dog beach

i arrived in san diego at about one o'clock. after a not so fun deadhead (kids yelling all around me) i was excited to see my friend lindsay! she picked me up and we drove around town - pointing out places she used to work, the college she went to, where she goes running. it was fun to see into the window of her world - that which she calls home. so jealous.
we pull up to a stop light and glance at the dog looking out the window of the car right next to us, then we stare at the dogs owner who is very attractive. lindsay assures me that he is most likely on his way to 'dog beach' and thus becomes are next destination. we walk there from lindsays house and get burritos and drinks on the way. it was a beautiful day, perfect for sitting on the beach. we set up our picnic right smack in the middle of 'dog beach' and proceed to eat lunch and watch boys. i didnt really know what to expect and i never turn anything down that involves a beach. i access the situation and notice that we are surrounded by every type of dog. there are chihuahuas playing with st. bernards. english bull dogs and rottweilers. you name it. i quickly realize how out of place i feel. first - we DONT have a dog, and second i remember how i get SUPER awkward around dogs. they just make me nervous. but i dont admit this. i just play it cool. act normal. until i accidentally yell, "OH SHIT! A PIT BULL!" - as this full grown pit bull is charging towards us, full speed (or maybe towards the ball that his owner just threw near us), but still all i could think of is some show on animal planet called "when dogs attack" subtitled, "at the beach." Lindsay just laughs and asks me if i am scared of dogs. "ha ha...no. im just joking"....no im not. there we are eating and having conversation and BAM - a dog would trample right through the 10 inch space between lindsay and i - getting sand all over our picnic. this would happen multiple times. but of course we cant say anything. i mean we are choosing to eat our lunch in the smack dab middle of DOG beach!!!

i survived and at the end of the day i actually came to fall in love with one of them. a weimaraner.
i think he loved me too.

the rest of our day/night consisted of making friends with high schoolers and paying them a dollar to do back flips. taking jumping pictures. buying matching rainbows. ordering burritos in spanish on peoples answering machines (ok that was just lindsay). and watching this you tube video over and over. lots of laughing. best layover ever.

the guy in 2B

hello. hi.
(take a bite of a sandwich)
good evening sir.
(drink some water)
how's it going?....no, im sorry we do not have closet room for your suit.
(get some drinks for the pilots and get out my safety demo stuff)

one more flight. the last flight of the night to memphis. i am starving and ready for bed. but i have 20 min to get everyone on board, make sure that 50 people have their bags properly stowed, tray tables up, seat backs up, seat belts buckled, bins closed, count infants and children, make sure no one is in the lav, and make an announcement before we can close the door for an on time departure.

in the middle of all this a slightly grumpy, older customer service agent comes down into the plane and just starts yelling anxiously, "WE ARE WEIGHT RESTRICTED TO 44."
"ok" i say calmly. i check with the captain, and it is true. we have to pull 6 people.
he yells again, "I NEED 6 VOLUNTEERS OFF THIS PLANE......NOW."

oh my gosh, i thought, laughing a little at how absurd this guy was.
some people were kind of discussing the option with their loved ones or whomever. making excuses as i walk by, "i would, but i have to be at work in the morning. im a doctor." "of course. of course." (i mean it was sunday night and everyone had bought a ticket to come home sunday night).

after a few minutes a family of four volunteers. thank you.

"OK I NEED 2 MORE PEOPLE FOLKS!"

i chuckle a little. i mean he just seems so mad. yelling like that. we have a PA and there are nicer ways to inform everyone. "ladies and gentlemen if i could please have your attn, i have just been informed that due to the weight and balance of this aircraft it is necessary to remove six passengers. these people will be compensated with a free round trip ticket to anywhere in the continental US, plus free accommodations for tonight, and will be rebooked on the next available fight out tomorrow morning. thank you for your cooperation." i dont know if that would have helped, but maybe.

"TWO MORE PEOPLE!"

no one.

everyone wanted and needed to get home.

"ALRIGHT THEN," says the csa in a somewhat threatening tone, "IM JUST GONNA HAVE TO PULL OFF THE LAST 2 PEOPLE WHO CHECKED IN." he went to get his list and came back - shouting the two unfortunate names.
the older black guy in the last row came forward with this suit. tucked under his arm. he had a hat on and as he came to the front someone asked "ya got work tomorrow?" "nope," he answered. "my dads' funeral."

oh

the quiet guy in 2B slowly stood up and with out hesitation, looked him in the eye and said "sit down. you can have my seat" and walked off the plane.

less than a minute later i was closing the door. i had a count of 44 people going to memphis.

happy homecoming

on january first my dear friend was blessed with a little baby boy. he was born early and has had a pretty tough life so far. this week they are finally able to love him in their own home. his name is josiah which means "strengthened by god." cherie and craig are such wonderful parents and they are constantly trusting the lord with every situation. im so proud of them and be sure to check out their blog and keep their family and the little one in your prayers!

proverbs 31:8-9

"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." -Albert Einstein

it is common for people to leave a theater with recognition of exceptional cinematography or commendable acting. of how they determine what makes a movie "good." going to the movies can be a fun social outing and different movies protray different things. im a girl who likes romantic comedies. but i also like movies that challenge how i live, what i know or thought i knew, how i or we should change. how we should or could love. a couple of movies/documentaries that have changed what i think are, "invisible children," "blood diamond," "in america," and today my sister and i saw "slumdog millionaire." we ran errands and got food right before and were running a tad behind so we literately ran to the theater (story of my life). as we started eating our sandwiches and making ourselves comfortable we quickly realized this was not the feel good sort of movie. we left with the reminder of reality. of atrocities in the world. corruption and loss and hopelessness and strugle for the innocent. we left with conversation of how two brothers with the exact same childhood can grow up to be completely different. and with the question or "what do we do?." how does this affect how i live or who i love? because i dont want to live my comfortable life that i am so grateful for and end up missing the point completely.

are you from london!?

us annoying americans thought this was funny to ask of english people in our bad english accent. we lived up to our loud obnoxious reputation. it started on the plane - sitting in first class. we are always the youngest people in first and always the most excited. im sorry to whomever we may have disturbed but we just didnt want to waste any of our time in first class sleeping!
the short adventure consisted of myself, crazy lindsay, matt meyer, a sweet girl taylor - and some lovely english friends sarah, matt, a couple of chriss and a rich. we definitely could have used a few more days, but im not sure if we could have afforded it. both nights (yes we were only there 2 nights) were amazing. the first we experienced the london eye with a perfect sky, went to different little pubs, met people from south africa, pranced oh the cobblestone, ate kebabs, played cards and shared stories about our different lives with our new friends. i think we went to bed at 4:30am. the following evening was spent marveling at the astounding talent of priscilla ahn and ray lamontagne. i was only able to hear one song of priscillas but will see her again some day. hopefully. we wondered around the historic little town of nottingham and met up with sarah's friend matt who managed this really cool serene cafe/music venue/bar. we drank tea and listened to music as he told us stories of robinhood.
the next day we took a train from birmingham to london, subway to the airport, flew from heathrow to jfk to slc to den. longest day and a half ever. it all seemed like a dream really. a good dream.

the times they are a changin'

i have wanted to write many entries but have just been too busy. doing good stuff - like hangin out with my mom and aunts and uncle and little sister in florida. i wasnt sure what i was signing up for but i really enjoyed the craziness of my extended family whom i love :) and bonding time with my mom and especially my little sis. then i had a 3 day trip with a lot of time in san fran so that was fantastic. and ive just been hanging out with my new roommates. making covenants and talking about how life will be living together and serving each other. we first named the house the 'hive' because of our bees, but then changed it to 'the orchard' because we all have apple comps. so all is well in the commune - just loving it.
in the mean time i constantly wonder what i am missing out at the guida house. what if dominic is throwing up again? did he get his new tooth in? what funny things is vinny saying? dante is painting his room, emailing and having sleep overs. did i miss out on chicken tortilla soup? i sure hope not.
its an adjustment...because as fast as those little guys grow, i feel like i cant even blink (see country song..."dont blink"). and as for my sister and i we are the closest we have been and there is nothing like catching up and having coffee together or going on a walk with the kids. and mike works his butt off to make it all possible. making time to wrestle with the boys or cuddle with the wife.
i miss it.
but im so thankful to see a family love and grow and do life. and feel apart of it. there is nothing like it.
i love you guys and i mean LOVE...
thanks for having me.

im moving in with my best friend's husband...

and my best friend. and another couple and their cute baby boy. and perhaps some other people. oh and a dog. yep. for now we have 6 people (including the baby) who are passionate about this communal living thing. im really excited. we are moving into hannah's parents house, and hannahs parents are moving to the mountains. so fun changes for everyone. i just pray that the lord will teach us and grow us together and that we can just love in his name.

acts 4:32 all the believers were one in heart and mind. no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. with great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the lord jesus, and much grace was upon them all. there were no needy persons among them.

if you know anyone else who wants to come live with us or needs a place to stay at any point, let me know.

(oh and the title of this post is from a similar title of an article in relevant magazine a while back...clever)