Day 20

A picture of something you wish you could forget.




Actually, I don't mind remembering how much it hurt to get this bruise. Because of it, I felt "hard core," earned bragging rights, and learned to let go of the rope sooner. It's one of those painful things that I wouldn't want to go through again, but all the same I'm glad I did.

Really, I just don't like forgetting things- even the times that are most painful or embarrassing. If I forget, I'll forget the lesson. Besides, these are parts of my life- if I were to blot them out of my memory, it would be less complete, less varied and expansive.

I used to think it wasn't fair that we remember our sins after we've been washed clean through repentance while Christ remembers them no more (Jeremiah 31:34). Why couldn't we all just forget and have them disappear completely?
That would miss the point. Repentance is a path toward changing, growing, overcoming. By remembering we keep ourselves from falling back into old habits and we can be gentler with others going through similar tough times.

Found this on someone else's blog, and it touched me. An interesting perspective.
(http://lamont-uphill.blogspot.com/2011/02/day-21-something-i-wish-i-could-forget.html):

"Forget.
Not because it was bad.
Not because I wish it never was.
Not because it wasn't a precious time with good people.

But because it's something I find myself missing so much.
If I could forget the loss, remembering would not be so difficult."

Day 19

A picture of a place you'd love to travel



Costa Rica! Beautiful turquoise water, warm sunshine, Spanish, national parks, whitewater rafting, colorful cultures, incredible biodiversity- let's go!

Day 18

A picture of something you'd never leave home without



Okay, so I kinda cheated on this one. My "one thing I wouldn't leave home without" happens to be so valuable because of all the little things it contains. See the small white rectangle in the corner? That's a little bag I call my "micro-mini," and everything else in the picture goes inside it. I can't leave home without it because it helps me be prepared for whatever might come up- be it splinters, a burst seam or an unexpected sleepover due to a snowstorm. Even packed to the bursting it's a great size to toss into a purse, ammo can or backpack. At the last count, here is what it contains:

loop of string
fruit leather
big bandaid
tweezers
nail file
comb
spork
Ibuprofen
Drammamine
travel toothbrush
fun-size toothpaste
ballpoint pen
Sudafed
cough drop
mini first-aid kit (random small pills & ointments & band-aids)
travel sewing kit
safety pins
rubber band
Emergen-C
Kool-Aid
chapstick
lotion
dental floss
fingernail clippers
toiletry products
spare car key
spare camera batteries
pocket knife
bobby pins
hair ties
pocket mirror

And the funny thing is that I've used them all before: tried & tested essentials to being prepared for anything. :)

Day 17

A picture of something that's recently had a big impact on your life

My car! I'd never had a car of my own until this February. I have since discovered that a car means freedom and independence like I've never had before, but also comes along with new things to learn like how to check oil, how expensive gasoline is, how pointless a left turn during Jeep Safari is, etc. It's quite the adventure- and quite the ticket to plenty more! I plan on getting good use out of my National Park Pass in the next year :)

I guess I haven't really taken many pictures of my car yet... but I thought this one was cool. How many lucky numbers can you get in a row? 13-42-42! Affectionately nicknamed "Cori" by Holly, this little Toyota corolla and I have seen thousands of miles go by together already. She's kind of gutless when racing semitrucks to the top of a hill, but gets good gas mileage and handles well. And she's purty!

Funny story: Stephen, one of my coworkers, sold his car in February. His small white gold-bottomed Toyota corolla. It turned out to be the same car! Talking to Stephen, I soon solved the mysteries of the blank left bumper, crack in the windshield, and replaced engine. He's known around here as "Megamiles Steve" because he occasionally takes off to Las Vegas, Tuscon, or Montana for the weekend. Apparently Cori was quite the world traveler in her youth!

Day 16

A picture of someone who inspires you.



My mom! This is an especially appropriate post considering the upcoming holiday: Mothers Day!
I don't know how she does it. Seven kids, her own business, a big huge house, a whole branch of young adults, a book club, preschool classes, and so much more... and still looks fantastic in her skinny jeans! ;)

She inspires me mostly by her example, but also through good advice and challenges. She's fun to talk to and knows a whole lot about everything. We may not agree on everything, and I know neither of us is perfect, but we learn from one another. I guess I realized how much she means to me when I left home two years ago and she wasn't always there when I needed her recipes or advice. I had no idea how much work it takes to run a household until I was on my own! Like I said, she's amazing, and I want to be a mom like her someday :D

Day 15

A picture of something you want to do before you die.

Halfway through! You know, I think I'll just post a few of these every day for now on. The summer's almost here!

Anyway, for a list of things I want to do before I die, see the bucket list on the right side of the screen. :)

For a picture, see below: I'd love to see the Northern Lights. It just doesn't seem real in photographs or films. I want to know for myself that the spectacular ghostly lights are real- and I can imagine that the experience is nothing you could recreate in any way besides being there.

(Picture courtesy
http://www.guildtravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/auroraborealis1.jpg)

Wrong Turn

Lately I've been thinking about "wrong" turns. Monday's 3.8-mile backpacking trek into camp turned into 9.7 miles because of not one but two wrong turns that led to a nearly 6-mile detour.

We didn't miss any deadlines, didn't really have any place to be soon, so it was okay to wander around for hours. We ended up seeing some really cool pictographs, ladders, slickrock bowls, towers, blooming cacti, winding streams, mountain views, and so many other things. We covered trails we never would have otherwise seen.


We pushed our limits and enjoyed the journey: after a while, another few miles didn't even seem like that big a deal (maybe we just reached that point where you can't get any more exhausted. lol) We got into camp with plenty of time to relax and explore before we even needed to cook dinner. And all those long miles toting heavy packs added up to a good night's sleep (for most- I seem to have developed this odd inability to sleep outside. I'll have to get over that soon...)

So if the detour led to such an amazing journey, why were we bummed to realize we had taken a wrong turn? Why did we kick ourselves and mourn the added miles?
After all, they were only wrong because they weren't originally where we'd planned to go.

How often in life do we feel a little panicky when something comes up and changes our plans? What of our mistakes that lead to detours? A little time, a little patience, and you'll get there in the end. That's one thing I've learned: things work out. Life goes on. The only real failure is failure to keep moving. Likely you'll learn things along the way that you'd never have considered had you stayed on the original course. You may even be stronger for it. And you'll surely be wiser when you finally reach your destination.


(After 15 miles, two blisters and a very raw patch of skin, Joe decided that flying would be less trouble than walking. ;)

Day 14

A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without.



My best bud Athena! She is one of the happiest, sweetest, most talented and least selfish people I know. We've had a lot of good times through high school and beyond. Laughing until we cry, staying up way too late, doubling up for dates, going out for lunch & hot chocolate, talking about boys, dreaming and planning out our futures, teasing each other, hiking and rafting, goofing around at Girls' Camp, cheering each other on, and of course SINGING together! I miss her sweet voice and the way we blend so well together.

I can't imagine my life without her because she's taught me that it's okay- and actually a whole lot of fun- to be a hopeless romantic, among other things. ;) And she is just such a good friend, good at listening, gentle and loving always- and so giving! I just received a card in the mail from her a while back, and it totally made my day. Athena, I love you!