so, i bet you're wondering why you haven't heard from me in a while. right?

The reason for my long-term absence is a pretty legit reason. School started. Summer ended. Pom practice changed to night time. Football season started. Homework nightly. Carlen time. And most important, I had my surgery Wednesday. My knee hurt before, and now it still hurts. Wanna hear my surgery story?? You do? Great, just knew you would. My surgery was in New Albany. I had to be at the hospital at 5:45 that morning. We got there, they put me in a room, and got my iv. That took me back for surgery at 7. My mama came back with me. While I was in the holding room, the anesthesiologist came and talked to mom and told me what they were gonna do and mama had to give verbal consent saying it was okay. After that, they brought me some "happy medicine" and put in my iv. It burned pretty bad, but I didn't even care. I was so out of it, they didn't even make me count. After the happy medicine, all I remember is waking up back in the holding room with a nurse sitting next to me. I woke up with my entire body blood red and clawing myself to death because I was itching so bad. I had had an allergic reaction to an antibiotic, and they had that thing off of me so fast. After the itching episode, I looked at the nurse and asked if I had my surgery. She said that I had. I attempted to move my leg, but I couldn't do it. I just burst into tears saying "I'm so confused. I don't know where I am. I want my mommy". The nurses told me to just calm down and go back to sleep. So I did and didn't wake up again until two hours later and I was back in my room. We couldn't leave until we talked to the doctor. Finally, he came in and said that they found folded tissue and they sucked it out. But it wasn't where I was hurting. So, basically, I'm just gonna have to live with my knee hurting like it is. We left the hospital, stopped by chick-fil-a then came home. I got a much- needed shower, which was quite difficult. I'm a bath person. I HATE showers. Hate them. And because I can't take this thing off my leg until Sunday, I have to put it in a garbage bag and take showers. Anyways, after my shower, I got in bed and propped my little leg up. My mom cooked my all-time favorite meal. Poppy seed chicken casserole. Carlen came over to visit me and to eat the casserole since he loves it too. With him, he brought a get well present from him and his present. Jelly beans, an E notepad, and an E pen. It was really sweet. He left at about 8:45 or 9. Then I went to sleep. Woke up the next day. Went to school. At school, Carlen showed me what a sweet boyfriend he can be. He has become accustomed to me taking care of him. Him taking care of me is completely new for him. But he did great. He did everything I asked him to, and didn't complain too much. After school, I came home and got ready for the game. Went to Pizza Factory with Carlen, my parents,and the Kilgore's. At the game, I sat in a chair with my leg up on a cooler. I went through the game pretty good. I waved my poms and did all the motions I could. Near the end, my knee started hurting really bad. So I fell asleep with my leg propped up and my arms cuddling my poms. Haha. It was pretty funny. Anyways, we won the game against Baldwyn, our long-time rivals. Last night, we went to eat with Carlen's parents at Thrasher Quick. Then we went back to his house and watched the Monk marathon. And I fell asleep. Haha. Ever since my surgery, I have been so unbelievably tired. And since Carlen knew that, he just let me sleep. Tonight, I'm going to a basketball tournament at Carlen's church. Carlen's on a team. His dad, Tony, is on a team. And his granny, Venus, is on a team. Something you should know about our families. Our grandparents used to be best friends. Every weekend they'd do something together. Every single weekend. Both of our grandfather's are both passed away, but my mimi and his granny are still best friends. Also, my dad and his mom were best friends. So they love the fact that we're dating. It does get sad sometimes when my mimi tells Carlen to give her a hug before she even tells me to. But I like the fact that our families like each other so much. Now that you've had this brief family history, I'll get back to the tournament. I'm going to support Carlen and to sit with his mom. It should be pretty interesting to see the older people play though. But anyways, that's all I have for now. Keep me in your prayers as I recover.

dance.

Dance is my life. It's the one sport I'm decently good at and thoroughly enjoy. I was never interested in any other sports as a kid. It was always one thing, dance. I took dance for six straight years, then my dance teacher moved to Ripley. By that time, it was cheer tryouts at my school. Since we didn't have a junior high dance team, I did cheer. Cheer occupied my time, but I always longed for dance. When it came time for high school tryouts, I went out for cheer instead of dance. I had the most miserable year of my life. I hated cheer. I cried like every night because I hated it so bad. It was awful. To get my mind off of how awful it was, I began getting myself ready for upcoming dance tryouts. I traveled to Ripley for a weekly practice with my old dance teacher. I also had practices with Kelli Coggin, my dance mentor. Haha. (shout out to kelli coggin). I tried out and made the dance team. Ever since then, my life has been filled with dance. And now, I'm afraid I'm gonna lose it. My knee is in awful shape. I have torn cartilage and a severely sprained i.t. band. He put me on a knee cast and crutches for two weeks, and it hasn't proved much. At this point, I'm terrified. I haven't danced for over a month, and it's killing me. I'm so scared about my knee. The other night I cried for like two hours straight because of this stupid limb. I want it to be fixed and be pain-free, but I'm scared of surgery. I can't keep on like this though. My knee is the worst pain I've ever felt. It's a constant pain that won't let up to give me any type of relief. I honestly don't know what I'm going to do. But if I'm gonna be sitting out anytime, I'm gonna do it this year, my junior year. I don't think I could deal with sitting in the bleachers watching other people be co-captain and take my spot my senior year. It would honestly eat me alive. I just can't be without dance. I just can't. The release I have while I'm dancing. How great it feels to be doing something I love. To be performing and having other people watching me. To be actually decently good at something. I can't be without that. Just can't. It's my life. It's what I was created for, I believe. God may have greater plans for me, but I'm having a hard time accepting that this was the hand I was dealt. I'm trying to deal with it. But it's hard.

sun kissed skin.

It has been a long while since my last blog. I have three subjects to discuss, and then it should be three weeks before I am able to blog again. So, here goes.

First subject, knee:

In an earlier post, I talked about how I hurt my knee at dance camp. I finally went to the doctor. He informed me that my legs were out of line. When I lay flat on my back and point my toes to the ceiling, my knees turn in; however, my knees are supposed are supposed to point up like my toes. I'm just jacked up, I reckon. How lovely, right?? Anyway, because of my legs being jacked up, my knees are jacked up. At dance camp, I tore my i.t. band. And that is the tendon that all the other tendons attach to. So just my luck, huh? And because of my knee, I have to go to therapy three times a week for two weeks. After that day last day of therapy, I go back to the doctor. If my knee is better, no surgery. If my knee isn't better, surgery. And the way it's looking right now, surgery.

Second subject, mandatory week:

What's more fun than a whole week of dance practice from 8:30 till 3:30? My answer: alot of things. But oh well, I love dance, so it won't be too bad. Just the whole knee factor. I'm gonna have to be more careful and go easy on it, and that's not me. After dance practice, I go straight to therapy right after. Then after that, I will definately be going to Carlen's house to swim.

Third subject, VACATION!!!:

The week after mandatory practice I go to PCB!!! I am so excited. My family and Carlen's family are going together. It should be fun. I cannot wait until we go. I've been looking forward to this all summer.

ohh, how i love summertime :)

All through the boring school year, everyone looks forward to the final day of school and the start of summer. I absolutely love summer. It's the time of swimming, grilling out, vacations, times with friends, and sleeping late. I love everything about it. So far, my summer has been great. I wake up late, sit around the house all day, and do something at night. Could life get any better? I don't have much planned this summer. Dance camp is already over with, thankfully. The week of mandatory practice is soon approaching. And then the week after that, I finally get to go on vacation!! For some reason, my mom decided that we'd go on vacation the week of july 19-25. That is the latest we've ever waited. And it is KILLING me. I'm ready to go and get out of here. This year my family and Carlen's family are going together. It's down between Hilton Head, South Carolina or Gatlinburg, Tennessee. I'm pulling for Hilton Head. But so far, I'm loving my summer :)

dance camp, a week delivered in a hand basket from the devil.

Two words can sum up Tuesday - Friday for you, dance camp. It was possibly the worst week of my life give or take. I've been to dance camp before, so I knew what to expect. The basics: aching muscles, lack of sleep, people getting on your nerves. And I felt all of that, but I also began getting homesick. Something about me is that I hardly ever get homesick. Yes, I always miss everyone. But I'm talking I was homeSICK. I wanted to go home so bad that I wanted to punch somebody. And since people were getting on my nerves, it wouldn't have been that hard. Hold up, I forgot to provide some detail. Normally for dance camp, we go to Starkville and stay in super nice dorms. This year we stayed in Booneville and went to Northeast and stayed in their dorms. Talk about nasty. Mine and Katherine's room was disgusting. Our air conditioner didn't work, so everything in our room felt wet. One night while we were practicing, I landed on my knee and something popped. After it popped, a pain shot straight down my leg. Now, I can't straighten my leg or bend it, and there's a constant pain in my knee in under my knee cap and on the right side. So, let's have a recap, shall we? We shall. Aching muscles, lack of sleep, people were getting on my nerves, in booneville but I couldn't go home, no air conditioning, everything was wet, and a broken knee. Just lovely, right?

But finally, on the last day, I had the most fun I had had all week. We performed our four dances for our parents. We performed our silly dance for our parents. Those of us who wanted to got to try out for All-American. I tried out, and I made it. So what uppp????

sophomore year. homo's for life!

So, the title probably creeped some people out. But if you look carefully at the word sophomore, homo is right slap in the middle of it. See, sop(homo)re. So our grade calls ourselves the homos. This year has been one of my most memorable. At school, I took harder classes such as demon spanish. I was a member of the dance team which has become my life. I met my new best friend and boyfriend, Carlen Tanner Stephens. Yes, I've had other boyfriends. Many of them. But they've all lasted maybe three months or less. But me and Carlen will be a year on june eighth. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I love you Carlen :). I've had so many new experiences this year from later curfews, new friends, dates, arguments, driver's license, CAR!!, and many more. I am now officially a junior, and my boyfriend is a senior. I hate the sound of that. My boyfriend is a senior. :( Also, I hate that I'm gonna have a year in high school without him here, but I guess I'll live. I'm just gonna live it up this summer and enjoy every moment that I have.

This weekend was a busy one to say the least.

Friday was the day before my recital. Since nothing can run smoothly with me, my schedules decided to overlap. I promised Carlen a veryyyy long time ago that I would go with him to his cousin Jill's graduation. She goes to Ripley, so the ceremony would be held in their gym. That night I also had dress rehearsal with Miss Andrea for our recital which was in the Ripley Auditorium. I had to rehearse our dance, leave, throw on a dress and heels, slap on makeup, and somehow get my hair to work. But luckily, it all worked out. I walked into the graduation and felt an instant sense of familiarity. Let me tell you about Ripley gym. It is modeled EXACTLY after our gym at Booneville. But Ripley took it upon themselves to add one extra seat. Technically, that made their gym bigger. I call bull crap. They may have had one extra seat, but our gym is definately bigger. And not to mention, it looks better, too. In our gym, it is painted a silverish gray with blue and gold on close to everything. Ripley's gym is a lovely shade of beige. Blahh. It made me sleepy just to look at the building. Anyways, back to my story. After the graduation was over, Carlen, his parents, and I high tailed it to New Albany to eat at George's. When we got back to Booneville, I went to Carlen's house for a bit then he took me home.

Saturday was the big day. I woke up, got ready, and headed to Ripley again. I performed both of the dances that I had to then headed home with my mom and Carlen. When we got back to my house, I changed out of my costumes and put on my normal clothes. Then Carlen and I headed out to tupelo for the night. First, we had a meal at O'Charley's (my second favorite place to eat). After we got done eating, we had an hour to spare, so we went to Dollar General to pick up candy for the movie. After that, we headed over to Malco to watch "Letters to Juliett", which was great. I loved the movie, and Carlen did, too. He hates those kinds of movies. If he liked it, that's really saying something.

Sunday is Jesus day. I woke up, got ready, and went to church. When I came home, mama fixed a home-cooked meal. After we ate, I went over to Carlen's for swimming and tanning. I enjoyed laying out in the pool all day swimming and floating with Carlen's family. At around 3:30, I came home and then got ready for evening worship. Carlen came to church with me, then we went to my house, ate supper, and watched saw.

i love these weekends :)

don't be alarmed. i'm still living and breathing.

it's been way too long since my last blog. a little bit over two weeks, i believe. i just keep forgetting about it. but like always, these past two weeks have been filled with school, eating, sleeping. carlen, dance, and church. I'm soooo ready for school to be over. all i have left is the rest of this week and two days of next week. so puh-lease fly by. these next two weeks will more than likely be very busy. below is a list of the next to weeks and what i have on my plate:

• wednesday: school, private dance lessons in ripley, church
• thursday: school, my brother's graduation
• friday: school, booneville graduation
• saturday: practice at ripley for the recital, then date night with carlen :)
• sunday: church, and possibly another dance practice
• next friday: graduation at ripley (carlen's cousin)
• next saturday: mrs. andrea's recital.

and within those days, i have to fit in practices with mallory. we're performing a dance at andrea's recital by ourselves and we still haven't made it up.

but as soon as it is all over, i get to enjoy the wonderful summer that i have ahead :)

long overdue.

yes, yes. I realize it's been a very long time since I've blogged. But I've been a busy little girl. My weekends have been spent by Carlen, church, laying out, and sleeping. My weeks have been full of school, dance, and church. But I'll give you a recap of my lovely weekend.

Friday night: Me, Carlen, Blake, and Katherine went to Country Inn to eat then went to Carlen's house to watch a movie. Carlen has a crazy collection of random old kids movies like Slappy and the Stinkers. We ended up watching half of Space Jam, then switched to Never Back Down. Then when we got bored of it, we went and played hide and go seek. Me and Carlen dominated, of course. And then we went back in and watched more of Never Back Down.

Saturday night: I was seriously craving some Papa Vanelli's. Being the sweet boyfriend that he is, Carlen took me. I absolutely love Vanelli's. It's been my favorite place to eat as long as I can remember. If you have never eaten there, you definately need to pay them a visit. After eating, we went to the mall and I got two new sunglasses. yayy.

Today: I woke up and went to church to praise the Lord. Then came home and got ready for dance in Ripley at 3:30. I'm finishing up learning the opener for Mrs. Andrea's recital. And when I get back, I'm going to my church with Carlen.

oh how i love my life :)

oh, carlen brought to my attention that i forgot to include that he got a new pair of sunglasses also.

my eventful day. to say the least.

geometry:

Ohhh, geometry. Only one word can describe you. Crazy. That's the word. Poor Coach Windham just can't contain me. And no matter how much I torture him, he still cracks up. The man is a stonewall of strength. I must say. I am a true nerd. I get in trouble for reading in class. How much nerdier can you get? On the down side, Kinsey and I are DEFINATELY failing tomorrow's test. And thus, I will no longer be in the Booneville Chapter National Honor Society. And then, I will be toast at home. But Kinsey and I will somehow not fail from the good grace of God. We hope. And after the test, we'll pick up our books and begin reading.

spanish:

you. are. the. devil.

I hate you and your stupid book work. I've been in your class for twelve weeks. The only thing I use daily is si, senorita. But only because I like saying it. And I knew that before the dang class. And when I get out of spanish, the only thing I will know is si, senorita. On the bright side, I have completed your project. And if I get lower than a 90, I will compose a strongly worded blog.

dance practice:

I am too out of shape. Today when we got there, we ran outside. But that wasn't bad at all. We got back into the gym and began stretching. After stretching, we began technique for about an hour. After technique class, we did lunges across the gym and back. My poor little knee cap almost popped out. For future reference, I have a knee problem. And when I'm in the mood, I'll sometimes wear my brace. Am I ever in the mood? hahaha. NO. But anyways, after the killer lunges, we had to work our abs and arms. All I know is that come swimsuit season, I better be looking hot in my swimsuits after this. After abs, we ran three suicides. Normally I'm up for running five suicides. But running after lunges?? Heckkkk no. I'm the fastest runner on the dance team and I was struggling. Everyone else was dying. Aside from the aching muscles, it was acutally a pretty good practice. so yayy.

And this was my eventful day. haha. Did you enjoy it?

About Me:

- The name is Emily Sparks.

- I attend Booneville High School.

- I'm on the dance team at my school.

- I love dance with all of my heart. It's basically my life.

- I have a wonderful boyfriend named Carlen Stephens.

- I love all of my friends. They're the best :)

- My family are die-hard Ole Miss. So during football season, you can find me in the grove. Hotty Toddy!

- Jesus Christ is my lord and savior.

- I love my family. My mom is Jennifer. My dad is Greg. My brother is Tyler.

- Needless to say, I'm a very blessed girl. :)

first real blog. yayyy :)

This past weekend has been the greatest that I've had in awhile. Thursday was prom. My boyfriend, Carlen, is a junior. To go to prom, you have to be a senior or a junior. Naturally, the whole situation sucked for me because I am a grade below him. However, I had a great night. I went to pizza factory with Ashley, Shelby, Leah, Kinsey, and Emily. (and no, I'm not talking about myself in third person. she's my friend and we have the same name). After pizza factory, we rode around and went to kid's town. There's nothing better than riding around with your friends with the music loud and laughing. When we had wasted enough gas, Ashley, Shelby, and I went to Ashley's house and got ready for the after prom dance. Before we left, we ran by Wal-Mart so I could pick up a toothbrush and Ashley could get eyeliner. Showing up to the dance fashionably late, we walked into the dance. I immediately found Carlen and gave him a big hug. We began dancing and had a great time. When it was time to go, we kissed and parted ways. He went to his grade's after party and I went to Ashley's to spend the night. Below is a picture of Shelby, Ashley, and I before we left for the dance. Friday night Carlen took me out on a date to make up for prom and everything. We went to O' Charley's and had a great time being together. After eating, we went to the mall, came home, and watched tv at my house till around 11 then he had to go home. And there's also a picture of that. Saturday I went to Ripley to my dance teacher's studio. She asked me and a few other girls to be in the opener for her recital. We learned the dance and it's a great dance! After learning the dance, my mom and I went to Tupelo shopping. When we got home, I had to get ready for an Easter egg hunt for Carlen's church. It was at night with glow in the dark eggs. Out of 130 eggs, I managed to find 1. For only finding one egg, I received a whole bag full of candy. As you can imagine, the little kids who found almost 50 were veryyyy upset. All in all, I had a wonderful weekend.