The Homestretch!

10 days left! The countdown has indeed begun for the end of this internship, and I find myself sitting on a bag of mixed emotions. I'm really thinking I'm going to need a few days/weeks to process this summer after I step away from the environment. I've learned a lot about myself (and others) the last 10.5 weeks, and I just pray for further self-discovery & enlightenment -- which sounds cheesy, but is true.

I'm taking a quiet night at Dad's house tonight, as he's out of town and there is a Heath Ledger movie fest going on at the house. I have loved and hated sharing a house with 5 (sometimes 8) other girls. It's been such a freaking social experiment if nothing. We all have come from such diverse backgrounds, and we all have stories. That's what I'm discovering, we all have stories to tell. I've also discovered that I can't discount or amplify someone else's story in comparison to my own.

I will miss the laughs, the madness, not getting enough sleep & being delirious, art nights, late night talks with Karlie, Christine, and/or Jake Ryan, and a lot of other things. I'll miss the constant companionship. At the beginning of the Summer all I could think about was how much I missed my apartment and my solitude, but now I don't want to be that isolated and alone. I've just learned so much, and I'll miss those middle schoolers. I never thought I'd have a heart for awkward, sassy older kids with hormones, but turns out I love those littles. We had an AMAZING night Wednesday as our closing Revo (which has been our weekly community night). We went to Franklin Park and had a Muckfest, which is an organized food fight. After being covered in a slew of things that should never be mixed together (Cheerios, chocolate syrup, nacho cheese, pork & beans, anyone?), the Fire Department so graciously came and hosed us off for a good 45 minutes. It was this beautiful moment that made every tear & ounce of sweat completely worth it. It made frustration disappear to see the middle schoolers we finally know just dance around in the water. And there was water EVERYWHERE. It was so much fun, and I can only hope to ever experience such a sweet moment again.

And for all of you wondering... my gimp foot is healing. After a series of appointments at my family doctor, I decided to get a second opinion. Turns out what they thought was the fracture was really an old injury circa 1997. So, I just have a really bad sprain, and the boot I've been wearing has been overkill. I graduated to this new brace on Wednesday, and though I can finally wear 2 shoes again, I've not really enjoyed my new freedom. My foot has been all sorts of swollen & sore since I ditched the boot. One might accuse me of overdoing it, but that one can go to dark fiery places for all I care. I really haven't been too hard on my foot, albeit out-running kids aching to throw food on me at Muckfest may have been a little much.

I think I might have to make another post of shout-out-worthy quotes from the Summer later.