My Gold Medal Moment

So for the last two weeks, I have been watching the Olympics. Obsessively watching the Olympics. Swimming, gymnastics, beach volleyball, and the occasional badminton game. Primetime has never been so exciting in the summer. Every night, there is something new to watch. Seventeen days filled with intense competition and amazing victories.
With all that has been happening these last couple of weeks, its has me thinking. When will I have a gold medal moment? You know, that moment when you are on top of the world and nothing will bring you down? I have had some great moments in the past. Fanstastic moments. But gold medal worthy?? I wasn't sure until this past week.
Sitting on the beach, watching my nephew, Jake, experience it all for the first time, was without a doubt a gold medal moment. He is definitely a fearless baby boy. Nothing scared him and everything fascinated him. From the crashing of the waves to the coolness of the sand. He took it all in and loved it.
I would rather have been on that beach with him than any gold medal podium in the world.

This is Jake enjoying the beach.

10 Reasons Why I Love the Olympics

10. Once every four years, ping pong gets its due.

9. Only in the Olympics can you say, "That was some great synchro" and not get weird looks.

8. Is she 14 or 16? Who cares? She just threw her body into the air, flipped seventeen times and landed on a 4 inch piece of rubber. Give her a medal.

7. I can play badminton.

6. Every four years, I become an expert in scoring gymnastics.

5. The Parade of Nations. Especially that country with only one athlete. Makes me want to give him a hug.

4. American mens swimming. What now, France?

3. All the behind the scenes drama. Who is dating who/Who just dumped who? Now those are stories.

2. Countries who have never medaled before finally winning bronze and celebrating like they got gold.

1. The look on the winners face when they realize they won gold. Makes me wish I had perfected my badminton serve.

Olympic Lessons

So, this week has gone by super fast. Wasn't it just yesterday it was Monday and the first day of camp? Now, it's Thursday night and tomorrow camp will be over. It has been such a good week. The group of kids that we've had are a good group. Loud, but good. The theme this week has been the Olympics. I know that the whole idea of the Olympics is a little much for three and four year olds but I have gotten very excited for the events to begin. There is just something about the games that I love. Maybe it's the idea of being the best in the world or just the knowledge that there is a place and a time where ping pong skills are appreciated. I don't know. But I do know that I am excited.
I remember the 2004 Olympics very well. Mainly because I watched them on a 10 inch tv in my very sparse college apartment. It probably wasn't even 10 inches. 8 maybe. Anyway, it was very small. I was at school in early August because I was working at Widener University for the football team. At night after practice, my roommate and I would sit in front of this incredibly tiny tv screen and watch swimming, gymnastics, and all the other sports deemed worthy of prime time. Sadly, I don't believe ping pong made the cut. We had fun that August. A few weeks at school before classes started. Early mornings and late nights but without the books and studying. Lots of good memories and just as much Elios Pizza.
You know, I can't remember who won what medal in what event but I can still remember how cold the apartment was at night after a day of hot and humid football practice. I remember sitting in the common room with Chrissy and talking about our days and the people we met. I remember how excited we were to finally be in our own apartment. Uncomfortable furniture, thin carpet, and all. It was a month of learning that had nothing to do with a classroom. A month full of lessons that have lasted to this day.
Yes, I am very excited for the Olympics. Especially Ping Pong.

My Hero....

I will be forever amazed and grateful for what he has done and is doing.

August Camp

Today was the first day of August preschool camp. I always look forward to camp. This summer especially. Sure, at the end of the week my wallet's a tad bit fuller and I have a new camp shirt to add to my collection but it's more than that. There's just something about this summer. I think it has something to do with me. Imagine that.
The last few years that I have worked at camp it was just something to do. A way to make some money to take to the beach. Or to buy school books. This summer, however, I really feel that preschool camp is where I need to be. Not just so that there is a fourth teacher to make sure we have the same number of kids at the end of the day that we started with but because this is where God has led me. Joshua 1:3 says that " I will give you every place you set your foot".
I truely believe that God has set my feet at camp and not just camp but teaching preschool. Maybe not forever. Definitely not forever (I would eventually like to get out of the room upstairs). But for this season in my life. I have learned so much from the children I have been blessed to teach and to know. No matter how awful I feel about the day or what's going on in my life, a simple, "Miss Becky, will you sit with me?" makes it all go away.
So yes, I am very excited about camp starting. And in just a few short weeks, school will begin again. Another group of kids to teach, love, and learn from. For right now, at least, my feet are at rest.

The Beginning

Where to start??? I guess the beginning would be the most natural place. That's usually where most stories begin. However, since the only people who will probably be reading this already know who I am and are aware of my beginnings, I think I will just pick up here....I am 24 years old and I live in the room upstairs. My childhood bedroom to be exact. The walls are painted a different color and the closet certainly holds more clothes but this is the place where I have slept since I was 12. It's not a overly exciting room, nothing really distinguishes it from any other room in the house. Except that it's my room. Sure, I shared it with my sister for a time growing up but eventually she moved next door and the closet became mine to make a mess of and the the dresser became mine to....make a mess of. It is, without a doubt, my room. Mess and all.
When I returned home from college after graduating, I figured it would only be for a short time. Because that's what you do, right? Go to college, graduate, move back home, then move away from home. That's the natural course of events. I never imagined that almost two and a half years later, I would still be waking up in this bedroom. I won't lie and say that it's the worst thing to happen to me. I certainly can imagine worse fates. Actually a number come to mind . But it is, without a doubt, not what I aimed for in the beginning.
Over, the last year or so, I have started to discover that a lot of what I had aimed for wasn't to be. To be heading towards midtwenties and still be waking up in the same room just being the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. But I'm finding out that that's ok. So the natural course of events took a wrong turn somewhere. A left instead of a right. A rural road instead of the freeway. I used to wonder what I was missing not being at the same point that others my age were at. Not any more though. Now I wonder what I would have missed if I hadn't been living in the room upstairs. I guess, sometimes, the scenic route is better....