Pre-graduation Post

Okay, I'm sorry it's been a while since my last post, but I was having issues with editing my last post and didn't get them resolved until now. You can expect more frequent postings in the future. :)

All I have to say is that I'm graduating in one week (!) and that, after a few things next Friday (Good Friday, the 22nd) I'll be done with high school forever. I'm really excited, and I look forward to having four months off before I start college in the fall. :) <:-P

On Wednesday, I'm supposed to schedule my classes for the fall, and I'm hoping to get the three classes I'm wanting to take: English composition, music appreciation, and walking. Just in case I can't get at least one of them, though, I've also got some other classes picked out so I'll have something to take, anyway. I can't wait!

Once summer starts this Friday (!!!!!), I'll make myself two lists, which has been my tradition for several years on the day my summer vacations begin. First, I have a list of things to do before summer ends, like vacations, camps, things to accomplish (like learning to knit or mow [I haven't done either]), and to finish the other list. The second list is a list of books I want to read by the end of the summer. I usually don't accomplish even half of the things on either list, but at least they give me something to think about and to look forward to. I'll post at least part of, if not all, of the things on my lists once I write them on Friday.

Well, that's all I have to say for now, but I'll post again next Friday (!!!!!!!!), if not before. :D

My Spring Break

Well, I started back to school today after taking a week off for spring break. I didn't want to go back, because of the break, but I think it was good to get back into routine instead of sleeping half the day and then going to bed less than twelve hours later. (And I stayed up late.) The original plan was to start camping in our hard-sided camper at a lake about 50 miles from our house on Monday, but then it rained last Sunday night, and it started getting cooler. Since it snowed a little the next morning and the temperature was in the 30's, we decided to wait out the camping until the next day.

Honestly, I was beginning to wonder if we'd ever make it to the lake, but we did. The temperature got into the forties or fifties the first day, but then, for the next two days, it was nice and warm; the temperatures were in the 60's, nice weather for taking walks around the campground. Over the next few days, I read (ended up finishing Do Hard Things after we got back on Friday), wrote a little bit, listened to music, played games, ate, took walks (some by myself), and just relaxed in general. I wasn't ready to come home when we left after noon on Friday, but it was nice to come home and get some things done; besides, if we'd gone ahead and stayed 'til Saturday, we would have been driving home in some thunderstorms.

Saturday, Mom and I did some housework, and Mom did some laundry. (I'd already finished mine the day before.) Even though it was raining hard and I thought it was unsafe to drive when I was seeing lightning landing very near the car, Mom and I went to a clothing store a few blocks from home and got some graduation outfits. (Yes, Mom got one, too; according to her, she's graduating, too. :D) I got a beautiful black dress with bright yellow sunflowers all over it and with a yellow jacket, and Mom got an outfit with gray pants and a gray jacket with a pink top. I can't wait 'til late April when I graduate so I can wear my dress!

Well, our town's having their spring break this week, so our church's youth group is planning on painting the youth room, a project that's been talked about for five or six years. I didn't think I'd get to help, but Mom cleared off the schedule on the day they're painting so I can help. 'Course, that means I had more to do today and I have a lot more to do Friday, since I have things to do on three other days this week, but I'll survive! Besides, I've only got about five and a half weeks to go. Graduation, here I come! :)

*Edit* It has come to my attention that I posted some wrong information. Mom's graduation outfit is actually black pants, a turquoise solid-colored tank top, and a turquoise and black plaid jacket. The other outfit I described was one that she tried on, but didn't buy. Sorry! :D P.S. Next time, I'll ask.

More of My Writing

I haven't posted in a few days, because I've been really busy and haven't really had time to blog- until now. I thought I'd go ahead and share about some other books I've been writing.

- In Finding Faith Again, fifteen-year-old Faith Irwin is having a hard time living up to her name...faith. Ever since her father left and divorced her mom, she's had questions about faith and God that she can't seem to find the answers to. To make matters worse, she can't help but notice a girl at her school, Carmen, who is supposed to be so "religious," but yet she curses and gossips all the time- especially about Faith and her parents. It isn't that Faith doesn't want to accept faith; it's just that she doesn't feel she can trust God after all that's happened.

Fortunately, a girl named Emma Gordon begins praying for her, along with her friends, Kelly and Kim. She prays that she'll find faith again and that God will be able to use Emma to help Faith find her way back. What will happen to all of them?

- Twelve-and-a-half-year-old Sally Roberts has just moved with her family from McKinley, Wisconsin, the only home she's ever known, to Sunnydale, Missouri- from the city to the country. She's excited, because living in the country means she'll get to have horses, which she's wanted for years. She's also excited about living in a new place and finding new friends.

However, her thirteen-year-old aunt, Stephanie Adams, who's more like her sister since Stephanie lives with her and her parents, is having a hard time with the move. Her parents had died and were buried in Wisconsin, so Stephanie may never see their graves again, which she had previously visited quite often. Besides that, McKinley was the only home she'd ever known, which means she had to leave all her friends.

Stephanie isn't the only one feeling sad and lonely; Marie, Sally's twelve-year-old adopted sister, is missing Wisconsin because a very dear friend, Renee, had to stay behind. But Renee isn't just any friend; she was her only tie to her previous life in France before she'd been adopted. Moving means she won't get to speak French to Renee anymore. True, there's always talking on the phone and writing letters and emails, as well as Sally, who can speak basic conversational French, but she wants a friend to whom she can speak her native language in person. Will Stephanie and Marie overcome their loneliness? Find out in Sunshine Meadows. (Note: Sunshine Meadows is the name of the farm and B&B that the Robertses start shortly after they move.)

- Rebecca Smith is confused; in the same year that her mother dies, her father decides to visit his brother's cabin for a week and reconcile their relationship, the very thing that her mother has told him to do for years. The question is, why did such close brothers drive a wedge between them? And why reconcile now? Find the answers to these questions in Forgiveness on Cabin Lake.

And just remember: one of these may be...

Coming soon to a publisher near you! ;)

Friends

Today, I started going to a book club with two other girls in my home school group. (There were just three of us.) We're studying Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris, which I think I'll post about later when I finish it. I enjoyed the time with the girls, and I look forward to the next meeting.

Another thing on my mind is I found people online whom I never thought I'd see or hear from again. It's really encouraging to see what everyone's been up to when I haven't heard from them for years. I look forward to reading their posts, and, hopefully, getting to talk to them some.

Sorry this is such a short post, but I just had to blog about finding friends I hadn't seen or heard from since they left our old church. Have a nice rest of the day, and I'll post again soon!

My Writing

As you can see in my "about me," I love to write! :) I thought I'd take the time to tell everyone the things I've been writing lately.

- First, Still I Will Follow is about a French girl, Marie Roberts, who was adopted by an American family. It isn't until she goes to church camp at age eighteen that she recognizes a call into the ministry; she soon realizes that this call is to be a missionary in France, the country where she was born. Will she be able to accept this call? What will her family, to whom she is very close, say when she brings it up? Will she make it to France? (Marie is one of my characters from a series I wrote when I was 13.)

- Living This Bluegrass Life is about a family band's life backstage. The oldest son, Johnny Millard, is dating this girl, Anna, whom he knows from church. When his younger sister, Hannah, asks about it, he tells her not to tell anyone. How long will she be able to keep this a secret? And why does it have to be a secret?

Jimmy Millard's parents want him to start playing in the band full time now that he's learning guitar. Only one problem: he has stage fright. Fortunately, his older sister, Millie, is helping him improve his guitar playing- and helping him get over his stage fright. Will she succeed?

Little Jake Millard is getting so ornery; he keeps acting up while the family plays in their performances. Will his parents be able to keep him under control?

- Eighteen-year-old Mandy Roberts has just set out from her home in Missouri to start college in Arkansas to learn how to be an architect. But that's not all she's seeking; she's looking for her biological mother, so she can find forgiveness and a relationship with the mother who abandoned her. You see, she couldn't seem to find her birth mom in Missouri, so she seems to think she might find her in AR. Will she? Find out in Beloved, Mandy's Story.

I wish I could tell you about all the books I'm writing, but that would take a lot of time- and characters. I'll talk about those another time. Besides, I've got a Waltons show to watch. ;) (Can you tell I like watching old shows?)

Cary's Thoughts: 2nd Edition

Hi, my name is Cary, and I can't believe how long it's been since I posted on this thing! Five years sure do go by quickly! :D

For starters, I don't know why I quit using this blog, but things have changed quite a bit since then: I've had a loss in my life, changed churches, made new friends, grown up a lot, and started using a different blog that went by the wayside over a year later. So just so you know, you shouldn't expect the same kind of blog; it'll be very different.

I don't know that I'll have a book, movie, or verse of the week, but whenever something like that is on my mind, I'll post about it.

So that's it for the first post since I've been back. Enjoy! :)

Cary's Thoughts

I haven't blogged for several weeks because of being busy. No movie or book of the week this week. Sorry.

Memory Verse of the Week
The Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17 (NIV)

May 1, 2006
I just went outside to get the mail. Remember I mentioned the futon? It's up in my room, and I love it! Even though I haven't blogged for several weeks, that's it for this week.