being here

It's officially September and autumn is coming.
Not only are the nights getting crisp in the mountains of California, but Georgia is also getting a glimpse of the return of enjoyable weather.
I spent a week or so in Georgia for one of my best friends' weddings - it was a beautiful visit filled with old and new friends, leading some incredible young girls in Alabama for a couple days, spending sweet time with family, and going for a much needed bike ride. It was definitely another whirlwind of an adventure but I'm incredibly glad it happened.
I've had the chance to do a good bit of logistics and planning lately for courses out here in the Sierra and was very glad to spend some time in the field with 160 9th graders this weekend. It was crazy but lovely all at the same time. New friends were made, old friends reunited, and a lot of students and teachers experiencing new things and growing closer together and with God.

I love the cool evenings followed by crisp, cold mornings filled with coffee, hot fires, and tons of laughs from flashlight-filled tents. This reminds me how much I love what I have the great opportunity to do while I'm here and what a blessing it is. It definitely helps even more when a weekend like this is capped with a busy day of cleaning, singing, eating El Cid, and getting re-plugged in with co-workers and last but certainly not least - an overdue conversation with a sister on the swing. =)