Already but Not Yet

Sorry guys. Still no pictures. I ordered a cord, it came, I packed it, and now I can't find it again. We're all still in a state of limbo: Jessica and I got into the apartment, but the previous tenants haven't moved their stuff out yet. Technically, they're being nice and letting us move in early, but it's easy to get grumpy when you feel like you're in someone else's house. Only one of the three original girls is still here, but that means that Jessica is without a room. She's been hanging out with me in my room and come Wednesday, this place will be ours and we can start to clean out some of the accumulated stuff. So much stuff needs to go out so our stuff can come in, it's not even funny.

We made massive Costco and Target runs, buying everything from bed sheets to trash cans to bookshelves, shower curtains, lamps, and Altoids. It was exhausting. That plus all-day teacher training left me pretty pooped this whole week.

Jess and I even had to run to Honolulu to get fingerprinted for the school. Craaaaaazy. We eventually found the building...it's planted in the middle of the upper story parking garage for the huuuge Ala Moana Mall. Seriously stressful stuff.

Lesson plans for week 1 are in and all of my class syllabi are printed and waiting on my desk for 7:15 tomorrow morning. My Eastern Civ (10th grade) class got switched up at the very last minute and me and the Lit teacher Emily had to do some serious scrambling to sort out books and subject matter. Some long afternoons and some early mornings, but I feel good about tomorrow...the FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.

In high school and college, I always loved the first day of school because all I had to do was sit back and read the syllabus and hear the teacher talk about the glorious subject matter we would cover, but not today. Now that I'm on this side of things, I hope I'm beginning to appreciate the work that goes into the most innocent-looking of syllabi.

Today, Jess and I went on a drive, partly to look at a bike I thought I might buy, partly to not be in the cluttered house anymore. It was lovely. It's been cloudy in Kailua the last couple of days, and so going south was a welcome dose of sunshine. We went by Hawaii Kai, and after a drive-by, we're definitely going back soon. With boogie boards.

We went up to the Pali Lookout, above Kailua and Kaneohe. Here is not my picture of it. Believe me, my pictures are much worse.

Mmmkay. Almost bed time. Gotta rest up to be all bright and shiny tomorrow. Thanks to all of you for your prayers and well-wishes. Pictures coming soon, I promise. Also, special thanks to my Mommy for sending me my French press. Jessica and I thank you profusely.

I just finished this book:

At first I thought, "Oh man, it's one of those it books that all the people in Moscow read and then rave about but that really aren't that good." And actually, at first I though it was a dorky Christian Inspirational Novel. It was none of those things, though many smart people in Moscow did indeed read it. It was inspiring and gripping. The story unfolds in almost maddening meandering, which makes sense because it's more than a story. It's reflection and meditation and story and speculation and confession. And it's written from the perspective of a preacher, written by a woman author, who, clearly, knows what she's about.

I hate to spoil it, but this quote doesn't give anything away, except a great part to read:

"It has seemed to me sometimes as though the Lord breathes on this poor gray ember of Creation and turns in to radiance - for a moment or a year or the span of a life. And then it sinks back into itself again, and to look at it no one would know it had anything to do with fire, or light. That is what I said in the Pentecost sermon. I have reflected on that sermon and there is some truth in it. But the Lord is more constant and far more extravagant than it seems to imply. Wherever you turn your eyes the world can shine like transfiguration. You don't have to bring a thing to it except a little willingness to see. Only, who could have the courage to see it?" (245)