What a Week!

Last week Daddy and Mommy celebrated their 25th Anniversary early, by attending a Friends of Israel Prophecy Conference in Winona Lake, Indiana. Both of them enjoyed the sessions and it seems like they learned a lot and made some friends while they were there. In fact, tonight Mommy even wrote to a friend she made from Maryland. They had a very nice hotel room with a fireplace, refrigerator, whirlpool, and stove top. According to them they couldn't ask for a better hotel room, it was so nice. While our parents were gone, Je and I stayed home and had a great time together. Monday, we went out to eat at Pizza Hut together and then went grocery shopping. Tuesday, I played the piano downtown, then we got ice cream cones and walked downtown for 1/2 hour. After that I had piano lessons, and then we came home and cleaned the house. Wednesday, we mopped the linoleum and while it dried we took a nice walk along our local beach. Je also worked in the morning and evening at her job. When she worked I (normally) watched teaching videos for my class in Courtship. Wednesday night I went to church and then went to the grocery store for the 1st time all by myself! Thursday, we spent all day-from opening to closing- at Michigan Adventure with our friends the A. Family. Mostly we went on rides with the A. girls and left their parents to do their own thing. After Michigan Adventure we brought Taco Bell back to the A's oldest girl's house, and then we 4 girls watched the Andy Griffith Show and a silent movie. Eventually we went to bed. In the morning, we watched The Ghost and Mr. Chicken. About 11 o'clock Je and I came back home. Daddy and Mommy arrived home about 5 o'clock on Friday.

We planned my senior trip today. I wanted the whole family to come along with me. The place is kinda a dream come true for me.

Interviews and Piano playing.

The summer continues to be busy at our house. Je had a job interview last Friday, and she had a second interview at the same place yesterday. Monday she'll find out whether she gets the job or not. Je worked about 33 hours at the library this week. So we haven't seen her much at all. Yesterday she left before 8 because she had her interview before work and came home after 6. Next week Je plans to be home more. We all miss her terribly while she is gone.

For me this week has been filled with piano playing. Sunday, I played for the church service, and then Tuesday I had piano lessons. Wednesday, was my weekly 1/2 hour playing downtown, and then Thursday my teacher had a piano recital where I played a duet with a friend and The Chrysanthemum by Scott Joplin. I enjoyed the piano recital a lot and I was happy with how my piano pieces turned out. The last time I had a piano recital I played out of Alfred Level 3, which means it was a really long time ago. We forgot our camera, so sadly we don't have any pictures. I haven't worked on school this week, because I've been busy working on reading for the summer reading contest at our local library. But I finished reading for it, so now I plan to settle down and do lots of school, especially next week.

Yesterday I finished making a top to go with a skirt I recently made, and Wednesday, we went shopping and I bought material to make a jumper. Every Friday we try to sew if possible. Here is a picture of the skirt and shirt I made: I liked the picture without my head best.

The Chrysanthemum by Scott Joplin

This is the recital piece I will be playing on the piano next Thursday. I like this youtube version best.

1/2 a Gallon of Blood

We returned from visiting Daddy's parents last night about 10:50. Last Wednesday we left to visit them, and we stayed in Effingham, Illinois, Wednesday night. For supper in Effingham we went out to eat at Cracker Barrel, and for dessert (or in our family called the Double S) we bought Drumsticks at Aldi. Thursday afternoon we arrived in Mississippi, and yesterday we left Mississippi about 8 o'clock. Almost the whole way coming and going we listened to sermons or books on tape.

This afternoon we picked up our mail, gave blood, went grocery shopping, and picked up a Herb Chicken Mediterranean pizza from Papa Murphy's for supper. Today was the 1st time all 4 of us were able to give blood together. I have a problem with becoming nervous so my pulse goes very high, thus I can't give. But today it was 96 and it has to be under 100, so I was able to give! The four of us together gave 1/2 a gallon of blood, which is 1/4 of a gallon of O- and 1/4 of a gallon of O+. Daddy and I are O+, and Mommy and Je are O -. When I was younger, I didn't like my blood type, because I wasn't like Mommy and Je and we used to do things by blood type. Je and I shared a nurse together. If we give blood we don't feel like making supper, so we go out to eat, which is nice.