summertime

today i watched the kids of a dear friend of mine. we played with sidewalk chalk, ate slices of apples, danced while singing "twinkle twinkle little star," played at the park, and ran through the sprinkler. today was superb.

this is my fifth day of being officially unemployed and i don't mind it one bit, really. i have found no shortage of things to do, errands to run, people to see and pools to swim in. i am sub-leasing my room while i'm out so i have packing to do, and some of my furniture needs to be moved into the attic.

two weeks. here's the scoop: i'm leaving with my ellie's run team for nairobi on july 9. we'll spend the next week meeting the kids we've supported the past 5 years at calvary christian school, painting murals and furnishing classrooms for the new emmanuel vocational school, throwing birthday parties for orphans in kitui, getting to know our brothers and sisters affected by hiv/aids at heko. i'll say goodbye to my team and leave for addis ababa, ethiopia with our team leader geoffrey to meet up with the mocha club team. we will spend the next 3 weeks assisting in vocational training for women and ministry with street kids. the following month i will be volunteering with gladney center for adoption's addis office, working in the care center to profile the kids waiting to be adopted and writing letters to couples waiting for court approval to come get their child(ren). i'll then spend two weeks doing children's ministry near cape town, south africa. my last week in south africa will be spent with friends, followed by a couple days in london before heading back to the states. whew!

i am super excited and nervous at the same time. i don't look forward to goodbyes, but i anticipate an incredible adventure abroad over the next few months. i know it won't be easy, but i look forward to the time of growth and learning. removing ourselves from all that is familiar and laying ourselves bare and vulnerable before the Lord can be a scary and exhilirating experience. i am amazed God even chooses me to be a part of his loving work in this world anyhow. Lord knows i don't deserve it.

our group is inviting family and friends to come pray with us on monday as a little send off. 8pm. my house. please come!

woohoo!

summer? what is summer?

i love the rain. i really do. and i've done my best to embrace the winter season this year. but enough is enough. the cold weather and its rain need to go. i feel as though warm weather is a legend or myth that has been passed down for generations. it's like i've heard all about this "warm weather" my whole life, but i've never actually experienced it. sure, there might be a day here or there where it's been decently nice and the sun was out for more than a few hours, but to be able to go to sleep without my space heater and electric blanket on at night?! the thought is unfathomable! Even the idea of 65 degrees in at 8:30 in the morning is like Christmas, on a summer day, of course. has it really been that long? oh dear.

i'm craving a hammock. i don't know if you can crave things like hammocks, but i grew up with one in our backyard, and just the thought of taking a nap in one with my favorite blanket on a sunday afternoon makes me really happy.