We licked our plates clean..

Hello my friends,
I hope very much that you are all well, that your summers are full of peace and rest, and God's abundant blessings!

This week has been full of so many delightful pleasures! I was only needed two days this week at work, so I was given a lot of free time. Oh how marvelous it was! My sister and I started the week off by gallivanting off the paths of the arboretum near our house. We had decided to go tree climbing and made for ourselves a goal which turned out to be a tree that was beyond our skill. After scrambling through thicket bushes to the base of the tree, we realized that the nearest branches were actually much further in reality than what we could see from a distance. We each took turns standing on the others' shoulders in an effort to scramble up the tree, but all attempts failed, usually with both of us collapsing on the bushes which so closely surrounded us. No matter. We hiked on through the woods, spirits only temporarily dampened, read some poetry, sprawled on low tree branches, and ran through wild-flower covered fields.

Yet the greater adventure of the week was on Wednesday night. It was the night of the wildest storm Chicagoland has seen in many a long year. Tornado sirens were buzzing, the wind roaring, the rain and hail pounding. But the lightening! The Lightening was the most magnificent thing I have ever seen!! This was also the night of Mucca Pazza. MUCCA PAZZA. A circus punk marching band which we had planned to drive into the city to see. We waited out the worst of the storm, and with my dad's agreement that truly, "when your young, sometimes you have to do foolish things," we pulled out of the driveway headed for Lincoln Hall.

Flash flooding made the traffic horrendously slow, and at one point everyone was forced off of the main drag to find alternate routes into the city. What should have taken 45-50 minutes ended up taking 2 and 1/2 hours! But, we made it just as Mucca Pazza'a opener was finishing up and the drive was one of the most memorable I think I shall ever have. I wish dearly I had a camera with me that could have captured some of what we saw! Don't worry--nothing frightening! (though the lightening was at times so). The tornado warnings had just been cleared as we set off on our adventure, so there was no danger of that. I can't adequately describe what we saw.. there was lightening that flashed in gnarled knots across the entire sky in one flash. There were black walls of clouds and to the west, the setting sun covered the sky with brilliant, glowing gold. There was a rainbow and rain that looked like silver. Pockets of the city was out of power, but damage, thankfully, was at a very low minimum.

The concert was incredible!!! There was about thirty of them, with three cheerleaders who took turns spurring the audience on to dance. The whole group started out by come through the side and into the crowd marching and blowing away. At some points it was just chaotic! But amazingly so! I was quite speechless with wonder and excitement. The entire thing was brilliant! I should like very much to see them again.

As for the rest of the week, there was an incredible bonfire with friends, my brother visiting from Arizona! and many hours hunkered over my drafting table. And NOW, this next week I am eagerly awaiting.. CORNERSTONE!! Hurrahh! Hurray!

Well, I think now I need to get to bed! Goooood-night dear friends, sleep tight! May the LORD shine upon you and bless you!

Love, love, love
Sarah

P.s.
It was my brother's birthday cake--that was what we licked from our plates.. :)