MY MONTH OF APRIL + whats new // omw too many hilarious things in this post

T H R I L L I N G L Y  F U N  :

driving out on a random Saturday to a farm tour and getting to pet a baby cow

going to a goodwill outlet store and finding 3 shirts for a dollar each

beating Mary in a word sprint by 2 words

Randomly running to the store to get fabric for a dress

Playing nerf capture the flag at our library and winning!! Plus winning a door prize 

Filling Easter eggs at midnight with my sisters no no no we didn't eat the candy geesh 

inspiring Mary to get ice cream at midnight + her post about it 

MY PARENTS BOUGHT ME A BIKE FOR GRADUATION HELP IM DYING 
meet Amelia Earhart - or as I shall call her mainly - Earhart. 

Buying pop tarts for my siblings after they went to the park cuz I have memories like that and want them to have them too

we got baby chicks!!! 

taking a bike ride and then running into my old piano teacher

Going garage sale shopping for fun and buying a rubix cube for $3

me after finishing my pre-med course 

M Y  S I B L I N G S (actually mainly little sis) :

*gets egg roll* *little sister picks it up, smells it then drops it*
"Ew. I thought you said there were eggs in it."

*puts toothpaste on little sisters toothbrush* 
"Sister!! I need to tell you something."
"Let's just brush your teeth first." -me
*sis starts sobbing* "I use that one for washing rocks!!"
*me breaks out into laughter and gets new toothbrush*

"Sunday is maybe gonna be sunny - cuz it's SUNday get it." - sister

"Can I get a bandaid for my scratch?"
"Uhm, no, it'll be okay - sleeping and air will make it heal." -me
"But..then I should take the blanket off?" -little sister
"There is air under your blankie"
"I did NOT know THAT. Wow" - little sis

" I wish I was a mother - then I'd make every day Easter!" - sis

"Keep an eye out for a sign that says garage sale!"
"But...I can't read!" - little sis

*is singing sister suffragette from Mary poppins*
- middle sis "doubtless crusades for woman's coats!"
- me "Uhm..it's votes"
- her "Oh"

S A R C A S T I C  S A R A H  :

*me gets bug in eye and screams*
*sarah .10 sec later* "what's the matter??"
"WHY DID YOU TAKE SO LONG TO RESPOND TO ME YELLING?"
"Cuz it was an UUGGHHH not an OWWWWWWW" - sare
*me rolls eyes*

*looks at dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets*
"Oh I love eating extinct animals."

"My legs are so tired. Why can't they just float?" - Sare

"Ewww a gross nut" - me
"Was it nutty??" - sare
"Uhg. Thanks a lot."
"You're NUT welcome." -sare

*moans* "I DIDNT BRING A BOOKMARK"

"I can't sing when taking photos. That's the one thing I can't multitask at"

*sarah sitting crooked in hammock* "my food is going to go down wrong"

"Whhaaaaaaa I burnt my toast!"

*also Sarah sitting in hammock*
"This is actually fun. I feel like a monkey - eating fruit in a tree."

A M A Z I N G  P O S T S :

autumn interviewed me and eppp it looks so great 

liz shook my world

clara wrote truth 

emma made me want to cry cuz yes 

erin made a pretty video 

also clara and i wanna cry ok

jon's unofficial series won't stop blowing my mind

brin lael wrote beauty 

addy let us see true spring

M Y  W E I R D  L I F E  :

being like "I want a snack" and spending forever looking for something then realizing I'm not even hungry

getting chicken out of the freezer in the garage and then checking on the baby chicks in said garage........yeaaaaahhh

making up the most amazing bedtime story for my siblings and wanting to write it into a novel

Sarah being like "I like your closet help me" so I do

wearing my jacket inside out for hours WHILE IN PUBLIC and then not caring and leaving it like that all day

her. She's just too funny

My family suddenly starting this super weird birthday tradition of singing "happy birthday to you" in our loudest voices ever and literally everyone's faces were red

Rewatching shows I watched as a kid and catching the funny things

Legit feeling like I'm asleep all day

dying over this photo my sister drew of me as a kid 

Sewing my own dress

Finding out the jazz song I'm listening to is called Watermelon Man - legit

Not being able to find my extra special super amazingly filled Easter egg outside and I just know those peanut butter cups are dead

me trying to graduate 

going to the dentist and the hygienist being like "found your missing Easter egg yet?" And I'm like "whhaaa" - apparently my brother told her??

not knowing how to use a speed bike and being on the smallest gear oops

when you lean back on a chair but there is no back

GARAGE SALEING (is that a word cuz I made it so)

liz trying to help my name my bike 

having to mow the lawn AND ITS ONLY APRIL WAHT i was out there before the dandelions were

Smacking myself so hard on the forehead that I left finger marks o.o

W H A T  I  H A V E  C O M P L E T E D : 

• my novel is just hitting 36k IM GETTING THERE 
• finish my new 30 day fitness challenge (still need to finish this) 
• come home from the dentist with all my teeth (HAHA YUP I  WIN beat that dentist) 
• FIND OUT HOW MY POEM SOUNDS AFTER ITS TURNED INTO A SONG *crashes through savannah's ceiling* (GUYS I GOT TO HEAR A SNIPPET AND OOOHHH BOY IM LOVING IT)
• get all my algebra done (*coughs* only have that and history left then I'm GRADUATED) 
• go barefoot outside (I JUST NEED IT TO GET WARMER) (ITS BEEN WARMER like 80 yuuss) 
• also I re-did Sarah's room, we cut her hair, made cheesecake, found new wallet WHICH I LOVE, talked to my bestie on the phone, made popsicle stick things, went on so many errands and appointments, helped Ragen move her bedroom around (who am i kidding we did yoga mainly), stung by a wasp and stepped on a staple, like lots of bike rides and hammock sittings, moved my bedroom around and am preparing for my graduation trip IM LEAVING NEXT WEEK GAASSSPPPP 

ANY TIPS FOR A FIRST TIME FLYER??

WHATS NEW IN YOUR LIFE?

LAUGH REALLY HARD AT????

p.s sorry for the really long post. idk what happened hahaa

LITTLE GIRLS FARMHOUSE BEDROOM REDO // pretty new bedding and lots of diy-ness

WELL HELLO ALL i'm staring at this blank post like whhaatt dooo i wrrriiittteee. Because I'm still doing camp nano and HAHA words are becoming harder to use now o.o ALSO IM TIRED cuz all day yesterday Sarah and I worked on re-doing her bedroom so you'll be seeing another bedroom post sometime soon 

NO IM NOT OBSESSED WITH PAINTING WHY DO YOU ASK 

so lets talk about the bedroom k. Basically BEFORE the room had carpet, the closet had a door, the walls were covered in random things, and they had different bedding. duh.

Sarah and I decided that the closet would be a really cool place to turn into a book nook or dress up area or play kitchen for the girls, so we asked my dad to take the door off AND IM SO GLAD WE DID + to save them from monsters 

also the room may look super empty??? well that's cuz we took these pictures before we moved everything else in - like the bookshelf, the keyboard, nightstand, lamps, etc. I felt like the clean look of it was really aesthetically pleasing so I was like LETS TAKE THE PICTURES NOW

also I have no patience. Yeah, that was why I did it then. lol 

It was actually one of the easiest of bedrooms to re-do. Except the floor had two holes in it cuz you see this is a super old farmhouse and those gas heaters were once in all the bedrooms. They're such a pain to fill uhhhgggg. and wood filler? BLECK SUCH GROSS STUFF and it takes 10 billion years and a day to dry.

My little sisters looovveee the room - though I really think they liked the fact that they got to have sleepovers our rooms while it was being done. 

them: "do we get to stay up late and eat popcorn and watch movies" 

me: *shakes head*

OH and the bedding? I found those at the store - brand new - for like $10 each. I was like YUUUUSSS THESE ARE ADORABLE. honestly I want the blue one for myself but oh well 

well I'm off to go move everything back into Sarah's room (it's all in mine right now and omw its like WHERE IS THE FLOOR) and I am heading to the library sometime today so ANY BOOK SUGGESTIONS GIMME GIMME GIMME thx

THOUGHTS ON THE BEDROOM?

WHICH IS YOUR FAVORITE BEDDING??

why is writing sooooooooooo hard to do??? // 6 funny things us writers deal with

WORD SPRINTS and what its like to do one

Never heard of a word sprint? Basically you get two or more people to write from a certain time to another set time (generally 10-20 mins long) and then you compare word counts to see who wins!

AND DOING WORD SPRINTS OR WORD WARS OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS they're intense.

It's like you get the message "GO" and you slip into your document and you know what the worst thing ever is? HAVING TO START A NEW CHAPTER oh gosh. It's the hardest thing ever.

The most I've ever done in a 20 minute long sprint was a little over 1k - and hahaa I think I was mentally impaired after that. Generally, I get 300-500 in 10 mins.

NOT WANTING TO WRITE 

oh boy oh boy is this me like yes it is and I'm such a bad writer - IDK how many times I say this "I DONT WANNA WRITE" because you know why? there is so much pain involved in it really! I would much rather be one of those people in the movies who voice records their book. legit.

But then Sarah is like COME ON YOU GOTTA WRITE so I do and it isn't as bad as I remembered it

SUDDENLY NOT KNOWING HOW TO SPELL ANYMORE or talk for that matter

After my 11k day back in November, I went downstairs and I could not, for the life of me, hold a conversation. I was like this;

"Can you...watch..i mean get..some..blueberries." and each word was painful to get out

Or spelling? I don't know how often I see that red squiggly line and I'm like "*deep blush* I TOTALLY KNOW HOW TO SPELL THAT hahahahhhahaaaa......"

BEING UNABLE TO FIND A TITLE FOR YOUR NOVEL

This screams me -- for my last book "for who he was" I legit didn't have a title until WE DESIGNED THE COVER. I'm not joking - and I didn't even really come up with it. *dies* I basically threw some words at Sarah and she was like "uhmm..how about 'for who he was?'" and I'm like YES LETS DO IT #mylife

LEGIT FEELING LIKE YOU'RE GONNA DIE 

there is SO much pain in writing. Like real blood, sweat, and tears. Building characters is my favorite thing to do for sure, but then after you've got that done, you have the hard work to do. I MEAN THOSE PLOT TWISTS YOU LOVE IN BOOKS?? the author was probably pulling his/her hair out while writing it. 

also IDK about you, but I have cried while writing my own scene in a book which is really kinda weird????

PLOTTING VS NOT PLOTTING 

Okay, so I declared myself a planster, because I like some plot but a lot of it, I prefer to just write as I go....which can really be a problem sometimes, but there is a sense of freedom there too which I really need! (also woah that was a run on sentence sorry i'm rushing this post so i can go write hahaha) 

so for camp nano this month, I've got character profiles, a pinterest board (private hahah sorry!) and a page of "plot" but really it's just a lot of words about the people. I'm at 20k now so I think it's working??

In July camp nano though, I plotted WAYYYY more and haha I think that really paid off. guess we will just call this an experiment *laughs* 

--------

Also btw i cut my dad's and brother's hair last night *hyperventilates* talk about scary also HAPPY HUMP DAY we can make it to the weekend XD

HOW MANY WORDS DO YOU GET IN A SPRINT?
EVER CRY FROM WRITING SOMETHING??

wait. news flash. Job never knew why he suffered so much // how small we are compared to God

Job is literally one of the most breathtaking books of the bible. The true testimony that it is to each of us is immeasurable. There is no doubt in my mind, that Job was one of the most blessed of man in the entire history of this world.

And, not because of the valuables that God blessed him with, but because of the trials he went through.

I've seen some Job bible study posts before - but here are my thoughts on the subject.

There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. (1:1) 

We all know of how satan had to ask permission from God to do harm to Job, just so he could prove that His servants would curse Him once blessings were taken away. God approved this, knowing Job's heart.

If I could, I would literally type up chapters 38-42 for you to read because oh my goodness gracious, God literally blew Job out of the water - AND MY BRAIN - with His reply to Job's complaints (but he never cursed God! Just the day of his birth, etc lol)

Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you and you shall answer Me.  (38:3)

 There is so much truth in those first words like woah. Okay guys lets be honest here, how often do we think we know best, when in reality, we have no knowledge of God's plan? 

Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell ME, if you have understanding, who determined its measurements, surely you know! Or stretched the line upon it? (38:4)

God is literally getting sarcastic with Job here -- and I have to admit, I really like that. Can you imagine being Job, though? This man who has had every valuable thing in his possession stripped away and out of a whirlwind, you hear the booming voice of God. I CANNOT FATHOM THIS.

For the next 129 verses, God tells Job what is what. He asks Job if he is the one who "causes it to rain where there is no one, in a wilderness where there is no man." (38:26) God asks Job if he knows where the dwelling place of light and darkness is, and if the hawk fly's by his wisdom.

I would be shaking in my skin at this moment cuz uhm WHAT DO YOU TELL GOD. But, Job takes his rebuke well. His response is one I believe I need to pray as well.

I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. Listen, please, and let me speak; You said "I will question you and you shall answer Me." I have heard You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes. (42:3-6)

 God then went and literally doubled all of what Job had, blessing his latter days more than the beginning. He had more children and went on with his life, living to be 140 years old, seeing his children and grandchildren for 4 generations. "So Job died, old and full of days." (42:17) *wipes tear*

It's just so beautiful...Job went through pain and here is the jaw dropping point that I was getting to - GOD NEVER TOLD HIM WHY THIS ALL HAPPENED. Job just accepted it and moved on, trusting in God even more than he had before.

and satan? He was wrong. Let this be our reaction to trial - it's the most amazing relationship to have with God. Perhaps you are going through what feels like a desert and you think God is punishing you, or not listening. Don't listen to those whispered lies - go read Job chapters 38-42 and you'll realize how small you are compared to God, yet He loves you. It's an unbelievable thing. It makes me want to cry.

p.s like HAPPY EASTER ALL OF YA + I'm like really sore because last night Sarah and I went to a nerf capture the flag game at our library and EEEEEEEEEEPPPP YES THAT WAS LIKE SO MUCH FUN *dies* 

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM JOB?

EVER PLAY NERF CAPTURE THE FLAG??

do we praise and thank God enough??? cuz i don't think i do // psalm 107 + nano update

Being thankful - it's a Thanksgiving type of thing. You sit down at the table and someone suggests that everyone goes around the table saying one thing you're thankful for. Some people say "family" others joke "wifi" and kids usually go "the food". And, I wonder, how has this happened? 

How have we forgotten that Jesus literally shook the world and saved us from the sins that are continuously consuming us? 

Tunnel vision is a real thing. I never really understood what tunnel vision was, until I went on this "ride" last fall. Basically, it was a huuuugee tube stuck in the ground and I sat down on a sled and zoomed down it. But, oh my gosh, guys, the whole at the bottom IT WAS SO SMALL. like how was I supposed to fit?!??!? 

Also, it was so dark. I could only see one thing, everything else had vanished. I feel as if this is a sense of how I live day to day. I walk around, getting things accomplished. I have school to do, chores, DIY projects, errands to run, friends to chat with - which these are all fine things, but somehow, I seem to forget something so big.

That this life isn't the beginning or the end. That these days are only a short speck in the eyes of God and that eternity is forever and ever and ever x413547529952193534

Psalm 107 is a beautiful poem of truthfulness which David writes down. It's 43 verses long, or believe me, I would be writing the whole thing. You gotta go read it, k. There was one repetitive line that David kept repeating "Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness. And for His wonderful works to the children of men!"

We don't give thanks to God enough, do we? 

Last night, there was a tornado warning where I live. My family and I went to the basement for like a half hour to wait it out. It was cozy and relaxing. Everyone snuggled and watched The Magic School Bus. Shortly after, I found out a tornado (or a possible one, still not 100% sure i guess) was by my grandpa. Huge trees in his front yard were ripped out of the ground like a toothpick. 

And, not until this morning, hours and hours later, did I realize something.

I hadn't thanked God that my grandpa was alright. like ouch. 

So, maybe there are days when I remember to praise Him for all of my Lord's wonderfulness and some days where I get tunnel vision. All I know is this  - I don't wanna forget the important stuff. I don't want to sweat the small stuff. And, I need to thank God more.

After all, my heart is still beating cuz of Him. My lungs are still filling with air and if I only have one day left on this earth to say it "OH GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD, FOR HE IS GOOD!"

btw, camp nano is actually going good and I'm at like 13k in my novel SO MUCH PAIN IM INFLICTING ON MY PEOPLE LIKE OUCH SORRY GUYS

EVER FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TUNNEL VISION??

ANY RECENT TORNADO OR STORM PROBLEMS?

what has happened to being genuine and real??? // HOW I STRIVE TO SHOW PERSPECTIVE

why is it easier to pin on pinterest
than it is to write that paper

why do i pick apart your flaws
when mine are staring me in the face

why do i text
and not call

what makes a donut taste so much better
than the green beans in the garden

how come swimming for exercise is a blast
but jogging that mile is a pain

what's wrong with your way
when mine is just as wacky

how come i can remember to charge my electronics
and feed myself
but forget to recharge my spirit
and feed myself the living Word

what makes going to sleep easy
and waking up hard

why is netflix more enjoyable
than reading my bible

who decided these things
and why do we let them dictate
how we go day by day

stop being normal
and start being abnormal

something happened
i think normal is broken

--------------------------

Ever since I started writing poetry, I've been amazed by the ways that I've found perspective. There are some things I just never saw before! It shocked me and made me wonder - - have you ever thought of these things?? I can't be the only one.

So, tell me. What happened to being genuine? What happened to striving to be more like Jesus and less like us? 

Where did the passion for living vanish to??

Look around you. What's one thing that you have been doing for so long, with no movement forward. You feel stuck in it. What's something you can do to change that? You don't have to be normal and fit in the crowd. Stand outside of the box and be you.

God created you with a story. Live it.

btw, here is my poetry blog if you wanna see more - Twilight to Dawn 

how many things can you relate to in this post?  (lets be honest here guys) 

what's one thing you've been changed in with the help of Jesus? 

we actually survived april fools + my lack of prankness // we went to a park again and first day of nano

yesterday was April Fools - like HAHA LIKE I GOTTA TELL YOU THAT RIGHT. Its the day where the only safe place is your bedroom with your back pressed against the door - no joke. I had siblings peak in my room EARLY in the morning and I was like "uhm nope. I'm saying here kid."

IDK WHAT IT WAS but I had no urge to prank humans???? don't even know why. I am normally the prankster - but perhaps it's just cuz I know this is the day that all my pranks throughout the whole year could bite me back and hahaaa nah, think I'll just lay low. 

Except I did try like three things through texts with my friends *grins* 

*whispers* it was me heeehe

Also, I fell for a prank that Christy Anne pulled *glares* I HAD LIKE JUST WOKEN UP blah. guys, don't believe any photos of a ring being posted on April Fools Day k. just believe me. 

APRIL CAMP NANO ALSO STARTED YESTERDAY. and I'm already failing, help. I lowered my goal to 40,000 just cuz I realized UHM IM A LOT BUSIER THAN I THOUGHT. Sarah and I decided 40k is still working toward 50k, so perhaps we can still meet that goal?? I was kinda disappointed in myself for already giving into my tiredness, but honestly, July is coming sooner than any of us realize and it'll be WAY easier to write that month.

But, so far, starting a novel is proving to be harder and easier than I thought 

Sarah and I swapped reading our first 1k and uhmm yes, we can do this. Sometimes I'm like "Julia why in the world do you do this to yourself" but then I sit down and create characters and I'm like "bro this is why." 

also, Spring is like FINALLY here - which means summer will be soon right? plz. Yesterday was like almost 60 and I just kinda sat there like woah hello sunshine I've missed you 

oh and bleck I have to go to the dentist today *dies* pray for me 

also yes, all the Gene Wilder GIFS i know 

HOW IS NANO GOING FOR YOU??

WHAT PRANKS DID YOU FALL FOR/PULL YESTERDAY?