"so what now?"

I got a text last night.

It was from an alumni of the school I'm planning to transfer to this August.

This girl, Kendra, is a recent graduate of the aviation program. She graduated 2 weeks ago!! So I've been texting and talking to her back and forth because she's really kind and a valuable insight to the program!

She let me know that the director of aviation is leaving, as well as all the staff.

The text came after a relaxful, peaceful Sunday. What's ironic is I had just attended a sending out party for another missionary friend who is leaving to PNG, and was telling him about my program I'm starting in this August in San Diego. He gave me congrats on my solo and for the school going so well in San Diego, saying he was confident I'd start in August on the right foot with my private pilot and do very well. My brother and I left the sending off party and came home too late to go to night church, so I went longboarding and listened to David Platt's audiobook version of "Radical".

I really recommend it!

(Also to go longboarding in general while listening to audiobooks, you feel like a sporty and academic and multitasking extraordinaire).

Anyway, I came home and after drinking almost a full litre of water because I was so dehydrated (even though Sunday wasn't that warm I had just been longboarding a good hour) I sat outside in the dark on our front lawn and did my daily Romanian Duolingo lesson. After 3 lessons, I headed inside and did my nightly 10-15 mins of guitar practice.

I saw Kendra's text that before I started guitar practice, but I knew it was going to be hefty so I thought to myself "nope. guitar first, then I'll deal with the text message because I know it's going to be a bruiser". I don't always ignore my problems but when I do I do it well.

I knew this year was going to be predictable in how it would be unpredictable: but still, wow. All I can feel right now is grateful that this weekend has been so awesome to make up for that terrible text:

FRIDAY: great day at work, high spirits, not too busy, and I had some good conversations with people :)

SATURDAY: I not only soloed Saturday morning, but later I got to meet my best friend finally back from school for the summer and meet her boyfriend! I met them at the Portland Saturday market, finally got to go to that, and got to longboard and walk downtown which I love doing! I've always wanted to try longboarding along the waterfront, so Sat was the first time finally doing it and I loved it, I've biked it before too and that's great to! Around 3:30, I split with my friend and her guy and then made it to my sister's school graphic design festival event (longboarded uphill now, which was also fun & the city gets less crowded the more I was away from the Cinco De Mayo festivities down at the waterfront!) My parents were at that event too, so they dropped me off back near home at my cousin Genevieve's house for a cousin party, we played volleyball and ate bean dip and walked to the park and played "guess the family member" charades. Normally, I don't like charades and get bored fast, but the family member guessing twist was really fun! So I'm just thankful I had such a great weekend. SUNDAY: you already know I went to my missionary friend's open house/going away story telling party in the evening. That was really good fellowship, food, tea, and stories! But in the morning, I got to help in 3rd grade as it was my turn on the teacher rotation! The kids were really wild, but I (thank you Jesus) for once felt like I wasn't very tired that morning and had plenty of energy! I smiled and joked and scolded them and we got the Sunday school director to come kill a wasp right in the beginning of class and it was a good morning! The biggest highlight for me was when we had them "practice prayer" at the end of class. That was the lesson we were teaching, How To Pray. I was so surprised when right away the kids eagerly stood up alongside each other and we were all facing each other in a big circle, teacher Anna and I at the opening. Teacher Anna told them to pray short or long, in Romanian or English, just whatever they had to say to God. Every kid went right away, haltingly murmuring meaningful conversations between them to their good Father. The cutest thing was seeing 2 of the rowdiest boys, Mark and the football king Joseph (who is normally very loud and disruptive but an awesome kid) standing side by side almost leaning on each other, and shutting their eyes so tight they were squiggly. I debated capturing it with my phone, sneakily just sliding it out of my pocket, but I didn't. Those really are the best teacher moments, it makes all the screaming, disrespectful, antsy, bad jokes, temperamental times so worth it.

Because I really appreciate Kendra telling me this, but I still can't believe it. I'm currently in the process of going to the gym to squat out all my nervous energy and then film a short video and apply to CBU, because what else am I to do?

I feel like a Dr Seuss character.

I've already got bible and prayer in this fine morning, I know the blog and youtube need some update help. I also got to update my logbook, speaking of which! Before tonight's flight lesson Steve (my CFI) told me, so must do that!