2 strange things...

Sr. high week at camp went really well. I'm just too tired to post pics about it or even to say much. I did miss my kids, but they were well taken care of and I was grateful for the opportunity to be a counselor. I was able to connect with the teens in a way I never could normally. It was a great week! Now, to the strange parts of the past 2 weeks...

1. SNAKE. There are lots of garter snakes at camp. Although I hate seeing a slithering snake on the ground I'm really ok with it. You'd expect to see an occasional snake or lots of spiders when you're "roughing it"; however, would you ever expect one to fall on your head? Me either. I was going to the bathhouse in the middle of the day on the second day of camp. I open the screen door and felt something heavy fall right on my head!!!!!! It proceeded to slither- yes, slide, down my left side. I felt it on my neck, shoulder, arm, and then leg. It finally dropped in a pile at my feet and coiled up. Yes, I screamed! It actually took me a minute to figure out what was happening, but when I realized that a 2 foot (1 inch thick) snake had just dropped onto my head and had come down my body I was mortified. I'll never walk through a door at camp again without thinking of what could be climbing over head of me!

2. POOP. Yes, that's pretty graffic and gross, but it's the 2nd strange thing that has happened this week. My basement floor/ laundery area filled with water suddenly on Friday afternoon. I stopped the washing machine and called Jason right away. He came home and inspected all of the pipes and drains. Everything seemed to be ok. The water wasn't rising and in fact it was going down the drain in the concrete floor. Other than some useless things getting wet we were ok. About an hour after Jason's thorough inspection I went downstairs and smelled something AWFUL. And then I saw it... raw sewage was bubbling up out of a hole in our basement floor. It was the most disgusting thing I've ever seen. Roto Rooter came about an hour later and was there for 2 hours cleaning out the main line that runs from the street. We have a huge tree in our front yard whose roots periodically block the drains. We've had drainage problems before, but never from the sewer!!! YUCK!!! We discovered this time that the hole in our basement had never been capped properly and leads to the sewar line. It's finished now and I hope I never see or smell that again in my life!

We are not even on them mission field yet! What's going on?

30

30 random things about me...

1. My favorite color is green

2. I hate most green vegetables

3. growing up I always imagined that I'd have about a dozen kids, but I'm good with 4!

4. I've had a pet dog, cat, raccoon, crow, squirrel, rabbits (LOTS), turtle, fish, rock (yes, I grew up in the CITY!)

5. I don't like fingernails- long, fake, or painted... yuck! (I don't go w/out painted toenails though)

6. When I was in kindergarten I got my first marriage proposal. It was written in a nice letter and sent to me along with the boys old pens and pencils in a Velveeta cheese box. My mom made me write back declining his proposal and telling him that I couldn't start thinking about boys until I was at least 18!

7. I like the feeling of getting into a super hot car in the middle of summer.

8. I love cheese! It's my favorite! I'd like it for my birthday. I'd like it in a car. I'd like it anywhere. (can't wait for cheese curds at the state fair!)

9. My dream place to be and live is the beach.

10. I have narrow feet and high arches and have had soar feet/ heel problems since 7th grade

11. I've been camping ever summer of my life and LOVE it!

12. I'm so thankful that my mom taught me how to sew and to be creative in everything I do.

13. I once got 2nd place at state competition for reciting the poem "Leetla Georgio Washington" with an Italian accent.

14. My brothers and sister and I had a 3 story tree house, rope swings, tire swings, zip lines, and bales or hay for practicing archery (did I mention I grew up in the city?!!! :)))

15. I LOVE it that my sister is my sister-in-law!

16. I imagine myself being a runner... maybe one day.

17. I fly every night in my dreams. I'm usually rescuing children or exploring distant and strange lands or fleeing for my life. I wake up often and am very tired after my dreams!

18. I would love to have a dress makers dummy and I'd like to turn my basement into a sewing lounge- how trendy and cool!

19. I'm not a reader. I love pictures.

20. I pride myself in organized closets (all containers matching with neat matching labels); however, the most obvious places- countertops and table tops always have a pile of paper and other stuff on them! What is my problem? UHHHH!!! frustrations with paper piles... too much junk... must change that! any advice?

21. I have sentimental attachments to way too many things. I won't start a list here. It would be LONG!

22. I've never seen Jason cry.

23. I once "borrowed" a golf cart and hid it in a strange place

24. I didn't have my ears pierced until 6 weeks before my wedding.

25. Anthropology is my favorite store.

26. I was almost named Lena.

27. I like to watch Iron Chef and Project Runway when I get the chance.

28. I've had many jobs (JC Penny, Thirsty's (smoothy making place), Transamerica Financial, Brumbaugh Building, Brainerd Vending Company, Northland's library and Admission's office and Business office, and the Blue Ridge Cafe)

29. I'm allergic to bee stings and poison ivy.

30. I was born on June 7, 1979. Today I'm 30.

Gentlemen, start your engines...

... let the races begin!

Since I've been such a delinquent blogger and haven't even really cared lately I thought I'd play catch-up with this post. Here are the random, and in no particular order, happenings around our place over the last little while and, Lord-willing, plans for the months to come.

* Monday, June 8, our first week of camp begins. I've had a nursing infant or a huge belly at camp over the past 4 years. This year I'm farming the kids out in 3 different directions and going as a counselor for Sr. High week. I'm really excited about this opportunity! I'm having a hard time leaving the kids though. I'm sure I'll miss those sweet hugs and kisses I get all day from them!

* This summer I will be home for a total of 2 1/2 weeks. Like I said, Monday we begin the first week of camp (Sr. High week). The week after that I'm home. The next week is Jr. High week of camp. The week after that is Elementary week. Then I'm home for 1 1/2 weeks. I'm going to do a huge yard sale during that time (I'm REALLY trying to get rid of a lot of junk around here. I'm getting my "missionary mindset" on!- another post for another time!). July 18 Jason will be taking a group of teens to Bend, OR on a missions trip and I will be heading to Tennessee! I'll be in Tennessee (stopping in Quincy, IL for several days to spend time with grandparents) for several weeks! Then I'll be heading to FL for vacation with my parents and siblings and Jason will fly down to spend a week with us there.

* I'm very thankful today for a family in our church who live in our neighborhood. They have 3 daughters in our youth group who have been so helpful with our kids! 2 of them came over today to play with the kids for several hours while Jason and I went out for lunch (major Mexican craving!) and did some shopping together to get ready for camp next week. When we got home they said, do you mind if we take them to the park again? OF COURSE NOT! So, off they went for another 1 1/2 hours while I worked in the kitchen uninterrupted and then got some sewing done. When they came home they asked if I minded if they take the kids back to their house to play for a little while? OF COURSE NOT! So, of they went to play at their house for at least another hour. It was AWESOME!

* congratulations to Justin and Stephanie who will be married on August 8. Our family is going to St. George Island in Florida for a week in August and Justin and Stephanie are going to have an intimate wedding with family on the beach there.

* I just finished making 400 sausage balls for a graduation open house tomorrow morning. The ovens been running for about 6 hours today! We don't have a/c (well, one window unit). I think our house is 350 degrees right now. Speaking of grad open houses- I think we've had at least 20 to attend this year! It's been fun.

* 13 weeks. That's me... and baby... this is my ever so NOT creative way of announcing my pregnancy with #4 to my bloggy friends and vast readership (ha ha). As much as I've thought about and planned out creative ways of announcing this I just can't seem to pull it together. So, there you have it. I'm praising the Lord that this pregnancy has gone smoothly so far and I've really only recently been sick (weird, huh?).