Rainy Fourth and The Bee.

Just thought I'd give an update of our lives real quick.

• Grad school is not for wimps. I think we both feel as if we've been cruising along doing fine- and just this week- the ground beneath us took a steep downhill right quick. Everything is picking up speed, and we are running, tripping, sweating, reaching, trying to keep up. Everyone says its worth it. I hope they are right! We're in for the long haul.

(the picture below IS blurry- its not your eyes. life is just flying by so fast, we can't even get a decent shot.)

• Our Fourth of July was great, as always. But different than how I remember. This is how my memory goes:

-pancake breakfast at church
-the pledge of allegiance
-swimming and/or running in the sprinklers
-watching a parade
-sweating in the sun
-barbecue smells
-bare feet on hot pavement
-cold, sticky popsicles
-sparklers in the cul-de-sac at dusk
-spreading a blanket in the cool grass
-eating greasy, fingerlickin' good food with my family
-laying on my back to see the fireworks
-saying "oooh, ahhh"
-staying up late
-falling asleep to the sound of bottlerockets




This year...we still had the greasy, fingerlickin' good food. But that's about it. It poured (I mean cold, relentless, flooding-the-streets rain) ALL DAY LONG. The city was forced to cancel all of their fun events. (a freedom 5k, downtown parade, fireworks at the community college, bandstand in a park)
We still got together with our awesome neighbors and ate good food, played guitar hero and watched the cute kids run a muck (being stuck inside all day is hard for them too). We managed a few sparklers in a misty pause during the downpour. Then we came home and watched Starwars.


But I will say this, traditional day or not- I am thankful for our country. And for the countless people who have sacrificed to keep us free. Happy Birthday, America!

• Oh the Bee. As if we are not busy enough, I decided lately that it was high time I got a job. Extra cash is always necessary and appreciated for starving students such as myself. This week I was hired to work at Applebees as a server! I get to wear cute oldman no-slip tennis shoes and a T-shirt with minihamburgers on the back (which are not the least bit appetizing on cotton, lemme tell you.) I'm excited. I'll keep you posted on my adventures there, soon to come. I'm sure there will be many.

If any of you are in town, please drop by and eat good in the neighborhood at Applebees in Champaign, featuring carside service.
And for those of you who don't find yourself in central Illinois (aka all of you), please leave a big fat tip next time you go out to eat. Those servers are just kids like me, trying to catch a break. Thanks. ;)

• Lastly, lest you have begun to think that 1. our lives here are nothing but stress and disappointments, and that 2. I am nothing but an ungrateful pessimist, please read the following list of things I am very lucky to have at this time of craziness and transition:

• walks in the park
  
• bike rides
• fireflies at dusk
• free summer concerts
  
• phone calls and emails from family
• nice neighbors
• fun callings (him-YM, me-YW :) )
• the opportunity to learn
• new friends
• a great campus gym
• student loans
• ice cream
  
• my ever supportive, hard-working husband