Sooo...

I've been busy. Like, so busy it isn't even funny. 

With Nanowrimo (and the looming Scholastic Art and Writing Awards deadline), school, Thanksgiving, and Future City, my life is insane. I'm not even all that sure what to do for my next story. I've been thinking about doing something medieval, or Anglo-Saxon, but I don't know. 

It's kind of crazy to realize the fact that Christmas is so close. Our  house is slowly becoming festive: the lights are up, garlands are around the banister, stockings are hung (by the chimney with care (sorry, couldn't help that)), etc. We haven't yet got a tree, but that'll be coming soon, no doubt!

And on top of that, my sister's birthday is coming up. The fact that she's going to be twelve is a little overwhelming.... she'll always be nine to me. 

Also, my Algebra teacher has announced that, even though it's a year early, we'll have to take a part of a high school final. I now get to study, pray freak out thinking that I might not be ready, and hope as hard as I can that I do well enough to get into AP prep Geometry next year. Please pray for me; I have a feeling that losing sleep worrying about this will be extremely counterproductive. Honestly, eighth-graders taking finals has to be unnatural! (if there is anyone who disagrees with this statement/exclaimation, please comment. I have no idea if there is anyone besides Karis reading this semi-regularly, so if you agree, commentt too.)

Future CIty is taking off, and I'm paralyzed that I'll do something to botch it and crush the hopes of the ten-or-so seventh graders counting on me. I don't know how I came into leading this, but I am and I'm terrified that I'm going to fail. Last year has been my consistent nightmare, and while everyone says otherwise, it was a failed attempt. Thank you God for letting us submit the virtual city!!!!!!! The deadline had been November 25, but now something happened and it's December 4 instead. My friend Zona and I now have to worry about the essays, but ithat isn't a really massive concern like the  SimCity was. I have also found that I love SimCity 5... Issue? Even if I were to buy it, it's incompatible with any of our three old computers. >:-(

Finally, I have the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards competition. I'm entering Juliet (remember?) and Mother Regina, and while I have Juliet ready for submission, Mother Regina is not. I have to finish a crazy-long outline before December 5 at least, get my ELA teacher to sign the form, and send them both in to arrive before the seventeenth.  I suppose all this has just been pushed back farther and farther, and now I find myself racing to finish.

It's life, right? All of this is so little compared to other people's struggles, and some might not have Jesus. I read this book about radical Christianity lately- The Irresistible Revolution- and I suppose you could say that my life has been radically changed. God is bigger in my life now, and I can see the difference. Literally. It's as though I had never really known Him.

I've realized that, just being baptised as a baby, or asking Jesus into your heart as a three-year old doesn't necessarily make a person Christian. I guess it's the whole age-of-understanding thing. I used to think that it was, like, 5 or 6, but at that age one is still dependent on their parents. Then, they might be influenced by their parents, but eventually they will have to decide- for themselves. 

At some point, one has to realize that they are the ones in charge of their life, and no one can completely control it. The choice is, will it be for better or worse? It's kinda... whoa. I won't kid you, I am shivering, and it isn't even cold. That is, inside it isn't.

That post was waay longer than I expected. I had no idea what to write about, so I wrote excuses about why I didn't write.  You see where that went. 

Anyway, I suppose I'll write later!

Katie

Tempest 11 (Ferdinand)

I am at sea again. This time, instead of being alone in the company of men, I stand at the prow with the woman I love- my wife- in my arms. Instead of cataloging weapons and preparing for battle, I am spending my time telling Miranda about her new home.
Life is good.

Mother Regina excerpt 2 (1472)

I apologize for not being able to write at all. Some of you might notice my little Nanowrimo widget, but that really is consuming my life.  Here's one of my favorite parts!

I knew that the chances of her being a spy in a time of peace were unlikely, but I couldn't bring myself to trust her fully. As my pregnancy reached its final stages, and I grew ever more irritable, I am ashamed to say my treatment of both Neville girls worsened. I took the liberty of keeping the two apart, and I grew paranoid. I had a large suspicion everyone was glad when I went into confinement.

It was in the first week that, when my ladies were sewing with me. We were having a general conversation about our husbands and how terrible they were, when my talkative sister Katharine mentioned George.

“He’s best friends with my husband. They go out drinking and doing who knows what all the time. How can someone expect us to be pretty, docile wives when we know full well what atrocities our husbands are wrapped up in? All I can ken is that you and I, Isabel, are stuck with men that don’t know what’s good for themselves- and us.

Slap! A red mark brightens on Katharine’s face. Isabel stares at her palm in shock.

“How dare you-” Katharine whispers

“You were insulting George! How could you say such horrid things?”

Their voices rise until both are shouting. I cannot bear it- as much as I love one and hate the other, both of them are doing damage to my ears, and I cannot distinguish between them both. “Stop it! Stop!” I cannot be heard. My vision blurs, and I collapse against the pillows, too weak to do anything as horrific pain rips through my being. It’s too early, I think. I am thirty five. I cannot survive much more of this.