Overflow

I just got back from the Cracker Barrell. Ordinarily, this wouldn't have been that newsworthy of an event. However, I wasn't with ordinary people. I was with the crew from Overflow. The best thing about this group is that no matter what, we laugh. We laugh corporatly, individualy, in small groups. We laugh about ongoing jokes, whatever happened that night, inside jokes about ourselves, we (mostly) laugh at Peter's wild antics and willingness to do anything for a buck. Including singing "I'm a Little Teapot" for all of the patrones in Cracker Barrell. These are the things that are not only forever captured on Joy's digital camera, but in our memories for years to go.

I am vested in this group. It means so much to me. Working in a field that is mainly female dominated, and where most of my co-workers are the same age of my parents or grandparents, being able to hang out with and bond with, and more importantly grow with, a group of people that are my age, and who want to grow in Christ's love is so amazing to me. I feel privileged to know them. I am challenged by them every week and miss them when I'm not able to hang out with them. I look forward to the changes that we are about to embark on. I see it challenging us to be better people than we already are. I committed about a year ago to be dedicated to this group on a hot and muggy late August evening on Dave and Rebecca's back porch. I am renewing this committment sitting here at my computer tonight.

In spite of the changes that we are about embark on at our one year mark, I see our little group growing into something bigger than even we can imagine. I also see us growing closer and bonding over many more $1 dares that involve Peter and random men in restaurants. I love you guys. And I look forward to getting to ya'll better.

Days In and Days Out

It's been an interesting week. I worked 5 of 7 days. They were some of the longest days that I've worked in a while. Lots of very sick people. I called lots of doctors and tried to settle lots of people. It didn't always work so well. But that week is over. As everyone kept telling me...I've worked hard, and learned lots. I guess that that is what it's all about. Being a rookie nurse and all. It's just hard still, trying to deal with all of the dynamics that go into my job. But I think that it's going better.

I learned that I have great friends. Erika and Terry offered me a couch and tables when I move out and Dave and Rebecca offered a double bed. All of this for virtually nothing! I am blessed. I have great Family and great friends. Then, on Friday night, we went to Daytona. Me and mom and Dale and Michael took Josiah to the beach for the very first time. It is always a joy to see things the way kids do for the first time. Just the awesomeness of the expanse and power of the ocean is overhwelming. Let alone from the eyes of a one year old. He is so much fun to be around. He makes me confident tha I want to be a mom one day. One Day. Even though it is summer, the days come and the days go, but at their own pace and rhythm.

Juniper Run

Yesterday, I canoed down Juniper Run with the group from Overflow. Well, Peter and a new girl Amanda canoed I just sat there and tried my hardest not to make us flip over. I felt like a kid in a VERY long and exceptionally dangerous Disney World ride. It would have been in Epcot, not Magic Kingdom.

We started out doing fine. I wasn't getting that wet...just the occassional splash as Peter switched his oar from one side of the boat to the other. Then, things started getting interesting. The river was extremely high, so nearly every tree that normaly you just float on under we had to lie down flat in the boat to navigate under. There were trees jutting up that somehow we kept getting stuck in the middle of them. We were the only boat that kept getting stuck in them.

A little over half way through, we navigating a around and overtop and underneath yet another tree. So Peter trying to be the gentleman he is got out of the canoe and was trying to direct us around it from the outside. So, he did and we were on the other side and the poor guy is doing the best he can to get back into the boat and here comes Raegan and Jayson. As I was trying to form the word "Stop!!" in my mind, they T-Boned us. We swayed from one side(taking on water), so I tried to balance us the other to the other side. Well, apparantely so was Amanda, so we took on even more water. My gut reaction was to go back to the other side. That was the proverbial straw the cut the camel's back, because here we go with me in the middle, Peter half in way, and Amanda just kinda unknowingly swaying us back and forth.

We lost everything. Peter's and Amanda's sandals go floating downstream, but Jimmy caught them. My cooler, Peter's bag with his phone it, and Amanda's shirt we just kinda everywhere. I look up and there is Jayson, just laughing. Laughing so hard he could hardly breathe. Suddenly it was all that I could do. I laughed so hard I couldn't stand up straight. I'm sure this was much to Peter's chagrin,as he and Jon are trying to flip the boat back over. Then, I sorta panicked, because, at 4'11" it's hard to just flip your leg over the wall of a boat that is at 4'10". So, I did it the "hard core way" as Peter put it--just belly flop into the boat and pray hard that you don't flip back the other way.

All in all it was a great day. Joy and Raegan, and Jason, adn I lauged about it for hours at dinner at Sonny's over dinner. The best part is that we bonded. As friends, we made memories that will forever tie us together. I will never forget the Saturday afternoon that Peter and this girl Amanda and I flipped our canoe in the middle of the Juniper Run.