Gone Campin'

Currently Listening To: Ho Hey by the Lumineers (thanks, Kath)

Well I am off to camp in the Rockies with a motley crew made of majority eleven-year-olds. I plan to see a million stars and to play a lot of card games and hike a lil and be okay with the fact that I won't have coffee and, mostly, have a lot of fun with these middle schoolers. Be back Sunday!

[image via Pinterest]

Summer Jam #1

Because apparently Carly Rae is here to stay. Let's just not fight it. (And besides, could a song sound more carefree-summertime-like? That's what I thought.)

When In Colorado...

Quote Love: "God created the world out of nothing, and as long as we are nothing, He can make something out of us." - Martin Luther

It would certainly be a shame if you didn’t hike any mountains or climb to the top of any waterfalls, wouldn’t it? Thankfully, I got the chance to go exploring in the Rocky Mountain National Park this past weekend. Along with a six-mile hike, I also:

   

• Got to hang out with and get know a new group of people

• Squished with eleven other people in a mini-van to get to the trailhead

• Shared some fudge with a park ranger who was super nice to us

• Drank the river water (and didn’t get sick…yet)

• Saw some elk (…in the town, not out on the trail.) and

• Was amazed at how beautiful Colorado is -- and what a different kind of beauty it is than the kind I usually see.

   

Next adventure: camping. This weekend. With middle-schoolers.

[pictures courtesy of Emily Nichols]

Hey Christian Girl...

Because, really, I think this website is the funniest thing. So enjoy!

 

   

 

Happy weekend!

Some Disorganized Thoughts

Currently Listening To: Knee Deep, Zac Brown Band

Here are some disorganized thoughts about week one on the job in Colorado (for more details about what I'm doing here, read this), to tide you over until I can give you some more organized thoughts:

 

- These are great kids that I get to work with. Twenty-six of them, at that. And they make me laugh with the things they say. (Luke, age 5, for example, first said that he had 'Blue Moon' ice cream last night (questionable?), and then that it tasted "like Superman, but a little bit blueberry.")

- My TCK (Third Culture Kid) upbringing is a big deal in my life, and I feel valued for it here. I've mentioned before that sometimes I feel like I compartmentalize that part of my life. Today, though, I got to be part of a talk about TCKs in general to all XTrack participants, and then be on a panel to answer their questions and share my experiences. And it was really neat.

- I have two great team-mates and basically an adopted family. We laugh a lot and I couldn't ask for a better team to work with.

- 8am - 3pm is a long time to spend with a group of kids. I'm kind of glad that I'm ultimately teaching secondary, where I'll get to rotate through different classes of kids. And I have huge respect for all those elementary teachers, who work with the same group of kids all. day. long.

- Our teen program is middle and high school, and this year our "teens" are majority eleven-year-olds going in to sixth grade. As my student teaching placement for the Fall is in a sixth grade classroom, this has been amusingly eye-opening in terms of the age/maturity level of the kids I'll have in the Fall. And I can't wait.

- Summertime, being 21 and carefree, and it only costing $5 is plenty of reason to get a purple feather extension in my hair. Am I right?

- I love that I get a teaching experience like this -- one where we pray at the beginning of each day and are encouraged to love on and build relationships with each of the kids -- to pave the way for all my future teaching experiences.

 

 

Happiest of Father's Day

To my Daddy!

...Who is currently holding down the fort in Kenya, while my Mom gallivants around Israel.

I love you!

[photo by Elisa B Photography]

Come Dance With Me

Cool song, cool vid.

Week Zero

Currently Listening To: Avett Brothers

About To: go to a drive-in theater! (...again)

Well, friends, this first week in Colorado is almost over. The real stuff starts on Monday (well, technically tomorrow, but only 2 hours' worth), so this week was a planning week, mostly. We did, however, have most of the kids we will be having for two full days already, because their parents were in training (as one of our five year olds, Molly, asked, "You mean training like driving trains?" This is the same little girl who I told to make a wish on a 'fuzzy' she caught, and she told me she wished that all the stairs in her house would turn into slides. I'm so glad to be spending the summer with her. And 24 other kids.) but all of that was just hang-out, no curriculum yet.

But my team and all the other people are wonderful, and I have eaten a lot of Bluebell ice cream and played a lot of Nertz. And this is really the only update I can give you so far.

[image via Life Is But A Dream]

Multiple Choice

Currently Reading: One Thousand Gifts, by Ann Voskamp (thanks Hope!)
Currently Laughing At: My friends' blog of their week-long food tour of New England.

Things in Ft. Collins, CO:

               a) Colorado State University

              b) Bikes bikes bikes

              c) Forest fires, and a sky made overcast by smoke

              d) Me!

              or e) all of the above.

[image via Pinterest]

Things To Do In Charlottesville: Summer Edition

Although I've only been living in my new apartment for a week in a half, it weirdly seems like forever. I keep forgetting that my actual summer hasn't even started yet -- and I think it's because we've been have a fun ol' Cville summer kind of time. So, if you're in the Ville and looking for things to do, here are some tried-and-true suggestions:

1. Strawberry picking at Chiles Orchard!

Works especially well as a birthday surprise (happy 22nd to Margaret!). And pairs very well with a stop at King Family Vineyards afterwards, to picnic with your freshly-picked strawberries and a bottle of wine.

2. Blue Hole

Such a classic. Although be warned: the rope swing is no longer there.... (No worries, if you bring a picnic it's still worth the mile-ish hike and freeeeezing water to jump in a swim around some!)

3. A Sunrise Hike at Humpback Rocks

I've been to Humpback several times before, but never for sunrise. It's early, and it's a drive, and a hike, but it was worth it to see the Shenandoah Valley all laid out in the haze of pre-dawn -- and then that moment when the sun finally breaks over the mountains through the clouds! Stunning.

4. Wine-Tasting

Possibly one of my favorite things to do in Charlottesville (which could explain why I've been essentially every other week this semester). In the past week we went to Jefferson Vineyards, where my friend works (free tasting with a UVA alumni card), and to Barboursville, where they give you approximately 75803934289 wines to taste (By which I mean 18. But still.) and there are "ruins" to traipse around...

5. Blue Mountain Brewery

Especially on the first Thursday of the month, for 'steal the glass' (you get to keep the glass your beer comes in!).

Of course, there are a million other things like the Farmer's Market and Chris Greene Lake and a ton of local restaurants, but, hey, I only had a week! And now I'm off to see the Avengers at a drive-in movie theater... :]

Thought Of The Day

Lyric Love: "She smiles like a Georgia summer / She laughs at the sound of thunder / I wanna dance like this again" - Girl Named Tennessee by Needtobreathe
 

Well, that pretty much sums it up.

[image via Pinterest]

Three Songs For Sunday

Currently Watching: Parenthood, season 1
Currently Reading: Men and Dogs by Katie Crouch

I am sitting in my new apartment, on the couch that came from our old house -- although it's been given new life with bright stripey throw pillows. Next to me is a stack of thank you letters, addressed but waiting for stamps, and an empty bowl of ice cream.  Through the sliding doors leading to our tiny deck (that feels like a jungly haven, even though 14th street is just beyond), the light is sinking into twilight, a single firefly is blinking, and a full moon hangs eagerly just above the trees. I have plans to watch My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding at a farm my friend is house-sitting later, and to hike to a rope swing over a swimming hole tomorrow.

That's where I am right now.
And here are three songs to start out your week!

Last week's obsession:

Regina has a new album out!

And Justin's new one, surprisingly good: