Loved The Help! ...and all the time to read lately! "That's what I love about reading: one tiny thing will interest you in a book, and another bit there will lead you onto a third book. It's geometrically progressive--all with no end in sight, and for no other reason than sheer enjoyment" --the Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society

See ya Summa.

Reality sinks in, Summer is nearly over and I find myself grasping these last moments not able to let go!  Summer was such a gift this year and for so many reasons I give God thanks.  For God's continual work in my life, for all things new in the life of Shoreline FMC, for Esperanza, for really late nights sitting on the kitchen floor listening to Dean and Marie's life stories, for music which continues to give glimpses of God's kingdom here on earth, for the piano, time spent with longtime friends, for time at home and out and about with family, for coffee and Cafe Aroma, for fun youth group outings, for spontaneous trips to Portland, for the Cinebarre, for good reads, for sleep... the list goes on.  Perhaps one of the greatest gifts this summer was being here in Shoreline.  This was the first year in a while that Summer didn't equal travel.  Ok, we did take a trip to Idaho for a few days in August but, having only missed one day of work, I'm considering it more of a little excursion (an awesome one at that).  Oh and there was the usual Esperanza week. But my point is that, in previous years, I've been focused on being elsewhere and in new places (Brazil...Russia...all sorts of national parks).  This Summer was different.  I able to be present here in my very own neighborhood.  And with all my time working and at church I had to be.  One of my favorite things about working at Cafe Aroma was that it forced me straight into the Shoreline community.  I got to know people's lives, normal people who go about their business right down the street from me.  I've loved hearing about the delicious meal plans of double short latte with two raw sugars guy, or about the new kittens of double tall blended latte couple, or the daily progress of grande vanilla latte lady's mom who recently went into icu after having a brain aneurism, or knowing that when green tea gal comes in late Friday and Saturday evening she is headed for a long night shift, or that 24oz vanilla's daughter wants a pink straw in her cocoa and pink and purple sprinkles on her whip cream.  I'm going to miss spending the majority of my time up here.  The space in my brain I've devoted to drink orders of our regulars is already being taken over and I'm honestly sad about that.  Its pretty great knowing at least the names and coffee drink of choice of the people you run into at the grocery store or in Subway.  What a reminder that we should be constantly aware and listeners of the people we encounter through everyday, ordinary business.  It's also been such a joy spending time with all the Shoreline youth peeps.  Having fun in the sun, prepping for the fall with leaders, practicing with the youth band (Worship Monkeys? or Golden Forcefield?) I'm so excited for this coming year!!  I know it will be significant as we continue to find identity as worshipers and people of prayer.  That's all to say I'm not quite ready to move back to school.  I'm not ready to go back to dividing my time between too many places. I really want to be present in everything up here.  But I'll pack tomorrow regardless.  And head back down to the little nook in Queen Anne.  And I'll be excited about my classes!  After all I'm only 22 credits away from graduation.  Now that's exciting!