climbing

Nice butt shots, but this one in the rain makes me feel especially dangerous somehow.

mtn biking

Thanks to Nate for taking these.

happy day

Mountain biking + rock climbing = one blastedly swell day (for me).

I didn't have school today because of the holiday (Memorial Day), so that was already a happy way to start the day. I woke up to the sound of rain and thought perhaps we wouldn't end up going biking. I'd been invited by my friend, who also happens to be my old roomate's boyfriend. But the rain didn't stop us. I went with this friend and my old roomate's little brother.

We cruised around Lambert Park in Alpine in the rain. It was quite the mudfest. I thought of e. e. cummings' clever word mudlicious several times whilst biking. I'm grateful for the guys' patience with me; it was only my second time mountain biking. My dad was so kind to let me borrow his bike. I like mountain biking and I hope to get better at it...

As for the rock climbing, I bummed along again with this friend and a few others. We went up Rock Canyon. It was my first time climbing on real rock. I've bouldered before and have climbed at the climbing gym. This was sweet stuff. Our adventure got cut a little short by an entrance of rain and hail, but it was still so superb.

I'm lucky to have such kind friends!

And now it's off to four more days of school till summer vacation....

Wish I had pictures to post, but I didn't take my camera. Scandal, eh? Laters.

first mozzie bite

I got my first bite Saturday night (I think). It's one of those irksome ones, right on my foot. I'm not in any fear for survival. It's just sort of like a rite--receiving the first one of summer.

As for lasts, today is my last Monday of the school year and I like the feeling. I have piles of writer's notebooks to grade and I need to finish creating their poetry test, but I don't have much to do other than that. So I must off and get going on the test and notebook grading.

a story for sunday

I'm subbing in Relief Society today and I'm trying to work through some of the things I want to highlight in the lesson. The lesson is about the Priesthood.

Here's a little story I'm thinking of sharing:

My companion, Sister Tislenko (pictured with me), and I taught a girl, Nastia, who lived about an hour away from our area. We would go out to the little branch, Bogatoe, that met about 10 km away from where she lived. This branch is made up of a family of six (the dad's the Branch President), a couple, a mother and son, a grandma, and a few others. Usually about 12 people would attend sacrament meeting. I remember being there one Sunday. It was rainy and cold. We had to wear our coats inside the little building to keep warm. I remember that the two men who blessed the sacrament were also the ones who passed the sacrament. It was so special; it seemed so simple and yet more powerful than any ordinance in which I've taken part. It couldn't have lasted five minutes on the whole. I felt the Spirit strongly. I felt my testimony grow that the Priesthood truly is the authority to act in God's name. I felt such peace. I wrote in my journal that the branch felt homey. I knew I was in the right place.

So, a little trip down Memory Lane. But this I believe: I felt peace that day. Those beautiful people are my brothers and sisters. I miss them madly. They live the true gospel and receive blessings of joy and happiness because of it. I believe this with all I am.

I think I'll post the poem I wrote about this lovely family of six on my other blog I started this last week. Most of you who happen to read this blog have probably already read/or heard it, but I'll put it on there anyway.

Hope the lesson goes well. This will be my second time teaching Relief Society. We'll see how it goes. Laters.

baby's breath

This happened a couple weeks ago.

My bike flats, so I walk. On the way north up 9^th East, I see a dad carrying his baby and another mom carrying her baby. Both of them—the padres—were headphoned off into their own worlds. I am saddened when I see this. It’s strange too because I view them both at precisely the same time—the dad walking south and the mom walking north. What if they miss their baby's first gurgle of language? I would be so sad. I would be sad and I don't even know those babies' names. And sure, the mom's baby was probably slumbering because she had him/her all cozied up in one of those front stomach carriers. But even still, is not the sound of babies' sleeping breath so sweet. I would swear I can hear it even over the noisy cars rumbling by. That new-to-earth sound comforts me; I wouldn’t want to miss a single exhalation.

So I know I'm way too self-righteous, but this is yet another reason to add to my list of why I'll never own an i-pod or anything that resembles it in any way shape or form. How will we survive? How will we relate to others with this continued self-marginalization?

photo shoot

Natalya needed to take some pictures for her graduation announcement (I can't believe she's so old!!! and she can't believe that I'm a nerd, sad that she doesn't believe by now). Anyhow, we had a frolicking good time out in the sunshine and flowers. We're definitely using the second photo of her to send out--so ferocious. She's utterly lovely and I'm lucky to call her sister. Love ya, sis!

thankful

I just got off the phone with my lovely Swiss miss, Arlette. I love her dearly. I haven't talked to her since the end of January. We both agreed we must talk more often. I'm so thankful for the wonderful friends I have. I can't even begin to list them all out. But they're all so dear to me. I feel like listing out some blessings right now and so here goes. I'm thankful for:

• sunshine


• family (both extended and not so extended)


• sleeping in


• friends


• bicycles


• letters, notes, emails from dear ones


• laughter


• pina colada jelly bellies


• the promise of springtime


• anticipation of some hiking and camping


• people and the beauty of their eyes and smiles


• prayer


• music


• journals


• photos


• hugs


• books


• words

And much much more.

This is Max (my cousin Karisa's baby) and me. We had a baby shower here for them Friday night. It was so fun listening to everyone chat and tell stories. I'm so blessed to have such a loving family.