Welcome to muggy Michigan

My summer is winding to an end, and now I'm getting ready for my next adventure.  I got to Michigan last night to see friends and hang out before GUATEMALA, which is happening in just over a week.  It has been so nice to be back in Michigan.  My dear friends Erin and Peter picked me up from the airport and it was great to see them, and I visited my roommate in the apartment I'll be living in when I return from Guat (she's moved in already).  Coming back to school and going into my dorm, the science building, and the music building is wonderful because it's truly returning home.  So many awesome memories were had here.

It's been quite the weather shock coming from Cannon Beach to Michigan.  I walked out of the airport in Lansing at 9pm to be met with humidity so thick that my skin immediately felt damp, and it was still quite warm.  All my friends who've been here all summer have had quite enough of the hot humidity, but I really appreciate it.  Cannon beach has pretty mild weather, and we had plenty of sun this summer but most of the time it was at least a little overcast and 65 degrees.  With no shortage of rain.  I don't like super hot weather, but it sure feels nice for a few days.

I think I've blabbered enough about the weather, so I'm going to move on and (drumroll please) post some pictures for the first time ever!!!  This is crazy, guys.  Except don't get too excited because recently my philosophy on photo-taking is to just live life and hope others digitally capture it for me haha.  But I do have a few photos to share.  I took most of them (well, they were taken on my camera) but a few were borrowed from friends.

This is the wonderful Midkids staff that I spent my summer with, minus one member...
You may think this picture is awkward because we're all squished onto one small bench, but it happens to be the only picture of the (almost) whole staff that I could find, and for the record we were doing a photo scavenger hunt and the goal for this particular shot was to take a photo that worked with the caption "I can't believe we all fit in there!"

This is the sweet Sarah (who hadn't arrived in time for the other picture) who was the final addition and missing piece in Midkids.  She's awesome with the kids and I'm so glad she was on the team.  We became good friends and it was a joy to work with her and get to know her.

This is one of my roommates and my dear Panamanian sister, Masai.  She is absolutely adorable and filled with the joy of the Lord, and she has a powerful singing voice to boot.

I took the international staff home with me for 24 hours and this is our haul from an afternoon of picking peaches, apples, and blackberries (and some delicious orange cherry tomatoes).

This is us at our second farm of the day.  L to R: Esteban, Dayra (another sweet roommate of mine), Giancarlo, me, Masai, Emily (my sister), and Cassandra (a friend from school and adopted sister this summer).

My family came out to the beach and we had a scrumptious picnic feast at Ecola State Park.

This is Cannon Beach.  It sure was great to live in such a beautiful place.  The round-ish rock in the water behind the three others is the famous Haystack Rock.

 More photos to come soon--especially once I'm in the Land of Eternal Spring--the beautiful Guatemala.  Also, I found out the other day that Antigua, where I'm living, is sometimes known as Panza Verde, or Green belly, because they eat so many avocados.  AH. YUM.