Summer is here...almost

I think that technically Summer begins June 21, but since school is almost out (they have four more days), AWANA is over, and June is quickly approaching...I can say that Summer is here. I don't necessarily think of it as a season so much as a specific time of year. Maybe that's contradictory, but Summer is associated with no school, warm weather, and trips. I think we've got those three areas covered.

Tonight was AWANA awards night. I somehow end up taking on projects that I decide need to happen. I hope that the girls had as much fun as I did. Yesterday we did our service project and visited 6 elderly people, mostly in nursing homes. I think that it was the first time any of them had done anything like that...I hope that it was eye-opening and that they gained something from it. We had a little graduation party afterwards, and I think that went okay as well. Today I finished making little bags that were their end-of-the-year gifts. With candy, lip gloss, sidewalk chalk, and a marker I think they're ready for anything :) Some of the girls graduate into the junior high class. I'm a little sad about that, but I suppose you have to say good-bye sometime.

As far as I am spiritually, I really think that God is teaching me to trust. I feel more at peace now than I remember ever feeling, even though I know that I have no control at all. I've never been really good at the whole trusting thing. (the trust fall...didn't happen...I couldn't do it.) So, what I really love is that I feel that I can really minister to the girls I'm teaching and at the same time be open and receptive to learning my own lessons that God is teaching me. I love that I can teach and grow at the same time, and I'm really glad that God has it set up to work that way.

Finally, Jonathan is 23. It's strange that we're both much older than I ever remember that I've imagined us being. I think in my mind I've always kept us invisioned as high-schoolers. Now he even has a little baby, and it's just kind of weird. Weird, but cool. So, Happy Birthday bubby :)

Summer is here...almost

What's up...

Our porch swing!!! We've been waiting and thinking for quite a long time how to hang the porch swing. It seems like a fairly simple task until you take a look in our attic. The way the joists are crossing and all that made it difficult to find a way to safely secure the swing. The actual project didn't take that long once we figured out what we needed and got started. Now, we can swing happily on our porch at all ours of the day. We love it. :)

Tomorrow we're hosting 3 girls from Cedarville University. They are doing a singing performance at church. Andy and I both have to work unfortunately, so the girls will have to find their way around the house. I'm a little sad that I can't be here to greet them, but I suppose it'll be okay.

Niah seems to be growing well. Jon sent me pictures from recently, and she already looks quite a lot different than when I first met her. I'll be excited to see her again. Hopefully, when I see her she will be able to play with me some more.

Also, the Awana girls seem excited about their upcoming "service project party". I'm excited about it. I had some quality time with them tonight when we rolled down the hill outside to see who could get to the bottom first. I won the first time :) The second time one of the girls rolled on top of me, so I never quite made it to the bottom. I also found out that my skin doesn't like grass too much. I really liked rolling down the hill though. It was lots of fun.

So, I guess that's about it. I'm still looking and praying for the job that God wants me to have and that I'm happy with wherever He wants me. The second part is much harder than the first.

Oh, and one more thing. I love my fish. He's very funny. Today we had an episode where he actually jumped OUT of the tank onto the fireplace area...he was flipping and flopping so much that I thought he was dead for sure. I finally got him back in the tank. He was really dirty from the dust on the fireplace and I thought that he had permanently damaged one of his fins, but tonight he seems to be swimming well. I'm glad because I really like having him around.

p.s. happiest of birthdays aaron and carey :)