Friday, February 27, 2009

Blood and Glass

Last week, tragedy struck again in the basement of the Green House.  This time it was not to notorious drain, but rather the shower door…

 

I was upstairs doing homework, and Christye was downstairs showering.  I hear this load crash, then what I take out to be laughing.  But then I realize it is not laughing at all—it’s whimpering!  So I go charging downstairs yelling out if everything is okay.   “It’s not, come in here.” She replies.  I open the bathroom door and poor Christye is standing up on the edge of the tub: there is shattered glass everywhere, and she is standing amidst a pool of blood dripping from her feet down the tubs edge.  It literally looked like a scene from a horror movie!! 

She ended up not being hurt too badly, just shaken up from the glass door falling on her feet, causing it to shatter.  We had glass and blood in the bathroom for about a week, but that’s all cleaned up now and we’re having the door replaced, hopefully soon…

Friday, February 20, 2009

I drank too much coffee

Yes—I should be sleeping right now.  But, I wanted to study for my test tomorrow, so I made a pot of coffee.  And I think I drank too much because now I am not tired.  While I was sipping my coffee and reviewing my notes about Machiavelli, I started to think about all the steps that had to be taken to get all this caffeine into my bloodstream… I was reminded of my time that I spent on Finca Santa Elana, and how just a few months ago I was holding ripe coffee beans, fresh of the bushes, in my hand:

Goodnight. 

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Missing Central America

It's been a little over two months since I have been back from my time in Central America and for some reason today I have been thinking a lot about how much I miss it...
This is a picture I took at sunset in Antigua, Guatemala.  Guatemala was by far the most beautiful country I visited and was full of awesome volcanoes and old buildings.

Monday, February 16, 2009

What Happens After College?

I am graduating from Seattle Pacific university (my soon to be "alma matter") this June.  It seems like the question on the tips of everyones' tongues these days is "what are you gonna do after college?"  Most of my peers that I have talked to hate this question--we all want to be done with school but are scared/ skeptical about the unknown that will come when we no longer are attending college.  I too am a little scared and nervous about what next year will look like, but I my fears are slightly different: I know what I am doing, I just don't know where.


Ever since I started at SPU, I knew that after graduation I was going to do a year or voluntary service through Mennonite Central Committee.  My church, Seattle Mennonite Church offers a scholarship to college students who go to an approved Christian institution and in return are committed to complete a year of service.  By choosing to go to SPU, my church has helped pay some of my tuition--so know I am entitled to complete a year of service.  Both my older brothers accepted this same scholarship and did their year of service with MCC.  Being the little sister, I too followed their footsteps and will be doing the same thing that they did: volunteering with SALT (Serving And Learning Together)--a one year program through MCC that is for young adults.



My application is already sent in, and I just completed the secondary round of interview question.  Now, i just have to wait to see where MCC places me.  My hope is that I'll end up going back to Central America.  I also really hope that I'll be doing an assignment that pertains somehow to what I am most interested in: economic development, specifically micro-financing. But, we'll see.  I am excited, anxious, and a bit nervous to find out what I'll be doing next year, but I am thankful that I at least have something planned...      

Thursday, February 12, 2009

GOATS and OCELOTS

I love goats.  
I also really like ocelots.  
One of my biggest regrets from my time in Costa Rica is that I didn't see one.
On Halloween last year, two baby ocelots were born at the Woodland Park Zoo, and I really want to go see them because they are so cute!


Friday, February 6, 2009

Winter Hike #3 for the year: Lake Pratt/ Granite Mtn

On Sunday the 26th of January, Sarah--my best adventure buddy, Diva--my trusty chocolate lab, and Father Jon--my dad, and I ventured out past North Bend on I-90 and hiked up towards Lake Pratt, right near Granite Mountain.  We decided to use snowshoes on the way up, which I still find slightly awkward to walk in, and I somehow always manage to get blisties on my feet when I use them.  Anyways, the hike was very pretty--lots of pretty frozen waterfalls and the trail was very flat (nothing like Mailbox Peak!)   
Here is a picture of my best hiking buddy and me
Below is the view from the lookout point where we stopped, about three miles from the trailhead.  I'm pretty sure the frozen lake is Talapus Lake.

It made a nice stopping point for lunch, where we enjoyed some chai that Father Jon carried up for us.  It's always such a treat hiking with my dad because he always carries tea up for us!
We decided not to use our snowshoes coming down... which may have been a mistake because the trail was rock-hard ice.  But, I turned on my mountain goat super power and managed not to slip and slide too much (I think that's why I love goats so much--they can seriously trek on any terrain/ any surface! I might have to do a future post on mountain goats because they really are my favorite animal!).  

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Happy Study Bowl 43!

Who do you want to win the Superbowl? 
Personally, I don't really care... but I am rooting for Arizona simply because they are the underdogs and the Steelers are a bunch of cheaters! I'll probably just study during the Bowl so that I can watch the hour special of The Office afterwards :)