Why It's Ok to be a Terrible Runner

Jordan Fortenboher is an amazing woman as you will see from her guest post below. She has an awesome blog where you'll be able to check out the post I wrote for it today about my experience making pottery. I appreciate what Jordan has to say about finding God in everyday experiences. As someone who used to hate running (& still avoids it most of the time), I enjoyed her honesty here. I hope you do, too!

Megan
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A few weeks ago, as much as I hate running, I decided to push myself to go for a quick run at a nearby park.  Dusk was approaching and I forgot my headphones.  It certainly felt eerie hearing only leaves rustling in the heat of July.

Let me be clear--I am not much of a runner.  But lately, I have been trying to discipline myself and exercise--plus I have been striving to do so in many areas of my life.

And this striving brings worry.  What if I'm not good enough to run well to the end?  What if people running by think I am weak for only running in short bursts?

And this was not the best day to run.  The heat of the scorching day lagged steamy between the tree leaves.  Each and every air molecule seemed to be bursting with humidity, like a thick mist suspended and still, only cut by the warm skin of those daring enough to journey through it.

I was really trying to run well, but I felt held back.  Hot air sticking in my burning lungs, leg muscles aching, I stopped.  I looked up and around me.  I was alone on this difficult path.

A gentle voice welled up inside of me:  "Be free."

How?  I thought.  I am not a runner.  I am chained down by imperfection and not-enough-ness and...there it was again.  That voice:

"Be free, like the trees who let their leaves dance in the breeze, singing their rustling song to Me.  Be free, child.  Breathe with intention instead of fear."

I closed my eyes and listened to the trees around me, leaves rustling without a care.  My lungs burned but I let go of a sliver of fear each time I breathed out.  And I desperately sucked in God's strength in its place.

The journey of seeking God is not easy.  Sometimes we run freely, other times we have to slow our pace to a walk.  And sometimes we face-plant.  But the command of the LORD is still the same:  "Do not fear; I am with you." (Isaiah 41:10, paraphrased).

"Live with intention and freedom in ME instead of fear" was the message from the Holy Spirit that day.

Suddenly I felt convicted, not about my running, but about my whole life.  All this striving I was doing was taking my mind away from trusting in God.  It was directing my thoughts toward fear.

My heart can get so clenched up in anxiety that I don't even notice until I'm practically falling over on a running trail!  The muscles of faith in my spirit were just as tired as my lungs.  I was only working up worry in all of my effort.

I stood still, breathing in and out, remembering this verse:

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.  (2 Corinthians 3:17, ESV)

FREEDOM.  Not panic.  Not perfectionism.  Not chains of worry.  Not slavery to fear.  But freedom in Christ.

And maybe, just maybe, as we let go of our fear and lean in to the strength of Christ, we can start to lean in to the flow of the story He is writing for us.  Maybe, as He orchestrates the symphony of our lives, we can loosen up a little and be free like the dancing leaves of the trees.

Whether life brings a strong wind or a gentle breeze, maybe our lives could be released from our tight, fearful grip and lifted up in a song of praise to God.  Every trip, every stumble, every victory...maybe it's all a song to Him.  Maybe it's all about putting one foot in front of the other, one step at a time, in obedience.

Maybe being brave is all about shaking off the chains of fear and walking freely in trust.



Jordan Fortenboher is a writer, worship leader, and wife.  She lives in the Cincinnati area where she blogs about faith and bravery.  You can read more on her blog, http://jordanforty.me, and connect with her on twitter (@jordanforty) or her facebook page.

Michigan

I found these fun facts about Michigan here:

• The name Michigan is derived from the Indian words "Michi-gama" meaning large lake. 

• Michigan is the only state that touches four of the five Great Lakes.

• Anywhere in Michigan, you are within 85 miles of one of the Great Lakes.

These were found here:

• Colon is home to the world's largest manufacture of magic supplies.  

• Gerald R. Ford grew up in Grand Rapids and became the 38th president of the United States He attended the University of Michigan where he was a football star. He served on a World War II aircraft carrier and afterward represented Michigan in Congress for 24 years. He was also was an Eagle Scout, the highest rank in Boy Scouts. 

• The Packard Motor Car Company in Detroit manufactured the first air-conditioned car in 1939. 

• The Kellogg Company has made Battle Creek the Cereal Capital of the World. The Kellogg brothers accidentally discovered the process for producing flaked cereal products and sparked the beginning of the dry cereal industry.

 

I Was Homeschooled But My Child Is Not

 I'd like to introduce you to my new friend, Mindy, who has so kindly allowed me to share this post and also to do a guest post for her blog. Check out what I had to say on her health & wellness blog, and enjoy her story here.

Hi everyone!  I am a recently thirty-year-old person, and I also happen to be a wife and a mother. I'm a day-jobber with a freelance writing addiction.  I like moderate exercise resulting in a maximum of moderate amounts of sweat, the color purple, discussing science with my six-year-old daughter, and food.  If you want to read more about me, or read more of my posts, come visit me at www.mindyminix.wordpress.com

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Thank you, Megan, for blog swapping with me!  You are an amazing lady, and this has been a wonderful experience!

I was an odd child, or, at least that is how I felt growing up.  My mother homeschooled me and my two brothers.  Homeschooling has grown in popularity since I was a kid.  I dare say it is almost cool to homeschool your children these days.  When I was a child, though, the only other homeschoolers I encountered were generally odd, to say the least.  Because every homeschooler I met was odd, I just assumed that meant I was odd, too.

When people find out I was homeschooled most of my childhood, they usually have questions.  It is so hard to produce succinct answers, though.  I will try to sum up my homeschool experience here.

I look back on things, and I try to keep in mind that I am looking through the eyes of a child.  I wasn't an adult experiencing this, or even (initially, anyway) an older child.  My first memory of learning something significant was when my parents taught me to tie my shoes.  It was a joint effort, both mom and dad encouraging and working with me.  I remember learning to write my name, and then learning to write my middle and last name as well.  I don't remember these events taking much cajoling or significant effort on my parents' parts.  I wish I could say it all stayed that way.

In my experience, there are definitely some families that make homeschooling look easy.  There are other families that obviously have difficulties, but they stick to a schedule and they push through together.  From where I sit right now, it seemed messy, chaotic, and unorganized compared to those families.

Mom let us sleep until we woke up, and then she fed us when we said we were hungry.  Sometimes that meant she cooked three separate times just for breakfast.  If I could knock out an entire day's worth of workbook material in less than two hours and get each answer correct, I was done.  If I insisted I wanted to play outside first before completing any of my work, that was okay, too.

Some days if the weather was beautiful, we would go to the park for a few hours and play and hike and picnic.  When we finally started looking bored, she would bring out some random curriculum.  One of us would sit at a picnic table and work with mom while the other two kids played.  We took turns as she taught us.  I don't remember ever going over every subject in a single day.  We usually focused on just one subject matter each day. I always had a spelling test on Tuesdays, though.

Something I have said that usually makes people laugh is that I didn't learn to read until I was at least seven-years-old.  Sadly, I'm not kidding.  My mother tried teaching me to read at age three, four, five, and six, and she tried many different approaches. But the problem was me!  I wasn't interested.  I was a stubborn, headstrong, self-absorbed brat, and she was NOT going to make me learn.  I look back on this and shake my head at the child I was all those years ago.  I didn't learn to read until my best friend was reading every book, sentence, and word we came in contact with everywhere we went!  How ridiculous of me!  How did my mother not strangle me?  Let's just say, Hooked On Phonics worked for me.

My brother has dyslexia.  We didn't know he had dyslexia until he was almost an adult.  He was a slow reader, but he was good at everything else he did.  I remember within a year of learning to read, I passed him up in reading.  I was reading stories much longer and more complex, and in a fraction of the time.  He was three years older than me, too.  My mother didn't hold me back from reading three to four grade levels higher than I should have been, and she also didn't stop my brother from learning high-school level math at age twelve.  Eventually, I helped my brother with reading, and he helped me with math.

I get asked a lot would I homeschool my child.  My answer every time without hesitation is a resounding no.  I used to resent that I was homeschooled, that I had a different story than most people.  I hated that I didn't have yearbooks, or school pictures, or friends except for those I met in church.  Those are all the reasons I would have given for not homeschooling before my daughter became old enough for school.  Now, as a parent that is finally understanding where my mother was coming from, the answer is still no, but for different reasons.

I look back at what looks like chaos and I see an overwhelming pattern emerge. My mother was loving, patient, and she didn't take any crap. She taught us everything, including common sense. The most important part, the overwhelming pattern, is that she was there.

I graduated high school from a real school. It was small, but it wasn't school at home and it wasn't GED class. I graduated top of my class. I also have the best little girl in the world that is kind and loving and smart. I learned from my mother how important it is to be there for your children.

I wouldn't homeschool my child, though. It just isn't for me. It just isn't for my child, either. I would readily support any homeschooling family, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for an alternative lifestyle. It gave me so much more time with my family.

How to Decide if You Should be a Nanny: 9 Simple Questions

"Were you born before or after World War II?" 

That's what "my" 9 year old girl asked me one night before bed. 

I've been a full-time nanny of four (ages 6, 9, 12, 16) since January of this year. 

And I'm realizing there's an endless supply of hilarious things they say. 

If you've ever considered being a nanny (or know someone who has), then I hope this post will help in the decision of whether or not it's something to really pursue:

1. Are you okay with working 2nd shift? There have been weeks where I didn't see my mom even though I live with her because she was asleep when I got home and gone to work when I woke up. It's definitely something to keep in mind when considering being a nanny. Many children are in school, so you'll probably be on a different schedule than the 9 to 5 crowd. For me at least, the hours are fairly flexible. I can go in early to buy groceries, prep a meal, clean rooms, do laundry and dishes, or I can just be there in time to pick them up from school or get them off the bus. Then I can finish things up after they've gone to bed. Some days I'll go in at 10am then others at 4pm.

2. Do you not mind being made to feel old? Besides the WWII question, these kids can make me feel old. Last night I told the boy that I was his age twenty. years. ago. They've also never heard of things that were a big part of my childhood. Speaking of my childhood...

3. Do you want to feel guilty for your behavior as a child? I thought I was the easiest kid to raise ever. I never broke a bone, never did drugs, always made good grades. Yeah, that's great, but kids are still a lot of work and responsibility. It takes brainpower to teach a kid to be respectful while also making sure they do their homework that gives them "a headache," eat their supper that's "disgusting," and go to sleep because it's an hour passed their bedtime. I'm sorry, Mama.

4. Do you love adventure? Every week, if not every day, is an adventure. Sometimes it's a walk to the pond to throw rocks, or a visit to their school book fair, or a trip to Chuck E. Cheese, or almost an entire day in the Apple store because someone dropped her phone. Every day is different enough to be fun, but enough stays the same (like the kids' names and where their house is) so that it doesn't feel like it's my first day again. Not that my first day was bad; I just didn't know where anything in their house was or what their routines were.

Another unexpected adventure was making an adorable Dorothy outfit for her "dress up as a book character" day at school.

5. Do you like the idea of getting paid to read and be read to? My boss' secretary told me that the only thing he's said to her about me is, "She stays a little later than other nannies, but she reads to my kids and I like that." I was just doing what they asked me to, although I do read more than one book a night. Reading is important to most parents (& teachers), so it's a huge plus if you enjoy it!

6. Do you genuinely care about people you just met? The mom told me with tears in her eyes that it's so hard to find someone like me who really cares about their children. I didn't feel like I had done anything special; it's just natural for me to care about people. That will make your job so much easier. If you don't care about people, don't waste your time or theirs. I've had a job where they told me maybe I care too much about the kids, so there are jobs where you don't have to care so much. Being a nanny is not one of them.

7. Do you love to laugh? The 6 year old went outside in his PJs to get his dad from the barn. So when he got back, I asked him to put his shoes away. I went upstairs searching for crayons for their upcoming vacation. He finds me in the laundry room later and says, "Megan, I have something funny to tell you. I just walked all around the house looking for my shoes! Then I realized they were on my feet the whole time." It's a good lesson to learn now, buddy. I'm glad he was such a good sport about it. And I love that he wanted to tell me; otherwise I wouldn't have had that great laugh. They do and say things daily to make me laugh. Every single one of them has cracked me up! Not only is is good for you if you like laughing, but it helps them be in a better mood and see you as more approachable.

8. Are you ready to be able to relate to nine-tenths of the things moms say? "I miss my kids already, and I just left them. And I'll see them again in 2 days." I never thought I'd say that about my own kids much less anyone else's. I've also caught myself thinking, "I'm excited to fold laundry because I get to sit down." I read a post of things about being a mom, and one of them said, "You run toward vomit instead of away from it." I had just done that the week before. Cleaned it up & also did the whole "hold her hair back while she's bent over the trashcan" thing. This was so unexpected for me.

9. Can you handle being treated like family? This includes being ignored, locked out of the house, and complained to. The day after I wrote the first draft of this post, one kid said, "I'm glad you're not going to the beach with us," because I had to make her clean her room before they left. Being a nanny can be hard on your emotions. You have to be able to let stuff go and remember you are awesome even when the kids don't think you are. But being treated like family also includes being invited to lunch at school, having inside jokes, getting an unexpected hug, and being given a valentine card with a note from each one! They'll break your heart, but they'll also melt it.

If you answered yes to most of these questions, I highly recommend signing up on Care.com which is where I found this job as well as other part-time babysitting jobs. There are lots of opportunities according to zipcode, & it's easy to use. Oh, and it's free! I'm happy to answer any questions you have about it or about being a nanny in general.

If you've been a nanny, what questions would you add to this list?

Get Your Fun Mail Postcards Here

Today is the last day to help Chris on his cycling trip from Seattle to NYC. And if you donate $10, you get a postcard from one of the states they travel through. If you donate $15, you get 3! Thought you might like to know. :)




Read more about it here, & sign up for my newsletter if you'd like to be sure not to miss similar posts.

Best Advice I've Received Without Knowing It

"Never go on a diet," & "Be careless!"

They both sound like really bad advice at first. But...

When my sister told me to never go on a diet, I had no idea how helpful this would be for me.

I'm guessing I was in middle or high school. We were walking around the track. We had seen our mother diet, like many others, with great success only to re-gain all of the weight.

Around that time, my very overweight father told me that he used to wear jeans in "slim" sizes, too, when he was my age.

So what did I do to avoid becoming like my parents (at least in terms of being overweight)?

I did not go on a diet.

Instead, I made small choices to drink more water (where I'm now to the point of never drinking soda), try new vegetables, and make sure I continue doing things I love that are active (swimming, climbing trees, walking). It has led to me also finding new things I love (kayaking, backpacking, rock climbing, contra dancing).

At that moment, neither of us had any idea that I would remember that conversation with my sister 10 or 15 years later. I'm the same size as I was then (which also means, yes, I'm short!) and have never been on a diet.



"Be careless."

 

My dad used to say this to us as children all the time. I loved it! While the rest of the adult world (and even sometimes other children) was screaming, "Be careful!" he gave permission to make mistakes.

He seemed to really use it as reverse psychology and a joke. I loved the playfulness of the phrase as if he was saying he didn't care if we got hurt, but I could hear in his voice that he did. It wasn't as annoying as hearing someone say for the thousandth time to "be careful." When they said that, it seemed to mean, "Stop whatever you are doing and do something that involves less risk because I don't want to have to take you to the hospital if you get hurt."

For me, his phrase to be careless has so much more meaning.

In that one phrase, I would hear also:

• Be careful, while you continue to try this somewhat dangerous/scary thing you are doing because I don't want you to get hurt, but I do want you to have fun and grow and learn new things.
• Be carefree. Don't worry about if other people think it's too scary. Trust yourself, and know your limits. But also test them because if you don't, they will always remain your limits.
• Be sloppy. It's ok sometimes. Don't be a perfectionist. Don't fear showing your weaknesses. It's hard to make anything without making mistakes. Learn from them, fix them when you can, but make them. And with them you will make memories, and friends, and beauty.

I don't think this is exactly what my siblings heard when he said this; they may not even remember him saying it. But until I watched this excellent interview with Grant Cardone in which he mentioned that he told his nanny not to tell his kids to "be careful" but to "be dangerous," I didn't realize what great advice (that he probably didn't even consider to be advice) my dad had given and how it may have affected the choices I make even today.



What's the best advice you've ever gotten?

3 Reasons I'm Glad I was $25k in Debt

This is the letter I received after my first of 5 student loans was paid off. And it felt awesome. First reason I'm glad I had debt?


1. Accomplishment. The feeling of accomplishment is not enough to make the debt worth it. I could have also felt accomplished if I'd saved all of that money to buy land. But it is great being able to look back at how much you owed and measure how much of your goal you've reached.

It's a great confidence-booster and teacher of discipline. It has helped me develop good financial habits and minimize bad ones. This will help me in my future endeavors, which include saving up to buy that land I mentioned earlier. Now I know it's possible not just for some people to save $25k in less than 3 years, but it is possible for me to do it.

As I said, though, that accomplishment alone is not enough to have made the debt worth it. So I shall continue.


 
After finding out how much I owed in student loans while in my last semester of college, I remember singing "Oh, praise the One Who paid my debt..."

I began to think about how I would treat someone if they paid that $25,000 debt for me.

I'd be so thankful and feel kind of guilty and embarrassed. I'd be amazed at their kindness. I would probably talk about it in whispered tones of wonder and almost disbelief.

My love of handwritten letters would cause me to write a thank-you note first.

Then I'd want to live my life in such a way that they wouldn't regret paying the debt for me. This would mean working hard to take care of myself, not being wasteful, and paying it forward by helping others. I'd also want to stay in touch with that person to let them know what their sacrifice helped me do and become. Staying in touch would also allow me to know what ways I could be helpful to them in return even though it would be nowhere near what they did for me.

This leads us to my second reason for being glad I had that much debt.


2. Gratefulness. I'm grateful to all of the people who helped me along the way by giving me a place to live, a job (with free delicious and usually healthy food!), and encouragement and advice.

I'm also grateful for the friends I have who "confessed" that they continue to defer their loans. My boss has even told me most people never pay theirs back as if I shouldn't either. Although I don't agree, there is a debt that I can't repay. As my friend said about her student loans, "I just keep hitting 'defer, defer, defer.'" It seems like such a hopeless place to be. The debt always hanging over your head, lurking in the back of your mind as you try to enjoy your life. You're just not really free. You're trapped knowing there's nothing you can do to pay it.

Then Someone pays it for you.

That sin I know I can never work hard enough to erase? Yeah, Someone paid that debt for me. That bigger debt. (Luke 7:41-43 & 47) That's gratefulness. That's freedom. And that's what hit home when I was  $25k in debt. If I would do all of those things for someone if they had paid my financial debt, why not do them for the One Who paid my spiritual debt?



Maybe $25,000 doesn't sound like much to you. Now that my debt is less than $5k, it doesn't seem like as much to me either, especially when I hear stories of people who have paid off $250k. I'm learning not to compare that way, though. They might make over 4 times more than I do. But that still doesn't mean it's easy for them. Or they could have 3 kids. But just because I don't have any children doesn't mean I haven't had to sacrifice.

Which leads to my third reason I'm glad I had so much debt.

Photo by my 12-year-old niece, Grace

3. Inspiration. I've been so caught up in the sacrifice, the giving-three-fourths-of-my-income-to-pay-off-student-loans that I didn't even stop to think that this part of my life could inspire others. Maybe a little but not really. I was excited for myself to be out of debt, but I didn't think I could help others until mine was completely paid off.

Then I shared the basics of my story with a group on Facebook last month.

Their responses were all it took to change my outlook. It's the reason I've written this post. I want to encourage you in practical ways as others have done for me.

No, paying debt isn't all about sacrifice and discipline, hard work, and being deprived. I have gone on a trip out of the country every year since I began paying my debt! I would be without months of these amazing memories if I'd let my debt keep me back:

• I spent Christmas (and 2 weeks!) in England with three lovely friends visiting Jane Austen & C. S. Lewis/J. R. R. Tolkien sights & so much more. 
• I went on my first road trip which was with my younger brother for 40 days! From Georgia to Alaska through Canada. 
• A few months later I was invited to raft the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon (which I had never seen) for 17 days. I actually considered not going because of finances. So glad I went anyway! 
• The next year I raised over $1,000 thanks to generous friends to go on a mission trip to Thailand where I had so much fun playing with children in an orphanage.

Having that to look forward to keeps me going when I have to give up smaller things or even other big things like having my own place to live (instead I live with family for now).

Don't give up everything that's important to you in order to pay your debt.

Some sacrifices aren't worth making.

*Update: I have now paid off my loans! Click here to read about what I didn't expect after paying off my debt.

Though I'm not an expert, I do have some experience. So let me know if you have any questions. I'd love to help you if I can!


Do you have any different reasons you've been glad you had your own debt?

DIY home for less than $3500

"Do something today that your future self will thank you for."



I wrote this on my hand after a friend shared it on my facebook page. Although I've decided to wait until about August to buy my trailer & start building my tiny house, I'm not waiting until then to "do something." By the 1st week of July, I should be able to have my student loans paid off, and then I can save money for the trailer. It seems so far away, but I know it will be worth it. So for now I'm still coming up with ideas, meeting new people, & reading all the awesome links people are sending me now that they know I'm going to do this. I'm already at the point of thanking myself for things I've done in the past.



This is the video that first inspired me to undertake this task.

After seeing other houses being built, I had begun to think that my goal of spending less than $5000 was
absolutely impossible. I didn't even remember that this one had only cost $3500 until my aunt posted it this week, & I watched it for the 2nd time...& the first time since I decided to start building this year. I'd love to build it for even less, but I also want to be realistic & not limit myself to the point of making it un-enjoyable. I also believe it's a valuable learning experience...& let's just take a moment to
think about the fact that I spent 5 times that much on a college degree that did not come with a house.



This week I also decided to try selling these headbands (with a heart!) that I crochet in order to raise money for missions.

 

I love going on mission trips myself, so I also love supporting others. I have many friends currently in other countries & many more going soon. This year I have already been able to give to people in Tanzania, Israel, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Thailand, & India for a total of $205. I'm also making a donation this week to a woman in Rwanda. I would love to do more! If you'd like more information about these mission trips (some are long-term, some short-term), you can email me at mcstarbuck{at}gmail{dot}com. I'd be happy to answer any questions. If you know someone who might be interested in...


(1) Supporting missions

(2) Buying crocheted items

(3) Gaining support for a mission trip they are taking

(4) Selling crocheted items


 ...you could really help me out by spreading the word. This way I can still give while building a tiny house.

I also created a facebook page to make it easier to keep up with these little things I'm doing. Please go "like" it; I only post to it a couple of times a week, so it won't overtake your feed. :)



This is me doing something TODAY that my future self will hopefully thank me for. What will you do today?

Tiny House, Lots of Stuff

Memphis, here I come! I've gotten off work & sent in half of my payment for the tiny house workshop. I also worked this weekend in addition to my regular hours in order to help pay for that trip without getting behind on my student loans. 

Unfortunately, the Home Depot workshop was disappointing. I might try it again some other time because the person who led it mentioned that someone else normally does it. There were 10 people there trying to listen to him speak quietly over the bustling of the store behind us. What I could hear was really good information as far as knowing what materials to use & what's the best price for what you want.  I would bring a notebook & pen next time. There was no hands-on work done, though, which is what I thought it was supposed to be. 

Other than that, I haven't done much this week, which is really a relief after all of the time this project took up last week. I'm taking it much slower now, knowing that a lot of the questions I have will be answered at the workshop. I've looked at some other houses to gain ideas. 

Here's my favorite! I've definitely seen windows at antique shops that I've wanted but didn't have a use for...til now.

I also decided to count my stuff. Space is obviously something to consider when moving into a small house, & I've read about people getting their possessions down to a certain number. I've wanted to do this, but didn't know where to start. I have no idea how many pieces of clothing I have in order to determine what number to get it down to. So I've decided to count them. For now it's still just an idea, but perhaps you'll hear about it in the next few weeks. 

Speaking of space, my younger brother had the brilliant idea of measuring my room at my mom's to see how big of a trailer I should get. We decided something like an 8x10 would be good so that with the loft it could be about 100 square feet. I plan to keep kitchen stuff in my mom's house since I won't need it until I build my 2nd tiny house.

Anyway, I also watched this fun interview with Grant Cardone (I'd never heard of him, but he quickly gained my respect & gave me an even greater respect for my boss). And no, I don't plan to be a millionaire. He says to make your goal 10x what you want it to be because you aren't gonna reach your goal anyway. So, maybe I'll try building 20 tiny houses. :) Who wants one? :)

Apparently I did more than I realized this week. I hope your week is full of inspiration & ideas for whatever dream you have!

Tiny House, Big Dream

A week ago I decided this was the year for me to build myself a tiny house.

My reasons:

• More independence. I'm living with my mom & whoever else will have me but am ready for my own space. I want to be more self-sustained & do things like have my own land & garden & do some sewing & crocheting.

• Money. My student loans will be paid off by August, & I don't want to go back into debt. I imagine it will be a slow process, but I want the freedom to travel (without a mortgage to pay) & still have a place back home for all my stuff. I also want to use the money I earn to give to missions & other projects.

My findings:

•  http://www.relaxshacks.blogspot.com/ This website is where I found a 3-day hands-on workshop that sounds just like something a beginner like me needs! Not only will I (if I get to go) be able to tour several tiny houses, but I will also be able to build & ask questions & network. This one's in Memphis but there are others in different locations although they aren't all hands-on. They teach how to build a house on a trailer & just on the ground.
•  This TED Talk My house doesn't have to be perfect. I want it to be cheap & not moldy or falling apart or letting the weather damage my stuff, but it doesn't have to be just a smaller version of other houses common today in the U.S.
• FREE Home Depot Workshops These are weekly & another way to get hands-on experience especially if you're a beginner like me. (The only thing I've built is a crate out of pallets.) I haven't been yet, but I'm signed up for one tomorrow. I'll have to post about that next week.

 I spent about 7 hours researching to find this stuff, so I'm hoping to help others save some time. (There are other resources I've found but haven't looked into enough to give an opinion on.) I wanted to find a blog like this where someone could walk me through the process. This is the closest thing I've found. It's a lot to sift through because she's almost finished with her house. She also spent $25k which I don't plan to do. She's downsizing whereas I don't have my own house to downsize from. I found her through participating in Jon Acuff's 30 Days of Hustle, which brings me to some advice I have for anyone else wanting to do this (or some other Big Dream).

My advice:

• Find other people doing something similar. After sharing about my goal with people in 30 Days of Hustle, I found several others with the same goal. We're all at different places in our journey (some have land or chickens, some are on a 3 year plan), but we started a group for 11 of us to share ideas, advice, & experience. We're spread out across the U.S., but I have a feeling some of us will meet at some point. It's difficult doing something big alone. Don't make things harder on yourself!

• Have a plan. This is some advice I read early on, so I started a notebook to keep my findings & ideas in. This is where I'm getting most of the info for this post. I wrote down my 

1. Time-frame (by my birthday on March 1, 2015...we'll see!)
2. People I have in mind to help me (always thankful to have 3 brothers!)
3. Reasons for doing it
4. Financial investment I hope/think it will take (I gave a range & realize that I may go over it, but that's ok since I've never done this & have no idea.)
5. Other sacrifices (such as time, comforts/conveniences, brain power, sweat...& blood & tears?)
6. Things to research (salvage yards, Craigslist, house plans, materials, blogs/videos)
7. Small goals to help me along the way (post a blog a week, spend 5 hours a week researching)
8. Ways to keep it fun (read Little House on the Prairie series, which I haven't read since elementary school...the influence has stayed with me, though! I also plan to visit her house/museum in Missouri. And finish reading Thoreau's Walden.)
9. People who know more than me to talk to about it.

            Having this notebook will give you something to refer to & remember why you started out. Plus you can use all the information to help others wanting to start. I'm sure I'll forget lots of these details after I've gotten started on other steps. The plan will  make it easier for you to share what you really want in your house & not just what other people want it to be or think is best or easiest. Then you can decide what you are willing to give up or change. It will also keep you more organized.

This post is getting long, & I really hope to keep it manageable. So, until next week!

Megan

P. S. What is your big dream? Are you interested in doing something like this? Do you know anyone else who wants to build a tiny house or already has? Do you know any good resources I missed or have any other advice? Would love to hear it!

Road Trip to Alaska

http://ataleoftwovagabonds.tumblr.com/

This should take you to a blog I made just for the road trip my brother & I are taking to Alaska. I have a journal that I'm getting people we meet to sign & answer questions in. Itms been great. I hope you enjoy.

Letter from a 5th Grader (or 15)

I was taking my field group on a hike & told them several times that they would have to listen if they wanted to go on the trail I had planned for them. It had begun drizzling, so I knew the trail would be slippery & it's already one of our more dangerous routes especially if the students aren't paying attention.

Once I saw that they still weren't listening, I took them to a different trail that I had planned to end on. They still weren't ready to go on the original trail (even though they had improved, at least temporarily), so we did some team-building games. It was a little frustrating, but (as one of my students wrote in a P. S.) "I think the trip was still great fun."

However, their chaperone that was with us told their other teachers who had them each write me an apology. The fact that it was forced doesn't really take away from how much I enjoy reading them. They could not have bestowed their handwritten letters on a more grateful person! :)

P. S. May the Fourth be with you!

Birthday Gift from Grandpa

I found this in my grandpa's journal after he died. It's been fun getting to know him even more through his journals now that I can't learn from him in person anymore. I thought this was so sweet even though he spelled my name wrong at first. :)

Written 24 years ago today

Extreme Multitasking!

A few days ago, I came across an offer for a free ebook on a blog that I had "liked" on facebook. It was called 100 Indoor Activities for Kids (TV not included) and was full of suggestions for things to do on those really wintery days when it's too cold for the kids to go outside. Now, we haven't had many of those cold days this year, but there was one suggestion that really caught my attention and caused me to not want to wait for a cold day. Activity number eighty was to pour "a little" water on the kitchen floor, add in some dish soap, and let the kids get in their swimsuits and I would find myself with "kids who not only think mom is cool, but a sparkling kitchen floor too!" It was simply too much to resist!

Those of you who know me, know that I am an all or nothing type person, so it probably won't surprise you that I didn't stop at "a little" water...or soap. I did have the forethought to put towels at the edge of the kitchen floor to protect the carpet, and the kids suggested adding towels around the bottom of the refridgerator, oven, and dishwasher. Thank God for kids. After moving the table and chairs into the livingroom, I told the kids to get their bathing suits on for the slip and slide. The looks on their faces were priceless as they watched me dump a small bucket of warm water on the floor and ask Grace to add a squirt of our lavendar dish soap. My husband made a few comments about it being dangerous and then put headphones on and didn't look our way again til it was over.Whenever the water got too cold, we'd just add another bucket of warm water and a few more squirts of soap. The kids were having a blast and looked like little penguins zooming across the floor in all directions. The sliding looked like so much fun, so I decided to try it. It didn't work in sweats and a t-shirt. That's all I'm gonna say, and I hope Megan doesn't post that video anywhere.

[I tried. I really did try, but the video wouldn't upload. I'll try putting it on Facebook because it's worth seeing. I have to settle for some pictures for now, though. -Megan]

So, I promtly put on my swimsuit and joined in the fun! I don't regret it--even with the reminders in the form of scabs on my elbows from the "rug burn" I got from sliding across the entire length of the kitchen floor on my tummy so much. I want to say, "you should've been there" but I'm really glad you weren't. I will suggest that if activity number 80 catches your attention as it did mine, go ahead and go all out. There are numerous reasons to do so. First, your children will think you are awesome...even if your husband thinks you're crazy. Second, you will get some good exercise without even realizing it (I was sore for days). Third, you will get to be a kid again for awhile and not be worried the whole time about making a mess, which brings me to my next reason. You will have a sparkling floor when it's all over! I couldn't believe it. Everytime I walked into my kitchen with my socked feet (once we had gathered up all the towels in the house and soaked up all the water), I exclaimed, "Wow! My floor has never been this clean-not even when it was brand new!" I could barely stand up because my socks just slid around unhindered by the usual sticky spots. That's four good reasons-I highly recommend this form of extreme multitasking! [She forgot to mention the 5th reason: It's a bath for all!]

If you do take my advice, I have several suggestions to offer:
1) Be sure to put plenty of towls around bottom of appliances.
2) Be extra sure to cover air conditioner vents with plenty of towels (and maybe plastic wrap first).
3) Be sure to sweep very well and alternate positions (sitting, on your knees, on your tummy, etc) to prevent "rug burn".
4) Wear swimsuits or other material that is conducive to slipping and sliding. Like I said, it doesn't work in sweats and a t-shirt. ;)

-Kristi

After the kids got tired of it, I joined Kristi & had a blast. I learned that sliding down from a standing position was not a great tactic; it was much better to sit & push off of the wall with your feet. I slid so fast, I slammed against the dishwasher. Several times. I am the only one who did not get "rug burn" as Kristi called it even though their was no rug. Then we even had fun scrubbing the walls & cabinets & baseboards. I don't think I'll ever clean mine another way. :)

In other news, I got my fingerprinting done, and now am just waiting for it to go through along with my substituting license. Then I'll be put on the list. I also just got back from a Made to Crave (There's a short video that gives a more details.) meeting which is hard to describe because "health program" & "Bible study" have so many different connotations that just don't fit with it. I went with Kristi, & the  lady gave me the book to read (3 chapters a week) as we go through the 6 weeks of meetings. Even though I don't struggle a lot with diet & exercise, the content still helps me channel my cravings (for anything wether it's comfort & peace or joy and significance) into loving God & learning about Him & spending time with Him. That's definitely something I struggle with...spiritual eating disorder. It's very encouraging & insightful. I've gone to some of the meetings when my sister led it, & I've watched some of the videos with my mom. It really makes you think of practical ways to make yourself a better person. So I'm very excited.

I've also begun a YOLO (You Only Live Once) journal of quotes that I love as I come across them. And now that I've got a new job, that means a new address just in time for all those Valentines & then birthday cards 2 weeks later. To assist you in preparing to bombard me with mail, I'm giving you my new address about 3 weeks early. :) You're welcome.

Megan Starbuck
Nature's Classroom
679 County Road 614
Mentone, AL 35984

London Still

I spent one day in the hostel taking a break from all the busyness. While my friends shopped, I showered, did some creative writing, & read Mansfield Park. When they got back, we did more grocery shopping which gave us food to make pasta & buffalo chicken dip. We also got some yogurt & fruit. Way cheaper than eating out!

Anyway, we went to Oxford the next day where we browsed an awesome used bookstore while waiting for The Eagle & Child Pub to open. I bought a book by Dickens & one by Hardy, but there are a few other books I wish I'd gotten. I was just trying not to spend all of my money in one place. Still, what better place to buy such classics than the country they were written in? Many of them were only $3, too!



Sarah ordering at the entrance of the Rabbit
Room, where Lewis & Tolkein discussed,
along with others, the works they were writing



We walked back to the pub just before they opened, & were the first ones in the place. Without even realizing it, we walked straight to a table in the Rabbit Room section of the pub and sat down. When I got up to order, I looked above the entryway and saw the sign.

Sarah & I order water, and we could tell the guy was thinking, "Who comes to a pub to drink water?" Haha, I loved it. The food was surprisingly good, though! Mine was better than anything I ordered at other places. And Sarah's mashed potatoes were delicious. :)
 Then we walked around Oxford and did a bus tour that wasn't really worth our money, haha. But what was worth the money was Addison's Walk, which I just learned was named after Joseph Addison. We saw two men walking out when we first entered the walk, but after that we saw no one. A lovely reprieve from London! It was raining, so we did some puddle jumping even though we weren't in our rainboots.

The next morning, Sarah & I went to a house that John Keats lived in at the end of his life. It was closed to visitors on the day we went, but we were able to roam the yard. :)

The lovely yard of John Keats' home

We met up with Candace & Dr. Miller to finish our last day in London with a visit to Westminster Abbey. Poets' Corner was, of course, my favorite. This is also the day we heard Big Ben.

All 4 of us in front of Big Ben outside of Westminster Abbey. A kind lady took this picture for us.

This was in the bathroom at our hostel,
& my roomies wanted me to take a picture
so we would remember all the details.
And so we said farewell to Clink78.

London, England

Candace & I in our "BIG" room. Sarah was up against
the door taking our picture.

Since I can't describe a full week in London in just one post, I'll just post some of the highlights for me. I have details in my journals that I can hopefully share later. So many people have asked about my trip, so if you're one who really wants to know...

Our plane landed an hour earlier than schedule, which seemed odd but good. On that night flight which robbed me of sleep, I saw tons of shooting stars when Candace let me take her place at the window. It was as amazing/surprising as it sounds. I couldn't believe I kept seeing them. It was a magical way to start the trip.

Some of the magic was lost while dragging our 50 lb luggage around an airport, on & off a train, through crowds of business people rushing through London, and on & off the Tube until we reached our hostel. We still managed to walk to the grocery store, buy some canned soup, & figure out the foreign appliances to warm it (& some rolls!) for our supper.


We spent the next day at the National Portrait Gallery. This was one of my favorites simply because it took me by surprise and because I have memorized a section of one of his poems that I love. Sadly, they didn't have a postcard of his portrait, but that's when I was informed that all of the portraits are on the website. Although they are not nearly as impressive when they are only a picture on a computer screen, it's still a nice way to remember what I've seen.

I was also able to see a room full of Monets which were also more impressive than mere pictures of the paintings. We finished the evening by eating at the Sherlock Holmes pub.

On Jane Austen's 236th birthday, we visited her home in Chawton. Because it was her birthday, admission was free, & they served us tea and our first minced pies. We weren't allowed to take pictures inside here either sadly, but it was wonderful to see her small writing table, the bedroom she shared with her sister, and the quilt she made with her mother and sister.



Me at the front of the front door of the home Austen lived in while she was in Chawton.
It says "Letters" on it. :)


The tea shop across the street, Cassandra's Cup, was so cute & had the kindest people! It was great to chat with some local ladies.



Made in England by Very Nice People :)

 

Cassandra's Cup



Cheers to Jane Austen on her birthday!

 The next day, we visited the Jane Austen Center in Bath & were able to see the outside of the house where Austen lived there. I was disappointed that we were unable to fit Stourhead into this day since it was fairly nearby, but it was nice hearing more about Austen's life. I also bought a wax seal which I've been wanting anyway...what better place to buy one? And we saw an old $150 copy of poetry by Alfred, Lord Tennyson that I kinda really wanted to get. I could've afforded it as long as I didn't eat anything else for the next week & a half. Before heading back to London, we saw the Royal Crescent.

The Asian girl who took our picture was super cute & sweet. She waited a while for a big goofey-looking guy to pass so he wouldn't be in the background of our picture.









Picture I took of the Royal Crescent



I loved the lights hanging above us

as we walked down the streets.

Sorry I didn't stop long enough

 to get one that wasn't blurry.



Ok, so this is only half of our stay in London, but I'll have to do part 2 later. I'm ready to have one posted already! :) Plus, it's less for you to read at one time. In the meantime, I'd like for you to know that I'm accepting a job as an instructor for Nature's Classroom. Because it doesn't begin until Feb. 15, I'm hoping to do some substitute teaching until then. I just have to pay $50 to get fingerprinted & $30 to get my subbing license. It's gonna be worth it. It's gonna be worth it. It's gonna be worth it! :)







Week 9

Entirely too much happened this week, so I'll have to give the short version of everything. We only had 20 campers, & it was a leaders in  training week. We took turns sleeping in the cabin with 12 girls who did a lot on their own. We also took turns during the day, so whoever wasn't working with the campers did work projects. My first one was to decorate a Christmas tree for a fundraiser. I went with Ebony, my Unit Leader. We had a blast & then ate at the Corner Bakery. It was awesome getting to sleep in  a cabin with no campers for more than just a weekend. The next day, I helped clean the program  room, which was a big job. I also went  with Ebony to get Kelsey from the airport the day before. We also helped plant flowers at camp.  We had a session in which we talked to campers about their disabilities & how they're not alone in their struggles & about programs that can help them get & keep a job  or apartment, etc. They shared a lot of their own information, & I really learned a lot. We got Thursday off because younger campers were arriving for the weekend. There was a going away party for me at Desi's then I got delicious frozen yogurt with some of the girls. Then before campers came, we played Catch Phrase. Someone was describing a word to Ebony, so they said, "Kissing disease," to which Ebony replied with enthusiasm: "Cooties!" She'd never heard of mono. So then they were saying, "What hides under your bed?" Her reply was "troll" rather than "monster." But I also didn't know some of the words. Apparently everyone knows that an attractive older woman is called a cougar. Oh,  & in order to get me to guess a type of run in track, Kelsey had to say, "What did Jesus die on?" Then I was like, "OH...cross country." It  was really fun. We actually played it during rest one day, & even the nurse joined us. We played again the next day  &  Desi joined us. Fun times. Then I went with Eb to take Kels to the airport again  & decided to drive to Lawrence's house to get through Dallas & so I could leave an hour later the next morning AND so I could see him before I left...he had to quit camp because his house flooded. So I met his beautiful, sweet, funny mom, saw boxes stacked all over his house, had artichoke tea on the floor, & heard some of the songs he made up about people at camp. In the morning, he sent me off with a bag of snacks, bottled water, & 8 envelopes...one for each hour I was on the road. I might have to post some of them on here eventually. They were really funny, creative, & meaningful. THEN, I drove through Arkansas for the first time! I ended up at Camp McDowell in Alabama where I hope to work in the spring. A man they called Big Dave gave a talk about birds & snakes. He had an owl & some kind of snake for them to touch. I learned that there are only about 7 poisonous types of snakes out of the 40 that are in the area. Also, Diamondback (makes me miss my girls: bling!) & Copperhead venom have been used in cancer research. Also, I've always been ok with throwing food out the window, but Big Dave had a valid point that it attracts animals to the road, where they then get run over. :( I spent the night there, which reminds me: my night at Lawrence's was the first time I'd slept in a room by myself in at least two & a half months. Anyway, this morning I ate breakfast at the camp & went on a short hike before it started raining. Then I talked to a couple of the girls about what it's like to work there. Then I drove the 3 hours to my sister's where they had a welcome home sign up for me. :)

Week 8

It's crazy to think back on how scared I was & how unsure I was of whether I would like it or end up staying the whole fall. This is my last weekend off in Texas. It makes me super sad to think about that. Now I've already started thinking about trying to come back next fall. I don't think I could work during the summer because it's only 24 hours off rather than 48. Plus I have other camps that I'd like to work at during the summer. Anyway, it's gonna be hard next week knowing that it's my last time with all of these people especially since theymll all get to be together for another couple of weeks.

This week we had 3 campers that we've already had in our cabin at least once this fall. Then one other person didn't show up, so we only had 4 new campers with us. One was the easiest to get along with & she did everything for herself. She was also really funny, & I'm sad that I didn't get to spend more time with her. Another one loved her princess stickers & thought that tooting was hilarious. For the dance, I did face paint for her even though I didn't know what I was doing. She'd been asking for it all week, so I painted a rose on one side & a rainbow on the other. She requested that the rainbow have black in it, too. :) She's really nice but also tough. Another camper was really sweet but had tourettes, so that was kinda funny. She actually didn't do any shouting very frequently, which made it even more surprising when she actually did. She had such a beautiful smile, though, & would often say thank you for little things we did. The funniest moment with her, though, was after I had showered her on my night out. Instead of going out, though, I decided to take a shower myself. One of the girls who was in was going to finish helping her get ready for bed, so I got my clothes & toiletries together, & just when I got my hair all wet, the camper's face pops in & she grins. I peek out the other side & she looks at me with that same smile. So I put my head back in the shower & she pokes her in again. It was about as awkward as having a 2 year old niece do the same thing...the only problem was that I knew how  much she loved the water, so I wasn't sure what I'd do if she came all the way in. So I grabbed my towel & took her to the other counselors who had a good laugh about it. Then we had Mary. Her group home that dropped her off told me she didn't talk. Then when she started talking, they said she just repeats stuff. We have so many good quotes from her. Mainly it was, "You're hungry. You're hungry, Mary. Don't take other people's food. It's not yours, Mary." We had to watch her constantly, & every day we discovered more things that she'd say, like: "Cat says meow," & "Mary, you know you think that guy's cute," & "Mary wants a kiss." She also counted to 13 if you got her started by saying 1. Thankfully we didn't get her to talk as much until the last day...the one where she stayed up til 2am saying she's hungry.  And Mary doesn't have a whisper ever. So I heard her across the room while my headphones were in. I went to sleep at about 1:15 & wakeup was at 7. I'm not sure if this is teaching me that I COULD have & take care of kids of my own or if it's confirming that I shouldn't. I like that I get a break from it every weekend. :)

Also, we had a staff member who worked on the boys' side for a while come to help us for the rest of the year. She's great & fits in well, so even though we're still down one person, it's the best that it's been all season. She's actually worked in a couple of other cabins & said that ours is so relaxed & we get along really well. :)

OH, and we had these amazing volunteers on Wednesday from a Christian discipleship program. They stayed with us from breakfast to dinner & helped & were so much fun. They prayed with us before we left & said they'll continue to pray for us. I loved it! One of them also told me about Christian Camping International because her uncle helps with it, & they help people find jobs at camps around the world. :D It might come in handy since I love it so much that I think I could do it forever.

Week 7

One of the counselors in my cabin left on Wed. for good. That left 4 people total where most have 6. Instead of leaving us more stressed, though, it actually left us less stressed. I think she didn't really enjoy being here anyway & it affected everyone.

As for the campers this week, we had one who believed she was married to Elvis. She had about 50 pictures of him with her & would get us to help her choose which one to eat each meal with. It was fantastic. Another one always went into the bathroom to spray Kelsey's  perfume. She also got a hold of a journal & wrote/scribbled all over it. Thankfully, we used that one for her since it was the first day & nothing had been written in it yet. Another lady was deaf which made me really sad that I didn't know sign language & esp. that I didn't know the alphabet very well. I still had fun with her, figuring out what she wanted & laughing together. She could read lips which also helped. She gave me her address at the end. :) Another had been in our cabin before. We also had a girl who cracked up when I spoke in an accent, & she loved my stuffed Larry. Kim was very quiet but beautiful. She'd stay sitting up in bed doing nothing until everyone else was laying down asleep. She had a cute smile, too. Another lady girl couldn't say much besides yeah. She was fully aware of everything, so she laughed a lot & loved socializing. Then we also had a lady who played Old Maid with us which I was excited about. She was scared to ride a horse but finally did it. :) She would also pick up anything from the ground like it was treasure. It could be a penny or a bead or a top to a soda can.

Lawrence's house flooded a couple of weeks ago, so he's been gone to help with that, but he came back this week, which was super fun. Then I went home with Larissa for the weekend. We watched The Music Never Stopped, which we'd never heard of but ended up loving. Shayna was with us, too, so 3 people agreed that it was great which is more impressive. Anyway, then we went to the mall where we met up with Jonathan & his bff Cody. We sampled some yummy tea! :) Also, Larissa's parents took us out to eat. It was great being in a family environment. We cooked supper together the next night & Larissa taught us some yoga moves. Then we watched Pride & Prejudice, but were so tired that we didn't finish it. Now I'm back on camp, so anything I missed will have to wait.

Week 6

I found out that the camp is letting me leave early because of my brother's Dec. wedding. I'll be home for good the week of Thanksgiving. This is a huge blessing because I won't have to do so much driving back & forth. Plus, I miss my family, & I have plenty to do to get ready for England. However, it's also sad to think that I'll miss the fun things at the end of camp & especially the goodbyes! :(

We had a special meeting in our cabin about communication because some of us have felt uncomfortable around each other. It's been a little stressful, but still lots of fun & triumphs. :) It was fun talking about our experiences even though I'm not sure how much it helped the main situation.

Also, 18 of the scheduled campers did not come, so we began the week with 4 campers in our cabin. They were all sweet, funny, calm, & wonderful. Then on the second day, we got a camper from another cabin who had been having trouble with another camper. This lady was also sweet but definitely not calm. She talked almost nonstop & wanted someone to help her with everything even though she could do it all on her own. She woke us all up at 6:30 in the loudest voice, so it really put a kink  in our system, but we adapted & she even ended up not waking up until time to get up. I actually slept in the bed next to hers because it was more comfortable than my own. When I explained that everyone else was sleeping & that she needed to be quiet like them for another hour, she said ok  & didn't talk again for an hour. I was really surprised.

For one of our ladies, it was her first time at camp. She had never ridden horses, & I was the one that got to help her on & walk beside her. She loved it! It's things like that that make me want to work at this camp again even though I think I'd rather be at one closer to home that is teaching kids about nature and that pays more. Still, I already miss so many campers & the thought of never seeing them again makes me wanna cry.

Also from this week, on one of my breaks, Jonathan & I climbed a tree at night. On another break, we played pool. I won both games & even called the right pocket on the 8 ball on both. I also won both games of foosball. So then I let him win Scategories (sp?). One of the categories was Street Name. So I put a literal street (MLK Blvd) while he put a name someone might be called on the street (Money). I laughed so hard at that one! It didn't even cross my mind that it could've been that kind of street name, & from the look on his face, he didn't consider that it could have been the kind I thought it was.

Today I ate 3 cups of the tortilla soup Mama brought me all the way from GA. I'd been waiting for it all week because when I tried to eat it before the week began, I realized that she'd brought it frozen!

Also, because we had so few campers this week, I spent some time clipping branches for the camp to use at a fundraiser banquet. They hung jewels from the branches & used them as centerpieces. Then I also helped clean Cherokee, the guys' cabin that just got new bathrooms. We'll be moving into the remodeled girls' cabin TOMORROW! We're so excited! Also, I might go to my boss' house to watch the Rangers win the World Series tonight. :D 

If you're gonna write me, now's a good time to do it since I only have about 3 weeks left here. :)