Wedding Website

I created a wedding website!! You can visit it here! 236 days to go!

- b -

Update! --> The site is new & improved! Visit

Alex-and-Briana-tie-the-knot.com

School is Almost Out!

The fall semester has almost come to an end! It has literally flown by (which I had hoped it would), and this long distance relationship thing has not been as hard as I had originally thought it was going to be! 10 more days until Alex has graduated and 13 until he is here in Louisville! I am so excited that I have this whole list of things I want to do, dates I want to go on, places I want to eat, etc. I guess I just took for granted having him in the same town when we were both in Jackson. Anyways, these next two weeks are not that busy for me! I have 3 more days of normal classes (Thursday, Friday & Monday) and then finals start. My first final is on the 10th and my last is on the 15th! I actually think that I am going to get straight A's this semester! I'm keeping my fingers crossed. :)

Things to do before Christmas Break!
- Finish my Intro. to Black Studies Wiki
*It is actually already finished. I just have to do a 2-3 minute presentation of it on Monday!
- Finish my Creative Writing portfolio
*I plan on working on this during the drive down to Jackson for Alex's graduation
- Math final (Thursday!)
- Hallmark Assessment Paper
*This is for my Human Growth & Development class. It is due tomorrow by midnight, and I haven't even started! It is what I am going to be working on all night. I am pretty good with papers though, so once I finish this I will have a lot of relief!
- American Lit. II Essays (2) and final
*I am planning to write my essays this weekend so that I have all of next week to study for my multiple choice final!

My list is really short compared to many people I know, and for this I am grateful. I cannot wait for Christmas break! I am not going to get that much of a "break" since I will be out of town and working a lot, but it's time off of school. I can't complain. :) Hope everyone is enjoying the beginning of the Holiday season!

- b -

I am going to Steamboat Springs, CO with the McCalls over break. We are going skiing, and it's going to be my first time skiing out west! I pray that I make it home alive! ;)

 

New Apartment

Here is a picture of Alex's new apartment! We finalized the paperwork on Monday, and his move-in date is December 15th! We are excited that he got this apartment because 1) it is only 2 miles down the road from my house 2) they are pet friendly with no extra fees! 3) it is gorgeous and in a great location and 4) he got it at a discount rate! We are so thankful that the Lord made this such an easy process. My friend Jessi & her fiancé seem to be having much more trouble (according to her blog). Jessi, I hope things get better for you! I'm sorry that they are being so difficult! :( Anyways, here is the picture! I'll have to post some pictures after he gets all moved in!

- b -

"There is a tide in the affairs of men."

The only reason that I know this quote is because of One Tree Hill. It is from Shakespeare's Julius Ceasar and although I remember reading it in 7th grade, I never really remembered this quote. I hear it all the time when I am watching "my show," so today I decided to look it up so that I could understand what it really meant. Here is what I found in my search:

Brutus:

There is a tide in the affairs of men.

Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;

Omitted, all the voyage of their life

Is bound in shallows and in miseries.

On such a full sea are we now afloat,

And we must take the current when it serves,

Or lose our ventures.

Julius Caesar Act 4, scene 3, 218–224

Brutus and Cassius are discussing the final phase of their civil war with the forces of Octavian and Marcus Antonius. Cassius has been urging that they group their forces at Sardis and take advantage of the secure location to catch their breath. Brutus, however, advocates heading off the enemy at Philippi before Octavian can recruit more men. Brutus's main point is that, since "the enemy increaseth every day" and "We, at the height, are ready to decline" (lines 216–217), he and Cassius must act now while the ratio of forces is most advantageous. "There's a tide in the affairs of men," he insists; that is, power is a force that ebbs and flows in time, and one must "go with the flow." Waiting around only allows your power to pass its crest and begin to ebb; if the opportunity is "omitted" (missed), you'll find yourself stranded in miserable shallows.

Just wanted to share a little knowledge! :)
- b -

Dream Come True

So this weekend I got engaged to my best friend! Alex proposed on 

November 14th & we will be married before next 

school year, the Lord willing! We couldn't be happier! 

Here are some pictures that we took this 

weekend! Thank you to everyone who has called, texted and 

sent us the sweetest messages! We love you all!

- b & a-

Grateful

This whole weekend I have been moping around and pouting. Thursday was my birthday, and I was going to wait until the weekend to celebrate with my friends and family, but around 3:00 on Friday afternoon, Alex called to tell me that he was at the doctor's office getting tested for the flu. And guess what? The test came back positive. I was really upset at first, but it ended up just turning into sheer disappointment. I had SO been looking forward to seeing him and spending my birthday weekend with him. That didn't happen so I just moped around all weekend. It wasn't very fun, but I did get a lot done. I decided that I wasn't going to celebrate anything about my birthday until he got here, sooooo the presents are all still wrapped, the cake has yet to be made and my dinner(s) with family and friends have yet to be. I just wanted to wait until he was here to celebrate with me, and that's what I'm sticking to! It's so hard because I love presents, but it will be well worth the wait. :) He is still not feeling very well and is staying with the dogs at his apartment in Jackson until he feels better to get back to school and life. I feel so bad for him, and I ask for you to keep him in your prayers! Swine flu is no fun from what I've heard. :( There is some good news though! UofL received all his credentials to enter the Sports Administration program in January, and he has an interview on Friday morning!! Hopefully he will be feeling better, but I am so excited!! He received the notification today, and that has made it a great day. Please pray for him to feel better and for him to do good on his interview Friday! Hope all is well! 


- b -

Welcome To The 20's!

Today is my 20th Birthday!! :)

It started this morning when the sunlight through

my window woke me up. I checked my phone to see

what time it was but it had died. I opened my laptop

to find that it was 10:30! My first class ended at 10:45 and

my next started at 11:00 so I had missed all my classes! :(

Naturally, I decided to sleep in. I woke up around 12something,

took a shower (& used my mom's special shampoo), and 

then went to lunch with my mom at Lynn's Paradise Cafe 

because I had never been there before! It was 

amazing, and I'm glad that I have officially experienced

it. It's a Louisville original. :) Then I went and 

got a flu shot and came back home! We are going to 

celebrate my birthday tomorrow actually because 

I have a TON of homework to do tonight. Sigh. So I am about to go 

hit the books. But I am glad to be 20! 

Thank you to everyone who called, texted, or

facebooked me today! Love you all!

- b

Help Save a Life.

Today I gave blood for the third time.

I'm not going to lie and say that it is a fun experience,

but I feel so much better about myself after it is over.

Giving blood is truly a giving of yourself, 

and I see no reason why anybody who could give blood shouldn't.

I am terrified of needles and blood, but I suck it up because

I believe that if you have the power to change a life than you should.

So take this challenge, and go give blood today.

_______________________________________________________

³⁴"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

 ³⁷"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

 ⁴⁰"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

- b -

Support Our Troops

So two of my cousins left for the Middle East this week. Please keep them in your prayers. They are both my age (Michael is 6 mos. older and Noel is 1 mo. younger), and are in the Army and Marines respectively. Pray that they will get their job done and then come home safe & sound to their families. We love you guys!

My cousin Noel Ramage: U.S. Marines

My cousin Michael Badolato Jr.: U.S. Army

- b -

Fall [Break]

Well happy October! It has been raining the entire month which has been a huge disappointment because fall is my favorite time of the year. Two weekends ago I decided to get all our Halloween decorations out so that our house looked a little more festive and for the most part it went well! I even ventured to put the fake spider webs on the bushes and shutters outside. They looked GREAT but ever since then it has been raining, and they are looking pretty nasty right about now.

This year I am actually having to worry about working on the holidays. Not that I mind, but when I was in Jackson I automatically got all holidays off because I came home to Louisville during them but now I have to be all grown up, and it is not very fun. Haha well it's not too bad, but I am just waiting to see how to plan Thanksgiving and Christmas, etc.! Work is good! Nothing too interesting there!

School is getting really stressful right about now. It hasn't been bad AT ALL but for some reason I have many major projects and reports due tomorrow and Tuesday. I am going to lock myself in all day today to work on them. It is going to be no fun. :( Alex was here to visit this weekend as well, and I didn't get as much done as I wanted. We went to Industrial Nightmare last night with some friends, and it was SO fun. It's a haunted house over in Indiana, and we had a blast! I love haunted houses and being scared especially around Halloween. It just puts me in the spirit! :) We also saw The Stepfather on Friday night. It's a scary movie about this guy about to marry this woman and join her family with three kids. They show you in the beginning how he is a serial killer, and it just gets better from there! Twisted I know, but I just love it. :)

I got to spend fall break in Jackson, and it was THE BEST EVER. I loved hanging out with my old roommates and friends. We had a blast, and I am so glad that I went. It really made me miss Union a lot because I actually didn't miss it until I went. I also got to meet all the new Alpha Tau Omega pledges. They are the sweetest group of guys I have met, and I am so proud that Alex is their pledge dad. I guess if he is pledge dad that makes me pledge momma, so I made them brownies for their pledge meeting/test that they had last Tuesday. I'm guessing they liked them. Oh, and guess what? Alex is getting a LITTLE BROTHER!!! :) Not like an actual little brother, but an ATΩ little brother. He has had 4 before, and somehow every single year they end up dropping out or moving away. It's really sad, but I am so happy for him, and I know he is going to do such a great job. The pledges haven't found out who their big brother is yet, but I know. :) I can't wait because I know that Alex is so happy already and is going to be even happier once ***************** finds out that Alex is his big brother! :) Anyways, enough of that. Life is good. I don't really have much else to say. This week's weather is supposed to be getting a lot warmer, so hopefully it will start feeling like fall instead of winter!!

Peace & Blessings
Peace & Blessings
(haha girls who know what I'm talking about!)

- b-

P.S. We celebrated our 2 year anniversary on the 12th! Here are a couple pictures from the night! 

We had dinner at Amerigo's in Memphis! It was delicious!

Special thanks to Catherine, Jessica, Carrie and Katie for helping me dress for the occasion! I had no dress clothes to wear and they helped me pull something together! Thank you guys! 

September

Whew! It's been such a long time since I have updated! Life has just been so busy, but thankfully I had a weekend off work so that I was able to catch up on rest and just take a break from it all! The first month of school has been great! UofL is so different than I thought that it would be, but that is a good thing! I love all my classes and professors, and I am really learning a lot. They seem like they can actually teach, and that is something that as a future teacher, I am very thankful for. Right now here is what my school schedule looks like!

MWF 12:00-12:50 Intro to Pan-African Studies
MWF 1:00-1:50 Intro to Creative Writing
MW 3:00-4:40 Math for Elementary Teachers I
TR 9:30-10:45 Human Growth & Development
TR 11:00-12:15 American Literature II

This is such a random assortment of classes, but they all go towards my gen. ed. requirements and towards my teaching major! I really really love UofL and just being there has taught me so much about myself, where I've been in life and the direction that I want to go. This transfer from Union was THE BEST thing that I could have possibly done, and I am so grateful that I did it. Yes, I miss Alex and all my friends, but I wouldn't have done a single thing different. I AM going to get to visit everyone on my fall break at the beginning of October, so I am looking forward to that! :)

I get to have 3 field experiences this semester. They are fairly small in the amount of hours that I have to visit each place, but I am excited about getting to go to schools in Louisville. My first field experience is at Farnsley Middle School. It is really random, but I am going to be observing in a middle school orchestra classroom. I think that once I get into my major I will get to see more of what I actually want to teach (that being elementary school and middle school English), but for now I am looking forward to spending some mornings and afternoons listening to music & seeing how that classroom operates!

My job is going well, and I am loving it. During the school year I work anywhere from 17-28 hours per week at the hotel. The people are so nice, and I am glad to be a part of the Homewood family! And every now and then I pick up a shift at Steak 'n Shake to just put a little cash in my pockets. :) Life is busy but so great!

Hmm... I am trying to think if anything interesting has happened since I last posted! I'll put a few pictures up from the Keith Urban concert on August 22nd. It was at the State Fair, and I loved spending that last weekend of summer with Alex. <3



Oh! I almost forgot! I just started volunteering as a Lift Group leader on Wednesday nights for a 6th grade girls group! I absolutely love it, and my girls are precious. We are going to be volunteering at one of the Boys & Girls Clubs in town on October 7th with our Purple Family! I am really looking forward to that, and I am looking for a service opportunity for us as a group later in the semester. I just remember how much my small group leaders and even the leaders that I didn't have one-on-one contact with made a huge difference in my life, and I just want God to use me in that same way. Pray for me & my girls as we meet this year. God is going to do great things, I just know it!

Hopefully I will be able to update a little more than I have been, but we'll see what life brings! :) Have a great beginning of Fall!!!

- b -

I just don't want to.

Do you ever have those things that you need to do, but you just can't seem to make yourself do them? I have been needing to give Colby a bath all week, and I kept giving myself excuses and putting it off until I made myself do it this morning. I mean, it's not something that was hard to do or something that would take a lot of time. He stands still in the sink and doesn't move until I am done. I always feel like I have those things to do and finally end up doing them to realize that it wasn't that bad after all. Do any of you have those things?? I'm curious! Let me know! Happy Saturday! :)

- b -

Trips to Office Max make me want to...

BE ORGANIZED!! & the funny thing is that I already am organized! No, I am not always CLEAN, but I like everything to have it's specific place so that I will always know where to go when I am looking for it. So tonight I decided to get all my school stuff together. This included putting all my binders and folders together, 3 hole punching all the papers that I have accumulated over the week, organize those papers and putting everything away in its proper place. THEN I had to get my desk completely together so that I feel prepared to take on my 2nd week at UofL! (Which I LOVE by the way) :) I have all my books but one (estimated arrival date= Sept. 2) and they are all neatly lined up in the right corner of my desk. All my pencils are sharpened and markers are full of ink! There is no clutter in my drawers, and everything has it's perfect place! I don't know why this makes me so happy, but I feel the need to share this accomplishment with the world. :) The only thing that I am looking for right now is a box to put an already completed scrapbook in. I went to Michael's, & they didn't have any. Neither did Meijer. Does anybody know where I can get one?? It is one of the larger scrapbooks. I am not sure of the exact dimensions, but it looks like a "normal" scrapbook to me. I'll post a pic so that you can get an estimate of the size. If any of you other scrapbookers know where I can find a box for it just let me know! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! It is our last of August 2009! :) Welcome Fall!!!!



- b -

P.S. I went to the movies tonight with my sister, and we saw Julie & Julia. I don't go to the movies hardly ever, but I LOVED this movie. It was so funny yet so serious at the same time. It is based on 2 true stories, and those are the kinds I love the most! I highly recommend it!

"I want to worship Jesus."

I saw this video about 5 minutes ago on one of my Facebook friend's status. Please take 6 minutes to watch this. It is the powerful story of a 17 year old girl who converted from Islam to Christianity. She ran away, and now they are wanting to send her back to per parents, but she insists that she will be killed for her faith if she goes back. Listen to her story. She was an inspiration to me just from this short clip.


- b -

My Mix

I just made a new mix CD of all my favorite Christian worship songs right now. Just thought I would share what is on my playlist right now!

What Life Would Be Like --> Big Daddy Weave
The Motions --> Matthew West
Slow Fade --> Casting Crowns
The Stand --> Hillsong United
Point of Difference --> Hillsong United
Give Me Your Eyes --> Brandon Heath
Closer to Love --> Matt Kearney
I Will Rise --> Chris Tomlin
Cannons --> Phil Wickham
Revelation Song --> Kari Jobe
The Lost Get Found --> Britt Nicole
Whatever You're Doing --> Sanctus Real
Came to My Rescue --> Hillsong United
While I'm Waiting --> John Waller

Enjoy!
- b -

"For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations." Psalm 100:5

New job!

So a lot has been going on since I last posted!! My little cousin, Austin, is doing pretty good! He lost some weight after his birth (as expected), and he has almost gained it all back! :) Continue to keep him & his family in your prayers, but I am sure that he is going to be just fine.

I got a new job!! I am now a front desk agent at Hilton's Homewood Suites- Louisville East & I love it there! It is a lot more slow paced than the Doubletree which is a good thing & a bad thing. I miss having things to do all the time, but I do love the more relaxed setting & getting to know our extended stay guests. If you are ever looking for a hotel in Louisville then I recommend that you stay with us! All our rooms are suites with a kitchenette, bedroom, living room and bathroom. They are very spacious and we also have some great amenities. We serve a complimentary breakfast each morning & we also serve a complimentary Homewood Suites DINNER each Monday-Thursday. We also have people that will take your grocery list & go get all your groceries while you are away. We have an outdoor swimming pool, hot tub, and sport court as well as a 24 hr. business & fitness center! AND we have a laundry facility & complimentary guest passes to Urban Active fitness center. Here are a few pictures of my new home!!



Right now I am currently in Paducah, Ky. My great Aunt Betty died last week & her funeral was today. She had surgery last Friday and developed pneumonia afterwards, and she passed away on Wednesday, July 29. Alex drove up here to meet my family and attend the funeral with me, and for that I am very thankful. He is so precious, and it was actually the first time for him to meet most of my extended family! So that was great despite the circumstances. We are going to head back to Louisville tomorrow, and I can't wait to be home!

School starts in 22 days!! I have really been struggling with trying to figure out ways to get involved on campus. It would be SO EXTREMELY EASY for me to just go to school & then come home every day without making a ton of new friends or participating in activities. I saw so many people at Union do that, and from what I could tell, it made them feel left out and not a part of campus life. So to fix this problem, I have been looking on their website at the different clubs and activities that they have going on. I'm thinking about looking into their Big Brother/Big Sister program or some other community service organizations on campus. I also have come to realize that besides like 5 friends, I really don't know anybody at UofL that I could really say that I am close to. I really do want to meet some new friends, and even though it is a public school I know that I can be a light for Christ even in a setting that I am very unfamiliar with. It's not like this is my first year of college. I know what it's like, and I know who I am. I know what I want to get involved in, and I know the things that I want to stay away from. I was researching Greek life at UofL, and I was really impressed by some of the things I read. I had thought about going through rush at the closing of the school year, but I decided against it. I'm not sure why, but yesterday I registered because if I make just 1 good friend in the whole process (& I am sure that I will make many) then it is worth it to me. I have my true friends, but I know that there are many other girls, just like me, out there & I thought rush would be a good outlet to meet many of them & possibly join a sisterhood & make many friends! We'll see how it works out, and I am honestly just curious about Greek life at a public school vs. Greek life at a private one. UofL doesn't seem like very much of a "party school" like UK or some of the others I've heard about. Maybe I'm wrong, but I guess that's what I'll find out about in a few weeks! :) I really am excited about school, and I am trying to make a conscious effort to participate in campus life even though I won't actually be living on campus. I'm taking it as though I'm at college for the first time, and I can't wait to see what experiences it brings. Well, that is really all that is going on right now! I am off to sleep so that I am well rested to make the trip home tomorrow! Goodnight!

- b -

Austin Daniel Rudy

Yesterday, my cousin Christine had a little baby boy! She wasn't due for 3 more months, but her body was rejecting the pregnancy, so they had to take him out as soon as possible! Here are some pictures of little Austin! Please keep him and my cousins Christine, Jared, and their daughter Ashlyn in your prayers!



When he was born, he was only 2lbs 10oz!!

- b -

Apartment Hunting!!

I am really excited because Alex is coming to Louisville next Thursday for 3 days! :) I haven't seen him since June 22nd, and that was only for 2 days since May 21st, so this I am really looking forward too. We are not sure how often he is going to be able to visit during the fall, and the plan is for him to move here at the end of December, soooo we are going to go look at apartments around Louisville one day while he is here! I have been online looking at different complexes and their different features (such as a pool, gym or pet availability) and comparing prices, location, etc. I've picked about 8 for us to go visit, so next weekend will be pretty busy I am sure! :) We MUST find a place that takes pets because we have 2 dogs, and they are our world! :) So pray that we are able to find an affordable and nice area that he can move into in December! And also pray that he gets a good score on his GRE that he is going to take in the fall. Thanks so much!

- b -

& they fell in ♥

I often get this question about me & Alex: How are you guys doing? Is he the one? etc., and I have a little "rant" that I would like to go on this evening if you don't mind. People have such speculations about love & marriage, and I just want to write what I think and believe in my heart about such an important area of each of our lives. I hear so many people say, "You're so young to even be thinking about getting married," and "You're not ready to get married," but what really makes a couple ready to get married? I honestly respect each and every person's opinion and conviction about these questions, but I am going to offer my own for now.

I can honestly say that I am 100%, head over heels, in love. Love isn't just a feeling, it is a choice and a commitment. Many days you can very much dislike the other person, but when you're in love, you choose to love that person, regardless of your feelings. Love is there the next day and the day after, no matter what. I hear so many times on television to "follow your heart," but instead, we should lead our hearts, because feelings and emotions are constantly changing. Especially as women, our feelings can change by the hour even. :) But I think that over time, when a couple feels with their hearts and their heads and commit to be there for the other person, regardless of feelings at that moment, than love can truly be found. I have been dating Alex for almost 2 years, and I love him with my whole heart. We've lived in the same city, the same house even *he lived with my family last summer* but have also spent great lengths of time away, and still I find myself completely infatuated with that boy, that man that God has made perfectly for me. Sometimes we agree and share the same exact opinions on the same thing that I think that he is just agreeing with everything that I say, but no, we honestly do have the same heart for the same issues and areas of life that are so very important. I think it is SO important for couples to agree on issues, especially ones that involved marriage, because when you decide, "hey, we are going to get married, and we'll handle this problem when we get to it in a few years," but it's not realistic. People don't just change their minds on what they believe because someone else said they should change. The person that you are meant to be with should share those same values and priorities if you expect things to work out. I'm not saying that you should always agree, because of course, people won't always agree on everything. We're human. I like certain pizza toppings and Alex likes certain pizza toppings. I may handle grief or praise in a different way that Alex handles grief or praise, but when it comes to finances, life, parenting, communication, and other aspects of a marriage relationship, than both people should be on the same page, even before they get engaged.

Communication is also an important aspect of every relationship. You have to be willing to share your heart with someone and also listen when they are sharing what they hold inside them. One person cannot always be dominating a relationship. When that happens, the other person, if they just take it and say nothing, bottle up everything inside themselves then they can most likely come to resent that other person or just explode one day. It is important for couples to be able to say what they feel without fearing the other's reaction. It is also important on how a couple handles conflict. One person cannot always "win" an argument. If a couple has an argument and there actually is a... how so I say this... "correct side," that the person who was wrong needs to be able to humbly accept what is true, and the other should not boast or say, "I told you so," but humbly love that other person in their defeat and move on. Now if it is just an issue regarding opinion, than couples should compromise so that each is satisfied with the end result. Communication is also important regarding big decisions. One person cannot handle situations alone because marriage and relationships require teamwork. I love Alex for how he always asks my opinion, and I cherish the times when I call him to ask him his advice on a particular issue in my life. I trust him, that he is going to tell me the truth, in complete honesty, even if it means that I am wrong. I know he will push me to make the right choices and that he is always on my side. There are no secrets, and a good relationship can have none. There was one time when I really messed up in mine & Alex's relationship... I was completely ashamed with how I handled a certain situation, and I was for sure that he would just not speak to me and even possibly break up with me because he didn't deserve what I had done. I could have hid it and never told him and lived with it until the day I died, but I couldn't. I cried, and I told him, and I will never forget the first words that came from his mouth: "It's ok. I forgive you." I always have grasped the concept of God's forgiveness and the price Christ paid to forgive our sins, and I have just accepted it, but when Alex said those words I immediately resorted to, "but you can't. It's too bad. You have to get mad at me or walk away while I beg for forgiveness," but that didn't happen. It was grace, and it was hard to accept. Right there and then was the first time that I really realized how difficult God's grace should be to accept. We SHOULD accept it, but at the same time, we should be so thankful and so in awe that God would do that for us, mere humans. It was a day that I will never forget, and I am thankful for such honesty and such openness in mine & Alex's relationship.

So what else prepares a couple for marriage? Well, finances of course. When you get married you are completely on your own. Car payments, house payments, insurance, groceries, gas, medical bills, phone bills, utilities, tithing, entertainment, etc. You have to be able to provide for yourselves and also be prepared to provide for a child, if God should bless you with one. No matter if you are planning for a child or not, a married couple should be able to provide for one because face it, children are a big possibility when ... well when a man & woman love each other. :) It happens and couples should be prepared!

So this all is part of what I think makes up a good marriage: Commitment, Trust, Honesty, Finances, Shared Values etc. Of course there is more, but hey, this is a blog not a book. :) & I KNOW that Alex is that special one that I will someday commit to FOREVER & ALWAYS, no matter what. And yes, I plan on getting married before I graduate from college which is when I will be 22. And yes, I know that we are young, but never once before did I say that age was what made up a good marriage. Me and Alex are like the same person. We share the same Christian values with no exceptions. Christ is #1 in our relationship, and what the Bible says will always direct our relationship and future. We are completely honest with one another. We share a trust that nobody could break. In 1 year I could completely give my life to him. I trust him with my future. We are able to provide for ourselves even if we don't "have" to right now. Yes, I live with my parents, and they pay for practically everything that I have. I only pay part of my car payment, gas, and entertainment, but in reality, Alex & I could pay for all of that. Finances are not an issue at all, and we are both working and saving and could provide for ourselves and a child, if after we were married happened (accidentally of course) before we were done with school. I'm just in this waiting period of life, and I cannot stand it, but I've learned to accept it and be content. My whole life is a waiting process... I am waiting while I am in school for a degree so that I can have a certain salary so that I can... and it goes on and on. I am waiting until I am older so that people will take my intentions with love & marriage seriously. I am waiting and while I am waiting, I am experiencing this wonderful thing called love. It is love; I have no doubt. But what ever happened to "love is the only thing that matters." If you look at that statement, you would probably be skeptical, but isn't love, TRUE LOVE, all that matters? We wouldn't have a hope, a future without the love of Christ. Marriages wouldn't be healthy and complete without TRUE love. So, yes, I am 19. That is a fact. It is something that I can't change. I am halfway done with college. It's not my fault that I skipped a grade. It's not my fault that I will graduate college when I am barely 22 years old. It's how my life is. I was always told to graduate from college before I got married, but still, people tell me 22 is too young. Since when do we have to put an age on love? No, I am not trying to be extreme and all about 16 year olds getting married in high school because they think that they are in love. I am all about being realistic. So that's why I say if a couple is TRULY in love, able to afford a comfortable life for themselves and a child, if they are completely truthful with everything and agree on the most important things than why not? Why can't they get married at 20, 21, 22, 23? People who try to tell me that I am too young have their hearts and minds set in the traditional way of doing things. I respect their opinions, but in my heart I will have to gracefully consider but also decline those same opinions. Love is love. Christ's love is the most perfect and precious and example. Sacrifice is necessary, but I am willing to sacrifice everything and all that I am for those that I love: my God, my family and my Alex. ♥

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Recipe: Mexican Lasagna

So I found this recipe on FoodNetwork.com, and made it last week and wanted to share it with you all! It's a quick and easy dish to make (once you have all the ingredients), so here is the recipe in case anybody is interested! I'll put the changes I made at the bottom and also some suggestions from my experience with this dish. Enjoy!
Cook Time: 20 min
Level:Easy
Yield:4 servings
Ingredients:

* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 2 pounds ground chicken breast, available in the packaged meats case
* 2 tablespoons chili powder
* 2 teaspoons ground cumin
* 1/2 red onion, chopped
* 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
* 1 cup medium heat taco sauce or 1 (14-oz) can stewed or fire roasted tomatoes
* 1 cup frozen corn kernels
* Salt
* 8 (8 inch) spinach flour tortillas, available on dairy aisle of market
* 2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar or shredded pepper jack
* 2 scallions, finely chopped

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil - twice around the pan. Add chicken and season with chili powder, cumin, and red onion. Brown the meat, 5 minutes. Add taco sauce or stewed or fire roasted tomatoes. Add black beans and corn. Heat the mixture through, 2 to 3 minutes then season with salt, to your taste.

Coat a shallow baking dish with remaining extra-virgin olive oil, about 1 tablespoon oil. Cut the tortillas in half or quarters to make them easy to layer with. Build lasagna in layers of meat and beans, then tortillas, then cheese. Repeat: meat, tortilla, cheese again. Bake lasagna 12 to 15 minutes until cheese is brown and bubbly. Top with the scallions and serve.

My suggestions: I used the fire roasted tomatoes, and they were delicious. I suggest adding something to make it spicy. It was a little bland but some hot sauce would be better. :) I also used Spinach wraps & Jalepeno Cheddar wraps. I mixed them in, and they were delicious! Let me know if you make it, and what ingredients you think make it better!

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Lazy Days

Last week, my little sister Danielle had this bumpy rash all over her legs, and it eventually spread over her whole body. Then my little brother had a fever and seemed to get the rash, but it went away after a day or so. I was so thankful that I did not get the rash.. I had been working a lot and getting back into the swing of summer break. But then to much despair, Friday afternoon while I was at work, I noticed some small red bumps on my left wrist, and I knew exactly what it was. So for the last WEEK I have been battling it out with this very itchy and bumpy rash that has completely taken over my arms and ears and left eye. It is horrible, and I cannot stop itching. It also makes my skin very dry. All 3 of us went to the doctor's on Saturday afternoon, but my mom ended up paying $120 for him to tell us that we had a virus and that we would have to "wait it out." I finally was able to get out of the house yesterday and run some errands. I got some new books (2 Karen Kingsbury & the 1st Harry Potter), and met my best friend Holly down at UofL so that she could show me around. Just those couple escapades took all the energy from me, and here I am, almost recuperated and ready to get back to work tomorrow. I've already missed three days because of this stupid thing, but thankfully it SEEMS to be getting better. I still find it spreading a little, but who knows. I wanted to put a picture up of what this thing did to my eye. :( Thankfully it is getting better, and I don't have to wear sunglasses in public! :)


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Trip to Florida!

I recently had the chance to go to Panama City, Florida with my roommate Catherine at the end of June. We went with her mom and her mom's friend Mrs. K. It was a really fun trip, and I enjoyed being a beach bum for a few days. I actually haven't been to Florida since spring break of my senior year of high school, so I was really pumped. :) Our days consisted of waking up and heading to the beach (usually from 10-4) & then getting showered and dressed up for dinner and shopping! It was really fun, and here are a few pictures from the trip! Catherine hasn't uploaded hers onto Facebook yet so I am waiting for her to put them up because most of them were on her camera! Hope you all are finding time to vacation yourself!





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Crash 2009

I know that I haven't updated in a while, but my life has been so busy! Thankfully I am doing wonderful and have a lot to catch up on! I am dedicating this post to my experience as a counselor at Country Lake Christian Retreat a few weeks back! I have grown up going to camp every summer at Country Lake, but this year was my first to be a counselor, and I LOVED it. It had been a while since I had been there, but things haven't really changed. I was there for a week (June 14-19) with a bunch of kids that will be starting 6th grade in the fall. I didn't really know what being a counselor would be like, and it was sort of a last minute decision to do it, but I really want to get involved in the Jr. High ministry at church, so I thought this would be the best way to jump in! :) We had some great adult volunteers that week, but a majority of the counselors were high school and college kids. We even had some camp teams from KCU, CCU & Milligan with us! It was great getting to know a lot of the staff at Southeast that I will be around all year long. Well each counselor got teamed up with another counselor to form a small group with 8-10 kids each. My co-leader was Sean, one of the guys from KCU. He was a sweetheart, and we definitely made a great team. Our kids were great too! Below is a picture of my girls and I... & below that are the boys of the group!!


LtoR: Rachel, Sydney, me, Emmalee, and Jill!



LtoR: Austin, Sam, Zac, and Cameron!

A lot of the leaders had... I don't want to say "trouble" with their groups, but a lot of the time they felt like they weren't able to get through to them or that they wouldn't pay attention, etc., but that was NOT the case with my kids! They participated in our small group time, and even when they acted like they weren't paying attention, I knew they were listening. :) We were the silver team, and we came up with our team name: SUPER SILVER SEVEN!! and some cheers that we chanted *or tried to chant* during our recreation/game time. It was a lot of fun, and we really bonded, and I can't wait to see these kids come over to The Block in the fall for middle school church!

I want to briefly share with you our theme for the week. As you probably saw when you first came to my blog was the title, Crash 2009. We talked all week about the rhino who has sort of become our youth "mascot" at church. The rhino is a really neat animal, and there were some really cool facts about the rhino that we were able to incorporate to our everyday lives as Christians. Our slogan for the week was this: Advance The Kingdom With Your Everyday Lives. We talked about how the rhino is the only animal on earth that does not walk/run backwards. It can only move forward, and that is what we want to do as Christians and in advancing the Kingdom. The rhino also has terrible vision and has to rely a lot on what he/she hears in order to determine what direction to go. This ties in to how we need to take time to actually listen to what God is trying to tell us instead of just walking aimlessly by our own direction. We talked about how a rhino can only see 35 ft. in front of him but when it is charging, it takes 40 ft. to stop. The rhino does not have obstacles, and we should not have obstacles in our Christian walk but turn them into opportunities. We also talked about the rhino's horn. Many people think that it is made up of ivory, but it is actually made up of thousands and thousands of hairs that are interwoven together. We talked about the power in numbers and how it benefits our Christian lives. There is power in numbers and when we get other people on our side and link together than you can do much more than you could alone. At The Block (my church's student ministry center), we actually have a rhino head crashing through one of our walls. It's really neat, and we encouraged all the students (and leaders) to be rhinos. And while a group of sheep is called a flock and a group of fish are a school; a group of rhinos is called a crash. These kids that were at camp are so special, and as a ministry, we believe that even though these kids are only 6th graders, they can crash this world and make a difference and change it for the better. That was what this week was all about, and I don't think I could have spent my week in any better place. It was really a great opportunity to reach out and connect with these kids. I don't think I will ever forget all the fun and memories that were made. There were 4 other girls besides myself that were the dorm leaders for 40 girls. It was quite an experience, but I loved being a mom to them, if only for a week. I was the 2nd oldest of the leaders in my dorm, so I really had to step up and be more than I have ever been to these kids. I can't wait to see what else lays in store during my time serving in this ministry, but if it is any better than how it started, I can't wait!

- b -

Louisville

I absolutely love being in Louisville for the summer (and every other part of the year as well). I feel like I am at home here, and I know everybody and everything. It's my home, and I hope that it stays that way for a very long time. I have not been doing much lately. I've worked at Steak 'n Shake 3 times since I've been home. I've unpacked nearly everything, put all my textbooks up for sale, taken Colby to get his yearly check-up, etc. I've just been doing a lot of little stuff. I've gotten a few pet sitting jobs in here and there. It's easy way to get some extra money in and not actually have to go into work. I have been using this advertising website recently, and I just thought that I should do a little advertising! It is called Care.com, and it is a website that you can go on and either advertise for babysitting/petsitting or look for different jobs. I obviously don't have any reason to advertise for childcare, but I talked to many parents of children (and dogs) that need some extra help. That is where I met the couple that was looking for a full-time nanny this summer. I didn't end up getting that job, but I have had really good experiences with the site so far, and I recommend it if you are looking for some extra cash and have some extra time! It is completely free to post a profile and resume, and the only reason you would have to pay is if you are advertising for help. Obviously, as with any other social networking website, you should be cautious and use sound judgement when responding and arranging to meet possible employers. But it is a really good site, and you should check it out if you're interested!

Other than just getting used to being back home, I have been volunteering with the Jr. High at Southeast. I haven't gotten seriously involved yet, but camp is next week, and I am going to be a counselor there. I am so excited, and I cannot wait! I just pray that God places the right students into my family group and that he uses me to impact their lives somehow. I remember how much I looked up to my camp counselors, and I just hope that I can be that for these guys and girls. Please pray for me while I will be there and for the students that God is bringing to this camp for a reason. Hopefully I will have some great stories to share when I get back on Friday! :)

Being away from Alex has been tough, and even though we get to video chat on our laptops, I still miss being with him. I am going to get to see him next Saturday in Lebanon for his 21st birthday, so I am really looking forward to that. What I am more looking forward to is him MOVING TO LOUISVILLE at the end of December! :) He has been studying to take his GRE to get into graduate school at UofL, and hopefully he will pass! He told me tonight that he took a practice test and passed it so hopefully that is a good sign. ;) He's so smart; I know he can do it!

Well, it has been a long and boring few days. Me and Danielle had our wisdom teeth out on Tuesday morning. I was SO scared and terrified of what was going to happen, and Danielle was as calm as can be. My procedure ended up being the easier of the two, and I had much less pain than she did. I am fine now, and she is getting there. She had better get there soon though because she is taking the ACT in the morning!! But other than a little swelling and pain, the procedures went fine, and we are both doing great. Thanks to everyone who was praying for us! I don't really have much else to say, but pray for me while I am at camp! Pray that it doesn't rain all week, and that God really shows up among these middle schoolers!

- b -

Proud Big Sister

Saturday afternoon, my brother, Nick, took his black belt test for karate. My mom, sister and I went to cheer him on, and while we knew it was going to be a difficult test, we did not know HOW difficult and intense it really was going to be. After almost three hours, a black eye, a scraped shoulder and bloody nose, my brother passed! He is now a black belt in karate, and I could not be more proud. Here are some pictures from the day! The students first had to do all their forms and kicks and punches. Next they had to fight 8 men in a row for 1 minute each. That is where Nick got all his bangs and bruises. After that, they had to do 50 good push-ups, 50 sit-ups and then 50 balance kicks on each foot. They had to grapple, and then after they were done with everything, they had to do 10 minutes of jumping jacks in a row. When they had 30 seconds of jumping jacks left, their teachers decided that they needed to do 15, and they extended the time. The boys finished their jumping jacks with much sweat and tears, but they finished. It was the hardest thing that Nick has ever had to do, and I am so proud of him! We celebrated at dinner that night, and then today we had some cake in light of all he has accomplished.




















Congratulations Nick!

- b -

Memorial Day

I know it was over a week ago, but I just now got my Memorial Day pictures uploaded to my computer. On Memorial Day some families have cookouts and some families head to the lake for the long weekend, but my family does something different. Every Memorial Day we head to the grocery and pick up some flowers, and then we drive over to the Zachary Taylor Cemetery off of Brownsboro Rd. and pay our respects to those who have served our country and died because of it. Not all those who are buried at Zachary Taylor died during the time that they were fighting, but nevertheless, they served our country and have passed away since that time. It seems that we go more than once a year, and it is hard to just go, look at the graves, place our flowers down by a few and then leave. But this year I really wanted to feel more than just the same things that I feel every year. I was looking out across all of the graves, lined so neatly and orderly, and I made myself picture one thing. I made myself, in my mind, replace each grave stone with a young man (or woman) standing up in attention. When I did this, I was overwhelmed. I was overwhelmed at how many people had really died so that I could be free and live the comfortable way that I do now. I was overwhelmed at many of the dates I saw on the tombstones. Many of these young men were barely a year or two older than I am. Making this substitution from a gravestone to an actual person made me really see and value Memorial Day in a way that I could have never imagined. Here are a few pictures from that day, and I hope that in the future, instead of just grilling out and hanging out with friends, you will really remember what Memorial Day is all about.






A freshly dug grave.. :(


Age 20


Age 21

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Yard Sale!

Summer is officially here! I have been going to school non-stop since I started in the Fall '07, but I am excited just to be working this summer. I don't have a job yet, but I was interviewed by a family to babysit for this summer on Thursday, and they told me that they interviewed two other people and are going to be making their decision this weekend. I am so nervous, but I hope that I get this job. It would be such a great experience and GREAT pay. I'll let you know when I find out! :)

So I haven't finished unpacking all my STUFF, but this weekend was our neighborhood yard sale, so I decided to set out some things. After I got all my stuff together, my sister, brother, mom and dad all had stuff to put out, so I threw theirs in as well. It was a very hot and long day, but at the end of all of it, we had about $200 more dollars than we started off with. What a great start to summer! :) It really was fun but also a lot of hard work. My little brother made coffee, pink lemonade, muffins and brownies to sell in the morning to those early birds. It was so cute, and did very well! People enjoy cheap, homemade treats! We got rid of a lot of our junk, and I am glad for that. After it was all over, my mom loaded up her car and took most of the rest to Goodwill for a donation. Here are some pictures from our yard sale! (These were taken before my mom put all of her stuff out. We did quite a bit of rearranging afterwards.) Hope you all enjoyed your Saturday!









- b -

P.S. We put one of our puppies, Lexi, up for sale, but nobody bought her. We didn't think anyone would, but we thought it was worth a try! If anyone is looking for a little chihuahua puppy then send me a message! :) She is 6 mos. old and AKC registered showdog!

Two More Days

This semester is almost officially over. I have two days left in Jackson, and it's starting to get a little sad. I'm so ready for summer, but I think it's hitting me that I am really going to be leaving all my friends for good. Alex & I went home this weekend and brought most of my stuff back to Louisville. I spent two days cleaning my room that hasn't seen a dust mop in ages and also helping my little brother Nick with his room. I had an advising appointment at the University of Louisville on Friday afternoon, and it looks like I am going to be in school for another 3 years; and that is just for my bachelor's degree. I am bummed, but I am not really that upset. No, I do not want to have to pay for 3 more years of college, but their teaching program looks very promising, and Alex is moving to Louisville in January if he gets accepted to UofL as well. I'll just take it one semester at a time, but I think I will like it.

I have been working and studying to get ready for finals week. I have completed one of my binders to turn in tomorrow, and I have some French worksheets left to do. I am exempt from my French final though, so that is a complete relief. I have a Geography final tomorrow night, and then one more binder and a take home test to turn in on Tuesday. After that I am free! I am just glad to not have too much to do so that I can spend a lot of time with my friends before I go.

I've really been praying a lot about this summer. I feel like I have completely gotten out of a normal routine, and I just want a simple one to get into this summer. Me & my mom are going to start working out a lot and cooking. I am going to prepare a meal once every week for my family so that I can get better at it so that I can someday feel Alex something that is not microwaved! :) I am hoping to transfer to a hotel in Louisville as well. I've contacted two different hotels that say they are interested, and I am going to be contacting them this week when I get home and am settled in. I really do love my life, but I need a pattern or something. Women's Summer Bible Study is always refreshing every Tuesday morning. I can't wait, but I am going to finish this school year strong! Pray for me please!

- b -

10 Days of School Left!

The spring semester is almost to a close! :) It has long been awaited, and I am just beginning to catch up and have some fun! If you don't know, this is going to be my last semester at Union. I just miss my family and friends back home a lot, so I decided that I would go to the University of Louisville in the fall! I have already completed my orientation, and now I have an advising appointment on May 15th so that I can register for classes! I am really excited about moving back home, and I am sure that I will love it. I just hope I have as much time as I think I will to hang out with my friends from high school, etc.

This semester, one of my classes has been corresponding with a 6th grade class and doing a book buddy project. It has been really fun and interesting, and their class is actually going to be visiting Union on Thursday, and we are going to be throwing a party for them! It seems like it will be really fun, and I cannot wait!

I am still not sure what I am going to be doing this summer. I am not sure if I am going to be taking classes, where I will be working, etc. so I am a little stressed out. I got a call today from a perspective employer at the Embassy Suites in Louisville, so we'll see how that pans out. I will definitely keep you all updated! I hope everyone is enjoying the almost-summer break! :)

- b -

A Poem.

I am putting together a poetry collection for one of my classes. I came across this one, and I just had to share!

I Am My Own Grandpa

Many, many years ago
When I was twenty-three
I got married to a widow
Pretty as could be.

This widow had a grow-up daughter
With flowing hair of red.
My father fell in love with her,
And soon the two were wed.

This made my dad my son-in-law
And changed my very life.
Now my daughter was my mother,
For she was my father's wife.

To complicate the matters worse,
Although it brought me joy,
I soon became the father
Of a bouncing baby boy.

My little baby then became
A brother-in-law to dad.
And so became my uncle,
Though it made me very sad.

For if he was my uncle,
Then that also made him brother
To the widow's grown-up daughter
Who, of course, was my step-mother.

Father's wife then had a son
Who kept them on the run.
And he became my grandson,
For he was my daughter's son.

My wife is now my mother's mother
And it makes me blue.
Because, although she is my wife,
She's my grandma, too.

If my wife is my grandmother,
Then I am her grandchild.
And every time I think of it,
It simply drives me wild.

For now I have become
The strangest case you ever saw,
As the husband of my grandmother,
I am my own grandpa!

-Author Unknown

- b -

WOW

You will TRULY be blessed by this!!

Click here. Please watch!


- b -

My Folk Tale

So in my Teaching Language Arts class, we had to write a folk tale, animal tale, or tall tale. Here is my wonderful creation. It should be in the form of a children's book, but I could only write it online so here it is. Enjoy!

The Knapsack Kangaroo

By: Briana Merante

Early each and every morning I trudged my 7-year-old little body down to breakfast where my oatmeal was waiting for me. Plain old oatmeal. Boring oatmeal. Each morning, after I ate my boring oatmeal, I would trudge back up the stairs to my boring, old room. My brown, boring old room. After I got changed into my boring, old clothes, I would trudge out my front door with my boring peanut butter and jelly sandwich, ride on the boring yellow school bus and walk in my VERY boring classroom. After a very boring day at school I would trudge back onto the boring yellow school bus, walk back into my boring brown room and do my VERY, VERY boring homework. I would do this every day. Every Monday. Every Tuesday. Every Wednesday. Every Thursday. Every Friday. And sometimes even on a Saturday. My life was so boring that when people would ask me what my name was, I would just reply, "I'm Boring Brett." My life was as boring as it could be until....

One day I found a red knapsack on the red bench at the park one sunny Sunday afternoon. "It's probably a boring knapsack," I said not knowing that my boring life was about to be turned upside down. I slowly and carefully started to un-buckle the knapsack. But suddenly I felt it move! Startled, I jumped back. Did I really want to know what was in the knapsack? "Well," I sighed, "my life does need something that is un-boring." I opened the sack. At first I didn't see anything, but suddenly a head popped up! I couldn't believe my eyes! It was a baby kangaroo! Did this kangaroo live in this knapsack? COULD a kangaroo live in a knapsack? It couldn't be possible, but I didn't care. This would be my kangaroo and my red knapsack. This sunny Sunday was a day that I was always going to remember. It was the day when my boring little life was boring no more.

I named my knapsack kangaroo Jasper because that was about as un-boring of a name as I could think of. I liked talking to Jasper, and at first, I thought he might just talk back, but of course animals don’t talk. Jasper lived in MY new red knapsack. I didn’t dare bring him to school. I knew better than that! Jasper seemed to disappear every morning, and he never let me know where he went. But as sure as the sun comes up every morning, after school I would find him waiting, in my new red knapsack, for me to return. I would take Jasper to the woods behind my house, and we would play tag. We would play in the streams, eat the berries off the trees and then climb the trees. Well, Jasper couldn’t climb trees, so I just did. We had many adventures in the caves, and Japer even found a secret passageway! Times were good, and I was happy. I didn’t tell anyone about my new friend because who would believe me? Jasper was my little secret, and I would keep it that way.

“Jasper? Jasper!” I called out one day after school. Where was my red knapsack? Where was Jasper? Neither was in sight. I looked in my closet, under my bed, behind the door, and inside my laundry hamper. Nothing. Jasper, my knapsack kangaroo, was nowhere to be found. Suddenly I spotted something that fluttered on my desk. It was a note! A note from Jasper. It read,

Boring young Brett, you are boring no more

A friend, all you needed, to get out the door

As friends it was fun to hop, run and play

But you need a real friend

I can’t always stay.

I hope through this riddle you’ll finally see

True friendship, real friendship will un-boring be.

~ Jasper

I put the letter down. Jasper was really gone! But what did that last line say? “True friendship, real friendship will un-boring be?” I was very confused so I just went to bed.

I got up the next morning, and there again was my boring oatmeal. I got dressed in my boring, brown room. I rode the boring yellow school bus and walked into my VERY boring classroom. At recess I decided to read a kangaroo book that I had checked out of our school library. I sat down against the playground wall to read when a shadow fell across my book. I looked up, and there was a boy from my class just looking at me. “What are you reading?” he asked. I told him it was a book about kangaroos. “Cool!” he said. “Can I look?” He sat down next to me, and I showed him all my favorite pictures. I showed him a picture of a kangaroo that looked just like Jasper, but I didn’t tell him about Jasper.

Each day my new friend (his name was Jamie) would ask if he could look at my kangaroo books with me. He even brought some of his own one day! I really like being friends with Jamie, and one day I suddenly remembered what Jasper’s note had said at the very end. “True friendship, real friendship will un-boring be.” Jasper was my friend. Was Jamie my friend now? Yes! I finally learned what Jasper had been trying to teach me! Jasper had shown me true friendship, and now Jamie had taken his place. “Look at this one,” Jamie said. I looked and smiled. Jamie was my friend, and life wasn’t as boring as it once was. I finished looking at his picture and went to look back at my book, but as I glanced up, I thought I saw a familiar kangaroo hopping in the distance. I looked again, and there was nothing. I was disappointed, but I smiled because I knew that I had found a very special, un-boring friend.

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- b -