Hi! I'm back from visiting my Grandparents in Florida! I had a fantastic time.... I swam in the pool, laid on the white sand beach, ate chocolate from The Chocolate Strawberry, read The Hobbit: Official Movie Guide, went on bike rides, read poetry, and generally did my best to just enjoy myself. :) Kind of rare that an opportunity to JUST enjoy yourself comes along. I tend to want to work right through vacations; sometimes it's hard to shut off. I've gotten so much better at learning to relax when the time comes to relax since last year this time, praise the Lord for that. "There is a time to work, and a time to rest" (Ecc. 3).
I did a lot of thinking while I was there. About a big change that is coming in my life. I think I'm finally coming to terms with it, though I thought I never would.
I'm planning to move to Elk River this summer. I'm going to get an apartment with a good friend of mine, Oliva.
I'm planning to move to Elk River this summer. I'm going to get an apartment with a good friend of mine, Oliva.
It will be so nice to have my own place. I think it will change my relationships with my family, but in a good way. Olivia talked me into Elk River, saying that it had a nicer feel than St. Cloud (which is a big city but not really a fun city), had country right outside town, and was closer to the twin cities, which has lots of fun things to offer. Plus, for me, it's where my siblings come to school, so for years and years yet I will have a sibling or two in town every weekday; I could meet them for treats after school or have them drop off another sibling for the day.
I think it will be fantastic fun to live with a friend. I think there will be a freedom I have not yet experienced as well as a new experience to work through and grow through. I hope that living in town will bring me in contact with more people my age. I have a rather surprisingly short list of friends.
What this means for the studio: I plan to open another studio. I might not teach at my Princeton studio anymore, got to talk to the parents more about that yet. But if I don't teach here at the house, I'll probably teach in Zimmerman and Foley. I've had a lot of requests for Foley, but there doesn't seem to be any studio with mirrors anywhere in the town. So I might build mirrors on rollers, but that doesn't sound too fun. As for Zimmerman, I found a BEAUTIFUL studio in a gym. I've heard the owners are Christian and like to support Christian activities in their gym! Hopefully that works out, but the liability insurance might be an issue.
I read in Florida:
The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug Official Movie Guide
England's Best Loved Poetry
A bit of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith
Longfellow's The Spanish Student (Anna can attest to how much this makes me laugh!)
1 Samuel
the start of Paige Torn (A book Anna got for Christmas. By the wonderful Erynn Mangum, whom I got to meet at the Colorado Christian Writer's Conferences)
The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug Official Movie Guide
England's Best Loved Poetry
A bit of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith
Longfellow's The Spanish Student (Anna can attest to how much this makes me laugh!)
1 Samuel
the start of Paige Torn (A book Anna got for Christmas. By the wonderful Erynn Mangum, whom I got to meet at the Colorado Christian Writer's Conferences)
We had a beautiful dinner at Joey's Tues night! They had these tall outside heaters that kept us just warm enough in the light breeze!
I'm not sure what Anna's sad about here! Doesn't Mark look cool in his new sunglasses?
We watched the first season of Downton Abbey here! Now we're hooked! :)
Mark and Emily sat by the windows on the way out and were adorably in awe of everything!
Anna and I flew back together on Sunday, for classes and school which were cancelled anyway. lol. Mom and the Bugs are flying back today.
Anna and I flew back together on Sunday, for classes and school which were cancelled anyway. lol. Mom and the Bugs are flying back today.