Labor Day Weekend

I had a great Labor Day weekend this year. My sister, Joy, and I drove up to visit Isaiah in Akron, OH. I had to go and get a cold, but, I must admit, I never had as much fun while being sick at the same time. While the circumstances were not necessarily ideal, I was with people who made me forget all about how miserable my body was. Isaiah gave us a tour of the enormous University of Akron campus. That place is huge! I was totally turned around. I would be totally lost if I went there!

The first evening of our visit, we went to a dinner for international students sponsored by a church there on campus. We sat at a table with a bunch of Isaiah's friends including a guy from Thailand, a guy from S. Korea, and a guy from England. For some reason, there was this bowl of habenero peppers sitting at the food table. None of the international students knew what they were other than peppers. The British guy brought some over and handed them out to all the guys at our table. I tried to say something but before I got the words out of my mouth, both Isaiah and the British guy had popped the whole thing in their mouths and were chowing down. I knew what was coming. Within seconds, the British guy had turned a very vibrant hue of red, and both guys were sweating. Isaiah's eyes turned red and the British guy was crying. The Asian guys were pretty worried for their buddies, but then decided to prove their manhood or something... and they popped some habeneros! So it ended up with Joy and I sitting at a table surrounded by weeping men of every hue and color. They were like that for about a half hour. It made for some memories, that's for sure!

The next day we drove down to Alliance where Isaiah spent the summer. We spent the evening with our friends there. Sunday afternoon, after church, Jerry and Darylene took us to a fall festival held in the area. The festival was way out in the woods. It was so pretty. There were all sorts of booths set up. Everything from wood carving with chainsaws, to alpacas, to clogging, to gunsmiths.

Joy with the kegs. I tried birch beer and decided I didn't like it very much. Tasted like cold medicine.

And of course, food! Lots and lots of food. Of the unhealthy variety. I got to eat an elephant ear for the first time. Something that is very fried and covered with lots of sugar. I wasn't able to finish it so Isaiah ate both his and the remainders of me and Joy's. Nice to have a boyfriend with a large appetite to eat all my leftovers... won't have to feel guilty about wasted food anymore.

Joy and Darylene with ice cream. I had to decline, much to my chagrin, due to my cold

Joy enjoys her ice cream!

The whole trip was very enjoyable despite my being sick. We had a wonderful time. We left to head back to Cincinnati on Monday evening. Joy spent the night and the next day she went classes with me. I hope she wasn't too bored...

She and I then went and met Dad and the children at Chipotle. after that, we drove to the Creation Museum and went to a Buddy Davis concert. Then we went through the museum and ran around outside in the beautiful gardens. I really enjoyed spending time with my family. Especially talking with Dad. It's funny how the older you get, the more enjoyable and interesting conversations can be.

We had fun with this poor creature....

I told Isaiah he should send this picture to PNG and tell them it was his girlfriend with one of our American creatures

And then I headed back to school. I have had so much free time, I have just been studying. I am already to October in most of my reading (which is a lot) and I have a couple of big assignments done. I feel pretty good about myself right now :) I have found a really big, nice, safe Starbucks that I spend a lot of time at.

I also got another job. Not only am I librarian, I am now a nanny. I love children so I am pretty excited about this job. I will be caring for an eight year old boy and his six year old sister after school. I am so grateful that I was able to get these jobs.

I also went to jail for the first time today. It was a very good experience. I think I did ok. I just handed out tracts and led in a chorus and participated in the service. I was amazed at how very attentive the men were. They really seemed to hang off of every word Bro. Hyatt said.

God has been good to me! He has provided me with two very good jobs that I enjoy. He has given me the opportunity to serve him in ministry to other people. I asked Him to use me, and He is! I am so blessed.