Yosemite again!

Hello everyone!

It's been a long time since I posted anything but that doesn't mean there weren't a lot of things I wanted to post about. In fact I would have updated more often except that I feel guilty posting about anything on my blog before updating the family website. So instead of telling you all something interesting I'll tell you about my backpack... jk!

We just came back from Yosemite again! We got home around 1am Saturday morning and had a wedding to attend at 1pm.

In Yosemite we met up with some nice families. On Tuesday Chris, Annie and I set out with 9 others to hike up to Half Dome. It's a pretty strenuous hike and I was really stoked when Annie and I made it up to the top without having to stop to take a break! We just paced ourselves and kept moving. It was so much easier than the first time I went 3 years ago!

This picture was taken on the way down

Man was I sore the next day though!

When I got to the cables at the base of Half Dome I decided to leave my backpack behind a rock. When I got back down the cables I headed straight for my pack to get my sweatshirt. As I pulled my sweatshirt out I noticed it was wet from a juice I had left inside my pack, I also noticed that somebody had eaten half of my apple!

At first I thought maybe my juice had gotten punctured by something on the hike up. Then I thought maybe it was from the altitude change!? I also wondered who in the world would eat half my apple and then return it to my pack and zip it back up. Then I realized there was a big hole in the back of my pack! A squirrel popped out of it's shelter beneath the rock as I was holding the half eaten apple in my hand and I quickly realized what happened!

That squirrel got stoned with an apple and it was a satisfying feeling. :o

On the last night of camping I accidently left my backpack out and a bear got into it... Need I tell you that it's been retired? Bummer too because it was my laptop bag. (There, I guess I told you about my backpack after all!) ;-) I can't believe I didn't even think about squirrels, and I was so sure my pack was safe in the bus on the last night, I even casually checked but later discovered it was actually Joanna's pack that was safe in the bus... oh dear, my lack of responsibility scares me!

My goals for this week are to get the house back into order, start reading through the Bible again, this time in 6 months, get the menu planning and grocery shopping done, and update the family website between working with Dad. We just started a project that needs to be finished by Sunday!

Hey, anyone want to join me in reading through the Bible in 6 months?

In the past two days we've attempted to take a good family picture and here's my favorite one, which is far from perfect! Hope you enjoy.

Justin

Today was a very special day! It was an unusual Sunday too since Dad and Mom had to leave before the morning church service and didn't make it back until just before the evening service. But the reason this day is a very special one is because 23 years ago Dad and Mom were scheduled to move out of a converted garage into a house, but God decided that September 3rd was the best day for Mom to go into labour for the third time, and Justin was born just in time to help our family get settled into our new house!

Since Dad and Mom were gone today Justin stepped up to the plate and filled in Dad's shoes leading singing while Chris accompanied on the piano. At the retirement home he also shared a message that the Lord layed on his heart. It was neat to see his willingness serve others even on his birthday.

I have so many precious brothers and sisters but Justin and I have shared a lot together... Good memories, all those days sitting in Mom's room, or worse, on our beds waiting for Dad to get home... All those days at the school table when I would cry if my score was any less than Justin's after a test... Spending every moment possible outside year 'round playing, playing and playing... And now all the days at work when things seem to go wrong and he always finds a solution and helps us all to see that it's not the end of the world.

I often wish I could be more like Justin. He's so full of initiative, diligence, faith, generosity, sincerity, self-control and loyalty to name a few of the traits he demonstrates.

I'm so grateful to the Lord for giving me such an awesome brother, friend and example!

Happy Birthday Justin!