Trampoline Bouncing Before a 7 Mile Trail Race

So I'm currently in Sunbury, PA, visiting my my friend KK, which is always a good time because she has truckloads of energy and makes everything fun. We met up at Kmart yesterday with Hannah and Andrea to go to the Bounceplex, which is pretty much a gigantic facility that has trampolines for floors and some on the walls as well. We spent a good hour bouncing around watching Hannah do sideways flips before trekking to Perkins, which is a tradition that KK and I have and pass on to others. I had my usual french toast, but opted to add a side of bacon because I was hungry. Everybody else got omelette platters. The conversation was great too as we joked a lot, adding plenty of laughter to the evening. The toast that was brought out for Hannah was slathered in butter, so we nicknamed it Paula Dean Toast. Something else that I found quite amusing was the fact that she was rattling the ice in her empty glass of water hoping more would appear. When none did, we called it her death rattle.

After leaving Perkins, KK and Hannah were making lots of funny noises in the parking lot causing Andrea to comment that she felt like she was at the zoo with the monkeys talking to each other. On that note, we headed back to  KK's house to be bums on the couch watching television for the rest of the evening.
Today we had pancakes for breakfast, freshly cooked by KK. It was a great pre-race meal since we both ran the Humdinger 7.1 mile trail race. It started at 3pm and we had a wonderful time! KK was hilarious because she was chockfull of endorphins the entire run. There were plenty of creek crossings where we had to balance on logs to get to the other side. Mud abounded along the course and the hill we had to climb up was massive. Regardless, KK and I had a blast, especially at the first "water" station where we got served beer and acquired a set of beads.
Towards the end of the race there was a sign that said "cool people" with an arrow pointing to a creek that went under the road. KK and I opted to follow it since we were so close to the finish line. After the creek, we ran across planks over fire, climbed fences through pig pens (and yes, two pigs were actually in the pen), climbed a cargo net into the pig barn loft, and then slid down the slip n slide before finishing the race. Although I was exhausted afterwards, I'm so glad that KK and I participated and we plan on doing a race every year as a tradition.

Self Discovery as a Vagabond

“Live, travel, adventure, bless, and don't be sorry.” ~Jack Kerouac

We're all searching for ourselves in unique ways. Some dive headlong into careers believing that money will provide happiness and solve their issues. Others hibernate within their homes playing video games, desperately searching for distractions from reality in order to avoid growing up. I've chosen to search for myself on the roadways of America.
What thrust me onto the roads of America was discontent. I found that I wasn't happy with where I was and what I was doing with my life. I honestly felt like I was just wasting my time. For years I've been trying to function inside some manmade system that the world tried to convince me was the way I was supposed to live and the lie was that it'd bring happiness by following its formula. In high school, I ran cross country and track, at first because I enjoyed it, and then because it was expected of me. I then went to college because I was told one can't succeed in America without a degree. I then furthered this education by getting a Master's degree because the unwritten rule is that a better job with a higher salary will present itself. And what has this all done for me you might ask? Well, I'll tell you what it's done; it's turned me into an unemployment statistic. So much for trying to live within the confines of the system, right? Rather than it bringing happiness, I've seen the system pummel and almost crush people under a weight of misery (myself included). They became beaten and downtrodden, shells of their former selves until they decided to escape the tumult in order to follow their own dreams and definition of success. I've personally discovered that I've lived too long trying to live up to other people's definition of success. What is success anyway? There is no clear cut way to define it because it means something different to each person. And that's the problem with trying to live up to someone else's expectations; their expectations aren't the same as your expectations and your true self gets lost in the melee. Rather than enjoying life, you end up living in fear of failure. After listening to the song "Letdown" by The Glass Child, I knew I wasn't the only one who felt this way about going through this life in an empty fashion. This song is the epitome of trying to stay true to oneself while desperately trying to avoid failing others. I no longer wish to live this way and would rather discover myself outside the confines of other's expectations.
I don't know why I didn't discover this sooner. I've always channeled the first line of Romans 12:2, which warns against being conformed to the ways of the world. Looking back, I've always pushed back against the system in any way possible. In my running career, I refused to follow the coach's instruction to train in the winter. Instead, I took time off, which probably spared me from serious injury, although it caused some friction with the coach. In college, while I always strived to achieve good grades, I didn't do it at the expense of my social life. I've always felt that other people were more important than my personal goals and that we're meant to have fun outside the confines of work and trying to be the best at something. It's this living for other's that has helped shape me and gotten me to where I am today. Being unemployed has provided me with ample opportunities to wander and go on adventures that otherwise would have never come to fruition. It's on these adventures that I have had the ability to serve others. No longer am I the hopeless wanderer that Mumford and Sons speak of. Rather, I'm living my life with purpose, although some may not agree. What my detractors need to be aware of, though, is that "not all those who wander are lost," borrowing wise words from J.R.R Tolkien.
The adventure that really began to shape and mold me into my present self took place back in November. After Hurricane Sandy, I chose to volunteer for two weeks with Samaritan's Purse in Teterboro, NJ. This was life changing in many ways. It not only opened my eyes to the pain and suffering of the struggling lower class, it also helped me build another family. I was able to listen to those who needed to share their stories and I was able to assist in cleaning up storm damaged homes. I have to admit, those were the most rewarding weeks of 2012 for me, and I was functioning outside the confines of the system where one only works for money. It was a reminder that the most important things in life don't have a price tag on them, that we need to be aware of those around us, and that we must always be willing to give of ourselves to benefit others.
That trip to Teterboro opened a door for me into a world focused completely on serving others. It led me to volunteer for a day in Island Park, NY, with friends from North Carolina at the end of January. More importantly, feeling led by the Holy Spirit, my team leader from Teterboro and his wife chose to move into the trailer park where we served back in November in order to further serve the community that was in desperate need spiritually. I opted to move into their RV for three weeks in order to connect with those in the trailer park. I felt it was important to listen to all of their stories and learn about their lives. I can't think of any other situation where I could comfortably interact with alcoholics, recovering drug addicts, the lowly, and depressed and we could openly learn from each other. It brought to my attention the desperate situations that certain people are living in and how the systems of the world can truly fail people.
I opted to go home after three weeks in the trailer park to rest and recuperate since I was emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually exhausted. When I was in my parents house, though, I didn't feel like I was truly home. I felt like I was detached from my true purpose. After two days of being "home," I was restless and antsy to leave. It was a strange realization that being stationary at home was distressing, as opposed to relaxing. Now don't get me wrong, I love my parents very much, but I no longer felt like my time was being well spent on the couch of the living room as I struggled to find and apply for a "real job." What I opted to do instead was call Samaritan's Purse to see if they needed volunteers for tornado clean-up. I was told they did, so I applied online and got a phone call about two hours later to set up my trip. That led me to venture out on the road again and brought me to where I am currently, which specifically is a Barnes and Noble in Lewisburg, PA, where I sit passing my afternoon and sipping on a mocha frappucino (Yet another way to buck the system; drinking cold beverages in the winter, though it actually causes vasoconstriction of the blood vessels, reducing the loss of core body temperature and keeping one warm, so ha, I win!). I'm patiently waiting for some friends of mine to get out of work so we can enjoy some fun hours at the bounce-plex this evening followed by a seven mile trail race tomorrow afternoon. Then it'll be an early start Sunday to follow my calling down to the tornado ravaged area of Petal, MS.

Looking back, I'm very thankful that the system failed me so that I could rediscover myself on the road. Those original two weeks in Teterboro really helped to shape my life. In the process of discovering my purpose in life, I had to be willing to throw away my concept of success and completely redefine it from a different perspective. I also had to discard whatever I felt was my plan in life. A really catchy song I've fallen in love with that pretty much describes me is "And Run" by He is We. The lyrics really speak to me because they say, "I’m going to open my mind to all these, new found exciting possibilities. I’m making all my own plans, throwing all my old ones away. Gonna grow up, be someone. Draw a map, find a path. Take a breath and run." That's pretty much my life on the road. I follow the path I find on a map and just go for it and in the process, I'm creating a new life for myself by serving others and glorifying God. I can confidently say that I know I'm where I'm supposed to be and the people who matter the most to me, and understand what I'm doing, are proud of me. And in the words of the Glass Child, "This road is now my home." 

North Carolina Has Captured My Heart

I don't even know where to begin! I had such a great time down in North Carolina this past week. It was spiritually refreshing to stay with Jim and Jeni, who I met through my work with Samaritan's Purse. We had many late night conversations about Scripture and plenty of laughs with great food. I had never really liked seafood, but they cured me of that. We had steamed oysters three different nights, trigger fish, and I tasted mahi mahi and tuna.

One of my favorite parts was the weather. I was able to leave the snow behind in Pennsylvania and enjoy temperatures in the 60s for most of the week. It was great motivation to get out and run again, which is great since I'm doing a 7 miler in March. There were also plenty of opportunities for walks on the beach with the dogs, Josie and Abbi. It was amusing to watch them run with their ears flapping in the wind while they chased each other or a laser beam. The weather was also perfect to take the boat out briefly (and scrub it down, of course). I even got the chance to steer us through the canal as we made our way to the inlet.
I got to see a bit of the area as well. Went to Beaufort briefly to see the Fritha mored at the dock, along with the memorial to Michael John Smith, who was the pilot of the Challenger space shuttle in 1986. I also spent some time in Morehead City. Went to lunch at the Ruddy Duck with Jeni and also helped to box up some inventory of a gift shop for a day. Nice to feel like I had a job again. I also had the opportunity to hike part of the Neusiok Trail with Jackie and her hiking club. It was nice to spend time in a forest on such a beautiful day.

What touched me most, though, was how welcoming everybody was when I visited. I don't think I've ever felt more at home than I did in North Carolina. From Jim and Jeni taking me in like their own kid, to Jackie bringing me out on a hike, to Nema bringing me along for young adult bowling, I honestly hope that I'm blessed with a job opportunity in the area so I can move there permanently. I loved One Harbor Church and made so many new friends in my one week there that it just seems like the perfect fit. I haven't laughed so hard in a long time and I'm definitely looking forward to going back.

Wedding, Tick Tocks, and Storm Chasing

On Saturday I ventured up to Sayre to meet up with my brother. His roommate was getting married at the Calvary Baptist Church, and Nick kindly invited me to attend. In typical Muth style, we arrived at the church with five minutes to spare, parking in one of my brother's clinical instructors in the process. The ceremony was beautiful and I particularly liked how Pastor Kurt stated that love was first a decision, then a commitment, and then an emotion. After the ceremony we chatted with the bride and groom, along with the other members of the family. Being Nick's sister makes talking to people a lot easier because everybody thinks he is fantastic and want to get to know me because of that. We chatted with the Day's about their recent trip to England while we waited to see the newlyweds off.
The reception was held at Pine Cradle Lake. The route was lined with green helium balloons that my brother, Chip, and a few others had put up that morning. Nick of course still had the helium tank in his trunk to prove it. Since we were early, I sat outside and read a bit from Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer and watched the caterers roast the pig for the reception. Nick and I sat at a table with one of his co-workers and Chip's former roommate. We chatted about comedians among other topics. I spent the evening enjoying the food, slice of cake, avoiding the bouquet, and dancing. It was definitely a great evening!
Last night I decided to have a beer, along with chips and salsa at Tick Tocks in Honesdale. Some of you may think that going back to the town isn't really worth counting as travel, but in typical Kayla style, I ran into some interesting individuals. As I was paying my check, a man in his 60s came over to me asking if I wanted to join he and his friend because a "beautiful girl shouldn't be sitting alone." I wasn't going to agree, but then he asked if I liked Jeopardy, so I opted to stay and chat. Little did I know that this chat would last an hour, but I really enjoyed myself. The man who invited me over was named Rich and apparently is a retired firefighter and police officer from the Bronx. He bought me a glass of cabernet and toasted me saying, "Here's to you kid." Any evening is complete with a reference to Casablanca! I met his friend Clinton, who apparently is the new owner of The Fireside. He was born in Brooklyn, but now lives in Tyler Hill. They were joking that the people with money are smart enough to live up on a hill as opposed to down by the river. Rich apparently enjoys kayaking and kayaks the Delaware River and the East River. I jokingly said I hoped that he hadn't come across any bodies, and of course he said that when he was at the beach once, he saw one floating for the lifeguards to retrieve. Clinton left, but Rich and I continued to chat. He apparently retired a year before the World Trade Center attack, but since he used to be a chief in Lower Manhattan, he knew 34 men that died that day, which led to alcoholism that he has since gotten under control. He said that his former driver on the squad left his wallet and keys behind because he assumed he wouldn't survive that day. This encounter taught me to always take the time to talk with my elders because they always have intriguing stories to share.
Today on my way home from work I could tell I was driving into a really bad storm. I actually felt more like a storm chaser than anything else. It wasn't nearly as bad as the weather I encountered in Denver two summers ago, but it was still crazy nonetheless. The skies blackened quickly, and the cloud formations were cone-like at times. Soon the pouring rain began and was almost blinding in spots. I could also see flashes of lightning in the distance up in Stroudsburg. Thankfully I made it home safely and in time for the season finale of NCIS.

The Chameleon Club

Last night I went on another adventure to Lancaster for a night of music. Instead of the Convention Center, though, this time I found myself at the Chameleon Club. I was very thankful for the parking garage right across the street from the venue because of the convenience. After paying the $5, I wandered over to the sidewalk to stand in line. Across the street from where we stood was the tour van for Icon for Hire, and the lead singer, Ariel Bloomer, made a quick run out to it while I was chilling on the sidewalk. I ended up having a conversation with the people in front of me. Apparently they are slowly becoming well known for Gilbert the Fish, the giant trout pillow that they bring to concerts. I guess it all started at Creation last year and one of the performers mentioned seeing it, so they have started just taking pictures with bands and this stuffed fish in order to promote Gilbert on Facebook. I heard a bit about their lives before they left to get their will-call tickets.
After about a 45 minute wait, I was finally in the Chameleon and got an excellent spot right in front of the stage. I was super excited to see Icon for Hire because their music really speaks to the broken and downtrodden. Also, it's awesome workout/headbanging music, which I always find to be a great time. The energy that they put into the performance was amazing, and they even did their own variation on "Jump Around." Following Icon for Hire was Love and Death, the band that features Brian "Head" Welch, formerly of Korn. I didn't understand many of the lyrics, but I enjoyed myself all the same.

After Love and Death, I decided to make my way to the Icon for Hire merch table. There happened to be a lot of people there, so I went and stood against the bar and ended up talking to this guy who is a CPA and a girl who has a wide array of skills ranging from mortician's assistant to psychology. We chatted about everything from music to minimum wage and rent costs to whether or not attending classes in college is really all that important. Also, we determined that we need to invent a fiberoptic wig in order to have glow-in-the-dark hair for shows in dark clubs.
The Gilbert the Fish people found me again so I chilled with them for a while by the bar. We each got our pictures taken with Icon for Hire amidst our talking. I stayed in the back while Red and POD played, but I could still see and hear fine since the venue was so small. I ended up getting a poster, button, and bracelet from the Icon merch table and had a great chat with the girl who was manning it. She enjoys traveling around at this point in her life, so I told her all about the cross country trip I did two years ago. I chatted a bit with another friend of hers about fast food and what to eat while on the road. After POD finished their set, I got all of the members of Icon for Hire to sign my poster. I chatted a bit with the drummer and guitarist about The Avengers movie and how we have high hopes for the Batman movie when it comes out in July. I'm really glad that I' getting more into the music scene because it's helping me meet some really awesome people along the road of life.

Dabbling in and Around Doylestown

Yesterday I ventured down to Doylestown to visit my long lost friend, Justine. We haven't seen each other in almost four years, so we definitely had a lot to catch up on. When I arrived at her quaint housing complex, we went for a stroll around the block with her three dogs. It was very fitting because the first time I met Justine, she took my brother and I and a walking loop in NYC from Battery Park to Little Italy and China Town, back downtown to the Brooklyn, into Brooklyn to the Transit Museum, finishing in Park Slope at her dad's brownstone. All in all, that loop was about 6 miles, which isn't bad until you consider that it was the absolute hottest day of the summer that year. I distinctly remember ordering a gelato and it immediately starting to melt all over my shoes before I took a bite.
But I digress. Justine gave me a tour of her lovely home. I loved her wall of photos at the base of the staircase because it captured so many great moments and people in her life. I particularly loved the picture of her dad when he had a bit of a fro. A side of him I never saw in his lifetime. There was also a picture upstairs of her father sitting in the woods that she likes to call, "The Thinker." It's amusing knowing the background behind it. I also got to see the Green Changes inventory (organic t-shirts) that she keeps in her basement to take to showings and demos at Whole Foods and other events. I came away with three; one made out of beer bottles and says "ask me what i'm made out of", one that says "got green?", and another that says "green is the new black." We sat in the kitchen for the majority of the two hour visit chatting about life and her dad. Justine also made a fruit smoothie with her Vitamax that I tried, but passed up for grape juice and seltzer. I had some warm cereal with organic vanilla yogurt while she enjoyed a veggie burrito. I was so grateful to be able to spend some quality time with Justine after so many years.

As per usual, Justine sent me off on a loop, but this time it was a driving loop as opposed to a walking loop. My first stop was a famous Polish shrine, the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa, which was about two miles from Justine's house. Apparently many people make a pilgrimage there every year (about 40,000 on the designated weekend), according to Justine. Pope John Paul II also made a trek to this shrine, and there happens to be a statue of him right in front of the main church. I wandered the grounds and poked my head into the main sanctuary to have a look. The architecture was quite intricate, but I think the bell tower was my favorite part of the establishment. I attempted to go to the Candle Chapel to light a candle in memory of the DZO (Justine's dad and her suggestion), but unfortunately there was a sign on the door that said, "Candle Chapel closed indefinitely due to fire." What are the odds?
I chose to make a side trip to Peace Valley park to get a run in and to lay out in the sun to read. After my hour detour, I made my way into downtown Doylestown. I quickly browsed the Buck's County Running Company and then went to Starbucks for a frappucino, which happened to be half off when I arrived. I dabbled on the internet briefly and then made my way to the used bookstore. I love used book stores. The smell of old pages and book bindings is very comforting to me. I found a few books that I liked, but I decided to only get The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. My next stop was Owowcow, which is a homemade creamery in Wrightstown. Justine likes to call it Oh Holy Cow because the owners go to her church. I opted for a sampling of the vanilla chocolate chip icecream and then drove like mad to Buck's County Community College in order to catch the Improv show: The Games Within the Games. It was a good way to finish out my long day. I laughed plenty throughout the entire production. I made it home around midnight and stayed awake awhile longer in order to let my brother into my apartment so he could crash for the night.

Sayre: The Blackhole of the Universe

Today I woke up to a voicemail from my brother saying, "Good morning! I've had coffee and chocolate covered espresso beans so I'm wide awake!" Or at least something to that effect. So I called him back and after a brief discussion, I decided to drive up to the blackhole of the universe to spend the day with Nick.

The drive was quite interesting because of the extreme wind gusts that I kept encountering. It was another one of those days that if I wore baggie clothes outside, I would most likely float away. Due to the wind, I had to keep a firm grip on the wheel so I didn't veer sideways, and I had to be on alert for other vehicles that were not as good at maintaining control along the highway. I stopped for gas in Gouldsboro, which might seem dull until you realize the name of the station is "On the Run." I was highly amused by this, of course.
I continued on north and soon found myself traveling along the Southern Tier Expressway. Exits off the stretch I was on led to Appalachin, which is where the FBI busted the mob years ago, and Tioga Downs. I thought it was quite sad to see the parking lot packed full of cars on a Monday. Is there seriously nothing better to do but gamble in these parts? Well I guess that's better than running a meth lab, but still, some need to find a better way to fill their days.

I finally made it to Sayre around 1pm and took a little tour of town before going to Nick's house. I ventured past the Guthrie clinic, the movie theater, and Son's of Italy lodge, along with the local bakery. Once I met up with Nick, we ventured to Elmira for lunch at Olive Garden. I was greatly amused by the names of the towns on the exit signs, such as Jerusalem Hills and Horseheads. We got to Olive Garden a little before 2pm and we had a very pleasant waitress who throughly enjoyed our humor. I ate numerous breadsticks and some ravioli for lunch, while Nick had the parmesan crusted steak. After meeting with a customer in Elmira, Nick's roommate also joined us for lunch. He was sharing a bit about his wedding plans, along with work.

After talking for about an hour, we parted ways. Nick and I headed back to Sayre, but detoured to Athens so that he could show me the parsonage connected to the church he goes to because that's where he plans on moving in May. On our drive, we went through a yellow light, which again might seem uneventful, but Nick referred to it as "squeezing the lemon" and I found this hilarious. As we got closer to the parsonage, the roads became hard-packed dirt. We came across a woman and a large bird, which prompted Nick to say, "Welcome to the country where we walk our birds." I enjoyed the tour of the parsonage and got a peek inside the church as well. We soon made our way back to Sayre and I decided to move on to my parents house for dinner. All in all, it was a very good day, and lots of fun.

Spruce Lake Retreat

This past weekend I went with my young adult Bible study group to the Spruce Lake Retreat Center in Canadensis, PA. It was a great weekend all around, with much fun had by all.
We arrived at Spruce Lake around 9:45pm on Friday and unloaded the vans in order to get situated in our cabin. Once we were all settled, we played a couple rounds of Loaded Questions in order to get acquainted with one another. During this time, we also ate some soft pretzels as a late night snack before dispersing for bed.
The next morning we had breakfast burritos made by Wes, Roshelle, and Karl, which were delicious. Breakfast was then followed by worship in music and then a teaching on 1 Corinthians 1:30 by Jim. The teaching focused on how we need to have our lives centered on Christ and that we are given new life through Him. Also, we can never gain righteousness on our own, only through Jesus. We then had about 15 minutes of prayer before Jim's second teaching, which focused upon sanctification. He taught that sanctification is two-fold: first we are sanctified (set apart) when we first believe, and then God continually sanctifies us throughout the course of our lives. This is because of the indwelling sin that we have in us. It's dead, but still present. We are no longer slaves to sin, but that desire in our nature still exists and is only dampened through God's sanctifying of our souls. We cannot and should not try to reform ourselves, for this is God's job. It involves the painful death of our sins in order to enjoy the joy of God. If we refuse to let go of our idols, our joy will be limited.

Following Jim's teaching, we enjoyed some relaxation outside on the swings that were built around the fire pit. Some people read, others chatted, and a couple played guitar. We then enjoyed chili for lunch before tackling the hike, aka Powerstroke 5000. The view was fantastic once we reached the top, and the weather was gorgeous. Soon we all headed back down to the cabin for some round-robin ping pong, followed by some head to head games to 7. Schulte crushed us all by winning almost 20 games in a row before dinner. Dinner consisted of angel hair pasta and a meat sauce that Heather made using the recipe of an Italian woman from Staten Island.

Following dinner, we watched a documentary entitled Catfish. This was about the influence of social media and how some can use it to deceive others. A man from NYC had developed a close bond with this family in Michigan, but he soon discovered that the majority of it was a scam set up by a woman who was just desperate for attention. Our discussion afterwards confronted whether or not this was real and also made us question how we interact with others using social media. It definitely makes you question how honest people are being, but even in person, people can lie to you. We all enjoyed some icecream during our discussion, followed by a jam session that included vocals, guitar, a drum, along with an assortment of household items such as a cheese grater, pots and pans, wooden spoons, a cooler, and a pink lemonade container. I then went outside to enjoy the campfire for a while before coming back inside to take notes on an audio book while others either read or played Scrabble. There was a bit of a dispute over whether "gorer" was a word before I decided to get some sleep.
This morning for breakfast we had bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches on bagels. After breakfast, Mark taught on the importance of having our identity in Christ and how when that is our focus, our actions are more likely to mirror Jesus. We must always remember that we are already children of God and then we will slowly have His ways manifest in us and flow out on a daily basis.
I chose to relax outside and listen to more of my book and take notes. I was definitely noticing some contradictions between the author and Scripture and between the author's own comments, which makes me leery. Heather was engrossed by The Hunger Games, while others played Perudo. I got in on the action for one round before going to relax on a swing while watching our chicken lunch roast over the fire. Lunch of chicken burritos soon followed before it was time for us to start packing up all of our belongings. We took one last group photo before everybody departed in the vans and I drove myself back to Stroudsburg.

Christmas Weekend: Trekking ~446 Total Miles to Visit Friends and Family

This Christmas weekend has been busier than usual for me, which wasn't a bad thing. I love driving, so it was kind of exciting to do so much traveling to visit with people. My fun started on Friday with a trip to Honesdale, PA, for a surprise going away party for my friend, Mark. He is moving to Chicago to live with a friend and work as a computer programmer. I came to town a bit early to run errands with Beth before venturing over to Mark's. It was great to see many old friends from high school again. I hadn't seen most of them since June or July, so I enjoyed catching up with everybody, including Cara, Mark, Shaun, Joe, Beth, Heather, and Allaina.

Following this little get together, I ventured back to East Burg to meet up with my friend, Teresa. I hadn't seen her since May, so I was really excited to spend time catching up. This visit to her house of course involved being poked and prodded by her mother who was wondering if "Flaca" has been eating enough. I also got scolded for not coming to visit, even though Teresa hasn't been home. Most of this discussion was of course in Spanish because her mom is convinced that I am fluent...the funniest part is that she'll talk to Teresa in English, who is actually fluent in Spanish. Makes me laugh every time. We relaxed watching a movie and talking about what we've been up to lately. Teresa also showed me all of the food that her mom had stocked up for her two day stay, which included a large leg of lamb that I was tempted to use as a club.

On Christmas eve, I ventured up to my parent's mountain in Galilee, PA. This was quite relaxing and involved eating, baking cookies, and a nap. My brother made it home for a tasty steak dinner before we all went to the Tabernacle Bible Church in Honesdale for the Christmas Eve Worship Service. It was very well done, and I thoroughly enjoyed the selection of hymns for the evening. Following the service, I promptly booked it back to my apartment in East Stroudsburg in order to meet up with Rhi and Seamus so that we could go to Midnight Mass at Our Lady of Victory in Tannersville, PA. I actually ended up traveling separately because I was dealing with some sporadic stabbing pains in my stomach. Thankfully it got to a point where it didn't get any worse, even though it didn't get any better for a time, so I was able to make it in time for the carols at 11:30pm. I was intrigued by the Catholic traditions that took place during the service, but I think my favorite part of it involved kicking off Christmas listening to the tolling of church bells. I made it home by 1:15am and I followed my brother's orders and opened my trunk to find my presents from him, which included a framed bag from when we went to Shakespeare and Company in Paris, a framed picture of East German soldier, Conrad Schumann, escaping to West Germany (he knows I love history), the book Choices, and a poster from the Switchfoot/Relient K concert we went to back in 2008. All around, some pretty epic gifts in my book. I then finished putting up the Christmas lights before Rhi, Seamus, and I all dozed off to episodes of Lock Up.

I got up around 8am to venture down to Hellertown, PA, in order to attend the Christmas service at Saucon Bible Fellowship Church. Pastor taught about how Jesus is our healing servant and that His birth and ministry fulfilled prophecy from Isaiah 53. After the service, I picked out two poinsettias to give to my mom before driving back to East Stroudsburg for a quick nap and to chat with Rhi and Seamus. Apparently they devoured all but three of the Christmas cookies I brought down from my parents, so I promised to steal some more for them. I finally made my way back to Galilee, with two brief detours in Honesdale. I decided to go up to Irving Cliff to get some pictures of town and I also stopped in Central Park to get some pictures. For those of you who don't know, the man who wrote the lyrics to the song Winter Wonderland, Dick Smith, was from Honesdale and it is said that his inspiration for the song was snow-covered Central Park.

I reached Galilee around 3:45pm and was greeted by my parents. We chatted a bit before opening presents. I was pretty excited for the toaster oven/rotisserie that my dad got me. I'm pretty stoked to try and cook a chicken now! About an hour later Nick arrived in his usual pre-zombie state. Being a nurse, sleep isn't always on the top of the list of activities. He opened his gifts and my dad tested out the RC helicopter he got. I was amused that he flew it right into the tree. Soon Anita joined us for a delicious dinner of turkey, stuffing, potatoes, and broccoli, which was followed by cookies and chocolate. We topped off the evening by watching the Packers game. All in all, a very busy Christmas weekend, but probably the most content I've felt in years, which is promising for me. Now it's off to rest my eyes and see what tomorrow brings. Possibly some indoor soccer, but maybe just a bum day on the couch.