Wednesday night Chris, Lee, Pat D. and I drove down I-75 to Jungle Jim's, checking out all the crazy food and such. We made our way into Price Hill, down Rosemont Avenue, picked up Nate, and went out to eat at Applebee's. The laughter dripped like sweet honey. Cassie returned from Pennsylvania and Megan from Florida, so we all relaxed at their apartment and reminesced on last year. I am constantly amazed at how many college friends GOD has blessed me with; these are friendships transcending many of the friendships I experienced in high school. My friends and I walked Newport on the Levee at 2:00 in the morning, sitting down by the river and gazing at the city skyline, telling stories and jokes and talking about how far our lives have carried us since the four of us became best friends five years ago. I can remember the day I met them so vividly: I wanted Dad to take me to see the movie Signs, but he didn't want to see it; Chris, Lee, and Pat D. wanted to see it, and they said they'd go with me (they later confessed they just wanted a ride); so we went to the movie theater, and they kept saying, "We've got to hang out more, Man!" I didn't think they were serious, but the next day we went to North Park, then we went to North Park again the next day, and the next day, and the next day... So to the side are the pictures of my three friends: Lee to the high left, Pat D. below him, and Chris hogging all the space to the right. Good fellas.

For some reason, my supervisor gave me Thursday and Friday off this week, which is nice. I slept in on Thursday (which felt amazing, by the way, especially after getting up at 5:00 a.m. every morning), listened to some Todd Agnew, ate rice for lunch, and hung out with Tyler: we lit bottle rockets out back; I accidentally lit the actual rocket and, seeing it smoking, I turned and ran... right into the gas-grill, knocking it to the side as I fell over and covered myself in terror. Then the little bottle rocket sputtered and popped. Yeah, the intensity level skyrocketed. Tyler went to Kristen's house, so Dylan and I hooked up, visited the Flower Factory (he gifted me with an airosoft pistol), then we spent two hours at Starbucks in Centerville, drinking coffee and sitting outside, talking. Two people--Chuck and Nicole--joined us; I didn't know them, but they seem pretty cool. Dylan and Tyler came over, where we had an airosoft war (my cheek is torn up), followed by a campfire under the... storm clouds.

On Friday I went to the Dragons game with my cousins on my dad's side of the family. Luckily the rain held off. Afterwards I drove home drinking coffee and listening to Enya (big fan). Her music inspires me, as all good music does. My cousins on my mom's side--Jesse and Jared--came over with my aunt Teri, returning Ams home from her week in Kentucky. So we sat around all night, talking and hanging out, casual excitement with random bursts of laughter. Aunt Teri and I built a fire outside and just talked till about 2:30 in the morning.

Today I am going to my cousin's graduation party in New Carlisle, Ohio. Beforehand I hope to write my lesson for tomorrow ("Developing Our Intimacy With God"), read some of a new book I am reading--"The Shaping of Things to Come"--and read Titus. So far, "The Shaping of Things to Come" is an amazing book. It is exceptionally exciting to me, for the authors are doing what I want to do where I want to do it: planting missional-incarnational churches in Australia.