Ms. Vicki O'Neal

It is hard to learn from an email that someone incredibly special and important in your life isn't there any more. Two days ago, I found out that Ms. Vicki O'Neal passed away from pneumonia. When she was in her 20s with future career in teaching, she experienced a life-changing car accident. She found herself in a wheelchair where she spent the rest of her life. Although, her life had taken a rather unfortunate turn you would always find her with a brilliant smile on her face. She was always laughing and willing to volunteer her time to spread the love of the Lord. Even until her last days she was asking every nurse that walked by if they knew the Lord. Although it is hard to think I will not hear her laugh spread throughout the church or receive a loving, inspiring Facebook comment, I know she is happier now. She is not constrained by her wheelchair. Right now she is dancing with the Lord. I picture her in my mind walking down the beach or skipping through a meadow. But I know that I will see this. I will see her again.

Until then,

I love you Ms. Vicki.

"I'm Just a Girl" by Deana Carter

You can never really pinpoint your life to a song. And I have honestly never been close until Saturday. I had my iPod on Country Shuffle as I attempted to sleep.

I really enjoy "old country" and "I'm Just a Girl" is just that.

This song is about as close to my life as possible, I think. I mean there are definitely errors but it's awfully close (replace Arkansas with Carolina, etc.)

Lyrics and video below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJhhOytpfd0

I've traveled 'round the world in airplanes and in cars
I've tried exotic foods and smoked some fine cigars

I'm just a girl, an American girl
I'm just a girl, but I'm not an ordinary girl
I'm a Chevy girl

I've strolled down Paris streets, been lost in London fog
But all I really need are the fields of Arkansas

I'm just a girl, an American girl
I'm just a girl, but I'm not an ordinary girl
I need an old Corvette with the top down
And a backseat for my friends
I need baseball and apple pie to feel alive
Gimme a Coke-a-cola sundae and a Beach Boy's serenade
I need freedom to be all around the world

I'm a Southern girl
I want an old porch swing under Montana skies
To hold a working man, looking good in his old Levi's

I'm just a girl, an American girl
I'm just a girl, but I'm not an ordinary girl
I need an old Corvette with the top down
And a backseat for my friends
I need baseball and apple pie to feel alive
Gimme a Coke-a-cola sundae and a Beach Boy's serenade
I need freedom to be all around the world

I'm daddy's girl
I've traveled 'round this world and I'm ready to go home

Hotel Napoleon -- Le Restaurant

I can honestly say that I have eaten WELL throughout my life. Whether it is just yummy home cooked food or going out to eat to Maggiano's Little Italy on special occasions -- it's been super good. Yet, in Fontainbleau, France, I had the first extremely extravagant meal in my whole life.

This meal was different. When we first arrived at the hotel/restaurant (my parents, my dad's old student and his wife, and I) and opened the menu. I went into shock.

We ordered the "Chef's Choice" which is just that. Whatever the chef is in the mood for making-- that's what you have. You know the general idea such as fish, but other than that, you have NO idea. I got incredibly scared after hearing that the special was wild rabbit! I used to own two bunnies, there is NO way I was going to put that near my mouth. Luckily, that was not served.

First course: Tiny shrimp in a cup the size of a shot glass (I had always heard that French food sizes are small, but at this point I thought I'd go home hungry.)

Second course: Some liver delicacy and asparagus (I only ate the side dishes)

Third course: Fish and rice and some type of vegetable (I didn't eat the fish)

Fourth course: Lime sorbet in vodka (Literally, it was floating in vodka. SO GROSS!)

**At this point, I was like "wow, none of that was very appetizing" And I thought that was dessert**

Fifth course: Steak and mashed potatoes. (BEST piece of meat ever!)

Sixth course: 5 different types of cheese and salad

Seventh course: Pear pastry

Oh, and fresh bread during each of those!!

It was spectacular!

We left the hotel at 7:30 and didn't get back until 11. Talk about long meal! But it was SOO good!

random market? i like.

So,

Sunday morning in France = Market Day!

We were just wandering throughout Fontainbleau before meeting with my dad's friend that would show us through the Chateau (second largest in France to Versailles) when we (no lie) stumbled upon a market.

We kept seeing people carrying these GORGEOUS flowers around. As we wandered closer, the people passed more frequently. Finally we discovered the HUGE market with every single thing you could think of selling in it. Jeans, an entire fish, handbags, mink fur coats (which I totally thought we illegal), socks, tomatoes, flowers, everything. But the highlight was the enormous amounts of gorgeous flowers!

My mom and I could have spent the entire day wandering throughout the rows but my dad is not a fan of shopping (at all) so we only spent about half an hour roaming. I bought a blue sweater and matching earrings for a total of 12 Euros. That is about 14 dollars! It was amazing!

I just wish we could have stayed for longer!

Market Day

Formage (cheese!)

I thought she looked VERY French. (and angry!)

I really like this -- Over the vegetables!

Candy aisle! Mmhmm!

Flowers!!

to france!

SO:
On Saturday (today is Monday) my parents and I drove from Oxford, England to Dover, England to catch a ferry across the English Channel. We then continued to drive through France to Fontainebleau. We were intending the leave our apartment (I perfer flat- makes me feel more British) at 7:00am (oof!) but as occurs during any Shackelford Excursion, we did not leave until about 7:40. This did not put my parents in a good mood and in addition, it was raining. In the beginning, it was small drizzly raindrops but as we drove it became huge, can't-see-out-the-window raindrops. We drove. And drove. And drove. And then drove a bit longer. We arrived at the ferry port around 10:30 although our ferry was not suppose to leave for another hour and a half. For a cheap 10 pounds we changed to the 11 o'clock ferry, BUT I am sure you don't care. After riding the ferry, which made me feel sick, we arrived in France. At first everything was in English as well as French, but as we drove away from the coast it began solely French. So as we drove, we relied on my mom's four year of French...from high school. Somehow, we made it to Fontainebleau only getting lost about..ugh..four times. I was expecting it to be closer to ten times!

We did not arrive until 7:45pm. 12 hours to get from Oxford to Fontainbleau. It was rough! But we did it!

One of the best parts was when we are getting extremely hungry (after getting lost) we just pulled the car over and found: a bakery, a formage shop (cheese) and had a little picnic in the car! It was so good! We all got different bread and different cheese and just sampled.

One of the weirdest parts was that we have a British car (steering wheel is on the right) in France (steering wheel is suppose to be on the left) So everyone stares at our car. But, my mom really missed driving on the right side of the road. Small taste of home!

Well,
as they say in France,
Au revoir!

Catch the Tears

Two days ago was not a good day. At all.

It had been a long day. Not at school because I only had one real lesson out of the five possible. First period teacher was sick, second period was psychology and the other three were free classes. After going to my one class, instead of being bored out of my mind at school, I decided to be bored at home. I walked home to find my deserted home. After watching a little Teen Mom and NCIS. I decided to read.

Jump to later that night--

I have been homesick a lot since I here. But some days are just much worse than others. Wednesday was one of those days. After supper, at 7:30, I climbed into bed. Not to go to sleep, to just lay there. I was bored. Very, very bored. A little while later my dad came into the room. I pulled the blanket over my face so he would not see the tears falling down my face. Now some fathers would evacuate the room as soon as a female begins to cry, but not my dad. Instead he climbed into bed with me, ready to talk or listen or just be there. That is why I love my dad. Well, that is one of the reasons I love my dad.

For the next hour, we just laid there. I spent the majority of it crying. He spent the majority of it rubbing my back or pushing my hair out of my face.

Some days, all you need is someone to just catch the tears not try to make them stop.

P.S. I love you Daddy.