Just A few minutes ago, I went over the number of views I was getting for my blog, and I was astounded to discover that my blog views had gone to 8-9 the day before, and 92 yesterday, to 128 today!!!! I would like to thank you guys those in the US and those in Alaska, who have been reading my blog and hopefully coming away with something from it!!!! Again, thank you all so much!!!!

Winter is here!!!! Time to crank out the hot cider, snowboards, skis, and get ready to do some serious stuff with snow!!!! You definitely know it's winter when you start cranking fresh cider from apples you got around the farm here where we live. But with winter, sometimes we can sink into deep melancholy. Like sometimes, you can feel stuck a whole lot.I have been feeling stuck at home because my older sister has been traveling and I have had to stay and take over for her. She will be traveling again pretty soon, and I am supposed to take over for her again, be the SS (substitute sister). And there have been times when I would like to strike out on my own, explore, figure out what I am here for, what I am supposed to do for a career, but as of late I have had to stuff that longing in my pocket and just keep waking up every morning to get school and chores done.

 I guess that's how God works. You want to go, He has you stay. It's been hard to find a blessing in it, though. When I've been hurt, or friends have passed, It's been hard to thank Him for it, cause either physical pain or inside, it's just really hard to thank him. When our friend passed recently, It was hard to thank Him for her passing, because she was young when she died, barely 5. And It hurt to not be back home while she was going downhill health wise. As the snow falls on the mountains, and tree leaves turn color, the color of snow might be the color of pureness, but sometimes, it could be a spiritual symbol. It could mean a start of good things in your life, but it could mean a heavy fall of bad things. Or sometimes, your life could be the picture of a gutted tree, completely bereft of leaves. But you know what? There is always spring to wait for and leaves to begin growing again. And you know what? There will soon be an opportunity to go traveling by myself; I just need to wait. And pretty soon, the time will tell, and before you know it, you might be off on your first adventure as well!!!!

Who wants a video post?????? I've been thinking that you guys might not know the girl behind the blog, and so I've been thinking that you guys need a personal tour of what my life looks like every day. In the video, I would tour my home, and the farm a little bit. Who's up for it????? Y'all ready for an adventure?????

Things

sometimes, we might think that our lives are organized, and then, boom! things happen: trying to find a place to live, job situations,friends come over, you name it, and then you think, my life isn't so organized anymore. And it isn't. God didn't create our lives to be perfect, He knew there were going to be some curveballs thrown our way during our lives. You might not expect them, but He does, and He will help you off the ground after you've been winded by the ball coming at you so fast. A problem I have is list making, like what I'd like to do during the summer, fall, and roles I would like to be in  plays. And sometimes, the things on the list don't end up being checked off. There could be one or two things that are checked off, but I put a whole lot of things on that list. So many things to do, sights I want to see. I might try to have my whole life planned out, but then there is the unexpected: God planning things for you. You might think that you're going to live here, He'll put you there, you think you might end up with this guy/gal, but He'll have someone different, someone that's perfect for you. And you might follow along with this plan kicking and screaming, which means that if you don't deal, He'll put you in the time-out chair/corner. I know, cause I've been there personally. But no matter what the situation, no matter what life throws your way, you can't stay on the ground forever, even after the ball's bounced in the dirt a few times and rolled away from you. We all have to get up, shake the dust off, and get ready for another ball coming your way!! Blessings, and thanks for reading my posts!!!

quick recap of life for me recently:

Sukkot in Nebraska

Sukkot on the farm

Kristin returning from Taos

There have been other things, too, but there have been so many I just don't know where to begin and where to stop. This week it is nothing but school and hebrew class tomorrow, and then my mom is going to Oklahoma to help out a cousin who has a twenty-year-old son with cerebral palsy and is having major problems as well. Me? preparing (physically and mentally) for the week ahead, and wanting to get involved in a lot of things. What I would like to do is direct a skit and/or play and get a job, one that requires being away from home, cause sometimes it can get a little crowded.

 That, and since Kristin has come back home, Mom has given her a little leeway from chores which leaves us to do them. she has a chore, but sometimes we have to help her out just because. Today I also discovered how dangerous crushes can be. I had feelings for a boy, and I got kind of vicious today, laying claims on him and calling him "mine". I know, not smart. I thought I had gotten rid of those feelings, but then they just came back to bite me in my rear, you could say. You know how our lives can have "chapters"? We're (me and my family) are on a new chapter and it's called "Adoption". The past few movies we've watched, the books we've read, are all shouting one word: Adding on to a family. I think it's kind of funny, that way.

Other stuff, Just a whole lot of school work: Hebrew, Spanish, and math. A whole lot of it. That, and I've always been wondering what my future will be like. Who will I get married to? Will I have kids? Where will I live with my family? Sometimes I think that I have things figured out, like the guy, the place, and number of kids. But although it might not be my plan, God might have a different guy, different number of kids, different place to live. But right now I am living on faith that things will turn out fine. I would just ask that you pray for me that I don't lose hope in God's plan, no matter how delayed it might be. So write back in the comments and tell me what my viewer's lives are like!!!
Thanks so much for reading and God bless!!!!