life seems to never go straight.

We’ve also made it! (on Monday) to our one year wedding anniversary.  I honestly feel like that is something both to be proud of and thankful for….worthy of celebration!!!

Highlights for us were the yellow Aspens at Zion (Sarah), the hiking (Todd and Sarah), the rock (Todd), and enjoying our days together (Todd and Sarah).   

I have learned though that I don’t enjoy sleeping in my sleeping bag much these days.  I like to poke my leg out when I sleep.  This is what is weird about blogs.  I have just told you all that I like to poke my leg out when I sleep and that a sleeping bag inhibits my comfort.  More specifically, I put one foot up to the knee of the other leg, and this provides ultimate comfort.  However, in a mummy sleeping bag this is not ideal.

2) FREE SHOWERS at the YMCA!  and man, did we need them.  God is good!

3) This is the first time I have ever spent Daylight Savings Time in a state that does not do it.  Arizona does not comply with spring forward and therefore, doesn’t need to fall back tonight.

a type of palm called the Joshua tree; half of the park is at altitudes high enough to have these trees in abundance

We got overly confident here.  We walked out into the desert so that Todd could boulder for a little while. It was only a couple of miles. For some reason, we did not carry any water.  Bad idea.  We walked in circles finding our way back to the parking lot.  It was a mild form of being lost in the desert.  

“Desert sky, dream beneath the desert sky.
The rivers run but soon run dry.
We need new dreams tonight.
Desert rose, dreamed I saw a desert rose
Dress torn in ribbons and bows
Like a siren she calls (to me).” -from U2′s album JOSHUA TREE 

1) I GOT MY T-SHIRT! I saw a t-shirt on display at the coffee cafe at Mars Hill Church in Seattle.  The shirt says “You Can’t Go Green Enough to Save Your Soul.”  * I am and have been “green” since my mom and I carried our own bags into the Asheboro, NC Food Lion about 15 years before it was cool.  I did my Girl Scout Gold Award project on Earth Day education.  I am a little obsessive about recycling, and I even wrote a letter when I was in elementary or middle school encouraging Asheboro’s powers-that-be to organize curbside pick-up for recycling. But, I believe the message on the shirt to be a very worthwhile one, and so I wore my new shirt to the San Diego Zoo.  

2) WE GOT FREE TICKETS TO THE ZOO! The wife of the artist who designed the aforementioned T-shirt gave us 2 free passes to the zoo.  Wow! What a gift!

the mommy panda sat right on top of the baby panda

3) I SAW A BABY PANDA, A MOMMA PANDA, AND A PAPA PANDA!  Enough said.  I cried, because I have always wanted to see a panda.  

4) WE VISITED DEL MAR, CORONADO, AND OCEANSIDE! The San Diego community really uses their beaches! Since I am a total beach bum, I appreciate their appreciation for what they have….gorgeous surf, fine sand, vast beaches, and sunsets.  They are out on their beaches playing volleyball, walking, and picnicking.

5) WE WENT TO CHURCH! At that church, we were offered:

a) an invitation to lunch with a family

b) a surfboard for Todd to borrow

c) a place to stay on Sunday night with the family that we went to lunch with (including a shower and an extremely comfortable bed and an amazing visit with an incredible family)

d) help on finding Zoo discounts

e) a bag lunch packed for us to take with us to the Zoo on Monday

WOW! We were humbled.  San Diego was good to us! The Lord was good to us! We have visited very friendly churches all across this nation.  We weren’t expecting anything when we visited these churches.  We just wanted to worship God and be encouraged, but we both hoped silently that eventually someone would ask to go to lunch with us and/or offer us a place to stay.  And at the end of our fourth month on the road, it happened.  They took a chance on us.  They took us in.  I really pray that I will grow up to take those chances and to offer what I have to those who need it, but more importantly, I hope that I can understand that God has given abundantly to me.  I hope that from this abundance I will share and spill over.  By that I mean, I hope I will allow Him to let the gifts He’s given overflow into lives around me.

With Adora in California

With Jennifer and Drew in California

We were fortunate in the metro Los Angeles area to stay with friends from Panama City in Pasadena and to visit our friend from Atlanta who just moved to North Hollywood.  We were treated to amazing frozen yogurt that was self-serve with flavors and toppings.  The price was calculated by weight.  AMAZING!  We also got to go to a Portuguese pastry shop with Adora.  Todd, Adora, and I shared an assortment of goodies many of which I had never tried because I had never been to a Portuguese bakery.  Our time in LA was marked by thought provoking discussions and friendship.  Being known and loved in a new place was a treasure!  

Something funny to note: Todd and I visited a Best Buy in Pasadena on a weeknight.  It was purely mayhem. People were everywhere.  To my left, Todd was playing game after game of Wii Tennis.  To my right, two teenage boys were playing Guitar Hero while a girl stood watching.  People were playing on MacBooks while kids were pacing by Todd and I to see when he’d be finished with is virtual game of tennis.  Families were walking around awestruck by the electronics, and Todd commented that it was like a free arcade.

With Michael Jackson in California

We went to Hollywood.  We walked along the stars.  I thought this was fun.  Todd humored me.  Hollywood was much less glamorous than I imagined, but it had so much ENERGY.  We were interviewed about the presidential election by NPR in front of the Chinese Theater. The reporter asked, “What one thing is determining your decision in the upcoming election?”  Now, I could go on and on here.  But, this is NOT a political blog.  There are plenty of those to go around.  

We drove through Beverly Hills and found a Chick-fil-A (Praise the Lord) in a food court in Redondo Beach. We got stuck in Friday afternoon traffic in LA.  Part of the experience I think, but then I was not the one driving.  

Also, I got to see Newport Beach (where “the OC” was set) and Laguna Beach.  I liked both towns.  Sunshine. Roller skaters.  Piers. Pretty houses.  Who can complain?

Todd and I went to Napa! It was such a fun day.  Really and truly I thought it was a beautiful area.  We decided only to tour one vineyard/winery.  I read and read the tour guide book describing the vineyards and tried to choose one location that was sort of on our way.  I wanted a tour.  I wanted a tasting.  I wanted to learn about the process of wine making.  Sure, there were free “tastings” at vineyards, but you could not tour the grounds or see informational videos.  My impression of these locations was that I would be able to walk into the gift shop only (not my style these days) and taste some wines, feeling guilty the whole time that I was not going to buy any.  

Finally, I settled on the Sterling Vineyards.  

A. I had heard of Sterling.

B. For $20 per person, there was a scenic tram ride, self-guided tour, and a tasting of 5 wines.

You see I am not a wine snob.  I do not drink a lot of wine.  I like wine and will usually accept some if it is offered to me with dinner, but I do not pretend to know about it or to be a connoisseur.  I have discovered that my palette is not very discriminative.  People pride themselves on their selective taste buds with coffee, chocolate, wine, etc.  Not me, I generally enjoy it all.  Don’t get me wrong there are things I do not like, and clearly, I have preferences and opinions.  But for the most part, I have always been overly excitable about most things.  Some people believe my joy to be fake.  Just not true.  I really do get pumped up about the things I like, and there happen to be many many things I like.  I have always been grateful for small pleasures and eager to learn more.  So, when the man in line in front of us at the Sterling Vineyard turned around and handed us half-price ticket passes, I WAS ELATED!  We both got in for what we had planned to pay for one of us.  Naturally, I thought the tram ride up to the facilities was splendid.  Naturally, I liked every single wine offered to me during the tour.  Naturally, I liked looking at the Greek architecture.  And naturally, I read every sign and watched as much of each video as possible.  

I have always been slow.  Todd has to wait on me nearly every day.  I am not one with which quick-paced travelers would enjoy going to a museum.  I like to really read and understand the little placards at each station on a tour.  Usually, with a group touring a place, I am the last one to exit, still feeling rushed and like I did not have enough time.  Sterling allowed me to travel at my own pace.  Right-O.

on the balcony overlooking the vineyard