Abbe Front and Center

2006-06-12T17:12:00.000-05:00

OiEEE GENTE!!!

NOOSSA! Que Rapido (( nao tenho acentos)) o tempo esta passando!! Ja tenho quase uma semana que eu estou aki nos EUA..

.. Massss...

Nao estou fazendo muitas coisas..

Meus amigos estao viajando ainda entao, estou esperando ate eles voltaram .. (certo??)

humm.. que mais?

O viajem para a minha casa foi bom.. demorouuuu D+++ -- mas, valeu a pena quando eu vi minha familia pela primeira vez em quase 11 meses!!!!!

Hoje foi o primeiro dia do recuperacao ( de ingles ).. escola durante feriados!!!.. eu acordei as CINCO horas da manhaaa.. dirigei(( EUUU MESMO!!)) por Muuuuuito tempo ate a escola (( que fica beeem longe da minha casa)) e fiquei la por CINCO horas na minha aula de INGLESSS!!!

... Durante minha primeira aula, eu tive fazer um discurso (( JA! )) .. e quando eu chegei para falar.. eu comecei falar em PORTUGUES!!!

CREDO HEIN??!!

-
Todo mundo estava olhando .. "AHAM.. que isso gente?!" e depois uma menina que estava explicando sobre mim falou que eu "Foi para o Brasil e aprendeu como falar 'Brasileiro'. " ...

HaHaHa!! -- QUE??!

ahhh mas..

Que diferente o povo aki eh! Eu Cheguei e estava falando "Oi! Bom Dia.." e ninguem conversou comigo! Aki, eu acho que ninguem importa com cumprimentando ( ?) ou falando "Bom Dia" ... Por Favor ate Obrigado.. muitas vezes situacoes ficaram bem estranho p mim! Que Choque!

Tenho Saudades de voces.. algums dias sao dificeis p mim.. mas tenho q olhar nas coisas positivas..

Eu sei que vou voltar p la e te visitar..

((as vezes, MoRaR la!!!!))

E espero que NINGUEM ficar triste,

-- porque todo dia eh um comeco novo.. cheio de oportunidade.. e eu tinha o oportunidade INCRIVEL p morar com vcs por um poko tempo e eu aprendi muito!

... Voces sao minha familia !!!!

<<<3

(( desculpa que algumas coisas estao erradas... mas nao escrevo em portugues muito bem hahahah!! ))

Abracos e Bjoos p todossss!!
-

(( JULiANA // WANdER e Os MeNiNOS::))

XoXoXOXOXoXoX

Caca (( HEHEH .. nao tenho ACentOoO!!)) MaSSS -- TE AMOOOO!!

ABBE LOU!!!

2006-05-29T11:20:00.000-05:00

.. ONE week N' COUNTiNG!!..

its insane how fast time flies

TiLL Tuesday loves,

Abbe LOUiSE

(( B.u.S.Y // B.E.E ))

2006-04-25T12:21:00.000-05:00

HeY ALL!! LoNG TiME, No TaLK!!

-- i MiSS geTTiN CooL CoMMeNts..

... i GueSs EvEryOnE WEnT oN STRiKE

WitH tHe CoMMeNTS UnTiL i UpDaTED?!

HAHAH i FiGURED TWO MoNTHs

Was WAAAAY ToOoO LoNG NoT TO PoSt..

.::. SoOoO HeRe We GoOo .::.

HmMm.. last TiME we TaLked, i WaS iN UbErLANdiA, WiTH my BuD, JeSSi WeSSi

.. that WaS a LoNG TiME AGoO!! ..

LeTs Just Do A PHOTO PoST AGAiN??!

STaYED iN UbERLaNDiA N CHiLLeD

W/ My ExChAnGeEe BuDDiEs!

::The EXCHANGEE CREW::

-- Ariadna (MEXiCO) Mabel (MEXiCO) Karla (MEXiCO) Gabby (MEXiCO) Gena (Canada) Jessi (AuSSiE LanD) Sophie (NEBRASKA) Rebecca (MiCHiGAN)

-- NOT pictured: GRETCHEN (COrN HUSKER TOO)

I LuRRve U GiRLS!!

- THeN @ EnD of MaRch i WeNT To ThE BEEEEACH!! -

(( GUARUJA, SAO PAULO ))

&& Stayed there for a week with some friends from Rotary

-- Hiran and his wife Gabriela--

&& their TWoO KiDs, MatEus and JULiA!

. . . .Julia N I Chillin \ 1st time in the SaND! / takin a Ferry 'cros the bay

.Gab N i playin' in the BallS!

/ The Bar on the BEACH /

&& Adriana Me Gab @ the Bar

Gabriela && Hiran!!

// \\ It WAS AWESOMe!! // \\

-- bESiDes the FacT that My CAMERa BROKE --

When i GOT bAck FrOM thE BeACH,

My HoST FaMiLY haD tHe PAiNTERS iN

.. (( LITERALLY!!))

AnD HaD Me MoVE iN WiTH My BuDDiES FRoM Rotary:

JuLiANA && WaNDeR // AnA Lu & Caca

-- It was supposed to be for a "WEEk" but ended up

.. well.. im Still here actually!!

I luRRRRve THiS FAM!

Ana Lu (9) Juliana!! . . . . . Wander && Caca (6) !!

SoOoO the WeeKEnD i MoVED in, We All Went TO THiS REeALLY AWeSoME NaTuRal Hot Water ParK (( LiKE that OthEr PlACE, CALDAS NOVAS!!! )) FoR THREE FUN-FiLLeD DAYS!

Ju Ana Lu & Caca

(( Under a waterfall!))

Ana Lu Under Water

Cacá Under Water.. && Abbe Lou Under Water!

BoDY RAFTiNG!!

Ju Getting Balanced to GO //

Wander landing after diving off of a cliff .

(( ..We ALL JuMPeD!!))

INTENSE!

(( ANA LU w/ ME -- PoWER RaNGeRS!! ))

THeN, EaSTER WeeKEND i WenT to a CiTY NeAR MiNE and MaDE a CoSTUME && WenT To A HuGE PaRRRTY!! It Was RiGHTEOUSLY CoOoOL!!

((SoRRY GuYS, NoO Pics DuE To BROKEN CAMERA!))

THiNGS ArE GoOoD iN ScHooL..

KiDS iN ClASS

EVeRY FRiDAY My ClAsS HaS SomE SorT of WEiRD SPiRiT Day,

AnD iF yOu DonT PaRTiCiPatE, yOu PaY A BucK..

.. PaST CoUpLe Of SPiRiT DaYs..

BRiNG a SAcK LuNCH..

AND

WEaR a MaSK fOr CaRNaVAL!!

(( FUN STuFF Eh?? ))

I've FiNiSHED A FeW PAiNTiNGS..

but OnLy have TWO PiCS ..

i HaVe DoNe 2 OthErs.. bUT

(( i GaVe TheM AwAY as THANK YOU PReSeNTS ))

OtHER NeWSs...

-- Was TRiCKED iNTO GeTTiNG a WAXXX..

(( LoNG SToRY! ))

. . 2 words for you..

" OuCH!! OoOoOUCH!!!"

.. never AGAiN

ALsO Went To the UNiVERSiTY WiTH My Class && BiO TeaCher

CaUse i THoUGHT i was GoNNa SEE ThE ScHOoL

AND ENDED UP WITH DeAD PEoPLE!!!!

UnFORTUNATELY i AM NoT KiDDiNG..

SEEmS the eXPEDiTiON wAS PlaNNed For KiDS interEsTed in SeEing DEAD BOdiES .. and Watching the TeAchEr Disect a BABY PIG..

.. they quite literally had an ICE CHEST

WiTH MoRE thAn FiVE DeaD People JuST SoAkiNG In the PresErVaTiVE..

I know this because my FRiEND ErVAL OPENED THE CASE When THE TeaChER's BaCK was TuRned!!! ThE Bodies LoOked LiKe THey WeRe DROWNING .. EYES OPEN and ALL..

THeY hAd Cut Of One Mans Legs sOo He was Just A TORSO..

.. it was GRUESOME!!

.. it SoUndS ReTarDed, buT it ToOk all i Had Not to Run OUT of there..

SoOoOoO SCARY!!!

(( .. again .. NO PiCS.. but you're sick and demented if you think i would take a single photo of a dead body.. SiCK SiCK SiCK!! ))

On a BeTTeR NoTE::

My HAiR iS GeTTiNG SoOoO LOnG!!

(( PIC OF ME RiGHT THiS SECoND!! ))

...YESSSSS!

ShOUt OuT To MY BrOS DyLAN && WiNStON WhOs BdAYS Were::

MaRCH 2nd (DyL) N APRiL 23rd (WiN)

I HoPE YoU GuYS HaD ROCKiN BdAYSSS!!

...LoTS O LxVE!!

&& LaSTLY, YeSTeRDAY WaS My NiNE MoNTH ANNiVERSARY

HeRe iN BrASiL!!!!

FoRTY OnE DaYs TiL i BOaRD ThE PLaNE!!

i MiSS YoU LikE MAAAAD!!

LeAVe ME lOts O' LuRRViN'!!!

AbbER DaBBer

BLoG MoMeNTS!!

2006-03-07T13:58:00.000-06:00

Ola all of you up yonder in {{French fry land}}

its me again && im just roastin down here in Brasil w/ my new kangaroo buddy jess (( shes from the true "DoWn UnDeR"))

Annywayzz uh.. we went to uberlandia for "the weekend" cause we had a meeting with all the exchangees in our district && im still here

..a week later..

So anyways, my lil buddy is gonna say hello and the following retardnosisity are just a few of the many inside jokes we've managed to come up with. .

Hey guys! Its Jesso! All the way from Uberlandia with Abs! I promise i dont jump, i dont have a pouch...unless of course there are kangas with crazy curly hair and heaps of memories with their special american equivalents!! Take care...Lots of love and billions of big brasilian beijos! xx

InsIDe JOKeS stArt hErE::

--SOOOO qUeRioUS!!
.
-- TULiP !!--

.
(",)

.
Today was a nice day..

uhm..

you WERW Terry sweet potato pie

blah blah..

Plus Sized Manican

DoWNY // TeRRy

Jimmy rigged.. uhm.. JeRRY RiGGed.. JamIe RiGGED

-
The UNpLEaSANT SiGHT oF Fred in a speeeeeedo..

..nakey pics!!

WhAt iN THe NaME Of SanTAS PantiEs IS A BUdgIe??.. (( catcher ?!?!?))

".\\ BLOG MoMeNt!!! //. "
.
..nEgaTive nanNy..

\\ .. ShEs GOing HoMe.. //

--GRAÇAS O DEUS --

-- abANDOneD moNCHila in dOWnTown UbeRLAndIA--

.

We visited a Granny Sweat Shop..
(( PrOdUCtIon liNE oF weAvEd mAts ))

.
BEC gETting rObbeD of.. 10 ReAIS

.. getting robbed of $4.10

"RAh Rah raH"

.
abbe // albert?? He.. She.. It??
.

.

HOME HOME ON THE RANGE..
GImmE A hOMe aMongst THe GuM tReEs

-- Flippin' character building excercises

.

"Flipped Burgers"

" ... im TiRED.. "

-- jOiN thE cLub --

.
{{ Pirou

Minha cabeça

E o coração

Feito bola de sabão

Me Desmancho por você }}

-- ProNunCiAtioN GUiDe WHeN ViSiTiNG BrASiL-LaND::

.
\\ BaNg -- BaNg //

aka BuN-Gie BuN-Gie

// NeW YoRK \\

Nova Yorkeee

//PiNG PoNG\\

Pingy Pongy

//HiP HoP\\

Hippy Hoppy

\\ RoCK & RoLL//

Hocky Holey

" I love you heaps".. ORRR " I love your hips" ????

.

My new friend from Crocodile-Dundee-land!!

\\ LAuGhinG the NiGHtS AwaY aNd

DozIng Off

lOoOng after THe sun wAkEs Up /

.
" are you hungry"
.. NO!!!
"are you HUNGRY?"
..NO!!!!!!!
".. yes you are!!.. "
NO IM NOT ..MUIIITO Obrigada..
.. "heres some rice and beans.."

BROwnIeS frOm A BoX MAdE in aN icE CrEAm coNTaINER..

".. thIS iS So amERIcaN .. "

.

iN JeSS's MiND a GHoST WRiTeR WRiTEs GHoST SToRiES..

[[ Welcome to wherever you are

This is your life, you made it this far

Welcome, you got to believe

Right here, right now you're exactly

where you're supposed to be

Welcome to wherever you are

This is your life, you made it this far

Welcome to wherever you are ]]

-- BON joVi --

.. [[ Ive never worn a sLogan sHiRT in my liFe

.. im like an "i love jEsuS FReaK" ]]..

... ThE MexICans..

Living off condensed milk

{{ Leite Condensado!!}}

.Boy w// backpack + Rotary = EXCHANGE STUDENT

(( ASSUMTION))

ToTaLLY BRASiLeiro!!

".\\ BLOG MoMeNt!!! //. "

Hide & sEEK wItH tHe CoOKiE DougH..

aCCiDenTaLlY fOrGoT to unhide it &&

finally emeRGEd FRoM THe BeDROom To BAkeD CoOKiEs

>>bY JeSs && AbBe<<

XoXoXOXOxoXoXOXOxOxoXoXoxOXOxOxOx

\\ PS .. THIS Was TOTalLY DUeL typIng //
.
(( she tOtaLLy DOes mY SHiFT EVEn whEN iT CoMES TO sTICKy KeyS ))

-- CaLdaS NoVAS // CARNAVAL --

2006-02-27T10:38:00.000-06:00

What up all you CRaZY CaTS out there?!?

Well, i just got back from

CALDAS NOVAS

(( the natural Hot Spring Spa place ))

on (( last )) Sunday night, and we had a BLAST!!

I had another exchangee from the States staying there with me and it all ended up being pretty

SCHMANTASTIC!!

-- This isnt going to be a real post, just a

quick update and some pics --

Gymnastics in the Pool!

(( Bought a brasilian Bikini))

.. no, it is NOT a thong!!! ..

you can see there .. my butt is fully covered!

(( Me // Renata // Rebecca ))

Rebecca was the exchangee from

Michigan

and Renata is her Brasilian Friend ..

OoOh YEAH!! RiGHT now in my COUNTRY (( hehe )) its

CARNAVAL!!

.. that means

NO SCHOOL . NO WORK . && ALL PLAY!!

(( first night there ))

(( Mexican Exchangee .. the one to the right that looks.. Mexican ))

.. isnt her skin BEAUTIFUL??..

Group O' Dancin' fOOls!!

SOO i LiKE toOo..

(( dance DANCE dance ))

at the city party

.. all WEEK ..

(( MINUS the DRINKING \\ MAKIN' OuT ))

.. on my part ..

SoOoO KiDDiEs,
... thats all for now!

i have more

pics uploaded

of my past few months here..

CLiCK YoUR ((MoUSity)) MOuSE

..AKi..

.. FOR ThE MoST ReCEnT ONeS!!..

--PS--

FRiDAY WaS MY

SEVEN MONTH ANNIVERSARY

--HERE!!--

.. 3mo. && 6 days ..

(( june 5TH here i COME ))

&& LiFE is LiKE THiS..

2006-02-04T20:54:00.000-06:00

SoOo whats SHAKiN' everybody?!
-
.. i guess YOURE wondering that about ME.. arent you?
-
:: Havent updated in a long while::
-
wish i could say its cause things have been crazy busy
.. but unfortunately they havent been
-
.. just lazy. .
-
.. && lack of content..
-
-
::WHATS new in ABBES WORLD::
-
>> ? <<
-
Home::
Welp, i moved families (( AGAIN!)) on Saturday afternoon. It was a sad day, but a new begininng as well. Ill still be able to see my other family, just not as much as before. I have two new little sisters (( 3 & 7 )) .. the ages say it all.
-
HeHe, but seriously though, theyre adorable.
-
-- ill put some pics in my next post--
-
My host dads name is Saulo
&& ..im pretty much clueless as to what he does for a living..
By the looks of this GORGEOUS house, id guess hes some kind of
-
DRUG-DEALING HIT MAN
-
.. but, as both of which are highly illegal, i doubt thats an accurate guess.
Maybe they won the lottery.. maybe their parents were loaded.. or maybe the HERBALIFE that Christina (( my host mom)) sells makes the BIG bucks.
-
... False as it may be..
im stickin with my first guess until
something more interesting
comes along.
-
-
SoOoO, as i said a second ago; my new host mom's name is Christina and she loves HERBALIFE. I know this, not only because she has me drinking it every morning before school,
but because theres a pin on
every outfit ive ever seen her wear
shouting to the world::
-
" I LOVE HERBALIFE"
or
"HERBALIFE: ASK ME HOW!"
-
.. i wonder if she sleeps with them on too.. (( ? ))
-
.. SO maybe im being a little unfair. I do drink the shakes in the mornings by choice and they actually dont taste all that bad.. its the horse pill "Vitamins" they have me takin' every A.M. that kill me..
-
THEYRE HUGE!
-
..but as they say, the cost of a healthy colon
is never too high. .
-
ART CLASSES::
-
OoOh yeah, i didnt tell you guys about
my newfound art class
every friday afternoon.
Well, after spending 100 reais on supplies (( ! ))
and another 50 in "class fees"
The class started this time last month.
Im using oil paints ((. . its not easy ))
and painting on canvas.
i finished my first painting yesterday, actually,
and its pretty darn awesome.
-
iLL PoST PiCS in THE NeXT PoST!
-
the art "classes" pretty much consist of me sittin' and painting for 2 hours, then the last 30 minutes the teacher comes over and paints over my 2-hours worth of work.
-
at first i was ticked.. like "im not gonna sign my name at the bottom of that if shes the one makin it look good.. "
-
..but now that its done.. i really feel like its
my painting
..Just with a little Critiquing..
because all she does is run over the
rough edges and explains how i can do it better
the next go-around.
-
SCHOOL::
-
Yes, my friends, school has recommenced..
on Wednesday to be exact
Back to waking up at the
BUTT CRACK
of dawn
to sit through crazy classes.
BUT at least now i understand
what in tarnation is going DOWN
rather than just sitting and
-
fighting sleep
-
like i used to do...
-
ROTARY::
-
Aww, my Rotarians are awesome!
in fact, i went to a district meeting all day today
and spent the day listening to guest speakers
and eating random snacks.
One of the Rotarian families invited
me to come with them to a natural hot water spring
park, where they have tons of slides and
pools and stuff all made with the spring water.
iM ToTaLLY PsyCheD!!
Other than that, one of the families that im
closest to told me that they might take me to Rio De Janiero for a weekend of BEACH-FILLEd fun in a few months..
depending on how much it would cost to fly down for a weekend.
(( ! ))
i mean, even if we dont end up going.. its still totally awesome that they offered!
-
.. my dream is still to see a beach before i leave though..
-
OTHER than that.. im still awaiting word on the $
(( or Jing Jing, as JUliANA calls it ))
for my
-
--MAYBE--
-
Amazon TRIP in MARCH!!!!
-
-
-
ANIMALS IVE SEEN SO FAR::
-
A huge RED trantula on the way
home from Uberaba.
-
A bat on a doorstep in broad daylight..
trying to get into the store..
-
Ive caught some BRASILIAN FiSH!
-
The BiGGEST TOAD ive ever seen in
MY LIFE!!
-
A vicious BLACK HAiRY trantula
on the RANCH with Cacá && family
-
a TUCAN.. (( Sp* )
and no, im not talking about on the front of the
-
FRUIT LOOPS BOX..
sheeeeesh
-
but coming home from the ROTaRY meeting today,
a HUGE Tucan flew out of the trees and right in front of our car..
it was AWESOME!! i totally wouldnt have known it was a tucan except for its incredibly HUGE schnoz..
Saulo said theyre really common here, but my question
is, if theyre that common,
how can i go SIX months without ever seeing one?!?
annyways, i still have much to see.. (( ! ))
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
ANYWaYZzZ..
DURiNG the long drive home today i was doin some thinking.. and i finally came to the conclusion that our lives are a lot like TrEEs.
-
See.. like. .
We all start out as little seeds.
-
Some of us are planted in soft, fertile soil and allowed space to grow;
-
While others are placed in rocky, dry soil and have to fight to survive.
-
Either way, most of us break out of that ground that kept us safe or held us back and begin to live our lives for ourselves.. taking our first steps out into the world and experiencing new and exciting things.
-
A soft limb arises from the ground, delicate and fragile yet deep rooted and prepared for the hard times ahead. It begins to grow and eventually ends up a tiny trunk with several branches growing from it.
-
Those branches represent decisions we made while sprouting out of that cocoon of adolescence and into adulthood. The decisions in which shape the ways we will be forced to grow in years to come.
-
While some are cut down early on, before they have a chance to stretch their branches.. others still, keep growing and eventually end up with a branches full of beautiful leaves.
-
As those little leaves play a detrimental role in sustaining life within the tree, so are the relationships with the others around us throughout our lives. Whether we want to or not, we have an impact on every person we come into contact with..positive & negative. Some relationships are strong and vibrant. . while the weak will wither and die.
-
Either way, winter soon comes and we have the opportunity to evaluate our friendships and the past decisions we've made. We shed the unwanted parts of who we once were and transform ourselves; still keeping the past in mind but moving forward.
-
In this way, we keep on living.. year after year our branches strech longer and longer.. and intwine with one another with every choice we make. Subtle actions.. comprimises.. the silent acts of kindness we may do for others without recognition.. all of these things shape the way in which our tree will grow.
-
We are trees of all shapes and sizes. Some will grow up faster than others.. Some will live a long and difficult life, while others will never know what its like to go without. Some provide relief from the blazing sun for the plants below.. while others suck every last drop of water from the earth surrounding them. So this is life-
-
And just like the tree.. we all come from just a tiny tree and grow into a magnificent being of some sort. I guess it all depends on how you look at it, how we use the resources we're given, and how we treat others whom we may one day need.
-- --- -- --- -- --- -- --- -- --- -- --- -- --- -- ---

AWeSOME QUoTES ViA BiBLE

2006-01-07T11:20:00.000-06:00

** edit:: **

Ok i have officially been posted as an

EMAIL-EE to Strongbad email.

yesssssssss. well..Uhm .. well they changed my name to Patrick Cowichewa

.. and most of my email. . But i still consider myself PUBLISHED.

See for yourself::

I sent this email in September

Dear strong bad emailses..
I wanted to know about you back in your high school days.. Were you an acne-covered adolescent as most of us were back in the day, or like one one of those freak-of-nature-beautiful-people?? Back in those days, I bet your hair was probably righteously cool.. all huge and stuff like that...?
-
* a very curious *
-
Abbe JamesCupp .. Patrocinio, Brasil

Yes, my friends, that IS ME! and then he responded with a movie thingy.. but in it.. it is not exactly what i wrote.. but it IS asking about his high school dayses

::Click this to see the response. yes.

you know you want to..::

>>> I ROCK <<<

(( yes, it is a link ))

- ------------------ --------------- ---------- -
Col. 1:10-14
-
".. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord,and may please Him in every way. Bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God. Being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully give thanks to the father, for He has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the Kingdom of Light. For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins!!"
-
-

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sometimes in life, we really jack things up.. we get onto a slippery slope and start making mistakes we told ourselves we would never make. But no matter where we run to, to try to hide our face from His glory, He always finds us.. Some of us keep running, even after he's proved he won't let us run away.. and others humble themselves before Him and recognize that He is God. Those are the times its hardest to forget about ourselves and what we've done ..to put the past behind us and to move forward with a joyful heart; to remember His everlasting love for us, proved true by His ultimate sacrifice..
-
-

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Phil. 2:13-16

".. Continue to work out your salvation in fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose. Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God, without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you will shine like stars in the Universe as you hold out the Word of Life!"
-
-

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
.. dOES it say, "its all up to you to be perfect"?!

-
NO. it says, it's GOD who works THROUGH you to act according to his good purpose!!

YOU have to be the one to establish that relationship. You have to make the commitment tO read your word and to >>> HAVE A PRAYER LIFE!<<<
-
tHAT, mY fRIENDS is the most IMPORTANT decision of yOUR liFE.
-
\\ Once your heart is right with Him, all of the worries and cares you used to juggle everyday WiLL oNLY MaKE YoU LauGH. ( ! )
-
-

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

1st tIM. 4:12
-
"..Dont let anyone look down upon you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speach, in life, in love, in faith, && in purity!!"
-

-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

James 3:2-10
-
"..We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. . . Take ships as an example: Although they are so large and are pulled along by strong winds, they are driven by a very small rudder, wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue is also a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body . It corrupts the whole person, sets the course of the his life on fire and is itself, set on fire by Hell.. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father then, we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be!"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Whoa, how great our Lord Jesus is!!

It says right there that we are to be the ones setting an example! That even though we may be young, we should hold a higher standard in EVERY ASPECT of our lives!! It doesnt just say "Do your best to be a good person" it tells us HOW.
-
-
We should beware of the words seeping out of our mouths. They act like a poison in others' minds and twist the truth into a tangle of lies.
-
-

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***

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-

Do you know who you are? Are you the same person at school as you are at home? Is the same person in church and youth group the person that is walking the halls from class to class.. surrounded by people who would do anything just to have something real to believe in..
-
Be honest with yourself about where this path you're on is taking you.. Honestly, HOW MUCH TIME EVERYDAY do you spend thinking about yourself and what YOU want?? .. how much does that leave for thinking about OTHERS?
Love the people you spend your time with. Not only your friends, but ALL of them.
Not just a quick hello passing in the hallway or on the street. Love them the way Jesus loved.
Humble yourself. Give the things that mean the most to you. Put others' needs above your petty lifestyle.
-
When you've got a dollar set aside to buy a pop or those cookies during lunch, and an aquaintance comes up, someone you've barely had a conversation with, .. needing some lunch money..
When the whole world would understand your refusal, Be the person that God can rely on to supply others needs. LET him work through you, and great things will begin to happen!!

-
-
"True love is denying oneself for the fulfillment of others.."

&& Summer break Begins..

2005-12-17T12:16:00.000-06:00

Hey all of you cool cats out there in United States -land!

Just got back from my weeeeeek in Uberaba ..

*Unpacked

*OPENED the AWESOMEST gift MEGAN Yar******

sent me

// COSMOgirl Mag. // 2 BAGS of Cheetos and REESES!! ANd a WOW

worship XMAS cd!

IT was AWESOME!!!

... yessssssss ...

Here are some fun photos for you all to ooogle at while i sit here and rot my life away on this flippin computer.

.. at least ive got some XMAS music to listen to while i work!! ; )

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

THiS, my friends, iS the shirt i made for "Prom"

Front ......... Back

the GiRLs before the dance.. ((Up YOnder && down BeLOW))

-- DONT THEY LOOK GORGEOUS??--

i wasnt there for that Homecoming Pic ..
-
-

ZZYZYZYZYZYZYZZZ(*)ZZZYZYZYZYZZZ

the city i visted an' luRRRveD..

-
-
-
-

..UbERAbA (( rAINing ))

Saw Harry Potter!

YaY Harry PoTTer!!

(( Thats Chicken "LITTLE"'s butt invading my Pic of Potter and the Theatre was an ACTUAL theatre but was later converted to a MOVIE theatre))

Visited that HIPPIE store

.. i LURRRVED!

That Top pic is of some Paintings the owner

did himself *and those mirrors too*

Those are all the things i bought in the store! Earrings and a MooD ring!

SAW the BIggEST bar of Chocolate

ive EVER seen in my ENTIRE life!!!

(thats just TWO pieces.. imagine a hershey bar made of THOSE!!)

Went to a LEONI concert with Caca && Patty

((The concert was pretty good if i do say so myself!))

&& Visited the local 'SHOPPING' (..mall..)

Bought a pair o' righteous Converse, tried on ridiculous glasses, ATE MICKEY DEES, sat on SANTAS lap, && bought those CUTE sandals!

Saw UBERABA'S XMAS lights

with Caca's Aunt (TIA) Meire (MARY)

&&.. Watched a fish give birth

for over 2 . 5 HOURS!!

[[Baby fishys]]

Went to "SPANISH NIGHT"

Where CACA was a fortune teller!!

..&& PUT up XMAS lights at home!

----------------------------------

\\ Lastly. i. wanna. do. a. shout. out. to. all. you. smokin. hott. Gardner --edit-- (KANSAS). Gals! //

. . . . . . . . . . . .

JUST found out that Ill be coming home

6.6.6

.. that really freaks me out

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

alrighty guys, well heres the SITE for my new FOTO ALBUM

LEAVE ME SOME LOVIN' YOU LAdYFiED TURKEYS!

\\ EDIT //

..PS.. I awoke this morning to find ANOTHER package from MEGAN.. I STILL cant believe it!! THE coolest ever, FORTUNE cookies, lip gloss & mascara, a hilarious letter from AMy B***S XMAS card with everyones signatures and the absolute COOOOOLEST gold purse ive ever SEEEEN!! OMG its soo great! Megan, thank you so much for suprising me like this, its the sweetest thing ever, and you've made my XMAS!!

.. I found out yesterday that XMas is Sunday!! HOW in tarnation did it get here soo fast?? kinda snuck up on us didnt it?? i think so..

ANYWAYS..

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ONE AND ALL,

I PROMISE ILL GET MY XMAS SUPRISE FOR ALL OF YOU OUT SOON!

50 things you probably dont want to know about me..

2005-11-30T12:53:00.000-06:00

50: When i was 6, i renamed myself Renee. After about an hour, i had forgotten what my new name was.. that was the end of that.

49. I had a bicycle that looked like an awesome white motorcycle when i was younger.

47. My brothers are all named after singers from back in the day.. OK FALSE, but THEY do have some pretty cool names. (Winston, Dylan, and Levi) and my other brother who isnt *Legal* but to me, HE IS, named Lil' Bobby.

46. I have a sister named Tiffany who lives in Tennessee, whom we just started talking to again after 8 loooong years. HEY TIf! *shes probably reading this*

45. I dreamt last night that i came home and found Kitty *my dog* waiting for me, but she didnt remember me at all.. dangit.

44. My eyes change color from Blue grey to Bluish green from time to time.

43. I love shopping for OLD glasses!

42. I LOVE thrift stores!! *especially ones in Garnette*

41. I hate underpants!

40. Until sometime last year, i would throw my clothes in with just

a Downy Ball, because i didnt know about Laundry soap.. whoops!

39. I think my fav. SOLO singer right now is Natalie Merchant.. or maybe Norah Jones.. or Sarah Mclachlan.. Jennifer Knapp.. OK you get the idea.

38. I am probably the most UNorganized person you know.

Seriously.

37. My mom and i both had dreams last night that i got into a car accident.. SPOOKY stuff.

36. If there were only one thing i could to to my face to get ready before going out in public.. it would DEF be mascara.

35. I can swallow my tongue.

34. Ive only seriously dated one boy. He was not a nice guy.

33. I used to wrestle

32. I was baptized for the first time at 13 years old by Steve Sipp.

31. One time i dropped my brand new ($60+) CHEM book in a MUD puddle

and just stood there and laughed hysterically with grace as we watched it

soak up the water..

30. i think my hair reflects my personality perfectly. Sassy and Fun

.. yet unruly.

29. Ive never been struck by lightening.. dangit.

28. I love the smell of coffee in the morning..

27. Ive been friends with Gracie Persson since we were like 3, she was my next door neighbor in Edgerton KS.

26. Been friends with Tessa Shaffer since 5th grade, also a neighbor and made friends with Megan Ya******* the next school year in MR. Taylors class of torture.

25. When i ship off to college i plan on going to an art institute somewhere. Then getting a business degree so i can start a center for battered and abused women and children..

24. I love World Revival Church!!

23. I put my faith in JESUS CHRIST because he never fails to ROCK my WORLD!!

22. I can't dance. Seriously.

21. I think SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS is some sort of program launched by the government to brainwash our youth..

20 (1/2). honestly.. why else would billions of kids all over the world be facinated by a yellow SPONGE with buck teeth who lives in the ocean in an ever-preserved PINEAPPLE??

20. Despite all of the negative media, I STILL adore Mcee Dees..

B.U.T- not as much as WENDYS

19. i am learning to play the guitar. My plan is to come home from Brasil a guitar-playin fool.

18. i am a member of the *Procrastinators Anonymous Club*

17. i think the word *ANONYMOUS* is really freakin hard to spell.

16. i am DEF a fan of layin in bed all day with some hot cocoa and my fav. book

15. i have the BEST friends in the whole world!!!

* YOU know who you are!!*

14. i am QUEEN of sloppy handwriting.

13. ive lived in Brasil for going on 5 months, and i

still

dont speak portuguese. dangit.

12. i am probably the most COLORFUL person around.

11. my favorite word is def. BUTTCHEESE. hehe.

10. my favorite nickname for cool cats is

*Lil' Turkey*

9. i have 4(?) piercings.. the regular ears which were pierced at 9 months so that 'People would know you were a girl'...according to my mother; second ear piercings in 7th grade, and i pierced my cartilage myself 2X when i turned 16.

.. how do you count ear piercings anyways? like. . i had to endure the pain of each ear.. each time they were pierced. .plus each cartilage. so i consider it 6 TIMES. hehe.

8. i walk on my tippy toes * have since i was littttle bitttty*

7. because of that, my calves are hard as a rock.

6. i have RAUNCHY breath in the morning

5. i want a pet Macaw someday.

4. i am a daydreamer

3. i hate being rushed

2. i am one creative fool.

1. i _ _ _'d gracies pants.. you figure it out.

----------------------------------------------------

OK lets review my past weekend in UBERABA:

OK, started the trip off with a bit of a fever.

Arrived and lugged 59032 LBS. worth of CRAP up to the Grandmothers APARTMENT with an extremely nerve-wracking elevator from the early 1800s.

Washed my face with HAIR REMOVING CREME, and DidNT notice until i started smelling FARTS and realized my face was

ON FIRE.

FOUNd the COOLeST HiPPie StoRe EVER!

wherein, i bought 4 pair of earrings and a ring, then got ANOTHER pair of earrings for FREE cause i was AMERiCAN, heck yesss life is good.

Went to see Harry Potter IV

which pretty much rocked my face off.

Visited some cousin who had appendicitis, which resulted in a kidney removal or something

FOUND out that Brasilians JUST CANT understand the true comedy that is: NAPOLEON DYNAMITE

completely FlOOdeD Caca's aunt's bathroom.

&&.. ate shrimp out of a pumpkin

Overall, a pretty good trip.

i laughed,

i cried

and i def. slept alot too..

.. we're goin back on Friday..

(( this time, fOR a weeeeek ))

WELL, SiNCE im OFFiCiALLY going to be out of town for a WEEK; i figured i would add lil somethin'-somethin'

to my post to give you guys a laugh..

well, alrighty you guys have all probably seen these already.. but again might be nice!!

BWAHAHAH

THERE YA GO!! I EXPECT some SERIOUS LOVIN AFTER ALL OF THAT WORK!!

WHOA NELLY!!

2005-10-26T16:42:00.000-05:00

-
Dude, You guys must like. . TOTALLY hate me now.. its been TOOOOO long!!

Over a month and a half

Man, SOOO much has happened between then and now.. cant even begin!

Lets start with a list of bullets shall we??

*Went to COLOMBO a few weeks ago and grabbed butts with my friend Amanda

* Went to a BEAUTIFUL farm with Neto E Valeska for a Rotarian's birthday party. Soooo freakin RAD!! I saw a wild Macaw and little baby piggies..

awww!

- When i went to eat lunch.. there was a pot full of chicken feet stew.. and PEOPLE ATE IT!!

Two words: DIS-GUSTING

* Two weeks ago Patrocínio had a party all week to raise money for the cancer hospital they're going to build here.. it was called Festa Abraço.

*Party of Hugs*

-you pay like 5 reais to enter then they had a rodeo and then a concert of some sort..

-- that Friday night, i was in a terrible mood, and wanted to stay home.. and Neto came in my room and told me we were going to go to the party.. haha, i was annoyed cause he knew i wasnt in a good mood, but i went willingly.

--While i was there i ran into Amanda and the girls, then went off with them for a bit.. at about midnight, i came back to meet Neto and Valeska cause i thought they were waiting on me to leave..

--When i found them, they were drinkin a beer with some other folks.. and told me that they had bought me a ticket to the night club called the boite *BO-AH-CHEE* which didnt start til one and ended at like.. 4 30 I was SOO suprised!

-- Amandas friend hooked me up with a free bracelete to get into the MVP section of the party, and after the Rodeo and Pagode concert ended, we all headed over to the night club.. Neto and Valeska too!!

--Haha, they hung out in the club til about 3 and then i stayed with amanda til 4 when we headed home.. All in all, im soo glad Neto and Valeska made me go out, it was exactly what i needed!

Awesome BLOSSOM!

*Only to wake up at 9 so i could go to a farm with the girls and amanda at 10..

-- when i woke up i talked with neto and he told me that after the Boite, when they came back to the car, the window was broken out of it, and the stereo along with everything else in the car.. was stolen!! I couldnt believe it!

$1600 in damage

* When i went to the farm with the girls, it was great! We just lounged in the pool all day, WHY they have a pool when theyre FEET away from the lake, is beyond me, but it was sooo nice! Janiena * i dont think thats spelled right..* well anyways, her dad BBQed stuff for us to eat, and we had YUMMY ice cream!

Needless to say, i came home with a bit of a sunburn.. but it was QUITE uneven because when i went to whip out my bathing suit, i realized i forgot my top, so i had to spend the day swimming with a t shirt on.. Ei Ei, only me!

ahh but the day was D.e.L.i.C.i.O.u.S

* that night, i watched FAT ALBERT (The WORST movie EVER!) and then Finding Neverland.. Ahhhh sooooo sad! The movies ended at about 1am and there was a friend of Neto and Valeskas at the house watching with us.. when he left, he brought out his Chinchilla *is that how you spell it?* and i got to pet it!! It was soft as a babys bottom!

Totally Righteous

* Then, on Sunday night Neto had to work the Parking lot of the party, and i went in and hung out with some kids from school for a bit. Talked a few teachers, and my English teacher, Maragret, informed me that I officially dress like a Brasilian. . Which would have been cool except i was totally wearing the clothes i brought from the US. hahah, i guess i was brasilian even before i knew what brasilan was!

* The next week (last week) WAS THE WORST! Soo bad! Neto was traveling all week, and i met the woman that was supposed to be my new host mom, Fatima. She was really nice, but when i went to her house for lunch on Tuesday.. things went crazy. Im not going to go into it, cause it doesnt matter now, but the house just wasnt going to work! Soooo i had to spend from Tuesday til Sunday waiting for neto to come home so i could beg him not to send me there!! It was really stressful..

-- Saturday afternoon my friend, Caca *short for Casianna* came to my house with her mom, Mirna, to invite me to live with them instead of this Fatima woman..

-- To make a long story short, after a LOOOONG talk with neto, he agreed to let me stay there with Cacá for three months, and i moved in yesterday! Its going great! Her family is the nicest!

* Friday was ICBEU's *the language school* Halloween celebration.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? you ask..

Well, my friends, that means that they load up all of the kids willing to go, into this bus covered in halloween decorations, and drive from house to house *all people that work at the school* to collect candy! I decided not to participate in this activity, as the average age of the participants was 8 years old.. *about HALF my age*

- but as i was sitting on the couch watching Dawsons Creek, *pathetic, i know * i heard a massive shout and all of a sudden Valeska was letting a MOB of children into our yard and pummeling the poor souls with everything from Suckers to Bon Bons!.. of course, out of curiousity, i cautiously approached the door to see what was going on.. and they snatched me up and carried me off to the bus to trick or treat with them!

-- It ends up that after all the bus fun, we all stop off at Colombo for a halloween party! Being a hostage, there was no way for me to get home.. so i waited it out with my friend, Euriane until about 8 30 when i walked home with her.. and got ready to come back at 10 for the *older* kid Halloween party..

-- Wouldnt you know, 10 rolls around and when i show up to Colombo.. i walk in to find the place MORE than EMPTY.. im talking like.. 15 people total.. and thats counting all of the ICBEU staff that were required to be there.. hahaha.

-- eventually.. after an hour of talking, we all decided that the DJ sucked and we needed to pretend the music he was playing.. was good.

So, we danced like maniacs!

... and eventually the DJ got better...

After ALOT of dancing, amanda and i decided it would be funny to non-chalantly throw peanuts at random people *after about midnight, the place started to KIND OF fill up* and watch them try to find out what hit them..

--after we ran out of nuts, i left with Caca and finally got some sleep!

* Saturday night, after Mirna had talked with Valeska about me moving in with them.. i went out with Caca and Seijim to Choppin.. well, when we showed up, it was REALLY dead, so we decided to buy some Lemonade and grab Sediom's guitar then head to the square to sing songs.. hahaha.

-- mind you, the square is full of people on Saturday nights, but we didnt care. We sat down on one of the concrete benches in the middle, right in front of the local *Framburger* and sang all kinds of songs. Some people actually stopped to listen to us, Caca can sing REALLY well, and Seijim can PLAY really well.. me, well i can, make background noise! haha. Anyways, these two girls had their dad stop and park the car for like 45 minutes and listened to us. Ohhhh man, it was a blast! We stayed out til about 11 45 *we started singing at about 9* and by the end, we were pooped.

*when i got home, i hung out and watched, youre never going to believe this, but i watched "The History of the Handsaw" on the local Tool TV Network. Oh my gosh it was funny. I just sat there laughing at myself cause i was up at midnight watching this ridiculous show!

* hahah, in school today my english teacher, Margaret, (mentioned above) decided to re-do the seating chart.. Well, after she moved a ton of people around, she looked to me in the back of the room.. and told me i had to move up to the first seat in the first row of desks.. no one sitting around me speaks english as well as amanda, who i used to sit by, and i was a bit peeved. I suspect that she moved me because in class i never pay attention because im always writing notes to the kids in the other class, and sliding them under the wall which separates our classes, or reading.. or listening to music.. or .. sleeping. but anyways, up to that point, everyone was kinda peeved cause no one wanted to have to move, but when Margaret moved me everyone started arguing with her.. EVERYONE. It was so funny cause they were saying that i wont be able to do anything if i dont have amanda beside me to tell me whats being said in portuguese.. so kids were shouting *LEAVE ABBE THERE.. LEAVE ABBE THERE!!* and finally, i think Margaret was afraid of some kind of crazy revolt and she told me i could go back to my throne. hahaha yesssssssssssss. The funny thing is that i dont even really care that she moved me.. the seat was kinda nice cause it would mean i could be the first out of the class when the bell rings.. oh well.

... and now, I am in my new host family's house, and starting to feel really comfortable here. It was hard leaving the girls, they even started crying, which in turn, made me start crying.. but ill be able to see them from time to time.. and thats a big comfort! Plus, theyre only a phone call away!!

I dont know if ive told all of you about my friend Caca (with an accent over the last a, the accent button isnt workin right..) but shes awesome. Ive known her for about two months now..Shes my age, but goes to a different school and shes a great friend *hence her taking me in* She is the one that is teaching me guitar! I have some pictures of us when we went to Uberaba to buy my guitar.. ill put some up here for you guys!

Other than that.. nothin much else to write..

OH YEAH! Just so you know, XAUSIES means this:

XAU is slang for TCHAU which means goodbye..

the SIES on the end is just a cutsie ending we cool people add on!

*like 23o43434.3 people have asked me what that was, just figured i should let all of you know!

Ohhhh yes you also need the link to my new photos.. as i havent posted any on here..

decided its just too much work!

My new photo album is here:

cHECK iT oUT

Talkish toish thees laterish..

(thats for you mom.. O.L.O)

-PS MY new Address is:

Rua Bernardo Guimarares 44. Patrocinio MG

apt. 101 Centro CEP: 38740-000

Brasil.

//// Not that it matters to you guys.. i havent recieved\\\\

\\\\a letter since August ////

(((( Except the box of goodies from Meg-O))))

** moral of the story: SOMEBODY PLEASE SEND ME A LETTTTTER!**

((( OK GET THIS)))

OK so, caca's classmates wanted to throw a party but they didnt have a place to have it..

Caca, being the kind person that she is, Volunteers the very top floor of her apartment building telling them that if they agree to have it there, she would be more than happy to organize the place for them.

So, she tells them all of the rules of her building and everyone agrees they want to throw their bash there.

So, Caca comes home from school and buys the meat, the drinks, and cleans the upstairs for more than 2 hours.. *only 3 girls showed up to help her*

Then, 8 O'clock rolls around, *when the party was scheduled to start* and we have a whopping 3 girls here just sitting in the chairs watching caca trying to start the fire in the grill *its a charocoal thingy* so i go over to help her. The whole time theyre acting like Caca and I are the house maids and are obligated to do these things FOR them. AHHHH i was so freakin mad. They just sat there with their feet propped up on chairs shouting orders to Caca, and of course, Caca wanted them to be happy so she did what they told her.

at about 9 30 when the crowd showed up.. Someone comes sportin 2 bottles of Vodka, to mix in with the Coke.

*In brasilian parties its really common for kids to drink Beer and Caca parents know that, so the totally trusted both of us to buy the beer and be responsible with the teenagers that were going to drink. They trust us cause they know that we both dont drink and i guess they assumed her classmates were the same. I think most kids showed up with the expectation of getting thrashed. Why would you need 2 bottles of vodka for 20 people?*

Soooo Caca had to let them drink it, cause they bought it with their own money, but eventually almost everyone was looped and shouting at the top of their lungs.. *keep in mind we're on the top floor of a 6-floor apartment building.. with people sleeping below us*

Needless to say, the kids got crazy, and we ended up with like 3 girls hysterically drunk, crying for various reasons, while a couple of the guys kept sneaking off to make out with the girls..

Well, i knew caca was miserable with these people being so rude and immature so i decided i would take matters into my own hands and end the party sooner than the kids expected.. Everytime someone stood up to get more beer or whatever, i would non-chalantly steal their chair and add to my stack over in the corner. . eventually they ened up with NO chairs and sitting on the floor, but they still didnt get the hint.. lol SO i started doing the same thing with the VERY limited amount of cups (due toe the fact that they had broken 7 of them).. and eventually they were drinkin the vodka straight out of the bottle.. AHhhhhhhhhhhh

Finally at about 2 30 when there was no alcohol, cups or.. chairs, haha, everyone decided to head out, either home or to the square to get even more thrashed. but we didnt care, as long as they were out of our building.. ei ei.

DRUNK PEOPLE ARE SO INCONSIDERATE!

*soo, that was my first friday night with Caca*

UPDATE!!!

NEW PICS JUST FOR YOU GUYS!!

cHECK 'eM oUT

Another 3 hour post..

2005-09-09T16:32:00.000-05:00

Dont you love the freakin internet.. i love how you can spend 20 minutes writing a feakin post and then try to upload a pic and it erases EVERYTHING..

-
-

A a H h H h H h H h H h H h H h H h H h H!!!

*well lets start all over now.

its officially 12:23pm

Well, i was talking about my family before i was so rudely interrupted..

Here are some pics from before i left the good ol' state of Kansas ..

This is my Mom with the three little munchkins..

Dylan.. Levi.. and of course, Winston..

We were all out at Ponderosa getting a bite to eat.. it was my last day in Kansas..

.
.

There were a ton of us, and Megan even came!!

This is me and my daddio, although his mustache makes him look funny..hahah just kiddin'..

...but seriously though, this was the first time he's had a *mustache* in awhile..

This is Winston, Elaina, and me.. with a bit of drool or something on my shirt.. whats new, right??

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha

This is my sister, Cora, she just turned 9..

Hahaha, i dont have any pictures of all of the family together.. so ill post individual pics of everyone.. ei ei ei

.. Anyways, we were at a farm in this picture, and Cora was flying a kite she and Mila had made..

Yep you guessed it, thats our bathroom. . and Mila combing her lion-purse's hair..

hahaha, pretty cute!

notice the silver thing above the toilet? well thats the flushy-button.. you just push it in for like 3.4 seconds and the toliet goes .. *GWUSHHHHHH* really really loud..

And this, my friends is Neto (on the left) and Saulo..(on the right, he will be my last host dad.. i just found out)

They're SO crazy..!!!

And lastly, here is Valeska, Christina (?) ..(Saulo's wife) and me .. Valeska is the one on the Right-hand side..

Well, I guess a lot has happened since i last updated, but i just dont really remember what..

I'll do my best to update everyone that doesnt know about stuff.. like:

* I have two new online photo albums..

photo album 1

and

photo album 2

I TURNED*

SEVENTEEN!!

..i drew that "17" in paint..

* We had a rockin' party upstairs. . and it was a ton of fun.. wish you guys could have been here with me..

* I officially have enough soap to keep me clean for the next 17 years...

* i'm really craving some chocolate right now..

* hahaha, i published part of this as a preview and megan ALREADY commented on it.. shes definitely my DIE-HARD fan!! Heck yesssss!

* We FOUND my sister, Tiffany.. yeah, ok she says that sounds like shes a lost dog or something.. but ok, just so you know, she IS A CIVILIZED human being.. and yes i guess i didnt find her because in order fo find someone you have to lose them.. but.. theoretically speaking .. i did lose her.. i lost contact for 8 freakin years.. pretty much lost eh?? SO she's 20 now and she lives in Tennessee with her hubby..Andrew

.. She has the most beautiful blonde hair ever!!

Bwhahahahahha!!

* Officially *LOATHE* my Portuguese teacher at Atenas.. .. now those of you who know me.. you know, that it takes a lot to get me to out-right admit my dislike for someone.. but this woman.. ahhhhhhhhhh

shes SO rude.. ahckkkk!! Im fuming just thinking about it..

..let's move on, shall we???..

The girls, (mila & cora) came and did my hair and makeup the night before last.. hahahah.. i took pictures, but.. they're terrible. . no joke.. THAT bad.

Ill publish them eventually, along with the pics from my bday party ..

** Oh yeah!! My friends and I took a 21 mile hike.. they tricked me into coming because, as i understood it, we would get up and go to the statue.. and then call for a ride home from there..

NO MY FRIEND!

That was only the first 8 miles of our day..

after that, everyone galloped over to a bike trail on the top of the mountain we were on.. and started the hike up to a HIGHER point.. we ended up staying out from 6am (5am for me) til noon.. walking.. in the hot sun.. with no cold water.. for 21 miles.. did i mention the hotttt sun?

Ei Ei Ei.. never again...

Yeah, i go to portuguese classes from 3pm til 5pm Mon-Thurs.. for awhile there, i would accidently be a snatch to all of my tutors (most of which are my friends from school) but it was merely because the booook suuuuuuuuuuucks .. soooooooooooo bad.. so bad.

And one of my teachers, Eoriani ( ??) just made me sit there for the whole TWO HOURS and read the book.. i CANT SIT THAT LONG.. no breaks. no explaining.. just reading .. ei ei

BUT finally someone listened to me.. and looked at the book.. and now we do other stuff too.. YESSSSSSSS

much better, i think..

* Im still not speaking portuguese yet.. i dont really know why, maybe its because in my portuguese classes i learn useless rules for speaking but never practice.. haha that, or .. im just lazy.. probably a little of both..

* Either way, i have 2 weeks to be speaking fluently .. to meet my self-set goal!!

*THINGS I REALLY MISS RIGHT ABOUT NOW..

1. MY TRUCK!! .. last night the girls *Amanda, Jaq, Isabela, Aline..* wanted to go out .. so .. I walked 3/4 of a mile to meet them in town.. then we couldnt find anything to do so we WALKED in circles around the town.. i was so freakin irritated that they wouldnt just SIT and WAIT at Boca Gelada.. But mostly just because i WANT MY TRUCK.. !!

2. Shopping.. i NEVER go shopping.. ever.. because its really weird..

AND if i want to go i have to ask someone to go with me because i cant tell the store people what i want.. or that i dont want them sitting right there breathing down my neck while i look at their stuff.

.. geesh

3. My clothes.. the ones that i didnt bring with me.. I wear the same clothes all the time..*hahaha, im so vain!!* but.. what can you do?? i need a new pair of sandals.. my fav. ones broke.. and i wear my crocs EVERYDAY.. no lie

* i just looked up and saw that all of the things ive written were material.. im NOT that materialistic.. i just miss the things i assumed would be the same here..*

4. Hangin out with my friends.. i mean, dont get me wrong, i love these kids, they're really wonderful.. and they've definitely helped me fit in really well with everyone.. but i miss just chillin with the kids ive grown up with.. the ones that know what im thinkin, even before i say it.. that know me to a T..

5. i miss my churches.. i miss hearing sermons.. and the Word being preached.. i think its merely because i havent read my word very much this week.. and def. havent spent enough time in prayer.. but.. i just wish i could find a church here that I felt at home in.. although they're all in portuguese.. hahah.

6. Thought i forgot about you didnt you?? haha, no, just saving the best for last.. MY FAMILY.. i miss you guys a ton.. i think being on break from school makes it worse because i have time to talk to you all the time.. and think about all of the things im missing there. I just wish i could come back and visit once .. like at christmas or something.. i really thing it would make things so much easier. . i would have something to look forward to from day-to-day.. but i guess ill be on some sort of trip around christmas... wont i?

** Megan is going on some sweeeet trip the summer after we graduate.. summer of 2007 .. oh my.. its soo close.. and shes going to have a blast!!***

* havent heard much from Rosa.. although i did get an email from her mom!! I guess it costs 2 cents per minute to check email or compose.. i would def. use a word document to type it .. then copy/paste it.. ei ei ei.. i hope its not like that here.. nah, they would have told me..

at least i hope they would have told me!

Well guys, it is now 4:35.. ive been working on this for over 3 hours..

(took a tiny lunch break)

Leave me some lovin'.. Please!

.oH yEAH oNE lAST tREAT.

. .

last day as 16!!!

talk to everyone soon..

XAU-XAU!!!

2005-08-21T18:13:00.000-05:00

Oi Do Brasil!!!

Bet you guys thought I forgot about you didnt you??? Well, actually Ive just been a tad bit toooo lazy to update because it usually takes about 3884903837 hours to finish my posts.

Well a lot has happened in the last.. i d k how many days its been since my last post..but erm.. lets say.. 2 weeks?

* I received letters from my Aunt Lori and one of my bestest friends, Gracie O.

* I got a package from my other bestest friend, Megan Yar******.. haha. It was FULL of BBQ

yessssssssssssssssssss

* My daddio got a xanga.. yes Im surprised toooo..

* Theres a teacher at school who went to the doctor and found out shes pregnant.. and, you'll never believe this.. due NEXT week.. man, I almost peed my pants after hearing that one!! How you could be nine months preg-o and still not know.. is beyond me.. poor thing.

* School started for all of you!! As you all well know! Hope you have a great time this year! Mrs. Thoelke is the new Mass Media and Psycology teacher.. bye bye Mr. koonce.. :-(

* I think my parents are going to send me a package of stuff for my bday!! YESS.. And along with that stuff, theres going to be the NAPOLEON DYNAMITE DVD!! I'm soooo excited!

* I've started taking Portuguese classes 4 days a week for 2 hours.. Its not so bad, I actually kind of enjoy it.. except for the crazed FREAKS that pass me on the street when im walking there.. EWWWW.

* JOSA rones.. AKA *ROSA* left for Germany yesterday!! Please keep her in your prayers!

* I am currently sick in bed.. (in bed, on the computer.. same thing) with some kind of infection in my throat.. Not fun :-(

* TESSA deleted her XANGA without my permission!! What is up with that..??

* I found out that letters take approximately 15 days.. (?? Is that right Grace??) To arrive in Brasil, at my doorstep.. and packages take.. 15 days.. as well.. whoa thats weird.. !!

* For my 17th birthday.. in Brasil.. We're having a party at my house.. AND im making my dads world-famous BBQ Meatballs of DEATH! they dont have Kansas BBQ here in Brasil, and believe it or not, theyve never even had REAL bbq sauce.. DEPRIVED.. i know!

*I am trying to grow my nails out, once again.. not working too well.. But, im making progress!!

* My mom got rid of my dog!! (kitty!!) yes, i know, unbelievable.. but true. At first, I went into withdrawls.. and I would cry at the sight of any dog.. but im doing better now.. just a little sad still... what can you do? Life goes on.. and at least she (kitty) is happy.. I hope

* My friend, Carly, whos an exchange student in Sao Paulo.. the 3rd biggest city in the WORLD.. got really really sick and had to check into a hospital .. and get an IV and stuff.. But, shes all better now!! Praise God!!

* I called home for the first time since I arrived here in Brasil .. on Thursday night.. it was really cool, glad I did.. And for all of you family members reading this.. I will call again sometime soon!.. Please tell aunt lori that I did get 3 of her letters and that Im sending her a couple of letters as soon as i get some money to pay for the postage.. its 1.45 PER letter.. PER page!!!!

I cant believe it!!!!!!! But it'll be there soooon.. I promise

* I went to a Brasilian Farm on Saturday afternoon.. OMG it was soooo sooo soo beautiful.. Tropical plants EVERYWHERE.. and Rolling Hills.. palm trees as far as the eye could see..

I took TONS of pictures.. I even got a few Brasilian Cows. . haha. They have this weird kind of chicken from Africa.. it looks like an over-grown Quail.. I didnt get any pictures cause they were too fast.. but maybe next time!! PS i will sooooon have a way to put pics on the net.. just be patient with me!!!!!!!

* When I got back from the farm.. One of those naughty little gecko lizard thingys was hanging out on the living room wall.. I captured it with my sweater and tried to let it go outside.. but as soon as i took my fingers off of it.. it wouldnt get off of me!! It was so funny.. the girls (mila & cora) freaked out cause they thought it was gross, but it was sooo cool. Eventually after tossing it around abit and almost putting the stupid thing in a coma .. it jumped off of me and ran up a tree.. haha.

* Neto just told me this really sad story about a German exchange student in Brasil that was in the airport to go home when she was caught with drugs.. I dont know what kind, but she ended up being sentenced to 4 years in the São Paulo State Prision.. I cant even imagine what shes going through right now.. Being away from your family in the exchange program for a year is hard enough, but to stay in prision for 4 years missing so many things... Birthdays.. Graduation.. LIFE in general.. it makes me soo sad!! I just can't believe it..

Thats about it for now.. its been about 45 minutes since ive started this thing.. and i think my fingers MAY fall off.. haha.

If you want to mail me a sweet letter that would Rock The Camels Booty!! (katie!!)

My address here is

RUA VIRTUDES 41. PATROCINIO, BRASIL, MG.

38740-000 ..

And remember. . just because im not updating .. doesnt mean i dont get on here almost everyday to see if anyone has left me any sweet comments.. Thank you to all that read AND comment .. your lovin' is greatly appreciated!!

-Here are some Photos from when I went out the other night.. NO i didnt drink!! Notice the COKE in my hand compared to all of the terminally retarded drunk guys around me?? (below)

- This is at a Dance Hall called Colombo.. With my best gal-pal, Amanda!! (above)

These are a couple of my friends on Sunday night at a thingy called Pagode (Its a type of live music) Theres Janaina, Aline ( i d k if thats how you spell it) and Isabella!!

This is my friend, Susan, her aunt, me.. and some really freaky old guys that kept following me around.. Child Molesters!!! Good Grief!!

This is me with this guy named.. Daniel, i think.. (the one in Yellow).. I D K he was a bit in the drunk side and insisted I posed with him for a picture.. I have no idea who the other guys are..

Mob of people.. I am holding onto Amanda for Dear Life!! Notice the "Cool CAT" in the front sportin' a can o' beer? HaHa.

Susan and I .. posing for yet another photo.. Pagode Night!! Whoo Hoo!!

Well Kiddos, Thats all for now.. I havent gone out lately, so there arent any photos from this weekend.. But next time im published. . Ill be sure to let you know.. If you comment me, that is!!

and remember..

Nothing's cooler than commenting the chick in Brasil!!

*As she needs the moral support!!*

PS-- Just got my pics uploaded from this past month if you want, check 'em out here,

in my online Photo album and Photo Album II

Out ONLY on Sundays!!

2005-08-07T06:43:00.000-05:00

What is up with this?? We get out of school only for Sundays.. well actually, i tell a lie (megan.. do you recognize that from.. any books??) We only have school on some Saturdays but the point is.. i went yesterday and only 7 out of 28 showed up.. I had to just sit there for 2 hours.. listening to the Biology teacher tell stories in Portuguese.. so many people skipped that she decided we would just chat the whole hour.. too bad i cant chat in portuguese..
-

-
In other news.. my school is great! The kids are really friendly and I am having a blast. A friend of mine, Amanda, has taken me out to eat these past two nights and I met a some new people. .. I havent seen the moon ONCE since Ive arrived here. . Whats up with that?? I tried to see it last night, but evidently they have whole week once a month when you cant see the moon.. Do we have that too or is it just for a night?? I cant remember..
-
I was growing my nails out.. (very difficult) but Ive failed and ended up ruining them.. Dang it!
-
-
I was washing my face last night, and I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. . I thought maybe a moth or something.. I looked up by the door frame and there was this cute little Lizard.. Aww. I was going to catch him so I could let him go outside.. but as soon as I put the towel in my hand he ran up and sat on the ceiling.. he was completely upside down looking at me like I was crazy.. So I took a picture of him and all of his cute-ness.. and then I went to bed.
-
Ok well I better go eat breakfast.. we are going to my cousins soccer game today at 9.. My only day off and I dont get to sleep in!! Ha Ha.. im just kidding, I would probably have woke up around 9 anyways because the sun gets so bright you cant sleep through it..
-
With that, Ill chat with everyone soooon
-

Love you with all of my colon!!
abs

First day of School...

2005-08-01T12:25:00.001-05:00

Soo.. I just got back from Happy fun land yesterday evening... It ends up that the place is actually called Hopi Hari .. it was very similar to worlds of fun .. a few of the same rides, food was just as expensive and the lines were just as long.. (if not longer) I had a great time. We also went shopping and I discoverd that ALL american things are 5 times the price you would pay for them in the US!! OUTRAGEOUS.

TODAY was my first day of school.. and besides the fact that I was two hours late.. all went pretty well. The kids were very friendly and eager to get to know me although most of them called me "ABE" (.. why?????) They taught me some new Portuguese words and helped me understand what the heck was going on..

Ill keep you updated ..

I went to the salon with my H-mom the other day to get our nails done.. and while I was looking at magazines I came to the realization that all Fashion Shows are simply contests to have the MOST ridiculous outfits.. I mean.. what other reason would they have for this:

it just screams to me: "Safari in Africa" or better yet,

" Zebra puke.."

Or maybe this one hit wonder:

We, in the fashion industry call it..

"Everything you would never want to be caught dead wearing"

And lastly in this great fashion world, we have this:

Well loved by many party-goers, many call this look

" It's Pinãta time!!"

So, I leave you all with that..

Much love,

Abs

Beautiful days!

2005-07-26T22:06:00.000-05:00

UpDaTe

Well, I see how everyone is.. Just cause im not around, youre not gonna leave me any messages.. thanks.

By the way.. Im leaving for Hoppy Fun Land or something like that.. tomorrow and wont be be back until Sunday evening. Therefore, I will not be speaking to anyone.. due to the lack of comments.

HA!

So, until I forgive you all,

Ciao!

OoOoh, what beautiful days! I am learning portuguese pretty quickly, my host parents are very impressed with my progress, I think its because I am around the two girls all day long and they dont speak english very often, if at all. If I have a question about a word , the girls will usually use hand motions to tell me what it means or I will have to go ask Valeska.

Today I thought Cabosa meant where, but actually I had put two words, Baoosa(purse) and Cadea (where) together so form my own language.. so the girls just thought that was the funniest thing ever. I have to admit, it was hilariousmistico.. ( my own language again.. )

I accidently took a nap and woke up at 9P (21:00) to the smell of s´mores.. Actually it was the field next to our house aflame. Neto and Valeska were worried that the smoke would cause me to have an asthma attack but I was fine. Then the three of us sat down and had dinner ( the girls were off playing with their cousin, Ugo a couple of blocks away). When I sat down with my plate, a hot dog, two tablespoons of rice and corn on the cob, Valeska looked at me and said, ´´Are you eating enough??´´ that just made me laugh.. we eat, it seems all of the time, so I eat in small portions because I know that in an hour or two I will be eating with the family again. Ohh, good times.

In other news, School starts August first, Monday, for me. Only 14 more days for all of you!!! I will have to go school shopping tomorrow, to buy uniform stuff and I may get to visit the art school that Neto´s (my host father) friend owns. They´re enrolling me in classes for this upcoming semester!! Woo Hoo! I am mucho excited!

Although I am having a wonderful time, I do miss all of you very much! No worries though, I will be back next school year to bug all of you for one more year.. I love you all bunches!

Ciao!

Abbe Lou.

Hello New Life

2005-07-24T19:26:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone, I am here! I just wanted to post and let everyone know that I am doing great. My host family is phenomenal, really awesome. The weather here is also just unbelieveable, its like.. not even a bit humid.. can you imagine..? It´s really great.

I felt that I should post because I won´t be able to make any phone calls for a bit. Its not like I can´t, its just that after talking with my family a couple of times ( in chicago and when I arrived today, I found it much easier to type things, or write letters ( as i am going to do for a lot of you) than listening to your voices.. ( being homesick is a terrible feeling and I want to stop it now before I go crazy.. ) Please don´t be upset that I won´t be making phone calls, letters are better anyways because you can keep them forever. ]

I love you all, and feel free to drop me a line. All of your encouragement really really helps in these rough days..

abs

The Day is FINALLY here..

2005-07-22T23:39:00.000-05:00

The day has come..

all of the time and planning has finally paid off.. twelve hours from now I'll be in the KCI airport, waiting to board my plane. .. it's scary.. I feel so torn and lost, like I've never been so unprepared for something in my entire life.. it feels like the chem test that you studied for hours for but, as you sit down to take that final exam, you realize that the whole time you were studying, you focused on all of the wrong objectives..

I have to go now, but I'll write more later

I love all of you..

Abbe

Charlie & the Chocolate Factory!!

2005-07-20T02:02:00.000-05:00

First things first,
-
Happy Birthday Gracie! She's totally 17 today, and I have to say she looked pretty dar n gorgeous when we all went out to eat at Apple Bees to celebrate tonight! After eating all of the shrimp and steak we could handle, they came out and sang to Grace.. it was pretty funny. . then we ate tons of fudge brownies & vanilla ice cream.. (yummmm! Am I making you guys hungry yet??)
-
Anywho, afterwards we drove off of 119th to Target to get me some snazzy threads to wear on the airplane on Sat. .. man, the day is coming up sooooo soon. (I'm so sad!)
-
After my little shopping spree, which I bet wasn't much fun for Grace or Megan.. we drove over to AMC and saw Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.. Man, I wasn't expecting it to be nearly as good as the original.. (How can you replace a classic??) and when the oompa loompas walked out as Arabians in Power Ranger plastic super suits I thought to myself, "You've got to be kiddin me!!!" but it was sooo funny, I had an asthma attack, I laughed so hard! I loved the dancing of the Oompa Loompas (It reminded me of my own righteous dance moves)
-
With that,
I'm out!
-
Abs

You do the math..

2005-07-18T19:36:00.000-05:00

I leave, officially, on Saturday at 1:28pm .. It's too sad to keep counting down the days, so why don't you do the math? That reminds me of that new song by.. someone.. I don't really know who..

"blah blah.. someone do the math .. blah blah.. "

does anyone else know what I'm talking about?

Oh yeah, we had the party on Friday night, that was pretty fun. Not as many people showed up as anticipated, so we had boo-koos of extra food, oh well, it was a good time!

I found out today that my neighbor believes I shouldn't be going to Brazil because I am a snobby, stuck up.. you know and I will represent everything American "christians" aren't . .. man, that was pretty harsh eh?

yeah, I thought so.

There's this really adorable little girl right next to me, and she's playing with my keys.. " why does the frog have wiggly eyes?? .. what does this do? .. You have a car?!?" I think her mom is looking at me like.. "why are you letting her play with those keys? Heavens knows where those things have been!"

Well, anyways, I'm really dirty right now because my tire went COMPLETELY flat today.. and my brother & my daddio had to change it .. we found out that I ran over a SCREW and that's what was causing the

flat-ness.. who woulda thought?

I'm out!

Abs

Going Away Party..

2005-07-05T18:12:00.000-05:00

HEY ALL

Just wanted to letcha know where the

GOING AWAY PARTY

will be..

We will party at Rosa Jones' house which is located at 15995 Gardner Place out by Gardner Lake

Directions to the hizouse will be published in a later post.

The party is for

Grace- (she moved to Lee's summit and won't be back to our school district)

Rosa- (She's going to Germany August 20th!)

and Me- (.. if you don't know this one you def. shouldn't be attending the party..)

In other news.. Grandpa is so much better!! Its amazing, God is so wonderful! He's up and around and wants to go home, he totally recognized me and he kept saying how he wanted Kate and I to live with him .. aww.. Gramps still has the Trach. (sp?) in but they're going to take it out soon!

I'm so happy

And I leave you with a bit of wisdom from

Grace-OP

"Next time you forget to wear your pants, don't forget to wear your underpants.. "

Later

ABS

Summer Days..

2005-07-01T11:52:00.000-05:00

** UPDATE**

i JUST recieved the information for my flight times.. I will be traveling to Brazil for almost 25 hours.. Crazy eh? I will fly from KC airport to Washington DC then board some international flight to Sao Paulo and then swap over to a flight headed for Uberlandia.. WOW!!

Let me be the first to say..
Meg rocks the House!

Anywho.. Meg set up this Blog for me so now I have no worries about Xanga Premium and my lack thereof.. i can color the world! I'm sure some will complain that it's too bright, or say that they can "totally tell I'm sixteen" .. Oh well .. and to that I say..

"you're a drab"

Now on to more important things..

BRAZIL:

I still don't have my insurance set up! YIKES! I have to wait for my scholarship money to arrive before I can buy my family gifts or set up my American Express Traveler's Check Card...

GRACE:

Still haven't heard back from her about WOF or the days that I am supposed to spend with her.

GOING AWAY PARTY:

July* 15th other details TBA.. although we are planning a slumber party afterwards. . at someone's house.. feel free to volunteer for that

WOF:

July 16th.. IF you can only get off of work ONE day.. get THIS day off

*I'll explain later*

MY TRUCK:

The window FINALLY rolled up!! Now that's something to CeLeBRaTe!

Leave me some Lovin'

Abs

June is over..

2005-06-30T22:56:00.000-05:00

THIS IS THE ONLY POST IN JUNE..

PRETTY SAD EH? ... I KNOW, BUT IT'S NOTHING TO GET UPSET ABOUT, I MEAN, IF YOU WAIT A LITTLE WHILE, I'LL GET AROUND TO WRITING ANOTHER POST .. JUST FOR YOU.. MY FANS