Social times

I had a really busy weekend, but it was really, really good, too. I did a lot of socializing, which was good for my soul. On Friday, I went with my dad and grandma down to Joliet to meet my sister and her husband for lunch. We ate at Red Lobster (yum), went to the mall, and then went to Barnes and Noble there for some half-priced coffee. Friday night, I went to this barbecue with a girl I've been getting to be good friends with at Barnes and Noble. She's a year younger than me and a Christian. She was also an English/French double major in college, so we have a lot in common. She's friends with a bunch of guys from Wheaton Academy who have a weekly Friday night barbecue, so I went with her to that. It was so much fun, it reminded me of college again. It was just a bunch of Christians hanging out together, and we were all around the same age, post-college twenty-somethings. And it didn't hurt that there were probably about 15 people there, and only 5 of us were girls. There were definitely some attractive guys there. I felt proud because I was able to talk to a bunch of strangers and think I did rather well. That's something that has always been a problem for me. I get shy around new people, but I think social work is making me more outgoing because I have to talk with strange people all the time. :)

Then on Saturday my sister came up to meet my mom and I for lunch before going to a babyshower. I did homework in the afternoon, and then went to Woodfield mall that night with one of my high school friends, Willie. We shopped and then saw Derailed in the theatre and then spent an hour in his car talking about relationships. I was getting his guy's perspective on things.

Yesterday I went to church in the morning and then worked at Barnes and Noble from 1-11:30. We had this big holiday meeting with all of the employees at 9, and it was long. I feel so tired this morning now after only 6 hours of sleep last night. My body needs more. But overall, I am feeling a lot happier than I have in a long time. I'm not sure why. Part of it, I know, is because I have started doing my devotions again before I go to bed at night. I am feeling closer to God and it is filling my soul's needs. And I'm feeling successful in my social life because I have been busy with a lot of different people doing fun things. I am really kind of happy to be making a girl friend here in Wheaton. I have lots of great, wonderful friends in other parts of the world, but I like having someone close by who I can do stuff with. We have done something together each weekend for the past three weeks now. She's a cool girl. I guess God does do stuff in his own good timing. I just wish sometimes it were a little faster.