PREP... Who Threw Up in the Stove?

KMac walks into kitchen just as Catey spills the zucchini soup that KMac DOES NOT like in the stove while trying to transfer it into a Ziploc to freeze.

KMac: WHOA! Who threw up in the stove?

Potty Plunger Boy: What???

KMac: What? I can't help it that zucchinis look like vomit.

She'll be having canned tomato soup for dinner tonight.

PREP... The Scone Adventure

Hey everybody!

Back again for another short blog. I thought I'd update y'all about the scones. (Before I go on, I'm not sure how cool everyone is with me using their real name, so I used the interns' soundoff numbers and the PREP nicknames. For those of you in ICC, see if you can figure out who these people are. I might tell you who they are... if you give me chocolate)

I mentioned in my last post that we can only bake from 8 pm to 8 am. Last night, that got hairy. We baked potatoes for lunch this afternoon, and I also planned on baking about 40 scones. No sweat, right?

Wrong.

So, I knew that the Moon's oven has some spunk, but yesterday, it decided it didn't like me and suffice it to say that it didn't bake those potatoes till it was good and ready (which was, literally, three hours after we were hoping it would be good and ready) It was all good though, because we got a curfew extension to finish baking.

I made the scones while the oven was having its temper tantrum, three batches of one dozen to 16 each. Here begins adventure #2 of The Scone Adventure.

I found the food processor without a problem. It's this really cute little round thing with a lid and a little button you push to make it go... and that was about all I could find out. I tried four or five different methods to get it to turn on... but I have no common sense so that didn't work. I asked another PREP girl... didn't work. I asked an ex-PREP guy who is now an intern (this would be #6, the one who sprayed me with the faucet... so you know how much courage that took) but that didn't work. It took me like forty five minutes just to figure out how to get the lid on the processor, and about four peoples' help! Come on, Catey! Finally, I ground up the oats and got started on the scones.

Here begins adventure #3 of The Scone Adventure. I decided to make some dairy free scones and just experiment around with them and hope they turned out (sorry, #8 and #10 for my cooking style! So far, the only thing that hasn't come out is the dairy-free pudding....) So, despite my MULTIPLE google fails (the girls are allergic to milk AND soy... so nothing really worked) I was able to find a butter substitute (coconut oil works - compensate with a little flour for the softness) and then set about making non-dairy buttermilk. Yah. Non-dairy buttermilk. I ended up using a mixture of water, honey, vinegar and vegetable oil. It worked though.

Here begins adventure #4 of The Scone Adventure. There were a ton of people randomly bumming around the kitchen, guys and girls, but after curfew, everyone went to bed. I went and washed my hair while my scones were baking, then came out in my pajamas. Mind you, everyone was supposed to be asleep. And that there is a very, very strict NO PAJAMAS rule in this house. I came out, and it was just one of the PREP girls and I icing my scones and then blam! The son of the organization's president (his mom is the one who initiating the NO PAJAMAS rule) shows up and starts randomly talking to us. No point. No purpose. Just talking to us. Despite the fact that it's the middle of the night and we're all in our pajamas. What do you do in that circumstance??? Weirdness.

A few more assorted adventures:

#3: How dare you even think of that??? Here in the Moons' house and everything!

Catey: I didn't think of that. You were -

#3: You perverted person!

#6: What was Catey doing?

#3: Thinking of boys wearing short shorts!

Catey: No I wasn't!

#6: Catey, how could you?

Catey: I wasn't. #3's making this up -

#6: Catey, we're going to have to lock you in the closet for this. You've crossed a line.

Catey: #3 was talking about it. I didn't do anything. He's making this up. Why don't we lock him up?

#3: Because you're a girl. You need to obey us, for you are a PREP girl slave. #6, tie her up.

Catey: What??

#6: Yes, that's right. #3, it's your job to remember to let her out to cook us our food.

Catey:...?...!...?

------

At Sam's Club, with The Slacker and The Onion Mincer...

Random checkout lady (you know it's coming - another one of those creeper stories...): So... why all the food?

The Onion Mincer: It's for our growing family. (looks at Catey, for approval or punishment)

Random checkout lady: ...?...!...?

------

Catey: Please let me out of the closet....

------

Catey: Please?

------

Catey: Seriously! #3 and #6, this isn't funny any more!

------

Catey: (cries quietly)

#3: Woman! Get in the kitchen where you belong!

------

Well, that was nice. That was cool. That was fun. That was nice.

It's been one big adventure, and it's been, all of it, totally awesome. I love PREP!

I'll be back with more totally random stories tomorrow.

Love from Murfreesboro!

Catey (The Asian)

PREP... Frugality Meets Allergy and Things Blow Up

I'm finding that having a quick post once a day or every few days will make sure that I write often enough to keep everybody posted back home, but it doesn't take that long. This might even work.

So, one of my main roles as a PREP girl is to organize, plan and work kitchen. I'm currently having a lot of jobs that involve organizing the kitchen (this means I write shopping lists and help decide on meals, mostly.)

To give you a little perspective on this, we're cooking for roughly 35 people six meals a day: breakfast, AM snack, lunch, PM snack, dinner, and dessert. We have salad at lunch and dinner, fruit at breakfast and every snack, and cookies whenever the team wants them (currently, we haven't made any though... this is sad). The oven has so much personality, including cooking things at a unique rate (depending on the food, it might be fast or slow) and turning on spontaneously. (Not quite spontaneously, actually. It's just really sensitive.) We can use the oven after 8 pm and before 8 am, but not between. We also have two people with lactose/soy allergies. Whew! It's a lot to keep in mind, but it's not all that hard to manage. It is so ridiculously fun. I'm learning so much about managing and budgeting and how to cook for different tastes and needs.

I hope I don't sound like I'm complaining, because I'm not. This has been such a blast, and such a joy! I would do this forever and ever.

However, right now I've hit an obstacle. Does anybody out there know how to make dairy-free scones? The scones are getting made in a few days and I'm trying to figure out how Tessa and Marisa are going to eat... [goes off to check Mrs. V's blog....]

What a blast! I love PREP! I love cooking! I love learning how to work out the managing and the allergies and the health and the gorgeousness of these awesome people!

Google rocks,

Catey

PREP... Joy is Strength

(Written at the Moon's house waiting to go grocery shopping so I can make dinner...)

It's going to be a short post today, but suffice it to say that Camp was awesome! I had opportunity to step into some leadership training and opportunities, and my cabin group was awesome! (They won two simulations!)

Camp was an encouragement to me that I was indeed a speaker worth listening to - not because I'm great or I have any right to demand the respect of my audience, but because when God places you in a situation where you must speak, he will also give you the words to say, and so it's not you they here, but him.

Here at PREP, I'm one of seven team members (our soundoff is in Korean - I'm ilgop.) It's been an awesome two days and I'm excited to see all that God will do. The team (meaning the staff here) is so wonderful. They are sweet to me (except for one... who sprays me while I'm doing the dishes...) It's awesome! I can't wait to get to the store, because I'm making scones for breakfast (I miss you, Auntie Angi! I'll make them for you as soon as I get home!)

So... that's all for now! I promise I'll write more later. But look! I posted! Isn't this rare! Isn't that wonderful! And I didn't even sing about seeing people on plates.

With joy,

Catey

Promise

I promised my mom I would get better about blogging by the time I leave for Camp and Prep Week next week. This is my first attempt at it. I know I really have been pathetic about it, so I'm hoping to remedy that.

So, I should probably start by catching my poor old blog up to date on all that has transpired since my last post. Since my last post on expectation, I have:

- had my cousin Zach stay in town for eleven days this June. I don't think Zach reads my blog, and I'm not sure how often his mom does, but here's my shout-out to Zach. He's an amazing young man. I've known Zach since he was eight or nine or so, and I've always loved him. He's twelve now, and one of the most amazing twelve-year-olds I have ever met for so many reasons. I miss him so much. You can send him back any time, Aunty!

- lived so much I forgot to write about it. I hope this won't happen this summer, because, like I said, I promised my mom I would be better about blogging. So my lack of blogging has had more to do with having too much to write about than not having enough to write about.

- had one of the greatest Carli-ish adventures of my life in the tiny town next to us. My sister Carli waves to everyone - makes their day. So my cousins and my siblings and I decided we'd try it out. An hour and a half later, I saw more smiles on the faces of busy Palmer Lake citizens than ever before. Hopefully, we'll be doing that again tonight.

- I competed in the Inaugural ICCFS National Championship Tournament. What an amazing experience! At my very first tournament with breaks, it was such a delight to be with all the other competitors and learn what true friendship can mean. I've never been in a place where I can encounter anyone in the halls and pray with them in all earnestness and hug them and send them on to their room, even if you're competing against them. I've never seen people who were more in touch with each other's needs and where I heard no backbiting. I could gush for pages on how much I love those people I was with, but I'll refrain.

- I encountered breaks for the first time. Super fun. I loved standing with everyone when they were announced! I broke in all three speeches. I also broke in debate, which was announced later, and was one of the finalists in our first-ever national championship! It was an exciting thing, for sure. I placed in all of my speeches, which was a huge blessing.

- I was an RSA. So delightful!!!! I could gush about these people for ages too, but I'll just say that they are completely wonderful and it was such a joy to work with them. They even put up with me when I was going crazy looking for jobs (usually, this didn't last too long. We were busy!)

-I was a point person setting up the banquet. That was a stretching experience. Usually my jobs involve making people feel happy, not making sure things get done. It grew me a lot though.

- Currently, I'm spending some time with my out-of-state buddy, Ethan, who flew out here a few weeks ago. I've known Ethan since he was about four (he's now eleven) , and it's been pure delight to have him out here with us again.

- Joss and I are planning on taking off again (I have been traveling so much it's ridiculous!!) to go to Tennessee for a communications camp out there for a week, and then I'll be remaining in Tennessee for the rest of the month helping a team of interns prep for the annual tour conference. Basically, I get to do chores and make sure they don't have to worry about anything while they prepare. I can't wait!

So, this summer so far has been about experiencing and learning communion and relationship. I love. I hope this will become more true. I am so excited to see all that God will do this summer and forever. I'm going to do my very best to blog my experiences as much as possible! Keep me accountable, everyone!

Love you all!

Joy!

Catey

Echoes in Ink

A Cheerful Experience

Hello, everyone!

Sorry about the delay in posts. I have a fiction piece mostly done over here, but in the mean time, here's a funny, everyday experience that happened to me recently:

My family went to Panda Express for dinner. As we walked in, a group of four troublemaker teen guys were sitting at one of the tall tables. They were the kind of guys that were quite obviously there to make trouble (you know the type: pants falling off, menacing grins, the whole works). As Jocelyn and I were walking past, I heard, "Mr. Frederickson?" from one of them. The name stuck with me, but I couldn't think of why. As we walked closer, I heard the continuation of the conversation - "... I chased it under your porch, but this snipe had a long tail and looked more like a large mouse." Now, I recognized it! That's UP (which is currently one of my favorite movies)!! I guess even troublemaking guys can have good taste.

Love always, C.

Olympic Memories, Take Two

Inspired by my mother's post over at the Adoptyuen...

Frankly,Winter Olympics are getting a little out of hand. First of all, the very...er... uncomfortable-looking male figure skaters battle it out with spins, tassels, and (my personal favorite) hip-shaking. (That was sarcastic). Then there are at least seven million ski events (Alpine. Alpine Downhill. Alpine Uphill. Slalom. Giant Slalom. Not Quite Giant Slalom. Mini Slalom. Slalom half-pipe on skis. Slalom half-pipe on skates. Slalom biathlon nordic combined men and women with pterodactyls. Super mega slalom on snowboards. Snow cross/ski cross/railroad cross. Do you get the picture???). I've decided that, when the host nation is as, frankly, (trying to think of a nice word) unexciting as Canada, we should add and combine a few events to compensate for the unexcitingness of the rest of it. My ideas:

Moose Mini Slalom: It's sort of like the slalom (whatever that means) except with a moose instead of skis!

Figure curling: Where girls (or boys, depending) in sparkly dresses have a contest on who can do the most jumps and hit each other with sticks, all in the same event!

Horse racing on ice: Sort of like short track speed skating, except on a horse.

Railroad cross: This is like snowboard cross (or ski cross. I'm not quite sure which). You wear one ski and one snowboard and try to race a moving train! Added incentive: If you don't medal, you'll not only disappoint your country, but you'll also be extremely flat.

Luge biathlon, Matterhorn style: Instead of trying to beat the best time in a sled, you are attempting to outrun a yeti (similar to the Matterhorn ride in Disneyland!) The gun is to shoot the yeti, thus yielding a medal not only in overall speed, but also in aim while on a sled moving 90 mph.

What do you think? What as-of-yet unseen Olympic events would you suggest?

There are simply no words to describe how awkward and uncomfortable it is to watch male figure skaters.






Olympic memories, to be continued

Birthday Party

Tuesday was J.R.R. Tolkien's birthday. I can't believe I missed it, for now I am sad. Tolkien is one of my favorites.... argh. So, I'll now write a post in honor of Tolkien... but since he was such a brilliant author, I may quote a bit.

"All that is gold does not glitter
Not all who wander are lost
The old that is strong does not wither
Deep roots are not touched by the frost
From the ashes a fire will be woken
A light from the shadows shall spring
Renewed shall be blade that was broken
And the crownless again shall be king."

"Faithless is he who says farewell when the road darkens."

"It's a dangerous business - stepping out your front door. "

"Short cuts make long delays."

"I do not love the bright sword for it's sharpness, nor the arrow for it's swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend.”“It must often be so, Sam, when things are in danger: someone has to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them.”“I warn you, if you bore me, I shall take my revenge.”

Hehe... I love Tolkien. I promise I'll write a good post sometime before MASTERS... though I've no idea when...

Today is a Holiday

Indeed it is! Today, Bluejane and I have declared it International Kylie Is Awesome Day.

This is Kylie.





She is Awesome.

And we have dedicated today to showing her how awesome she is on our blogs.

This is us.



For those of you who don't know her, Kylie is the most amazing editor ever. I have worked with her for years, and she is the most amazing editor ever.

She is the Sr. Editor for Kids of Faith Online Magazine and The Ignition Project, which is an amazing feat.

Love you, Kylie. Thanks for being so Awesome, and being my editor.

Odes

Long overdue, but nonetheless, here they are... the odes to the ONLY people to comment on my amazing St. Francis quote.

Ode to Aunty
There once was a lady named Aunty
(well, actually it was Shirin.)
She was the greatest of people -
The nicest that you've ever seen.
She had hair like a superhero
Mrs. Incredible, true
And she knits fantastic creations
In colors of very bright hue.
But the reason I love my Aunty
Is not for her physical face
But the glorious strenght of her character
That helps me run this race.

Ode to Sophie
Sophie is my opposite
In almost every way
She's tall and blond and gorgeous
And seems to know what to say.
And though we're very different,
I'm happy that I can say
That we're still (happ'ly) friends
In simply every way.

So... my odes are lame-duck. I said they would be 'creative'. I didn't specify how. I really need to work on my rhyming poetry. I like sestinas so much better. Am I rambling? Maybe I should sign off for now. I hope the next post will be my thoughts on St. Francis and how amazing he is. Seriously, I wish I knew him.
In pursuit of glory,
Catey

My First Ever Blog Award

My first ever blog award! Hugs and cookies to Judi for giving it to me :)




I award for their amazing awesome blogging and personal character:

My mother at Adoptyuen
Kylie at His Beautiful Love
Art at Think Outside the Globe
Jocelberry at The Jocelberry Patch
Aunty at The Schneider Web.

Hope you appreciate the award! Thanks for being so awesome!

Humility

I have struggled with a balance between pride and false humility for years. But recently, I had a wake-up call that opened my eyes to embracing my inner ridiculousness, and becoming a person of true humility.

It's called: my family. There is no way to be the oldest of five kids and still have dignity. To show you exactly what I mean:

My family name has a meaning that my dad denies (he hasn't yet embraced his inner ridiculousness). He claims it means "spherical" (my mom says, "corpulent"). My dad says it means, 'wealth'.

It doesn't. I researched it. And that's NOT what it means.

It means, 'gibbon'.

A gibbon is a monkey.

My full name means "pure light monkeys".

Truth is truly stranger than fiction.

My family settled on a compromise.

We are now the Rich Round Monkeys.

Love always,
Catey the Rich Round Monkey Woman

Proof...

... that I really am a nerd:

I have a superb reading word per minute!

Average reading speed is 150-400 wpm.

My initial reading speed is 650 wpm.

Less than 5% of North Americans have a wpm over 400.

After taking a speed reading course, my wpm is now 1060 per 45 seconds.

With comprehension.

And I'm so happy.

I am such a nerd.

The Promised Post

So, here is the short version of my camp experience at ICC Speech Leadership Camp. I have this really good insightful post coming, but I thought I'd write a short on camp. Sixteen fun things about Camp:
Zero bug bites before the last day. I had this AMAZING bug spray that kept everything away and smelled like a smoothie. I was soooo happy... then I went on a hay ride. Apparently, in Tennessee (where "there's oxygen, so there are bugs.") there are these things called chiggers which are the demonic cousins of mites. They leave their feeding tubes in your skin, so they itch for forever and swell up and scar. I don't itch anymore, but I'm scarred. That was a unique experience.
One week in Tennessee. One of the most amazing weeks of my life.
Two amazing Moons. I met Mr. Moon for the first time at the conference - wonderful people, those Moons. I also got to see Mrs. Moon. I really like her and am very glad that she's still so involved in our organization.
Three hours discussing philosophy with Rebecca. Rebecca was one of the girls in my cabin and we got to be friends during our week at Camp, as we were both also Student Leaders. Rebecca is a genius analyzer and then some. So, one day, we sat in the (air-conditioned) chapel and talked about philosophy for three hours (blog post on that coming soon). She's the only person I know who talks classic literature, philosophy, and knows everything old musical ever.
Four speech events. Not bad for my second tournament ever, eh? I competed Impromptu, Interpretation, Platform, and Sales Pitch.
Five third-place awards. Seriously. Five third places. How did I manage that? I took 3rd in Impromptu, Interpretation, Sales Pitch, Sweepstakes (not sure how that happened) and Model UN speaker.
Six people playing Big Monkey. Phil (very cool intern who used to scare me but gave me a 1st place ballot in Interp) taught six of us how to play this really random, pointless game called Big Monkey... I am sad to say that four out of the six people didn't get this nearly rule-free game. Oh well.
Seven guys singing "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" - at Eric's request. Eric (another cool intern, though he didn't scare me) likes to sing. Lots. Even though his voice is, in a word, bad. Once he found out my talent for getting a song stuck in my head for weeks at a time, he made it his goal to sing every song he knows around me. Rick Astley was his favorite (and Phantom of the Opera - talk about awkward.) but The Lion Sleeps Tonight was rather amusing - considering the fact that he gathered most of the guys in the room to sing the backup for him.
Eight hours with the same people daily. Since there were only four Student Leaders (I was the odd one out in a lot of ways... vaguely humorous.) we spent all of our four-six classes a day with each other and since there were so few, we got to know each other well. When we did personality typing (we actually had a class on it) we found out that we're all within a few letters of each other.
Nine girls in my cabin. Six of us were there for the ride, three were interns. I loved doing devotionals every night with them.
Ten showers in the Girl's Bathouse. And everyone in them sang. It was fantastic.
Eleven - Minute D.I. (ouch.)
Twelve wonderful interns. Hhhhh... I miss them.
Thirteen or more states represented. Even a foreign country - Ontario, Canada. His accent was funny.
Fourteen pages of notes. I'm a little overeager.
Fifteen Model UN Nations. Yipee! Go Model UN! If they'd passed my resolution, we would have won the game... but they didn't. So much fun.
A myriad: Of memories, knowledge and friendships.

Coming up next: An insightful post on Hollow Men...

I'm Back

One hen
Two ducks
Three squawking geese
Four limerick oysters
Five corpulent porpoises
Six pairs of Don Alverso's tweezers
Seven thousand Macedonians in full battle array
Eight brass monkeys from the ancient sacred crypse of Egypt
Nine apathetic sympathetic diabetic old men on roller skates with a marked propensity toward procrastination and sloth
Ten lyrical spherical diabolical denizans of the deep who haul stall around the corner of the quo of the quay of the quivery
All at the same time.

(Why? Because I don't have time to write a full post about the amazingness of ICC Camp.
Why that poem? Well, you'll have to stay tuned to read all about it.
Why wait? Because it's too phenomenal to write in short form.
Why so phenomenal? Great people, like the people I love and miss so much I'm referring to them as my Camp Family and who include interns and teens, fantastic memories, like things about cows, flight attendants, and Rick Astley, and lots of fun. Like I said, stay tuned.
-Catey
Who misses her Camp Family)

The Devil in Disguise Rides Again!

I never thought I would pen these words, but it is true:

My orthodontist, he, the Devil in Disguise, is back and out for my blood.

As you, my faithful readers, will remember, I have now had my braces off for 183 days (not that I've been counting or anything). And, I have had exactly three occasions to go back into the orthodontist's office since then (and, yes, I have been counting those).

My orthodontist had finally succumbed to the power of prayer. The devil was vanquished, and I was walking in freedom of deliverence. In my exactly three appointments since 183 days ago, I haven't even seen the glint of a fang, horn or tail.

Until yesterday.

Yesterday was my 6 month (a month late) retainer check. Last week, I'd come in and taken impressions again (the lady did not know what she was doing. I had impression goo all over my body when I left the office and my saliva tasted like impression goo- a taste which, by the way, is remarkably similar to that of some kind of exotic poison- for about five days after). I'll pick up the story after my literally twenty-minute wait in the Torture Chair:

Devil in Disguise: So... keeping them clean... wearing them every night... *to Assassin lady* She's a tough one... what do I do to her now?

Assassin lady: *nudge, nudge* Impressions?

DiD: Already did those. Twice.

AL: Ooh! New retainer!

DiD: *evil, Bowler-hat-guy-esque chuckle* Oh yes. *plasters grin on* I'm going to give you a new retainer for you to wear until you die. It's made of frog guts and cement. It will make your teeth hurt like you have braces again, and is so thick and heavy that you won't be able to sleep with your mouth shut. Because of this, you will develop an outrageous sore throat and jaw problems you can't even imagine! Any questions?

Moral of the story: Once they let you out of the Devil's office, don't go back in.

Screening Calls

Why you should never screen phone calls:

The last time I screened an out-of-state call (Virginia), I found out days late that I had taken 4th in the Patrick Henry College short story contest (my story's on their website - here)

This time, my sister didn't answer a different Virginia call.

I find out today that I took 3rd place in the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) Poetry contest. It was a Sestina poem (not the one I posted a few months ago) but I'm not sure which one out of the two I wrote took the placing, but I'm really really really excited. It should be up fairly soon on the HSLDA website here. I'll post when I find out that it's been put up.

God bless,
Catey
Who has no luck in screening calls

***EDIT***
My poem is now up on the HSLDA website, and for the first time, I actually feel pretty good about this one. I did not expect this to be the winner (it felt pious when I submitted it, but it's a unique look at the topic.) but I am very very happy nonetheless. You may read it at this link: http://www.hslda.org/Contests/Poetry/2009/2009poems.asp#Catey.
Echoes in ink,
Catey
Who also has no luck in predicting winning pieces

***LAST EDIT, I PROMISE***
Vote on my poll down below my blog name... I'm trying to gather opinions on something, and I'd love for yours to be a part of it!
Echoes in ink,
Catey
Who adds multiple edits to her blog posts

Sing With Me!

I am sixteen, going on seventeen,
I know that I'm naive.
Fellows I meet may tell me I'm sweet
And willingly, I believe!
I am sixteen, going on seventeen,
Innocent as a rose.
Bachelor dandies, drinkers of brandies,
What do I know of those?
Totally unprepared am I
To face a world of men.
Timid and shy and scared am I
Of things beyond my kin!
I need someone older and wiser
Telling me what to do
You are seventeen, going on eighteen,
I'll depend on you.

Around... Sort of

Pretty much the title sums it up. I'm around.... sort of. Since I haven't been posting much, I'll give you my life in a nutshell, which can, roughly, be summed up in my life this past week.

Last Friday: I was commandeered into service by a lady who is half my height but twice my gumption. I spent an hour guarding a door for our homeschool graduation.
(Me: Seth! Let me in!
Seth: NO! Go away.
Me, fifteen minutes later: SETH! They're attacking me with pencils!
Seth: NO! You are obsessed! Go away!
Seth's mom: CATEY! Let people in there before they kill you with pencils!)

Saturday: Duo practice. With a guy who hates this kind of speech. Both of our first times. Ever.
(Me: We need to keep the line!
Shane: NO! We need to cut the line!
Me: I'm the interper!
Shane: I'm in charge!)

Sunday: Dad leaves. World ends.
(Me, while frantically trying to figure out how in the world I'm going to get the speech to work without the line Shane cut: Sam! SSSSSHHHH!
Sam: WAAAAH!!!!!!!
Me, while still frantically trying to figure out how in the world I'm going to get the speech to work without the line Shane cut: WAAAAH!)

Monday: We are plunged into madness and chaos of the most devious nature.
(Me: Okay, so Mrs. B will pick us up and take us to Chapter, and there Carli will do her interp, Joss will do her interp, and I'll do my interp with Shane, despite the fact that I have no clue how to live without the line he cut, and then Mom will pick us up, take us to Costco while Joss does VBS practice, then we'll pick up the dog from the vet, go home and have dinner. Anything I forgot?
Mom: Yeah. Sam's running a fever and hasn't stopped crying all day.)

Tuesday: Sam will not stop crying. Oh yeah. And laundry. Lots and lots of laundry.
(Me, while still trying to figure out how to get the speech to work without the line that Shane cut, since we mysteriously didn't get to do it the day before, and foldng a mile-high pile of laundry: When does Daddy get home? Soon?)

Wednesday: Sam is not sick. So why is he such a mess?
(Sam: WAAAAAH!
Me, while still folding the mile-high pile of laundry and trying to figure out how to get the speech to work without the line that Shane cut: WAAAH! Tell me Daddy's getting home soon!

Thursday: Performed speech - in the middle of nowhere while still trying to figure out how to give this speech without the line that Shane cut.
(Me, after driving to this tiny church in the middle of nowhere: Yeah, I'm here to work on a speech.
Kaitlin: Aren't you competing next year?
Me: Yes. But I'm working on one with Shane. It's a duo.
Kaitlin: You are lying to me.
Me: No... seriously
Kaitlin: You have done the impossible.
Me, under my breath: Not quite. Figuring out how to give this speech without the line Shane cut is doing the impossible...)

Today: DADDY'S HOME!!!! And putting the line that Shane cut BACK into my speech!
(Me: I'm right! You may be in charge, but I'm right! And that line is SO going back in the speech!)

Yes, so, essentially, that's been my life. Sound interesting? It was. In retrospect.

And, in addition to all that, I'm up on:

Kids of Faith Online Magazine: the summer issue is up! We have some fabulous stuff in this one, including but not limited to: a brand new contributor (Alyssa!), a review of Do Hard Things (the review was recommended by the Harris brothers, who are the authors of the book!) and (if I do say so myself) the very best installment of Beneath a Dark Sky yet.

Real Teen Faith: my Squire CWG mentor's site. Read my devo about summer training, if you like.

Echoes in ink,
C.