Catching up?

Things that have happened since I wrote last (aka when i almost died with the stomach flu):

1. wrote the quickest 12 page essay ever along with another one at the end of the semester

2. finally made the trip to Lago Atitlan

- loved it, need to buy more crazy pants from the place

3. finished the book Disturbing the Peace

- it was amazingly enlightening. I recommend it to anyone interested in social justice or being inspired

4. went to the basurero aka the trash dump

- i went once with the whole group and back again to deliver our donations. it was smelly but really important

5. saw and talked with a Nobel Peace Prize winner in another language (Rigoberta Menchu... in spanish)

- Kate cried and got a Mayan prayer prayed over her

6. talked to Nicole on Skype a lot...a lot

- what an odd way to start a relationship, right?

7. spent Holy Week at Lago Atitlan (2 nights), Guate city(1), Copan Ruinas, Honduras (2 nights), and Esquipulas (4 nights)

- lost my camera somewhere between my 2am bus ride and when i got back to my host family's house at 10am

8. graduated from the spanish school

- missed everyone

- started going back to La Rumba

- saw Brianna dance in a salsa exhibition. way to go!

9. spent one night in Totonicapan where Molly Roske is spending her 2 years in the Peace Corps

- amazing mountain forrest and heavenly view

10. suprised Nicole by coming back almost 2 weeks early!

- flowers in hand

11. spent a week up at school with Nicole and friends

- saw some really amazing people, got some of next year's stuff taken care of

12. had a couple of weeks just to relax and explore with Nicole at her farm

13. went to a couple of graduation parties

14. really enjoyed making a bonfire at the Neenan house

14.5. this was when my dad decided that he didn't want to sign the waiver for me to go study abroad in Kenya

15. went up to Mike's cabin, to fish and cook some great food

15.5. this was when my dad finally signed it and I finally had some closure on wether or not i was going to Kenya in the fall

16. went camping with Nicole in Itasca State Park with Nicole

- 3 nights, the last two were perfect days (and nights), awesome time to hike and bond and enjoy God's beautiful nature

17. attended an amazing wedding of Nicole's roommates Steph and Jordan Martell

- the first wedding that I can actually say I could understand what the sacrament meant- I'm so happy for them and proud to know them- pray for them all the time!

18. painted the inside of Nicole's house green, blue, purple, and yellow

- what a fiasco! most of it looks amazing! the hallway has too much yellow

19. went up the North Shore to Bluefin Bay with Nicole and her family for their vacation

- thanks! Oh, how much I appreciate Nicole's family! I don't know if I'll ever be able to say how much of a blessing they have been to me this summer. It blows me away that they've taken me in for two months. I will miss it!

Well, now that I've summarized my life (something I'm OH-so excited to do [not]) not to mention probably lost all my readers due to not posting, I'll just keep writing and hope people start reading again. I still have a long way to go before I get back up to school. I'm leaving for Denver tomorrow morning on a plane that leaves at 6am. I'm looking forward to a week of fun with Nicole in COLORADO! Finally, yes, I am ready to go back. :)