One BIG Sandbox

Saturday David, Emmie, Nate, Mary Jo and I jumped in the car and headed towards the Great Sand Dunes National Park.
(History)
The dunes are the product of the wind and rain eroding the San Juan and Sangre de Cristo Mountains which surround the valley I live in. They rest at the foot of the Cristo mountains because of the different winds and stay in place by water flowing down the mountains.

Being here for only two weeks, my lungs haven't quite adjusted, meaning we took a few breaks along the way. About half way up the dunes my determination and ambition began to dwindle. They really don't look that big, but in all reality, they're huge. Covering over 39 square miles and rising 750 feet above the valley. To reach one of the highest peaks, it took around one hour.
But at the top....
it was gorgeous.

Once at the top, we watched people ski, "sand board," and sled down the hills.
Going down the dunes was the funnest part of all. We goofed of racing down dunes and jumping off the cliffs. However I was the highlight of the trip.
I can upon a dunes that dropped down steep and then shot up about nine feet. My goal was to gain enough momentum in my decent to make it up the incline. So, off I went....

I began sprinting down the dunes, whizzing past Mary Jo, picking up speed. Closer and closer I got to the base, where I began to prepare for the uphill climb. I took one big step and planted my foot, pushing off to go up..... my foot sunk and my calf quickly disappeared underneath the sand. I found my body lunging forward, yet my leg remained unmovable. Almost as in slow motion, I saw my body drag through the sand, making a crash landing. Thankfully I was able to brace my self and ease the fall with my hand. Yet my body remained in motion, and my foot still stuck. As I collected my self and began to chuckle, I heard clapping, whistling, and cheering in the background.... Glancing up, I saw it. A crowd of 15 people, spectators and witnesses of my "funnest home videos" moment.

You can check out all my Sand Dunes photos by watching the slide show in the sidebar, or clicking on a photo and pulling up the whole album.
The day ended as we stopped back through Alamosa on the way home and checked out a huge car show in the city park. Its one of those car shows where, to me, the people are just as interesting as the vehicles :)
It was a great way to spend the weekend and got our minds planning out next hike, possibly up the mountain to stay the night and camp. Hopefully by then I'll be able to breathe comfortably :)
Love

Chief Boyardee

Friday night was a little exciting at the MVS house. Mary Jo and I had a cooking spree. For hours we made cilantro salsa and pesto. I'll admit I've never made either of these, so it was an experiment for me. Nate, Mary Jo and I were the only ones home. We had a great night, full of food, fun, laughter, and finding new friends in the house (a giant grasshopper with a stinger thing!)
I also finally go my camera back to Colorado, as it was mistakenly sent home to Indiana. So I've adding a few additional pictures below.
Enjoy.
Love

The Bump

Sorry, it has been awhile since I've last blogged, but thanks to friends encouragements (..ehem, Rodney) I thought I'd update ya'll :)
After such a great weekend I had high hopes that work would be back, the guy in charge of me was returning, I'd have my position and my place, I would be put into the program for sure.
.... that didn't happen ....
I had a really frustrating week. I was still sort of jobless, just wondering around with nothing to do, sitting on the computer trying to look busy. I was getting really upset about being treated unequal and been brushed off from one person to another. The boys and girls club is VERY disorganized, with no director, no one bringing in grants or funds, and very low on staff. I floated from one person's desk to another, trying to stay out of the way and hide my sudoku book.
Then, someone claimed me! I was given the job of event coordinating, officially it was claimed as my job. As great as this made me feel, the next things I learned crushed all joy. I was assigned four events for September. One of the events was the BIGGEST of the year. It's a NATIONWIDE celebration, pretty much like a carnival and fun day for kids and families. I found that the planning for this event was suppose to start four months ago. So I've been given this job to complete, with no money, no resources, no freebies, no ideas, no help, no anything, and I have three weeks to pull it all together! Talk about starting out with a bang.
Then today happened. I still don't have any donations and very little funds, but I have ideas and am started to find companies that may be donating things, such as tents and a dunk tank if I'm lucky. The guy who claimed me was moved up to the directors position, which relieves some stress at the club, and means I get a desk!
I still had to pick my after school program that I was going to join. So, when the kids arrived and walked around and wandered into the arts and crafts room. I found that we have a dark room, full of developing chemicals, fill and cameras. Then I found out two things:
1. the art teacher doesn't know a thing about film, besides taking it to Wal-Mart
2. the club is required to have a 16 week program on photography.
I'm proud to say that I've chosen my program. I am the new teacher of the photography department, image makers.
I'm now busy planning activities, relearning to develop film, and finding connections in the community. I hit a little bump in the week, thankfully it worked out. I'm now excited about going into work and have LOTS to do - no need to pretend anymore :)
Hopefully things will continue to look up!
Till next time,
Love

Ballooning

Today was an amazing day. It all started at 5:00am, when it was dark and the stars still visible. My house got up early and drove out to Monte Vista. By the time we reached Monte Vista the silhouettes of the mountains were amazing. Even more amazing was the bright orange sun rising up above the mountain.

We came to a national park where we met the hot air balloon pilots and the couple that were flying. All of them were SO much fun. Those that came from our house were the crew. After we signed our life off and were told of all the risks (don't worry mom, I still got all fingers and toes) we helped with setting up the basket, connecting everything, then blowing up the balloon. I was on the end with holding and controlling the balloon, making sure it stayed straight and didn't rise too quickly. (The picture is of our house girls, Emmie, Kendra, Mary Jo and I)

We then jumped in the cars and chased around the balloon until it landed. We packed up, had a celebration for the couple, ending around 9:30am. We all then went out for breakfast. Which was again, amazing and almost two hours long. I learned so much talking with these locals! (Doug is the pilot in this picture, his wife Gigi is also a pilot)
Next we got home with enough time to change and head into the country to a crafts day at a friends house. Right when we got there it was time for lunch - I've been trying so many good and new food - especially a lot of goat stuff. We spent the afternoon spinning wool into yarn and batiking eggs (decorating them with wax and dying them). The talking and eating and creating went on till about 7pm.

Lastly, I went to neighbors gardens, getting advice and picking fresh vegetables and herbs for homemade salsa and pesto. We also have a new roommate, the ONLY male, Nate.

It was a great day! I learned so much and met lots of great people. I'm excited for doing these things again.
Love

Early Frustrations

Thursday was a rather slow day at work.... There really isn't a whole lot to share. I felt like I had my roommate's old job. I sat at a desk for three hours and put mailing addresses onto 700 invitation postcards. Sound familiar Rachel?!
I spent the rest of the afternoon with the kids. I monitored and hung out with them in the computer graphics room. It was a rather rough day dealing with all the kids. Most of the towns have low income, and the kids mostly come from single parent families. The things I see the kids doing, conversations they are having, language they are using - even at the age of 7 - surprises me. I knew, and expected it. Although it's hard to try to be a good role model when you hear and see staff acting the same way. Right now I'm a little upset and frustrated with my job. It's not what I expected. Currently I'm not being treated like and equal employee, but am being used as a free volunteer, which yes, I am. But I do have a job and I'm supposed to be treated no differently. That's not the way I'm feeling. The guy, Frank, who will be my boss will being coming in on Monday, so I just keep having hope that he will clear things up and define my job. Summer club just ended and school starts on Monday, meaning that the club wont fill with kids till after three and it will have more structure. This also keeps giving me hope.
A few prayers thrown this way would be greatly appreciated.

Like the First Day of School

Today was my first day at work. My MVS unit leader, who is like our house mom, took Mary Jo and I around Alamosa and showed us all the sights. We went in to get library cards, look at gym memberships, and applied for our Colorado driver's license. Then we each got dropped off at our work sights.
It was awkward.
It truly is like the first day of school. You can tell the leader was sorta trying to leave, but wanted to make sure I had everything that I needed and all my paper work was getting completed. For supposedly being an event coordinator, work isn't very eventful. The person who is actually suppose to meet with me, tell me what my jobs exactly are and sign all my papers for me, will be gone until Monday. So currently, I'm at the mercy of all the Boys and Girls Club workers. They aren't very organized and gave me very little information. Which is somewhat frustrating and aids to my impatiences till my real job starts. (The pic above is me in front of the Boys and Girls Club building, embarrassing part was walking inside to find all of the Adam's State College football players in the middle of a meeting!)
On my first day I had to sit in the office and read through the B&G Club manual... woo hoo. It was a paper work day. Although I was able to sit in on a "Smart Girls" program and get to know some of the girls.
My second day - today was a little different. I did research and began to put together an article for the Boys and Girls Club, San Luis Valley Newsletter. Not really what my job is, but like I said... I'm at their mercy :) I also had an hour by myself with most of the youth running one of the rooms. They were pretty much either watching a movie, playing games, or surfing on the computers.
I'm a little frustrated about the job, and well, not really having a job. I have my fingers crossed that it will be worked out.
BUT - I HAVE to share my funny story with you. Ok.. While I was in the computer lab one of the little boys kept asking me if I was going to watch the movie. And if I did, I HAD to sit by him. I sat, not next to him, but on a class room chair across from him. He of course had to move a chair beside me and sit as CLOSE as possible to me. Almost immediately as he sat down, he looked at me and asked, "wanna hold hands." There was a long awkward pause and I just responded with "no" "it's really not that cool." Did I mention he was like MAYBE . Yah for awkward moment!
Anyways, the mountains are still beautiful and I love seeing them on my drive every morning.
Thanks for everyone who's been email and keeping in touch. I LOVE hearing from you all!
Don't hesitate to call and update me on your lives!
Love

At A Glance

I arrived at La Jara on Friday night. Mary Jo Martin, her mother, my mother, and I had an interesting road trip. It had plenty of laughs, giggly girls, awkward moments - a truck drivers signs that read: Be a flirt, lift your shirt - as well as its missed turns and plain scenery. Non the less, we arrived.

(One our first stops was at Adam State College.. where we continued our fun.)
Apparently is it monsoon season, which means our first look of the mountains were very faint. Its been cold, cloudy and a little rainy for the past three days ... which is supposedly not normal. However, from what I have seen, its BEAUTIFUL here. The valley is BIG and surrounded by mountains.
I've had the weekend to move in, relax and get adjusted. Mary Jo and I don't go in to work until Tuesday. So we're going to tackle the bushes and landscape tomorrow...
I was a little scared when I first saw the house... this might explain why. You'll be glad to know you can now see the house over the hedges!
I'm living with great people right now. There is a married couple who live in a separate apartment. Then inside the house there are four girls including me. Eventually it will be four girls and one boy - I feel sorry for him :)
There's so much more I could share - but I'm sure over a duration of time I'll be able to share it all.
Until then,
love

The Beginning

I'm leaving for La Jara Colorado on August 14th. This day is the beginning to my new adventure. Some 20 hours later, I'll be arriving to my destination.

For one year I'll be working in they city of Alamosa at the Boys and Girls Club. There I will spend my mornings as an Assistant Event Coordinator and transition in the afternoon to an Assistant with the after school program.















I've been really relaxed about all my decisions and this upcoming trip. I'm sure that everything will work out perfectly fine for me. I know that my upcoming year will be difficult and at times, lonely, but I have faith that I'll walk through them until I reach the next, bright day.

I'll try to keep my blog updated with what's going on in my life and my adventure. As for now, I appreciate everyone who has been supporting and challenging me.

Thanks for being with me as I take my first step.

Love,
Meg