Indiana or California???

         My family and I have never stayed in one place for too long. I was born in Winona, Minnesota till I was two and then moved to some apartments in California of for about two years and then moved to a house in Fresno, California till I was 12 and now currently in Noblesville, Indiana. I don't remember too much about Minnesota obviously, but California and Indiana I remember very well. And I love them both pretty equally, both with good things and bad things. However, California would be more of a place for me to live because of my personality rather than Indiana. 

         The difference in weather is huge between Indiana and California. That is probably the biggest difference. In Indiana, it's very humid and sticky in the summer and in the winter there is a bunch of snow and can get below 0 obviously. In California, the sun is usually always shining and when it is, it's just sun, no humidity or rain. They don't really have a big winter. Winter usually is december-february and consists of rain, nothing else and it rarely gets below 30 at the least. Everyone in California would be super excited when it rained because we barley had any. Same with if it was any where below 65 degrees, we would wear sweatshirts because we thought was freezing. However, all year round the air is AWFUL. It is sooo bad down there. I remember going to school and they would have flags by the entrance that was green, yellow, and red. If it was green, you can go outside, if it was yellow it was precaution, and at red you can't go outside. So the whole town basically looked at that and for school we looked at it for recess. Moving to Indiana, I was unsure of the snow because I never really had experience with it. If we wanted to, we were able to drive about two hours to find snow in California so that was always cool. I went to Shaver Lake and Lake Tahoe plenty of times to see snow for about an hour and then leave to go back home where it was about 50 degrees.

         Another difference between the two would be the nature of the states and attitude of the people. In California, one of my favorite things was the scenery of everywhere you went. In A LOT of parts it was very dry and I remember having field fires just from someone throwing a cigarette butt out the window. However, if you looked off in the distance you could see a mountain view which was gorgeous compared to Indiana where EVERYTHING is flat and everything is surrounded by cornfields (which does make Halloween a ton better though). But like I said earlier, from where I lived, it only took about two hours to get to the mountains and have snow. But I can say, Indiana has a good location in the United States though. You can get to almost anywhere in the United States in less than 4 hours by plane which is very convenient. Both states have places that are world widely know like Indiana has the Indianapolis 500 which I can definatley say I have been and California has Coachella which IS LIKE THE NUMBER ONE THING ON MY BUCKET LIST!!!!!!! So both are pretty equal with things that go on inside the states. There are also no mosquitos in California where in Indiana there is. As with the people from both states, there is also a pretty big difference. In Indiana everyone is just very calm. They are helpful and I really haven't met too many people that I just don't like. In California, there are more people who are just stuck up and rude to you in grocery stores or walking in the streets. But that is that California attitude. It's also pretty common to hear someone say that they have lived by a famous person or met a famous person just because your obviously in the state of California. When I lived there, Britney Spears actually had a house and lived in Fresno the same time I did. I drove by the house one time but I never saw anyone but just knowing that that happened in my town was pretty cool.

        Lastly, one other thing about the two that are kind of different is the pronunciations of words and our schools. Not too much is different with our pronunciations or what we say, but there are a few I can point out. When saying carmel we put more emphasis on the MEL part so we would say car-MEL, when we say "governor" we actually say "governator" (don't ask why I just said it cuz I grew up with my parents saying it), etc. For the school systems were pretty similar except for the set up of the school. In Indiana, the school are inside and we go from 7:35 to 2:45. But in California, the schools went from 8:30-3:45 and it was outside. So the Classrooms were all inside but when you walk outside the classroom, you were outside. Which sucked when it rained but it rarely did so honestly I liked the California schools a lot better. Our lockers were outside under a canopy as well as our auditorium (we had one inside and outside) and then to get to the library or office you walked outside. For lunch, you could choose to sit inside or outside, it didn't matter. As with the ages in the schools, not too much was different either. Indiana it goes elementary: Preschool-4th, Intermediate: 5th and 6th, Middle school: 7th and 8th, Freshman Campus, and High school: 10th-12th. California we basically just got rid of the intermediate. So it went Elementary: Preschool-6th, Middle school: 7th and 8th, and High School: 9th-12th. 

      Writing this makes me miss California soooo much but I love Indiana probably equally. My friends here are my whole life and I can't wait to go to Purdue. So I would have to say that I wouldn't change the fact that we moved, I just miss it tons! I hope you guys enjoy this little compare and contrast (:

"There's too many things I haven't done yet,

Too many sunsets I haven't seen,

Can't waste the day wishing it'd slow down,

You would've thought by now I'd have learned something

I made up my mind when I was a young girl,

I've been given this one world and I won't worry it away."

"Many the Miles" Sara Bareilles

Beautiful

         Recently, I got a job working with little kids at a preschool and I absolutely love it there! It's a new adventure every day and it gives me so much happiness seeing these amazing kids every day. They have there moments but no matter how mad you get at them sometimes, you just love them because they can be so sweet. Today a worked and in the middle of it, a little boy comes up to me and says "Miss Leah, you are beautiful. I love you." I was shocked for a second. That kid said that to ME. I have never in my life thought of myself as beautiful. So I responded out of shock, "Why do you say that?" and he says, "because you are always smiling and laughing." Can we just take a second..... Not only did that little boy see something in me that I have never noticed before, but that's the FIRST thing he noticed. Guys now a days (with a few exceptions) are so into what people physically look like or what girls will do for guys that they don't notice things like that. So seeing this little boy think of someone in that way as "beautiful" just completely stunned me. We don't give kids credit enough for how much they observe and what their brains think of as a little kid and that to me is beautiful in itself. And it made my day that he said that. Honestly, saying one thing to someone can make there whole day and it makes me always want to keep smiling and laughing because if that can make someone happy or think that of me, then I will do that for the rest of my life.

         Not only did that happen, but it got me thinking of just kids in general. My two favorite things about kids are: one, they just say what's on there mind. Sure the truth can hurt sometimes, but they tell you what you think or what they want and you fix the problem right away. They don't hold it in like people do now and that's something that I wish I kept as a kid because even now I absolutely suck at talking about how I feel. So seeing a kid just saying it how it is, is amazing. And secondly, I love seeing kids the way they are because they don't know what goes on in this world. The worst thing someone could do to them is take there crayon or they could trip and fall. Adults, we see all this hatred and mess in the world. But they don't see it. And to know that they haven't seen that or experienced that is what keeps me going everyday because NO ONE should have to face some of the things people have. 

         The fun thing about kids is that they are always spontaneous. You never know what they will say or what will happen. Yes, they have a lot of needs, but when it comes down to it, all a child wants is to feel safe and nurtured and fearless. I remember when I was little that I always wanted to be held because that's where I felt safe. I wanted to be in my daddy's arms because I thought that he could protect me wherever I go. I would even have him check under my bed and in my closet every night before I went to sleep and have him stay in my room till I fell asleep. And all this worked for a while until you start experiencing things and then you find out that they can't protect you anymore and that you have to protect yourself. And you learn that as you grow older. 

        But just seeing these things around the classroom brings me back to all these childhood memories, good and bad, and it makes me realize things that I didn't when I was little. I love my job and that little boy that said that to me, meant more to me then he will ever know. 

"Oh simple thing where have you gone,

I'm getting old and I need something to rely on,

So tell me when you're gonna let me in,

I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin."

"Somewhere Only We Know" by Keane

Advice about college decisions

         I was talking to my cousin the other night about colleges and career choices and the dreams you set as a kid. She is a sophomore in high school and she told me that she has been stressing about it like crazy. When she told me that I thought "why is she stressing about that? She is only a sophomore??" But that's the thing, we have put a huge pressure on high schoolers to know exactly what they want to be and what they want to do and who they are right when they graduate that it becomes so overwhelming. The thing is, we DO NOT have to know all those things right when we graduate. Learning is something we will be doing every day until we die and if we knew every single thing about ourselves, what's the point in living? I can tell you 100% that I learned SOOO many new things about myself this year that I wouldn't have learned if I didn't go through all the things that I did. We learn about ourselves in good times and in bad, in stressful and peaceful times. So why are we putting such a pressure on knowing where we want to go or do? We're still kids and we are still learning and that's reality. Also, when looking at college's sometimes people have been set on what they want to do for maybe there whole lives and then you get to where you have to make a decision and you start questioning yourself. As for me, I questioned myself about going to school for singing and acting and I became so pressured that I talked myself out of it. And while I will love teaching, it will always be something that I will regret. Lastly, another thing isn't just knowing what we want to do with our lives but with just going to college in general. Not going to college is so frowned upon right now. College is not for everyone and not everyone can afford it. You can still become successful and happy without going. 

           So my advice for anyone in this position would be to think about what will make you happy. What can you see yourself doing everyday? Go to college or don't go to college. It's your choice. But live life, have fun, make mistakes, take adventures, and be spontaneous. And if you have a dream, go for it. Because if you think about it, you have 50% people, who are going to decide against it and you have another 50% who are going to go for it. So you have already beat 50% of people. Build confidence in yourself and try as hard as you can and you can achieve anything. My favorite saying is "a bird sitting on a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking, because her trust is not on the branch but on it's own wings. Always believe in yourself." 

"And though the road is long, I look up to the sky,

and in the dark I found, I lost hope that I won't fly

And I sing along, And I sing along, and I sing along."

"Flashlight" by Jessie J

Every blonde needs a brunette

              This post is an appreciation post because I think a lot of times, we take for granted the things that are right in front of us. I have this best friend, and she knows who she is, but this post is what I have learned from her. First of all, this girl is one of the kindest, most loving, hilarious, person I know. She is one of those people that when you first meet, you just know you will be best friends with the person. Not only because you have this immediate connection with that person, but because she makes you see something in yourself that you didn't see without that person. This girl has had the biggest influence in my life. She is a year younger and I feel like she knows wayyyyyy more things than I do.... which honestly she probably does. But she has been there for me more times than I count. i can't even imagine where I would be right now without her as my best friend. my sister. the brunette to my blonde. my beebs. the peanut butter to my jelly.... okay that was a little much. 

           But seriously, she has always been there for me even when I probably have given her countless mistakes to where she could drop my ass if she wanted to. But she doesn't and she is there for me even when we bicker 24/7 about stupid things like dropping/picking up guys to hang out. it always ends with a "sorry I'm on my period" or a silent stare from me for probably an hour because I'm moody. She has been through more crap in her 17 years than I have seen people who are 80. No matter what she has been through though, somehow she comes out of it. Somehow she pulls herself together. it's the most sad but amazing thing to watch. how someone could be so low in there life and then pull themselves out of that spot again and again. When she has every reason to be sad or upset, she chooses the alternative to be happy rather than sad. THAT'S what has kept me going. She is the strongest person I have truly ever met. The list of things I have learned from her is endless; simple or complex.

            She has taught me how to suck it up and get on with your life because you can't be sad all the time. Every day is a new beginning and you can choose being sad or happy. No one controls your emotions. She has shown me that sometimes you just have to laugh at yourself. Even if something embarrassing or bad happens to you, you can laugh it off because shit happens. She has taught me that whatever your dreams, crazy or realistic, shoot for them because if you don't, you have nothing else to live for. 

            She's even showed me the little, silly things like contouring your face makes you have more dimension or how to look in the mirror and spot something you like about yourself so you can take a good photo. She has shown me the right selfie camera angles to make yourself look good and how to cook an omelet. 

           Lastly, and most importantly, she has shown me wild adventures that I hope we have until we die. We have done the craziest shit imaginable and i even  look back now sometimes and wonder what the hell we were thinking. but it's us. and we do crazy things. if we didn't, we wouldn't be the same. This senior year has been crazy with her. We've been on a roller coaster that I hope we ride for the rest of our life. because without it, we wouldn't have learned the things we did and we get closer with every broken track we face. and this is the first time i can honestly say that I wouldn't have it any other way. Even though we probably are bat shit crazy to some people. it's us. 

          I have the confidence and determination that we will get through anything that life throws at us. because we have each other. and that's one thing that nobody can take away from us no matter how hard they try. as long as we remember that "it only goes up from here" and that "we are fighters and things will get brighter. I love you. Forever and always, "till death do us apart" 

"I've got needs, just like you, and if the conversations good

vibrations through and through, so come on baby won't you show some class,

why'd you have to move so fast,

we don't have to take our clothes off to have a good time."

"we don't have to take our clothes off" by Ella Eyre

Graduation Commencement

       So this week has been pretty hectic for me! Tuesday we had our Graduation Commencement which was bitter sweet for me. I was sad that it was the last time to be with my class as a whole and that I had to say goodbye to some people that I won't see for a while. But I was also just relieved that I graduated and didn't have any more unnecessary work to do. So it was a very bitter sweet day but full of laughter and memories. 

      Another thing that happened was yesterday, I received an offer to go to Speech Nationals which is amazing. It is something that you always work towards and want to go to. So I fly out tomorrow right after my open house and get on a plane to Dallas, Texas! I'm terrified of planes and I am only riding with a friend so it should definatley be interesting that's for sure. But I am super pumped and I don't get back till the next saturday. Definatley a trip that I will never forget. 

"If you ain't there, ain't nobody else to impress,

the way that you know what I thought you knew,

It's the beat my heart skips when I'm with you, 

But I still don't understand

Just how your love can do what no one else can."

"Crazy In Love" By Beyonce

Last day of high school

            Last Wednesday, I finished my last day of high school. Wow... I can't believe I just said that. It's crazy to think that tomorrow I will be walking up on that stage and receiving my diploma. Once I take that diploma, everything changes. I become an adult who is going off to college to finally pursue what I want to be in life. Which is awesome and terrifying all at the same time.

            The last day of school, was kind of mixed emotions for me. I was happy to finally move on and know that the next thing I will study actually helps me receive my goal.. and I was just happy that it is summer and I get a break from all that. But I was also sad because I'm leaving all these people that have always been around me and going through the same things as I was. Each one of those people touched me in some way and without them, I wouldn't be who I am today. I also have become SO close with my teachers this year. I've gotten to know them more as a friend than as a teacher and creating relationships with them really helped me get the help I needed when I needed it and just know that I have an amazing support team. Those teachers helped me through every obstacle that I faced and without a doubt stood beside me when no one else did. I am SO SO SO thankful for them and I'm not sure where I would be or if I would even be here without them. They came into my life at just the right moment. I hope to stay in touch with all of these amazing teachers and if I can turn out to be a teacher like them, then I have achieved my goal because they are all truly amazing and inspiring.

           

"Cause underneath the darkness, there's a light thats trying so hard to be seen,

And I know this cause i've noticed, a little bit shining through the seams,

And if this is what it takes, let me be the one to bear the pain,

Oh if this is what it takes, I'll break down these walls that are in our way"

"This is what it takes" by Shawn Mendes

A Miracle

       This weekend I received an amazing miracle. Me and my friend my friend decided to go to King's Island (an amusement park here in Indiana) with her Church Youth group. This group is full of some pretty inspiring people and I felt comfortable enough to go. So we drove the activity bus that was probably 5 rows, so not that big, down to the park at around 8. We got there by ten and let me tell you, I WAS SO NERVOUS. I have never riden a roller coaster in my life, except for this kid one at the Indianapolis zoo.....and I cried. Haha so you can see how nervous I was. We started out at "The Bat" and then we went straight to the big guns; the "Banshee." And boy was that roller coaster HUGE. I have been telling myself for the past week that I was going to force myself on these rides so I couldn't back out!! So I put my big girl pants on and marched my way to the line. I didn't look at the ride the whole time and once we got to the front, man did I have to pee. I was terrified. But I got on the ride and I rode it... it wasn't that easy, I mean I was SOBBING the whole time, you should've seen the picture afterwards. BUT I DID IT!!! I rode probably the most scary ride at the park. After that, I did almost all the rides except for the diamondback, the vortex, and Invertigo because the lines were like 2 hours long. I was SOOOOOO proud of myself. And now, I actually really enjoy roller coasters! So that's definatley one piece of advice from this post, ALWAYS try new things and face your fears! It's good to get out of your comfort zone and face fear in the eyes. 

        After a long day at the park, we left at about 8:30. We stopped at McDonalds on the way home to grab dinner and then it was 2 and half hours from there to go home. All day at the park, it was perfect weather. However, on the way home we hit some pretty hard rain. Me and my friend sat in the front row on the right side and we were listening to my iPod, almost asleep. But it really started to downpour and I remember thinking maybe we should stop somewhere and wait for it to pass. Then someone from the back said, "Guys put your seat belts on, it's raining pretty hard." So I put my seatbelt on and not ten seconds after that, the bus slammed on the brakes, my head flew against the seat in front of me, and you hear this awful crunching, shattering, screeching noise that still haunts me in my dreams. The bus jolted to a stop and the lights were off so I couldn't see too well. Me and my friend turned to each other to see if we were both alright and then my bus driver yells out "Is everyone okay??" and my friend, the only one replying, says yes. So he runs out of the bus to check on the other car, while everyone on the bus is freaking out. I had glass all in my hair so I tried picking that out. No more than 3 minutes, we hear and see sirens coming our way to help us. Half of the firefighters and half of the police officers came to us and asked and made sure if everyone was okay and somehow, we all were. Even more amazing, the other driver was okay. So the firefighters wanted to get all of us off the side of the highway so one by one, they led us to the back of the firetruck where the ambulance was. I was freaking out because WE WERE IN THE BACK OF THE FIRETRUCK IN AN AMBULANCE WHERE PEOPLE HAVE DIED AND THERE WAS ALL THIS SERIOUS MEDICAL STUFF ALL AROUND US!!!! and I was just still in shock. We all got in the back and they checked us out again to make sure we were all okay. Then they took us up to the Denny's right up the road to have us wait for another bus to come get us; the firetruck was silent the whole way there.

         At Denny's we waited for about 30 minutes for our leader to come and we found out what had happened. We were going about 70mph down the highway and the car was going the opposite way coming towards us on the other side of the highway. Since it was raining so hard, the car hit a puddle and hydroplaned across the median straight towards us and we smacked the back half of the car. Both of our cars were destroyed. So we all gathered around and prayed and thanked God for saving our lives, and giving us all another chance on this earth, because things could have been A LOT worse. We waited for about an hour and a half and then a new bus came and got us. Which was the last thing I wanted to do; ride a bus, but we got home safely at around 1:30 and I went to bed around 3. I am SO SO thankful that everything turned out okay and it really opened my eyes that life can really change in the blink of an eye and we need to live like it's the last. I will always remember this amazing miracle that I received. Something ironic though was the fact that I was listening to this song called "Force of Nature" when we crashed and it really was because of a force of nature.... Needless to say, I will never be listening to that in the car every again.... 

"Cause you're a force of nature, look at what you've done,

I can taste the danger but I don't wanna run,

So pull me to the ground and I won't put up a fight,

I'm a caution taker but baby I'm a force of nature."

"Force of Nature" by Bea Miller