Still packing...and so ready to be finished and in one place. (For at least a few days.)

I like that it is summer vacation time. And that there is so much to look forward to in these two full months!

*Finishing my move home and settling in there - it will be a transition, but nice to be with my parents for a little while and still have my own space in the basement apartment

*Visiting my sister and her family in Kansas - she moved there in October, and I have never gotten to see where she lives and experience her family and friends there...of course we will have lots of laughs! (She claims she is looking for a single, handsome, cowboy for me who will then convince me to move to the said state...hmmmm...I hope her cowboy likes Africa!)

*Arkansas - lots of Arkansas! - I really miss my summers there. Even the hot, humid days and nights. Watching the church softball games, VBS, lakeside church services, swimming at the Eubanks' pond, college fellowships, babysitting one of my favorite little (ok not so little anymore) guys, Arms Around Arkadelphia, and much, much more! - This summer my first visit will be a reunion with three of my favorite girls ever - Alyse, Amanda, and Myra!! We are finally coming together from all over the U.S. (and outside of the U.S.!) and spending a few days together! Then I will stay the week after and be a part of AAA with FBC Arkadelphia! In July, I will spend two weeks at UCA in Conway, taking Level Two of Orff-Schulwerk music training with many of the great friends I made last year! The president of AOSA is teaching the course...I'm super excited!

*Friday nights at the Muny! - My friend Brandy and I are once again "season ticket subscribers" which makes it feel oh-so-important to dress up, drive to the city, have dinner, and watch a show each week! :)

*Gilmore Girls - I bought all seven seasons last year and started watching them in the summer (see this post!) and finally finished watching them all tonight....which means it's time to start again! I think it might be a summer tradition! Don't quite know how I got hooked on it, but I am!

*Sleeping in! - Enough said!

*More Weight Watchers success - I am soooooo close to my 10% goal and ready to set my long-term goal. This has been such a great program, and while weight no longer drives my self-esteem and success, it feels so good to be on a healthy path to a manageable weight that is within the range my body should be, and to know once I am there, I will work to maintain that weight rather than losing more or gaining it back.

*Community Band - it's so fun to play percussion again!

*Learning Guitar - trying not to be stressed about this one, and teaching myself b/c I don't really have time to take lessons since I will be out of town so much. (Also - the HR director called me yesterday to ask how I felt about the high school position with guitar b/c we hadn't visited since the fine arts coordinator told me that was where I would be, and I thought since he actually called to get my opinion I should be honest. I told him it was pretty stressful to think about, and that if something else opened up in ESL, Speech, or another simliar area, I would really rather do that, so we'll see. Sometimes it's tough for me to be honest, because I just want to help out and make everyone happy. But since I was given the chance, I thought I'd better say something. Oh well - that's in God's hands too!)

*Playing outside - looking at clouds, going for walks, swinging at the park, catching lightning bugs, laying under the stars, taking pictures, smelling flowers...

*Seeing family - Hoping to visit my grandparents, brothers, sisters, nieces, and nephews in the free time!

*Driving - sometimes I just love that time in the car to think, sing, or just see things as I drive...

*Working on my Journeyman application and submitting it (by August! Yikes!)

There are lots of other things - I'm sure I'll think of them as the summer goes by! I hope you all have a wonderful summer, whether vacationing, working, serving, or whatever else you may be doing. May God bless you and lead you in all you do! :)