busy being busy bee

hello friends. that is, if any of you are patient and kind enough to still drop by this silly and woefully neglected blog from time to time. life has been tremendously busy lately. but tremendously good. i bore my testimony yesterday and all i could say was a laundry list of gratitude. i've been blessed. here is a list of recent, and not so recent events:

1. my job is so great. i am loving it. i love getting to know the students (and secretly, i sort of like being called miss bennion, which i didn't think i'd like). i love getting to work hard, long hours doing things that make a difference and revolve around the things i love most. i love too that i teach a hiking class and a games class- this means each afternoon regardless how much stuff i still have on my desk, i get to don my shorts and head out to the glorious outdoors and enjoy. today we had a roudy game of kickball that earned me some new bruises from base sliding.
   
2. the biggest organizational event of my year came and went successfully! somehow i organized and managed 250+ people climbing, attempting to climb and just hanging out on mt. nebo two weekends ago. the day was a big success and we broke all school records with 112 people to the top, 95 of whom were students! the fall colors were perfect, the weather divine, and spirits high and excited. plus my old friend joy (a fellow wasatch '97er) came out to hike as well! two other classmates marta and jess came down to visit as well.

'97 ladies joy, marta, jess, moi, joe in the back

1. last weekend i had/got to take a group of students rafting on westwater and again we enjoyed perfect warm weather, great water levels, burgers at rays and lots of fun. good bonding time with the students. additional fun was camping out the night before in a gravel parking lot in the abandoned town of cisco where i scared the girls with ghost stories and we counted shooting stars.

sunrise in cisco

1. i finished knitting my sweater! and knitted a hat! woot! i'll post pics i promise. the best part is the sweater is not a frankensweater and i've already worn it in public. whew.
   
2. i finally finished a book on the bus last weekend, the graphic novel 'persepolis' which i've been meaning to read for ages.
   
3. the hens are laying good eggs, and reuben is nice and tan from lots of outdoor time.
   
4. new friends both near and far.
   
5. old friends far and near.
   
6. parents near by.
   
7. god in my life everyday.
   

three decades

i'll admit, i cried a little last night. i'm not sure if it was because i was sad about turning thirty, or stress about school starting the next day, or gratitude for this last decade of life that has been so great. probably all three. it wasn't a bad cry. but i found myself approaching this birthday with a fair amount of trepidation, 30. so big. so not in my 20's anymore. yipes. it's funny as a kid i never gave much thought to planning out my life, but i did have one goal- to have my first kid at age 25 so i would be 30 when they started kindergarten. i'm not sure why. and that obviously didn't happen. but lots of things happened i didn't expect, and that are great, i made a list in my journal last night of all the things i experienced, did, or was blessed with in my 20's. it is a pretty great list. my 20's were wonderful. i graduated from undergrad and grad school. i served a mission for a year and a half. i lived in italy for a year. i traveled to 9 different countries. i learned to knit. i was a librarian in three different libraries. i bought a car. i was in love, and broken hearted. i met scores of wonderful people and am lucky to still call them friends. i kept friendships from before my 20's alive. i started a girl's ranch. i spent more nights outside than i can ever count. i got my sweet kitty reuben (you love that kate). i grew spiritually, intellectually, emotionally. i was blessed daily with all that i need. there were lots more things on the list, but these are the standouts. so thank you to all of you for being a part of my 20's, i feel incredibly blessed for such a rich wonderful life. thanks especially to those two hippies who raised me. and to god for giving me all that i have. xo
p.s. this song in from an album my dad gave me for my birthday!

the birthday boy!

today is a special special day . . . PAPA JOE'S BIRTHDAY!!! my dad is really, THE very best one. he says that all the time to me, and i usually blow him off saying he says that to the dog, but i know really that my dad cares for me more than anything in the world. i think that is the greatest gift he's given me is his undying love and support. there are lots of other things my dad has given me as well, things he's really good at like: my dad taught me to love, respect, and dwell in the outdoors it is his passion that introduced me to the deserts and mountains of utah. still today he hikes in the mountains nearly every morning. my dad taught me to be self-sustaining through his great love of gardening. he is a master and raised me to appreciate picking beans at 6:30 am and snapping peas on the front porch. my dad is a very talented and skilled artist and craftsman. he has taught me through example how to follow my bliss and work hard for the things that you feel called to do. my dad has taught me to care for others, especially those who are hard to love as he has tirelessly volunteered working with prisoners for the last 12+ years. my dad has taught me to take seriously the small and simple things as he has been an above and beyond home teacher, helping bring light to many lives. my dad has taught me to value most the things that matter most through his commitment to our family, and the gospel of Jesus Christ. i realize writing this that so much of who i am today, the things i am most passionate about, are because of my dad's good example. i love you so much dad! i hope this is a great day for you! thanks for being who you are. xoxo
ps if you are his friend on facebook send him a happy birthday message!