104 Thanks of Summer Vacation

When I was in high school, Disney Channel started a cartoon that quickly became popular. It was a witty show about two stepbrothers who spend their summer break using their brains and creativity to engineer some pretty epic adventures. I must admit that I quite enjoyed it when kids I babysat would want to watch Phineas and Ferb -- and when I received my own Phineas and Ferb lunch box for Christmas, I insisted on using it for the rest of my senior year.

The past couple of days the theme song has been running through my head: "There are 104 days of summer vacation / And school comes along just to end it / So the annual problem of our generation / is finding a good way to spend it."

Ironically enough, this is my 104th day of summer vacation. Today also happened to be the day I went back to Bozeman. Class doesn't start for two more weeks, but summer vacation feels like it's over. School definitely came along just to end it.

I'm wanting to cultivate gratitude this year, and in the spirit of that, I decided to commemorate the past 104 days with a Phineas and Ferb themed-post. It was a really, really great summer full of absolutely wonderful moments. And so, without further ado, here is my list of "104 Thanks of Summer Vacation":

1. For kite flying on the rocks of a lake.
2. For rocking out to music with the sun roof open on road trips.
3. For moments of openness and honesty between friends.
4. For aerials while dancing.
5. For not getting robbed or wounded while in a "sketchy" motel in Sandpoint.
6. For Silverwood trips with really short lines:

7. For spare keys found in purses when we accidentally lock ourselves out of the car in the middle of nowhere, ID. 

8. That we got lost in downtown Coeur d'Alene, but that we managed to make it back to the hotel anyways.

9. For generous friends who picked me up in Spokane.

10. For picnic dinners by the river with some gorgeous girls.

11. For good indie-musician concerts in a beautiful new church venue.

12. For chalkboard calendars that I got to paint and design.

13. For fun road trips to foreign countries.

14. For hikes up Pulpit:

15. For vanilla scented trees.

16. For the mocking quips and witty banter that delineates a friendship that survives distance.

17. For generous friends that let me crash in their guest room.

18. For stick races down a creek. 

19. For moments getting soaked from the mist off Cottonwood Falls.

20. For heart-to-hearts on the beach at Lakeside.

21. For afternoons of board games-- even when I lose every single game (except for Dice Rummikub!):

22. For a new-found fondness for ice hockey.

23. Similarly, that the Kings won the Stanley Cup. 

24. For impromptu ball hockey games with four-year-old neighbors -- who, despite the small stature and age, totally beat me.

25. For canoe-trip-taking, s'more-making adventures in the rain.

26. That our grand ol' captain didn't sink us on our raft -- or get us stuck in the middle of the lake:

27. For jigsaw puzzles.

28. For really awesome new hats, even if no one else appreciates them:

29. For cackling, little girl laughter.

30. For new swing sets.

31. For the joy only a toddler with a jar of bubbles feels.

32. For out-of-tune, adorable Frozen sing-alongs.

33. For Silhouettes and laminators that make my job much, much easier.

34. For new church chairs!

35. For helpful insight gained from the Enneagram Personality Test (which now makes me ask, "Meyers-Briggs who?").

36. For friends that took birthday presents across the border so I didn't have to pay for shipping. 

37. For 8th grade graduations.

38. For the chance to write new Connection Group curriculum.

39. For safety in the midst of car accidents.

40. For a really fantastic chiropractor and staff.

41. For lots and lots of excellent massages.

42. For awesome deals at Hobby Lobby on craft supplies.

43. For the chance to sit and be creative:

44. For sunburns and the stories they tell of well-spent days outside. 

45. For sunscreen (because as thankful as I am for sunburns, I don't actually need them).

46. For swimming and work days up at Lake Chelan.

47. For trivia nights down at Saddle Rock Pub and Brewery.

48. That I know my state capitals well enough to identify them by vowels alone.

49. For daddy-daughter date nights with great father figures:

50. For safety for the community and for protection of lives in the midst of awful fires.

51. For eye-opening worship classes with my fellow leaders.

52. For silly jokes about the "armpit" of Washington.

53. For the chance to reconnect with visiting missionary friends.

54. For lots of coffee dates that stand in solidarity with me by refusing to refer to Coffee Cabin as anything but Coffee Cabin.

55. For fantastic 4th of July barbecues.

56. That I finally managed to make something from Pinterest turn out:

57. For nights spent watching My Big Fat Greek Wedding and making s'mores with some great teenagers.

58. For fireside nights with my and my brother's best friends.

59. For the opportunity to serve at youth group and get to know some sweet hearts.

60. For new tie-dyed socks.

61. For gigs with my favorite musicians at Relay for Life:

62. For water slide trips with some awesome middle schoolers.

63. For epic fort building with my favorite ten-year-old.

64. For popcorn-filled movie nights curled up with people close to my heart. 

65. For the chance to record on a new album.

66. For visits from old friends:

67. For the chance to touch sea anemones at the Seattle Aquarium.

68. For second place in laser tag (because I wasn't as heartless towards little girls as some people I know). 

69. That I didn't get sick on much too large swings.

70. For new technology gear! 

71. For the chance to lounge at a hotel pool with one of my favorite families. 

72. For the opportunity to share my heart and preach God's word ( http://www.cgccmedia.com/columbiagrove/sermons/psalms4.mp3 ). 

73. For coffee dates at Upper Eastside Cafe.

74. For the book of Colossians and the conversations that surrounded it. 

75. For broken pottery -- and reminders of how God makes beauty out of our brokenness: 

76. For all the bags of "morale" that got thrown at us during staff meetings. 

77. For friends that will allow me to discuss the sociological ramifications of Doc McStuffins with them.

78. For books on Christian ethics and the chance to learn from them.

79.  For the chance to get to work with a really encouraging, really loving office staff once again. 

80. That the really encouraging, really loving staff also puts up with my pranks (hey, who doesn't want all their photos replaced with awkward pictures of the rest of our staff?):

81. That the prank never got reciprocated. :)

82. For the chance to get to worship at Creation.

83. That our state has clean water -- even at fairgrounds, and even if it doesn't taste particularly good.

84. That I got to (briefly) meet Switchfoot (!) and shake Tim and Jon Foreman's hands:

85. For the chance to see the huge grins on the faces of pre-teen girls as we belted out the lyrics to Jamie Grace's "Beautiful Day" at the base of the stage.

86. For mosh-pit, sweat covered selfies:

87. To get to sing along as Jon Foreman left his set list to play "Only Hope." 

88. For family reunions and the chance to see 9 of our 11 cousins.

89. That my brother still insists on listing to 80s rock on road trips -- a tradition I remember from when we'd drive to Boise when we were little.

90. For lunch dates with said brother.

91. For the chance to FaceTime with the other brother -- technology is so cool!

92. For the opportunity to partake in communion every Sunday. I miss this more than almost anything else when in Bozeman: 

93. For a new addiction to Parks and Recreation (I'd eat calzones with Ben Wyatt any day).

94. For friends that will put up with me giving them all the crazy compliments that Leslie gives Ann:

95. For final game nights with friends that have become family:

96. For the chance to actually spend time with my family in person. I love my mommy and brothers.

97. That I convinced my family to go to my favorite restaurant despite their wishes, and could celebrate victory when they loved it.

98. For thoughtful, beautiful thank you gifts from a loving congregation:

99. For all the people helping me feel amazingly loved.

100. For all the listening ears.

101. For all the praying brothers and sisters.

102. For all the moments of laughter and joy. 

103. For a summer of true rest and healing.

104. For months in the place that claims my heart like none other. I'm never sure what God's plans look like or how much time I have left in this place, but I'm so very, very thankful for this summer. I'm pretty lucky to be part of my Wenatchee community.

And so with a heart overflowing with gratitude for a fantastic summer, I'm moving forwards to my junior year of college. Lord, let it be a semester full of joy. Lord, let it be a semester full of knowledge. Let it be a semester full of your people. Mostly, though, let it be a semester full of you.

Now it's time to unpack that Phineas and Ferb lunchbox...