This Just In...

So many updates. A lot has happened in just one short week. The pressure is on. I only have a few more days at home and there is still a LOT to take care of.

First of all, as of yesterday at 1 pm, I am now even closer to my senior status at ISU. Our grades were posted and I got straight A's! I was really nervous about my chemistry exam grade, but I got exactly what I had to get to keep an A. Is it pathetic that I figured that out prior to taking the test? Oh well. I am very pleased.

We "roughed it" for finals week. Jess and I felt so ridiculous sitting on the floor trying to type on our computers. It was quite the sight. We ended up watching DVDs on my computer all week long. It was just like a fancy camp.

Hmmm...we are completely moved out of the apartment. It took several hours to clean the whole place. We also didn't realize how much "stuff" we still had to pack up and move out into our tiny little Hondas. Props to Jess who has become a super-packer! It was amazing how she got all of her stuff, including a coffee table and a vacuum cleaner, in the backseat of her nice Accord. It was kind of strange to leave that place with her, knowing that we will never be roommates again. We have lived together, through the good times and the just short of good times, for the last three years. We always had a wonderful time and we worked well together. Lots of laughs, lots of tears, and lots of fun memories!

We had our "last supper" as roommates. We went to Olive Garden and enjoyed bruschetta, alfredo dipping sauce, and even chocolate lasagna for dessert. I love that place!

I went to two showers last week, one for Melissa and one for Jess. Both of them were equally fun. Becca (Jess' sister) did a spa theme for the shower. That should explain the masks on Kim's and my face. However, if you look closely, you will notice that mine was frozen. It was just supposed to be chilled, not a solid mass of ice-like substance. It was SO COLD on my face! We enjoyed laughing about it though.

I said goodbye to the 4th graders I have been tutoring all semester. What a great group of kids. They made me this book in which they all told me goodbye. It is hilarious! One of the girls said something like this: "Thanks for coming to our class. You are nice. You know how many teachers can be meen, (note the spelling) and you were nice. Have a gerat summer!" The other entertaining one said this below a picture of a sunset: "This time has now ended." Kids say the darndest things!

I also said goodbye to my little guy Sammy. We had a fun week searching for the characters in his vents and I also witnessed him saying what might have been his first cuss word. Now I know that cussing is bad and it has the power to speak negative volumes about your character, but hearing it come out of Sammy's blunt but innocent mouth was the funniest thing I heard all week. His parents helped me move my box spring and mattress to the storage unit and then we went to dinner. Lots of laughs and a nice way to end our year together. I am really going to miss all of them this summer. I am glad that we will have email access in Kenya. It will be nice to get updates on what they are doing and how Sammy is changing over the summer. Keep your fingers crossed, this might be the summer they kiss those pull-ups goodbye!

I went fishing with Poppa G on Monday. I caught several blue gill and a few bass. It was very peaceful and very relaxing.

SIDE NOTE: I have turned my phone off twice now in the last few days. It is a really nice feeling. Sometimes my phone drives me nuts.

I leave for Europe in 6 days. OH MY GOODNESS! Where has all the time gone? It doesn't matter, I am so excited to get out of here and experience what lies ahead!

Kelly sent us some more recent pictures of the boys. I barely recognized little Isaac. My how he has changed. It makes me feel old! They made a paper chain thing to hang on their fireplace showing how many days left until Rob got to Kenya. BTW...he made it safely and will be there for the next three weeks. Please pray for all of them!

The book list has grown to 16 books. I might have to make a few cuts when it comes time to packing those beautiful hardback heavyweights into my suitcase. Thanks again for all of the suggestions! I will post my final list prior to my departure.

Thanks for sifting through all of the updates! Until I post again...adios, or should I say, arrivederci!