Frostina and May

Here's an essay I had to write for English:

When Frostina entered the room, a cold chill seemed to settle over the place. With her sharp voice sounding like icicles, she pierced the air, rasping,“What's the matter with everyone today?” She turned to a friend, and by saying, “You look ugly in that color,” succeeded in freezing the girl. With her dark and brooding face, she looked just like a winter sky at dusk. Her dark clothes, with their dark blues and grays, transformed the room into a dreary place, and a bleakness seemed to settle over the room. Like a leafless tree, she was unfeminine in every way, ungraceful and harsh. Then, in a stormy blast, Frostina whirled out of the room, leaving a glum group of girls.

After she left, May came into the room, as if she was a soft and gentle breeze. With a musical voice that reminded one of bubbling brooks she bade everyone a cheery “Good day!” In turn she admired her friends outfits, and a warmth began to permeate the room as the girls relaxed. She looked just like a sunny day, with a face full of joy and cheer. Her beautiful and bright, colorful clothes reminded everyone of a beautiful meadow, and the girls began to chatter excitedly amongst themselves, sounding like twittering birds.

May's feminine ways reminded everyone of blooming flowers, as she began to serve them with her graceful and gentle ways. When all had become bright and merry, May left the room with gracious farewells, leaving the girls with a lovely fragrance pervading the room

The results of our actions and demeanor have a lasting effect, for good or ill! Strive to leave a lovely fragrance, instead of a gloomy spirit!

Hope chest picture

I felt like adding a picture, so here's a random one. This is right after daddy put together my hope chest after Christmas 2004. My room still looks pretty much the same way, though I definitely did not keep those brightly colored pillows! :) Can you tell that I like pink, flowers, and ballet stuff?

School schedule

For all who care to know, here's my daily school schedule:

Math - 1 lesson or test in Algebra 2. Math's actually somewhat fun, sometimes!
History - 1 section, chapter review, or test in Abeka World History. Along with math, this is my longest subject!
Science - 1 section, review, or test in Apologia's Exploring Creation With Chemistry. Although I don't really like science, the Apologia books are really good!
English - 1 section or writing assignment from Bob Jones' English 11. Although I'm "technically" in 10th grade, we skipped 10th grade English and went on to 11th.
I've finished Bob Jones' Vocabulary D and Abeka World Literature... literature was probably my favorite subject, for I certainly enjoy reading!
S.A.T. preperation - 1 lesson twice a week
Bible - Review Memlock verses and work on memorizing the book of Ruth to be presented in a sort of storyteller mode.
Music - Try to practice 45 minutes of flute

This is what I try to accomplish every day, but it doesn't always happen, due to unforseen circumstances!

The girl with the bird on her head

Here's Jubi and her bird, Mixie

Goodbye Daddy, Miriam, and Elijah!

Daddy, Miriam, and Elijah just left to drive to the airport to fly to visit Lydia in West Africa. I'll miss them a lot!

Happy Birthday Bekah T!

Happy Birthday to my sweet friend, Rebekah Turner! My you have a very special day as you turn "Sweet Sixteen!" Thank you for your...

Respect - accepting our quircks

Encouragement - you always find ways to lift my spirit!
Belief - spurring us on in the faith
Excitement - there's never a dull moment with you!
Kindness - I'm inspired by your love
Artisticness - it's so fun to see all the new and pretty things you've done!
Heart-felt love - accepting us for who we are!

Joy - it's catching!
Optimism - you're not easily depressed!
ladYlikeness - truely a young woman of God

Truthfulness - even when it hurts!
Understanding - we can tell you anything!
puRity - commited to waiting for true love
Not being afraid to be different
Enthusiasm - making our things feel important
Really interested in what we have to say

I love you Bekah T!!!

Your friend forever,
Anna Naomi

I'd Rather Wear a Dress!

A little more than a month ago, I made a drastic change in the way I dress. I began to wear skirts or dresses on a daily basis, and I haven't regretted that decision at all!

Ever since I was little, I've loved wearing dresses. They made me feel so pretty, and so much like a girl! I even used to get upset if mom required me to wear pants... I enjoyed dresses so!

But, as I got older, I guess I noticed that dresses were not exactly the vogue, for I wore them less and less. I still loved to wear skirts and dresses, but it was usually only to church that I ended up wearing them. Plus, as I began to play outside with my brother and sisters, pants or shorts were simply easier to romp in!

As I grew into the early teens, I really wanted to fit in! I still dressed very modestly, but I tried to wear as much of the fashions as I could. Then, our family started a home church, and I found true friends. Friends who had the same convictions I had, who dressed like I did, and who were committed to seeking God. I begun to dress even more modestly, and finally found a place that I fit.

Shopping, however, was a nightmare! It was so hard to find modest pants or shorts! I often ended up getting things that I disliked and thought were ugly, but were at least modest. I didn't like the way most of the clothes looked, but they were modest...

Sometimes I would wear dresses or skirts places mother thought would be appropriate, and I loved how they looked and felt! I felt so pretty and so much like a girl, that I often wished I could wear them all the time! I would sometimes see ladies or girls who I could tell wore dresses mostly, and I would almost envy them! I wished that I had courage to wear dresses as well, but I didn't, because I was afraid of what others would think. I prayed a lot about wearing dresses, and I kept struggling with the question. I kept feeling restless... until I started primarily wearing dresses. Then, I was totally at peace, and haven't struggled since!

I kept reading articles about dresses, and I would yearn to make them the primary portion of my wardrobe, but was scared. Even my family would probably think me weird, and not understand!

One article that I especially liked was written by Sarah Harris, a girl my age. It was entitled Feminine Doesn't Just Mean Wearing Any Old Dress. I pondered and reread it many times, and I began to think that it wouldn't be so hard to make the switch. I emailed my friend Miriam about it, but she hadn't even responded before I decided. I was going to wear skirts and dresses, and just let people wonder!

Some have thought me strange, but most haven't even really noticed. And the way dresses make me feel... is just wonderful! I used to go places and be a little ashamed of how baggy I looked, but now I can go with my head up, and smile with confidence! I am dressed as a lovely woman, and I don't need to be ashamed of that!

Wearing dresses has also made me feel more feminine and womanly. It helps me act like a young woman, for there are certain things one simply just doesn't do in a dress!

I'm not saying that pants are bad, or that I'll never wear them again. In fact, there are some things that I will wear pants to do, such as when I'm choreographing dances at home. I'm just sharing how moving dresses to the primary part of my wardrobe has changed me, and made me truly feel... like a lovely young woman.

So, if someone asks me why I'm wearing dresses, or thinks it's something I've been forced to do, I can simply smile and respond, "Actually, I'd rather wear a dress!"

Sunday with Paces and Miles

Yesterday we had church with only the Pace and Miles families. It went well, but I dreadfully missed my dear friends! The Turners were going to come, but Mrs. Denise fell and hurt her foot, so they ended up not coming. Please pray for Mrs. Denise, I heard she was in a lot of pain.

Both families left pretty quickly after lunch, so we had a quiet afternoon. Alas, I got sick again, and spent yesterday reading, resting, or watching television. I had a slight fever, so I was trying to do things that would keep my mind off of it and be restful. Thank God I feel better today, though I have a slight cold. I don't know why I keep getting sick, but as daddy says, it'll be nice to be a mom one day and not catch many colds!

I've finished school work for today, except for practicing. I also need to work some more on choreographing a dance the Mortons want me to do next Sunday for their church's missions conference. Sewing is also something I hope to do this afternoon. Hope everyone had a good weekend!

Cloth and pattern

Here's the pattern I'm using for Sara's and Danielle's dresses

Close-up view of cloth, green for boys, floral for girls

I hope you like it, it took forever for us to find something that matched!

Red Rose Dress

I sure do enjoy long dresses!

Here's me on Valentine's Day wearing my newly finished dress!

Family Picture

Here's all 17 of us when we were together on New Year's Day. I'm so blessed to have a wonderful big family!

Saturday stuff

Another Saturday is going by! It's pretty quiet around here, because Elijah and dad are up in Texas, well, actually they're probably driving home by now. Not that they make much noise, but without the menfolk, the house seems empty!

I just got through washing and waxing the kitchen, and cleaning the bathroom. I've also been working on Valentines, because I've got to have them done in 3 days!

I finished my red rose dress last night! It is so pretty! I plan to wear it tomorrow, and maybe I'll be able to get a picture of it put up. The cloth was pretty, but it in a dress is just gorgeous! It took lots of rip stitching to get it done, as usual, but it turned out well. Things would have gone better if I hadn't sewn the wrong side of the skirt to the right side of the shirt! :) Next sewing project will be matching shirts and dresses for my 2 neices and 4 nephews. I hope to get them done in time for Easter. Their clothes are smaller, so they shouldn't take as long... right?

Well, guess I'll be going. I can't wait for church at the Paces tomorrow!

Ballet Magnificat! research paper

I just added the research paper I did about Ballet Magnificat! a while ago to my website. You can find it by clicking here

The Mighty Message of Modesty

Here's an essay I had to write for my English book

The Mighty Message of Modesty

These days, “skin is in”. In other words, show as much as possible, and you'll be popular and beautiful. However, the Bible clearly calls women to be modest, in dress as well as action. Proverbs 11:22 says, “Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.” In other words, a woman who is beautiful in all aspects, yet shows off that beauty in inappropriate ways, is thought of to be ugly! God sees immodesty in a beautiful woman like a precious gold ring, that is wasted by being put in the snout of a pig, an ugly animal by all standards! Even though dressing in ways that accentuate ones body makes one feel good, God is not pleased.

When a girl dresses in such a way that is not modest, the men around her struggle a lot just to keep their attention focused on God, and not the girl's body. When she dresses without propriety, she clearly violates the scripture about not becoming a stumbling block to her brother. (Romans 14:13) Instead she should dress in a way that would spur her brother on to love and good deeds. (Hebrews 10:25)

On the flip side, when a girl dresses modestly, she is like a refreshing breeze in the midst of a desert. Like cool water to a parched soul. The Bible calls women to dress modestly, saying in 1 Timothy 2:9-10, “I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.” Now, there's nothing wrong with wearing jewelry and braiding your hair, but in whatever you wear, you should strive to keep the focus off of yourself, and point others to God.

Modesty doesn't make one look ugly, even though it may not be the height of fashion. Instead, when you dress tastefully, it is pleasing to the eye and causes others to feel refreshed, instead of feeling disgusted.

Being modest is also living up to one's call to become the Bride of Christ, without blemish or spot. By dressing modestly, you are also bring the attention off yourself, and allowing others to see Christ in you. By doing this, you are honoring God, and will be rewarded. As Proverbs 31:30 says, “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”

Wouldn't you rather be praiseworthy in God's sight, instead of looking like a ring in a pig's snout to Him? I know I would, and I hope you will as well.

Above Rubies Retreat pictures round 2

Shadowy sunset

The view was so picture-perfect, it looked fake!

Bekah T and I drink in the beauteous sight

I in front of the fake-looking real backdrop!

Bekoh and I

It was so fun to sit on the dock and just absorb the beauty!

Above Rubies Retreat pictures!

Miriam and I gaze off at the beautiful sight while standing a picturesque litte bridge!

Bekoh, Miriam, and I gaze at the pretty setting sun

Bekoh, Miriam and I on the quaint bridge

Beautiful Bekah T with a spectacular sky!

The sky was soo pretty!

All of us lined on the bridge

Another busy day!

I've just gone through yet another busy day! Thursdays are usually my busiest days, I'm out from morning to evening!
We left at 11 a.m., and went to drop off two old window air conditioners that we'd taken out of our house at the Salvation Army. It was quite a chore to get them out of the car, since they were very heavy, and there was only Elijah and I to handle them. However, despite a few bumps and scratches, we got them inside.
After that, it was off to band! All of Beginner B band moved into Intermediate, so we didn't have to get there quite as early. Jubilee went off to play, while Elijah and I talked with Miriam and Joel in a classroom. After a while however, I just couldn't resist going to pick up Bethany then Nathaniel Simon. They are so cute!
Advanced band went okay today. I didn't feel very good though, there was a knot in my stomach the whole time we played. I was dreading the upcoming challenge by Miriam to try and oust me from first chair. Well, it worked, sad to say. But, I did have first since September, so I guess it was Miriam's turn.
Then, we went to Payless Shoe Store, where I found some nice shoes that look really nice with skirts and dresses, which I have taken to wearing mostly. Then, after dropping something off at UPS, we went to the library.
After doing some World History, it was time to change and then go to pointe class! Pointe went good, but my pointe shoes are breaking, so I guess I should order some more tonight. Daddy picked me up, and I drove him home. I didn't do too well though, I kept letting the clutch out to fast and killing. I did it at the light, which just made it worse, because I tried to start really quickly and killed again! I guess the people behind me thought I was a little crazy. Oh well!
And now, I'm writing you. I'm not quite sure what I'll do tonight, I should sew, but I feel like reading. The next two nights I'm going to be babysitting, so this weekend looks busy, especially since we're having church here Sunday!

I've found my twin! :)

A strange thing happened today... When I checked my email, I noticed that someone had posted a new comment in my guestbook. It was kinda strange, when I noticed that the title of the post was "It's my twin!" I read the post, and to my surprise, there is a girl very much like me living in Nebraska! Her name is Jennifer, and she was born on July 5th, 1990, just like me! She also has taken ballet for four years, just like me! She has considered going to Belhaven College to major in ballet, must I say it again? She has 6 siblings, 5 boys and 2 girls are in her family, just the opposite of ours. She also loves pink (must I say more?). She homeschools, and has a blog entitled Jennifer's Musings. She lives on a small acreage outside a small town... doesn't that sound like our house? There are many more similarities, and of course some differences, but I thank God that He allowed Jennifer and I to connect. I hope we can keep in touch as we both grow up!

A Real Man and a Real Woman is...

At the Rebelution, there are two posts that are really good! One defines what a "real man" means, and the other defines a "real woman". The characteristics are well-thought out, and definitely inspiring! Why don't you go and take a look!

Teen Girls Define a "Real Man"

Three Teens Define a "Real Woman"

Delightful Daffodils!

Look at these delightful daffodils! Elijah took these pictures a few days ago. Imagine, daffodils blooming in January! Aren't they pretty?

There's a whole bunch of them!

Dazzling with the dew!

Up close and pretty!