Northern Exposure 2010

I am on a road trip with various stops along the way. It began Sunday, June 13, 2010. First stop Cincinnati, Ohio approximately 292.5 miles from Nashvegas. The drive was fairly uneventful and I was so thankful for that. Let me go back to the drive for a minute cause there was one thing I would have changed--the heat. When I left Nashville it was in the 90s. As I was driving on I-65 the thermometer in the card said 99 and my air conditioning was struggling a wee bit. I was soaked in my sweat as I drove. It was disgusting. Finally I figured out if I switched the ac setting to just the top part of the car it would get cooler faster and the remainder of the drive was very pleasant. It also helped that the further north I drove the cooler it got. I got to my sister's but she wasn't there yet. I hung out and started watching TV to pass the time. She finally got home from her trip to Pennsylvania and we hung out for while, but she had to go to work the next day. We said good-night and I had an amazing night of sleep. The next I woke up and did my routine which is breakfast, e-mail, prayer, Bible reading, and maybe some journaling thrown in there. My sista had been kind enough to leave her pool key with me so around 11:00 the sky turned a marvelous shade of blue and I threw my suit on, packed some snacks, and headed for the pool. I lounged there while reading Breaking Dawn the final book in the Twilight series. It was so intense I read for 3 hours. Then, I realized I was a wee bit red as I had only applied sunscreen to my face. Chantelle had instructed me to put the chicken in the crockpot around 2 anyway, so I headed back to her place to start our dinner. Then, I went to the fitness center of her complex and worked out for about an hour. When I got back I read for about another hour and a half after a shower of course. We ate dinner, then got ready for the main event--Ingrid Michaelson's concert. We left her apartment around 7:15, got a little lost downtown, but made it to the Southgate House where the concert was around 7:45 where we got in line. The concert didn't start until 9 so we stood in there and played a game "Would you date a guy _____"? It was very fun and I suggest it to any single ladies or just anyone who is bored. Matt Morris opened for Ingrid. We think he was on the Mickey Mouse Club in his younger days. I still have to research to confirm that. He was really good. mattmorris.net if you're interested in checking him out. He's got a free song you can download. About an hour later it was time for the big show. Ingrid started off with Soldier one of my favorites and the concert just got better from there. She sang "Creep" by Radiohead and covered "Toxic" by Britney Spears. Ingrid is so hilarious and always delivers an amazing concert. The only complaint was that it was so stinking hot in there. Literally there was sweat rolling down my back as I sang along to "Be Ok". It was unbelievable. We got home around 12:30 as the sky was lit up with lightening. We never saw any rain though. That was when I suppose Touchdown Jesus got struck and was on fire. Chantelle and I had to say good-bye when we got back, because she had to work the next day. I love her apartment and want to live there--sidebar. I felt bad for her to have to get up and work the next day when I got to sleep in. I'm sure she made it through just fine though. Next morning I woke up and went through my routine, then packed up. I left around 11 and headed to Fort Wayne, Indiana--190 miles from Cincinnati. I was looking forward to the drive because I thought I'd be able to see T.D. Jesus, however, He was gone. I could have also missed him. I saw some interesting things on the drive though. When I got to my parents my Dad was here and he was kind enough to help carry my luggage in. Then, Mom got home and she and I went to Culver's for lunch, then to Kohl's to do some shopping oh and Wal-Mart. Tomorrow, Northern Exposure goes eastbound to the Keystone State for the next leg. Can't wait!

El Presidente

It's Saturday morning and I woke up with a hankering for pancakes. While I was cooking them iTunes was on and the Wall Street Journal was playing. There was a need within me to be in touch with what is happening in the world on June 12, 2010. Gordon Deal is the host and he's got the best radio voice--it just pulls you in. I digress. There was a segment that came up discussing the president's use of the phrase "Who's ass to kick"in reference to the oil spill in the Gulf. Pardon my usage of this phrase. I was so bothered by this phrasing and usage by our president that it's been distracting me from my typical morning routine. I don't remember if it was Gordon or the other reporter on the segment who pointed out that the president is the moral leader of our country. They went on to discuss that this particular language was ok to use because it conveyed his emotion to the people of the United States. I just feel extreme disappointment by this and a little embarrassed to be honest. Also, what kind of impact will this have upon students, I'm talking about younger students, elementary age kiddos. Their hippocampus(part of their brain) is not developed enough for them to distinguish that this line is not appropriate for them to use. Would you want your child going around saying that and using the excuse that it's ok for him because the president said it? Is the president the moral leader of our country or not? I'd like to think that we take into consideration their moral and ethical code to some extent. Their morality will impact the way in which they lead us to a degree. Ethics and morality are part of a good leader. When those qualities are strong, then the leader will in turn be strong. The leader does deserve grace as he or she does the job. So while, disappointment still lingers in my morning, I am willing to forgive and move on from this mistake. That's what I would like to receive from someone whom I have disappointed.

The End is Near

So, the end of the school year is quickly approaching. Only 4 and a half days with the kiddos left. It's a bittersweet time. There are many students I am sad to see go. They have all worked hard, some harder than others though. I can not imagine what it's like to be a parent and to let your child go off after they have grown-up. I have only had these kids for 10 months. Thoughts creep into my mind about what will happen to them over the summer. Will they practice their English? Will they read? Will they be safe? It is easy to spend a lot of time worrying over these things, but I have no control over them. These unsettling thoughts have to be turned over to the Lord. In God's word it says "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving present your requests to God" Philippians 4:6. There should be an attitude of thankfulness that I was entrusted with these children for this time and give it to God. He is in control!