Rainy days are my favorite.

As a lover of the outdoors, I have found that rainy days in Kansas are the best. When it's getting this humid/hot out, it's really hard to enjoy being outside (unless it's 6:30 in the morning), and I've seriously contemplated becoming nocturnal simply so I could enjoy the outdoors again. However, recalling everything I learned at the DV shelter (also home to the Rape Crisis Center) deterred me, so instead, I'll just be grateful for rainy days.

On this rainy day, however, I spent much of it inside, squeezing out a literature review for my boss. It's interesting how much easier it is to write when you're just shooting the breeze on your blog than when you're writing for someone else, and the pressure of maintaining their reputation is breathing down your neck. Three cheers for experience!

Yesterday was Day 1 of the Jogging/Walking Group for the Lawrence University Ward, and I think it was pretty successful. I'm really glad people are excited about it, and given that I really have no experience leading such a group, enthusiasm from everyone else is pretty essential. I'm so excited to help people reach their goal of running a 5k by the end of the summer (well, running in a 5k race, because the training will require we run several 5k's). It's such a great feeling to accomplish something physically when at any point in your life you never thought you could. What a high. It's addictive.

Yesterday, I went to Valeo in Topeka to interview for my internship position. Other than the commute, I'm not sure I could ask for a better internship. It's not paid, but I'll take working on my own dime over having to deal with office politics. The environment there is extremely supportive, and my supervisor told me point blank that she isn't there to make me a great social worker, but she will make me a great psychotherapist, if I'm willing to do the work. I am, I am! They had a few gals who had done their internship there and are now employees, and they said it's by far the best internship KU has a relationship with. They even compared it to the agency I was hoping to work with, and said the other agency just doesn't offer the range of experience this one does. I'm really excited to start.

Last Sunday, we spent the day at the Trunnells' while they were at a wedding. Babysitting their dog was really easy, because she slept most of the time, so I was able to finally sit down and make up goals for myself. Ashley's been a really good influence on me in that sense. It feels good to have direction. Part of my stress is feeling like I don't have a plan for what's to come. It also calms my nerves whenever we're gone with the dogs for a long time, and we come home to find Chuck depressed-- I just remind myself that in three years, he'll have a feline companion (because yes, that's included in my goals-- as if that's a surprise to anyone that knows me).

We made bread today! And I'll only say two things: 1)Never forget to include the salt in the recipe and 2)Good grief, I'm excited to have the KitchenAid (I say that like I did the mixing, when really I sat there and watched Bobby mix everything by hand). How many days until Christmas?