Utopia

Day 1: Voyage to “The Hideaway”

Well, really Utopia, TX. We were supposed to have left three hours ago but we’re still parked in front of the house. Classic. Each of us is suped up with electronics. Ipods, cameras, gameboys, and Ben with his first ever cellphone. An amazing feat for a now fourteen year old boy. 
I'm the odd man out and have brought a book instead.

“Please drive to highlighted route”.

And we’re off!

Later that evening…

Phew! Already 60 degrees and dropping inside the cabin. I have doubles of almost everything on plus gloves! Ended the night playing Apples to Apples and laughing hard at the results.

Day2: Rain

Sprinkled all day. Not too terribly bad though! Found a flock of wild turkeys. Dad was excited and gobbled at them after taking pictures. We were schmucked out of $25 to get into Lost Maples State Park. Turns out it’s a hiking only park and who wants to hike in the rain anyway? We chanted “dirty double dealers” on the way out. Sat in a wooden bird blind… Stared out and saw one poor miserable bird.

Day3: Exploration

Went to Garner State Park today. Climbed part of the steep trail. After we got to White Rock Cave Alicia and I realized that converse plus muddy uphill hiking don’t mix. So, we all climbed back down… much to Ben’s disappointment.

The best part was tonight. We suited up into ski suits and waddled out into the night. We looked like astronauts which was perfect because of the abundance of stars overhead. Alicia, Ben, and I startipped while the parents took pictures. We swapped gobbles and hoots throughout the night, trying to persuade any creature to call out. We heard two hoot-hoots, some coyotes, and a few unruly dogs.

Got back to the cabin and scraped the 3-4 inches of mud off our shoes. Made tea, hot chocolate, and painted a rock with our names on it to display in the cabin. Now we’re waiting around to play a game, most likely Apples to Apples again, while Ben and Dad discuss why Jesus chose Peter.

Day 4: Departure

Dad has slipped into his Chinese accent and has walked around interjecting “Ah, so…” and “I tink maybe” into his speech. Peels of laughter break out anytime he says anything. We’re all packed and headed out. Many stops to “hysterical” markers along the way home. And frequent stops to take pictures of hawks and various other birds. Dad makes a game out of it by showing us the pictures he's taken and asks, “Who’s that Pokémon?”

Upon slacking while wrapping presents.

We are sisters.

"Hey, lets look at each other!"

"Yeah! Thats a good idea!"

 "And now... we'll have bows!"

"Yeah!"

 "Now do something cool and jump or something!"

"What should we do now?"

"Look awkward?"

"Okay!"

Merry Christmas

Finals

Make me feel crazy.

Like the library is starting to smell like home.

Like this past cup of coffee was one too many.

Like that person who just started tap dancing in the elevator.

Make me throw things.

Papers and Note cards

Out of my backpack

Off my shoulders

Around my room

Make me wish I was

Driving with my hand out the window

Snuggling with a schnauzer

Chopping off my hair
Dying a slow and painful death

But three more days and I’ll be home.

Finally, finally, finally.

Fall

This semester in particular has been my favorite. It’s contained wooden floors, slug pajamas, numerous chai teas, spontaneous midnight trips to the lake, drawings displayed on refrigerator doors, and learning that we were made to be messy with each other; that we live and grow together that way. Oh yeah, and laughing, lots of laughing. The pee your pants, I accept you for exactly who you are, kind of laughing.

I’ve learned all about “irrational thoughts vs. real life”. Let me explain. Sometimes I have crazy irrational thoughts about situations I’m in. Through friends I've learned that almost all of these thoughts are not real life. Here are some examples:

·         “If I stare at people’s eyes when they walk down the sidewalk, they’ll appreciate it, and will be thankful when they look up and I creepily smile at them to wish them a good day.”

·         “If I laugh louder than everyone else, everyone will think that I am the funniest girl there.”

·         “The amount of people that like my status on facebook equals the amount of people who like me in reality.”

Obviously, none of these things are real life.

I think the thing I’ve loved most about this fall is the family I’m a part of here at SFA. I’ve never experienced anything like it. Ever. I’ve never felt so free to be myself, to laugh until I double over crying, to make stress balls with flour smeared all over my face, or to dance while I’m speaking to people. And I completely and totally agree that this is all the Lord, and not me at all. Everything was so divinely planned. Best friends, sisterhood.

So thank you Fall 2010 for Gloria, couch surfing, burning pancakes, laying down in the middle of the railroad tracks, and boys with Louis Vuitton backpacks.