A. Brian's presence. Yes, we have a 5th roommate who happens to be my younger brother. Brian is camping out in my basement and working for a political think tank. Brian enjoys facilitating political discussion in the household, especially with Chelsea aka "Buzz". Although his stay is temporary, Brian has successfully managed to dazzle the ladies of the Colonial 1st ward. He has vigorously played the role of "protective brother", relying on his intellectual superiority and whit to intimidate potential men in my life (Brian maybe had something to do with that sentence). In the beginning, Brian was skeptical of living with four other women. Now he claims to have adopted three additional sisters. He especially enjoys the Sunday afternoon cooking lessons with Mel, dating debriefs with Al (Allison), and restlessly laboring away his Saturdays mowing the lawn we like to call our "forest". Naturally, Brian has gravitated towards the "georgetown" nightlife. Arriving in D.C. alone did not phase young Brian. The first of his friends was a sorority girl named Jamie he met on the metro and a Pakistani he befriended in the GW[U] library. Let's just say he occupies a lot of our time and attention.
B. A visit to WA to visit my fam. While I was home, I got to attend Jeff's graduation. We made sure Jeff knew his family was in attendance by sporting Southridge Sun yellow t-shirts, including our individual family nicknames. I think he was at least a tad bit amused. I thought we were funny. I also got to spend time doing what I do best--maintaining my role as favorite aunt. Do you see how they light up in my presence?
C. Mt Hood. We were determined to get on that mountain. Not even an avalanche warning could stop us. The countless days spent at Gold's on the stair stepper in our hiking boots, multiple trips to REI, and preparation hikes in the Shenandoah's all paid off. It was absolutely breath taking on the mountain. The climb itself, was actually not as physically demanding as I expected. However, there were a few moments when I questioned my decision to climb a mountain. When were were harnessed together on our rope, climbing what seemed to be completing vertical, along side a cliff, I maybe started to freak out inside. Thankfully, we all made it down the mountain safely and lived to tell the tale of the Hood Ratz. Much thanks to Papa Smart for his patience, expertise, and mountaineering gear. We could not have done it without him.
D. MV. When a friend asks you to accompany her on a weekend trip to Martha's Vineyard to stay in her friend's beach house, you don't turn that down. After pulling an all night drive to the cape, and sleeping through our entire ferry ride, we finally arrived to MV. Shandi and I took full advantage of the opportunity to sport our prepster/nautical outfits. It was a perfect, relaxing weekend get-a-way.
E. Birthday BBQ Bash. My roommates planned a great birthday bbq for me and my dear friend, Regina. It was a great summer evening with friends. Highlights of the night: the photo board including my Rihanna haircut in the 4th grade, Adriel's famous blueberry cupcakes, and the best gift ever--BOCCE BALL! Brian, keep mowing that lawn, b/c we have some bocce ball to play this summer!
F. South Africa. I feel as though this trip deserves its own post. I LOVED it. Most definitely an experience of a lifetime. I loved the people and was touched by their humility and generosity. The trip was a perfect balance of exploring the tourist hot spots, and getting a feel for everyday life in SA. Joburg was alive with fans from all over the world visiting for the World Cup. I loved meeting with professionals from the Joburg Child Welfare System and sharing/comparing experiences. I loved observing our girls (8 DC foster care youth) experience a new place. A favorite moment of the trip had to be on the safari, watching a female cheetah devour an Impala with her four cubs. I was literally 5 feet from this animal.
I would say these are pretty good reasons for neglecting my blog.
I spent July 5-17 in South Africa with the girls pictured above. It was a long trip. By the end, I was dreaming of my own bed, and trying to remember what it was like to be by myself. I felt so far removed from my life here. In the midst of late nights, teen drama, and emotional overload, I was reminded of an important lesson: recognize the divine nature and individual worth of each and every youth. It is easy to lose sight of this. Too often my interactions with youth are focused around what they didn't do, or should have done. Why didn't you enroll in school? Why didn't you meet with your probation officer? Why didn't you come to Court? Why can't you show more gratitude? While these are important tasks and goals to review with youth, I would suggest it is of greater importance to recognize their strengths and show them an increase of love. The beautiful women I interacted with on this trip are fragile, and have had tragic/horrific life experiences. Their lives have lacked the stability and outpouring of love we far too often take for granted. It is amazing how much influence an adult can have on a child. Something as simple as a compliment, would change their entire mood for the evening. I am not married and do not have children. I attend a single's ward, and rarely get to interact with youth in my stake. Although I interact with the youth on my caseload, I must abide by appropriate boundaries. With that said, I think it is important to seek out ways to influence children/youth for good. An insignificant amount of time spent with a child more than likely will yield immeasurable results; both for the child and the mentor. As my father often reminded me, "Where much is given, much is required."
