Friday, June 17, 2011

The Summer of Awesome...People

Oh boy, I've done it again. My blogging consistency is about as reliable as my golf swing (I hope that needs no explaining for anyone).

What a whirlwind this summer has been. I was looking forward to April showers yesterday, and now July is around the corner. I know how commonplace revelations about the fleetingness of summer can be, but I've never felt it move by so rapidly as I have this summer. It's almost as if I can step outside of it and watch it zoom by.

The good thing about that, however, is I don't feel like it's being wasted. It's been very full, in fact, which is probably why it feels like it's flying. Reconnecting with friends in the area and having older brothers around means I'm never bored. My friend Elizabeth and I have recently decided to adopt Rookies, a sports bar in town, as our own "Cheers" location. During the NBA Finals, we were there almost five days in a row.

Fifty, sixty-plus text message conversations, overflowing my inbox, from Alyssa, about anything, everything and nothing at all.

I've been taking in more movies lately, and must say I am impressed with the caliber of the summer blockbusters, most of which I have seen go for an equal dose of brain and braun, unusual for summer flicks.

Sam (my 13-year-old little brother) and I have developed a love of "Frasier." Five hour marathons on the Hallmark channel for us to sample to our hearts' content. Sam also recently set up his own e-mail account, which means between the two of us I think we've quoted a good half of at least four different movies.

My fantastic redhead, Melissa, a long-lost (well, a year or so) med school brainiac beauty, was back in Sioux Center for the week, so I was able to take a jaunt to Sioux Center and enjoy shenanigans, reminiscing, catching up, one of our favorite movies and BLT's. Oh, and spinach and artichoke dip with water chestnuts. A new experience, for sure.

Joel's best friend, part two of Joel Squared, paid us a visit Wednesday evening and a good time was had by all. We talked about politics, J. J. Abrams and why women belong in the kitchen (or don't of course).

Two weekends ago I pulled an all-nighter, just talking, to another dear college friend, Laurissa, after a fantastic night out with her and our third musketeer, Elizabeth. A night full of fantastic memories, too many laughs and even better stories.

Next week, I'm counseling 20-some high schoolers at a church camp with some pretty cool co-counselors. Always a neat experience (well, the one other time I've had it, anyway).

The week after that, we're hosting two kids from Hong Kong and showing them the wonder of the midwest, complete with fireworks, bonfires and COWS!

Ethan and Jacob come home today, for a weekend with the ENTIRE family at home. A rare occurrence, for sure. Fun times ahead.

I could keep going on I suppose, but the gist of it is: I really can't complain. I am so blessed by the people in my life, the people that fill my time and have flown with me through this summer. I am so blessed to have friends who can pick up where we left off like time had frozen. I am so blessed to have siblings I genuinely love spending time with (and I think they like spending time with me, too;). I am so blessed to have a best friend in Nashville, Tenn., cousins scattered all over the world (for now, anyway), brothers all over the country, friends an hour away or 10 and still know without question that we would do anything for each other. I haven't even mentioned so many people, but thank you to all you wonderful people that have enriched my life beyond comprehension.

Aaaand, I cannot end on such a sappy paragraph. So here's a closing revelation: I realized today that one of my favorite country singers, Dierks Bentley, shares his last name with the d-bag from "The Bachelorette." What a disgrace, especially since I JUST (literally, maybe five minutes ago) read the lyrics to a song of Dierk's called "My Last Name," about the honor passed down through it from his grandfather, father, headstones, etc. Bentley, what a waste of a name.