A beautiful mess

Started a small babysitting job today. I’m watching a 14 month old baby boy who happens to live in my apartment complex. He’s super cute and happy. Today I took him to the little park and pool. The mom is there while I watch him,she just wants someone to watch him for a few hours so she can get stuff done because they’re about to have another baby. Anyway, its not bad for $10/hr. I’m going back tomorrow.

I thought there was something else i wanted to write about, but I don’t remember.

My phone is dead.

I should be getting a new one in the next few days, but if you need to reach me for some reason e-mail me or send me a message (facebook, myspace, livejournal, whatever…)

I wish I could just do one thing sometime that made somebody proud.

So… ’s officially summer break now. Well, it was last week too but it actually feels like it now. Every year I can never wait for it to get here, but I always dislike it more than I think I will. not that I wish I was back at school with homework and papers and tests, etc… but it’s just so boring.

I’ve started on my summer to-do list – I’ve kinda started exercising and I’m going on a “diet.” Not really, but I’m going to try to eat healthy. Beth and I got some tae-bo tapes so we’re going to start doing those. I wanna lose about 15lbs. It’d be nice to do so before i go on my cruise, but we’ll see how that works.

I went to Union City this weekend with Beth for her sister’s graduation. It was fun. The graduation wasn’t until Sunday evening and we got there Friday night. on Saturday we got our hair cut and then had steak for dinner. We rented two movies, one of which we watched later that night because we thought it would be scary so we wanted to watch it at night. I think it was called Subline or Sublime or something…I don’t even remember. Anyway, it wasn’t scary AT ALL. it was STUPID. So don’t waste your time with that one, it was awful! Sunday we didn’t do much… went to church… had steak again at the reception for the seniors at church… I don’t really remember what else we did that afternoon until the graduation. After the graduation we watched our other movie The Holiday, which was a million times better. Then we came home this afternoon and grilled chicken on the new grill!

However, I’m kind of annoyed right now — random stuff that tends to bother me at random times, and I can’t even listen to music to distract me right now! my speakers on my computer arent working for some reason. they’re turned on and plugged in though, so I don’t know what the deal is!

• go to wal-mart
• go to target (print pictures)
• go to hallmark in the mall
• get gas
• call about babysitting job
• go running at union

if all goes right, i’ll have all of this done….later. today, preferably.

It’s only been a month and a half since I got back from Turkey… thats an appropriate time to do a re-cap of a trip, right? well, maybe not, but it’s the first time I’ve had a chance to write since I got back without a million other things hanging over my head that I had to do… even though you’ve all probably already seen all the pictures on facebook. but here goes….

After months of preparation my team, consisting of 15 students and our two leaders, was ready (that's a relative term) to GO.

March 31, 2007

at the airport in Memphis.

We met at the circle at school at 3:00am, to leave by 3:30 and drive to Memphis. I was surprised by the lack of difficulties at the airport, and besides the fact that Mike and Nick almost over slept and missed the van, everything went smoothly. We got checked right in and had about an hour before our plane left for Denver. Yes, Denver, Colorado. Whoever planned our trip thought it would be logical to fly from Memphis, TN to Denver, CO (which is WEST), and then fly all the way EAST to Europe. But whatever…so off we went.

We finally made it to Denver! Everyone was starting to get exhausted.

We wandered around and found food and stuff for about 5 hours. Upon arrival at our gate, there was a party!!!
 
this man gave me presents

there was a band, and free food, and people giving away free gifts…. and that’s because we were on the inaugural flight from Denver to Munich. so that was pretty exciting – I’ve never been on an inaugural flight before. So we finally left Denver and were on our way to Germany. 

Ten hours later we were in Munich, Germany, where we spent another 6 hours before our next flight. Germany was fun – they have good chocolate. I looked for Birkenstocks in the airport, but they didn’t have any. I just got some new ones, but they’re like 20 bucks over there, so I thought it wouldn’t hurt to look. Anyway… I don’t remember much else about Germany and I didn’t write anything else down about it… maybe I slept a lot in the airport, I don’t really remember. All I remember is doing Sudoku, and eating chocolate.

 
this thing says bread in every language

 
Nick and I kept ourselves entertained (and awake) with Sudoku. He was a lot better at it than me though.

Then we had a two and a half hour flight from Munich to Izmir, Turkey.

April 2, 2007

That sign says EPHESUS!!!!!!
How cool is that? you’re driving down the road and, oh hey, Ephesus is 5km down the street.

So we finally made it all the way Central Asia – Turkey – where we’d be spending the next week leading a camp/retreat for missionary kids all over the Central Asia region. No one really knew what we’d be doing, except Amelia who had a better idea than the rest of us because she went last year. But even she wasn’t prepared for the amazing things God had planned for the week.

first night at the retreat center… the mountain next to camp.

We had originally been told, a few months ago, that there would be about 30 kids coming to camp. A couple weeks before we left that number was moved up to 75. By the time we got there, the number had risen to 110 – all in a retreat center made to house 50 people. We added an extra person to each room, and made bedrooms out of other rooms that we didn’t need to use, and had the adult chaperones sleep in the room above the kitchen and dining hall. All 12 of the girls on our trip slept in a room made for 5. but hey, it was fun and good bonding time. 

the girls room – before we moved in and took over every free inch of space with all of our luggage.

The kids starting showing up sporadically throughout the day on Monday.

so we just hung out with them and got to know them all day until we had evening celebration and a scavenger hunt. We also broke down into our small groups - I led a group of 15 8th grade girls (but more about them later)

April 3, 2007
Each day of camp was pretty much the same… well, Tuesday and Wednesday were anyway. We had morning celebration, breakfast, quiet time, rec time, lunch time, small group session, free time, evening celebration and an evening event.

 
me with Flor, a 19 year old girl from Honduras – i LOVE her, and Tabea, one of the girls in my small group, originally from Germany. one my favorites

 
during rec time… I’m in there somewhere.

me and ashley

April 4, 2007

one way we served the kids was by doing the dishes.. usually at retreats like these they have to do them themselves. a lot of them even wanted to help us, but we let them relax instead.

our team actually had a great time doing the dishes. Usually we would sing Disney songs.

me and Euni! he was hilarious! 
I guess I could explain this picture – we were making fun of our eyes… he made his big like Americans and I made mine small like Asians. ha

during free time some of us a small photo shoot

kinda reminds me of the Brady Bunch………kinda…

dinner time! Turkish food was AMAZING!

me and Flor again.

That night we had a Talent Show/Open Mic Night – the kids had a blast doing that!

April 5, 2007

my amazing small group

Last day of camp…. for free time today we CLIMBED THE MOUTNAIN and SAW THE RUINS OF EPHESUS!!!!!!! We climbed the wall of Ephesus…saw where the soldiers lived. We climbed where Paul and Timothy climbed.

Mountain climbing adventure!

 
me & Lily… not even all the way up. Look at that view!!

getting closer..

WE MADE IT!!!

at the top! All that back there… yeah, that’s EPHESUS!

we had an amazing time of worship, and Carter gave his testimony.

another small group picture..

the whole group minus scott and jenn 

On the way back down the mountain, somehow one of the kids ended up leading, and we missed our turn. So we got kinda lost…. we went through the woods (ON the side of the mountain)…we were belly crawling through bushes and getting poked with thorns. It was quite an adventure – it was pretty fun though.

 
Tabea, me, and Lauren

Later that night as our last group event, we had a bonfire and made s’mores! We had a whole suitcase packed with graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate.

it was the first time a lot of them had ever had s’mores. They don’t get that kinda stuff over there. Everyone loved it!!!

two of my small group girls… notice they are taller than me.

April 6, 2007
the last few minutes of camp. We said our goodbye’s after breakfast, and then it was time for our team to go to EPHESUS! The very place that my favorite book of the Bible was written (Ephesians!) as well as many others. This is the place that Paul lived! ahhh! it was incredible!

 
Brandon and I found KD and ATO in an ancient Greek monument. you can’t really see them in this picture but that’s what we’re pointing at.

this is what we imagined Paul looked like. ha

 
the old library

 
closer picture of the library

 most of the girls

 
so stinkin’ intricate

 
Ashley, Lily and me being statues

 
the theater… where Paul preached!

our amazing team in the theater

 
leaving Ephesus, with the theater behind us

 
the magical atmosphere bathrooms outside of the exit

Afterwards we had lunch at a Turkish restaurant… and the tables and seats were on the floor! It was pretty much the perfect restaurant for me because you had to take off your shoes and you got to eat on the floor! (i love doing both of those things in case you were wondering).. it was fun, and it was really comfy too!

IZMIR
After that we drove an hour back to Izmir where we would spend the next two nights. We got there in time for dinner…we ate in the hotel’s restaurant (it was a super nice hotel). Then a group of us went out that night, we walked down to the Aegean Sea and got tea (hey that rhymes!)

the sunset from our hotel window

April 7, 2007
We went shopping pretty much all day. Some of the kids who were from Izmir came with us!

the whole group + Mar.

we discovered delicious Magnum ice cream bars!!!!!

and Turkish ice cream. It was weird, but good.

And BAKLAVA! yum! it was a great way to end the trip.

April 8, 2007
EASTER SUNDAY! we woke up at about 2:30 to make the long journey home.

This trip was amazing. I was scared to go at first, mostly because I’d never even gone to camp when I was little, let alone lead one. I had no idea what to expect, but I guess sometimes its better that way. I’m pretty sure I learned more from those kids than they learned from me. And it was really refreshing – it was really nice to see a group/team of people who actually genuinely cared about what they were doing and didn’t just throw stuff together. My team was amazing! and it was awesome to see who kids who were genuine, too. My small group actually got into discussions and asked questions, and answered questions – and they were in 8th grade! Worship time with everyone was awesome too because they all genuinely worshipped and didn’t just stand there.

And thanks to facebook I can still keep in touch with a lot of them, how cool is that?

These pictures and more can be found here.

I’m sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo bored!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I slept until 1 today, that was nice. I need a job super bad! I’ve applied at Walgreens, Kroger pharmacy, and several babysitting positions. I’m hoping one of those works out! and soon, too… I can’t handle every day being like this all summer. 

Nothing really exciting going on…. the other day Beth and I went to eat at O’Charley’s and ended up getting it for free! that’s always nice. We had a coupon for a free appetizer so we got that and an entree and were going to split it all – we got a salad for our entree – it ended up taking almost an hour to get, and our waitor was really annoying. it was his fault it took so long, so he paid for our meal for us, and gave us free dessert. 

hmm…. can’t think of anything else. Except I’m hungry so I’m going to go eat something I think.

MY ART PROJECT IS DONE!!!!!!!!!!!! finally.

I thought it would never be finished!!! 

all I have left now are my microbiology, chemistry, and english finals, and maybe a psychology final. and i have to turn in that dang art project. then i am DONE!

then I’m going to CLEAN my room, i’ll probably end up cleaning the apartment, look for a job, and PLAN MY VACATION… those are my immediate plans for this/next week. and sleeping of course. I am so tired! Oh! annnd…there is a new penguin movie coming out on JUNE 8th!!!!! isn’t that exciting? I sure thought so!

also, Beth is my favorite cause she helped me with my amazing art project and was there through every hour of abstract creativity. poor girl watched me cut and paste for something like 1,763 hours, but that’s just a rough estimate. well, thats not why she’s my favorite, but she still helped me with it a lot — and chemistry too….and i appreciated it  : ) 

in less than 48 hours I’ll be on summer vacation! yes!

Almost there…. just one art project, one take-home test and 3 finals left between me and summer break! yay!!!!

then I’m going to look for a job, and hopefully go on vacation!!, and…umm…. that’s about it. Oh wait! no it’s not. here is my summer to-do list:

• go on vacation
• get a job
• exercise
• read a book
• practice not getting attacked by a rhino

sorry, I almost forgot that last one.

just….3….more……..weeks……..