Loose Knife on a Coast Guard Rubber Raft

So yesterday I went white water rafting. I won't lie...it was pretty awesome. The trip started out with a 4 1/2 hour drive to the river...thank you Brent...we (Haley, Sam, and Brent) arrived to zooraft somewhere down by Oregon at about 1:30pm. Upon arrival we were promptly given a full body wet suit, splash guard jacket, a life jacket and a nice blue helmet. We were looking GOOOD...and it was a bit warm yesterday which made all this get up even better. We had to climb down this canyon down a steep set of stairs to make it to the river. We got in our "mini-raft" and were given directions by our guide John on forward paddling, back padding, and tucking in the boat with our paddles for the BIG one's. We were on our way.

Within about 2 minutes of our trip down the Columbia River (I think this is where we were :) We noticed that a guy in an inflatable cayak had flipped out of his boat. John instantly yells to us to grab the guy if he gets close and his boat. So, Sam and I keep paddling over rapids as Brent grabs the cayak and John grabs this guy out of the water and pulls him on our boat. Our 5 person boat just became a 6 person boat....Just call us the Coast Guard. We made it to a clearing and the guy hopped out back into his boat and we continued on. (we heard later that this guys cayak ripped a hole and they weren't even sure where he was at....this makes me want to go in an inflatable cayak down the river for sure....)

It was about this time that Sam notices something shiny and black by Brents foot in the front of the boat. Brent then pulls out a KNIFE!!! It was pretty funny to see the look on our guide's face. He had no idea where that had come from and was pretty flustered as he told us to look out for any rocks as he quickly put the knife in a bag away from our rubber raft. We all thought this was pretty funny.

All in all, it was pretty amazing. Although I was expecting more intense rapids and to be thrown in the river, this did not happen. I did get thrown across the boat once though and almost knocked Haley out, but our guide saved her. :)

We finished our trip and were not able to go over the Hussum Falls, which was a bummer (the water was too high). I love being out in nature and by the water. There's just something about it. After 2 1/2 hours of EXTREME white water rafting we loaded up our car and drove another 4 1/2 hours back home...thank you Brent. :)

Why I Tri

This summer marks my 4th summer of competing in triathlons. I have successfully finished 12 triathlons over the past 3 years and it is my goal to do 20 by my 10 year Highschool reunion in 2010. I keep getting emails asking me to write out my story and send it in to Danskin to tell everyone "why I tri". Why do I wake up early every morning to train? Because Triathlons have changed my life. 3 years ago I was working at Overlake cancer center, not really active at all and was asked by some of my co-workers to do a triathlon....I was thinking yeah right!! My old youth Pastors Jeffery and Joanne Portmann had done triathlons and I had thought a couple times, well that would be cool to maybe do someday--not really having any intention to do so. I had recently gotten on the scale and weighed myself and was at 298 pounds. I knew I had to do something because there was no WAY I could ever be 300 pounds. Throughout my life, I had always been a "bigger girl", but I never let that get in my way of doing things like being on Varsity dance team in highschool, or anything for that matter. But I was at the point where my body was suffering and I knew I had to make changes now if I wanted to live a healthy and fun long life. And working at a Cancer Center I literally watched people die from a disease that they had no choice in getting. I knew I had a choice to loose weight. So I signed up for the Danskin Triathlon.

I had never had a swim lesson in my life. The first time I swam in the pool I couldn't even swim the 1/2 mile (what I needed to do for the triathlon) in the hour long lap swim time at the pool. But that didn't stop me. My parents bought me a bike and I started to bike (I could only go 2 miles on my bike at first) and swim like crazy. I HATED running (and still don't really care for it, but I'm learing to like it) so I honestly ran maybe 2-3 times before my first triathlon. On August 24, 2005 I did my first triathlon (Danskin - See picture to the left). I thought I was going to die....I almost passed out twice on the bike because I had my bike in the hardest gear the whole time because I was so exhausted and forgot to downshift...not good. I had to get off my bike and walk it up the hills more times than I can even remember. I pretty much walked the whole run portion of the triathlon (except of course when there was a camera man, or when I crossed the finish line) As I came to the hill on the run (If you've done Danskin you know which hill I'm talking about) I looked up to the top of the hill and saw one of my patients with her bald head, sitting under an umbrella cheering me on. At that point I realized I was not only doing this race for me, but for her too. She had done Danskin in the past, but was unable to that year because she was diagnosed with cancer. I finished 2 hours and 35 minutes later and came in dead last in my age category. But I finished. It was probably the most amazing and most emotional feeling ever as I crossed the finish line. I received my medal that is inscribed, " the woman who starts the race is not the same woman who finishes the race". I truly was a different woman. I was hooked

I wanted to do another race, so my friend Nicole and I signed up to do a triathlon in Elma, WA....the first weekend in October. It was FREEZING!! But I finished again....dead last. In 2006 I did 4 more triathlons and cut a full 30 minutes off my time in the Danskin Tri from the previous year. I also did the Seafair Triathlon in 2006 which is definately my 2nd favorite triathlon. Last year I did 6 triathlons!! This was WAY too many. I had a triathlon almost every 2 weeks last summer and my body didn't have enough time to bounce back each time. By the end of the season I was beat. Each triathlon I shaved time off and was learning new tricks that would help cut time off. Last season my mentalitly definately changed from the first 2 years of just wanting to finish - to cutting time off and improving my techniques. I finally made it up all the hills in the Danskin without getting off my bike last year. I finished in 1 hour 52 minutes (43 minutes faster than the first time I did Danskin 2 years earlier) And I wasn't last!!! I came in 120th out of 183 in my age category. As I was riding up the last hill on my way back to Lake Washington Blvd. that I once had to walk my bike up, I had tears streaming down my face as I was recalling how far God had brought me in 2 years.
Last summer I finally trained in the running portion which helped, and this season I am forcing myself to run more even though I really, really don't like it. I know that it is the weakest part of my triathlon, so by training more in the running part I will cut more time off. It's my goal this year to be able to run 3 miles without stopping...we'll see about that. This season has also been different because I have a new job, which means a new training schedule which has been both good and bad. I am doing more "brick" workouts (back to back biking/running or running/swimming) I can't say enough how much triathlons have changed my life. I have lost about 70 pounds and still have about 70 more to go. My confidence has definately grown since doing triathlons and I know that Triathlons will be a part of my life for the rest of my life. I prayed that God would give me the desire to want to work out and Triathlons have been a perfect fit for me. Looking back over the past 3 years and seeing how far I have come blows my mind. I am so thankful to my parents and family for all their support and encouragement. I couldn't have done it without them.

July 4, 2008 is Triathlon #13....here we go again!!!

Canada

So last weekend I went with 5 other people to Victoria. It was an amazing experience to say the least. I went with a couple old friends and a couple new friends. We went on a one night - 2 day trip starting out on Friday morning at 5am (but it was more like 5:30am due to a "sleeper-inner") Tayler and I had this great idea to bring a big suitcase to put our backpacks in to pretend we had overpacked because we had been told we would have to carry our stuff around with us all day....this wasn't as funny to some people as we had thought it would be. So, we loaded up the Durango and started on our way to Port Angeles, WA to catch a ferry. We barely made it to the ferry...but we were on our way. The first day we visited Hatley Castle (Lex's mansion from Smallville), the wax museum, ate dinner outside at a local pub, visited Chinatown (here we saw the smallest alley in the world), went to a really cool coffee shop, and ended the night off with a Ghostly Walk which toured us all around the city as we heard stories about real people. It was so much fun just hanging out with friends and getting to know eachother. I LOVE getting to know new people and figuring out what they are all about and what they are passionate about and where they have come from. We were awaken that night around 2am to the fire alarm going on and off for about 40 minutes....this was not ok with me. The next day we woke up and went to coffee at Coffee Art which was pretty cool then we went to Tea Time at the White Heather Tea Room. This was amazing!! The tea was incredible along with the yummy treats. From here we went to the BC museum, walked around in the Empress, ate lunch at a local cafe, did a little bit of shopping and finished off our trip by touring the Parliament building.
It was interesting how everyone's personalities meshed together, or sometimes against eachother. I know there were times where I definately should have kept my mouth shut, but sometimes I just couldn't help it. For that Jammie, I am sorry :) But overall, this was such a fun trip and I wouldn't change it for the world. This is one part of being single that makes it all worth it...being able to just go on a weekend trip with 5 other people and not worrying about anything. I can't wait to go to Victoria again, or anywhere for that matter with maybe a few old friends...and hopefully some new friends too.

Choices

I feel like I am in a new place in life. You know how there are significant moments in your life when you know that you are moving on to a new place or a new chapter in your life? Like graduation, college, marriage, a new job, or children etc. And then there are times that you all of a sudden look back and realize that you are in a new place, not because of one specific thing or happening, but because of the small choices you are making everyday. It's like your life has shifted to a new place without you even really noticing. This kind of slow shifting can take you to a good place, or to a not so good place depending on the choices you adn I make. I have been on a journey over the past 3 months of my life. A journey to figure out who I am as a person and who I am in Christ. This journey has not been easy, or even fun for that matter, but it's been a journey that was needed and that I am learning to enjoy. I am amazed at how much I am learning and how much I am growing. Making good choices is not always easy and can at times be very lonely. But when I look back and see how making right choices in the small every day decisions have affected where I am at today, it truly makes it all worth it. I am so excited for the future and so excited to see who God will bring in to my life and where He is going to take me. For now though, I will continue to make right choices daily. Not just when it's easy, or when it feels right, but when I don't feel like it, or when I want to just give up. This is when the choices that might seem little today will affect yours and my tomorrow more that you can even imagine.

Missing Mexico....Again.

Well, I am back again from a 4 day YWAM (youth with a mission) home build trip to Tijuana, Mexico. This past weekend was a weekend of reflection and God reminding me of what I've known since 7th grade what I am born to do...help people. 12 years ago, the summer after my 7th grade year I first went to Mexico and stayed in an orphanage. The children I met on that trip 12 years ago I still remember, a little boy named Giovanni that fell asleep in my arms every day of that trip. The children in Mexico stole a part of my heart that first time I visited and each time I go back, the dirty faces of the beautiful children of Mexico is what draws me back each time. So once again, I ventured across the Mexico border for the 5th time...but definately not for the last time.
Day 1&2: We arrived on the base around 12 midnight on friday night and had to unpack in the rain...yes the rain. We finally were in bed by 12:30, but awoke at 2AM to no power and to an alarm of someone from the other team (from texas) and again at 5:40 because Texas is 2 hours ahead. We all thought for sure there must be a valid reason they were awake, but there wasn't. :)This is the morning I fell out of my bed...go figure and I have a HUGE bruise to prove it. So, we had breakfast and loaded up the van with overcast skies and still--rain.
The ride to the home build site was quite an experience. The huge hills we had to go up and down and over were pretty scary. The rain caused the dirt roads to become mud. It was pretty much like driving in snow, but it was mud. We all were praying and I knew that we had to get there to build the house for the family. The family was a family of 6. They had been living with extended family in the house above the build site, with 7 other people. 13 people were living in a dirt floor small shack. Needless to say, we finally made it to the concrete slab and the pile of material and started to build a house that would be a new home for this beautiful family. We were told that the family had dug out the piece of land that the slab was poured on, wow. We had the privilige to have a guy named Don on our team (he headed up the team on my first home build last May) This was Don's 82nd home build since 2001. He works for a school district in San Diego and comes over on weekends to do a home build. His little extra touches like flower boxed, the overhang over the door and all the things I'm missing make the home have character and just really cool. We hammered, painted, sawed, and hauled material for about 7 hours and then went back to the base. I was amazed at how much the family helped. I painted a lot, but I was in awe of all the painting that cousins, neighbors and the family did themselves.
The first night we go the local taco stand (amazing food) I had to send some pictures out, so I went a little later with Matt, Mitch, and Loran. We had a great time laughing, and trying to order. From there we went to the coffee shop on the beach and checked out the tables w/ handmade jewelry and stuff for sale. I LOVE this part of the trip. It's so relaxing to watch the sunset and just hangout on the beach. Then I went with Matt and Mitch and watch UFC while they played pool. I was exhausted and couldn't wait to sleep, but not before going to get ice cream with Deanna, Vic, Frank, and Tayler. :)
Day 3 - This is the best day. We get to finish up that last part of the house and my personal favorite---decorate!! Matt helped me hang up all the wall stuff which was cool. We got the furninshings package for the family, so not only do they get a house, but a stove, bed, bedding, table, kitchen stuff and ALL the extra stuff we all brought to bless the family. I don't really know how else to explain the feeling during the dedication ceremony other than just a heavy feeling. All these emotions of happiness, yet feeling sad because I know I will probably not ever see them again, and yet a true joy inside because I just had a part in literally changing the lives of the 4 children and their 2 parents. It is honestly the best feeling in the world to build a home for a family. I would reccomend this to anyone and everyone that I know. To step out of your life for a weekend, pay $700 and go build a house for a family. This is my third home and I can't wait to go do it again.
So...I am now back home - took a hot shower this morning, was able to flush my toilet paper, brush my teeth with tap water, and yet I still wish I was in Mexico. I found myself several times today thinking about how the kids in Mexico don't know any different than living on a dirt floor, not having a shower, not having a normal toilet and yet I complain about not having my red bull, having to wake up early or having to take a cold shower (yes, 2 cold showers were all mine in Mexico :)Each time I go to Mexico, I'm reminded of what's really important and once again get perspective.
The first night I got to Mexico, I was praying as I was trying to fall asleep. I prayed that God would show me something new this weekend for my life and what He has for me. And He so did. I know that Mexico will always have a place in my life and specifically working with YWAM. I don't know in what capacity or what it will even look like, but I know that it will be awesome. I've known since that first trip to Mexico in 7th grade that I would come back. I know that God has me where I am at right now in my life to shape me and mold me. It has been a really, really long 3 months, but God is SO faithful and I am so grateful for where I am at in my life right now. I just turned 26 last week and I feel like it's just the beginning.
So, in conclusion...if you are reading my first blog ever and want to comment go ahead, but I want to challenge you to go on a Home Build trip to Mexico. It has changed my life and I know it's changed the lives of everyone that went this past weekend. You will not regret it at all.
Mexico...May 2009...Are you in??

I'm Here!!

I've decided to join the blog world...it's kind of fun actually. Hope you all enjoy!!