Can A Body Read This Much?!

Well, life right now is a bit frenzied. I guess it's better than just sitting around all the time, but it does get tiring. Many things have happened recently, so let's get started!

The last week of January I got sick with a sore throat and bad headache. I figured I was just tired so I kept going along with my normal duties until one Sunday morning around 3 or so I woke up because I could hardly breathe. I went downstairs and had my parents pray for me and ended up staying home from church. Boo. I was sick for several days and actually got a fever so my mom made an appointment with the doctor. The verdict: Strep throat. 

So I got my antibiotics and went through all that jazz, you know, normal stuff. After about 2 weeks I was pretty much fine. I still felt tired and a little puny but nothing crazy. Then...BOOM! I went home from school with a headache and took a nap.-which is something that has never been a characteristic of mine. I woke up the next morning with my head pounding even worse and I knew that school was not an option. I took my temp and it was 103.6 so my mom made another call to the doctor. I went in and the verdict: Strep Throat. (Keep in mind that by this time it is March) I got started on another round of antibiotics and tried to get plenty of rest so that I could hopefully get all of it out of my system. Then, about a week later, the doctor called and said that I actually didn't have strep throat and they wanted to do some blood work. So off I went to do labs for the first time ever. It was, thankfully, very uneventful and then we waited to find out what was going on...the verdict: Mononucleosis. Isn't that a joy? ;) So I went ahead and finished my antibiotics just to be on the safe side, and started trying to get TONS of rest because that is pretty much the only way you can fight it...

Then we came along another bump in the road. I started getting super bad pain in my abdomen. I'm pretty pain tolerant and I won't take anything for pain if I can help it at all, but I started taking some ibuprofen simply so I could function. It was bad. My mom thought it may be liver damage since it took them at least 3 weeks to find out that I had mono and since I was having symptoms pointing to that. So what did we do? We went and got more labs done! At this point I was getting nervous, but several people text me and told me that they were praying for me or that they had been thinking of me.-most of these people didn't know what was going on. We got lab results back the next day and they were clear! I was SO happy to hear that bit of good news and I know God had His hand in it! The doctor then said that the mono probably messed up my immune system and put me on Prednisone twice a day for about 5 days. (I finished the prednisone on Tuesday, just to give you a time reference.) 

Maybe this wouldn't have been nearly as hard if I had been on my normal schedule, but I haven't been for a while now. Things like our Easter drama, graduating, school, church, our annual youth rally, and family have a way of taking up time.-and I love them all, but whew! It was pretty intense for a while! So, let's start with the Easter Drama.

Our Easter drama, Peter's Perspective, was written and directed by a man in our church. He also played Peter in our play. He did an awesome job being patient with us while we worked through all of our parts and characters. We had over 120 in our cast, live animals, 4 performances, TONS of guests, and awesome moves of God throughout our performances AND practices. Literally. People received revelations, healings, and salvation as a result of this effort. It was such a blessing and an honor to be involved!

In the play, I played as the friend of a deaf girl (Kristen Copeland), the sister of a leper (Hope White), and mom to Sarah (Brecklin Short). I was a defender of Jesus and took part in the healings and miracles that he did. I also was one of the servant girls that questioned Peter about his connections to the Messiah. And then of course, I was in the crowd and family scenes. It was utterly exhausting but completely thrilling at the same time. I loved being able to do what I love to do for weeks and days on end. (Acting is a passion of mine, if you couldn't tell...) Brecklin was such a trooper too! She did an awesome job playing as my daughter and immediately started telling everyone to call her Sarah and me 'Momma'. We had fun together. And then Kristen...where do I begin?! From the moment that we start that very first scene, from us swinging and twirling 'Sarah' to my frantic signing about the lame man being able to walk, to you acting as if you can't hear and having to think about signing thank you to the bread seller...it was so much fun working with you! And I definitely can't forget running up the middle of the aisle to cap off that scene before the soldiers come in, and her bread flying out of her basket. (I hope no one in the audience at that...) It was a pleasure working with Kristen and I hope we can work together again next year! (If you've read this far, you're a champ!) Now for some pictures!

 

On our way to our very last performance. (He doesn't generally smile for these pictures. You can ask Melissa.)

One of many attempts to get the whole cast (minus the animals) to take a good picture together...

My flautist friend did great in the orchestra! I heard her jamming on the flute (okay not quite jamming) and I missed being a part of that.

Kristen and I.

Some of those mean old soldiers and Hepzibah. ;)

Myself, Sis Johna, Brylee Jo, and Brecklin. Sis. Johna did amazing as the adulterous woman! Not a dry eye in the place...either from her scaring them with her em unexpected screams, or her reaction after forgiveness.

The third scene in the play was kind of the kick off of the play for many of us. This is how it started every time and we had so much fun in this scene, so we had to take a picture!

This picture was taken at a practice because I was always backstage during actual performances, but I still think it's great. ;)

And this is a screenshot, because our drama was featured in the Tulsa World, a large news source in our area. I thought it was pretty exciting! (And, yes, the picture was taken at a practice so that's why the backdrop isn't completed.) ;)

I'll be back very soon to post some treasures that I found in preparation for graduation as well as some recent pictures. Thanks for reading! :)

Senior Pictures!!

I absolutely love my senior pictures! I was so nervous about them like I mentioned in my previous post, but I like them more every time I see them. Matt did an absolutely wonderful job! His easygoing nature really helped me relax a bit to take pictures. Anyway, here are a few!

Happenings of the Past, Present, and Future

Is that title creepy? Well, don't take it in a creepy sort of way, okay? Really. Thanks.

On with it...Life has been so busy lately! Seriously. We are in revival with Evangelist Howard (Pastor Howard's nephew) so Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday is booked (we always have youth on Friday but we've been having some actual church services on Friday as well). This leaves us with Monday, Thursday, and Saturday. Well, cross Thursday off of the list because I am either doing homework, or going to choir practice.-usually doing homework. Now we have Monday and Saturday. Monday is my night to do my housework, get caught up on laundry, reorganize my room, etc. I generally spend all evening doing that. Then on Saturdays, we do all of our grocery shopping, yard work, etc. Now don't get me wrong, I am not complaining! I absolutely love being in revival and experiencing all of these wonderful moves of God! I'm just expressing that we really are busy! :)

Anyway, this year I am a senior in High School. I feel really old. I even had to use my walker the other day! Okay, okay, not really, but I honestly don't feel like I am supposed to be a senior yet! In the  moments, it seems as if time drags by, but once you look back, you see just how quickly time moves. I am definitely learning to cherish every moment and make the most of this last year. I am excited about graduating and finally accomplishing this long awaited goal, yet I am extremely nervous and anxious for what is to come. I have obviously lived a very sheltered life (for which I am thankful) but the 'real world' looks a little intimidating from this angle!
On a lighter note, I had some senior pictures taken on Monday by Matt Rodgers. He let me look at them while they were still unedited and on his camera. Wow. I love them. I can't wait to see them when they are all edited and printed. I was very nervous about how they would turn out, but I really love his work, and I love what I have seen so far! I'll have to upload some when they all get done. :)

On a totally different topic, I started reading a lot of Shakespeare this year. He was such an awesome writer!! Don't judge, I am not one of those people that constantly speak in iambic pentameters and poetic diction. Once you get past the 'thee's and 'thou's, the writing is very good! I have really rediscovered my love for the English language this year at school. So, one of our assignments, was to write a poem in response to "The Ruin". I loved this assignment! I had so much fun writing it! I really   enjoy helping people in English and learning more about it!
Anyway, here is the poem:

The Lord's Manor:

The crumbling columns, the chiseled stones,

The windows broken down, the iron gate, the fireplace

No longer for our good. The fence is falling,

Revealing us to those who would harm.

The walls are broken, the floor gives way,

As rot and trees take over.

Gone is the splendor of this palace, and 

The gracefulness of its lord.

The stench of decay lays hold on the halls,

The scent of rodents claim rooms.

If one were to think of life, they may could tell,

Of the beauty once noted here.

The old pillars full of grace,

The gate a thing of beauty.

The walls hold memories we’ll never know,

The bricks have stood for centuries.

Both lords and kings have supped here,

And maidens fair and bonny.

Their victories and triumphs,

Celebrated here,

So gaily arrayed.

Yet now we see their memories past,

So full of faded glory.

We now see their heartbeat die

As nature takes its toll.

We watch as vines grow up,

Lichen and moss corrupt,

And moths do take control.

The gardens are emptied,

Of their strolling dinner guests,

Given to worms and funguses.

Where have the roses gone?

The blooms so bright and sweet,

A reminder of the past triumphs,

Are now withered in defeat.

We see it now,

The stories told,

The truth within the walls.

The rust and grime cannot decay

 The memories held in us.

Anyway...It is a bit different than how I normally write, but I really enjoyed it!

Hopefully I will be getting on here and posting more often! Like I said, its been super busy! And pray, saints pray, that this new laptop will allow me to upload pictures! :)

I'll type at you next time! Ciao!