corner of main and hawthorne.

summer has rolled on in,

it is hot hot hot.

&& i am enjoyin late nights on the stoop

where yuri is teachin me salsa.

i enjoy afternoons spent in the projects

playin soccer with the kids.

i love my view of main street,

but my cozy little corner on hawthorne.

i really did not know what God had in store for me

with my sickness

and soreness

and weakness.

but he has brought me pure joy.

joy in the lack of hot water,

and the simple living

forced upon me

(Truly.)

joy in my amazing roomies whose hearts

are bigger than africa!

joy in the smiles of kids at 8 in the mornin

joy in learnin how to dougie

when i should be teachin them how to dribble,

pass, shoot, score...whatever.

joy in good wine

joy in work i enjoy

God has provided.

silly how i thought anything other than

just that.

he has broken my heart every day

i never do without,

and i get to spend time with these darling faces

today i spent most of my afternoon

in the wheeler neighborhood on the east side

the kids oh my gosh took my heart

and ran.

and ran.

and ran.

and ran me ragged.

but i promise there are things about the projects i love

and i think i will carry in my heart forever.

community,

sitting on the lawn under magnolia trees,

blastin r&b on the boombox

on the stoop...

is totally acceptable

more than that.

it is necessary.

love your family.

laugh with them

yell with them.

fight with them.

and hug them.

be together.

dance together.

what i have learned this week thus far: my big butt is beautiful

my girls call me kesha now.

they say i look a lot like her.

compliment? i'm not sure,

well i'll take it.

because at this point, they give me an inch i take a mile.

east lake represent.

oh and can i just say that my chattanooga futbol driver

is just the sweetest thing [and super attractive] ?

i think i may just run away with him.

holla!