Saturday, September 7, 2013

Reflections {Summer, Trips, and Zoe's Graduation}

This feels so good - to be sitting in this nice, comfy, over-stuffed old chair...my achin' feet crossed and idle on the wood floor, my sore back feelin' fine against the back of the rocker.

I think back, past the activities of today into the summer days that have slipped by...and I'm content.

The highlights started (of course) on my birthday in July. A nice scrapbooking party, a visit to the coffee shop with three of my best friends (thanks Maria, Krista and Kara!)

Then there was B.Y.C. Camp...with unearthly bedtimes and crazily early mornings, muddy shoes, laughing together, singing together, praying together, being exhausted together...and victory in Jesus.

Annnnd Then came my latest adventure. Unfortunately, my photographer (I'll name no names *coughkaracough*) hasn't uploaded her pictures yet, so I can't post any for a while. I should have visual aid for ya'll at some point, but I decided not to let that stop me today...

 All summer I prayed hard and worked a few odd-jobs ( I even applied for a couple more official positions) to earn plane fare to go visit one my best friends in PA. {Love you Zoe!} By the time I had half of the ticket earned, Dad and Mom started saying some interesting things.

Very interesting things.

 Things like "I think we could do it..." "What if we would..." "Would you girls like it if we..." and finally the last of the mysterious, hopeful questions were put to an end when Dad said "Well, Lily, why don't you call them and see if it would be too much trouble."

Of course it wasn't.

So all those prayers and desperate, long hours toiling away in the sun *wink* was worth it - and I found myself in the van on the way to Zoe's graduation in PA, thanking the Lord all the way there. It meant so much that He made a way for me to go!

Now I'm kinda stuck. How do you describe four days of a dream come true? Maybe I'll just go by the days...

We arrived in time for breakfast on Thursday. Some of the best parts of the day: Meeting each other again, introducing my dad to everybody (he's never been to B.Y.C. before, so they hadn't seen him since...eh...four years ago. It was terrific :) Cinnamon rolls for breakfast, cooking together for the graduation, going to Sight and Sound Theatre for the production of Noah (I'll never be able to think about elephants without laughing again :D) and playing tag in the evening after the picnic in the park.

Friday: Agonizing over a poem with Serenity and Kara for a few hours. (Elisabeth asked me to write one...and, lets just say, my poetry-writing-skills are pretty rusty;) We were holed up in the guest room with the laptop, my notebook, and a cell-phone for a coupla hours. We did it! (Prayin' helps things, let me tell ya! - And having connections to so talented poets who know how to do this sort of thing. ;) Talking with new friends at the graduation and playing volleyball afterwards were super-fun, too. :)

Saturday: Zoe, Serenity, Wesley, Abigail, Kara and I went shopping for a few hours (we dragged poor Wesley along as a driver). I found a lovely photo-album that I plan to use for an unusual purpose (you'll probably be reading about this soon...). Zoe and Abigail teamed up to make a great G.P.S. system - lol:) We accidentally took several *cough* "detours," but we got there eventually, and I have memories to laugh over for years and years and years. :D After we finished shopping at the Skirt Loft and The Burlington Coat Factory, we headed to Hershey Chocolate World...a girl's version of heaven-on-earth.

Sunday: Hanging out with the young people, playing Catch Phrase in the evening, singing/playing music together for a while, stuffing ourselves with sugar (terrific)...and deciding not to go to bed - in honor of the last night.

Remind me to never, ever, ever do that again. *wink I have this weird  tendency to become very ill if I don't have enough sleep...and, yeah. I'm still getting over it - a week later. Really.

Zoe, Kara and I were the only ones who made it 'til four (when we Pyatskowits headed back to Wisconsin.) Wesley and Abigail fell asleep half-an-hour from the mark. (Can't say that I blame them...)

Overall, it was awesome - and I can't wait until I see you all again. (You're coming to my graduation next spring, riiiiiight?!)

I'm so thankful for this answered prayer and the awesome hospitality of the Sanger family - they really make you feel "at home" enough to just open the fridge and help yourself...and the weekend was cram-packed with fun activities and laughter.

Dad's saying I'd better get to bed - sleep good, blogging neighborhood... (Pardon my grammar, please...I'm tryin' to hurry.)

2 comments:

Joanna said...

Nice post Anna! :) It was nice to officially meet you!

Anna said...

Love you, Joanna! It was so nice to meet such a sweet and fun young lady like yourself. *hug*