I'm Jennie and I'm the intern.

I am doing an internship this summer. It is seriously the greatest thing I could have decided to do with my summer.
I am working with the DCFS (Division of Child and Family Services) Drug Court team. I get to meet so many humans who are trying to make their life better. And the caseworkers who honestly truly care about them and want them to get better so they can take care of their children.

Yes, it is hard. There are days that I come home and I am so sad and just can't believe some people. I don't think life is fair to a lot of children in the world. All kids deserve happy, safe, functioning homes with people who love them, and there are too many kids that don't have that opportunity and don't even know what it's like. I see parents doing drugs and neglecting their children. It's all quite sad.
But you know what else I've seen? Parents working harder than they've ever worked in their lives to get clean so they can get their gets back. I've seen goals reached successfully. I've seen children who are finally  in safe environments and are being cared for.

I love working with people. I have realized even more strongly that I want to be a social worker. I want to help people when they are at their lowest and give them the encouragement and inspiration that they need to take steps forward. I want to care for people because they are human beings and they deserve the best in the world. I want to be able to look past a person's flaws and see them for who they can become and help them to get there. I just really think that everyone deserves multiple chances to succeed and access to all the resources possible to help them do so.
That's what an internship is supposed to be, isn't it? Giving me direction in my life and showing me what I do and do not want to do with my career. I'm a big fan.

A week.

A week. One single week. 7 days. 168 hours. 10,080 minutes. 604,800 seconds. 20 hours of work. 3 hours of church. 14 hours of class. Undefinable hours of what's supposed to be homework-doing that turns into hulu-watching or card-game-playing.
A lot of exciting things can fit in a week. Some weeks can seem unpleasantly long. But when you think about it, a week is nothing. A week is so short and can go by so fast. The blink of an eye, really.
Did you know that there are 52 weeks in a year? Did you take advantage of every single one of those 52 this past year? I can't say that I always did.
This week can mean so many different things to different people. Happy things will happen and sad things will happen this week all around the world.
A week is a wonderful thing. I wonder what this week will bring.

Changes.

Well gorsh. <--- in my head that sounded like Goofy... but typed out it looks ridiculous. Just go with it.
This past week has been one of the most busy and emotionally-roller-coastery weeks of my life. One of my bestest friends got married. Another gave her talk before she leaves on her mission. And I said goodbye for a year and a half to another beautiful friend who's also going on a mission. I have been roommates with all three of these girls and I could not ask for better friends.
To Mandy, Kendra, and Krystal: I LOVE you girls with all my heart. That ain't never gonna change.

This weekend was the first time that I realized that I really am growing up. I thought I was growing up and everything was going to change when I graduated from high school and then again when I first went to college and then again when all of the guys left on missions... but that seems like nothing compared to my current situation. Those changes over the last few years have shaped who I am and it has been quite the journey. But for some reason, these wonderful girls leaving on their missions is a way bigger deal to me than any of the guys leaving. And obviously marriage is a huge life changing experience as well.
I think that what I've come to realize this weekend is that life is never truly going to be the same again. Everything is changing around me, and I need to learn to roll with it. Sure, in the future we're all going to get together for lunch and laugh our heads off just as much as we do now... but it's not going to be the same. We all have our own lives we're leading; we're adults and each of us is doing something slightly different with our lives.

Normally I am a big fan of change, but these recent changes are a lot to take in. I know I'm still in the same place I have been for a couple years and it's not me making the big life changes right now, but I am still overwhelmed by the effect these changes are having on my life.
If I can say I've learned one thing through this crazy weekend, it would be this: The place I'm in in my life right now is super unique. It can change very quickly, so I need to take advantage of it while it's still here. I love where I am, but change is good. Kind of terrifying and makes me want to cry at times, but still very good.
I'm growing up. I am learning to accept that change can not be stopped. I already miss the way things were, but I also know that the future is going to be rockin.

Life really never turns out exactly the way you expect, but it always turns out the way it's supposed to.

Here is a song that is wonderful. And reminds me of my current situation.

World Traveler. In theory.

Someday I will be a world traveler.
I will travel the globe.
I will see the sites.
I will go on adventures.
I will meet the people.
I will eat the food.
Someday I will travel the world.
But that day is not today,
So I will travel the Utah.
It can provide me some adventures as well.