Hot, Hot, Hot.

"Hey look, it's that Vernon girl."

"Wow, she's been gone for a really long time. She's even lost her tan."

"I know. Sad. I wonder what great excuse she'll give this time about being gone so long."

"Who knows, probably something lame, like she's been so busy."

"Ha! Lame."

"Yeah, lame." *snicker*

Greetings from the smoldering city of Cincinnati. Today my car thermometer registered 105 degrees. I know it really wasn't that hot, but it sounds impressive doesn't it? They say the heat index has been 100 degrees or more the last couple of days. (Whoever "they" are. "They" say a lot of things. Not sure if all of them are true.)

The last couple of weeks have been truly wild with the preparations for and arrival of the incoming freshmen at the old Hilltop. My days have been spent moving furniture, cleaning rooms, sweating uncontrollably, assigning rooms, matching up roommates, praying for grace, entering data into the school computer system for billing, giving pep talks, praying for grace, checking out forlorn faces, answering a myriad of questions, praying for grace, and...last but not least...watching God answer my prayers in a quiet and beautiful way.

It is an amazing thing to tap into the strength of our Heavenly Father; to go through impossible days and find out that it truly is possible to operate in His Spirit and maintain a rest of soul amidst the madness. And the learning continues. I hope this lesson lasts. Sometimes I seem to have to learn and relearn over and over again. *sigh*

One other really neat thing I've been doing is spending time with my buddy, Carson. Those of you who have been on this journey with me for a while have already been introduced. He is a pretty cool guy. I am hopelessly, helplessly smitten. I think he is amazing.


And one more for good measure. Here is complete relaxation - with a really proud grandpa!


OK, I'm done. Life is good. It's hot, but God and technology provide air conditioning. (I really like my air to be conditioned.) So, dear friends, stay cool, drink lots of water, and may your air always be conditioned...or fresh, as the case may be. Fresh is good too.

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggety Jig

Well, at last the pall of reality has settled, the fairy dust of summer vacation has cleared, and behold I am back on the Hilltop again. Not that being back on the Hilltop is a BAD thing. Oh no, dear friends, it is a hallowed place, beloved by many. (Former haven of our exalted founder, Martin Wells Knapp, blessed be he.) However, my return signals the resumption of my responsible life as an adult, ready to mete out justice and wisdom and tackle the pressing issues of our day (things like curfew, skirt lengths, and chapel attendance). Ah yes, summer is over. *sniff*

However (she says again, as if she has no other transitional word), the summer was wonderful while it lasted - actually a direct answer to prayer. After a bit of a rocky spring, I did ask our Heavenly Father if He would like to give me a healthy summer, free of those nasty little hospital visits, and He did! I know He is never obligated to do things like that, but it is so nice to have those blessings when He chooses! Yay for healthy summers!

The end of the summer was blessed by a flurry of activities with friends. To name a few, there was a shower for my cousin Phil's future bride, Dana. It was a really nice occasion with old and new friends alike. (Side note: my mom made the cake. It was beautiful!)

Seeing my mom's cake for Dana brought up the painful realization that I hadn't had one of my mom's birthday cakes in many years. *smile* I'm never home on my birthday. So, I whined until my mom made me a birthday cake. No, my birthday's not for a few weeks yet. But I WAS SO HAPPY! I loved my cake so much. Not only was it beautiful (note the little blue flowers around the edges). IT TASTED GREAT! Every heart patient's dream. :)

We had some special friends over to celebrate my Unbirthday. I have known Marie & Carmelo for many years. They are pretty much in the "family" category by now. It was a great evening, complete with homemade ice cream. *gazing off into the distance in fond remembrance*

It was also very special to be able to spend an evening with several of my high school classmates. Reminiscing brings lots of laughter, and catching up with current news is always nice. We always seem to bring up some of the same stories, but they are just as funny or funnier every time they are told. We had a really nice evening together.

Yes, it has been a fantastic summer, a time to rest, recharge, and renew. I return to "real life" with a bit of anticipation and an excitement to see what God will do for my girls and me in this new school year. If you have any extra prayers that you're not using right now, send them my way. I long for some of my girls to truly meet Jesus this year and have their lives transformed forever. I want to see God do things that ONLY He can get credit for. I know He can.

You know, I think it's going to be a good year. :)