so it is tuesday. specifically, tuesday of week nine at thomas edison state college. which means that i have just four more weeks of insanity and this will all be over…or, more accurately, i will be set to take the month of june off, and then take one more course through brigham young university in july, and then it will all be Over, at which point i will apply for graduation, which will, if accepted, occur in december, and then it will all be Over, Well and Truly.

but for now, my calendar is four weeks long. just four weeks.

and i have so many plans for when these four weeks are over: pursuing piano and publication, refinishing furniture, experimenting in the kitchen, running a 10k, accomplishing some much-needed sewing projects, sitting on the beach with nothing but waves and sand on my mind, catching up on so much correspondence, maybe finding a job, working on my flip flop tan, maybe throwing a little camping or travel in the mix…

but for now, my calendar is four weeks long. there are times when i am pumped for them and times when i just don’t know if i’m going to make it through them and most times, i find myself quoting we’re going on a bear hunt to myself: ‘we can’t go under it, we can’t go over it, oh, no, we’ve got to go through it!’

and so, while this quiet place stays even quieter than normal for another few weeks, i will be living on tea, chocolate, and grooveshark. i will be studying and writing and fitting in runs (‘training’ for a rather colorful 5k in a few weeks) and phone calls and baby squishes in between. i will be feeling thankful when i see 100s on my liberal arts capstone course (mini bachelor’s ‘thesis’) and frustrated when i see…well, i won’t mention the grades from the african encounters course. i will be counting down days with ever-increasing anxiety. and most of all, i will be feeling oh, so thankful for Strength that is not limited by my weakness.

‘hold on steady and strong
here’s the dawn coming on, it won’t be long
oh, it’s easy to stand in the light with pain
in the light i will ever remain…’

(‘fare thee well’ by kate rusby)