For Embarrasing Picutes of Coco CLICK HERE


The little brother I never had turned 18 on Tuesday.. Sniff sniff..
He is a great person and can make ANYBODY laugh guaranteed or your money back .
I am positive that he will accomplish great things in life (like getting a job before his older siblings lol).
Okay okay, let's move on to the pictures !
You see that little thing in a black shirt and an goldish tie? That was coco before he towered over everybody!


Eugene and Coco hunting for snakes


I see little Coco


I guess they weren't too embarrassing huh? Hard to believe that he was once my height haha!

We love you Coco :)

A Little Suga'

When is the last time you have said something nice to somebody for no reason at all?
What about written a good ol' fashion letter to somebody? No?
Okay, how bout left a random note for somebody just telling them they are great?

No? Hm. Well my friend (or stranger) let me tell ya somethin'.

We've all heard the "its the little things that matter" saying, and it's true!
It's quite easy. If you love somebody, tell them.
You notice somebody is down? Write them a letter.
Want to simply make somebody's day? Leave them a note on their car or desk.

Simple concept from a simple girl on a simple blog :)

"I Couldn't Find My Bunny"

Every Sunday during service there is a time slot where people can give testimonies and just give thanks to the Lord!
Well, today a little girl from my church named Kayla, raised her hand to say something. As she got up she was just thanking God for the air she breathed and the sun that comes out every day. She then continues and says:
"I also couldn't find my bunny last week, I searched and searched and I didn't see him. I then prayed to God to keep him safe and keep him from becoming carne azada"

I almost tipped over in laughter even though it was mid service. Really Kayla? Carne azada? ahahahahaha.

Of course she found her bunny and nobody made tacos out of it.

One more funny thing, today when I was eating with my parents I bit myself and made an ugly face. My mom then said, "Did you bite yourself? I hate it when that happens, I get so angry I want to hit myself"

Hahahahahah, I love my life.
Hope this gave you at least a little chuckle ;)

A Small Blessing

God works in mysterious ways! I came home to find a check waiting on my desk. I first thought it was a refund that I had been waiting for, but then I saw that it said "Al Horton Award".

Yay I go an award! Um, but I have NO IDEA what it is for and who it's from. Lol
I'm just considering it a blessing and a little reminder from God that he loves me and will take care of me in more than one way.

Oh wait, I just googled it and it says some other girl received, anywho,it says it is for "genuine commitment for academic excellence".

This still is a mystery! Lol

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."
-Romans 8:28


Don't Feel Bad If Your Shirt Has a Hole

Okay I have a Joke.

Q. Why are you ready to go to church if your shirt has a hole in it?

A. Because its holey (holy)

haha! Get it? GET IT?


:D

Not Quite Black or White

I just saw an article about a new immigration law in Alabama that would go into affect the first of September.
This law would result in "criminal penalties and incarceration for innocent daily activities, such as giving a ride to a neighbor, hiring a day laborer, or renting a room to a friend." (1)
and the law would also "deter children in immigrant families from enrolling in public schools"(1)

Hmm.. Well, first of all I thank God that I was born in the United States of America and I wouldn't have it any other way.
BUT, that doesn't mean I am on either side of the situation. You see, I don't know if individuals who are not bi-cultural understand, or even come close to realizing the internal, let's call it, conversation that is continually occurring within us.

Here is some food for thought- I'm in the United States and It seems I'm not quite the definition of American (whatever distorted definition people may have now in days); I go to Mexico, and I'm not quite Mexican either- You see the problem?
Yet, when real, and oh so real situations like these arise, a heavy weight fully engulfs my heart. I understand they are braking the law, I understand keeping their kids out of school would be a way to force them to go back, I understand, I understand. That doesn't meant that my mind doesn't process the fact that if a law like this would have come to pass a couple of years ago in California, I wouldn't have met some of the wonderful people I have met at school. That doesn't mean I don't think of friends and family's who are constantly in fear of getting deported. It doesn't mean they aren't braking a law.It doesn't mean I'm not human and don't have sympathy either, and it most certaintly doesn't stop these "illegal immigrants" (makes me cringe just writing these words) from being human; just like me.

I also came across some guy's blog talking about a show who set up a fake discriminatory situation before the SB1070 law came into place in Arizona, trying to prove a point of what a world with that law would be like. The author of this blog then began saying how the show set up an out of proportion situation, making the law seem exaggerated. If you want to read the post it's the second link at the bottom of this post, but as he continued defending the law he said this, "the law specifically prohibits racial profiling. Race, color and national origin are factors that cannot be used in gauging an individual’s legal status."(2) This immediately makes me think, "Wait a minute, so your telling me that you think a law can seriously put a break on a person's stereotypical ideas and mind?" HA!

All of this brings me down to this; although I would like to think life is only what is around me, it is not. Reality is unavoidable and as growing individuals we are going to face a myriad of circumstances that aren't quite black, or white. Situations that grip our heart while our mind is telling us something different. Is there any right way to fully deal with this particular vexation? No. Is there a wrong way to deal with this internal "battle" ? No. (Yes, blogging about it...lol. jk)
Yet, it continues to be on my miiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiind.
Ah, ignorance, where has your bliss gone eh?

Okay Okay, that was me venting but it was much needed since I don't journal much these days. I know I can't ask for much out of this world, since I finally came to the realization I can't change the world. But what I can do is try to make somebody's life, anybody's life a bit easier, a bit smoother.; and although I don't have much hope for this world (we know the bible says this world is doomed!), I do have hope in individual people.

That my dearest friends, is what makes me a people person. ;)

(P.S. One of the greatest feelings in the world is having somebody tell you "people like you make the world go around smoother")

1. http://news.yahoo.com/lawsuit-filed-against-tough-alabama-immigration-law-163133083.html
2.http://www.statebrief.com/briefblog/2011/02/03/abcs-what-would-you-do-takes-absurd-view-of-sb-1070/

By the way, I feel better!

June Events: Graduation's, PCC and More!

I cannot believe the month of June is gone already!
Well this is what I was up to last month: Hanging out with the Kifle gang, Coco's graduation party, Coco's and Bernard's graduation, PCC, and did I mention hanging out with the Kifle gang already? Lol,

Just Chillin'

Coco's Graduation Party!
Groovy shirt Hanna!Hanna practicing her nursing skills before she actually becomes one. When Bernard became Ethiopian! Ask him about it ;)
Coco's and Bernard's graduation!
This picture is so touching I can almost cry...haha

Church
PCC


Cassy's idea of stopping a runny nose

Hanna's real side come out

Emily and I

Dad's Birthday Dinner
The nephew and DadThe Family


By the way, I don't know why some of the stuff I wrote is underlined and in blue... Hmmm interesting.
One more thing, apparently this person doesn't know how to take a picture.... Ahem. HANNA!

The Pull Of Education?

Those that know me well can probably tell you that education is very important to me, and it is, but to a certain extent.

The main driving force that is keeping me in school has to do with my family and culture. First off, I am first generation in my family to go to college here in the U.S. Although I don't have my parents holding my hand through every step or even really guiding me; I am still privileged because I have been able to gain a sense of independence that many don't get at an early age. Please don't misunderstand me and think that I am saying I am miss independent, because I am not. I am also not trying to get pity from anyone, but hang in there I am getting to a point.
The joy of holding that college diploma in my hand is something I can only try to imagine; a diploma nobody in my family here in the U.S has gotten.

Let's say I graduate College, get married and have kids... Happy ending right?
Well, not quite.

You see, growing up is a very uncomfortable thing if you ask me. If you are any young person just going through life, your priorities change. If you are a young person trying to live for God and are in a one-God-tongue-talking-Apostolic church, you are constantly fighting with the appeals of this world to keep God number one.

With that said, I can honestly say I was thinking of getting my Master's in Public health with an emphasis in Nutrition (had to say the whole thing so it sounded fancy), but now....I don't.
It's funny how when I used to tell people that I was thinking of getting my Master's after my BSN, I always said "If it's God's will". Yet, as humans we tend to uh...replace our thoughts and desires with what we think God's will is, if you know what I mean.

It is SO important that as young people we keep our priorities straight. It is a misconception to think of the obvious when we think about the pull of the world, because it can come in different shapes and sizes. It is not just worldly music, friends and events; the pull of the world means anything that may be taking the place of God on your priority list.

Sorry for blabbing (if anybody is even reading this), I just had to tell the world (or at least the blog world) that education is not as important to me as it may seem..... Hold on, I actually don't apologize, you don't have to read this is you don't want to. :D

In a nutshell, I just want God to do his will in my life without any limitations.

"Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart."
Psalm 37:4