Back to School!

"Back to school, back to school. I got my boots tied tight and my lunch box packed- prove my dad I'm not a fool" ... oh Billy Madison- gotta love that movie. But really my version of the lyrics might go something more like this:
"Back to school, back to school. I got my airplane ticket and my suitcases packed- maybe I'll even see Liverpool!" Haha, I am such a dork- but I can laugh at myself which I find is a great skill to have at times. Makes life more enjoyable.

But yes, I am indeed going back to school. After being in the working world of college internships for the past almost 8 months, I am ready to hit the books again, have the luxury of taking naps between classes, skip a class if I feel like it and the best part- show up in sweats to class :)

But one has to remember that this is what I like to call Britt's crazy year of 2009. Amarillo, Texas for 4 months with AQHA- check. Reno, Nevada and all the Western continental United States in less than 3 months with John Deere- check. So even though I would be perfectly happy to experience the entire school thing again back at Purdue- that wouldn't quite live up to the standards of this year. So needless to say if you don't know already, in one month I will have been in Ireland on the campus of the University College of Dublin for a whole 24 hours.

I seriously did not see all of this working out the way it has. John Deere was in the plans since last October when I got my return offer, so I knew this summer was going to be an adventure but the rest of it, well let's just say I can get a little bit carried away- now don't be smiling too big right now mom. But you know- I wouldn't have traded any of these experiences for anything. I have met wonderful people, done some crazy things and literally have seen the country and soon other parts of the world. God has blessed me so much with these opportunities and the confidence and personality to go after them. It hasn't been all happy, happy - joy, joy though. I definitely got homesick at various times for my family, friends and my ponies :).

Going out and experiencing everything I have, one would think I'd be hooked to a life like this- but let's just say I haven't bitten hard on the bait yet. My trips home have been too precious for me and it made me realized how loved I am back in Indiana. So I've been tired of these next two words, but in all reality they are so true, "Who knows?" That is actually a very easy question to answer - God. But all of the unknowns that it brings up and the quandary of questions that I would love to answers to still float around in my mind. But I do know this- whatever and whenever I decide to settle down or wherever this funny thing called life takes me- I'll be more than happy because I've been able to go out and see/ experience things that not many people get the chance to. Which is again, why I am continually grateful for the Lord's many blessings in my life.

Back to the present here for a few more minutes. Two weeks from today I'll be back home before the last big transition for the year. That means that I will have worked my 500 hours for John Deere this summer (plus an extra 15 minutes of overtime the way it's all going to work out- I don't like cutting it close do I?) As far as the internship goes- it's going really well. Even though at times I struggled with it as in feeling like I wasn't doing anything- at least in my presentation it sounds like I did. LOL- no really, I can look back and feel like I have added some value to the company and I personally have learned a lot with the whole experience. Even got to drive a windrower :) Big piece of green equipment that cuts hay and windrows it to bale - one of those things that you see out West, not so much back in the Midwest. I'll be in Kansas City on Monday and present on Tuesday with all the other interns. Then come back on Thursday. Then the following week I have a more formal training session on JDAim to one of our larger dealers in California. So this will mark my 6th trip to California this summer. That's not including the California side of Lake Tahoe- which I'll be making another jaunt there this afternoon with my roommate- oh the joys of having Lake Tahoe practically in your back yard :)

Speaking of which- the water is calling my name. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!