(the reason)

why I haven't posted in ages can be summed up in one word: torture finals.
And they're not done yet. I've taken Humanities, Latin, and Geometry, but Theology and Biology are still to come. I'm very much looking forward to writing the last word on my last final tomorrow, triumphantly setting down my pencil, neatly stacking the pages, and handing it in. Then walking out of the room, going down the hall to the locker room, putting my books away, heading into the freshly decorated Christmas party room, and breathing in the very festive smell of spaghetti and candy canes. And, somewhere right about then, having it hit me. I'm on break. I'm on Christmas break. My finals, which I've been living in constant terror of for over a month, are over. Done. Mmm-hmm. It's a great feeling, and it happens every year.
But. As of now, I still have 2 finals looming over my head. I'm thrilled to be done with Latin, but the very thought of both of tomorrow's makes me feel slightly queasy.

I've had choir rehearsals the last few nights, and with studying for finals and Christmas shopping, blogging was just not going to happen. But as I feel like I don't even know where to begin as far as studying Biology goes, and I feel semi-prepared for Theology, I'm taking the time to get on here to let you know that I am still alive.

By the way- in case you hadn't noticed by the random, and probably frighteningly nonsensical way in which I'm writing, I am tremendously sleep deprived. And when I say tremendously, I mean it. I actually got to bed early last night, at around 10:20. And laid there. And laid there. Aaaand laid there. Finals, Christmas songs, and caffeine coursed through my brain. I finally fell asleep at somewhere around 4 in the morning, leaving me with a grand total of 2 and a half hours of sleep. Before the first day of finals. Eep. I'll probably be even more tired tomorrow. This is bad.

I feel like I need to add some pictures. Well, it snowed here. It started at about 1 in the morning last Saturday night (or Sunday morning, I suppose). My dad, brother, and I had just finished watching the Christmas episode of The Office on Hulu. And then it was snowing. And I simply couldn't resist. I took a shower, and then, clad in my pajamas, a coat, a pair of boots (that were in no way snow boots), and cap I rushed outside with my camera. I don't think I've ever been outside alone at that time of night before. It was simply magical.

 I took some pictures of the snow in the back yard and then went to go inside. And the door was jammed shut. Unopenably jammed shut. The button on the handle had been frozen in and I could not get in. And everyone in my house was fast asleep. Thank goodness for coded garage door openers. :)

When I went around to the front of our house to go in the garage, the view on that side of the house, with the street lights and the road, with all of the snow mistily floating down- it looked strikingly ethereal. I felt like I was on a different planet. I don't know how long I stood out there snapping pictures. I became aware of how late it really was when I looked over and saw that the traffic lights were blinking yellow.

((Sorry for the bad picture quality.))

I woke up in the morning to this:

I love snow :). Wow, this post really went all over the place. Sorry. If you finished it you are brave indeed.
Happy almost Christmas Break! :)

-Stacey