Africa Update!

Hi friends and family!!
As they say here in Africa, "I greet you all in the name of Jesus". I hope this update finds you well and enjoying the Christmas season! I figured that since I leave for Hong Kong in about 8 hours I would give you an update of how things are going lately.
Unfortunately, like my last update things have been a little rough. However; I totally see how God is working and I have so much more peace and joy about the whole situation. About two weeks, we had an unfortunate series of events that unfolded and ended up resulting in one of my teammates quitting the DTS. It has been a struggle to cope with simply because I strongly believe that it did not have to come to that. Not only that, but I also believe that if you make a mistake, you must deal with the consequences. Whether you want to or not. Despite all of the drama that has ensued within the past two weeks, I have grown infinitely closer to some of my teammates. My dear friend Melissa has seriously been a gift from heaven. She has become a sister to me and has been so incredibly helpful in allowing me to vent, understanding my thinking and what irks me (and totally sympathizing) and being a comfort and friend that I can openly share my struggles with. My other teammate, Renette has been so awesome to have on our team. She is ridiculously funny and so insightful when it comes to the spiritual realm and such. Odd combo to put together in a sentence but it works for her! She has been amazing at helping release stress by cracking jokes and lightening the mood. I could not be more thankful for these girls!!
About two or three weeks ago, I was incredibly frustrated because over this whole lecture phase we have only brought in three speakers. It upset me that I had worked so hard to get here and was so well supported finacially to come (THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU) that it bothered me that my expectations were not even close to what it was really like here. It is a wonderful base, but when I applied, I was told that every week that would be a different speaker, flown or driven in and out of the 10 weeks that I have been here, only 3 speakers have been brought in. And yet, when I was praying about it, aka yelling at God, He told me that I did not come here for the speakers, I can listen to them back home. I can go to their conferences and I can listen to their sermons and what not. But rather, I came here for the experience. I came here for the adventure and to leave my comfort zone and most importantly I came because God called me. As I was asking God why He brought me here, why He would bring me somewhere where I would be continually frustrated and upset, He told me that He brought me here for personal growth that would only happen out of radical obedience to Him, and through leaving my comfort zone and being totally dependent on Him. Which I have been. It's been cool to see how it's not the lectures or even the outreach that was the reason for God bringing me here, but rather as a test of would I listen if He called. Would I obey even if it means sacrificing my family and education for a while. And I can say with certainty that that is the reason for me coming. To build great relationships with great people, to fully put my trust in God, to leave my comfort zone and be independent and to test myself as to if I would respond to the call. And how amazing it has been to see how God is using this experience to mold and shape and develop me!
I believe that I shared with you last time, about the many prophecies I have received lately. And if you recall, one (well a couple) of them was healing hands. The first few weeks after I received this prophecy, I had huge amounts of frustration because everytime I prayed over someone, for healing, none would come. And I know that sometimes this stuff takes time but when you have the same prophecy told to you multiple times and you don't see it happening, you start to wonder, "Am I doing something wrong?" So yesterday I was praying and asking God why am I not seeing any results? His response was breathtaking! I suddenly got this overwhelming sense that my healing will not be here, but rather will be at home. It's not something that I will see cultivated in my outreach or even in my DTS because this is not where it's needed. Let me explain a little more. God showed me how my healing hands are not medically healing hands. I will not cure the sick, or raise the dead (though I don't doubt that God's awesome power could do that) but my healing hands is more metaphorical than that. My healing hands prophecy was more about the healing of hearts than of anything else. And how would I achieve that you might ask? Through sign language. I don't really know how quite yet, but I believe that God wants to use me for ministry to the deaf. God, you are so freaking cool!! I was reading a book the other day about women changing the world and after each chapter, there was a vital stats section were it gave statistics of different abuses and issues against women that are going on in the world today. One of the first stat sections was about the hearing impaired. Here are some of the alarming facts:
1. The top three countries with hearing impaired are India (90 million), China (73 million) and the US (23 million).
2. The deaf are the fourth largest people group in the world unreached by the gospel.
3. American Sign Language is the third most commonly used language in America.
4. Fewer than 8 out of every 100 deaf people ever attend church and fewer than 4 out of every 100 claim a personal relationship with Jesus!
It was incredible how God spoke to me through a book to give clarity on a prophetic word I received. AHH!! I'm just so excited about life and all that God is doing in my life right now!! God is so good. On a little more superficial level, the things that I have gotten to do while here are also super cool! I have tried crocodile and octopus! (Both of which were decent) I have gone on a safari and gotten within a few feet of wild elephants! I have gotten to pet a cheetah and hold a baby lion! And last weekend I got to go ziplining and cliff jumping! A few of us were going to go bungy jumping, unfortunately each time the plans fell through, so I will have to wait a few weeks to be able to do it. The bungy jumping site is the highest in the world on a bridge. At 216 meters, I know guys who have fought in Iraq and nearly peed themselves standing on that bridge!! AHH! Pray for me!!
I apologize that I cannot tell you more but because my team is leaving later today, I have to finish packing and getting ready for our excursion!
Please pray for my team, for unity and patience with each other, for safe travels and easy entry into Hong Kong. Please also continue to pray for our safety once we enter the country that all visas and documentation is correct and acceptable. But most importantly, please pray for the people of Hong Kong, that God would prepare their hearts for what we have to share and like our t-shirts say that they "Receive It!" and receive the good news.
I love you all so much and cannot wait to see you all in March!!
Q: What do you call cheese that doesn't belong to you?
A: Nacho cheese!

DTS Update

Hello friends and family!!

I pray this e-mail finds you well and enjoying all of the blessings from our heavenly Father. I figured that it is about time that I have sent an e-mail out considering I have been here almost two months and I have only updated my blog once. My sincerest apologies. Internet is limited and must be bought, so what internet I do use, I hope to use connecting on Facebook or skyping with my family and a few friends.

To be completely honest, the first few weeks were a struggle. I have battled homesickness, doubt, discouragement, guilt, and manipulation. All of which, the enemy has used to tear me down and distract me from lectures so that I don’t grow.

I knew that leaving my family for six months would be difficult but I never realized that it would be to this extent. The first two or three weeks, I would wake up and look around and almost cry because I no longer wanted to be here. I just wanted to go home. To be able to see, and talk to (without shelling out money), and hug my family all I want. It was also difficult because all of my roommates have been far from home for long periods of time, are grown adults living on their own, or don’t really miss their family, so I had almost no one to talk to that could relate. Talking one day to my parents on the phone though, it dawned on me that my homesickness was not from me but rather from Satan and that he was using it as a stronghold against me to ensure that I would not focus, or excel, or even want to be here. As soon as I recognized that and prayed/broke the spirit, my homesickness pretty much vanished. I still miss all of you very much, but no longer to the extent that that is all I can think about. Praise the Lord!

Going along with my homesickness, my first few weeks, I really doubted that this is where God wants me. I prayed about it. I cried about it. I talked to others about it. And after all of those avenues of opinions and guidance I came to the conclusion that God is my Father and just like my earthly dad, I have boundaries of what I can do without making him mad or disappointing him but as long as I stay within those boundaries I have complete freedom to decide what I want to become and what I want to do. And that is the same way with God. There are boundaries that I cannot cross such as sexual impurity, slander, rage, stealing, murder, etc. but so long as I stay within those boundaries, God gives me the option of what to do with my life. He has given me passions for a reason and He wants me to pursue those passions but it’s not as if by going to school instead of mission work that He is going to smite me because I didn’t follow His plan!! I believe that that is a huge misconception in the church that needs to be reversed and when you know the truth, there is so much freedom to know that God wants YOU to choose. Learning and accepting that, my doubt about being here and what God wanted for me was no longer an issue that I deal with on a daily basis. Don’t get me wrong, I still struggle with doubt but no longer about if this is really where I should be and if this is what God wants for me.

This is going to be a long one… The guilt, discouragement, and manipulation go hand in hand. The second of week of lectures, the base leader, Daan Abraham was our speaker. On a personal level, Daan is a wonderful man of God who earnestly wants to see his students succeed and grow in their relationship with God. However, in the classroom, Daan is a very aggressive speaker. He is a passionate man for God, but his speaking style can be overwhelming and come across as condemning at times.  One of the first days that he was speaking, he encouraged us to give away 7 things, however when he gave the assignment, he was not specific that it was to be material things so my first instinct was to give up things that I have been struggling with personally. When talking about the things that we were going to give up, I mentioned my personal things and was chastised by him because they were not materialistic. It was difficult because I felt that God wanted me to sacrifice those personal things to him before I could give anything else away and to be told that I’m not listening was really hard. Not only that, but me (and my roommates) got the feeling from Daan and some of the staff that if we did not give away those 7 things than we were not good Christians and were not serious in our faith. It was just so frustrating because I felt that they did not recognize all that we had given up just to get here. My family, my education, my comfort zone, my friends, my church, my familiarity. I talked to some of the female staff and my one-on-one, though, and was able to get some good perspective about how God wants me to give, not because I felt obligated to but because I see a need that I can meet it and want to meet it. And since, I have let go of trying to see what God wants me to give away and just letting him show me, I have found more than 7 things. I have already given away my magazines and some clothes to some women in the community. As soon as I get home I plan to donate my stuffed animals to the Ronald McDonald house, my prom dress to someone that cannot afford one, and Forrest Gump (to one of the local staff members here that has never seen it!!). If anyone would like to donate anything else when I get back or knows someone that will be in need of a gorgeous prom dress but cannot afford one, please do not hesitate to let me know.

There has also been a struggle with what God wants me to do when my DTS is over. I felt quite a bit of guilt and manipulation again that if I don’t continue with YWAM and don’t come back to J-Bay to become a staff member then I am not following God’s will. I had to recognize that that is not the person being manipulative but rather Satan using people to discourage and confuse me. I also had to recognize that they do not in any way mean to come off as condescending or manipulative and they would just love to see me be a staff member here and see the base grow. However; I still struggled with what God wanted me to do whether it is to go back to school or to continue with mission work. As I was praying about it, I decided to clear my mind and just let God tell me what He wants me to do. The first thing that came to mind was school, which was something I have seriously been considering and wanting to do. But I was not quite sure if me wanting to go back to school was because that was what God wants for me or if it was because of my own desires. Once I got the word “School” I immediately went to talk to my friend, Beth, who was such an encouragement. When I told her all that I had been struggling with about decisions, she immediately prayed over me and told me how my desires are His desires. So if I want to go back to school, then He wants me to go back to school. He has put those desires in my heart for a reason and He wants me to pursue them. I now can say with confidence and know that I am pleasing God by deciding to go back to school. I am still not sure what I plan to major in or where to even go but I know that God will give me clarity of where He specifically wants me.

Based on all the prophetic words I have gotten lately, I am leaning more towards counseling/psychology but I cannot seem to find any school that I like, that is not private, and that has a good counseling or psychology department. If you know, please, please inform me! Some of the prophetic words I have received since I arrived include power, healing hands (x3), encouragement, working with youth, glory of God is upon me, restoring of hearts/encouragement again!, my life will be like that of Nehemiah’s, my hands will bring hope and restoration of hearts (again!), and my feet will take me all over the world, and though I won’t make it to every country, the hope and encouragement (!) that I will bring people will reach every nation!!! It’s so cool to see how almost every single one of the words I have received either repeat or are so true to who I am and my character! I believe that it is definitely good to test prophetic words whether it be with the repetition of that word or with it ringing true to you or with God’s clear guidance that it was from Him (in whatever method He so chooses). Before Africa, I had never received prophetic words and to now have so many that repeat and resonate within me, it is clear that God is using them to guide me to what he ultimately wants me to do, counseling/encouragement in missions with young women and children.

Among all the other clear guidance, it was amazing to get such a direct word from God about what He wants me to do. About two weeks or so ago, we began praying for where our team would be doing our outreach location. During our times of intercession, I consistently got the word Thailand. Not only was Thailand on my heart during intercession/prayer but I also have felt a strong calling to Thailand, even before YWAM, to help restore women’s dignity and help them escape the dangerous and scarring human trafficking cycle. So hearing Thailand was nothing new, but I was super unsure of whether or not it was meant for our team for outreach or for me after I finish my DTS. A few days later, we learned of our outreach destination and God revealed to me that Thailand was something He has placed on my heart, for something He wants me to do in the future. Now it’s simply a question of when.

“When I get excited, my little china girl just says Ooh baby just you shut your mouth!” AHHH!!! My team is going to China!! Well to be more specific, we are going to Hong Kong. We will be leaving for the first part of our outreach to Hong Kong in the beginning of December and returning late January. I will be in Hong Kong for Christmas and my birthday!! I was bummed though to learn that the Chinese New Year, this year, will be February 3 so we will just barely miss it… After H.K. we will come back to J-Bay and serve in the community for two weeks and orientate the Jan. DTS on all the ins and outs of a DTS that the staff seems to leave out ;) After that, we will finish the outreach phase along the garden route, hopefully ending up in Cape Town!! It was a fantastic compromise for our group because some of us felt called to Asia, and even had visions of our group playing with little girls with long, beautiful black hair, and others felt we should stay in South Africa. I, of course, wanting to see the world and help the nations, considering we are a nations TO nations DTS, felt that we should go to Asia and was over the moon to learn that we will be heading to Hong Kong in about one month. Expectedly, there are always dangers with travelling and mission work so we will not be allowed to acknowledge YWAM and will be doing many prayer walks and subtle Christian dramas and dances in the malls and local village squares, because we will be there during Christmas season, when consumerism is at its worst. As for our South Africa outreach, our message and “preaching” will be far more direct and will focus more on the poverty and physical needs of the community rather than the spiritual needs lacking in the western cultures such as Hong Kong. We will be working at schools/orphanages and doing HIV/AIDS support and working alongside the people in their homes or gardens.

Despite all the excitement of travelling to another country and the excitement of the opportunity to experience the people and culture, reality begins to set in and stress clings like a leech. We were informed a few days ago that the total cost of outreach will be 27,000 Rand, which is about $3,500! That is more than even I was expecting!! I currently have close to $1,000 going towards outreach but I know that God will provide. If you feel so led to give, you may make your checks out to Sharon Bethke, please note that it is for Amanda’s DTS in the memo line, and she will transfer the money to my account. I know that many of you have already given or are in positions where you are not able to give right now, and I just want you to feel no pressure at all to give. I appreciate your support and prayers so much more than you know! Bad news is: each of us has to have our outreach funds in by the 15^th of November. Not only am I in need of funding, but also one of my dear friends Dennis is greatly in need! Dennis is probably the most awesome old man I have ever met!! Dennis is about 55, no teeth except for two on the bottom, the best commentary to movies, great sense of humor, and an even more hilarious presence. A few weeks ago, we had a birthday party for one of the girls and when they brought all the cake out, Dennis grabbed 4 pieces!! My friend Melissa asked him if he had a bit of a sweet tooth. His response? “I don’t have any teeth!!” Dennis is constantly making us laugh with comments and faces! Before Dennis came to the DTS, he was living on the streets when he was taken in by the staff at the base. He has tried to complete four previous DTS’s but was not able to complete them because of funds or family emergencies. Fifth time’s the charm, right? If you are able to financially give, would you consider giving to help support Dennis and helping him finally complete a DTS. If you would like to make a contribution to me/my team’s outreach funding you may make the check out to Sharon Bethke, Amanda DTS in the memo line, and send it 26787 Meadow Lane, Sioux Falls, SD, 57106. I greatly appreciate your support and prayers!!

Please pray for the mini-outreach that my team will be taking to P.E. for about a week that we will be leaving for later today. Along with financing, please pray for the preparations of our outreach, that everything will fall into place, and that complications will not become a hindrance.

I pray that God continues to reveal himself more and more to you “And I pray that you being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. – Ephesians 3:17

All my love,
Amanda

Q: What kind of dance do you do on a trampoline?
A: Hip-Hop!!

Praise, Praise the Father, Praise the Son

       I don’t even really where to begin about this morning. But let me start here. Every day after breakfast, our schedule allows us to have an hour of quiet time to read our Bible or to journal our thoughts and prayers. Being stupid, I chose to do my quiet time in bed, which of course led to me eventually falling asleep. Right in the middle of one of the most beautiful psalms in the whole Bible. Stupid! After my refreshing, but shameful, nap we headed straight over to the chapel on campus for our devotions. Today, though, we had about 4 guests that came to speak and to prophesy to us. Dennis and Jeff from Cali and Gershwin and Julian from Zambia. We started the devotions out like any other, through song and prayer. But things quickly headed a different direction. Not bad but incredible, amazing, on fire, powerful, moving. Julian, Dennis, Julian, and Jeff all began to prophesy over individuals, which was very obviously not the intended plan. As they began to speak the words of God over people, everyone quickly tuned into what was going on and instantly reached out their hands towards the person to pray for them as well. So many languages being spoken in one little room, it was simply incredible! It reminded of the verse in Revelation 7:9-10 “After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and tongue, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits of the throne, and to the Lamb.”” What a beautiful glimpse into what heaven will be like! As the four men began to make their rounds through the people, I quietly prayed and worshipped, with one eye open. I began to shake but figured it’s mostly from being cold since mornings here are kind of rough. I thought nothing of it that I was shaking, even as Jeff and Gershwin both came up to me at separate times and prayed over me, asking for the Holy Spirit to fill me.  I watched others violently shake and cry out to the Lord in a “voice of triumph” wondering if I would ever have an experience like that or if I would just be the quiet, shy and reserved observer. There was a time though during my praise to God that I felt someone calling my name, so I opened my eyes and Julian was standing on the other side of the chapel calling my name and motioning me to come over to him. With reservation, I walked over and as soon as I got there he jumped right in without hesitation.
“What’s wrong with your relationships?”
At first I had no clue what he was talking about. I have quite a few relationships with people and some of them have been broken so his question was extremely vague to me. But the first response I came back with was my relationship with my sister. I explained to him how there had been a lot of deceit and hurt and anger in our relationship mostly because of me and my mistakes. I began to continue but he quickly stopped me and said,
“She forgave you didn’t she?” I nodded. He then proceeded to tell me though about how I never really forgave myself and how I had been dragging this dead weight with me for years. Mind you I had never told this man or anyone else at my DTS what had happened with my sister. I was shocked that he had been able to read into the relationship so easily. Although I doesn’t surprise me now, knowing how at work the Holy Spirit was at that time. He then proceeded to explain to me that I need to forgive myself to forgive others and that I need to love myself to love others. I cannot remember exactly what he had said because I was so consumed with love from Jesus. I know this all sounds corny but stick with me, please. He continued on for a couple minutes when he told me that even though I had accepted Christ already, I need to re-say the sinner’s prayer to help forgive myself. So I repeated him in a marvelous rendition of the sinner’s prayer, repeating things like “I’M DEFEATED” and “ALL I NEED IS YOU LORD!” Literally screaming them, as well. Julian then prayed for the Holy Spirit to fill me up, to wash over me like the waves in the ocean and to flow through me like the mighty rivers of the world. I remember slightly shaking but thinking it was still because I was cold. How foolish I was! After Julian finished praying he “blew” the Holy Spirit into me, which at first I thought was a little strange. I was suddenly so overcome by the Spirit that I couldn’t even stand anymore and collapsed to the floor. I could not even open my eyes. I remember hearing though, all the different tongues in the room praying over me and when I stood up I saw dozens of hands outreached towards me in prayer with God. I went back to talk to Julian and he told me that God has restored that relationship, that I am no longer bound by chains to that burden. He continued to explain that he saw from God that I will be a restorer of women and that my story is much like Nehemiah’s. Extremely humbling to think that God has plans as great for me as He did for one of the authors of the Bible! As we continued to move around the room, I joined with the others of outstretched arms to pray for my brothers and sisters of Christ. I saw more shakings, more collapses and things I cannot even begin to explain. When Julian and Gershwin reached my friend Renette, the entire room at that point was standing over them watching and praying. Renette had spent pretty much the entire time on the floor, shaking and praising God. Julian and Gershwin spoke in the native tongues over her and explained how they saw that she would be the modern day mother of nations! They continued prophesying that she would one day run an organization that would completely revolutionize the mission work and outreach ministry field. She continued to shake and pray and speak in tongues, and when we had thought she was done they asked her to stand. She stood, still a little shaky, when Gershwin asked her to put her hands to the ceiling in praise to God. As she lifted her hands in the air, she immediately fell to the ground again in a bowing position. Her hands had barely made it above her head! As she fell to the ground, all of our jaws dropped in pretty much synchronization. The two men continued to pray for Renette and prophesied that one day she will be a mother to all children: black, white, pink, orange, and yellow. We finished the “session” I guess you could call it by praying over the four men that had spoken for God. It was something I didn’t think I would every experience as that is for the small tribes in remote Africa, or witchcraft, or even just for people of greater faith. But I can tell you this; the Holy Spirit is on fire! Never have I been so filled with passion to make God known. To let people know about His love and grace! That there is a hope for them and that they don’t have to stay in this rut of a life that they are living. I pray that as each of you read this that God is at work in your heart, opening the doors for the Holy Spirit so that you may be as on fire and as passionate about the love of God as I am right now. I pray that you may believe that the Holy Spirit is capable of crazy things that will transform the world and I pray that you do not become satisfied with a stagnant life. The Holy Spirit is among us and at work in not only your life, but also here in Africa. Such faith these people have! It’s amazing! If everyone had faith like the Africans, the world would be a much different place! Thank you for all your support and prayers!! I love you all very much! :) 

Q: What do you call a happy cowboy?

A: A jolly rancher! :)

Ashton and Andrew/Macaroni and Cheese

Here is the super cute photoshoot of Ashton and Andrew!! These two are probably one of the most amazing couples I know. You know those couples that complete each other so well, that they are meant for one another? Yeah, that's them. Andrew is loud, bold, very extroverted and super funny! While Ashton is super sweet, gentle, determined, and has one of the biggest hearts I know. We did this photoshoot to play with my new camera and so that they would have some cute portraits to frame. They are in no way engagement pictures, but I know that in due time I will hopefully have the opportunity to shoot their engagement pictures because these two are meant to spent together forever as much as macaroni and cheese are. I hope you enjoy them! Leave these two some love :)



Financial Outreach Update

Hey everyone!!

I thought I would update y'all ;) on where I stand financially for my discipleship training school, in South Africa. Over the past month I have received almost $1,000 in donations!! Incredible!! I appreciate so much what you have given, and I know that God will use it in BIG ways. Because of the gracious donations I have received and working two jobs, I was able to pay for both my lecture fees and my airfare, which together make up 2/3 of all of my trip financing! WOOHOO! However, after paying both of those expenses, I have still come up short on my outreach portion tuition. The tuition/fees for the outreach portion of my training school equals to about $2,500, which I have about $375 going towards. I appreciate all that you have done for me, financially, spiritually, and emotionally. And your support means the world to me! I ask that if you have the resources, would you consider making a tax deductible donation to Youth With  A Mission? If so, you can make your checks payable to Youth With A Mission-Jeffrey's Bay. Please be sure to note in the memo line that the check is for Amanda Bethke-DTS. You can mail your checks to my address at 1405 Enchanted Rock Trail, McKinney, TX 75070. I am so grateful to God for an incredible group of friends and family and trust that He will provide. As He always does :)
Please continue to pray for my safety, changed hearts, and renewed spirits and relationships. I pray that God is at work in your life and that you see the beauty in His love for each and everyone of us!

I heard this the other day and thought it was hilarious!! -
A new pastor moved into town and went out one Saturday to visit his community. All went well until he came to one house. It was obvious that someone was home, but no one came to the door even after he knocked several times. Finally, he took out his card, wrote on the back "Revelation 3:20" and stuck it in the door. The next day, as he was counting the offering he found his card in the collection plate. Below his message was a notation "Genesis 3:10." Upon opening his Bible to the passage he let out a roar of laughter.
Revelation 3:20 reads: (Pastors note) "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice, and opens the door, I will come into him, and will dine with him, and he with me."
Genesis 3:10 reads: "And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked."

Monkey on a ten speed?

So it's been a while since my last post...again my apologies. Man I stink at this. My blog is as about successful as a monkey riding a ten speed. (one of my dad's sayings :)) Since my last post in what the beginning of February, much has happened!! I got a dress, my friends and I decided to join a prom group, dropped out because of drama and price, I have been working almost none stop (I have worked 5 days this week!!!), and we are finally beginning to plan my graduation parties :)

With less than one month til prom, I am sad to say that I have prom on the brain. Who knew that prom could be so freaking expensive?! Tickets alone for a couple are $150!! Plus a dress, a tux, dinner, corsage/boutounneire, and if you want - a limo. Oh man. Nowadays, the average prom for a couple costs over $900!!!! You could buy a car with that much money. Granted it would be old and not in the best shape but still!! I personally don't think it is worth it to blow that much money on one night. It seems a little foolish to me. But that is your/their perogrative.

In the last month alone, I have had only 2 days off each week. One of those days is because we are closed! I can't complain to much though because my paychecks make up for the exhaustion. I can sleep when I am dead. 'Nuff said.

I hate to say this - but I am WAY more excited for my SD grad party than my TX one. Sorry but true. I am not going to expose a whole lot because we have just started planning so there are barely any details laid out. Especially for the SD grad party.

Being the political science/current events enthusiast that I am, I must make some sort of commentary and the disasterous recent events. If you have seen the news at all recenetly, you will know that there are huge protests taking place in Libya. Switching topics for one second, I know that at the beginning of Obama's presidency, they chalked up his lack of capability to better things was because of the "Huge mess left by Bush". And some of that is true, but on the other hand, two years later with large protests and demonstrations and death, President Obama has failed to show any leadership by not taking any action to help the people of Libya. You may not agree with me, but simply something to think about. I hope that you keep the people of both Libya and Japan in your prayers as things begin to unravel.

On a happier note Q: Why are teddy bears never hungry?
A: They are always stuffed :)

I'm a procrastinator

I must admit, even as I'm sitting across the room from my mom, that I am 100% procrastinating! I have an english project that was supposed to be due Tuesday at 12! Thank God for snow days!! :) This is honestly the most pointless project I have done in a while, actually almost all of my english projects are stupid! I have to write a 3-5 page tale with prologue written in the style of couplets! Honestly, when am I EVER going to write in couplets! I could see how that would be helpful if I were to be the next Dr. Seuss, but I'm not...So it's of no use to me.

Okay, I'm done complaining!

Two Muffins were baking in an oven. One muffin turns to the other and says, "Oh My Gosh it's hot in here!" The other muffin says, "Holy Crap... A talking muffin!-one of my favorites :)

Not up to par..

I must admit, my blogging lately has not been up to par. In fact, my blogging has been completely nonexistent over the last month. Yikes! It's been that long since my last blog? My sincerest apologies. If it wasn't obvious though by my lack of posts, this past month has been a little crazy. To say the least! I have been working 4-5 days a week (until the past two weeks), along with homework, exams, a new semester, my birthday, and attempting to get some sleep. It's been a crazy but good first month of the new year and I sincerely hope that yours has been just as blessed as mine!

After getting off work the other night and arriving home to the State of the Union address, I decided that I should immerse myself in this so that I may gain knowledge of my surroundings and what is happening in the world, rather than in just mine. As I sat down to watch, the first thing I noticed was that the President, of course, had his trustee side kick of Teleprompter Kid by his side! Has this man ever spoken without using a teleprompter? I swear, he probably uses it to tuck his own children into bed! Don't get me wrong, the State of the Union is a long speech which would require extensive memorization, but it seems that EVERY time he publicly speaks he must have his sidekick with him. It just seems so impersonal when addressing the nation that he is leading. Continuing on, as I intently listened to his plans for the new year, I couldn't help but think about all the promises being made. I cannot count on my hands and feet the number of promises that he made about the new year and how many do you think will actually be accomplished or begin to be tackled? My guess? 0! Now that I have vented my political frustration, I will say that now that I am 18 I can vote. In the perfect description of being an adult, as said by my dear father, I can now walk in to the voting booth and gag over my choices. Yippee!

I do have some exciting news to share though! Amanda Bethke, as of Sunday night, has a date to prom :) Saturday when talking to my mom about prom, she offered to fly Nate down for prom! Bless her heart! I love that woman!! That Saturday we were particularly talking about how nervous I am to get a date considering all of my guy friends down here have girlfriends, and there are not really any boys I am interested in. So she offered to fly him down, on their dollar. I asked him and he said yes. But that's really all I have to say over the matter, although more details certainly to come!

Other exciting news!! I am in my last semester of high school!!! YIPPEE!!! In less than six months I will be a college student. I could barely type that last sentence because the words were so unnatural to me. However, I do find it hard to be as excited as I should be when I know that it's just six more years of homework, essays, reports, projects, etc. But, I could not be more ready to live on my own!! Yay for Ramen Noodles and Macaroni and Cheese.

Now that I have pretty much written a novel, I will sign off. (Especially since Max is urging me to feed him)

Q: Why was the broom late?

A: It over swept! :)

New Year, Old Maid?

Happy New Year!

With every new year comes some new resolutions. Of course, there is always the dieting resolution and the read more one as well. But along with my stereotypical resolutions I decided to add one more. I decided that this year I would document every important and not so important details of this year. Every year goes by and struggle to remember how I spent it and what even happened. Not this year! So here begins my blog of the normality of my life. Similar to the idea of the show Seinfeld, a blog of nothing!

This year was not brought in with enthusiasm of parties or snacks or noise makers but rather with my kindle and my slumbering dog laying next to my bed. I decided to head off to bed at about 11.30 when I decided that if I watched anymore of the USA House marathon I would fall asleep so why not do it in my bed? I was then proceeded by mock name calling from my parents about how much of an old lady I am. Could it be that I am turning into an old maid at the ripe old age of 17? (Soon to be 18!) I mean I would rather stay home than go out, I don't like to party, I love sleeping, and my dog seems to have more energy than me!

This Christmas has been one filled with joy and sadness. Joy that I received a kindle, that my sister and father have a job, Marco is developing, I have a roof over my head and I got to see family from Chicago. Yet, there was a sting to this Christmas knowing this is the last year I can help my mom decorate the house, last year I can steal cookies while Mom is baking, and the last year I can sleep in my own bed/room Christmas Eve and not feel like a visitor. I know though that with the sadness of those things comes excitement from graudation, excitement for college and for being on my own!

The Glastonbury Music Festival on tv is beckoning me! (And my white cheddar queso ;)) So I decided that with every blog I post I will leave you with a joke or riddle because if you know me I love to laugh and when I was younger I used to call into the radio for the morining kid jokes. Enjoy!
-P.S. No reading the answer first!

Q: Where does a Turtle go when it's raining?
A: A shell-ter :)