I was just getting home from a long day of work on the other side of the hill. I was beyond tired, and sure I wasn't going to be able to move tomorrow. As I climbed the hill, I smelled a odd smell. It smelled like burning plastic and the way candle smoke floats through the air when blown out. I climbed more and saw rising smoke that made the beautiful blue sky turn grey, almost like a storm was going to hit, but storms don't have smells. I climbed more and saw the flames. They have engulfed our entire village! My worst fear had come true!!
     Then it hit me. Where is my wife and children?? I ran to where my house was, which was also on fire. My eyes wandered around the house from the outside. It was empty. It's a good thing that they weren't in there. 
     Nearby, I saw my wife with our two and six year old daughters. I was so relieved!  I ran to them, my wife sobbing and my children clinging to her dress as if their life depended on it. I wrapped them in my arms, and we fell to the floor. I was welling up, also. We sat there, embracing one another. I have no idea what I would have done without them. I was so happy. Thank you Holy Mother of Christ.

    I am thankful for my family. Some people don't have a family. Some are maybe missing a mom or a dad. I have a mom and a dad. I also have 2 sisters, 1 bother, 2 cats, and a dog. My family made me into what I am today. My parents feed me, buy me things I need, and try to make sure I'm always happy. 
    I am also thankful for my pets. I just got a puppy and we named him Chip (from the movie Napoleon Dynamite). We're not sure what kind of dog he is, but he might be a chihuahua, or a miniature dog of some sort. He is just a newborn, and we have to feed him formula. I recently lost one of my favorite cats (10/17/12: about a month ago). His name was Jigsaw and he was our only male cat. I will never underestimate the value of my pets again. 
    The final thing I'm thankful for is life. I've tried to end it, but with the help of my psychiatrist, I'm getting out of this hole of depression. I have a life. I'm not abused like some people are, sadly. I may not be the happiest person, but at least I'm not in danger. I'm a hazard to myself at times, but I've learned coping skills to help me out when I get overwhelmed. 

    Charlemagne was a very great ruler in the Middle Ages (also known as the medieval times). In fact, Charlemagne means Charles The Great. Charlemagne focused on war for a while to conquer the territory around his kingdom to expand. The kingdom was expanding to a great size. 
    But Europe wasn't very safe after the fall of Rome. Vikings attacked, leaving towns in ashes. Vikings were very powerful people. They were vicious; showing no mercy whatsoever. 
    Charlemagne didn't just focus on war. He also loved the idea of education for children, so he had schools built to teach them. The teachers were monks, very religious people that serve the community. The monks did everything from teaching to working as a doctor to help either sick or wounded civilians. The conquered territory of Charlemagne prospered at the height of their times. 

    My New Years resolution is to be a better sister to my siblings. I want to take my medications regularly to avoid my meltdowns (not the best to be around when it happens). My family needs help, but there's not enough hours in the day to balance family and school work. I am not getting enough sleep at night because the homework is getting hard and I need my dad's help with it, but he's really busy all the time. I want to go to bed around 7:30 so I can wake up at the time I'm supposed to, but I need a break from school work to rest my mind. I want to limit that to about one hour. 
    I want to help my parents more. This year for my mom's birthday, I got her something she really wants. I didn't want her to be mad at me or say she didn't like it, so I talked to her about it. She just wanted me to draw her a picture, make her dinner, or knit her a hat, but I liked my idea better. I would spend $65 dollars and buy her a cat. 
    She had been talking about it for a while. She didn't want a kitten, or an old cat, but she wanted a young cat. One that likes to cuddle and that they feel a connection together. I found the perfect one, a 9 month old Siamese male cat, that is part Ragdoll, Siamese, Persian, and Lynx. Being a Ragdoll, they are very affectionate. In his description he is very shy, and cautious around new people, but he will get good after a while. They say he's good with other cats (we have two other female cats), he has all his vaccinations and he is neutered. They should get along just fine. 
    My mom fell in love with him when she first saw a picture of him. She wants to see him in person and see if there's a connection. The shelter also allows what they call a 'sleepover' where you take the cat home for a few days and see how he reacts. I can't wait to meet him!