It's 11:58, and I should be getting to bed since I have to be up by 8 tomorrow morning. So since the Basketball weekend, SO much has gone down. There was Camp Green Acre (Which was AWESOME!) I had four beautiful girls. Maya, Giana, Olya, and Caitlin. They were so sweet, loving, energetic, cute, ADORABLE. Camp was so different this year than last year because half of the facilitators were different, but it was GREAT. Every year gets better and better for me. It's like 12 times easier each year because I know what to expect, and Im able to prepare better and better each year. Immediately following Camp Green Acre, I went to Boston with Paul to visit Melissa and Jubin for a few days and to watch the World Cup, and then I headed to California for the 4th of July with my grandparents, parents, sister, aunts and uncles and cousins.
4 days later I flew back to Boston and headed to Badasht. Fun Times! I learned so much about how to deal with youth and the whole intensive Badasht process. I went in feeling totally unprepared, but came out with new insight, which will not only help me next year (if I do Badasht), but will also help me in any service I do with youth in the future. It was nice to see my cousins too, and I was with some of my best friends for the entire week, and that was just down right AWESOME. This summer I've been able to spend so much time with so many of my closest friends. It's truly been a blessing.
immediately following Badasht I threw Rita her Bridal Shower. My mom and dad came up to Eliot to help me prepare for it. My mom is AMAZING. She made all the food, and helped me clear up afterwards. I wouldnt have been able to do it without her.
That night (saturday, after the bridal shower), at midnight i drove 6 hours south to NJ. The following day I picked up Jared from the trainstation and then Monday morning at 7:30am we drove with Rio Smith, 13 hours to Wilmette to Jared's house and met up with 5 other junior youth for this week.
We're doing some AMAZING things. The first day (tuesday) we got a tour of the Temple, went out for lunch, got taught how to give tours, and then greeted and gave tours for a few hours. That night we met with the Wilmette LSA. Today we started our day with a personal meeting/breakfast with Dr. Henderson (member of the NSA). He was soooo nice and easy going. The kids LOVED him and he did an amazing job at engaging them. After our meeting with him we visited the American Bahai Archives which are located under the temple ( I had no idea we had an archives here). We brought the kids to a park/beach for lunch and then got a tour of the National Center followed by a get together with a group of youth called "ruhi in the woods" who recently did a 4 week intensive Ruhi study of books 4,5,6, and 7, and are now spending 2 weeks in the wilmette area doing their practices, So they threw a little junior youth event where we played games, and listened to stories, and hung out. It was great. And then tonight we watched a movie and socialized till bedtime.
Tomorrow we're spending most of the day in the House of Worship giving tours and greeting guests. a good number of the junior youth REALLY enjoy giving tours and greeting. It's awesome to see how much they enjoy service. After 5 hours of tours and greating we're heading into Boston to the Sears Tower. Most of the kids who live here havent ever been, and Rio and I DEF havent ever been. Im really looking forward to it! and then when we return all the youth of the area are coming to the house to celebrate the departure of a beloved year of service youth named Amir who is leaving for Ecuador this Saturday.
Friday is our last day. We're getting up early because we were personaly invited by the NSA to morning devotions in the temple followed by a breakfast with them. Then we're taking the kids to a local bahai's house and doing some intensive studying of Bahai texts and memorization. We may do some service at the temple, followed by a BBQ dinner and twilight prayers at the Temple! Most of the kids will be going home friday night around 10:30, but Jared, Rio and I will be spending an extra night, and then driving back to NJ Saturday morning, probably leaving around 7:30am again. :)
This week has really been amazing. The kids are fantastic, and I've honestly fallen in love with ALL of them. :) I def. think we should do it again next year, and next year we'll be 10 times more prepared.
Okay it's REALLY late. Sweet Dreams World!
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