Best Weekend Ever

I have wonderful friends in whom I just delight.  DELIGHT, people.  We love God, we love each other, and we love to have a good time just being.  With each other.  You can read more of these sentiments at one of these said friend's new blog.  I do not wish to repeat her words.  I only wish I could convey how much I love these people.  It is very sad to me that a lot of my favorites now live in different places.  It makes reunions like these bittersweet.  Caitlin, Meagan, and Jordan all came in town this weekend from their respective new towns.  Taylor is in town for the summer.  The rest of us just used them as an excuse to par-tay!  We are a group who loves to take pictures, and we did not disappoint ourselves.  I think I now have about 813,727 new photographs now.  Here are some of my favorites:

We like games.  We learned a new one (SIGNS), and it provided much laughter and gaiety.  I'm sitting with Jordan and Luke, mimicking Jordan's "sign".  

Jordan, mimicking Luke's sign.  Awesome.

Luke with Meagan's sign.

Fun times after dinner...#1

#2

#3, for reals

Where would I be as a gymnast without Meagan's guidance and support?

Right about...here.

I love the dancing !

Me and my boys of summer, Taylor and Jarrod:

So there you have it.  Just a little taste of the glory.  I miss all those moments!  I love the summertime.  In Jesus' Name we pray, amen.

Good clean fun

This makes me want to put in a pool and set up a video camera.

And out of the darkness...

I am SO not consistent with this whole blogging thing.  I find myself trying to ferret out the interesting facets of my day-to-day existence just to blog about them.  You know, because I can and stuff.  And then I, you know, don't blog.  I'm already tired and have some bible study to do before I sleep, so I'm only going to give you the highlights of my recent (month and a half) life: I am taking gymnastics.  For "big kids".  I stinking love it.  We do all areas of gymnastics.  I'm currently sore from holding my head up whilst spinning around the uneven bars.  Yes, it is true (I am Nacho).  

More later.  For now, let me just say that I have a new favorite gymnast, and I can't wait for the Olympics.  I discovered this week that they are going to have Beijing On Demand, so I won't have to miss anything!  This little peanut is the most amazing thing I've ever seen...and a whole foot shorter than I am.  

Check it:

Just some funny

First, I needed this today.

Second, inspired by The Boo, I found the video below. I do not even know why I find Dave Barnes so stinking funny. But I do. Because he is.

Music Mondays

Theme for the week: Songs of Summer.

This is what I do for fun with my co-workers--think of as many songs as possible that say the word "summer".  Show me what you're workin' with, people.  It'll last all week long.

Here's what we've got so far on this week's theme:

Summer of '69 - Bryan Adams

Summertime - Porgy & Bess

What Time Is It - High School Musical 2

All For One - High School Musical 2

You've Got A Friend - Carole King

Summer Lovin' - Grease

Summertime Blues - Alan Jackson

Boys of Summer - Don Henley

Summer In The City - The Lovin' Spoonful

Summer Breeze - Seals & Crofts

A Summer Place - Andy Williams

All Summer Long - The Beach Boys

The Summer Knows - Summer of '42

Walking through the park and reminiscing

I. Love. The weekend.  

I have to tell you that I've had a string of pretty pleasant ones lately.  This is mainly because of two things: hanging out with good friends, and fun in the sun.  I love to be outside in the sun in the Florida summer.  Call me crazy.  

This past weekend, my sister's church was having a beach day at St. George Island.  She invited me to come!  This is a big deal because my sister never asks me to do anything.  With her.  And her friends.  And let's be honest, I very rarely do things with people I don't know.  But I've been missing the beach and yearning to do things outside my comfort zone (weird?), so off we went.  

Highlights of the day:

1. Feeling like a college kid again, riding in the car with a bunch of college kids (holler out the window, etc)

2. Seeing a new cute boy for my sister to like, instead of the not-so-nice one who just moved away.

3. We SURFED.   I.  Am so proud.  Of myself.  I had never been surfing before, but since a bunch of her church friends had multiple surfboards, I got to learn!  And let me tell you, I "caught" every wave I tried, and stood up for what I believe to be a respectable amount of time.  Even long enough on the last one to strike some victorious and cool surfer poses.  Thank you.  

Bittersweet: this was my first trip to a beach since my return from Hawaii.  I discovered that I truly will never be the same.  How can it ever get better than this?:

Too bad I don't have any pictures of surfing.  Good story, huh?  And then I found five dollars.

Praying

Y'all, if anyone is reading this, please pray for Steven Curtis Chapman and his family. If you haven't heard, his youngest daughter died in an accident in their own driveway yesterday afternoon. This also apparently involved one of his sons. I don't know them personally, but I know that they are a wonderful Godly family and they could use our prayer and support right now. I can't imagine the difficulty or pain in their current circumstances.
Father God, comfort them as only You know how. May the Holy Spirit bring supernatural peace and forgiveness and healing in their hearts. We don't know how to deal with such things, but we recognize that in YOU lies all power and You know what is needed. Come, and bring your help.