my time in iowa so far...

Contrary to popular belief Ames might have been the only city in Iowa not completely underwater a week ago. We (my roommates and I) are thinking of traveling to Des Moines or Cedar Rapids and just volunteering for a weekend and seeing what can be done.

The first two weeks were a little hard because I was "in school" all day but now doing my research I'm much happier. It's hard to explain what I'm doing but I'll leave it at the fact that I'm creating a web page to do cool stuff, and writing computer programming code in a new language (which I'm having to learn and is proving extremely difficult). But I'm up for the challenge and if not I only have to suffer four more weeks! The program is incredibly well funded - I don't have to pay for my apartment room, any of my meals (provided they are on campus), parking permits, travel expenses, etc (not to mention the $4000 stipend). It is amazing! We are trying to convince the Director to give us free hats! :-) But honestly, I am incredibly blessed and so thankful to have this opportunity.

I am saving up all my money this summer to pay back my parents on some debt and then spend it on my trip. I am already sooo excited and cannot wait -- two months can you believe it?!? It's interesting that you mention that about my parents. Growing up and being in college has opened my eyes and I have become so much more mature - I actually had a conversation with my mom just last weekend. I came home on Friday and called her - keep in mind this was basically the first week in my life where I had a "real job" and worked 9-5 for a whole week! I asked her, "How did you do it for all those years? All I wanted to do tonight was come home and sleep -- I don't even care how hungry I am! I don't know how you had such perseverance all these years to come home and make dinner and clean the house and do all the things you do? Just thank-you for everything."

But yes, I am very fortunate to have them for my parents. Mark Twain (I think) once said, "When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years." How true...