"God blessed the broken road that led me straight to you..."

So.  Hm... I don't know.  This week has been... interesting.  Monday was m y dance party... and Lori made a comment about always being welcome back, so I hope she meant to take classes, cuz I really really want to.  We watched the video... and WOW!  Lyrical was amazing, pointe was awesome (except for the pirouette part, but I knew that sucked) and I'm really happy with how I did on my solo.  That's definitely the best it's ever looked, and I'm really excited about how my costume looked on stage.  I really want to go back next year... recital is definitely the best time ever. 

Yesterday was... well, I won't lie, it wasn't too great, honestly.  There wasn't anything specifically wrong with it, it was just one of those thinking days... yeah.  And I don't know.  Like... ok, I'm generally a pretty cheerful person.  Maybe cheerful isn't the word.... we'll stick with bubbly.  Or so I try to be.  But yesterday... oh goodness.  I just got to thinking and stuff and my first thoughts were how happy I've been lately, which is awesome.  But then the thoughts evolved and... this may or may not make sense, it pretty much depends on who's reading it and how much they know about my life as of this year.  I just got to thinking how things now are so similar to how they used to be.  And, I mean, it's so nice to be happy like this, but at the same time... it's really really scary.  So, yeah, if that doesn't make sense, sorry.... odds are it will sooner or later. 

Today has been pretty good.  It started off like yesterday, but it's gotten better.  Actually it startedoff worse, cuz my dad forgot to make me a sandwich for my lunch, so I had to do it and I left late, but I guess that's what ya get when you're a senior and your parents still make your lunch.  Anyway, the day was actually pretty uneventful except for my ghetto fabulous hat (actually Brandon's, but I steal it cuz, let's face it, it looks more ghetto fabulous on me... lol, jk). 

Anyway, yeah, I should probably go study my calc, seeing as how the final is tomorrow and Friday, and this will pretty much determine my grade... so... yeah.  Au revoir, mon amis. 

And even when your hope is gone, move along , move along just to make it through

Wow.  I don't even know where to start.  Oy. 

Guess I'll start with Thursday... Hawthorne Heights... All American Rejects... Fall Out Boy!!!!!!  O.M.G.  It was a fricken amazing concert.  We left school at 12:30ish and got on the road.... the wrong way.  We figured that out about 20 minutes into our trip, so we turned around and were headed the right way after that.  We managed to get the rest of the way there without any issues except a quick detour at the mall and a mishap trying to find Olive Garden.  But we did it, and met David.  Oy, David.  Very hot, not a very good waiter.  But we still left him an $8 tip.  Lol.  So we headed to the concert, got there really early, and decided to play a game of Marco Polo.  Well, people apparently don't know how to play, because they were no fun.  Then the concert started with 2 openers, which kind of made my ears bleed a little.  And then came Hawthorne Heights.  And then.... ALL AMERICAN REJECTS!  Wow, they were friggen amazing.  Then of course, Fall Out Boy!  Also fricken amazing.  There were these two drunk guys in front of us that were funny... mean sometimes, but funny nonetheless.  So yeah.  We ended up getting home at 2... yeah. 

Friday was Senior Oscars.  That was pretty fun.  The presentations were really funny, for the most part, although a lot of people I'm not necessarily fond of won.  But Laura Huge won Friendliest, which made me really happy, cuz if you know Laura.... she's great!  McCartney didn't win anything, which is pretty sad, cuz he's pretty cool.  But yeah... I guess Brandon didn't suck too bad presenting the teacher's awards... jk, Brando, you were great!  After the Oscars, Cole, Chels, Brandon, Tiff, Brett, and I went to Lickity Split cuz Colie and Brett had serious urges for ice cream.  After hanging out there for a while and giving Colie the chance to hit on some middle schoolers, we decided to head out to her house.  That was really fun... Oy.  Chels, Cole and I were our normal selves... 'nuff said.  Oh, and Colie's mom made her punch.... oooooh man (cheboygan) that stuff is to die for!  Seriously, if you haven't had it yet, you have to try it.  Lol.

Saturday... dress rehearsal.  I was at Waverly HS at 10:30 to get a good spot for our dressing room thing, then I tried to do some homework.... that didn't happen.  In between sneezing and being excited, I just couldn't concentrate.  The rehearsal started at 12... and I spent the entire first half running.  Watching Sarah's solo, running to change her, running backstage for lyrical, running to change for my solo, running back stage for that, running to change to pointe, running backstage for that.  It was exhausting, but fun.  If you've ever done anything like this... it's exhilirating.  There seriously is nothing like being on stage doing the thing you love.  Although I have to admit... being backstage before my solo was probably the worst moments of my life.  I ended up getting back there like, 2.5 numbers before my time... so I just had to chill back there and be nervous.  I cried.  I'm never really nervous with lyrical or pointe, but it was my solo... I had seriously been thinking about that moment since 8th grade, and here it was.... wow.  It was crazy. 

Sunday was recital.  I was there at 10:30 again to get ready and whatnot, and this time I actually got some homework and stuff done.  So many people came, it was great.  My grandma and other grandma and stepgrandpa, Aunt Cheri, Aunt Dee, and cousin Mattie came, plus of course my family, Chica, Chels, Cole, Ashley, and Brandon all came... I've never felt so loved.  I was seriously SO excited and hyper.  So the recital started and Sarah did her solo BEAUTIFULLY.  Saturday and Sunday were seriously the best she's ever done it, I loved it.  I don't really remember lyrical.... it was either amazing or awful.  I feel like it was really good, though.  My solo came... and I could hardly handle it.  Being backstage was pretty rough again.  I think I had a few mild heart attacks.  But it's ok, I lived through it.  And I had a lot of fun.  Pointe was amazing, except the part just before our pirouette that we always suck at.  I cired at the end of that too, cuz this is the best production we've ever done.  At grande finale, we were announced.... I started bawling the second the curtains closed.  It was really rough.  Grand Ledge recital went well, too.  it was all fun. 

The thing was... after it was all over... all I wanted to do was cry.  I think my problem is, I set myself up for this, get really excited about everything, and then when it comes, it's just such a big letdown because it's over... dance was such a HUGE part of my life for SUCH a long time, and now it's not there anymore... I don't know what I'm going to do and it's really depressing.  You know when you're having a really bad day... like, you car won't start, you boyfriend just told you you should be just friends, you get a speeding ticket, you have a HUGE fight with your best friends, you're failing calc... but then there's always that one thing that you know you can go do that will no doubt make you feel better.  Well, dance and guard were those things for me.  No matter what went wrong in life (and that seemed like a lot this year for some reason), I could always turn to those two things and life would magically be better, and now those are gone.  It's just a big letdown. 

But yeah... I dunno.  19 days left.  That's pretty saweet.  I'm pretty excited to get outta there.  And after May 4th... I quit.  That's the APE test, the day after the AP Calc test, and then I'm done working.  Until then... oy.  lol

Ok, gotta go study a bit.  Ttyl, love everyone!

~Shelly

Hm.  Well, I really don't have time to be writing this, however, I'm gonna be crazy busy this week, and I thought I should pop in to let y'all know I'm still alive.  Albeit barely.  So, what has happened lately... hm. Not much, really.  Well, I had a blast and a half in Florida, with one minor exception, but we won't get into that... *cough*.  But we all had fun and had many many laughable moments.  I finally got a ll my pictures back after some confusion with Meijer... and there's not as many pictures that needed to be edited as I thought there would be.  Most of them were inside jokes that only we would get and anyone else looking at them would think we were drunk, but we weren't, I promise. 

Coming home was rough, seeing as how it was cold and rainy.  But since then, the weather has warmed up considerably.  It was, like, 75 yesterday... saweetness.  This week has been kinda crazy, what with the whole getting back into the swing of things and all.  We're reviewing for the AP test in Calc, which is stressful cuz it makes me feel like I'm gonna flunk like no one's business.... and Ms. Harris is assigning things like there's no tomorrow.... books, reductions, essays... What happened to "Life's too short"?  Sad times... actually, there's not time to be sad... busy busy busy! 

This week is going to be probably the craziest week of my life.  Monday I have to take Keith back to school, then dance (my last tech class!).  Tuesday, I have to dance at Holbrook, go to work, then go to GG night.  Wednesday I have dance (last pointe class!) and I think there's something going on with LCC registration... oy.  Thursday is the FOB concert!  YAY!  So I get to miss half of school Thursday so we can get to Detroit on time, then missing half of Friday cuz we're getting in so late.  Friday night is the OSL reunion, which I'm really excited for, but it's kind of a bummer that I have to miss Senior Oscar night... but I miss all th emiddle school peeps... I haven't seen these people in FOREVER and I hope they all come.  Then Saturday is Dress rehearsal and Sunday is recital... I'm so excited.  I seriously can't even stand it.  Our pointe routine is SO beautiful and I'm really excited for my solo, even though I don't think it's very good.  Btw, for anyone who wants to come see... it's Sunday at 12:30, doors open at 12, which is when you'll probably wanna be there if you want to get a seat... and tickets are $7, I think?  And I'd love it if people came, it'd be saweet. 

I got my prom dress last week.... OMG, it's so gorgeous.  It's the dress KAris was going to wear, but decided not to.  It's light pink, strapless and really really poofy.  The bodice and the bottom have beaded flowers and there's sequins all over, so it's really shiny.  I seriously put it on and just walk around in it because it's so pretty.  I feel like a princess in it.  I'm so lucky Karis is letting me use it, it's exactly what I wanted.  I'm so excited for prom.  It's going to be so much run.  We got a huge limo and we're going to order pizza and drive around while we eat.  And, um, gorgeous dress!  Yay!  Oh, and I guess my date doesn't suck... I mean, Brandon's pretty cool, I guess..... lol, jk, Brando, you're AWESOME!  Lol, it's just looking to be a LOT of fun.... Yay!

I guess I have a lot to look forward to... I mean... Fall Out Boy on Thursday, OSL reunion, recital, getting these pesky AP tests out of the way, Senior skip day, Prom, and then, FINALLY, drum roll please, SENIOR'S LAST FRICKEN DAY!  May 19th baby, and I can hardly wait!  WOO FRICKEN HOO!  Lol.  I'm a little bit excited to get outta there, in case you hadn't guessed...  And then of course graduation and my open house will be exciting. 

So, that's all that's been happening with me..... Sorry this was so long, I didn't mean for it to be... lol.  And now I'm off to do more homework!  YES!

<3 always,

       Shelly

Oh, hey, Brandon, thanks for leaving your ipod here, it provided much entertainment....