Life

Is school really almost over? Am I actually getting sad about this?

Today in art as I was cleaning out my paint tray, washing my extra pigment down the sink, I got a little bit sad. Yes, I did feel like I was wasting precious paint. Yes, I was sad that I wouldn't be using that watercolor again in Mrs. Seal's class. Yes, I was sad that I might not be painting every day this summer. Yes, I was even sad that the end of the year was so close: next week.

Don't get me wrong, I'm overjoyed for summer. But this summer is my last summer as a kid. I'm turning eighteen in September, and I'm going to be a senior next year. I'm growing up. I'm getting my first job ever this summer, I'm taking the ACT again this September, I'm going to be applying for colleges in the fall, I'm going to be graduating from high school and childhood forever next spring.

This is crazy!

I'm really excited for all of this, but at the same time I'm a little bit scared. I don't know what lies ahead for me, and that can be a little frightening at times. But I know it will be an adventure, and I'm going to make my senior year the best year of high school. Nothing will get in my path.

Some high school highlights from this year:

1. Prom. I got to wear a beautiful dress and have one of the funnest nights of my life! (Not to forget the funniest, nicest gentleman that asked me. (: It was a blast!)
2. Asking boys to Sadie Hawkins Dance, and attending said dance as well. :)












3. Irish Dance! It's my life.






4. Getting my Young Woman Medallion (now for my Honor Bee...)
5. Taking the AP Language and Composition Test. Contrary to how attitudes usually are towards tests, this one was a lot of fun! I really enjoyed it.
6. Girls Camp. I love that place. And those girls, they're my best friends.







7. Turning seventeen.

Spelling Bees

Once upon a time... when I was in sixth grade, I won my elementary school's spelling bee. Can I just say that was one of the coolest moments of my life?

Well, this year my brother entered the spelling bee. Of course, I helped him study. And guess who won the same spelling bee today? My fifth grade kid brother.

Who's proud?

I'm proud.

Way to go, Carter.

Mother's Day, Hooray!

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful women out there! :)

Today's been pretty swell, and I'm certainly very grateful for my mother. At church the young women handed out flowers to all the women, and my mom got two (because someone had given her a flower before I could...). My mom also got a Michael Lloyd photography family photo session, something she had been wanting for a while I suppose, and she seemed honestly very happy about it. It was a fun thing to see.

My mom's pretty great. Scratch that. She's probably one of the best mom's out there.
She sings in the car (even if it is to eighties rock or country).
She laughs about The Middle and Modern Family, oh and Suburgatory too.
She's a nurse who takes care of babies until all hours of the morning, while still managing to take care of her own kids too.
She's got a beautiful smile.
She has a musical laugh.
She's drop-dead gorgeous for her age (and just plain gorgeous anyway).
She tells me she loves me every day.
She's the coolest mom ever.

Of course, these are only a FEW small things she does for me -- I could go on and on.

I'm really grateful for my mom, and all the other wonderful women out there too. How did everyone get so lucky?

Happy Mother's Day! Go give your mom a hug and a kiss, and tell her you love her.

--Sadie

Paranoia or Precaution

Is the door locked?
Locked.
Double check.
Locked.
Walk across the room.
Check the second door.
Locked.
Both locks secure?
Locked.
A shorter walk this time.
Check both locks.
Locked.
A glance at all three doors.
Make sure nothing was missed.
Still locked.
A short nod.
A deep breath.
Now I can relax.

Every time the doorbell rings,
Every time someone knocks.
There's always that slight panic,
My mind wondering if it's occurring again,
Listening for that doorknob to jiggle back and forth.
Of course, hopefully nothing like that
Will ever happen again,
But the mind still likes to remind you
Of all the possibilities.
It never hurts to be extra safe.
It always takes time to recover
From an incident that occurred almost a year ago.
You don't blame her.
You're glad she's getting help.
But you're still afraid it may happen again.

Are all the windows locked?
Locked.
But wait.
That one night,
When you cracked your window open for a slight breeze...
I check again.
Locked.
A sigh of relief.
Now I can relax.

Gratitude

I'm taking a leaf out of the neat Herdman book, and I'm compiling a General Happiness List. Hopefully The Littlest Herdman doesn't mind! It seems like a really nifty idea. :)

What Makes Me Happy:

• seeing missionaries helping their companions back a car out of a parking spot (or anywhere)
• seeing the temple every day as I go to and from school
• that we're getting another temple built here
• Indie/Rock and Alternative music
• Australian bands
• British men
• Men with accents
• Men who wear bowties ('cause they're just so cool)
• A sharp-dressed man
• random acts of kindness
• people who smile at me throughout the day - they always get a smile back
• Irish Dancing
• reading
• writing
• sunshine
• rainy days
• people singing in their cars as they drive
• boys holding doors open for girls
• orchestra
• playing the violin or piano
• my brothers creating new inventions or singing in their room
• getting a compliment from someone
• the beautiful mountains that I live by
• the sunrise
• driving -- who doesn't love it? :)
• seeing a fellow Diabetic out and about
• hugs from good friends
• waving at people on a whim or at random
• libraries
• art
• theaters and stages
• books
• Harry Potter
• English
• swimming
• water, oceans, lakes
• being around family and friends
• helping people accomplish things they really love and care about

The list could go on and on. I should list things I'm grateful for more often.

Have a fabulous day!