Talk about whirlwind summer! We got back from Thailand Saturday night, and promptly began the process of moving out of our old house and into our new one (which, for those of you that don't know, is the the Pettits' former residence). I forgot how absolutely crazy and exhausting moving is! It's a little tricky trying to live amidst a bazillion boxes full of who-knows-what and never being able to find anything. Hopefully we'll get settled in soon, tho I'll only be spending about another month here, so I don't think I'll ever be really settled :/

Oh, Thailand was fabulous by the way. Good times with good people, good food, good shopping, good swimming. But I'm glad to be home.. err, at least back in Japan.

Alright, I don't feel much like writing and I've got to get back to unpacking, but I thought I'd give a little update on my situation since I've been a little absent for awhile. Toodles.

Currently Listening Diamonds on the Inside By Ben Harper see related

Unos, dos, tres, catorce...!

The summer between graduation and the fall of a new start on college/job is definitely an awkward time. So much change, so many things to learn, so much nostalgia, so many new responsibilities, so little time. I feel like I need to re-learn who I am, and re-dicover myself in this new context. Frankly, I don't know what to do with myself.

I'm back (though pretty unwillingly) from 4 amazing days with all my favorite people at Takayama. I absolutely loved living with such a big family, even along with all the drama that it brought. The Foxwells/Pettits/Bergs are some of the coolest people ever. Not to mention I got to hang out at the beach all day with a majority of my Kurumejin! Roasting hotdogs, getting sunburned with the craziest tanlines, walks on the beach, staying up late chatting, world cup watching, making lunch together, playing hilarious games with the big family = definitely my idea of paradise. I have a few good pictures that I'll try to post soon, but they definitely can't capture all the goodness of Tak!

Friday I'll be leaving for some more fun with my family and my mission at a resort in Thailand. I know, I really should get out more. I'll be back July 1st, and will probably be around Tokyo til the end of July-ish, so those of you who are around then, a-so-bi-ma-shou!

Wean Yourself
By Mevlana Jalaludden Rumi, translated by Coleman Barks

Little by little, wean yourself.
This is the gist of what I have to say.

From an embryo, whose nourishment comes in the blood,
move to an infant drinking milk,
to a child on solid food,
to a searcher after wisdom,
to a hunter of more invisible game.

Think how it is to have a conversation with an embryo.
You might say, "The world outside is vast and intricate.
There are wheatfields and mountain passes,
and orchards in bloom.

At night there are millions of galaxies, and in sunlight
the beauty of friends dancing at a wedding."

You ask the embryo why he, or she, stays cooped up
in the dark with eyes closed.

Listen to the answer.

• 
  

  There is no "other world."
  I only know what I've experienced.
  You must be hallucinating.

(This is me)

Endings...

gIt's weird...you know the end of something great is coming, but you want to hold on, just for one more second...just so it can hurt a little more.h

Last night, our class graduated. It was a great night of excitement and celebration, and LOTS of picture-taking. (Coming soon, btw). We congratulated eachother in our victory - we survived 12 years of school, and specifically 4 of HS. We partied all night and had a blast. In the corner of my mind a voice started whispering last, last, last... but I had to push it away... I thought I had cried myself out the night before at our sweetly sentimental Senior Banquet.

Tonight I am reading through my graduation/goodbye cards, and this time I can't ignore LAST, END, LEAVE, and it all comes crashing down and I've lost it. Everybody knows that these kind of endings are bittersweet, and I've been anticipating it all year. But now it's here and my heart hurts so much and I'm almost in a panic... it's all over? I will soon be separated from these people and places that are my home, and those mean little things called time and change will happen, and my life will be entirely disconnected with a lot of these things that are so familiar now. WAIT!!!

Yes, it's all a part of growing up. I am closing a chapter only to open a new one. Yes I have to take risks, yes I will move on and be okay eventually. Oh but it's so hard. It really is. And I'm really really sad.

EDIT: http://www.imagestation.com/members/jennicatherine

Currently Listening First Between 3rd & 4th By Joshua Radin see related

Two. Days.

Marrrrjide arienai. It felt so weird to have grad practice today. I looked around at my classmates on stage, and I was like, what are we doing here?!? But ready or not, here it comes...

For those of you who are interested: the long-awaited pictures from the Medieval Banquet - click here .