Late Spring

Since we just have a few official days of spring left, I figure I might as well update what I've been doing in these last few weeks of Spring. Most of the stuff is from the few days before I left for Honduras, and the few weeks I've been back.

At the end of April Molly officially moved out of my apartment. She is now a resident of Charleston, South Carolina. So anyone that lives there, let me know and I'll hook you up with a friend. It was sad for her to leave. We both cried a little before she finally pulled out of my driveway, but I know living on her own will be good for her!

Selfie of us being sad when she moved out.

Unfortunately she did not move all of her things to SC, so I have spent a few weeks boxing those up and putting them in storage - aka, my basement!

Also the last weekend of April was my half-marathon and that evening was Piketon's PROM! I love prom. One day I want to be in charge of it. Maybe in my next life where I teach high school English and advise all the things.

Payton and Avery were both going to prom this year. Molly and I had gone dress shopping with them back in January, so it was fun to see them all dressed up in their beautiful dresses.

Payton, Me, Molly, Avery

Me and little Avery, who's not so little anymore. 

Me and Payton

And for fun, here is a picture of me with them at my junior prom about 14 years ago. They grew up so fast! Payton had a dance recital or competition the next day, so she was sleeping in sponge rollers that night! :)

It's a picture of a picture in my high school scrapbook!

The day after prom is when Molly and my Mom made the official trip to Charleston. I stayed home with dad and we did a project where we stripped all of the paint off of our front porch banisters. It wasn't nearly has hard as we thought it was going to be. One of use scrapped while another sanded, then we'd switch. There were so many layers of paint on here and bare would probably hasn't been seen since the banisters were put on many years ago, and the layers of painted needed to come off. Those suckers are solid too!!

Before we got started

About halfway done with this side.

I think when I'm home for Father's Day this weekend we're going to do a lot more projects, including painting these banisters. Meanwhile, back at my apartment, Bowie has claimed Molly's bed leaning up against the wall as her new lookout point.

This cat.....

My friend Jill had her baby boy in early May. I was able to go to the hospital to see him before I left the country. He was so tiny and cuddly and made me want all the babies. I've visiting him again last week and he still has all that hair!

Me and Baby

My last few days before Honduras were spent at Ohio FFA Convention, catching up with alumni and friends who had their chapters there. I love going to conventions for those reasons.

That same weekend I was able to catch up with a few alumni/friends who weren't at convention but were in town. We got together for a lot of laughs (NOLA and Molly's love for Cane's) over pizza and a few drinks and had a great time. I'm so thankful for the many, many friends I've made through my job and for the friends that I've been able to stay in touch with as they've moved all over the country.

Sicilia's with the boys.

Then I went to Honduras. And when I came home, I was cussing my brother in my head because he had stayed there a few nights while I was gone and my couches weren't straightened up, there was mud on my floor, and multiple beer cans on my counter. I was so mad. Then I opened my fridge to this Mountain Dew and note. All the happy tears. I drink a Mountain Dew once in a blue moon. I used to drink it all the time. For some reason when I was in Honduras, it's all I wanted to drink and they didn't have it anywhere!! Pepsi was everywhere, but never Mountain Dew! WHY? So of course, that made me just want it more! Cravings galore. So when I got home and I found this in the fridge, I was so excited. I hadn't told him that I wanted it, so that made it even better because he just knew!

Thanks bro.

Memorial Day weekend was kind of busy. I wasn't feeling so hot when I got back to the states. I think it was a combination of adjusting to a new diet again (one where I didn't eat nearly as much as I did when I was in Honduras) and not drinking nearly as much water as I did when I was in Honduras. So I left work early and missed another day. I went home to my parents just to hang out and relax and got to my cousins' graduation party. On Saturday I was feeling better so I came back to Columbus and had lunch at the Morgan House with Brittany and Jenny. We used it as a little 'sprinke' for Jenny since she has baby #2 due in July. 

She's about 7 months pregnant in this picture and you'd never know! She's so cute!

Leaving lunch.

I decided to stay in Columbus Saturday evening and go to to church on Sunday. It was my first non-Spanish speaking church service in a few weeks. I visiting with Marcey quickly, then got a few things together at home and headed to Piketon for Payton's graduation!

When I moved to Columbus to start school at OSU in 2003, Payton had just started Kindergarten a few weeks prior to that. Here she is graduating high school and will be heading off to college next year herself. I remember crying as an 18 year old when I realized she was going to be starting kindergarten in a few days, but I did not cry about this. I'm as shocked as anyone at this. :)

Payton has grown into a lovely young woman and I'm so excited to see what the next four years brings to her!

Ty, Avy, Payton and Me

On Memorial Day, I went with my brother, Dad, Aunt Robin and Uncle Wick to the cemetery. On the Friday before I'd gone with my dad to put firemen flags at the graves of the Piketon firemen. It was a really cool thing that I was happy to do with my pops. I saved the flag that had flown above my grandpa's grave for the past year and am going to frame it and put it on my living room wall.

It was nice to go to the cemetery on Memorial Day with my dad and his siblings. 3 of the 4 living children were there and I bet there hasn't been that many of them there together since my grandpa passed away in 1989.

My grandpa retired from the United States Navy. He was in three wars - WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. There aren't that many people who can say they've done that. So I am very proud of him and my Papaw for being a part of the military.

And while we were out in the Duck Run area, my aunt showed us where Grandpa Wickham went to school and where some of my aunts and uncles lived (or still live). This is the same "hood" that Roy Rogers is from, as well as Governor Ted Strickland. #funfact

Grandpa's school.

On Memorial Day, we grilled out at Mam and Papaw's. We also spent some time watching TV. No complaints. It was a very relaxing day.

No place I'd rather be! :)

I also did a little project that afternoon. This wooden shelf had been set out for the trash by my apartment so being the hoarder thrifter that I am, I snagged it. I sanded the glossy finish of and added a coat of antique white paint (got a mini can at Walmart for $2). I also had to get four new little resting hooks for the  shelves to set on when they're folded out. I sat it on my back porch and put my flower pots on it! I think it looks great!

Before - broken and ugly.

After - fixed and pretty!

The week after Memorial Day, I was invited to go to the Memorial Tournament! I always enjoy going and getting some sun, catching up with friends and seeing a few famous golfers. This  year Tiger was not there, but I'm ok with that. I did get to see Jordan Speith from a distance and Phil McGirt was about 10 feet from us and I had not a clue in the world who he was, but then he won the whole thing!

Thanks for taking me Callie!

Chilling and watching golf. 

That Friday evening, Cara came to town and we did a little dinner at Matt the Miller's, followed by some Jeni's ice cream. I also got to FaceTime my littles in Honduras. We all wore our Ohio State sunglasses. I love their precious hearts!

And then on Saturday, I celebrated Erin's 30th birthday with dinner at Buca di Beppo and a few drinks on Park Street! Erin and I have been best friends since we were in the 7th and 8th grades, and friends since we were in Daisy's in the early 90's. Welcome to the 30's Erin!

Turning 30!

At the junior high honors banquet in 1999 - 7th and 8th grades.

At Girl Scout Camp in the early 90's. I'm on the far right and Erin is 4th from the right.

So that about wraps up late April thru mid June. I have a lot of work things coming up - conferences on campus, trips to FFA camp and then finally a few days on the beach in early July!! I am so thankful for the many friends in my life, who make my life so full of joy!

Two are better than one: because they have a good reward for their labor. For if the fall, the one will lift the other up, but pity the one who falls and has no one to help them up.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10.