shut the front door –

It’s July.

When did that happen?  [aka when the f* did we get ice cream? right, Joe, Amanda, Sara, and everyone else with whom we have that inside joke?  right?!]

I’m totally bummed and excited that it’s July.

First, I’m bummed.  Summer is, like, half over and I feel like I have nothing to show for it.  Summer makes claims that it is less busy and things slow down.  Summer lies.  While I feel that has happened a bit, it’s been forced.  I’ve forced myself to try and stick to forty hours a week and two full days off, but there is still much to do and plan and evaluate in the church.  And summer masquerades as this season to do fun things and hang out with friends.  While I did fun things and hung out with friends on vacation in the first week in June, since then I’ve been pretty boring with no friends.  [That’s not completely true.  But I need to do more.  And find more friends.]  I need to put another vacation on the calendar.

While I’m bummed, I’m also excited.  July is the month of the national youth gathering in New Orleans.  I’m heading down on the 16th with five youth from Red Oak Grove [along with 30,000 other Lutheran youth and chaperones] and it should be a great time [though also hot and steamy and exhausting].  A dear old seminary friend is coming to visit right before the trip departure and I look forward to reconnecting with him.  But, then, uh … I realize the excitement runs out.  Quick!  I need more to be excited about …

Maybe blocking out a train trip to Montana in January to visit a couple new baby girls?  Maybe a plane ride to Texas to see Joe and Amanda?  Maybe taking a horseback riding community education class?  [Okay.  I’ll be honest.  That’s more fear than excitement but something I feel I should try again.]  Maybe a Canadian cruise with Paige?  [Notice how all excitement revolves around travel and friends.  huh.]  Maybe …