OHemGEE! X Games!!!

Last weekend, 12 of us headed down to Aspen, CO to check out the Winter X Games! It was free to the public, and with good weather and great company, we couldn't have asked for a better weekend...

Monkeys

Nater offered up his place to any who would brave sleeping on the floor of his new house, so we loaded up our sleeping bags and traveled in from all around- Cheyenne, Laramie, Pinedale, Steamboat Springs, and Denver. Once everyone arrived late Friday night, it was a little daunting at first to have that many people in the house (with only two bathrooms), but we made it work! My favorite parts of the weekend were breakfasts. Thanks to the plethora of windows on the main floor of the house and the early risers, everyone was up and gathered in the kitchen/living room by around 8:30. Some would make breakfast and everyone else would cut up with each other until everything was cooked, eaten, and washed. Then we'd head out for the day.

Saturday, after an extremely entertaining car ride where everyone had to pee at least three times, mean muggin' every car we passed, and sharing our beverages with hitchhikers, we got to the base of Buttermilk Mountain in time to see the end of Snowmobile Speed and Style. Then we grabbed some food and enjoyed some entertainment by Calvin Harris.

I feel so close to you right now, it's a force field...

Then we went and stood at the base of the Ski Big Air slope for an hour and a half waiting to see the competition. With only two rows of people standing in front of us, you could definitely see that that hill was HUGE. We watched them on their practice runs for about an hour, but right as Round 1 began, a cloud decided to settle itself right at the top of the jump, and we could see no more. Some of us decided to head out for the night.

Ski Big Air from the main road, with the Superpipe on the left

(the fog cleared up so I could snap a picture!)

The next day, we came back and saw the Skiing Slopestyle Final and the SnoCross Adaptive Final. I thought these events were much more interesting than the ones we got to see the day before (mainly because we could see a lot better). 

Skiing Slopestyle

The SnoCross race was really awesome. Adaptive racing was developed so disabled athletes have the opportunity to compete and medal in the X Games as well. In 2007, Mono Skier X was the first event for disabled athletes to medal and Super X Adaptive (motocross) followed in 2012. This was the first year for SnoCross Adaptive, and they competed on the same course as the other Snowmobile races. It was so inspiring to see this race and hear the athletes talk about how they've all modified their snowmachines to fit their racing needs and continue pursuing their dreams

SnoCross Adaptive

All in all, an awesome weekend. We had a very late drive back Sunday night, and I think I've picked up the sniffles, but it was such a cool experience.

Cabin Weekend

So one reason I love Wyoming is because of its vast, raw wilderness. I had the privilege to see one of the prettiest places in the state last weekend. This isn't the first time a friend has opened their home (I got to go to Pinedale for Thanksgiving- another absolutely gorgeous place) and I'm so humbled by Wyomingites' friendliness and hospitality. I have a lot of pictures, so I'll do less talking and more showing.

I just have to say though, Nicole and I have made friends with some amazing Wyomingites this semester.

Chris and Spencer had been talking about their experiences growing up in northern Wyoming, and it sounded so amazing, but I never thought we'd actually get to see it. Well, last weekend they opened their family's cabin to us. The four of us made the 7 hour drive after class on Friday and had a jam-packed weekend. We got to play cribbage, watch movies, see some wildlife, try some new food, cross-country ski, snowshoe, chop wood, bake, shoot guns, do puzzles, and do some awesome friend bonding! Enjoy!

The cabin!

Pilot's Peak

beautiful friend

Smile :)

We love cross country skiing!

WIPEOUTS

Snowshoeing, with Spencer on his throne stump

We jump for joy!

a LITTLE bit of Wyoming Wind for our last group pic :)

Psalm 96

This weekend was incredibly surreal. One of the hopes I had in coming to Wyoming was to have some amazing locational experiences. I made a bucket list, but honestly had no idea how many of the items on it I'd actually get to partake in. The weekend itself will get its own post, but thinking back on the last 3 days, I just want to capture how awestruck and thankful I am. 

Late Sunday morning, while the back of my mind was guilting me for not being in church or at least watching something online, I had a moment while we were snowshoeing up this beautiful ridge in absolutely gorgeous weather where my brain finally pulled itself out of my butt and looked around. We had stopped, and I was catching my breath and then, my senses caught their breath. 

(Be sure to click on it to see it better!)

The snow covered landscape before us was breathtaking. The bright green needles from the new growth pine trees were glinting in the sun and grandeur of the ridge on the other side of the valley looked back at us. I was actually getting to experience one of those frivolous things on my list- showshoeing through Wyoming's raw wilderness. Greater than this, I was being humbled by God's raw workmanship on a grand scale. That hike was church for me that morning. I am in no way suggesting that I'll be ditching my regular Sunday services from now on, but gosh, to see and experience some of the time and effort and creativity that God put into forming this landscape that worships Him day in and day out, with all its splendor, that was something that touched my soul. I am so thankful- to the friends that made this experience possible, and to the God that loves us so stinkin' much that He gave us this beautiful world to enjoy.

Post Christmas/ Pre Classes

So last week I got four-ish days to dink around Colorado before heading back to the frozen Wyoming wasteland. Even though I-70 is straight up terrifying to drive on, the scenery kind of makes up for it...

Colorado Landscapes

I got to go to a concert! Nicole, Chris, Spencer, and I got together to go to the Ogden Theatre to listen to some Trampled by Turtles, with honeyhoney as the opening act. Both are fantastically talented bands if you've never heard of them. Check 'em out!

honeyhoney, featuring TBT in one of their songs

Five extremely talented, sweaty guys jammin' out on a mandolin, a fiddle, a banjo, a guitar, and a bass for 3 hours... what more could you ask for?

And what better way to celebrate moving on in life than non-permanent body alterations! A hearty thank you to the apathetic woman at the local tattoo shop for putting my first new hole in my ear since I was 16.

Christmas Break

So Christmas Break is definitely over, but I wanted to post some pictures from when I was home! It was so good to see family and friends, and get some much needed relaxation and time to ponder about my life.

Before I left to go home, we of course had to celebrate winter graduation! I attempted to make a going away cake for my most favorite, most envied graduate...

Found it on Pinterest :)

Back east, I got a good dose of quality time with various kitties (not all of which were mine). I met a beautiful kitten on New Year's Eve named Chicken, took happy family photos with Sully, and became acquainted with a lovely farm cat on Christmas. Oh yeah, and saw Harley. She is still full of unwarranted hatred toward the world.

Crazy Cat Lady at her finest

Grumpy Cat

Oh, and this is Boots. He's awesome.

We spent a good amount of time in Missouri doing family stuff with family. I got to ice Christmas cookies and gorge my face, as is tradition. I finally got to eat at the infamous West End, where they sport a Christmas tree on the ceiling year round. We had to take our second cousins picture outside this year because we've all grown too much to fit on the stairs (there were 19 of us there, and we were missing four, making 23 of us!!)
When I wasn't in Missouri, I was finishing my Winter Beer Tour at Old Chicago, touring bourbon distilleries with my parents, painting, giving Sully a bath or watching him roll around on the floor, or driving past the snow-covered horse farms on Versailles Road.

Collage of Happy Christmas Bliss

Moving On- Love

Obviously I am already slacking at this blogging thing. I always feel like I have too much or too little to talk about, so I've resolved to just start. Brace yourselves :) 

Tonight, I am reminiscing about my first semester of graduate school. A quote that has stuck with me the last few weeks goes, "In order to move on, you must understand why you felt what you did and why you no longer need to feel it." I've been thinking about this a lot so I'm sure this will be a reoccurring topic, but it's time to start. 

The last few months, I have felt unloved on an intimate level. As a result, I've done things that have deeply hurt others and myself. Finally, that glorious breaking point called "rock bottom" was hit. The darkness in my life had to start facing the light, and the painfully anticipated healing has begun. The love and mercy that has been shown to me already has been so humbling and I know that it's only the beginning.

So why did I feel this way? Well, through some self-evaluation (and reading an awesome book- The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman), I've discovered that my primary way of showing and receiving love is quality time. Whether it be through having deep conversation, making or picking out a meaningful gift, or just plain ol' spending time in another's presence, I have most quickly connected to other people when the effort is spent by taking precious time out of the day. Since moving west, I had stopped spending quality time with God, with my family, with my boyfriend, and with people whose friendship was more than just a mutual convenience. I was concentrating more on having a good time and cool life experiences and neglecting making enough quality time for those that I love and love me. It's no wonder I wasn't feeling cared about enough on that deeper level. I wasn't taking care of my soul and I sure as heck wasn't letting anyone in to help. Thinking back on it, it sucked. My priorities got mixed up. I wasn't being the honest, true-to-self, decisive person that God gives me the confidence to be when I am walking close to Him.

Since this season of my life has started turning around, the love that has been poured out from God and through other people around me is incredible. God has shown me that I never need to feel unloved, because He is always there- in the way music moves your soul, the amazing perfection found in nature, the tangible feelings in the air at church, the relentlessness and subtle caring from my family. My eyes have been opened and I hope I never take for granted the people that around me that love me, and trust that He will always put people in my life at the proper time to feel His love through them. Everyone goes through hard times and insecurity, but I hope to never feel so despairingly unloved again.

I leave with this verse and a song. I pray that we always remember that "God loves each of us as if there were only one of us" (St. Augustine) and His arms are always open for us to run to Him and rest in that love.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39