Catch Up

I haven't been posting very often, I apologize. My life has been bombarded with activities...

Soccer, food, the computer and school.


And fangirling, can't forget the fangirling.


Have any of you watched the SECOND trailer for the Hobbit Desolation of Smaug? A-MAZING!! But my computer kept buffering the video so it delayed the fangirling. -__-  I'm seriously super excited for the movie because I read the book after I watched the first movie, if you see a girl with a ponytail and glasses quietly shouting "OH MY GOSH I REMEMBER READING THAT!" in the theater...That might be me...


While I was on the soccer team website looking through photos I found this precious moment:

This is the team that won state last year...Well, some of it, a little more than half of the team.  This is the Genesis United Girl's Team in a nutshell. We don't look that intimidating but if you play us keep in mind that we have never lost, ever.

The last team we played (The picture was taken at Stake'N'Shake after the game) they were getting a little goofy about our 'Nerdy Homeschool Team' but we ended up beating them 7-0.

Rule #1: Never underestimate homeschoolers, they are secretly ninjas.


Also while I was looking through photos I came across this cat:





My brother is so odd...


I made a chocolate shake for the first time. :O It made me very happy. :) And the taste made me jump for joy, I was so hungry...

I have another morning game this weekend...YAY! *Note sarcasm* I hope my lovely brother won't mind making a protein shake for breakfast...Waking up at 6am is a serious work-out, it wears me out so much. I really hope I don't forget my cleats.


OH SPEAKING OF SOCCER...

I got done early with school today and practiced soccer, I can do a rainbow now. :) And for those of you that don't know what it is, look it up, it's awesome.

One last picture for this post:




#ThrowbackThursdayonaWednesday


Boom. I'm such a hipster.

ADIOUS MUCHACHOS! (Spanish really comes in handy, I can confuse people now)

~Anna~

Mornings

Today I had a far-away soccer game, which means, early rising.

I'm not a morning person, I'm the exact opposite. I usually don't get to see morning, but today I rose before the sun did.

After I was all suited up and ready to go I went outside to wait for my Dad and brother. Despite the cold nipping at my bare calves, being in the presence of life before the dawn was breathtaking. The sky darkened and softly lightened near the horizon.

Unfortunately I don't carry a camera around with me at all times, the best moments aren't able to be caught on camera.

Mist hovered over small rivers and ponds, the chilled air filled the earth. During the car ride I was mesmerized by the beauty.



So mesmerized that I was completely oblivious to the fact that I forgot my cleats.


I don't do mornings.

Tropophobia

Tropophobia- Fear of moving or making changes.
This is what I do with my free time, I look up phobias. Don't judge yo. As I was scrolling through the list there were many reactions; I was either amused, disturbed, or I related to them... Only this one related to me that wasn't a 'common sense fear', aka the fear of chainsaws. Moving was a terrifying experience to me, a million thoughts went through my head. Will they like me? What are they like? Is there going to be opportunities there? Will my old friends forget about me? Will I be able to keep my friendships? Will I be able to build friendships? Moving is hard, no doubt about it, it transforms you. Now, planning on going away from where you grew up to permanently live somewhere you've never been before is terrifying, absolutely terrifying. I always knew one of my friends would move...I never thought it would be me. Even though the experience of moving to Minnesota was scary at first, I molded into it. Matter of fact, when my Dad said we were moving my heart sunk, of course, he didn't specify where. My first thought was: AGAIN?! Change scares me, moving is not a walk in the park. Now, the mere sound of ripping tape makes me cringe, I despise it. Like Adrian Monk would say... "There's an old saying...Never change, ever." "That's an old saying?" "I've been saying it for years." Boom. I've always wanted to use that reference but no one would get it because Monk hasn't aired an episode since 2006...I think... ANYWHOOZLE. There is no doubt, I definitely have Tropophobia. I like adventures, yes, but as long as I can come back to my comforting home. I don't get homesick easily because I know it will always be there. But what scares me is when it's gone.

Heaven To Me

Breathing is heavy, uneven, fast-paced. Heart pounding, feet shuffling. The whistle blows and the sound of bodies hitting the hard, cold, unforgiving ground fill the air. We all rise up simultaneously and our feet shuffle again. The dark, billowy clouds of heaven float above us, sending reminders to us, that we are not alone during out trials, during out pains, during our rough-patches. They remind us to endure, to persevere, to do all that we do for the Glory of God.

Hebrews 10:36 - You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.

Sweat gathers on our bodies as we push ourselves harder; small raindrops falling on our shoulders. Our bodies hit the ground at the whistle and we stumble our way back up. The lavender-tinted sky peaks through the clouds, reminding us of His power. We stumble and fall, but by the grace of God we are able to make it back up, it may be hard, tiring and painful, but we can and will make it if we persevere.

The whistle blows twice and we all collapse together as a team, our sweaty, aching, bodies stagger their way the beloved and well-needed water. The glorious waterfall of cold, hydrating, substance pours down my throat sending energy to my body. I take my scuffed up cleats, sweaty socks and my forever-stinky shinguards off. I make my way home not regretting a single thing coach made us do.

When we stopped I almost wanted to do more, it was an exhilarating feeling, it's the feeling of knowing you did something to make you a better person, or, player, in this case. Once you start you just can't get enough.

Though my legs were aching and my body was covered in sweat, I regret nothing due to the feeling that I came homing knowing that I had persevered, I tried my hardest and was willing to give more.

Forgetting, It Happens.

Did I ever tell you about the time I found one of my friends in my basement?

That's a funny story, I should tell it to you sometime.


School started...Yay. *Makes pouty face and squints eyes*

In Science I learned about the Moon, elementary, I know, but hey, we forget things...

I wonder if the Moon is offended that we don't visit it anymore...Sorry, would if I could.



Today I listened to possibly the most depressing song ever. :( It reminds me of the time I moved to Minnesota, and also the time I left Minnesota for the place of my dreams.

The smallest things remind me of what life was like before, during, and after the move. When I play soccer it reminds me of the joyous times I played pick-up soccer games with mostly college/highschool guys, I miss those goofs.

Now, don't get me wrong, I LOVE it here in Indy, hence the bold text, italicized, AND the underlining. (That means it's pretty intense) But I miss the memories in Minnesota, even the plain-ness of the area, there was something unique about it. It was almost mysterious, almost. It was almost pleasing to live there, almost.
It was only almost there. The right person will see it fully there.

I guess I'm just not that type of person.

I tried really hard not to like it there. I wouldn't accept the fact that I was turning into a true Minnesotan. People say I have the accent, I mourn when I hear that.

"So little to remember, so much to forget."

But here's the thing...

I still remember it.

I remember everything.

The sadness, the happiness, the jokes, the laughs, the memories.

I remember it all.

It left a mark on me, almost permanent, almost.

"I'm a better man than I was before, knowing you has made me strong.

I sure am gonna miss you when I'm gone."


I dreaded saying goodbye, not only to the people, but the memories that were held there. They'll soon vanish, they'll be forgotten. It will be like I never even took a breath there, just like I always wished. People forget, they always do, always will.


My good friend, Seth, let's talk about him for a bit.

I met him two days before I moved to Minnesota. I didn't contact him within the two years I was gone; but every time I visited, he came up to me with a smile and embraced me in a hug. I only saw him twice within those two years, but he never forgot me.

Now I'm back, we still talk, we're good friends.

Here's what stands out to me:

I only met him two days before I moved, I hung out with him for two hours.  One of my best friends that I've known since 3rd grade didn't know my name. I've lost friendships in Indiana from the move, many of them I've known for more than a year, I knew Seth for two hours.

Remembering is a rare thing, half the people I know in Minnesota I can't contact, I have no hold of them. It's like there's a rope but only one person is holding on, and I have no idea which one it is.

I try to believe it's not me, but sometimes I can't help but think maybe I am grasping on to the little bit of Minnesota I can't have.

No matter how much I want to forget it, something is almost holding on, almost.

One thing I can't forget is how much it changed me, it made me who I am. I think when I moved I found myself.

So if someone thinks I've changed after I moved back to Indiana, I changed into me, the real me.


This is who I am.

New Season, New Jerseys

As I was reading my dear friend's blog Paper Raindrops I realized that I haven't posted in 21 one days! :O Oops...


Sorry.

In news of my life...

Well...


I made the team! :)

Don't mind my un-made bed and my closet...

Do people actually make their beds in the morning or is that just a myth?


Anywho,


It's officially safe to say I play for Genesis United now. :) Although I have already subbed for the Girl's game because they didn't have enough players I wasn't on the team yet. Junior Varsity is full so I asked if I could be on the Girl's team, I gave them the papers and they gave me the jerseys.

I must say, the hardest part about joining the team has been not being able to eat Oreos until after practice. But other than that it's been an amazing experience so far.

This is the first actual competitive team I've been on. I've been on a 'just for fun' team three other times when I was younger but this is definitely new. I actually have to try! *Gasps* ;) Last year the Girl's team won state so it's pretty intense.

Oh, and if you happen to see '#44' scribbled somewhere, that may have been me. ;)

I need to start practicing, that's for sure.

Good-bye afternoon Oreos, I'll miss you.

-Anna

Oh Joy to The Missing Socks

As I was unpacking a box I found a treasure.

I found my missing sock. It was protecting a spiral-paper-holder-thingy. I completely forgot about it up until that point, and I must say...I missed it quite a bit. I paired the lonely sock up immediately with it's match, they're happy now.

I think most of the time God is the 'Missing sock' in our lives. We don't pay attention to it until we need it. We don't realize how long it's been missing until we want to wear it. We don't seek God until we need desperately need Him. Truth is, we always need God; we're nothing on our own. And, similar to that, we also need socks. But sometimes we replace socks with sandals, like we replace God with material things. Or we just get another sock, like how we seek other things for help.

And the crazy thing is, God is OK with that. He doesn't cut us off from Him. Usually, He puts something in our lives to realize exactly how much we need Him. He keeps saving us though we fail Him every day. He keeps our hearts alive though we search for substitutes.

Now, it's okay to have missing socks, I have thousands of them...I think I do, anyway. But don't forget, God's always there, even when your socks aren't.



It's amazing how the little things in life can change your point of view.

Just like missing socks.