So much has happened since my last post that I don't know where to begin!!! Colleges, school, a trip to Europe, cello, speech, and (surprisingly but happily) debate have kept me so busy that this is the first weekend where I have free time since January 3rd. Since I've already finished today's homework, I figured it would be a good time for a post.

Let's start with the most interesting thing first: Europe. It was funny to see the way this trip fell together. Things started to happen in early January when Laura suggested that I fly to England to visit during spring break so she could show me all the bookstores she always had me drooling over. Once I started talking over the idea seriously with the rest of the family Sirius said, "Hey, why don't I come too? We can hit up some shows in the West End." And since Sirius and I were going, we told Remus that she should come too so the marauders could hit London together. Melanie said that she wouldn't be able to get the time off from work and that she had already seen England. But then the rest of us began to talk about going to Paris as well as England. That changed Melanie's mind.

There were tons of amazing things that we saw and did in Europe, but I've already written out two, novel-sized (almost) narratives of the trip. So, instead of telling you all about it, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

On a walk in Bibury

Laura and Melanie in Paris

Remus and Sirius in front of St. Pauls in London

Haha, I love how the zoom on my camera makes it look like I'm going to get run over.

If you don't know where this is, you need to go take Hillyer's Architecture course. Now.

Eiffel Tower

There were so many great (and not so great ) moments that I could mention...how what Sirius informed me was a steak turned out to be a tuna steak, how much we loved our first crepes in Paris, how I started to brush my teeth with clearasil (I was tired) instead of toothpaste, how we watch Wicked!, how Sirius and I found the most amazing skirts ever in London, how we got tea very late at night in a very snazzy hotel in London, how I kept poking Sirius in my sleep, how I won our international Dutch Blitz tournament =P, how much our feet hurt in Paris, how we managed to annoy a cranky street-artist , how we went to Jamie's restaurant in Oxford, how Customs unwrapped my birthday present for Laura, how we had an amazing walk and cream tea in a beautiful hotel in Bibury, how Laura and I each bought about a million books from a fabulous shop, and the list goes on.

Books Purchased on Europe Trip:

1. White Cliffs

2. Man and Superman

3. Plays of Sheridan

4. Tennyson’s Poems

5. Milne’s Plays

6. Milen’s short stories—don’t remember the exact title

7. The Famous Five—can’t remember which one. I’m too lazy to go upstairs and check my book catalog or my shelf.

8. A William book

9. Another William book

10. Yet another William book

11. Still another William book

12. Rupert of Hentzau

13. The Man Born to be King

14. Ballet Shoes

15. Party Shoes

16. White Boots

17. Sense and Sensibility

18. Mansfield Park

19. Northanger Abbey

(these last three in the edition I have been looking for for several years!!)

And it's official. The Oxford bookshops officially have the best children's sections ever. The U.S. ones can't even compare.

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College...another big story in my life lately To my surprise I was actually accepted at all three of the schools I applied to--GMU, Wheaton, and UVA. This was completely unexpected, so it has thrown me into a chasm of indecision. I'm not sure what will happen with this decision or where I'll end up for college, so prayer would be appreciated. The time that I have to make my decision in is ticking away and I'm no closer to the decision then I was at Christmas...not that that's a big shock.

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School is still going. Sometimes it feels as if it will never stop going and as if I will never be finished. Yet slowly the dates for my AP exams and for my GMU final are approaching. I cannot wait until May 30!! It's very exciting because it looks like that when I walk across the stage to get my diploma, I will actually be done with highschool. There will be no final exams, extra classes, or make-up homework to do afterwards!

This semester feels so much lighter then last semester. Last semester I took Micro Economics, Pre-Calc, AP Lit, AP Music Theory, Physics, and Cello (lessons, cd making, competitions, and orchestra). On top of that I had my extra stuff: speech, singing, SAT prep, and college applications. Right now I'm taking Calc 1, AP Lit, AP Music Theory, Physics, and cello (only the lessons and orchestra--competitions and cd making are done!). Speech isn't so time consuming now that I have finally chosen my pieces and put them together. College applications and SAT prep are done forever.

So, right now I'm simply trying get throug the last push before graduation. Extra serious study for my AP's and final starts April 1. I keep telling myself all I have to do is end well. But usually that doesn't make me feel any better--I'm very uncertain about my ability to do Calc or music theory in an exam setting. haha...

 Cello is really fun right now, despite the fact that in the past few weeks I haven't been home to do serious practicing. We're working on very flashy pieces right now--crowd pleasers in other words. It's challenging, but a lot of fun. Now that the college auditions and competitions are completely over, I feel like all the cello pressure is gone. Right now we're just preparing for my Senior Recital. It'll be fun to figure out the repertoire for that.

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Speech and debate have been a lot of fun lately. I hadn't planned to do debate at all this year, but a surprise phone call from Suzu Sewall changed my plans. The last Inglis/Sewall debate team competed at the IMPACT tournament last week and had a blast.  I hadn't realized how much I had missed debate. It was great to do one last tournament before my final retirement. And it was a ton of fun to debate with Suzu. You better watch out, Region 9. That young lady is a fireball of talent!!!

As for speech, right now I'm prepping for Regionals. It should be a lot of fun, but I expect to get very sad at times when I remember that it is my last tournament.  But, on the plus side, I'm looking forward to judging!

Considering the fact that I have had such a lengthy blog silence, I figured that April Fool's Day would be a good time to return to this blog. Why? Because, quite frankly, I have missed it sadly. Facebook is a fun feature, but it is really nothing compared to posting on a blog. While I'll still be using facebook, I have decided to return to this blog. My musings may not be extremely interesting, but but you may expect semi-regular posts on life and thoughts.

I came home after the IMPACT tournament feeling ready to sleep for a week. But I got up after about six hours and went to church to be baptized. I've posted my testimony via google pages for any interested peoples. Here's the link. Then my family went out to lunch with the Yees which was tons of fun.

Since then, life has consisted of trying to get all my school done in time for the next tournament. Things have been a little hectic, but I've been managing to get a little reading and writing done which has added a spice to life. I was given several books for my birthday, and I've enjoyed all of them so far.

The first one I read was King of Shadows by Susan Cooper. I expected to enjoy it, but I underestimated the book. I completely fell in love with it. Everyone should read it, so I won't tell the plot. What I will say, is that for someone who enjoys theatre and Elizabethan history, this book is the perfect read.

Melanie gave me Shadow of the Almighty and the Mabinogian, both of which I had been wanting for ages. I was able to grab about fifteen minutes during the break at orchestra rehearsal for reading Shadow, which, obviously, is phenomenal. I've been having a lot of fun exploring Jim Elliot's beliefs as they are presented and agreeing or disagreeing with several.

I also made up my mind to finally sit down and read The Tale of Despereaux. It's called a kid's book and it won the Newberry medal. The way I see it, however, anyone who thinks that kid's books are beneeath him or her, doesn't deserve to be allowed to read any books at all. (Plus they're missing out on some of the greatest pieces of literature ever written.) So, yes, I finally got my hands on a copy of Despereaux, and laughed till I cried at the gallantry of a mouse who goes to save a human princess with his trusty needle sword at his side.

But enough for the moment about books. If I went through and gave you the rest of the books I've been reading, you'd leave without finishing the post because you'd get bored. Instead I will wind up this post with telling you about an absolutely amazing cello cd, which I just discovered.

My cello clinician told me last night about a certain cd that she loved. It was produced by the Berlin Philharmonic cello section and is called Cello Submarine. It's about 12 phenomenal cellists playing all these classic Beatles tunes without any vocals or other instruments. Talk about brilliant...

"My lady. You are fair and brave and have much to live for and many who love you. I know it is too late to turn aside. I know there is not much point now in hoping. If I were a knight of Rohan capable of great deeds…but I’m not. I’m a Hobbit. And I know I can’t save Middle Earth. I just want to help my friends; Frodo, Sam, Pippin. More than anything I wish I could see them again."

"Do you remember the Shire Mr Frodo? It will be Spring soon and the orchards will be in blossom. And the birds will be nesting in the hazel thickets. And they will be sowing the summer barley in the lower fields,  and eating the first of the strawberries and cream. Do you remember the taste of strawberries?"

"How do you pick up the threads of an old life? How do you go on, when in your heart you begin to understand there is no going back? There are some things that time cannot mend. Some hurts that go too deep, that have taken hold."

"Duty? No. I would have you smile again, not grieve for those whose time has come. You shall live to see these days renewed...and no more despair."

"I'm glad to be with you Samwise Gamgee, here at the end of all things."