What is LOVE?? (As told by children)

If I were any better.....

       Every morning at camp our director, Mrs. Anne, says some words of wisdom for us to reflect on for the day. Everyone has their favorites, I have 2 or 3 that I look forward to listening to each year. One of those is the story of Jerry that we heard this morning, which is all about attitude.




Jerry is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!" He was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him around from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.

Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him, I don't get it! You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?" Jerry replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, Jerry, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood. I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it.

Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life."

"Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested. "Yes it is," Jerry said. "Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people will affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live life."

I reflected on what Jerry said. Soon thereafter, I left the restaurant industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it. Several years later, I heard that Jerry did something you are never supposed to do in a restaurant business: he left the back door open one morning and was held up at gunpoint by three armed robbers. While trying to open the safe, his hand, shaking from nervousness, slipped off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him. Luckily, Jerry was found relatively quickly and rushed to the local trauma center. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from the hospital with fragments of the bullets still in his body.

I saw Jerry about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Wanna see my scars?"

I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone through his mind as the robbery took place. "The first thing that went through my mind was that I should have locked the back door," Jerry replied. "Then, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or I could choose to die. I choose to live."

"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked. Jerry continued, "...the paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read 'he's a dead man" I knew I needed to take action."

What did you do?" I asked.

"Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me," said Jerry. "She asked if I was allergic to anything. 'Yes' I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Bullets!' Over their laughter, I told them, "I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead." Jerry lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully. Attitude, after all, is everything.

Kids Say the Darndest Things

         So, 1 1/2 weeks of camp down, 2 weeks to go. I can't even begin to explain how amazing camp has been so far! Orientation and clinics flew by and were surprisingly fun this year, and the first week of actual camp was more amazing than I could have imagined. I had one weekers (which is a new thing for camp this year) and they were the itty-bitty babies, only 7 years old! They were precious and hilarious. The group of six 7-9 year olds traveled in a pack all week to all the different activities and I went with them. Since they traveled in a pack we called them the amoeba.... By the end of the week, everyone was calling them the amoeba!! This past week with the amoeba only reiterated the fact that my passion is working with children. I am always awestruck by how capable children are to love and play. They have such an optimistic view on everything and wear their heart and their feelings on their sleeves. My heart is always overflowing with joy after spending time with children. There is so much to learn about yourself from children.

        My week with them Amoeba was nothing less than amusing. I don't know if I have ever laughed so hard in my life, especially when we took them all on an overnight into the woods (what an adventure).... I knew that it would be an amusing week and that I would have some great quotes, so naturally I wrote all the funny and adorable quotes down. (Also, precursor: My campers all called my "Miss Liz" and when I told them they could just call me Liz they said they liked calling me Miss Liz) So here it goes, I hope you enjoy :)

Harper (7 yrs old): I want to be a ballerina when I grow up..... and work at chick-fil-a

Lilly (7 yrs old): (wake me up by tapping me on the shoulder) Miss Liz, what time is it?

Me: 6 am....

Lilly: How much longer until the wake up bell rings?

Me: 2 hours....

Me: Holly, tell me about 1st grade!
Holly (7 yrs old): I have a crush on a guy and he has a crush on me. He signed my shirt! Well, actually I like thousands of guys.

Lilly: Miriam, can you put your hair down?
Miriam: It is down....

Harper: I want to make new friends and not be the person who is like "sorry you cant be my friend, I have too many friends." I'll just make new friends!

Lilly: Miriam is a little crazy, actually a lot crazy. Just don't tell her I told you that.

Lilly: You know, sometimes you just need a bathroom break.

Harper: Maybe I can take my camera up to the barn, if the horse doesn't eat it. He might think it is an apple, because it kinda looks like an apple.

Me: In college, I can wear pajamas to class if I want to.
Harper: And you don't even have to a pajama day pass?!?!? NO FAIR!!

Harper: If only I had short shorts on under this shirt... Then it would look like I was naked.

Me: Lilly, there is water in the dining hall.
Lilly: Is it free?

Harper: I writing down what I am going to run for president. I want there to be more fun, because I like having fun. I'm also going to stop taxes because no one likes paying taxes to the government.

Mary Elliot (9 yrs old): Hot Chocolate makes me feel good!!!

Mary Elliot: Lilly just hit me in the back...
Me: Ok just go run in circles I guess...?
Mary Elliot: Ok (runs in circle around the camp site, in the rain)

Harper: I'm peeing in the woods! Oh look, a firefly!

Miriam (counselor): Are you special Ed? That's what my boyfriend is. I mean he's not, he just teaches special ed.

Sarah (counselor): If a critter comes under my sleeping bag because of you, I'm going to flip you out of this hammock.

      Well, that all I got. Pictures will be coming soon. But here is a preview of my cute cabin!

The Amoeba: a.k.a my companions for the week!

#summertime

       The very long awaited time is here. A time of relaxation, folly, and fun. It's summertime. Actually, I guess it has been summertime for a little over 2 weeks now for me. It just hasn't really hit me that it is actually summer until I got up to camp yesterday. This past year was a long year. Lot's going on and very hard classes. It seems like summer was the light at the end of a never ending tunnel. It was the green light shining on the opposite side of the bay (i've watched Gatsby recently). But alas, I can say I made it and somewhat gracefully I think at least.

       Summer came at just the right time. It always seems to happen that way, doesn't it? This summer is going to be different, but good I think. I usually spend the whole summer working at camp, from May until August. One summer I only spent half the summer at camp, but that was because we were in Australia for the other half of the summer. And I was missing camp every moment that I was away. This summer though, I'm only going to be here for June. I was a hard decision not to stay the whole summer, but I prayed a lot about it and felt like it was the right thing to do. After a long and stressful summer last summer and a rough year this past year I need camp, but I also need time with my family.

       So, for the next 4/5 weeks or so, I will be burrowed away in the heart of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. My home away form home. The place that probably had the greatest influence on the woman I am today. I could go on and on about camp, but I'll spare you... for now :) It is one of those place that changes your life, each summer is a life changing summer that greatly shapes your character. And I have no doubt that this summer will be no exception. I just have this feeling that this is going to be a special summer. It will be different though. I honestly have no clue how this session will go, or what I'll be doing. I know I'll have the itty bitty babies for the one week session (which camp has never done before so it is kind of a see how it goes type thing). And I'll be interning with the camp nurse. But after the babies leave, it's all up in the air. Maybe I will have another cabin, maybe I won't. Maybe I will be on Wilderness along with nursing, maybe I won't. There is a lot of uncertainty in the air, which usually makes me anxious. But right now I'm basically like "why worry?," there is no use in that. I'll just go with the flow and see where the wind takes me. What has gotten into me? Who is this person who is actually ok with uncertainty?

       As for the rest of the summer, I don't really know what is going on with that either. There is going to be one week where my parents are gone, so it will just be some serious sister-sister bonding time. We may be going out to Seattle then to do some college visits for Ellen. At some point, we are hoping to go on a family vacation, although we haven't decided where yet.... and Daniel and Vanessa are going to come visit hopefully before I go back to school. I have a long list of things that I either want to do or need to do this summer, whether or not they will get done is another thing... Figuring out my life would be number one on the list. HA, not happening. I'm not ready to face the reality that I will be a grown up in the real world next year.

       New number one on my to-do list: Relax. Have fun. Laugh. Play. Don't worry. Enjoy Summer. 

Young and Beautiful

         So about a week ago or so, I went to see the Great Gatsby with a few friends before leaving for summer. The movie was fabulous. I know that it has gotten a much of mixed reviews but I really enjoyed it. I know I've written about this before, but period pieces like the Great Gatsby, are just something that I can't stay away from. They draw me in. However, what I really wanted to share was a song. The soundtrack to the movie was AMAZING! There was one song that has been stuck in my head almost nonstop. I love it. It is Young and Beautiful by Lana Del Rey. I must admit, I was never a big fan of Lana Del Rey, especially after her much less than impressive performance on SNL.... This song is beautiful and tragic and just awesome.

A Lesson from Shakespeare

          So, I am pretty much in a state of euphoria right about now. The picture above is what sets the scene and mood for this post. It's beautiful right? For the past few days, and for the next few days, I have been housesitting up in Charlotte, NC for our very close family friends (more like extended family really). However, they have a gorgeous house, with a beautiful backyard and pool and hot tub. So, it has just been me and the two dogs (Axel and Izzy) to keep me company. I must say that it is weird staying in a big empty house all alone, especially after living in a cramped house for a year with 12 other crazy friends who I call family. I haven't really been lonely by any means this week, but it does make me miss Laclede House A (who's song has been running through my head non-stop). But like I mentioned, I have enjoyed this time alone, "me time" as I like to call it. I think it has been really good for me. Being alone just allows me to think, gather my thoughts, process everything that's happened, and then feel secure and free to react. This is what I have been doing a lot recently. Pondering. Asking myself questions. I guess being philosophical..... Which I hate to admit because if you know me, you know that I hate philosophy... I guess my roommate the Philosophy minor or major (I can never remember considering she has like 2 majors and 3 minors....) and a few other friends/acquaintances would be proud of me.

          A lot of things have been running through my mind these past few days. One thing on my mind a lot these days is an idea that Shakespeare presented in many of his plays but most commonly known from The Merchant of Venice. Gosh, there are just so many lessons to learn from Shakespeare. The one I am thinking of, however, is "love is blind." 

                                                                  Jessica: 

But love is blind, and lovers cannot see

The pretty follies that themselves commit.           The idea that when two people are in love, they are unable to see the faults in either themselves or the object of their affection. The feelings of love suppress the area in the brain that controls critical and rational thought. I don't at all think that this only applies to love with a significant other but also loving a friend or a family member. Love is love. It's a absolute. But that doesn't mean it is endless. Couple break up or get divorced, family members stop talking, friends stop being friends. Is it all because of the blindness that love causes? The blindness that can keep us from seeing how a person really is, or how we really are when we are around that person. I'm not at all saying that love is a bad thing. I believe that love is an amazing gift, one to be treasured and cherished.          I recently read through a bunch of old journals and letters that I had written and received and so many questions began flying through my head on this subject. What is it about love that makes us blind? Does it make us blind or do we become blind by some choice? If it isn't meant to be, do using this blindness help us try to stay in love? Is all love blind? Is true love, the love you share with the person you spend the rest of your life with, blind?           I don't know the answers to these questions, and I don't know if I ever will have definite answers to them. I think that is one of the beauties of love. You never have all the answers. It is something that you are constantly learning about.

Appreciate the Little Things

Everyone loves being happy, and there are so many things to be happy about. One of my favorite feelings is that little feeling of happiness that you get from just a small little thing that other people may blow of but to you it means something special. Here are some of the little, beautiful things that bring happiness into my life.

1. Wearing sundresses.

2. Falling asleep in your own bed after being away for a while.

3. Watching balloons float into the air.

4. Waiting at the airport to greet someone you love.

5. When you hear songs from your childhood that you still love.

6. Naps.

7. Hot bubble baths.

8. Walking through a forest in autumn, when every step kicks up colorful leaves.

9. Watching rain drip down a window.

10. Cuddling up in a warm blanket with a cup of hot tea.

11.  The feeling of the sun shining on your back.

12. When someone, especially your parents, tell you how proud they are of you.

13. Being able to completely get lost in a book.

14. Cuddling with baby animals.

15. The sound of children laughing.

16. Getting a letter, like an actual snail mail letter.

17. Looking out on the mountains an realizing how small you actually are.

18. Playing baseball in the backyard.

19. Looking back and understanding why certain things happened the way that they did.

20. Realizing how far you have come in such a short time.

Uncertainty

I Want Crazy

One week. One week is all I have left of my junior year in college. One more year at SLU. 376 days until I am wearing a cap and gown for the first time in my life, (in high school we wore white dresses instead of caps and gowns) and walking across a stage to receive my diploma. It seems that as I grow older every year goes by faster and faster. This year seemed to have passed in the blink of an eye. With senior year just around the corner, we are being forced to think about the future and what we want, who we want to be, where we want to be, and who we want to spend our time with. I feel like this has come up quite a bit recently in our house. There has been talk of where people want to go to grad school, if we want to get a job right away or volunteer for a year or two, and where we intend to live and work when we are done at SLU. We are finally getting to the age where we have to seriously think about our future. It’s surreal in a way, and scary at the same time.

I think one of the strangest things to think of is that in the next few years (5-10) some of us will be falling madly in love, getting married and starting families. This is a topic that has come up quite a bit recently I feel like, more the topic of we all expect to be getting wedding invitations from each person in the house, or who is going to be the first in the house to get married and have kids. The more common topic of discussion, at least between me and the Emily’s and Allison is who is in the running for maid of honor at each other’s wedding. The Emily’s and I each have sisters, so the real competition is who is going to be Allison’s maid of honor. As weird as it is to think about, it is something that we talk about. I wish I could still say we have a long time to think about that, or that’s not going to happen anytime soon. But realistically that day will most likely happen in the next 5-10 years.

However, back to my original thoughts for this post.  I was thinking about this whole growing up thing and the fact that what I use to think was so far in the future is actually now the present, and growing up is just around the corner. I’ve been thinking about what I want to do with my life, where I want to spend my life, and most importantly the type of person I want to spend my life with. This may be weird, or you may be thinking, “you’re 21, you have a lot of time to think about that.” And maybe that is true but I’m at that point in my life where I need to start thinking about the type of person I want to date and what I want on my “boyfriend” list (qualities and things that I look for in a guy). I’m ready to start looking for that and I’m ready to find that love again.

I’m only dipped my toes in the waters of love once in my life, and it was amazing (even if it didn’t last). It is the kind of thing that keeps you aching for more, desiring that feeling all the time. I’m excited to feel that again. I’m scared to feel that again. I think I’m ready to feel that again.  I know what I want, well for the most part.

I want crazy. I want that crazy kind of love that bewitches you body and soul. The kind of love that takes you over and makes you feel irrational and completely rationale at the same time. “I don’t want good and I don’t want good enough. I want can’t sleep, can’t breathe without your love. Front porch and one more kiss, it doesn’t make sense to any body else.” I know that that kind of love isn’t going to be easy. But that’s ok because I don’t want easy. I want crazy.

I was reading a post the other day on “Thought Catalog” about this and the author described it as a “Friday Kind of Love.” Fridays are full of possibilities. You have the whole weekend ahead of you, where anything could happen. This sense of possibility leads to and air that is full of excitement and potential. Full of options. I want the Friday kind of love. I want possibility, the feeling of excitement, and passion. I want extraordinary. Crazy.

Everyone deserves a love that is something of an out of this world connection, that you can’t make sense of in your own mind. Mind-blowing-heart-stopping-life-changing-inexplicable-love.

                           

                         “Who needs to play it safe in love… Let’s be crazy”

Kindness vs. Weakness

Is it Worth It?

I’ll never understand what makes our fight so hard for something that hurts so much.

Is it worth it? Is it worth the pain or struggles that come along with it? Nothing comes easy. There is always some pain or struggle that comes along with the things that mean the most.  We allow ourselves to struggle, suffer and reach the level of exhaustion in order to reach some goal, whether it be making a relationship work, getting through school or working. No matter the level of the pain, something keeps us going. Something motivates us to keep pushing forward. Deep down we believe that the struggle and turmoil is worth it, and if we believe it is worth it, it must be true.

           

            This seems to be the most plausible answer right? But now the question is, how do we know if it is worth it. I have asked myself this question a lot lately. Right now in regards to my career, my deepest desire is to go into Pediatric Oncology. I’ve been on a Pediatric Oncology floor for the past few weeks and it has been emotionally draining. I can’t even begin to explain how hard this experience has been on me emotionally and mentally. I’ve seen the highs of working on the floor (sending patients home after their last chemo treatment) to the extreme lows of this job (telling a child and their family that there is no other treatment options and they only really have few weeks left).  In our 6 weeks on the floor, 5 children passed away. This isn’t the type of job where you can leave your work at home and I am already beginning to realize this. It’s hard emotionally and physically. Sometimes I ask myself: Why do I want to put myself through that pain over and over again? Because I know if I do work in that area, there are going to be amazing success stories and there will be the other end of the spectrum as well. I’ve asked myself is this really worth it? Is this pain and sadness actually worth it?

           

            What motivates us to keep going? Worth. We believe that despite pain, the struggle will be worth it in the end. The benefits will outweigh the risks (or so to speak in medical terms). It’s scary, at least for me it is. It means taking a risk. Taking a chance. Because the truth is, we can believe something is worth it, and we may not actually know it until we make it through the struggles and hardships. All we can do is hope and have faith.

“The longer you have to wait for something, the more you will appreciate it when it finally arrives. The harder you have to fight for something, the more priceless it will become once you achieve it. And the more pain you have to endure on your journey, the sweeter the arrival at your destination. All good things are worth waiting for and worth fighting for.”

Ho Hey

I was online yesterday and happened to come across this video. And to say the least, I am quite obsessed.

The Voice

The Most Asked Question in College

            What am I doing with my life? I feel like overall, this is the most commonly asked question in college. We're grown-ups now, or so they say. We've moved out of home, live on our own and have to fend for ourselves. College is a time of transition, where we begin the process from our sheltered home life, to the big and somewhat scary real world. We are "suppose" to figure out what we are going to do with our life and what it is we are passionate about. And hopefully by the time graduation rolls around and we accept our diploma, we will know what we what to do with our life. Right? Isn't this what people tell us? What we are led to believe?

          Maybe some of us will leave college knowing what it is we want to do with our lives, some of us may have 5-year or 10-year plans. Or maybe will will have an idea of what we want to do. Some may even leave college more confused than we came about what we want to do with our life. I came into college having an idea of what I wanted to do, I was going to be a nurse. That was about all that I knew. Then of course I had the, what I like to call, "quarter life crisis." I had about the month or two freakout where all I could think about was "what am I doing with my life? what if I am making the wrong decision? I have no clue what I want in life or what I want to do in life?" For me this was so nerve wrecking and only made me more anxious than I normally am. It wasn't until this semester really that I began to actually realize what it is I am passionate and know what I want to do when graduation rolls around. I don't have all the answers yet but I know what I am now passionate about enough to have an idea of what I want.

         I have always been a caring person. I love helping other people and caring for them. It just makes me happy and brings joy to my life. I was reading a book of poems by Emily Dickinson the other day (I decided recently that I want to read more poetry) and one of her poems describes one of my philosophies perfectly:

If I can stop one heart from breaking,

I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.

        Isn't it beautiful? It's that part of me that helped me develop my passion for pediatric oncology. I always knew that I wanted to work with children when I graduate but it wasn't until last year that it became pediatric oncology. I have never watched a family member suffered from the fight with cancer until this year when my step-grandmother was diagnosed with Follicular Lymphoma, but thankfully they caught her cancer early and it is not a very aggressive cancer. Starting last year was really my first deep connection to a child with cancer. In the fall, my aunt Beth asked if she could give my name out to one of her friends to babysit, and naturally I said yes. Little did I know that little girl and her family would have such a strong influence in one of the largest decisions of my life so far. There are three kids in the family, Liam, Aiden and Arianna. Arianna, the youngest, is currently fighting Stage 4 Neuroblastoma, a devastating and very aggressive cancer found in young children. When I first met Ari, she was free of cancer and before she went into Remission. This family is amazing. They boys are typical little boys and Ari is a precious little princess. I quickly fell in love with the family. I loved getting to know them and see their family dynamic as they dealt with and lived with such a life-changing disease. Last Thanksgiving when I found out that Ari went into remission, I didn't know what to think. I was shocked and devastated and sad. My emotions were overwhelming. It was in working with this family and caring for the children that I developed such a deep passion for pediatric cancer. Ari is  a constant ray of sunshine in my life, a source of inspiration, and an example of strength, courage and true beauty. I don't know what is one the road ahead for Ari, but I do know that she is one of the strongest girls I know and she is a true fighter!

Her is a video to a song that Ari wrote: http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/365544/4/New-music-program-helps-kids-rock-cancer

          This semester I have had the pleasure of doing my pediatric rotation on the Hematology/Oncology Floor at Children's Hospital here in Saint Louis. I am so blessed that I was put on this floor because it only further helped me realize that this is what I want to do in life. I can't even begin to explain how excited I am. 

          What am I doing with my life? I don't know all the answers. I know some but not all of them. And there is nothing wrong with that. I don't think I will ever know all the answers. I think figuring out what you want to do in life is a learning process. It a process that is taken step by step. There are endless possibilities. And the beauty of it is, we can choose to go and do what we want to do. No one else can choose that for us.

5 things

So, the other day one of my former counselors turned best friends, Amanda tagged me in a post called "5 things." The whole idea of it is that I am supposed to disclose 5 random things that my blog readers (even I even have those....) may not know about me. Even though I have basically done nothing for the past few days, I never seemed to get around to writing this post. It could be possibly due to the fact that I have know idea what to write.... I am a pretty private person and keep a lot of things to myself, but I still am lost for words when it comes to this. So, bear with me. Here goes nothing.

"5 Things"

1. I surprising love to sing. I am not a good singer by any means, but I do love singing. If I could have one talent that I don't have it would be to be musically inclined and have a good singing voice. I am type of person who will burst into song in the car, or in the shower, or while cooking dinner. BUT, only if I am alone. I can't sing in front of other people, even if it is just me and one other person. It scares me to death. I have only ever sang in front of one person once in my whole life, and even that took about 4 or 5 months of nagging and asking before I finally gave in. And I can promise that that won't happen again until... well I don't know, I don't plan on it being anytime soon.

2. Growing up, I was a Barbie collector. You may be thinking, didn't all little girls have Barbies. These were not just like the regular old Barbies that you play with on a day to day basis. NO, these were like the special collector Barbies that came in the nice box with the stand and everything. I think that I must have at least 10-15 collector Barbies that are still on the bookshelf in my room back home, and they will probably stay there for until I have a little girl of my own way day, and then I will give them to her. I can't even remember all the Barbies that I have. There is Scarlett O'Hara, The Sugar Plum Fairy, Swan Lake, Rupunzel, two different Brides, a Winter Princess and my favorite, Harpist Angel. I actually got Harpist angel when I was younger and one day she went missing, I was probably 9 or 10 when she went missing. And then for my 18th birthday, my senior year of high school my sister found the Barbie online and got it for me. It made me so happy!!!

Isn't she beautiful??

3. I was a dancer. I know right? I am not musically inclined and am not actually a very good dancer despite having danced from age 3 to age 12. For nine years I danced Ballet, Jazz, and Pointe. I loved it too. I loved getting dressed up in leotards and skirts and tutus. I loved putting my hair in buns, and lacing up my pointe shoes. I even loved the ridiculous costumes that I had to wear. (I've been jill from jack and jill, a sunflower, a dinosaur girl, yankee doodle dandy and many others....). Here is a picture from my very first ballet recital when I was 3 or 4 years old. The story behind this is that the day before my dance recital I was getting out of a friends van and tripped and hit my face on the curb resulting in a black eye and a big strawberry patch on my cheek. I look very happy right?

I was a cute child right?

4. I was one of the editors-in-cheif of both the Yearbook and the Delphian (the literary magazine) in  high school. I was on the yearbook staff from grade 10-12 and on the Delphian all four years of high school and absolutely loved it! I know that a lot of time I joke about not being creative or not being artistic, but I actually am to some extent.... Both my senior year yearbook and the Delphian from my senior year are some of my proudest accomplishments from high school. I wish I could show them to you! The theme of the yearbook senior year was "Redefine the Impossible" and it was the 50th year of CCES so that was kinda of cool, and the theme of the Delphian was "Carnival."

Yearbook Editors

5. I have probably the strangest list of family pets over the past 21 years of my life. At the moment we have 2 dogs, Daisy and Juno, and two cats, Chico and Trix. My brother also has a dog, Domino, which is over at our house a lot. Daniel and Vanessa have two cats, Papaya and Kiwi. However, over the span of my life time we have had 4 gerbils, multiple gold fish, multiple beta fish, multiple saltwater fish including angel fish and other weird fish, geckos, some other weird lizard that had teeth and would bark at me whenever I walked by it, and tree frogs. I feel like I am forgetting something but maybe not. We basically had our own zoo in the Antworth Household. Although I loved having so many different pets growing up, I think that when I am older and have a family of my own, I am going to limit our pets to just cats and dogs.