simple joys

This year I am getting to spend my first summer at home since before college and I am LOVING it.  I mean,  I'm not really doing anything spectacular or exciting, but I am getting to embrace all the little things I appreciate about being at home.  My summer might seem a little mundane to some, but the old soul in me is enjoying every minute of it.  

A list of some things I am digging so far this summer:

• I got a library card!!  When it comes to reading, I might as well be Matilda so getting a library card means bring on the books and the long afternoons of reading!
• I have a job at a running store, Bull City Running Company, and it is SO much fun.  Not only do I work with great people, but I also get to embrace my inner run nerd and be a part of the amazing local running community.  We have weekly runs at a local brewery and tons of different options for group runs all around the Triangle!
• Time with family - not that I didn't love being on staff at a camp in the past few summers, but it certainly kept me busy and didn't leave for much time at home.  I am soaking in all the opportunities to spend some good ol' quality time with my family.  I actually get to hang out with my parents and have been able to visit my sister and both of my sets of grandparents - SUCH a blessing.
• Getting to go to a new church has been a lot of fun and helped to make Durham feel more like home to me.  Last summer, when we had just moved, we were still in the process of finding a church, so that meant a lot of church-hopping and not a lot of consistency.  But after visiting several different places, we finally found our new church family at Orange UMC.  Sunday mornings are always something I look forward to during my week!
• Starbucks coffee - Boone doesn't have any outside of one in a hotel and one in the Harris Teeter, so I am enjoying having my dark roast coffee in the mornings and the occasional afternoon iced coffee to help beat the heat and humidity
• Whole foods and Trader Joes - I am a complete sucker for health food stores and could probably spend hours in either of these stores
• Farmers Markets - nothing says summer quite like fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers...seriously so delicious!
• Sleeping in my own bed
• I got to visit Asheville, even if it was only for like 24 hours I still got to hit the highlights...went to the new worship service at my home church, got to hang out with one of my best friends from high school, went for a run in biltmore park, and got to spend the night at my second family's house and see my second mom
• I've replaced the farmers tan of summers past with what is probably the worst shorts/racerback/garmin tan line I've ever had...curse the combination of sun, summer runs, and way too much pavement. Luckily I am rarely in situations where running clothes aren't appropriate to wear because normal clothes + awkward tan lines = bad news bears

These are just a few of the many thngs I am loving about my first real summer in the Bull City...hopefully more updates about my summer thus far will be on the way sooner rather than later!