Road Trip: Day in Arches

Following our honeymoon, Gabe and I headed to Texas from Portland to see my brother graduate from the air force basic training.  We drove, providing opportunities to see vast amounts of our country.  Along the way we stopped at Arches National Park in Utah and spent the night.  Being that it was the end of January, we were the only people staying in the campground.  In the morning we spent a few short hours exploring a trail or two.

Our shadows in the morning light

Looking through an arch

Here I am, standing in the midst of the arch

Gabe and I under a delicate arch

Unique designs etched in rock

Gabe

Me

Looking back on what we hiked up!

Red rock formations in the snow

Finally...An Update

It has been quite some time since I have set aside time for a blog and some photos.  Much has happened in this crazy life.  Gabe and I were married in December, which began several months as temporary nomads.  From February to May we traveled more that 17,000 miles.  In that short time we stayed in five homes...and often spent many nights in our small red car.  We met with many people and shared meals with them.  And now, we have begun the summer in our home, a small trailer at Camp Bighorn.  Summer is well under way here and with the vast amounts of rain, western Montana has bloomed.  The hills are filled with colors from the flowers and the rivers are flooded.  It is a beautiful thing, and I look forward to seeing God work in us and in this place this summer.

Our trailer, getting settled into it's new spot

Bittersweet flowers blooming at camp, they remind me of shooting stars!

Gabe, grimacing at having his photo taken

Kiddie climb during work weekend at Camp Bighorn

Reaching the top of the Kiddie Climb!

Marigolds that are about to be planted in our vegetable garden, hopefully they will keep the bunnies away!

Climbing the South Sister

A few weeks ago, Gabe, Kay (a friend from Temple Baptist), and I decided we wanted an adventure.  So, we headed south from Portland towards the Three Sisters.  The Three Sisters are three volcanic peaks that are part of the Cascade Range in Oregon.  These sisters are often called Faith, Hope, and Charity and are the third, fourth, and fifth highest peaks in Oregon.  We planned to climb the South sister, the third highest peak in Oregon.
We began our adventure off on Friday night and spent the night at a campground some six or so miles from the summit.  The next morning we had a good breakfast and headed off.  The hike was fun...there was about 4,900 feet of elevation gain over some 5 miles.  We stopped for lunch near Lewis Glacier (at about 8,750 feet), where we could view the false summit above us.  Throughout the day I was pretty positive, but with my fear of heights and my hip acting up, I decided to stay where I was while Gabe and Kay finished the climb.  The summit of South Sister is 10,358 feet, which Gabe and Kay were able to finish.

This is Kay.

Here is a view of the trail, the peak isn't visible but it is off toward the left.

Lunchtime near Lewis Glacier, about 8,750 feet.

Broken top is the mountain on the left and Mount Bachelor is the one of the right.

If you look, you can see Gabe bounding down the mountain.

Looking towards the false summit from our lunch stopping point.

Squid for Dinner

This week was the first time I have ever had squid.  Earlier this week Gabe and I went with some good friends to a Vietnamese restaurant where we had fried squid.  This inspired Gabe, today he brought home a box full of squid hoping to cook them.  Tori (his sister) already planned to make Lemon Linguine for dinner so we decided to cook up some squid and add them to the dinner.  First we had to clean them so we followed the picture directions we found here: http://www.squidfish.net/squidcleaning.shtml .  There were super fun to clean.  You could easily find the spine, pull it out, and then be able to see the inkspot.  If you burst the inkspot, ink really does come out and get all over!  It was a fun learning experience and an amazing dinner!

An Engagement

This past week Gabe and I got engaged.  I just wanted share a small glimpse of our year with those of you who haven't been able to see our relationship firsthand.  This is not a thorough representation of our year by any means.  This year we were both in Explore together, so you may recognize some of the photos from other blog posts.                                                  

A Psalm to God

Throughout this year in Explore, we had chapel times as a community five times a week.  During one morning chapel time we were encouraged to write our own psalm of praise to God.  I share this psalm with you as it has been formative of many of my thoughts from this past year.

Oh, Abba Father
you bring the light of morning
to fill the nooks and crannies of the earth
you remind me of my smallness
in the ginormity of your creation
the utter greatness of your stars


You have the mercy and grace
when I stumble
sometimes I fall flat on my face
you come along
and upright
you push when I am lax
and comfort when I hurt
but greatest of all
you are ever present


I do not tremble at days to come
because I have seen your mighty works
the power you work among
your people
and I know-with that deep understanding
that all I must and can do
is stand in your presence
and understand that you are God
and I am merely your created woman

It is only through you
that I can be in relation 
with others
it is only through you
that I can extend grace and forgiveness
these things are not of me
but of you-they are gifts
from your hands

Trust-sweet trust
is the last thing these bones
do naturally
yet, in your loving-kindness
you have taught this doubter,
this controller, this fearful being
what it is to walk in trust
you have been authentic
and redeemed my fears
what was once impossible
has been done through your power

Thank you, God my father
Thank you Abba

May I never leave your presence
may I never go from your hold
may you always possess every
part of my being

For you are my one and only
I have nothing else to cling to
Thank you

Wilderness First Responder and Search and Rescue Training

In March, as Explore students we began our Wilderness First Responder course followed by a few days of search and rescue training.  We spent portions of our classtime in lecture and discussion.  But, the best part of our training were scenarios where we practiced our skills.  We worked on many different skills including giving shots, stabilizing broken bones, dealing with acute stress reactions, and cleaning wounds.  Near the end our training a helicopter rescue team came to Camp Bighorn and spoke with us about their jobs.  All year long I had waited, and I was glad when we finally began this course because I enjoy the practical medical aspect of this course.  Thanks to the staff of Camp Bighorn for taking pictures of our course!