saying good-bye to summer...

Today I'm saying good-bye to summer and tomorrow I'll be part of welcoming a new class of freshmen to Hope.

I embraced summer today and squeezed savoring each drop - I slept in, took Bella on a walk in the sunshine, went and sat by the lake reading while not wearing sunscreen, visited a local market buying veggies and yummy blueberries, grilled out dinner, pampered myself by taking a long shower and painting my toenails, and capped off the day with some juicy watermelon.  Not only has today been full, so has the summer and I thought I'd take a little bit of time to remember the highlights...

- mentored 3 undergrads working on my research - way more exhausting than i imagined, but so good in the long run :)
- bought a house, repainted the main living space, moved in, did lots of house projects...
- lots of fun visitors helping me choose paint colors and put up the paint
- visit from my parent helping me settle in to the new house
- trip to Ohio to meet up with friends from PA
- PA friends come to visit me in MI
- great birthday with those friends including 2 visits to the beach and capping things off with port
- 4th of July picnic at my new place and then watching fireworks over Lake Mac
- lost and lots of grilling in my new backyard - one of my favorite features of my new place (it is hooked up to the house gas!)
- had students over a couple times for dinner and games
- gained a roommate to join Bella and I in the new house
- saw the final Harry Potter movie when it opened at midnight
- had a birthday party for a 4 year old
- had a onesies painting party for a baby on the way
- received funding to purchase a scanning probe microscope!
- watched my students present talks and posters and they did an excellent job
- drove to Alabama - visited with family and friends
- drove to Florida - meet my new nephew! visited my bro and sil, went to Disney and Cocoa Beach
- drove back to Alabama
- drove back to MI (probably won't do that type of driving trip again)
- flew out to Santa Barbara to visit two different companies that sell the microscope i'm buying
- got to put my feet in the Pacific and then eat on the deck of a restaurant watching the sun set over it, visited the mission in Santa Barbara, walked out over the ocean on the pier, and ate lunch outside at a restaurant on the harbour
- returned to MI and hit the ground running to prep for the upcoming semester
- pushed pause today to relish and reflect

I'm sure I'll think of more, but for now this list suffices. 
I remember and give thanks.
Hope whelms up for what lies ahead.
Tomorrow something new begins and we convocate