The New year and it just feels the same...

Such Cuties. Liz and my practically brother, Patrick.
We were twins for the day!

Some pictures of the end of 2010 :)

Usually with the new year, I have this intense burning to start fresh, make resolutions, and give the new year a fighting chance. Yet, this year it just doesn't feel the same. It might be because my resolutions NEVER stick whether they involve running copious amounts of miles, or waking up to see sun rises, or my personal favorite, and most ridiculous, keeping my room clean (if you know me in the slightest, you know I am organized in nearly everything except my room. It's really too bad, but I blame my creative spirit.) Yet, at the same time, it might just be because I have no idea what this year will bring, and for me to resolve to do only a few things would stunt the possible growth that will take place for me. Instead of plotting to exact and intricate goals to attempt and fail, I would rather look back on 2010 and be grateful for all that it brought, the painful and the painless, the good and the better, and the just plain suck.

>>2010 brought with it many things:
+Rejection and uncertainty when I did not make it into my top college.
+Amazing new people and a confidence in my own abilities I really never expected to gain.
+The ability to stand up for myself and state my point clearly without worrying what others would think/say/do.
+Accomplishing nearly none of my last resolutions.
+Gaining an appreciation for worship in a whole new light and leading worship for the very first time.

+Taking hundreds of pictures and getting more comfortable with my rebel. (Next year I will take thousands, but this year has been HECTIC.)

+So much music and laughing.

+Finding the strength to quit the sport I love the most and miss every day. It hurts to know that I won't be competing, but I am ecstatic to cheer on the GC girls in less than 3 weeks at their home meet!

+Falling so in love with my Savior, standing up for my faith, and learning to find comfort in this storm of uncertainty.

+Persevering through difficult academic struggles, and knowing that this too shall pass.

So much more has happened, but it would be impossible to recount it all. Right now I am living a life of crazy, stressful, hectic, uncertain, days and am learning to depend on my savior for the in-betweens and when I feel like the book will shut on me without me reaching the end.

Happy 2011, I want to love with all myheart, learn as much as possible, explore everyday, and remember the importance of friendship as I embark into the new year.

With that, I close with a beautiful challenge brought to you by the boys of The Classic Crime:

..+Love is a beautiful thing
Will you leave this broken mess behind?

love,love,love Rachel

Winter in North Carolina

It snowed here, in NC, before January! I swear the Poulin family can't keep the cold away. I am thoroughly content and absolutely love the snow. It makes me miss home so much more, but I am simply ecstatic to go visit NH starting the 20th! However, I have lots to do before then...

Midterms are NEXT WEEK! I assure you, I am horrified. These next 12 days will be the death of me. Here's on the agenda:

-Cafe Night/Talent Show Thursday: performing this song with Hay-Nay.

-Gingerbread House making party with some of my favorite people Friday.

-Hearing back from my Top College Choice at 9:00 PM EST next Tuesday (12/14). Needless to say I have given up all holds on getting in. If I get in, I am definitely going there as I applied early decision and for now, I just want to go exactly where God has planned for me. I know that if I don't get in it is not because I didn't work hard enough in high school, or my recommendations were less than up to par, but that it just was not the right place for me. Please pray for peace about the entire situation!

-Midterms 12/15-17/10

*I have started studying already and am trying to relieve as much stress as possible by using psychology's spacing effect. :)

Also, I know that this will just be good preparation for AP exams. It is crazy that I only have 112 school days left and then I will have GRADUATED!

-Lizabeth and Bekk will be home next wee and I cannot wait! <3>

-Little old me is leading worship for New Hope Student Ministries and I am nervous, but anxiously praying that God can use me and that it all goes smoothly.

-Monday I leave for NH and the ultimate goal is to get through all of the mentioned things with as little pain as possible. I am blessed and so thankful for everyone here in NC and there in NH that I know and am so happy to spend Christmas with some of my best friends and family.

Psalm 3:5&6 (The Message)

I stretch myself out. I sleep.
Then I'm up again—rested, tall and steady,
Fearless before the enemy mobs
Coming at me from all sides.

Psalm 3:5&6 (NIV)

I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.
I will not fear though tens of thousands
assail me on every side.

Final Thought: My youth pastor Scott uses the Message translation a lot and I find that I can relate to it a lot more easily. Both versions of this give me such a peace though, and I like to see different translations.

&Let me know what you think!

Sorry for the constant rambles,

Rach

Relax; take it easy.

This stuff makes me feel alive.



This is my baby-doll Stella. She's a chinese-crested powder puff. I promise I didn't make that up. She will do anything for a treat, I promise you. Today I slept in, watched glee, went shopping, drank starbucks, had a piano lesson, bought Jack Johnson's cd To the Sea (and love it) and finally bought Phoenix's cd. I have also embarked on Christmas gifts. This year I am going for a more creative side to things; I am excited. One of my favorite things to do is give things to people and surprise them with something really thoughtful. This year, my goal is to do this in a creative way unique to each person. Christmas gifts can get so stressful when you feel that you need to give everyone something. But this year, if I can't think of a really creative/thoughtful thing for someone, then I probably am not close enough to them to need to give them a gift anyways. :)

First Trimester is finished! More good news from my life:

>>My MRI came back negative!!! Only bad part is they still have no idea why I have been so dizzy and having such bad headaches. However, I am so grateful to my New Hope family for praying for me and checking in. I am so blessed.

>>I was accepted in to Messiah College, with more than a year paid in scholarships. It's decent and we'll see what happens after December 15th.

Tomorrow:

I am going to visit my favorite 18 year old sister and finally get to see her in college mode. Should be fun. It's been weird without her, but I am so glad I get to spend some time with her! Some of the things I have missed most about living with sisters:

Incessantly quoting movies,

laughing fits,

always a buddy to procrastinate with,

jamming/singing

fighting (yeah, I know.)

starbucks/panera dates

making cookies

someone else for mental stability when the rents start making horrible jokes.

More days should be like today. Hope your days were all equally as lovely,

Rach

Days Like These

My favorite place. Can't tell you where, but it's magical.

"You wanted rock and roll, complete control Well, I don’t know" My favorite song on the cd.

I love blogs where people have grand aspirations to save the world one bad outfit at a time, or give their snooty opinion about so and so's last book that was a bust, but still hold the author with the highest regard due to his attempts at depicting the antagonist of the story as a strong female lead. I realize these situations never occur. That's cool. Bad example I suppose. Either way. This is not that kind of blog. I have no main purpose with this little project here except maybe to drain the surfeit of useless information swimming around in my head. However, what you do get is my rambles, thoughts, and a quick glimpse into the life that I find worth living. I hope you can at least appreciate that.

Status on things in my life:

>>College applications: First main 4= complete!

>>Brain capacity to sponge up any more information regarding the cell, neuron, nephron, or brain: Limit Exceeded

>>Sleep: Not nearly enough of it

>>Stress: Moderate but nerves are definitely high.

>>Ready for: Tuesday to be over and then after that Wednesday as well.

>>Excited to: Embark on my next challenge. You'll see ;)

>>Praying for: Tuesday and that the outbreak of Cholera in Haiti is over soon.

>>Thankful for: My family, Fall back!, a plan , Claude Debussy for writing the most beautiful music, and some really wonderful people praying for me.

Fall is really the best time of the year. Pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks, an extra hour of sleep, and changing leaves. I love collapsing on the couch and turning on the fire (even if it's electric!) and reading. Hopefully soon I will be able to dig in on the new books I have just bought from B&N. I'm tired of all of this AP nonsense. Here's to enjoyment reading and naps. I will plan my time accordingly, and with that good night. North Carolina, you are officially on the normal cycle of how fall should feel.

Love, blessings, and thankful for this next breath,

Rach

I like this song

second place never was so sweet

Pictures from the second to last soccer game of the season for Woods Charter School. It's so difficult to know that the season is over and that I will not be able to participate in any more games with these amazing athletes. Although I have only played 1 year on the team, it has been so much fun and I'm so happy I did. Just some pictures (courtesy of Kim Chambers) and now realizing how much I am going to miss everyone come graduation.
Although we lost 2-1 in the championship game, the game last night against Franklin was so worth it, that it doesn't even matter. Winning in over time against a team who had illegally stacked their team was one of the highlights of senior year. I am so happy to be a part of the team and love you all. Mike, Jon, and Chris, you guys are the best and I am so excited to get to graduate with you all.

Don't knock it; You've been here before

My fingers hurt. My wrists hurt. I love life. I was able to play piano and guitar for two hours straight today. On a school night. I wish I could express the magnitude of this occurrence.

I never seem to get everything done that I want to. This is usual for everyone; I understand this. However, it drives me crazy because I have such a difficult time relaxing and taking a break unless I am done with all of my work. Good news is that I am getting better at being neglectful of my work. Not completely true, but if I am able to do something at another time I will take the opportunity. Also, I've found that if I make a quick list of things I did do, it helps me feel accomplished and realized that I haven't been wasting my day.

Today I was able to do some of my favorite things and as a result am feeling no stress despite a bio test tomorrow and college application deadlines closing in.

-Piano & guitar <3
-Went for a run
-Took some pictures
-cleaned my room
-blogged ;)
&& I am almost finished with my Elon, UNC Chapel Hill, Davidson, and Messiah applications!!!

I am blessed and need to remember this. Miss Lynette McRae sent me the nicest email. I am so lucky to know this woman and have her care enough to email me nearly every week with encouraging words.

1 Peter 1:18
Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God. It cost God plenty to get you out of that dead-end, empty-headed life you grew up in. He paid with Christ's sacred blood, you know. He died like an unblemished, sacrificial lamb. And this was no afterthought. Even though it has only lately—at the end of the ages—become public knowledge, God always knew he was going to do this for you. It's because of this sacrificed Messiah, whom God then raised from the dead and glorified, that you trust God, that you know you have a future in God. <3

Love, blessings, and thoroughly content,
Rach