Twice in one week? What?! I know, you must be overjoyed.

This is the seventh weekend in a row that I've come down to Houghton. Every Wednesday, without fail, it makes me grouchy: "I'm paying rent for an apartment I'm never in!" I just want to stay home and sleep in and watch westerns. But then as the day goes on I warm up to the idea: "Tomorrow is Bagel Day and then it will be Friday and then I get to go to Houghton!" and for some reason being able to assign tasks to the days makes them go so much faster. And true, I'll be a little grouchy on the way down to Houghton, thinking about how gas is a WHOLE FRIGGING DOLLAR cheaper in Indy and how despite Speicher's gas sale on Sundays, driving the hour and fifteen minutes to Houghton and the hour and fifteen minutes back is still more expensive than staying home.
But, this is the seventh weekend in a row that I've been absolutely overjoyed to be at Houghton, at least once I got here. The first time--seven weeks ago--I told everyone quite plainly, "I won't be back for a month. I have too much to do." And then I came back the very next weekend because Bekah said she would drive. And there have been two Artist Series, and the fantastic Fall Festival, and a long weekend in between placements, and three weekends in a row of snuggling with the wonderful Laura Day (much to the frustration of Shane). There's something so wonderful about being at Houghton. I'm even happy to see the people I don't really like as much, because they're just as much a part of Houghton as the people I do like.
I just finished reading The Shack and while my feelings are mixed--I think it's maybe a little predictable and cliche, though I know it keeps getting rave reviews so I hesitate to admit it--I also admit that I tend to be very stingy with my praise and I have to admit that it did make me think and it did make me cry and I'm not sure what else I expect out of a book before I'll call it "good." Anyway, one of the themes is about God's love. The character of God keeps saying she is "especially fond" of different characters, which at one point prompts the main character to ask if there's anyone God isn't especially fond of. She replies of course not, that she is especially fond of all her children, and relates to Mack (the main character) that it's much the same as how he loves all of his children. As I finished up the book today, nestled into the overstuffed chair in the campus coffee shop with a pumpkin spice mocha, I couldn't help but look around at the other people in Java and think that I am especially fond of each of them. And as I wound my way through the music building, tucking notes into mailboxes and borrowing no less than three instruments for school, I couldn't help but think that I am especially fond of everyone in the music building--even those pesky singers who had taken over the recital hall in their funny dresses. I find that I am quite fond of just about everyone here, and it's so nice to have a place where you know you'll like everyone you bump into.