He WILL bring goodness & light!

I lost my license yesterday. Sigh. (It was found but I'll get it that momentarily.)

On a beautiful winter (yes, I said it) day, I went to the zoo to wander; it's my favorite deep breathing and head clearing space away from my mat. I can always count on my furry friends to encourage a smile to break through my furrowed brow. Babies Bulgan (camel) and Sherman (red panda) are really growing and the mama giraffe loved on her baby over the partition which separated them yesterday. The sun was shining through the (world-class .. no big deal) Arctic Ring of Life as I observed with glee the polar bear frolicking in the water with his ball. Have I painted a tranquil enough scene for you? When I put my phone back in my pocket, I realized with a sinking heart that my license wasn't there. The zoo insists on an ID; I find this annoying but apparently necessary so I carry it. Except yesterday it must've fallen out. Somewhere. An image of my lonesome self flashed before my eyes, as I sat at the DMV on the day before Christmas. With determination, I retraced my steps back through the entire zoo keeping my eyes peeled for that tiny white card. The whole time I walked, here were my thoughts:

"I need to renew it by March 1 anyway .. maybe I can just do it early?"
"WHY do they need me to prove I am who I am so I can just look at some animals?"
"It's winter. Who comes to the zoo in the winter? You, Sarah, you do. Stupid Michigan."

I'm pretty sure the sun went in and the second half of my trip wasn't the deep breathing, thought clearing walk I'd anticipated. I caught some chimp fun on my way to the Lost & Found but the whole trip was a little soured by my lost license, I'm sorry to say. As I walked to my car after filling out contact information in case it was found, I found myself thinking over the last few weeks. Despite the fact that I really am a fully-functioning, responsible and mostly sane member of society, there have been a lot of small annoyances which seem to prove otherwise. Closed credit card due to fraudulent activity? Check. Twelve hours of a cold house because "the mother board on my BRAND.NEW.FURNACE. got confused"? Check. Middle section of the Christmas tree's lights out? Check. And that's only in the last few weeks. These are the times we have two choices: we cry or we laugh. Yesterday, after retracing and mumbling to myself about the absurdity of the whole thing, all I really could do was laugh. Thank goodness I have a mom who reminds me to laugh at myself on a regular basis and a God who must have a plan for me.

I got into the car and as I drove away, the radio sang out, "And He will bring us goodness and light!" I try to avoid Christmas radio at all costs. I hate Wham! or "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" or "Jingle Bell Rock" but love the holy songs with a message that has nothing to do with last Christmas or really any kind of jingling bells; this one wasn't the holiest version I've heard but it got me thinking about the goodness and light in my life. Sometimes it's easier to live in the bad and the darkness -- or at least I think it is. Fortunately I have people in my life who are determined to make it about the goodness and the light (even the DJ on whatever station who knew I needed a holy song). When it might be easier to think about the minor annoyances, there is cupcakes, campagne and the revelation of Gossip Girl on a Monday, a fabulous Essie shade from my secret santa at work, an already overcapacity CHWC Detroit for 2013, a little cousin who called my gift "the best present ever" (it was a $1 wild animal calendar from Target - simple joys, people!) family and friends with whom to celebrate the most minor absurdities, and always, always yoga. In my small existence in this big crazy world, these are the moments of light in the darkness. That's the message of the holy songs: Jesus comes when we need Him the most and my faith tells me He comes in the form of thoughtfulness, kind words, laughter and deep breathing. Amen.

Lo and behold, I got a call shortly thereafter from a very jovial zoo employee just thrilled to tell me my license had been found.

Some people have babies this time of year (yay, Baby Porterfield!) and others get married (yay, Mandy & Rich!). Me? I'll take the tiny Christmas miracle in the form of a found driver's license at the lion exhibit by the nice security guard on his bike. He (the big He, not necessarily the security guard) WILL bring us of goodness and light; sometimes we just have to look a little harder for it. Merry Christmas!

PS The joy from a really beautiful day at the zoo :)

If music be the food of love ..

Ranking really high on my list of things I love to do includes seeing live music. I jump at any opportunity to be amidst kindred spirits and yet lost in my own world of lyrics, which speak to me in ways art does for some people or poetry does for others. Last night was one of those nights; I went downtown to see Joshua Radin, one of my favorite artists. Introduced to me by someone who is no longer in my life, he holds a special place in my heart for a number of reasons. 1. The aforementioned introduction. 2. His album, played on repeat, pulled me through a pretty dark time in my life; the hopefulness in its lyrics and promises of a Brand New Day kept me going. 3. The second time I saw him live represents a new chapter of my life, the one filled with the IA, new girl friends, and a lighter, happier version of myself. (And with a new album, he seemed more joyful, too.) Klaudia went with me to his concert in 2009, not long after I moved back to Michigan, and in her agreement to attend this concert with a virtual stranger (I found myself with an extra ticket), I made my first real friend in this new chapter. Three years later, we've attended a number of concerts together, sometimes with others, sometimes just us, and still that Joshua Radin concert holds a special place in my heart. We went together last night and I jokingly referred to it as our anniversary date; all jokes aside, I am so grateful for the people in my life who feel as passionately about music as I do and are willing to stand by my side as I lose myself in the world of those swirling lyrics and the foot tapping becomes full-on dancing. Every friend somehow becomes a concert buddy, most willingly (Amanda might never forgive me for the Circus tour; it was a tough time in my life, what can I say? I have good friends.)

I grew up in a house filled with music, and I owe that to my hippie parents, who raised us on the beloved gravel of Dylan, the brillance of King, Mitchell, and Collins, and the unappreciated-by-us Cohen. We were sang to before bed, sometimes to wake us up, always on car rides, and everywhere in between. Unapologetically, I'll admit my first concert was probably Sharon, Lois, and Braham. To say I was obsessed is a bit of an understatement; however, The Elephant Show live was quickly followed by the Beach Boys, Amy Grant (as close as I got really to being a child of the 80s), Bob Dylan, and Paul Simon. To this day, there is nothing better than sitting out on the hill at Pine Knob (it will always be PK to me) and though my tastes have become slightly more mainstream and pop-y than my dad really would like to admit (I could barely tell him about that Katy Perry concert), those early ones are my roots. The first CD I remember having at our house was August and Everything After .. someday, Dad, I will give it back to you but for now, it's one that still get plenty of play. He heard Adam Duritz, Sarah McLachlan, Tracy Chapman, and Barenaked Ladies before me; thank god I have a cool dad who shared with his relatively uncool daughter. These are the CDs, among others, which are like that old, comfortable sweatshirt, the songs I play again and again, no matter the time, place, or mood. Afterglow got me through homesick nights in Kenya, Blood on the Tracks is the perfect cleaning the house soundtrack, Tapestry uplifts me every time, lying on a bunk in Nicaragua Simpler Times eased my racing mind, and a girl can't have enough Alanis or Mumford & Sons for the occasional "F- it" drive home from work with the windows down.

For those of us who love music, we know there are albums which speak to us about whatever it is happening in our lives at the moment. Songs transport me to a different time, sometimes with happy memories attached, other times more bittersweet remembrances. I'm transported to high school memories, college dance parties and late night study sessions, road trips, at least a hundred concerts, and ordinary days in the more recent history with the opening chords of a song or snatch of lyrics. My dear friend Dan, on a really long bus trip with teenagers, asked me amidst the madness what ten songs I'd put on an album to encompass my favorites. It's a question I mull over from time to time, and each time I reflect on it, some remain the same, but there are always songs which embody my heart at that moment. When Dan asked me that question a lifetime ago, I was in love with life. I'm sure the songs I picked at that moment, which he eventually bullied out of me in his endearing Dan way, represented the excitement of post-college, independent, and in-love Sarah. Some of those songs are still on The CD. There are songs which will never change as my favorites, songs which I will never tire of hearing, those which no matter what is happening in my life, they are my musical sweatshirt. Some songs land on the list briefly, and are re-played again and again for a short time, but then rarely heard again; others are more enduring and ......

Now you see my problem with The CD. I could never just pick ten. So instead I listen to live music every chance I get and in between settle for familiar voices and lyrics which capture my thoughts and feelings more beautifully than I can. Last night, Joshua Radin prefaced his song "The Ones with the Light" by telling the crowd he wrote it for us, his fans; the chorus goes, "We will never change / the way we are here / I like that we are kind of strange." As we all sang together, I realized I was in really good company at that moment. And I am anytime I hit play on that old comfortable sweatshirt of The CD, whatever it plays at that moment.

Oct. 2012, Majestic Theatre

And a few other concert pics from days past ...

Sir Elton John (with Billy Joel, not pictured), courtesy of the McGowans

Amanda & me at Britney's Circus tour

Christy's visit to FL in '08 included Adam Levine singing to us. No, really!

Girls' night out for Katy Perry's California Dreams Tour

Clancy Clan (minus Cate) at last summer's Bob Dylan show

"I believe in pink" - Audrey Hepburn

This photo holds a prominent place on my kitchen window sill and almost always newcomers ask, "Who are those people in the black and white photo?" When I tell them it's 4 generations of Ortman-Parker-Clancy women, they are impressed we have such a picture (I was alive when film was still in black & white?) and then I share that I keep it where I am most reminded of my grandma,: the kitchen, a place which symbolizes warmth, family, joy, and good, good memories. 

I recently re-acquainted with a childhood friend (this is a small, small world, my friends) and she shared how fondly she remembers traveling to 'the farm' on John R, where we played for hours in the garden and backyard, always supplies with peanut butter cookies and fresh raspberries. It pleased me so much to know someone would remember a place I love so dearly with such affection. Around that kitchen table, we crammed way more people than really should have fit, drank way more Cokes than our parents would ever allow (ask Pat about this), played way too many games of Yahtzee than anyone should play in her entire life, and shared laughter, tears, and really, really, REALLY good food, often fresh, canned or frozen from the garden or caught in a Michigan lake (she was quite organic before it was cool). The summer was for Vernors and ice cream; the winter for chicken goulash and macaroni & cheese. Gram was always up for our version of an adventure (walks to 'the little store,' the creek, or 7-11 for Slurpees) and she came along for many of the awards ceremonies, games, and shopping trips, too. Much later in life, she discovered pizza and her frequent trips to Pizza Hut's lunch buffet amused us to no end. She used to get so 'mad' at Pat for asking how many pieces she'd actually eaten. (After writing this paragraph, I'm going to start blaming her for my obsession with food .. clearly, she influenced me in that regard.) She loved in the form of food, among many other ways. 

Gram truly delighted in the simple pleasures and determinedly encouraged the same in all of us. She relished time with each individually but was happiest when we were all together. She celebrated victories and lamented sorrows. We knew her home was a place of refuge, her heart one of unconditional love. I remember truly fighting with my dad only once in my life and as the yelling really escalated, I remember running out of the house on Harrison, screen door slamming, screaming, "Please just let me call Grandma, she'll come for me. Please just LET ME CALL GRANDMA." You would've thought he was beating me .. Relaying the story not long ago to my cousin Teresa, she laughingly admitted that she recalled similar scenarios at her house while she and her siblings grew up. She'll also tell you that she was Grandma's favorite; this is not true .. it was me, obviously. 

In this month of October pink surrounds us. The cheerful hue splashed everywhere reminds us of those who are fighting, fought, survived, or succumbed to their battle with breast cancer. I consider Gram a survivor of this particular disease and like to think it's because her name is Rose. She embodied all that the color has come to represent: hope, faith, life. She was pink before Susan G. made it iconic. She fought with every ounce of her being through those months of treatment and surgery and then celebrated with great joy and love of life during her recovery. A year or so later, in her final days, we gathered in her home which represented so much love and surrounded her as the family with whom she shared so much joy. It's only years later that I'm able to acknowledge that her death taught a lesson of faith in God's timing - it was her time. Right up until the end, she taught a lesson of trust and - always - love, not as much with words as with action. 

The photograph in my kitchen is strategically placed where I can't avoid it. On the rough days, it reminds me of the strong, faith-filled, and loving women who have come before me and guide me on my path. On the better days, it reminds me of the strength I hold and the love I have to give the world. "I believe in pink."


And just in case you need a reminder about what life just might be about, here's the quote in its entirety: 

“I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles.” ― Audrey Hepburn

"August / Die she must"

August 13th marked the beginning of my eighth year of teaching. For the first time in awhile I have more underclassman than upper which brings with it challenges and joys. I often comment that during my Confirmation I missed the 'patience' fruit and perhaps over 100 14 and 15 year olds is the Lord's way of reminding me I need a big ole bite every now and then. During the first writing prompt of the year a freshman girl asked me what I meant by "please skip lines". After I blinked for a moment to make sure she was serious, I calmly took a deep breath, walked over to her desk and pointed to every other line, indicating that she should literally write on every other line. I didn't end the instructions with 'duh' ... for that I'm really proud of myself. Shortly thereafter, another student after observing her classmate recycle a piece of paper TURNED HER OWN WRITING ASSIGNMENT INTO THE RECYCLING BIN. Sheepishly she retrieved it after I suggested perhaps she should instead turn it in to the shelf marked 'World Literature 9' instead. I actually did this without my words dripping with sarcasm. Again, I deserve a pat on the back, in my humble opinion. My seniors and I are all finishing our fourth year at the IA together; for them, it is their last, for me, it's just the beginning, I imagine. For me the cyclical nature of a teaching career is comforting and rewarding. Reading their first writings of the year allows me to share pride in how far they've come as writers and thinkers. I'm constantly in awe about how damn hard these kids work (my mom swears I worked just as hard .. I don't believe it). In my AmLit class, on a whim, I assigned a poem about the students own immigration experience or their take on what it means to be an American. As I skimmed through them, I came across one (among many which impressed me) written in the shape of the United States. Seriously?! Despite the fact that they're in school three weeks earlier than their friends, they come to class with smiles on their faces, ready to give it their all -- they inspire me to be a better teacher each and every day. Frank McCourt in his book Teacher Man wrote the following: "In the high school classroom you are a drill sergeant, a rabbi, a shoulder to cry on, a disciplinarian, a singer, a low-level scholar, a clerk, a referee, a clown, a counselor, a dress-code enforcer, a conductor, an apologist, a philosopher, a collaborator, a tap dancer, a politician, a therapist, a fool, a traffic cop, a priest, a mother-father-brother-sister-uncle-aunt, a bookkeeper, a critic, a psychologist, the last straw." How true it is and how lucky I am to have this crazy job. If you're a teacher, you know what I'm talking about .. if you're not, you probably know a teacher who obnoxiously tells you stories of the madness. It's all in good fun, really.

Also .. I know you've been dying for an update on Project Goldfish. I am a grandmother, great-grandmother, and possibly great-great grandmother. I now know what the original fish have been doing since I last laid eyes on them: feasting on whatever it is that 'wild' goldfish eat, growing like whoa, and makin' babies. My pond is a mixed race neighborhood at this point, complete with the 8 original fish and many smaller fish of all sizes and colors .. black, white, and orange all over and every variation in between. I'd take a picture except they are shy! It actually would be quite the genetics project. As fall sets in, I'll keep you updated on the sanctuary that is the Secret Garden .. I wonder which perennials will pop up in September?

Though the autumn winds are not yet growing chilly and cold, as Simon & Garfunkel sing, "August / Die she must" and thus begins another school year and change in seasons - literally and figuratively. Oh and a new Mumford & Sons cd! I'm off to Nashville for the weekend so my next post will be no doubt filled with adventures of honky-tonk and  perfecting my Southern accent.

California Dreamin'

"Fine.Fresh.Fierce."
Katy Perry sings, "You can travel the world but nothing comes close to Golden Coast" (don't you judge me .. you know it's catchy) and now that I've been there, I see from where she's coming. I'm not saying she's totally right BUT the over 19 million hits on the Google when you search 'songs about California' can't be completely wrong about its perfect weather, crazazy traffic, and seriously AMAZING people-watching. Kate took it upon herself to create a playlist of music devoted to the great state of California and let me tell you, even Wikipedia did not narrow the list down for her (I highlighted a few of her choices in this blog). Taking on the daunting task of such a CD's creation is just one more reason why this girl is an ideal travel partner .. that and her love of delicious treats, mad navigation skills, and serious booty-shaking. Basically, the list goes on and on. I LOVE THIS GIRL and much of this post is devoted to our girl-time which comes with adventure, laughter, and an uncanny ability to never get lost.

"I stopped into a church .. I pass along the way"
I'm going to fast-forward a few days into our trip to highlight the main reason for our trip: to celebrate the wedding of my dear friend from Kzoo/LifeTeen days, Bryan and his love, Elena. I felt truly honored to be a part of such a special day for them. As we witnessed the Sacrament, it was so evident how present God is in their lives and what an important role God played and will continue to play as they develop their relationship as married people. The ceremony was personal: it was all about their love for one another, their devotion to God, and the people who support them in all aspects of their lives. What a gift to the world their marriage will be! The party which followed embodied their fun personalities and love for Spanish cultures - mariachi musicians and dancing to match, sangria, and a beautifully lit outdoor meal. The bonus was catching up with great friends from St. Cat's!

Over ten years of friendship!

"They gathered for the feast."

Despite being small women, we like to eat and when we planned this grand adventure, we decided we'd challenge ourselves not only with California-themed mixes but also with a whole vacation fueled by Groupon (with a few minor exceptions). We ate tacos at Benny's, blintz and omelette at Cafe 50s, Indian at Addi's Tandoor, and tapas at La Luna Negra, just to name a few. I could fill the blog with all the pictures I took of Kate eating but we had a pretty good trip together and I don't want her to be mad at me so I'll leave you with this one of her in her glory with Hawaiian Shave Ice (another reason I love her: she introduced me to this tasty treat!)

"I hide

Behind my shades
Cause the fame is blinding my eyes"

To be perfectly honest, I don't really ever need to see Hollywood Blvd again. To see such an iconic place was totally worth fighting the crowds (and TOTAL weirdos enacting Michael Jackson, Darth Vader, and even Hello Kitty!) ONCE. See picture below for the main reason I was excited:

We rode bikes (heyyy, Groupon!) from Santa Monica Blvd. to Hollywood Blvd and down to Melrose. It was harrowing at points and quite congested but overall it was a fun way to see that part of LA. The highlight of our Hollywood experience included our girl Katy Perry. Imagine our ...... surprise ..... when we redeemed our Groupon at Grauman's Chinese Theater for the only movie playing there: Katy Perry: Part of Me. Yep, in 3D. Kate really enjoyed the popcorn and frolicking through the (nearly) empty theater. It was super cool to see a movie (documentary?) in such an iconic and historical space.

I don't want to brag but I'm pretty sure this viewing gave us 'KatyCat' status.

 "All I see are stilettos / Guess I never got the memo"
 We met up with a few of Kate's friends from Lapeer and they definitely showed us a good time and great food (and even loaned us couches for our last night in Cali!) They took us Midwestern girls out on the town and we decided that we not only did not pack the right clothes for L.A., we probably do not have the right clothes in our closets at home, either. In the picture below the ways in which we stuck out are hidden because we're seated; interestingly, these reasons both begin with Cs : Chacos and Crocs.

Lilly, girlfriend of Justin Webster, and Gwen Webster, two of our fabulous hosts

 

"All I wanna do is have a little fun before I die ..."
In my world this is synonymous with visiting THE SAN DIEGO ZOO. Since my youth, this particular zoo sat on my bucket list and to suggest I was excited is an understatement. I literally did not sleep much the night before in anticipation. Upon arrival, we beelined for the crown jewel of the park and oohed and ahhed as Yun Zi (Busy Boy) noshed on his breakfast. Actually, we did more squealing and clapping (quietly so as not to disturb him)! Seeing such a beautiful animal so close brought tears to my eyes. The below pictures capture the variety of animals we saw at this world famous -- rightfully so --- zoo and the joy it brought me.

Hippo mama and baby, playing :)

Naptime!

Daily elephant maintenance includes pedicures - JEALOUS!

We had really good luck at the zoo which included passing by
these fellas later in the day and witnessing afternoon schnaktime.

Babies with their mama .. she eventually got annoyed by the tail biting (imagine).

Happy girl with my twigas (7 total!) and ice cream

"I can't remember all the times I tried to tell myself
To hold on to these moments as they pass"
What a trip .. enjoy the last few photos that capture our adventures (yes, it's always an adventure - don't you remember the gas station in Spain?)

Is this a Don't Tell Mom moment?

Or this?

Please note the dates on the 'temporary closure' - welcome to L.A.

Trusty Forenzi took us all over SoCal; the sunlight de-emphasized her bumps and bruises (not caused by me, for the record.)

Sunset Cliffs

 California Love.

Live to Give!

Part 1 ... In 2001, I attended my first Catholic HEART Workcamp in St. Louis, MO and in that week of service, praise & worship, and prayer, God placed its mission on my heart. Many of my dearest friends are in some roundabout way connected to me because of CHWC and I believe so strongly in its empowerment of youth and its ability to bring teens closer to Christ. Since 2001 I've attended, worked, and managed many camps but I just finished the most special week to me yet. Last fall Steve Walker, one of the founders of CHWC, called me to ask if I'd consider managing a camp in Farmington. Without much hesitation I agreed. I knew I'd been trained by the best, Ms. Maggie McGowan, and with my mom at my side (she agreed immediately to help - bless her), it was truly an answered prayer to have CHWC on my home turf. My parents took Pat and I downtown to do service from the time we were very little and it allowed me to see Detroit as a place in need of care, time and energy instead of the scary place others from the suburbs believed it to be. The teens who attended camp last week brought their joyful and servant hearts to the D in such a beautiful way. From the get-go it was important to me that the campers serve a variety and multitude of agencies and individuals so they saw the vast range of ways people are committed to the revitalization of Detroit. They spanned from Pontiac to Southfield, Clawson to Detroit and a whole bunch of places in between. They served at soup kitchens, painted the halls of the oldest Catholic schools in the city, planted in urban gardens, sorted excess medical supplies for global distribution, danced with disabled adults, spoke in halting Spanish to day-care kids, built fences from Home Depot cast-offs and sledgehammered old buildings in the Brightmoor area ... to list just a few. Watching the slideshow each night and on Thursday night hearing the agency reps, incredibly committed Detroit folks, share their experiences with these teens brought joyful tears to my eyes --- God is GOOD. Camp blessedly went off without a hitch thanks to my dad's tireless efforts perfecting directions, my mom's puzzle-solving mind, adults with common sense, and the staff of Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School and Parish. CHWC's theme this year is ZERO IN, asking us to figure out on what God wants us to focus and ultimately, it's about living our lives as Jesus wants us to .. unfortunately that mentality gets lost in the shuffle of my every day life a little too often but the refocus as summer actually begins will hopefully stay with me as I slide into the relaxation and rejuvenation these short weeks allow me. The character this year at camp (which changes each year and serves to get the kids excited about their service) is a hippie chick, enacted with hula-hooping, peace-sign giving, and flower-throwing encouraged the teens to chant with her, "peace. love. live to give". In a time when hipsters are all the rage but the hearts of the true hippies aren't necessary modeled, the chant resonated with the notion of zeroing in. The 255 camper who left Detroit on Friday leave with renewed hippie hearts and the motivation to LIVE TO GIVE. Amen - for real.

"Where you invest your love,
you invest your life" 

-Mumford and Sons

 

Part 2 ... I'd be remiss if I didn't share a few of my favorite pics from the start of summer 2012. The best way I know how to invest my love is by spending time with my friends and family who make me live my life to the fullest. Enjoy these snapshots of smiles among the people I love most in the world.

My two besties at Amici's .. perfect evening!

Nance and Dad at CHWC Farmington .. how blessed am I?!? 

IA picnic with one of our favorite little men, Booker Hedges

When my love Adam opened the show with my favorite CC song, I knew it was going to be a good night .. 

"And Anna begins to change my mind.
And every time she sneezes I believe it's love and,
Oh lord, I'm not ready for this sort of thing."

.. and despite the fact that we were the only Michiganders in the crowd, we know how to party. Or was it BECAUSE we were the Michiganders?

Kate & Cate .. lucky for me, they appreciate my dorkiness and we shared a glorious night rocking out the Beach Boys. And yes, those 'boys' still got it after 50 years. Highlight? KOKOMO as the encore!

"I wish that this weather would never leave"

One way or another, it always comes back to the Counting Crows: the title of my first post in months tributing the fantastic Pure Michigan weather we're having, Kate & Dennis' wedding and my upcoming roadtrip to kickoff the summer concert season with .. you guessed it, Counting Crows!

I thought about recapping the last months' events and decided it might take all day. Despite the fact that the seniors are gone and I actually do have some time to breathe, this overview might not be a good use of any of our time. I'll instead stick to the two exciting Spring events : the Fernandez-Lee wedding and my pond's resurrection.

"Lend me your hand and we'll conquer them all" - Mumford & Sons

 What a joy to celebrate the love of two friends! Kate's the first close friend with whom I've experienced wedding planning from start to finish and boy did I have fun as the psuedo-MOH. From dress-shopping to invite-choosing to bachelorette/shower planning and welcome-basket creating, I loved every second of helping make Kate and Dennis' day the personal tribute to their love for one another -- and their friends. I've never been to a wedding at which the couple said to their guests, "This is really for you so enjoy it." Enjoy it, we did! Something I've grown to love about weddings is the inter-mingling of friend groups from various life stages and this one was no exception; getting out on the dance floor with the assortment of friends and family I've gained within my friendship with Kate was a highlight! While the party on Saturday had all the elements of a great wedding, Friday's ceremony truly embodied the gifts of love, friendship, and commitment Dennis and Kate gave one another along with those sparkly rings. A small group of family and friends gathered to witness this intimate exchange of vows, complete with touching readings and a Pete Fernandez original song. Blown. Away. As I've said many times since .. it is an honor to be this couple's friend and I wish them such happiness as they begin their lives as a married couple. In the slideshow Dennis created for the reception, Adam Duritz sang, "What's life without an occasional surprise" - what a life these two have in store for them! 





In a true celebration of the Easter season, my good friends at Christa's Ponds and Gardens drained, gutted, cleaned and refilled my pond in late April. The waterfall runs beautifully and through the skylights in my bedroom I can hear the gentle gurgle as I drift off. Needless to say, as the school year wanes, it's becoming increasingly difficult to get out of bed in the morning with such a tranquil sleeping arrangement. This weekend, Kate and I named ten goldfish and added them to the pond (see video below), my dad helped me hang lights and believe it or not, I've become even MORE obsessed with my backyard. My 8 year old neighbor Parker refers to me as the Secret Garden Lady, which is in my mind is WAY better than a cat lady. A few more weekends of weeding and I might actually get it under control; as Frances Hodgson Burnett wrote, “She made herself stronger by fighting with the wind.” I can't wait to welcome Amanda, Christy, and Stephano, just to name a few, into the garden this summer .. don't worry, ladies, the vino is already chilling.


"Nothing in the world is quite as adorably lovely as a robin when he shows off
and they are nearly always doing it.” (FHB)



“There's naught as nice as th' smell o' good clean earth,
except th' smell o' fresh growin' things when th' rain falls on 'em.” (FHB)

“And the secret garden bloomed and bloomed and every morning revealed new miracles.” (FHB)

As I mentioned, in a few weeks Kate, Tiff and I are roadtrippin' to check out one of our favorite bands of all time. On a grassy hill in Sylvania, Ohio I will dance, sing and laugh with two of my favorite girls on the planet and once again, it comes back to the Counting Crows: "You don't want to waste your life / I walk along these hillsides/  In the summer 'neath the sunshine / I am feathered by the moonlight falling down on me / Change, change, change"

Here's to Summer 2012.

PS. Here's the fish video .. it really needs to come with a 'Sarah is Crazy' disclaimer.

Pura Vida!

Happy New Year! Emerson said, Be silly. Be honest. Be kind. With a renewed sense of bettering ourselves to more peacefully live together, I'd say he about had to right. But I don't want to get ahead of myself .... first .....

Mom, Dad, and I ended 2011 in the World's Happiest Country :) Costa Rica's motto is 'Pura Vida' which means 'Living the Pure Life' (loosely) and nearly everyone (aside from a cabbie or two!) adopted the motto wholeheartedly to ensure our trip's smoothness and enjoyability. Overall, it was AWESOME.

We embraced much of what the country offers from traditional food to animal watching to wave frolicking to zip-lining and much, much more. I've included the link to a *very* parred down photo album (if you have a few hours, I can show you the un-edited version) and created a Letterman-like Top Ten list to briefly share our travels with you. Here are the photos :  https://plus.google.com/photos/108293021437519304084/albums/5699092658201928385?authkey=CLqK-eC10OHT2AE

Coffee plant & plantain tree

Snack - Two foods tied on this one .. some of you might be very surprised to learn I LOVE plantains (despite my utter aversion for bananas) especially when they are in chip form and flavored with salt & lemon. Plantains are a very typical 'Tico' (Costa Rican) side dish and while I appreciate local flavors, I ate multiple bags of these crunchy treats. However, my love for chocolate and coffee merged in the form of tri-chocolate-covered expresso beans, which we purchased from a local coffee plantation. We met the owner on the bus to Arenal and we stopped in his store in La Fortuna. We snacked on them through the country and their quick sugar / caffeine rush picked us up on more than one occasion.

Our rainforest bungalow's patio

Hotel - Can I tell you that I'm only on #2 on my own list and already struggling to come up with only one answer to each question? I'm trying to keep this brief .. I really loved the unique hotel at which we stayed in the rainforest. 1001 Places to See Before You Die named The Chachagua Rainforest Hotel a must due to its "simple but spacious bungalows" and "potential for bird and wildlife viewing." The trek up the side of the mountain added to the adventure of it all! Here we took a walk through the rainforest and marveled at the wonders of the leaf cutter ants as well as took in the beauty of a surprise waterfall. Our front porch served its function well with a hammock for napping, small table for dice throwing, and broad, open area for yoga! On the last morning, I jumped into the shower only to yell-whisper for my parents to check out the pair of toucans peering back at us! Great bird-watching indeed. Sleeping in the middle of the rainforest is as magical (and noisy!) as it sounds.

Rainforest shower! (Literally)

View of this attractive pair from the shower

Guide - Keilor, our guide through Doka Coffee Plantation, Poas Volcano, and La Paz waterfall,has perfected his 'spiel' to include the perfect amount of infomation and quiet time to observe our surroundings (other guides, most notably Chatty Cathy on the way to Arenal could learn a thing or two). He truly reveled in exploring his country with tourists, always willing to answer questions or trade witty comments. Keilor's positive attitude and patience is one to be admired -- especially because as you know I love to take pictures and nearly always fall behind. He goodnaturedly doubled back to find me on more than one occasion. The sights themselves created a perfect first day in Costa Rica. We learned a good bit about the economy (ask Dad the top five money-makers) as well as saw wildlife up close and observed the power of a whole lot of tourists as our chants managed to convince Siva the mythical vulture to move the clouds so we could see Poas Volcano. Given the cloud cover when we arrived, I'd call this glimpse a real miracle.

The view when we arrived

After Siva got involved ..

Keilor explaining coffee roasting

Magia Blanca Waterfall

Monteverde region arco iris

Moment - As we were leaving Santa Elena and headed towards Manuel Antonio, we came around a bend and beheld an arco iris (rainbow!). Absolutely beautiful and the irony of leaving our hotel, Arco Iris Lodge (sadly, I must admit) only to encounter an actual one moments later struck us powerfully. The blend of sun & rain in Costa Rica reminds me of how Noah and his family must've felt .. a good reminder of our faith!
This, along with our Eden-like experience at the hot springs, really captured for me God's love for us :)

Tabacon Hot Springs .. AKA Eden

Restaurant - I'm a fan of guidebooks and really depend on their information to lead me in the direction of good food. Lonely Planet did not steer us wrong when it suggested 'Sabor Espanol' just outside of Santa Elena in the Monteverde region. Run by a Spanish couple, its unique food and cozy atmosphere treated us to a delightful meal. One of the owners served us our meal and enjoyed refilling our glasses of sangria with the same exuberance her husband used when creating our delicious food - tuna stuffed avocados with homemade chips and pork and chicken served with a variety of sauces. On a rainy evening, it felt good to settle into the homey atmosphere for food beyond rice and beans (which I love).

The Clancys and the owners of Sabor Espanol

Selvatura Hanging Bridges, Monteverde

Me, coming in for the landing

Activity -I really loved the Monteverde region for a number of reasons but most people, including us, travel there for the experience of a cloudforest (shorter trees than a rainforest, essentially) as well as the renowned hanging bridges and ziplining experience. Ziplining was unlike anything I've ever done, and can I just tell you how proud I am of my 'afraid of heights' dad? He was awesome!! The longest zipline we did was approximately 700meters long and REALLY high up! Soaring through the air cabled is probably the closest I'll get to sky-diving and I'll die happy. :) I was cold, wet, and muddy (the mud is still a mystery, honestly) but man, did we have fun! Before we soared through the air, all three of us (Nance opted out of the ziplining because of her shoulder - sad face but the right choice, no doubt) wandered across a series of hanging bridges through the cloudforest. The sights were spectacular. We spotted a few types of monkeys as well as a number of birds including hummingbirds and to just look out over the trees at points was incredible.

That's Dad in the distance there .. he don't play when it comes to ziplines.

Cup of Coffee - After a full day of walking the hanging bridges and ziplining in the rain , we were cold and wet (as one should be in the rainforest, really). Before hot showers and tucking ourselves under cozy blankets for the remainder of the rainy afternoon, we found ourselves a small coffeebar. We treated ourselves to hot drinks which we slowly drank listening to the rain fall. Naps and book reading really make a quality vacation! We learned a lot about Costa Rican coffee from our planation tour and Mathias, our planation owner friend from the bus; I really love have come to love not only the taste and richness of this beverage but also the social ritual of drinking it with loved ones over good conversation. Thanks, Costa Rica, for keeping us energized, social, and in good company while grading the never ending stacks.

Perfect rainy afternoon!

Animal Sighting - We took an off-the-beaten-track detour to check out a final national park which features macaws, or 'lapas' sighting on a regular basis. Since I read The Great Kapok Tree in first grade, I find rainforests fascinating and I always thought I would own a tropical bird in adulthood. (I've since learned the clear error in thinking there but remained devoted to the beauty of these birds.) On our way out of the park, my dad spotted our third set of nesting macaws, which were in clear view of the path. I managed to get great photos but they were far enough away that we weren't disturbing them; they went out about their business while we looked on in awe.

Checking out their nest

Can't you just picture him saying, "Hello?"

And a sloth for good measure :)

"Clearly We're in a Developing Country" Moment - Nance arranged a taxi-boat-taxi ride to cut off hours of dangerous, mountain roads on our trip from Arenal to the Monteverde-area (brilliant!). The best-laid plans are actually best when they actually come to fruition and we were always grateful to see the driver when he arrived. This particular one was late due to a flat tire (he called the hotel to let us know) and we began to worry about missing our boat portion of the ride. However, as the ticos say, Pura vida! When the last of our belongings were loaded up, who should jump in to drive the sagging boat but our taxi driver! Obviously. The organization which goes into maintaining such an operation -- especially without any visible pen, paper, or computer is really astounding .. no one seems to get left behind and there are always exactly the right amount of seats. Amazing.

We're behind the bags .. Oh, and that red taxi? At thee bottom of the steep hill? It backed down. The only thing keeping it in place is that leeeeeetle, tiny boulder. Yep.

Drink - We like to think of Hotel Villa Lapas as our own private luxury resort (five rooms - we were one of two families there); we'll read about it on People.com in the next several years as the place so-and-so rented for their honeymoon. We'll be able to say, "Oh, we stayed there when it had only been open for six weeks!" (I probably slept in George's bed before he did but I digress.) Its elegant simplicity really allowed us to finish our vacation in the lap of luxury and Jorge the bartender (on his very first day of work) took good care of us on the drink front. I drank THE best margarita I've ever had (passion fruit) and Dad enjoyed a delicious housemade coconut concoction, made especially by his request. Mom sipped a delicious blackberry margarita; we all relished the relaxed atmosphere while peering over our infinity pool into the sunset. Sigh. As I look out on freshly fallen snow, I dream of transporting myself right back there.

Passion fruit margarita

Hotel Villa Lapas

Welcome drink made by Jorge

Sunset at Hotel Villa Lapas.

And there you have it .. if you're still reading, the last journal entry I wrote on 12/28 reads "Very.Long.Day" which about sums up a frustrating customs and airline experience in Newark but it was small details compared to the beautiful vacation we experienced. I'd highly encourage you to check out this country; I know I will again - and I hope for a longer period of time in the future. Hasta luego, Costa Rica!