Saturday, July 25, 2009

fun with Wordle

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I discovered a new website - Wordle - that randomizes words graphically. Try making your own! You can enter words that you want to appear, or enter your blog link and Wordle will automatically pull commonly-used words from your blog. Something fun to do if you're bored (or bored in class)!

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Transitioning

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5 weeks at Sankanac went by so quickly! The weather was wonderful - not too hot, and sunny every day. We will have lots of memories from our time there this summer, and while it will be good to transition back to our more "normal" lifestyle, we will miss our friends and will be looking forwar A few photos of our last few days... the sign, Benji playing ping pong, and Lisa getting her 1/2 mile swimming patch at her very own awards ceremony!

We packed up Saturday morning and were home unpacking the same afternoon, with probably 9 loads of laundry piled around our apartment. On Saturday evening, we met my parents for dinner in Adamstown at Stoudt's Brewery with our friend Kathryn who is here for 2 weeks working at camp, telling her that this was America trying to be German. We had a good time, and some great and pretty authentic German cuisine.

On Sunday afternoon, we visited the Winklers in Easton, and after a cookout at their house, went to see our first Iron Pigs game in Bethlehem. The Iron Pigs are one of the AAA farm teams for the Phillies, and admission was pretty inexpensive - Rob and I both got in for $12. Because of camp, Rob has been missing watching baseball, so we had a great afternoon!

This week, we are busy getting our life at home re-organized, and getting things ready for our big trip!

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Camp and Carlisle

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It's been a great couple of weeks at camp. Last week, there were 171 boys who came for Army/Navy Week - a Sankanac tradition where the climax is a day-long event of competitions where the camp is split between two teams - Army v. Navy. This year, Army won, but only by 3 points. It was an exciting day at camp! and I was happy that I could take a day off from work to witness the events, and even judge a few competitions. Among my favorite were diving, canoeing, and of course... pie eating.

Rob and Chip getting ready to announce the teams.

Chief Rob overseeing Indian Games.

Last Friday night, I took a break from camp and drove to Carlisle, PA to visit Rach Carmichael and other friends from college and to see Rach & Aaron's new home (which is amazing!) and their cute puppy Ally. Friday was a good time of catching up with Meg and Rach. We went out to dinner at a cute Greek place called the Back Door Cafe, where we all got yummy gyros - and then of course, went shopping and rented a movie. Saturday morning, we all drank coffee on the front porch and chatted, and then Ash and Debbie joined us for breakfast. It was a really good, refreshing time of catching up on each other's lives.

The Back Door Cafe (named this because you enter in the back, not the front!)

Rach & Ally (a bit blurry because Ally was moving & I took this on my iPhone)!

We are almost halfway through our fifth and final week of serving at camp, which is bittersweet. We're ready to readjust to life back at home with a normal schedule and are looking forward to our trip to the UK in a week and a half, but will miss camp and everything that goes with it... living the simple life, being in the outdoors, spending time with some very dear friends.

Monday, July 6, 2009

The Summer of Rainbows

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I have never before seen so many rainbows within the course of a few days' span. I have seen four rainbows so far this summer - two of them FULL double rainbows, and I don't quite know how to describe them other than just simply beautiful...

Unfortunately, I am usually driving when I see them, but luckily a friend was with me the last time I saw one and was able to capture the moment on my iPhone.


Just when the clouds are clearing, and the sun is coming back out, a streak of colors appear across the sky. Maybe rainbows say something other than God's promise never to flood the Earth again. Maybe they say something deeper about life and our journey... a reminder to take the time to appreciate beauty in challenging, difficult times and in joyful times.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Picnics, Jobs, and Visitors

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This past weekend, my parents, Krystal and the Sandersons visited us at Sankanac. We spent the afternoon swimming and fishing and canoeing, had a cookout/picnic, went on the HUGE waterslide at camp, and built a fire and roasted marshmallows. It was a really nice day of catching up and relaxing.

Week One of camp finished well, although the staff (including Rob and I) were tired from multiple games of Mission Impossible. And we are well into this week, thankful for less campers and more time to breathe. Next week is Army/Navy week, the most popular week of camp, and there will be twice the number of campers as we have this week.

Rob had an interview today for the full-time position of the Social Studies teaching job that he long-term subbed for last year. We are hoping that he gets the job offer once he completes a few more observation hours needed to receive his special education certificate from the Commonwealth. The plan is for him to get that all finished before our Ireland trip so that he will have the certification by the time we get back. New in my job area... I have completed training hours necessary to become a PA Notary, and my application is pending with the state. This will give me a chance to use my skills at Eastern (we have a lot of students who need stuff notarized to go on missions trips, study abroad, etc.), but is something I can also do on the side if I wish to.

Soon, Kathryn will be returning to the States to work at camp for 2 weeks before we go over there to visit her on her turf. A mutual friend (can you guess who, Kathryn?) mentioned that she is probably going to get flagged by customs soon for such frequent visits... we hope not! and are glad she has been able to travel here so often.

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