Long Time Comin.

Hello everyone. It's been over a month. Bad form. A lot has happened to me.

1. Spring break in St. Louis working at church. Everytime i'm there i'm amazed at how being connected to a community of people is so refreshing. When I see those folks it's usually been a couple weeks so there's the feeling of "Hey! How are you!" which is really authenticly joyful. I think one of the goals of people in church is to preserve that feeling, and honestly mean it, not losing the importance of each other in the mundane week to week routines of our lives.

2. Mission trip to Mexico. We took over 30 youth and adults to Juarez, Mexico through Proyecto Abrigo (Project Shelter). It's really changed a lot for me. I've learned that I really don't have any problems. Any. At all. None. I have it so sweet and I haden't been appreciating it. I also got some sweet belt buckles at the market.

3. SICK AS A DOG. On the way home from El Paso (A 22 hour bus ride) at approximately 1am I woke up, felt a little sick, then suddenly puked. On the bus, waking up dozens of sleeping youth and sufficiently grossing out several adults. Pretty much one of the worst things I could imagine, kind of. From 1am-8am I proceeded to vomit over 20 times, and also multiple #2 sessions. Was it from getting water in my mouth during the shower? I think not, as many of the group also became ill. Montezuma, screw you! I don't want to get too graphic here....but let me say two things: I've never had to take a trash can into the bathroom with me, and i'll never eat beef jerkey again. I am still recovering from being sick a little bit, and also recovering from the wrath of my schoolwork.

(Be warned, next part is going to get lengthy)

4. It's my birthday tommarow. So, I turn 22 tommarow. Let's recap the last 22 birthdays shall we? Ages 1-5, brain still developing happy to get cake and gifts (although I guess that never really changes).

6-12 the "and a half years" where when people ask you how old you are you feel it neccesary to give them your current age as well as how close you are to the next one.

13-15, you're excited you've made it to "teen" on the end of your age as well as the anticpation of driving. Everyone from 13-15 is usually a jerk sometimes for no real discernable reason, at least I was.

16, sweet sweet drivers license. I'm old school, no "intermediate license" or any of that bunk. I was so excited to be able to drive my parents were able to manipulate me into begging them to run their errands for them.

17, you can finally see R movies! Not that I haden't before, but now there was no doubt of admission to the theatre. I remember arguing with my Mom about whether I could see them, and I envoked my legal right, which ultimately is endorsed by the President of the United States himself. My Dad took me to see Judge Dredd in the 5th grade, so he was cool with it.

18, you finally have to register for the draft! That was creepy. Also, you can buy smokes and naughty magazines, rights I did not envoke like R movies. You're a legal "adult", you can vote. 18 is perhaps the most liberating birthday.

19 & 20, not as exciting as 16-18, but another decade of life is pretty cool. 20 also sounds a lot older than 19. So, 19 & 20, eh, whatever.

21, if you watch enough MTV 21 could be the pinnacle of your life, which is stupid. Obviously, the big deal is you can drink, and even if you choose not to booze, you have the legal capacity. 21 is cool because the "under 21 until..." on your license no longer applies. 21 is cool because your insurance drops (mine did a little). When you turn 18 you're a legal adult, but it's pretty much a countdown until full blown adulthood at 21.

22, ugh, 22? The first of my "just another year" birthdays. It's horrible. I know a lot of you out there are older than me, many of the staff members at church revel in the fact that they could be my parent (a fact that can also be wielded against them). So you could be thinking '22, he's still young'. Well, whatever, the double deuce here I come.