packing

The past few days I have been packing. Packing for NIGERIA! We are leaving tomorrow and it still doesn't feel real. Our plan is supposed to take off around 2 but I have to go to the church at 9:45. Besides a few last minute things (ipod, face soap, knitting, camera, etc.) I am pretty much all packed. I was able to get all my stuff in my backpack (carry on) and a suitcase (checked bag). Tomorrow morning I am going to weigh them to make sure they don't exceed 26 and 50 pounds. I'm pretty sure they don't.

Yesterday was my last swim practice for about 3 weeks. I know I am going to miss it and I know I am going to die when I come back. These next two weeks I will be on planes, in airports, in Nigeria, and in so many other places. I am super pumped! This will be my first time on a plane, my first time out of the country, and my first mission trip. I can't wait to see what God is going to do.

This blog post is a little farewell for three weeks! The next time I post I will have so many stories to tell.

 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”                                                   Matthew 28:19-20

stoney

Yesterday Dad, Mom, Em Cee, and I embarked on a new adventure. We went to Stone Mountain. In the morning I went to a church breakfast, church, and then a Nigeria meeting. Nigeria is coming up so fast! I am getting on my very first airplane in 4 days! It doesn't seem real. After our meeting we ate some lunch and then left for the mountain. I wore my new hiking boots to start breaking them in for Tapawingo. They were great. It was a very fun hike. It took us about 45 minutes to summit and longer to get back to the car. It was a loop trail so I think the hike down was actually longer for some reason. On the way back to the car Emily and I couldn't resist going in a waterfall. We were already hot and sticky so why not be wet as well?

The before picture with the map.

The fake summit.

Mom and Dad at the summit.

A tree we found to sit and enjoy the view by.

 

 We're girls...of course we got a jumping picture.

We're cool.

 The after picture.

Oh, and, we fed some deer.

tasty tidbits

Last week was a good one. It was relaxing and very quiet. I got a good bit of reading done. On Wednesday evening Emily C. and I went over to Danielle's house. We were planning on swimming in her Aunt's pool but because of the rain...the pool water was too chilly. So instead of swimming we baked and, of course, made a cooking show out of it. I think every time I have ever baked something with Emily C. we have made a cooking show out of it.I would attach clips from our cooking show but my computer won't let me. :( I guess you'll just have to imagine how awesome it was. Also while we were at Danielle's house, we did a little bit of four-wheeling.

On Friday night I made puppy chow. Puppy chow is one of my all time faves and this time it was really good. Here is a picture of how delicious it was. It was so good that between me, my Mom, and my Dad it was gone in two days.

Other than going to Danielle's and making puppy chow, I also saw Snow White and the Huntsman and took the ACT. I think those were the only two big things. Snow White and the Huntsman was not that great. I understand how it got rotten on rottentomates.com. There wasn't much character development and most of the movie focused on the evil queen, not Snow White and the Huntsman. It was fun to go see a movie with friends though. The ACT was not fun. It was just long. I am glad it is over with though.

An only child....

Yesterday morning at 5:27 my five fabulous siblings left me. I am now the only child at home for at least two weeks. It is so different without them and I miss them already. It is definitely quieter and I do get more things done but I still miss them. Andrew and Emily are going to Deerfoot and Tapawingo tomorrow for the entire summer. I won't see Andrew until sometime around August 18th when I finish being a CIT (counselor in training) at Tapawingo. I will see Emily on July 22 when I go to Tap. Kaela and Catherine I won't see until the beginning of July after I get back from Nigeria. Speaking of Nigeria...I am leaving in less than 2 weeks. 13 days to be exact. It doesn't seem real that I will be getting on a plane that soon. I am super excited though. 

This week hasn't been too exciting. We did watch the two Batman movies, the Vow, the Notebook, and Slum Dog Millionaire. Basically a movie a night....I had never seen the Batman movies so while we were at Walmart one night at 9:30 rummaging through the movie bin Andrew found the first Batman and decided to buy it. We watched the Vow when Emily C. slept over and because of the Vow we wanted to see the Notebook. Slum Dog Millionaire was a random movie Mom picked out to watch last night. It was good though. Actually it was very good. So, besides movie watching I have also been reading. Still trying to finish pride and prejudice. It's a good book I just haven't had too much time to just sit down and read. Now that summer has begun I only have 20 more pages in it. I have also been studying a little for the ACT next weekend, putting together a list of colleges I am considering going to, and signing up for CPCC in the fall. It's kind of crazy that school just ended yet I am having to think about school for next year already. Since I am going to Nigeria and Tapawingo I only have about 4 weeks of summer to get summer assignments done. 

College searching has been fun yet kind of stressful. Below are the colleges I am thinking about at the moment:

1.College of William and Mary

2.Elon University

3. Binghamton University

4. Taylor University

5. Union University

6. UNC Asheville

7.UNC Chapel Hill

8. Vanderbilt University

9. Western Carolina University

Who knows, this list might change completely but I am pretty sure it is my final list of schools. Now I just have to narrow it down to which ones to visit. If you have any comments or suggestions for colleges, please let me know! I need all the help I can get in making this important decision.