From Caffeine to Garage Sale Underwear.

Coffee addiction may or may not be the new theme of my summer. I'm on my third cup this morning. Yesterday, I surpassed 8 cups. It's a problem, some would say. Thankfully, I'm not some. You know how they say, "All work and no play make someone a dull boy" ? Well, "All work and no caffeine makes Amy a dull, ranting, bitter, emotional wreck." Caffeinate me. It's in your best interest.

Most of my caffeine intake happens in the afternoon now due to swimming lessons. Ah yes, swimming lessons. It pays well, I get time with kids, and I get to be in charge. What could be better? Throwing some coffee in there, that's what. So, I now bring my thermos of caffeine goodness into the pool with me. The other day, one of my students asked me why I wasn't kicking on the steps with her.

"I need my coffee. That's why," I retorted (it hadn't completely kicked me into nice mode yet).

"Well, hurry it up," she said in a humorously irritated voice.

"Hey, I'm the cranky one today," I said. "It's not fair for both of us to be cranky. And I'm the teacher. I get to pick first. So, I'm going to be the cranky one and you can be the cheery one, okay?"

"Fine," she said. "Just drink your coffee."

She's eight. [sigh]

Anyway, that's not what I want to write about today. I want to write about summertime bliss. You know, everything has been happening around the cups of coffee. And there's a lot of it. First of all, I'm out of the closet. God is good, right? My mom was feeling rather miserable about the situation, mainly because I kept making sarcastic comments in reference to myself "crawling out of my hole" and saying things like, "I'm going to my closet now" and "if you need me, ring me in my closet" and "I think I need counseling. At least the dolls staring at me in my closet think so." She has been less than amused. So, she set me up a bed in the little girls room. Yes, I was already in their room, but now I'm actually in the room part of it. Progress, is what I like to call it.

Now, before you start to worry that we have to "re-theme" my summer because I'm not in the closet anymore, don't you fret, little friend. My office is still in a closet, so I'm definitely still living up the the closet-living expectations put forth at the onset of this summer. But I really do love my office. It's in a closet, for one. That means very little people interaction (not good in the big picture, but good before the coffee is finished) and space and privacy for all things not publicly approved. For instance, I just stirred my creamer into my coffee with an unfolded paper clip. How is this a positive thing and how does it relate to my office, you ask? Well, I'm glad you asked. See, my office is the furthest office from the main office which houses the the staff kitchen. Meaning, I would have to walk all the way to the other side of the lobby and down a short hallway to get a spoon, thus giving me the excuse that I do not need to go all that unreasonable distance for a stirring utensil. Also, my office is loaded with things like stables, sticky tack, Sharpies, sticky notes, tape and paperclips, giving me much utensil-less stirring potential in my closet office.

Another wonderful thing about the summer is helping with the youth group. I loved youth group when I was in it, but I love it all the more as a leader. See, I'm in college and that automatically makes me cool in the eyes of every jr. high and highschooler. Plus, at the last event, we rented an inflatable obstacle course. I get to play and tell young adults about Jesus and play. It's great.

Also in summer news, one of my dearest friends is engaged!! Jamie, whom I've written about numerous times before, is marrying her best friend and quite the stud, Nate. They're beautiful. They're godly. I love them. Yesterday she asked me to stand up with her when they wed. I can't wait.

So, now that I've bored you with my summertime bliss and made you feel rather miserable about your own life in comparison to mine, I'm only going to give one more vital update (and seriously, if you even begin to get down on your summer, remember that until this week, I lived in a closet. A closet.) and that is GARAGE SALING. Now, I consider myself a thrifty individual, but I now scoff at my old self, for I did not even know there was such a thing as City-Wide Garage Sales. Oh, my goodness. I could live off garage saling. Actually, I think I really could! I could buy an endless supply of candle holder and picture frames, enough clothes for any season but the current on and harass the little lemonade stand girl until she sells me two cookies for the price of one. Some sales even sell underwear. I'm set.