Wyoming Rules!

Stabs at Wyoming

Since coming to Kansas I have been asked this question at least once, sometimes twice a day. "Where are you from?"
The answer that pops into my mind first is, Gering, NE. (Living there for a good three years and meeting some amazing people has put it close to my heart.)
But of course, Gillette, WY is where I am from. And I wouldn't trade Wyoming for the world!

Now for some stabs on Wyoming:
Yes Alex and Matt, I have been called out on my "Northern Accent" more then once. One of the boys in the youth group calls me "Canadian".

They couldn't believe I had never seen a wheat field. I bet they've never seen a moose or a bear. Or mountains! ha ha!

There was a teacher at camp that had never met anyone from Wyoming. He didn't think we even existed.

After the tornado in Goshen County my house host Jerry came into the kitchen and said, "Well Wyoming is gone, all five people died."
And after I told him that my mother designed kitchens for a living he asked, "So after she's done with the five kitchens in Wyoming what does she do?"
I like to remind him that we live on the only hill in Kansas.

And according to this video Kansas doesn't even exist: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rg_R_3q8aKg

Storms

The only real apprehension I had in coming to live in Kansas for the summer is that I would be right in Tornado Alley. Funny, because Nebraska has gotten the really bad storms.
However, before the summer is out I do want to live through a monster super cell that produces some pretty wicked storms.
What am I saying?
As for my car that is parked under two huge trees, hopefully my car's force field will protect it from a falling branch or, a whole tree.

Words I can't spell

The next installment of my ever growing list:

apprehension, completely, mountians and according to spell check, Goshen and Gering.

Next blog: Wheat Harvest

People Watching

I love to people watch. Examine their mannerisms and body language, study their face and listen to them talk. I just want to figure people out. If I could get a job just to watch people I would. People watching though, has it’s downsides:
1. People will think you are a freak. (not good)
2. People will think that you are trying to check them out. (definitely awkward)
3. People just don’t like to be stared at.
Doctor’s office’s are the best places to people watch. There is usually a good age range and people are in and out all the time. I don’t try and stare at someone intently, that would be really weird. Although it would be fun to wear a shirt that said, ‘I explode things with my mind.’, and just stare at one person. So today while I was at the doctor I had to keep kicking myself mentally. I am sure the girl in the corner was getting irritated. I finally just started to play Tetris on my phone.
However, watching the expressions on the two receptionist faces as they talked on the phone was fun. And one receptionist called everyone ‘dear’ or ‘hon’ at least 5 times during every conversation.

So if I ever keep looking at you its not cause I am weird, (that’s debatable to a few I’m sure), checking you out or trying to kill you with my brain.

I am just studying your every move. Maybe I’ll be a secret agent one day.

The Pool

My backyard in Kansas...too bad I am allergic to chlorine.

Camp is not for Sissy's!

There is nothing more daunting or humbling then being promoted to Co-dean the day before camp starts. I must admit I was scared and a little concerned about how everything was going to fall into place. Once we all got there and after a few almost “what in the world am I doing!” breakdowns from yours truly, everything went fine. It was even better when I got to ring the bell. I had so much power! Ha ha! Now for the stories:

Spiders:
3rd and 4th grade girls are still afraid of spiders (most of them) especially if the spiders feel so inclined to take a shower. Now I am not one for the arachnid type but I had to “cowgirl-up” and kill some eight-legged creatures that were damaging the calm of some of the girls. By the way, screams echoing off ballrooms walls doesn’t do well for the eardrums either.

There’s a Toad in the Bathhouse!:
Guys (or girls), ever wanted to throw a toad into a bathroom? One boy almost got to fulfill that childhood dream. Luckily I noticed someone of the male gender standing next to the door to the bathhouse. After telling him to go put it out in the field I went back into the kitchen to fill my water bottle. I should have stayed to make sure he put the poor toad back were it belonged. The boy thought it needed to be in the boys bathroom instead. Now, I was told by someone standing by that screams had come out of the boys bathhouse. Funny.

Two Years in the Waiting:
Caedon wanted to be baptized. When the invitation was given he was among the few dozen kids that went forward. Later when he was discussing his desire with his team leader he expressed the fact that he had been wanting to be baptized for two years. Whenever he asked his parents they told him no, or wait. Caedon had a Mohawk that laid flat, if I was just to look at this kid I would assume he was ornery and to watch him carefully. He is the sweetest boy. Quite, calm and curious. Caedon wanted someone to talk to his mom when she came to pick him up. Crystal, the dean, called his mother and left her a message. The next morning and every hour after that Caedon asked Crystal if his mother had called back. She hadn’t. Well camp ended and the kids left in droves. Caedon and about a dozen kids were left around camp. I was sitting on the chapel steps as Crystal was coming down the hill, she yelled at me from across camp, “We are having a baptism!” Caedon’s mom had finally called back. When Caedon came out of the water his smile was wide and he was almost teary-eyed. The passion and eagerness Caedon showed made me think, when was the last time I was striving for my Jesus with intensity.

On the Bandwagon

My fellow classmates/interns--Karissa, Alex and Matt--all started blogs this summer. I felt a little out of the loop. And since I have had some interesting experiences here in Concordia, Kansas; I wanted to start sharing my thoughts and happenings throughout the summer.

Keys:
Today I want to talk about the number of keys I have inherited-Seven. 4 for the church building, 2 for the house I am sitting and 1 for the house I am staying in. For those of you who know me, you know I lose things almost constantly. These knew additions to my purse have started to drive me crazy. Just yesterday I dropped the house keys in the lawn!

First Things from Kansas:
Lighting Bugs, these are so cool!
Red Cardinal, so pretty.
Oak Trees, there are four to every house!
Co-Dean of 3rd and 4th grade camp, that was a fun learning experience.
Brick Mural, the largest in the nation. This one is neat: http://thewallproject.blogspot.com/

Words I had to double check on spelling today:
delicious, spinach, Michigan, encouragment, hospitality, chuckle, discipline, El Puerto, throughly