i heart iowa

as much as i travel you learn that a lot about experiencing the world and new things is about who you are experiencing them with. you could be surrounded by a million people in paris and be so lonely. anyway what im trying to say is i love to travel - anywhere with anyone usually. but sometimes i just want to go to IOWA.
last wednesday emily, sara and i left denver for des moines. road trip style. we were there for 5 days and it was so much fun...here our my top 10 memories.

1. when we got gas and oil 2 minutes into the trip. my car alarm went off twice. the car rolled away. i poured in the oil and then read the directions. oppsies.
2. using corn for gas in nebraska. or something.
3. yelling "YEAH IWOA" out the windows and getting strange looks.
4. 'A-lining' it to des moines
5. the most amazing sandwich place (south union or something)
6. buying evie's wedding dress!!!!
7. evie killing emily with her eyes...haha
8. catching fire flies! yesssss.
9. thunder and lightning storms every night! watching in the living room with the lights off.
10. robin's windshield wiper sound effects
11. painting pottery. (evie's dots :)
12. playing would you rather on the way home.

i love you girls!

my new favorite

so at urban outfitters i found this book "other peoples love letters" - my little sister and i started looking through it and got immediately addicted. i dont know if all people are like me...but i found these random strangers' love notes exceptionally intriguing. its kind of like post secret but not as morbid. these letters are from real people - some are funny, some sad, some almost made me cry. perhaps its a girl thing. with the iowa road trip coming i thought it fit the occasion since we were celebrating a love between two friends. (ha okay i just really wanted to buy it) in the car we took turns reading random love notes...trying to figure out the story behind them.
i suggest buying. now.
also i suggest keeping all of your lovers' love notes that they have ever given to you and creatively displaying them in a book like this. wouldn't that make a great gift....or like happy 50th anniversary. ha. (the gift thing was my sis's idea...i think its a good one)

my heart is beeping....still

this last week i went with some friends to an exhibit put on by world vision. it was a stimulation to help us understand what it is like to live with aids in africa. a kind of "pull on your heart strings" presentation. i was looking forward to going. i always think that im used to these sort of things...but it gets me everytime. i miss my invisible children days where i was constantly reminded of the need in africa. people's needs in general. instilling hope in the young people here that things can change. the continuous burden to pray for those in tribulation.
i pray that my life will not get to comfortable, that i forget. i pray for this exhibit, as it travels around, will open peoples' eyes to what they can give or do. i pray for the children who are waiting to be supported...that they will rely on you and get the care and love they need. i pray for the organization of wold vision, that the money can be used in the best way possible.
i pray for gulu and the kids who have or currently been affected by the LRA - give them peace and renew their minds. i pray for encouragement for volunteers who overwork themselves for your glory. amen

i am the only one to blame for this

I look beyond the empty cross
forgetting what my life has cost
and wipe away the crimson stains
and dull the nails that still remain
More and more I need you now,
I owe you more each passing hour
the battle between grace and pride
I gave up not so long ago
So steal my heart and take the pain
and wash the feet and cleanse my pride
take the selfish, take the weak,
and all the things I cannot hide
take the beauty, take my tears
the sin-soaked heart and make it yours
take my world all apart
take it now, take it now
and serve the ones that I despise
speak the words I can't deny
watch the world I used to love
fall to dust and thrown away
I look beyond the empty cross
forgetting what my life has cost
so wipe away the crimson stains
and dull the nails that still remain
so steal my heart and take the pain
take the selfish, take the weak
and all the things I cannot hide
take the beauty, take my tears
take my world apart, take my world apart
I pray, I pray, I pray
take my world apart

-jars of clay

live music anyone?

phil wickham . july 11 . calvary chapel
feist . july 15 . fillmore
rocky votolato . july 19 . marquis theater
joshua radin . august 14 . bluebird
amos lee and priscilla ahn . august 16 . gothic
jenny lewis . september 17 . ogden
sigur ros . september 27 . red rocks
tegan and sara . october 13 . paramount
rachel yamagata . november 11 . bluebird
coldplay . november 21 . pepsi center

where the beer flows like wine

tonight im in aspen. and i love it here. the smell. the stars. the people. ha. ok not the people.

getting here is always an adventure. adventure is not the right word, but it will do. did you know that flight attendants bid avoid to fly aspen trips? not only do pilots have to be specially trained (the airport is surrounded by large mountains duh), but customer service agents as well. because most people who fly in and out of aspen are billionaires (thats a lot of million). and they let you know. they dont want to be told what do, they say when, they say where, they say who. which is fine, but dont fly commerically then ha (dont worry, i only thought that to my self). anyways, i had many ridiculous couples where the wife was much younger and healthier then her loved one. ha. the biggest diamond rings i had ever seen.

this older guy comes on the flight and i ask -

hi sir, how are you?
not so good (in a moaning voice)
he didnt look so good, and i ask in a concerning voice..."why is that?"
I've got the pancreatic cancer
im sorry to hear that. is there anything i can do to make you more comfortable?
...nope

his wife made him carry their bags. and wouldnt even wait for him! she was helping alright. helping him die.
poor guy. i guess money cannot always buy you love.