I'm finally completely unpacked and organized and the room is very clean! Hopefully it can last the whole summer.

Salsa dancing tomorrow night (Thursday) - my first time since finals week. I'm excited!

And I have a new Friends friend.

First it was Ryan, then Jen E, now my Friends watching friend is Jen B. We just finished season 1 disc 1 tonight and this summer we're going through all of them (I own all but season 5). Saturday we're having a marathon from noonish until whenever.

My Job, My Social Life, and My Free Time

1. My Job - I really realized how blessed I am to have the job I do. I could complain that I am only making $5.78 (yes, I know that's random) an hour, or that I'm getting half the hours I'm supposed to be getting (because we have half the number of babies enrolled... we need 8, and have 4), however today I was able to look past that. I absolutely love my job, which in and of itself is the biggest blessing possible when it comes to working, at least in my opinion. And the low numbers of babies is kind of nice because I get to give more individual attention to the ones that are there. And today I realized even the little things about my job are worth giving praise, for example the fact that while gas prices continue to rise, I live a mere 5 minute walk a way.

2. My Social Life - Right now I'm still unpacking, but should be done tomorrow. This means I will hopefully soon be able to actually spend some time with my housemates and get to know them, although two are in Guatemala right now. Also social time recently has included community dinners. While very unlike last year's community dinners (as this year's interns and internship is very unlike last year's), it is still a good thing and is not something that should be compared anyway. There are racial and socio-economic barriers being broken. The simple greeting of a little neighbor girl today was really something much, much bigger. "Where did all these kids come from? I was only gone a week." asks Davo. "Word on the street says there's free food and a place to play basketball." Melissa replies.

Also in the social life category, Thursday I will be salsa dancing for the first time since finals week. It will be sad without Nicole, Katie, Stacy W, and especially without Stacy H and Angie.

3. My Free Time - Free time also has been occurring at work recently, where I am re-reading the book that my xangazon setting has told you about. I read it last year for the previously mentioned internship, and I believe this years' interns will be reading it as well. When I saw it I thought "seriously? A biogrophy about some Christian songwriter? Why should I care?" After reading it I can definately see why Matt told us it was a favorite. One of the most inspiring books I've read recently, and now that I'm re-reading it I'm getting more out of it. I decided it will be an annual read for me. Tonight I'll leave you with an excerpt from Keith Green's journal:

"We are nothing but dust. Our lives are not ours. Our bodies are not ours. OUr future is in your hands. The Lord is making me ready to die - completely - I don't deserve to live - so come Spirit of the holy God - live instead of me. There is no joy left in life but to realize I am nothing and let God be what he is - all.

Tears cannot express nor laughter his grace/gifts. I am his. Please Keith! Don't ever go back - look up. It's time to go."

Here's a story

Yesterday I decided to surprise my former roommate, Stacy, by showing up at her place of employment, Kohl's, in Indy. So I did and it was fun and everything. During her 15 minute break we ran across the street and got Starbuck's, then I did some shopping and she finished working. Then we were going to stop by her parent's house and I was going to kidnap her and bring her to Anderson for the night and then go to church in the morning. My car had other plans. The brakes didn't work! Not like "holy crap I can't stop my car" but more like "okay I can barely stop my car and any further it's not going to stop at all."

I don't know much about cars but for the past month I knew I needed my rotors replaced. But this was something new. My knowledge about cars is evident in the fact that I pulled into a gas station and said to Stacy, "isn't there something called brake fluid" and she had no idea and I said "I think there is. Maybe I'm low on that." So I opened my hood and so no brake fluid compartment. So then I looked in my manual and found where the compartment was. Sure enough I was below the minimum line. So I bought some and filled it up and that didn't help. This was about midnight and to my knowledge there are no brake shops open at midnight on Saturday. So I was stranded at Stacy's house.

This morning her dad took me to Midas and I had to replace one pad, one rotor and two calipers... basically I had to shell out $600.

Yay for me.