Sunday, April 29, 2012

"Has anyone told you you're a free spirit?" "Well apparently I'm an old soul too."

Not only are fanny packs fashion forward but they are also incredibly convenient. Need someone to store your hall pass, pen, camera, eraser, highlighter, flash drive, and chapstick? Fanny pack. Wish people would quit stealing and hiding your pencil case everyday and you could just strap it to your body? Fanny pack.


It's making a comeback in the Junior High. Every Friday until summer break is Fanny Pack Friday. I'm sure the kids will join the teachers in the trend soon.


I love getting art from students and Friday I got one from someone unexpected. She asked me halfway through SLT what my favorite book was and then gave me the finished drawing at the end of the day. So cool.


Most memories of Friday nights with my family growing up involve dinner at Olive Garden and then going to a movie. This week I got to relive that old routine with Rachel and Emily. Bottomless salad and breadsticks, Italian culinary magnificence, and a we're-not-really-sure-we-liked-it comedy.

The weatherman had predicted showers for the entire day and thunderstorms for the afternoon, but still at 7:30 am we gathered to start our mulching marathon. 45 kids began in a cul-de-sac of six houses ready to be mulched. We were a machine, an army of wheelbarrows, shovelers and spreaders.


We worked on two houses at a time, even when the rain began and our shoes and sweatshirts and pants got soaked through. Still we trudged on...


Until the lightning... Then we had to take a 40-minute hiatus from mulching to hole up in the damp garage and play mafia. As soon as the storm broke we got back outside.


We lost a few good men to soccer games and other events but the meat of our team worked through the day pausing only for a Chik-Fil-A lunch and then picking up our shovels and pitchforks again.


Our team huddled up before the final house. These were the elite workers, the cream of the crop, the Olympians of mulching, the first draft picks, the ones who understand that work ethic is contagious.

Perhaps we're a bit insane to volunteer to mulch all day two Saturdays in a row with a bunch of High School kids, but Jake, Mary Ellen and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. It's sweet to hang out with these kids all day long because Delaney is the best mulcher in the world, Jessie and Felicia are border perfectionists, the Freshmen girls got to mulch for the first time ever, and we're glad we get to help them get to camp this summer.


Saturday night I not only got to hang out with my roommates but Molly came over and we got to eat Yats and then we got to go to Huddles and I got to create a new friendship bracelet pattern and go to bed before curfew. Perfect night.

Today after church I drove to Greencastle to gather with friend's for Arielle's bridal shower. There were girls from Alpha Phi, from theatre productions, her family, camp friends and Delphi friends. All of these different sections of her life were represented by people that love and care about her and are so excited to celebrate the upcoming wedding.


We sure know how to celebrate; Molly's punch and Claire's sandwiches, Katie's special presentation and Carolyn's streamers, Joe and Arielle trivia and toilet paper wedding dresses.


Every summer we tell our campers that their cabin mates could end up being their friends for life. I love days like this when we prove that's true. Nine women from Arielle's time as a camp and counselor came together to celebrate her today.


She's got a few more months before she becomes Mrs. Little. Arielle is my oldest friend and I can hardly believe we're not still camp kids running around during rest hour and climbing all over Mt. Wood. I'm lucky to have been able to grow up with her through every stage of life and I can't wait to be part of this next one.

No comments:

Post a Comment