Changes

Oh brother... the last time I blogged it was cool to have a blog. ;)

Life has a funny way of changing; time never stands still and with every second brings about more change. Change is inevitable. Most of the recent changes in my life have been bad changes, ones that I would love to change back. But no one wants to read posts written by Debbie Downer, and frankly, I'd love to think of something else. So, here is my freshly-complied, (but not exhaustive) list of positive changes in my life since my last post. Which happened to be my Mommy's birthday :)

* I have declared a major that fits me, my personality and my strengths... I think

* Baby boy Zbinden, waiting to be born until September 27th, 2011... give or take a few days

* I am now a coffee drinker (the jury's still out on whether or not this is a positive change, I'm going to say yes because it makes me feel more grown-up)

* I have the best friends a girl could ask for, seriously

* I now have no T.V. shows that I "have" to watch (HUUUUUGE accomplishment)

(A brief pause and review reveals that there is a disclaimer or addition to the end of every new change.... hmmmmm)

* I know how to handle my psychotic hair!

* I have become a less sentimental person and, as such, my life is much less cluttered

* I discovered The Script... mmmmm

* I turned 20

* I can say and write out the Greek alphabet

* I'm about to start my summer as a gypsy, or, a Christian gypsy... whatever

* I've expanded my movie watching to something other than a chick flick from time to time

* I know who I am, what I want, and where I'm going (well, for the most part anyway)

But the best changes of all happened inside me. I'm stronger, I'm smarter, I'm more confident, I'm friendlier, I'm less naive, I'm less of a dreamer but more of a believer, and now, I'm more free than ever.

See? Sometimes change is good.

Update???

Wow, it's been quite a while. How about an update?

At this time tomorrow I will have completed my first semester of college. :) So exciting. Looking back at the semester I can't believe how much has changed. These past 4 months have been the funniest, best, scariest, most stressful and wonderful months of my entire life. I've had a blast, and I've met some amazing people along the way. And of course, I've learned a thing or two... such as:

1) Never doubt myself, I'm capable of a lot more than I think I am

2) Don't be afraid to try something new

3) To love each other deeply, for love covers a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8)

4) Never trust first impressions, good or bad

5) I should not be allowed to speak or make decisions after 1 a.m., bad things happen if I do

6) Schedules and appointments are good, but a little spontaneity never hurt anyone

7) At a Bible College, don't ever be alone with a member of the opposite sex unless you're ready for the entire student body to ask you if you're together.... not kidding

8) Bring your Bible and journal everywhere!

9) Yes, Ramen noodles ARE an acceptable breakfast.... and lunch.... and dinner....

10) Now is the time to be crazy and to make mistakes, just don't be stupid. ;)

7 things...

My sister Christina just tagged me (sorta) in the "7 things challenge". So here are 7 completely random things about me:

* I can't point my big toes... yes, on both feet. The rest of my toes point, but, the big toes just stay straight up, it's horrible!

* I am claustrophobic, pretty hardcore. I don't do well with large crowds, and I can't sleep unless my feet are outside the covers... I figured out that this has something to do with my claustrophobia.

* My favorite drink in all the land is an Iced Chai Latte, seriously, buy me one of those and I will love you forever.

* In a little less than a month I'll be heading off to start my freshman year at St. Louis Christian College. I'm trying to decide if I'm more excited or scared...

* I've always, always, always wanted to be artsy, but alas, I am not. I've spent the first half of my life trying to be and the second half of my life trying to accept that fact.

* I'm the youngest of 5 girls and I absolutely LOVE it. I love all of my sisters so much and so differently. (Sometime soon when I'm homesick at college I'll write a sister post... I'm not feeling so sentimental now). I wish I (or anyone) would invent a time machine to go back in time. I wish I could freeze my life when I was 7-- the perfect age.

* I JUST learned how to post a link with different words... i.e. if I wanted to send you to my current favorite site: click here. so that's why I have a lot in this post. :) thanks Christina!

But since that one didn't exactly count as one......

* I love T.V., I love all things T.V.; I will watch a movie anytime, anywhere, with anyone. But not ANY movie!!!! (Very important). And half of the things that come out of my mouth I learned from either a movie or T.V. show. (except this post is surprisingly quote free... my, oh, my).

I'm going to try something new. PICTURES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My camera, Sammy Sanyo, (why yes, I do name all my gadgets, I am typing on Beanie as we speak), is about to bite the dust. (May he rest in peace), so I'm trying to use him as sparatically as possible... isn't that terrible?! Yeah, forget that, I'm going to start taking more pictures.... :) Here's one... hopefully kind of current, still don't know which one I'm gonna do....

AHHH! Here's one of me and my new baby nephew. Braedon. :) The love of my life. :)

He won the award for "Baby with the sweetest face" and "Baby with the softest head of all time". and also: "most kissable" shhh! :)





And also, since the rules state that I have to tag 7 friends to do the "7 things challenge".... if you read this, consider yourself tagged, because 7 people DEFINITELY don't read this. :)

"Whoo-hooooo"

I just read my last post.... Graduation is 25 days away?! A new post is necessary. :)

So, lets just go through the highlights of my life so far...

I got accepted to St. Louis Christian College, and it looks like that's where I'll be attending school starting in the fall. :D YAAAAAAAAAAAY!

GRADUATION PARTY!! SATURDAY! With most of my friends and family! It's going to be amazing and I have been looking forward to it for an entire year! Well, actually, ever since I started high school, so 4 years, but this party has been in the planning process for a year... ;)

I just so happen to babysit for the sweetest bunch of boys ever, and every single time I go over there they make me laugh so hard I think I'll die. ;) They're so precious to me and if I go too long without seeing them I start to hardcore miss them, (like my nieces and nephews).

CHRISTY MILLER! Seriously, if you haven't read them, go to your local library and check them all out! Start with the Christy Miller paperback series, (yes, I know, childish and stupid, but you HAVE to get through them so you can read Christy Miller: The College Years, and they are SOOOO WORTH IT!) And then go to the College Years, I tried reading the College Years without the paperback series, and it just didn't work, I was so confused. Hmm, right now I'm just about to start paperback book #8 (there's 12 paperbacks and 3 College Years), and I want to be Christy Miller; I want to live in California, I want to have a Todd Spencer, I want to have "Killer eyes" and have perfect, nutmeg colored hair, but I don't want to work in a petstore....

I'm telling you, read the books. They changed my life. :)

P.S. the title of this post comes from "highlight #3". Evan, the 2 year old I babysit for, would say "whoo-hoo" whenever I told him we were going to do something (yes, with a little coaching from me). Example: "Ev, we're going to go inside and eat, [whoo-hoo] and then go to bed [whoo-hooooo]". Funniest part is that he just so happens to say it with ZERO emotion. HILARIOUS! Try to say "whoo-hoo" with no emotion in your voice, close to impossible, but this kid nailed it. ;)

Summer

This weekend was a fun-filled weekend with my friends. (More to come later). Last night we got home at 1:30 in the morning and as I stepped into my sleeping house, I took a big whiff, ~insert big whiff here~... and it smelled good. You know how every family has "a smell?" It's really quite interesting, I'm very sensitive to family smells, (but the reason that it's interesting is because my schnoz doesn't pick up scents very easily) I love it. I've never come across a bad family smell, I don't think that actually exists, (which is GOOD!) but every one is different and distinct. It's hard to describe a family scent because nothing else in the world smells like it. The family scent is all over, on their clothes, in their house, on blankets and couches, and if you spend any long periods of time with them then all your stuff starts to carry their scent. I can smell my cousins, my friends, my own sister's married smells, but never have I smelled the Speziale smell, until last night. It smelled like Summer, and I loved it. *

Ooohhhh Summer.

Can you feel it?

I almost can. :)

My days are ripe with anticipation.... the only thing between me and 3 months of sweet relief is... my senior year.

Happy note: 25 days till graduation :)

This is where I'd post a picture of summer. But, alas, our computer crashed and my brother-in-law had to wipe it clean, so currently there are no pictures of summer to upload. So here's an exercise for that imagination of yours:
Soft, green grass, tall trees with leaves rustling in the breeze, the hot, yellow sun bathing the earth with it's light, reflecting off the cool, clear water. Lemonade, (for those of us under 21) in tall tiki glasses with umbrellas sticking out of them and thick, juicy slices of watermelon being enjoyed outside, on a chair, with your favorite book, while the birds serenade you with their songs.

MmMm... summer tastes so good.

*I've been told that the "Speziale scent" smells a little like Turkey..... I'm hoping that person was dead wrong, and that my own nose was right and that we smell like Summer :D I mean, I like Turkey, I just don't want to smell like it. Now Summer, I like Summer and I would like to smell like it.