Updates

Another month of the summer has completely flown by seemingly without notice.

The five days spent in North Carolina for Youth '07 were great. Sometimes it felt like the programming was so obviously directed at the younger middle school crowd, but there were some amazing speakers (notably Bishop Linda Lee and Bishop Minerva Carcano) and it was great to talk with so many people. The two "splatshops" I attended were really well done as was the Worship Feast.

I flew back home for a few days to rest and to go with my mom to the first of grandpa's doctor's visits (more in later post). Then we started off for our adventure to Virginia. It was so amazing to just relax with family. I had an especially great time in Eastville with my aunt and uncle there. Even though things would seem to be crazy there, (my aunt has her own medical practice out of her home and my uncle a car repair shop; it's a normal occurence for her to stay up until 2 or 3 talking and get up by 6 for devotions; there were kittens born our second day there) they welcomed us in so openly and there was never a moment that she didn't have the time to stop and talk and question. It was great to be there for my mom's cousin's daughter's first birthday. Even though the relationship seems so far out, they are perhaps the part of the family that we are closest to. After Eastville, we journeyed up to the Richmond area and then to the Gotthardt clan in Colonial Beach. All are well, and it was especially good to hang out with Uncle Norman who is always full of hilarious stories and had some great pictures to share. It's so much fun to hear all of the brothers and sisters gossip about each other. Quite reluctantly, we started home after about a week down there, stopping in Pennsylvania for impromptu visits to Gravity Hill and Cokesbury.

VBS started the next day, Sunday. My kindergarten class was adorable, and for the most part, agreeably high-strung. Emily, Austin, Ashyln, Logan, Autumn, Dalessa, Jacob, Patrick! I so didn't want to say good-bye after only five days with them.

But I did, and my mom drove me down to Adrian for the last three days of Conference Youth Assembly. Sarah and I had some good chats as roomates in our deluxe-sized R.A. room, and the dance had pretty much the best music I've ever heard at a dance--except the robot songs. Hopefully I can do some good things as Confirmand's Rally chair.

I was very happy to unpack my suitcase on Monday. It hadn't been fully unpacked for almost a month, and sometimes it just feels good to sleep in your own bed even though hotels and family members' homes and even college dorms certainly don't have disagreeable accomodations by any standard.

I'm home for the rest of the summer, and I definitely look forward to having some quality time with Ashton & Sammy, friends, and the stack of books still waiting for me. There are also definitely some other things to get done, but they will.

Grace & Peace

♥