dripping with passion

one day three years ago some dear friends and i got in the car and drove to lake powell on a whim. that night, after setting up camp at some random beach, we walked to the top of a hill to watch the sunset and talked about our philosophies for life; how beautiful it is to be alive and how to make the most of it. my friend summed it up when she simply said "i like doing stuff." me, too. i like doing stuff. having adventures. being outside. laughing when it starts raining and trying to get as wet as possible. spontaneously taking advantages of opportunities to feel alive and exuberant. living purposely and deliberately. i like spending my time and money on experiences. i like doing stuff. manti pageant with dear mission friends riding the chair lift and exploring sundance with jules cheering on real salt lake under the stars hiking to lake blanche with sister higbee discovering stewart falls with cath // floating the provo river with julie beautiful summer evening...

for example: -the taj mahal -games at fenway park -the twilight series (i'm kidding...kind of) -skinny-dipping -zac efron -the mission -iphones this weekend i added something else to the list: THE GRAND CANYON. they were seriously not kidding when they said grand. i would also like to add thrilling, majestic, stunning, magnificent, breathtaking, incredible and awesome. as in left in awe. god is a genius. it was a delight to see his handiwork from provo to jacob lake to lake powell and horseshoe bend to cathedral wash to the flipping grand canyon and back again. I LOVE THE EARTH and i love being alive.

cheers for this, emily dickinson - HEART, we will forget him! You and I, to-night! You may forget the warmth he gave, I will forget the light. When you have done, pray tell me, That I my thoughts may dim; Haste! lest while you’re lagging, I may remember him! something fascinating about the human condition is this extreme emotion we cannot really describe and so hopelessly label "heartache." hooray for mortal experiences.

well, another june 12 has come and gone and i can't believe i am 24! crazy how life keeps going - and sometimes i really dislike growing up. but i did love celebrating being born and being alive with a lot of people that i love very dearly. last monday lisa hosted an incredible birthday dinner for me and miffy and megan (whose b-day was on the 4). we ate out on the porch and it was magical with the sunset and twinkle lights. it is tradition in megan's family that the birthday girl/boy take a bite right out of the cake! thanks cath for the from-scratch absolutely heavenly goodness! on my actual birthday, i ran in a 10 mile race! i have been looking forward to and training for this for a while, and doing it was so, so exhilarating! the course was stunningly beautiful down south fork and provo canyons and the weather was perfect in its chilliness. as i ran i felt so brilliantly alive and so triumphant as i sprinted the last few yards and over the finish line. i am so blessed to sh...

i brought some dear, extraordinary, wonderful friends up to my favourite place on earth this weekend and it was absolutely delightful. the highlight of the trip to bear lake for me was our awesome bonfire on the beach under the stars. after enjoying delicious tinfoil dinners and ash cakes, we made some rad music. there is nothing like providing back-up percussion of some kind or another for the amazingly talented, gorgeous kara henderson. i like these people so much. life is sweet.