Hello friends,
But even though the weather hasn't been particularly springy, these past several weeks have been jam-packed with loads of springtime activities. Here are some highlights:
JSB is a kind of like prom at BFA. Except there's no dancing. So maybe it's nothing like prom. Truthfully, I've never been to a prom, so I don't know. But I DO know that last Friday, our living room was full of 15 girls trying to get made up, dressed up, and dolled up in time to meet their dates at a local German church that was holding the event. The scheduled departure time was 5:45, so of course they looked excited and beautiful piling into the vans at 6:20. (These are high school girls, remember?) They had a great time, and their absence left us with three sophomores at the dorm. So we took the remaining girls out to dinner at an Italian restaurant and then came back to the dorm to watch Footloose.
It was a great weekend, if a sad reminder of the end of the year closing in. I know I've said this before, but I'm really going to miss my seniors.
For that matter, "exhausted, but very happy" might be a good summary of the current state of affairs in Palmgarten. At least for me. These last few weeks have been a whirlwind, and when I look at the calendar ahead of me, I feel like taking a nap. But when people ask me questions like "So, I'll bet you can't wait for summer, right?" or "Do you think you can make it until graduation?" I shake my head a little bit and can't help feeling like they don't get it. Because yes, I'm tired, but I LOVE this place. And I LOVE what I'm doing. And I LOVE these girls. So as much as I can't wait to meet my niece, hug my nephews, see my family, eat at Taco Bell, and sleep past 7am, please don't make me wish away my last weeks with my seniors. This year, this dorm, and this group of beautiful people is unique, and I want to cherish every last minute, and I'm probably going to be a mess on June 15th.
Thank you for your prayers and your support. It's such a blessing to me knowing that you're supporting me and loving me from across the ocean. I don't know where I would be without all of you--but it probably wouldn't be here. :)
Much love,
Amanda
As I'm writing this, I'm looking out my window at an unfamiliar sight: SUNSHINE! That's right, folks. After weeks of gray skies, 50 degree weather, and more rain than anyone wanted, today might be the day. I think (and I'm going to whisper this so I don't jinx anything) I think spring has finally arrived. (Except for our dorms up the hill a few kilometers. It snowed on them this weekend.)
But even though the weather hasn't been particularly springy, these past several weeks have been jam-packed with loads of springtime activities. Here are some highlights:
1. Soccer games!
I think I mentioned in my last post that soccer season was starting up. Well, as of last week, the season is over, and our girls had a great run. Most weekends were pretty quiet with half of our girls gone for away games, but there were a few home games that we got to see. (One time I missed most of the game because I
was trying to get my van out of the mud for about an hour. It was only with the help of about 10 high school boys that I managed to get it out.) It was great to see them in their element. It's like I said after I got to watch the music recitals a couple months ago--I'm just so impressed. And proud. :)
I think I mentioned in my last post that soccer season was starting up. Well, as of last week, the season is over, and our girls had a great run. Most weekends were pretty quiet with half of our girls gone for away games, but there were a few home games that we got to see. (One time I missed most of the game because I
was trying to get my van out of the mud for about an hour. It was only with the help of about 10 high school boys that I managed to get it out.) It was great to see them in their element. It's like I said after I got to watch the music recitals a couple months ago--I'm just so impressed. And proud. :)
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| The Soccer Seniors at their last game (5 live in Palm) |
2. BFA Talent Show
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| Doing "The Climb." |
Every year, the student council puts on a talent show for the whole BFA community. There were a lot of musical numbers, dances, raps, and even a waterless synchronized swimming show (that one's hard to explain. You just had to be there. :) ). But in my opinion, the HIGHLIGHT of the event was Palmgarten's group lyrical dance to Miley Cyrus's "The Climb." Katie and one of our juniors choreographed it, we had several practice sessions, and there were about 10 of us dancing very dramatically. At the end of the dance, we parted and Dave and Linda came out and did a few waltz steps. The crowd went crazy. It was glorious, and we even won FIRST PLACE! Again--I'm just so proud. :)
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| Palm posing in victorious glory! |
3. The Friday night when the entire dorm (minus two girls) was at National Honors Society inductions, and Katie and I took the two remaining girls on an adventure into the woods and we lit dandelions on fire and practiced flinging whipped cream off of our wrists and catching it in our mouths.
There's not very much to add to that one. That was a great evening.
4. Junior Senior Banquet
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| Our lovely juniors and seniors, ready to go! |
It was a great weekend, if a sad reminder of the end of the year closing in. I know I've said this before, but I'm really going to miss my seniors.
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| The seniors striking their traditional pose. |
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| Imitation is the highest form of flattery...our sophomores striking the traditional senior pose. |
5. Our Year-End Party: Theme Park and Camping Trip!
Every year, each dorm does a "big event" to finish out the year together and make some final memories. This year, Palm planned to camp overnight at a local castle and then head to Europa Park (an amusement park themed like different European countries, about an hour from here) for the day. Well, the weather didn't cooperate with our camping plan. Somehow, no one thought camping in 50 degree rain was a fun idea. So instead, we gathered every sheet in the dorm and built a (really awesome) fort in our living room. We played games in it, ate hot dogs around a "fire" (it was actually just a piece of paper with the word "FIRE!" written all over it in various colors),
roasted marshmallows over candles, watched a movie, and slept under the stars. And by "stars," I mean "the emergency exit lights above the living room door."
It was glorious. But the weekend did not end there!
We took off early the next morning for Europa Park and then spent the better part of the day trekking across different European countries (well...miniature versions of them. :) ) and riding roller coasters in the rain and braving all the water rides since we were already soaked anyway.
Because of the bad weather, we almost had the park to ourselves for most of the morning, so lines were non-existent.
Everyone came back wet, cold, and exhausted, but very happy.
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Everybody loves s'mores, even without a campfire.
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Every year, each dorm does a "big event" to finish out the year together and make some final memories. This year, Palm planned to camp overnight at a local castle and then head to Europa Park (an amusement park themed like different European countries, about an hour from here) for the day. Well, the weather didn't cooperate with our camping plan. Somehow, no one thought camping in 50 degree rain was a fun idea. So instead, we gathered every sheet in the dorm and built a (really awesome) fort in our living room. We played games in it, ate hot dogs around a "fire" (it was actually just a piece of paper with the word "FIRE!" written all over it in various colors),
roasted marshmallows over candles, watched a movie, and slept under the stars. And by "stars," I mean "the emergency exit lights above the living room door."
It was glorious. But the weekend did not end there!
We took off early the next morning for Europa Park and then spent the better part of the day trekking across different European countries (well...miniature versions of them. :) ) and riding roller coasters in the rain and braving all the water rides since we were already soaked anyway.
Because of the bad weather, we almost had the park to ourselves for most of the morning, so lines were non-existent.
Everyone came back wet, cold, and exhausted, but very happy.
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| Master fort builders. |
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| Roasting marshmallows over candles. :) |
For that matter, "exhausted, but very happy" might be a good summary of the current state of affairs in Palmgarten. At least for me. These last few weeks have been a whirlwind, and when I look at the calendar ahead of me, I feel like taking a nap. But when people ask me questions like "So, I'll bet you can't wait for summer, right?" or "Do you think you can make it until graduation?" I shake my head a little bit and can't help feeling like they don't get it. Because yes, I'm tired, but I LOVE this place. And I LOVE what I'm doing. And I LOVE these girls. So as much as I can't wait to meet my niece, hug my nephews, see my family, eat at Taco Bell, and sleep past 7am, please don't make me wish away my last weeks with my seniors. This year, this dorm, and this group of beautiful people is unique, and I want to cherish every last minute, and I'm probably going to be a mess on June 15th.
Thank you for your prayers and your support. It's such a blessing to me knowing that you're supporting me and loving me from across the ocean. I don't know where I would be without all of you--but it probably wouldn't be here. :)
Much love,
Amanda
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