Patience

"I am extraordinarily patient, provided I get my own way in the end."
—Margaret Thatcher

I have realized lately that I have been too impatient with life. I am constantly thinking and worrying about the future. I guess senior year of college makes you do that because I have talked to many other peers who are having the same issues. Scenarios run through my head constantly:

"Okay, so if I go to China and teach right away for two years, what's going to happen to my teaching license? If I stay and teach for two years until I get my full license, and then I go to China and teach for two years, that's a large chunk of my 20s gone. Do I really want to go teach overseas for two years? I have so many ideas for teaching right now, shouldn't I stay and teach here while my ideas are fresh?....."

On and on and on. Riding the bus, working, sitting in class. Scenarios go through my mind constantly. And that's just one of the things I'm contemplating. I'm also anxious for other unmentionable happenings in my life that I shouldn't be worrying about yet. So basically, I need to have patience. I need to just enjoy my time right now. Enjoy my friends. Enjoy my family. Enjoy this season of life that I can never get back, and not worry about the near or far future. That will eventually take care of itself. *Sigh* I feel better.

No Ordinary Driver

I wait impatiently at the bus stop. Where is the stupid bus? It was supposed to be here at 9:31! It's 9:36....grrrrrrrrr. I had looked up the bus schedule earlier, so I would know when it was to be at Kildee, so I could get home after class and relax. You see, my bike, my way of transport, my love, is broken. My tire got a hole in it after class last week, and it has not been fixed as of yet. So I am forced to take the dependable Cyride bus system. Cyride is good, don't get me wrong, but my bus is less frequent, and it takes about twice as long as a bike ride, so I would prefer to not wait hours for a way home. But this morning, I wait at the bust stop. I wait, and wait, and get more and more frustrated. I text Chaz my frustration at my late bus. I watch person after person board their buses and take off, but still not Blue 3.

Finally, at 9:41, my bus ambles up to Kildee and comes to a screeching halt. I board the bus, and at this point, the bus drivers change stations. Up the steps comes this smiling, bespectacled, older woman. However, this morning she is attired in a white wig, skull police cap, and skeleton gloves along with her Cyride coat and pants. This, I think, is no ordinary bus driver. As the bus takes off and heads home, I still am grumbling in my head. Man, I could've been home half an hour ago. Each screeching halt makes me more and more impatient for home. The bus driver, however, is sweet. She wishes everyone "Have a good day!" in a bright voice as they get off the bus. Most ignore her. I just continue to pout. At one stop, however, a woman on the street peaks into our bus, and tells our bus driver, "Lookin' good!" The driver replies, "Yup! From biker to bones!" It's at this point that I smile and realize what a jerk I'm being. This is a driver who has fun with her job. No matter the mood of others, she is true to her self and tries to cheer everyone. I am thankful for this woman.

As I approach my stop, I pull the chord, the bus stops, and I start to head down the steps. She tells me, "Have a great day!" And I reply, "Thank you very much. You have a wonderful day."

I Wanna Dance With Somebody...

I spent a morning last week watching television and doing Engl 420 homework. While watching a completely worthwhile show on fox (HAH!), there was a sitcom episode on about dancing at weddings. It was funny and entertaining, but the end particularly caught my eye. The large husband started dancing with his skinny, beautiful wife, revealing to her that he actually was a good dancer. He spun her around the room, seducing her with his fluid dancing movements. I was jealous. I want that. As a woman, I have no idea what the appeal is, but there is something sexy about dancing with a man. I don't mean grinding, dancing to hiphop, anything like that. I mean, dancing to old, big-band slow music, or a slow jazz, or some of that other good, old-timey music. Gliding as one body across a room, being only aware of each other and no one else. I don't know why, but I found that part of the show just, well, sexy. And it made the big, bumbling husband seem incredibly attractive and desirable.

What I'm saying is, I'd like to know how to dance like that. Not that I'm giving suggestions to anyone or anything, but it'd be nice.

Rocky Mountain High

Once again...I love road trips.

We drove 16 hours to Durango, CO Thursday night, and arrived at our hotel at 5:30 am their time. Then we got up for a 10:30 am wedding on Friday. I was completely paranoid driving through the mountains because I was exhausted, the road was curvy, and there were numerous signs warning of deer, moose, and mountain sheep. Not to mention the various blood stains and skid marks on the road from unfortunate animals. Oh my.

The wedding was gorgeous. Pale yellow leaves and brown grassy fields leading up to the majestic Rocky Mountains provided a beautiful backdrop for the wedding. The bride was gorgeous in her white gown with a white, 3/4 sleeve dress jacket overtop (for lack of better words). The men all were dashing in brown vests and vans. It was fantastic to meet a lot of Chaz's friends that have moved from Iowa to the wilderness of the West. It was even more fantastic to get to spend with weekend with Titus and Jolene. They are absolutely delightful.

After the wedding, we headed back to Denver to spend the night and spend the rest of the weekend with Titus and Jolene. That took off a large chunk of our driving for Sunday, which was really nice. Denver was fantastic...I really like that city. We were able to hike in the mountains at Red Rocks State Park, and then head to downtown for the evening to check out what the city had to offer. The perfect combination of outdoors and culture. We found an amazing little locally-owned café where we sat and had some Fat Tires...mmmmmm. This made me seriously think about moving to Denver. It would be a good place to have life adventures (after China, of course...which Jolene and Titus are going to come with us for...haha!).

Sunday brought a surprise. We had just been hiking in 80 degree weather the day before, but upon awakening at 9 on Sunday, we found a completely white world awaiting us, and more huge, wet flakes coming down. The drive home provided us opportunity for singing, dancing, faking paralysis, arguing, and seeing dads that haven't been seen in too long (Chaz got to see his dad in Omaha).

I love the mountains.

Wakelessness

Wakelessness. This is my word for the period when you are between sleep and being awake. The fog you feel after staying up until 1 in the morning doing laundry, and awaking for class at 6:30 in the morning, after a pumpkin spice latté, and walking into class to sit in your seat. The weird point in the day when you're aware of what is going on around you, but you still feel as if you're in bed and need sleep.

I was definitely in wakelessness this morning. It was so surreal because I was definitely tired, but I had sucked down that pumpkin spice latté so I was also awake from the caffeine. The result? I was antsy. Antsy in a way that I haven't been for a long time. I could not concentrate in class, and time was moving slower than it ever has in the history of time. Check out my notes from class....all doodles. Mostly attributed to antsiness. So yes, wakelessness=misery for morning classes.

On another note...I'm off to CO!!

Road Trippin' Once Again

I can't wait. Chaz, Josh, and I are headed to Colorado this weekend. That's right! Who goes to Colorado for the weekend? I do. I have so much to do before we leave, but the trip is in sight. We leave Thursday. Ah! I love it!

I love the anticipation of a road trip. Getting everything done and preparing to leave. Making sure you have everything you will possibly need in any situation on the trip. Awaiting the long stretch of road, uncomfortable sleep, hours of music, laughter, and stories. There is nothing like it. There is nothing like the chance to escape reality for a weekend, leave worries and life standing still, and drive away to lands unknown and unexplored. A blank space in the map waiting for you to fill it with memories and stories...which I will inevitably come back with.

While I'm so excited for this road trip, the best road trips are with girlfriends (which will be lacking until I get to Colorado). Oh my: Scorty on the hill, East Dubuque debauchery, Scorty roadtrips period, Tourist Trap Tour of Iowa, To Hell and Back, C-stone, various trips to Ames/home/CF/D-port/etc.etc....Good memories.

I hold dear memories of hundreds of road trips, and I look forward to the memories from this roadtrip as well. Colorado...here I come!

Giving In

It's indescribable.

The way how I know for certain that this is the way God meant for a relationship to look. To work. To breathe. To function as an organism. The way He wants me to be cared for. I will never settle for less than this because this is what I know God wants for me. What I don't deserve, but He says I do anyway. I can feel it everyday. In the way he wants to provide for me. In the way he listens to my pointless stories, and actually says he cares about them. And I can tell that he does. In the way he never complains when I talk too much, when I know I'm talking too much.

It's not perfect, but I know this is right. We fight, yes. We argue. We're stubborn, and we miscommunicate. But then we reconcile. We talk through issues and speak our needs. Knowing that we need to hash them out before they take root in our selves and our relationship.

I'm probably the most stubborn of the two of us. I so love to hold on to the hurt and pain I've experienced in the past. To grasp hold of the anger and bitterness and harbor it in my body to fester, silently letting it eat me up until I'm mute and emotionless. But he doesn't let me. He comes after me, never forcing, but always willing. Pursuing me in a way that I can't resist. Gently and silently persuading me to give up my urge to deal with things myself (when I know I never will), the way Jesus pursues me daily to give up my sins and my issues.

It's hard. It's hard to be honest and it hurts. To have to tell someone what is wrong and what is hurting you. To let them know that they've done something to cause this pain. The initial yelling and the silent treatment are easy. They're just buffers I know I put up to avoid dealing with the real issues. I expect him to give up and let me be mad until my silence passes and then the issues blow over. But that never happens. He waits, yes, but then he wants to talk. He comes to me when I'm not ready to unmask the wound, but he waits anyway. And after my initial blunderings and excuses, I eventually give up my burden. And he accepts it. And he truly listens. Will things change immediately? Probably not. I can't see anytime soon that he'll stop falling asleep every moment he can. BUT he listens, and I know he cares and desires to change. And as we hash out problems, I realize that I need to change too. And this means everything.

Is he perfect? Not a chance. But am I? Not even close. But there is one who is perfect, and He's the one who holds us together. He makes up for the imperfections in the both of us, and no matter what road our relationship takes us on, He will be the one guiding us. He'll be the one gently persuading the both of us to give in more to each other and to Him.

Provisions

How is it that God always knows just what we need and He often provides it when we least expect it?

Today, for example. I worked at ITEC. Got 5 hours of sleep. Woke up at 5 am, and worked until 7:30. God provided energy for my entire day. Don't know how I made it through, but I did.

Driving to Des Moines. Rain. Scary. God provided safety for our drive.

Money short for the day. My mom was here. God provided her joy and company...and she bought me supper.

Cold room to sleep in (I'm staying in the creepy vendor booths). Didn't bring socks or a sweatshirt. God provided a vendor booth giving away socks (not even kidding), and extra blankets given to us by the Marriott.

How sweet is that?

Oh yes, and I saw Steve Wozniak speak twice today. If you don't know who that is...you should.

For my Intelligence

Last night, Chaz, Katie B, Renee, Tommy, Matt and I went to a high school homecoming game. It's fun to go to the high school events since Chaz is a teacher now. It's also fun to make fun of him about all of the high school girls being in love with him. Which is true. Then, it's fun to hear them ask if I'm his girlfriend, and have him respond with a resounding yes and a smile.

Going to the restroom last night, I walked into the bathroom and stood against the wall, waiting for a stall to open (since it always takes forever in girls' bathrooms. Well, there were two cute, high school girls standing by the mirror. One primping, one waiting for the primper. The non-primper whispered to the primper, "That's Mr. Engelkes' girlfriend." The primper responded with, "Where?" Then the non-primper proceeded to non-chalantly nod my direction. I smiled to myself, knowing full-well that these girls are checking me out. The primper turns around (completely obviously) to look at me. I merely ignore their game and continue to wait for the restroom, chuckling to myself and thinking about how I'm going to tell everyone about this. The primper gets finished and the two girls left the bathroom. Right outside the door, however (well-within earshot), the primper turns to the non-primper and says, "He must like her for her intelligence."

WHAT?!? I mean, I know I'm not this knockout, complete babe or anything, but I didn't think I was bad enough to get the, "He must like her for her intelligence," comment. Even from high schoolers. Now, no worries, people, I didn't take this to heart or anything. I'm not going to let my self-esteem be determined by some jealous high schoolers with a thing for their teacher. I actually think it is quite funny. This is what I have to look forward to in teaching. And I had forgotten what high school was like.

Oh high school.

Cop Show Addiction

I'm addicted to cop/law shows:

CSI, CSI: New York, CSI: Miami, Without a Trace, Shark, 48 Hours Mystery, Law & Order, Law & Order SVU...And right now, I'm watching Matlock. Oh Andy Griffith.

Even if the show is of poor quality, I can't help it. I get hooked. And once a cop show starts, and I start watching it, don't even try to talk to me. I'm hooked trying to find out what is going on. I need help with this terrible addiction.

The solution: Turn the TV OFF!! (but i'm having trouble...HELP!)

A year of memories

A year ago, September 19.
You and I embarked on a grand adventure.
What has resulted?
A year of memories.

You helped me to remember those memories on our "special day." I came home to a string of memories captured in pictures and words across my room...

fireworks at the State Fair

Kate and Chazland

2 a.m. at the bridge

sunset at Ada Hayden

wedding dances

bike rides (and doubles biking)

late nights at Stomping Grounds

road trips

adventures in Rwanda

Many more memories to come. Maybe we'll move to Carolina, own a cute cottage, and travel up and down the coast, having adventures everywhere we go. Maybe we'll travel to distant lands, teaching and loving people. Maybe we'll live in the Iowa countryside and co-teach English. Whatever we do, all I know is that I'm thankful it'll be with you.

The Art of Being a Woman

This one is probably not for the fellas, but eh, we have to learn to laugh at ourselves, right? So I'm going to share this story anyway...

I sit down at a table today, ready to start another wonderful class in the world of Hagge and History of the English Language. I plunk my bag on my lap to gather my materials to enhance my learning, and all of a sudden, my wallet starts to fall out of one of the font pockets. I catch it and say, "Ope...that would have been unfortunate, haha." Chuckling to myself (and to the stares of people around me), I get my book, notebook, folder, and pen out, hang my bag on the back of my chair, and begin class.

Well, I begin to while away my time in class. I'm fidgeting, I'm shuffling my feet, and all of a sudden, I step on something. I check under the table to be sure I didn't step on my friend's foot, and I see, there, laying on the ground, packaged neatly in white and yellow wrapping....A TAMPON! Yes, I had dropped a tampon on my classroom floor when my wallet almost fell out of my bag. I try and play it cool, but my heart is beating rapidly in my chest. I can't believe this is happening. Play it cool. No one's noticed. Just keep this up for the rest of class...oh no! There's still an hour left of class! Oh please, God, don't let anyone see it! Wait, there's nothing to implicate me. No worries. They'll think it was someone else's...yeah....someone else's.....Still, all I can imagine is that KATE'S TAMPON is scrawled in giant, black permanent marker on the tampon, or that THAT'S MY TAMPON ON THE FLOOR is scrawled on my forehead for all to see and gawk at. Oh my...miserable.

I barely managed to survive class without looking at it (I did check around to see if anyone was staring a few times). Then, I forced myself to ignore the feminine hygiene product lying on the floor as I left, and left my mark laying on the ground for the next class to deal with...I wonder what happened to it....

Hope that story made you laugh...how embarrassing, eh? That kind of stuff always happens to me when I'm having one of those "bad days." Ugh. Oh the art of being a woman...

Diligently Working

Yes, I'm diligently working. Diligently getting my schoolwork done. Diligently doing my reading. Diligently writing my responses. Diligently working on my online courses. Diligently getting everything done.

....And diligently procrastinating. I'm diligently working, just not until right before things are due....

Oh the inhumanity!

More Rwandaness

Check it everyone:

http://www.dewittobserver.com/

Click on the article to read the full thing.....oh wait, I'll just post it here. But still, go there to see the pics.

9/5/2007

Trip to Rwanda instills students with sense of spirituality, hope

By Kate Howes
Staff writer

When three area college students decided to help citizens of an impoverished, third-world country, they never expected to get so much in return.

Their mission began at the suggestion of University of Northern Iowa (UNI) student Nancy Umuhire, who originally is from Rwanda in east central Africa and has not been back to her homeland in three years.

Nancy often had spoken of her dream of returning home and taking other college students with her in an effort to help the residents of Rwanda.

When fellow UNI student Kelly Keegan of DeWitt and her good friend, Iowa State University student Kate Schmidt of Delmar, heard about the idea they wondered what was keeping Nancy's dream from becoming a reality.

"We said, 'Well, let's go to Rwanda,'" Kate recalled. "Nancy asked if we were sure and we said, 'Absolutely, let's go.'"

Over the course of the next year, a group of 13 students from various area colleges volunteered to go, including Kate's younger brother and fellow Iowa State University student, Ben.

The group worked diligently and was able to raise over $30,000 to cover expenses for their trip.

"It was amazing," Kate shared. "Just to have so much affirmation from people. We had a lot of people telling us, 'It's so great you're doing this.' We just thought it was great that we could be doing it."

So, in mid-July, the group traveled to Rwanda where they would stay for two weeks, helping to build a new home for three orphan siblings, ages 15, 20 and 22.

In hopes of being taken off the third-world country list, Rwanda has launched "Vision 20/20," a plan designed to help move poor people out of the capital city of Kigali and into their own homes.

The orphans' new home was part of that effort.

Although their main objective was to build the house, Kelly, Kate and Ben came away from the experience utterly amazed by the progress the people of Rwanda have made since the 1994 genocide and truly inspired by the sense of unity and hope which binds them together.

Welcomed to the family

Members of the group lived with different host families during their stay in Rwanda, all of whom warmly welcomed the students with open arms.

Kelly and Kate stayed with a mother and her four daughters, while Ben stayed with the Mubiligi family whose son, Eugene, is a student at Iowa Wesleyan in Mount Pleasant.

"The hospitality they showed us was amazing," Kate related. "They let us invade their homes, fed us, did Bible study with us. We felt such a connection with them."

In addition to helping build a new house in a small village just outside of Kigali, the students were able to take in a lot of the city's historic sights and culture.

Some of the stops on their itinerary included the famous Hotel Rwanda and Kigali's Genocide Memorial Center, which pays tribute to the nearly 800,000 people brutally murdered in 100 days by way of machetes and guns during the genocide.

"That was really heart-wrenching to see," Ben shared. "They had a children's section where you could see pictures of kids who died, learn how they died . . . that was really intense."

They also visited two orphanages, including the first such facility to open after the genocide. The orphanage is home to 180 children, with whom Kelly, Kate and Ben played games, teaching them American classics such as "Red Rover" and "Duck, Duck, Goose."

"Meeting the children was a great experience," Kelly shared. "We taught them games, they taught us games, we sang songs . . . the relationship we were able to build with the people in the village and the children was awesome."

"The kids all just seemed really happy," Ben noted. "We gave them bubbles to blow and they loved those. We also gave them a football, bags of school supplies, stuffed animals and candy."

The students made a positive impression on the older members of the village as well.

To build the new three-bedroom house, the college students worked with a crew of construction workers whose tools consisted of only shovels, pic axes, a wheelbarrow and hammers.

Ben made an instant connection with the workers, talking to them for hours at a time and not letting the language barrier stand in the way.

"We didn't speak the same language, but we were still able to communicate," he explained. "They wanted to learn English. I hated to say good-bye to them. They wondered when we were coming back . . . we told them, 'Hopefully soon.'"



A lesson in forgiveness

Many of the students who visited Rwanda, including Kelly, Kate and Ben, would like to return someday.

Known as the "Land of 1,000 Hills," the group found themselves fascinated by Rwanda's picturesque landscape.

Yet, more than the country's unexpected beauty, the students truly were amazed by the friendly and compassionate nature of the people.

Although it was just 13 years ago when over half a million people were brutally murdered - neighbors killing neighbors - the country has made tremendous progress and has gone on to become the most stable country in Africa.

Knowing how far the citizens of Rwanda have come and how much forgiveness they have shown one another has forever changed the way Kelly, Kate and Ben will look at the world.

Although they completed their mission of building a new home, the students believe they came away with far more than they gave.

"There's a huge need there, but they've made huge steps," Ben related. "It really was a spiritual thing for me. It helped me to see how God can do so many great things. There's so much hope there. The people all are trying to make things better - they're really united in what they're doing. They all work so hard together . . . together, they can do anything."

"Being there really expanded my world view," Kate shared. "The way they've forgiven each other has helped me realize I need to show more forgiveness and to be thankful for what I have. I'm going to try to be more giving and thankful for my family . . . after all, it's something so precious."

"It was really inspiring to be there and see how much those people have come together," Kelly noted. "They're setting a great example to other countries in Africa. It gives a person a lot of hope to see that. It definitely changed me. The poverty you see there; you can't see it and not want to do something about it. It makes me realize how truly blessed we are in America."

A night for amazements...

I witnessed an amazing experience tonight.
Steve and Chaz had recently both gotten the new Tegan and Sara cd, so Steve started listening to it, and then Chaz did as well. Then they spent minutes trying to get the songs to play simultaneously on their computers. They'd try and miss, and then try and miss again. And again. And again. Then, finally, they got the song playing in a seemingly sound-system harmony across the room. Such victory, screams, and fist pumping I haven't seen since the World Cup. Wo-ow.

I also had my first experience Skyping in "Skype Me" mode tonight.
After being propositioned for sex three times (after which I promptly blocked the creeps), I talked to a guy from New Jersey, Italy, Yemen, and a woman from Malaysia. How amazing that we have the world at our fingertips to communicate and share cultures. And just to have fun chatting.

rain, rain, go away

It rained today...again. For about the twentieth day in a row. I knew it was probably going to rain because, let's face it, rain has been predicted for the past two weeks. However, this morning as I was contemplating whether or not to bring my blue rain jacket with the sweet, gray-striped sleeves, I opted not to take it. After all, I only had class until 9:15. If it was raining later, I could always bring my rain jacket to my afternoon class.

At precisely 9:15, as class was letting out, rain started pelting from the sky. dang.

Fortunately, there was an umbrella in the lost and found in the CTLT, so I borrowed that and biked my merry way home looking much like Mary Poppins but riding a bike instead of floating down from the heavens.

Then, after work tonight (after bringing my rain jacket with me to avoid the same mistake as earlier), I began to bike in the cool, calm night air. About halfway home, once again, rain began to soak me. I stopped my bike, whipped on my rain jacket, and biked the rest of the way home, joyfully biking through puddles and lightly splattering my ankles, happy to be mostly dry.

While I was fortunate to have my rain jacket tonight, I do not wish to continue to lug it around with me everywhere. So please, rain, go away and stop bringing humidity to frizz my hair to bits.

Culturality

I love hearing about other countries...and I love sharing my stories as well. Not that I have a whole lot. I have yet to travel the world, but China and Rwanda are exciting conquests. One of the things I love to hear are stories about cultural faux pas people have made.

My co-worker Matt told me stories from Australia today. The best one was when he and some fellow Americans were sitting around the supper table and one of them mentioned, "I'm stuffed." Immediately the small children of the family clapped their hands over their ears, and the family went silent. The parents merely responded, "So, um, that's how you say it?" Then Matt and his friends were explained that "I'm stuffed" means a certain four-letter-word in English. Matt and his fellow countryment then assured them that they actually meant they were full and the meal was delicious.

Delightful! What a wonderful world we live in where we are able to experience awkwardness with other cultures that are so different from our very own. I love it!

I wish we all experienced culturality more often.

Oh glory of glories!

Second day of class....yessssssssssssssssssss.

I don't have a really big class load, which is sweet. However, the classes I do have will probably be a substantial amount of work. I'm winding down in credits to take, which is really exciting. 13 credits this semester, 15 next semester, and then student teaching.

But the most amazing, wonderful, fantabulous news is that I have class, yet again, from the fantastic Uncle John Jack. Oh yes, my friends. I am delighted to hear more jokes, laughter, and puns from this jolly human being. Unfortunately, I am unable to describe such a man. As Melanie said to me today, "John Jack is more of an experience." And it's true. All I can say is, I am filled with immeasurable joy at the prospect of his class this semester. And what makes it even better is the fact that the class is full of amazing people I have had the pleasure of being in other classes with. Oh my...it will be gloooorious!

zombies, vampires, and schoolness

I'm a zombie.
Kim's a vampire.

Well, not really, but sometimes we wish we were. But then again, not, because we get scared (well, I do anyway).

I watched "Shaun of the Dead" the other week, and I loved it. It was hilarious, scary, and sad all at the same time....which is a weird set of emotions to experience all at once. Ever since then I've been on a zombie kick. I've researched zombies and dreamed zombies...scaring myself. Kim and I watched "28 Days Later" the other night...and then I slept with her. I was too afraid that one of the infected would burst through my window and bite me. It was a good thing I slept with her too, booming thunder had us scared silly in the wee morning hours.

Likewise, Kim is obsessed with vampires. She read the first book in the Twilight series, and now she's on a vampire kick. Mostly because they're sexy. So last night Kim, Kenz, Sarah, and I watched "Interview with a Vampire." Sexy.

Basically, Kim and I are in a disturbing love affair with the undead. And we're going to have an undead party...which will be sweet.

On another note....school starts today. I only have one class today, which will be awesome. Chaz started school last week, which is way exciting. His classroom looks great, his students are sweet, and I think he's going to have a lot of fun. I'm so excited for him (as well as the prospect of helping him)! Hooray!

"As Mr. Sloan always says, there is no "I" in team, but there is an "I" in pie. And there's an "I" in meat pie. Anagram of meat is team... I don't know what he was talking about."

And I'm off...

We're leaving for Rwanda tomorrow. I can't believe it. I still have to pack, finish thank-yous, and TRY to get some sleep. EEK! I know that I'll constantly feel like I forgot something, but oh well, there will be nothing I can do about it come tomorrow morning.

I've been pretty cranky today, so I really pray that I get that out of my system before we go. urgh. On the plus side, I absolutely cannot WAIT to go on another grand adventure with Kel! And this time, my bro, Chaz, Steven, Kim, Katie Kula, Nancy, and many more fun, amazing people are going to be there too! Ahhh. So delightful! This will definitely be a learning and growing experience.

Well, I must go and pack now. If anyone reads this and hasn't yet checked out our Rwanda trip blog, I have a link to it on the side. Check it out! We'll (Steven and I) try to update it as much as possible.

Love to all!