Intensity is Rising.

Since my last update only one week has past, but it seems like enough for a summer.

I celebrated my 19th birthday this past Sunday and Monday. Because I was calling Zach, and Hannah really wanted to see the Lost finale, we had to save part of our adventure for the next day.

But the day was full of first times--my landlord said that I could use her truck this summer (she has two cars), and so we took it to Astoria--that was ok. We got lost three times before we finally made it there. I allmost drove through a red light. But then we had to park the truck. My parallel parking is really really weak, and there were no parking spots that could fit this car. We finally found a spot, and then attempted to park for the next forty five minutes. And finally got it. And--no joke, we had a six inches to a foot between the other cars. It was insane. I don't like the idea of parallel parking. Ohio driver's tests do NOT prepare you for that. Everything would be completely different if I actually had a car, not a truck. Anyway, we finally made it to the resturaunt, and had some great food. Red Sonjas, made from Red Lentils, delicious falafel, and some stuffed zucchini (though I am incertain as to how and where the zucchini was stuffed. It was really good.)

Because Hannah was in such a hurry to get home to watch Lost, though Christa's mom taped it for her, she had her mom drive out to meet us there, and then I followed her home after she very convienently got the car out of the parking spot. We drove over to Christa's house and we made vegan cupcakes while waiting for the Lost  finale to be finished. The fanagled with candles and got 15 + 4 to equal nineteen for my birthday candles. After that, we all went home.

On Monday, Christa and I both had a morning meeting to plan and prepare for our summer program, and then along with Hannah, we went to Manhattan. We took the Metro there, and went all over the place. I couldn't even tell you all the places that we went to. We mostly went shopping. The dress I was wearing that day (which I got at Walmart last August for $3) was at one of the stores, for $8.

I bought some socks at The Sock Man, and we had Falafel for one dollar. We went to Central Park and walked through part of Hannah's school. We got coffee and went to Walgreens and Jamba Juice. We went everywhere, and must have walked for eight hours. We got home around ten, and then Hannah and I walked back to our house from Main Street.

We have been planning this summer program for kids, and it has been really intense lately--Monday's meeting we planned out so much that needed to be done, yet by today, I think we have finished most of them. This week's goal was getting flyers out to parents who might be interested and we were working with the Parent Coordinator at Public School 22 and Christa and I got to "volunteer" with the kids in the cafeteria during lunch time. I went on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and I have had such a blst iwth those kids. There are so many kids. Most of them are Chinese, there's some kids from Haiti, Mexico, Pakistan, it's insane how many weren't born here. Most of them wonder why I'm there, and I tell them that I just want to hang out with them. It's impossible to hear them when they tell me their names in that cafeteria. I remember a couple. Some kids are really interested in me, and why I'm there, and others could care less, but certainly when I get behind the piano (in the cafeteria, no less) they run over and see who is playing. On Thursday, it seemed to be like a riot--they were all pushing to see me, and were squishing others. That was intense, and I stopped playing when that happened. Sometimes I forget I'm white, and that I look different from these kids. On the first day that I went into the cafeteria, there was a little girl who asked me if anyone in my family was famous. I told her that my younger sister was going to be an opera singer, and that I wrote music but wasn't famous, and then she said, "No, I mean in history, like from the American Revolution," which was when I told her my ancestors only came to America in the mid-1800s.

Thursday night there was a PTA sponsered concert that we handed out flyers at. Many MANY parents were interested once we mentioned the first "free" portion (we are doing a morning portion, including breakfast and lunch, that is completely free).

Today is Hannah's birthday, and after we talked about having a meeting for worship practice, it didn't actually happen, and instead, I got to go with Hannah, Christa, and Annabelle (Hannah's mom) and look for a tattoo parlor. We had empanadas--mine was made with corn flour and veggies inside, and tasted a little like Fritos on the outside.

So far, I've just experienced so much! There are so many people I've met, though a lot of them are in Kindergarten through fifth grade, and I cannot wait to meet more of them!

Prayer requests:
--I seem to be lacking energy and getting headaches halfway through the day. . and the sore throat and sinus stuff  that I had last week has been hanging around.
--Spanish again. I mostly feel like my communication is pretty weak, and I need paryer for that.
--Pray that I make sure I have balance in what I'm doing, and not overschedule.. It's something that I like to do without realizing it.