Beautimous

Did you guys know that I'm in Colorado? And that I love Colorado with my whole being? Because, um, I am, and I do.

Example: Just for kicks, I checked the temperature back in DC. It's 97 degrees. With a heat index of 106. That's gross. Here at home, it's currently 74, and the high is only 71 so I don't think it'll be getting much hotter than that today. And for that, I am supremely glad.

Yesterday I went hiking with Mom up to the Crags, which is in Divide. I love Divide, have I ever mentioned that? It was so nice to hike up there. The other day I went "hiking" at Garden of the Gods, and...just...no. I took Nutmeg, who I have discovered is not the best hiking buddy. (Can't really blame her, I guess, I mean, she has to wear a fur coat!) She might have more stamina if she were off-leash, but I don't trust her off-leash anywhere but Palmer Park. I certainly wouldn't want to take her off-leash with me hiking somewhere in the mountains. If she saw a squirrel or chipmunk (or, heck, an elk or deer or something), she'd take off and who knows if she'd find her way back. So anyway. Hiking the Crags was much better than Garden of the Gods. I can't even describe how happy and complete I feel when I'm up there. Out of the city, away from busyness and people and noise. (Not that I'll ever really call Colorado Springs noisy after living in DC. Especially after living practically right next to the Beltway in DC.)


*******

Wooo, way to start a post and then ignore it for almost a week. Sheesh.

Anyway. Yeah. Been in Colorado. Not doing much, but doing enough. Having a good time. Enjoying being here. Tonight I went to trivia with my brothers and parents. I was pretty cranky about going for a variety of reasons, but it was fun enough, and we even got third out of 18. We were actually in third the entire way, which is weird/impressive. So that's cool I guess. Went to the zoo this afternoon with sister/nephews/little bro/Mom. That was fun too. I love the zoo. Plus it's pretty up there because it's in the mountains and we all know how I feel about mountains. Been hanging out with friends once in awhile (but most of those hang-outs have been more scheduled gatherings and less just hanging out for the fun of it, which I guess is what happens when I'm only here for such a short time and people have their own lives and things going on too), doing almost-daily Palmer Park trips with Nutmeg and slightly more infrequent walks around the neighborhood greenway. Nothing too exciting or earth-shattering, but...being. Every once in awhile (or all the time), I might start to get overwhelmed by all those feelings of "I hate what I'm missing when I'm not here, I don't want to go back omgpleasedon'tmakemegobackthere", but then I remember: in nine and a half months (but who's counting?), God willing, I'll be done. I'll have an MTS. And I'll get to come back home for good. Now, obviously, I don't know that that's the case, as I have no idea where I'll be led next, but I think it's a good possibility that it'll be SOMEWHERE in the vicinity. And that'll be good enough, especially if somewhere in the vicinity is where God brings me, because then it'll be just as it should be.

Yeah, it's going to be a tough year, I'm sure. But I'm hopeful that it'll be better than last year. New living situation, which will hopefully improve things, new classes that I'm actually excited about, and of course, the very simple fact that I'm on the downhill track now. I made it over the hump. This summer has been my hump. I made it through the summer, and now I'm more than halfway done my DC stint. And the simple fact that each day that passes is one less day I have to spend out there is a great thing. Looking at two years when you've barely got any of those two years under your belt is a much more difficult and daunting thing than looking at two years when you're already done a year. Academically, it's possible that this year will be more difficult than last year. Especially the first month, and the entire second semester when I'll be studying for comps with every spare moment (if I know what's good for me). It's also quite likely that I won't get the recharge that comes with visits home, since at the moment I'm not thinking I'll be home at all except for Christmas break. That could change, but I have no weddings to go to (crazy!), and Thanksgiving tickets are always crazy expensive. Plus, much as I love love love being home and miss it when I'm not here, traveling is just so stressful. And no matter what or when, there's always a sort of disquiet that comes with being home when I know it's only so very temporary, and it ends up being just a whirlwind of trying to fit in as much as I can of the things I love about being home. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love it, but it's sometimes difficult. I don't love that.

Anyway. Things. Life. Who knows?

I don't have much to say. Not looking forward to going back, but also looking forward to getting things started and settled out there. First week is going to be criz-ayzy. I fly in Monday; I think my flight gets in at 9 or so pm. So, not much doing that night. The next four days will be spent trying to rack up as many hours as possible at work, since I just took two full weeks off (plus an extra day on both ends). I'm thinking I might try 8-6 every day; not sure if that's realistic though. Either way, once I get home the nights will be spent packing as much as I can, as efficiently as possible. Ugh. Not going to be fun. Saturday I'm going to a wedding. Sunday is the planned move date. Yeah. It's going to be a bit ridiculous for awhile. Oh well.

The thought of that makes me want to go back up to Divide. Sigh. Maybe I'll hike the Crags tomorrow again instead of doing Section 16 like I am tentatively planning. Never managed do to the whole Section 16 hike, but it's still basically in the Springs. Divide is...just plain lovely Divide. I love Divide. I really, really do. Ahhhhh. The thought of that is a bit tempting...hm. Guess I'll play it by ear in the morning.

Seriously, I'm so freaking lucky to have grown up here. Of course, I've only really appreciated it in the last year or two, but still. It's always been there. And I'm lucky to be able to come back here as much as I do (and, hopefully, for good soon enough).

Colorado. Ah. Such loveliness.

Reasons to love

Totally shallow, but I love how my hair isn't frizzy and humidified right now. I really miss that. It feels so nice, like it hasn't in...months.

It's been cloudy and overcast much of the day, and raining off and on all night. And thundering too, which is always awesome at night. I love nighttime thunderstorms. (Funny because I absolutely used to be terrified of them.)

Today was cool much of the day (thanks to the clouds and such). I was very happy about it. I love the sun and seeing my beautiful mountains, but these cool cloudy days are a blessing too. Especially since I haven't felt weather this cool in months. And months. And cool weather here just feels different than DC. Of course, it's already been well-established that everything here is better than DC.

But good news! I'll be back home for good (God willing - please, God!) in ten months! That's not too bad when you think about it. Definitely better than a year.

And until then, I have another 11.5 days here. Plus, hopefully, a few weeks at Christmas. Beyond that, I'm not sure (Thanksgiving tickets are always expensive, and I don't know what'll happen come Spring Break, being so close to comps and all). So, it'll be a tough ten months. But hopefully a good ten months, in which I'll continue to learn and grow and be better.

But for now, I'm still going to focus on enjoying Colorado as much as I can while I still can.

More me

I know I play on the "go Colorado" theme a lot around here (and...everywhere else), but I can't help it. I feel so much better here than I have in so long. I mean, I've only been here a couple of days, and I can literally feel a physiological difference in myself. I really feel better. It's weird, but it's true. Things that I notice about myself in DC don't happen here. I belong here. I need here. So the day I decide to stay in DC, or not come back to Colorado, is the day I sentence myself to years of misery. And it's not even self-imposed, because I have no control over my physiological self.

Anyway. I love being here. Deep, deep down. Not just the surface level of having family and friends and mountains here. It's kind of like...in the Chronicles of Narnia, when the Pevensie children return in the second book (Prince Caspian - which I may just have read and finished on the plane ride out here), the book describes the air and water of Narnia affecting them so that they become more their kingly and queenly selves again, those people that they were at the end of the first book when they left Narnia. That is like Colorado air and water for me. I become more who I am here. My body can tell, even subconsciously. That's just the way it is. I need to be here. I guess I have to go back to DC to finish this degree, but...my goodness, if I can't come back here after, I don't know what I'll do. I suppose I'll manage.

But until then, I'm going to be praying with every inch of my soul that God's future plans for me involve Colorado.

The end.

Seven Quick Takes Volume XIV

The "Reasons I'm glad to be home" picture edition

1. Puppy love and great dads.

2. Beautiful views.

3. A late-blooming cactus flower. <3

4. Nephews (who happily comply when told "Let's see how many times you can run in a circle!").

5. Dogs with laser eyes.

6. Burrowing.

7. Nice soft mattresses, even with box springs.

Bonus pictures!

(Nice, wonderful, tasty water straight out of the tap.)

(Nephews, again.)

(Unconditional love.)

(Friends.)

(Rests after exercise.)

(Palmer Park.)

(Fields of yucca.)

(Pikes Peak.)

(Rocky paths.)

(Lots and lots of tall Lamb's Ear plants.)

Loverly.

Two more sleeps!

So, in two days, I will be back home, in lovely Colorado, and oh my GOSH I can't wait! I'm so excited! I've been in an uncommonly good mood this week, very uncharacteristic for me, especially for Summer Susie, but I can only think that it's because this week, this week I go home!

And people, I've been looking forward to this ALLLL summer. And summer has felt long so far. I think. I don't really know, it's just felt sucky in general. Some good things, but mostly sucky overall.

But I go home Thursday!

I feel a little guilty for taking so much time off of work (other people have taken or will have taken, by the end of summer, just about the same amount of time, but not consecutively). But I have far to go. And so little here. And I just don't care. I care, but the overwhelming need to be home far outweighs any caring I might do.

I'm so excited!

I'm so excited that, oddly, I packed my bags tonight. But it's sort of a preliminary packing, because I need to purge. I do NOT need to take that many clothes with me. This is my chance to overwear the more casual skirts I don't wear much to the office! I don't need to be taking the nicer skirts. What, like I'm going to traipse around Palmer Park wearing my nice skirts? Psh. Come on Susie, get it together. (I'm glad I didn't grow up in a divorced household. I do not do well shuffling between places where I'm living, because I want to bring everything with me all the time. This is also evidence of the fact that I'm too attached to stuff, something I'm trying to work on.) So. Tonight I threw into two bags (a check size, and a carry-on size) all the clothes I'm initially wanting to take. Tomorrow night, I guess I'll purge. And the shoes. Man it's hard to pick shoes to bring. What ever happened to the days when I owned like four pairs of shoes? Running shoes, tennis shoes, and maybe a couple pairs of nicer shoes. But again, I have to remember: this is my chance to give up the heels for a few weeks! (Although, I do love heels. But, really, why would I want to wear heels around just to go shopping, or...I don't even know what I'm going to do when I'm home, well, when I'm not hiking or at Palmer Park or something like that. Sheesh. I really don't need those heels. Duh Susie. Ok, I'm thinking more rationally now. I think I can manage some purging tomorrow. I need to, because I'm hoping to bring my viomalin back with me, so I can't be taking all these bags and stuff with me. I'll need to carry on the violin.

Anyway. Hopefully I'll still be thinking rationally come tomorrow night. Besides, it's not like I'm going to have people to impress, anyway. I care less about how nice I look when there's not people to impress. It's better for me. (And that's usually when I meet some attractive Catholic young man. Haha. C'est la vie.)

Well. I was going to mention something else, too...what was it? Think think think think think...

Ah yes. The other source of my current state of happiness. Now, this one is still somewhat tentative (but becoming less so every day...), but...have I mentioned that I might be moving next month? Because...I probably am. :-D I'm so excited about it, too. My friend down in Alexandria, my friend who is also an intern and also in my graduate program, needs to fill spots in her apartment for her two roommates, both of whom are moving out at the end of the month. And I had been considering moving down there a few months ago, when housing situations were all in flux and in question. I kind of gave up on it (although rather reluctantly) for a variety of reasons. But then this happened, just this month, and...it might work out really well. There are many reasons I'm excited, both excited to move down there, and excited to move out of Silver Spring. I just feel...done...with Silver Spring. I mean, it's fine. And I like the church I go to. And there are a number of people up here I know. But...I've never been crazy about the area. And I'm just so enamored with Virginia. It just feel so much better to me. Maybe it's a "grass is greener" thing; who knows. I think it could be very good for me, though. Plus, two of my Colorado friends have moved to the area in the last few months, and they both live in northern VA, so I'd be closer to them. It's farther from school, yes, and not very near a metro, but metro prices are getting ridiculous, and it's looking like I'll have a borrowed car for the next year, starting in September. Plus, I'll be living with my friend who will have basically the same schedule as me, so we'll carpool all the time. Yay! And that's another benefit: living with a friend. Not that I'm not friends with the girls here (well, I don't really know three of the girls who will be moving in, so...I'm not), but...I don't know. It'll be nice to live with someone of my choosing, you know? Plus, my friend, she is awesome. And beautiful. And lovely!

And Alexandria has Old Town, which is so cute! I love it. Well, I've only been there twice, and I haven't really walked around at all, but that's ok. I can tell. Plus, there's a church down there (where my friend usually goes, I think), and I was looking at it online today, and I think I could really love it. You might notice, it says that the 10am uses a traditional choir (yeah!) and once a month is in Latin! I'm quite a fan of that. So anyway. There are lots of reasons to be excited about it, and I am. It's not definite yet, though, but basically is. (We have to find someone to replace me here, but that shouldn't be a problem. And...I pretty much...well, anyway, yeah.) It'll be a little crazy in August, because I'll probably move shortly after I get back to town, but yeah. It'll be good for me. Also, I went to Theology on Tap last night for the Arlington diocese (of which Alexandria is a part), which actually takes place at a pub in Old Town (which is an awesome place with this cute old Irishman who owns it!), and it was fun, and it'd be nice to be close to that. But here's the kicker about it all: if God wants it to happen, it'll happen. After a lot of thinking and prayer (probably too much thinking and not enough prayer), I feel a good deal of peace about moving. It's tough, as change always inevitably is, but sometimes it's really good. And I feel peace in a way that I think means it's supposed to happen, and is right. So, hopefully that's true, and if so then it will happen.

So anyway. Lots of excitement! Yay!

Colorado, I'm on my way. :-)

Seven Quick Takes Volume XIII

1. I had a very busy day at work today. Which, by the way, was very nice. I really love busy days. But what did I do all day? I made phone calls. All. Day. Long. I called something like 60 dioceses. That's a lot. I mean, compared to my typical .5 phone calls per day (and that's being generous, usually), 60 phone calls is way above and beyond normal. I am not a phone person. I am so much not a phone person that towards the end of the day, as my list still to call was getting shorter and shorter, my neck started getting sore. That muscle that's right under the jaw. If there is a muscle there. I assume there is, because it was starting to hurt. I never talk that much in the course of a day. (And I especially never talk so much with so much enthusiasm and positivity. Not exactly false enthusiasm and positivity, but it was a little bit forced.)

But, I'm a lot more comfortable with making and receiving phone calls now. It's one of the things I hate most about working in an office. Well, about life in general, really. But being thrown in the deep end, having to talk on the phone all day, you get used to it pretty quickly. (And yes, it did help immensely that my supervisor had given me a script to work off of.)

2. I will be, God willing (please, God, be willing!), in glorious Colorado six days from this moment. At that time, I'll probably hanging out with friends at a Bible study. But in beautiful Colorado. I'll have stopped at home briefly, seen the parents, probably the big brother, definitely the awesome dog. And I'll be in amazing Colorado.

3. On Monday I finished the afghan I had started a week and a half earlier. And then continued on the other one I have partially finished. During some of the hottest days that they've seen here. (It's been hot. Not really afghan weather. But still, I knit.)

4. I think I've bought all that they make around here, but this summer I have grown my playing card collection by numerous decks. I had sort of forgotten that I collect playing cards for awhile, probably since I haven't really gone anywhere in a long time where I would get playing cards, but touristy places always have them. And DC has a lot of touristy places. So you do the math. At first it was just one or two, during Memorial Day weekend. But then everywhere I went, I started seeing them. Some places even have multiple decks. At first I held back, since some of them aren't terribly exciting to me. (I mean, Uniforms of the Civil War?) Eventually, though, consumerism won out, and I convinced myself that I wasn't just collecting decks of cards that I liked. I collect decks of cards. Of all shapes and sizes. (Well, sort of. I mean, cards typically only come in one shape and size. I do have a few mini decks, though. And even one round one!) So now, since I've gone to pretty much all of the local touristy places, my DC collection is pretty well done. I even have a three-pack of the Presidents. Some of them are pretty interesting, too. I mean, I don't really tend to like to open and use the decks of cards I buy for my collection, but then, why not? So I have with a few. Well, two. I don't ever play cards here, but I used one deck with my parents and brother when they were here...at some point...I really don't actually remember when we played cards, but I know we did. And I opened another deck when Peter and I were waiting for hours at the Lincoln Memorial. It's cool, too, because usually these souvenir decks have interesting facts on them. Or, like one deck I have, they're a bunch of posters from WWI and WWII, so they're fun to look at.

5. PS: If you ever go somewhere cool, buy me a deck of cards, ok? Back when my grandmom was alive and healthy, she and my grandpop traveled a lot, and that's where I got a lot of decks from. Especially the cooler ones. I know I have at least one deck from Italy, which is quite a bit different than a regular American deck if I remember correctly. Well, different in the sense that it's not Ace through King. Or something. I don't actually remember, I just know it was different. But cool! Yay decks of cards!

6. I'm going to Theology on Tap for the Arlington diocese on Monday. Should be fun. Well, I have no idea, but it'll be good for me to get out and do something that's not work. Or school. That's basically the only two things I do here in DC, unless someone happens to be visiting and I go be a tourist.

7. I really like being a tourist here. I'll say this: when I move back home (again, God willing - please please!), I'll miss the easy access to the monuments and memorials. Maybe it's because we spent so much time there, but I have quite the soft spot now for the view from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. It's quite nice. Even more amazing that I say that because every time I go there (except the first time, last September, when I went at night with Mom and Dad) it's been super crowded...actually, I've only gone two other times besides that one, and it was Memorial Day weekend and 4th of July. Huh. But anyway, I still really like it. And the Smithsonians. Well, they're ok. I mean, they're really interesting, and it's cool seeing all the stuff, but I don't think I'd want to go there every weekend since...once you see it, it's saw (haha), and...yeah. Surprisingly, though, I find that I kind of love the National Gallery of Art. It's surprising because before the first time I went, I really had no desire to go. (Art? Psh. That's boring.) But then by the second time I went, I was realizing that it's pretty nifty. And it's so HUGE that it's easy to go for just a little while, pick some random wing, wander, and come back again another day and do the same thing without seeing anything twice. Except my favorite statue. I like to see that a lot. But anyway. It's cool. And I must say, I really really love Arlington Cemetery more than I ever thought I would. I'm not sure why. I've only gone twice, but I could just spend all day there. Maybe that's weird since, well, it's a cemetery and all. But...it's calm. And peaceful. And I like that. Plus, it's always good to be reminded of the sacrifices involved in our being where we are today.

So, point being, I'm spoiled and take for granted the great things I have easy access to by being here. And many more that I haven't even discovered yet. (Like the Capitol. I love that building, but I've never even been inside! Would have crossed that off my list last weekend if I hadn't had my knitting with me. Apparently knitting needles are ok on airplanes, but not ok in the Capitol. Psh. Whatever. Like I'd want to dirty my needles - and the project I'm working on! - with someone's blood.) (Also, I want to take a tour of the Old Post Office, which I had never seen before last weekend, but it's super cool-looking! And I guess they do tours of it and stuff, and it has a tower you can go up! And I still haven't taken a trip up the Washington Monument, which I'd like to do just to say I did it. And I still haven't made it over to the Jefferson Memorial, and I really want to. And Mount Vernon is so close to DC, I need to make sure I do that before I leave for good, and I still need to go see Emmitsburg, MD, where the National Shrine of Elizabeth Ann Seton is. Oh, and I want to go to Ford's Theater. And maybe take a tour of the White House, although I could take or leave that. And maybe the Holocaust Museum, which people say is really good but also (obviously) depressing. That one costs money. And you have to be willing to dedicate a good chunk of time to it. And I could go back to the Archives, too. I love the Archives.)

I think that list is pretty long enough...hm. I have more positive feelings about DC than I thought...weird. I just like being a tourist here, though, I swear. With a non-hotel to come back to at the end of the day. :-) And I may have more positive feelings attached to those places than I would otherwise because I've visited them with some lovely people whom I greatly enjoy.

Aaaaanyway...yeah.

Clarification

I would like to point out that I'm very pro-marriage. I'm not upset that the people I know are getting married. At all. And I shouldn't even have the feelings I'm having, because I want people to get married and be happy.

So...yay marriage.

Extremely

So, this past winter I experienced one of (if not the) snowiest winters in DC history. I just made it through the hottest June in DC history. (With no signs of slowing - highs the next few days are above 100, with LEVEL RED AIR QUALITY ALERTS ZOMG. Which, by the way, basically means they're telling people not to be outside at all ever for anything because the air here is so disgusting.)

I can't wait for the hurricane I'm inevitably going to experience in the next few months.

And then, why not, let's go for an unseasonably warm (even for DC) winter.


*****

One of my friends/classmates/coworkers got engaged this weekend.

I got a sunburn.

I'm super happy for her. Really. Of course. But now...two of the (four) interns in my department are engaged. But one's getting married in a month. And then one of my current roommates is engaged (and already, it's all I hear about, wedding planning this and that and the other thing, and they're not getting married until next May), and I'm pretty sure that one of the new ones coming in is engaged. Yes. She is. And a third is in a relationship. And I'm SURROUNDED.

What with this upcoming wedding being my seventh attended in the span of a year, not counting the many going on this summer of acquaintances, and then the bunch that will be upcoming within the next year, I am so sick of weddings. Hearing about them, talking about them, going to them. I'm a terrible, terrible person. I know that. It's not that I don't want people to get married, obviously. I love people getting married. I'd just rather be...separated from it. The last year wasn't as bad, because I wasn't around people who were planning them. I just got to go to the final product. But now it's everywhere. At home, at work, on the commute when I drive in with my roommate.

I want to be unadulteratedly happy for my friends getting married. And I am happy. I just wish I didn't have such a front row seat to everyone else's joy without even a little of my own. I wish I didn't have to be in the middle of Weddingville right now.

*****

We're apparently under an excessive heat watch now. I'll say. At least there are ways to deal with the heat when it gets to be too much. I wish that were possible with other things. Fans and air conditioners for the excessive difficulties of life.

All you need is love, right?

The good stuff (with a not-so-good update)

(I would like to point out that minutes after publishing this post, I had just turned off my light and then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw definite movement on my bed very near my person. I think I see bugs all the time, but usually upon a second look I see that it was just a shadow or something. But this needed no second look. Not sure if it was a spider or a centipede, I jumped out of bed, turned on the light, and saw what I'm 99% sure was a large centipede crawling on my bed. They crawl so creepily quickly, though, and it was already disappeared near my pillows by the time I could think, all in the space of just a few seconds. By the time I got up the nerve to pick up the pillows to find it, I couldn't. I couldn't find it anywhere. I took them all off the bed, took some other stuff off the bed, shook out the pillows, took them out of the cases, moved the bed a little, looked under the bed, tried to look under the nightstand, etc. Nothing. No sign of it. So now I'm sitting here again in bed, trying to tell myself that it'll be ok to go to sleep, that I'm pretty certain it's not on the bed anymore - but it was once, it could be again. I. Hate. Centipedes. I feel like it's crawling all over me. Ugh. I just want to go to sleep, happily, peacefully. But look at this and tell me you'd be peaceful after seeing one IN YOUR BED. At 1AM. Heading STRAIGHT FOR YOU, then DISAPPEARING IN YOUR PILLOWS.)

Exactly. I rest my case.


Now back to your regularly scheduled post...

• A free zoo.
• Better yet, a free zoo with pandas.
• (Although, granted, the pandas I saw today were among the most inactive of all the animals I saw. But the point is, I saw them.)
• In case you didn't know, pandas have always always been my favorite animal. And I've seen them live and in person three times now. Twice here, once in San Diego 10 or 11 years ago.
• That was a fun trip, by the way.
• One of the best parts was driving through the southwest, including the Petrified Forest and the best, a quick stop at the Grand Canyon.
• If I ever get married, I'm going to honeymoon at the Grand Canyon. Well, ideally it'll be the Grand Canyon, Rocky Mountain National Park, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Glacier National Park.
• I think I need to marry a park ranger.
• Ahem.
• The harpist who occasionally plays at the Metro station by my house. It's nice to hear harp music after I get off the metro.
• It's nice to hear harp music any time.
• Particularly nice to have a bit of beauty in this...unbeautiful place.
• A weekend with my little brother.
• A little brother with whom I didn't used to get along very well.
• It's nice that we can spend a weekend together without hating each other now.
• I really, really like my family.
• Also, tea.
• I had a headache by the time we got home today (after hours of walking at the zoo, then around the Natural History Museum for a bit), and two ibuprofen didn't do it, and two excedrin didn't quite do it, but those followed by a cup of Lavender Lemon Mint tea from Teaism (loose tea! I love loose tea!), that did the trick.
• That tea is some delicious stuff.
• I'm glad it wasn't too hot today, so that tea wasn't completely unreasonable. (Well, to me. My brother looked at me like I was a little nutso.)
• Fewer than two weeks to delicious Colorado.
• This weekend is nice because I'm able to enjoy being here for a bit, and really enjoying spending time with my favorite little brother, and then once he goes home on Monday and I go back to work on Tuesday, it'll be practically only one week. One long week, but one week nonetheless.
• And then. Ah. Wonderment. Joyousness. Contented.
• I realized today that, unless I can find someone to take a day off work and come climb it with me, Pikes Peak won't be happening this year. And that makes me sad. But the first Saturday I'm home, my wonderful young adult group (which contains basically all the friends I'm looking forward to seeing again) has a BBQ scheduled. So that's cool, yay. The second Saturday would work, except obviously people work during the week, people like my parents, so I don't know that I'd want to spend one of the three Saturdays I'm home climbing up a mountain. Well, I do, but not at the expense of spending time with the parents I love so much. And/or whomever else I might only be able to see on a Saturday. And the third, Peter will be there, so who knows what's going on then. So...weekday it is. Which means, it's not happening. I guess I just have to be ok with that. It's fine. It's just a mountain. It'll be there for me when I move back.
• Which, by the way, I am. Come hell or high water, I'm moving back to Colorado. Although, I say that, and it's basically signing my life away to being forced somewhere else. But I think God owes me at least the ability to live in Colorado. It's not like he's out to get me, to make me spend my life anywhere but the one place I want to be.
• At least, I don't think he is.
• I mean, if he wants me to be single for now, or forever, fine. Whatever. But not to be married and not to be with my family and the place I love? That's a little much. (Hence the difficulty of this summer. It's not just that I miss Colorado. It's not that I'm lonely for companionship - even that of a very good friend. It's that I'm suffering both of those. Together. At the same time. I could handle one or the other, I think. And I guess I have to handle both for the summer/two years of grad school. Fine. But indefinitely? I don't think so.)
• I just hope God's listening to that...
• All I can do is pray that there's some opportunity for me in Colorado. Anything. I'll even be an old spinster. As long as I can do it in Colorado.
• Colorado.
• I love that word.
• Everything about it is beautiful.
• DC is a nice place, you know? To visit.
• This summer is weird because I keep having all these experiences and things that remind me of times years past, when we used to come visit the east coast in the summers. Except this time I'm not visiting. How I wish I were visiting.
• I will say that it was nice to be able to see family members a couple weekends ago. But it would be really nice to be going home for most of July and August, like next week.
• Two weeks. I'm just going to have to suck up as much of the magic that is in Colorado as I can in a two week span.
• I don't even care what I do while I'm home.
• I just want to see family. And friends. Nutmeg. Oh, Nutmeg. Go hiking with her a lot. To places I've never gone, but have wanted to. Go to Palmer Park with her a lot too, since I don't think I'd go hiking with her in new places without leaving her on the leash. And she likes being leashless, which is why Palmer Park comes in handy.
• Drive. Oh, how I miss driving. And especially driving in a place where people aren't such terrible drivers, and it doesn't take 30-40 minutes to go seven miles.
• That is ridiculous. I could practically drive to Castle Rock in 40 minutes, and that's like 40 miles. Even within the Springs, 7 miles takes like 15 minutes. Bah. DC.
• I miss it. I miss it I miss it I miss it. Oh, how I miss it.
• Know what's nice about being there? Not feeling boxed in by buildings everywhere. And people. And not having Code Orange Air Quality Alerts every day. Oh, and did I mention...everything?
• This post is not going the way I thought it would. But it's upbeat, I promise. I'm very upbeat about how much I hate DC. And the trial that is this summer. :-)
• PS: I hope God sees now how weak I am, and how much I crumble at the slightest discomfort or adversity. Really. It's quite pathetic.
• I promise I'm trying to work on it. Or at least work on offering my sufferings for something greater. I need to be better at it, because if I were, I could potentially bring about world peace.
• But there I go again, acting like I'm going through some huge trial right now. Really, I'm not. I'm quite spoiled, and should be a lot happier with my life. Things could be a lot worse, and I know that.
• I really hope they don't, though. This is enough for me right now.
• Gah. Getting into very bad territory now. Time for bed.
• History tomorrow. Archives, American History Museum, memorials. Yay. Also, very very hot. Or hotter than today. But hopefully not outside as much as today.
• Until...another time.