Life Lately

This month has been a weird mix of things. For starters, I turned 21, which does not feel as big as I thought it would. We had a small family party, had meatloaf, played games, and just hung out. It was an awesome day. Since I don't drink alcohol, don't want a gun or to rent a car, it wasn't much anything special, but still a great day!

I am beginning to line up work for the fall. My favorite job, working with a class of 1-3-year-olds is almost sure it is coming back (though nothings certain with COVID), and I have a couple more job possibilities for a couple days a week, which I'm really excited about! I haven't been able to work regularly since March, so I'm glad things are getting semi back to normal. It means wearing a mask and doing a lot of sanitizing, but I don't mind.

I finished editing one of my novellas this week, which is the first time I've finished a project in a year. For some reason, I don't feel super excited. It's been long enough since I finished something and had someone else read it, I'm not super confident in my own ability right now. But I am excited to work on a new project. I'm either going to be editing some flash fictions I wrote in November or continuing to re-write my Sci-Fi sequel to Flight from Kelar.

Aside from that, I've been watching some shows, trying to keep up with cleaning, and hanging out with my family a lot.

What have you been up to?

The Mystery Blogger Award

I was tagged by Katja to do the Mystery Blogger Award! I also picked up Kate's questions, cause they were fun. It's been a while since I've done a tag like this, so this should be fun!


Katja questions: 

1. How many notebooks do you think you own? 
Ha, I have no idea. Maybe 20 empty and about three full? I don't actually keep full notebooks, just pages from them. My notebooks are more for writing letters or scribbling ideas in that I just input into the computer.

2. What's your favorite male name and your favorite female name? 
Well, I can't say I've really thought about it that much. I really like the name David, and honestly, I don't know for girl's names. I really like Kate and Amanda. I have fond memories attached to those names.

3. What is your passion? Your driving passion? 
My passion is really to live a life that honors God and to show His love to others.

4. Chicken burgers and fish sticks... with or without breadcrumbs? 
With. It makes chicken delicious, and it's the only thing that could make fish sticks palatable.

5. Any opinion on poetry, specifically classical poetry? 
As all my readers probably know, I love poetry. I've written poetry since I was about 12, and really got into when I was 16. But classical poetry? Not my thing. I have tried several different authors and... mostly just ended up board. Or confused. Metaphors are not my thing, and most poetry uses them really heavily.

Kate's questions: 

What is one song that makes you happy every time it comes on?
Speak Life by Toby Mac is always a guaranteed smile, but for some reason the song I always turn to when I just need a smile is the theme from Greatest American Hero. I don't really like that show, but the song has some really fond memories, and it's just fun and happy.

What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever baked?
Um, those little shrink plastic toys? I'm not much of a baker. I'd rather be cooking.

What is one book you’ll never forget?
Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay and Rainbow Garden by Patricia St. John. Sorry, I had to do two. These are two of the most impactful books in my life.

Orange Julius or lemonade?
Neither? I do not like lemonade, and I just don't love orange juice.

What is your favorite graphic novel or comic book?
I don't really have one. I feel like I've read one, but I don't really make a habit of it.

This was really fun! If anyone wants to do it, feel free to! Or answer some of the questions in the comments!

N O R M A L

Hanging on the edge 

Almost normal 

Things going back 

To the way they were before 

And just like that 

A wind pushes me over 

And normal becomes a memory 

I’m falling

Hanging onto normality by a thread

Trying just to hold myself up 

But maybe I wasn’t made for normal 

Maybe I’m not made for solid ground 

Maybe I was made to leap 

So I could learn to fly 

Or maybe I’m supposed to plummet 

And learn how to fall

I know I’m not made for this 

This constant death grip on normal 

I need to let go 

And see what happened 

Maybe I’ll find something better

Then the solid ground I stood on before 

June Highlights

Happy Independence Day!! June went by both slowly and super fast. Not sure how that happened. XD But it was a good month!

I watched Frozen 2 with my sister Grace. I was insanely disappointed. But I also had a virtual movie party with my friend Micaiah and watch High School Musical, which is always fun. =D And I watched Toy Story 2, which was fantastic!

Grace and I were sitting by a pool and... well, I mean the family had invited us to use the pool whenever we wanted while we were dog sitting, so we just jumped in. XD It is easier to swim in a skirt then you would think.

I got to go back to the zoo for the first time since March, which was awesome! I really missed the zoo these past couple of months.

My sister Grace and I stopping for every sunset. XD

My sister Rebekkah and I played eight games of Ticket to Ride London in one day. We decided we should go ahead and buy the full version of it so all us siblings could play it. We found it for a great deal on eBay and our family is having a lot of fun playing it now.

I got to babysit some awesome kids, which was fun after so long of not watching them. I had little boys dragging me to the creek so they could sit on mossy rocks, and them some of the girls I watched thought me to ride a hoverboard. I'd like to point out, they hoverbaords are on wheels, so it's kind of misleading. ;D But we had a great laugh as I struggled to stand up on the board, and the four year old was very proud of me when I finally got the hang of it. XD

We sold the last of the puppies. That was bittersweet since it was a lot of fun to have the puppies around, but on the other hand, it's given us a lot of time to spend with Ranger.

Ranger! <3

The Saharan dust has come. It causes headaches, grainy eyes, general tiredness, and a sky that looks white instead of blue. =P Thankfully it should be gone soon!

We had lunch in the park, and a squirrel came up to me, so I gave it a fry (don't worry, the little guy never touched me, just the fry). It was awesome. By time we left, I had shared fries with eight squirrels. It was pretty epic and funny.

My sister Sarah had a birthday! We celebrated with a lot of games, pool time, and tacos. ;)

My young adults group went Kayaking! It was only the second time I've been kayaking, and it was really fun. I got soaking wet, but I had a blast.

So I re-read the whole Emily Abbot series, which was awesome! My favorite new book I read was a toss-up between Anomaly and The Retrievers. My least favorite was probably Revolutionary. I still need to write a review for that. ;)

Lost or Found Fifth out of Ten 

Heartstorm Once Upon an Ordinary

Way's to Art Journal A Farm Girl's Life

The Quarantine Diaries II Totally Graced

Window Fellow Release Stories by Firefly 

In All of the Changes, Grace Remains All I Know is Grace

How was your month? Do you have any plans for this month?