Plenty to be Thankful For

November 21-25, 2012

The Irving Berlin song “I’ve Got Plenty to be Thankful For” runs through my head as I relive this year’s Thanksgiving experience.

1.             My car got me there. I have been having issues with my car for almost a year now, and she is still holding in there--enough to make the 6.5-hour drive to PA. I took a chance. It panned out.
2.       Realizing that I have somehow made myself an honorary member of several families. The fabulous Schmidt family was one that I got to spend Thanksgiving with this year! A shout out to Kara for the table decorations. Nice.
   
3.       Great friends that love ice cream as much as I do!
4.       Dessert Crepes!
5.       and the great opportunity to see friends live by holding nothing back!

I got to help Aletheia sell her merchandise at an art fair.

A Quick Turn-around

November 9-12, 2012

Michigan and North Carolina aren’t exactly close together. When the opportunity arises to catch a ride up to my birth state, I ask, “when are we leaving?”

Some might think it is silly to spend two days in a car just to see relatives for two days. In my mind, it is totally worth it! Plus, I have always been a big fan of road trips. When I travel further than 5 hours in a car, the rest of the time just blurs together as I lose track and get lost in my thoughts or a great book I brought along for the ride.

This road trip had an awesome bonus in that I didn’t have to drive at all! When you can find someone who finds driving a car just as therapeutic as you find riding in one, you know the trip is going to be good.

Whenever I go back home, time has a way of slowing down. As some signs of change are evident in the changing of store fronts or those who were once small children are on the verge of graduating high school, I also love to find those timeless things from my childhood that haven’t changed.

Sitting around a table, enjoying true moments of laughter is one that I will cherish always. Thanks to family and friends for etching those moments into my memory time and time again.

Nice to Meet You Mr. President

October 29, 2012

Yup, it is official. Dr. Todd Voss is now the president of Southern Wesleyan University. Although he has been in power for over a year, the inauguration to commemorate this great event took place just 3 days ago. I can’t claim to be invited by the president himself, but his daughter-in-law, who just happened to be my roommate from college, extended the invitation to me.  At the last minute I accepted, as hurricane Sandy rolled in to cancel a trip I was supposed to go on.

The whirlwind weekend started with the ceremony, 

followed by the President’s Banquet complete with ice sculpture.

The next day provided a 5k run, 

blow up games, delicious food, and gut-busting laughter, as we were entertained by the hilarious Indiana Wesleyan crew that journeyed down especially for the event.  Unfortunately, I got to see all of that food again, tossing my cookies several times the next morning. Alas, I mustered up the energy to drive home feeling a bit weak but completely content on my choice to witness this momentous occasion. Thanks the Voss family for always making me feel welcome and a part of the family. 

Long Awaited Visitors

October 15-18 & 19-23, 2012

Within the past week and a half, a curious thing happened. I had two relatives come for a visit. This may seem normal to the average person, but for me a visit from my dad and then my mom within a 10-day period is very abnormal. As the essence of this blog demonstrates, for the past 7 years I haven’t stayed in one area for all that long. Some previous housing situations have made it very difficult to entertain guests. When each parent discovered that I now live in a 2-bedroom apartment with a full kitchen they requested to penciled in on the calendar.

Naturally I was at a loss on how to entertain. As I was so used to be the one going to other people’s houses, I struggled to know where to begin.

Fortunately and unfortunately, my dad had a mission to complete on his visit. My car has been on the fritz. So together we worked on that during the day and managed to squeeze in a tour of campus with a volleyball game in the famous Cameron Stadium.

Fans rushing onto the field as Duke came back to win it!

My mom happened to come to campus the same weekend as the biggest football game of the season– Duke vs UNC. As I already had plans to go with some friends, I offered the other ticket to her. She went with an open mind as I dolled her up in as much Duke gear as I could find. The weather was perfect for a football game, and, on a couple of occasions, I even caught her being pulled into the excitement of the game!

After an organ recital in the Duke Chapel, my mom rounded out her weekend with a tour of Duke Gardens.

On Duke's West Campus, this little farm was added to Duke's Garden in September

I have to admit I enjoyed their visits; however, I can’t deny that I was a bit stressed out about them. Nevertheless we were blessed with beautiful weather on all accounts and just the right amount of activity. And thanks to Dad my BYOB (bring your own bed) policy has now been lift for future visitors.

Afterwords

September 16, 2012

I walked out of the library today carrying not a single book. As I dropped two books into the return slot, the goal I had set out to do two years and three months ago was complete.  As I read the Newbery winners in no particular order, I had decided a while back what book to read last. The capstone of my literary adventure was the 2012 Newbery Medal winner Dead End at Norvelt.

Now as I sit and think about the journey I can’t help but go from story to story in my mind recalling all of the places I visited without boarding a plane: Vermont during maple syrup season; Arkansas, Kansas, and Missouri during the Civil War; Poland; England during several different centuries; China; Korea; New Mexico among the sheep herders; battles of World War I across Europe; voyages across the high seas on several different ships; Florida; New York City; villages in the Alps; Holland; Denmark; Alaska; Georgia; Tennessee; Texas; Wyoming; the Middle East during the time of Jesus; and many more with the last pin stuck in Pennsylvania.

At times I was invited into different worlds created by the author like an island full of diamonds or a utopian society. Names such as Abraham Lincoln, Daniel Boone, Louisa May Alcott, and Johnny Tremain I have heard of before; however, now I feel introduced to them on a different level, as I have learned more about their lives through their joys and hardships. New introductions were made as the life of Amos Fortune or Mr. Bowditch unfolded on the page.

I am greeted by a mixed sense of accomplishment and sadness. So much of my time has been committed to reading page after page that I hardly know what to concentrate on next. Fortunately, the library is filled with an endless supply of books unread. And yet, the “Afterwords” of my Newbery journey has yet to be written. As a new winner is announced each year, I can only look forward to the annual continuation of my literally adventure as one more “distinguished contribution to American literature for children” is added to my list.

Last Stop: CA – Land of Lauras

July 28 - August 6, 2012

As my summer adventures are coming to a close, I can’t help but pat myself on the back for this final stop. As Alaska was a great experience, I have found in the past that intense jobs like that need some time to decompress. I could not have picked a better location!

This stop in CA I affectionately call the Land of the Lauras. The reason: the two people I went to visit are both former roommates and both named Laura. Oddly enough, they live 45 minutes apart. With a week out in the San Jose/ Santa Cruz area I couldn’t help but visit both. 

On my first stop, I reunited with Laura from Graduate school. The last time I saw her was Christmas as we made gingerbread houses in Maryland. Her place of employment opened the door to some unique opportunities. Among them: sleeping in a sequoia tree.

Yup, I just woke up

In the middle of the week, I hopped in Laura’s car and drove to San Jose to the house of Laura, former roommate from Arkansas. I hadn’t seen her since 2008! A span of 5 years had passed leaving our 3 days together full of great conversation on all that had been happening in our lives. In those 5 years, Laura had two adorable children that I got to spend time with as well. Whether playing on the beach or in the backyard, it was wonderful to see Laura in her current stage of life as wife and mother.

Couldn't help but snap a picture of Westbrook St. in Downtown Santa Cruz

The week ended back at Laura’s with a trip to her co-worker’s house where we got to sample some of the local California fruit.

After 5 weeks of being around people that had only the smallest hint of who I really am, I find myself encouraged and rejuvenated in the Land of Lauras. Both have been and continue to be a great blessing in my life no matter how much time passes between visits. 

Stop #4: AK - Week 5

July 22-26, 2012

With our time coming to a close, the final touches were finished on the cabin roof. 

With limited supplies, not all of the roofing came in the same color. The blue and silver design made our work easily identifiable. 

The trades of the local people were taught to all who were willing to learn.

Including the fantastic art of birch bark basket making. 

We even got to go and fetch our own supplies.

Our first glimpse of an Alaskan sunset, at 10:52pm.

The Tetlin Wildlife Refuge took us out on Moon Lake in an amazing voyager canoe.

The canoe could hold up to 16 people

Just before we left, a moose decided to jump in the lake for a swim. That put my moose total up to 14.

Stop #4: AK - Week 4

July 17-19, 2012

The highlight of this week was our backpacking trip. Three days we spent out in the great wilderness of Wrangell- St Elias National Park. As the largest national park in North America, Wrangell - St. Elias boasts 13.2 million acres. That is 20% more than the country of Switzerland. The town of McCarthy, which we went to during week 2, is housed in the Park along with the Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark. Our drive this time took us down the Nebesna Road to the Caribou Creek trail head. 

The snow covered peak on the far right of the Wrangell-St. Elias mountain
range reaches over 16,000 ft in elevation.

On day two, we took a day hike up one of the peaks of the Mentasta Mountain Range

At one point I turned around to see the last glimpse of our tents at basecamp.

After 2.5 hours, we made it to the top.

A view from the top.

A patched panoramic view because one photo couldn't capture it all.

As we hiked out the last day, the we looked back to see another view of our summit. 

Stop #4: AK- Week 3

July 8-14, 2012

The road to Tetlin was about 20 miles long. With so many bumps and curves we never went over 35 miles per hour.

When the village came into view, we knew we were only about 5 minutes away.

Dorothy's Smoke House - At one point she had almost 300 white fish hanging from the beams to dry and save for the winter months. 

The Tetlin school provided housing for all 26 of us.

Our main project was putting a new roof on one of the oldest cabins in the village.

Everyday, a group would stay back on home base to clean-up after breakfast and bake some goodies for our new friends in the village.