Oh Thumbelina

Thumbelina awoke one day
She decided to go out and play
Summer was here and about
Thumbelina indeed wanted out
Through the garden she did go
Enjoying the sights to and fro
Entering the rows of cucumbers and melons
She had no idea she was near some felons
Sitting on top of a nice cucumber
A baseball game she decided to ponder
Across the street her friends played hard
No idea she’d soon be charred
Never again to romp outside
Her physique had never been so tried
Hit was the ball, hit high and far
Coming close to a passing car
Crashing against Thumbelina’s heart
Launching her from her sitting part
Landing near with a sudden thud
Taking a hit from her big bad bud

picture: copywright 2005 S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc.

Merry Christmas

Let me start out with an apology to my mother. I have always enjoyed Christmas with my family, and am very thankful for all of the gifts that I have received. We always read the Christmas story before opening presents. Thank you, it helps remind me every year what Christmas truly is about, and why people celebrate it on such a large scale. I hope that you will come to forgive me, and understand what I am trying to say. I am not trying to hurt you or Christmas, I am just trying to step back, and remind people about the true meaning of Christmas. I love you mom, you are very special to me, and I am very lucky to have such a compassionate mother.



What I am disgusted with is the commercialized business that Christmas has become. It has become a distraction from the true celebration. Trees and commercials appeared near the end of October. This caused me to become weary before the holiday season began. It may sounds selfish, but I wanted to enjoy autumn and the beauty of the trees that God created. I wanted to spend time thanking God for the many blessings he has bestowed upon me this year, I am so unworthy of these blessings. I enjoy seeing lights, and hearing some Christmas music, after Thanksgiving, because it displays joy and celebration. I fear that we too often forget why we are hanging lights and singing Christmas songs and only do so for the sake of saying we did, or to impress our friends and neighbors...we forget the bliss and wonder of the season, the genuine Christmas spirit.

While I believe a gift is a great way to show someone that you care, I do not believe that so much money needs to be spent to display this feeling. A simple hug or a short note of encouragement can often be more heartfelt than a new shirt or DVD. I enjoy the phrase
"the best gifts often come in small packages," how true. To put it in my own words, which I hope will shine light on my feelings, The best gifts are not always the most expensive, but they are always the gifts that hold the most heart. One of the best gifts to give and receive is time. Whether it be physically spending time with someone or taking time to select the right gift, it causes a gift to hold more love and essence.

the tip of the iceberg

Thanksgiving was so much fun, I went to Columbiana to hang out with Kyle, his family, and friends. It was great, but now I am really tired and ready for a nap...oh wait, I have school tomorrow, so much for that idea ;-) Thanks for making it such a great Thanksgiving!

Now all people can see is christmas-- yes, in my opinion christmas with a lower case C-- the "buy me now" season. I am sick of it! I had expected to feel slightly less into the season last year since it was the first Christmas after my summer in Zambia; I did think it was overdone, but not as much I do this year. Last year I really did not want a gifts but i still gave my mom gift idea's when she asked and I was very excited for christmas; I really got into the season. I wanted to go and cut the tree the day after thanksgiving, I enjoyed the lights, the decorations, the shopping, the music.....but this year it all seems so lame...so meaningless...so mundane.

It seems to me that very few people celebrate Christmas, most are too wrapped up and busy with the season to realize that Christmas isn't about the decorations, the lights, the shopping, or the christmas trees; they forget the Christmas is about the magnificent and glorious birth of Jesus.


... much more later

results are in

DRUM ROLE PLEASE.....

April test composite score: 21

OCTOBER TEST COMPOSITE SCORE: 26!!!!!

(I needed a 23 for the scholarship)

Thank you so much for all of the prayers! They were definitely answered loud and clear. In case you are unaware, raising your composite score 5 points is unusual. Not only does the 26 qualify me for the scholarship equalization program, but it also puts me in a higher bracket of financial aid as well. Praise God, It looks like I am going to Bluffton Next year!

To celebrate, eat ice cream tonight! (and tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that, and the day after that, and ....well you get the point).

Thanks again!



The Break down:

April English: 22
October English: 27

April Math: 21
October Math: 23

April Reading: 20
October reading: 28

April Science: 21
October Science: 24


Praise God,
Brooke Gugel

The Buffalo Week

Maybe I should explain why I call my past week a buffalo week before I go into the actual details. Thursday morning I was at school for FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) bright and early, 7:00. Somebody asked me how my week was going and I replied by saying that it had been an eventful week. Mr. Blanchong, the teacher who oversees FCA, overheard and thought that I said my week had been buffalo. It was humorous at the time, and I think it describes the week very well. I will probably use it again in the future.

Saturday (11/3/07)
I went to the Circle K in downtown Wauseon to get gasoline after I finished working at Perfumes and More. I pulled up to pump one and could only see a diesel pump, so instead of pulling to a different pump I went to Newcomes, a marathon gas station, when I pulled in at Newcomes I realized that I had taken my gas cap off at Circle K (I am now uptown). So I got my gas and retraced my steps (I even went into Circle K to see if anybody had taken it inside)...no luck, my gas cap was gone. But I did see my friend Rebeca getting gas the the "diesel" pump, i was confused because she drove a car...definitely not made for diesel. Then i realized that on the other side the the "diesel" pump was a hose for unleaded (etc). Yep, I am a genius. One that cannot look on the left side of a pump to see the other hose.

Luckily we have a Honda accord that nobody uses sitting at home, the gas cap fits nicely on my beautiful Honda Civic.


Sunday (11/4/07)
I drove my mothers car to church. After Church I carpooled with Nicole to a Chinese restaurant (mmm), school for a band concert, and back home to my house. That evening I went up to my grandmas to clean the gutters on the shop. I did not have my keys, but simply assumed that they had fallen onto my bed when I picked up my purse, no big deal.

Monday (11/5/07)
The next morning I am ready to leave for school, but I cannot find my keys. Oh well, I will find them after school; I take my dad's keys. I head out to my car and try to start it...the battery is completely dead. OH SNAP. --I still am not sure why it was dead, nothing was left on.-- My mom and I try to jump my car...it is hooked up for 10 minutes and not getting any better. So I take my moms car and leave for school. Of course I get a tardy, no big deal. After school I try in vein to find my car keys at home...

Tuesday (11/6/07)
I ask My. Lyons, the super amazing band director, if anybody has turned in keys..of course not.
I leave for work early so that I can stop at Church and look for my car keys. I gave up and started to play piano...next thing I know I have to be at work in five minutes. OH SNAP, I run to my car, spead above 10 miles an hour in the church parking lot, hit the lights just right, pulled into a parking spot, speedily walked to work, and made it right on time. whew, that was close.

Wednesday (11/7/07)
I am really getting annoyed with my dad's keys. They are very temperamental, and only work a certain way (as his are a copy, I have the original). To get into my car I have to unlock the passengers door (after trying to unlock the drivers door, because I forget every time), reach across and unlock the drivers door) Once in the drivers seat I have to work with the keys to make them start my car. After finishing work on the farm I look for my keys in Nicole's Jetta...no luck.
Wednesday's I have worship dance at church, I share my buffalo week, and ask that they pray that I find my keys (yes, it is petty, and I admitted that to the dancers, but it is kind-of a scary thing to lose your keys).
After dance I drove to another church for We Will Worship-- a bunch of local youth groups to come together purely for worship. --It was really cool, and I could feel God's presence all around us, even though I only knew one song (that isn't what is important). I headed back to the Church to drop off a few girls, and meet with the MYFers (youth group people) who were going to run Kids Connections Sunday morning for me (we decided show a clip from VeggieTales Joshua and the Big Wall). Luckily somebody else noticed that I left my lights on and turned them off for me..close call, good thing I have jumper cables in my trunk, I almost needed them...again.
**Thanks God for having a sponsor turn off my lights, I don't think I could have handled a buffalo that was much bigger than what I already had, and you knew that. Though it may seem small to other people, I know that you used the sponsor and my lights to remind me that you loved me and had control of my life.**
My dad calls me and tells me that he stopped at the Chinese restaurant, where Nicole and I had eaten on Sunday, and asked about me keys...no luck.

It was time to frantically search my house, again.

God helped me find them. woohoo!!!

Here is where they hid (my room). My keys were caught and wrapped around (so you could not see them hanging down) On the right side, where the frame makes and X. If you were looking for my keys, you would not be able to see them in this shot. To find my keys you would have to be standing right above the chair. At every other angle the keys are hidden.

I will admit it, I was overjoyed. I jumped up and down, laughed, did a little dance, and yelled " I FOUND MY KEYS, I FOUND THEM," roughly 20 times and then called my friend Doc to share the good news... She was not quite as excited as I was ;-)


That pretty much wraps up the excitement; I have no doubt that God helped me all throughout my buffalo week. If you disagree with me oh well, I believe that God helps in small ways as well as in the big ways.


Remember to thank God for the small moments of relief and encouragement when your next Buffalo week comes to steal your peace.

Grand Piano

In case you could not tell, I got some pictures taken with a grand piano today (thank you to my photographer, aka my mom). It was fun, many did not turn out as well as we had hoped, but that is okay. Here are my (and my moms) favorites. Sorry they may be they are hard to see (click on it to see full size, it'll help a bit...mom). I really really REALLY like all of the pics with me on top of the beautiful grand piano, so they will be hard to narrow down. The right top and middle are possible year book pics (my mom likes one I like the other, go figure). I am hoping that Kellie sends me the pictures she took this summer soon (like within a couple of days) so that I have a better option for the year book (and pick out the other pics), who knows if that will happen. Oh well, no big.

um... that is it so smile :)