Flashback! 

Okay so today I'm going to look back on 2011. How it was, what happened and towards the end of the year how my life changed forever.

January 2011 was well.. Interesting to say the least. For 6 weeks we had a gap year student and it just so turned out that we got on very well. Much to say when I had to say my good byes on the 13th of February I was very sad and cried a lot, more than you'd think for only meeting him late January. So that happened and we haven't seen each other since, such as life, this July will come.

March went by and nothing much interesting happened apart from my brother's birthday which he wasn't in our presence for as he is currently studying in Stirling university. April came and I became one step closer to being an adult. 17. Driving lessons started on the day of by birthday (3rd April) and I had a blast. Driving for the first time was weird and kinda scary. I didn't like the fact that there were cars coming towards me just a mere meter away because that was scary especially on corners! So driving started and I was happy, 2 lessons a week I should be passed in no time.. 2 months and 3 weeks later I passed my test with 1 minor booyah. I was beyond happy but was sad to be leaving behind a gorgeous red mini which also had black stripes and a black roof. What a hot car. Like seriously if I were a car (assuming I was not an inanimate object) I would totally fancy that car. Any way off my car fancies, my wonderful parents had bought be my beautiful ka, namely... Lola. She was indeed a show girl at some point in her life or had to have been because she is simply beautiful. 

So that's us up to June 2011. I had finished my AS levels by this point which were Music, Drama and Health and Social Care. Now I know, the first two match and the third one doesn't. Meh don't care just needed another subject so Health and Social Care it was, I'm not bashing the subject but one module of the coursework was horrific, I couldn't think of a worse topic than "Health, illness and disease" INCLUDING a really long questionnaire full of crap about how healthy people are, then immunization and then screening. ALL IN ONE MODULE. Sick. Anyway. July came and I didn't go on holiday but enjoyed my time in sunny Bangor as we got about 2 weeks of sun which was rather lovely. August came and so did my AS results, BCC. Meh was alright wasn't too impressed but hey ho got highest in the year for music way hey. That was the B btw. I also had myself a boyfriend until the day after my formal because well, he wasn't the best boyfriend lets just say. 

September, new school year and my last ever year to grace Glenlola with my presence. Awh. Well I have been there for 14 years of my life so it's a little bit sad! My last year in school has by far been the best. I've become close to people I wouldn't have thought I would ever be close to and I've come out of my shell a lot. October came and the preparations for the formal started, dresses, hair, make up, nails and tan. Yummy. Turns out someone had the same dress as me but that was alright we wore it differently. The formal was a fantastic night full of dancing and a failed rock the boat! Dinner was yummy and we got shouted at for going out in the middle of the starter to get a group photo taken. I spent most of the night with my friends rather than my boyfriend (at the time) as he was more interested in getting drunk and embarrassing himself in front of everyone so I left him to it. Day after the formal I broke up with him for various reasons and he didn't want to but I had to for my own well being. 

November came and I was happy.. ish. I had the weight of what had happened over the last two months on my shoulders afraid to tell anyone in case they thought I was lying. We were then joined in our church by 2 gap year students who were going to stay with us until the end of June (yay!). Namely Peter and Stephen the ultimate bromance. They are two of the best people I know and I'm happy to know them and have grown close to them both over the past 6 months. I was able to tell them what was weighing me down and they were able to listen give me advice and I met with a wonderful girl called Lauren (a friend of Stephen's) who had experienced a similar situation. She was fabulous in helping me get back on track with God and it was great to meet someone who didn't judge me and knew what I was going through and gave me sound advice. After this I was ready to get going, I was happy, recommitted and had no weights on my shoulders anymore! I started attending Informal Worship at my church again and oh my days is it the most amazing place to be, I feel so free and in the presence of God when I'm there and it's great to be able to worship freely with all your heart with people who are so encouraging and beautiful, inside and out!

So that brings us into 2012 which I will delve into briefly. Some point down the line I met a man called Neville. He's the leader of the gap year program Xplore (Stephen and Peter are with this) and was telling me about it and asking me if I would consider it. At first I was like no way I'm going to university it seemed like the safe option. After a while of asking me the same question I started praying about it, asking God if I should do it and according to Him I should so I was like right I'ma do it! So I said to my mum and dad and they both think it's stupid but I'm determined and praying that God will change their heart, they have a lot of people praying that so I'm sure it will happen. Neville has been a great support to me and I know he's there to talk to if I need him. Sound, sound man.

I think that'll about do it for now... It's a long blog and clearly more than I thought has happened in 2011. So 2012 should be double fun! :)

Next blog will bring antics of the big EIGHTEEN. See you then ;)

Charlotte :3