camping
The week after Father's Day, our family took off for a week of camping in the mountains. We went up with our friends the M-Fam, a tradition that's been going on so long we can't really remember when it started. I enjoyed looking rockability while mini-gulfing and getting ice cream at an equally-rockability diner:
AJ (the lil' bro), on the other hand, enjoyed being a clown:
I caught up on some summer reading. I'm studying this for tips.Wait, what?
Oh, and gargouilling became the new planking.
So, yup. That happened.
teen conference
After a week at home, AJ and I headed off for NH 4-H Teen Conference. Just some background: TC is the most wonderful time of the year. It's a Sunday-Wednesday of late nights, friends, laughs, inside jokes, all of which ends in a huge emotional puddle. There's workshops, swimming, dances, and lots of 'deep' chats. It's lovely and I wish it never had to end.
TC always reinforces one thing to me: the fact that I have the best friends a girl could hope for. During the school year (and even a lot of the summer!), things get so busy. I think, being homeschooled, you're more likely to have a group of friends with little in common with you. We play different sports, have different interests. We're pursuing different goals, work different summer jobs, and don't always live right down the road from each other. But, that's also what makes our friendships stronger.
We can go a month without seeing each other, and still have no awkwardness. We can go from stupid jokes to deep conversations in 2.5 seconds. We've found the balance between playful banter and always, always having each other's backs. But the absolute best part of our group? The authenticity. You know where you stand. We're honest, we're often blunt, but we love each other.
That's Caleb. We've known each other since we were 6. That's pretty much the case for all of our group--the majority of our lives have been spent around each other. We've quite literally seen each other grow up. And now, as graduation is looming (or for some oldies passed!), there's not a group of people I'd rather go through it with. At the banquet on the last night, sparked by the evening's speaker, we talked about our version of success. And then where we wanted to be in 10 years. Everyone's answers were entirely different. But I love watching everyone pursue their dreams.
Next to Don't Stop Believing, Living on A Prayer is our favorite song. We sing it at every opportunity. And really, that song speaks of everything our group is going through right now. Who knows what the future holds, who knows if what we want now is what will have passed 10 years from now. Frankly, life is scary. I've been getting major anxiety attacks lately about whether or not I'm on the right path. But we've got each other, and that's a lot.
So, guys: take my hand, and we'll make it--I swear. I'm always here. Thanks for always being there for me.
PS-This happened:
And then this happened:
Yup. S County Boys forever.
AJ (the lil' bro), on the other hand, enjoyed being a clown:
I caught up on some summer reading. I'm studying this for tips.Wait, what?
Oh, and gargouilling became the new planking.
So, yup. That happened.
teen conference
After a week at home, AJ and I headed off for NH 4-H Teen Conference. Just some background: TC is the most wonderful time of the year. It's a Sunday-Wednesday of late nights, friends, laughs, inside jokes, all of which ends in a huge emotional puddle. There's workshops, swimming, dances, and lots of 'deep' chats. It's lovely and I wish it never had to end.
TC always reinforces one thing to me: the fact that I have the best friends a girl could hope for. During the school year (and even a lot of the summer!), things get so busy. I think, being homeschooled, you're more likely to have a group of friends with little in common with you. We play different sports, have different interests. We're pursuing different goals, work different summer jobs, and don't always live right down the road from each other. But, that's also what makes our friendships stronger.
We can go a month without seeing each other, and still have no awkwardness. We can go from stupid jokes to deep conversations in 2.5 seconds. We've found the balance between playful banter and always, always having each other's backs. But the absolute best part of our group? The authenticity. You know where you stand. We're honest, we're often blunt, but we love each other.
That's Caleb. We've known each other since we were 6. That's pretty much the case for all of our group--the majority of our lives have been spent around each other. We've quite literally seen each other grow up. And now, as graduation is looming (or for some oldies passed!), there's not a group of people I'd rather go through it with. At the banquet on the last night, sparked by the evening's speaker, we talked about our version of success. And then where we wanted to be in 10 years. Everyone's answers were entirely different. But I love watching everyone pursue their dreams.
Next to Don't Stop Believing, Living on A Prayer is our favorite song. We sing it at every opportunity. And really, that song speaks of everything our group is going through right now. Who knows what the future holds, who knows if what we want now is what will have passed 10 years from now. Frankly, life is scary. I've been getting major anxiety attacks lately about whether or not I'm on the right path. But we've got each other, and that's a lot.
So, guys: take my hand, and we'll make it--I swear. I'm always here. Thanks for always being there for me.
PS-This happened:
And then this happened:
Yup. S County Boys forever.
Sounds like you've been busy! :) Growing up is kinda scary sometimes, believe me, but it only gets better after high school! If you're ever feeling down about the future, read some Donald Miller, specifically 'A Million Miles in a Thousand Years.' That is quite possibly THE most inspiring book I have ever read. I read through it once, then went out and bought it right away. It's the kind of book that makes you want to go conquer a dragon or climb a mountain or take a trip to Antarctica, or something. :) Good stuff.
ReplyDelete~Veronica
Thanks for the book recommendation! I've just added it to my Goodreads. :) Love me some well written self-help!!
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