Monday, August 11, 2008

moving in

when is everyone moving in?
i'm moving in on thursday.

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Bonding on buses, monkeys, and more

Hello, my Wonderful Wesleyans, from sunny El Salvador. I´m here on a mission trip with my home church where we´re going to be working on some Habitat houses. We got here yesterday around 1:00pm (11 am Salvadorian time). My grandpa, tío Javier, and two of my cousins were at the airport to meet us. It´s really great being here, since I haven´t been back in about five years. Since the week with Habitat doesn´t technically start until this afternoon or evening, we came to a small resort on the beach. It´s pretty cool. There´s a team from Apex UMC (the team my dad and brother came with last year) here too, and we´ll be working with them at our sites. They have some critters around the resort, like toucans, and monkeys that remind me of the one my grandpa had. I´m excited for Saturday, though, because our team is going to see some of the old ruins near San Salvador, and my grandpa is going to come with us. Then, my brother and I are going to spend the night at his house. I hope you´ve been enjoying your summers! I know I have been, but I´ll be ready to move into Wesley when I get back.

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Camp, Camp ,Camp, Corey and more Camp!!!

So as you can see by the title all I have really done this summer is work at Camp Chestnut Ridge and hang out with Corey. I know I am sending this a day early but I won't be able to access my computer. Basically at camp I do any number of things. I really enjoy leading the motions to songs and worship and singing with Corey. The other day I took a group of kids mountain biking and almost died; it was actually pretty funny. I also lead improv games about once a week. I guess this is probably my favorite elective to lead! It is also realy fun hiding my relationship with Corey from the campers, since we are both working there. Hilarious!! Oh, also we have this thing called the lake walk where we walk around the lake and meet different people who have met Jesus (characters from the bible). The 1st week I was John the baptist and I told the story standing in the middle of the lake. It was really really cool! I think it gives me a chance to hone my acting skills! Probably the most exciting part of camp for me is MC ing the talent show that we have on Thursday night. I put on a straw hat and jacket and become this Country hick named Bubba that is from NYC. Oh man, Do the kids get a kick out of that one! Well I guess that pretty much tells you about my summer. I have met a lot of great people from a lot of different countries, like South Korea, Australia, England, and even New Zealand. Not to mention, having this job has enabled me to become closer to Corey.

Sorry to talk about Corey so much but it is either that or camp. Those are the two things that are going on for me right now!!

I love you and miss all of you!!

Robert Paul Harrell

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

i watch too much tv

-insert clever greeting here-

hope everyone's summers are going well! mine has been...i don't know, different. it started with getting a job at earth fare, an organic grocery store in north and south carolina and i think in georgia? anyway, at first i was excited to be working in such an almost-dean-and-deluca grocery store. but now, as most hourly wage, it's rather slow and boring. my last day is going to be the 2nd. so now i'm excited for my last day! i really really really hope i can get an internship or something to gain some experience next summer. or a nice job in chapel hill, at least.
okay, enough complaingin about my job.
i went to new bern in early june. it was lovely, but SO far away from the beach! we only got to the coast once, but it was a lovely day. the breezes there are wonderful. we kayaked (sp?) in the pamlico sound at sunset, and that was absolutely gorgeous. we went bike riding in the different parks there and walked around the old towns. it was a good family vacation.
here's the really exciting part, though:
TWO WEEKS AGO, MY 75 YEAR OLD GRANDMOTHER GOT MARRIED.
it was the cutest ceremony ever. she got married by the pool at her apartment complex, they have a cute little gazebo and we decorated it with all this pink tulle and bows and ribbon. she loved it. the pastor emphasized friendship in the ceremony and the vows, which was really sweet. it was so inspiring to see that even old people (like jan?) can find love. i played my ukulele and sang moon river. my cousin and her boyfriend played/sang the lord's prayer. it was so nice.
the wedding was in iowa, and from there we drove to wisconsin to visit some family friends. they used to live here and their daughter was best friends with my little sister. now they live in kholer, wisconsin, yes kohler like the toilet company. it's a 2000 person village that started as a place for the executives of kholer, inc to live. so it's really snobby and has adorable cracker box houses. all the restaurants are great, though, i probably should've stayed there forever to just be fat and happy!
the most fascinating part of that trip was visiting the kohler factory! not. it was a 3 hour tour with this little old man who worked in every department of the factory, and he had the weirdest sense of humor. i didn't get a single joke of his. it was sad. it was also 3.2 miles of walking through the factory, which was HOT because of all the firing and kilns and whatnot. but i did see a lot of toilets. a lot.
now i'm home again and finishing my duties at work. i'm helping my mom with her new classroom (she's a pre-k/kindergarten montessori teacher) by writing in cursive on lots of little cards.
other than that, i watch a lot of tv. the office has become my favorite thing in the world, along with heroes, scrubs, and bones. i really love tv on dvd. i need to go back to school and engage my mind! but i read too, i've read no country for old men, the jungle, and i'm started on love in the time of cholera and the wesley summer book. my favorite book of the summer, though, is the one i'm half-through right now. it's called attack of the theater people. it's hilarious. you all have to read it. the end.
ummmmm, so that feels really insufficient, so since the week is mine, i may update again in a better way. so look out for a do-over!

Sunday, July 20, 2008

I know, I know...

I know! I'm late! I really did start a post on Tuesday, but it never got finished...
This week was ca-ray-zy at work, so that's my excuse.
So, yes, work: I'm working as an intern for the summer camps program at Matthews Playhouse. It's been fun, but very, very exhausting. And, with the exception of this past week, I haven't had to do anyone else's work for them. (grumble, grumble, grumble) I've done two Hannah Montanas, one Jungle Book, two High School Musicals, and one Clue Mystery camp. I have this week off, but then I work straight through until we get back (bleagh).
My summer has basically consisted of camps and house sitting. Which is fine with me, except for the parts where I'm still very untan and where summer's coming to a close.
The dorkiest thing I've done this summer: after several nights dreaming about how my room at Wesley would be set up and how nothing was going to fit, my dad and I made a scale sketch of the room and then cut out little blocks to be my bed, dresser, futon, etc. 'Twas very dorky.
ToDAY, I made challa bread for the first time (wearing, of course, my aDORable '40s apron). I feel very accomplished.
Let's see... tomorrow, I'm giving platelets, because I'm a good person and like saving lives. Later this week I'm shadowing a woman I babysit for at work. She's a lawyer, and my dad's really hot on law school right now, so... yeah. It should be good, you know, give me an idea of what it would actually be like day-to-day as a lawyer.
Tuesday is my younger sister's birthday, and I have the most rockin-awesome present for her EVER. I was in a fabric store several weeks ago, and they were selling their old mannequins. It's the coolest; she's gonna love it.
Two last things: 1) when is everyone planning on moving in? and 2) everyone needs to go to drhorrible.com before midnight tonight, watch, and enjoy. It's a supervillain musical. And you need it in your lives. It disappears after midnight, though, so hurry!
On that note, I'm getting really excited, and I can't wait to see you all!
Yay!

Saturday, July 19, 2008

excitement!

it's almost my turn!!

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

july already????

Hey Friends!

I can't believe it's been summer for two months already! I miss you all like whoa and can't wait to come visit Chapel Hill in August before I head off for a little while...

It's been so nice to hear about everyone's summers. Mine started out pretty much the same- lots of reading, beaching, running errands, and a wonderful trip to Chapel Hill for a day and a half. Then work started and the whole pace of things kind of changed.

I'm teaching at a summer enrichment program with the Breakthrough Collaborative, which is a national program with a site in DC. I was assigned (against my will) to teach physics to rising eighth graders, but after the first day of orientation, when told to write a six-week plan for what I wanted to teach and how I was going to make kids excited about it, I realized that this was not going to work. I hate science. I've always hated science. So after stressing out about it a little, I worked up the courage to talk to my boss and tell him that I really was not okay with teaching physics. And it worked! I got switched to English and am much much happier.

This job has turned out to be much more intense than I thought it could be, but every day gets a little bit better. Okay- I'm not going to lie- I'm getting pretty worn out. Working from 7:30-6:30 and then coming home to do lesson plans for the next day is really really exhausting, and it's tough to have students who don't want to be there and don't have a problem showing it. I'm working really hard on coming up with lesson plans that keep the students engaged, and it's the best feeling in the world when something gets through. There is a girl in my class who had a really rough start last week and told me several times a day how much she hated me and the program. Yesterday she told me she wasn't ever coming back, but she showed up today and wrote this beautiful poem in my class that she was willing to stand up and read. It was definitely a bright spot in my week!

A lot of the kids read and write at about a third-grade level, and there is no information about possible learning disabilities or behavior problems. One girl shows up every day with glasses that are taped together in three places, and another little boy stopped coming because he got jumped on his way home and is too embarrassed to come back with his face all cut up. Never in my life have I had to truly fear for my physical safety, but gangs and guns and fights are on these kids' minds all the time. Every day, I come home exhausted, but I feel really lucky to be where I am and to have a chance to do a few tiny things that might give these kids a leg up. I just hope that I can earn their trust and find ways to show that I really do care about them.

Well, that's enough rambling for now. Sorry about this little novel I've written. Thanks for reading if you've gotten this far! I hope you all are staying safe and happy, and I can't wait to talk to you soon!

Love,
Kara

Friday, July 4, 2008

Greetings From Sunny Milwaukee!

Greetings WesHoes. Wait, that came out all wrong. Anyway-- I suppose it's my turn to update the Blog of Wonderment.

The beginning of my summer was fairly average, consisting mostly of watching Lost on the internet and working at my internship at the Dept. of Social Services, where I write press releases and work on ad campaigns (but I have my own office!). I actually had my first article published last Saturday in the highly esteemed Hickory Daily Record. Other than that, the only exciting moments occurred when I went to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg and a Rilo Kiley show in Asheville.

Anyways on the 28th, my grandparents, brother, and I traveled 13 hours to New Berlin, WI (to visit my cousins, aunt, and uncle), which is where I'm currently blogging from. Monday we rode the train to Chicago, which was exciting because it just so happens to be my favorite city in the US. Then last night we went to Summerfest in downtown Milwaukee to see Alkaline Trio and experience a bit of Wisconsin culture. The accent here is so strange and they eat a LOT of cheese. But anyway it was a great concert despite getting rained on. Then tomorrow a bunch of us are going to a Brewers/Pirates game at Miller Park, which will probably prove to be entertaining. Yay for drunken baseball fans! Haha

After I head back to Hickory on Saturday, I'm turning around and leaving for Boston on the 13th for Passport Camp with my youth group. That always proves to be interesting. So I'm sure you guys will hear a lot about it. Which reminds me, I need to watch the Departed a few more times to get my accent jusssst right.

Anyway, hope you guys are having great summers and I miss you all! See you soonish!

<3 Jordan

Monday, June 23, 2008

Greetings from scenic Troutville, VA!

'ello, all!
Well, here it is, my turn to post, and I don't really have much to say about my summer. I decided not to do summer school, so I'm home in Botetourt (pronounced Bot-a-tot...I don't know how, but it is) for the summer. Not a whole lot to do here, played my fair share of golf, and...that's about it. Still haven't found a job yet. Or, well, found a job, quit after a week (oops), and haven't found another job yet. Just got back from vacation with my family in Tennessee, which was pretty cool. Went whitewater rafting, played some more golf, ate tons of good food. That's really about all there is to it at the moment. The air conditioning at my house has now been out for a week and a half, which is fantastic. It hasn't been that bad, though, it's been pretty mild here. Well, that's really about all there is to say, hope everyone else's summer has been much cooler!
-Jake

querstion

so does anyone (ehemmjanehemm) know when we can move into wesho? i'd like to know so i can start a count down paper chain in my bedroom...but not really. i do want to count down the days, but also my dad needs to know so he can plan some business trips and still be able to help move me in. so if anyone knows, stop keeping it a secret please!!

Monday, June 16, 2008

My turn!!


Hey everybody!!!


Honestly, not much has happened yet with me. I have worked in the office at my church while the secretary was on vacation, which was fun because I got to read a lot. I think I went through about 5 or 6 books. While I'm not working, I have been reading books, watching movies, watching Buffy and Angel on DVD (should I admit that?), haning out with friends, playing with my nephew, etc.


The highlight of my summer actually comes next week, when I go on Reach, the mission trip that the high schoolers and college kids get to do. We're going to Lumberton, MS. It's going to be hot and rainy and a ton of fun.


I hope you all are having great summers that are more exciting than mine.


Peace, love, and summer fun!

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Summer updates

Hey WesHos!
Not too much has happened over the summer since Student Forum. Student Forum was lots of fun. I drove up to D.C. with Emily and we met up with Kara. We met students from campus ministries from all over, went on immersion field trips, went to two workshops, and were put into small groups. I really liked my small group; we all got along really well. I picked the Education in America immersion trip because I want to be a Spanish teacher. It was pretty interesting. We had one person come talk to us about the budget and another person talk to us about No Child Left Behind. I felt bad for her, though, because nobody agreed with her views on No Child. We also saw a video on rural South Carolina schools. The two workshops I did were Sharing your Faith and Exploring Children's Ministries. My favorite was the Children's Ministries one. We hung out with some students from Tennessee and Virginian we had met, and the night before we left some of us took the Metro to go see some of the monuments.
On Sunday, I found out a spot had opened up for me to go on ASP (the Appalachia Service Project, if you don't know) with my church. I had really wanted to go, so I was really happy when I found out I was going after all. And this was a week before the trip. I'm just about all packed up, and three days before I have to be! Saturday afternoon we pack up the vans, and Sunday at 7am we're heading off to Logan County, West Virginia. I'm really excited and hoping my group gets to work on a roof again this year :) I'll update the blog about it when I get back. Later!

Friday, May 30, 2008

just in case

Daniela: (week of) June 8th
Hannah: June 15th
Jake: June 22nd
Jordan: June 29th
Kara: July 6th
Kelsey: July 13th
Kristin: July 20th
Paul: July 37th

thought that might be useful...in case we have people who don't want to look back through their email accounts..ehemm..i'd be guilty of that.
also, i really like that jake extended july to having 37 days...

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Question of the Day

Okay first official blog question of WH!SE (That would be WesHo! Summer Edition) --

What's the funniest thing that's happened to you this summer?

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Oooh! This is so exciting!

And you can change the text color! We should color code our entries! Every sentence I've written so far has ended with an exclamation point! I'm a blogger!!
-
kelseybear

I am a posting MACHINE

watch me go. post post post. it does indeed work.

hope everyone's having a wonderful wednesday!

Sweet, it works!

It works for me...yesss, I'm not completely technologically inept. Thanks for setting this up, Kristin!

testing 1 2 3

i know we're not supposed to start updating this for a little while, but i thought i'd make this while i had time. no one seems to want to hire you when you already have a part time job...hm.
anywho, i need all of the wesho family to comment on this and show me that you've gone through with the necessary steps to be able to update this blog. then we can get crackin!
also, i know kevin isn't a wesho inhabitant, but i just really love this picture. it makes me laugh out loud each time i see it, i thought it would be good for our blog.
also, vote on the poll!!! and add more as you think of them. google blogger is really straightfoward, so feel free to add stuff (though i might have to make you an admin).