I promise I did some relaxing this summer.

So far I have blogged about the “stuff” that I did, but I also took some time to just be.

After hanging out with Maxine in DC, Lauren (college roommate) flew into DC, and Marylyn (college roommate) picked us up and took us to her new home in Virginia.

We didn’t really do anything besides just be together. It was so nice, so effortless to be with sweet friends who know my heart better than anyone. It was good to see Marylyn’s new home and see what her life is like, to hear all about marriage from Lauren, and to share about all of my summer adventures.

It was a nice, relaxing time. A much needed break from life for us all.

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Earlier this summer (the week after Poland, camp, and camp), I had planned to go to the lake for a relaxing weekend with my family and celebrating Daddy’s birthday. I was really excited, anticipating lots of sleeping, reading, swimming, and fishing. But as I was driving to the lake, I got a phone call from my mom, who informed me that we would be installing a sprinkler system that my father had been designing.

If it seems strange to you that we would be celebrating a birthday by installing a sprinkler system, then clearly you don’t know my family. My dad’s idea of family togetherness is manual labor. I have spent countless Memorial Days and Labor Days clearing land. One Thanksgiving we built a retaining wall. Another Thanksgiving we built (concreted? cemented? I don’t know the appropriate verb here.) a boat ramp. For Christmas we once painted walls and installed baseboards. So it only makes sense that we celebrate Daddy’s birthday by installing a sprinkler system.

Now, I can’t complain. (I know, it sounds like I am complaining. Keep reading.) As a result of all of this family togetherness, I have learned to be pretty handy. Daddy has taught me a lot of useful skills, how to use a lot of tools, and how a lot of things work. For example, I now know how to build a sprinkler manifold and exactly how much Christy’s Red Hot Blue Glue it takes to attach a PVC pipe to a coupling.

But most importantly, I have discovered a long list of careers in which I am NOT interested. Ditch digger, concrete mixer, fence builder, electrician, plumber, painter, woodworker, concrete mixer (oh, did I already mention that one?), lawn mower…and concrete mixer. You see, the manual labor was always paired with lectures about the value of obtaining a college degree. If it weren’t for those life lessons I might have become a concrete mixer. A really miserable one. I have also learned to value the people in our society with these jobs, like my grandfather who was an electrician. They work really hard doing things that are not fun (in my opinion, at least) to provide for their families. If I didn’t have this experience I would probably take these people for granted.

Back to the story…after several days in the 100 degree weather digging ditches and cementing PVC pipes, (and NOT fishing, sleeping late, or reading) I insisted that we schedule another – RELAXING – trip to the lake. Upon returning from DC and Virginia, we did just that. I joined my parents and the college kids they teach at the lake. We swam, rode in the boat, slept late, played cards, chatted, and just relaxed. It was nice. And relaxing.

See? I don’t just go and do. I also take some time to relax. (And install the occasional sprinkler system!)