summer in snapshots

Oh my goodness... sweet friends, I am still alive. I know some of you must be wondering where in the world I have been. My apologies for the extended absence from the blog world... the thing is, it's summer, you know. And this has definitely been one heck of a summer for this girl. So, I want to catch you up but I don't want to overwhelm you, so I'm allowing myself one picture and one sentence to explain per random event I want to tell you about so far. Hold on to your hats people... here we go!

-A weekend at Joe Wheeler State Park in Alabama with the Dishman cousins from Atlanta.

-Completed #19 on my "101 in 1001" List: Refinish a piece of furniture. Child's dresser ($50 on Craig's List) repurposed as a TV stand.

-Spent Father's Day weekend in Monteagle, TN with my mom's side of the family for our annual mountain summer trip.

-Spent a week in Texas with an awesome group of people and a very sweet [and handsome] guy, being the Camp Nurse for Junior High summer camp at Prestonwood Baptist Church. So. Much. Fun.

-I have been working 3 nights a week [believe it or not, between all these trips], and I have had the opportunity to complete several more things on my list. Like #36: Leave a 100% tip, which I did after work one morning when I hit up the Waffle House solo style for breakfast. And #42: Play in the rain, which went down outside the hospital on the way to my car at about 7:30am when I was delirious from no sleep and had the time of my life splashing in puddles and spinning in circles in a downpour because I knew I was going to be in my bed in a matter of minutes and that's all that really mattered at the time. And like #77: Hug a stranger. This I do pretty frequently to console anxious families or comfort scared or lonely patients... it never fails to remind me of why I'm a nurse.

-And also, I went to Panama City Beach for our every-summer family vacay! Despite terribly thunderstormish weather and some super frustrating hotel reservation drama, we had a fabulous time! And I completed #49: Build a sand castle. [p.s. this is like WAY harder than I thought].

Whew. It has been one heck of a summer so far! And we still have a whole wedding to go! Through it all, I am being constantly reminded of how faithful my God is, and how much better His plans are than mine, and how He really is working all things together for my good. Can't wait to tell you more!

For now, love from me!