One year ago and two days

So I am still somewhat unpacking and going through things and I found this as I was picking papers up and rearranging things: It's a movie stub from a year ago and two days. Well almost one day since its just about midnight. It's a ticket for a midnight showing of Indiana Jones for May 22, 2008. About this time I was getting ready to go to Louisiana. I had just finished my first year of college. I was glad to be home and glad to be leaving.

It is so weird to think about who I was and what was important to me then. In some ways I feel like I have learned a lot and other ways I have learned nothing because I continue to do the same things and I hate it.

On another note finding this stub just proves that I can't throw anything away. I hope I don't have or develop this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compulsive_hoarding

It says that its not really a problem unless it affects your relationships or it causes me stress or I start stealing. So if I start doing that I'll know that I need some help.

Highlights

So I got back from driving down the coast with Alisha and I know that I have been posting the pictures on facebook but there is no commentary and no highlights of some of the really neat things. So here is a list. They aren't in any particular order. I was going to number them but I didn't choose them in that order to upload and its too annoying to change the picture order. So here goes:


1. The redwoods. They are just so amazing. They are so tall and big and strong and just breathtaking looking at them. We didn't see the drive thru tree. But that's okay because we got to see the other trees. And we got to go along Avenue of the Giants. So sweet. Definitely recommend it. Maybe on a tank of gas that you know for a fact is full though.

2. Starbucks was our friend on the trip. I wish I had a 'drink' but I don't I always just change my mind. Leesh has a drink: iced soy hazelnut caffe mocha with whipped cream. I think I got that right. I vary. Sometimes I like the iced coffee. Sometimes the chai tea. Or maybe a caramel macchiato. It just depends.

3. The Oregon Coast. It was so beautiful. It was green and foliage-y and cold. It was very cold. Especially in a tshirt. But it was worth it.

4. Haystack Rock. I think that's the name. It a prop in the goonies. Except it was along the coast of an Oregon Beach. So it was bitter cold. Like we were walking closer but it wasn't even worth it because well we were crying it was so cold. So we took some pictures and made like a banana and split.

5. Stopping along the drive because we see something cool. Yep we were able to just stop. And take some pictures. Just because we felt like it. No time table.

6. Driving down the 1 from Santa Cruz to San Luis Obispo area. So pretty. This picture actually doesn't show the beauty but it has me in it. That's why I think I chose it. This is from a stop at elephant seal beach. They were all washed up on the shore because they were molting. But you can't see them in the picture. Again, I think I chose this picture cause I was in it. Please excuse my farmer's tan. I am working on it this summer.

7. Seeing the Osborne's. Seriously the best part of the trip. They let us stay at their house and eat their food and made us breakfast and talked with us. They still caught up on everything in our lives. We were so blessed to have them while we were in the youth group.

8. Seeing the goonie house. Need I say more?

9. Well I will cause I put a picture of each of us in front of the house. It was just cool.

9. Amazing waterfall. There is so much power in falling water. Who knew? This was such a fun hike down to this place. And a really taxing hike back up to the car.

10. Bonfire at a lake. Okay so this is in here because it was just ridiculous. So we get to the sand area and there were no open pits. So Leesh, me and two others start to just stalk around the pits hoping to find an empty one or one that will soon be opened. And it works. Except another pair of people were doing the same thing. So we decide to share. They are high schoolers. Oh and when we start the fire they break out some beers. We're like whatever, they stay on their side we stay over here. Like an hour later a group of three or four comes and they have vodka! (I think, I don't really know liquor that well) And this group doesn't know either group they were just mooching on the fire. Anyway the best part comes next: the cops show up! And they see the high schoolers with the beer and make them poor out all their cans. And they ask if any of the back packs have beer. One kid steps forward and opens it. There were four cans! And the cops just make them open them up and pour all the beer out. And that was it. No reprimand. They just walk away after that. And they didn't even see the other group with their hard liquor. But after that happened the high school group was pretty much disbanded and we were left to just enjoy the bonfire. It was an interesting night. Ha.

11. The troll. Ever since I saw 10 things I hate about you and found out that this statue thing actually existed I have wanted to see it. So of course we see it the night I get there. Oh by the way I come in at eleven p.m. so by the time we get there it is definitely about midnight. (This picture was not from that night). Anyway I am in a group of four girls (including me) and one guy. So we start climbing around it. Well we have to help each other up it. The other three girls get on and then Leesh goes to help me up, she pulls on my arm, oh and it definitely comes out of the socket. I feel it and I'm in shock. It hurts pretty bad and I am in a strange city and I know that when my friend had his shoulder dislocated he went to the ER to get it back in. No joke my first thought was a t.v. show. In it this woman to put her shoulder back in she bangs it against a pole. Well, I didn't have a pole so I'm leaning against the rock, face forward, and I can't bring myself to just hit it. Even though all I want it to do is go back in. So I just sit down and Leesh is asking what needs to be done and I am freaking out and I feel like an idiot because its the first time I met these people and I'm thinking that maybe I'm overreacting or something. But it hurts really bad. So I'm trying to move it...and it goes back in. And I'm just so relieved. Anyway this makes me think that it was just a minor dislocation, called a subluxation. But then later in the trip when we are driving I feel a minor movement in my shoulder and I press on it and I feel it go back in. So that was when it subluxed. At the troll it definitely dislocated. And there isn't even much I can do for it. Its still gets sore. I just need to work on gaining muscle there. No big deal. I've got the whole summer.

Oh so this picture is when we went back to the troll. I think we went there a few more times on the trip. I'm still glad I went and saw it. I can mark that off on my things to do :)

12. And lastly all the many pictures that were of just me and Leesh. And there were a lot. Like a lot a lot. Because we were with each other for just about seven days straight...

..in the car......when it was cold in Oregon......during our random stops...
...walking around seattle......and being just goofy and taking pictures when we were driving.

So those were the highlights.

Designated Sitter

So of course I don't think I have slept in till noon yet on my summer break. Today I would have except I got to go to my sister's at 6:45 this morning so that I can watch my niece while her parentals went off to their jobs. Of course we took some webcam pictures. She loved them. She just doesn't know it yet.

Crawling on the floor. She knows I'm her favorite.

And I get to do it tomorrow. Its making me glad that I don't have a baby. I don't need one in my life yet. Which is good. I'm only twenty.

They know me so well

My friends are amazing. They just know me so well. They took me to something that I had wanted to do with them but they didn't know that I wanted to and I didn't think that they would want to so I didn't tell them I wanted to and yet they did it for me anyway.

Confused?

Let me start over. Today was/is my birthday. And a week ago I get a text from Rachel Firster basically telling me to not make any plans from mid day to fourish on this day of birth. They planned to surprise me with something. Well, I have somewhat of a reputation for figuring out surprises or say secret santas. I'm just a good deducer. I happened to be with Alisha in Seattle and she knew about the surprise so she asked me to not be Jane and try and figure it out. Let me just say that I tried to not try to figure it out. I really did. My friends won't believe me...but I did.

Anyways what they ended up doing was taking me to a Galaxy game. I love going to these games. Its a side that my friends rarely see. Its not like I talk about going to these games ever. But they are so fun. I have gone to numerous games over the years and I love them. I love the atmosphere. I love the game. It just makes me so happy. And when I found out like in April that there was a game right on my birthday I really wanted to go. But I didn't think my friends would want to go. So I never talked to them about it. At all.

And they just knew me so well that they took me to the game. And they tried to make it a surprise but the circumstances wouldn't allow it. Sorry guys.

Here's a picture of us in front of the field. Not the best quality. And Emma's eyes are closed. And I'm kind of half standing because the security guard came right then to tell us to not sit on the wall and he kind of half pushed me.

They had me blind folded in the car, even though I knew and they kind of knew that I knew. And they made a whole bunch of videos. I'm pretty sure these videos should not ever be shown in public.

I love my friends. I am so grateful for them for making this one of my favorite birthdays. Thank you for knowing me so well and not being too angry with me for figuring it out. Next time I won't ask any questions. I promise.

Endings...and beginnings

It is the end of my school year. I cannot believe that this moment is finally here. The last week has been so stressful and busy and ridiculous. I feel like two weeks have passed these past seven days. But its over now. And I made it.

It's funny because you don't really ever see the light at the end of the tunnel when you are in that dark area. You see glimpses but its just a flicker and the tunnel just gets darker when the flicker goes away. But when you finally make it through that tunnel you are so relieved. And you want to tell everybody about all the dark things in that tunnel but they won't ever truly understand. By all means they will be able to rejoice that you made it back into the light but that's where the understanding ends. (Pardon my drawn out metaphor; I'm in the literary mood)

Anyways, I've had many random conversations this past week about a hodgepodge of things. One time I was talking to this girl about stress. And we came to the conclusion that everybody (I'm generalizing here but we mostly meant students during finals week) thinks they are the most stressed person in the world and nobody else could possibly be going through what they are going through. I know I feel like this sometimes. But really we all understand; we're just going through a different kind of stress. My stress stemmed from all the stuff that I had to do in addition to my finals. Other people are stressed about where they are living next year. Those more studious people are stressed about getting 100% on their finals.

But I'm done. Finito. Termino. And I can put this past week in the memories that I won't mind forgetting.

Because now it is the beginning of summer. The first thing on the list is a trip up to Washington to see Leesh and drive down with her. And then who knows? The opportunities are endless.