New Blog

                 Hey all you awesome people out there right now that are reading this! I am here to tell you that I made a new and really awesome blog, to write about high school and all the stuff that comes with that. I mean it was time for a change as well. It was time for something new. I might write on here, and make this blog more of a private type. But, I don't know yet, because there are so many bad and good memories on this blog that it is just bittersweet and I don't know what to do or where to go with this one because so many things have happened, and this was my middle school life when there was a lot happening. It is different and hard, but we keep moving forward and adjusting to whatever life decides to throw at us. Tonight is my last tennis meet, and I am so ready. I am going to miss getting to see everyone everyday.
                I mean tennis was a good emotional break for me because I could be the real me and not be judged for being different because the people at the other school that I play tennis for are really understanding, and nice, as well as accepting. They come from a bigger school than me though, so I am sure that has something to do with it. I am sure of that because they get to see and do more. We also were a team that came together, and set a goal to go places where the tennis team has never gone before, and we got what we wanted this season. I mean we won the conference title. Our season isn't done yet anyways, we are hungry for that state title now. We really want it more than anything. We deserve it too because of everything that we have had to go through. We also have to prove ourselves because our school that I play for, doesn't provide uniforms, and the tennis courts that we practice on stink because they are cracked and chipped, and very dangerous. I mean I accidently faceplanted during practice and broke my glasses and my nose. That was awful, and that was at the beginning of the season.
                I have also found where I belong and that is playing sports for that other school because they make me forget about all the bad things that happen at my school because they make me feel worth while. They make me feel like I am just one of them, and that I don't need to change to be good enough and fit in. They get the fact that everyone is different and they respect that. I really like that. I am proud to be a Mustang even though the school that I go to is a Lion. I am proud of everything that I have done this year in sports, and everything that there is to overcome. There is a lot to be said and done yet, because I am not a senior in high school, but only a freshman. That means there is a lot more adventure, and a lot more fun to be had. That means more memories made at that other school as well as friendships because I don't have that at this school.
                 I am happy to report that I have learned to ignore the bullies now because they don't know what they are talking about. It is hard to do sometimes, but we make do and try our best to shake things off and move forward like nothing happened. It's an uphill battle but I am willing to fight. I mean my life is worth something, and I am going to fight for it. I am pleased to say that I am overcoming bullying and reaching that goal of showing people that suicide is not the answer. It might be hard, but you have to be willing to go for it and get down and dirty to get things done and earn your place.
              Anyways, I just thought that I would log on and write, and tell you what was going on. I feel so bad that Music had to log off, but we are both really busy for high school, and she was going to log back on here just so she could remember the stuff that happened back in the day. I don't want any of that to be forgotten and therefore I am deciding to keep this blog up I guess. But I also don't want it to sit here gathering dust online because I am not updating it. I am going to see what I want to do with it, but it will be something awesome and this blog will not be forgotten. I can promise you all that right now from the bottom of my heart.

I'm Alive

After taking a long break, I have decided to start blogging again. I am busy with high school things now though so it may not be long posts. I guess I don't know what I want to write about anymore or where I want to go with this blog, but after stopping abruptly I figured that I should log on and let you guys know that I am okay, just really busy, and that keeping up this blog is the last thing on my mind right now. Grades really start mattering now so I am worried more about school now than I am about keeping people posted.
That's right, I am in high school now, so a lot of time has past since I last wrote. There really is nothing to fill you in on during that time aside from the fact that my great grandma died, and then I am still doing band am

I'm Here to Apologize

Hey guys it's Music...and I obviously have some explaining to do. I kind of just turned into a ghost blogger and I haven't been on in ages. Now although some of it just falls back in me being a sucky person, I do have some excuses I'll pretend are valid. So first off for school we weren't given laptops, we were given iPads. Let me just say that wasn't the best choice. We don't have keyboards so it makes everything really hard to type and access anything that isn't in app form. However next year we will go back to receiving laptops so I can't wait till then. Next I have been really busy. Last year I didn't have much homework but now I'm usually up till around 10 pm doing my algebra homework. Excuse number three, I...I well I don't really know how to explain it. I've become more introverted in the past two years, which is more towards me always being like that and I'm finally finding who I am and accepting that. I've become a lot less social and spent more time on the internet mindlessly scrolling. I spend all day daydreaming about my dream life, and I think that that causes my sadness because I realize that those things may never happen. I really don't know how to make sense of it even to myself, I just used to be so happy and now I have good days and bad days but my bad days seem to happen more often. It's like I've turned into the stero-typical antisocial, angry, sad, emotional, music loving teenager who keeps her thoughts too herself. My mind is literally filled with thoughts flying and it drives me crazy. I guess you could say I'm in the phase of "finding who I am" but I don't know. I like to be alone and I used to love being around people, and I hold my emotions in till I snap. Again part of my sadness is brought on by me, because I've created like a fantasy world in my head where the boy I like likes me and my family never fights. This has all been really scatter-brained, but I hope you at least kind of understand what's going on and can forgive me for not writing. And sadly I'm sorry to say but I'm resigning from this wonderful blog. I've enjoyed it but I don't feel right saying that I partake in this blog, but never post or update anything. I haven't talked this over with Smiles so this is news to her, but I just don't want to keep you guys waiting and then never post. Next year will only get busier so I don't think that it will get any better. Thank you guys so much for being with me and although this is Smiles blog you made me feel welcome. I will keep this link so when I'm older I can look back and remember the middle school years of my life. All good things must come to an end, and I've reached my end on this blog. I loved my time here but it's time to start the next chapter in my life. <3
Solemnly sorry,
-- Music

Busy busy busy

Hey ladies, Smiles here and it looks like I am back to having my own blog because music hasn't posted in forever or said anything to me about posting something. But I haven't been having all fun away from here I am busy with student council cross country and doing a lot of rehabbing of injuries to become well for track and high school cross country which training starts in the summer for. It is something that I really can't wait for. I mean sure it will be something that I will be with my sister for but that is fine.
It appears as if I need to remind people of commenting guidelines. Keep it clean and respectful. Please don't use caps lock or swear words. Also racist comments and really ride comments will be removed once reported. Swearing is also not allowed unless it is something like crap or omg even though I don't like that. Thanks for understanding and helping me keep this blog a clean place for people.

XC

Hey, blogettes! It's Smiles here! I am so sorry I have not written in quite awhile. I have been so busy with cross country it isn't funny, and yes I am doing fairly well this year even with a bad knee and the pain that it causes sometimes. I am super nervous for tomorrow's meet which is at Cascade that I can't seem to fall asleep which is bad because I need energy for the meet tomorrow. I am also excited because I get to compete against some of my friends from honor choir there. I am mainly worried about the finish.
         Last year I did not get to finish the race. I was in the back of an ambulance on my way to the hospital to get stitches in my lower back because some girl ran right over me when I was off to the side in the bottom of the pit tying my shoes. I said that I was fine to the paramedics and wanted to finish because we were 500 meters away, another reason why you know I do cross country is that I am freakishly good at estimating distances, but anyways back on topic now, but they said no because my back was bleeding pretty good because it was a deep cut because she was wearing a longer type of spike,which is now illegal I believe for cross country, and they said that I could have spinal cord damage too because they didn't know how far the spike went in even though I had moved from my back to an upright position just fine, and they saw me do that. I was told by the corner guard that the runner got who radioed to them to get there told me to stay like I was until medical advice came so I laid face down in mud for like five minutes with blood coming out of my back and the crowd making these very nerve racking comments, and I am just down there classically worrying sbout my finish and how I would gain momentum to finish awesome. Of course it could have been an accident because it was raining and this meet is all hills and she could have fell coming down the hill and slid into my lower back on accident but I mean she totally like flattened me onto the ground because I had mud in places that I never want it to be there again. She then went right on running without bothering to see if I was okay. Some other runner behind her alerted the paramedics because when she passed me I was still flat in shock mainly because of what just happened. See above for how that all turned out.
Our team ended up placing first at that meet but I think that they heard what had happened to me because I saw a push from some if them from the videos that people could take of what was going on and mainly the finish and a lot of them said to get well soon for me which was nice and some of the other runners just rallied around mount vernon lisbon because it is scary any time that one of us is hurt enough to the point where the ambulance has to be used to take a person into the hospital. Besides some kids on my team just came out and were right to the point and just said let's win this thing for me because I was in the hospital and I wasn't able to get the finish that I wanted to so badly and was so close to, but was too badly injured for the paramedics to agree to let me finish. I was heavily bandaged in the pit and was helped up and onto the stretcher because they didn't want me to get ran over again because I was moving a little bit slower and I was thinking of honestly walking or crawling to the finish if I had to anyways with my injury but they vetoed that and I am still mad at them.  We are like a family or at least most of us are. A lot of oeople think that girl meant to run over me to better her place because she was not a good runner, but if she did I forgive her and congratulate her because that course is insanely rough and she finished it. She did better than I did but there again she also hurt me, and my team still ended up placing better than hers. I hope that she isn't there this year I think that she was an eighth grader because last year's eighth graders said that she clothes lined a person to get a better place in the meet when they were seventh graders. I honestly had to do a double take to see if I had heard them right I mean that is just sad that you would do that.
Anyways I am going to see if I can't sleep now because I am going to need it with it being such a big day for me tomorrow, anyways wish me luck and pray for me because I am super nervous and hopefully this time I will end up at the finish line and not a hospital ambulance in need of stitches. I am hoping not to race that chick this year either and that she has the guts to apologize to me because if she had went in deep enough with her spike she could have changed my whole entire life by damaging my spinal cord, I would really hate her then because running is pretty much my whole life. Running and god is what I live for pretty much except in reverse order. I am also communications in my school student council so I will get busy with that job too.

Bible Camp

       Hey blogettes! It's Smiles here, and I am back from a very fun, crazy, and uplifting week at Bible camp. It turned out to be better and less stressful than I thought it would be. I was the only 14 year old there but you know what I will be the future and more of the older people before you know it. I'm ready to take on that challenge. I learned a lot in the five days while I was there but I spent the first two days being so homesick because people weren't opening themselves to me and then two amazing girls did open themselves to me. They were both named Abby or whatever spelling you may like and one of them was from the area and the other one was from some place down south but was spending the summer in our state and wanted to go to bible camp with the other Abby.
       I was happy when they opened themselves to me because it meant that people saw me and saw that I was worth a shot. I like people who are open and adventurous and welcoming. That really helped me feel good and on the same level. Anyways got to go.

10 Days Till Bible Camp

        Hey, blogettes! It's me Smiles here! Sorry I haven't written in a while, as you can tell from my last few posts I have been busy both emotionally and physically, and am about to get busier as you can tell by the title of this post. I think that this will be my last post sadly before camp but there will be a post after camp telling you how much fun that I had there. I am also going to be walking in a local parade to promote bible school which is actually this coming week believe it or not. Wow where has this summer gone? School will be starting in a month and actually part of me is ready for that. I am ready to have technology at my finger tips again even though I do have a smart phone now, and those of you that know me well can stop me and ask for my phone number or snapchat account as to be on the safe side of things I will not be putting them on here. 

       I am also really excited to get back into the swing of things because that means cross country time and then the start of cross country as well. I still love cross country so much and maybe even more even though it does hurt me thanks to whatever happened in track. Anyways the library closes soon so I better start heading home. Anyways wish me luck and stay beautiful and loyal blogettes! I promise that I will try to find more time to write posts to you ladies because you deserve better. After all this is your blog. I am just the writer posting things that you should know about me or might enjoy.

Family Matters

        Hey, blogettes! It's Smiles here, and sorry I haven't written in a while. I have been really busy and my knee has been killing me lately. Anyways this post is mainly about family because this month there has been a lot of that.
        My great grandma, Harriet Shriver past away on June 7th at 6 PM. My aunt just left her side 15 minutes before she went and I went about two hours before she past away. I told her that I loved her so much and that it was okay if she went and that we would be fine without her. I think she got the message it's just that she wouldn't go in front of us. I know that now she is at peace and is making one heck of an angel in heaven. We had family from all over, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Florida, Iowa, and Michigan in town to give her an awesome send off.
         Bible camp for me is at Willowbrook once again this summer, and it is from July 20-25 so expect a post about it. I am excited for it yet a little nervous at the same time because I am the only person from my church going to it and it will be my first year of Senior camp which last year seemed awesome because you go more in depth with things and you do more activities. I guess going by myself will pretty much force me to branch out and make friends with new people especially my cabin mates otherwise it is going to be a long five days and four night camp. I am hoping that we have sunny weather but that it is just a tad bit cooler than it was last year.
           Today is my nephew Oden's second birthday and I just wanted to take time and give him a special shout out because he has changed my life and makes me laugh. He enjoys tackling and chasing me around. His favorite words right now are no hi and mine. He also like to meow like a cat and moo like a cow and count at random times.
            See what I mean by this post is all about family. I just thought I would add this little bit in but lately someone has been posting unkind comments directed at me on this blog and I have tried not to let it get to me or this but I need it to stop because it is affecting the readers of this blog so if you wouldn't say it in person at let's say church or school don't post it on here. Think about how it would make you feel to have that be you getting that message. Okay? I know I can disable the anonymous commenting but I don't have the heart to. I don't want to shut down some girls voices.

Family

         Hey, blogettes! It's me, Smiles, and well although my summer is going great I'm not so smiley because my great grandma is slowly dying. It has brought some of my family to go and see her though which is a good thing but it is sad that it takes someone dying to make them go and pay a visit and come together but better now than never right? I am just praying that the Lord takes her soon because she is suffering and well it makes me suffer emotionally too. I am hoping though that this will make our family stronger and lovable.
         I have been busy catching up on my sleep and just taking it easy. I have bible camp in six weeks and I am so excited. It's just that I am going to miss my great grandma so much. I know that she will be going to a better place though when she dies and that means everything to me. We have so many fun memories together but when she suffers that just makes me wonder and makes me want to know at peace and stuff like that. I have relized the importance of family. Anyways I have got to go now. She might not make this night so we are going up and seeing her and just pray that I don't lose it in front of everyone because when I lose it it's over.

Track Season 2014 = FAIL

So, as you can tell by the title, track this year didn't go to well. I didn't get a ribbon in any events, even though I did get fourth with my distance medley at one meet, but of corse that school didn't give out ribbons. I chose long distance in the first place because I knew I could definitely not run sprints. So I ran long distance, and I was a lot better than I was ever at it, and I improved my mile by almost three minutes! But sadly that still wasn't fast enough to get me placed. I ran an open 800 in almost every meet, and I never placed in any of those. So I made a game plan so I'll be better for next year. This summer, I am going to try to run, four out of the seven days of the week, and work out almost everyday. I am also going to eat healthier, and I'm not just saying that this time. Next year my goal will be to get two ribbons to make up for the one I didn't get this year. Hopefully that will make me get in better shape so that I can run faster. I don't have a problem with length anymore, just the speed. So that's all I have for right now expect that school it almost over (yay!) but I won't get my laptop back (boo!). But I downloaded the blogger app on my phone so hopefully I'll be able to update every now and then. Talk to you later!

Chillin

        Hey, blogettes! It's Smiles here. I am done with science early, so I get to do some fun things for the next couple of days, and I decided that I would make a post for you ladies to enjoy. Anyways, conference track is today, and I am super nervous for that because I am running against my best friends from honor choir. I also messed up my knee and this is the first time back on the track after that which I thought would end my season. Everyone was like why did you finish if you knew your knee was messed up? I always said that I wanted to know that I finished this race for me and if this was the season ending race I wanted to know that I finished and finished as strong as I could with a knee that was on fire and that I could not straighten or really put a normal amount of weight on it. I honestly thought that my knee would be worse than it was but thank god it isn't and sure I will need knee surgery but you know what that is okay. I can take that because it is coming in the off season and I should be back in action for cross country next year which is all that really matters for me. Cross country is my sport and the one thing that I care about the most.
        I also like band and choir and acting in the school's musical and getting to be with my friends and stuff like that but cross country is like the one time where I am really free to be me and be open and shine the real light. Any other time I feel like sometimes I have to hide things for fear that people will not like it because it is too different and it would make them look weird and uncool hanging out with me. Know what though, I may be bad at some things and totally crazy and weird with my actions but I like that and it makes me me and I find myself to be a good person who belongs on this earth. I love cross country because we go to a school in the town next to ours because there isn't enough kids interested in the sport. When we come together it's like we are big family, and we get along well and have a good time. I'm really looking forward to this season and some new news is that we have 20 kids from our school in both seventh and eighth grade and I will be running as an eighth grader compared to the eight people in both seventh and eighth grade that we had last year, and both of these times I included girls and boys together. Last year there was only three girls and we were all in seventh grade.
        Cross country may be hard but it is fun and you learn life skills and become a better runner and see new things. In my school's case it also allows us to compete at a higher level and a larger scale than we would if we had our own cross country program like some people do want but I feel like we won't get it because twenty kids in seventh and eighth grade with only like six being eighth graders won't get us a program no offense or anything and we are all cool with the other school and they are cool and treat us well so there is really no reason for us to split. I mean that would bump both schools down a level and we have high regard at the three a level right now and we don't want to change that. We like that heat and we like the pressure. We are also so flexible because some meets we are highly regarded 2A groups or a 3A group that may have some high regards but not as much as we do when we compete as 2A groups.
        I also like cross country because everyone supports everyone. I mean it doesn't matter what school you are from after the start of the race because when you are out of the chute and throughout the race you are combined together and having a steady pace or finding your pace and sticking to it. Everyone that passes you usually says that you are doing a good job and to keep it up and that you are almost done. The crowd also is nuts for everyone and calls out names of schools that are running past and looking down as we all are about halfway through and near the race because we are pushing through and digging deep trying to find the energy that may not be there. The support that we also get from other cross country runners is amazing but then again they know what we are going through and how hard things may be for us, and that we are tired and running low on energy and we get down thinking about how we may not finish because there is nothing really left.
         Anyways, that is my take on some random things right now that have impacted my life and are on my mind greatly right now. I hope that you enjoyed seeing a snapshot of my mind but this is just a little piece. I don't do these posts very often because I know readers probably don't like that because it really doesn't relate to them and it could get very boring about reading about someone else's life and hearing them talk about a sport that most people care less about. I have already talked a lot about cross country already but that is like my life, and I have no clue where I would be without it or where I would be if we got our own program because we wouldn't have the kids from the other school to have fun even though the kids from our school that do it are very fun, nice, caring, supportive, and down to earth, which is another reason why I like them because they are laid back and they aren't bratty like some of the other girls are.

Summer!

        Hey, blogettes! It's Smiles here. Sorry I haven't written on here in a while. I have been crazy busy, but it's been awesome and something I will always remember. I had a band and choir concert tonight, and I thought that I rocked it and that our band sounded better than it ever has. Tomorrow is conference track and I think I will dominate and bring it because it is the last meet of the season and I am going to need knee surgery anyways so I should just go all out and not even care about how messed up my knee is and what limits I have. I am going to break them and push pass them because I want to finish out the season knowing that I gave this meet my all. I am only in one event so I am going to push myself through the event and know that from the feelings and the sensation in my knee that I pushed and got through it. I want a PR. I want to do my best and give my team a chance to know what it feels like to be conference champs. We were that for cross country, and we went on to get runner's up at state when we were state champs last year.
        Either way winning something that high up there gives your team a highly regarded image and everyone dreads when they see you pull up at meets and they know that they will have to bring it in order to beat you. Sure that puts pressure on you to be giving it your all and not slacking all the time but hey it's a good feeling to be the top dog and have people fear you and the talent and what not you bring along with you. My team brings along the fun because there is never a dull moment and we are all always smiling and having a good time with each other. Sure the boys are there but I don't care because they just add to the mix and make it feel like cross country all over again.
        I feel like running is my home. Running is where I belong and when I run I can get away from all the problems and see me for me and see that I am still so beautiful and graceful. I feel like my life matters for something when I run and it renews my hope. I see the real me and what I live for and I fight harder even though it hurts. I know when I stop running I will go back to the world where I sometimes hold back and dread being there because of the support that I get from people.
        I am a beauriful waqerful persojn who lives on this earth. I am just like everyone else and I have earned my right to be where I am today dter all that I have gone through. Anyways for summer I will try to write whenever I can however I won't have access to a laptop and next year we will have Ipads and not laptops so I will see how running this will go.

Face Lift

        Hey, blogettes! It's Smiles here, and I just thought I would let you know about the new face lift that was done to the blog today by my cowriter and best friend with awesome fashion advice and personality Music Marvel. I thought I would also let you know that we are here and still alive just crazy busy as we are coming up on the end of the school year and then once again I will not be able to have access to a computer very often or even at all but I don't know about Music and what she can do on the blog but I promise we will try our best for you to keep it as updated as possible and then get something worked out for next year as we will have iPads instead of laptops and I am sure that this will work then but it might be blocked and it also may be hard to write posts and pages on. She is also my track buddy.

       Anyways here's the back story on how the new face lift came to be, and believe me it's a better one than I just thought something was needed on the blog because I now have another person in it with me so there is a joint effort going on to make image and page things happen for you guys. I was done with my social studies early so I decided that I would come onto the blog and either toy around with some things, and see what looked good or make a post even though I have nothing to really write about at this time because the weather has been really rainy and cruddy lately impacting our track meets, and not letting anything fun happen. 

        As I was doing that I said that I thought that the blog's background at least needed a change because it was like that for a while now and I was growing tired of it although it was refreshing and relaxing and set good toned vibes at least for me as well that it needed to be something else and I didn't have anything in mind as I was asking Music about this she said something and even though she was working on social studies still she stopped to get the face lift done to save me the job, and I think it looks great. The background image came from a website called Subtle Patterns. It may not seem like much while your looking at it but when you add their images to something believe me it changes the impression to awesome and cool and something totally different. She said that this face lift reminded her of mints and I couldn't agree more. I mean it looks sleek and fresh in my opinion and something that is clean. 

        I thanked her for doing that and I think that you guys too, and let us know what you think of this new face lift in the comments below. This blog is your blog after all and we are just writing on it and doing the upkeep for you to enjoy and have a place to come and just be middle school girls again that are having a good time and out of the crazy way of life of middle school because it does get crazier than what you may think at times and then you just feel like you need an escape and that is the goal of this blog is to be your go to thing for stress relief and get you back into life again. 

Cramps

        Hey, blogettes! It's Smiles here. The first meet did not go well for me. I did not get good stretches in before my first event, and I wasn't drinking enough and I was pushing way too hard and therefore I got a really bad thigh cramp and collapsed in pain as my thigh felt like it was on fire. I wanted to push through but my leg had other things in mind. It would not calm down and I ended up having to be carted back to base camp against my better will. I wanted to slowly walk over there because I thought moving it would be good but the athletic trainer said that I was so tense at that time that walking could cause me to tear something and then I would be out for the rest of the season and not this meet only.
        To keep me distracted she kept on asking me the randomest of things like what school I go to, what grade I am in, what we are learning, and what I like to do. She also asked me what my name was. I was shocked by how nice the other teams were to me about it but also shocked at how some people on my own team were acting about it. I mean yelling at me to quit because I always hurt myself, okay, no I came into this season with an unclear concussion. I knew what I could do and couldn't do. That wasn't an injury and this was just a freak thing because I didn't do things well enough to make sure that I was safe from issues. Help didn't come until like half the runners were finished, and I was sitting there screaming out in pain with everyone watching me. It was weird, and I looked stupid I just know it.
          The first person to show up was a guy. He touched me on the shoulder and I looked up. He asked me what had happened and I said that my left leg felt like it was on fire in the thigh area. He said that this was one for the athletic trainer, and she came quick. She asked me what had happened, and I said that I felt tight at the starting line but thought nothing of it but when I got to the goal it got worse until I made it here and it was on fire. She started to massage my leg and that felt really good. She just said I was really tight and had a bad cramp. Nothing to worry about but something that I should rest for today, and use ice on and drink water too. I told her that I didn't stretch since I was late checking in for this event and she said that was also part of it. I was still crying but now it was because I didn't finish this and that was bad news for my team.
             They were ready to start the second heat of the same race, so they moved me off of the track all the while with me wincing in pain. I wanted to walk back to base camp but this guy pretty much made me sit on the back of the gator because he was blocking my way. I had to imagine how stupid it probably looked, but it hurt and is something I never want to go back too. I have learned my lesson no matter how late you show up to a running event you should always take the time to stretch because a little bit is better than nothing. I rode the gator back to base camp and plopped down. The coach came and got ice out of the go bag and gave it to me.
               I broke it and stayed down a little while longer and then I was getting stir crazy so I had someone tape the bag to my leg where the bothersome spot was. I was still tight, but the fire sensation had stopped so that was a good thing. I bent my leg a little bit as I walked to ease myself into loosening it up. It felt nice. It was also nice because I could go down and wherever to cheer on my team. I called my parents to let them know that I was hurt and they were scared, and I just said that it was a bad cramp and nothing too bad. I said that my leg did feel like it was on fire so I went down and got a ride back to base camp on the cart. I'm looking to be back on Tuesday with a good stretch in it and the proper hydration to blow them away. I want to show my team that I can do this. I want to show them the real runner in me even though track is nothing like cross country. Wish me luck!

Track & XC Are Two Very Different Things

        Hey, blogettes! It's Smiles here with a little extra screen time from the day to make a post for you. I have learned now from personal encounters that distance on a track is way different than distance in cross country. For one thing it is the same surface and it seems longer and everyone is more close together without a change in scenery. It makes for a good shin splint creator even more than what cross country did to me. Every part of my body even hurts worse than it did with cross country. 

        I think what I will be doing next year is cross country, and basketball and then have this as my off season instead of going from shin splint injury to shin splint injury in pretty much two back to back seasons when you think about it. I am an okay basketball player once I get past the fact that the buzzer can be kind of scary when you aren't expecting it. I hate those things so much. I mean I like to be aware of things and have warnings, instead of it coming out of the blue. I hate loud surprises. 

        I have decided though for track that even though it hurts and is hard for me right now that I am sticking to distance. I am also doing discus and long jump even though I have got no clue how you even throw a discus just yet but I learn fast. I am hoping that the same happens in track. Everyone looks at me like I am crazy when I say long jump and discus but hey, I have just as many rights to do that than everyone else does. I am sick of people looking at me like I have four heads. I just want them to see that I can do it, and have fun doing it which is the real point of this is to get into shape, and have a lot of fun, not be really good at it or anything like that because right now that doesn't matter since you are just starting out. I mean it's middle school track. 

         I am also excited because I get out of school at 11 today to watch our high school jazz band represent class one a at state today, and we are going to kick some butt I hope. I have heard them and I think that we can go all the way and win again this year. I mean when people from bigger schools hear what all we have done they grow dead silent and really listen hard to what we have to offer and then their applause is just wild I have noticed like they are shocked that such sounds can come from small schools. What can I say, our school is pretty awesome when it comes to fine arts. Now we just need a place where we can keep that going and have a place that is good for us instead of a gym to do everything in we need like an auditorium because that is something that everyone deserves when they have a fine arts program like us and I hope that our schools sees that and sees the need for that place and invests in it within the next few years. 

          I think that we also need to have a track. I mean it stinks that we have to travel and do it every now and then and have a set time limit of when to be there and what we can and can't use when we should be able to learn and use everything. I mean we do track and we need to practice our things so we aren't lost when it comes to meets. We need to show people that we know what we are doing and that we are ready for things like this and without a track that can be pretty hard sometimes, but Lisbon still knows how to rock it, and we still appear in the field as a pretty strong team that everyone has heard nothing but warnings about. I mean their good warnings like about how we run and stuff and what they need to do to get themselves ready. 

Wattpad & Concussions

        Hey, blogettes! It's Smiles here and ready to write a post for you guys to tear into. First off sorry I haven't written in a while. There has been a lot going on in my life lately. It's finally slowed down for a bit though so I have decided to log on and get you guys caught up. Here it goes. 

        I joined Wattpad in the middle of March, and I love it. I already have one work published called Graceful Wind under nonfiction and the short stories sections, and it is about what happened to give me a concussion and what I am doing about it. I hope that people learn from my stupid mistake and enjoy the book because it gave them a fair warning of the results and what it does to a person. Honestly concussions are a huge headache that also makes you feel like crap and have trouble with school and social interactions for awhile. 

        I remember coming home from the hospital on Wednesday and just crying for like an hour straight for no real reason. It was very sad, and then on Friday I cried because I was learning things but then when it came to putting them into action I didn't get them or I didn't remember what I had studied for so I either have to take the test at a later date or use my notes or even the full textbook on a test was also embarrassing. Then lunch comes along, and I have to eat it in the high school office alone with the secretary because the lunchroom is too loud and I am too embarrassed by this injury to ask my friends to come along. I don't know why I am too embarrassed because this has happened to at least two of the people that sit with me at lunch so they would understand probably but I just am. 

          Another thing is I have had to limit my screen time. I'm now up to four hours total, and right now I have about another 2 and a half hours left to do what I want. It's nice though because you have time to do other things since you really can't  be glued to your computer doing whatever. Wattpad has had to wait and so has Twitter and this blog due to my health. I am slowly recovering and getting better, and I have a Doctor's appointment on Wednesday to see if I can be cleared to do lifting and full outside practice with the team again. Believe it or not, I already miss it a lot. Running is my buddy and it makes me feel really happy. When I am without it I feel lost, and down. 

        They only thing that has me pumped up is the first track meet is a week from tomorrow and I have to be ready and better by then, so I'm fighting and fighting hard back from this concussion doing whatever I can to make sure I am in shape and ready still even though I was benched for pretty much a week of legit practices. I mean I did light on Friday but light isn't the same as full practice. The thrill level is different and the feelings that you have are different too. You want to push harder but you know what you get when you do and making your doctor unhappy is never good news nor the right answer to anything. 

Shin Splints

        Hey, blogettes! It's Smiles here! Today was a great day for track because my legs actually got to rest since we were lifting all the time. I have really bad shin splints on both of my legs that will need to be wrapped in order for me to do anything without pain and safer too. My arm was good for lifting today. I numbed it with some muscle relief and that helped out a lot. I guess track is something that wasn't made for me but with adaptations and care I can do it and I can do anything. I just knew that I can't go full bore because it hurts. Shin splints suck for that reason. I mean I want to give it my all but I can't because of the pain and what happens with them.
        Shin splints are also very scary because the way that our school nurse described it is that the muscles are inflamed and coming off your shin bone. You need to rest and ice and take great care which sometimes means wrapping them when you run like I am in order to make sure that they get better or feel okay when you run instead of getting worse and worse. Shin splints may be caused by your shoes which in my case isn't because I just got new ones over spring break. They may also be caused by pressure and form. If you are a distance runner this may also be an issue when it comes to track because it wasn't made with you in mind. There is nothing really on a track that makes distance feel good unlike it does for sprints. We did sprints on a track and I felt so good doing them but I knew that distance was right for me.
      Lifting also goes hand and hand with the running that we have been doing because in order to glide you need to be strong in both your arms and your legs. Today in practice we found what weight was our max weight in things for a good workout and to keep us safe and make things go faster. It was awesome because once we were done we could leave. I got out of practice an hour earlier than I had planned which means that I can write this awesome post or what I find to be awesome post anyways for you ladies. I am so excited for our first meet of the season. With the way that training has been going I think that our team is well on its way to an amazing and memorable season with a lot of records. I can't wait to show people what I can do and what Lisbon does as a team. No we may not be that nice to people but we can sure run and play sports. We make people do double takes that we are middle schoolers, at least that is what last year's people said.
       I'm just worried that I won't be able to keep the speed with my shin splints or that I will get hurt or something will happen to me while I am running and representing Lisbon. It would be really embarrassing I think to get hurt in a meet in front of everyone from all over but you know what it will be different and something to remember. I may or may not do track next year we will see how this season and cross country goes to find things out for next year. I may just do basketball and have this season as my season off instead because my grandma is right I am an amazing basketball player that the world needs to see play. I am working on getting better and better too and I would hate that to go to waste if I am never going to do anything with basketball.
       I am also wanting to be ready and safe for cross country instead of coming off injury after injury with really no down time. Not that I have been injured that many times so far aside from shin splints but yeah you get what I mean. Everyone needs an off season sometime to allow their body to recover and heal before going on to the next thing. I pushed too hard in the winter time which was my off season to get me here and that could be another cause for shin splints that I have. Anyways yeah just thought that I would let you know what is going on in my life today. I've got to get ready for youth group now.

Woman VS Hurdle

                 Hey guys! Sorry I haven't written in awhile I know Smiles has been posting but I have had church after school, homework, band, and now track plus my battery and chargers were broken on my laptop o I had to limit my time for awhile.
                 I know this goes back awhile, but the ski trip was AMAZING. It was the best day of my life…probably. I did fall once and couldn't get up because I was on the steep part but other than that I was really proud of myself for making it as far as I did. I also got to hang out with a lot of my 8th grade friends so that was fun. Our bus broke down, but it was still fun because we got to chat and mingle in the lodge for an hour like normal teenage girls. If you ever have the chance to go on the ski trip I HIGHLY recommend it because it has literally changed my life. You got to see the real side of everyone so people I usally don't even say a word to ended up skiing a hill with me once.
                 Honor choir also went well if you were wondering. It was kind of strange though because the directer (male) told me I had beautiful lips. Keep in mind he was like forty. Strange.
                 Now back to the title. So track started and I was thinking about doing hurdles. The answer is no. Yesterday we had to try hurdles and I was like, "You got this, you can do it." Well apparently I "didn't got it" because I jumped too early and my power leg (Jumping leg) caught onto the hurdle and me AND the hurdle plummeted to the ground and slid a few inches. Now I have a skinned arm, a cut leg,  and a fear of hurdles. Hopefully since I'm not doing hurdles I won't have to practice them again. For track I decided I want to do mid-distance, like 400m and maybe 800m. I also want to do discus and long jump.
                 I know my aren't as long as Smiles, but I try my best. Hopefully I can write soon!

Track Drama

        Hey, blogettes! It's me, Smiles again! Music appears to be really busy with something to write on this blog. Anyways, it's now spring which means the start of track season. We are two days into practice and I already have people bad mouthing me saying that I shouldn't be on the team because I bring nothing good when hello I did cross country so I was made for distance running. I know I may be slow now but I need to find the paces that work best for me and ease my body into it all over again. This prevents further injury of the ones I have and allows me to get in the best shape possible so that maybe as the season goes on I can push forward. Track is way different than cross country, and you don't have the people from the other school either.
        Those people were fun and very supportive and had a lot to offer. It was always a good time with them and I felt like I was needed and wanted on the team when here I feel like a reject and someone that is shunned and worthless while every one of my other friends seems to be having the time of their lives because no one else is bad mouthing them. I guess I have a lot to live up to being a cross country runner and all but you know what I think I have got this. Icy Hot has become my new best friend, and sweat my favorite accessory. Mint scents are something that really get me going too even though there is someone on the team that complains it eases the pain and keeps me focused on what we need to do.
        They were also insulting the choices that I made to run, and I was all like it's not that it will happen that I get to run in those things or at all. I may just be a back up who knows but get off my butt because I am giving it my all. I think that is what counts. Besides I am mainly focused on getting things in motion for cross country because that is my main sport as I enjoy it the most. Tomorrow is an easy practice. We are on;y lifting weights. Well it would be easy if I didn't have a pulled arm muscle already but you know what we will power through because we are awesome like that and we know how to work hard and fight. We got this covered. We can do this.
        I think that this will also teach me to stand up to people and show them that I am the boss of my life, and I know what's best and what I need to do for me. I know what I can and cant do and I know what I did and didn't do. I don't need people watching me and pointing out my every mistake and saying that I didn't do something when I was busting my butt and working hard to get there and finish strong only to find out that I supposedly had to do three more laps. Who knew a couple of eighth grade girls were the coaches and knew what was best for me. They just want to make me upset so I leave and well that isn't going to happen my friend. I know what I can and can't do. I am amazing. I am strong. I am crazy and I am fun. I know what I am capable of right now and I am pushing that to the max.

Busy As A Bee

        Hey, blogettes! This is Smiles here! Sorry no one has been on the blog to write lately, but I know that I have been very busy with other important things. It is Spring Break for my school right now, so I decided that now would be a good time to make a post and let you know that I am still alive at least. I don't know about Music. I have been emailing her a lot though saying that we do need to get posting on this blog otherwise what's the point of having a blog together if no one is going to do anything on it. Anyways, in our time away from here, I turned 14 on March 1, 2014, attended honor choir, have been busy studying for the permit test, training for track, I am going to be a sprinter since my knee isn't ready for distance yet, organizing Relay for Life for my church, we are joining another church in our community this year to honor and remember two church goers who are currently fighting cancer, or have lost the battle, and have been busy doing things for my youth group.
        I am not Catholic, not that I have anything against them or this time of year because I know that Music believes in this time of year and what is needed to be done before Resserection Sunday or Easter Sunday to non Christian people, but my church is doing a service project to give stuff to a place in our community where families that can't afford clothes or need food can go and get that kind of stuff for free. It relies heavily on donations from the community, and since they are running low on things since this is a harder time for people, my church has decided to step in and do a little drive to get some things to restock their shelves and keep them in business because it is a nice thing to have in a small town where there may not be that many places nearby that people can call up and say hey I need this and this and this can you help me or bring it to me because there are many places that don't do delivery services, and if the people are low on funds they may not even be able to get to that place to pick the needed items up.
         My youth group also holds a breakfast on Resserection Sunday for anyone and everyone in the community free of charge. It's a really great time with the older kids (sixth grade on up) handling the kitchen work, and the little kids(fifth grade on down) handling the decorating, and then the mid little kids(third through fifth graders) handle waiting on people. We all however make sure that people are welcome and have what they need, and we invite them up for the service which happens shortly after the breakfast is finished. The youth however don't usually get to see the service because we are busy cleaning up and tearing down. Sometimes though we do get to see a little bit of it. It just depends on how many people are working, and how much there is to be done which depends on the amount of people.
        It's a lot of fun for us too. I remember all the jokes that were cracked in the kitchen last year and about how someone almost set the church on fire, but they didn't and everything was fine in the end it was just a close call, and that person is no longer allowed to manage cooking things but instead have been moved to prepping the food before it goes to be cooked.
        Like I said before, I am really busy, and I am about to get busier as I am doing track, and track meets can sometimes go on forever it seems. It all depends on the team amounts and how many events are offered, and as noted above I am going to be doing sprints which are usually first, sprint relays, and long jump because my knee couldn't take distance. I already tried the distance training, and no it did not work out well, and I knew I had to stop because I could hurt it again or hurt something else or start like swearing or something like I did when it happened because it really did hurt. Besides if I want to do cross country next season I think I need to take it easy now so it can get a little bit better. Cross country is my main sport, and the one that I care a lot more about anyways just because of the feelings and the people that you get to work with and see. That and it is a whole new level of competition where so many more doors are opened.
        Cross country is way better than track too, because everyday is something different, and no run is ever the same. There is always something new on the course and something new to learn or improve on, and it doesn't matter if you are good or bad. It just matters that you finish, when in track it seems like you have to be good and fast otherwise you won't make it through the season. Our coach has even listed it in the packet that if you aren't good you will be cut which puts even more pressure and stress on me that I didn't have in cross country.
        In cross country, I felt free, and I had all these good feelings. I don't think I will get those feelings in track with everything that there is to remember and do because you want to stay in it, and in order to stay in it, you have got to train and fight. You have got to be amazing because there are cuts and if you get cut then what is the point of being on the team because you are just sitting there wasting space. I'm a person that isn't afraid to go out there and get things and that is why I think that I am going to be the one pushing the hardest and being dead after practice. That is why I think I am going to be the one that works hard and finds things out because she tries them. I need to keep my place on the team. I will do whatever it takes.
        It's going to be even harder since I am a sprinter because there is a lot of sprinters and not a lot of distance and that is why I think that next year I am going to be a distance person. I just need this time since I injured my knee in cross country to take it easy still, since I am still in pain with the distance, and I still have that feeling of doom like something isn't right or something is going to happen if I do distance in track that will make cross country not happen next season. I don't need another injury, and that is why I am not risking it and doing sprints this year. But I will take risks in sprints. I have to if I want to stay in races and be on top.
        I have my mind set and decisions made. Now it is time to go out there and make things happen. Wish me luck people because I am going to need it. I am going to need it to overcome the pain of my injury, and make good choices that will keep cross country next season in line because like I said that is my first sport, and I am just doing track to compliment that and get me into better shape for next year. Sprints always got me in cross country which is another reason that in the end made me think that sprints were a better choice. They are always saying sprint those first 200 to 400 meters, and then ease up and then 500 meters from the end kick it in and finish strong. I could never really do that, but then again I don't think that I have a kick either which also makes it tough, but anyways yeah. I think sprints will be good for me and I won't regret the choice.