Chula

Doesn't she look funny?

That's it...no deep thought. The picture just makes me giggle.

June and July Storms

June 29th, my friend Beth and I were just ready to run to the grocery store to get a surprise for Justine before her wedding rehearsal, when the sky turned black and it started to rain. Not keen on looking like a drowned rat, I decided to hold off until the rain subsided. Rather than calming down, though, a wind picked up and began to howl. As we looked out the window, we saw the patio umbrella swoosh up into the sky and land on the other side of the house. I guess that was the sign to get away from the windows. Soon, Mom, Dad, Beth, and I were all huddled in our "tornado shelter," which is actually our downstairs powder room, to wait out the storm. Beth sat on the toilet seat, Mom and Dad on kitchen chairs, and I perched like a monkey on the bathroom sink. After the winds ceased, we walked outside, pulled a gigantic branch from under her car that the wind had shoved there like a child cleaning his room by shoving the mess in a small closet, and drove to the store. As we went I could see the damage the storm had wreaked: trees down, collapsed roofs, curled shingles, a fallen pillar, and a twisted gutter. The most amazing thing, I think, was the McDonald's sign. The plastic had completely blown out, leaving only an outline of their colossal sign. The power was off in most of the city, as well as the grocery store (failed mission for Beth and I), but luckily the church and Justine and Justin's reception hall was unaffected. I have some pictures of the effects (our table) from the first storm, and my dad and I cleaning up from the second big storm of the summer.

The table shattered, and the umbrella broke when it flew over the house.

Mom and Dad vacuumed up the glass for Chula. :P

"Proof" that I helped carry the pine branches to the trailer.

The blue spruce out back came down.

Dad chopped, and I carried.

Circle Back

Back in the United States, things have been different than I've expected. Plans have changed that no longer include Chicago, and that has led me back to where I began before going to Spain. When I left to go to Spain, my dream was to learn to speak Spanish more fluidly, immerse myself in the culture, and return to Fort Wayne to work at the Spanish immersion school here where I student-taught. It seemed so exciting and interesting. After four years in Spain, that dream began to fade, like a mirage that fades away when you examine it more closely. I explored other opportunities, as life does change and old dreams need to be revised, never dreaming that my path would come in full circle. Recently, I applied for a 5th grade teaching position at the school I'd dreamed of teaching at and was offered the position pending school board approval. Excitement, butterflies, and an almost frightening sense of responsibility fill my body as I prepare to lead and teach beginning in a few weeks. Please pray for me in this new endeavor. I know it will be as challenging as it will be rewarding.