Wednesday, December 31, 2014

And If The Music's Good, You Dance {the final chapter of 2014}

 
// And if the music's good, you dance. //
 
I feel really out of touch with this blog.
 Like, I haven't kept you guys up to date on anything at all this year.
 
Kinda a shame, because it's been the best year of my life.
 
Don't I say that every year? I guess it just proves how things only keep getting more and more amazing.
 It feels like this year sort of came, did a couple cartwheels, and then disappeared out the back door.
But that's okay. Because those cartwheels were pretty darn incredible.
 
 
Yes, there were cons along with the pros. There are things I regret. But I am a self-declared eternal optimist, so therefore I'm not dwelling on those negatives. I never liked bad vibes. And besides, all you can do is to learn from your mistakes. You don't eat them up like they're dark chocolate or nutella.
You adapt. You expand your horizons. You evolve. (On the micro scale, of course. haha) You pull yourself off the ground, and start walking in the right direction again. And you try not to look back.
 
// Romans 8:1 //
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. 
 
^^Perhaps one of my favorite verses in the entire Scriptures.
 
 
Reflecting back on the year, it was busy, productive (for the most part - social media tends to wreck havoc on my productivity) and full of chances to grow. I had so many opportunities to do different things! For the moment, I'd like to focus on some of those many opportunities.
 
We'll start with January, where it all began. The first chapter. ♪
 
JANUARY
 
Love these sisters!

♪ I went to (and played music at) my first Civil War reenactment, the Brooksville Raid.
♪ I became an adult - legally, at least.
♪ I cut my bangs, and fell in love with them.
♪ I started writing the sequel to The Rebels of Florida.

 
 
FEBRUARY
 
 
 
♪ I went to NYC for the fifth time with my dad on ASGA business. Explored the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges.
♪ Southern Lights played at the Battle of Olustee, our second reenactment and the largest in FL.
♪ My family got our first truck!
♪ I worked a lot on If Dante Had Wings.
♪ I had my first art commission!
 







Turquoise eyes.


MARCH
 
 
♪ We played at the Williston reenactment.
♪ And at that reenactment, I met Chris.♥
♪ We had a retro party.






Will, Adam, Andrew and Luke did basketball for the first time!



 
 
APRIL
 
 
♪ Adam, Andrew and Will started doing baseball.
♪ My grandma got married!
♪ Started writing for Survival Mom.
♪ Will turned 15.



 
 
MAY
 
 
♪ Southern Lights had our first paid gig at the Fort King historic site grand opening.
♪ We took a trip up to Alabama to visit with our dear 'extended family', the Caliguires.
♪ GFP had an audition for Radicals and casted two characters. 
 




Country kids have all the fun!
 
JUNE
 
 
♪ My family had our annual Oxendine family reunion at the beach for a week.
♪ Six out of those seven days, I got to see Chris.
♪ On June 8th, he asked to court me! ♥
♪ We had our first date, which was going to the homeschool prom/English country dance.
 



 
 
JULY

 
 
♪ Our whole family went to Orlando for another of Daddy's conferences.
♪ I had my graduation ceremony.
♪ Will, Chris and I did a photoshoot for Radicals.
♪ Chris took me on a hot air balloon ride in Orlando!
♪ We also went tubing, and to Medieval Times.





From the Radicals photoshoot


 
 
AUGUST
 
 
♪ Southern Lights received our second paid gig, playing at the Battle of Gainesville.
♪ I had my graduation pictures taken.
♪ Chris took me flying!
♪ We took a little vacation to the beach.
♪ I got to go to Chris' Sea Cadets promotion.
♪ I started lessons at the Ocala Piano Conservatory.
 ♪ Luke turned 8.
♪ I split The Rebels of Florida into two books.
 
 


 
 
SEPTEMBER
 
 
♪ Chris and I ran the Color Run!
♪ We went to a Fall Ball in Ocala.
♪ Chris and I went to the Blue Grey Cotillion in St. Pete.
♪ I gained 8 new piano students, my professional piano teaching season began. (Also began teaching my brothers.)  
♪ I started volunteering at a local Awana as a Truth and Training leader.
♪ My family took the annual road trip to Washington, DC for my dad's largest ASGA conference.
 



 

Yes, little bro is cute when he's being a gentleman.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 OCTOBER
 


 ♪ Chris took me to two different Florida orchestra concerts. I had never been to a live orchestra performance before!
♪ Will, Daddy and I went to Chicago (my second time, Will's first) for an ASGA conference.
♪ I performed at my first Ocala Piano Conservatory concert.
 

 
 
NOVEMBER
 
 
 
♪ Chris and I participated in the Ocklawaha River Raid, and I got to go to my first reenactment church service.
♪ We also got to hand out tracts at the Micanopy Fall Festival.
♪ We had a bonfire and played music under the stars.
♪ We went to a masquerade ball.
♪ Southern Lights played at Ocali Country Days for our third year in a row.
♪ Went to Mammy and Pappy's for Thanksgiving, and went fishing - caught 3 redfish hehe.
 

 



 



The whole clan!
 
 
 
DECEMBER
 
 
♪ Chris and I went to a Christmas party at his church, and he took me to a concert at the Bok Tower.
♪ I played guitar and sang Silent Night in German with Chris' sister at a womens' Bible study down there.
♪ Adam and Andrew turned 11.
♪ Chris, Will and I saw the third Hobbit film.
♪ Got to spend Christmas with our grandparents, cousins and Chris.
♪ I started a new nanny job.
♪ Chris and I celebrated 6 months of being together!
♪ Officially enrolled in the International Sports Sciences Association, for my fitness trainer certification.
 

 
 
Whew. There ya have it. All the highlights that I could remember at the moment. I know I left out a whole lot.
Sooo, if you've stuck around - kudos and free chocolate for ya, you awesome trekker person, you.
And now it's disastrously late. Well, 1:30, which, for a night owl, isn't /that/ late. But for most normal people...erm, yeahh. It's late.
 
Before I go, I had this thought I would share a few of my favorite quotes. And a random quote snippet I had shared on Facebook.
 
--
Luke: *scrunches eyebrows together* Why is there a little shaking outhouse in the front of Chris' car?
Me: *makes a face* A what?!
Luke: A shaking outhouse!
Me: *shakes head* I have noo idea what you're talking about.
Luke: It's blue and has little windows......

Me: *stares at the 7-year-old munchkin in bewilderment*......
Luke: *looks equally confused* ....
Me:......
Luke:....
Me:.....OHHHH. *eyes widen as I suddenly figure out what he's talking about*
Hahahahahah so Chris has this bobble TARDIS on his dash... I guess it's pretty obvious that the youngest members of the Oxendine clan aren't acquainted with Doctor Who. xD
--
 
♪ Optimist (n.) - Someone who knows that taking a step backward after taking a step forward is not a disaster; it's a cha-cha. // Robert Brault ♪
-
♪ You're never fully dressed without a smile. ♪
-
♪ Don't look for a princess in need of saving, search for a queen to fight by your side. ♪
-
♪ My purpose in life is simple. To peacefully turn the world upside down. - Me ♪
-
♪ Always love a woman for her personality. They have like 10, so you can choose. (haha!) ♪
-
♪ Playing the piano is like dancing for the fingers. ♪
-
♪ Meekness= power under control. ♪
 

So, 2014 was amazing. God's mercies extended further than I could ever have dreamed. Which is nothing new, because His mercies are abundant and eternal. Praising Him for all that He has done and allowed me to do, and for His mercy when I mess up. Cause I tend to do that a lot.
But yeah. This was the year I got a boyfriend, discovered kpop, swing and Wicked: The Musical, found out how addicting Civil War reenacting is, cut my bangs and declared myself a free-spirited hippie minus all the drugs and bad stuff. I joined the Firefly and Sherlock fandoms. I ran a lot. I made new friends. T'was shiny.

And now it's time for me to go to bed. Thus concludes the defining chapter.
So long, twenty-fourteen. I'll look back on ye fondly.

And YOU, 2015, well, it's just the beginning of our fabulous adventure.
Literally.