A semester I will never forget

Now, I am going to reflect back on the past 16 weeks. It has been one hell of a semester between balancing part time work with school for the first time to managing my time and money a little tighter to becoming a bride to be. Geez, I did not expect all the things that happened this semester to happen it has been quite the experience.

Starting out the semester on August 19, 2013 I did not know what to expect or what to learn. I had just switched from Information Technology to Visual Communications and I did not know who I was going to meet or who would approach me. I had just gotten a part time job 5 days beforehand working 5:30-10pm Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and 5:30-2:00am on Fridays with weekends only for my social life. But it turned out to be a good semester after all. I met and made so many new friends who were just a like in weirdness as I am. Some of the people I questioned talking to at first just because of how I thought they might think of me but they approached me and I met some awesome people in my graphic arts classes and as much as I hated getting up at 8 am two days a week I enjoyed the people in my classes and the projects I got to participate in as well.

Eventually I had to drop my Friday work shift for my fourth course, a math course that unfortunately I may fail but that's alright failure is a good thing because it gives us the chance to make it right again. Even though I hate math and the work I have to do with it I am still ready to try and make an effort to pass the class. I have successfully passed both of my graphic arts classes too which was an experience in itself really, I got a chance to be a part of a Doritos Superbowl commercial, invent new ideas for a phone just for the class, participate in a few contests and above all else I had fun in the process and drank a lot of coffee.

On September 14, 2013 another factor came into my life. I became engaged to who is now my fiance I had to learn how to make time for him, but he knows that schooling comes first which is honestly something great in a person to acknowledge that you are bettering your life for the both of you. But I will never forget the proposal either... I was just waking up and he was on his knee with the ring box open and asked me to marry him. I responded in a tired sense but happy that someone wanted to marry me and care for me as much as I wanted to care for him.

But as the semester carried on it brought on more personal worries, I walked out on my job but took it back two days later under the condition they cut my hours, I am struggling to keep just my math score up but my other classes are getting by smoothly. I ended Intro to Computer Graphics with a B- and I ended Strategic Concepts with an A. Tomorrow I take my literature final and turn in my final exam essay which right now I have an A in that class too but the only class I am really worried about is my math class which that final is not until Thursday morning So I am hoping to work my butt off on what's left of the online assignments and pray that brings my grades up but in the end I know I tried and that is all that matters.
But honestly this has to be the best semester of college I have ever had, I have a job, I have the grades and I have a fiance. That's a blessing :)

By far the hardest and easiest semester in my year and a half of community college

I can't believe this semester ends next week. Just seemed only a few weeks ago it began, and this semester has changed me in so many ways.
I met so many new people when I switched majors and felt a part of things because the people I acquainted were just the same as I. I also learned how to juggle working part time, going to 5-7 hours of labs and lectures four days a week, make time to get homework and studying done and make time for family and my fiance. This semester really kicked my butt exhaustion wise but I'm glad I made it through, made me grow up a little more. I am probably going to learn for the first time what it is like to fail a class because I have never failed a class. Ever. But math is also not my thing, I don't like math one bit and I think it needs to go bug someone else but it is required and it is useful in life.
I learned a lot of new skills this semester such as study and time management skills and learning to take things one day at a time.... and I have known this but I know it more now..... COFFEE WILL BECOME YOUR BEST FRIEND IN COLLEGE. I also learned not to take things as seriously as they may seem either. I've had my ups and downs this semester, I have had my days where getting out of bed was a struggle because I was so darn tired but I did it.
Now finals are next week then I get to do it all again in January, more studying, more projects and more late nights with my headphones working and working on homework and studying for exams.
College will be easy.... SAID NO ONE EVER! but it is fun and I learn so much every semester and acknowledge my never ending addiction to caffeine. There are times that I do wish I could go back to high school and do it all over again but if I did I would not have the experiences that I have had ever since starting college. College is by far one of the best things to happen to me and by far one of the best decisions I ever made to do right out of high school. That honors high school diploma came into good use and the hard work I did in high school really paid off too. I wouldn't trade any of it really, it makes me into a more strong, smarter person and makes me anxious to see what is is in store for the next semester on what I am going to learn, who am I going to meet, what friends will I make, what is next on this adventure.
College changed me entirely as a person for the better. :)

My first one year relationship

Gezzel, it has been one hell of a month. From family members being in and out of the hospital to stress at my job to preparing for final exams with the worry of failing my math class because well, one I cannot stand math and math can go die in a hole and on top of that I am also not very good at it either and well life in general has been knocking me down here and there. But I have something to look forward to the next couple weekends. Next Sunday on December 8 I will be with JJ a whole year which for someone like me that is a big deal because I have never really been that much into being in committed relationships because before it never worked out... but he changed that when he put a ring on my finger and I know I haven't been with him too long but I believe it should not have a time limit if you love someone why deny it?  That is something that we cannot help. And then I have a father daughter date with my dad the weekend of the 14th to go see the second part of The Hobbit! I am so excited to go see it the first part was really good and judging from the commercials and the trailers ooooohhhhhh it is going to be awesome :) but first is the one year anniversary with JJ we are planning out a formal date and I am beyond excited for it because well I made it a year with someone. That is a big deal to me, he has a nice suit he is going to wear and I went out and bought a really nice dress and heels to match it and this has to be a big deal to me because I don't wear dresses.... AND I SURE AS HELL HATE HEELS. But like I said this is a big deal to me and I cannot wait to see what he thinks of the dress and the card and present that I am going to get him to go along with it and well life seems to be looking up right now and I wouldn't have life any other way. I hope it stays that way too.....
:)

"A kiss from a rose"

Recently I heard a song on the radio one day going to one of my graphic arts classes, I had heard it before but I never knew the lyrics or the meaning or who even sang it. Thank goodness for the app Sound Hound because I found who sang it and downloaded it to my phone. Now I know this is just a silly blog on a song but the more I listen to it the more it means to me in a lot of different ways. I think the lyrics that stick in my head most about this song is well, one, it is a beautiful song so beautiful each time I listen to it I fall into a trance
"baby, I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the gray"
"Now that your rose is in bloom, a light hits the gloom on the gray"
"There is so much a man can tell you so much he can say, you remain my power, my pleasure, my pain"
In my opinion, because everyone could look at this song in different ways, to me this could mean a lot. It could mean life, new life. One tragedy or one bad life event can open the door to a better thing. There is always something bigger and better out there it is just up to us to go and find it.
And now that you have found this better thing, a light hits the gloom on the past.
Also, I can dedicate it to my fiance in a sense, he always brightens my mood no matter what life throws at me he is my light that hits the gloom.
I've always been that kind of person to listen to any kind of music and pick apart its meaning, what the singer or vocal artist is trying to say and see if I can find any personal meaning behind it for myself. In my opinion music is life and without music in life, it would be grey, meaningless, lifeless, and boring. Music is my savior when I don't need it, it listens when you need listened to, it can describe an emotion, it can bring back the good and the bad memories, it can spark an inspiration, it can bring you down , it can spark a motive, it can do anything, for me it's a solace. When I get stressed out I listen to things like this song, Phil Collins, Journey, positive classical music. When I am angry I listen to faster music like Metallica or Avenged Sevenfold. But of all the songs I have on my playlist to listen to on a daily basis, "A kiss from a rose"inspires me the most because in my opinion it is more than a song, it is a beautiful work of art.

Designing CD covers

I took graphic design classes in high school since my 9th grade year. And I got advanced with it once I reached my senior year being able to import from Illustrator to DreamWeaver and all kinds of stuff and improving my drawing skills in the process. But I didn't realize how demanding of a field technical and graphic design was until I got into this semester of college, Fall 2013. I am a year and a half into college   but I was originally an IT major until they cut out the web design and development track to I switched to graphic design to get some training done in Adobe software. 

Just about a week ago we were assigned to design CD covers for a band. We had a list to chose from, I chose Evanescence mainly because I am a rock and metal music lover.... well I confine myself to that kind of music because I like the sound and beat of it. But we had to create it all using Photoshop. Normally for projects like this I would finagle the tools in Illustrator but Photoshop was what we are going over in class. 

I am not real familiar with Photoshop but I couldn't figure out a design for the background of the cover so I went onto Google and Kunaki for some free templates and found a really cool background for the CD cover and added a photo filter to make it fade out of purple to blue because I chose to stick with the color scheme of Evanescence's What You Want album. The combination of the purple, blue, aqua and cyan green fascinates me and I thought that would make a good color scheme for a black background. 

Just turned it in today so here is the final product .... Just for a classroom project though nothing major. I'm pretty satisfied with it :) 

My daily inspirations.

I have 3 inspirations in life, family, music, and my fiancé. My family means everything and is everything to me, my family has helped me through everything from supporting me getting through college to recently being engaged. My family has held my hand through all the hard times, told me I would be okay and of course made me smile and laugh. I don't know where I would be without my mom, dad, grandmother, brother and sister. They all mean the world to me in so many ways. My sister impresses me everyday with doing what she does in her high school band class and her grades, my brother he serves in our Army, definitely something to be proud of. And, I am thankful, more than thankful to have such hardworking parents to make sure we have a roof over our heads and food in our stomachs and a bed to sleep in every night (or in my case I prefer a couch)

Music, no I don't make my own music and I don't major in music. Just listening to music gives me an inspiration to make my life more meaningful and beautiful. Music is life, without music there would be no emotion. I listen to all kinds of music, metal, heavy metal, hard rock, classic rock and symphony orchestra. Weird combination I know but each of these genres paint a mental image, story almost in my head that could give me an idea for anything (now if only it could do that for general education assignments). But anything I do, whether I'm at work or doing homework or even just bored shopping or sitting and thinking I always have music.

My fiancé James, (JJ) definitely inspires me to get through the day on a whole new aspect. When he was 9 years old he got hit by a car. That accident changed his life permanently, I can't imagine someone going through that kind of pain at that young of an age, he was told he wouldn't be able to speak again, or walk again but he proved it all wrong he can speak clearly, he can walk and he is so intelligent, he outsmarts me a lot in life to life discussions and conversations, then when he turned 16 he lost his father, that... that I just cannot imagine losing my father at that age when you need your parents most. He does talk about his father a lot and that is expected. This man has been through so much in his life but what inspires me and makes me love him so much more is that someone who has dealt with so much pain in life can still wake up and smile and laugh and move forward in life, he is definitely my angel and definitely brightens my day :) I look up to him as another role model in my life, another reason to be alive and to enjoy life because if someone can go through that much pain in life and work so hard to get back to normal and work harder to make their life better that means I am just as capable of doing the same, he always encourages me to never give up and to keep my head up and keep working harder everyday.

I don't have a favorite out of these 3, but they all mean the world to me and I would not trade any of them for anything, they all are just my world and make my life worth living for and I am looking forward to what the future has in store and what I can make of it as the future comes my way. :)

My fiancé and I :)
April 2013 

Myself, my mom, my sister, my dad and my brother
Summer 2011

my sister, brother and I :)
Summer 2011 

Life is beautiful

I have learned so much in younger teenage years. I am only 19 years old and I have learned so much about life and the way it works, and I have come up with my own truth that life has no rules and has no bounds and we all learn that life is life. But despite the ups and downs I have been through as well as other people with their experiences, I have learned that life is more than beautiful, it is only as beautiful as we make it. 

My fiance is a perfect example of this of how beautiful we can make life. He has been through a lot of tough times in his life and is only 21 years old, but it is truly inspiring how I talk to him everyday and he's laughing, he's smiling, and he breathes in the same air as everyone else, just as human as everyone else. It's funny how it is the simple things in life that matter, but those simple things add up to the big things. Life is only what we make of it and I think we should always make it great no matter what life throws in our path. If life was meant to be perfect, it would be rather boring. 

I don't know what tragedy is, I don't know what dealing with the worst kinds of pain is but I have experienced my own kind of pain. And, the way I see it is it made me stronger as a person and it has made into a better person today and tomorrow. And what I face today can be solved tomorrow, to me, tomorrow is always another slate, another chance to make it better. Life works itself into mysterious ways too, I never thought that a four wheeler accident I had a few years ago would bring me the man of my dreams but it did and that made my life that much more beautiful, I am a full time college student working every single day to make my life better for not only me but for my fiance too. It is no longer about me anymore in life, it's about him and my family. 

So I know it just seems like I am just rambling on but in all honesty, this is how I view life, every struggle every good time everything that makes us who we are is also what makes our individual lives that much more beautiful :) and that is something to be thankful for every day. 

My busiest two years of high school... 11th and 12th grade.

College has always been a primary goal for me. I have always been told like any other high school student that college is important and it is important to have a post secondary education to get good paying jobs in a career you'll love, based off of vocational interest of course. I didn't realize how important it would be honestly until I reached the 11 grade. My 11th grade year was probably one of my most stressful years of high school, I had always been in accelerated and advanced classes since the 7th grade. Once I reached junior year, it got harder. I was taking two AP (Advanced Placement) courses in History.... my worst hated subject and language and composition, dual credit courses with Gateway Community and Technical College in developmental, general education and Information Technology courses, SkillsUSA, STLP, Freedom Writers, and vocational studies in Graphic Communications and Information Technology. 

Before junior year, I was just exploring the two vocational courses until I could figure out which one I liked best. Then I decided my junior year that I would go to college for both since I loved both so much and they were both and still are good fields to go into. The summer going into my senior year, I got my first job experience in IT when I got hired on to be a student IT Co-op, a summer job but a job. The maintenance crew and the IT teacher hire the co-ops and it was myself and 5 other people... all guys. That whole summer I worked with switches, punch down tools, fixing computers, installing software, fixing computer software problems through the use of the command prompt, installing wall mounted projectors, and running wires... not to mention painting and lifting cinder blocks while getting paid minimum wage, but I loved the job... was very upset when I had to stop for the start of the 2011-2012 academic year... senior year. 

When senior year started, one, I was relieved because it was my last year of high school and my last year of getting up at 6 am 5 days a week, two, it was going to be easy. Since I was a Kentucky Scholars student my 8th grade year I was ahead of a normal high school student by 3 high school credits. The basic curriculum requirements were 4 English credits, 4 Math credits, 3 Science, 3 History, 2 Foreign Language and a year of PE and Health. I had finished everything including 3 high school Spanish classes by junior year... but one English credit. So my schedule for senior year was pretty hectic. I only had one English course... AP Literature and Composition, two graphic arts classes, and 3 IT courses and three days a week I left school early to come to the Urban Center campus in Covington to take dual credit courses at Gateway then come back for my extra-curricluar courses which was STLP and I was elected on the SkillsUSA local council again, this time as the Vice President... yay more responsibility, and Freedom Writers. Which meant more local, district, regional and possible state competitions. the first semester of senior year flew by, when I wasn't at Gateway classes I was at the high school vocational center either working on independent study in web design, or co-oping with the high school technology coordinator taking inventory on computers, installing hardware, or working on a regional showcase project for STLP. So wasn't all too busy the first semester. Outside of school I helped out with fundraisers for SkillsUSA including dressing up as a mattress for a mattress sale at the high school... fun day that was, drinking down a monster energy drink to attend the Homecoming dance, KLTI (Kentucky Leadership Training Institute) for Skills officers in Louisville, Kentucky for 3 days for officer team training, and volunteering Saturday mornings for Toys for Tots and Saturday study sessions for AP English. 

After Christmas break of senior year it got even busier for me, Another dual credit course, preparing for the SkillsUSA regional competition in February 2012, watching my little cousin after school on Mondays, homework, and I also got asked if I wanted a ten week long job as a teaching assistant with the IT instructor on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30-5:30 for Tubby's Clubhouse, it was an after school program for middle school students who had good grades and good attendance... my sister was in 6th grade at the time and was chosen for the program and it taught middle school kids to know the inside and out of a computer, take it apart and put it back together and install software on it.. I think the busiest week I had was the week of SkillsUSA regionals... that was a stress and a half but I got through it and Chapman SkillsUSA made it to state. Then college applications came about, I got accepted to Gateway Community and Technical College, Western Kentucky University, and Brescia University. Once everything was done and over with graduation neared and the last month was pretty easy. My last day of school was June 1, 2012 and the seniors had a week off to attend senior day at Kings Island which I attended with my mom, and I went back to the high school to help around the school, got hired on again for a summer co-op job, then finally, June 8, 2012 came. 7:00pm that day I was officially out of high school. 

Despite the busy, stressful two years, I am in college and I am going for the things I loved doing while learning it in high school so it was well worth the hard work :) Here's some pictures of graduation and such. 

working on silk screens in graphic arts 11' 

My father and me at graduation

Lexington Convention Center

My friends and me before graduation commencements

Preparing for the 2012 SkillsUSA state conference 

STLP (Student Technology Leadership Program)

Another program I joined in high school was the Student Technology Leadership Program (STLP). This program and SkillsUSA were probably the two most stressful when we made it to state level competitions in both programs because both competitions were always a few weeks apart in April and May. But I enjoyed participating in the program because it further developed my interest in web development and technology itself. I joined this program around December 2008, middle of my 9th grade year, with a few friends just to see what the program consisted of and if it would be beneficial to getting into college and enhancing my high school career, I made an awesome choice to stay in the program after attending a regional showcase at Northern Kentucky University which was a competitive showcase of projects created by kids in elementary, middle, and high school. I was absolutely amazed by what some of the kids came up with, one even designed a virtual reality project and the kid was in middle school! Then in May 2009 I traveled to the state showcase in Lexington, Kentucky to see what it was like there too, it was an overnight trip, we stayed in the Hilton hotel and it was an awesome experience to say the least. I stayed in the program all through high school.

My 10th grade year ultimately tested me. My friend Christina and I were the only two girls in the STLP program and we had a project of our own to build, our project was to teach the basics of Adobe Dreamweaver CS3... kinda outdated by now. We went and competed in the regional showcase at Northern in November 2009 and was qualified along with the boys' project to advance to the state showcase in Lexington in May 2010. We didn't make it to a national showcase but it was worth a shot.

My 11th grade year is when it got a little stressful. Because I had also joined in SkillsUSA that year. Now it was me, Christina,  and my other two friends Rebecca and Jordan in a group and this project posed a challenge. We were going to show how 3D modeling could help teach a class, we put the presentation together for regional and we passed and advanced on to the state showcase which was exciting but it was also more work. After making it to state for skills as well it put a lot more work on me. I was staying aftrr school as late as 5 or 6 sometimes doing skills and STLP work. We got it togryher though.  Didn't make it to state but definitely caught people's attention.

12th grade unfortunately we didn't make it but it was still fun and we still got to go to Lexington to be apart of it. I know yjis program helped influence me to be where I am today and I'm glad I took advantage of the opportunity :)

Love of a family

I've always had the moral of family comes first. I was raised that way and I still hold on to that value today. But I have also come to grow into family outside of my four walls. I love my mother and father to death, they are my life and my best friends and probably the only two people that will ever semi understand me. But over just the past year I have learned a new meaning to the word family thanks to my fiance. 

When my fiance and I got together, I already loved his mother to death, His mother was always there for me to talk to whenever you were down and she is just a loving person, and it's just a plus that she's hilarious. His step father, I'm still trying to get more social with him but he is always there for my fiance when he needs to be. Their family gets a long so well with my family, and its nice to be able to have both families together and no one hating each other or wanting to go off on each other. 

His family comes from a great, relaxing, hard working, with a touch of country with that. :) Just recently this past weekend I went to his hunting shack just behind my grandparent's house in Williamstown and I adapted so well to his family and talked to them as if I were talking to my own parents and my own family. It's just a plus that my fiancé also loves four wheeling as much as I do. I get quite the rush out of it. There are some that I really don't want to make the friend status with but at the same time if I am going to marry him in the future, family is family.

So, I guess the moral of this writing is it doesn't matter who you are, where you come from, what your values are or perspective on life is.... even narrowed down to your favorite food :D family is family, it does not have to be by blood, by marriage or any of that complicated stuff, family is being surrounded by the people you love. Mine is my family, his family and my friends. And, it is also just a plus that we both get a good laugh from it too :)

July 4, 2013 down in Williamstown four wheeling :) 

Funny faces he makes hahahahahaha 

SkillsUSA

SkillsUSA was a vocational program offered at my high school's vocational center. This is a program composed of students, teachers, and industrial leaders working to ensure America's workforce, sounds narrow and boring right? Well look again, this was one of the best programs I went into in high school.
I started participating in this program when I reached the 11th grade. I was on for the hands on competitions, but I was also elected into the local executive council too, I held the parliamentarian position. We held a variety of fundraisers including a mattress sale to raise money for the program. But also being on the local council you had to practice what was called an Opening and Closing ceremony. Each executive council in the all the vocational schools had to practice it. Which was more less a dedication to the SkillsUSA emblem

The shield represents patriotism, the gear represents the industrial society, the torch represents knowledge, the orbital circles represent technology, and the hands represent the individual. Each person on the council has a part that he or she has to rehearse and perfect. I have held two positions on my local council in high school, parliamentarian my junior year and vice president my senior year. I remember the two parts I had to memorize too. This was what we went by. We especially had to perfect our ceremony at Holmes because not only did we have to compete in leadership competitions for it but also since the regional competition was held at my high school we had to open and close the event. We also had to wear professional attire too. For the females personally we had to wear black dress pants, black dress socks, black dress shoes, white dress shirt, no collar, and no low cut shirts hair well groomed and a red SkillsUSA blazer.

This photo was taken at the 2011 state conference in Louisville, Kentucky at the Galt House Hotel. The ballrooms were always a sea of SkillsUSA blazers. I think my favorite part of the trips to state competitions in Louisville was all the new people you met who are working in the same vocation as you or same interests as yourself and the fun you have with the activities and karaoke was always a must with my friends and I :)
But I didn't always do just leadership activities I also competed hands on in Web Design/Development which is what I am going to school for now, even though I never placed in these competitions the experience to go and compete was good enough for me.

This program set the foundation of what I was going to go to college for. Not to mention it made my vocation have a fun and professional look to it. I am more than happy that I joined this program and I hope soon when I get to a university to further my degrees I can join again and compete on a collegiate level :)

A future ahead of me

We all dream of what our future will be like. Will we meet the prince charming? Or becoming a doctor, a lawyer or a police officer. But even at 10 years old to even 16 years old I never pictured my life being as it is today. Going to school full time, working part time, engaged to someone and not yet 19, I turn 19 a week from now. But I am not complaining, I really would not have it any other way.

When I was 15,16 and 17 years old, I never pictured my life like this. Now granted that is all only a few years ago that is still a huge difference from today. But at those ages I remembered the only important things were buying a dress for prom and the homecoming dance, getting enough sleep or caffeine in me or turning in AP homework on time and when the next hangout with my friends was going to be. Yeah, like high school goes you have your crushes and your flings and anything else that would make it worth remembering but once I graduated high school June 8, 2012. That all changed for me.

I graduated high school and started college at the age of 17 which was a bit of a mental challenge for me. At the time I wasn't working, it was my first semester of college I wanted to see if I could stick it out first. I turned 18 half way through the semester and I have to say really the only thing that is different from high school is no more getting up at 6 am every morning :) But I also noticed how much more responsibility I had to manage such as managing time for family and friends and how much studying to do every night to make sure I had an adequate amount of sleep. Once I got through my first year of college for the 2012-2013 academic year I figured I would take the summer off and try to find a part time job. Which I did, four days before school started as a janitor at Fidelity Investments which I still hold the job now and started the fall 2013 semester. Just recently a week ago my boyfriend of 10 months, but whom I have known and fallen for, for three years got down on his knee and asked me to marry him.

So the difference of when I was 16 and now a week away from 19 is pretty big. I am managing school work, projects, a part time job, time with family, friends and my fiance and sometime down the road learning how to manage finances. 3 years ago I never imagined my life being like this, but like I said I would not have it any other way or trade any of it. I talk with some of my high school friends and their lives have completely changed too. I know right now I am only in stepping stones with entering the real world but future looks bright and I think as long as I keep working hard and keep the grades and save the money. Things will definitely look up brighter than they already seem. :)

New Hope and a Ring

I never thought in high school to be the one to find someone special in my life that would inspire me so outside of my own family. I never thought that I would be that kind of person at all just because well through high school it never really worked out for me. But this sort of changed when I reached the 10th grade my perspective on anything and everything changed that year on April 4, 2010.

I was 16 reaching the end of my sophomore year in high school. I had just started spring break and my dad took my sister and I to our grandparents down in Williamstown to go four wheeling on the property. My brother was already down there. I went and said hi to my grandparents and hung out before my dad said we could ride around on the four wheeler, he asked the people who own property behind my grandparents house if it was alright if we rode back there, which we could we just had to be careful because they were mowing the grass. There was already someone back there on a four wheeler. An 18 year old, my sister and I rode back there and I acknowledged that he was there but didn't think too much of it. Well about a half hour into riding I ran over a pretty good size tree limb because the area is surrounded by trees, I lost control of the ATV and got flung off into some bushes with my sister on the back riding down the hill, I didn't even realize how hurt I was I went after the quad which was stopped by two trees. I got her off and my dad came and got the four wheeler so it could be fixed and rode again. The 18 year old, my dad, and my aunt all came to make sure we were okay. That's when I first talked to the 18 year old, he told me to call him JJ. He didn't leave my side after that and I could not figure out why. He walked back with my dad and I to examine the quad and my injuries which I cut my right leg, messed my left knee up and had a bruise on my face but other than that I was okay and my sister only had a scratch on her arm. The rest of that day I went four wheeling on the back of JJ's quad while my brother rode on the other quad and I got to know him a little bit. Think the first compliment he gave me was "my god you have beautiful eyes and a gorgeous smile." I don't remember much from that day other than we forgot to exchange numbers to keep in touch. He was getting ready to graduate high school at the time. But I remembered a bright smile in sunlight/.

After that day I remember always going back to that property to see if he was there, which majority of the time he wasn't. It wasn't up until the end of spring break my senior year in April 2012 when I was back down at my grandparent's house to help paint the gutters and the roof that I saw him again. I came back from Kelley Bruce's which is just a little market down the street from my grandparent's house. with gloves on ready to work again when my dad called out to me, "Hey Paige! Do you remember that kid that helped you from your wreck?" I responded, "Yes? I think?" next thing I know there he is, I just kind of froze for a minute and thought, there he is, someone I never thought I would see again, two years later. "Hi, Paige remember me?" he said. "Yes, I do, it's been a while" I remember that day dying to get his number to communicate and hoping he would remember everything, and he did. He very much did. After that day we hung out here and there, I graduated high school and started college in August 2012, I was with someone else and had been for a while, but was getting really fed up with the person. So in October 2012 I broke it off with that person and finished out the semester. JJ and I got together December 8, 2012.

Since then, we had confided in each other, we have grown to have affection for each other. And I never get tired of being around him. He inspires me to work harder in school, at my job or just being myself. He gives me motivation to get up every morning and get done with what I need to get done. He is everything to me, and I never thought I would be the kind of person to feel this way but I do. And just recently on September 14 he got down on his one knee, and he proposed to me, the ring is an early birthday present because I turn 19 in a week and a half but the proposal was the surprise. I am more than happy to be this man's fiance. who would have known that by a four wheeler wreck I would be with this man today? they say everything happens for a reason and I guess he's the reason. But, he loves the fact that I go to school, and I work. But I have grown to have such a mature bond with him that when people ask me what I am working towards I always say, "I am working towards a bright future yes, but it's not just my future, it's mine and his." and I stick to that. Whenever I started to cry or feel down about myself, or having the urge that strong urge that I couldn't do it anymore, he told me to never give up because he never did. I honestly thank him for being there for me as a friend and as my fiance now. If he hadn't helped me with myself and that strong urge to just give up on everything I would not be where I am at now. I do pray every night and hope to god that this does pull through because I would be lifeless without him. He is my best friend, my true love, my angel, my everything.

All I want for Christmas 2013

I absolutely love Christmas, always have since I was kid. I love being around my family and spending time with my family. Family is everything to me. But Christmas has not been the same since 2010. Beforehand we always held it at wherever it was, most of the time at my aunt and uncle's house in Florence. But I most of all love Christmas for the happy atmosphere, the smell of floral candles and that once in a blue moon that there is snow on the ground. A White Christmas is such a beautiful sight! I have only seen it a few times and I admire how the snow sparkles on the ground. Beautiful.

December 2010 was a rough one. Christmas eve 2010, I was half way through my junior year of high school. My grandfather had gull-bladder surgery that Christmas eve. My brother who was half way through his senior year of high school and signed up with the Army reserves stayed in Williamstown with my grandmother so she wouldn't be alone. We didn't celebrate Christmas as a full family that year, instead we all celebrated a late Christmas in February 2011, and was thankful that my grandfather had a successful surgery. But every Christmas since 2010 has not been the same. June 11, 2011 my brother graduated high school, we were supposed to have time with him until the end of June, early July. June 25, 2011 he was called up to go to boot camp. The only communication we had was writing letters. He got to come home for two weeks leave in November 2011, which means he was home for Thanksgiving, we all had Thanksgiving as a family at my house. And, it by far was the best holiday feeling ever to have my brother home again for the holidays. But he wouldn't be home for Christmas.

Christmas 2011 we didn't put the tree up my house, my sister and I didn't feel right putting the tree up without our brother there, we still celebrated as a family, but without the tree. However we did put it up for Christmas 2012, but he was still stationed in South Korea for Christmas. It hasn't felt right since 2011. He serves in our nation's Army, and that is an honorable thing, and I am thankful to have such a close member of the family sacrifice his time and effort to make sure his family has somewhere to call home.

Everyone always asks me the usual, "What do you want for Christmas?" The answer is always the same, I want my brother to be home on leave to celebrate Christmas with the family. Well, just a few months ago I found out that my brother is scheduled to go on leave Thanksgiving this year and he just may be home for Christmas this year. It is not set in stone, but I pray every night that it happens, that would be the best thing ever to see my brother home on Christmas day.

* And thank you to all who serve in any branch of the military.

High School Memories

I don't think there is a day that goes by that I do not reflect back on my high school career. People always said make your high school years worth it because you will miss it when you are out and graduated and these people were always right. I definitely don't miss getting up at 6 am but I do miss the programs I was involved in and how it made me into the person I am today. Although of all the programs I did I think the three I miss the most are SkillsUSA, Freedom Writer's and STLP (Student Technology Leadership Program). Mainly because those three programs set the foundations for the long term goals I have. Started pretty early too, 9th grade.

I started participating in my high school's STLP before the other two. Which was a technical leadership program and what we did was stay after school for about an hour or two and design and complete projects through the use of technology. I was very fascinated by this because this gave me an opportunity to expand my mind and see what I could really accomplish beyond the classroom (although we worked on projects in the classroom that's beside the point) And I remember in May 2009 I went to the state competition just to observe and see if I would like the program. The competition was held in Lexington, Kentucky at Rupp Arena and Lexington Convention Center. And seeing some of the projects that kids as young as elementary school came up with gave me the inspiration to stay in the program to see what I could come up with. So through the rest of high school 10-12th grade I stayed in the program and competed both regionally and state level with showcase projects and this started my passion for designing web pages too because a lot of the projects involved web design and designing tri-fold posters. Here is a picture to kind of give an idea of the projects we would work on. This one would be what myself and my teammates made for the 2011 regional showcase.

Freedom Writer's came next because I helped create the program at my high school. As much as I love computers and designing writing was and remains my original passion. I like the idea of creating a story and having it documented for my entertainment or whenever I get a book published or finish a piece, hope that the idea fascinates someone else too. With the help of two friends, my 9th grade English teacher and approval from the principal the club was created in April 2009 and we called it the Freedom Writer's Club. The idea of the club was for young writers to come in and write in a good calm atmosphere and they would not be judged for anything. We have had quite a few people come in and out of the club sharing their talents and I just find that so interesting that people share the same talent as I or find someone else that shares that talent too.

My junior and senior year I joined a vocational program called SkillsUSA. I participated in both leadership and hands on workshops and competitions in this program which developed my passion even further and more in depth in web design. I also held two positions in those two years on the local executive council. My junior year I was the parliamentarian and then senior year I was the vice president. I fell in love with this program almost immediately. It helped strengthen my vocational and leadership skills. The chapter council not only organized fundraisers and such but also had to practice over and over an opening and closing ceremony which was a tedious task but it was also fun to do. I attended the 2010 and 2011 KLTI ( Kentucky Leadership Training Institute) along with the rest of my council which was three days in Louisville teaching us leadership skills and council skills. Then competed both regional and state level in 2011 and 2012. I never made it to nationals but the experience was good enough for me. It took a lot of hard work but it was so worth it, getting to meet new people and see new things and strengthen my vocational area that was good enough for me. But for meetings and certain competitions we had to dress professionally. For the females the dress attire was black dress shoes, black dress socks, black dress pants, white dress shirt, and a red SkillsUSA blazer. Very professional looking.
But these three programs made me decide what I wanted to go to college for and why I am studying what I am today. I still go back and help out any way I can to contribute back.

My greatest achievement yet, receiving my diploma

Like any other high school student I always looked forward to my high school graduation. All through high school I worked to the bone to get where I was including extra-curricular activities, accelerated/AP (Advanced Placement) classes and Saturday study halls, and a variety of regional and state competitions. Finally June 8, 2012 arrived. I remember the feeling of excitement....and also how tired I was to have to get up at 8:30 am to be at graduation practice at 9. I sat in the second row to the far left 21st of my class. I liked hearing the sound of Pomp and Circumstance because not only because I was graduating with 128 more students but the harmony of the song brought upbeat positive energy into the hot gym. After practice we were given our caps and gowns a yard sign that said congratulations and a cook out was held outside for all the seniors. When I received my cap and gown, that is when it all hit me... oh wow the day really is here. All within senior honors night and graduation practice I received two medals, everyone was given a Holmes medallion and I got a medal for being in the top 25 of my class, three graduation cords, one for National Honor Society, National Technical Honor Society and SkillsUSA. 

So, I took it all home, got showered and all prettied up and I hesitated to put the gown on. One it was hot as could be outside, two again HOT OUTSIDE, and three reality was hitting me little by little. Finally I put it on and headed to the high school. My sister who had just ended the 6th grade was also in the high school concert band so my sister got to be at my graduation playing Pomp and Circumstance. We all crowded into the gym, everyone was exchanging hugs and congrats to each other. Then the principal called all of us to stand up it was time to march to the football field. I remember my hand shaking as I held my red rose that the school provided for all the girls on the graduating class. I took my seat, well stood up with the rest of the class as we waited for everyone else to take their seats. And, I imagine everyone was thinking the same as I was, hello it's hot, HURRY UP!! 

Once we all seated in our seats, the principal came up to us and announced himself to us and the crowd in the stadium bleachers. My mom, dad, sister, grandmother and my good friend and who I consider my second mother Kimberly was there to support me. My brother was in South Korea at the time so he had to miss out on the graduation but I did get a Skype call that night which made my night a little better. Finally after the valedictorian speech and guest speaker speeches it was time to hand out the diplomas. We all got to chose who gave us our diplomas, I chose my IT teacher of four years. 19, 20, 21st my turn to get up and get my diploma. I walked across the stage with the biggest smile on my face as I shook my teacher's hand and received a hug. I walked back to my seat and waited on the others to be called up. 

Once we were all back in our seats, the principal signaled us to stay standing up and called up the class president who gave her speech as well. Then the principal came back up and instructed us to turn our tassels to the right, and these were his exact words, "I present to you, the graduating class of 2012, go forth and prosper!" next thing you see is a sea of caps and tassels in the air, and we had practiced how to walk back but we all just joined together and walked back to the gym to get our actual diplomas to put in our covers. My father was waiting for me at the gate, I saw him he handed me a coke and a big hug, I remember shaking as he was hugging me, it was an interesting hug. Then I went and got my diploma and met my family back at the Senior Building and took pictures with everyone and hugged everyone. Then,... I guess reality hadn't quite settled in yet but I opened my cover, saw my name, the honors and shrieked, "Oh my god, it's my high school diploma, oh my god, high school is really over"

June 8, 2012 was the start of the rest of my life. 

Having a close member of the family serve in the military

I know I am definitely not the only one that knows this feeling. I know there are a lot of families out there that have family members or friends serving in a branch of the military. But, it is not a bad thing at all and I thank all the members of the military for doing what they do to make sure we still have a place to call home. That's more than a noble thing, it's an honorable thing. But, for me personally having a close close family member serving in the Army took it's toll and took some getting used to.

My brother graduated from high school in 2011. We only had that summer left with him but then he got called to boot camp early. We could only communicate with him through writing letters. He was at a boot camp in South Carolina. So he missed my little sister starting middle school and missed a good chunk of my senior year. He did get to come back home on leave for two weeks at the end of November in 2011. He was home for Thanksgiving that year but would not be home for Christmas, which was heart wrenching. It would be so weird not to have Christmas with my brother. My sister and I didn't even put the tree up because it was so unsettling without him there. When he left from leave he was stationed in South Korea... halfway across the world, the only communications we had were phone calls, Skype, and Facebook. And it is still like that today.

The last time he was on leave was at the beginning of January this year and was only home for less than a month. He went back to Korea February of this year. He missed a lot in the past couple years including my little sister making to state semi-finals with marching band and watching me get my diploma in June 2012. A lot of people did not understand why it upset me so much, a lot of people just kept saying there's always Skype, there's always Facebook. I kept telling them it is not the same, you do not Skype a milestone like that. I was there for his graduation, skipped an ACT test to see him walk the stage, he missed my graduation. Which I know it was for a good reason and I always kept telling myself that. But it also got down to me on a personal level.

He hasn't been home for Christmas since Christmas 2010. And ever since then when people ask me what is one thing I would like for Christmas, I would shock them because what I have wanted for Christmas for three years is for my brother to be home on Christmas day to celebrate with us and celebrate with the whole family together. And I may get that this year, I hope so too I miss my brother. But I also know he will come home soon and I am proud that he is making something of himself and beyond. it's a good inspiration too.

A little bit about me

Hi, my name is Paige Bagwell. I am 18, turning 19 at the end of September and I attend Gateway Community and Technical College and I am in my second year. I originally was majoring in Computer Information Technology but the major didn't offer the track I wanted to take which is web design so I re-declared to Graphic Design to complete a certificate in Web Design, then I plan to transfer to Northern Kentucky University and pick back up on Informatics and IT. I graduated from Holmes High School June 8, 2012 21st of my class with honors and I felt pretty accomplished for making it in the top 25 of my class too.

Writing was originally my passion and still is, I always like to write (except when taking class notes, taking notes is boring) But I developed a passion for designing and working on computers as early as 9th grade when I took my first computer hardware and graphic design class and stuck with the classes all through high school. By my senior year of high school I had one AP English class and the rest was graphic communications and IT. I love being able to sit at the computer with earphones in my ears and just let my mind go free and be amazed at what I create or straighten lines and coordinate colors. And over the years I have learned to combine the writing with designing to create some awesome looking journal entries or painting a story. I love being able to do those kinds of things. But while I may like doing that stuff, I do love to work hands on which is where computer hardware and networking came in, I love the challenge of trying to troubleshoot and figure out the problem and the feeling of YAY when I figure it out and fix it. Same thing with webpages, the only part I do not like about web design is the coding. The coding drives me nuts. But other than that I fell in love with these passions early high school.

I love spending time with family, friends and my boyfriend who I have recently become engaged to and we are a very happy couple. But while I may love him dearly my family always comes first. I love just sitting with my mom or my dad with a cup of coffee and just talking about random stuff and school and work. I have a 13 year old sister who is in the 8th grade and I have a 21 year old brother who serves in our country's Army.  My friends mean a lot to me too, I love to meet up with my friends and go hang out at parks or go shopping. I only get to see my boyfriend once or twice a week because we live in two different towns and I go to school full time and work part time, but I always make time for everyone no matter how busy I am.

So the way I look at life, take it a day at a time and love every minute of it and make it worth living for, no matter what life throws at you, finding a way to make a good thing out of the bad is better than being depressed about the bad things in the first place. Smiles :)