Running.

I have a new hero. Or rather, a role model.

Her name is Shelly-Ann Frazer and she is from Jamaica. And if you watched the woman's 100 meter race tonight at the Olympics, you know who she is.

She won.

But that's not necessarily why I liked her. I liked her because this was her first big race. She was the one that NO ONE expected anything from. But she went out and did her thing. And she got a gold medal for it. Seeing her face at the end of the race was brilliant. She kept jumping around and smiling, and you could tell that it was so important to her.

And she has braces, and that makes me happy. And she's only 21.

I haven't gone running, or worked out at all, in like a week and a half. And I can tell. My body doesn't like it. Already I don't feel as toned or fit as I had become. And I am more tired than before. But this week is crazy. I don't know when I can find time to do it. And I don't like that either. But I know that when I reach the end of my 5K, which is taking place in almost one month, I will be just as excited at Shelly-Ann Frazer was tonight. The look on my face will be an exact mirror of the look on her face.

Tomorrow we are going on the annual RA retreat. We have 3 or 4 hours of free time in the afternoon. I think I'll go running. I already packed some shorts and my outdoor running shoes.

But now, I am utterly exhausted. So sleep is coming quickly...
As is morning.

OHH! But I wore my tie-dye shirt that I Made with Cody today. And got tons of compliments on it. Well, like 5. But still! Fun.

Kerr.

I'm slowly settling into this whole Kerr thing. But really, this building scares me. A lot. The elevator is so creepy - the kind that has a metal grate that goes over the door. And a lone light bulb hanging from the ceiling. And the attic? There could SO be a dead body up there. I just hope it doesn't try to crawl into my room.

Pretty sure I just heard a knock at my door... and it's 12:30am. I'm freaking myself out.

Shaun doesn't help. He's good at scaring me. (It is SO good to see him, by the way.)

But my new room is nice. It's quaint. I have a set of bunk beds, two desks, two closety things, two miniscule dressers, and my fridge. And all my stuff. I have a huge bag and a big box full of stuff I don't want or need anymore. A lot of it is clothes. I had 27 T-shirts. I got rid of like 10 of them. And lots of other STUFF that was just taking up room. Shaun's DAd was making fun of all my stuff.

OH MY WORD. I thought I had lost the Mission Center binder. I called Shaun and my mom, practically in hysterics. Then I found it... and twenty bucks.

Ha. I keep getting distracted by facebook and my conversation with Hannah. And now Addi (can't wait to see the OCBF).

Well, I have church soon. And I need to journal, read my Bible, then SLEEP. Sleep has not been a priority in my life lately, and I miss it.

Flying "Home".

Well, I am at the airport now, in Chicago. And first of all, this airport is huge. I had to HIKE across it to get to gate F2C. Yes, that’s right. There’s an F2A, an F2B, an F2C, AND an F2D. Ridiculous.

I wasn’t even supposed to leave home until about right now, but Mom found another itinerary, and I was able to fly out last night. I didn’t sleep at all on the plane, but that’s okay I guess. I was seated in the window seat of an emergency exit aisle, and needless to say, I was freezing cold.

I see Shaun in… less than 4 hours. I’m just a little bit excited. Well, I give in. I’m a LOT excited.

I enjoy people watching. The pilot sitting across from me has a “Jet Fuel Only” sticker on his suitcase. I saw a kid that reminded me a lot of what I think a younger Shaun would have been like. It’s funny, the kind of people that drink Starbucks: businessmen, old men that carry hiking packs, girls like me…funny. I guess coffee is a universal thing. I have my Grande Skinny Vanilla Latte sitting next to me. We are friends.

My battery will not last much longer. When I get to Shaun’s house (YAY!!!!!!!!!!) I will plug it in and post this on-line. As it is, I am typing it on Word right now because I can’t log in to the internet.

It was a bit tragic flying out of Alaska last night. The mountains, the trees, the lakes… all so beautiful. But then I remember that I have some awesome pictures of those things and it makes it all a little bit easier to deal with. That, and Hannah might come visit me… and that’s really exciting.

Addi got an apartment on campus. I’ll admit. I’m a little jealous. I’m currently dealing with the whole “I don’t want to be an RA again” thing. When the time comes, it will be fine… but until then? I want an apartment. I want to NOT eat in the ARA. I want, I want, I want.

{Newsflash, Melissa… it doesn’t matter what you want. The world does not revolve around you.}

My tummy hurts a little. I think the combination of grapes and coffee does not settle well with me. At all.

But I’m flying in a skirt today, which is something I’ve always wanted to do, and it’s fun. I don’t know that people look at me or treat me differently, but it’s still like “Ha, I’m in a skirt!”

Kind of like how on Wednesday, Hannah and I had an Enchanted party, and we put on fancy dresses to watch it. We both wore our senior year prom dresses. And I wore a sweater with mine. It was an homage to… well, I don’t know what to, but something. Anyway, it was fun. Then I told my Dad about it later, and he said we were dorks. At least we were pretty dorks. In our prom dresses. Watching a Disney movie about True Love’s Kiss. I know you are jealous, but green is not a good color for you.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Sports.

Another thing:

I like the Olympics. I haven't watched a lot of it this year, but I am now, kind of. And it's awesome.

If I was actually good at sports, I would so want to go to the Olympics. But as it is... I'm not. Though running and I are good friends now. And that's fun.

And soccer and I don't hate eachother. Even though I am bad, it's a lot of fun. I would like to be good.

Others.

Also, also.

Since all my bags are packed, and since I am a little bit bitter and don't want to bring them inside, I am wearing the clothes I had opted to leave here. Which means I spent today in sweatpants and a tie-dye shirt that is a million different colors. My outfit choices are going to be limited, and it makes me laugh.

And I restarted my sweater vest. Maybe I'll like it more now. The rows actually look NICE now.

And now I can finish my Africa scrapbook and clean my room before I go.

But I would still rather be with Shaun.

Presents.

Oh, but Brad got his Africa present today, and I think he liked it. He said in his Thank You text message that it is "Awesome." :)

I like getting people presents that they like.

Sad Day.

I should be at Shaun's house right now.
And I am not.

A dang volcano went off in the Aleutian Islands and it spewed out so much ash that all the flights out are cancelled. The next available flight I can get on is not until Friday morning. Go figure.

I just want to see my boyfriend.

In other news, "Breaking Dawn" is so good....... Oh, Edward. I still have a couple of hundred pages to go. I spent all day in bed reading it, too distraught to get up and do anything, even though it was sunny all day (for the 4th day all summer).

My Sunday School lesson yesterday was about Esther, how God made her queen, put her in her place, for a purpose and to do a job. And now, I guess God has me here for 4 more days for a purpose, to do a job. I don't have the SLIGHTEST idea what it is, but yeah, okay. Fine. I admit, my attitude has been foul all day long. I need an adjustment. And I need to remember that God isn't dumb. He does have a plan.

My head believes it...but my heart doesn't really want to.
But then I know I need to just change how I feel.