Summer vacation

This past week I was on vacation up in the glorious Northwoods. Specifically, I stayed at a resort with my family on Lake Vermillion. I knew I would love it because the second we pulled up to the cabin, a half dozen cats came out of the woods. We fed them our leftovers, as most of the people there did, so they hung around a lot. Most of them were pretty wary of humans, but one little girl was especially friendly and lived in our cabin for most of the week. Here she is:

Very, very nice cat. My mom almost took her home, and I did my part to encourage the idea. I would have taken her, save the inevitable lynching from disgruntled roommates. So, aside from my first love, cats, I indulged in my second love, fishing. In these "dog days of summer" the fishing is pretty slow, so going out for 6-8 hours a day for a week didn't yield much. We didn't catch any walleye, sadly since they are delicious, but caught a few bass and small northern. Here was my biggest one:

Another exciting event was my discovery of how I react to bee stings. See for yourself:

So, I got to make a trip to the small town doctor. The clinic was a nursing home/clinic/dentist office. The front desks for the clinic and dentist were side by side, so all the people back there poked their heads out to gawk at my rash. They probably had never seen anything like it. I am now the proud owner of an epi-pen, so if I get stung again and my throat swells up I won't die! I hope I never have to use it, since someone told me that a friend of his tried one on a cardboard box and it blew up the box. One of my favorite parts of the trip was a hike I went on with my parents and dog in Superior National Forest. It was beautiful, as you can see:

I really love it up there. I would love to do a canoe trip in the Boundary Waters. There is a problem with fires up there though, so once that settles down I'm ready to head in. It was great to get away. Oh, and if I do ever write a hobbit's tale, here is the cover for the book:

Mein Kampf

Okay, so I plagiarized my title. However, I have plagiarized Hitler, so anyone who objects will be immediately labeled an anti-Semite. I've been feeling restless lately. Restless and dissatisfied. I have no logical reason to feel this way, as I have everything I need and am POSITIVE that I am on the right career path. I am so blessed to know that God made me to become a vet. So many others are earnestly seeking what direction God wants their lives to take. I was fortunate enough to know right away. However, I have been recently contemplating what will happen after I graduate. I will be a vet, which I had planned all along, but where will I go? Will I settle into a community? Work overseas? Work for the government? Do disaster relief? Do research? I have my career, but not my life direction. I am almost finished with one of John Piper's books, called "Don't Waste your Life" and it has really got me thinking. This book talks of fully giving your life to what God has called you and avoiding the cushy comfort bubble. The book references stories of soldiers in battle, and uses them to parallel our constant battle against Satan's forces. I have been inspired to go out and fully use my gifts for God's glory no matter the risk--even death. I am currently looking into a great organization known as Christian Vet Missions, because I have a strong urge to go overseas. I feel like it is right, because I am excited and scared at the same time. My heart has been increasingly heavy for the lost, and I have this untamable desire for adventure. I really want to have adventures in my life. Lots of them. I worry that this is stemming from my prideful human nature, so God forbid I go overseas for my own purposes. Yet, the excitement and anticipation that wells up when I think of going out and using my vet skills to love and serve others is reeling. It seems that I have been dormant for awhile, just going with the flow until recently when God has revealed my potential if I would just submit to his will and follow Him with reckless abandon. He has made me how I am and given me these gifts to make an impact for Christ. I would love to do a short -term missions trip next summer if God wills it, but I think it still needs more prayerful consideration. I will be up at a cabin all next week, so I'll have plenty of time to pray about it. Who knows what I'm gonna do, but I'll keep everyone updated!

Don't insult babies

At Maria and Nate's wedding last week, some old Nav fellows (Nate and Joy) were there with their little baby. He was just adorable with his big blue eyes and chubby cheeks. Of course myself, along with many others, made fools of ourselves for this baby by making weird faces and talking baby talk. However, I got to thinking how funny it is that when it comes to a baby, it's okay to grab and poke at them. Just watch people around a baby; you'll see them flock around and all begin to poke at him/her. People tickle them, grab their extremities, pat them on the bum, or even downright jab at them with a finger. I think it is amusing that this is acceptable. I am not excluding myself, as I am probably the worst. I'm pretty sure I did all on above list and more to Nate and Joy's son. I wonder if some babies are insulted by this. Now, some may be just precocious enough to not appreciate the poking and grabbing. I personally think it's possible due to personal experience. I don't remember anything as a little baby but I remember an incident when I was almost 3 years old. I remember going with my parents and various aunts and uncles to visit my grandma (Dad's side) in the hospital. I had swallowed a penny when I was 2 years old and had to go in this same hospital to have surgery to remove it (it was stuck in my esophagus). So, upon entering this same hospital where I had previously come to get a penny-ectomy, I began to cry thinking that I had to go back into the hospital for surgery again. I then remember clearly my parents and relatives laughing and saying "she thinks she has to be in the hospital again". I was insulted that they would mock me in my ignorance. How was I supposed to know that they weren't sending me back in? Babies are probably more intuitive than we give them credit for, so do your best not to insult them. I guess my message here is to be careful when you poke at babies because they might remember it.