I'm a nanny.

I learned something this week. Hanging out with a 10-year-old is pretty fun. Getting paid for it is almost as fun. Driving to the 10-year-old's house is not fun. Here is a list of the wonderful get-in-touch-with-my-childhood things I've done in the last week:

- shopping in the girls' section at Old Navy
- get origami books at the library
- sitting on the floor of the bathroom and fold origami paper, getting frustrated only occasionally
- curling hair
- making 3 trips to the craft store, the third time to purchase Shrinky Dinks
- 2 trips to the bead store "making" earrings (she lined 'em up, I strung 'em)
- two Shrinky Dink extravaganzas. number one: teddybears. number two: elephants.
- baking chocolate chip cookies
- making friendship bracelets complete with pretty little beads
- swimming at Otter Beach, a kiddy water park (I sat in the sun - the lady said "mom won't be able to swim...kids only today" - it cost me a dollar to do so. at least she had the respect to call me mom.)
- tomorrow: teddy bear picnic in the park
ahhhh, the simple life.

I've also been volunteering 6 or so hours a week for Love INC, which is an organization that sets up volunteers from churches who want to serve in the community with people in the community who need help. I work in the office updating forms and stuff since most of the ladies that volunteer aren't so computer-literate. Since most is computer work, I have been doing a lot at home too. I love this job so much though - especially being in the office with people in constant prayer and an overwhelming heart of ministry. I like it so much, I've decided to change my minor to Women's Ministries. That's the closest minor my school has to Learning How To Serve People In An Organized Fashion For The Lord. It includes counseling and a marriage and family course so I'm pretty fired up about it.

Jon is getting pretty fired up about school himself. He's about ready to start the Graphic Design program full-force (he's been taking generals up to this point) at LBCC, and yeah, he's pumped. He's working on covering his bases though by checking out the art schools in Portland since they offer Bachelor's degrees and LB doesn't - only Associate's. Tomorrow after the teddy bear picnic I'll have to change from 10-year-old brain to 20-year-old brain and take a trip up to the Art Institute of Portland with him to tour and check it out. We'll see what we think of it. As for his job, he's still pumping gas. I need some patience here. Badly.

We said bye-bye to Jon's sister Katie who's going to be at Camp Firwood all summer. The house won't be the same what with Kate gone and Beckii moved out - Jon, Ryan (who just got a girlfriend so probably won't be around much anymore), Mom, and Dad. That's it. I'm not so sure it'll be my first-nature hangout anymore since the major topics of conversation will no longer be girl things (boobs, period, period, boobs), but guy things (grunt, grunt, snort, grunt). Sigh.

A list of my thoughts, in order to please Heather:
(a) Flowers - Jon got me flowers for no reason the Saturday before last. A big boquet of Stargazers. There is one bud left to bloom. They've lasted 2 weeks already! They're beautiful!
(b) Allergies - YUCK. They are so bad this year I am downing all the Claritin my body can muster and blowing my nose every 12.5 minutes. Poor Jon just so happened to get my flowers on the very worst day of my summer allergies, and I just so happen to be allergic to lilies. It's a wonder I didn't run off the road as I sneezed my way home with my boquet in tow.
(c) Sunburn - One dollar at the kiddie pool and I turn a lovely shade of lobster. I swear the sun was at my back. Apparently not. My back remains like the lobster's tummy, and my front has turned the lobster's back. What's wrong with this picture? Where are my antennae?
(d) Weddings - Two weddings two weekends in a row! I am so excited. Chris and Dierdre' better not have kids right away. Andy and Anna better.
(e) Homework - Yes, homework. The Bible study I'm doing has homework. I wouldn't be able to get away from school even if I tried.
(f) Stalking - I am officially a legal stalker. Jon's brother just recently began dating a girl after a month or so of correspondence through Facebook. Who was up on every detail even when the silent man refused to let out a peep? Me. And guess what. She's my friend now. Ahhh, Facebook.
(g) Ralph - Rest in peace, good buddy. My Ralph Lauren sunglasses that have graced my schnozz for two years now were lost at Willamette Park two Sundays ago. I miss Ralph.
(h) Spoons - Angela brought me back 8 cute little dinky little spoons from Holland. I am overjoyed. I wish I had a hope chest.
(i) Bed - I'm tired. Goodnight.