Lazy Summer Night.

I know, I know.
I haven't posted since April. My sincere apologies.

If I we're to describe my summer in one word, it would be:
"life-changing" (well, its hyphenated. that counts.)
In some ways it has changed for the better.
Other things still haven't quite worked out yet. But I need to give those things time.

Summer 08, I.
Oh the last bell on that final day of school. You can hear the high school students screaming as they run to their cars: "FREEEEDDDOOOOMMM!" Yes, i was one of those students. But in all seriousness, the school year was great: but I was ready for it to end! After the silly skit, lovely graduation, and barely being beat out of highest GPA; I packed my bags and headed for Nashville for Tate's fourth birthday. That was a blast!

Summer 08, II.
State Competition. After being so sick that we thought I wouldn't be able to compete, I somehow managed to place first in everything. Piano Solo (from the floor arrangements. got to love 'em), Individual Drama, and Computer Art. Tripping as I went up to get a trophy was also a highlight.
After all the competitors left, it was down to just me, and those who stayed for the MOFWB state meeting. We had a good time. Tornado warnings in the middle of the night are also fun. The only downside was being diagnosed with Graves' Disease. a very rare autoimmune disease that attacks the thyroid. The thyroid gland regulates how fast your system works. Mine works overtime. It has made me very, very sick.

Summer 08, III.
"Free Will Free Will Baptist Bible Camp. Free Will Free Will Baptist Bible Camp. Free Will Free Will Baptist Bible Camp. This is what it means to meeeee..." Camp was great this year! The services were amazing, the classes were amazing, the fellowship and friends were amazing...tripping fifteen billion times...not so amazing! I did get to play the offertory Wednesday evening, and for a pretty cool group from another church. Mikaela and I also had a great time one evening, dancing around the cabin like maniacs. I also, solehandedly, kept our cabin from getting "Cabin of the Day." I'm sorry girls, you know I'm not organized. But I promise. I'm trying!
A few days after I returned home from camp, we drove to St. Johns Hospital, and checked me in. I was to receive "Radioactive Iodine." RAI will destroy your thyroid over the course of a few months. After blood work (which took about two hours to take, develop, etc.) I was ushered into a small room. The nurse took a tiny lead capsule-like-thing, unscrewed it, and dumped the contents out into my hand. I stared at the bright blue pill and thought to myself "Do I really want to do this?" I heard the words of my Endocrinologist and the Radiologist echo through my head. "This is irreversible. Once you take the pill, there is no turning back." I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and popped the pill into my mouth. There was no turning back now.
After three days of solitude, I was back on my feet and ready to greet the world.

Summer 08, IV.
Ask anyone. I hate packing. Packing stresses me out more than a history test that I didn't get the study guide for. It's that bad. Nevertheless, I packed the majority of my belongings and headed for Nashville. It was time for Truth & Peace. There are so many things I could say about Truth & Peace. It was amazing. God really spoke to me. He revealed so much to me. The friends that I made there are truly for a lifetime. I wish I could say more, but it really is hard to sum up something that life-changing.
After two weeks at FWBBC, we loaded on a couple of charter buses and moved to Charleston, WV for the National Association of Free Will Baptists Convention. I love the nationals more than an emo kid loves girl pants. I worked Tic-Tac-Toe doors, Seminars, a Gopher, and the Highway 456 kid's class. Honestly the Nationals are even better once you see how it's put together, how it works. I have much more appreciation for all those who devote their time for something like this.
National Competition. Always a highlight. My piano solo and individual drama happened to co-inside. That was a dramatic mess. But nevertheless, it all turned out okay. Amazingly I made it past the pretest in TruthQuest. When all was said and done, I walked away with second place in TruthQuest, third in piano, second in short story, and first in computer art. The awards ceremony was a riot. Never, ever let me sit behind the announcer. Yes, that means I am on screen, and yes, that means I will do all I can to embarrass myself. And I had fun with that, too.
July 24, 2008. One of the saddest days of my life. It was so hard to leave everyone behind. Some, I will see numerous times throughout the year. Others, I will hopefully see next year. And others, I will never see again. I had to force myself to walk out the door. Everything that was within me pleaded for me to stay for just a few more minutes. But I had to go.
Soon I was on the road to Plymouth, NC. Vacation. Nothing really work speaking of happened. Just, peace and a couple arguments about shutting my mom's hand in the window and mayonnaise. The norm.
We picked my nephews up on the way home from Nashville. A whirlwind week.

So here I am. Chapter V, so to speak. School starts Thursday. I really don't know what to expect. I am still sick with Graves'. That is one thing that I cannot escape from. It will haunt me and effect me the rest of my life. But I know that God is taking care of me. Even now that I have more health problems popping up, I'm still staying optimistic.

"If there is one thing i know, it's that beauty comes from pain. The love that God offers will change everything."

All i know is that I am a new person. God loves me, and I want that love to radiate through me.