My school is burning. And it’s not just my school. It’s our school. Anna’s school. Corinne’s school. Jonathan’s school and Katie and Allison and Matt and Mikey, and Emily and Meg and Jenny and Amy…and all of us. Thousands of us. Westmont is home. And tonight, it is burning.
My heart is heavy. It has slipped further and further into my stomach. My eyes hurt from keeping them focused on the computer as I flip between news sites, trying to find out what has or has not burned.
I know this place is so much more than the buildings. It’s more than the ocean views, and the lush trees, and the lovely prayer chapel where I ran to Jesus so many times. More than the little pond where I once kissed Jonathan in the pouring rain. More than the windy steep roads, the big stable rock, the grass where we had Rhetoric. This place is where I hold cherished memories of late night conversations with giggly girls, where I began to grow up, where I met my husband.
I am scared that memories may be all that we have left of some special, sacred spots on that campus but I know that Westmont is the community that has already come together tonight, united in hope that God can do great miracles.
Please keep praying…
photo credit to Ray Ford at http://www.sb-outdoors.org/fire/
My little sis is a college grad! Doesn’t she look adorable? Please note the awesome buttons my mom made all of us to wear during the ceremony. I don’t think Allison liked it so much that we were sporting pictures of her.
One of my favorite moments of the day was when I got to watch my entire extended family on both sides (grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, parents, etc) all pile out of the same RV. I think there were like 15 of them all piled in together.
Santa Barbara was a beautiful time, as always. Graduation day is hot every year and everyone complains about the heat but secretly loves it. Jonathan and I were slightly overwhelmed all weekend, juggling both of our families and many, many friends. It seemed as if everyone was in town for graduation– I got to see Hilary and Bethany who I haven’t seen in three years! I wish I could have spent a week with each group of people instead of cramming everyone into less than 48 hours. Other highlights of the weekend include: Catching up with JZ ,Tricia, Meg, Corinne, the Quinlans, Katz, and Becky Peterson; graduation dinner at Arnoldi’s with the entire family, toasting Allison, the Brewhouse, Jeannine’s for breakfast (mmmmm, love that place!), and beach volleyball with my dad!
It was another lovely Santa Barbara weekend– short but very sweet and full of family and friends. I posted a picture of Jenny blowing out her 25th birthday cake. Her mom, Lesa, forced Allison, Cody and I to eat it before Allison and I took off for dinner. The cake was orange flavored and pretty disgusting but who could argue with Lesa? Jenny, Allison and I took out beach cruisers for awhile on Saturday and then met up with the 
Millers to keep celebrating Katie’s graduation at Longboards on the pier. (The real reason for our quick weekend visit.) Jonathan unfortunately is in the middle of finals and had to fly home on Saturday while I stayed and hung out until Sunday. I got a chance to hang out with Paige and then cruise State Street for awhile to check out all the new stores. I found one new one called Lululemon- it’s got the cutest pilates clothes!
