alayna06’s Blog

Volunteering is a huge part of my life, I have no idea the kind of person I’d be without it.

I’ve done volunteer work since I was eight years old. My mom and her best friend volunteered in the soup kitchen every Wednesday night. I couldn’t do much, being so young, but I did have the honor of bringing them their water. Sometimes, when it wasn’t very busy, I’d sit with them and they’d tell me all sorts of stories. About wars, their families, and the people that they were. It was such a great experience.

I’ve now done over 500 hours of community service. I’ve done everything from shoveling cow poop for soil, to working in a day care center. The people I’ve met have had a huge influence on my life. I’m sure it would have a big influence on anyone. You gain so much knowing that your helping other people not because you have to, or to get paid, but because you want to.

I would suggest volunteering to anyone. There’s such  a diverse range of volunteer opportunities.

P.S. It looks really good on college and job applications (:

Ever since my first trip to the Portland Zoo when I was three years old, I have been head over heels in love with giraffes. I remember wondering why they didn’t climb over the wall and run into the wild. In my head, they were tall, I was sure they could get a running start, jump, and leap right over my head. After that day, I watched the lion king every night, wondering why the giraffes didn’t get to be in the wild like the lions and elephants in the movie. I would love to see them, up close and personal in the wild. Its a goofy, little kid dream of mine, but hopefully it will come true eventually. Wild life safari is kind of a step in the wild direction, but it wouldn’t be near as cool and to see them running around, completely free. I want to see how they survive, what they eat, how they sleep, the whole big picture. But for now, I think I can handle driving two hours to Portland. It’s much easier than buying a plane ticket to Africa.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27mxaePkYB4

Everyday, whether its something big or small, my mom makes a huge difference in this world. It doesn’t matter if she’s saving the world, or just picking up my little sister after she fell off her bike. She’s such a sincere person. I know, and am reminded all the time, that my mom would literally give the shirt off her back to help another person. It wouldn’t matter if it was a stranger, or me when I’m outside and getting cold. She puts everyone before herself. Apart of this I understand, she’s a mom, it’s her instinct to help others. But on the other hand, she goes above and beyond what I’ve ever seen anyone do. Whether anyone else sees her kind actions or not, I see them every single time.

I cannot wait for my friend’s annual trip to the beach this summer. Driving in my little beat up honda, with my best friends for a vacation sounds so good during these dark blah days. Ask anyone of the friends in the car with me, and they’d tell you that the ocean is my favorite place in the world. The sound of the waves hitting the shore sends chills down my spine. It’s been that way ever since I was little, except for now, twelve years later, the wind doesn’t knock me off my feet. Hopefully this year, the weather will be really warm.

Which brings me to my next topic, tanning. I try so hard every year, but I can never get as dark as my naturally tan younger sister. (She got the good genes). But hopefully,  I can achieve my goal this year without the deadly sunburns I normally get.

Finally, sunsets. It is my favorite part of the day, When I can sit back with my family, eating ice cream, still wearing shorts, and watch the sun slowly fade away. It’s so gorgeous.

So maybe if i’m lucky this year, I can get a tan, sitting on the beach with my best friends, watching the sunset. [:

For Earth Day this year, which by the way is April 22nd I might be attending a fund raiser with my fellow title holders.  I’ve bought a dress made of recycled products. Its itchy and uncomfortable, but it sounds cool to say my dress was made using pop bottles. I still have to check in with my director, but the fund raiser is in Beaverton… It’s gonna be a very long drive back to Springfield Wednesday night. :/ Well, I hope everyone who reads this is doing they’re part in helping to keep our earth green

[IMG]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x186/brotherterrysimmons/earthday.jpg[/IMG]

alayna1

“Your my favorite teacher ever!”

“Thank you sweetie, thats so nice of you, but miss Davis is doing a great job too.”

“Ummm, no i dont think so”

I teach childrens’ church for my grandparents church when the service begins. There are 10 – 15 students in my class every Sunday. A huge improvement from the two I started with. Last Sunday, when one of my students, Nicole, came out of the class, there was a huge smile on her fair, freckled face. She told me how excited she was that I was the teacher and how she didn’t like the “old boring lady” that taught the sunday school class before me. This was a funny moment that I’ll remember for a long time, and one that I will cherish because it made me realize that this was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Teach.

I’ve definately noticed whats happening to our nation due to the recent recession. Ronald Reagan once said “A recession is when your neighbor loses their job, a depression is when you lose yours”. My neighbor was just laid off off from a company he’s worked for, for nearly twenty years. My stepdad is only working a half day once or twice a week. Its a scary realization that our country is falling apart financially. I also have noticed the impact of the recession in my own job search. I have gone to what seems like 15 restaraunts and small buisnesses and no one is hiring. One lady even told me that they’re not hiring, they’re laying everyone off. Hopefully we can find a solution to our economic problem soon, so that our economy can take a turn for the better.

I’d consider myself a technology savvy. I’ve had a computer in my room since my fifth birthday, and a cell phone at my side since sixth grade. I’m constantly texting, calling, or emailing my friends. Im always up to date with the newest technology with the help of my friends. Using electronic devices taught me a lot when I was younger. I even taught myself to read and write by the time I was seven with the help of a computer program. I believe that I gained my knowledge for electronics from my father. Who, after ten years of toying around with our home computer has built his own multi-million dollar website. Hopefully I can be that successful someday with the technology world.