Your jeans are black.
You feel emotions so intensely that it's impossible for you to keep them all bottled up. Whether it's with a Sharpie, a skateboard, or a musical instrument, you NEED a creative outlet for everything that's going on in your head. You may feel misunderstood, but somewhere out there, some other soul in black jeans knows exactly what you're going through.

Wow. These quizzes are amazing. Black is my favorite color, and this is what I got one my first try! The description is awesome, describes me perfectly!
-Brianna

Hiya everyone! I'm Rascal, Brianna's most adorable kitten. I have officially HACKED into her account here, and am now taking over her blog!

MAWHAHAHAH--- cough choke cough.

Sorry 'bout that. Hairball. Bleh.

So, now that I have hacked into here... what to write about? hmm, how about the most interesting subject ever - ME!

Okay, so I am very cute, very lovable, very adorable... I am a gray tabby, with pretty green eyes, and dark stripes. I weigh 9 pounds so far, but I am not fat. It's all muscle. Yup. My favorite hobbies are eating, sleeping, annoying people on purpose (hey, they don't call me Rascal for nutin'!), and.... eating!

My favorite toy in the whole wide world is my spongebob sponge thinige. My Mom bought it for me at Walmart for two quarters. I think it's supposed to be some lame water bomb thingie... but I love to bat it around, and chase after it. It bounces! anyways....

I also love to get under couches and attack people's feet when they sit down. Humans have such tender skin, it's not hard to make them yowl. hehe.

I am planning on taking over the world. As soon as I can make my evil plan work, I'll be ruler of the universe! mawhahahah- choke cough choke. Uh, hairball.

Wow, it's hard to type this with just my paws. Oh, that's another one of my amazing talents... I can type! This one time-

Hey! Rascal! What are you doing on my blog?

Oh, hi, Brianna! heh heh, I'm just... improving it. Yeah, that's it! Improving it!

By writing about yourself?

Yup! Brilliant, huh?

Uh, Rascal, this is MY blog. Get your own. Hey, how did you get into my account anyway?

I can read minds, so I just read your mind yesterday as you logged in. Oops, you aren't supposed to know that!

You can read minds? Gosh, I knew you were smart! Wait... this means nothing is kept secret from you! Do you know-

Yes, I know where you hide the turkey from me. I kinda already found it...

That was supposed to last you a week! Mom won't buy you another package until next week!

Oh. Well... it was good! I'm full. I think I am going to go take a nap. See ya folks!

Oh, no you won't. I don't want you on my account ever again. If I catch you again, I'll have to give you a flea bath.

A flea bath?! Nooo! Ok, I promise, I'll never hack into it again.

Mmhmmm, right. Now shoo!

Sorry about the folks. He is so mischievous. I don't know how he ever logged in. I don't even know how he was able to type all this. I'm going to have to have a talk with him...

Hey everyone! Well, it was dry enough to ride yesterday, but my trainer wants me to do flat lesson on wednesdays because its a private lesson. I rode Zack for the first time in a private lesson because ive been having trouble turning him without losing his butt end (it goes way out to another planet sometimes xD) I was able to get him going for me pretty well except that he went a mile a minute at the canter (which he always duz) and I wanted to slow it down. Zack is a chestnut, Arab/ Quarter horse cross. I think he got the worst half of both. I think hes adorable, but all the adults (or pretty much the 'judges') think he looks weird, part of the reason why he is in Jumpers and not in Hunters where they judge the horse. It isnt that he is ugly, his body just wasnt made for the hunter ring. Plus he hates it. He has issues with galloping to long on course, and of we have a jump like this

 |      |                                                         |

he will most likely refuse the third one. I still think he is a blast and love every little bit about him...axcept when he flipped me off...xD Ok now that I have opened that window I guess I must explain. One saturday I was sitting on his back waching another girl do her course, and he was messing with my irons. All of a sudden he grabbed my iron and copletely flipped me off his back. My trainer said I went up into the air xD I tweeked my hip pretty bad and couldnt continue my lesson (good thing it was the last 5 minutes) So ya, he has never had the chance to play with my feet again! I have another lesson this afternoon with my other trainer (HOPEFULLY ON ZACK) and then another tomarrow, and then you wont hear from me because I will be on the east coast! Im going to rhode island for a week! Well I gotta go! Cya

...dont ask

Well, I didnt explain much of what has been going on recently with me in my last post, so I guess I will now. As you already know, in July I went to summercamp in Canada, which was loads of fun, then two weeks later I had my first horse show in like a year and a half. I showed Thomas, but we didnt do very well because I was kinda thrown on him at the last minute.(I couldnt ride Indy as I has planned) so after that I just kinda decided to stop showing for the rest of the year, even though my mom and trainer really wanted me to. I was kinda burned out after what happened with Indy, and I felt that I just needed time to get to know the horses and how to ride them all at a level that was show worthy. Im kinda glad I did because it showed my trainer that I was capable of higher levels and she has moved me from Hunter riding to Jumper riding with Zack, so that makes me very happy. In the mean time Indy has been growing fatter and fatter since I was the only one riding him for a while and now I'm not even doing that (just hacks in Saturdays when I work) my trainer seems to want me to focus on getting Zack under control and getting used to, because he has so many buttons to press. I am just fine with that. I'm really hoping that they do send Indy away so that I could possibly show him next year as well, otherwise I have to share Zack and another horse (Marley) with two other people at shows, and sharing Zack would be the hardest because there isnt many levels in Jumpers that I can choose from. I am going to the barn today and will probably have a private lesson on Zack (my first private lesson on him!) if its not to wet (it has been raining) well anyways I have to go.

~KD

Indy being Silly

Ok, now that you are all thouroughly scared by my title, I can begin, yes, I am finally back, after SammyJo kept BUGGING ME to start blogging again  So, quite a bit has passed since I last posted! and, like SammyJo, I will be restarting my friendslist and redoing my blog in the near future. Since I have last posted, Indy has completely freaked out and no longer jumps, and I have started riding Zack in Jumpers. Indy will HOPEFULLY come back because my trainers have been talking about sending him away for training for a few weeks. Then maybe he will work all his fat off (HE IS GIGANTIC!!!) so ya, thats whats happening with me. I will post a picture for you guys to feast your eyes on :)

I could have titled this post, “The Perfect Day,” because it felt appropriate.  If you follow my blog, you know that I love Monday’s because I claim it to be whatever I want it to be.  I let the kids sleep in (generally), I have extra time to read the Bible, write in my scripture journal, and sometimes even get to post a blog.  I did all of that this morning.   When the kids got up, Joshua built us a warm fire.  I went outside in the cold and snow and did the farm chores, instead of asking the kids to do them.  I took my time making sure all the animals had their water (the troughs were not filled with frozen water), and food.  I collected the eggs from the chickens nests, gave them their clean water, and feed.  I filled the tub for the ducks with the clean water.  I actually like doing this stuff in the cold, snow, and sleet.  It must be the nurturing side of me surfacing.

When I came in, the kids had drawn close to the crackling fire.  Ruthie had her entire American Girl collection all set up around the clinker brick fireplace.  On the coffee table in front of the fireplace, the boys had their army toys and tanks all laid out.  The snow falling outside and the cold weather made me grateful to be tucked inside with my children playing contently by the fire.  Its’ moments like these that I cherish.  It’s moments like these I want to stop and enjoy and let them sink into my soul for an eternity of memories.  I know all too well that these moments are racing by me.  I pray often that He will help me to slow down time (in the way of not over-hurrying my schedule; stay at home more; enjoy my kids.)

After looking at something with Rachel on the pc, I told her that I needed to get going on my busy schedule of all the things I needed to accomplish for the day.  I stood up and walked across the room.  I looked at the piano, and the thought came over me, “I want to play the piano.”  This was certainly not on my to-do list, in fact, it’s something I rarely do unless on a Sunday morning church service for accompanying the hymns.  I sat down, opened a book of classical music, and began to play.  From my peripheral vision, I could see that all the children had stopped what they were doing.  They were staring at me in disbelief.  See, I haven’t played classical piano in maybe three decades, way before they were ever born.  They didn’t know I could do this!  I stopped playing.  I wish I’d had a camera with me, for I would have snapped a picture to capture the moment.  I think I might have even seen some of their mouths just hanging open in disbelief.  I said, “You guys didn’t know I could play the piano like this, did you?”  To which they all affirmed a clear agreement that I was right in my assumption.

 I began to play again, and I began to think about how I really haven’t played in so very long.  Just what did cause me to choose this moment to do so?  I think the answer to that is that I have been feeling rather melancholy since Thanksgiving Day, and inside of me I think I just needed to soothe my soul with music.  I began to recall playing as a young girl, in junior high, about 12 and 13 years old, and music such as this would soothe my soul.  It was strange; this music conjured up within me long ago forgotten feelings of certain sadness during that age.

I played and played.  Rachel came and sat down beside me.  I stopped again, and started telling the kids that I hadn’t practiced these songs in decades, yet I could still play them.  I chose this moment to encourage them in their own music lessons.  It is said that our fingers have memory – yes, it is true! Just like our brain has memory, our fingers do, too.  I told the kids that when they practice their music, whether it is guitar or piano, it’s time wisely invested.  What their learning may very well be lodged in them forever.  I must have played for hours.  I could feel that by the very act of playing these notes and expressing emotion in the music, I was working out what was bothering me in my heart.  Then, I began to be happy that I had been experiencing my unpleasant emotions, for they had led me to this lost love of playing the piano! 

I took time to email a good friend.  In fact, we corresponded several times during this day, a rather unusual thing for me to do, also.  I ventilated my unpleasant emotions – that’s what friends are for, right?  She helped me to see some things in a different light, and this too, helped lift my spirits.

I felt like having something hot to eat, but nothing that was labor intensive.  I came up with a soup recipe that absolutely everyone in the house liked, even those that said they didn’t like potato soup (my husband) or my boys that are generally not soup lovers anyways.

I cut up about six or seven potatoes and put them in the crock pot.  I covered the potatoes with a few cans of chicken broth (it would have been better had I used homemade broth) and enough water to cover the potatoes.  I added some shredded carrots, and some chopped onion.  I wanted to add Lipton onion soup, but I didn’t have it.  Instead, I found a package of Good Seasons Red Pepper and Basil seasonings, just like the Italian seasonings.  It was just a small package, so if you don’t have it, I don’t know it would make a huge difference.  But it is a new product just on the market, so you can see if you can find it.  Anyways, I then added a can of Campbell’s Cream of Chicken and Mushroom soup and a can of Campbell’s Pepper Jack soup.  I cooked it on high.  For the cheese lovers, add extra pepper jack cheese (Rachel did this).  I didn’t add the extra cheese to save on the calories, but it does make a better soup if you do.  It was a hit – not a person in the house didn’t like it.  Now, that rarely happens around here to get a 100% approval rating!

We did have school time, too.  In fact, I myself learned a ton!  I love it when we have class time and I learn new things right along with the kids.  I learned something new that I never knew before in Bible class; History class; and science class.  Now that’s quite remarkable, too!

Dad got home late this evening.  Because our morning had started all so slow, this helped me to fit the extra things in that I might not have had time for.  I even got some exercise in. 

Now, that’s what I call a great day. 

It was a relaxing day on the Sabbath.  My husband, two boys, and I had gone out to meet our oldest son at a gun shop – its deer hunting season and there were some supplies needed. While the boys were in the shop, I visited in the car with my daughter-in-law, Kristi.  We both have common interests and the time flew quickly until the baby had decided she was tired of being in the car.  That prompted us to chase the boys out of the shop and off to breakfast.

When we got back home, there were some missionaries from Romania at our home, waiting to meet us.  This was our first time to meet them, but we have been praying and looking forward to their arrival since the middle of summer.  They are here on a furlough for about 10 months and are in need of a place to stay.  We just so happen to have an accommodation, with a little bit of cleaning and some labor of drywall and the such, which will provide them with the privacy that their family needs while in the states.  Although it’s not going to be like staying at the Ritz, it will be a place for them to recluse together instead of staying in the homes of others.  On past trips much shorter to the U.S., they have stayed in the homes of others and with this extended trip, they had desired greatly to be able to have a place of their own.    

Rachel had her girlfriends over for the weekend – when we went out for breakfast with the boys, they made a gigantic “Mexican” breakfast.  More often than not, when we leave, they all get busy in the kitchen and have a grand time.  After their big meal, they all went horseback riding, including little Ruthie.  This is the first season for Ruthie to go trail riding (verses taking lessons in the Round Pen).  She took Minnie (my favorite horse) and rode right along with the big girls as if a seasoned rider.  Did I mention how proud I was of her?

As the missionaries were leaving after chatting with them and showing them around for a quite a while, Rachel ran up with her colt, Magic.  He is looking like a children’s toy – those stuffed horses you see at Christmas time for sale – with his this winter hair growth.  He is the friendliest little guy I’ve ever met.  He brings a lot of happiness to our place! We all love him (and he loves us back.)

Church went excellent.  We gathered together Sunday morning around 11:00 a.m. and did not finish until almost 6:00 p.m.  We worshipped God, fellowshipped with one another, and ate together.  It was a time of mutual encouragement and being built up together in Christ.

In the evening, we sat around the fireplace and had our family reading time together.  We are reading from the book, “For The Temple,” subtitled, “A Tale of the Fall of Jerusalem,” by G.A. Henty.   This is our fourth book in this series that we have read and we love them all.

Today, it is cold and snow outside.  Monday is my favorite day of the week because I hibernate with my children.  I let them sleep in while I refuel my spiritual tank with searching the Scriptures.  When they are up and about, there is no hurry. We start a fire, have breakfast, and slowly move into our class time.  This is the day we have no individual class time, but rather, spend a lot of time reading together the Bible, history, and science.  We sometimes watch a historical or documentary movie.  I also use this day to look over my bills, balance my check book and today will spend time figuring out the Christmas budget.  So right now, I need to get going and get started on the first thing on my ‘to-do-list,’ and that is emailing my husband on a to-do-list for him! 

I haven't blogged since last month! hahaha. It's the first of December already... the year has gone by fast! Like, seriously, it seems like summer was a week ago. The year's almost over, and I can't wait for 2009. Especially the Summer of 2009. I love summers. =P

It's snowing today. Not a whole lot, but still. It's the first snow we've gotten this year. It was falling fast a couple hours ago, but now it's lazily drifting down. As soon as it touches the ground, however, it melts. Dang it! We hardly ever get good snow here in Georgia. All we get is unbearable cold. grr.

Isn't he just the cutest kitty ever?! Rascal has the right idea for a day like this... curl up on a sofa covered in clothes (that's where Mom sorts them), relax, and take a good, long nap. He almost blends in, so little kids won't come and bother him. He's so adorable!

-Brianna

Today's rainy. And cold. And wet. Hey, guess what I discovered today? Rain's wet! I'm a genius! ...yeah. Today we went to Bethlehem for church. I had to walk back home in the rain. It took... five minutes. Remember, I live next door. haha! I had my nice black church dress on, so I was jumping over puddles, trying to avoid getting my tights wet (not comfortable). It might have looked kinda funny. Oh well!

I sat with my best friend's (one of them, anyways) family today. Daddy, Virginia, Carrie, Bobby, and Tommy went to Westminster in the red car, Mom stayed home with Bonnie cause she has a cold, and Georgia and I went to Bethlehem. Sunday School was good... Mr. Daniel's son, Eli, joined us today. He's a couple months old now, and very cute. Church was good, I was kinda distracted by the Christmas tree. It was shiny... Georgia got a stomach ache in the middle of the sermon, so I had to take her home. It took 5 minutes. haha! I went back and (tried) to listen to the rest of the sermon, and then had to leave at noon. Soo... that was church.

Tonight's youth group night. Yay! I'd better not wear anything really nice, that'll get ruin by rain. Yikes. Today's SUNday, why is it raining?! I guess we kinda need it... Lake Lanier is Puddle Lanier right now.

I'm thinking about going to Dahlonega Baptist for youth on Wednesdays... dunno. I don't really like Bethlehem's youth group on Wednesdays. I'm always left out of everything. The guys, Mr. Daniel, and Frankie always play basketball, and the other "group" (Shea, Shannon, Elisabeth) always walk around talking about stuff. I want more friends. I'm very nervous about going to Dahlonega Baptist, however, because I hate being new to a group. Ugh. Well, at least I do know Jeremiah and Caroline really well, so I don't not know EVERYONE there. But I am still nervous. sigh.

Everything's Christmas-y. Which is kinda annoying, cause my family doesn't celebrate Christmas. We might not go to church for a few weeks, cause all they will be talking about is Christmas. Dang.

hmm. Anything else to talk about? Uhh, I got my new Warriors book a couple days ago. Long Shadows, by Erin Hunter. It's really good! I'm taking my time reading it. I have all the Warriors books on my bookshelf. I think they are a bit too easy now... oh well, Mom's the one buying them for me! (it's a birthday present from my 11th birthday... she promised to buy me all the ones that ever came out. hahaha!)

Have a great Thanksgiving, and a wonderful Forth of July! XP
-Brianna

   All is quiet around here.  At our home, on holidays, late nights and sleep-in-mornings reign.  I like it this way because that means in the mornings, I get lots of time to pray, read the Bible, write out my favorite verses, and if I’m lucky, get a few minutes to post. I cherish this time.

I have especially been enjoying reading Scripture. I’ve felt a need to replenish my spiritual fuel tank with mega doses of reading His Word.  I feel drawn to it as if there is a magnetic pole compassing my path.  In it I find direction for my daily walk and wisdom for handling all kinds of situations.

On Thanksgiving Day, there was a statement given by one that seems to have an uncanny way of always piercing my heart in the deepest of ways.  This individual spoke with not even a hint of realizing that I had been wounded, but this did not make the pain feel any less.  At the time, I felt like saying, “Now, what’s that supposed to mean?”  or something even more direct.  But, I have found in the past that with this particular individual, if I say something when I feel emotional about it, tempers flare, and that was the last thing I wanted on Thanksgiving Day (or any day, really).  So, I bit my tongue and said nothing.

The next morning, I awoke remembering the words that were spoken.  It was regarding a situation that has subtly bothered me for the past four years. I felt as if I could weep very easily, but I didn’t want anyone to know that I had been hurt.  It was drawn to my mind that I’m not to take offence.  I remember reading that in the Scripture, somewhere, I just can’t remember where.  This morning, I opened the Bible to Proverbs, feeling that I needed to find a nugget of gold there in which to meditate on regarding this situation.

Indeed, I found what I was looking for.  “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin; but he that refraineth his lips is wise.” (Proverbs Chp. 10 vs 19)  I felt comfort that I had handled the moment as He would have had me to do. 

"Dear Jesus, help me not to take offence, let things bounce off of me and not be one to easily take offence.  Help me to communicate if need be, but in Your way, and with love.  Let my speech be always seasoned with love.  Let Your love infiltrate through me to cover a multitude of sins in the words and actions of others. Let me walk in faith knowing that You work all things together for good for those that love God and are called according to His purpose.  Give me the words in which to communicate to others when they have unknowingly been the source of hurt, yet give me the wisdom and discretion to know when to just let it go and leave it in Your hands.”