Fall Is Here!!

               

 Well! It has been a while...I have been so busy doing good things..and also annoying things. Like homework. But that's for later.

There's a lot going on right now. Like seriously. For one thing, my sister and best friend Heidi moved out. She's in college now, and loving it, but we miss each other a lot. We Skype each other every week, and talk on the phone at least twice a week besides that. I'm so grateful for technology!
And I hope she's eating a lot of ice cream, because it's therapeutic.

I have continued biking, and eating healthy, and I feel like it's going to be really beneficial somewhere pretty soon, it's just not obvious yet.

I have been thinking a lot about missionary work lately, and how much I could help all the people in the world with the knowledge that I have, and that I shouldn't just keep it to myself.
But it's not that easy, I know that, and I know we aren't perfect yet..but I'm still praying for those experiences.
And lastly, the biggest thing is I have been trying soooo hard to figure out how to balance everything. I discovered through the first month of school that I get headaches when I don't get enough sleep, or enough food or water.

That is a huge deal for me, because I feel like my body is telling me there is no getting around it anymore. I have no choice now. I HAVE to do my homework on time, and get to bed on time, and do all of those things. The only problem is I feel like I'm going insane with all the stuff I'm balancing.

I'm taking ALL Honors classes and one AP class at school. They are all challenging to me in some way, and I have homework pretty much every day in every one of them. I'm working on trying to make science interesting for me, and I do have a good teacher..It's just the homework thing that still gets me. I'm just not good at focusing very well. I have to really discipline myself in order to be efficient.

It has been the longest school year of my life so far. Normally the first couple months go by very quickly, but we are STILL in them!! And it feels weird because it's supposed to go a lot faster.
But I'm working very hard to keep my eye on the goal, stay sane, and have fun at the same time.

I feel like high school is supposed to be fun, right? So why am I feeling so miserable?
I know I wasn't given the natural speed and comprehension at all things academic like my best friends are, but I have long since given up on comparing myself to that. We all have different strengths.



So anyways...I have added biking into my schedule, harder classes, taking the time to eat healthy and really take care of myself so I don't get headaches, learning to drive, the violin, which I am more serious about now since I am going to Carnegie Hall in the spring, reading and writing, church interests, and singing. I have all of these things to do each day and it's the hardest thing I have ever done.

I have really been trying to focus on what is important in life and have fun, but the problem is all of these things are weighing on my mind and vying for my attention and it's such a burden. I have realized I just need to do the best I can, and it'll all work out.


I found this video on mormon.org, which is the church's website for investigators, and I really loved it, so I'd like to share it with whoever wants to see it.

 

Now I think I'm going to go have some Ice cream and go on a bike ride.

 It's perfect weather out there guys! I think I'm going to be okay :) 

Biking & Poems

For the past three+ weeks I have been waking up at 5:30 a.m. to ride my bike and start exercising, training, and getting some good endorphins as my daddy would say :)

It has been so rewarding, and I especially enjoy watching out the back window as the sun rises over the mountain as I'm riding. Plus, I'm getting exercise, and it's FUN!! I'm loving it so much, and I'm so happy with it I think I'll continue.

I always knew I was meant for biking. It's the greatest. Besides, more time for me and my brother and dad, and, well, the rest of the family really, to bond. We're a biking family. It's called the Cloward Family Biking Club, and I am now officially part of it's amazingness.

So anyways, last week when I was watching the sun rise as usual, I had this inspiration for a little poem/sonnet thingy-ma-bob that doesn't rhyme. So I wrote it down, just a little rough copy of an idea, and it actually turned out well.

I could polish it if I wanted to of course, but for now I think I'm just going to relish in the first draft, the natural state of the writing as I imagined it. I have to say, I'm really proud of it. So here it is folks, the first ever shared work of the future celebrity writer, Melissa Joy Cloward.

Watching the Sunrise

You can tell the clouds are about to present something utterly wonderful to the world as they turn a brightish orange-pink.

They are working out where it will be when it appears, to give warmth and life to the night-scarred planet.

It must be exact, as it has been rising in the same spot since it was in existence along with our beloved Earth

…at that self-same position, precisely over the mountain which is plain as day from my house.

Waiting for the glorious moment is as anticlimax as it gets. When is the Sun supposed to rise exactly?

You can’t remember...

But as you contemplate, something brilliant is happening to the sky.

The clouds are preparing for the main event, and they slowly part, to endow the sun’s grace upon the self-destructing Earth.

It isn’t a sudden movement, but rather a slow, deliberate struggle between shadow, light, and sky.

You are watching in continual awe as each irregular fluctuation of the clouds results in more and more color change, until you think you have seen every tint, tone, shade, and hue to possibly be created by any palette.

There are streaks of pink, orange, blue, purple; fighting for their turn in the limelight as they blast across the sky, mixing and churning into gentle colors of blush.

But despite this, they are not the main event.

Their glory is short-lived as the clouds are now completely apart, bolts of pink and orange, velvet curtains spread wide to give heed to the moment of climax.

The Sun is much higher in the sky now, plump with purpose. It’s time has come to change the dark to light, to morning from night.

It watches from above where life is starting to stir, and the warmth is becoming comfortable once again.

The dew is taking its final sparkling breath before plunging back into the cold earth, where it will be until tomorrow night.  

Life is waking up, and preparing again for a clear, fresh morning.

It’s a calculated, golden dance between sky and earth to create a cacophony of light which now emanates everywhere, characteristically driving the shadows backstage.

Now the trees are stretching their limbs from a long night’s slumber and rustling their branches to wake up the dreaming birds.

In no time at all, they are rubbing their needle-y noses and beginning to chirp to the thawing baby plants. 

The Sun will awaken the whole planet with her charms, and continue to steadily warm the Earth for the new day, a new adventure. 

She is ready now for her daily journey across the sky

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Summer Fun in the Sun

Well folks I have officially entered driver's ed, and my life is upside down. But!! I have much to tell, and many visuals to give, so those updates will be coming as soon as I can upload the pictures.

Also, Parks and Recreation (Christine Parks) came home today and I am completely stoked to have her back with me so we can totally jam it up for the rest of the summer!

And by the way, just to clarify in case anyone was wondering, I am having a fantastic, wonderful summer, which I very muchly deserve, and I am so glad the sun is out!!

I'll have pictures in a couple of days, but until then, just know that I'm soaking up every drop of Vitamin D I can possibly get, and I hope everyone else is getting some where they are as well!! :)

Best Summer Wishes from me!! 

Alabama Adventure

  

As I've said before, my family took a trip to Alabama the week after school got out for a family reunion. We kind of used the reunion as an excuse to go see a lot of places, and have some extra fun in the south. We loved it!!
I love all of the people there, and the accents, and the food, and the trees, and especially the humidity.

Additionally, all of the family we were with we hadn't seen for a long time, and I had forgotten how much I loved them. They were so much fun to be around, and so carefree, and everything went so smoothly. We did a lot of fun things that seemed normal to them, but we all loved it.

We were on the border of Alabama and Georgia, near the Chattahoochee River. My great Uncle Larry's house, which is who we all stayed with, is in a little inlet on Lake Eufaula just ahead of the river.

Then, we drove down to Florida and stayed in a resort on the Gulf of Mexico to experience the joys of a real, warm, sunny beach. It was the perfect vacation, and we all really loved it.

When I went back and looked through the journal I kept throughout the trip, I just couldn't stop smiling because the entries were so full of life, joy, and utter happiness at how much fun I was having. It was almost intoxicating!

Basically, it was just like a dream come true, and it was so surreal, I could hardly handle it. I can't say enough to describe how much I loved it. We'd need some pictures to get any closer, though, and I have tons, so I'll do my best to post them!

Here they are, some pictures depicting only some of the joy and adventure we felt, which I don't think we could have truly captured on camera :)

 

In the airport waiting for the first flight...full of energy, excitement, and anticipation!!

Waiting for the plane home...tan after a week of fun in the sun, tired to the max, frizzy curly hair because of the humidity...and whatever other differences you can see!!

Hysterical difference :)

 

The Houston, Texas Airport

Heidi Ho in Houston!! (with some frozen Yogurt, of course...)

The jungle-y vegetation of the south. 

Oh, how I love it.

 

Sisters on the boat in the sun!!

Cousins, cousins, cousins!! 

That was so much fun :)

 

Me & my daddy just chillin'

Mealtimes... good stuff.

The Reunion Hotel :)

It doesn't look big, but trust me.....it's big. 

Enjoyin the sandy, warm beaches of Florida with my sister

Waterlogged and sunburned at the resort, but having a blast anyway!

my feets :>

On the pier at Fort Walton Beach

And the grand view from the plane... Florida!

Inner tubing. . .Good times.

Just chillin with Marin Brown, my 4 year old cousin!

Gaterrrs!!! We saw, heard of, ate, and discussed these creatures many times in that week. 

Enjoying yet another amazing meal made by the Moms. 

The Chattahoochee River Lock! 

Heidi and me on the boat. . . again.

Mom water skiing all over the place, making the sunset look good :)

and another one without her. 

Genealogy!!

Bracing ourselves for the bath-water warm beach!!

A beautiful view from the resort.

...And lastly, enjoying the relaxing waves as long as possible. 

We were out there until it was dark, and loving it!! 

From the left, it's Sam, then Me, and then Spencer.

I'll cherish these memories forever!! I know I talk it up with every little thing I do in my life, and make it seem so exciting and dramatic, but this is the ultimate deal. 

This will undoubtedly stay in my memory as "The Best Vacation Ever." :)

Many thanks to Mom & Dad for making it possible!!!

Pictures n stuff :)

     So now I have to at least post the pictures I have put together to give some visual perspective on where my life has been for the past month. It has been a lot of fun, and I'm so happy to have done all these things, but it was still so crazy while it was happening so I'm also glad things have died down just a little bit. It'll take a couple days to upload all of the pictures I have though. Just watch for 'em!! :)

                  

                                     Me & my amazing friends at 

                                     Bubba Gump Shrimp in San Fran!     

                                  Me and my lovely bff 

                                   Christine Parks & Recreation :)

                                                                                                                                        

                    

         Some lovely place on the Cannery Row!    :)

 

                                    Me, immensely enjoying the gift shops

                                            

                                                

                                                          Near Chinatown, looking 

                                                              forward to a day of fun!

                                 My sunburned tomato face deliriously  

                                  bracing myself for the long ride home...

            

                                        Adde being silly :p   

                       

                

                           My horribly sunburned neck after a long, 

                      fun day at Great America!

        

                

Christine and I, admiring Alcatraz Prison

......from a distance...                         

                      

    

            

 Hmm, should we eat at this scary foreign food place??

Yes, we should. And we did, and it was amazing!

      

                    And finally, the View of San Francisco!