Home Is Where Your Cat Is

     This title was one of the analogies I came up with for that Literature assignment a couple months ago. Unlike most of the others, I didn't have to strain for something to fit, it just clearly leaped out. And it's true.

     Over the last few days, I've finished both the last third of that massive small-town America history and that Louis L'Amour sort-of-autobiography, and now I'm halfway through reading a biography of Seabiscuit the racehorse for the second or third time, and also halfway through the first Mitford book, which would be about the fifth time I've read that.
      Very nice to get to read non-textbooks, get to study the way they're written, learn about the information and story they present, and get to highlight interesting passages.
   
     Courtney wanted me to play something with her for the church's Christmas-music night this Sunday, so I think we're gonna go with "Go Tell It On the Mountain", we'll see how it goes.
     Caleb and Trevor have had me working pretty often as a video game troubleshooter(or maybe that should be "human cheat code"?) solving levels they've been stuck on.

     Everybody else went to Westville today, I haven't been feeling very well, so I stayed home with Rags and Banjo. He's (verrrrry sloooooowlllly) warming up to me being around the house, but I'm still terrifying.
     It's that end-of-semester nastiness that takes forever to recover from; wasn't feeling very good Sunday morning, but needed to go to church. Mr. Gundersen's Sunday School message was from John 17 where Jesus is praying in the Garden of Gethsemene, the sermon was on the Parable of the Talents, but Amy was kind of loud, so I took her out into the hallway and missed the last twenty minutes. Talked to Cassie for a bit, which was good to catch up, chatted for a bit with Ryan McNeil and several other people, and also talked with Dylan for a while, that was good. And met Josh's new girlfriend.

     Gotten most of my laundry done by now, haven't gotten it all folded or anything yet, but I'll get to it.
     Most of tonight has been spent on the couch by the Christmas tree reading with Rags sprawled across my lap. Might sound a little boring, but it was really enjoyable. Baked some cookies(most of which I then ate), swept a bit, played guitar, that kind of thing. I guess I'm content to stick around the house and do everyday things to relax, I'm all right with not doing something crazy or constantly hanging 67777777777777777-p00000000]
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000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000188558 That was Rags stomping on my laptop keyboard. Let's try that sentence again: I'm all right with not doing something crazy for vacation or constantly hanging out with friends 24/7 while on break. It's not bad to do those things; just isn't my thing to want to do those all the time.

     This hasn't been the greatest year ever, but it hasn't quite always been the worst, either. It's been long, and rather dark, and frustrating sometimes, though. And at times I've been completely pulverized by circumstances and worries and stress and grief. But God's been faithful, He's carried me through it all. And I've learned a lot. Not as much as I'd like, and the growth has been in fits and starts, but I've survived. And there's been good times with Sunny  or Copper or the goats. It's been very nice to be able to spend Friday nights with Grandpa and Robbie, also nice to occasionally visit the Galdamezes. Thankful that I agreed to join the BCM's SWAT group, that's been interesting, met some good people through the BCM. Hearing from Daniel once in a while, staying in contact with Jessica, Amanda, Jon, Ash and others from camp and YT, providing "the large-scale support network of encouragement and sympathy, laughter and advice of friendship as we try to help each other through this life we live", as I wrote in a Comp II essay. Way too many people from church to mention all by name have been a blessing in their own ways. There was the YT reunion, and serving as a camp counselor in July. And volunteering at a Missouri homeless shelter during a snowstorm over spring break. Discovered a ton of fantastic old poetry.

     Just found out I got five A's for five classes this semester, it's good to know you've met your goals. I guess the world wouldn't have ended if I'd gotten a B in something, but I would've been really disappointed in myself. So I guess we'll just see how this upcoming semester goes, Lord willing, it will repeat itself again. Also, I have an orthodonist appointment in the morning. And I need to shave. And go Christmas shopping. I should probably try to get some sleep first, though.