well--i'm sitting alone in my room. Summer is coming to a quick close, and I'm looking forward to the upcoming schoolyear. I'm sure I'll panic when i get my new workload, and I'll probably have at least one professor who is more concerned with the gold-plated title on his office door than his subject--but it'll be a change. I began summer floating on the newness of several jobs, the chance to see my friends again, church activities, and the possibility of a highschool musical 2 :), but now I believe that i'm laying on the bottom of the pool wondering how much longer I can hold my breath. It's not one thing in particular--but it has a lot to do with changed relationships--with my parents, my brothers, my friends... they're all perfectly normal and expected changes--but every one is like those frozen blasts on a January night that make it hard to breathe. I refuse to dramatically detail my disappointments--(as lovely as that sounds :) ) because there's no point in sitting around sighing and wishing for things to be different. If I'm going to be alive--then I'm going to be happy and busy!

This summer I've been taking the monday counseling classes at Faith-and I've learned so much! I've had an unexpected chance to be involved in one of the counselees lives, and I really love working with the biblical counselers. They're smart and they love their Bibles! One thing I've been impressed with is their ability to draw connections in scripture. Instead of slapping down some verse that seems relevant--they take the time to show how everything connects--thoughts, actions, emotions,--sin and consequences, obedience and blessings etc. They also have so many ways of pointing out the character of God--and helping the counselee to mirror that. I especially love the many many homework assignments that give measureable hope to hurting people who begin to observe their own progress throught the completed work. It's not about telling the person what they're doing wrong and then preaching a few sermons in their direction until they're "spiritual enough," it's about helping them install a Biblical worldview, and then help them take advantage of the divine resource in their lap! It is, after all, "inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness." (2 Tim. 3:16) I have seen this proven over and over again! The success of the counselee isn't just a surface change, or a better spiritual facade---but VICTORY. It is a complete change of motives, a new life purpose, and a desire to continue changing. sigh.... good stuff.

On a different note, i also have a job as a Mary Kay office assistant. It's lovely. :) It's basically the perfect job--i'm alone in a room full of makeup, catalouges, and yes--chocolate! Mmmmm... anyway--I just do whatever needs to be done--typing, website work, organizing, cleaning, sorting, filing, putting together sample bags and notebooks. It's great because it's always something different--but it's still routine.
that doesn't involve physical activity.
Which would lead me right into an introduction of my babysitting jobs. sigh.
They're actually not bad. I still watch Alexander from time to time, and I watch two little girls every week. It doesn't sound so exhausing right? I mean--I've always loved children, and how hard can keeping two little girls amused for 4 hours possibly be?
oh my..... allow me to briefly rant.
The girls are very nice. They love me to death, and I can't help loving them. The older one, Camden, is 6. She's got loose blonde curls, light blue eyes, pale skin, and she's pretty standoffish. She likes princesses, ballet, and playing school--where she gets to be the teacher and tell me what to do. Kalli, the younger girl is 4 now, and the complete opposite. She has dark skin, dark curls, dark eyes---very latino looking. She is HILARIOUS! Where her sister is quiet and timid, she is michievous enough for them both! She's the puddle jumper, the cookie snatcher, the one who will fight to the death for half of a potato chip. :) The other day we were coloring together. Cami, naturually, was drawing a series of princesses, dresses and tiarahs, but I couldn't tell what Kalli was making. So i asked her. Her very direct response was, "I'n drawin God....with hair!" Ohhhhhhh. i should have known.
I proceeded to ask her what color His hair was, and she informed me that God's hair was all different colors, "except purple. God does not like purple!" hehe.
Later on, we were playing some make believe game of my invention, where you would go into the magic closet and be transformed into something or someone else when you returned. Cami became a princess (we were all SO surprised!) and waved and curtsied beautifically. Kalli ran out and jumped with her arms out to either side.
"I'n a rainbowwwwwwww!"
I laughed. anyway--to wrap this up, the only reason that they are difficult to entertain is that they demand physical activity every second. They hate movies, complain about coloring, don't want to read, and they remember EVERY MAKE BELIEVE GAME WE'VE EVER EVER EVER PLAYED. And they want to play it again. and again. and again. sigh. I made the mistake of taking them on a dragon hunt ONCE. and now that's what they want to do EVERYTIME. Sounds right up my alley--but running around outside where it's a humid 99 degrees fighting imaginary enemies with magic shoes and keys and potholders and "poison detecting silverware," and the "neverending" money bag, and.......sigh............for HOURS.
And the thing is--the only way to make them forget ONE make believe game is to make up another one. Because they're always asking, "When are we going to play?" "Beccaaaaaaaa play with us!" or as Cami put it one day, "You're here to play with ME!" So there has been a series of adventures in that household, involving a never depleted string of evil stepmothers, and dress-up teaparties, and dancing princesses, and purple monsters.

I also still work at Mountain Jacks. not my favorite. It's a good job--and I'm glad that they take me back every summer--but you know....drama at the hostess stand. I could live without it. :)

Meanwhile--I've also been teaching art lessons this summer to 4th-8th graders. It's great stuff--and I've learned a lot myself in the course of teaching. yay! I don't know if I'll ever become a teacher--but I really really love it. I've been teaching 3rd grade sunday school as well--and it has been an adventure! :)

well, josie hume is at my house now, and we put in Disney's Snow White, and despite Miss White's neverending shriek of a voice, josie managed to fall asleep on my stomach--making it quite impossible to type. makes me happy. :)

So i will cut my rambling short and wait for snow white's prince charming to save her from the negative effects of the magic wishing apple. May all your dreams come true!