The Screwtape Letters

Well, i have started another book! No i haven't finished the War bible but we don't need to talk about that right now!

This is a book about devil angels. It's about one writing and giving advice to another, to get a man to choose Satan's plan instead of "The Enemy" aka Heavily Father. It is very interesting and makes it a lot more clear on just how much Satan wants to and can win if we let him.
They know us, they know our strengths and weaknesses. It is vital that we come to know them to! That we know their plan. We can not fight what we do not know and understand. And so i read these letters of Screwtape and marvel at C. S. Lewis's wisdom and knowledge of just how wicked the wicked can be.

Over and out

-Houston

Road tripin

There is something absolutely amazing about going on a road trip! At the moment i am sitting in my families suburban, in the back seat with Indy (my four year old sister) on one side...asleep, and Brig (my almost two year old brother) on the other side. And guess what?! I absolutely love it!!! Mmm mmm mmm there is just something about being cooped up in a car with your family that just makes you draw closer to them. Granted it has been about 18 hours and my butts getting sore, Brig slapped and threw stuff at my head the last hour and a half, and Seth (my six ear old brother) has to go pee every five minutes...no joke! But guess what?! Brig and Seth are both asleep now! Woot! We only have two hours left and i think i will dig up The Art of war from the Dark depths of the trunk!

over and out

-Houston

Moving

So... we're moving again! It's pretty intense. Exactly 480 days ago my family packed up all our stuff in Utah and moved it to Texas. We had lived in Utah my whole life. I knew one house, one neighborhood, one lawn, one green mailbox, etc... I had heard all my life that moving is a TERRIBLE THING, absolutely horrid, nothing good comes out of it AT ALL!!! And because i am the way i am (win in every situation possible is my motto...prideful i know, I'm working on it). I was bound and determined to prove Disney movies wrong!
Is it just me or in every movie, the kids would rather kill themselves than move to a different state, and i get that. Moving is hard! Your forced to get out of your comfort zone a little bit and actually, maybe, be the one to start a conversation! You've got to go through the junk that's sitting on the dresser, and in the junk drawer (just admit it now, you have one!!! I know you do!), and if your like me get rid of a couple (or 10) pairs of shoes. Moving is hard!
But i want to tell you something, i was bound and determined to like moving and make it a good experience even if it killed me! I wanted to prove Disney WRONG! I knew it was possible and i knew i was right (pride problems).
But guess what?! I was right ;) mwahahhaha!!! I've lived in Texas for 480 days. It almost killed me, ALMOST! I moved my family here almost by myself! My mom was prego, my dad was working in Texas 3 weeks a month, and well hate to brake it to ya but my sisters were totally useless! and i was still supposed to be doing school (i owe a few teachers an apology for some unfinished assignments.). I had a few brake downs and some desperate conversations with my Heavenly Father to "please help me have a good attitude today" and "PLEASE help mom not ask for 25 things at once" and "PLEASE PLEASE help Ari to pack ONE box instead of doodling all over it!".
*A little side note* I want to make it very clear this is what i was FEELING it was not actually reality! There were in fact many people helping us, and mom's hormones were not in actuality at an extreme high every day, and Ari did pack a few boxes...but i was 15 and my hormones were at an extreme high every day! so ya -_-
But i was determined to love it anyway and looking back i really did and do! I remember nights after packing for 10 hours and just laughing with my family! Late nights with the neighborhood boys and playing night games (and usually winning ;) ), looking at scrapbooks and pictures that i had never seen before and then packing them in a box to be my treasures here in Texas, and reading my dad's missionary journal (i didn't know my dad knew how to write in a journal!!!). I really did love that time. It was no doubt the hardest thing i had ever done, but i taught myself that it's possible to be happy in chaos! And guess what?! I am having to teach myself the exact same thing again!!!! Turns out being positive takes work ALL THE TIME! Who knew right!?
Let's just say we're moving again...back to Orem Utah...exactly were we came from! I'm having bitter sweet feelings because i love my friends here, and this house, and Ari STILL doodles on EVERY BOX before she packs it, and well...we have another junk drawer, darn it!!!! Thank goodness mom is not pregnant! But i am very excited to go back and see my friends in Utah, and my family. Oh how i miss them! And my homeschool friends, I can't wait to see how much they've changed! And don't tell Ari but i love when i pick up a box that's covered in flowers or has a silly joke on it! It makes my day so much better!

So in other words, I don't mind moving :D AND, i proved Disney wrong! Teenagers can like changing locations...it's possible ;)

Oh and i thought i'd let y'all know we just finished packing our 50th box of books! We are insane!!! I love it!

Now on to tackling the dresser!

Over and out

-Houston

The Art of War

I was inspired to read this fantastic book by a good friend! It's been quite an adventure. I found myself not being able to turn the page until I could find a highlighter or a pen or marker or SOMETHING because a line(or the whole page!) is just to good! I didn't want to forget it!

Also, if you know me you know im slightly obsessed with getting up early. I read in a book once that the rich never sleep in. So ever sense that day i wake up usually before 5 and i do expect that some day i will be rich...ok that would be cool but if it doesn't happen i'll be ok! I really have fallen in love with the morning though! It is a special time when incredible things happen that would not happen if i hadn't gotten up early...this book seems to think as well :D

-Houston

Tornadoes

I don't know much about tornadoes but i do know that I think they are pretty incredible! this week we were on a tornado watch for almost 3 whole days...in those three days i mowed 7 huge lawns because if a tornado were to come he would really appreciate it if the lawn was mowed........NOT! But we still mowed, and i got a sunburn because there was a totally blue sky...yet we were still on a tornado watch because this is Texas we are talking about here and everybody here knows that things COULD change in an instant :P

Even though i wasn't in a tornado this last week, tons of other people were. I wish it was possible to explain how much I feel for these people and want to help and comfort them. I pray night and day that all you in Oklahoma and Texas that were affected by this incredibly powerful disaster might receive comfort and be at peace.

Interesting fact about this amazing God fearing country that i live in and love so much; the sunday after 9/11 90% of the population went to church! I have no doubt in my mind that when disaster strikes its no coincidences that we turn to our Father in heaven for comfort, because he truly is the only one that can and will send peace to be with you.

-Houston

A Funny Story

Seminary is such a great place to be at 6 o'clock in the morning, I absolutely love it and wouldn't change it for the world! At 6 am though some people I thought I knew, I really don't. Being half asleep really changes things, who knew right!?

Let me take a moment to quickly explain what seminary is and why I love it so much. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. It is common that youth members of this church have a bible study very early in the morning. Why so early? you might ask, well I asked the same thing once too, your not alone, I was young. My answer to you is...your just going to have to find out for yourself! and also, kids actually go to school, duh! I didn't realize that my first year at seminary (home-school problems, sorry!). Every year we study a different book of scripture, this year is the New Testament. Its been absolutely life changing to study the life of the Savior and his apostles, and again your just going to have to find out for yourself why its so awesome (I really don't like using this word but I feel it appropriate for this situation).

If I had to explain what it was like though, I would say it makes you kind of feel like those people in that religion that I can't quite remember the name of at this time that put their hands in the air and sing HALLELUJAH when they agree with whats being said because they "feel something"

Shake it ladies!

...it's kinda like that...I still think its a little better than that because i'm sure most of them can't say that they've gotten up at 4:30 every morning for most of the school year. Yes, I do get  up at 4:30, go ahead and laugh, tell me i'm CRAZY, trust me I've heard it all, but nothing you say is going to make me budge, I will NOT go to seminary looking like I just came off the streets, I just will not do it! So I get up at 4:30 am and shower...and well, study! I do understand you think that's silly, it's another home-school problem I have.

Anyway, tangent, sorry, I do that sometimes. I think I'm done explaining seminary...for now! (mwahahaha)

So now for the funny story, oh and as I tell this please...again...keep in mind that that people are not their normal selves!!! It's vital that you remember this piece of information and if you ever take my advice and attend a seminary class (its highly recommended!)  just remember that the people their will probably, if not most defiantly act differently than the way they are acting in that moment! Please just don't judge them at this low point! I beg of you, they really are very good people and not members of the zombie apocalypse! So there will be no need to make your house look like this...

Anyway, back to the story! I must focus...or maybe change the name of this post. That could work too...hmmm. FOCUS Houston! I do believe we have a problem here :P

Well there's this guy, he's a sophomore so I don't see him much in the morning because I'm a Junior and go to the big girl and big boy class! But this morning we were combined and he came in late and normally when most girls see him and he actually TALKS to you (sadly myself included, I am ashamed but willing to share my deepest darkest secrets here so that some day I might laugh at myself ) we all do this...

If he was reading this it would be really embarrassing...but someday I will laugh at this...it is worth it!

Well this morning he walked in and I do believe I have never seen anything so, well um, how do I put this, apocalyptic (that is a word isn't it... spell-check seems to think so!) in my life! Well that's being a little harsh, i'll just explain what he looked like so you can get the big picture and hopefully get a little glimpse into what I endured this morning.

MORE than half asleep (I honestly don't know how he drove himself safely), VERY short shorts on, with a perfect tan line about 3 or 4 inches below the shorts, a lovely bright pink shirt that if I remember right said "got milk?" on it, and a hoody, oh and the best part is he didn't even put a pair of shoes on! I go bare feet a lot. I don't like shoes very much, so I can relate! But this?! The whole situation was just to much! He walked in 15 min late and I think it was about the funniest thing I had ever seen! But wait there's more! The most incredible thing happened after he walked in and I had looked him thoroughly up and down (sorry I know that's just a little creepy) ALL the girls still, without fail looked like that stupid cat shone above! I got home and I laughed for a very long time! Oh it was just too great! What a morning I've had! And this is why I wake up at 4:30 :)

Lots of school and cleaning to do today

Over and out

-Houston 

Scripture of the day

1 Nephi 13:37

The gift and power of the Holy Ghost. How awesome!

What a superb idea!

Hello! My names Miah Shirley Johnson...but here you can call me Houston. I'm the oldest of 7 kids that I love so much. They are my bestest friends in the whole wide world, we giggle a LOT. Because i'm the oldest though I deal with stains and messes and through up all over the kitchen floor and poop in the shower and gum in peoples hair AND banana in places never known to human kind! I love my life! I love laughing and smiling and being with family and friends and especially the best invention ever...Goo Gone! A little bit of that stuff and a few giggles I have found can fix any problem!

So I have started this blog, a superb idea really. It's the life of me, a home-schooled teen-aged girl who loves being in charge (hence the name Houston) deals with a lot of problems (but not as much as her mom) and is teaching herself that its okay to make mistakes, laugh about it, and begin again! This is a place where I make mistakes...a ton of mistakes, and then we giggle together because lets face it, what isn't funny about a tinfoil nativity or adding too much baking soda to the pancakes 10 times in a row, or trying out an oatmeal face mask to get rid of a few zits (I think I have pictures of that one! haha).

Some things might still be a little tender (buying a lemon tree for Christmas and leaving it in the closet for 3 days so mom wouldn't see...I don't want to talk about it -_- )...go ahead and laugh if you want just don't tell me you did until i'm ready to laugh with you ;) ! I do believe I have the greatest childhood anybody could ask for with some of the best stories and life lessons known to man...possibly...okay, well probably not really...but I think they are just grand! Sadly though i'm still learning, and growing, and striving to be more like my Savior! And thank goodness for Giggles, Goo Gone and the Atonement because without them I would be nothing!

Over and out


-Houston