Happy Things

From September until now . . . contributed by Kippany, Nina, Kari, Tiffany, Jessica C., Matt, Kimberly M., and me . . . [with a couple of additions about my birthday that aren't in the real happy book because I didn't have time to write them, though they are, indeed, happy.]

• Kendra's BIRTHDAY!
• Kendra came back from "Down Under"
• Kip standing on the arms of the chair to hang streamers for Kendra's birthday.
  Kendra: "I'm glad you didn't fall."
  Kip: "It would be better falling for you than falling for Matt."
  [This was in reference to her falling and messing up her knee last summer while chasing Matt through the woods in a game of Capture the Flag, which gave grounds for lots of friendly teasing about the consequences of chasing guys.]
• My birthday treasure hunt. The cleverly-worded clues that took me all over the building. The treachery of the clue that referred to where the guys live. My first thought was, "Sixth floor." But of course the girls wouldn't direct me to sixth floor! So I figured it must be dish pit instead. I looked high and low for the next clue and couldn't find it anywhere! Still not believing it could be on the sixth floor, I huffed about it and told my escort (Jessica Griffith) that I was going to the sixth floor, and that if Mrs. Ritchie caught me, I would blame it on the girls. I figured I would go up the elevator, poke my nose out and quickly look around for a clue, just to prove that it couldn't/shouldn't be there, and leave. We rode up the elevator and, to my dismay, guys were in the hall! I was about to beat a hasty retreat, but they called out and then flocked around and sang "Happy Birthday"! It was a plot, and I was caught. The next clue was indeed on the sixth floor, accompanied by a birthday card from the guys. I was duly embarrassed.
• My birthday party put on by the girls in my office!!!
• Being back again! (Kari writing in here for the first time!)
• Mr. Hickey's growls and sobs as we played Dutch Blitz
• Flushing a mouse down the toiled at 2 AM [this was Tiffany]
• Having little mice in our room: "lovely" [this was Jessica C.]
• The escape of Reepicheep (eat that, mouse killa!) [this was Matt, who "rescued" the second or third mouse the girls caught from sewer fate by taking it into his possession until Mr. Gergeni made him get rid of it]
• Mr. Gergeni falling asleep while I'm driving
• Bluegrass in the Auditorium
• ITC staff not knowing "We Shall Rise" well enough to really sing it
• Bumping into Micah and Tim on the 13^th floor. Micah suggesting, "Let's skip!" Skipping a few steps down the cosmetology hallway, then realizing that Tim wasn't skipping. "C'mon, Tim, what's wrong with you?" Tim, right before loping down the hall, arms and spray bottles flailing: "I don't skip; I frolic."
• EQUIP students working in co-ed groups on goal-planning. One group of several girls was huddled around the easel on one end of the classroom, Daniel S. working with them. The other two guys in the group were in the back of the classroom, exchanging reasons why they couldn't contribute to the plan. Matt entered and offered his commentary. "It's all the strong-willed women . . . It's an ATI family. The women are in charge, and the men have backed off." As if to answer my unspoken question on why Daniel was still involved, he continued: "That there on the right is Chris Hogan."
• An unnamed EQUIP student: "Girls? I enjoy talking to girls. They listen better than humans do!"
• Tim: "That's worse than . . . worse than . . . FOUR HOURS OF HOMESCHOOLERS GIVING TESTIMONIES!" (Counseling Seminar 2006)
• LC students correcting Matt's public speaking
• "I wish I had my mouth muscles in my arms." -Joel, struggling with a heavy load
• New leader/LIT exchanges:
  LIT: (singing inane song very loudly, refusing to quit)
  Leader: "Speech fast!" (turning to other leader) "I can do that, right?"
• EQUIP teammate: "I think Matt and Kendra have more to do than we do!"
• Eugene: "Don't mess with the Philippines, either!"
• Annette's highly valued fashion advice ("I like it! Does it really look that bad?")
• Very kind words of affirmation
• Watching God answer prayer
• Sitting at a Thanksgiving dinner table of girls who really wanted to share around the table the things they were thankful for
• Watching Naomi M. and Jessica C. have a conversation, Naomi in French, Jessica in Spanish, neither knowing what the other was saying
• Derek thinking that a girl was in Trent's room when Jessica giggled into the dining room microphone
• Conversation during EQUIP XXI:
  Trent: "Kendra, where are our tests?"
  Kendra: "You'll have to ask the big boss."
  Trent: "I thought you were the big boss."
  Kendra: "Well, I'm the little big boss, but you'll have to ask the big big boss."
  Derek, offering his explanation of the chain of command: "I know, I know . . . Matt is the CEO of EQUIP . . . and, Kendra, you are the C-O-W!" (And it took him a minute to realize what he said, while Trent and I looked at each other in shock. I think he meant COO.)
• Mr. Camenisch debating whether or not to tell EQUIP XXI the story of how he and Mrs. C. got together: "I don't know that the girls need to be hearing about this now."
  Ryan: "They can leave!"
• "In the sink, right?" -Mr. Norcross's question for Lisa F., after her detailed story which climaxed in her and her sister having to wash their hair in their dad's bathroom at work
• My penchant for making things difficult when they could be simple (trying to contact someone . . . looking for their e-mail address online . . . finding a screen name . . . finding them online on their cell phone . . . IM-ing them . . . and never having it cross my mind to just call the cell phone until they suggested it)
• Kendra to Matt: "You'll get smart someday."
• Teasing someone unmercifully-and then having them blame Mrs. Ritchie for it
• Singing "You're Beautiful" to Kevin and Clayton as they staggered downstairs for the [midnight] fire alarm
• Campfire and singing at Dave and Sue Wilson's (and people who play guitar well)
• Getting to listen when people want to talk