A very special week.

Ever since school started, life has been busy. (I kinda like it that way, really. Yesterday I finished my schoolwork early and was quite bored for the rest of the afternoon.) There's a LOT of stuff going on this week in the Carroll house.

Monday was my final volleyball practice before my first game on Thursday. This is my first year playing on a team, and I'm pretty nervous. I'm not a starter, but still. I just hope I don't have to serve. I'm not typically that amazing at sports, but I'm enjoying it. I have a great team that's really patient with me and super encouraging. I'm grateful because I know you don't get that everywhere.

Tuesday was our only stay-at-home day this week. It pretty much consisted of schoolwork, and finishing a novel I've been reading. We watched the Republican National Convention that evening, so that was pretty entertaining.

Today we went to piano lessons. Both of my brothers and I take lessons, so while one of us is in lesson, the other two sit out on our teacher's patio, eating our packed lunch, doing schoolwork, and cutting up with each other. Mostly cutting up and eating. While Jacob was in lesson, Andrew and I talked and had an awesome time drawing really silly self-portraits. We always have a great time, and love to make each other laugh. When it was Andrew's turn, I hung out with Jacob. We had just as good a time. We poked fun at our piano teacher's dog (yeah, we're kinda mean), and I listened Jacob do his scary-accurate Gollum impression. Yes, Gollom, from Lord of the Rings. Anyway, if you don't know my brothers, you should really considering getting to know them. They're pretty amazing little brothers, if you ask me. Before heading home, Momma took us to Krispy Kreme to get some doughnuts. We do not normally indulge in such unhealthy treats, but it's a special occasion.

Tomorrow is Andrew's 13th birthday! Yay! We got him the doughnuts for a special birthday breakfast. Doughnuts and hamburgers. Those are his two favorite foods. And he's so skinny. I don't know where it goes...

AND tomorrow is the first day of UCA! I'm so excited! United Christian Academy is this tutorial for homeschooled kids I go to. They have classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Academics on Tuesdays and electives on Thursdays. I do choir, and my brothers are doing both choir and drama this year. Pretty much all of our friends go to UCA, so it's definitely a highlight of the week.

One more thing and then I promise I done. Monday is my 16th birthday! YAYYYY!!!!! We're celebrating on Friday, and I'll tell you more about it later. Thanks for reading this and taking an interest in my life! :D

A little about me.

Hey, y'all! It's me, Hannah. Most of you reading this first post probably already know me, but I'll go ahead and say some things about myself. My full name is Hannah Elizabeth Carroll. I turn 16 on Labor Day. I have dark brown hair and blue eyes. I'm 5"5'. I have a father, mother, and two little brothers. I live in Tennessee, in a white farmhouse with lots of woods surrounding it. I'm homeschooled and a sophomore this year. I have a lot of interests. Obviously writing, because I have a blog.  I love, love, LOVE music. Momma and Daddy had me singing at age 3 in church, and I've been doing it ever since. It is absolutely my most favorite thing to do. I also play piano. I enjoy playing classical music, but I really love playing hymns and church music. I love cooking and baking and trying new recipes. I love taking pictures, mostly because I want to document everything that happens to me and the things I do. I don't really want to have to rely on my memory when I'm 50 one day to remember what it was like being 15. I also love to read books. Lots and lots of books.

I used the word "love" seven times in that last paragraph. That's probably because I just love life in general. That's why I named my blog "Sweet and Southern." Life is sweet. And I've lived mine in the South my whole life.

There's one more important thing you need to know about me.  I'm a Christian, a sinner saved by grace. I'll probably talk a lot about my walk with God on this blog. I hope I can give other Christian teens some encouragement and show them that they're not alone. It's so hard to stand firm in this world that we live in, but I know the Lord is with us every step of the way. That's what I want to do. Walk with God every step of the way.