like a child...

When you read a book as a child, it becomes a part of your identity in a way that no other reading in your whole life does. [you've got mail]

It's never a good idea to live in the past, but sometimes it's awfully nice to visit for an afternoon. I had goldfish crackers for lunch.

This is my last summer. What I mean is, these six weeks have been my last chance to have all the things that the word "summer" means: time off from school, no serious responsibilities, reading in the sunshine by the pool on a weekday, eating snowcones, making sidewalk chalk roadsigns, and catching fireflies at night. Next summer, I will be a Bachelor of Arts College Graduate. Next summer, I will be in a different type of season, one that is wide open and exciting and completely new. Summer will never again mean what it means to me today. I don't really mind. I'm as excited for the future as I am about the present.

I've learned a lot about childhood this summer. Living in a house with five amazing kids under age twelve has brought out a lot of thinking about my own former life and the way I relate to that Emily. Because of who she was, what she read, who she played with, what she thought, I am the Emily I am today, the Emily who turns twenty-two in a month, has a credit card, and decides when she goes to bed.

This afternoon, I spent hours in the children's section of the tiny Tyrone, Georgia library. It reminded me of Emily's Runaway Imagination and the excitement of something we take for granted in our beautiful modern cities. I pulled out all the titles and authors I remember getting as a kid, so I can share them with my Mount friends. They already know most of them, which is really exciting to me. I like sharing my favorite literature, even if it is with a six year old.

I like reading books that changed the world, but it's also been really amazing to reread some of the authors that changed my childhood world: Steven Kellog, Maud Hart Lovelace, James Stevenson, William Stieg, Gertrude Chandler Warner, Beverly Cleary...

It always delights me that I live next to Klickitat Street, across the river from the Beverly Clearly Children's Room at the Central Library, north of the little town where she grew up, and west of the Ramona and Ribsy statues in Grant Park. Someday, I want to read her books to my children, to shape their imaginations and tell them about my childhood: playing outside until the streetlights came on, walking to the library, family reading every night, and my last real summer, chasing fireflies and kids in Georgia.

Go read a book, before you're too grown up.

busy, but not smart...

It kind of feels weird posting without pictures. I'll probably put up more soon once I finish this weeks big project...the video room here at OM. Forget your boring Starbucks colored walls, this week I've been painting black and green screen! Anna's picking up the rest of the Ikea furniture today, so we should be in business for next week's grand show-off of the Creative Department's new space in the OM building.

While I'm waiting for my paint to dry [which is only slightly more entertaining than it sounds], I've been reading the news headlines. Every time I start to imagine that college has given my already-genius mind a boost towards intelligence, I read an article like this. I pretty much have no conception of what they're talking about: "If the Russian computers aren't fixed by the time Atlantis leaves, the station would have to use the gyroscopic control system in the U.S. segment to stay on track. But the more responsive Russian thruster system would be out of commission."

Seriously, a gyroscopic control system in the U.S. segment? That sounds like something "totally WICKED" [but really really made-up] from a fifties comic book. I totally wish I knew what that was all about, though. Maybe we can work out a powerpoint introduction to space filmed against the new green screen?

growing apart...

my friends, may you grow in grace
and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior
my friends, may you grow in grace
and the knowledge of Jesus Christ

Spending time with old friends is always exciting. It's been three years since my internship with TeenPact, and I actually worked with less than half of those twelve people during our season. Time has changed all of us, but because we love Jesus, that change is absolutely and completely good. I am thrilled to count as my closest friends a group of people who are scattered across the states and only see each other in small groups a couple times per year. It's hard, but I think it makes our hours together all the more precious. It was especially cool to see how God is calling us individually to go into all the world and share His love. [we're becoming quite the well-traveled family!] We live far apart, but are growing and moving on parallel lines.

i pray tonight, as we learn from one another
may we glorify Him, and if the Lord
should bring us back together,
may we be in His arms til then


dani and me

cruising the highways of life with three amazing women
[that's the corner of jeni's pink shirt]

dani and i spent a day with a tired but lovely lydia

dani and lily, two girls more dear to me than i can say

Lil, D, and I had many late night discussions [in the hot tub, laying around eating ice cream, etc] trying to discover what it means to live the Abundant Life that Jesus came to give us. It's sobering to realize how often my conversations are about things which don't matter. I want to have more tough conversations!

One night, Dani and I stayed up most of the night talking about college and how God has used education in our lives to spark an excitement for the world, studying, and a complete revision of our thought patterns in pretty much every subject. I'm excited to have friends at other schools who are enjoying their studies as much as I am. We shared lists of our favorite and most challenging books and swapped stories about our most quirky [but dearest] professors.

I'm realizing more and more that maybe your closest friends aren't necessarily the ones you live with every day [though i'm jealous of you who get to] or who you always agree with, but those people who will talk through life and faith with you: listening, conversing, and challenging you with their lives. I have a lot to process still, so this is a poor representation of my thoughts, but I just wanted to say that I am so glad to have each of you in my life, dear friends across the country [and now, around the world!].

to God be the glory
now and forever
now and forever
amen

extreme makeover apartment edition...

Lily, Danielle, and I painted the walls.

We broke the bed. We fixed the bed.

We broke the bed again.

A new design, sixty-four cents of bolts from the nice old man at the hardware store, girls who know how to use power tools [thanks, dad], and the bed is fixed! Three cheers for Dani and Em!

my favorite people...

Me, Lily, and Danielle waiting for Bill Jack at the airport

The largest 2004 gathering since Steph's wedding!
Danielle, Joe, Emily, Bryce, Lily, Garrison, and Katie
It's been three year since we ended our internship.

Sunday afternoon by the OM Lake

Lily and I glam it up in the backseat