Anyway - Everyday Pasta Casserole

As long as I can remember, I have loved to cook. In fact, most of my scars are from cooking (or battling the hot glue gun, but that is another story). I figured that I would share some original recipes on my blog.


This recipe is super fast, easy, and cheap! Perfect for those busy days that you just need to throw something in the oven! Also is reheats awesomely, because who doesn't love leftover pasta?

Anyway - Everyday Pasta Casserole

Yields 6 servings

Prep time 15 mins. 

Cook time 25 mins.

(Okay for lack of a better name I picked this, I know super cheesy. Plus, it totally taste better than it sounds)

You'll need:

 a 13 x 9 pan (I used a glass pan)

3/4 box of Rigatoni noodles

1/2 lb. of sausage, quartered (I used andouille)

1 small green bell pepper, diced (You could do chopped to sneak it past the kids, no matter how old. Promise they wont even taste it!)

3/4 of a small onion, sliced (Once again try chopped)

1 small jalapeno pepper (optional)

1 bag of bacon bits

2 1/2 cups of red pasta sauce (I used 1/2 from a can and half homemade. If you use a can, try to get one that has garlic in the mix, if not then add 2 cloves of garlic to the sauce before adding to the casserole)

5 oz of shredded Parmesan cheese (I used Sargento's brand because that is what we had in the fridge. I'm sure straight from a block would be delish!)

Step 1:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and cook noodles as directed

Step 2:

Drain noodles and pour directly into pan. Add sausage, peppers, onion, bacon on top of the noodles.

Step 3:

Pour sauce on to the ingredients. Sprinkle cheese on top of sauce

Step 4:

Cook for 25 minutes, or until the cheese is mostly melted (or as melted as Parmesan cheese can get)

Step 5:

Bon Appetite

There you have it! Dinner ready in under an hour and mostly healthy. The best part is that you can switch to whole grain noodles and organic veggies for a healthier version.Take out the meat for a vegetarian dish.

Add mushrooms, more cheese, less cheese, more veggies, make your own sauce or use Ragoui. It really doesn't matter. Make it yours and enjoy!

Remembering 9/11

Today, or should I say yesterday by now, was 9/11. When 9/11 hit 11 years ago I was 6 years old but I remember that day quite vividly. I remember waking up that Tuesday morning like any other day. I remember my mom getting a phone call from my grandmother asking us if we saw what happened. I remember my mom turning on the tv and watching smoke pour out of the first tower. I remember seeing people jump from the sides and people streaming out from the bottom. We drove to a bible study my mom was part of and by the time we got there, the second tower had been hit. I watched the horror of men and women risking their lives to save others. Of course at 6 years old, I didn't understand what this all meant.

I remember that my aunt was terrified that her husband and oldest sons would have to go to war. That my mom was worried that we could get attacked because of the Arsenal. Yet, that night I slept soundly because the terror was not close enough for me to register fear. Of that, I am thankful.

My family took a trip to New York in 2007 or 2008 and we went to see where the Twin Towers once were. The fences with the letters, the pictures, the stuffed animals, and flowers on and against it was quite possible the most terrifying and touching sight ever. By this time, I did understand.

Last year on the 10th anniversary, I watched all the shows and documentaries about 9/11. I must say that seeing the images, seeing the personal video cameras of people on the streets, hearing the testimonies of people in the buildings, was shocking. It put me in shock that people survived, it put me in shock of the unity of our country on that day, and it put me in shock of the hopeless state so many were in.

So many men and women have gave their lives that day for the good of others. So many men and women have given their lives since that day. I am so very thankful that I am able to live in a free country and not have to worry about my safety everyday. Sure, at times I might be a little inconvenienced, but I am safe. I'm blessed that my mom and dad don't have to go overseas for long periods of time like so many of my friends.

On days like this it reminds me to be thankful. On days like this it reminds me to be prayerful. I pray for the people that have lost loved ones on 9/11. I pray for military families who have given loved ones to the service of our country. I am thankful to live in such a strong and safe country. I am thankful to have my parents, and siblings, and friends. I am thankful that I have faith in such a powerful God.

While I hate country music, I will leave you with the words to an awesome country song.

                               "Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)"

Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day?
Were you in the yard with your wife and children
Or working on some stage in L.A.?
Did you stand there in shock at the sight of that black smoke
Risin' against that blue sky?
Did you shout out in anger, in fear for your neighbor
Or did you just sit down and cry?

Did you weep for the children who lost their dear loved ones
And pray for the ones who don't know?
Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble
And sob for the ones left below?
Did you burst out with pride for the red, white and blue
And the heroes who died just doin' what they do?
Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer
And look at yourself and what really matters?

[Chorus:]
I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell
You the difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith, hope and love are some good things He gave us
And the greatest is love

Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day?
Were you teaching a class full of innocent children
Or driving down some cold interstate?
Did you feel guilty 'cause you're a survivor
In a crowded room did you feel alone?
Did you call up your mother and tell her you loved her?
Did you dust off that Bible at home?

Did you open your eyes, hope it never happened
Close your eyes and not go to sleep?
Did you notice the sunset the first time in ages
Or speak to some stranger on the street?
Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow
Or go out and buy you a gun?
Did you turn off that violent old movie you're watchin'
And turn on "I Love Lucy" reruns?

Did you go to a church and hold hands with some strangers
Did you stand in line and give your own blood?
Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family
Thank God you had somebody to love?

Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day?

College Prep

For as long as I can remember I have wanted to go to college. I guess the thought of getting away from Home and trying something new was exciting. As I am 8 months away from finishing my high school career, I more and more frightened by college. It might be that I'm more scared of not going to college, or that I won't get to go to the right college.

I have never seen myself going to an ivy league school. Too far away, too many people way smarter than me, and with a price tag I'll never be able to afford. Auburn University has been, and still is, my dream school. Auburn is my ivy league. My grandad graduated from there in the late 50's, my aunt and my dad went there in the 80's, and all of my cousins except two have attended. Auburn is my legacy.
I started my application last night and that is when I felt so inadequate. I don't have awesome grades, I haven't taken the ACT since sophomore year, and my extracurriculars are less than encouraging. Another huge hit to my self-esteem is that I'm not exactly prepared financially as well.

The plan for the last several months has been to do one semester at a community college, one semester at the Disney College Program in Florida and then finish my last 3 years at Auburn or Alabama or some other university. That has been the plan that not only pleased my mom but also gave me some sort of an answer. Practical, affordable, essentially smart. In reality, my heart only longs for one thing, Auburn.

Of course it is so silly of me to be hooked on a stupid school. Heck, I have never even been to the place. I look back now and I want to go back to freshman year and try harder, and do more, and be more involved, and learn more. I want to have a higher GPA and be smarter so that my ACT score would be better. I wish that I had saved and scraped and applied for scholarship opportunities. I wish I had done things better. Of course if I had $5 for every time I wished I could change the past, I wouldn't have to be wishing.

So here I am, September of my Senior year. I know what is in my reach and I also know what I want. What do I do? Do I reach for the untouchable? Do I settle for the practical? Do I try to convince my dad more and more to let me take out school loans? I know loans aren't practical, but I would rather achieve my dream and work the junk out later. What can I say, I'm a dreamer. Please pray for me and my parents in these next few months as I make decisions. Pray that they are wise and that they are the will of God.

Defeated Again

So you know this whole life thing?

Well it isn't working out that well for me.

I have no plans, I have no clue what I'm supposed to do, and I just can't seem to hear God at all.

I need to start applying for colleges in a few months and I have no clue what I would major in.

I don't even know if I want to go to college.

I hate this feeling of not knowing what to do.

I have a head full of ideas and thoughts and dreams but that seems to be all they are.

Dreams...

I thought about making a 5 year or even 10 year plan but I can't even do that.

I don't know what I want in the future.

Do I want to go to college?

Maybe but not really.

Do I want to be married?

Maybe.

Do I want to be in Africa?

Yes, but am I supposed to be there?

Do I want to do the other 5 careers that are in my head?

Yes, but which one is the right one?

So many thing to take in to consideration but I just can not wrap my mind around it.

I want someone to make a decision but not me and not my parents.

It is frustrating trying to hear from God with no answer.

How long do I listen?

How long is one supposed to wait before going insane?

I have had words from God but what do they mean?

How do I apply "stand beside the broken" to my life at this junction?

I feel defeated, confused, and frustrated.

Philippians 4:6-7  "do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

This verse is powerful and very wise.

Prayer and thanksgiving should be my attitude to God.

I want to be a confident woman that knows what she is doing but I just don't have that.

This could be God's way of forcing me away from the drivers seat.

If it is He needs to just take it already.

I'm done with worry, stress and fear.

Jesus take it all because I am done.

Late Yearly New Years Blog

                  I know, I know, 9 days late but at least I made it before January is over. 2011 was a great year. Full of ups and downs but mostly a good year! Last year I learned new things, did new things, dreamed new things, laughed harder, loved deeply, messed up, and enjoyed life.

                 Last year started with a new career journey; I officially started my photography business, Fly Away Photography. That has been an adventure in itself. I became a professional photographer, my first paid session was in January. I definitely learned as I went along and made many, many, many mistakes. Things are mostly smoothed out but I will probably still have some rough patches to go through. I really enjoy photography, it has become a passion that sometimes turns into an addiction. Photography has allowed me to, not only feed my own personal creative energy, but also to give back to others. Last month I helped with Huntsville first ever Help Portrait event. To be able to see people's faces as they viewed their pictures - maybe their first picture in 5 years, 10 years, or their whole life - was such a blessing. You could tell that they were so overjoyed to be simply handed a photograph. It made me think that next time I am begged to have my picture taken, I should be grateful for the opportunity. Thanks to my wonderful parents I received a Canon 40D camera for Christmas and I now officially have my own camera. No more borrowing Mom or Abbi's cameras.

                 This year Alabama had some pretty extreme weather. The first week in January we had a pretty major snow storm that let us home-bound for probably 5 days. It wasn't just a 'Southern dusting'. We had about 13 inches over a 5 day period. The most snow I have ever seen in my life.

Also a series of tornadoes came through. The tornadoes that came through Huntsville left us for 98 hours with out power. Thankfully my Grandparents were out of town so my family hung out at their house for about a week. Our neighborhood got hit by one of the several tornadoes that came through on April 27th. It was a Wednesday and Abbi, Zeb, and I had gone to biology class at school. By about 11:15, the power at our house had gone off and Mom, Zoe, and Charlie - our puppy- were sitting in our laundry room. We were let out of class early but couldn't leave school until about 1 and didn't get home til around 2 because all the roads were closed off due to fallen trees and power lines. We finally got home to a mess. Our backyard had been blown away. We had no fence and a board had flown through one of our windows. We had a tree fall in the front yard and a fair amount of roof damage, but we were all okay. The big bummer of that week was I had to cancel my sweet 16 birthday party which I had spent months planning. In the end it took us about 7 months, but all the damage finally got fixed!

                  Last summer I had the amazing opportunity to work as a page in the United States Senate in Washington DC. I was in DC for 4 weeks. I lived in a dorm with 30 other teenagers from across the US. I spent the month sitting on the Senate floor doing whatever was needed of me. I got waters and ran bills and amendments to different parts of the Senate. I just so happened to be a page during the Debt Ceiling Crisis so I got a first hand look at how our government works during a stressful time. That week was full of late night shifts, card games, I finished 4 books, and ran on about 4 hours of sleep everyday.
I learned so much about myself, others and my Abba God during that time. Now looking back and glancing forward, I am so thankful that God opened the doors and gave me that desire I have. I enjoyed my time in the Senate immensely, but I know now that politics are definitely not what I want to do in my life.

                   In October I got my first, real, official, part-time job. I am now a proud employee of Chick-fil-a here in Huntsville. It is very interesting and sometimes very frustrating to have to juggle work and school and last semester I didn't have a social life. I have had to drop a few extra-curricular activities which is sad (and decreases my social life even more) but I really enjoy working. The freedom of having my own money makes going in at 7am and working 5 days a week worth it to me. My family really enjoys that I am working at Chick-fil-a and come in quite often for their family discount.

                    My siblings and I started attending a new church, Summit Crossing. I love it there and have started some awesome relationships with the people in the youth group. It took me about 7 months after my family left the church to fully leave my Sojourn youth group. I left there hurt and confused as to why God took me away from my amazing friends there. I am sometimes still sadden by the lack of relationship I have  with those people but God had a plan. I still am not sure why He had me leave but I know that His will is the only way.

                  One of the biggest and most significant changes that happened last year was I felt a calling to go to Africa to work in an orphanage. Earlier last year I couldn't wait to graduate, move out and go to college to get away from all of this hectic chaos that is my life in Huntsville. Now, I still can not wait to graduate and move out but I want to go some place much different then a university. The hope of me moving to Africa keeps me going sometimes. Sometimes I go online and Google African children so I can see the beautiful faces. I am so in love with Africa. But that is the point. I am so in love with Africa that I am having a hard time figuring out if it is my will to go or God's will. I tell myself and others that I am not going to college and I have all these expectation set up but deep inside I worry that these dreams and desires are just that. Fleshly desires and dream to full fill my needs and wants, not God's. Of course, I want to do what God calls me to do but figuring out which little voice is His is harder then I thought. Sometimes I wonder if this is just His way of getting me prepared for something greater, if this is just a trial to see if I will give up my life for Him. I told Him to close doors if this wasn't His will and to open them wide if it was. So far most doors have been closed. In order for me to go on the mission trips I had planned to go on this spring/summer I need a passport. I asked my parents for one for Christmas and filled out an application have not gone and actually applied. Now I am too late to apply for a March trip and the trip I wanted to go on in July has a waiting list. I am getting very discouraged and worried that my dream is too far gone.
Stresses of starting the college application process and preparing for a future are really getting me down. I just try and hope and pray that God shows me a path soon. Meanwhile I try and trust but I feel like I fall short every single time.

So my year was fun, exciting, new, challenging, and scary at times. I got my licence, lived independently, lost friends, dreamed big, got my own room for the first time in 15 years, tried new things, made new friends, and tried and failed many, many, many times. Thanks so much for reading and I hope that your new year is filled with blessings and love.

-Alex

Extending Grace

How do you grieve a friend that has grown away from you?

That won't give you the time of day and is making all the wrong choices.

How do you convince yourself that its not your fault, there is nothing else humanly possible to do?

Nothing but love would make her understand.

Some nights I cry.

Some nights I wonder what the Father has in store.

Some nights I just pray that God keeps her safe while I can't.

How do you stop judging and start praying?

How do you stop yourself from screaming at them, trying to make them understand how deep your love is?

How do you extend patience and grace when they hurt you and themselves over and over again?

Grace that keeps being shoved back in your face?

How do I love like the Father when I myself have had my fill loving what seems a brick wall?

How do you get over grief, guilt, worry, and pain in one huge emotional tidal wave?

Only God knows what will happen.

I just have to know that I tried my hardest and God WILL do the rest.

Growing more Virtue

    I am just awful at blogging! But I think I'm getting slightly better, no? Yeah, no.

          So a few weeks ago I wrote about Africa. I have spent late night searching for opportunities to go and serve. I have emailed a few place and have some responses but I kind of at a stand still with no passport (which I will be getting for Christmas. That's how you know you are a big kid :) ). I have had to push my mission trip back to July because I'm afraid it will be registering too late for March. I'm discouraged and it's getting hard to know if this is God's will.

          I fret constantly about doing the Father's will. I feel like I'm not good enough, or will not be good enough or experienced enough. Silly first world problems are getting to me and I am letting myself be too human and not asking God for help. Arguments with my parents, stress of school and work, and the close coming holidays seem to be ripping through me. I am being too much of a teenager, which I hate.

          I am worried that I won't hear from God but I am also worried that I am no listening well enough. Everything is getting in my way and I'm choosing paths that I know I should not. One chapter is drawing to a near and I am frantically trying to write the next one as well. This was not what I planned, but then I shouldn't be planning. God should be doing it.

          My spiritually fellowship has been dry lately. Don't get me wrong I have awesome friends and an awesome family that I under-appreciate. I just wish that there was more. More spiritual down pour. That is what I am longing for. Trying to speak through yourself and minister to others at the same time is hard. Loving others is hard when you have no Holy Spirit. Loving yourself is hard when you have no Holy Spirit. I need more Holy Spirit. As simple as that sounds, it is way harder to achieve. It is going to be hard but I am determined to ask for spiritual down pour every day. 

         The Bible tells us to 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways follow Him and He will make your path straight" (Proverbs 3:5-6) and to "Delight yourself in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart" (Psalms 37:4). It tells us to "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord" (Psalms 27:14) and that "The joy of the Lord is our strength"(Nehemiah 8:10). The question is how do I combine all these things into my personality? In Proverbs 31 it talks about a virtuous woman, 

      "¹⁰Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. ²⁰She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. ²⁵Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. ²⁷She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.³⁰Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised". 

          This woman is who I want to be. She is treasured by the Father. She helps those in need. She is strong, courageous, wise and kind. She looks after her family and has not idle hands. Yes, she is the picture I want to mirror. To spread the joy and light of God. 

The Fruits of the Spirit are another thing I need to work on; "²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

Oh, Lord please come fill me with Your light, love, joy, strength, peace, goodness, faith, patience and self-control. 

Help me to eat from the fruits of the Spirit daily and to know more about YOU!

 Please pray for me as I continue this journey to be a virtuous woman of the Father.

One Day

One day I'm not going to care what I look like when I leave the house.

One day I'm not going to be worried about finding the perfect dress or shoes.

One day I'm not going to be all wrapped up in who likes who and who likes me.

One day I'm not going to worry that I haven't had a shower or that I haven't updated my facebook status in a day.

One day it's not going to matter that I have a dead phone and a dead computer.

One day my socialistic-American-entitled-life is going to fade.

One day I want all my trust to be in HIM.

One day I want all my hope to be in HIM.

One day I want all my joy to be in HIM.

One day I want all my self-worth to come from HIM.

One day I want to love Him whole-heartily

One day I want my will to be HIS and my dreams to be HIS and my plans to be HIS.

One day I want to love like HIM.

One day is tomorrow. 

Trending -- Vlogging

So yep,

I'm going to be hip and make all my blogs video-blogs.

I feel like it captures the essence of me better!

The first one

Sorry about the poor video quality and messy room.

Yeah, I know it's 8 minutes but it would take you that long to read a blog right?

What do you think about it?

Like or dislike?

Let me know!

Falling for Him in Fall

I'm so bad at this blogging thing. I constantly say that I will blog once a week but I never do!

Fall has arrived in Alabama in such a rush for which none of us was prepared. One day it was sunny and 75 and the next rainy, dreary and 50. Don't get me wrong, I love the fall and every single thing about it. I love the weather, the trees, the holidays, wearing sweaters, cold nights, fires, everything.
I just don't like Alabama falls.

God has been knocking my socks off lately with his awesomeness!
He has provided me with a wonderful job and promise and hope for the future.

I'm now employed at one of the many chick-fil-a's in Huntsville. I honestly can not complain about it because I'm working good hours and it isn't complicated work.
I'm excited to finally have a job and a constant source of income.

People are kind of floored when I say I want to move to Uganda after graduation in 20 months.

This literally happened not quite a week ago. I was using my new favorite website, pinterest.com, when I saw an advertisement for this book called "Kisses From Katie".

Being bored and interested I do what all smart people do.

I went to YouTube.

I seriously want you to stop reading and look up Kisses for Katie on YouTube RIGHT NOW!

If you are lazy like me and don't want to go to all that trouble here is the link

Kisses For Katie

Were you moved? Did that video make you cry as much as I did?

Did it break your heart?

Well all of the above sure did happen to me and that is why I did MORE research and found this website:

Amazima Ministries

and then Katie Davis's blog:
http://www.kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/

and then the most exciting website of them all:
http://www.Visitingorphans.org/

So it is decided that I, Alex Worlund, will journey to the beautiful and spectacular country of Uganda in March.

My plans may not be God's plan but I have told Him that I'm going to keep going with this til he tells me to stop.

I have talked briefly with my parents and told them that I don't really want to go to college now.

Much to my surprise, my parents weren't completely against it.

I would rather graduate and move to take care of sweet, little babies in Jinju, Uganda.

 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper and not to harm. To give you hope and a future."

I'm seriously trusting in God to make these decisions for me.

I ask that if you are reading this, please pray that God will give me guidance and I will have a servants heart for Him.

Sometime I look at this opportunity and plan with amazement and fear.

Am I ready to leave my friends and family to go live in a country that will be so foreign to me?

Go to a place that is so very different then the luxurious place I grew up in?

A place that I will have to humble myself to the Lord every single day or I won't make it?

I look at all this and think yeah, I'm ready.

I'm ready to serve, help, comfort, love, hurt, with the people of Uganda.

I'm ready to stretch myself to places I'm not comfortable with..

I'm ready to clean, and work my tail off everyday to serve people less fortunate then me.

I'm ready.

Here I am LORD!

SEND ME!

Return of the Blogger: Matters of DC

It has been almost a month since my last post!

I'm seriously going to have to make reminders for my to post!

So in my last post I wrote some about my life in DC (I never get over saying that!) but since I have lost that journal in the abyss that is my life, I will just tell you.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Going to DC for a month was honestly one of the hardest things I have ever done.

By the second week, I was done.

I wanted to high-tail out of that place as fast as I could.

I cried ... a lot

and pouted ... a lot.

I felt embarrassed that I missed my family and friends.

I never miss home.

I'm always the kid pushing my parents out the door.

But alas, I missed that place with such a desire I had never felt before.

Whenever people ask me how DC was or how my summer was I always say, 'Oh, it was interesting'.

Of course that gets questioning looks and I have to further explain.

I loved being in DC,

I loved the freedom,

I loved working,

and I loved being able do something important.

But the real bummer for me was that I didn't make any real friends.

I made what I like to call 'Facebook friends'.

They are the people that you add as a friend on Facebook, but that is as far as the relationship goes.

I mean the girls that lived in my room were great and everything but I didn't really feel connected to them either.

I didn't know why, but it hurt. 

That was the one thing I was looking for, a friend.

I felt lonely all the time.

It was like I was part of the group, but really on the outside.

I didn't find their jokes funny, 

I didn't relate to their stories,

and I couldn't understand why they did what they did.

I was the outsider.

I was the Republican, Christian, home-schooler from Alabama.

The way I acted was different,

The way I talked was different,

and how I lived my life was different.

I was different.

Just once I wished someone would have got it.

I wished that I could let go of me and some how be morphed into what those people thought was cool or interesting, or part of their group.

But I just couldn't do it.

I tried witnessing and following the crowd at the same time and, no-duh, it didn't work.

I couldn't be transformed to be of the world when I was trying to be of God.

I was just longing for acceptance.

As silly as it sounds,

I wanted someone to cry with on leaving day, as we parted,

but it didn't happen.

On the last night, I sat in my room packing, and crying, calling out 'God why am I here?'

I wanted leave right then and never look back.

I wanted forget that experience.

I wanted to forget that pain.

But eventually, I sucked it up and went out and sat with the group.

The smile plastered on my face hurt because I knew it was fake.

But for some reason I got up the next morning and wished that I had more time.

I don't know if I was trying not to accept that no one cared when I left or if I really didn't want to leave.

My parents came and got me.

The next week, I went home.

Home, Alabama.

The place I longed for.

I was finally home.

But homecoming wasn't as sweet as I wished.

I came home to reality.

I came home to loneliness.

Oh, how I wanted to be greeted back by everyone I knew.

I wanted to know that this was a safe place.

But it felt like a war-zone.

I then wished I was back in DC.

I called out to God 'Why? Why can't you just give me one break?'

Then it came into focus.

I learned things about myself that I never knew.

I learned that I can't go out in the world expecting my little slice of earth to follow me.

People are going to hate me, and as a Christian, I am different and always will be.

I will stand out and in this world that isn't a bad thing but it is hard.

The funny thing is, I still keep thinking, nay hoping, that, even a month after leaving my fellow pages, I could connect with one of them.

Then I realize, it just isn't going to happen.

This time, I didn't make friends, and that hurts so bad.

I'm the kind of person who longs for acceptance and it so hard for me to deal with if I don't get it.

An issue I need to give to the Father.

When I look at them, I wouldn't take back those 4 weeks for anything.

I would make myself better prepared and I would have a better attitude.

I would have tried tuning in to God better.

I would have done a lot differently,

but I am so thankful that I got that opportunity.

So there you have it.

For everyone who was wondering about my summer and had not yet heard the tale.

Quite adventurous and hard and wonderful and frighting all in one. 

NOTE: If you have stumbled across this blog looking for info about the Page Program, please don't let this discourage you.

This was just my experience that could be completely different for you!

The Page Program is a wonderful experience that can benefit everyone who participates!

Journal Entry: Week 1

07/12/11

Day 2, complete.

A little less stressful but only slightly.

I almost got on the Senator's only elevator twice.

I get lost every almost every run and still feel like I don't belong.

Every step, I feel that I am breaking a rule, yet completing a task.

Friday is our test and I feel so unprepared.

Tomorrow I need to do flashcards.

Someone gave me some today and it made a huge difference.

I had dinner with Mom and Mrs. Paige tonight.

I really enjoyed it!

We ate at Pizzeria Uno.

It will be my last time seeing Mom for a month.

Today, we got off work at 4:30.

Tomorrow though, I work late shift and there are 2 votes.

I see maybe a 11 o'clock night in my future.

I hope that isn't the case.

Everybody has been really nice and I've enjoyed the company.

07/13/11

Day 3, complete and I'm utterly exhausted.

Today we were running the whole day.
On our way back from ethics training we got caught in the rain and we soaked by the time we made it to Hart.
Not that fun.
But we did go into the woman's bathroom and dry ourselves with the hand dryers.
That was a funny sight I'm sure.

The Senate adjourned early today so we left at about 5:15.

Tomorrow we are supposed to get off early and Friday, if they aren't in session, the same.

Tonight, after work, some of us went to Union Station to get dinner and went to Pizzeria Uno.
Good food and reasonably priced too.
We were walking around and someone asked what Bojangles was.
I was pretty much in shock.

It seems weird that every where doesn't have the same places that Alabama does.
But everybody seems open to trying and learning new things.

I'm learning too.
I'm finding that Huntsville is a lot smaller then I thought.
Also, that everybody is raised different then me.
Some, a lot differently.

They talk about things that I would never even think about and say things I wouldn't say.
I'm learning, talking isn't always necessary.
Being quite can help you.

Friday is our test, and with help of my amazing Republican coworkers, I'm going to ace it.
Some people are worried and I feel like I should be too.
But I'm not.

Home At Last

What a crazy fun month it has been.

The things I have learned, seen, heard, and tasted are indescribable.

So many firsts but not lasts.

Where to begin.

Well readers, if you didn't know, I was participating in the United States Page Program.

I was hydrating Senators, delivering Bills and Amendments and going places the average person can not go.

I met Senators, I "helped" solve the Debt Ceiling Crisis and essentially learned more about our government.

I spent most of my time between Webster Hall (my dorm), the Capitol, the Capitol Hill Super Market, and Union Station.

I met some awesome new people who were different then me.

I learned more about myself, my God, and our World.

Tomorrow, I start my journal entry blogs.

First week in DC

Hi everybody! Greetings from Washington DC!

By now most of you know where I am and what I'm doing.

Since I am working and I signed a contract I can't say specifically but if you go back a few blogs I bet you can figure it out.

I'm going to post a couple of journal entries for ya'll just so you can get a little slice of my life here.

07/10/11

I got checked in today and it has been constant rushing since.

Everyone has been very friendly since I got here.

I have 5 other girls in my room, they are from Maryland, California, Utah, Iowa and Oklahoma.

We all are in lofted bed with scary ladders and little railing.

I fear everytime I go up and down that I will fall and kill myself.

We have two showers which makes everything easier in the morning.

07/11/11

Today was our first day at work. 

The first part was a little boring but the rest was pretty busy.

We learned how to do everything and then my first job was to bring water to one of the Senators.

We ran letters and amendments and roll calls. 

Except we never run.

We walk with a purpose.

We found a letter from the girls who stayed in our room before us and then tonight they 6-way called us. 

Apparently there is a secret book that has been in our room for 30 years.

I'm sure it has amazing and interesting things I would love to read about.

They won't tell us were it is hidden but said they would call back next week.

The people are nice and the food in the cafeteria is decent enough.

Of course there is always that one girl who has a boyfriend back home that she calls every night.

That girl just so happens to be my roommate.

We get a kick out of listening to here.

Everybody is different and so I have my ears, heart, eye and mind open to enjoy every minute of it!

Day 2. Journal Entry 1

Saturday, July 09, 2011 7PM

Day 2 in DC,

 We got here with little to no trouble yesterday afternoon. Everything went fine with the plane.

We flew from home to Baltimore, from Baltimore we rode the Marc and then transferred to to the metro. Metro travel is a little interesting to say the least.

Yesterday afternoon, I went to Georgetown with Mrs, Donnie, the boys, and Emily.

We went to explore and go to Georgetown Cupcakes. Georgetown Cupcakes was so good!

I got a chocolate mocha and mom a chocolate pb.

They were phenomenal.

We waited for about 20 minutes, but it was well worth it!

We put the boys in the strollers because it started raining a bit.

Let me just say that pushing 5 year olds in strollers on brick paved streets, with crazy people rushing by, is not the easiest.

I mistakenly wore flip-flops and by the time we got home, my feet were ready to fall off

It makes me happy that my work shoe are Dr. Scholls.

Last night we went to dinner with Katie and her mom, Mrs. Wendy.

We had a little miscommunication about meeting, due to the lack of directional skills of two teenage girls.

Once we got together, though, we had no problems.

We ate at the Old Ebbitt Grille.

I had the crab cake and mom had the canntelloni and the seafood was sooooooooooo good!

I've had Southern seafood and it is nothing compared to New England seafood!

After we left, we tried to go see the White house but since they are trying to 'refurbish the grass' we could get there very fast.

We decided to go see where I am going to stay, Webster Hall, but it was pretty dark so we turned around and head back to the metro.

This morning, we left the hotel right after I woke up and then we walked over, with our luggage, to the Anderson's appartment.

After we put all of our stuff up, we went to the Eastern Market.

It was very hipster there.

You can find alot of different thngs there.

We were pretty hungry so we found this interesting resturant, Tunnicliff Cavern.

We shopped around for bit and I bought a couple of things and then I found a pellhat.

The boys got tired, so the Anderson's went home and we went to the American History Musuem.

We went for the First Ladies' dresses and other items.

After that we came home and now we are eating meatloaf for dinner.

The boys are playing with the planes that Mom and I bought them in the Smithsonian.

Tomorrow Mom drops me off at Webster Hall.

My adventure starts soon.

_____________________________________________________

Food Ratings:

Au Bon Pain - Crystal City: ** 1/2  (2 and 1/2 stars)

Good salad, fast to-go service, fairly affordable. Perfect for a quick and easy lunch that provides variety.

Old Ebbitt Grille - Near the White House: **** (4 stars)

Amazing seafood, amazing crabcakes. Great chocolate brownie desert. Pretty good service but very loud.

Tunnicliff Cavern - Eastern Market: ** (2 stars)

Slow service, onlycomes when passing by. Food is great. Burgers and fries are pretty great but the salads are pretty mediocrea.

Orange Cow - Eastern Market Truck: *** (3 stars)

Yummy, inexpensive ice cream. They were sold out of peanut butter cup and from what the cashier guy said, it was sold out the hour they are opened.

Georgetown Cupcakes - Georgetown: **** (4 stars)

Cupcakes are to die for. The Mocha was devine, lemon was dreamy, and the chocolate pb was by far the best! The icing tasted like peanut butter fudge.

The big day is here!

It's here.

The big day!

in 14 minutes we are supposed to be leaving for the airport.

Not to sound like a little Alabama girl or anything but,

this is me first plane ride.

And the first of many I'm sure.

It seems crazy that it is here all of a sudden.

It seems like it came all too fast and not fast enough at the same time.

Funny how things happen like that.

Words can not be placed to my excitement, fear, stress, hope, and happiness!

Going with no computer, this might be my last blog for a bit.

Maybe a week, maybe 5 weeks.

But trust me, I'm keeping a journal.

Everything I see, feel, hear, taste, is going in the journal and I'll report back to here when I get home!

Wow that is months of blogs!

Yes!!

So for now, as always,

Alex

One last blog before DC

It crazy to think that tomorrow is the day before I leave.

24 hours.

1,440 minutes.

86,400 seconds.

That is what is standing in between me and a plane.

A plane that is going to take me to a place that can change me.

Change me in a  good way...

or a bad way if I let it.

I have chosen to submerge myself in a world that is completely not of my own.

A world of black suits, and elections.

Of hard stone buildings and hard hearts.

A world outside the protection of my family and friends who love me and help me when I fall.

As the seconds, minutes, and hours fall away, slowly but surely does my confidence falls too.

Anxiety and fear have begun to creep in.

I'm leaving Alabama, my home.

The place where I grew up and where everything is comfortable.

I'm going to Washington DC, a foreign territory.

The place where I'm going to have to deal with things I never have before.

So I will submerge myself.

Take a breathe and jump.

Surround myself in the peace of God.

"For I can do ALL things, through CHRIST who strengthens me!"

Playing a little Catch-up

4 days.

15 hours

44 minutes

and 

40 seconds

until I board the plane to DC.

Kind of lame, counting down, I know.

A lot of stuff has happened since I blogged 16 days ago.

We are *finally* getting our roof fixed from the tornado back in April.

This is the mess that has been happening since Friday:

Shingles in the front yard

Dumpster full of mess!

I am so over being woken up by hammering at 5 in the morning.

Also, this puppy,

turned 1!

And this girl,

Spent almost 2 weeks in Nashville practicing "Annie in a nutshell". 

It was Annie the musical shortened.

And on Monday I received this;

in the mail along with an orientation book and a letter.

The letter informed me - 13 days before orientation - that I am to know the names and how they are spelled and be able to recognized the faces of 535 senators and representatives.

13 days!

So immediately I started.

Then I realized that some of these names I can not pronounce, such as this name

or this one

or this one

So I googled  and found a website that told me that this name,

is pronounced

Fah - la - o - mah - vu - en - gah

and this name

is pronounced

Sehn - sehn - bren - na

and this name

is pronounced

A - kah - kah

But some names I did know, and some I thought I knew.

Like this name

Sewell, easy enough.

You would think it would be pronounced

See - well.....

See - well, that isn't how it is pronounced.

This name is said like

Seal.

Crazy right!

I guess that is just the business of working in politics, learning funny names.

Dreams Of Tomorrow

Have you every wanted to be someone or do something that inspires people?

Have you ever wanted to be the best person that you could ever be?

Wanted to do everything, accomplish everything, see everything, be everything?

Change the world?

I do.

I want to make people notice me.

I want people to see me and know who I am.

I want to inspire people.

I want to be know for making hurt people better,

For making the sad, happy.

For giving hope in a hopeless world.

I want to change the world.

My life is a endless amount of wants, mayb

es, and could-bes.

I want to travel the world.

If I could I would jump on the next plane out of the country tomorrow.

Go some where no one knows me.

I want to be inspired by the world around me,

the God in me,

and then turn around and do it again the next day.

Lately I can't seem to learn enough, or experience enough, or see enough.

My life feels so dull and lacking lustre.

So bland and boring.

So not, colorful enough.

One day I am just going to leave, tell know one where I am going,

no one where I am from.

Live for the tomorrow of life.

I want to see places that inspire,

meet people who inspire,

hear stories that inspire.

I want to know what the world looks like, not just see through pictures or hear from stories.

My feet want to run and run and run until I reach every knook and cranny of this beautiful world.

I want to marvel, to wonder, to learn, to laugh, to cry, to understand.

Until then, I'll dream, and live, and yearn for those days.

That thought makes me weep for joy and sorrow.

For joy that someday maybe I can be honored by the adventures I am given.

For sorrow because tomorrow year seems to far to stand.

What I Should Be Doing

As it turns out, this weekend has kind of been a bummer.

I'm sick.

Okay, well, not really cough-cough-flu-virus-sick

More like I-want-to-sleep-until-I-die-cut-off-my-legs-can't-eat-losing-6-pounds-in-2-days-sick.

Yeah it is wonderful.

And totally what I want to happen 26 days before I leave to go out of town, by myself, for a month.

And also totally what I want happening the night before my sweet 16 birthday party.

I could tell my wonderful experience on Thursday night/Friday morning but it is a long, painful, boring, and not very interesting

so

I'm just going to tell you the things I should be doing during all this free time, instead of watching Netfilx, sleeping, and watching TV

(Remember, I like making lists)

1. I should be reading the 5 library books I have that are due on Wednesday

2. I should be coming up with a term paper topic

3. I should be doing more laundry

4. I should be eating something more stable then a handful of chips and a couple of M&Ms

5. I should be outside helping my Dad clean up our swimming pool

6. I should be finishing Algebra I

7. I should be at my mom's cousin's wedding shower

and

8. I should be researching what senators do

But for some reason I just don't feel like it