I'm an Aunt again...

My little, little, little nephew Logan Anthony was born on Saturday afternoon. He was born at just about 24 weeks and weighed in at a whopping 453 grams (1.06 pounds). He is just about 10 1/2 inches long. He is SO TINY. I saw him yesterday afternoon in Cleveland and it is just amazing to me that everything he needs for life is inside such a small little thing.

Anyway, please keep praying for Logan, Meghann and Lance.

Brownie's First Camp Out

In Darke County, Ohio... in the middle of a cute, quiet little park... there is a cabin that belongs to the Girl Scouts of Buckeye Trails Council. It is a cute little cabin with bunk beds and a loft, a dining room, kitchen, fire circle and wooden decks. I have always been fond of Little House. It's camping perfectly suited for brownies on their first overnight.

Last night my little troop went camping there. It was fun and we had a massive bonfire that was so hot we had to wait to cook the hot dogs and marshmallows. But it was nice to be with the girls and their shrieks over spiders and bugs. It was nice to have to remind them continuously to stop yelling, and stop running around the fire ring, and stop chasing the ducks, etc. etc.

It was nice because for a few hours I got to remember what my very first campout was like... in a cabin at Rolling Hills and how that first night has evolved into my passionate quest for the next amazing camp spot.

OK, so they are WAY too loud too early in the morning and I only marginally smell like campfire... and there was "airconditioning" that kind of worked... so it wasn't REAL camping... but all the same.

It was nice.

Moving at the Speed of Light

Right now I feel like my life is moving at the speed of light. There is so very much to do and so very little time.

For a timeline update:
-In 12 days I will be departing for Costa Rica. (AHHHHH!)
-In 22 days 18 Russian friends will be arriving in Ohio for 3 weeks of INSANITY.
-In 1 month 4 days I am hosting a retreat/campout for Russian and West Ohio Youth.
-In 1 month 14 days I will be departing for Russia.
-In 2 months 1 day I leave for Tar Hollow.

I have felt lately like I am in desperate need of a time out. So, this weekend I went camping at John Bryan State Park, which is always one of my favorite places to be. Of course, in order to justify this, I took the youth with me. We had fun, the weather was AWESOME... and the fun, food, and laughter were abundant! On Saturday we went canoeing on the Mad River. Abbs and I floated/paddled our way through the middle of the pack to sunburnt knees, tired shoulders and quiet hearts.

My life surprises me sometimes and it takes a beautiful, relaxing weekend to be able to refocus. The proverbial calm before the storm.

Life is good.

Times are a-changin'

It's June.

Hmmmm.

This week all the schools in the area are getting out for summer vacation. It is weeks like this that make me wish I was still a teacher and I could look forward to a summer off! Instead I am once again staring down the barrel of an intense and crazy summer running all over Ohio, the country, and the world.

Why do I do this to myself?

Last week I went on "vacation" to Hershey, PA, Seaford, DE, and New Egypt/Matawan, NJ. In some ways this was my own (self inflicted) torture. In some ways it was nice to be away from Ohio for a week.

What I realized though is this.... I miss my friends. I miss having time to spend with people and live in "community" and laugh together and cry together and LIVE together. I miss going out to movies and I miss waiting for the world to pass by and I miss adventures and I miss love.

I realized that I am too busy. I realized that my life is too full of WORK and not full enough of LIFE and I realized that I can't do this much longer.

SO.... decision time is coming and I must say that I shall err on the side of realism and I shall err on the side of LIFE and I shall soon be making a decision that could make some long term changes... and it will be good.

So, friends... I miss you... but perhaps soon I won't have to anymore!