The end in sight...

I can't believe that when I finish my last essay next week...that's going to be the last essay of my elementary/highschool years. I still remember sitting on the couch in our old house, doing read-alouds with mom. Being distracted by the story that Jac was writing, or the spelling words Wes was reviewing. When my birthday present for my third birthday arrived a day early on August 17, 1995, there was one more distraction...a real live little dolly named Cheryl. I remember the field trips that we used to take, like when we went to a butterfly conservatory..and then a bird sanctuary where a despicable bird pooped on my hand. Opa used to take us down to the pond by his old house and tell us about every little detail...he helped me catch hundreds of little frog eggs for my science experiment and explained what would happen and what to watch for...(he failed to mention the fact that one of those tadpoles ATE every singe other tadpole so I was left with only one at the end, who also died..cause of death: indigestion).
I remember struggling so much with math in grade 7 and 8. Mom was so worried about me entering highschool because I kept having corrections and having to redo countless lessons..there were alot of tears I can tell you that. I remember Jac always making fun of my writing..the hard feelings didn't last very long however, because I thought it was the funniest thing that I ALWAYS beat her in spelling bees :D...(still not sure about the hard feelings on her side though, because it wasn't as though I quietly won and left it at that...no way :P)...I'm a Kroesbergen.
Trying to juggle music and school and work...usually ended up in me complaining about being too busy and not having enough time for my friends and fun things. That was the beginning of highschool, with still four years to go...not exactly off to the greatest start. However, much to my mother's pleasant shock of surprise, I actually started passing my courses! Sure they weren't high 80's and what not, but I was passing..with more than a 60%! Memorizing a list of 20 scientific terms per test for chemistry...not my forte, trying to figure out advanced math equations..not my forte either :P I really started to love writing, doing English assignments..mostly because that was the only thing that I got really good marks in :D I guess these past couple of years in highschool have probably been the ones where I improved the most. But my early years, I think were my favorite. Mostly because everyone was home, we did everything together: swimming, gymnastics, track and field, soccer, bike rides down the rail-trail...those were amazing memories, ones that will stick with me for the rest of my life.
My mom has had such a huge impact on my life. She's the one who taught me for these past 16 3/4 - almost seventeen years. She had to put up with my moody days, my not so smart days (rather frequently I might add), my tears...through everything, she always encouraged me to do my best, and that's all that mattered. Mom and Dad never pushed me to always be on top, to always have to win everything and get the best marks, all they wanted was for me to try my hardest and to enjoy what I was doing. They pressed into each one of us the importance of doing everything we do, to the honor and glory of God and to use our gifts for that purpose.
So anyways, thus ends my ramblings for today...I was just feeling a little bit overwhelmed, so I decided to write about it :)


(as enjoyable as school was, :P I think being done will be a whole lot more fun...:D)