A Quiet Wood

A Quiet Wood

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

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. :)

21 comments:

cheriepasbjerg said...

Sonja
Your posts always make me laugh. You have such a comedic personality--makes me love your blog all the more!!

Kimberly said...

Methinks I need to check Your skirt-length..hehehe! Lookin GOOD! Glad you're "home" safely!

jenny said...

Yeah for a healthy summer!!!!
And, nice tan, if I might add...

Truckin Teeds said...

Glad you had such a great summer! We'll help you pray for a good year with those charges of yours! :o)

Michael & Ruth Anne Arnold said...

What a surprise to find you in the wonderful world of blogdom. My wife (yes, I'm still getting used to that term) stumbled across your blog by checking someone else's that was linked to someone else's that happened to be on someone else's. (You get the idea.) We now have you in our favorites so we can check in from time to time. We are both very jealous about all of the comments you receive. Anyway, as I allow my state of entire sanctification to return from its low ebb, let me wish you a happy year on the Hilltop. May your days be hospital free and your dorms well-skirted. :)

~Michael

Cindy said...

Aww...you're back! Um..I already knew that as I just talked to Dix :) Glad you made it safely!

Okay, really sad about the birthday cake. It looks soooooo yummy, and I really wish I had a piece right now. Was it chocolate or white? Anyway, it was lovely, and please give my compliments to Ruthie :)
Well, I hope to see you soon and very soon! Don't work too hard, 'K? Love ya!

Philip Brown said...

Welcome "home"! I'm so thankful you had a good summer and a chance to leave the stress of your position behind. Skirt-lengths evidently have plagued the school for a long time. That's the only thing for which your mom ever got after my mother. In my mom's defense it was 1972 (who could find a long dress then?) and she had just bent over to wring out a mop as she was scrubbing the hallway. I join with you in praying that God will become a real person to those students who are struggling. Thank you for setting such a WONDERFUL example for them to follow. Blessings on you! WaaHoooo! Another school year is about to begin! Marianne PS - any success with the "Susie and Johnny" stories?

The Pastor of a Small Rural Church said...

What a beautiful cake!! Happy Unbirthday!!! :-)

Julie

Regi said...

Welcome back! Hope you have a great year!

Kim M. said...

I wanna piece of that yummy looking cake too!
"A Very Merry Un-birthday to you".
Your Mommy did a great job. :-)

Marty said...

Glad you had a great summer! Your picture is BEAUTIFUL!! You look fantanstic...thank the Lord for a healthy summer. So happy to hear about Phil and Dana!

Phil & Sue Arnold said...

Hello from the Arnolds in Michigan. In just a week from today we will be bringing Becky to you and placing her in your capable hands. Good Luck!!! She is related to the Michael Arnold you know. Can't wait to see ya!

Unknown said...

Good to see you in church on Sunday. Sorry I didn't get a chance to say hi. You truly do a wonderful job as dean of women. One year would've done me in but you keep coming back year after year. May God give you a wonderful and healthy school year.

kayla said...

Hobe Sound misses you.
Sorry I missed the shower, but it sounds like everyone had fun. Jen said that you had lots of laughs talking about high school days.
You will be in our prayers.

Tara said...

I rejoice with you in your hospital-free summer! So glad that I got to be with you....even if it was only for a "minute". Now that you're back on the Hilltop (by the way, that first line in this post is just too priceless "blessed be he.." I laughed out loud!), you are closer to me! Wonder if we could take better advantage of that this year?!?

loved the class pic; typical Rickster with all the gals!

lauralavon said...

Your cake was gorgeous! So thankful you had a restful and hospital-free summer! You and all your girls will be in our prayers.

Jo said...

Hooray for happy summers and happy Unbirthdays! I'll be praying for you this year. What an impact you have on the lives of the girls!

Cindy said...

Ahhh...and now it is your birthday! (Doing a little birthday dance right now!) Yay for real birthdays, with real presents and real cake :) Or maybe you were good and didn't have more cake. I know what I would've done :) Bring on the cake, baby :)

Tara said...

Unless memory fails me...today is YOUR REAL birthday!!!

So a happy, happy birthday to you, my oldest of friends! (clarification: meaning not that you are 'old'; but that I have been friends with you longer than anyone else that I can think of!) Feel better?

May your day be merry and bright. (although it is storming like mad here, how 'bout there?)

Liz said...

Sonja...the cake looks so yummy! We really enjoyed seeing you on our trip to FL. this summer. Balderdash was awesome. I just wanted to let you know I started a blog. Praying for you..Liz Barr

Kelly S said...

I thought of you Tuesday and spent some time praying for you. I was sitting on Robyn C.'s front porch enjoying the cool breeze - yes, there actually was a cool breeze - just seems like a dream now. But, I could feel the excitement in the air of school starting back up. There was a lot of bustling of activity, with the guys going up and down the road on the golf cart, people coming in and out of their houses, etc. I thought of you and how swamped you probably are right now.

I'm sure what you do is not always easy, but I know that you are able to connect with the girls in a mighty way. You're a good influence on them and they love you.

Let me know if you need anything.