does a body good

So here I sit behind my new laptop, once again able to set forth my thoughts into nothingness. Been nearly 3 months since I've been able to add an entry. I'm just going to make some simple updates.

K, first off... A huge THANKS! of a shout out to friends & family who supported me & Camp Hebron in the 'run' to raise some funds for the new playground equipment. Check out the fiduciaries who helped my team, Team Juan raise over $1070!! Thank you all so much.
Only about $9000 more to go to cover that project. Why does everything have to cost $$? Our team had a goal of running the marathon somewhere between 3 hrs & 15 minutes or 3 hours. My teammates of brother & past summer staff Kirby Martin, 3 year summer staffers and recently engaged couple Andrea Peters and Chris Schulze did their parts to accomplish this goal, actually more than their parts which helped make up for my slower splits. They bring out the E for Effort in tEam. Kirby kept telling me how fun doing this type of thing was and I had my doubts but I have to say he was right. I had fun. Especially when I wasn't running and after it was over.

Running a marathon, the whole thing (this was a RELAY team, meaning we each only ran a Section of the marathon) had never made it on to my goals list. No. Why torture myself? Yet... it may, just maybe, began to creep on as a possibility. Maybe.

Creativity and technology

This just cracks me up

Life is what happens when you're busy doing things

So I haven't been much of a blogger lately. Lots of great LIFE going on. So I'll ramble on a bit to catch up on the activities of life.

On Aug 20 I got my eyes altered with a laser! LASIK eye surgery worked for me. One eye is just slightly not as clear as the other (20/20 v 25/20) but I have to keep reminding myself it really happened. Quality of life is so much simpler and therefore better. Now I can roll out of bed and into my day in 4 minutes 23 seconds versus the 6 minute routine it took to reach around trying to find my glasses so I wouldn't stumble on things, or the 10 minute routine to get the contacts in with discomfort at coaxing the foreign object in. I went backpacking over Labor Day weekend and my pack was so LITE without glasses, glasses case, contacts, contact case and solution. ;) My eyes still get dry & tired after being open all day by the evening but what a good reason to go to bed.

The wonderful and exciting Becky Thomasson came for a visit over Labor Day (who was my trail partner). Yay for good friends despite the many miles that separate us. All 650 miles of it. An interesting comment that she made was that with most of her friends she is the daring, outgoing one stretching her friends to do crazy things. But she said that is not the case in our friendship. (I'm her outdoor adventure friend). She tells me this as we are hiking at 9:30 pm at night, in the dark, moonlit sky on the Appalachain Trail looking for a campsite and only seconds later she falls off the trail with a squealch. I assumed the worst and chastise myself for being a horrid friend and an unsafe adventure leader. Thankfully, just one foot slipped off the trailwhilst she landed on the trail. We found a campsite ASAP and bedded down for the night. Besides a snake slithering right between my feet as I was in mid-stride, the remainder of our ridge running adventure was limited to a delightful campfire complete with s'mores, wonderful conversations and getting lost in the woods in briers nonetheless trying to find a trial that Kendra 'had taken before' as a "shortcut" back to camp. Friends are true friends when they love you inspite of adverse circumstances.

I'm training for a 10K race. Technically the race is the Harrisburg Marathon but I got together a relay team to split the 26 miles between 4 of us. We are raising funds for new playground equipment at Camp. Our Team's Website Help us reach our goal! The team is my big bro Kirby (he's a beast and enjoys running in trail races), Chris Schulze (Alpha Male) and his lovely fiance' Andrea Peters (currently in med school - you go!). I'm a bit apprehensive about slowing the team down but the runs have been feeling better and better.

As mentioned in the last post, I'm also coaching soccer. The season opener was not too pretty ending in a lose and our starting keeper breaking her tibia & fibula at the ankle resulting in surgery to put a plate and 9 screws in but the girls have since recovered and started a nice winning streak. All the sports teams a Halifax are getting hit with injuries and we're tired of it!

Planning all kinds of retreats. Just finished up a senior citizens week. Next year I think my introduction will begin as follows. "Hello, I'm Kendra. I'll be your token granddaughter, feel free to dote. Let me set the record straight that I am single and not getting married in the foreseeable future. At this point, the horizons are clear with nothing cooking. Thank you." I lost count how many times I was asked that question. Sorry to disappoint!

Journey group (a.k.a. small group) began tonight. I'm looking forward to getting to know more people from church in a deeper more personal setting and growing spiritually. I'm co-leading the group not because I think I have much to impart on others but more to stretch myself and have a good reason to be accountable to studying and making faith & bible study more of a priority.

Well... I'm sitting out side because the wifi on camp (CAN U BELIEVE IT'S FINALLY HERE!!??!!!?!?) doesn't work inside the house yet. This could get REAL annoying come winter time. The fingers are cold and the eyes are dry so that makes it time for bed.

God Bless!

just call me coach

Yet another beautiful fall season is here and that means time for soccer. There are quite a few soccer games I would love to get out and watch and its going to be difficult to get to any of them. But just in case any of you out there would like to see Coach Kendra in action, here is the Halifax girls soccer schedule. Last year, after just 5 seasons, the team won the Schuylkill League for the first time. They are looking quite good with potential to represent again. Home games are played on the athletic field [3940 Peters Mountain Rd, Halifax, PA 17032-9505]. The first times are when JV plays (I sort of head coach them during the games) and Varsity plays during the second time listed (I am the assistant coach).

Sept 9 - Home vs Tamaqua, JV/Varsity 5:30, 7 pm
Sept 12 - Home vs Schuylkill Haven, JV/V 11:30, 10 am
Sept 14 - Away @ Pottsville, JV/V 5:30, 7 pm
Sept 16 - Away @ Pine Grove, JV/V 5:30, 7 pm
Sept 17 - Home vs Line Mountain, JV/V 5:30, 7 pm
Sept 22 - Home vs North Schuylkill, JV/V 5:30/ 7 PM
Sept 23 - Away @ Jim Thorpe, JV/V 5:30, 7 pm
Sept 26 - Home vs Upper Dauphin, JV/V 11:30, 10 am
Sept 29 - Away @ Tamaqua, JV/V 5:30, 7 pm
Oct 1 - Away @ Schuylkill Haven, JV/V 5:30, 7 pm
Oct 3 - Home vs Juniata, JV/V 11:30, 10 am
Oct 6 - Home vs Pottsville, JV/V 5:30, 7 pm
Oct 8 - Home vs Pine Grove, JV/V 5:30, 7 pm
Oct 10 - Away @ North Schuylkill, JV/V 11:30, 10 am
Oct 12 - Away @ Millersburg, JV/V 5:30, 7 pm
Oct 14 - Home vs Jim Thorpe, V 5:30 pm
Oct 15 - Home vs East Juniata, JV/V 5:30, 7 pm
Oct 17 - Away @ Upper Dauphin, JV/V 11:30, 10 am
Oct 20 - Semi Final League Game @ Pine Grove
Oct 24 - League Championship Game @ Tri Valley

Not my favorite day in China

I truly did have a Tony-the-Tiger-Grrreat time in China. I echo Chad's blog. Beijing was especially pretty in April with blooming trees and beautiful parks. I traveled down a day early by myself to meet up with my college friend Kate whom I shared many quality Virginia days enjoying the outdoors with. She is teaching in TainJin, a city just a 30 minute train ride from Beijing. The trip on my 4 hour fast and reliable train to Beijing from Shenyang was enjoyable and entertaining. While I have some stories from it, it was relatively uneventful. I met Kate and we ate a yummy Persian meal with some of her co-workers. She helped me connect with other friends of a friend who graciously hosted me and took me to church with them the next day. It was wonderful meeting Joy & Tazz (from America & South Africa respectively) and making new friends. Travel is fun for such things. Joy makes SCRUMPtious coffee cake and their insider's guide to the city made me probably too confident in my ability to be a tourist.

After attending an international church service we were eating Easter Sunday lunch at Domino's Pizza (someone reminded me half way into a delicious slice of Hawaiian pizza that I was eating pizza and missing grandma's cooking.. sad). Let me back up to say that never before had a so wished my camera had sound on its little video recording as when we walked in the door. One thing I have heard in general about Chinese is that they like it to be noisy when eating... guess it shows people are enjoying themselves. So the music was blasting! in the restaurant. The song of choice -- Frosty the Snowman!!! True story! I looked at Joy (who's been living in China about 3 or 5 years for an explanation) who shrugged and said, "Well, they know its a holiday." HAHHA. Beautiful.

After lunch I struck off on my own to meet up with friends who work at a Christian camp in New Jersey who happened to be in China the same exact time I was. Long frustrating story made short, the China Mobile phone I'd borrowed from the team ran out of minutes and I gave up hope of finding them. So I decided to go in search of the hostel the team and I would be staying at that evening. With 4 hours until I had to meet the team at the train station I sat down outside the subway and got out a city map to try to figure out where to the hostel. Just as I got out target #3 (target 2 being my backpack and target 1 being my white skin) these friendly Chinese young people came along offering to help me. They were friendly, I didn't know where I was going and I had a few hours I didn't know what I was going to do with. We conversed a bit and one gal even knew some Cantonese.

They were students studying in Beijing and asked if I had time to view their exhibit. I eagerly agreed thinking, this will be a cool story. We went a few streets away, into a building, up an elevator and came upon some art work. I do really like Chinese artwork on scrolls. I'm not much of a gusher but I did my best to look around, comment on different pieces and act impressed. Then it hit me, "Crap, I'm going to have to buy something." It started getting awkward as they all followed me around and stared at me. I hadn't bought much yet so I didn't have a good sense of what a rip off would be but when the one gal started offering me "deals" I wasn't too amazed. Another awkward half hour went by with them giving me some water and me looking at sketches trying to figure out what to do. Awful. I purchased some artwork and then made them take me to the door of the hostel. If I had to give them this much money, no cruddy map they'd drawn would do for directions. Oh, and another guy in their group conveniently was a 'travel agent' and gave me his contact info if we decided we wanted to go see the great wall while visiting Beijing. Greeeat.

With still some time before going to meet Stacy & the team I explored the hostel. When it was time to head to the train station I used the bathroom... and read this... " WARNING: Beware of poeple approaching you on the streets claiming to be students or artists. They will often offer to give you a tour, show you an shop or take you to a tea house. They will tell you these services are free but in the end you will be asked to pay a huge price and threatened with the police if you do not pay. They are often very friendly and convincing so many tourists have been easily fooled. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!! Enjoy your stay at WangFuJing Hostel."

I have never felt so violated in my life! Let's just say that I didn't give anyone the time of day as I traveled to and from the hostel to collect my friends and I was SOOOOO glad to have the comfort of their company. Now I understand why the Lord instructed the disciples to travel in pairs. It took a few days for me to process that incident. And I still can't quite enjoy the artwork without feelings of, I don't even know what, but a story I do have. And a memory of my not-so-favorite day in China.

Go team go

Go team go. Inferno is representin' the Lancaster County female soccer players.

Article about Lancaster Inferno... my name was actually mentioned. yah!

Article OR

http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/238914


This article probably won't always be available on the web so I copy & pasted it here too.

[One more year of experience has helped turn a local semipro soccer team into a force to be reckoned with. The Lancaster Inferno is 3-1 in its second season as a member of the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL). Nearly half of the team's roster of college or former college players are Lancaster-Lebanon League products.

The league has a new twist this season, with the start-up of Women's Professional Soccer. Players can now work toward advancing their careers in the future with the higher league.

"There will be a professional team in Philadelphia, named the Independence, starting next season. Girls can now aspire to a different level," said Doug Harris, second-year head coach for the Inferno.

The WPSL currently has 50 teams playing in five divisions across the country. The Inferno is one of 14 teams in the East region. Teams play a 10-game schedule against other teams in their region. The top eight teams move on to the playoffs, with games held at the higher seeded team's home field. The winners of each region then move on to the national tournament, which will be held the end of July on Long Island.

Games are 90 minutes, with two 45-minute halves. There is no overtime during the regular season. All rules and substitutions are the same as in Division I soccer.

The Inferno did not start easy this season, opening at home against the Boston Aztecs before heading on the road to play two games in two days against teams that faced off for the East title last season, the New England Mutiny and the SoccerPlus Connecticut Reds. The Aztecs are the reserve team for the Boston Breakers in the WPSL, with five players under pro contracts. The Inferno lost 3-1 in a game closer than the score.

"It was difficult to open against such a tough team as we had little practice time together," said former Penn Manor and University of Pittsburgh standout Carli Brill. "We got it together by the second half in that game and have played great since that point."

Since then, the Inferno has won three straight games, including 3-0 and 3-2 road victories over New England and Connecticut teams that combined to go 19-1 last season. They did this despite arriving only an hour before the first game and playing twice in a span of 24 hours.

"These were huge wins for us. It's a nice measure of the progress we have made as a team," said Harris. "The loss by Connecticut was their first ever at home. Our legs were tired for that game but we still picked up our level of play and won."

Harris said he is very optimistic about this season.

"If we can stay injury free and catch a few breaks, we can make the playoffs. We can then win the conference and head on to the national event."

One of the local girls on the team, Leah Sipe (Ephrata, Messiah), is extremely excited about the season. Sipe, who joined the team for one game in the playoffs in last year's 7-3-1 season, is one of the new players to the Inferno this season. She stars at center midfield in Harris' 4-5-1 formation.

"We have struggled to get all our players together in practice, but if we get everyone there, I don't think anyone can stop us," said Sipe. "I am pleased with the team as we play so well together."

The other star on the midfield for Harris is Teresa Rynier (Conestoga Valley, James Madison). Rynier, who was recently named the WPSL's Player of the Week, plays more of the attacking role in the center midfield, while Sipe sits back and defends.

"The two of them work together so well with a combination of defense and attacking together," said Harris.

Brill is one of the "old" players on the team. The 23-year old defender, in her second season, is playing for the team while working full-time. She and central back Kirsten Hoffsmith White (Manheim Central, St. Francis) are playing to keep their love of soccer alive.

"The two wins have helped us early in the season. The returning girls have gotten better. Our midfield is dominating this season and we have really gotten things together as a team," Brill said.

Other local players on the Inferno are: Forward Marina Pappas (Hempfield, Florida International), MF Arielle Gordon (Ephrata, Lock Haven), MF Katie Lamm (Elco, Eastern Mennonite), MF Kasie Shover (Penn Manor, Delaware), D Megan Fessler (Lancaster Catholic, James Madison), D Katie Hoffsmith (Manheim Central, Messiah), D Kendra Martin (Garden Spot, Eastern Mennonite), and goalkeepers Joy Shaiebly (LMH, Eastern Mennonite) and Caitlyn Hulyo (Lancaster Catholic, Colorado College).

Forward Amy Pickard (Lanc. Catholic, Delaware) is rehabbing a broken leg from her college season and is doubtful for the season, but is still on the roster.

The Inferno's next game is Saturday at the TSC Maryland Pride; it's next home game the following Saturday, June 27, at Hempfield High School. For more on the Inferno, check out wpsl.info.]

Next thing I knew... I was RUNNING!

Click here!!!
Marathon Relay Team 2009
Hey, I said "C-l-i-c-k H-e-r-e!!"


We are going to conquer a marathon as a team. Sunday, November 8th, 2009 we are taking on the Harrisburg Marathon, all 26 miles. We are doing this as a fund raiser for Camp Hebron to help fund our new playground equipment & skate park dreams, as well as send kids to camp with scholarship money. I am definitely the weakest link so any chance you want to help me train (running, biking, swimming, backpack, any cross training..) give a hollar! Kirby ran the Harrisburg Marathon in '08 (a crazy 3hr 24 min "jog") and just did an 18 mile trail run. Schulze was a bandit runner in the Boston Marathon (3 freakin hour and 3 minute gander) and Andrea holds her own, keeping her scrawny legs active chasing down frisbees. I may have calf muscles and cross country experience but to be honest, I'm a bit nervous. Here goes nothing! Click the link above to see our fundraising page. DO IT!


... and the title is a quote from what classic and my personal fav movie?

Not too old yet

Hey all,

I don't believe I have followers to the blog because I'm so inconsistent about updating but here's an update.
So I tried out for an amateur soccer team in May. I will be on the roster but I'm not guaranteed any playing time. My role may just end up being a practice training partner for the team. That's not a role I'm used to playing so its been a journey as I figure out my motives, level of commitment and drive to just go for it and see what happens. I have no idea if/when I'll even dress for a game and if I do dress there's no guarantee I'll get in the game. That said, I'd love for you to come support us. If you see a game you could make you should probably call, text or email me to see if I'll even be at the game. I may not even know until the last minute if I'm dressing. The website below is where you can look for the schedule, directions to the games and updates as the schedule is tentative. Our home field is at Hempfield High School in Lancaster county (Landisville, PA) and I believe admission into the games is $4/person.

Lancaster Inferno

I am looking forward to see what develops as a result of being a part of this and hope the Lord will use me, however he wants.

If you just want to see me... come to Camp Hebron! Camp still has a lot of openings for kids camps, family camps and the campground. Fun times ARE guaranteed there. :)

Kendra



Tentative Schedule:

Saturday	May 30	6:30 PM	Lancaster Inferno		Boston Aztec		Hempfield HS
Friday	June 05	7:05 PM	New England Mutiny		Lancaster Inferno		Agawam HS
Saturday	June 06	6:30 PM	SoccerPlus Connecticut		Lancaster Inferno		Willow Brook Park
Saturday	June 13	6:30 PM	Lancaster Inferno		Central Delaware SA Future		Hempfield HS
Saturday	June 20	7:00 PM	TSC Maryland Pride		Lancaster Inferno		Western Regional Park
Saturday	June 27	6:30 PM	Lancaster Inferno		TSC Maryland Pride		Hempfield HS
Sunday	June 28	6:30 PM	Lancaster Inferno		Philadelphia Liberty		Hempfield HS
Tuesday	June 30	7:00 PM	Lancaster Inferno		Long Island Fury		Hempfield HS
Saturday	July 04	6:00 PM	Central Delaware SA Future		Lancaster Inferno		Wesley College
Sunday	July 12	7:00 PM	AC Diablos		Lancaster Inferno		St Augustine Prep

We Go China

MUCHO updating to come soon (hopefully) of my recent travel to China.

Quick summary: it was awesome.

Made 4 new wonderful friends, of whom I was glad to add to my 700+ friends on facebook and I don't plan on deleting them anytime soon. ;) FUN FUN times in Beijing (some not-so-fun things too but those tend to make for interesting stories). Flights were long but bearable. Was DEFintely away from life as we know it. Jet lag and the cold I picked up on the return trip serve to make me glad to be home again, sleep in my own bed, be surrounded by the familiar, etc. Pennsylvania is beautiful, and green and wooded and smells good and three cheers to the awesome Creator who thought up blooming trees in the spring!! Thoroughly enjoyed the 'engrish' sightings (which may eventually get their own entry) and spotted some really cute kids butt cheeks peering out of potty-training split pants.
There was more than one time I had to just shake my head and say... "its China"

short day

In case you haven't found out... I'm taking a vacation to China. !!!!!! Ting! Sooo exciting. The thing is, I know its going to come and go so fast and then it will just be a memory. But oh the memory. I'm getting pumped for some memory-making, YEAH! Funny how on the way over I'm going to lose a day and on the way back April 18 is going to be like 30+ hours. I think I'm going to focus on being present. Not thinking about what I'm coming back to or missing or anything. I just want to enjoy the moment. and enjoy it I will.

feeling a little batty

What is it about being told 'no' that makes us suddenly desperate to something we hadn't thought about in months, maybe years? Its been months since I've been caving (not so long since I've thought about going though) but upon hearing of the sudden moratorium of all underground activity from Maine to Tennessee, something in me rises up and thinks its my job to go hollar crawlin'. The cause is totally understandable though. Its to save the bats from an uncontrollable, unknown infection commonly known as white-nose syndrome. Its been spreading like wildfire in a parched land of timber and has killed an astronomical number of friendly cave-dwellers. Bats get a bad rep but I plead with you to consider how much of a blessing they are! Ever been annoyed by a mosquito or worse yet, scratching a bloody bite by one days after the fact? yeah, bats EAT mosquitos. Bats are like rock in rocks, paper scissors, or Mario in Mario Cart. And I've had one fall on my back while caving as I accidently brushed up against it. I didn't grow fangs, lose my eyeballs or get rabies. Poor little guy was more upset about being displaced than I was about having a blind little bat on my back --not to say I particularly enjoyed the piggybacking but all things considered, it freaked out more than I did. (This one got off better than one ill-fated bat squashed by Mr. Brown's bum during a high school excursion... hahah! RIP little brown bat).

Conclusion of this report: white mysterious fungus is bad, bats are good.

three words

We Go China!

So I'm single and young (relatively) and have a flexible work schedule. What better things are there to do with my time and freedom than travel? (ok, barring self-less things like help the poor and sick). That's right, a big travel trip is coming up. For a few days I will go to the land of straight black hair, 1/6 of the world's population, cigarettes, round faces and squatty potties. I know Beijing doesn't sound exactly like the most popular vacation spot for a Lancaster county Mennonite but as odd as it is, I'm rather excited. It doesn't feel real yet but the first 6 hour leg to Cali of our travel route will begin the sinking in process. If that doesn't do it, the 13 hour leg will! My travel buddy Stacy & I will visit some contacts in Shenyang, tour Beijing & hopefully the Olympic sights and just be away from life as we know it. To be sure, I'll be on the lookout for good deals (after all... 'made in china'...), funny idiosyncrasies, misused & misspelled English ('engrish') and cute chinese babies. Stay tuned...

Every Blessing You Pour Out...

...I'll turn back to Praise.

Sometimes you have to sing a song many times before you're truly saying the words and grasp its meaning. This season in my life feels like one awesome blessing after another with really cool opportunities. I'm actually struggling with feeling like I don't deserve it all. And I don't think I do, but I can certainly be thankful and enjoy things as they come up with all my energy. When we start thinking we deserve things, our self-righteousness kicks in and shifts the focus from THE GIVER to the receiver. What do we really deserve? I mean, really deserve? Well, the truth is, we deserve death. I'm not saying that to be Debbie Downer or morbid, but instead to keep my attitude as one of thanksgiving. So every day we don't get what we deserve is a cause for excitement and thanksgiving. It just so happens I have a lot of tangible things to be thankful for lately.

A friend of mine who works for CCO (Coaltion for Christian Outreach, college campus ministries) leads wilderness adventure trips during college breaks. He'd mentioned the possibility of needing a female leader a few months back but then found someone within the organization to go. Until 5 days before the trip. She'd gotten the dates wrong. The call came. Could I still go? Woo! Usually in making such decisions I go by my gut feeling and the rationalizing measure stick (i.e. can i afford it, is it being responsible, what do I have to miss to go?) The feeling in my gut said oh man, I really want to go. Canoeing.. in Florida.. with students.. costs covered.. I'm so there. I happened to be on staff retreat. Perfect timing because everyone I would need to ask to cover my duties were all in one place and the retreat is an encouraging, supportive setting. I kept the news to myself for the evening, savoring the possibility, hardly containing my pending decision. Long story short, everyone at camp was extremely supportive (and jealous) and 4 days later as a group of 18 strong, were cruising to Florida.

Highlights were jumping fish, dolphin sightings, islands, camping, beaches, ocean view pooping, eating, conversations, laughing, getting to know the students, catching up with Jeremy, sun, 80 degree weather, canoeing, selah & solo time, seashells, Triad Seafood restaurant, Havannah Cafe (aka. gastronomical delight). Well, pretty much everything. Except the no-see-ums, sand in every nook & cranny, the breeze-less nights on sandy sleeping bags, bug bites and swollen sunburnt lips. But even all those things are (now) laugable.

And NO, WE DID NOT GET EATEN BY GATORS. I have spoken. sheesh, say 'florida' and immediately people think you're going to die or at least be a few digits or limbs less from a gator encounter. We didn't even see any where we were canoeing because they aren't in big salt water. yes, we did see a ridiculous amount along the road in the brackish water but we were safe in our van.











.

but what makes her tick?

Facebook, which I'm addicted to, had this note going around where you name off 25 random things about yourself. This is what I came up with and it was fun.

long awaited 25 random things...

1. I despise being misunderstood
2. Life is about relationships (according to how I fall on the Myers-Briggs personality test). I agree it fits me but that doesn't translate to mean I have to be around people all the time. I like some 'me' time. It does mean if there is a rift in a relationship it eats at me until there is some reconciliation.
3. God is AWESOME and I owe my life to loving him, continually growing deeper in a love relationship with my savior.
4. The only magazine I'm currently subscribed to is Backpacker (my fav Christmas present the last 4 years). I drool over the trip reports and gorgeous pictures. I've backpacked in New Hampshire's white mountains, Franconia Notch, Presidential Range; Vermont's green mountains; Adirondacks (NY), Washington's Olympic Nat'l Park; Montana's Glacier Nat'l Park, on the Appalachian Trail in VA & PA and a few other random places. My "must do" life list grows faster than I actually get out.
5. I love canoeing on rivers (thanks to my position at Hebron sometimes I even get paid to do so!) and enjoy getting underground in caves - such hidden beauty!
6. I take pride in being good at driving & backing a canoe trailer, making use of a cordless drill, using a swagger on the ropes course and driving the tractor.
7. I'm vain about 2 of my physical features... my hair (no I don't ever try to straighten it) and calf muscles
8. I've traveled to China, Thailand, Costa Rica and lived in Hong Kong for 1 year but have never been to Canada.
9. I journal a lot but don't read often. I'd rather be doing things than reading about them.
10. My favorite sport to play & watch is soccer and I play a couple times a week still. This has put a lot of miles on my car.
11. I have over 80 cousins on my dad's side of the family. The oldest one is in his 30's and the youngest one was just born this fall. Yes, all FIRST cousins. No, I can't name them all. The majority of them drive horse & buggy. My mom's side, the 'small'er side, when we all get together, there are over 40 of us with aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.
12. I can mimic accents pretty well. Specialties are Pennsylvania duetsch and chinese accented english (chinglish or engrish). Wish that translated in to learning languages like nobody's business...
13. I'm not nearly as competitive as I used to be but I still play to win. I don't like to lose but get over it pretty quickly. Its just more fun to win.
14. I need to laugh more and learn to let go of things. I also really admire people who are humble.
15. I may have a bit of a violent streak... I aim for animals on the road. well, used to. Once I hit a possum and then I never wanted to do it again. Especially because I ran past the carcass for the next 2 weeks. GROSS! I've ninja kicked a few moles, don't appreciate bugs or lil vermin occupying my home and want to put an end to whatever is digging holes in my plants in my office. The trap is set...
16. I'm not a visionary person per say. I'm more of a nuts & bolts/details person. I'm huge on efficiency.
17. I once batted a monkey off my friend and it screamed at me. But it got down. But it got the Oreo's it wanted. We'll call it a draw. Ok... the monkey won.
18. I've only recently started to let myself dream but share these life goals with very few people.
19. I dream at night a lot and remember some vividly. So much so that I keep a dream journal.
20. I enjoy being an American and am thankful for my citizenship but I'm not very patriotic.
21. My eyes are very healthy but my vision is worse than 20/400. That big letter E at the top of the chart? yeah... I can't read it. Without corrective lenses I'd be legally blind. When in Hong Kong I went to a chinese eye doctor and he said, "Waah!... you have eyes like Chinese!" (... aka. BAD!) I had bifocals a few years in elementary school.
22. I was mistaken for a famous person once but couldn't let myself sign autographs. Can you guess who?
23. I have lots of questions & uncertainties about God but my faith is sure in hoping for something greater than what's before us today. I don't know what the future holds but I have confidence that God holds the future (...and everything, including you and me).
24. When I witness something awkward or accidentally painful my initial reaction is to laugh, not comfort. :/ Shock I guess. I also find flatulence quite humorous. Usually. Mark it up to having 2 older brothers and a gaseous father.
25. I'm convinced we as humans are supposed to help, love, support and encourage one another with all we've got. If its not your day to receive today, it will be some time. I love my friends & family!!

and just for good measure 26.) No one has ever thrown me a surprise party.

Hope you're not too weirded out now but I'll understand if I have a few less friends tomorrow. :) haha!

snap crackle pop

Did you know that in the Netherlands their rice krispies say "snip, snup, snarp"

I like food. Yeah, I'm not the roundest chub out there and people keep asking 'how do you stay so thin?' but I do like food. The church fellowship meal the other week was aMAZing. people can cook! I brought grapes.
I snack quite a bit. And not healthy stuff either. My food pyramid would look more like a tower with a big goiter out the side probably. Some delectable highlights from the last few days... Mandarin oranges. There's something about the texture, all the smooth little sacks of juice with a thin skin ready to pop under pressure. If there's a guy out there who's mouth would feel like that -- pucker up!
Oh! and yogurt covered raisins! I don't crave yogurt or raisins ever but together... i can't get enough. They are my indulgence I am sure to stock up on when i go backpacking and they are typically gobbled up within the first 24 hours, save for the 7 or so I save (so I don't feel like a total hog) for the last day to eat when we get back to the car. Raisins and especially craisins in salads - loaded with ranch dressing mind you - make me kiss my fingertips like an Italian.

Nuts. I never liked nuts as a child. They were 'good for you'. and they didn't have sugar coating on them. but wow, having nuts as a viable option on a snacking binge ... mmm! Still really not a fan of peanuts - not even honey roasted - but chashews, pistacchio, almonds on occassion. Mm-hmm. On a 6 hour road trip to home from my friend Becky's house she laiden me with a grocery bag of grapes, fudge, nuts & pretzels dipped in white chocolate. Only a third of the way in to the trip I was licking the bag empty. :< There's little to no restrain on a roadtrip so choose wisely the calories of choice.

ok, ok, up to this point its been good-for-you food. I digress. I've also had Toffee ice cream. Heath bars are my favorite chocolate bar but the way the innards get in the teeth I restrain. too many cavities already. Bigger than the fact that Heath Ledger was hot, I became a fan because his name made my mouth water.

Cookies. That is my weakness. The dough that you can buy pre-mixed and in squares that ya can just plop on the sheet, stick in the oven and badabing-badaboom... cookies. Chocoloate chip cookie is #1. Chocolate with peanut butter chips is in the top 5. And this Mennonite cookie I've only ever had made by my real live Mennonite, horse & buggy driving aunties... chocolate cookie (cake like, akin to half a whoopie pie) that has a marchmellow on top which is slathered over and held on my chocolate icing. Oh Mennonite family Christmas cookie exchanges!

All this talk of food and its time for lunch. happy munching! OH.. and feel free to send me a package of any said enjoyments. :)

the cup finds a home

i love having a great roommate. I've had a fair share of them over the years. some were managable some were less so others were, well, let's just say, a thing of the past. That stays in the past. [Shout out... there's no roomie for me like Jill! w00t w00t!] I have a 4th roomie now in as many years at camp. and its so good - i'm so thankful. one thing though that tickles me is the shake down of how to combine our tupperware, cups, plates & bowls in our cupboards. I had things just the way I liked them and felt like I was using space efficiently -- VIP to me, mind. Every thing has its place it should call home after a good cleaning in the dishwasher. This jostling of the cups is something that is not usually talked about or necessary of urgent roommate discussion. But it does take a few rounds of emptying the dishwasher, weeks of living together and adjustments on both parties. HAHA.



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pj's till 5

I spent the day in my pj's until 5 pm. and i'd woken up at 7 am. after going to sleep by 3 am. weird. yet lovely. feels GOOD not to have something pressing me forward on to the next assignment with no time to tie up what just ended. On the agenda for next week: tie up loose ends.




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technology gap

so i haven't been blogging consistently. there have been plenty of times i have a thought that is followed by I'd like to write a blog on that but the lack of accessibility to internet and ample unstructured time to write contemplatively. its probably for the better so people don't think doesn't she have anything better to do with her time?

to add a note about the previous entry promoting our annual polar bear swim... after I read the proposal i was in line with just doing it, taking the plunge. but the day came, they broke the ice and the voice of reason set in and i just laughed at the absurdity. my coworker answered the question well. "Are you going to do the polar bear swim?" His answer, "No, I'm not stupid." :)

its unbelievable and down right tiring the weighing of options that go on in my head surrounding some decisions. To keep or not to keep internet access or my phone, for instance. I don't own my own computer. I should invest in a laptop but that has an intimidating initial investment cost. But morally I 'should' because using my computer at work for anything personal is sin. Is it unforgivable to continue abusing knowingly even though I can come up with my own justifications and convince the majority of people (minus the person who deemed it an abuse) that my misuse is understandable? Even if I'd purchase a laptop, to use it at home would require purchasing a land line. Which is dumb because it would be slow, i.e. Frustrating. I could just use the ancient dial-up but you can't download or send out attachments to or from and the time I waste rotting sitting waiting for my email to download could be spent at the gym, which I did decide to pay for. Keeping the internet on my phone makes for a pricey monthly cell phone bill. And I can't even download things on to that. Its more the desire to be connected and be able to check email and facebook. And the access to wikipedia to be a temporary hero by finding the answer of the occasional random questions people ask at parties. Why isn't there just a big break through for high speed internet at camp? Is our faith not big enough? Do I need to character building that comes through the patience testing trial I find myself in? Is this to figure out where my priorities lie and addictions that ensue? Gaps in technology...