Day 57: Ciao, bella!

Summer 2011 is officially here! I welcome it with an excited apprehension. As much as I love summer, I don't ever feel like I'm fully ready for it. Ready or not...

My sister left for Italy today. For a month. A whole month. I know it's not really that long in the scheme of things, but right now, that seems like a really long time. A normal day seems like twice its normal length lately. And a month--at that rate--just doesn't sound like a super short time frame. Anyway, I'm super excited for her and only a smidge jealous. ;) I have to be honest though and say that I'm feeling just a tad bit emotional about saying goodbye. We had lunch today with Dad at Big Whiskey's (a fam frequent, for sure), which was nothing short of delightful. Ha. That's funny if you know our fam. It was fun and entertaining, but delightful is much too delicate a word to use when describing our clan. Anyway, it was a good send-off.

For the month of June she'll be in Florence studying...well, Italy, I suppose. (Seriously, who would honestly get true studying accomplished in such a place?!) I can't wait to see the pictures and hear the stories. Oh what I would give to be a mouse in her pocket...

Ciao, for now, sissy!

This month will honestly probably end up going by so quickly. I almost want to savor it as much as possible. Tonight was our summer kick-off for the student ministry. Next week, the Houston mission team leaves. The following week is VBS and our 1 Mile Mission trip. Then, 24 days (and counting!) from now, our Jamaica team departs. June will seriously be but a vapor! And that doesn't even touch any of my own social activities on the calendar. I so enjoy summer, but I always hate how quickly it passes and how much I feel like I miss in the busyness of it all. If only I could pause and select the significant moments to bottle up so I could keep them and enjoy them whenever I wanted and when I was ready for them...Oy. Such mixed emotions. I guess for now I'll sleep and pray for strength and perseverance to run this [hot summer] race well.

'Til tomorrow...