The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.
-Edmund Burke
Looking back over this summer....this whole year, I can now see that it has been a long trail of steps. Of Doing Something.
I realize now that I am now so far from where I started, but it was never a huge leap that I took. Just small steps, choices made, opportunities taken, days seized, moments experienced, life lived.
I started out my year by moving away from home.
Strange feeling.
To Austin no less!
{Probably the only picture of the Austin skyline I will ever post that does not have the Capitol in it}
I then worked for three months at the Texas Capitol. Best. Time. Ever.
This is the staff from the office that I worked in.
Rep. Bryan Hughes, Desiree Smith, Cody Terry, Hannah Watts, Don Garner, me & Mase Walker
My sisters came to visit me for "Sine Die" {the last day of session}.
My sisters came to visit me for "Sine Die" {the last day of session}.
Dorcas, Ruth & Me
Hannah Watts was an intern in the same office as me for the whole month of May.
I became an Aunt again!!!
Haylee Grace Ballinger was born on April 17th, 2013.
{This was when she was 2 or 3 months old}
Isn't she adorable?
{Look at those perfect lips!}
Such a cutie!!!
{She was only a week old for the last two pictures}
I then spent two months working at Camp Winchester and loved every minute!
These were my sweet girls from the first week! Hanna Heideman on the far left was my JC.
Harmony Capo, Christina Hastings and I being crazy during Horse Class.
It being a horse camp I even got to ride a couple of times! :)
And now for me three favorites!
S'mores!
Swimming!
And back massage trains!! These were definitely the best! :D
PA Arizona
In July Dorcas and I flew {my first time flying!} out to Phoenix, Arizona to attend the Inaugural Session of Patriot Academy Arizona as Senators and I was also a Committee Chairwoman. It was so good to see the young people of Arizona become passionate and equipped to fight for what they now believe in!
My cousin Rudy got married to Ali on July 21st!
{I LOVE the lace dress!}
My brother got engaged!
On August 20th 2013 Jonathan asked Marci to marry him....and she said yes! :D
{They are so perfect together!}
I ended my summer with a week of Patriot Academy at the Capitol in Austin.
I got to meet and know so many of these great people!
I was privileged to run against, and lose to, this amazing young woman for the position of Lt. Governor of Patriot Academy 2014. Brianna Pradia, I miss you!
My boss from this past session, Rep. Bryan Hughes, stopped by to visit.
Since my first year at Patriot Academy in 2011, I have learned to face my fear of public speaking and come to the point of almost enjoying it!
{Yes I am still scared silly every time I have to do it!}
This was when I was giving a speech made of excerpts of John F. Kennedy's inaugural speech from 1961, as part of my campaign for Lt. Governor.
Now I am working at Castle Media until the end of the year. I am leaning new things about people, computers and the internet almost everyday, and since my car has broken down, I have had some crazy adventures on the Austin City bus!
So, at the beginning of the new year, 2014, I may be living in a new city, working on some state wide campaign {hopefully}, driving a working car {Lord willing} and engaged!
Ok so I'm kidding about that last part! Just wanted to see if you were still paying attention. I thought I might have put you to sleep with all of those pictures
{I hope I didn't use to many...}.
{Not that I wouldn't mind being married...err...engaged...}
But anyway.....
In the spirit of the quote from the beginning of this post, no matter what tomorrow brings, I will go on living, fighting tyranny, speaking for those that can not speak for themselves, standing for what is right, shinning light in a dark world.
