Currently Playing Restored By Jeremy Camp see related

- Take You Back

I've neglected the xanga for a long time, mostly because I've now started posting at www.livejournal.com.  If you want to know my alias there, leave a comment and I'll let you know.

This week was the beginning of spring term for me - W&L has three terms, this last one is only six weeks and we only take two classes (unless we're also taking one of our 5 PE classes which are worth 1/5 of a credit each).  I'm taking a class on the history of the environment in China, probability and statistical inference, and weight training.

Last semester was rough in terms of courseload, friendships/relationships, and just really growing up.  I feel like I grew a lot, especially in my walk with God.  One thing I've been realizing lately is just how BIG God is and how much I don't understand that.  He is bigger than anything I could ever bother Him with, and He can totally handle anything in my life, even if that thing is overwhelming for me.  He is holding my future in His hands and I really don't have to worry about it.  He doesn't have to, but He loves me enough to do so, and that is just amazing.

I'm officially a Pi Phi now, initiation was March 12, so that's fun.    Winter term was full of sorority activities.  And I have the coolest sorority family ever. 

I'm also on the worship team now for church and for GCF, and I'm a Wyld Life (Young Life for middle school kids) leader at the local middle school.

Over spring break I went to Scandanavia with 35 other members of University Chorus on tour - it was AWESOME!  I had a great time, and I got to spend a lot of time with Ashley, Rachel, Brooke, Catherine, Robin, Erin, James, and others.  We gave three concerts, one of which was in a 1000 year old church - the sound was absolutely amazing.

I'm working at Barnes and Noble in Reston this summer.  Bring on Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince!!!!  Hehe...

SO, I'll be at home.  Planning on going to the 10:45 service at MBC in the mornings and then to Frontline in the evenings, maybe the Gathering on Wednesday nights?  Possibly.  Hopefully a small group Bible study, too, with the Gathering.  I'm also going to Maine for a week and possibly to Birmingham to visit Ashley.

So there's a basic update.  For more information, and pictures, see my Live Journal...again, comment if you want my LJ name and I'll email it to you.

Currently Playing A Walk to Remember By Various Artists see related

- Dare You to Move -

So, I've been back at school now for two weeks and I'm loving my new classes. I'm taking Introduction to News Media, Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, General Sociology, and British Literature: Restoration to Romanticism (as well as Modern Dance and University Chorus). I'm truly enjoying all of them, although my Old Testament professor can be interesting at times...he very much favors modern ideas about how the Old Testament came to be formed and how the majority of it probably never happened...right.

My sociology class is probably my favorite class. We've mostly been discussing how the discipline came into being, general schools of thought, and general terms, but it's all very fascinating...at least to me. We're also reading a book right now by Erving Goffman who was the one who coined the idea that all the world is a stage and everyone plays different roles on it throughout their lives. Cool stuff.

Rush went well...and I'm in Pi Beta Phi! It was probably one of the most stressful weeks of my life, though. Round about Wednesday night I could barely sleep (and most people who know me know that I rarely have trouble with insomnia). But I knew that God would put me where He wants me, and here I am. I have a couple other close friends in my pledge class and some other older friends, too. I haven't done much with them yet...just Bid Night, Tear Night, dinner at the house a couple times, and a couple meetings, but we have some pretty fun activities coming up: Lip Sync, the Snowflake Ball, and Big Sister week among others.

Also, over Christmas I found out that my stories have been accepted for posting at www.phoenixsong.net!!! For all who don't understand fan fiction, that's a good thing. Arnel was assigned as my beta and I've been working with her with two of my one shots: "Seize the Day" and "The Picture." When we're finished working with them, I'll post them at PS.net under the pen name "Wings."

Caelah came to visit me this weekend too - it was awesome!!! I love my baby sister.

Finally, if anyone can guess these lyrics, they get 10 points.

Over the ground is a mantle of white
A heaven of diamonds shine down
Through the night, two hearts are thrillin'
In spite of the chill in the weather

Currently Playing Creed By Avalon see related

FIRSTS
1. First best friend: Amber Little
2. First love: Willie in kindergarten
3. First real kiss: Jake
4. First screen name: ARNelson85

5. First pet: we had a couple fish when I was little
6. First car: 1993 Acura Legend dark green, beige leather interior

LASTS
1. Last cigarette: n/a
2. Last kiss: Andy

3. Last good cry: hmm...last July I think
4. Last beverage drank: Sprite

5. Last food consumed: clementine orange and cashews
6. Last crush: those who I want to know, know
7. Last phone call: Uncle Bruce, Aunt Sherre, Jana, and Jesse in Brazil

RELATIONSHIPS
1. Who is/are your best friend/s: Katie, Erin, Adrianne, Chels, Sam, Amy, Lindsay, Christy

2. Do you have a girlfriend/boyfriend: nope

FASHION STUFF
1. Where are your favorite places to shop: Express, American Eagle, Lord and Taylor, Holister, Banana Republic, outlet mall
2. Favorite item of clothing: hmm...cordoroy pants and tshirts

SPECIFICS
1. Do you do drugs: does tylenol count?
2. What kind of shampoo do you use: Garnier Fructus
3. What are you most scared of: any kind of saw and my friends and family not knowing that I love them
4. What would you change about yourself: I have to admit...if I could, I would add about two inches to my height

FAVORITES
1. Colors: blue (all shades), light pink, burgundy, dark green
2. Foods: Chinese, Japanese, pasta, pizza, chocolate, Ghirardelli Hot Fudge Sundaes, french fries, milk shakes, oranges, raspberries
3. Subject in school: history and writing
5. Sports: wakeboarding, rowing, swimming, tennis, dance (altho I do lilke to watch baseball, football, and soccer as well)
6. Movie: Sweet Home Alabama, 10 Things I Hate About You, The Prince and Me, A Walk to Remember, Oceans 11, Pirates of the Caribbean, X Men 2, Deep Impact, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Ever After

HAVE YOU EVER
1. Given anyone a bath: my dog and my birds
2. Smoked: no
3. Made yourself throw-up: no
4. Skinny dipped: no
5. Been in love: not yet

CURRENT
1. Clothes: cordoroy pants and burgundy tshirt

2. Music: WGTS 91.9 Washington's Family Friendly Music Station....playing "Here's My Life" by Anthony Evans
3. Make-up: none at the moment
4. IMs: not talking to anyone right now

LAST PERSON

1. Hugged: Sandy
2. IMed: Lindsay
3. Last person who slept at your house: Adrianne
4. Last persons house you slept at: Adrianne

RANDOM
1. In the morning I am: sleepy until after my shower...then I'm excited and people question my sanity...that's actually how I got my nickname for this site, Sparkplug...a friend told me that I'm so hyper and excited that it wakes him up in the morning so he said my nickname should be Sparkplug...another friend described me as "inanely cheerful"

2. Love is: patient, kind, never jealous, everlasting....the deepest emotion you can feel for a person, so deep that you would be willing to give your own life for them....ultimately what everyone in the world is looking for, but all too often they look in the wrong places
3. I dream about: many things

PAST/FUTURE
1. 7 years ago: 6th grade Science Camp at Marin Headlands
2. 4 years ago: skiing in Canada and telling family that we're moving to Virginia

3. 3 years ago: reading Pride and Prejudice for English
4. 1 hour ago: helping my dad build the shed in the backyard

5. Tomorrow: church in the morning, driving back to W&L with Jenny and Neil, buying my books, and going to sorority meeting
6. College: yeah W&L

Currently Playing Invitation to Eavesdrop By Shaun Groves see related

- Welcome Home

So the past few days have been pretty uneventful...well, I did stuff, but it wasn't much different than what I normally do over break.  On Tuesday Mom and I went to Tysons to find a dress for pref night and we think we might have found one!  But we aren't sure yet.  After that I went to Macaroni Grille with Amy, Annie, Andrew, and Sergio and then we went back to my house to watch 10 Things I Hate About You and then to Annie's house to watch Pirates of the Caribbean.  I love those kids  they're so much fun to be around and laugh with.  Oh, and Annie gave me a bookmark that has Frodo (Elijah Wood ) on it and underneath it says "Even the smallest person can change the course of the future."  Hehehe

On Wednesday I went to White Tail with Dad, Caelah, and Keith.  I decided to try to learn how to snowboard and Keith was helping me after my class and after lunch, but I've determined that I'm going to stick to skiing and wakeboarding.  Wakeboarding is better because you fall into the water and you have a third stabilizing force besides your feet - the boat.  You just generally don't get hurt as much...I'm still aching all over from all the falling that occurred.  Granted, I don't have a bruise on my stomach like I got from my life jacket while I was wakeboarding, but still...

Tonight my second family (the Bush family....no not the president lol) and some other friends are coming over for dinner and then all the high school kids are going to MBC's New Years Eve party.  I'm going too, just as volunteer staff and not as a kid, so I don't have to pay to do all the fun stuff.    I'm also going to decide on what I'm wearing next week for rush and help my mom with stuff, etc etc.

So that's what is going on.  I go back to W&L on Sunday in the early afternoon at some point, and classes start up again on Monday.

Happy New Year, y'all!

Currently Playing Wow Hits 2005 By Various Artists see related

- Gone (Toby Mac) -

Hey y'all....got back from the cruise yesterday, it was great!  Heh, I read through 3 whole books and got a tan in the process...and we went snorkeling so that was awesome.  Royal Caribbean is a great cruiseline...really great service and really good entertainment, my only complaint is that between the ages of 17 and when you get married there are no organized activities...like nothing.  The children's program ends at age 17, and then the next kind of get-together sort of thing they have is for people on their honeymoon.  It's like they assume that college students won't be going on the trips *shrugs* which I guess is valid for most of the year but cmon, it's winter break.  It would not have killed them to have like a College Night in the dance club or something. 

So the rest of the week I'll just be at home reading, writing, shopping, hanging out with friends, the usual.  I head back to school next Sunday, the semester starts on Monday, and Rush is next week as well!!!  Wow...

By the way, thanks Sam for your input on the songs.    The answers are as follows:

Hanging By a Moment, Lifehouse Mine All Mine, SHeDAISY (part of the Sweet Home Alabama soundtrack) I'm Still Here, Vertical Horizon Indescribable, Chris Tomlin LOVE, Nat King Cole  On My Own, Les Miserables (sung by Eponine) Carve Your Heart Out Yourself, Dashboard Confessional Dreams I Dream For You, Avalon I Still Believe, Jeremy Camp Crazy For This Girl, Evan and Jaren Running Just to Catch Myself, Mark Schultz Grand Theft Autumn, Fall Out Boy Breathe, Michelle Branch You Belong to Me, don't know who originally sang it, but Jason Wade of Lifehouse has a version on the Shrek soundtrack The Luckiest, Ben Folds Five