Another Ending, Another Beginning

On Friday, I'm leaving for leg 1 of my journey to camp. This involves a four hour drive and staying at my grandparents' house. Four hours is the longest I like to drive, really. It's four hours home to school and four hours home to Grandma & Grandpas. Then on Saturday morning staff training begins so I'll be departing from La Crosse bright and early. Well, dark and early. Is it light at 6:30 in the morning? I don't know. 

But all that is Friday and Saturday. 

Today and tomorrow, however, a lot of things must be done for that to happen. The number one thing on my list is packing (cue the thunder and dramatic music).

At the end of April when my 4th semester of college was finished, I moved some things back to the house and left some things in my dorm room. I was home for a week.

I moved back to campus and had to shift into a different dorm building. Already my things were pared down which seems like it would be a good thing if it wasn't what it is, which was a frantic "Where the heck is that, I used to keep that in this drawer but maybe I left it at home but maybe I didn't unpack it yet Oh no I'm late."

Ten days ago all things left college and all things came into this bedroom at home. 

Yikes. 

Talk about a disaster area. I'm too embarrassed to post photos but believe me, it's a wreck. Things are piled and stacked and I climb into bed like I'm in an episode of Hoarders. I'm here for such a short time that I didn't want to move all the way in to this room just to have to pack again for camp. 

Last week, my dad helped me make some progress in the categorizing of things into "Definitely not going to camp" and "Maybe possibly I'm considering bringing it to camp."

Friends, the moving and packing story does not end there. This summer one cabin is under construction on the ladies side of camp. My boss made it super clear that this summer will be an exercise in flexibility and moving wherever they need me to be. That says to me "don't bring so much crap because you're going to have to move it all every weekend" to which my brain responds "but WAIT you don't understand I need 3 bottles of bugspray and 39 t-shirts and a ton of other stuff! What if..."

Part of that is rational. Girls will forget stuff and, for younger campers, I do take on a mom role. 

As I've been packing (see: procrastinating) I'm thinking about the seminar I want to teach this summer. I've been gathering materials on spiritual gifts and a few different inventories list simple living as a gift. Wow. I totally think that's something we can practice and be intentional about and I believe that it comes a lot more naturally to some people. Yeah I don't have a lot about that but it's certainly something to think about. What amount of stuff makes you happy? When is enough enough and your possessions are actually dragging you down?

I usually don't get torn up about goodbyes, not lately anyway. Historically, I'm the one fighting back tears and failing to do so. But with this last couple of months, I've been ready to close the back cover on whatever story is ending and start a new one. Earlier this week I mentioned to another summer staffer about how difficult it is for me to pack because of the "you need to bring everything just in case" and the "It will be fine, dude" and they said to me "Yeah, but it's so worth it."

Oh. Right.

Even though I have that argument about almost everything that I pack or do not pack, it's all worth it. Maybe some day I can be an excellent mover [and shaker] and have presto-chango packing with no extensive conversations about how many sweatshirts are too many, but until then I've gotta keep on keeping on because it's so so worth it. God has an amazing plan for this summer. 

Done

Sometimes when I say "done" I mean "throw my hands up in the air and walk away because this is ridiculous" but today I say "done" meaning "there is nothing left to do for this school year and it's officially summer right now."

It hit me this morning when I woke up. All I have to do today is turn in that paper and take that test and then this school thing is over for a little while and I can totally focus on camp. Well, I still have to move out and clean my dorm room and return my key and all that. What I don't have to do any more is go to class. Not until August 3rd. Yeah!

Thinking back over a long period of time and generalizing about it is not a skill I possess. I can think of different classes and how requirements for those classes shaped my time. Over May term I just had one class. If we're comparing, this semester was a lot better than the fall semester. I am ready to wish it farewell and move along. Last night Erin was sad because it was our last night but I'm just not feeling sad about this season being over. Right now I have 67 of my required 124 credit hours on the books. Four semesters left! Any way you look at it, I'm making excellent progress :)

Speaking of accomplishments, today is my parents' wedding anniversary! Happy 27th, you crazy cats. I love you guys. Thanks for setting an example for me of doing life together. I hope you have another 27+ years together.
I can't wait to see you both on Sunday.

27 years ago today!

Also, the Gus Gang will be reunited very soon. It's gonna be a blast!

People I Like

Some people really like children. I've warmed up to them over time. I used to get really freaked out in nursing homes (and sometimes still do) but I've become more comfortable. I really like old people. They're funny and tell great stories. Sometimes they are cranky but sometimes kids are cranky. Kids can be funny and tell great stories. Hanging out with the elderly is way underrated.
I found this poem in one of my Shel Silverstein books and it outlines the concept really well. Also, I love that author. He's so great.

Thrifting

I've been meaning to write this post for about a week. When I was finally ready to talk about thrifitng, I got sick. I have been sicker than this before in my life. This is a relatively mild cold but it's been a long time since I've been sick so this seems like a big deal. Hopefully I stocked up on enough Gatorade and soup to keep be functioning for the last 4 days of class. There was either one time when I was really sick or a lot of times when I was kinda sick that I drank the light blue Gatorade and now I think that stuff makes me feel sicker than just whatever I had initally. Yuck. This time, I went for dark blue and clear Gatorade. Clear Gatorade is delicious, FYI.
For Mother's Day, I called my mom and my grandma while I was sniffling and had a sore throat. Sorry I made those calls about me.

 Now onto our regularly scheduled programming.

I'm not a great shopper. It comes in waves. Sometimes I get really great deals on things I will really use. Recently, there was a garage sale on campus. During move out, each dorm had a box in the lobby for things people didn't want anymore. Then after most people were moved out, the university has a yard sale in the parking lot that everyone from the community is invited to. Erin and I spotted it and headed over for a bit. I ended up with three items for $3.75 so let's go one by one.

The first is a striped sweater/sweatshirt. I have a lot of hoodies but this one is not as bulky as the other ones and will facilitate tossing at least one older one that I don't wear. It's the brand "On The Byas" which they sell at PacSun. Some stuff they make is tacky, so just because it has that brandname doesn't make the item a touch down but it's a decent bet. Anyway, here's the sweater:

Oops, messy room.

The second item is another shirt but listen. It was so comfortable I wanted to curl up in it right that very second and wear it every day forever. So I had to buy it.

 It's a waffle shirt or a thermal or whatever you care to call it. I have another shirt that is similar to this one except that 1. This new shirt is an appropriate length. 2. The new shirt has the original hems. 3. The new shirt does not have buttons. But I did get the other shirt second hand as well. So that's cool.

All of the above clothing items are originally for boys. Clothes made for boys are way more comfortable. What is that about? Get over yourselves, people who manufacture clothes for women, and make dem clothes out of softer stuff real quick before I stop buying your merchandise altogether. Jerks. Whatever. 

The last item was marked for $1 which is my kind of sale. And I put them on, looked at my feet, and then took them off and stared at them. One of the girls running the sale said "Those make your legs look really good" and I said "Oh yeah? Haha, thanks!" and then she said "I'll give them to you for $0.75" to which I said "Oh alright, you convinced me." I wasn't even playing Hard To Get: Customer Edition. Look at these beauties.

Now, they are a little banged up and they hurt the back of my heel a little. But they were seventy five cents. They are simple and elegant and will be easy to walk in once I put one of those magic sticky pads on the inside of the shoe. Also, did I mention how cheap they are. They are not something I would have purchased in another circumstance. Probably. I already tried them on with an ensemble I'm planning to wear to summer weddings and they totally work. 

I found these bowls like 5 months ago at Walmart: 

They are the pattern of dishes my parents received for their wedding, but all except one the bowls broke long ago. I didn't buy these. Maybe I should have. Shoot.

While I was at Goodwill with Jess, I remembered I am supposed to be looking for something that looks Medieval for camp. Guys have all the cool costumes in that time period because guys got to do all the cool stuff: King, knight, jester, etc. Women are like what, wenches and queens and chamber maids? LAME. All of this costuming is for a final game and it would be tough to run around in something like this:

I started looking for shiny stuff to be a knight, but there's not a lot of shiny stuff at Goodwill or anywhere. Jess and I turned back to our original task: finding her a prom dress. As a last second favor to a family friend, Jess willingly said she would go (see: was roped into going) to prom. We ended up finding a dress and shoes for a really good price.

Yowza. Looking good. 

On our way out, I spotted a gauzy looking sleeve and snagged this number.

Ok, so it's meant to be a vampire queen or something like that. Obviously, I am a campfire fairy. That's medieval, right? It will require leggings, but the sleeves are really really fun as you can tell by this photo. 

So that's my life in clothing from men's sweaters to $0.75 wedges to fairy costumes. 

Yikes. 

Camp on the Brain

Today was my midterm. Yep, midterm. When each session of May term class is worth three days of normal kid class, then today was the end of September vibe which translates to taking a midterm.

I also knocked out my in class lab participation today, so that was nice to finish. We retold the story of Rachel and Leah and Jacob in class to help us remember the name of a girl in class named Rachel. Turns out, I remember that story a generation before and after pretty well. Sometimes OT family lines get confused in my head but today I did alright.

I've been thinking a lot about my summer counseling job. I've been doing a lot of planning and considering things I want to buy and things I need to not take to camp because I will never use them (see last post about packing) and it's a pain when I have to switch cabins.

Things that have come up so far: Koosh ball, sleeping bag with functional zipper, small white board that can be reused next year for my door, possibly an athletic shirt that can be flipped around to be light or dark (like a lacrosse jersey maybe?)
That's all that's coming to mind right now but there's a lot of other stuff.

One thing I'm working on is memorizing the Bible verses for the week. Part of the camp thing is having our kids memorize them and I want to know them front and back if I'm going to expect my girls to know them. Also, memorizing Bible verses is hard for me, mostly because I never do it. But I really want to get these verses right.
So here's what I've got so far- I haven't looked at my notecards in a day.

• I am the LORD and there is no other. Isaiah 45:5
•  I know that one is first but I don't really know the order of the other ones.

• So let us now approach the throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. 
• I don't think that's 100% right and I don't know the reference.
• Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne, love and faithfulness are 
• and that's all I know. But I do have hand motions for that part. So that's some points
• Something like : The angel of the Lord showed me the river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the lamb. Revelations 22:1 or 12:2. and this is the last verse of the week. 
• And one verse is in Hebrews. And something is from 89:19 and something is from 4:16. And I can't think of how the other one starts so I got nothing. 

So here's the real verses:

• I am the LORD and there is no other. Isaiah 45:5
• The LORD has established his throne in Heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. Psalm 103:19
• Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you. Psalm 89:14
• Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16
• Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. Revelation 22:1

Clearly I still have some work to do. 

But all that's going to come with time. 

I also talked to my dad today and he said he is for sure coming to pick up some of my stuff after this class is over which is great. Now I have to do my lab write up so that I can enjoy my Blackhawks playing tonight. What's with these stinking 9:30 games? Bogus. I gotta sleep, dude! 

Also, I got some killer steals at the campus garage sale. I'll share them soon!

May Already, Huh?

Hi all,
Happy first day of May!
In the last week, I had time back in Chicagoland which was great. I got to have dinner with my mom and dinner with my dad and dinner with both of them.
Also, sometimes when I write that I did things with one parent or the other it sounds like they are separated or divorced. They're not. Really. Work schedules just line up weirdly with each other and with when I'm in town.
Anyway, I also got to see Kate and Hannah while I was home which was great.
I met up with Michael and Emily from camp who go to Trinity for Chipotle at the park.
I went to a panel discussion at church. I entered a Target and the mall.
All in all, it was a great trip back to the homestead. Here are just a few snapshots from all the fun:

World's best moisturizer. 

Hydrangea and Baby's Breath (real name: Gysophila. Who knew?)

Great decorating

Mani pedi with mom

A groovy new rug

Tuesday was spent packing the car, driving four hours, cleaning my old place, checking out of Kem Hall until next fall, and then moving into my new dorm room in a different hall for May term. I have way too much stuff. Any time I have to move ie: Home to dorm, dorm to home, dorm to dorm, home to camp, cabin to cabin, etc. I think "WHY do I have all this stuff? When did I acquire each of these items? Do I love each and every one of them enough to haul them place to place? What kind of 'just in case' scenario would require me to have a bunch of clothes I only sort of like and wear when the stuff I really like is dirty? Is it okay to clear out that stuff I only a little like, live with less, and then swear to only buy pieces I really like?"

That last one seems key. But then I think "oh, but I need junk clothes for camp or a missions trip" and "yeah, but one time I wore this when my favorite song was playing and it was a magical moment and I can't let this go" and "but if I only have 12 shirts because those are the only ones I love, people will see me in them over and over!" 

The aching of my arms carrying boxes and my desire to live more simply need to battle it out with my sentimental and/or worry wart pack rat side. Also, when is the best time to do this? Little by little, or picking a weekend to ruin with a project like this, or as you're packing up to leave? I don't know. It's one of those things I have to do because it's my taste and my clothes being considered but I desperately wish someone else could do it for me. 

So that's all I've got on a Wednesday night. 

Wait one last thing. I looked at my grade report from last semester and, as Fat Amy from Pitch Perfect would say, I crushed it. BOO-YAH.

Oh also really last thing: My Blackhawks won in OT in the first game of their playoff series. Well done. Bickell's goal was just a thing of beauty. I mean, I love the whole team but dang. That was an excellent goal. If you even a little bit think you might like hockey, I recommend watching these playoffs because my team is in them. Plus we have the best looking team by far. I really don't know what the other teams' mugs look like, but ours is most likely the top billing. If you're a fan and you've never been to the Madhouse on Madison, you should go because it's amazing. If I had a zillion dollars, I would buy season tickets. Our whole series is at home- holla! 

Coach Q