What's New

Not a whole lot exciting has been going on lately. I have just been working a lot still and trying to keep up with my crazy schedule. We are starting to move forward with plans for our next Brazil trip in December which is really exciting. We have picked our team...we will be taking 12 students this year. I think our team is awesome, God totally is creating a great group of people to go this year. I am excited to be going back with some who went last year, but also to get to know the new people going this year. We are taking back 5 (including me) who went last year, and 7 are new to the Brazil trips. I think we have a great balance of experience and newness. It's crazy to think that it is already time to be planning another trip, but I am excited. This year I am officially leading the trip...Tom may not be able to get his travel visa because of all the trouble he had to go through last year. So I am the boss-lady! :) But planning Brazil is something I love doing, so its not too scary.

This weekend one of my best friends Sheena is getting married. The picture is of Sheena, her sister Karissa and I earlier this summer in Seattle. We went on a tour of a chocolate factory...so fun! Thus, the adorable hair nets :) I am so excited for this wedding. I am coordinating it which will be really fun. I am glad to be a part of everything going on. So we have a bachelorette-type overnighter Thursday, the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner Friday and the wedding Saturday. It will be a busy but fun weekend. I am going to get to see a lot of friends I haven't really kept in close contact with since I have been in Corvallis so it will be really fun. I am so thrilled that Sheena and Jeremy found each other. And I feel blessed to be included in their beautiful day. I only hope the same will happen for me someday!

I am also moving in two weeks into my own apartment! I am really looking forward to living alone...which still surprises me! :) Unfortunately, I haven't started the long process of packing yet...ugh. Thats on the list for today...so I should probably get to it! Happy end of July...take some time to stop and enjoy where life has you right now!

Juggling School

If I ever thought this summer would be boring, I was so wrong! The month of July has already been packed full and its only the first week!! I thought I used to know how to juggle many responsibilities, but I feel as if that was just the basics. This summer feels like I entered juggling school...and I can't drop anything if I want to survive. First, I started my summer job at the church as the interim Children's Ministry director. Its been a lot of shadowing the current director and taking furious notes so I don't forget anything once I have to do this all on my own. The first day was really overwhelming, but since then, I've calmed down a little and realized that I have a month to learn everything, and once I am on my own, I can only do what I can do...if that makes sense :) This last Sunday was my first Sunday back in the classroom, and it was really fun to remember why we are doing all this. So even when it seems stressful, or like I could never have enough volunteers, its going to be worth it.

Along with this job, I still am trying to maintain my hours at the coffee shop on campus. Its been a challenge so far this month, because my schedule was already set at Java, and I am having to juggle things around in order to be at the church whenever the children's ministry director is. Its a little bit challenging too because she only sets her schedule for the week the week before, so I have to scramble a bit. But all my other co-workers at Java are being great, and quite honestly need the hours, so they have taken a lot of shifts for me. Once August rolls around and I am able to set my own hours at the church, it will be a lot easier to balance the two I think.

The holiday weekend was packed full of adventure as well. A group of friends went up to the Portland area to celebrate birthdays (I have a good friend whose birthday is the 4th, as well as mine on the 5th) and the 4th of July. We got to watch the fireworks over Lake Oswego, which is a ridiculously rich gated community, sitting on the dock of a friends' Grandfather's house, with the huge show only about 200 yards away. It was pretty amazing. And a great way to kick of my birthday celebration. My actual birthday was really relaxing, doing the usual Saturday farmer's market routine, getting a pedicure, and having dinner with friends. Sunday was also fun with a big family BBQ in Salem. All in all, it was a great weekend spent with friends and family, the kind of holiday weekend that is in the movies, but no one thinks could actually be real. :)