Today I woke up and these wonderful ladies were in my house...
...and we ventured to Hudson for breakfast at Yours Truly. Two thumbs way up for being able to eat outside in Ohio now. Except after being in Colorado for a week (hold your horses, I'm getting to it.) the air just feels heavy. I appreciate the constant hug Ohio-air wants to give me, but honestly, I just need some space. And so does this hair. Summer = three months of afro.
So back up a couple days. Colorado. What can I say? To try to explain what time in Colorado does to my heart would be pointless. Just know that on May 13th I left Kent feeling like a rung out rag and I came back on Sunday as a....I don't know, loofah? Whatever...Summits are refreshing, to say the least.
I have spent at least 40% of my time traveling this year. I have put 15,000 miles on my car since October....mostly driving back and forth across Ohio. I have seen the interiors of nine different airports. This was also the year I learned how to pack up to two weeks of belongings into a carry-on. Add this to the list of things I did not anticipate when I joined Edge Corps. Granted, some of these were personal trips. I was in San Francisco for a little while which I think I failed to ever mention....
Flying from Ohio to Colorado Springs always proves to be an adventure. The climax of the voyage usually happens somewhere between Denver and Colorado Springs when you convince yourself that you are going to die. No matter how many times I do it, I am never prepared for the seventeen minutes of torture that is the flight from Denver to Colorado Springs. Just imagine a normal flight, except this time the plane is mostly shaking the whole time and every once and a while it almost falls out of the sky. Also, this time, our plane was teeny, had propellers, and had to be boarded from outside. This actually didn't make the flight any worse, but for the sake of drama, I will pretend it did.
Summits (Edge Corps training) in Colorado are always good for heartfelt reunions, mountaintop chats, and climbing on things you probably shouldn't be climbing on. Also, add awesome food and cake at every meal to that list.
Our free day this Summit found us on Mount Evans at Echo Lake. Be jealous. I cannot get over the beauty that is Colorado. (And don't really be jealous...you can totally just go visit it)
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| Yes there's snow, but it wasn't cold. It's the BEST. |
After a quick hike, some inspirational mountain shots...
and a Great lakes meet up (minus a few)...
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| Also, Christian's scarf is a joke that snuck its way into this picture, but we're going to pretend he really wears scarves, because I wish he did. |
...we made our way to a legitimate gold mine. This was right up my alley. That is, once I realized a gold mine is nothing like a coal mine. My palms were dripping with sweat thinking about having to ride an elevator down underneath a mountain. That would give whole new meaning to this video.
Phoenix Gold Mine could have been the set of a TLC show. Or maybe A&E. Seriously, it could air right after Duck Dynasty. The first half of the tour was a 30 minute explanation of the owner's life and pretty much had nothing to do with gold mining.
I learned three things while touring a gold mine. 1. There are millions and millions and millions of dollars of gold hiding out around the US that can never be mined because mountains will literally crumble to the ground. 2. Gold in its natural habitat is pretty much the same thing as gold glitter, except selling it will change your life and gluing it to poster board stars would be foolish. 3. Panning for gold is not my thing and would not at all be a lucrative career choice for myself. I did, however, enjoy playing in the water and singing Gold Digger.
The rest of the week was a mixture of worship, extended time with God, hiking, being silly, hanging out with dear friends you only get to see twice a year, rock star talks on faith, amazing workshops, actual meals that someone else cooks for you, solid dance moves, encouraging conversations, and more.
So mostly, this post is a really weak representation of what was yet another life-changing week in Colorado. I will also leave you with a phone dump of the past month or so. (That makes up for not writing about California right?) As I think over the past few weeks and really this whole year, I am feeling 100% blessed to life the life I live. The theme of our Summit was Abide...something I would like to do waaaay more. But really, is abiding in Christ an action...something I do, or simply a way of life? How does one really abide deeply...day after day. I am inspired by the speakers from last week...older Navigators who have been walking with Christ for years and years and have learned how to abide deeply in their Lord day in and out. These are the thoughts circling round in my mind as I enter my second summer of fundraising.
1. Floral interpretations of modern art at the deYoung Museum in San Francisco.
2. All the treats I consume while in San Francisco, such as perfect creme brûlée.
3. Perfectly foggy, grey days at the bridge ( and 20 year friendships).
4. Not a single inch of space goes wasted in San Francisco.
Every corner is an opportunity for creativity and expression
5. Perfectly foggy, grey days at the beach.
6. When 7-year-olds set the Easter dinner table...
7. Birthdays, the best kind of days. You're literally celebrating the fact that
someone was born, therefore giving you the opportunity to know them.
8. Exploring other people's hometowns.
9. No shoes are the best rain shoes.
10. More Cincinnati adventures. Why is this place so great?
11. Is it ok that my best friend is 3 years old?
12. Fun little spring knitting projects.
13. More birthdays!
14. Receiving a whole box of tiny teacups in the mail. Can you say "day made"?
15. Mother's Day in the food court...it's hard to get a table for 10!
16. From roommates to pen pals.
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That's it for now...happy tuesday!
