#summertime

       The very long awaited time is here. A time of relaxation, folly, and fun. It's summertime. Actually, I guess it has been summertime for a little over 2 weeks now for me. It just hasn't really hit me that it is actually summer until I got up to camp yesterday. This past year was a long year. Lot's going on and very hard classes. It seems like summer was the light at the end of a never ending tunnel. It was the green light shining on the opposite side of the bay (i've watched Gatsby recently). But alas, I can say I made it and somewhat gracefully I think at least.

       Summer came at just the right time. It always seems to happen that way, doesn't it? This summer is going to be different, but good I think. I usually spend the whole summer working at camp, from May until August. One summer I only spent half the summer at camp, but that was because we were in Australia for the other half of the summer. And I was missing camp every moment that I was away. This summer though, I'm only going to be here for June. I was a hard decision not to stay the whole summer, but I prayed a lot about it and felt like it was the right thing to do. After a long and stressful summer last summer and a rough year this past year I need camp, but I also need time with my family.

       So, for the next 4/5 weeks or so, I will be burrowed away in the heart of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. My home away form home. The place that probably had the greatest influence on the woman I am today. I could go on and on about camp, but I'll spare you... for now :) It is one of those place that changes your life, each summer is a life changing summer that greatly shapes your character. And I have no doubt that this summer will be no exception. I just have this feeling that this is going to be a special summer. It will be different though. I honestly have no clue how this session will go, or what I'll be doing. I know I'll have the itty bitty babies for the one week session (which camp has never done before so it is kind of a see how it goes type thing). And I'll be interning with the camp nurse. But after the babies leave, it's all up in the air. Maybe I will have another cabin, maybe I won't. Maybe I will be on Wilderness along with nursing, maybe I won't. There is a lot of uncertainty in the air, which usually makes me anxious. But right now I'm basically like "why worry?," there is no use in that. I'll just go with the flow and see where the wind takes me. What has gotten into me? Who is this person who is actually ok with uncertainty?

       As for the rest of the summer, I don't really know what is going on with that either. There is going to be one week where my parents are gone, so it will just be some serious sister-sister bonding time. We may be going out to Seattle then to do some college visits for Ellen. At some point, we are hoping to go on a family vacation, although we haven't decided where yet.... and Daniel and Vanessa are going to come visit hopefully before I go back to school. I have a long list of things that I either want to do or need to do this summer, whether or not they will get done is another thing... Figuring out my life would be number one on the list. HA, not happening. I'm not ready to face the reality that I will be a grown up in the real world next year.

       New number one on my to-do list: Relax. Have fun. Laugh. Play. Don't worry. Enjoy Summer.