| I knew a guy who wrote a song about not having many "days worth keeping." That got me thinking, and I started to make a mental list...jotting things down as they happened. This summer was a crazy one, but an amazing one. This summer I hung out with old friends, made amazing new ones, and said goodbye to both. This summer had many days worth keeping.
May 25 - Rachel's Bachelorette Party. Just goes to show, you don't need tons of friends to have fun!
May 31 to June 2 - Rachel and Steve's wedding. The whole weekend was cray, but amazing at the same time. Not only did my roommate finally see the product of all her hard work, but all my friends got to be together again. Swing dancing at the rehearsal, midnight ziplining, going to bed and waking up in the same room as my Rachel Sue one last time, prancing around camp trying to find the groom while eating an apple Rachel's future mother in law bought me, driving the "get away car," late night bonfire after driving all over Silver Lake...all worth keeping.
June 3 - Chelsey came to Grand Rapids for the first time! Frederick Meijer gardens were amazing, but not as amazing as spending the whole day with her.
June 14 to 28 - Thailand. I really should just stop there, because there's no way I can begin to describe these 2 weeks. Remembering what I'm doing with my life, getting to worship with my brothers and sisters who live half way around the world, tuk-tuks, the night market, off roading in the super wagon, seeing the mountains no matter where we were, planting rice with complete strangers, listening to a tribal believer teaching others, too many games of euchre to count, watching the sunrise for hours, calling each other on the plane, having a "traditional experience Korea," falling in love with Azuki frappuccinos, but most of all: making new friends. Friends that have been more of an encouragement to me during the past month than I can say. Friends who call me practically every night to see how my day was and friends who I feel safe enough with to tell them when it sucked.
July 1 - Picture party at Ben's. So after I said goodbye at the airport, I was feeling like I'd never see these people again. Yeah, not so much. Hobo pies, talking about Thailand, spending hours looking at over 3,000 pictures. Definitely worth keeping.
July 3 - Fireworks on Greenlake. As if fireworks aren't enough, hanging out, talking about Thailand, meeting everyone's aunt or uncle or second cousin's niece.
July 4 - "This is the best holiday ever!!!" Parades, Starbucks, Tony taking pictures with every mascot he sees, getting soaked (thanks boys!), more fireworks, my first gross carmel macchiato, fireworks, euchre, fireworks.
July 6 - my last day of life as a customer service robot!
July 7 - going up to camp and seeing Rachel after a month of not seeing each other! Falling off the tube 3 times on a "don't wanna get our hair wet" ride (thanks Steve and T)
July 11 - Crystal visited me up at camp. Not only did she come see me, but she kidnapped me and took me to McDonalds! Getting away from camp for a few hours was exactly what I needed....the coffee was good too!
July 8 to 20 (the weeks I was secretary) - waiting until 10pm almost every night, laying on the bench by the soccer field, watching the stars while talking to him and then running to my car when the battery started beeping.
July 14 - My birthday eve. Dinner at Olive Garden with Becky, Ben, Crystal and a few others. The "after party" with Em, Ben, and Crystal tasted even better!
July 15 - My birthday!!! I finally lost the "stigma." Rach and I spend hours at Wal-Mart picking out hair dye and talking each other out of spending money.
July 21 - Finally liking my hair after it was professionally done, feeling very sexy in the satin lined dress I wore all day, and staying at Ben's cottage until 2am talking while the fire died down.
July 28 - My only weekend at camp all summer! Browsing the Whitehall goodwill and having Em and T randomly show up, then spending the whole rest of the day watching TLC with the girls in Elim.
August 2 & 7 - Counselor hunt! Hiding in the hammock with my best friend sitting on me, laughing the entire time while trying to breath and not think about how hot it was. Knowing the entire time that it would be times like this I'd miss once she moved to Colorado.
August 4 - Coast Guard Festival. Getting there early, playing phone tag but not meeting up with everyone until 9pm, finally getting my elephant ear with chocolate fudge (not apple-cherry-fudge), one trick in euchre, fireworks with music, having Ben save my life by taking me home.
August 10 & 11 - Newberry and Mackinac Island. Climbing some random structure to the roof to watch the stars, throwing pizza at Ben and Tim while they tried to scare the 2nd car of people, convincing Ben to stop at the scenic outlook with the cool little door, playing musical bikes around the island (first tandem with Crystal, then stealing the boys single bikes, then tandem with Ben).
August 13 - Visiting Chelsey in Jackson, and seeing how huge my niece is now! The time I spend with Chels isn't ever very much, but it seems to always be encouraging.
August 14 & 15 - Hess Lake with "the crew." One last hurrah before we scatter, cruising on the pontoon boat, watching Dog in the hugest bed ever, going back out on the pontoon after dark, finding out how hard it is to put your suit on in the middle of the lake, eating breakfast on the floor, mini golf, taking family pics on the fireplace. Basically just spending time with the people who have helped make me who I am right now. The people who've loved me unconditionally for 9+ years. The people who I've cried with, laughed with, screamed at, prayed with, lived with, went on countless road trips with, and who will always be a part of my life no matter where I live. |
