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. :)