Summer Highlights

I sort of fell off the world of blogging these last few months.
Here are some highlights for me:

In an end-of-the-year total shocker, just when I thought I was
closing Emerson Hall to return to it 2 months later, I instead
said farewell to this incredible RA team...

...and made a weekend decision to accept a one year position as
Special Assistant to the Dean of Students here at Westmont,
which meant moving into what is known as the "Clark B Cottage":

 our new home

our new patio

I continued to embrace my usual two months
off with visits from friends:

The Sass'

Our good friend Ryan Holt from Geneva:

at the mission

on the wharf

he's always catching lizzards

beach time in LA - accompanied with a police 

arrest from a beach brawl

And a surprise (to Ryan) reunion with two former Geneva RDs, 

Scott and Marti

The annual mission chalk festival

Awesome picnic and nap at the top of Gibraltar

a visit to the elephant seals in Big Sur

Our long-time friends Matt & Meg & their wonderful kids
Katie and Calder:

(it was an unusually cold weekend, but they liked

 it since they live in AZ)

THEN I went home for the 4th of July:

the awesome sunset on my overnight flight

Uncle Peet's grilled pancakes

being with my beautiful Grandma and Aunt Beth

A fun family outing to Justin's concert

these cuties on a bench

she.loves!summer.and.the.outdoors!

took the boys to Grimm farms

Linc wished the farmer was home to go on a ride

Malacai said "I'm becoming a hamburger" - ha!

melt.my.heart.!!

5 of the 7 nieces and nephews.  

they're growing up sooo fast!

AND THEN We took an epic vacation with Andy's brother
Chris and his wife Lauren to the Ansel Adams Wilderness
(just east of Yosemite).
So so fun with AWESOME scenery and super fun memories:

doesn't it look like an Ansel Adams photo?

our view night one

 

a nap from heaven

our view night two

we laughed so much!  ...and the stars were unforgettable!

i love this fisherman

happy 1st anniversary!!!  

thanks for spending it in the woods with us!

brothers :)

Andy found his honey hole

the water was soooo clear!

we summited the pass, again!

dirty feet

our view night three

Yosemite park!

My handsome prince

Doesn't this seem like it could be a Patagonia add?

This puts the awe in awe-some

million dollar shot of a million dollar couple

yeah El Cap

It wouldn't be a backpacking trip if it didn't
end with In-N-Out!

Had some adventures as just the two of us:
To San Fran (or Frisco)

ummm. can I fit? 

this actually is a tunnel.
it gets taller as you walk through it

the breathtaking view on the drive home

And enjoyed ever-day-life stuff:

swimming in the ocean

craft project (stay tuned to the Merrythought blog for
an upcoming tutorial)

Friday night free movies (this year Alfred Hitchcock films)
at the SB Courthouse

Continual lovin on our goddaughter Lilly

On July 17th, I returned to a new position, this time with an office in the
main administrative building on campus called Kerrwood Hall.  My role
is to oversee a residence hall of 200 students while the RD is on maternity
leave beginning Oct. 11 (unless the baby comes sooner), and complete
projects for the Student Life Department along the lines of best practices,
assessment, and student conduct/care.  This is a photo of my office:

And, of course, there is always the beginning of the year
backpacking trip with the RAs:

It was an honor to get to know this group of students.  

I made it a personal goal to spend more time in solitude this trip 

and to just be me 

(rather than who I think others want me to be).

It was met with total love and acceptance.

So, just be you!

Thankful for a great summer, 

a job that I love with students that I love, 

wonderful family and friends (who we miss dearly), 

and a perpetual addiction to love for 

and opportunity for adventure.