Summer

A sleepover with two of my best friends last night, even though it was a Monday. Staying up late writing and talking. Getting up in the morning to a breakfast of toaster waffles and syrup. That's summer. That delightful season where I can never remember what day of the week it is. Where I can stay up late every night if I want, because I don't have school the next day.

I love summer.

I love having my friends here on a Tuesday morning, and we decide to have lightsaber fights just for old time's sake. Then we get hot and go inside to sit in the basement drink coffee and write. Then we return to the outside to defend the planet backyard from the invading munchkins. (We won). Going to get slushies just for the heck of it.

I love the feeling I get when I realize that my church's kid's camp is only a week away. And I squeal with excitement, because, let's face it, I'm just as excited for camp as the kids are. I get to be a counselor for the first time this year, and I cannot wait!! And then this realization spurs on a conversation that goes something like this: "Remember that time..." "Yes!!! Remember the year...." And on and on it goes.

To me, all these things make up summer. Days where the sun shines and the air feels like the inside of an oven and all I want to do is jump in a pool. Summer days are filled with memories, and every summer I remember the things that happened last year and smile. And I know that knew memories will be created and I will have more stories to tell.

Also, pictures from the trip to Orlando that I forgot to tell you all about will be posted soon! (hopefully!)

Love, 

Robin

 

Suck It Up

So I've been thinking. Awhile ago, everyone was doing these things where they came up with a manifesto, or a life motto or something like that. And I was like, "Eh, that's cool. But I don't really have one." I don't really have one thing that can sum up how I view my life. I could tell you lots of things in life I enjoy; rainy days, cool breezes, good stories, the feeling of sticking a landing, a hug from my coach, but none of that is the sort of thing I could use to sum up my life, or how I try to go about living my life.

Well, the other day I was thinking about gym, and I was laughing about all the things our coaches say to us. The most common being some version of "Suck it up!". This, I realized should be my life's motto.

Suck it up!

I know you're all probably thinking, "Isn't that more like a sports thing, Robin? That doesn't apply to the rest of life." I know it sounds like something you would only hear in the gym, or the pool or the playing field. I know it sounds harsh and mean, and usually life mottos (or whatever you want to call it) are sweet or inspirational or something like that. And this, well it sounds like an irritated coach who is tired of complaining. (Probably because it came out of the mouth of one). But it really actually applies.

When I'm at gym (logical place to start), and I start complaining about how my arms are about to fall off, or it's not my fault my legs aren't straight, they have a mind of their own, or how I'm not flexible and this really hurts, I hear, "Suck it up!" (or some variation there of) from my coaches. Or sometimes from my self mentally. Suck it up, and deal with the pain. Get over it, you're not going to die.

In school, when I have tons of homework and I'm driving home thinking that all I want to do is lay on the floor pretending the world doesn't exist, I have to remind myself of this (hard). Suck it up, girlie. Just get home, get the work done. Suck it up, and deal with it. You can handle a little extra work.

When my plans for the week get thrown off, and I have to be super busy, or someone forgets to tell me that something needs or doesn't need to be done. I have to say, (you guessed it), suck it up. Pull yourself together, and get a move on. So you have to stay up till midnight writing a paper. Suck it up. Sleep is for the weak.

It even fits in with my Christian walk. Okay, now I know you're probably thinking "What in the world? That one really doesn't make sense." Who knows. Maybe you're not and this all makes perfect sense. Either way I'm going to explain it. When trials come (even little ones) and I want to get grumpy, and not do the right thing, I need to say to myself, "Suck it up!" No one ever said the Christian life would be easy, in fact, Christ said it would be hard. So when bad stuff happens, and I want to complain, or take the easy way out, I need to suck it up and deal with it. Even in the small things like reading my Bible every day. A lot of times I say I'm to tired, or to busy. Too bad. Suck it up, kid. Get yourself out of bed and do what you have to.

So there you have it. Life motto. Suck it up.