Well, things are busy these days.  I am currently house sitting for the Zoo Director for the next 2 ½ weeks.  It’s kind of an interesting transitional period for me.  I am glad that my last few weeks here in Little Rock are not spent at my parents’ house, merely because this gives me a chance to try some things out. I felt all grown-up yesterday…  I went to the grocery store before work and picked up some things that I needed to get by for the next two weeks.  It was a very “adult” thing to do.  I can barely believe that within 3 weeks’ time I am going to be in an apartment all by myself, paying rent, utilities, insurance, and all that other lovely stuff.  It’s going to be so unlike anything that I have ever experienced.  I mean, while I was at Ouachita, I always lived in the dorm and never had to worry about anything.  All my needs were taken care of.  To go from that kind of environment to all of a sudden having to take care of everything myself is going to be a difficult change for me.  I am not worried about my capability, but more worried about my sanity.  And worried about living alone.
 
I don’t believe that I have mentioned it yet, but I found an apartment in Rogers earlier last week.  I am really pleased with it.  I move in the first weekend in August.
 
OH!  And I have good news!  One of my friends from Ouachita, Amy Horton, is moving to Bentonville!  I am so excited about this!  She got a job at a charter school in Rogers, and she is living just right down the road from me!  She was on the student teaching block with me, and she student taught at Central with me during the first assignment.  I will never forget her class, either… the dreaded Mrs. Hesse’s classroom.  ICK.  But it will be very good to have a familiar face close by.  And I think that we might go church-searching together.
 
Speaking of churches, I am getting sicker by the day with the thought of leaving my wonderful church.  I love Geyer Springs so much, and have grown so close to so many of the people there.  I sat down and had a really nice talk with Pam Wessel (the AMAZING pianist) on Sunday morning.  She reminded me that no change has to be forever, and if God wills it, I may end up back at Geyer Springs one day.  I just love the way that I am an integral part of the worship services.  I have never before felt that, but I love it.  I love contributing and adding to the way that people come before the throne of our Lord.  And I love playing with Pam Wessel and Doug Nielsen.  They are both special people and will always hold a very special place in my heart.  I am amazed when I think about how much I have learned musically from them in the past 3 years.  It amazes me when I look back at where I was technically and see how I have grown.  I know so much more about improvisation and transposition and playing by ear than I ever thought I would.  I actually feel comfortable with the thought of playing something that is not written on the page into a microphone to a whole audience of people.  That in and of itself is incredible.  I just hope and pray that I will be able to find a church where I can be used musically.  It may not be God’s will, but I sure do pray that it is. 
 
I have two more weeks of playing at Geyer Springs.  And Pam has decreed that I am going to sing AND play that last night (August 1st).  I love that woman.
 
And I am not even going to THINK about how much I am going to miss my mentor and friend, Judy Davis.  She has taught me so much about life and love (and other mysteries… sorry, I just had to) in the past three years, that I feel like I have gained this wealth of knowledge.  Plus, I am just going to miss her friendship.  She is an amazing woman of strength and courage, and I only pray that someday I will be able to mentor to someone the way that she has to me.