SUMMER TRIP-DAY 17!!!

I am finding that one of the hardest things to do is get in front of a computer each day to write about some of the amazing things that I am doing. For example, in the last week since I have written, I have gone through another 3 days of an amazing Student Development Conference at IWU that has hopefully inspired me to greatness=God give me the strength to follow through on even HALF of the ideas that I have floating around in my head and it could be a great year. As I was leaving the conference, I ran into my old desk manager in Williams=Nate Lamb!!! He is such an amazing man of God that has really devoted his life to his family. I am humbled that I was allowed to have any kind of role in his development. It was great to reminisce about some good times in Bill Hall!!! If you think of it, please send up a quick prayer for him as they just added a member to their family=Lauren (she's such a cutey!) as well as for Nate as he is beginning Grad School!
Last Monday night, I got to go to an Indianapolis Indians baseball game-which was a ton of fun=my first Triple A game! Tuesday night had a barbeque with some great friends in Indy-Wed I got to have lunch with my great friend Brian Day in Kokomo and tour a couple's AMAZING home that has been a continuing project over the last 10 years, and then THURSDAY=I got to see Toad the Wet Sprocket in concert at a great club in Broad Ripple called the Vogue!!!


This was a great moment for me to have some time to hang out with Jeremy and listen to some great music. Toad hasn't really toured together in about 2 years and it was at least 4 years before that-choosing to each focus on solo careers and other things. Toad has always been a band that I have identified with and actually play their Greatest Hits CD, P.S., to relax to and even as background music to clean my apartment. There has always been something inspirational and soothing about their music. It was a great time and I am so thankful that Jeremy and I got to share it.

As many of you know, I am inclined to reflect on things, and this post is no different. As I was spending some QT in Indiana, I realized that I have no idea when I will be back in Indiana again. I spent so much time hating the state and resisting the "Hoosier" label that it kind of grew on me. I mean, I spent over 9 years of my life there. I still have a large group of friends there who some could be called family (I hope that you know who you are!). Also, Indiana provided a good starting point to visit friends in Michigan and Ohio and it was a pretty sobering thought to not have any idea when I might be seeing some of those people again. Next year marks the ten year anniversary of my college graduation, which is traditionally celebrated at Homecoming. The problem is that I don't get a lot of vacation and I am pretty busy with my own college schedule responsibilities and so I doubt that I will make a trip to IWU next Fall. We shall see. At this point, no one is really talking about it. So, here's to Indiana=God has used this state to shape me and teach me things that make me the man that I am today and I am thankful for all of it! To everyone still behind, know that I take with me the memories and lessons in my heart and thank each and everyone of you for the part that you played in my life!

To quote one of my favorite Toad songs: "I will not take these things for granted!"