Growing Up

I'm fifteen now. Earning money for a car, applying for college scholarships, taking on jobs, pondering what on earth I'm going to do with myself, getting more mature as I deal with things, accepting responsibility...those just scratch the surface in a long list of changes in my life as I grow.

Those are all pretty important, even life-changing things. You'd think those would be the ones I notice the most.

But do you know the number one thing that tells me I'm growing up?

My parents let me stay up later.

So, you thought this might be a deep, profound post? Yeah, right. You've been with me long enough to know almost everything ends in something strange/silly/random.

But it's really true. Lately, I've noticed that my mom and dad don't get after me as much about staying up late. Bedtime used to be at officially 9 PM, and until recently that was pretty enforced (except for certain occasions, like really exciting baseball games). And for the rest of my siblings, not much has changed in that department.

My parents never said, "Okay, Izori, because you're fifteen you get to stay up later." It just kind of happened that they began to give me more choice as to when I go to sleep.

*sniff* It's a sign of growing up.

Hugs & Blessings,

Izori

P.S. Could you guys pray for me? Today I'm babysitting from mid-morning to almost evening, and I'm a bit nervous. Both of the kids I'm watching are really sweet, but I haven't babysat for that long of a time. As a matter of fact, this is my second time actually babysitting. All those other times have been watching my siblings or watching someone who I know well enough to be a sibling (and those don't count).

Plus, I've had some choices I've had to make--earning more money and accepting more responsibility vs. keeping my schedule available and keeping previous commitments.

If you could pray that nothing will go wrong today and that I'll be able to make decisions with wisdom, that would be awesome. Thanks!

Random and Rats

All this school year, everything was rush, rush, rush and busy, busy, busy. Activities every day, running around like crazy (or, 'like chickens with our heads cut off', as my mother so gracefully and compassionately expresses it), and all the while wishing it was summer so that I could have a break.

Now that it's summer, I've been lying around the house, sitting upstairs in my room, and wishing that I had something to do. Folks, I spend my days tidying up the house now! It's the symptom of a person who outwardly is relaxed and laid back but inwardly yearns for a life of adventure...or at least something to do.

So what have I been up to lately?

Well, right now I have a rat in my room.

Yes, you read that right. He's very cute, and he loves to be pet. He also loves cheese, and his name is Reepicheep.

Do not fear. He's in a cage. Sheesh, why is everyone so paranoid about rats?! I'm simply pet-sitting for my brother's friend, who owns this certain rat.

I think I'm the only 15 year old girl I know that has a rat in her room.

I've also been shooting arrows at humongous circular targets and blasting away with an air-rifle at some rectangular ones. Not to mention babysitting, dogsitting, and rabbitsitting. And ratsitting.

By way of conversation, does anyone else watch Hogan's Heroes?

Hugs & Blessings,

Izori

The Freedom of Summer

Mom let me sleep in as long as I wanted to on Monday. Ahhh...bliss.

I got to stay up and watch an incredible comeback by the Nationals last night because I don't have to get up early in the morning anymore.

I have all the time I need to write. And guess what! I actually wrote! I'm starting my book with Ehra in it all over again...for the hundredth time. The plot has changed...for the hundredth time. I'm super happy with it...for the first time. I wrote 1,000+ words yesterday, and it felt absolutely great!

I'm working on college scholarships. I'm going to be a high school sophomore next year, but it's best to start early.

I apologize for such a random, unconnected, boring post. When I think of something substantial, you shall be the first to know.

Here. Have a picture!

(featuring my hand and some strawberries that I grew)

Hugs & Blessings,

Izori

Happy Father's Day, Dad!

My dad is really awesome. He's an assistant baseball coach. Sunday school teacher. Patent examiner. Former scientist. Home-schooling dad. Two-time cancer survivor. Cook (he's grilling on the deck at the moment). Science teacher.

And, most importantly, dad to four kids!

I don't see why we have more days dedicated to dads.

Hugs & Blessings (and Happy Father's Day!)

Izori

Laptops and Writers Block

In case you haven't noticed, I've been having a huge case of writers block. This has been very frequent of late, and at first I had absolutely no clue as to why I was catching it so often.

I think I have the reason now. It's technology.

You see, I am much more of an ink-and-paper writer than a glowing-screen person. I'm still trying to figure out exactly why, but there's something about a computer that de-inspires me.

I used to do all of my book-writing in notebooks with a pen. However, that changed when I first participated in NaNoWriMo, because it's just so much easier if you type your story for word-count purposes. And then, to lead me further away from good ol' paper, my laptop came.

I love my laptop. It's so convenient, and for many things it makes my life so much easier. Thus, I began to write every single story on it, and I hardly ever used a notebook.

That was also when my writers block began to really plague me. Why? I have some theories.

1. Too many distractions, like the internet.
2. Too many excuses, like not feeling like turning on my laptop.
3. Too many glowing screens, sapping my energy like parasites, lulling me into a hypnotic trance---okay, I'll stop.

Anyway, whatever it was I noticed a definite connection with the above and my writers block. So that means...

I've returned to good, old-fashioned paper and ink. There's something about the solidness of the words going down, as opposed to the instantly-deletable symbols on a screen.

What do you guys like to write on?

Hugs & Blessings,

Izori

Lazy Summer Days =)

I wish I had something interesting or amusing to post, but I really do not. Nothing has been that interesting around here.

I really should be doing algebra right now. But honestly, who can do schoolwork when it's almost summer?! I've been so lazy I haven't even been writing in my books.

This has really been more of an update to let you all know that I haven't forgotten you.

To see more interesting things, here are two other blogs that I post on: Traveling Tales and Anecdote. Go check them out!

Hugs & Blessings,

Izori

It Worked, Y'all

I am proud to say that I tricked myself into posting again. Worked like duct tape.

I have a [temporary] pet! On Monday (right after we returned from our grueling ten-day vacation) I swung by and picked up my friend's rabbit. He is now up in my room, and let me tell y'all something.

He is one hyper rabbit.

Have you ever heard of a hyper rabbit?

Now you have, because this little dude has more energy than my three year old brother. You see, his favorite toy is a cardboard tunnel. How much can you do with a cardboard tunnel?

1. Hop around it in circles very rapidly.
2. Climb on top of it and fall off.
3. Rush through it at mad speeds.
4. Try to balance it on your head.
5. Tip it on its side and then knock it over.
6. Push it around and bang it against the cage.

And much, much more. In the day, I describe it as cute. At night [when I am trying to sleep], I describe it as noisy.

I don't know. Maybe I'm used to shy rabbits that glue themselves to the back of their cage and stare at you. But Blaze [that's his name, folks] is not shy. In the least.

Hugs & Blessings,

Izori

I Am Tricking Myself

I know my posts have been extremely sparse. As a matter of fact, I haven't been spending much time at all on the computer lately. However, there's a good explanation. Not many of you know this, or even may have guessed this (because I don't announce sensitive data on the internet and I scheduled some posts), but I just went on a ten day vacation.

It was super cool. Super cool.

So, first we went down to North Carolina to visit all of Dad's immediate family. It was fun, but pretty unremarkable except for the fact that I got the world's worst sunburn on my shoulders.

Next, we drove to Atlanta! We went with my aunt and uncle (we hadn't seen them in years) to the Georgia Aquarium.

Folks, that aquarium is awesome. They have whale sharks, and beluga whales, and a manta ray that does back flips. It was completely incredible. I wish I could show you pictures, but I didn't have a chance to download them.

Then we went to Augusta to spend time with more family. Once again, pretty uneventful. There were seven kids in one house, the vast majority aged six and under. And yes, it's a bit of a stretch to call that uneventful.

Last, we went to Charleston, which was my absolute favorite part of the trip (although seeing family we hadn't seen in so long was really cool). We walked around, enjoying the magnificent old neighborhoods, and drank lots of soda and ate ice cream. We saw Fort Sumter and the USS Yorktown (a WWII aircraft carrier--so much fun).

After ten days of living out of suitcases and hopping from house to hotel to house to hotel, I am happy to announce that we all made it home alive, safe, sane, happy, tired, and still on speaking terms with one another.

Once again, I have some pretty cool pictures I would love to show you but I haven't had a chance to get them onto my computer. Sorry!

One last thing, which was really the main point of the post before I decided to talk about our vacation, is that I am going to take a blogging break. Lately, I haven't been taking a huge interest in it, and posts have been coming harder to me. I have some posts scheduled on my writing blog with iGirl (too lazy to link up to it here, but if you go to my profile you'll find it pretty easily), but I will not be writing new ones until I return from my blogging break.

There's another side to this, however. Last time I took a blogging break, I had been facing the same challenge of disinterest. But as soon as I announced my break post ideas flew in thick and fast. So, by doing this I'm hoping to trick myself into getting back into blogging.

Don't be surprised if I come back tomorrow. Also don't be surprised if I don't blog for a month.

I apologize for a rambling post like this one, but the summer isn't for sitting in front of the computer. I shall return!

Izori

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.





He makes me lie down in green pastures,





he leads me beside quiet waters,





he restores my soul.





He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.





Even though I walk trough the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,





For you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.





You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.





Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,





And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.




~Psalm 23

Hugs & Blessings,

Izori