Introducing....

The Platonic Solids! *applause, whistles, cheers*

Performing live today only. Catch them now before they are whisked away to the Geometry classroom for grading tomorrow.

Right in the center of the stage is Tetrahedron, the pink and green striped shape composed of four equilateral triangles.

To the left, looking pretty in purple plaid, is the shy Octahedron, made with eight equilateral triangles.

Behind Tetrahedron looms big, pink Dodecahedron, who was created using equilateral pentagons.

On the right is Hexahedron, aka Cube, made of six perfect squares.

And finally, front and center is the big blue Isocahedron.

Give it up for the Platonic Solids! Yay!!

Have a headache yet? Well, this was a project for my Geometry class. It took me all day Saturday to make it. ALL day. Granted, the day didn't start until 10 or so, but still. It was a big project!

For Mom:

Yay, a picture of me! Since I'm ususally taking pictures, I don't often get the chance to be in a picture. Of course, this is just a self-portrait, but next time there's an actual event, I'll try to get a picture of me doing something more fun than building these monsters. :)

That was definitely the big project of the week. Other fun things included the play (which was AWESOME! The set and the actresses and everything was amazing. No pictures, though, because the mean old rules don't allow any pictures whatsoever, not even on a phone. boohoo), intramural basketball practice (I practiced the first time, but I won't be going to today's practice due to allergies that have completely stopped up my head and ears, but not my nose. Go figure.), a roundabout trip to Tupelo with E (including dinner at Cracker Barrell and a trip to Kohl's to buy some jeans for me. Yay!), and the BSU Fine Arts team did chapel on Friday, so we got to watch a puppet show and an incredible drama and we got to hear two different music groups perform. Awesomeness!

Also INTRODUCING:

Syra, the child I sponsor through Compassion:

(That's a picture of a picture, so sorry that it's not the greatest quality)

Syra is a little seven year old girl living in the Philippines. She has a mother and a father, two sisters, and five brothers. I started sponsoring her after I returned from China at Christmas, and I just got my first letter from her today! The letter was actually written by her older sister. It included interesting details, like:

Her favorite color is yellow.

Her favorite game is volleyball (me too!).

Her favorite food is "chicken joy."

Her favorite song is "Mahal na Mahal Kita Panginoon" (which, according to my rough translation via a Tagalog-to-English dictionary site (no, I do not speak Filipino, unfortunately) means something to the effect of "Dear, Dear Lord. If a Filipino who speaks Tagalog reads this blog and wants to translate it for me, leave a message in the comments section, please!)

Her favorite toy is Barbie.

She has a pet dog.

She dreams of being a doctor.

And I get to help make that dream come true by providing her enough money for good food, good health, and an education. How great is that!

Since her older sister wrote the letter, it was long and detailed and very sweet, not what I was expecting! I was expecting more of a seven year old's letter. I'm thrilled to get so many details and such a long letter!

I have to quote the very last sentence of the letter (it has been translated from Tagalog to English by a native Filipino, so it's a little rough):

"Hope you'll pray for our family though you're far from us and you didn't see us and we'll pray for you that God give you many strength for all the problems that will come to you."

Silly me, here I was thinking that I had this great opportunity to share some of the blessings I have received with some poor child somewhere across the sea that needed me to bless them, and I discover that an entire family is actually blessing me and praying for me. How humbling and touching.

I encourage you, if you don't already, to sponsor a child. Sure, it seems unwise to be "wasting" money in this economic downturn on some charity, but not only will your kindness change the life of a family, that family may actually turn around and change yours.

I'll leave you with the beautiful artwork that Syra included with the letter (just don't ask me to explain what they all are...):

Have a blessed day.