summer update...

I feel like the past week and a half has been quite the whirlwind. I went up to ATL to my sister's on Friday, picked Grace up from the airport Saturday, and drove down to Sylvester on Sunday. Grace and I toured Sylvester (which took a total of 10 minutes) and Albany on Monday...ate pink hot dogs with coleslaw, delicious cookies, and vegetables fresh out of the garden, and walked by the river with big oak trees. Tuesday we headed to the Ichetucknee River and floated down it with two friends....it was a delight. You know when you have those almost perfect days when everything seems right with the world...it's when we allow simplicity to have its way...glorious. We floated, laughed, flipped over in our tubes, talked, and just enjoyed the day. Wednesday, Grace and I headed back to ATL and spent some time with Sherikaboo...we went to the MLK, Jr. Center/campus that afternoon and ran into people from Chicago...go figure...Dr. Perkins was there. We stayed in the AC while they had a nice (i'm assuming) memorial outside and we decided that Scoretta King may have existed. We hung out like we've never left each other and like three years has not passed between us. Thursday we ate at Waffle House...mmm...and then Grace and I headed to THE AMERICAN IDOL auditions in ATL...hahaha...we were soooo pumped! We sat outside for hours hoping to see "dreams die here" (quote directly from Grace). It wasn't as dramatic as we hoped, but wow...just to be outside! There are some crazies out there. Then we headed to the Coca Cola Museum and tasted every coca cola product...haha...wish I had video of that! Then we walked downtown and found the Patriotism Museum...AHHHH MAZING! There will be pictures...don't you worry! Then I reluctantly drove Grace to the airport....wah wah. Friday my sis and I headed to Sylvester and stayed until Sunday when I drove her back and headed back home Monday.

See...whirlwind, right?!

Throughout the week, I was reminded time and time again how wonderful it is to know people and to be known. It's so easy to be with certain people...it felt so natural to be around Grace again...almost to the point that I take it for granted...you know? This happens with some people I've known all of my life and others that I have just started to get to know...it is such a blessing...and so filled with the Spirit that I almost miss it sometimes.

This ordinary, every day comfort of good friends and people to love and to be loved by is such an intricate part of the kingdom and is so natural...sometimes I wonder if that's why we miss the kingdom so often?

changes...

Tomorrow will make one official week of being "out of school" and I have been bored out of my mind. I know, I know...most people would be so grateful to have time off of work...especially this much time and I am, but I am finding it hard to fill the hours and days. Working with four and five year old children does something to you--almost makes you one of them! I find myself unable to sit for long periods of time, looking for what is next, etc....at school we are constantly moving, constantly doing, constantly in a stage of awareness of everything! Anyway, so that's my life right now...trying to fill the days...laundry, cleaning, reading, exercising, and shopping (yes...i said it and I hate it). I'm trying to write, to gather my thoughts and try to send them off to someone who may think they are worth something. I am figuring out that I may be a decent writer, but the schedule a writer keeps is not for me...I don't have discipline to get up, write for a few hours, do something else, write some more, and so forth. I need structure. I like schedules and routine. I don't think I knew this about myself fully until recently.

Now to the changes looming...I am going back to school, back to Carson-Newman in TN to get my Masters in Teaching English as a Second Language. This is a major step after being at home for three years...yes, three years. I can't believe it has been that long since I moved home from Chicago. Whew...a lot has changed since then. The family is experiencing changes as well--my brother is getting married in August...we always said he would be first! He is marrying a girl that is amazing and fits into our family perfectly...all of those prayers were heard and answered long ago. Jamie has always been special to me...my boy baby as I called him when I was little...we don't talk a whole lot (he doesn't talk a lot to begin with), but we have an unspoken closeness if that makes sense. Our small family of five will soon grow and change...I knew this day would come, but it's just strange to think about. Bethany, my sis, will be leaving her job in August or at the end of August and has no idea what she is going to do. And my parents are trying to figure things out...my dad is interviewing for teaching positions and we are all hoping to hear something soon.

So...changes all around...prayers would be greatly appreciated.