Thoughts on the big hole in the earth

Don Miller calls it an inverted mountain, and that canyons don't get enough credit. I agree. Mountains you can see from a distance and get a good idea about what they are about. Canyons you have no idea until you are right up against it. And even then, the depths are unimaginable. We hiked down a little bit. A little bit is an hour long hike plus the hour and a half back up. I have no clue what it would be like to be at the bottom. Someday I would love to do that! There is waterfalls down there!!
I've really discovered my joy for hiking here. That goes way back to taking every possible trail or even trail blazing the small chunk of woods during camping trips... remember that brothers? I just always want to know what's around the corner, to see more (and to take more pictures!) and think more about creation and all the metaphors that come out of that. For the most part I don't have time enough to think about it, mostly because I'm so overwhelmed by EVERYTHING I'm seeing! I think I"m visually overstimulated. Is that possible for an artist to be? I think that it's more possible actually.

Reflected Sunset
No that isn't the bottom! You won't see it til you get there.
Only a short way down
There were lots of mules on the trail, but only this one horse!
He's a gonner.

My life as a surrealist

You ever have one of those moments, where you are like: whoa, am I really doing this? and you have to poke yourself and wake yourself up, to remind you that this really is YOUR life. I've been having that ever since I went skiing over break. That was probably the craziest thing because you are like flying down this mountain and all you can think about is when your next fall is going to be and how you are going to make it to the end, and then you stop yourself and actually THINK about what YOU are doing! I"m on the side of a mountain and this is gorgeous, and this is crazy and this is ME! Then it was the same thing, just being here! in New Mexico! and then it was exploring Lava tubes, and then seeing a volcano, and earlier this week, get this: I was subbing for 4 hours! Just me and the kids for 4 hours. yikes. (don't worry, it went well :) And then this morning we went to the flea market which was like a ghost town because of the snow. Yeah... sooo much snow here! That's another surreal thing too. I'm in New Mexico and it's snowing! This is MY LIFE! Here's another crazy thought: the art teachers here will most likely not be teaching here next year. So this could be my life NEXT YEAR! I can't even think that far ahead!

More pics

Hiking Milkranch Canyon Sunday afternoon

This is completely natural!

Our entire group near the Continental Divide and next to a volcano!

Spelunking

That's cave diving for those of you who don't know. And I did it this weekend! They aren't really caves, they are lava tubes. Words don't do it justice, so pictures shall abound here. The pictures are decieving though, because it is like pitch black down there.

Freaked out in the lava tubes!

The opening of the lava tubes. Check out those massive (and sometime unstable!) rocks.

This is the Ice Cave. Yeah, it really is that green color. It's thousands of years old though, so it's allowed.

Bandera Volcano

And the best event of the weekend: dog-sitting Lucy!

The weekends are busy around here, can you tell? Lots of stuff to see and do. So even though I'm incredibly bored most weeknights, the weekends make up for it! and soon i'll be typing up some lesson plans and I'll be busy all the time.

Not what you might think

What kind of a school allows you to be late for things, and not to apologize if you are, let's dogs into the classroom, and absolutely everyone you meet is friendly? That's Rehoboth for you. I'm sure there are wierder things to come.
Here's yesterday's story which includes all of the above: Dave took his dog to class that morning because there is noone at home right now to watch her. All the kids know the dog's name and it was really crazy to walk up and down the hall with the dog while everyone calls out "Lucy!" Later that day, I was walking from the High school art building over to the Elementary classrooms to join up with the 1st grade art session. I was trying to be on time, but Andy told me very pointedly that being on time is not what it's all about here and that he knows how crazy the schedule is so don't worry about it, etc. But I was still trying to be responsible and all that stuff I still think is important. Then this guy was walking towards me on the opposite side of the street, carrying trash, and he and I say hello, then meet eachother and chat for a bit. His name is Michael and tells me he has a 16 year old daughter named Rebecca (neat!) and that I could pray for her. Then he asks what he could pray for me about, and as soon as I tell him, he asks if we could pray right away together! It was a total God thing! I love meeting new people and getting to know more about them than just "hey" and trying much too hard to remember their name! It was totally random, and totally amazing. I was late, but I didn't care (and apparently I'm not supposed to).
That was yesterday. Today was similar: Teacher's meeting with alot of joking and messing around (a lot of business too, but very laid back) Dog at the meeting and in the classroom. Completely student-led yearbook "class" a large afternoon break, teacher offering money to a 6th grader for his artwork, and meeting another complete stranger, which was just as cool though not so explicit in blessing. Oh, and I also talked to the Bible teacher and he told me how one of his classes, the one that's supposed to be on Ministry and Missions is composed of students that are non-believers. Then later a student is showing Dave a DVD about Joseph Smith, and yep, she is a Mormon. Alot of Mormons are around here trying to convert the Navajo because they view them as the lost tribe of Israel. So it 'makes sense', but it's still sad. (but not a lost cause!)

Skiing Pics

Yay for skiing!!
No need for Peter to beat me up today... the mountain did a pretty good job of it!

first days

I met with both of my cooperating teachers today. It looks like my schedule won't be too bad. I guess it will make up for my second semester being terrifically full and busy.
Anyway, they are both really cool guys that I'll be working with and I simply can't wait to get to the actual teaching part of this thing. After seeing the classrooms and knowing how they are set up and knowing who I'm working with, my mind is much more at ease about the whole thing. I even met some students. One of them gave me some candy called "Almond Rocke" or somethig like that. It's not a New Mexico thing, more of a west coast thing.
The high school classes are 3-D and an advanced studio class. I love 3-D so this should be a blast! I actually think the little kids will be tougher. We'll see.

Christmas Pics

Sisters at Garden of the Gods

Desert Snowmen. The arms are made of needles!

Who is the punk in this picture?

Grandma even came out to Colorado!

Yay for Sisters! (and Giraffes)

I forgot to mention another highlight of vacation: Lora and Amanda jumped on me one morning to wake me, declaring that this is what sisters do, or at least what they assume sisters do. An only girl get's only-girls for sisters! Amazing!

Highlights of my break

Yeah, I'm in New Mexico, but I really don't have a whole lot to say about this place yet. Break was really short but there is a lot to say about it. So here we go:

Christmas was late for us and it was in Colorado. I like to keep mentioning this for Mason's sake for it irritates his jealous side to no end. Mountains are amazing and I have concluded that I like snow a whole lot more with mountains in the background. It is somehow much more appropriate.

Balderdash is still the best game ever. Colly wobbles: to mock one's family constantly. Actually it means a belly ache but you know... belly aches happened and were mocked so it still works.

Learning to ski in Colorado isn't the smartest idea. Especially when the bunny slopes are shut down that day. I pretty much tumbled down the hill. The best parts of this experience are the same as the low points. For example: Pummeling down the mountain at top speed realizing I have to stop but probably won't, repeating to myself: I wish to stop, I wish to stop! and then stopping, SOMEHOW. But still hyperventalating for about 3 minutes. Some of my falls were pretty sweet too. Oh, here is a God thing for you: A complete stranger let me use half of her Buy one Get one for a lift ticket. That was ALL good. I was pretty bruised up afterwards: Battle scars!

Traveling to New Mexico was not so cool. People don't know how to drive around here. I was stopped on the interstate for about an hour. And again in Albuquerque. I took no wrong turns there, but they sure were trying to keep me there!

Starting Out

So... this is my blog! Yes, that's right... I finally broke down and got one. I made fun of them for so long, and here I am typing on one. Ok.. but here is the deal. I still want to TELL you about my life, and I still want to HEAR about yours. But this is just my way of telling EVERYONE about the big stuff and probably my ramblings that I wish I could just spill out over you all, no matter how much I think you don't want to hear it. But maybe you do. So maybe you'll read it.