Monday, July 19, 2010

Hot in Cleveland!


Have you heard of that new TV series called "Hot in Cleveland?" Well, if so....don't you agree that the main actresses should be the Conrad Sisters instead of whoever it is that plays the roles now?lol


Haha. Anyways, the title of that TV show inspired us girls to attempt to take some cute (or should I say "hot") pictures while down in Cleveland these past few times...


So here's what we came up w/...


lol
Ok, honestly, I don't like the word "hot..." it just sounds bad... so we'll stick w/ "cute" pictures.








(AHHH!! Formatting is stupid!)grr!


My attempt at taking a "Hot in Cleveland" picture.

It didn't really work....and never does...other than smiling for pictures, i can't really make a good face...







Ok, technically, this isn't really Cleveland, it's Sandusky, but we'll just pretend.
When Aunt Gloria was in town, us & the Jankes went down to the lighthouse one Sunday afternoon and did what we cousins like to do best-take pictures!! :)



We were having a lot of fun...until we saw a huuuge snake over by the rocks while posing for a picture!! It was the biggest, fattest snake any of us had ever seen....totally sick!! And no, we didn't take a picture of it, it moved way too quick. Sorry.haha.








Another confession: this isn't Cleveland either, it's our backyard. But once again, we'll pretend.


I'm having fun w/ little cousins Lydia and Julius. They are sooo cute, and photogenic!! :) However, the picture would have been all the more cuter if I had another little cousin in here....one named Dawson...(ahem! We miss you guys Joy!!)





Ok, and now back to being "Hot in Cleveland!" Wait... I mean "cute."lol


Three hot blonde cousins!! :) We've been waiting to take a blonde picture for awhile....sorry Kels.


(whoops!! I said "hot" again!)lol


And now a shot of the whole family "Hot in Cleveland"...with the exception of Uncle Gil, whose taking the picture.


Me, mom, the cutest family ever: Steve, Jenessa & baby Mia, Aunt Colleen, Ragelle, Karah, Kelsey and Kirsten.


That was a good, fun day! Tower City, Army thing for Steve, Jack Frost doughnuts, the works! But to everyone's disappointment, not West Side Market...who knew it wasn't open every day of the week!?lol


Despite that fact, it was great to have family up here once again.....we've missed it...and we can't wait until next time...till everyone else comes up here and we can be "Hot in Cleveland" once again!!lol (yea, i know, i keep using that word)lol
"The pride of man will be humbled and the loftiness of men will be abased; and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day." ~Isaiah 2:22

Monday, July 12, 2010

Pink Tux to the Prom

Prom....ha. I didn't really want to go to prom...not at all actually. Then I decided I'd go on one condition, if my friend Alina wanted to go and seeing as how we both don't dance, that was seriously the one and only way I'd attend this important right of passage (or so it's called.)lol

The week of prom ticket sale, I was still not planning on going...until... Alina called me about 2 days before tickets were done being sold and decided she wanted to go...and I didn't want to disappoint her.

We both already had dresses so thankfully there was no need for a crash prom dress shopping day! (Joy, do you recognize this dress at all!?) ;)




Prom was okay...the food was alright, and I'm sure the dancing was bad, except I didn't see much of it b/c me and Alina were outside the whole time catching up w/ each other's lives, giving advice, and having a great God conversation.


We took pictures before hand and everyone was being boring and taking the same old standard "put your arm around each other and smile" pose until i decided to jazz it up by attempting to work in something a little bit "cuter."





And I'm not putting up too many pictures here b/c i looked soooo gross!!
(my newly cut short hair might have had something to do w/ it...)ha.




But now, here's the big question.....although I said I wouldn't dance at prom, did I?? The answer: yes, I did. Both me and Alina actually. After talking out side for quite a while, to avoid getting bit by bugs, me and Alina went inside in this cute little living room area (away from the dance floor,) took some more pictures, sat on the couch and continued to chat away. But seeing as how we were the only ones in there, Alina decided we should at least pop out one dance move....I agreed. So, we both stood up, she twirled in a circle, and I twirled in a circle. Then we sat down, happy we "danced" at our prom. Yup...and that was it. (On a technical level, can you even call that dancing!?!)lol
Another attempt at a cute pose...how'd we do??haha.





And just for giggles, look at how mad I look here...it looks like I'm taking prom way too seriously!!lol
Yup, and that's my senior prom...which I never quite expected to go to....but I'm glad I did. It wasn't how I pictured prom, but was much, much better and blessed because I had Alina there with me and enjoyed our conversations very much!! :)
"Charm is deceitful and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord shall be greatly praised." ~Proverbs 31:30
(ps: I hate blog formatting...it never turns out how I want....) :( lol

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Time is Ticking Away...

So, I decided it was finally time to blog about graduation. But then, once all my pictures were loaded, i realized that i forgot to blog about prom...so my blog will be a little bit out of order, but that's ok, right?
Anyways, this is me, obviously on commencement day! Woo!! I'm done! It feels normal, except for the part when i remember that i won't ever see a lot of the people i knew ever again, that is weird....but for most of the kids, i don't mind at all!! :-P ha.
Let's get started, shall we?
Me and my proud parents (oh! Notice the cold tassle and chord, that means National Honors Society. Inna, you will have this!!)



This is when i actually received my diploma....i look sooo silly and happy!

A closer up shot of me....kinda....
(Useless Information: the guy behind me was super, super, super annoying!)

Me and my friend Erin...together, we suffered in three years of band with a crazy director but great percussion instructor!!lol


Me and my happy family!







Ramune, me and Ernesta. It's crazy & sad to see how much they both have changed since the 8th grade.









Happy sisters!









Alina, me & Lesya
All looking gooooood!! :) lol










Ernesta, (some guy Robert), Alina, Ramune, Patricia, me & Lesya. Looking excited and a bit awkward.
Ok, and now to end this, i can't help but remanance for a minute....
It seems like just yesterday i was in band, playing for Oksana's commencement....looking back though, it's hard to think that was 2 short years ago!

What's even harder to think is that the very next year it was me playing at Taras' commencement! It seems like just yesterday....

But the weirdest thing of all is that this year, it was my turn....how crazy! I cannot believe that time flies by sooo quickly! Inna, get ready because this will be you next year!

And just as quickly as my high school graduation came, even more quickly will everything else in my life come. It makes me think, am i spending my time wisely, on things and with the people that matter the most to me? Am i doing all I can to glorify God? Are you???
(Above paragraph inspired by one of Victor's blog posts, thanks!)
As I think we're all coming to find out, time flies by wayyy too quickly, we don't have time to be messing around...and so, as one wise young man once told me, "live life to the fullest, God's way." Because that's the only way to be living!! :)


" 'For I know the plans that I have for you, 'declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.' " ~Jeremiah 29:11-23




Friday, May 28, 2010

What God Sees Fit

Sometimes, God sees fit to place things in our lives which we cannot explain. We will never quite understand why He brings friendships to us at a time when our life seems fully devoted and surrendered to Him. These may, overtime, become a distraction for our relationship with God and He knows it, so, He orchestrates things in a way as to where He is the center and things begin to work our perfectly. It may even work out so perfectly as to where we look at the situation through our eyes only and forget God is mighty and powerful to arrange what may seem impossible. This mind set effects us because we look at our situations from only our worldly standpoint and think our hopes and dreams for the future are hopeless due to one minor difference. We forget too, who God is and how He loves to bless our lives in ways which we would never expect or even deserve. This sin and doubt eventually builds up so much that God has to do what He can to pull us out. This is usually where He sees fit to jazz up our lives a bit. :0 Too many times, God sees fit to do this through drama in order to bring Him back to the center and remind us that He's in control. Yes, of course it is painful, it always is. However, once we realize we can get through it with God, we notice our fights, jealousy, and intentions are getting us nowhere. In turn, they eventually begin to ruin a beautiful blessing God saw fit to give us. After a handful of stressful days and sleepless nights, we come to a conclusion that we've been causing more unnecessary drama and need to trust each others words without being so quick to judge and assume things. In this way, God shows us to forgive and forget, but not forget that this is His blessing to us and to trust Him through all the situations. When this first lesson is finally learned, one season of drama passes, God sees fit to bring the friendship back. Things go great and everything is perfect once again. The friendship bond is strong, filled with fun and laughter...but of course, honoring and glorifying God, remembering He is the center of this amazing gift. But unfortunately, we don't live in a perfect world anymore, and no matter how good things can seems to be going, they always get hard again, and God sees fit to add drama again to strengthen and teach us. Once again, pain is caused, and even sometimes unintentionally. We try to act wise in our own eyes, and it may work for awhile. It's almost like we cover up feelings and emotions by hiding them under a bandage. Yes, it makes things better for awhile, but too soon, God sees fit to remove that bandage, letting out the thoughts which were rushing through us. By that time however, it is too late and people change and move on...and God knew this would happen all along. To some, this may be a huge lesson and a way for God to strengthen us, but for other people though, it is simply more drama. Fights and arguments begin to run nonstop, painful words and actions are said and done to each other, and very, very deep feelings of hurt and regret are causing people to cry like never before. Through it all though, God doesn't leave us. He sees fit to cause this, but not just to leave us hanging there in pain. His promise to "finish what He began" and "work everything out for the good for those who love Him" keep us striving to seek Him through patience and endurance. God sees fit to challenge us in this situation in order to strengthen us and draw us closer to Him. Finally, after months of God's aching heart watching us in this drama filled hurt and pain, He sees fit to put an end to it and begins to restore the beauty He once made. Yes, of course things never turn out how they were, but restoration alone is enough to show God is All Mighty and ultimately in control. He makes things what He wants them to be. Since we are all human, many of us have a hard time accepting God's timing and what He's orchestrating in our lives, we forget that "God makes everything beautiful in its time" and that "there is a proper time and procedure for every delight, though a man's trouble is heavy upon him." We often fight to have things go our way, upset at how they are turning out and dwelling on the past. We forget though, that we shouldn't say "why is it that the former days were better than these?" We need to realize that this is "not of wisdom" to be asking this, because in a way, it's almost like challenging God and assuming our position is higher than His and that we should be in control to make things how they once were. This is all wrong because we end up living in the past and don't always realize the gifts God saw fit to bless us with in that day. Sometimes too, for reasons we cannot explain just as God saw fit to give us friendships, He too sees fit to begin to take them away. Of course this is an extremely hard fact to accept, and so many times be look back at situations that didn't work out how we had truly hoped or planned and we get confused. Because of all this, we constantly ask ourselves "what was the purpose of God putting them in my life?" This question is often left unanswered and as a result, we see ourselves unsatisfied. Yea, sure you guys both played an important role in one another's life, but maybe it wasn't for the purpose of them in your life as much as it was the purpose of you in their life. The biggest challenge here in this though, is continuing to show love to them. Real, true, Biblical love. Agape love, self sacrificing. Putting your friend's desires and dreams before that of your own. Realizing that you may have to do something you don't want to or watch them through a situation you'd rather not because it's what they want and you realize you cannot be selfish and want to fulfill only your own desires. It's loving them so much that you begin to want what it is they want for themselves because it may be best for them and you love them enough to let go and let them move forward. In this way, you have lived out true love; love like that from Christ with His people. This is the kind of love God saw fit for us. The kind of love we are suppose to have for one another, the kind of love that is suppose to surround our friendships....whether or not we feel like self sacrificing, that is no excuse. This is what our First Love demands. When people realize this, it can often lead to the point of total surrender. We come to the realization that not everything in life is about us and to make us happy. We need to be looking out and caring for others just as we do ourselves, in fact, more than ourselves. In this way, when we become wholly surrendered to God and His plan, although we may never understand it and be disappointed for some time...it pleases Him. It reminds us that God is greater than us, that He is in Heaven while we are down here on earth, that once He is involved and the center, He is always involved, even if it means in the tough times. And too, just think, when we reach this point of total surrender again, who knows? God may, in time, see fit to bless us with another friendship once again.... "Consider the work of God, for who is able to straighten what He has bent? In the day of prosperity be happy, but in the day of adversity consider-God has made the one as well as the other so that man will not discover anything that will be after him." ~Ecclesiastes 7:13-14

Sunday, May 9, 2010

To Be or Not to Be?





Cedarville or Cleveland State?
(idk!??!?!)



Myself or others?
(others)







Missions or music?
(both!?)







Band or Orchestra?
(symphonic band)







Be patient, or hunt?
(patience...)







Stop eating sweets, or gain weight?
(no sweets!)







No facebook, or facebook?
(idk!?!)







Weekly phone calls, or emails?
(both!!)






Texting or no texting?
(idk!?)






1 year, or 3 years?
(God's will....)






Survive, or hardly make it through?
(.........)







To be or not to be?
(idk!?!)










I could go on and on.....but i sound crazy! Just felt like sharing a few tough college choices.....












"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." ~Romans 8:28








Tuesday, April 6, 2010



So this past Easter, I had the pleasure of making some pretty sweet eggs...Ukrainian style!! :) And i'm not even Ukrainian, how cool is that!?
Yup! And thanks to Inna, i had the opportunity be able to do this!! :) It was great!
It was actually really, really sweet. And i know all the Ukrainians already know how to do this, so i'll expalin for the Americans!lol Ok, here goes a bad explanation:
There was like this plastic wrap thing that you put around the egg, carefully set it in the boiling water (what i found out after my first 2!) and watch it quickly, faster than lightening, shrink onto the egg. It was amazing!! :O


My first one turned out perfectly, then the 2 after that not as good b/c i kinda dropped them into the water. (Which Inna told me later not to do, but i shold have guessed!)haha. So the next two were kinda messed up as you can tell, the plastic isn't on there evenly. :( But they still looked great!! :)
And actually, i think the best part about it was watching Kelsey's face!! She was in total shock when she saw me put the egg into the water....she was almost yelling at me: "How did you do that? Where did you get that?" Well, that's my little secret!! ;)
"My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?"
~Psalm 42:2

Friday, March 26, 2010

Change.

Ok. Well, seeing the update on Inna's blog bucket list made me think that i really need to update mine. (Thanks for the inspiration!) Plus, this update matches my blog's format/background update, so there we go!

~Memorize more Bible verses
*Still need to work on this!
~Get through my last year of high school w/o getting senioritious
*I seriously forgot there was such a thing!
~Find a good job (and actually get hired)
*I have 2 jobs now; David's Bridal & Old Time Pottery
~Survive Tri-C during my senior year
*I totally am!!
~Meet many new people who i can be a wittness to
* I have talked to ppl from work & college
~Become a better Godly example to ALL those around me
*Hopefully I have been
~Focus more & more on God each day
*I fail in this all the time, sadly. But with God, I can do it!
~Gain wisdom & insight on God and understand how to get through all situations i am presented with
*Have recently been learning to trust in God's wisdom even though I still mess up
~Get a new cool phone w/ texting!
*I have a newer phone, had texting for about a month...not anymore tho :(
~Take ballroom dancing lessons avec mon petit chou! ;)
*Still waiting
~Sky dive....haha-not really; not ever!!
*No comment.
~Get accepted in a good (christian) college while having a car there w/ me
*Cedarville baby!! (God willing...now it's just a huge $$$ issue!) No car.
~Finding a car!
*My dad's old camry
~Work as a Disney princess (Sleeping Beauty!) at Disney World in Florida!!! :)
*I'm getting Disney employee emails...& waiting a couple yrs for an audition! maybe.
~Learn to improvise on the piano!! (this will take some prayer!!)
*Kinda improving, slowly. :)
~Learn to sing w/ a lovely voice(...ahhh...if only)
*I'm taking voice lessons!!
~Finding God's will for my life and living it out
*Seeking it in confusion daily
~Marry that man who God has in store pour moa
*What's so bad about being single?
~Get married and have a beautiful outdoor wedding
*See above.
~Be the best wife i can be for my hubby!!
*See above, again.
~Travel to Europe avec mon amies et mon petit chou! ;)
*Maybe not w/ mon petit chou, but deff w/ my besties!! :)
~Be in (or at least be invited to) several other weddings!!! :) :)
*I'll give this one a couple of years.
~Buy a wonderful, (big) maison pour moa et mon petit chou (w/o going into debt!!)
*Big or small, it doesn't matter too much anymore. I'll sore up my for my mansion above instead.
~Take a couple road trips...(in college too!)
*Yup! Still on the list!!
~Find a good job being an elementary teacher
*Hopefully in about 4 years I can say this has been accomplished successfully.
~Go on countless missions trips during my summer off, avec mom petit chou
*Ukraine next summer!!! :) (God willing!)
~Have some kids...and stay home to raise them in a Godly manner
*God willing, my missions kids will be my life!!
~Be a wonderful, fun, funny, cute old grandma to my darling grandkids (God willing)
*Hmmm....see prior comments.
~Try my best to do everything else God wants me to b/c i can't think anymore...
*I'll aim for this forever and always!
~After a (long???), blessed life, start the never-ending one w/ my Lord
*I'm becoming sooo impatient for this!!


That's the latest for now. I'm sure I'll have to update it again in the winter or smthing....but for now, i know what i need to improve on and keep shooting for!

"Make me know Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all the day." ~Psalm 25:4-5

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