Pre-Vacation

While I am over the top jazzed to be heading out on vacation sometimes it seems almost like more work to go on vacation than it is worth, it never is more work than it is worth because I love vacation. In these days leading up to vacation I about go nuts. Seriously. It is such a slow process getting everything ready to go and getting people to fill in for me and making sure all my lesson plans are written and all that good jazz. I feel like I am currently the queen of the lists. I have lists for what I need while at the conference, I have lists of what I'll need in Disneyland, I have lists of what I need to run the half marathon, I have lists of lists it seems. Now the goal is to make it all fit under 50 pounds. This can be a serious challenge.

Slowly but surely it'll happen. Slowly but surely I'll weed through what I need versus what I would love to bring. Slowly but surely I will make it happen. There is a certain amount of excitement that goes along with packing as well as anticipation of the trip to come.




What do you always forget to pack?
Do you have any great packing tips?
Do you pack in a suitcase or in a soft sided bag?
Do you like to be able to carry everything on?

pressure to be epic.

The title of this post is because for some reason once I haven't blogged in a while I feel some strange internal pressure that the next blog must be AWESOME, which really, I am not sure where this pressure comes from but it exists inside of me, so don't expect epicness in this post, rather it will be ramblings.

The last month has been NUTS to say the least, but wonderfully nuts! I just returned from the National Youth Gathering with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America - I traveled with the Northeastern Minnesota synod (550 of us), 21 from the congregation I serve. The 11 day trip came with lots of challenges, fun, and ways in which God met us along the path. It was marvelous. At the beginning of the month I got to stand next to my best friend as she got married back in South Dakota. Wonderfullness abounds.

July's Yay God moments:
-Marc got a new job!
-Katie and Andy got married
-The Synod Journey -ELCA National Youth Gathering
-several trips out kayaking
-a fixed sump pump and sewage drain (the broke sump pump and sewage backing up into my basement was less than fun - but now that the problem is remedied it is nice to not have to worry about them)
-sleep - I was long over due for some good sleep
-planning season - now that some things have come to an end it is time to ramp up the planning for next school year and summer - never a dull moment in ministry
-my closet remodel (sounds lame but trust me the closet needed finishing) is done (just need to hang a set of shelves)
-my family and friends who have helped me keep my sanity during this all
-yarn - one can never have enough yarn while going on 26 hour bus trips (one way)


Dear Sarah,
    You now have broke your blogging silence feel free to go crazy and blog away - no pressure now, the lame post is over.
Love, me