My Summer Addictions

Ok... in hopes of maybe getting you hooked and not feeling so lame... here is how I passed some time this summer:

1) Stuff Christians Like

http://stufffchristianslike.blogspot.com/

I love this website. I think Jon, the author, is so funny. I can't remember if I confessed my love for this site on the RA folder (I know I did on my floor folder...) But he "makes fun" of Christian "culture" but not in a mean way. 

2) My Life is Average

Mylifeisaverage.com

I know... I know... kinda jr. high but it makes me laugh.

3) Post Secret

http://postsecret.blogspot.com/

I think the whole concept of this site is fascinating. I think it is interesting what freedom people find in confessing their secrets to strangers and knowing that they aren't the only one. I think it really speaks to the Biblical idea of "light" and "darkness" (I spent WAYYYY too much time in the Gospel of John last semester ;) If you've never checked it out be warned that the content isn't necessarily biblical... sometimes its a little pg-13... maybe even pg-13+?

4) Gilmore Girls and... now The Office.

Gilmore Girls... I have watched all 7 seasons this summer... well almost all seven, I have the final two episodes to go! 

And my new replacement addiction might be The Office. And by 'might,' I mean 'I'm definitely hooked.'

ready for an erin-watts-summer-update?

basically, my summer IS sellwood pool. i spend, on average, 8 hours at the pool everyday. i am 10 shades darker than i was when you all last saw me, due to a beautiful full week of 90 degree weather, and i am perpetually wet. from 8:30am-10:30am i teach "junior swim instructor," a program for 11 to 14 year olds where they learn about our swim lesson program and actually get in the water to help instructors teach swimming lessons. i took it when i was 12, now i'm teaching it. cute, right? from 11:00-1:00 i am in the water teaching 1/2 hour swim lessons of various ages and levels. my favorites are the parent/child classes where i get to play with 6 mo. to 18 mo. olds in the water. fun. from 1:00-4:30 i work at the front desk during our open swim time. computers...cash registers...answering phones...you get the idea. at 4:30, i go home and collapse. and rest. often this includes movies with my family, baking something, working on my online class (art appreciation...eh...i know), and doing...or avoiding...those random little things that need to get done. this is monday-friday! some weeks vary. every other week we have inservices at 7am on tuesdays. looong days.

overall, its a great job. having been there for going on 6 summers, i know the program backwards and forwards, i am paid well, and i know a lot of employees and families who come to the pool. its those weeks of not-so-great-weather...65 and overcast...when the water is just a little too cold...that are harder. thankfully, those days have been the minority! it can be tiring being around a large staff of people who, for the most part, don't know the Lord. all day everyday. i'm still trying to figure out what representing Him at my job looks like. when do i say something? when do i stay silent? if you think of it, you could pray that I would be sensitive to the heart of God in this area. it seems appropriate to put a picture of the pool here...but i don't even have one! here's one i found online. our building is sweet looking, huh? love portland for its buildings...and for many other reasons, as you all know. =)

other than work, there's not much happening in my summer other than a wedding to go to, and the HARRY POTTER movie coming out THIS WEEK! BUT a few pretty awesome events took place in my life over the last month. #1 - dear friends ally and lauren from ARISE drove all the way up from SoCal just to visit me, having never been to the northwest. i had a blast showing off portland - i am completely braggy about the magnificence of my city. probably to the point where its annoying. then the three of us drove up to duvall, WA, where my roommate Michelle lives, and none other than AMANDA WHEELER came over and hung out with us! i got to see Amanda a 2nd time when the #2 awesome event happened - MEGHAN WYCOFF came to visit! she flew into seattle, spent time with Amanda, and then Amanda and I met at an Applebee's at the halfway point between Sammamish and Portland to pass Meghan off. =) We had a delightful time, and then I got to show off Portland AGAIN! 

A few snapshots.

Friend visit #1 - Ally and Lauren

 (artistic, right? the feet are my sister Emily's who took the pic...haha.)

Friend visit #2 - Meghan and Amanda! So excited to be reunited.

We could be a commercial for Applebee's.

This is my response to Ally telling me to make a "too cool" face.

Had to share due to the shirt.

Portland is amazing pic #1

Portland is amazing pic #2 (I could go on forever with these but i will stop here ;D)

oops.

I left out a semi-news-worthy part of my day. There is a fire in Temecula and our church was evacuated. My dad was working at the church at the time. Last I heard, the fire hasn't burned any structures or houses (it is in the hills behind the building where luckily, not very much is). This is a pic my Dad took with his phone from the church roof (yes, that's his thumb, he's a little new at this whole camera phone thing ;-)

and here are a couple pics from online:

Just pray for the fire to be put out soon and not destroy any homes/buildings, for safety for the the firefighters/police, also there was a huge outreach event planned at the church tonight that had to be canceled that a lot of people put a lot of time into and my dad is doing a wedding at the church this weekend so just that this wouldn't cause problems for the bride and groom :)

Summer

Well, at this moment in time, I can't necessarily follow a business venture half way around the world, mosquito nets, and passports... but I can tell you what I did today. It will make the rest of you all feel better about your summers ;)

Today I...

My aunt and uncle own a preschool in Garden Grove and we went and visited. Isn't it cute? They were bar-b-queing for the Fourth of July today so that was fun and the kids were super cute. 

This is the outside:

Part of the inside:

After taking a nap... I went lap swimming. First time since being home. oops. The pool is... um... interesting. I'm used to the Temecula CRC and Splash! which are pretty nice. Lets just say that the water was a little cloudy and when the lifeguard was out on a deck, someone was sitting next to him playing the guitar. 

And one of my favorite parts about being home... being able to make my own food or have home cooked non cafe meals! (I, though, have nothing against the cafe:)

Tonight I had cereal (half regular cheerios/half honey nut) and strawberries... 

With a fork of course...

Anyone else do anything exciting... or not exciting and still want to share?? :)

Oh you know...

Well, here is the excitement that is stirred up in my life lately:

• I got two tickets...airplane tickets that it
  
• I have been shot three times...with a needle
  
• I have obtained drugs...by prescription
  
• I am fleeing the country...only to come back within a month
  

This passport is about to get stamped :)

Now that I've updated twice...how is everyone else?

Fundraising Update

So today at church, my college pastor asked me to share a little about my Africa trip. I did - I was strangely nervous - but it went well. Afterward, one of the volunteer staff came up to me and handed me $250 cash!! Another student gave me $20 out of his pocket! I was blown away by their generosity and willingness to give right away :)

So currently I have about $1,800 - I need to get to $5,000 but June 24th. Please pray that God will continue to provide.

I just wanted to give you an update on how my fundraising is going and share how God is providing!

All praise be to God!

Summer Prayer Requests

CJ – Direction in ‘the room’ (that DOES have furniture), after summer work and school plans

Aryn – to find work back home, for her pursuit of a deeper relationship with sister Kelly

Steph – to be able to find a place to stay in the fall (CHECK!)

Erin – be able to prepare for the fall semester even with fulltime work and her online class, as well as graduation plans

Anthony – that housing would work out and that a lot of learning would happen through this experience

Chris – his time in Zambia, and time at home and the reality of the situation there

Drew – make good use of rest time when Katie is gone; restful but not wasteful

Amanda – finish strong with Lit, funds for Africa and trust in provision

Katie S – prayer for relationships within the house for the summer, including rules and comfort zones; being an example to the fellow staffmates at the YMCA

Meghan – energy for working with kids four days a week and for the VBS at the Indian reservation and opportunities for conversations with recently divorced cousin and grandpa’s health that’s deteriorating

Katie P – that the summer would be restful and not wasteful and that getting on good health routines would go well; difficulty with current church and really desirous to find ways or a church to get connected to

Tyler - to be able to rest during the summer while not working, instead of wasting the spare
time he has; patience and perserverence for his work situation, that new opportunities for work would open upA