Time Warp

**WARNING** This isn't the most exciting blog, but felt like giving you a glimpse into our summer activities here in Branson. I started blogging for my family, and I know that at my mother will enjoy hearing these details.

So about two weeks ago, I went to journal, thinking only a week had passed by since my last journal entry. Yeah. I looked at the date of my last entry and it was May 1, 2009. At the time is was June 4th. How can a month go by that quickly!? I even thought back to the last event I had journaled about and had a hard time believing a month had really gone by.

Right before writing this blog entry I looked at my blog to see when it was the last time I blogged. It was April! Anyhow...the only explanation I have for this is that a time warp that has made a month and a half feel like a week.

I will write a post soon that lets you know a little more where my heart is/ what the Lord is teaching me...but for now let me take a moment to give you a quick update on the past months events.

Room Changes: We have two girls who graduate on Thursday and on that day we will only have 9 Little Sisters and 11 Big Sisters. For a good chunk of the year we have had 15 Littles. We have enough beds in the main house for 13 Littles and 5 Bigs. We also have two cabins that can hold a maximum of 4 people. I will finish my time here in Cabin 2 which I share with Emily Crow...another Big Sister here. We will probably never have Littles living with us though we have space for two.

The Lord has really worked out the timing in this. I am so thankful that this is my last room assignment. I love being able to "stay home" on my days/time/weekends off. Not only do I not have to pack up my things and pre-think what I want to do with my time off--it is so much cheaper. I am at a point where I need to save money so I have something when I leave this place so the Lord has worked it all out so well.

I thought I would struggle not having Littles living in a room with me. You miss out on a lot of relationship stuff and just are not with them quite as much. However, I have found I am enjoying this time. Because I don't have Littles in my room, I feel like I able to connect with more girls as I "fill in" when Bigs are off. The Lord is so gracious in this time. I was concerned I might feel more disconnected and He is showing me otherwise.

Flemings visit! Kenny, Nicole, Faith, and William Fleming stopped and visited me in May on their way to Texas. I was so bless by their visit. I know them from Korea and they are good friends. Their friendship and our fellowship is what got me through some of my harder months in Korea.

Pre-summer break:

Celebrated my Mommie's 50th birthday

Sadly, this is the only picture I have of the event.

Bought a car

and

Got strep just in time for my cousin's wedding--so I really didn't get to enjoy family or celebrate Chris and Laura's marriage.

Summer Schedule: We jumped right into summer schedule upon returning from pre-summer break. What does this mean? It means the Littles are only in school from 9 until noon--we get to sleep in 30 minutes every morning. It also means we are on coverage more. We used to have from noon until 2:30 a few times a week for down time. In all fairness, we do get random hours here and there.

We keep our girls busy in fun ways to fight off summer boredom. Monday night is movie night. Tuesday is game night. Wednesday is Community Service from 1-5. Thursday is HD Fun night (house director's plan the activity). Friday is room night (Hang out as a room). And Saturday is Adventure Day and House night (the entire house does something together). I, along with two other Bigs, are in charge of planning Community Service. I was pumped to be given this assignment as I have always loved it!

Also in the summer we get to teach a class on Fridays. The girls only have summer school Monday through Thursday. I have known about this all year and to be quite honest, despite the fact that I am a HS Math teacher panicked about this. Why? Because for forever this year I couldn't think what I would teach other than math. How silly is this? This is not the only skill I have, but it took a long time (9 months) to even think of something. We had to write down three things we were willing to teach. I submitted hiking, lap swimming, and sewing. Sewing won, so I get to teach a sewing class on Friday along with two other Bigs. We have two Littles in our class as we are all making Rag Blankets and I am supper excited about this.

Kelly, Chelsie, and I at a park in Springfield on Adventure Day.

Tracy and Deana who are addicted to Spicy Cheetos

Claire and I posing while on dinner.

Oh yeah..Bigs also got to go on a rafting trip without Littles (an entire day and half with no Littles just to enjoy each other and fellowship without "parenting"--pure BLISS!)

This past week we took the girls on a two day, one night camping trip.

And that is a glimpse into what I am up to these days. I am sure I left out many important and significant events...but as I said...it just a glimpse.