Bugspray and onions

Today I hopped on a schoolbus with random elementry age kids on the way to summer "games" camp. A sweet little girl named Abby let me sit with her. For just one brief minute I felt bereft... because as we passed a lavendar grey camry... I thought "Kids go together with Chris. I can't be with a whole bunch of kids without him!" (Hope camp is going well for you, my friend) Then two little girls nearby broke out whispering and giggling at me until they finally broke out "I like your braids"... "I like your shorts" "I like your purse". I was off to a good start. As I laughed through parachuting (not from a plane... you remember the little kid version of it right?) blind volleyball, amd hula-hooping while blowing bubbles... I saw things weren't always smooth. We had two very sullen children in our group - one who was rescued from watching TV all day. He took to me, or probably I took to him. He sat alone while we were trying to blow bubbles and do hula hoop...

"I can't blow bubbles... I've TRIED and TRIED. I don't want to hula-hoop." Then he came out with the real problem. "My dad's going to be mad at me. I brought the bug spray and now it's all gone."

"I bet you could take home one of the bugsprays that the camp has." I said

"The counselors will be mad at me." He objected

"Oh no... why don't we ask?"

There was one order taken care of. Later he ran up to me with a soda. "Can you open this up for me?" My goodness, I love children!

Cathy (the pastor) and I went to subway for lunch and both had onions in our subs. We laughed because we smelled like bugspray and onions... and we were going to visit people in the hospital! We had a riot but upon coming to the hospital, I sobered real quickly. Our patient had suffered asystole and coded whereupon she had a pacemaker implanted. She had tubes coming out everywhere... which I am used too... but never comfortable with. She couldn't even talk poor thing. We didn't stay near long enough to my mind. I'm entirely sure that the worst thing is to be in the hospital with no one to talk to... and even when they do come... you can't talk! I would just want someone to stay close... maybe read to me from a book. Maybe next time I visit, I'll bring a book.

It's looking like severe weather again. We already had hail and a tornado warning. I'm LOVING the wild weather. I always did like storms.

My ATI stuff was extremely frustrating yesterday, so after calling my mom when I thought I was going to go mad... I took the day off and read two extremely long books. I'm sure I shot my eyes out... but it was worth it. Francine Rivers is quite an author. I remembered quickly how Kristina wanted me to read Redeeming Love... but I think "A Voice in the Wind" and "An Echo in the Darkness" even better if possible. What I find intriguing about the books is the combination of healing and spirituality that occurs in the second book. It's a lot like what I tried to speak about in my 19 page honors paper. 100% of people's health is complicated by their finances, their social life, their sins, their diet. Half the time people just need a gentle touch and a listening ear and they feel better. Love given in God's name does physical miracles. And you can't separate the physical problems from it. The doctor can repair your heart... but you will just end up back in the hospital if you don't stop giving yourself high blood pressure with stress and poor diet. Even more beautiful is the fact that I first saw the book "A Voice in the Wind" in someone's hands on the airplane coming home. It's definitely and God implant. Let's hope it blooms in some way. :)

I feel more at home... the more people I meet. I heard someone playing the piano in the church... and commented. Then I realized they were playing warm up scales. They weren't going to play piano... they were going to sing. Cathy said, "Oh it's opera season... and we have a GREAT choir. Sometimes members who are in the opera come to practice here" Later as we flew past the room, she paused and said..."It's M... (Yeah... I can't spell his name) Have you met him?" And with that she swept me into the room. I stared into a handsome face with dark curls above the piano. He got up and shook my hand and said "I've read about you in the newsletter (groan... EVERYBODY seems to have!) so I feel like I know something about you" I don't know what I replied... but then Cathy swept me back out... and said "Everybody has a crush on him" Whereby I sincerely replied, "I think he's too old for me" (I do think he is. It's very difficult to place an age on him. But I think he's at least 30) Undaunted Cathy said, "Just wait till you hear him sing"

I can't wait! However, don't worry. I am in no mood to fall in love.

On that note, I bid you adieu :)

Much love (and prayer!)
Katie