The Adventures of Sara in the Woods

This weekend we went camping in southern Indiana. It was OK. It was super hot and there was no pool, only a beach with a lake that had slimy green things in it. Not my favorite swimming conditions... We went hiking on a trail that was practically perpindicular up. We stopped where two trails met, took a break, and convinced ourselves that the trail must logically go down now. It didn't. More perpendicular up. Then it started going down, and some people sitting on the edge of the trail smoking (ew! "only you can prevent forest fires") convinced us to take a short cut that was even steeper. I fell and it kind of hurt. Then we found out that the "shortcut" involved going over a concrete wall, across a dam, and over a wall on the other side. Then we were lost, slightly, because there was no trail over there so we wandered around until we found the entrance of the park. Remember, this was in like 90-degree heat. I am thankful to be alive and well.

That night we played Sardines in a huge ol field and the playground and building and lake surrounding it. Two of my friends and I got bored so we left and when we came back everyone was sitting on the beach playing "truth or dare" and doing stupid things such as getting in the gross lake and making the girls say which guy they thought was cutest. The things you will do at midnight in the dark on a beach in the middle of a park that is in the middle of nowhere...

I got to drive my dad's car, the black BMW 535is, halfway home. It was fun. That car is almost exactly like mine but it's in better condition and the engine sounds soooo cool. The road my dad picked was curvy and hilly, of course. It is a great mark of trust that he let me drive his "baby". I don't think even my mom has, yet. I am trying to convince him to let me drive it to work this week but it isn't working.

Well, I hope you all have interesting adventures of your own! Look for the next installment in this spot soon!

horsey week

This week I got to work at the stable for horseback riding camp! It was fun. Marcia (who owns the barn) divided all the kids into two groups and she taught one group and I taught the other. It felt nice that she trusts me enough to let me do that. I mean, I taught a lot last summer too but she was there the whole time. And this time she wasn't there at all. I had the kids do some fun stuff, like figure 8s and going through obstacle courses and walking over poles on the ground. I think they liked it.

Tuesday I went to CYA's Bible study. It was on righteousness and I thought it was interesting because I had just been reading about "being good" in II John. I guess I was kind of thinking through the whole "being good" vs. "Jesus saves us and we can't be perfect anyway" thing. And the Bible study reminded me of some of the things in Proverbs about all of that. In short, we need to "be good" (not that I was contemplating doing anything otherwise...) even though Jesus saved us.

I am really going to miss summer once it's over. I don't realize how much time and stress and such is involved in school until it's over. Now I don't want to go back...well I kind of do, because Purdue is gonna be fun. But it won't be the same as lying in the sun with no worries!!

my exciting life!

It probably will be no surprise to you that my life is not really all that exciting. Just the same old, same old. So I was thinking about that and wondering what in the world to update on, when I realized my life actually is pretty amazing. I mean, in the long run. Someday I will be in heaven with the God of the ENTIRE universe. Now, that is pretty exciting, isn't it?

Well, actually something sort of exciting happened to me... I got my hair cut. It's really short. Really really short. I haven't decided yet if I like it or not. I sort of alternate between going, wow, I look kind of cute, and thinking: "Why in the world did I do this? It will take years to grow out!" But I'll live with it. I told my mom now I'll find out who my real friends are... the ones who are still willing to hang out with me in public!

Wednesday I'm going to Purdue to sign up for classes and to take placement exams. Please pray that I test out of math because I never want to take a math class again in my life! And I thought I could get out of it by choosing Interior Design as my major...guess I was wrong!

Love ya all...especially those of you who won't make fun of my hair!

life goes marching on...

Well, actually it's saints that go marching on, I think, but it seemed to fit. My life is falling into a pattern...alarm clock rings, I get up and turn it off, get back in bed, get up twenty minutes later freaking out at how late it is, dash off to work, clock in exactly ONE minute late (what's the deal with that?!), and spend my day with small children. Two-year-olds this week to be exact. I am learning about patience. Oh yes I am. The good thing though, is that the other Two's counselors are young people that I enjoy talkin to. I enjoy the older kids more (no diapers and actual conversations for one errr...two things!) but some of the other counselors (who are Pre-K teachers during the schoolyear) are harder to have fun with and laugh about stuff with and talk with, and ya know. Actually I get along with everybody except one or two people who drive me crazy. I don't show it though (some people do!) so I am the one who is chosen to work with them half the time.... But that's OK. I think I *shall* learn patience this summer! That's a good thing. I am definately a product of our culture in that area. I am very now-oriented. And that's not always a good thing. In fact, I think almost always it is a bad thing. So I guess I have just figured out one of the lessons God has for me this summer! See, a blog is such a handy thing to have. Except it makes you sad and frustrated and lonely when you feel that no one reads it. But in the grand scheme of things it really doesn't matter if people read your blog or not. So I will try not to worry or think about that....

fancy dinner

I can't believe it's been a week since I updated. I really do mean to update more frequently than that. I just don't even get on the computer all that much because I have to use my dad's laptop and sometimes he doesn't bring it home from work.

Last night I went to a retirement dinner for the doctor who's family my mom nanny-ed for when she first came to the US. It was long and boring and there weren't really any people my age there. It was at the Indiana Roof Ballroom (I think that's what it's called...) downtown and was really fancy. The salad was delicious, but the rest of the stuff was kind of strange. Like this chicken that was in some kind of dumpling covered in a kind of gross brown sauce. Why couldn't they have served salmon or something? Oh, well....I shouldn't complain. I do wish it hadn't been so very looooooong though.

This week basically all I have done is go to work. I am there from eight thirty in the morning to six at night. I hope to make some serious moola this summmer. I got a raise :-) which I am very happy about. I am also happy that my boss is letting me take one day a week off so I can go work at Ft. Benjamin Harrison's Saddle Barn with Amber. That's a long day too--we have to be there at seven.

Yesterday when I was falling into bed dead tired I was thinking about how Jeremiah once said on his blog that his bed is his best non-living friend. I like my bed a whole bunch (what would I do without it?!) but right now I think my cell phone is my best non-living friend. It's so cute and useful. And my parents never call me on it--forget that baloney about a cell phone being a leash in disquise! Actually, what happens is, I call them and they never have their phones on! My dad got a different phone and he hasn't even set up the voicemail yet! Tsk, tsk.

So, I will try to update more frequently...we'll see if that happens...

I feel like all my friends are at ECHO! I know I have other friends and I'm not all alone in the world but it does kind of feel lonely. I wish I were in Florida...I guess I could have spent some of my college money, sacrified a couple weeks at work, and gone...but it didn't really seem worth. Anyway, guys, I will miss you and pray for you!!