Suummmerr

It is already July 12. I ask you... where did my summer go? It seems like last week I was packing up my dorm and moving out of Brody forever and the next thing I know summer is half over. This summer has been a strange one. Things have happened that I never expected and the things I actually did expect have turned out to be even more weird then I ever imagined.

Here is a list of the most impactful things that came out of this summer thus far...

• The new found closeness I have with the guys in our group


• Photography trips across the western United States with my Momma and Dad


• Summer Staff at TWL


• The deepness I now share with the friends I did Summer Staff with


• A desire to start journaling my prayers... in that case... praying on a constant basis


• The realization that school WILL NOT actually suck next year


• Broken relationships effect deeper then origanilly thought


• I cherish Sara Kells friendship more then I ever thought


• Jesus is changing me from the inside out and I am more then ready

Old Buttons and New Family

Today was a good day.

It started off with church then my mom and I went to Antiques on the Bluff, an antique fair along the bluff in my town, then we went to lunch. Times like these always amaze me with the conversations that occur between mother and daughter. Today was the first time that I really shared some things about last year and how I truly felt... deeper then the "Yeah. I liked school." It felt good to finally get it across just how hard last year was.

We also had a picnic with my brothers new fiance's family. I was a little nervous and not really looking forward to it, but it actually turned out really fun. Both my parents arent very social people, so it had the chance of being very awkward. But once again, it was great. It is really funny how alike our parents are; right down to looks and personalities. While at first I was pretty upset about this whole pregnancy thing, I am now getting more and more excited. I see so many more opportunities I will have to be in both the new baby's life and my brothers.

Amish Country!!

Today my parents and I went to Shipshewana (spelling?) and had a grand ole' time chilling with the Amish folk. It is such a strange thing to be driving along and suddenly, WHAM, you are staying into the eyes of a horse pulling a little old man in a straw hat along side your car. Life just seems so different there... easier, more pure, dare I say better? I don't think this calmness comes along JUST with the Amish, just small, country towns in general. I live in a pretty small town, but when I go someplace like this tiny Indiana town I am instantly in shock of how small towns can really be. People in these types of towns always seem to know something that everyone else doesn't though. I think they know the importance of cutting away all the fancy clothes, ipods, and fast cars and getting back to the basics: God, family, and nature.

So lets take a clue from those jolly folk in straw hats, black suspenders, and buggies; lets put down our laptops and go churn some butter.

Time to Get Serious

Alright. So I am bad at writing on this. When I started it, I was determined to keep at it, so this is me getting serious.

I am going to take it a little easy getting back into the jest of this and make a list of the
top things on my mind at the moment...

• Unlike all the other times I have been away from school for long periods of time, I am actually NOT dreading going back to MSU.


• I really miss Sara.


• I have no idea how I will ever make even the slightest amount of money this summer that I will actually need for next year.


• My brother is going to be a father and I AM GOING TO HAVE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN MY NEICES/NEPHEWS LIFE (especially their spiritual life)


• I hate 5.9% increases in tuition


• I have discovered a new love for classical music and Mother Teresa quotes

So thats it for now.

"In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love."

Mother Teresa