The beginning of a new year.

I'm sitting on the floor of my newly organized room. Yes I could sit at the desk, however I'm pretty sure desks are just fancy bookshelves. Anyways so to get the full effect of my view you need to understand something about my room. One wall is the entrance to the balcony. So I'm sitting here with the blinds open watching the rain, reading, listening to music, listening to the rain, attempting to eat breakfast and drinking coffee.

Years to me start when school starts. Not in January. Resolutions, or goals do not happen in January, rather mid August. When I am about to start back to school, back to the grind.

Today I head back to work. To both jobs actually. I go work with Emilie and refocus for the year ahead, and then I head to tutor training in Clemson. Tomorrow I meet with my Practicum Supervisor and then go to a class. crazy.

This summer has been really good. For me this summer was restful. Crazy that during part of it I was in 5 1/2 countries and 3 continents over the course of about two weeks. 1/2 because I only switched trains in Belgium. So the Countries were Spain, Morocco, France, (Belgium), Netherlands, United States of America. I heard many languages, didn't understand many conversations, tapped into my introversion, ate good food and slept. Then when I got back I had a bit of a break at home and then I was off to Camp Hollymont For Girls working as their pool director, going on water ski trips and filling in where I was needed. Working with girls was so different that working with boys, but I loved it.

It may not sound to you like the summer was a restful one, but honestly that is the only word I have found to describe it. I have had trouble sleeping since high school, but this summer, I slept the best I have in years. Many nights I was in bed before 10:30. To those of you who lived with me in the dorms of CIU this must be shocking for you.

I want to thank you all for your prayers and support while I was overseas. I do not really know how to articulate my experience there, I did things that were out of the ordinary, riding camels, taking trains, and generally just not knowing what was happening, but I was also me. I went grocery shopping, I cooked comfort food, potatoes, chicken bog, cabbage etc. I watched some TV series, I read books, I loved coffee and craved warm weather.

I cannot sum up the trip, but I know it was good for me. I had never really had to rely on the kindness of others to get from one country to another, but I did. I never have been in countries like the ones I went to. I did not know before I went that I would love to live in Spain, or Holland, but that I would not be a good fit in Morocco. I know that this summer will influence many conversations for the rest of my life, and I do not really know at all what that looks like.

I do not know what this semester holds. I of course want to love my practicum, and my jobs, I want to learn about guitar, and learn to take good pictures, I want to bike more, read more, sleep more and eat well. I want to exercise and settle into a church family. It is exciting and scary. It is a lot to think about, but it is upon me.

cd