Today was sort of mixture of sadness and joy. This morning I went with my mother and brother to see a dear friend off. This friend, Corey, has been a dear friend to my mother for years, who has spent many hours studying the Bible and mathematics with her. He has known me since I was six years old, and has inspired me to study hard and be a opened minded critical thinker. Now though he is moving to Florida to move in with his lovely fiance, Janice, and her daughter.
Everyone came to see him off: Scott, Peggy, Dusty (Corey's brother), Corey's mom and dad, my mom, my brother, and myself. We have all known each other for years; And even though we aren't all related by blood, they are my true family. For the first time in years we we're all there at once (with the exception of a couple of other dear friends who lived too far away to make it) and we were all able to take a picture.
I am really going to miss Corey! Luckily I'll get
to see him again in FLorida for his wedding sometime this Autumn. I love all my family dearly. They except me for who I am, and have no problem with my diet/lifestyle choice (though they LOVE to tease me when they eat there vegan junk food. ;D LOL). I hope to forever to remain close to them.
After that my mom and I dropped my brother off at home so that we could go to the mall in order to buy me a suitcase for my trip to Oxford, England! It's a summer study abroad program
that lasts three week (July 28th - August 16th). During the week I will be studying medieval history and "Money, Medicine, and the Environment in the Developing World," exploring Oxford, and participating in various activities (e.g. swimming, yoga, running, soccer, basketball, dance, tennis, theater, art). On the weekends we will be going out on various excursions to London, Bath, Stonehenge, and more! When I leave I will be met by my mother and brother who will be taking me to France for my birthday (since they will miss it as I will be turning 18 during the program) until August 21st (that's the day we come home). I leave Tuesday evening and I am getting so excited!
The only challenge I will have during this trip is with be able to continue eating a raw plant based diet. I've been giving it a lot of though and I believe I have a plan! During the Oxford Program both Breakfast and Dinner are provided, while during Lunch you are to find your own
Lunch in Oxford City. On this trip I plan on packing some of Raw Revolution's Spirulina & Cashew Bars for emergencies. Then I plan on eating any fruit that the serve at breakfast, and then during lunch time I buy both my lunch and something for dinner incase Oxford doesn't serve anything good at Dinner. I also plan on packing som
e Chia seeds because of their nutritional density, and because all you have to do is add water and you've got a pudding!
Hopefully with this plan all will go well. I will be sure to post my progress while I am over there as I am allowed to bring a computer and use Oxford's internet.
Now for the last thing I would like to add to this post is a lovely recipe I have been having for dinner the past couple of nights. It's a sort of smo
othie/pudding of sorts that is delicious! Here it is:
Tropical Acai Spice
- 2 medium mangos
- 3/4 cup fresh blueberries
- 3 frozen bananas
- 1 heaping tsp. maca powder
- 1 tbs. Acai powder
- 1 tbs. Naviatas Naturals' Sprouted Omega Blend (or
1/2 tbs. ground flaxseed)
- 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 "caps" of white powdered stevia (I think that's
about 1 pack)
- 1 heaping tsp. raw honey
- 1/8 to 1/4 cup of water (depending on how think you want it to be)
Blend for 40 seconds . . . . voila! Enjoy!
