Letzter Woche.

 I have really enjoyed these last two weeks.  I'll clue you in on why. ;)
   
    Ed, Tina, Payton (my sis) and I have made our own youth worship band for our youth group. Ed plays his acoustic guitar, Tina sings (accompanied by Danielle), Payton makes the powerpoints so that the group can read the lyrics, and I play the piano.  It is so awesome! It's amazing how far I, myself, have gotten with the piano. To think that about 2-3 years ago, I was in a group called REthink and my ultimate goal was to play the piano like my dad. So I took lessons from the church's worship leader, Rich, and so I did that for 6 months, and then one day when Payton walked in the room where I played the piano, she told me that she thought it was Dad who was playing in here. So that made my day. Then Rich told me I could play 2nd keyboard in the worship team, so I did that for a while. Then we moved, and Dad started giving me piano lessons since Rich couldn't (obviously) move with us. ;) Now since Ed was very much interested in a youth worship team, him and I sort of gathered people and now look where we are. =) It's.So.Awesome.
   So, not only has *that* happened, but I've introduced to the Peterson's(Ed, Tina, and Sarah) a video game! Rockband! They really, really enjoyed it. We just bought the Country Track List, and so now I think they will like it even more. 
   Another reason is that I figured out is Aidan flying out 3,000 miiles away to come visit me from the 18th-28th of November. So she will be here for my birthday, Thanksgiving, and Black Friday! I'll get to show her around Seattle: we'll get to visit the Sci-Fi museum, Air and Space museum, and have dinner in the Space Needle...maybe visit Anthropology. There's an old 80's song we really love called Somebody's Watching Me and so Payton and I are going to dress up as Ring Wraithes and she will be Frodo Baggins from LOTR and we're going to make a video with that song playing as the video goes. So we are all looking forward to that as well. I'll get to introduce her to the Peterson's and we'll just get to do a bunch of stuff we haven't done in a long time.
  More reasons to come are apple-picking, applesaucing, and apple buttering with the Peterson's. I love how they know how to make and do all these things I've never done before, and able to introduce those things to me. It's is so much fun. I love being at there house, with them, they're awesome, awesome people. 
  I've been going to the gym with Tina for the past month, I'd say, and we just have a ball. We do a half-hour of weights, and a half-hour of cardio. I love how well she's getting ussed to something I'm familiar with.  I love introducing new people to her (or at least pointing locals out so she recognizes them when she comes). We have a blast, and she always has a comforting, bright smile on her face. Plus, she's sarcastic, which is one thing I love in a friend!
    Wednesday, before Youth Group, Mom and I went to their house right after the gym to help make apple sauce and all that Jazz. They bought a Jeep Wrangler, so of course I *had* to see it, and then what was totally awesome was that they let me ride in it. =D First Jeep I've ridden in. Then, David, one of their little brothers, needed to go to drum lessons, so Ed and I took him and then while he did his lesson, Ed and I went into Starbucks and just talked for a half-hour. That was so, so nice. I loved it. I'm not really used doing things like that with friends.. Usually it's with family... or Aidan... But I've only ever done that with Aidan once, so... Bottom line,that was icing on the cake. Then after that, we picked up Payton and Danielle from school to come help with apples and then Danielle came home with us, so then we tlaked with her and got the house ready for Youth Group... Wednesaday had to be the funnest day of the week. :)
  Yesterday, although the day itself was good, the night was bad because I found out my hamster, Sawyer, died. Old age... I was pretty bummed.. He was the best pet I've ever had honestly.  If it hadn't been for the good day, I probably would've taken a little longer to get over it. I mean, I was pretty much good in a hour after his death. Then this morning, I had completely forgotten about it because of the great time I had at the gym with Tina and then Mom's bootcamp group and Tina and I went over to Starbucks and had fun chatting, and then followed Tina to her house to pick pumpkins. Then my grandmother called and I heard her say "How's Natalie?!" so ... after *that* then I remembered. :)
   So, no long story short whatsoever, but all that including intervals of Brandon Heath, Christmas songs by Michael Buble, and listening to Fly Me To The Moon by Phillip Lomax, made the week well worth it. :)

Today, today...

   Well, I woke up at 6:20 and headed upstairs to get my devotions done and to eat breakfast. Then at 7:30, Mom and I headed to Anytime Fitness and did an hour of just cardo: 20 minutes on the eliptical, and then 40 minutes on the treadmill... Or moreso should be known as the 'treadkill'. I walked on inclines of 10-15, and my calves just about burned to death. But after it's over, I feel so pumped and energized and I'm always happy to have gone through with it.
   Dad has a 4-day this weekend, which rocks... or does it? Because now he can look around the house all day and tell us what to clean! Nah. I'm glad he'll be home.  Mom and I have some things we're going to get done around the house today. We're going to start decorating for Fall. I love doing that, because then  you see all these familiar things that bring you back to previous Thanksgivings and Christmases. All the wonderful memories in even the scent of a candle, and the ambiance of a room that is cozy, ith afgans lid on  the abcks of the sofas, and candlelights flickering giving the room that golden glow.
   This October there is going to be a Christmas Bizzare/Festival at the Tacoma Dome! I am so excited about that. Hopefully I'll get the majority of my Christmas shopping done there. I love the smell of Christmas and Winter. There's even a certain smell that snow can give off, along with brisk air. I love it. Then, in November, one of my best friends is coming down from Va (or up I should say...up and over) and anyway she'll be here for my birthday, Thanksgiving, and Black Friday. How awesome is that? Then in December, Brandon Heath is coming to Wa, and we're going to buy backstage tickets so I can ... (in the no duh category) go backstage and talk with him. It will be fantastic.

Light In Me

Light in Me by Brandon Heath has spoken to me in so many ways. All of his songs have in some way... I just bought his Leaving Eden CD and I have grown to love each song on there. He's coming soon to Tacoma and it would be so neat to buy backstage tickets to see him! Only $30, HECK, I'd spend 30 bucks to see him than a shirt from the Concert that reads "I've been to a Heath concert!" :)