a gift for love

The first of many changes: For Valentine's Day (and my brother, Matt's birthday), my sister, Sara, who is visiting, and I took a little trip out this morning and donated my hair to Locks of Love. I needed a cut and although, I love my long hair, I am glad a child with cancer will get a wig with some of my locks! I truly hope that he or she will have the opportunities and adventures that I do in life; and see as many places as that hair has visited!

For posterities sake, here's the "before" picture Sara took for me.

an extended visit

On the way back to Washington, I spent a week in the Portland area to visit friends. My family has known the Leep family from well before I was a thought. In addition to spending a lot of time resting and enjoying the New Year, I gratefully took advantage of getting to know them a bit better again!

Some of the highlights with them were watching Uncle Carl, unsuccessfully roast chestnuts over an open fire, shopping (only a little bit) and going out for coffee several times; once at their family-favorite shop called Long Bottom, cracking open fresh crab and eating it with bread and butter, and sleeping in.

I found this week's stay to be just what I needed for some rest and relaxation!

my holiday

I had a good Christmas. It was the first such holiday that I celebrated with family in two years. Along with all the trimmings, I got to be part of all the tradition, too.

Mark and Annette hosted a Christmas Eve party after church on the 24th. I helped a little bit with the hors d'oeuvres. The event turned out to be a fantastic little party complete with a garage-turned-living-room set up for extra seating. There was no lack of excitement when Annette's sister, Laura, and her family showed up to be part of the festivities from Idaho!

Not to be forgotten is the boterkoek (Dutch butter cake). I can't turn down anything with almond paste in it and this stuff is no exception! Annette and I made 6 cakes with her mom in preparation for Christmas. I even got one to take back with me!

Christmas day I participated in Annette's family party. They were gracious to have me along for their present opening extravaganza (see one of the boys studying his gift in this photo), Christmas dinner lunch and amazing olie bollen (a terrific Dutch treat) later in the day. Meeting new people and seeing their family celebrate was really fun! And, of course, I had a blast hanging out with Mark, Annette, and their three boys, too!

merry christmas

Wishing you a beautiful Christmas full of joy and hope on this day and well into the new year!

the rest of the story

I left Portland around 11:40am and headed south again. I hoped to ditch the snow around Salem, but the white weather lined the roadways all the way through Northern California; until I arrived about 30 miles north of Redding. Over the pass in the Siskiyou Mountains, I was required to carry chains for my tires, so I spent a few bucks in Ashland, Oregon on chains that I can return. I never even came close to needing them. I spent 8.5 hours in the car on a mostly wet interstate.

I have friends in Chico, California where I spent my night. I had a good time hanging out with Storey and Jayden for the evening. The next morning, I was on the road again toward Visalia, California. Although, it was my shortest day and the roads were in much better condition, I was tired and glad to arrive at my destination.

I have had a great time so far with my cousins, Mark and Annette, and their three boys. We have made all sorts of Christmas goodies and I have had fun playing with the boys. I have learned more about Thomas the Train this trip than I thought I would be familiar with! And, I'm much warmer than I would be if I had stayed in Washington!

all i want for christmas

twelve, joyful friends.

eleven, bars of chocolate.

ten, networking contacts.

nine, prayers answered.

eight, boxes unpacked.

seven, charming men.

six, member family.

five, photos published.

four, kitchen chairs.

three, job offers.

two, more continents.

one, home that's not so temporary.

a relative celebration

Thanksgiving was a wonderful time to spend with some of my relatives and celebrate all we have to be thankful for. My relatives gathered on the eastern side of Washington and enjoyed our time out on the dairy.

My cousin, Brad, provided some hay rides which were particularly fun for the five kids running around; but you'll notice there are some great smiles on the adult faces here, too!

I was hoping to milk a cow, but the closest I came was walking by their pasture while I took a little tour of the farm. There were no cows ready to be milked, so I'll have to save that for another time!

One thing that the kids will probably remember about this Thanksgiving was the pumpkin smashing. Since it's about that time of year when pumpkins start rotting and smelling, and when the evergreens replace the harvest theme, we had to get rid of the pumpkins decorating the house. So, on the day after Thanksgiving, we all went outside, and tried all measures of throwing, catapulting, and slinging pumpkins to crack them open. Then the kids went after them with a hoe, or their foot to destroy what was left. I enjoyed the process and found it rather humorous.

I drove from Eastern Washington to Seattle on Saturday. On the way towards the Cascade Mountains, I had fantastic sunny weather, along with another ding in my windshield, too. It didn't take long for me to find some clouds again, as well. By the time I reached Snoqualmie Pass, my car was drenched.

my cherry pie

Over the past couple days, I have been making a few "flexible" plans for the next month, hoping to hear back from a few jobs I have applied for (no luck yet), and hopping over the mountains to my cousin's house for Thanksgiving.

On Tuesday, I was able to meet my friend, Kelsey, for coffee (I borrowed this image from her blog). We are high school friends and have recently caught up with each other in some similar life circumstances. I was really glad I could talk with her in person before she heads off to start work in Greece. We celebrated a lot of things, and reflected on both the good things and the disheartening things that have happened since graduation. I am so thankful that I can reconnect with people like Kelsey to see how God works in our lives. I was encouraged by our time together and hope to keep in touch with her and see how her ministry goes in Athens beginning next month.

After coffee in Bellevue, I drove to Sunnyside, Washington to spend the week with my cousins and their children. I was able to go to their son's Thanksgiving chapel and Pilgrim and Indian feast. I love the paper costumes and remember donning my own paper pilgrim hat and white paper collar when I was his age!

I also made my first cherry pie. In fact, this was the first pie crust I made from scratch. I have some improvements to make for next time, but since my cousin Brad and I don't like pumpkin or pecan pie much, this should be a great substitute!

Happy Thanksgiving. We have much to celebrate by simply being alive!

no words, but a photo surprise

Click on this image to see what I unintentionally captured on camera along with the crowds on election night.

crazy day

What a crazy day! I found it both amazing and disconcerting that so many American voters were so emotionally moved on Election Day. It's wonderful to know that people care to vote and take the time to invest in the candidate of their choice. I wish I were a little less cynical, but, put in perspective, this energetic day will, in the end, be a memory; and likely lead to "just another president of the United States."

Obama was exactly right in his speech when he said not everyone would agree with the decisions he makes all of the time. He will, undoubtedly be the next target for the news media attacks that examine his every move and word. But, he is the next leader of our country and as citizens, we are required to respect his leadership; not every particular issue he takes on, but who he is. I appreciated what he said to those who did not vote for him: "I'll be your president, too."

My night was a lot of fun. I drove to Seattle and met up with my sister, Sara. I found my way on the guest list of an "intimate acoustic performance" with Brett Dennen by being one of 150 people to e-mail in last week. So, the two of us took the bus to the W Hotel in Seattle. We found seats by a table with a couple glasses of wine. The event included hors d'eouvres (which was great since I missed lunch) and a champagne toast when the results were announced. Brett played a little, and then we would watch the coverage, play a little more, and then listen to Obama's speech. What a great way for a musician to spend an evening celebrating our freedom and right to vote!

After the evening came to an end, Sara encouraged me to get my picture with Brett, so I took my turn. She snapped this shot right after I told him I had listened to his music in Antarctica. Yes, a dorky attempt to make a connection with someone, but it did yield this interesting photo of the short dialogue.

Sara and I were walking back toward the bus stop to catch a ride back to her place when we heard a lot of people and saw a number of police cars up ahead. It turns out that a large number of people (nearly entirely between the ages of 18 and 35) were rallying up Pike Street. A couple blocks up the street, we realized the bus would not likely make it along the normal route, so we followed the crowd and snapped a number of photos.

The crowd stopped at Pike and Broadway and filled the streets. News helicopters were flying overhead, police blocked off the intersection, flags were being waved, champagne bottles tumbled down the sidewalk, and the energy from this group was absolutely electric. From this point we realized we were going to have to walk all the way back since no buses would make it through that mess. We left the rally before people could potentially turn the it into a less civil party and finished what turned out to be a 2 mile walk. Now, I can tell my children that I remember when I had to walk two miles uphill, in heals, at night because the transportation system in Seattle was compromised on the night Obama was voted president.

the celebrations

The celebrations that contributed to my birthday weekend were wonderful! I did not get to throw myself the birthday bash I had anticipated, but a number of people came together to make it a low-key, special weekend.

On Friday evening, I went out for pizza with my aunt, uncle, cousins, and their children, only to arrive and find out that Aunt Faye (who also contributed the photo) had also invited a few of my friends from the area. Unfortunately, only Janelle and her son were able to come, but it was certainly a good surprise and a warm party to be at!

Saturday brought a trip to the Seattle area to see Sara and participate as one of four birthday honorees at a dinner hosted by some family-friends from our days at Bellevue Christian School. After a late summer and early autumn of stresses and changes for both Sara and myself, this reconnection with friends over a great meal and festive celebration was just what we both needed. Cynicism and sarcasm ran wild, and I haven't shared that many laughs with folks in quite awhile!

Late Sunday morning, I met at Dave and Chelsea's house with Sara and Chelsea's mom for breakfast at Hattie's Hat. My sweet tooth that morning was definitely satisfied with some crepes and the sunny morning was enjoyed with a waltz through a Farmer's Market.

So, now I'm 30. It's back to the job search and trying to exercise patience while waiting for the next "place" in life. The celebration is continuing through my "postcard project." It's nice to have something special in the mail nearly every day.

ushering in a new decade

If you did not already know, today is my 30th birthday. I have been looking forward to this day for quite some time now and actually, look past it, towards what the future holds in my life. This is hopefully a turning point, a new beginning, a day to usher in a new decade of change, new experiences, new friendships, and another batch of adventures (after all, I still have two continents to find my way to, yet). My emergency medical insurance went up $5 per month. I fit a new demographic, but people still ask me if I'm "in school." That will keep me young, but the question is starting to annoy me (seriously, do I look 19?). I'm going for 26. That seemed to be a good age to stall at. I checked this morning and I do look remarkably the same as I did yesterday, though.

Last night, I visited my friend, Maria, in Abbotsford, British Columbia for hot chocolate and three hours of great conversation. On the way home, I realized how amazing it was that we were friends nearly 15 years ago and now that friendship has been restored again this year. I've been doubly blessed!

I also found it amazing that I came full circle. I was born in Abbotsford. So, last night, I was back in the same town where my mom was laboring for my life thirty years ago! And look how many fascinating things have filled that time since!

Thanks for the phone calls, e-cards, e-mails, notes, and postings. It's been fun; keep them coming. I intend to continue celebrating for a week, or two yet! And, if you haven't sent your birthday postcard to me (see above, or click here), I have plenty of them to send out yet!

soundtrack for my birthday

For my 30th, thirty songs on my life's soundtrack right now (in alphabetical order):

1 annie waits, ben folds

2 average girl, barlowgirl

3 blessed, brett dennen

4 circle, louise setara

5 cut, plumb

6 end of october, david crowder band

7 fix you, coldplay

8 i'm coming home, paul coleman

9 long long time, guy forsyth

10 mansions, burlap to cashmere

11 mirrors and smoke, jars of clay

12 oh the glorious, brett dennen

13 one million miles away, j. ralph

14 prayer for a friend, casting crowns

15 recycled air, the postal service

16 samulai, te vaka

17 secret smile, phish

18 somewhere over the rainbow, ku kahi

19 stay, robbie seay band

20 sunshine, matt costa

21 the girl from ipanema, getz & gilberto

22 the luckiest, ben folds

23 there is a river, jars of clay

24 this side, nickel creek

25 time to move on, tom petty

26 turn out the lights, matthew pryor

27 walk unafraid, rem

28 what you thought you need, jack johnson

29 when she dances, j. ralph

30 wildflowers, tom petty

the postcard project

Next month I will be celebrating my 30th birthday.

So, to make the most of it, rather than throwing myself a party to which most of you would be unable to attend anyway, I hope you will still participate by sending me a postcard from wherever you are. In return, I have some brand-spankin' new, hot-off-the-press, personalized postcards; one of which will find its' way to your mailbox!

Just click on the image (at right) to view my address, and be sure to include your address on the card (or e-mail it to me) so I can return your kindness!

Finally, feel free to pass this along to your friends. My goal is to receive 30 postcards for my 30th birthday. The more the merrier!

laura's day

It's my sister, Laura's birthday today. She is also finishing her contract work for the summer on this Friday; leaving tomorrow for the Yukon with friends and then off to Hawaii. Life's rough for this 26 year old (front and center in the family-photo-op-sans-Sara picture at right). She's a good sister and I am missing spending time with her now that I'm back in Washington. We share quite a bit in common despite the four years between us; apparently we look alike (we've been asked if we are twins more times than we can recount this summer), we both enjoy being outside hiking or biking, we have the same faith, we have the Antarctic experience, we give each other grief over the various men in our lives, we can share a good cup of coffee together, and complain or take joy with each other with life's circumstances. There is certainly a comfort in having a friend around all the time to run, bike, eat, and watch movies with! Maybe I need to move a few miles closer to Sara now that she's in Washington again!

I pulled a photo of the family out of the archives today to honor Laura's birthday. Can you guess which pink firecracker is she? This was the very first photo on my very first camera 17 years ago. Notably, I am not in this frame as the photographer and a very embarrassed participant of the early '90's!

Happy Birthday, Laura! You're good stuff.

my fourth

Scrapes, bumps, bruises, punctures, sore muscles, high altitude, shortness of breath, lose rock, snow-covered trails, mud, blood, headaches, sunburn, and a looming thunderstorm; nothing like a bike ride in the mountains at 11,500 feet, on a single track that was really meant for hikers!

Spectacular scenery, sweet-smelling air, good exercise, great people; I had a wonderful time celebrating Independence Day this weekend.

I went up into the mountains with Laura, two of her co-workers, and some of their friends and family. We drove up late, but in time to see about three town's fireworks shows as we drove through the mountains. Since we arrived late to the town of Salida, half of our 6 person group grabbed some carpet on some acquaintance's hotel room floor and woke up for the main event the next morning; a 35 mile mountain bike trail off of Monarch Pass.

Our group of six (Chris, Laura, myself, Jenny, Doug, and Dave) shuttled each other up to the Pass, our starting point for this endeavour. I started off great until I had a tire literally explode on me within one mile of our starting point. I like to call it my own Fourth of July firework! Unfortunately I was too far between anyone else for them to hear the excitement.

Back on the trail a few minutes later with a new tube, I was soon winded and exhausted, wheezing my way up the first 500 feet of ascent. The ride was 3000 feet net descent, but we encountered quite a bit uphill. There were a couple of snow fields that we pitch our bikes down and then slide down after. That was probably the most fun on the trail! We outran a thunderstorm and wandered along ridges and mountainsides. The views were spectacular, though the biking was hard.

At mile 10.9, there was a "bail out" point. Jenny and I took that. Laura and Doug bailed at 18 miles, while Dave and Chris finished the loop. Even at our bail out point, I still ended up with 30 miles under my belt. Once we left the group we had 18 miles of downhill riding on an old forest road. Wheee!

I slept well in the tent last night. My body aches a bit this morning, but we made it back down to Denver after a great time away for the holiday!

dad day

Happy Father's Day, Dad! Laura and I are in Colorado thinking good thoughts about you. See you soon!

We especially remember the time you took us hiking and made us all sandwiches with butter, cheese, and peanut butter (listed in order of quantity; butter being the most abundant). It was certainly good energy and an especially unique "treat" on the trail.

a memorable day

For Memorial Day, Laura and I headed out to a barbecue. We had a good time with a majority Antarctic group of people. I tried a new recipe for the event. Hoping for sunny, bright, and otherwise warm weather, I thought sangria would be the perfect beverage for a barbecue. And, even though the skies were gray, we ate on deck furniture (including table umbrella) inside, and it looked more like Seattle than Denver, the sangria went over pretty well. When looking up a recipe online, I found there are as many recipes as there are people. And, everything is subject to personal taste. So, the recipe I came up with:

1 extra large bottle of the cheapest red wine at the liquor store
1 can of frozen lemonade (made per directions on can)
2 shots of brandy
1 apple sliced
1 orange sliced with peel
2 small peaches sliced
2 small limes sliced
10 large grapes halved

Let stand for three hours, or more and then ready to serve. The longer the fruit marinates, the better it tastes!

yet another yarn

This year in Antarctica, I had about 35 balls yarn of sent down to work on various projects for my friends back home. Many of them never made it through the production process. But, I did finish a few items. The most involved was this baby blanket for my friends, Erin and Ryan, as they were expecting their first child in March.

I finished all the squares in Antarctica, and began connecting them all together, but ran out of time in the busy end of season activities in McMurdo. So, I finally finished the project a few weeks ago in Canada and sent it to them a few weeks late for the arrival of their baby boy!

Yesterday I flew into Louisville, Kentucky to visit these fine friends and see the little precious new life. And, I saw that they received their colorful blanket. So, for all those who watched my progress, here is the final product!

dear dad

Dear Dad,

Two fives is better than one. Here's to hoping age doesn't slow you down like the speed limit: 55 & climbing!

Happy Birthday!