19 Years of Blessings

Recently I turned 19. I had a great birthday. I spent it at camp (which I still promise to tell you about). Before I left for camp, we celebrated with my family here. We went out to dinner and had cake that my mom drove 2 hours to pick up, homemade by a good friend of ours. The next day my brother and I left for a week at camp.
THEN on my actual birthday at camp: My day started by my best friend waking me up and saying, "Good morning and happy birthday!" =) Then at breakfast my brother and 2 friends sang me a birthday song. :) Of course, there were all the happy birthday texts and comments throughout the day. It was a wonderful day. :) I'm so blessed to have the wonderful family and friends I do. God has truly blessed me in many ways, and I am grateful.

~Brooke

Summer Plans

Wow hello again everyone! I feel like I have so much catching up to do here! I have been slightly out of touch since I've been so busy trying to finish school. Then I went to camp for a week. Which was amazing, and I will tell you all about it later. I am done with school now! I sent in my final test yesterday so now I'm just waiting for my final score. I'm very excited to be graduated. Soon I will start looking for a job-working from home of course, as there is no place I'd rather be. The rest of my summer is looking pretty busy. Next week my family is taking a vacation to Tennessee. I'm very excited to be doing one more camp session in July- Girls' Retreat. I look forward to being able to minister to some girls and show God's love to them. In August I go back to Los Angeles for a conference there for a week. So my summer is shaping up to be busy but fun!

~Brooke

Live From the Homeschool Conference!

Hi everyone!! I am at the homeschool conference RIGHT NOW! Ok actually, I'm not at the convention hall, but I was there basically all day today and it is AWESOME!!! I love looking at all the curriculum and vendors. We've also attended some pretty good talks about worldview this year, put on by Mr. Stonestreet of Summit Ministries. I am having a really good time. I even got to meet up with some friends downstairs at the used curriculum sale. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow, as I have a couple sessions to attend. Hopefully I can also get pictures up soon!

~Brooke

Homeschool Conference Coming Up!

Hello readers!! What have I been up to lately? Well, basically school. Which is why I haven't been posting much lately. I'm working furiously trying to finish up school within the next couple of weeks. This weekend though, my parents and I are attending a local homeschool conference. I am so excited! Specifically because one of the main speakers of the weekend is from Summit Ministries and will be speaking a lot on worldview. A great topic. :) Then next weekend I am off to be a Bible teacher at camp for a week. I am so excited for that as well!! I will also be celebrating my birthday during that week. So it will be a busy next couple of weeks but I'm excited. I will try and let you know how the conference is!!

~Brooke 

What?! No Way!!

Well readers, I am excited. VERY excited. You see, I found out a very exciting fact today. One of my favorite writers, quite possibly my favorite writer EVER, has come out of hiding. I'm talking about the one and only Jasmine Baucham. Many months ago she published her book (which I have yet to read), and after that really left the blogging world, except for an occasional post here and there. Well today I found out that she has a new blog!!! This is beyond amazing!!! Because it means I can again read her amazing posts with her wonderful wisdom, encouragement, and humor. I love Jasmine's writing. I hope and aspire to someday write with the conviction and maturity that she does. I would like to believe that I am on the road to improving in that direction; I can only hope and pray I am.

You can find Jasmine's new blog at All She Has To Say. :)

~Brooke

Graduation - One Year Later

My parents and I at my graduation
ceremony last May. :)

One year ago, I graduated high school. It was a very monumental day in my life. I had been homeschooled "all the way"- from preschool through high school. I was privileged enough to participate in a state-wide graduation ceremony for homeschoolers. There were about 125 of us!! It was a wonderful ceremony though, and the speaker gave a wonderful message about always remembering how God is right next to us. I was also thankful to celebrate it with my family and several of our close friends, who had been inspirations to me as I grew up.

I knew that I did not want to pursue college. I felt that the Lord has called me to be a wife and mother someday. I also feel that He has given me a talent for writing (at least I hope so), and He has definitely given me a passion for it. I chose to pursue medical transcriptioning as a way to work from home. Hopefully this is something I could do before, and possibly even after, I have a family. But of course I still plan to pursue writing.

And now here I am a year later, and I am about to graduate again. This time from medical transcriptioning school. I'm not there quite yet, but I'm in my final session and should graduate in June. I'm getting very excited!! I am so thankful for all the support I've had from my friends and family, and from the Lord. My future is unknown to me, but I'm excited to see what He will make of it. :)

~Brooke

I Love My Mother!!

So this post basically equates to a Mother's Day post. Yes I know, very late. :) I love my mother. A LOT. I'm thankful that she was willing to give up working a job outside the home to stay home and homeschool me and later my brother. I'm thankful for the instruction and teaching she has given me over the years and continues to give me. I'm thankful that she is patient with me and understanding, even when we don't see eye to eye. And my mother and I are very different at times! We have very different personalities. Together we have had to learn how the other works, and be patient towards each other in that way. We understand that the way she and my father raised me is very different from the way she was raised. And so, I love my mother! And I have no doubt that she loves me as well. I love you mom!!

~Brooke