June Sunshine

The first official day of summer is in less than two weeks, but after last Sunday's sunshine + heat wave, I think summer's already here :) So to keep things light and breezy, here are some "currently" updates.

Currently...

...reading: Searching for Sunday by Rachel Held Evans. If you're like me and think that the Church is lacking, to put it mildly, read this book. RHE articulates the questions and concerns that I didn't realize I have, and she does so gracefully and succinctly. I'm about halfway done with my library copy, and I think that I'll be purchasing my own copy very soon. More eloquent reviews can be found here and here.

...watching: Season 5 of "Gilmore Girls." My sis and I are usually able to watch one episode most nights, and oh my word, pack me up and move me to Stars Hollow.

via

...listening to: Florence and the Machine's new album "How Big How Blue How Beautiful." This. Album. I play it all day {or most of the day, for my co-workers' sakes} in the office, it's in my car, and then I turn it on as soon as I get home. It's beautiful and perfect and I can't get enough. "Queen of Peace" and "St Jude" are two of my favorite tracks {check out this beautiful music video, too!}.

...anticipating: a reunion dinner with Samara and Cami next week! Woohoo! It's been FAR too long since the three of us have been together.

...working on: smaller reading assignments for doula certification. Last night I plopped myself and some yarn on the couch and listened to every last "lecture" that is required; it felt so good to cross half a dozen assignments off my list! I celebrated by watching a couple {required} birth videos... why yes, I do know how to have a good time ;)

...craving: time outside in the sun, flip-flops, hair long enough to stay in a messy bun, and VitaminWater.

...supporting: this Kickstarter campaign with Ricki Lake and Abby Eppstein {creators of "The Business of Being Born"} to make "Sweetening the Pill: How We Got Hooked On Hormonal Birth Control." Read an interview with the filmmakers, watch the trailer, and consider supporting this project!

...grateful for: sunshine during my commute, dinner with my CareNet friend and her family, chai lattes, new friends, and the beginning of what's promising to be an amazing summer.

Not Alone Series: Summer

Hi friends! It's hard to believe that this is our last NAS link-up before the summer - thank you, Jen and Morgan, for all your hard work hosting our link-ups each week and for facilitating our FB group. You guys are awesome!!

Also, happy second anniversary, Not Alone Series!! Yay!!

Today's prompt is about summer plans, since it is June {!!} and we won't be linking our blogs this summer.

My summer plans consist of spending time with my family and friends, specifically the sister with whom I now live - woot! Maybe we'll even get through Gilmore Girls :)

Some short road trips are definitely in order. My dear friend Dahlia lives a couple hours east of me, and we both will be making at least a few drives to visit each other. Also, Portland is just a few hours south, and Powell's has been calling my name for a couple of months now.

I'll be housesitting for a couple of weeks in July, so that will be fun to make friends with some cats ;) Also, my favorite Aerobic Dance class is coming back to Tuesday nights, so that'll be great fun.

Oh! And this summer I plan on cracking down and cranking out a ton of doula work. It would be my dream and goal and heart's desire to get through all my certification requirements {except for the births} by the end of 2015. I'm finishing the last book today {10 pages left!} and will share another review shortly. I'm working on some doula business names and when I have them narrowed down, I'll be sure to share them with you all :)

That's my summer so far! I hope you all have grand plans, and NAS girls, see you on FB :)

in my head, this sounds like that dog from “Up”

In my head, I thought “ok, you readers!” and then that dog-voice from “Up” came into my head and said “stop, you dogs!” and then I lost all semblance of an intelligent post.

Dang.

Well, let’s try and regain some sense of dignity. I've been back home for a week; it is high time I have some summer goals. Ready? Go.

Goal #1. Learn to play the dulcimer. Oh yeah! It’s official-well, actually, it’s officially public. That secret project I was working on last semester? It was a dulcimer, a surprise for mi padre. And it is finished and home and beautiful. Dad loves it, and he’s so proud. At our family party yesterday, he kept showing it off and telling people the stories {that I told him} of how I made different parts. It warmed my heart to see him so excited over it, just like I knew he would be. And now I have to learn to play that bad boy!

Goal # 2. Make a college scrapbook. I've got little mementos in my room; now it is time to consolidate them and make a book of my journey. It shouldn't take too long, and it will be fun! Hopefully…

Goal #3. Finish The Hunchback of Notre Dame. If I’m going to be in the Paris airport in September {and I am!!!!!} then I better freaking have read the book! Only 250 more pages!

That’s all I've got for now… Any ideas or suggestions? I will take book ideas, always. There are always more books to be read :)

End of the Book

I finished my summer reading today. It took me less than 24 hours to read, and I don’t know if I’m glad that I finished it. It was a good story, and the characters were well-developed. It’s the story of a ten-year-old boy in the summer of 1976. His dad is back from fighting in Vietnam, and his aunt was a war-protester, so there is some friction there. His father has nightmares of the war, and times when the war comes back and takes over him, so to speak. That was a confusing time period, and as a ten-year-old, Eli has some keen insights into the adult world.

I’m glad I finished it. I can’t say that I thoroughly enjoyed it, but it was a good, well-told story. It made me think, so I can respect it for that. I don’t agree with the author’s worldview… too much emphasis on the trees “speaking.” At the end of the book, Eli protests the Iraq war, and I don’t agree with protestors. But then as I think on it, I guess I don’t dislike his protest so much as I disagree with what he was protesting.

I’m grateful that Americans have the rights to express differing beliefs… I differ with the author on this one.
If you would like to read this book, please let me know, and I’ll loan it to you. But hurry: you’ve only got 8 days!

September already?!

Wow, my dear readers, how did August go by so quickly? It just started practically yesterday! Well, that is to be expected, I suppose. Time flies when you're having fun...or when you're old, asleep, or under pressure. I think I only qualify for the fun part and maybe the old part...I was definitely awake for August, and I was only under pressure on Monday mornings...new campers.

I am excited for this September. There are a lot of new things starting this month, like I start my second year at school, my sister starts Master's Commission, so she'll be moving out and someone else will be moving in, and then I will only have 2 little sisses in high school! Wow, it's definitely weird!

But I'm learning that things are SO going the right way. This is how God created things to work: change happens, people grow up, plans are adjusted, etc. It is a good thing. I mean, the Creator finished His work and then stepped back and said, "It is good." I'm liking God's goodness, and I'm liking His handiwork. Welcome, September!

Summer Thoughts

Oh my goodness, thank the Lord that summer is FINALLY here! Whew! It took its sweet time to get here, didn't it? But now that it's here, praise Him!

So I was showing my sis my blog, and I realized that I haven't done anything since the beginning of March! That is not ok! So here are my thoughts about summer and other related [sorta] topics.

Sunshine is the BEST gift [aside from Jesus] from God EVER! Seriously, it provides Vit D, warmth, green grass, tans, smiles on people's faces, and you can roll down your car windows all the time!

School is going well. I'm taking one class this summer, just to catch up. To update you, I did take 23 credits last quarter, so right now I have 55ish credits. Unfortunately, my foreign language, although 3 quarters are needed, only one counts towards my A & H credits. So I'm one class behind, so summer quarter it is. I'm totally fine with it. The teacher rocks, and I'm understanding all the concepts so far.

I'm working at a day camp this summer, and I'm pretty much in love with two of these little campers...OMG they're adorable! One of them is Vaughn, and the other one is JJ. They're both like 5-6, and Vaughn wears these glasses, and his eyes are really blue, and he's very opinionated and vocal!!! JJ is little and he's a sweetheart. He has a little brother that isn't walking yet, and JJ hugs him goodbye every morning. He hurt his knee yesterday, and I held his hand and brought him upstairs and I had hurt my knee also, so we washed our knees and then put bandaids on them together. Before we even went outside, he was lined up, and I was talking with some other kids, and JJ just kinda leaned on me without even realizing it. He is SO cute! I guess I should add these two to my list of kids under the age of 8 that I'm going to marry someday. :)