Gurl, you are glowing!

Taken in the Wicks orchard the day before Tressa’s wedding!

Taken on my trusty Pentax K-100 with 35 mm Kodak Colormax ISO 400 film.

(p.s. if you want some portraits, especially if you are living in Olympia, let me know! there are a couple sunny days left and I have shots left on my roll of film. no charge to you!)

Just a classic first day of school picture to ring in my last year of my undergraduate degree! This year I will be applying for graduate programs to get my Master’s in Teaching to have the honor of teaching middle school history and English or any age Special Education.

This year at Evergreen State College I am taking a program called the Spanish Speaking World. We are learning about the peoples’ history of Latin America, studying Spanish language, and doing creative writing, ethnography projects, and furthering our cross cultural skills. During spring quarter there is an option to study abroad to Mérida, México on the Yucatán peninsula that I am excited about. It includes a home stay with a family there, studying at a language school that focuses on arts as a way to further language acquisition, along with volunteering in local organizations. While visiting my roommates extended family this past summer, we passed through Mérida and got to visit a Mayan community and swim in a cenote (underground swimming hole).

It was my goal to become a fluent Spanish speaker before I became a teacher in order to serve my students the best that I possibly can so I am excited to take this opportunity to do so! My Spanish practice will probably end up here in the scrapbook of my life in the coming weeks and months.

Yay! I am excited for the year of running into friends at Evergreen on a daily basis, eating lunch with people, admiring everyones amazing style and clothing, furthering justice work, growing with Jesus and as a person, etc. etc. College is fun.

My mom, the strongest person I know.

The one that raised 3 pumpkins while working full time and going to college in the evening finishing her bachelors and teaching certificate in 7 years. The one who went to years of counseling to get emotional healing, and who passed on the knowledge to us kids and so many people in her life. Who steps into what God calls her to. Who was single for the majority of my life, not pursuing dating relationships. Who leads with vulnerability. Who has put up with a lot of sass to let me grow on my own and realize where I desperately need help. Who is always willing to listen, be there, give a hug. Who takes feedback seriously. Who cares deeply for her kindergarten students and is the most caring teacher I have seen. Who is very passionate. And very silly.

Mom, you are the greatest person I know and have impacted me in ways that I will never be able to express my gratitude for.

Happy 47th birthday! (only 2 days late, haha).

My heart abounds in joy as my best friend joins in union with one of my rock star elementary school teachers son. I will write more but for now, CONGRATULATIONS AND HAVE SOME FUN!

Friends from Tacoma Urban Program all reconvened in Corvallis plus my rad road tripping baby step bro. The light from the flash on the polaroid camera looked similar to the actual eclipse!

My super rad baby (but taller than me now) step bro David!

The sun started to fade as the coolness of evening set in, complete with the birds singing a song to the dim light of the street lamps turning on. For about an hour or two we sat picnic style in a open field with laughter rising and neighbors calling out to each other.

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David (pictured to the right) and I left Arlington, WA pretty last minute and rolled into Corvallis, OR in the middle of the night to a living room sleep over with friends who stayed awake to greet us. The next day, David and I took some time to explore a river and swam like salamanders in a new place, taking our time, pulling ourselves along the shallow parts of the waterway. We didn’t have an agenda, so we gave into the summer lull and let the pressures of everyday dissipate in the warmth of the sun.

Getting to go to co-ops always seems like a treat to me, especially eating at the salad bars. It felt fun to get to pass on some road tripping wisdom and money budgeting as an older sister to a younger brother. It was a luxury to have the time to give David all of my attention to think about the profound questions and vulnerable thoughts that he posed.

This road trip felt like bliss in a lot of ways. Spending time with my brother, feeling free flying down the open road, getting to laugh with old and new friends, swimming in a river, eating at a co-op, seeing the eclipse, the excitement in the air, seeing millions of stars, stopping along the coast coming back home, seeing a herd of elk in a farm field. The magic of summer, road trips, and being connected to people and place all wrapped up into a summer memory.

Truths:

I thrive with no screen time

I feel good when I eat good

I think clear when I journal

I feel happy when I sleep a lot

My body likes to move