them.

I haven't driven a vehicle since and Joseph is very persistent on the fact he doesn't want this accident to define who I am now. I don't want it to either... I will start driving again when I'm ready.

It's also put life into perspective to me. I've been surprising stress free since the accident and I don't plan to let stress control my life anymore. Life is way too short. I found that out in a very difficult manner, I'm sad to say. I'm definitely going to drive safer and live a life that I am going to be happy with later on when I look back. I'm really just glad to say that I am alive and able to say that.

Other than that...

I got my acceptance letter from Oklahoma State University. It was a singing card that played the Fight Song. I love it so much. It will definitely be something that I keep for a long time, if not forever. I'm so ready for high school to be over. I know I will be saying at one point in my life that I wish I could go back, but I know right now that I need to move on to the next big thing.

Abi is starting to seem like she is fairly dead set on going to OSU with me too... I can only hope! We've actually started trying to pick out a Christmas tree. We're going to have so much fun decorating. I can't wait!

I know people say you aren't supposed to live with your best friend in college but we've lived apart for so long I don't see anything wrong with living together for awhile.

Well, right now I'm just ready to live my life and I hope you are too.

If I'm not on again before Christmas... Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanza (sp?), Happy Hanukkah!

Dyslexia

Today I am helping my little brother with dyslexia do his homework. He has a really hard time with reading. Dyslexia is characterized by not having the ability to process or recognize symbols. My family has known that Clayton is dyslexic since he was about 7 years old, he's now 11 and in the fifth grade. I'm so proud of him.

Because I am helping him with his homework today, I noticed that he doesn't have a "routine" for doing homework. I know when I do homework I have certain things I do that make it easier to focus. So I've been trying to help him focus.

For his dyslexia, we made him a bookmark that he can use while doing homework or at school to underline the line he's reading to make it easier to focus and not skip words. It is purple and green on one side and blue on the other. Certain colors can make it easier or harder to concentrate. Cool colors seem to work best for Clayton.

To avoid distraction while he read, I had him get a pillow and a blanket and sit in the bathtub while he read. When I was little, reading in the bathtub helped me have less distractions.

When it came to actually doing his worksheets, we moved to the living room. I turned off the TV and while he was working we tried figuring out whether music with words or no words helped him focus more. No words seems to work best for Clayton.

I've been abusing the relationship I have with my little brother here lately and I'm hoping that tonight we have renewed some bonds that we used to have. Have you ever lost the love and respect of a sibling for not treating them right? If you're dyslexic, do you have any tips for my brother and I?

The Holidays

Many things happen around the holidays, whether they be good or bad. Friends and family get together and renew love that is always there for each other, dormant. Or are they?

My family seems to be at a time where we seem split, almost down the middle. In comparison to when I was young, I feel as though my family has grown apart more than closer together. I know that each of my mother's siblings have started their own families and have been expanding, but it just doesn't seem right to not have everyone together for the holidays. I wish my family would solve their differences.

As my boyfriend, Joseph, and I become closer and more serious in our relationship, we have began to try and equally divide our time so that we spend time with both of our families. It's kind of hard to do, I must admit. He's going to Kansas next weekend to have his Thanksgiving with the larger part of his family, but I am staying in Oklahoma. He came and had dinner with my family on the actual day. I don't know what we are going to do for Christmas though, I bet we figure it out.

I have a confession to make: I hate meeting my significant other's family. I've had bad experiences in the past and so I just don't know how to handle the situation now.

With that confession out of the way, Joseph and I are going to be spending New Year's Eve with his grandparents in Sulpher, Oklahoma. He adores his grandparents so much and I really can't wait to meet them, I just don't want them to be disappointed in their grandson's choice of girlfriend. I'm so afraid of judgement. Ugh.

The holidays have much in store for me, it seems. I will just have to wait and see how it all pans out. I hope your holidays are all fine and dandy. Hopefully your turkeys were plump, your deer will be large, and your Christmas will be filled with much love and the joy of giving.