"Do I know you?"

One of the strangest parts about being a teenager is coming to the "I hardly recognized you" stage. I imagine this hits people at some time or other, but it's been really weird to have more than one person say that they had no idea who I was. Like Aunt June, for instance, having just come back from Thailand, saying she would have never guessed who I was had I not been with my family. While it's kind of funny, it's also an odd feeling. Do I really look that different? I wonder. Have I changed so much? Did (or worse, DO) I look that bad? What's more, I saw Aunt June only a year or more ago. Do I really look like a total stranger? How unsettling!

Family resemblences are also a fascinating thing to me. Like when Jeff came to bibleschool I couldn't resist saying to him one day, "Has anyone ever told you how much you look like Amy?" It was true! Or there are some people who at one point I could never tell the difference between, but now they're as different as night and day. Elizabeth and Katherine as well as Steph and Kim are examples. I still remember being with the latter's family and guessing which girl I was talking to at the moment ("Kim, right?" Um, no). Or even looking at a picture of Aunt Ali as a little girl and thinking how much it looked like Cara--that also happened to me when I was looking at a picture of Mr. Steve D. when he was young and he looked just like pictures of Isaac! Wow, family resemblences are incredible things. It's as if a certain face never quite dies out, as it's being reproduced from one generation to the next with very slight variations in between. Imagine looking at a picture several generations old and seeing yourself!

Actually something like that happened to me. I didn't actually look at a picture and see myself, but someone told me that I look kind of like my mom's father. I'd never heard that before, but I thought it was kind of precious because I never met my grandfather. Even so, I've always had a special regard for him, and everything that was his or that my mom says about him is dear, like knowing someone wonderful. Call a little silly if you will, but since he died when my mom was a teenager his memory has remained sacred in my mind for her sake and his. Just another person I'm looking forward to seeing when I get to heaven! So as you can see, although the compliment of looking like my grandfather is a strange one, it's also kind of an honor.

Believe it or not, I have also been told that I look like people in my immediate family. Once a complete stranger at an ATI conference asked if I was related to Craig. Man, what can they see in me that's anything like him? His face is indeed quite the opposite of my own attractiveness. Should I be complimented or insulted? Does it prove that my features are "so. . . . masculine?" However, I've also been told that I look like Chad and Kendra, and most frequently, my mom. We had a picture up on our fridge of my mom's family when she was about eleven and people would come in and exclaim, "She looks like Kayla!"



In fact the other day I stopped in to visit Grandma Sweet with my mom. I haven't seen her for a long time I'm afraid, but seeing her reminded me how much I really like her, even though she wasn't feeling too well since she recently sprained her ankle. Since I hadn't seen her for awhile, obviously she hasn't seen me either.

"You look just like your mother all over again," she told me. Then, because she and my mom are always teasing eachother, she added, "Too bad you had to pick a face like hers!"

What can I say? I can't help it if I have my brothers' looks and my mother's smile. I am who I am. So just deal with it.

Isn't she beautiful? (and of course still is)
(um, my mom's senior picture didn't actually have that pattern on it, but it must be something about the pattern of the paper in her yearbook that the scanner noticed; I didn't know how to get rid of it!)

And in case you're getting scared, I don't really look that different!



This pic is just because I changed my profile picture so now you can take a look and see it better


p.s. In case anyone is wondering why I didn't nicely put up pictures of my other side of the family, don't be offended. I still love my dad's family--I just don't look very much like them.:)

Favorite Friend

Today Jonathon said to me, "Kayla, guess what? You're my favorite friend."

Aaawww.

The compliment practically made my day, but nevertheless I don't believe him one bit! I've never played with Jonathon that much. And of course my well-evolved brain can easily read his six-year-old mind to really mean, "You're my favorite friend at this particular minute because you're riding bikes with me when there's no one else who will right now."

Still, it's not every day that someone tells you that you're their favorite friend, so I may as well treasure the moment.

*sigh*treasure*treasure*

Got rear view mirrors?

Recently Claire wrote about people's need to use their blinkers when they're driving. I wholly agree with that, and of course that can be a whole different subject in itself. However, today I was shocked to discover that some people don't seem to use their rear view mirrors!

Here's my example: I drove my mom around town quite a bit today, getting good but fairly relaxing experience. We were at the bank, and I was about to back up. I checked my rear view mirrors and had just barely started to back up at a cautious speed when I noticed the brake lights of a car behind me. Hesitating, I wondered if he saw me, but since I was already part way out and he hadn't even moved, I figured he was waiting for me and I better finish backing up a little more quickly to get out of his way. Therefore I continued, but then my mom and I noticed that the other car was backing up too! I stopped, and to our horror they just kept coming closer and closer (not even inching!) as if we didn't exist. I was convinced that I was going to experience my first collision. Terror gripped me in that infinite moment.

"Horn!" my mom cried (this all was happening quite quickly you see). In a panic I fumbled for the horn and gave it two good solid beeps. The person rolled back a little more, stopped, and then turned and left without giving the time of day.

Shaken, I turned out of the parking lot, "That's why we pray for protection," I told my mom.

But still, it was apparent that that person wasn't even looking! It's scary when you realize that there are people that do that--backing up without looking, as if they owned the parking lot. It just makes me want to say, "C'mon, buddy, don't you know how to use your rear view mirrors?"

To think they give licenses to people like that. . . . (shudder)

I SURVIVED!!! and other equally dull events of my life

First of all, I want you all to know that I survived!

Um, what?

Come on now, can't you read my brain? I know that technology is truly advancing, so therefore the mind must be too as we "evolve" into more astute creatures. So of course when I say "I survived" you know immediately that I am saying that I am alive after my first driving experience on the expressway and am oh so glad that we prayed for protection! I know you are bored after I have repeated what you already knew, but I figure that just in case you aren't incredibly gifted like the rest of us it might help you to know what I mean by "I survived."

So anyway, I survived. Actually this is really an old story because I drove on the freeway nearly two weeks ago, but I figure it's just as true as it was then that I survived (or I guess it is because if I hadn't I would have heard about it by now). Well, we were driving up to my dear grandma's internment in Maine, and to make a long story short, I drove all the way to the Maine border and part of the way back. So:

~I survived driving on an interstate with only about fifteen hours (at the time) of driving experience on country roads! I also felt extremely guilty when I went 80 mph on a 65 mph speed limit because I was terrified of going too slowly in the left lane when I was passing someone. Don't worry, I was pretty close to the speed limit the rest of the trip, and lucky for me, Craig was even able to sleep part of the way so at least everyone in my vehicle wasn't biting their nails the whole time--just my mom who was monitoring me in the front seat. Over all, the ride up was pretty easy.

~I survived when a thunderstorm hit us on the highway! I had only just started driving again when we noticed that we were driving straight toward some ominous evil-looking green clouds, and then there was lightning along the way and rain and rain which I wasn't too used to and we had to pull over and wait for the worst of it to pass.

~I survived when someone pulled out in front of me and stopped to turn when I didn't realize it. I was soooo thankful that the brakes worked, since that was the closest I had ever come to having to slam on them!

~I survived airport driving! Now I may know how to pick somebody up when I need to!

~I survived rush hour traffic coming out of Manchester when I was trying to get into a different lane and I didn't know when to turn and nobody was letting me! We were also running late for something. T'was stressful indeed.

~I survived when I cut someone off in a lane change. I felt really bad about it since I didn't have to change when I did, but somehow it didn't occur to me when I saw them in my sideview mirror that they were right there. Thank the Lord we didn't have any accident and they didn't even seem angry--they just passed me.

Hmm, I know this doesn't really sound like anything scary for all of you superb drivers out there, but if you recall your first experiences of these things you may understand how it was a big thing to me! Thankfully I'm no longer traumatized and it really wasn't that big of a deal, but still it is remarkable how the once frightening places seem so mellow now. :)

On a slightly different and more random note, my driver's ed teacher said something interesting the other day. Someone was asking him why in NH you're not considered legally intoxicated under the age of 21 unless your BAC level is 0.02--if it's illegal to be drinking at all, why do they "allow" a BAC 0.01 in a minor and what would that be called? My teacher's reply sounded something like this:

"That," he said, "is called internal combustion." Internal combustion? The whole class, the teacher included, burst out into laughter. Yes, there is definitely a difference between "consumption" and "combustion."

Finally, my latest event this weekend was a quick trip down to Cape Cod! It developed quite suddenly. My parents were gone for the weekend, and Friday afternoon I was working on this and that, fully expecting to spend a quiet weekend at home and maybe go to Laura's graduation. Then Craig came home from work and asked me if I wanted to go to Cape Cod with him to visit "the Cousins." About two hours later, we were on the road. The plan was that Craig and I would drive down to the Cousins, he would sail back with Uncle Earl (and as it turned out, Bria) on his boat the next day, and I would stay and go back to their house with Aaron, Cara, and Ryan on the same day (Saturday).

And thus it occurred. Even though we didn't go to bed until about quarter of one Friday night we were up the next morning (after the others had left an hour or two earlier), rapidly cleaning the house and were out of there at the check out time of ten o'clock precisely. The day was gorgeous--just the sort of day you DON'T want to be leaving the beaches of Cape Cod. But after wading briefly in the bay, picking up ice cream cones at the general store, and waiting for a long time while Aaron and Ryan tried to find the place they were supposed to drop the keys off at, we were finally off. Cara got the lucky job of driving with the trailer in tow, along with a back seat that was so stuffed that you couldn't see out the rear view mirror at all. But she did just splendidly and if anything it made me feel more useful by helping her check her blind spots and being an extra person to read signs. In the meantime, Aaron and Ryan followed right behind in Craig's car to make sure that nothing fell off the trailer. Happily the trip was pretty uneventful except for plenty of talking.:)

And that's most of what I have to say. Of course we arrived at their house safely and had a nice but slightly sluggish afternoon from being tired. Visited, laughed, played a finish the quote game, watched Ryan give his dog a bath, moved some furniture, relished fresh strawberries, chuckled at on-line movies, wondered at not having heard from the "sailors" (so of course Aunt Ali had the Coast Guard radio them to make sure they were okay), and finally went to bed late and tired. The only other unusual thing that happened was when Cara forgot I was lying on her floor and stepped on me in the night. Ouch. But I fell back to sleep and almost didn't realize what had just happened--lucky for me and for her. The sailors did get back safely, and in the morning Craig and I got up and drove home to get ready for the day and go to church.

The End.

random pix

And now here are a few scattered shots that I've taken fairly recently:

Playing volleyball during a Florida sunset
(that's Jeff and Kim by the way)

One of my gorgeous birthday flowers that Cara gave me

The wicked cool crab claw I found on the beach in Newport.
The only reason I didn't keep it is that there was a fly or two attracted to it. This bad sign and Megan's experienced advice reminded me that there was still meat inside (ew), but of course I just had to take a picture of it!

This is NOT digitally edited!
You have now seen with your own eyes that I was nearly gobbled up by a ferocious giant! Luckily Craig saved me--but only after he took the picture.
("A friend in need is a friend indeed," just hope that your friend isn't a photographer!:)

An orchid
(National Biological Gardens in Washington D.C.)

The graduations in the family

You may have wondered why I didn't have any individual pictures of Clyde in my last post. That's because you get to see him right here--as the graduate!

First of all though is the renowned end of the year party and skits. Here's one of the guys' skits concerning "the real Clyde" in dorm life. Basically he made Dave and Andrew wait on him hand and foot ("Dave I need a footstool. . . Dave, you are the footstool.") In this picture Andrew is tasting Clyde's drink before giving it to him ("Good, you're not dead.")

And now here he is, after the graduation!
(check out the amazing cake that Mary made! Complete with a combination in which you can't go wrong: a Bible, Warrior Songbook, and Red Sox hat, made completely out of cake:)

Naturally we had to sneak in a many family pix as possible--this one is the night after the graduation as well

And a week later in VA at Kendra's graduation!

Class Trip! (an age later)

Yay, today is picture day! Well, a few at least. I could have put these up a week or two ago but I never got around to scanning them until recently. So now everybody here are just a few shots from class trip, now over a month ago:

Bria shivering in Clyde's humongous sweat-shirt

Kate!

Megan!

Andrew!

Dave!

The lovely second year gals

Someone definitely high on my favorite people's list :)

Rachel's hair (artwork by Megan:)

Vanlora joking around while Diane looks at her as if she's crazy

Katie!
(hand in blur from the amazing frisbee or football throw just carried out)

Everybody!

*Sigh* What a great year.:)

I'm It!

Oh yeah, I was tagged awhile ago, so here I am responding (finally, Cara!). I would have done it earlier but I didn't want to take the time to think up random facts, but now I'll take a wing at it:

1. Lilacs, Pine Sol, paint thinner, and gasoline have all been on my list of likeable scents. :)

2. I used to eat clover all the time, along with wheat berries, uncooked macaroni, and salt, salt, salt!

3. I've been to 46 states.

4. I never knew how to do a somersault until Laura kindly taught me when I was about ten. I was relieved to widen my skills in an area that I had been embarrassed at my lack of.:)

5. I've had 6-10 teeth pulled out by a dentist or specialist (two teeth being permanent and not my wisdom teeth), had plastic put on my two front teeth to make them grow straight, and have had three teeth knocked out and my tongue split as a result from being knocked by three different peoples' heads.

6. I used to think that our heads were full of nothing but the insides of pretzels, and that my cousin Aaron used to be a girl. Also I would lie awake at night trying to figure out what that strange noise was (my pulse throbbing steadily in my temples). Was it Clyde sleeping nearby? No. I determined that it was my eardrum (since it's an eardrum, it must make a thrumming noise, right?)

7. I almost drowned when I once stepped off the bottom step in the shallow end of a swimming pool. I tried to scream for help underwater but it didn't really work, except producing a stream of bubbles. Luckily my mommy leaped in to save me.:) By the way I was not ten, but four. I may have been a pathetic child not knowing how to somersault, but I wasn't that pathetic.

I hope this isn't lame, but I don't feel like tagging anyone, and I don't know if there's anyone left who even wants to be tagged, so ta ta!

Ya gotta love young humor!

And now lades and gents, I'm going to refresh you all with a bit of eight-year-old poetry. I discovered it at the back of one of my old notebooks my mom unearthed when she was cleaning out the attic and it pleased me greatly. It's different than the normal poetry style, but I think I must have had a lot of fun with it! (oh yes and I'm taking some liberties on line arrangement and a little punctuation, but this is very close to the original young scrawly poem)

There once was a person who played the cello,

By the way he was a fellow,

The fellow's name was Carmello,

Oh yes and his favorite food was jello,

He also liked bananas along with all their yellow,

One day when he met me he said with a bellow,

"Hello!"

Then we went to the lounge and played Othelo.

Carmello is nice,

Oh yes I forgot his last name is Mice,

Once I said to him when we were playing a game, "Hurry up with the dice!"

I said as I ate an orange slice,

For Carmello was still eating his rice,

"Crunch" I then heard my brother eating ice,

Then (later) Carmello went home and I just got word that he has lice!

Oooh yes, I think I enjoyed coming up with as many words that rhymed as possible. It had a little ring to it, don't you think?:)

How about a sneak peak of my eight-year-old humor? I won't give you the worst of them, but watch out, these can get pretty bad!

Q: What happened to the elephant when he sat on a Bible?

A: He couldn't get up.

Q: How come girls like girl dolls best?

A:They think there are too many boys already.

Q: How come elephants don't wear glasses?

A: They can't fit in the glasses shop.

Now that I've killed every respect you had for poetry and jokes, I'll just say I hope ya'll have a happy Sabbath!