I've considered it, but no, I have not given up. My readers may have given up on me, but I'm still here reading faithfully and have finally mustered up the energy to attempt to cover my summer in one post. I had taken a break from blogging for the summer since I have been away from a computer for weeks at a time and had nothing even resembling a routine. I will try to catch up what readers I still have as briefly as possible. And I promise to follow with pictures, so tune in later for the photo montage!
Brandon and I began the summer with a trip to Corpus Christi with our newly sophomore huddle. We had a wonderful time and it reaffirmed why we are huddle leaders and how much we love those kids!
Brandon then left June 1st for Wichita to begin his coaching responsibilities with the Derby Twins. We have the same host family that we did last year, so it was easy for him to adjust to being there. Plus, he really enjoys the players on the team this summer, and they just found out they are going to be in the World Series beginning this Friday!
I had a week in Abilene without working, and with the help of my mom and sister, was able to make curtains, bedskirts, and pillows to get the house (almost) finished before I left. I was also excited to find out that I got a job teaching 9th grade Pre-AP and regular English at Abilene High. My family and I saw my dad off at the airport before he left for his month-long trip to Israel. Then I joined Brandon in Wichita for a month of watching (and scoring) baseball games almost every day, hanging out with the man I love, reading A Tale of Two Cities by the pool, and (of course) eating a couple wonderful meals of Mongolian beef and lettuce wraps at P.F. Chang's!
Then I was back in Abilene for 4 days. My mom had helped organize a group of retired Japanese people (many of whom had taken my parents' English classes in Japan) who stayed in Abilene for a week. I hosted two of these women at my house and affectionately referred to them as "my girls" even though they were closer in age to my grandmother.
Before this group left to return to Japan, I was off with the Highland youth group and 4 other adult (I use that term loosely because I fall in that category now) sponsors to Salida, Colorado for Wilderness Trek. I left feeling busy, anxious about my summer almost being over and not feeling ready for school, and unable to relax, but God taught me about sitting still in His presence that week. I came back feeling refreshed and having a better perspective about the things God is accomplishing in me rather than the things I am trying to accomplish. I also made some wonderful relationships with new people on the trip and renewed relationships I am so thankful for that go back several years.
That brings me up to today where I am attending an English AP Summer Institute in Seguin, Texas. My sweet father, seeing how tired I was when I got back, offered to drive me here and is hanging out in Austin while I attend the workshop this week. I'm living on the college campus and without a car, which is why I now have the time to actually get on the computer.
If you're still reading, thanks for sticking with me through my (not so) brief and rather boring rendition of "What I Did on My Summer Vacation." I hope to soon catch up with more of you personally.
