Summer days..

Simply Because:
I miss Cana tremendously.
It looks like Julia isn't wearing pants.
I love Snapple.
Katherine's hair is so blond, and it's down and curly.
Julia has Cana's scrapbook in her hand.
Beacon Hill is my second home.
It was 7 o'clock, and it was still bright out.
We all look really tan.
They are my best friends.
This was the summer that changed my life.

..I realized that I am going to be 17 the next time I see Cana, and that crushes me.

I mean, honestly..

I just saw a facebook page called "i feel bad for those kids that sit alone at lunch."

..If you really felt bad you would sit with them, not make a facebook page about it.

I smile every time I watch this..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvDDc5RB6FQ

I love their smiles when they flip over their signs.

April 13

I can't even begin to explain my excitement. Katherine just purchased tickets for the Hillsong concert on April 13 in Boston. We're going..

Soccer

I've been playing soccer since I was 5. That will be 10 years of soccer in March. I've played in over 200 games, over 20 tournaments, and over 700 practices. It's something I can't live without. I couldn't imagine my life without it. When I step out on the field, everything else in my life no longer matters. It doesn't exist. All that is on my mind is the game about to begin. Your team is more than a team, it's a family. You need to know everyone. You have to have a connection with them. You could be the worst of enemies at school, but on the field, you're siblings. I can't even begin to explain the rush I get when the starting whistle blows and the forwards kick off the ball. You're on your toes, ready for anything that comes your way. And you give it every ounce of anything you have in your body. You give it your everything, your all. And nothing else matters.

Masuk Freshmen Girls Soccer Team 09

Condon Tuesdays

Today is Tuesday. Every Tuesday our really good family friends come over for dinner. They call it Condon Tuesday. I don't even consider them friends, they are our family. They were supposed to come over today but my Mom told me to tell them that we had to cancel because my Dad was admitted in to the hospital today, due to problems he's been having with his breathing. So I canceled and apologized for not being able to have them over, and they told me not to worry about, that it was no big deal and that they hope my dad feels better. About 10 minutes later I got a text from Gabe, one of the people who normally comes over..

"U guys r eatin dinner @ my house 2nite"

Condon Tuesday is being held at their house. Their unconditional love and support for a struggling family Gives Me Hope.

To the DiBenedetto's, I love you guys. I am so glad you are all in my life.

Promises

I make promises I have no way of controlling.

When my friend was getting surgery on her knee; "I promise you, absolutely everything will work out fine. Nothing will go wrong."

When my friend ruined a friendship; "He's angry now, but I promise you everything will get better."

When my friend was reluctant to come back to Reverb; "You'll be fine, we all want you there, you'll be alright, I promise."

There are many, many more examples, but these are the first to come to mind. In all of these situations, everything was out of my hands. I could do absolutely nothing to make my promises come true. I've been thinking about this. Sometimes you need to make promises you know you can't control, simply to bring hope into people's lives. That's why I make these promises. These promises I can't control. Only the worst can happen when you lose hope. And I never want that to happen to anyone.

My friend who got knee surgery? Everything went perfect. She is now off her crutches and will be able to play softball in the spring.

My friend with a broken friendship? Her and the boy are now dating.

My friend who didn't want to come to Reverb? She was there last Thursday, and had a great time. She says she'll be coming back sometime soon.

You need to bring hope to others, because sometimes, that's the only thing they have.

"Love wins. Love always wins." -Tuesdays with Morrie

I went on Flickr today.

I searched 'Love'- 9,686,469 Results.
I searched 'Hate'- 484,146 Results.

"A faithful friend is the medicine of life."

Some friends can't be replaced. Marial and Lindsey are two of the nicest and funniest people I have ever met. I even pointed out to Lindsey the other day that I have never ever seen her mad before. And the same goes for Marial. And it's true. I can honestly say that I can't think of a single moment where I have seen them mad. They are two people who don't care what others think about them and they are never afraid to be themselves. No matter what people say about their friendship, they don't let it get to them. They give me strength and I am so lucky to have them as friends.

This is us and our 8th grade teachers. We loved them..

This is me and Marial during spirit week, Lindsey's lurking in the background.

Last day of 8th Grade. I love you guys.

Lose hope? Never.

We lost my puppy yesterday. Only for an hour. But it was an hour of me, Ariel, Shannon and my Mom trudging through the foot of snow, in the woods, in the dark from 8 to 9 at night, calling a dog who doesn't even know her name. I was wearing shorts. Needless to say, it was an awful experience. But we eventually found her, just in time for me to watch American Idol, too.

The entire time we were slumping around my neighborhood, I didn't think once that we wouldn't find her. Honestly, I was thinking about my little 'info' box on the right side of this page, next to my picture. It says "..& I don't lose hope. Ever." I was thinking about how true that statement is. And how I am kind of proud of that fact.

Let's keep in mind that..

Just because I go to church and youthgroup and have a relationship with God, doesn't mean I am a saint. These factors do not make me exempt from sinning. Everyone sins. Yeah, I try to act as Godly as I can, but I'm gunna screw up a few times. I just hate when I'm angry or upset about something, or in an argument with someone and they try to use that against me. They don't have a relationship with God which sometimes means they can throw all their harsh words at me without caring, but if I say anything half as bad as what they say, I get told that I am sinning. Yes, thank you, I am fully aware, and I'm not proud of it. There is no need for you to point it out in a cocky way like I am going to take it all back and apologize for it just because you said that. Sure I'll apologize later but not in the midst of whatever is going on.

I'm going to make mistakes.

It snowed a lot today..

My brain on a daily basis.

Why do some teachers think they are always right? Why do people who I have no mutual friends with show up in my 'suggestions' on facebook? What really makes the first day of summer, summer? Why do some people find the need to post very personal things on their facebook statuses? Why does my mom wear her claddagh ring the 'single' way? Why do I get so excited when I buy new socks? Why do I hate talking about 'human nature' in school? How come it seems like some people can judge others without feeling guilty? How are Jason Mraz and Austin Kyle so talented? Why do I have an obsession with college sweatshirts? Why do I feel sick when people don't know who The Beatles are? Why do some people think it's alright to whistle at people for their attention like they're dogs? Why do I feel like I'm a charity case when older people want to hang out with me? Why do some people think it's so strange that I have rings on my necklace? Why did I not know that it is strange to eat oatmeal with salt and butter? Why can't everyone be happy? Why does high school have to come with so much baggage? How come I sometimes want to be grown up and on my own, but other times I want to be a little kid again? Why can't we stay little kids forever? How does wearing fake silver jewelry turn your skin green? Why can't it be summer weather all the time? How come I tell my life to people I've known for maybe 2 years but get restless and antsy when my parents ask me how school was? Why do some people think age limits who you can hang out with? Why do good things have to come to an end? Why do people who believe in Nihilism do anything if they believe that everything amounts to nothing? How come when I sing with my eyes closed, I feel like the music is pouring out of my soul? How can I relate anything to anything else? Why do some people get nervous when the see they have an inbox on facebook, yet I get super excited? Why do I spend hours thinking about the smallest things? Why do people assume that if you are a nice person, you have a perfect life? Why does my dad think my cartilage piercing is trashy? Why do I have the strangest memory? When did we stop being interested in Disney and start becoming interested in drugs and alcohol? Why do I enjoy doing my laundry 10 times more when I'm at a laundramat, apposed to my house? Why are some people so against people who have a relationship with God? Why can't we be friends?


Why do I ask so many questions?

Knoxville FTW

Yesterday, Katherine found documentary type videos that we made while we were in Tennessee for the Global Finals of Destination Imagination (It's doubtful that any of you know what that is..). We made 17 videos of complete nonsense. But they are absolutely hysterical. We died of laughter while watching them yesterday. Here's one of our favorites.

Kath and I have decided that we are going to make videos like this more often. Whenever we do things, or go anywhere, or even if we aren't doing anything. They are so ridiculous, yet so fun.

Watching the shadows burning in the dark..

I love this song. And this girl is incredible. I want her to win.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DT5wd92Ztis

Dream Big.

I love photography.

Baby I'm a dreamer, for sure..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp_zcJ2qn6o

Callie babyyyy.

Today, my family got a puppy.

Name: Callie.

Gender: babyGirlllll

Breed: Beagle Dachshund Mix (we think)

Age: About 1

She's adorable and I love her.

Forever.

My neighbors and neighborhood reminds me of the neighbors and neighborhood from The Sandlot. In that movie, it all starts one summer, when the new kid moves in. When the Buhlmann's moved in next door, almost 8 years ago, that's when it all began. The games every night, staying out till our parents yelled at us to get in, spending every waking moment with each other. In The Sandlot people move away. In our neighborhood, people went to college. But I'll never forget those summer days when we were all so contently happy doing absolutely nothing, because we were doing absolutely nothing with each other.

What happened to..

..staying out till 2 in the morning?
..baking almost every day?
..taking pictures like it was our job?
..doing laps around the neighborhood?
..sitting on the Buhlmann's fence or the Fritzs side yard?
..manhunt, capture the flag, german spotlight, wiffle ball, football, fuzzball, kickball?
..running in the sprinklers at the golf course?
..chasing down the ice cream man?
..bike rides?
..making up our own games?
..ringing each others doorbells?
..talking about anything and everything?
..not letting me play aerosoft?
..midnight swims?
..bon fires and ghost stories?
..being there for eachother through anything thrown our way?
..the neighborhood?

We grew up.

Let it.

Music keeps us together when everything else is falling apart. It connects the ends of the world that you thought were impossible to connect. It keeps us striving, living, moving, going. It silences your thoughts, stills your problems and puts your life struggles on hold while the symphonies, melodies, harmonies wrap around you. It sends praise, messages, love, hope, inspiration. It starts revolutions, movements. It builds bridges over age differences, over seas, over gender, over language barriers and over social class. With music, there are no boundaries and no limits. It accepts you for who you are, who you were, and who you'll ever be.




It takes all of you: Body, mind, heart soul, and when it does, let it.

Candy Land

When we were in DC, we slept in children's classrooms in The First Baptist Church of Alexandria. One night we were there we noticed all the board games and toys that were in the rooms. Since we had some chill time before we had to go to sleep, we decided to play Candy Land. Such a simple game was so much fun simply because of the people I was playing it with.

The fear of what?

Does that fact that I want to be a missionary scare people? If so, I fully do not understand the terror in someone whose sole purpose is to help others and bring God into their lives.

If you have any idea why this might be terrifying, please enlighten me, because I'm truly lost..

Endless Stories

Going to Middlebrook Farms every tuesday, I hear countless amounts of stories about traveling around the world, starting families, wars and even people surviving the Haulacost from all the lovely residents. Today, for the first time since I've been going to Middlebrook Farms (over a year) I heard a woman talk about segregation.

Lily told Liz and I all about her life and everything about her family. She was talking about how she was a school Librarian in Cleveland when the segregation laws were enforced. She was the only white faculty member in the entire school at one point. "I walked up to a table in the cafeteria one day where all African American teachers were sitting and I said, 'I'm going to desegregate this table!' and I sat down." Her boldness and strength for what she believes in is an inspiration.

"The first duty of love is to listen."

I love when people just listen to me. There are like 8 people in my life that I know are always there for me to talk to. They always listen, no matter what. When I need to vent, they always listen and never interrupt. They understand fully. I always try to thank them after I chat their ear off, but just in case they don't realize I appreciate every second of their time..


Thank you Katherine for the 10 years of listening you've had to deal with.
Thank you Julia for the countless amounts of hour+ phone calls.
Thank you Taylor for the texts and phone calls whenever I'm upset.
Thank you Kayla for the texts and 3 hour conversations on Retreats.
Thank you Liz for our walks around Middlebrook Farms.
Thank you Sara for the phone calls and text messages whenever I feel so lost.
Thank you Ryan for the endless conversations every time you come home.
And thank you St.Pierre for the 45 minute lunch periods you deal with everyday.

To all of you, I give my endless thanks.

Gotta stop.

It is currently 2:30 in the morning. I just spent from 10:45 to now starting and finishing an essay that is due tomorrow that was assigned over a month and a half ago.

This procrastination thing that I'm getting pretty good at? Yeah, it has to stop.

Urks.

Sometimes when I tell people I want to be a Missionary when I grow up, they end the conversation.


..And by sometimes I mean 90% of the time.

Limitless Love

Today at Project Renew, I saw an old man give up his chair for a just as old woman. I'm glad to know that love and generosity have no age limit.