Fanfic!

I don't know how many of you were following my Maximum Ride Fanfic called "Still" (the one where Max gets pregnant and has a son named Silence with Fang? Look up "cr0w52" on Fanfiction.net and you can find the whole thing if you want), but for those of you who were, I have an update chapter for you.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
“What? The zoo?” I asked aghast.
Angel and Gazzy had run in while I was feeding Silence and announced that we were going to the zoo today. The Denver Zoo. Fun.
So of course that went over like a ton of freaking bricks. I groaned.
Nobody’s gonna think it’s normal for a seventeen year old girl to be walking around with a eight month old baby in a Snugli slung around her chest. I already get horrible looks from people in the grocery store like, Oh that horrible, dirty child. The things kids do these days…
“Please, Max?” Angel begged. “Silence will be fine, and nobody’s gonna shoot you dirty looks because you and Fang look like responsible teenage parents.” She said “responsible” in a lower, Mr. Collins kind of voice. (Pride and Predjudice, people, stick with me.)
Way to think embarrassing thoughts around a mind reader. Dimwit.
“What’s going on?” Fang asked, suddenly just there and leaning on the doorframe. He walked in and took the bottle of formula that I was feeding our son, and taking Silence in his strong arms. “Hey, there,” he cooed, looking into our baby’s beautiful dark chocolate eyes and smiling in a special way that he never did for anyone else. Not even me.
Fang sat down next to me on the bed. I leaned my head on his shoulder. “The zoo,” I told him.
He kissed my forehead. “What about it?”
“The fact we’re going,” I said sarcastically.
The Gasman pouted, with his big blue eyes fixed on my face. “Please, Max?” he begged. “Your mom said we could go if you said it was okay.”
I love how my mother leaves ordering the flock around to me despite the fact I am now a mom.
Silence squirmed and grunted unhappily, and I took him from Fang’s loving arms and held him against my shoulder. “Who’s Momma’s boy, huh? Syyye…lenccce?” Silence!?” I held him so I could see his beautiful face light up at the sound of my voice.
Angel and Gazzy grinned when I looked at them, momentarily forgetting our conflict. “Where’s Gazzy?” the Gasman asked, standing next to me and stroking Silence’s thin black hair.
Sye’s head swiveled to look at Gazzy and he pointed at him. “Yeah!” Angel said, giggling.
Silence grinned his toothless grin.
Fang’s arms encircled us. “Where’s Daddy?” he asked in that voice only meant for dogs and small children. “Where’s Daddy?”
Silence grabbed a lock of Fang’s matching hair. “Gaaaw…” Silence gurgled for “Daw”. It was the farthest we’d gotten to “Daw-Daw”.
Fang grinned and took his mini-me out of my arms and held him in the air. “Up-bah!”
I was so engrossed watching my son and his father play that I didn’t notice the Gasman chanting my name over and over and over again. “Max Max Max Maxmaxmaxmax…?” he asked again, tugging at my arm.
“Yes?” I finally responded.
Angel jumped up and down hugging herself. “Yay! Thanks, Max!”
Then she and the Gasman ran out yelling for Nudge.
I groaned and leaned back on the bed, listening to Silence’s innocent laugh in comparison to Fang’s deep one. “The zoo it is,” Fang said.

“Max! Monkeys!” Angel grabbed my arm and yanked me one way towards a bunch of shrieking kids in front of a glass exhibit.
Fang followed me slowly, reading a map awkwardly with Silence slung across his chest in a Snugli grabbing at the paper. He looks so funny with the squirming baby and the Diaper Utility Belt (as we’ve so lovingly named the belt Iggy and the Gasman rigged for such an occasion. Much more convenient for both flying and walking around.) (Like the one from The Pacifier that the army dude has?) I love Fang. He has so much patience. “Cut it out!” he said, trying to read over the baby’s flailing limbs.
Silence gurgled.
“Max, can we get ice cream?” Nudge asked. “I’m getting hot.”
“Max, Iggy and I are going to go look at the gazelle exhibit, okay? I have my phone on,” Ella said hand in hand with Iggy and walking away.
“Max, I want to see the bears,” the Gasman complained.
“Ug! Max, Silence just burped up all over the map and I can’t read a thi-” Fang started in an irritated tone.
“EVERYBODY SHUT UP!” I yelled, clutching my head, my face violently flushed.
Everyone stopped talking – even the people around us who we didn’t know – and they all looked at me with a “Oh, crap, she’s gonna blow” kind of look. Silence’s eyes crinkled and he started to pout, tears clouding his beautiful eyes, and goop dripping down his front. I reached over and unstrapped him from the Snugli. “Fang, do you have a wipe?” I asked calmly, cradling Silence in the crook of my arm.
Fang took a wipe out of his utility belt and handed it to me. I wiped Silence’s face and blue onesie, then cleaned off the Snugli. “Yeah, Nudgie, let’s all go get some ice cream. We all need to cool off.”
We all switched directions and headed for concessions. I brushed my lips against Silence’s temple, and then kissed him. Fang put his arm around me and kissed my head. “Tense?” he asked, smirking.
I bounced our son on my hip. “Just a little,” I breathed. “Why, what does it look like to you?”
He laughed a little. “You look positively pissed.”
I rolled my eyes. “Good,” I muttered, finding a picnic table and sitting down. “I’m going to strangle someone.”
Fang sat down on the same bench as me like it was a saddle and scooted really close so his legs touched me. He gave me a smug look and tried to take Silence out of my arms. I slapped his hand.
“Max; chocolate, vanilla, or twist?” Nudge asked, holding Angel’s hand and looking earnest.
I covered my eyes with my hand. “Oh…twist,” I decided out of random, looking up.
“Fang?”
“Chocolate,” he said without missing a beat. Of course. It’s dark, he’s dark. “Get a spoon for Sye, will you?”
She nodded. “Sure thing,” she said, then walked off with Angel and the Gasman.
Two old folks walked past our table and glanced at me and Fang, and our son, with a disgusted gawk. “Kids these days,” the man said. “Can’t keep their hands to themselves.”
I groaned and put my hand under my chin when they passed. “I hate crowded places,” I said to Fang, who stroked our son’s flawless olive cheek as he sat on my lap and reached for a lock of my hair. “Muh!”
“Shh…” I murmured in a laugh, my hand trailing down his cheek to his neck.
“He sympathizes,” Fang said, a smile in his eyes.
I gave him a half of a grin. “I love you, you know that?”
Fang’s hand extended and traced my cheek tenderly. He smiled. “Yeah,” he said, and then leaned forward a little and kissed me gently on the lips. Our baby squirmed between us and we pulled apart just as Nudge walked up with her hands full of ice cream cones.
“Grab-it-grab-itgrabitgrabit!” she said urgently as the cones started to slip.
Fang reached over the table and took our two cones from her and the spoon she promised Sye. He dipped it into his chocolate cone and offered it to his son.
Silence held the cold cream in his mouth for a moment, then figured out that you’re supposed to swallow it, which he did. He reached for Fang’s hand. “Muh…” he prattled. Fang spooned some more and put it in his mouth.
“Max, can we go see the bears?” the Gasman asked.
I reached out and fluffed up his mohawk that had long since grown out. “Sure,” I said. “Fang, you wanna go with them?”
Fang licked his chocolate cone again. “Yeah, you want me to take Sye?” one of his fingers reached out and twirled his son’s hair around it.
Silence looked up at me and pointed. “Daw…” he said, frowning.
I smiled. “Yeah, go ahead,” I said, handing Silence over to Fang, who handed him to Gazzy and strapped the Diper Belt on.
I handed him the Snugli. “You look like…like…Batman!”
Nudge licked her chocolate/vanilla twist cone. “Yeah, he’s even dressed in black and has a utility belt! All he needs now is a cape.”
I reached into the diaper bag and pulled out a blue blanket with puppies on it, just as Gazzy handed Sye to Fang and put him in the Snugli. I walzed up to Fang and tucked the cape into the back of his shirt. “There!” I said grinning.
Angel, the Gasman, and Nudge cracked up just as Iggy and Ella came into view. “Hey, guys, you should really see –” Ella started, then stopped. “What the h is Fang wearing!?”
I grinned. “It’s Diaper Man and his trusty side-kick: Drool Boy!”
Silence slobbered on his hand and touched it to Fang’s face. Fang scowled.
Then we all cracked up all over again. I clutched my stomach and fell to my knees laughing, as did many of the flock.
So the zoo wasn’t so bad.

Huuungryyy...!!! (>_<)

Okay, so I would have said that the recession is just bull, but it totally isn't. When people come to our house, they look at it and go, "Oh...you have such a pretty house. You must be rich."
Or at least they think that, but the point is that we don't have money. We literally live paycheck to paycheck, and we can't go get groceries until my dad gets paid on friday, but we already have no food in the house! I haven't even eaten breakfast, and don't plan to, because there's no foood! Not even pancakes!
The popcorn's even running low.
We have no bread, we have no butter, we have no salad, we're almost out of milk, we have nothing in the freezer, we have no frozen meat, we have no deli ham, we have nothing but noodles! And no sauce.
Yesterday I finished off the last of the cereal for breakfast, and then had noodles with the last of the sauce for lunch. I had a cup of plain noodles for dinner, and my mom gave my sister and I five dollars for Brunswick Zone so we could get dinner. Dinner! For five bucks!
So we got fries. Not even enough.

Another thing I hate is when I accidently oversleep until 11:00 in the morning. It drives me insane!

~Steph

Summer: So Far.

How's your summer been? Mine's been boring! Yeah! No joke!

Just kidding. I've been having a pretty fun summer, actually. TNL started up (Tuesday Night Live), I've raised $574 of my $1,100 dollars for Mexico, and I have some new friends named Beetle and Fang -- or Becca and Ashley.

If anyone's ever wondered about what I look like, here's some incentive:

Story of that picture: Christina told me to find a random sixth grader and sit down next to them: so I found one. :D

The kid's reaction: Bahaha, good times! That was the second to last day of school, can you believe that? It's been so long.

I have to wear skirts in mexico, isn't that crazy? A kid could die from that! And Caleb, Alex, and Anderson will make fun of me because they think it's weird I'd ever wear a skirt! And I'm like, HEY! I have worn dresses before! And skirts! And Steve pulled out of the Mexico trip, sad day! Oh, well, at least I have other guy friends going.

Anyway, I have to go call some guy 'cause he bid on my Silent Auction for babysitting. Golly wolly.

For now,

Steph

Leaving -- Yet Again :(

Okay, so last week I was in Lincoln, NE for a wedding my cousin was having. It was really, really nice! Like, like, like the ones in wedding magazines! It was totally INCREDIBLE!!
Anyway, we got back the day before yesterday, and we're leaving again today to get to Santa Fe, NM. We went there a few years ago and it was really pretty there. There's, like, a million art gallaries (which you know I'd LOVE!!) and the senery is spectacular.
So today I got up really early (8:00 am, which is early for me) to get all my junk put together. We "left" our emo dog Maggie at my grandma and grandpa's house in Lincoln (she's gonna come back with them next month when they come see us), and we brought Sabine, our weenie dog, over to Caleb's house, where she'll be staying for the week.
Oh! And something funny that happened while we were over at his house talking to his mom and himself;
Me: I don't think I could ever do poms.
Caleb's Mom (CM): I used to in high school. I could stand with my back to the wall and kick over my head and hit the wall I was backed up against.
Me: Wow. I can kick my face level, but that's it.
Caleb: Yeah, I can kick my face level, too.
Kristen: I can bring my foot up backwards and touch my head!
[WHUMP!!]
All Of Us: [look at Caleb, who is not flat on his back on the floor.] [Que histarical laughter from the rest of us.]
My Mom: [laughing hard] What were you doing?!
[Caleb winces and his mom grabs his arms to try and help him up.]
Caleb: I was trying to kick my face level, but I'm wearing new socks and I slipped! (on the wood floor.)
CM: Aw...honey, you're such a goofball.
Me: [can't stop laughing.] It's like trying to run up the wood stairs in socks at my house and falling on your face!

* * *

So that was my mild drama this morning. And now I will tell you how to make a really yummy sandwich.

Things you will need:

- Two slices of bread

- Deli turkey

- An apple

- Salad dressing of your choice

- Butter

- PAM

- A skillet

- An apple peeler

Directions: Put skillet on the stove (set on medium) to warm up. Put your apple through the apple peeler and then cut the apple in half. Take one half of the apple and set it aside. Put turkey on one the bread slices and then cut into fourths and set half of them aside. Now cut the other slice of bread into fourths and set aside. Divide the half of the peeled apple slices onto the turkey covered fourths of bread. To the untouched fourths of bread, apply your favorite salad dressing, and place on top of the other peices of bread. Now butter both sides of each tiny little sandwich. Spray PAM on the skillet, and grill the small sandwiches like a grilled-cheese-sandwich.

Searve warm with the other half of the apple on the side.

That's it!

~Steph

Last Days

Eighth grade was a good year. I mean, there were bumps and dips here and there, but still. Fun.

I didn't accomplish my goal this year, to finish my novel, but that's okay. I did some pretty worth-while stuff.
I had some difficult things, too.

Youth group was the best this year, by far! I can't imagine a place I would rather be -- ever. I love it more than being at home. I have some great friends there. Chris and Cathy are now some of my closer adult friends, along with Blacklock and Abby. I feel blessed that they're part of my life.
But I lost some pretty close friends, too. I don't know what happened.

Wishes, I Wrote a Poem Without Meaning To.

I'm trying to figure out...where did the years of friendship go? I've known you since I could talk. What happened?
I wish we could stay young, raging hormone battles never fought. It would make things so much easier -- simplify things.
I wish we could all be seven and eight years old again.
Play in the woods behind my house for countless hours while our parents eat grilled chicken on the deck.
I wish I could stand on the huge rock again with you, shouting at people to beware, or we'd hit them with sticks.
I wish we could sit on the hammock at your house again eating Otter Pops and giggling..
I wish we could have those family get-togethers at your house and play Catch-Phrase, while your brother coughs something about coffee.
I wish we could play with your pet bird, and laugh when he bit you.
I wish we could watch movies in your basement.
I wish we could have Easter egg hunts.
I wish you were still part of my family.
I wish we never got older, and I could play with you forever and ever.
I wish we could get lost in our imaginary world again and shut the real one out.
I wish you were still my buddy.
I wish you still had my back.
I wish we never got older.
I wish we never grew apart.

But no matter how much I want it, I won't get my wish.

So I must say goodbye.

Like, OW!

Okay, here's a tip for you all: DON'T TAKE UP CARVING. Unless you have someone watching you and giving you pointers. Remember a while back when I posted about my gaping flesh wound? Yeah, apparently not a flesh wound. Now I have an inflamed tendon from writing 'cause I nicked it with the knife. Also nerve damage. Ug. It even hurts to type! Ow, ow, ow.

If you're into it, could I get someone to pray for my hand so that it gets better? I can't write very well, or draw, or do simple things like, hey, playing my cello. Or piano? And I kind of need my hands to dig wells in Oaxaca. Heheh, problem.
So, yeah, if I could get someone to pray for me.
Oh, and if you happen to have any prayer requests, please let me know. I'd be happy to do so!
Later,
~Steph

The House. This is fun!

Pick 8 random friends you feel comfortable around. (Four girls, four guys -- include yourself)
1. Newman
2. Landrum
3. Caleb
4. Steve
5. Christina
6. Sara
7. Steph (me!)
8. Carli

These eight people you just picked are stuck in a house with you for a whole year. There is no leaving the house at all until the year is completely up. If you had to choose a person for every question below, write down which person it would be.

There are four rooms, who would be in each room?
1. Steph and Carli
2. Christina and Sara
3. Newman and Landrum
4. Caleb and Steve

If there was someone singing in the morning who would it most likely be?
XD Me and Sara!

If someone was considered the dad and the mom of the house, who would it be?
Most mature girl in the house: Sara.
Most mature guy in the house: Steve.
There you go.

If you wanted candy really badly and all of the 7 in the house had some, who would you take it from?
Carli, she always has candy! That's what she's made out of!

If two people were caught making out in a closet who would it be?
XDXDXDXDXD Newman and Christina! *runs away fast!* Hahahah!!

If someone had to watch you brush your teeth (every) morning, who would it be?
It would be Christina because she randomly HAS to do things because that's just what she does. It's like OCD, or something...

There was two bags of chips bought at the store, but 20 minutes later they are gone. Who ate them?
Steve and Caleb. Darn those boys. Tsk tsk.

Who would hate being in the house the most?
Steve and Carli. Steve because he's not a people person, and Carli because she hates Landrum and Newman.

Someone took (brand spanking new) pair of socks that were never worn, who is the thief?
CHRISTINA GET BACK HERE WITH THOSE SOCKS!!

Someone swept all the dirt under the rug, who was it?
Newman. He's so spankin' messy!

If there was arguments in the house, who would be the ones arguing?
Everyone and Newman. Or me and Christina.

Who would be the one missing there boyfriend/girlfriend that wasn’t in the house with them?
Sigh, Carli.

You walked down stairs in the middle of the night for a glass of water, someone is dancing on the table in there Leopard Thong, who is the crazy one?
Probably Caleb. Although that is a horrible, horrible visual.

A pillow fight broke through, who started it?
Christina and Newman.

Theres a marathon of your favorite tv show, what is it? and who would be watching it with you? "ER"! And maybe Steve and Sara. Possibly Newman, and Landrum would be off Googling "Math" or something...

Someone made a fort in the laundry room, who was the kid?
Newman, Me, Christina, Carli. Steve and Caleb would be making a military base in the garage or something.

There’s a prankster in the house that put plastic on the two toilets in the house, who are the pranksters? Newman and Carli.

The musics too loud, who turned it up? ME!!

Theres a mouse crawling on the floor all over the house,
a) who is the first one to scream? -- Sara or Christina
b) and who is the one to jump is someones arms? Christina
c) Who would be the one to kill it? -- Me or Steve.

Someones crying, who is it and what happened? Newman's having a bi-polar breakdown.

Who made pancakes in the morning and almost caught the house on fire? Christina. .:*snickers*:.

Who gets sick of each other the fastest in the house? Carli and Newman. Carli once had to leave a party because Newman was there!

Someones tanning on the roof who is it? It would TOTALLY be me!

Who is the tallest in the house? Caleb.

Who is the shortest in the house? Christina.

Who is the loudest? Definantly Newman. Without even thinking, that's the answer.

Who is the clown? Hm. Me and Caleb. Watching him dance to techno subconsiously is pretty freaking hilarious (okay, that was one time, and I don't think he knew I saw him).
And I'm just a scream, so I dunno.

Who is the one you go to talk to the most? Uh...Sara or Newman.

Who is the one that always comes up with stupid ideas? Well, Steve was known to set gasoline on fire in the sandbox and behead all the pastic knight figurines...but Newman does the dumbest things...

Who's in bed first? Carli. She's trying to excape Newman.

If someone woke everyone up with pots and pans who would it be? Newman and Christina.

Is always dancing? Uh...brain fart, I can't think! Probably Caleb, 'cause he's always tapping and tapping away to things.

Someone has the same sweater as you, so you get mad at them and who is it? It was TOTALLY Carli! She and I always wore the same t-shirt on the same day last year!

You spilt ice all over the kitchen floor, who would be the one to slip on it first?
Well, here's what would happen: Christina would walk into the room, and then fall down, and then Newman would run down the hall screaming that she's gonna die, so Steve comes out of his room to see what's up, so Caleb follows him, and then they all end up on the kitchen floor not terribly happy with me.

That was really fun! You all try it now!