Mondays are fundays!

So, we thought that the feeling of Saturdays being an extra "exception" of a workday and having Mondays off feeling like a holiday may wear off, but it's still great! Something about having Pike Place Market open for enjoyment and strutting around the International District on a Monday afternoon helps keep its charm.

This past week and weekend previous was an Americorps camping trip/Serves training. Camping proved to be great fun. A highlight from the first night includes walking back from the outhouse to our large group of 10 making a ruckus. The closer I got I realized they were all jumping up and down in a huddle singing Badgers Mushroom Snake (modeled after this video ---> click me!). I was pretty pumped that is was my first time camping for longer than one day, and that the second day was warmer than the first, because we were freeezing. Having a campfire in the morning is such a nice thing though. Second camping location, after discussing the possibility of Chubby Bunny the previous night, whipped out the marshmallows in the morning. How did it turn out, you may ask? Check it out!

After camping we rolled into the Yakima Convention Center parking lot with our terrific campfire-scented selves. Thankfully we all sat together so our smokiness was kept in a bit of a huddle, but needless to say, we were probably not the only ones thankful we took nice, refreshing showers that evening. The training provided different classes, from topics such as Money Management to How to Work With Disabled Youth. We think it was more applicable to volunteers working within school systems and with youth, but it was still interesting seeing all of the different people serving in the state of Washington. We also discovered a new form of team-building in the form of Whiffle Ball! My Cincinnati league season from spring came in handy with my super all-star whiffle plays.

Being in Seattle has been a challenge in many ways. And after being here two months, things seem to be semi-straightening out a little. I realize that here more than anywhere it is meaningful and important to me to wear my cross necklace as a constant reminder. Also, the challenge and joy of hearing and learning of others' beliefs has caused me to put into question my own. And amidst all of that it is my joy now more than ever that God has allowed me to be part of His people, imperfect as we all are.

One of my roommates had her mom in town for a couple days and we were fortunate enough to enjoy a home cooked meal from her. While we were all sitting around our inexpensive table collecting piecemeal chairs so we'd have enough for everyone, and I ended up sharing our end-table with my roomie, I commented to Adam that it was better to have too little room than a great giant table with no one to share it with. And that evening, watching everyone interact, I realized how fortunate I am to have this intensive year of being with my new-found friends, all of us coming from different places, but interacting and experiencing this challenging year and learning, while having the greatest fun doing it. You can't pay any amount of money in the world for this experience. Yes, you may be thinking this is mushy, but it's not! It's true!

Check out my friends and I on Halloween. I was a liberated house elf!

Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything. II Cor. 6.10.