Dear You

Dear You,

How are you?
Are you happy? I mean really happy. Do you walk around with a smile on your face? When was the last time someone asked you How's it going? What have you been up to lately? And you simply said,"Falling completely in love with life."? Why were you so happy then? What is it that gives you that on top of the world, everything is beautiful, jump for joy, I love my life! feeling? That feeling when you think anything can happen, when you cannot wait to see what tomorrow has in store for you, while not wanting to let go of the present moment as well. That feeling when your biggest pet-peeves are beautiful additions to the world, when your biggest problem exists no more. Come on! Let go of everything, if only for a second. Fall in love with your own life again, and stop comparing it to other people's. Be happy. I mean cookie dough and brownie batter happy (you can even lick the spoon!)

Just live, okay? Live.

And tell me how life is on top of the world.

Lots of love,

Me

Drama Mama

Well...it's just that kind of day. Gloomy weather, tests and quizzes galore, blah, blah, blah.

We had try-outs for our school play today in Drama class, and there is only three parts suitable for girls. I sadly don't think that I got a part, so I am kind of bumming... but who knows.

As I am sitting here typing, all I want to do is go put on some comfy sweats and snuggle under a blanket...

but the good news?

Tomorrow is Friday!! Ahh, the weekend. Also, fall is coming soon (my favorite time of year!)- fall also means that I will be outside constantly and that pretty pictures will be coming soon!

Well, I am on to watch a sitcom and drink some hot, delicious, comforting tea.

And hopefully, I will fall fast asleep.

It's a Quote kind of day...

"He not busy being born is busy dying." -Bob Dylan

" To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe." -Anatole France

"All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is apart of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another." -Anatole France

"If the path be beautiful, let us not ask where it leads." -Anatole France

I looove Anatole France! :)

"People with many interests live, not only longest, but happiest." -George Matthew Allen

Drum roll please... this is my favorite of the bunch:

"In the hopes of reaching the moon, men fail to see the flowers that blossom at their feet." -Albert Schweitzer

I hope you all have had a magnificant Monday, and have a beautiful week!

I do love Quote day...

-suzyQ

Just...dance

Children.

Tiny toes. Stubby fingers. Crooked smiles that bubble your heart over. Billions of questions. Skinned knees. Dirt behind the ears. Chubby cheeks. Dimples. Pink cheeks. Button noses. Mama's Girl. Daddy's Boy. Holes in jeans. Playful. Innocent. Happy. Carefree. Loving. Beautiful. Warm.

Now, I know that I am very young as well, but I do not compliment myself by saying I am child.

I love this photo. I think it is a wonderful description of childhood- dancing through life, not paying attention, or caring, who is watching.

So my challenge for us all this week? Be a kid. Ask billions of questions. Skin up those knees! Who cares if you get a few holes in your jeans? Be loving, happy, warm, carefree, and playful...

but above all else?

dance.

-suzyQ

Faithfully

Today, my family and I went to the funeral of one of the dearest women in our lives. She was about sixty and had been suffering from PSP for the last five years or so. Her grandchildren, some of our closest friends, and we would regularly visit her in the nursing home and sing and play piano for her. One of our favorite songs to sing was the classic hymn "Sanctuary." The funeral today was a wonderful service, and I got teary-eyed very often throughout. We were told before the funeral that she had asked us all to sing "Sanctuary" at the end...

I was very nervous about the way I would sound, look, etc., but when we got up there to sing, all I could see or think about was the precious woman we were usually standing before while singing this beautiful song. About two words into the song, tears started flooding down my face, and I could see all of her family start reaching for their handkerchiefs.

This beautiful service has already got me looking for the beauty in my life, like "Mrs.J" did. Even though she was disabled by the disease the whole time I knew her, I could always see the life and warmth in her eyes, and her love always showed the faith she had in God.

I challenge you to live your life like she did- happily, lovingly, hopefully, and faithfully.

Sanctuary

Lord prepare me.

To be a sanctuary,

pure and holy,

tride and true.

With thanksgiving,

I'll be a living.

Sanctuary-

for you.

Thank you for everything you have given each and every one of us. We love you and will always miss you dearly.

Busy, busy, busy

For only my first week back, school this week has been insanely hectic. And not to forget, my sports practices that have been lasting from 3:30 to 7:30! I will go crazy by the end of the year. At my school, we have an infamous history teacher that everyone fears... and I now have him for the first time this year. And I have to say, he definitely lived up to my terrifying expectations. When it is time for his class, our class has learned to quietly swift in, not to speak a word, show no emotion, and agree with everything he says. I have my first quiz from him tomorrow- I am really worried...

I am sorry for the lack of posting this week, but come this weekend I will have a lot to write about!

If only I could just forget everything and prop my feet up for just one second...

Creativity sparks

I watched her as she etched various doodles into the sand with an old stick. My four-year old cousin's creativity amused me for about ten minutes. Young children's creativity never stops blossoming, but at some point in the growing-up stage it starts slowing down. I hope that you will ponder this thought this week, and try to shoot some creativity sparks into your everyday life. After all, what is life without a little creativity?

"Creativity is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover is yourself. "-Alan Alda

I hope you all have a marvelous Sunday! And I hope your life will become a little more creative.

-suzyQ

Ahh, Summer

Well, I am sad to annouce that school started back for me today. As excited as I am about the year ahead of me, thoughts of my wonderful summer still linger in my head. After careful thinking in french class today, I jotted down my favorite things about my summer.

And here they are...

1.Fresh fruit and veggies- my main diet in the summertime.

2.Having the time to read- for fun!

3. Being with my family every second and loving every bit of it (well, maybe not every bit.)

4.Finally starting my blog! And being introduced to some very wonderful people through my blog that I would never have met otherwise.

5. Getting my learner's license.

6. Pursuing a constant dream of mine by being in a play for the first time ever. I can't believe I have waited so long to get on stage because I fell completely in love with it. One of the best decisions I have ever made.

7. Finally getting some long-awaited projects finished around my house... I will come out with it now-I am suzyQ and I am a total narotic clean freak. There ya go.

8. I have never been happier than I was at times this summer. Complete bliss.

9. I started hanging out with some new people, and became really close with some really cool friends.

10. I conquered my ocean fears. I usually never, ever get in the ocean because of the feeling of critters crawling all around me (and sharks!), but when we went to the beach this summer with some friends, we all stayed out in the ocean for hours on end. It was fantastic. I really loved it... especially since I had on swim shoes :)

11. My sister and I redecorated a room in our house and turned it into a bonus room... I love designing rooms and I had so much fun with it.

12. I learned every single word to "Here Comes the Sun" by George Harrison. My new favorite song, and quite fitting for summer.

13. Watching my favorite show, According to Jim every day.

14. I gained a little creativity- something I want to continue gaining my whole life.

My summer was simply amazing.

How was yours?

-suzyQ

Barn Raisin'

The Farm

Oh, how that white fence seems to go on and on forever.

The flimsy strands of grass move as one.

The lazy cattle bask in the setting sun-
Sweet paradise.

The bumpy road travels farther into the simple beauty;

Magnolia trees blossoming,

their enticing aroma drifts through the warm, sweet air.

Then the old barn comes into view-

the charming white framing against the burnt red structure.

precious paradise

My most treasured place on the farm-

the brick house where my grandparents live;

my toddler years being pushed by loving hands

back and forth on the old swingset,

being strolled with the dogs by side throughout the whole farm...

Growing up on this farm surrounded by all the beauty and love-
simply...paradise.

My Baby Boy

"Who's my baby boy?" I ask my nine year old brother. He extravagently rolls his eyes, tries to hide a peeking smile, and says,"I know I know. I am."

He has dark brown hair. Freckles sprinkled across his nose. The longest eyelashes I have ever seen. Oversized teeth that are the result of much wiggling in hopes of a five dollar bill from the tooth fairy. He masters every sport he attempts, while still maintaining one of the highest averages in his third grade class. He spends most of his time playing outside with the neighborhood boys- in fact, he just came in the house at 9 o'clock p.m. for the first time today- grass stains and all. He has a habit of sticking his tongue out of the side of his mouth while concentrating. He practices his piano for 15 minutes some days. He is the video gaming king. He is a mama's boy, and a spitting image of my dad. He claims he is old enough to watch PG-13 movies with his older sisters, while he asks my parents to reassure him every night that he won't have a single bad dream. He kisses the cheeks of every two year old girl he meets, even though he goes fishing and hunting with the boys. He reads his Bible and is a perfect Southern gentleman. He has a sharp mouth, but also has one of the sweetest souls of anyone I know.

He may be the "tough guy" to his buds, but he still makes time to snuggle with his mama...

and still be my baby boy.

-suzyQ

Alive Among the Dead

I was sitting on my front porch this afternoon, glancing down at my mother's barely living flowers, when I found this little beauty- alive among the dead. It got me thinking...

What great lessons can be taught through everyday things in life! With so many things in this world going terribly wrong, what are we supposed to do? Well, the answer to that big question lies in this tiny flower: be alive among the dead surrounding you! I challenge you to scrounge among the dead in your life, and realize what all you have to live for.

So come on, let's live.

-suzyQ

This is a BIG Deal.

Driving. Any excuse I can get, I am snatching those keys and heading out the door. Sure, it is only a learner's license, but I am still on the road. I got my license a week ago, and I have already almost put my mother in cardiac arrest. Since I am one of the youngest in my class, all year I have been enviously watching my friends finally get that taste of freedom- and now I get to experience it as well.

I can't wait until next year when I get the real thing...

I hope my mother won't have killed me by then.

-suzyQ

Learning to Love

Up until last year, I always had self confidance issues. I was constantly shy and worrying what everyone around me was thinking about me. I never had a close group of friends, so being at home with my family was pretty much the only place where I would open up and be myself. I always kept a mirror snug in my pocket to make sure I was looking half-decent; my looks were never up to my standards. I was very emotional,and getting through the school day without an occasional teary eye was a struggle.

And then one day, I realized that drowning myself in pity wasn't helping anything. I began to learn how to love myself. The freckles on my face were no longer a disgrace, but a blessing. The waves in my hair started to grow on me. My fair skin...well, I still am working on that one...

I became comfortable cracking jokes in front of people and being myself around them. I started making closer friends whom helped repair the wounds of my past. I learned how to love life again like I did when I was a child.

Of course I still have confidence issues, but who doesn't?

I urge you to smile at your imperfections... and learn to love.

After all, it is the least you can do for yourself.

-suzyQ

Nature Girl

I was looking through some of my pictures the other day, and realized that I need to take some more nature photographs...so, I did. I went into my backyard and got busy.

I forgot how much I loved it.

-suzyQ