Glacier point

I can't believe I've been away from home for almost three weeks! This week especially has just flown by. Just two more months! That seems like forever, but I know it will go fast. Just know that I am missing everyone already!

Let me update on the last couple of days...
Wednesday I had to work so I missed the gathering where our tribe gets together and has a worship time. I was really sad because I really miss singing along to music on the guitar.. I feel that's what really brings me to life sometimes. So... everyone from the gathering surprised me at work with a chocolate chocolate chip birthday cake and sang happy birthday! I was so excited but kind of embarrassed because everyone in the hotel lobby was staring. It was fun though. They stayed for awhile and we ate cake.
Yesterday I woke up early and went on a hike to Glacier point, the four mile trail as it is also know. But I found out that it is actually 4.6 miles...and hiking from the place where I live, its probably over five! So I hiked five miles yesterday, mostly uphill. It was hard, especially at the top( my lungs are still not adjusted to this thin air, or my body its need for extreme amounts of water)But the view was worth it. While hiking, we came to a point where we were eye level with yosemite falls! it was beautiful. we hiked further up and came to a point where the trees cleared and you could see the valley in all directions and the mountains rising up from the valley. The higher we hiked, the more pine trees there were, and the trail eventually became covered with pine needles and that good ole pine smell. There were huge pinecones that could knock someone out... they were bigger than my face! The view was so beautiful and when we got to the top, we could see some of the mountaintops were still covered in snow. It still amazes me what yosemite looks like. Sometimes it feels like we're looking at a living painting. ESpecially at night, when the moon is rising over the mountain tops, it looks as if someone has painted a big backdrop and just stuck it up there. It doesn't look real... but it is and I"m living here!
ONce we got to the top of Glacier point we rested for awhile and had some much deserved icecream. We took a shuttle down and met some friends to drive to El Portal where steve lives. We ate pizza there and watched the movie Fight Club, and just hung out for awhile. Oh and I forgot... on the way there I bought my first bottle of wine to share with my friends! I felt kind of awkward though, but I'm officially legal!

Its been good to hang out with friends, espeically hiking with Bridget, Leigh, Matt and Selena yesterday... but I still miss the comfortableness(is that a word?)of home. I have been praying that I wouldn't just "get through" the next few months but really engage in relationships, live free and live life and show the truth and not withdraw from people when I feel sad. I know spending some alone time with the Lord will help and I plan to do that tomorrow.

Thanks to everyone who is praying... your prayers are felt, so don't stop!

ps.. funny note... I've been to several bar b ques here in California. What I'm used to in Texas is every kind of meat imaginabe dripping in sweet and spicy sauce. Know what they have at barbques here? Garden burgers... haha... I'm not even kidding. Its blasphemy!!!