Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Summer Update

          I am sorry to those who like to read my blog on a regular basis that I have not kept up lately. My life has just seemed kind of normal lately, which I guess is actually kind of nice. However, I do have some thoughts and reflections that I hope to post later today or sometime this week. But first an update since the last time I wrote. I had an amazing time with Erica in St. Louis. We went to the City Museum, which is not a museum, but really the biggest, coolest jungle gym I have ever seen! If anyone ever goes to St. Louis, this is a must!!! http://www.citymuseum.org/site/ I got home safely the next day, but was surprised to see home look as if a tornado hit. The storm hit Friday, June 29 and had destroyed trees everywhere and also took away the power for miles around. We did not get our power back until Wednesday night.
          Living the three days without power really was not fun. The temperatures outside were over 100 degrees that week making the time almost unbearable without air conditioning. My mom and I ended up sleeping in the basement, although very dark (we got to use our flashlights everywhere we went), was a little cooler. We complained a lot, which got me to think about the refugees in Congo that I have been reading about. They don't even have homes... they live their entire lives in a tiny tent with little access to food and medical supplies. Like us during the storm, they did not chose this life but had it forced onto them. And here we are complaining about 5 days without electricity! It really makes you stop and think.
          I also have been working a lot. This time I am just working in the stands selling sweet corn. I really like my job. I love my bosses and really like interacting with customers who come. Sometimes the days can get long (I usually put in 10.5 hours per day), but I am so thankful for a job that is close to home and that I enjoy. I have also gotten used to driving box trucks (small semi-trucks for those who don't know what that is), which I had never imagined before. I actually find it fun and very satisfying.
          This last weekend I had a fun mini adventure with my parents, brother Ryan, and friend Jana. Jana drove down Friday morning from Camp Friedenswald where she is working this summer to get in a car to drive to Orrville, Oh where we picked up Ryan, then drove up to Cleveland. We saw the Indians play the Baltimore Orioles in baseball there at Progressive Field. The Orioles won 10-2, which was actually good since I was cheering for them in the place of my friend Stephanie, who is a huge Orioles fan and was watching on tv. We stayed for the fireworks show, which was absolutely AMAZING! Probably the best I have ever seen! It was all timed to Beatles songs and also included lasers and fire! We spent the night at a hotel in Orrville, then went to Akron the next day to Stan Hywet Hall and gardens. This mansion was built in 1913 for the founder of Goodyear tires. The entire place is spectacular with huge grounds to explore. We hung out with Ryan for a bit before driving back to Pandora.
          Sunday night I presented about Congo at my church. We had a really great turn out of people that were truly interested in the subject. People seem very willing to support the cause and I really believe that a resolution will be passed soon declaring Grace Mennonite Church conflict-free! We will be the first Mennonite church to sign such a resolution and thus will declare that we want electronics companies to know that they need to clean up their supply chain so that the electronics we buy will not contribute to the ongoing conflict in the Congo.
         I cannot believe that summer is almost over! There are only four weeks left and I feel like I have so much more to do! I have read barely any books, and studying for my GRE has not happened! So on my days off and evenings, I really hope I can be motivated to study so I can ace the GRE, read some really great books, be able to make some collages and paintings, watch a lot of Olympic coverage from London, see and hang out with some friends, and spend some quality self time before I have to pack and head back to Virginia. A lot to do, and I better get to it!