A post for Becca S.

Are you someone who thoroughly enjoys reading other people’s private information? Umm, not that I am or anything… (Aside: my friend Jamie has the FUNNIEST post about eaves-reading on the train.)
Anyways, my dear friend Becca Stanley has been away all summer helping to run Camp Grace, a camp for inner-city kids. I have missed her so much and feel like we are missing so much of each others' lives. I was going to write Becca an email filling her in on my summer happenings thus far, but decided to post for all the world (which includes all 5 people who read this blog) to read. So without further ado:

Hey Becca!!
I really am starting to miss you terribly! I have felt really isolated all summer, just missing community and “doing life” with others! I don’t want to overwhelm you with a 5-page update of life, so I thought I’d jot down some less-intimidating bullet points:

• First, and most importantly, The BACHEORETTE!!! I miss you so much every Monday night! Ryan tries really hard to feign a vested interest, but it really just isn’t the same. Have you watched any episodes online yet? I have saved all the episodes on my DVR and am totally willing to re-watch the entire second half of the season with you when you get home!!

• In related news, this season of So You Think You Can Dance is turning out to be really good. There is this one guy, Phillip, who is a pop-and-locker. Do you know what that is already from working with the kids downtown? UrbanDictionary.com defines it as: A style of breakdancing which involves short, rapid movement of the arms and legs (popping), combined with brief pauses between movements. Umm, maybe this will be more helpful—this is Phillip’s audition. Anyways, he tried out last season too, and didn’t make it because he couldn’t pull off the other, more classical, dance styles. So he went home and trained for a year, and now he’s back and in the top 6 couples! Here he is in a hip-hop dance with his partner Jeanine (who is a contemporary dancer who’s never done hip-hop).
Love that!

• In family news, Holden is finishing up his series of 8 swim lessons this morning. He’s not swimming on his own yet, but has made big improvements in putting his face in, learning the swimming motions and whatnot. Oh, (I’m adding this in at the end) I also wanted to tell you that Holden prays for you guys every night, and not because we tell him to. After he says his regular routine prayer, we ask him if there is anyone else he’d like to pray for and normally it goes like this: “Dear Jesus, thank you for Mr. Adam and Jayci and Mrs. Becca and Charlie and Mav. Help them fall asleep quickly. [Because that’s what he prays for himself.] Love you Jesus, Amen.”

• Turner is growing up so quickly (which sounds like it’s been a year since you’ve seen him, as opposed to weeks)! Did I tell you that when we visited you at camp he said his first animal noise? When we were looking at the cow, he kept saying moo. And now he says cat and meow. And pretty clearly says “all done” after meals. Turner is super fearless at the pool. He will repeatedly jump off the edge to me or step off the stairs. His head goes completely under until I pull him up, but it doesn’t seem to faze him in the least! Once I put him back on his feet he waits about a half a second to do it again!

• Finally, let me wrap this up by saying how stoked I am about going to the Dominican Republic with you! Really, the thought of those seven lazy days gets me through many stressful days here! My sister and mom went a couple years ago, and Cam wants to tell us all the things/places we have to try.

So that’s it! I love you and miss you!