Oh, I love the things that summer brings ... and I know it is just around the corner.  Bestsister has already discovered how immature I truly am so this book cover will come as no surprise to her.  I own and treasure this book (along with Winter and A Fish Out of Water) as it is one of only a select number of things I chose to keep from my childhood.  Lately, I have been pondering how amazing the memories of my own children are going to be.  Just think how fascinated others will be, way down the road, when they speak with my two grown children only to discover they were, gasp, both homeschooled AND missionary kids in their lifetime.

I dreamt of being homeschooled before I ever knew what it was.  I remember vividly the time I had mumps.  No one ever gets the mumps, but I had it ... on both sides.  I wasn't allowed to go to school until I had completely healed.  I felt FINE.  Glorious, in fact.  I remember my mom being the best teacher a girl could ever hope for.  She even had me go into the garage and do skipping (where I think she timed me) for gym class.  I didn't know what you called it but I could have cared less if I never went back to "real school".  It happened again the year I had mono.  I almost failed that year in high school, but my mom was there all along, coaching me and helping me through.  Then there was the summer leading up to my entering first year University.  The school called to notify me that I was, actually, short one O.A.C. and needed to make it up.  I don't remember how we found the online art course, but I do know I was too frazzled and neurotic to do all the assignments, so my mom drew a coffee mug and a set of spoons to help me out.  I don't recall her score, but together we finished fine and I graduated with a degree after all.  I find it interesting to note that all my best memories involve summer.  The only exception I can come up with is my wedding.  Interesting things just seem to wait until the weather warms. 

All this to say that I love the things that summer brings, namely, our adventure to PNG.  I cannot wait to hear, down the road, that my boys loved their time of endless summer and if they had it all to do over again, they would (and then some)

Since becoming missionaries, I have been overcome with paperwork, writing e-mail updates, helping Neal write speaches (and also delivering them), asking churches and groups if we can come speak to them, responding to endless questions, pre-packing our home, staging our home to sell, doing paperwork and leaving the house when people come through it, trying to keep homeschooling, finishing up my duties as a Director for HIGH Day, driving to the doctor's office for medicals and trying to relax all at the same time.

Can I tell you I am overwhelmed at times?

We are officially praying that we have all our financial and prayer support so we can leave mid July.  Am I the only one who has clued in to how extremely close that time frame is? 

God is good, and He never asks us to do anything He does not also promise to come along with ...

I have always known my restlessness would one day serve a purpose.  When others would suggest I was discontented; I knew deep inside that it was Father's leading me to think outside my box.  I can only imagine what living on the other side of the world is going to do to my thinking.

I have had a dickens of a time trying to find some necessary but not ugly rubber boots for PNG.  Do you know how difficult that is in farm country?  In late Spring?  In one afternoon?  In the right size?

So I had to resort to plan B, which was to call my mommie, in another city, and beg her to go look for some for me.  She did, of course, very willingly and happily (and in the meantime bought herself a funky pair).   My daddy suggested she get me two pairs because, well ... because.  If I have to give up pants, shorts, makeup and jewelry, I will make a statement in footwear.  Hopefully this week coming will lend me some free time to blog.  I have lots to say and not so much time left to do it in.  If all goes according to plan, we should be leaving in ten weeks.  Tomorrow, after HIGH Day, I will share a feast with bestsister and joyunspeakable (who has ceased blogging much to my chagrin).  Just what I need.  So, without further ado ... the boots.

I met a woman in theatre group this year who truly blew us away with her generosity.  She organized a work bee at our home on Friday and around 30 people came by in total.  Here is a shot of those who were able to do the dirty work.  I am still amazed.As if that weren't touching enough, she also wrote and submitted this article to our town paper ...

Last night I had a blast with the cast of the Bridge is Out.  This is most likely the last play I will perform in before moving across the world and it has me kind of sad.  That's ok.  I will cherish the memories.  I cannot begin to tell you how supportive this group of people have come to be in our lives.  We are a rag-tag bunch of hooligans, some Christians, some not, but we know how to get along and work together ... and we know how to "kill" each other real well, too!

I was Varoom Oblique, a schoolteacher with a temper.  Hope that isn't a carry-over ...