Travelocity

I never grew up taking trips. I wasn't that kid that went to camp for the summer, or to Nana's every Thanksgiving or to the mountains over winter break. It's too often that I say "I've never been..." It's no wonder that now, as a seventeen year old young "adult", I have this itch to travel and go somewhere. I'm a well educated (as much as public school can give you, at least), fully competent (okay, so I lack common sense), young women with dreams and aspirations beyond this town of forty-thousand. I can sit here all night and tell you the functions of the kidney (test next Monday!) but I'm so incredibly uncultured and simply unfamiliar with the life outside of Daniland.

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Paige and I want to go camping. Please, stifle your laughter. I am fully aware of how dysfunctional that sounds. But I look at it this way - either we will die, or we will survive. I'm too young to die, so I'm banking on survival. While Nate and Darren may have bets that we'd last mere minutes alone in the woods, I'm convinced that we could handle it. I mean, how hard can starting a fire be? Bring on the Chanel scented bug repellent and Vera Bradley sleeping bags!

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I've been communicating with my Great Grandma a lot. I had the brilliant idea while I was in the shower (does anybody else make some great life decisions in the shower? I think the aromas of great smelling soaps and the hot water open some inner-brain pores or something) that I should go see her, and the rest of the family in Chester, Mass. I've already found flights. Now it's just a matter of scraping together the last few pieces of money. (Anybody need a babysitter?) My family has always been estranged to me - or rather, my mother has made it certain that I shall remain removed from them. I'm free from her now though, and I reserve the right to know where I come from. It's some sort of birth right; the older I get, the more I am convinced that knowing your family is essential to progressing yourself. We all want to go beyond what our previous generations did - but I haven't a clue what that is. I truly want to know the history of the people I come from. Who passed on their hazel eyes and dimple chin to me? Does anyone else share in the odd quirks that I have? Am I related to some influential historical figure? Where did this sickle cell come from?

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BTW - That bio book is the one we use for SL and HL bio (:

College applications are due all too soon and I have no clue what I'm doing with my life. I want to start making my rounds about what schools I want to see. I definitely want to look at Moody and Wheaton in Chicago, and Azusa in California. I have a few others that I like too, but really, I need someone to sit down with me, go over my options, and help me formulate some sort of slightly organized plan of attack / future. Now if only I can work out the logistics... Chaperone, anyone?

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I used this book as a source for my Extended Essay!

I don't have a doubt in my mind that I'll go back to Detroit one day. My heart aches for this city; I get teary eyed just thinking about it. I don't think I've ever loved a place as much as I love the 313. I don't think God is finished with me there, yet. Greater things are yet to come for Detroit; I can't even fathom the things that God may do with them for His Kingdom. I'm SO excited to watch this place change and grow; but for now, my heart will break and I will be left with that awful, helpless feeling. There's nothing I can do in this moment but pray.

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When Nate & Amanda took me to Virginia last year, we came upon an agreement. I'm not stupid; it's not that my lack of common sense and life skills is a failure on my part to learn - rather, I was never able to fully explore my classroom of life that is supposed to teach us these things. I just haven't been exposed to SO much. I can't grasp beyond what I've witnessed. Life is our best teacher, and I've never been outside my one myopic classroom. I want to experience what's beyond me; there's so much out there besides the bubble I live in!