Solitude

Our culture tends to define our identity as all the things we do or accomplish in a day.  But sometimes we just need to calm down and spend some time soothing our souls.  Lately I've been feeling caught up in all that, but today on my run I was able to relax and spend some time with my thoughts, and with God, and just enjoying the beautiful nature that I was running through.  Its amazing all this stuff I've been worrying about I can just talk to God about it and he doesn't want us to worry about anything.  It is hard to trust all these things to someone else, but I feel so much less heavy knowing that God is right there with me carrying my burdens and working out my little problems.  And I didn't have to go out and save the world or do x number of hours of devotions, He just loves us for who we are.  Hm.  And all this on a run.  Just takes setting aside all the stress of the world and taking some time for solitude. 

?????? Questions of late ????????????

Why is it that I have to run so much to have fun running later? 

Why didn't God make fairies?

What nutritional properties do shitake mushrooms have? 

Anybody have good vegetarian recipes? 

Why is church the best and also the worst thing about religion? 



Anniversary!

I have officially been married for a whole year already.  The year has flown by.  A year ago I had just graduated from college and was quite frankly a little nervous about marrying someone I spent most of the years apart from. But the summer I spent in Bellingham had been so wonderful and we got along so well, that I kept my eyes on that.  And it has been great!  We've learned to not make a huge fuss over little things (well we try)  and to work together and act like a regular couple.  We've been trying to figure out how to make friends and where running fits in and how to decorate our apartment.  We try and eat healthy and make our own chips and hummus.  We have an herb garden and an apartment by the trails.  We don't know what we will be doing a year from now, but we're happy we'll be doing it together. 

For our anniversary we climbed Mt. Democrat, Mt. Cameron, Mt. Lincoln, and Mt. Bross.  The first one was so so crowded.  The next ones were much more pleasant, but the decent was very rough.  We basically were scaling down the side of a shale slide.  I have lots of knots in my shoulders from being so tense the entire way down.  (Pictures to come)  After the hike we got burgers in Breckenridge.  Man was that delicious. 

More visiting!

Last night my friend Avery came to visit, we took him out on the town for a bit and got some local beer. Then we came home and made a summery little cocktail. 

Ingredients

1 1/2 parts GREY GOOSE® L’Orange Flavored Vodka
1 part fresh carrot juice
1 part fresh orange juice
2 – 3 parts ginger beer


Directions

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add first three ingredients. Shake vigorously until the outside of the shaker is frosted and beaded with sweat. Strain into a glass filled with fresh ice. Top with ginger beer, stir gently and garnish with a fresh orange slice.

 

 

 

This morning we quickly hiked up Chatauqua to the bottom of the first Flatiron before I brought him to meet his dad.  Now I better get back to work.  Busy at work on my thesis this week. 

Surprise Visit

Today my friend Tim Langenberg came to visit. Just called me up and said "Hey I'll be in Boulder soon, you wanna hang out?"  It was great!  We went and toured Boulder and got all caught up.  Then they left to head up to snow mountain ranch.  Short visit, but really great to see a friend!