here's everything that's happened this week.

Or, at least, here are the highlights...

Art history. Sociology. Latin American culture. Logic. Constitutional history.

That's my lineup for the fall. After a narrow escape from Intro to Contemporary Native American Literature (thank goodness that worked out in my favor), I must admit my schedule this semester isn't half bad. Why? No science or math for the rest of forever, and that just makes me happy.

Lots of good things are happening around campus spiritually; I've noticed, my friends have noticed, people who aren't believers are starting to notice. More details about all of this later, but one particular highlight was the Shane and Shane concert Thursday night hosted by the new Wesley Foundation. You should listen to/think about the words to this song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70PDuymQ_h0 (Ignore the awkward fire in the background; it was the only video I could find with lyrics.)

Dad and Samuel came to Oxford yesterday for Ajax, Holli's, and a much needed reunion. It was a perfect Oxford afternoon and, once again, reminded me that I am quite obviously Ron Smith's daughter. Additional bonus: my dear father left me with six bottles of Ale 8. So good.

The weather is perfect, so I have spent as much time outside as possible. The front porch of the DG house or on a blanket in the Grove...you just can't go wrong with either of those.

Katherine gave us names and stories of her kids from the Philippines so that we can pray for them individually. I have Danilo. Isn't he precious? I'm becoming slightly obsessed.
That's all, folks.

it is time.

The mood has hit. (Told you it would happen in a couple of days!). It is officially time to go back to school, and, now that I'm ready for it, I can't wait. I'm not saying that I'm ready for hours of homework and waking up early and never being able to find a parking space. I am saying that I'm ready for campus to be full of people again and food to be readily available and, most of all, for my friends to all be together again.

It's the same every year - two things trigger my back to school mindset. Two of my favorite things in this world, at that. Number one: school supplies. You're laughing, I know. I don't know what it is, I just like shopping for school supplies. I'm very specific about it too. (Ask my mom, who patiently waited in WalMart for far too long while I searched for a red notebook. It had to be red. I was just in the mood for red that day. I have no idea why.)

Number two: Harry Potter. Nothing makes me more ready for school to start than reading Harry Potter. I read some every August, just to make me excited to go back. I've read them all far too many times, but a few days ago I picked up seven again. Seriously, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is a masterpiece; J.K. Rowling is brilliant. (I could go on about this for days, but I'll spare you, for now at least.) Something about the fact that all of Harry's adventures take place at Hogwarts makes me excited for my adventures that are on the way here at Ole Miss.

Ridiculous as it sounds, these two things have entirely put me in the mood to be back in school over the course of the past week. Now that I'm officially back in Oxford for the fall, I'm having a difficult containing my excitement for all of the things that are to come. With friends arriving any day now, my adventures just might be beginning sooner than I think...

(17) days of summer left.

17. That's all? I have mixed feelings every August because summer always feels so short yet so long. I've certainly been to plenty of places: Guatemala, Ocean Grove, Delanco, Oxford, Jackson, and back and forth, and back and forth some more. And I've done plenty of things. While this seems to be the case every summer, I always wish I had done a little more: read more books, watched more movies, eaten more homemade ice cream, simply relaxed. Because once school is back in session, there is never enough time for the simple things.

That being said, 17 days is still 17 days. I may have to spend them packing, and going to meetings, and moving back to Oxford, and getting ready for class, but they are still good summer days that can be used for good summer things. I will take advantage of them.

I am reading back over this and laughing because I already know what my next post will be. Today I'm in the "end of summer" mood, which means any day now I will catch the "back to school" mood and be elated. I truly, truly love when school starts back, and several things put me in the mood for starting school every year. But I'll leave those things for the next post, whenever that new mindset catches on. For now, "end of summer" it is. Time to take advantage of the time that I have left!