PNW, My Home.

This morning, after waking up and feeling fully recovered from the horrible sore throat that plagued me for four days, I decided I was ready for a quick morning run. It looked a little grey outside, so I pulled on my long-sleeved running jacket and some shorts, and took off.

I ran a good tenth of a mile before I even realized it was raining.

I grinned thinking, "I must be an official resident of the northwest if I wake up and take off, not even noticing that the rain is misting down and that it's only 57 degrees in August."

Yesterday afternoon, I sat in a coffeeshop with two of my girls, talking about the same things I always talk about with girls in coffee shops--boys, parents, and God. We were laughing and having a great time, and even though I felt like I was still teaching them and asking them intentionally hard questions--it didn't feel like I was working. It just felt fluid, like that's how conversations in coffee shops should go. Does that mean I'm officially a youth minister at heart?

There's still a good month until school starts, and between now and then are two trips to Chicago, Golf Marathon, and lots of logistics to set up some plans for the school year.

And even with big stuff going on in my life--like significant changes in significant relationships, like my roommate moving, like two best friends getting married, like lots of life uncertainties--I feel grounded, I feel at peace, and I feel excited.

New years bring good things.