The Loser

from the book "Where the Sidewalk Ends" (1974)

Mama said I'd lose my head

if it wasn't fastened on.

Today I guess it wasn't

'cause while playing with my cousin

it fell off and rolled away

and now it's gone.

And I can't look for it

'cause my eyes are in it,

and I can't call to it

'cause my mouth is on it

(couldn't hear me anyway

'cause my ears are on it),

can't even think about it

'cause my brain is in it. I guess I'll sit down

on this rock

and rest for just a minute...

Shel Silverstein's  poems always remind me of my brothers. They are a crazy bunch of hooligans, but they're awesome. 

Minnesota Summer

I'd just like to say:  PRAISE THE LORD IT'S FINALLY SUMMER. 

 The happiness abounds. 

I had the pleasure of spending my first week of summer in the beautiful state of Minnesota. Minnesota is, by far, my favorite state in the entire United States. Some people find it to be too cold, but I think it's perfect in both the winter and the summer. Unlike Nebraska, you can count on Minnesota to have snow and lots of it, and in the summer you can count on balmy weather that you can escape from in the... WATER... there is actually water in Minnesota. To top of my love for Minnesota, the people are great, and I have family there- lots and lots of family. So last week that's where I went, to my cousin's in Minnesota. It was probably one of the best weeks of my life. (I think I say that after every time I go up). 

We spent countless hours having nothing but fun. 

I have the coolest family in the world. 

Lauren (cough my cousin) is probably my soulmate. We have decided that if we are never cool enough to get married, we will just grow old together. She's pretty much my sister, cousin, and best friend all wrapped up inside one beautiful body. We laughed and laughed and laughed some more. 

Justin and Emily are the coolest cats on the planet. Like I honestly can't even write about how cool they are. It's just... ugh. I love them. 

The adventures that we went on that week were fantastic. We went out to fancy dinners, went to movies, went on bike-ride-attempts, and long boarded more than what's good for us. 

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Stormy afternoons at Grandma & Grandpa's. 

Why is rain-driving more fun than any other type of travel?

Countless hours of music were listened and jammed to. Countless. 

We spent a morning at the beautiful Minnesota Arboretum with their delightful grandparents.

 My heart. 

LONGBOARD SHOP ^^^^^^^^^

Too legit to quit. 

We made some fantastic juice using my Aunt Jennifer's new juicer. 

Apples

Oranges

Kale.

It'll change your life. 

nothin better than lilacs. 

We had a brilliant idea to bike to the Minnetonka Drive In. Twas brilliant. After about 45 min of prep, the tires were finally full and we were finally at the bike trail. We set out on a vintage tandem-bike, prepared for a lovely afternoon ride. After a few pictures were taken, we had gone about 1/3 of a mile and BANG the tire blew out. 

Okay. Try again. Let's just drive there. 

                      

and of course it was old car night. Stellar. 

The rest is history. 

Sunsets.

"They who dwell in the ends of the earth stand in awe of Your signs; You make the dawn and the sunset shout for joy." 

Psalm 65:8

The sunset tonight caught me completely off guard. It was so beautiful! I love painting so I look at landscapes and things and see color. God is the ultimate artist. Human hands could not even begin to recreate something as beautiful as what was there and gone in 5 minutes this Monday evening. So many times we get caught up in all the bad things that happen to us in life: "God why did you do this? How could you let this happen? What did I do to deserve this?" Why do we complain so much. We forget that God is the only source of the good things in our life. God does not send trials into our life simply because. They are a result of sin and the absence of our Creator. Stop complaining about what you don't have, but rejoice because of what you do have. Someone once told me when I was young: "No matter how bad things get, there is ALWAYS someone who is 100x worse off." That has always stuck with me. As we drag on through our final week of school, it is easy to get bogged down and frustrated. I of all people am guilty as charged. God sent this reminder to me this evening, and I am thankful for His abounding love and forgiveness.