2015 in Review

I know things like this are a little cheesy but I think it might be a good way for me to reflect on my year.
In the spring I placed 1st in my event at the SDHOSA state conference. It was my third time placing at the conference but my first time placing 1st. I also had my last few Quiz Bowls with the team that I had played with since middle school. Then I finished my junior year of high school! This was exciting and also kind of scary, a theme of this year!
A couple weeks after school ended Sus started her summer internship working on breast cancer research and the same day was the first day of drama camp for me. This seems like a small thing, but for us, well me at least, this was huge. This was our first experience doing things completely separate from each other for an extended amount of time.
Then a week after that I went to Camp and quite frankly I was terrified! No communication to or from home, no one I knew, and no twin! But really it was so great, I loved every second!
Then I came home had a few days break and began Shakespeare camp which was as great and tiring as always.
The next week I went to Idaho for 3 weeks! This was my favorite part of the whole summer. I stayed with my aunt and uncle and 2 young cousins. I got to spend so much time with my aunt, who has lived far away as long as I can remember, meet my youngest cousin for the 1st time and get to know his older brother who was 2 and a 1/2 when I was there. I miss them lots and I am trying to figure out how I can go back next summer.
I came back from Idaho and spent a lot of time at home till school started which kinda drove me crazy but I needed a break.

I got to go see Sus present her research poster and I have never been so proud ever. She worked so hard and loved every second! I got to meet her boss and the student she worked with which was exciting because she talked about them everyday.
Right before I started school a got a job nannying for a family with 4 kids. They live on a farm and we have had lots of adventures. I love it, it has been such a wonderful experience for me.
I started my senior year of high school! I can't even believe that! It is so crazy and scary, preparing for my next step is so intimidating!!!! I am taking Calculus at the public school and I love calculus! I am crazy, I admit it. :) I am also taking Russian Lit and I have really enjoyed that. Most recently we read Crime and Punishment. I have also spent a lot of time working on college application stuff. It is not the most interesting process ever and plenty stressful.
One of my favorite things that started again this fall is I am continuing to teach the preschool/kindergarten Sunday school class at church. I love it, I love the kids, getting to know them, and teaching them the faith as best I can. Not teaching and seeing these kids once a week is going to be a hard thing when I am in college next fall.
On Labor Day weekend we had our homeschool groups annual family camp. Quite probably that will be my last one for a while and it was awesome! But it also made me sad, It was my first "last" in high school and I really haven't got that many.
On November 2nd I turned 18, and yes before you think that of course Sus turned 18 too, I am an adult officially and that sounds more exciting then it is. We had a great family Christmas, yummy food, lots of naps, family, and gifts. Our house looked very festive and I am resisting taking it all down.
It has been a great year!
Glory to God for All Things,
Cecilia <3

Hymns

This evening I was searching for some hymns that we have sung at church at I felt inspired to write. Because we are a small parish we do not have a choir. We have chanters and occasionally some people gather to sing a hymn for a feast and it is truly a blessing! But as I was skimming youtube it occurred to me how beautiful these hymns were. Of course they are beautiful but I have never really noticed. I am a convert to Orthodoxy, as I have mentioned in previous posts, and in our old episcopal parish we sang lots and lots of western style hymns so when we first started attending our Greek parish the music was truly one of the hardest transitions for me. It sounded foreign and odd to my ear. I never thought that I could enjoy it in the same way. But tonight listening to O Virgin Pure  I was filled with a peace and joy. I don't think I enjoy the hymns of the Church the same way I enjoy western hymns but that is okay. They are beautiful prayers in their own way and I love them. If you would like to hear the hymn I mentioned above here is the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkqZbFQb0O0
Blessed Feast of The Dormition!
Cecilia <3

Camp

So much has happened since I last blogged! I went to camp 3 weeks ago and I can honestly say that it was one of the best weeks of my life! This was the first time that I have spent more than 1 night apart from Sus and it was hard. I kept looking for her to share an inside joke, to have an impromptu dance party, or to get hyper with me. I realized how proud of her I am, I could not stop talking about the great things she has done and the amazing person that she is. I missed her so much it hurt!

I am so lucky to have made incredible friends who made me welcome and safe imediatly. They make me laugh so much! We were able to openly discuss our faith and struggles which was a new experience for me. I am naturally very private and I spend a lot of time thinking about things in my head and never talk about them. We laughed, cried, danced, sang, talked, danced and grew together. I love them all so much!
We also had amazing counselors, I love them! One of them it turns out is the sister of somebody who moved to our parish this summer. It is a small Orthodox world. I learned so much from all of them. 

I really grew so much in my faith, it is crazy that it is even possible in a week. I am really not sure how to put into words how spectacular the whole experience was for me. I have been trying the since I left and I just can't.
That's all for now!
Glory to God for All Things
Cecilia <3

Its been a while!

After drama camp performance

Summer has come at last! The last few weeks have been very busy! I finished most of my school, I still have somethings to do over the summer.
We went to two weddings, an Orthodox wedding and a Catholic wedding, it was interesting to go to such different ceremonies so close together. They were both beautiful, fun, and filled with dancing!
We also attended multiple graduation parties and receptions they were lots of fun! So many of my friends graduated this year and I am so proud of them. I can't wait to see what will be next for them.
Last week was drama camp it was full of laughter, fun, acting, and exhaustion. I was in a play about an elevator that gets stuck with a very odd assortment of people.

Cast character picture

I also took the SAT again on Saturday, I think it went pretty well and the worst section had a misprint so they are not scoring it so that is good.
This week I don't really have much to do. It is the first really warm week we have had this summer so I am planning to spend a lot of time at the pool. I also intend to read lots, I finished a book yesterday and began a new one last night. I also really need to start memorize Shakespeare camp lines. I am playing the 1st half of Boyet and I am excited!
Other things that are happening this week include helping one of my bestest friends family move. They have been searching for 2ish years for a house and they finally found one that will be perfect for them.
Sus began her summer internship last week. It is going well I think. But it is really boring at home all day without her.
In 2 weeks I am going to St Mary's Church camp. I am excited and nervous, I have never done anything like this. I am hoping that I will make friends with other Orthodox teens. There is a great shortage of us in the midwest!!
In other news I am officially going to Idaho in July to visit and help my Aunt with her two boys. I am very very excited for that! When I was 10 I got to go spend 2 weeks with her in Virginia and it is definitely one of my favorite memories!
Glory to God For All Things
Cecilia <3

Dinner dance!

A couple Saturdays ago we had our annual high school dinner dance it was a blast! There was a mystery dinner, games, ballroom dance, and line dances. We went to Nicole's house to get ready and we spend 3 1/2 hours doing everybody hair. I left with at least 80 pins in my hair it was nuts! It was lots of fun! Here are some of my favorite pictures!

 

The dinner dance was on the same day as the ACT which made for a very long day. 

Those two things were the major event of the last few weeks. But I have been studying lots, babysitting quite a bit, preparing for the SAT which I take on Saturday. We had our last day of sunday school last week. I am sad and also grateful. It is a blessing for me to be able to teach but also very tiring and I will be grateful to have a break. Sunday was also the feast day of the Myrrh Bearing Women which is always a special day for me because my patron saint, Mary Magdelene, is one of them along with my twins name saint, Saint Susannah.                                                                                                         

Glory to God For All Things. 

Cecilia <3

Pascha!

So today has been the first day I have had time to sit down and blog in a while! We had Pascha last week and it was beautiful as always. I love the joyous singing of the easter hymn "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death be death and to those in the tomb granting life. " We got to spend a lot of time in church during holy week which I am very grateful for.
During holy week we also had our HOSA State leadership conference. It was a great experience as always with interesting lectures, tours, and keynote speakers. Our chapter did very well and many of us qualified for nationals which are in California this year. I took first place in my human growth and development knowledge test. I have placed second the previous 2 years so it was nice to move up the list.
I have been doing lots of prep for the ACT on Saturday and I am hoping to do well on that. Other than that I haven't really been doing anything other than keeping up with my regular school work.
Glory to God For All Things
Cecilia <3

Happy Birthday Bia!

One of my bestest friend's birthday was this week. We have known each other since I was in 2nd grade and she was in 1st. We both remember the day we met and we have been inseparable friends ever since. I am so proud of her and lucky to have her in my life. Today is Holy Thursday in the western Church. Holy Thursday is her favorite day of the whole year so I always think of her on this day. I love you Bia!

Glory to God for All Things

Cecilia <3