Who knew?

Who knew that this girl I met when I was 12 would be so famous and cool? Not only that, but I'm going to her wedding! Well, 14 years ago, Anna and I did and "interchange" with an organization called CISV (Children's International Summer Village)... 10 kids from Miami County and 10 kids from the Malmo,Sweden area were linked up for two summers. The first summer (1994), Anna and the rest of her gang came to the US and stayed with their host families for a month. The following summer (1995) the 10 of us traveled to Sweden to stay with our host families (ie - I stayed with Anna and her fam). It was an amazing experience that I will cherish forever! Anna and I have kept in contact ever since - actually seeing each other about 4-5 times since 1995 (always in the US)...
For the first time, my parents will meet her parents - and not only that - but on HER turf! My brother will meet her brother. My brother's fiance will meet her brother's girlfriend. Our families will finally meet!
Anna and Jimmy are aerialists who just ended a contract with Royal Carribean as featured "dancers" (it's so much more than that)... Check out Jimmy and Anna's professional website for video and pictures of what these two incredibly talented people do.

I am proud of all my friends for various reasons. God has really put some incredibly amazing people in my life. These just happen to get the feature today. Check them out! I'm sure you will be amazed!

That, my friends, is why I am SO excited about going to Europe in (check the coundown) days!

Slow Start.

I'm a teacher. I have the summers off. I'm suppose to get a lot done. I have no excuse not to.

The last day of school was June 2. Granted, I went back in for two weeks afterward for summer school and to pack my room up getting ready to move to a new room... but still...

A whole week has gone by since the end of summer school. I did a load or two of laundry, hung up about half of the clothes that came out, and... well.. what else? WHAT HAVE I DONE? I have spent too much time on the computer is what. Where is my motivation? My summer is already short due to the vacation I am peeing myself about... I had better get my act together if I want to do anything with my summer. It's JULY next week for heaven's sake!

Tomorrow is a new day. Hopefully I will get some vacuuming done, perhaps even take a mop to the kitchen floor... that's the normal stuff I should be doing anyway... *Sigh* What in the world will I do with myself when we have kids? It's times like this I truely understand that God knows what He's doing... What's wrong with me?

Joy

These roses bring such joy to me. More pics to be added...

All I can think of...

is our trip to Europe this summer...

We have finalized the basic itinerary, purchased the plane tickets (for a STEAL I might add!) and are ready to plan the nitty gritty. Here is the plan as it stands:
Tues, Aug. 12, depart Dayton, OH 6:00pm
Wednesday, Aug. 13, arrive Cophenhagen, Denmark, 2:45pm, travel across the Baltic to Sweden to visit with Anna and her family until Friday morning when we will depart to ROME.
Stay in Rome from Friday until Wednesday the 20th of Aug. (One day in there will be to Florence.)
Then go to Munich until Friday the 22nd. Fly back to Copenhagen (travel to Sweden), be ready for Anna's wedding on Saturday. Sunday, have brunch with the Netterlid's and Monday, Aug 25, depart from Copenhagen back to Dayton!

What's super fun is that my whole fam: Mom, Dad, Gordon and his fiance Alicia, and Jon Paul will be going too!!

Ever since I left Europe for the 3rd time in December of 2002, I have had a yearning to go back. I don't know if this will fulfill it forever, but it will help!

YAY!

Pray for good weather, on time flights, and the ability to see a lot of things efficiently without exhausting ourselves sick.

Done.

I breathe a deep sigh of relief (with a faint scent of lilac :P).

Today was the last day of religious education (teaching 3rd grade).


Today was the last day of youth group (high school).


I love ministering in these ways, but it drains me. I feel like I work a 6th day each week. I look forward to the day when my ministry is my family. My day is my family. I know that is going to be difficult and have it's fair share of trials... but I know that is what I am called to do and I am ready to take it on - it's just not time yet for some reason.

Lord, I am waiting as patiently as possible. Please help me through this time. Give me strength and direction on what to do in the meantime. Put the desire on my heart. Where do I go from here? What do I do? These are questions I have asked over and over again. Please help me be able to listen for the answers. ~Amen.

Lilacs in Bloom.........

Praise worthy...

I have always been proud of the university from which I graduated with a bachelor of science degree in early childhood education. Last weekend, my parents went out there to meet Fr. "Podrick" and a couple called "the rosary army" which were at the university for a media conference. this was the first time these representatives from SQPN pod network had been to the university and were quite impressed.
Starting at minute 6:40 - about 20:00 this is what they had to say about the school of which I am so proud:
Franciscan University First-Timers