This very day, August 7 of the year 2010--I ran my first half-marathon! I finished in 2 hours and 19 minutes... and it was incredible. The night before I could hardly SLEEP I was so excited; even having recurring dreams of my family and oddly... my singles ward?... not accepting me because I didn't do well in the half marathon. I was so excited and anticipating and CRAZY that I woke up every few hours and imagined my alarm going off... Ah, well. Onto life lessons! (I'm pretty sure after waking up, when I walked into the lobb...)
1. Carbo-loading the day before a race is an excellent idea. In fact, you might find you enjoy it a lot!
2. Go to bed early the night before, even if you wake up every few hours and have dreams of people not accepting you (namely, your family and... old singles ward???) because you didn't do well in your half-marathon... and also dreams of your alarm clock going off.
3. Showing up in the lobby after such a night, and so excited, may provide an incessant series of a successive five minutes of chatter straight... that perhaps should have fit in ten minutes. This may also provide some entertainment for your coworkers running the race with you.
4. Apparently, some people are on time--and when you show up in the lobby with shoes, a purse, and other odds and ends at 4:28 am--everyone is ready. Who knew? :)
5. PapaGiki breakfast cookies are great pre race snacks. However, bananas in bags are not, as they have a nasty tendancy to divulge themselves over bag content.
6. Pictures, both before and after a half-marathon, are priceless. Not to mention--sometimes gross. :)
More lessons to come provided there is time... until then, feast your eyes on a couple pics for this one item off of a bucket list! 2:19 baby! :)
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
On admiration... reflections :)
OH life is so good! :)
I admire people who are not afraid to live.
People who have the confidence, the knowledge of their true strength so that they are not afraid. People who stand up and represent always, who find ways to show others what is right without preaching or thinking about it--because it is who they are. I admire greatly all of those who have the courage to follow their dreams and their vision of social justice and peace down to the smallest front. I admire, greatly--the people who make it unconsciously a priority to lift and better others.
I want to be more like that. :)
Life at Aspen Grove is beautiful. I cannot believe my "summer with no makeup" (at least after swimming!) has gone so fast. It hurts and excites me to imagine leaving such a place, a place where I have seen such growth and made such great friends. It humbles me and truly teaches me of my own insignificance and importance that the Lord would give me such an opportunity, such a stewardship. Oh, if only I could let everyone who cares about reading this know of those I have met--every one of my amazing kids, the boys who tossed me in the pool at least four times in one week, David who asked me on a date for the fall, my beginning group of four theatre girls and what conversation we had, the first time we decided to go thank-you chalking, sending a missionary out directly in the middle of our group for the MTC, every week feeling so overwhelmed and crying because I felt so humbled, completely blessed, and thankful to have had such an incredible group. Even the hard weeks--and yep, there have been hard weeks--I have learned. I feel like I learn every week, just having the chance to meet with these kids has refined and changed me so much. (and this hasn't even talked about how fun it is to interact with the families!!!) They are amazing.
Back to admiration. I am grateful that we have the chance to become more of what we admire in those around us--if it is true that the people we are with rub off on us, than I will have met huge heights by the end of the summer. :)
I am so thankful to everyone who has touched my life! :)
I admire people who are not afraid to live.
People who have the confidence, the knowledge of their true strength so that they are not afraid. People who stand up and represent always, who find ways to show others what is right without preaching or thinking about it--because it is who they are. I admire greatly all of those who have the courage to follow their dreams and their vision of social justice and peace down to the smallest front. I admire, greatly--the people who make it unconsciously a priority to lift and better others.
I want to be more like that. :)
Life at Aspen Grove is beautiful. I cannot believe my "summer with no makeup" (at least after swimming!) has gone so fast. It hurts and excites me to imagine leaving such a place, a place where I have seen such growth and made such great friends. It humbles me and truly teaches me of my own insignificance and importance that the Lord would give me such an opportunity, such a stewardship. Oh, if only I could let everyone who cares about reading this know of those I have met--every one of my amazing kids, the boys who tossed me in the pool at least four times in one week, David who asked me on a date for the fall, my beginning group of four theatre girls and what conversation we had, the first time we decided to go thank-you chalking, sending a missionary out directly in the middle of our group for the MTC, every week feeling so overwhelmed and crying because I felt so humbled, completely blessed, and thankful to have had such an incredible group. Even the hard weeks--and yep, there have been hard weeks--I have learned. I feel like I learn every week, just having the chance to meet with these kids has refined and changed me so much. (and this hasn't even talked about how fun it is to interact with the families!!!) They are amazing.
Back to admiration. I am grateful that we have the chance to become more of what we admire in those around us--if it is true that the people we are with rub off on us, than I will have met huge heights by the end of the summer. :)
I am so thankful to everyone who has touched my life! :)
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Love is in the Air at Aspen Grove :)
So... I have an announcement to make. Really. This new kid came up to Aspen Grove to sub in for staff, and that was it. I decided. Love is in the air at Aspen Grove.
No actually, I'm not in love. :) (though it comes up as questions in the many "question" type games I play with my kids) But love is IN THE AIR. Really. I think that over half of the staff is dating. They are EVERYWHERE, taking over Aspen Grove. INFESTATION! People who have gotten a boyfriend or girlfriend this weekend may easily outnumber those staff members who playing solitude. But life is so good! I just can't believe the number of couples there are up here. Everywhere. It is like PDA heaven! Or heck... ;) No, luckily it's not that bad.
My family came up and it was a TRUE DELIGHT to see them! I am glad to find that I have several reasonable prospects for marriage picked out for me by other people. What would life be like if I was forced to make such important decisions by myself??? ;)
I love my group this week! It is such a privilege and a blessing to be a counselor. Right now, I am off to go housing hunting for the fall... Though I am really considering staying at my Aunt's house in Provo for a semester while I cover double tuition. :) We'll see, but I know that the Lord's hand is in everything! I feel it so acutely with every group, every hike, every kind word, every adventure, even every challenge. Elder Holland came and talked about love, too--but a bigger love. Heavenly Father's love. He gave an incredible fireside, and it is closer to home here than anywhere else. Love truly is in the air, the deepest and truest kind of love. God's love is everywhere. :)
PS--I never thought I would get tired of food... but it's happening. Tonight I got a tomato sandwich and half of a hot dog, picked at both, went back for cereal and a PBJ, had bits of both, eventually ate a banana... hopefully in all of that, there was enough to make a meal. I can't wait to have a kitchen and keep it tidy and pick and choose and eat and clean FOOD!!! :)
No actually, I'm not in love. :) (though it comes up as questions in the many "question" type games I play with my kids) But love is IN THE AIR. Really. I think that over half of the staff is dating. They are EVERYWHERE, taking over Aspen Grove. INFESTATION! People who have gotten a boyfriend or girlfriend this weekend may easily outnumber those staff members who playing solitude. But life is so good! I just can't believe the number of couples there are up here. Everywhere. It is like PDA heaven! Or heck... ;) No, luckily it's not that bad.
My family came up and it was a TRUE DELIGHT to see them! I am glad to find that I have several reasonable prospects for marriage picked out for me by other people. What would life be like if I was forced to make such important decisions by myself??? ;)
I love my group this week! It is such a privilege and a blessing to be a counselor. Right now, I am off to go housing hunting for the fall... Though I am really considering staying at my Aunt's house in Provo for a semester while I cover double tuition. :) We'll see, but I know that the Lord's hand is in everything! I feel it so acutely with every group, every hike, every kind word, every adventure, even every challenge. Elder Holland came and talked about love, too--but a bigger love. Heavenly Father's love. He gave an incredible fireside, and it is closer to home here than anywhere else. Love truly is in the air, the deepest and truest kind of love. God's love is everywhere. :)
PS--I never thought I would get tired of food... but it's happening. Tonight I got a tomato sandwich and half of a hot dog, picked at both, went back for cereal and a PBJ, had bits of both, eventually ate a banana... hopefully in all of that, there was enough to make a meal. I can't wait to have a kitchen and keep it tidy and pick and choose and eat and clean FOOD!!! :)
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
A Reflection on a Beautiful Life :)
Life is full, full of the precious moments. There are times when things are not as good, and there are times when things are phenomenal. For some reason, I always thought success consisted of having every moment be phenomenal, of always living in that red zone of WOW. But I am learning that life is not like that. I am also learning that I don't think God intended it to be that way.
The good moments help you realize the beauty of the better moments, bad defines phenomenal, and life is not a straight line healthily--no matter the level. Those divets and dips are a part of a beautiful life. :)
And! Highlights of the young adult accomplishments this very day: building a bridge across a flowing river, ending up chalking thank you's on half of the Aspen Grove pavement, team building activities, a long hike, and one more great day under our belts. :)
And I have a date this weekend! Ahhh! :)
The good moments help you realize the beauty of the better moments, bad defines phenomenal, and life is not a straight line healthily--no matter the level. Those divets and dips are a part of a beautiful life. :)
And! Highlights of the young adult accomplishments this very day: building a bridge across a flowing river, ending up chalking thank you's on half of the Aspen Grove pavement, team building activities, a long hike, and one more great day under our belts. :)
And I have a date this weekend! Ahhh! :)
Thursday, June 3, 2010
What a day... and making the top ten most embarrassing moments :)
And so it begins!
Today was a long one. :)
You may wonder what constitutes an embarassing moment in the life of a girl who has at least one every day and whose life is an open book... well, I will tell you one today that made my top ten most embarrassing moments. Let's just say it takes a lot.
Let's start when I finished work... I terrified the living partrucia out of myself when I climbed up to the high ropes course for the first time... I hadn't done the rock wall before and it is not easy. Half way through, a small yellow rock climbing knob lures you in, being the only thing in reaching vicinity. But it is TINY! You reach, get stuck, reach, MISS and luckily the man belaying catches you as you begin to fall from thirty feet... Mmmm, I was shaking. All I wanted at the top was a hug from my guy friend at the top. What an experience!
So I drop my girls off... (this week I have four girls in my group... they are angels and wonderful) after climbing. Before this, we embark into the pool though it is an overcast day. In the muck and hurry and everything, guess who forgets to put sunscreen on in advance? Yep, Jen. Slopping it on IN the water, she figures that this is enough. When changing into cowboy clothes, she discovers a nasty burn on her shoulders, back, arms, some on the face... etc. I hope it doesn't blister! :) ha ha
And here it comes. I am sitting with come of my counselor gal friends when I decide that I am BUSHED and I want to hit the lodge (where we bunk) for a couple minutes. My friend had a rough day--really rough day--with her group, so I grab some money to treat her to ice cream after dinner and before the evening work. I run to hit the bathroom quick before leaving, and as I walk out of the stall--I hear water. Where is this water coming from, you may ask? I look around, surprised to find myself alone and no one washing their hands. Then I see it. Water is tenderly gushing over the edge of the brim full toilet, steadily pouring onto the floor. Shocked because I had only gone number one (sorry if this is TMI!)--I wonder what on earth happened. And it all goes downhill from there. Three of us are in the bathroom, I radio maintenace for help. Doesn't it make sense that you would send a sound wave that transmits over the whole camp in a situation like this?
The conversation goes something like follows:
Jena: "Maintenance, this is Jena; we have aslight sitaution in the girl's bathroom at Snowshoe that we could use some help with."
Someone: "Jena, if this is what we think it is, can you guys take care of it yourself?"
Jena: "....yes, I will look for a plunger."
Having this all transmitted and sent over the airwaves, I head back to the bathroom. A girl who lives here year round (Charlee) laughs and asks if they said we should take care of it. Yep, they did. Five of us in the bathroom now. Stomachs rumbling for dinner. One girl tries plunging the toilet to no avail--nothing happens. Nothing. So two leave for standby and I take over and resume her plunging efforts. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing.
Charlee comes in and tries. Nothing. But then--something begins to happen. What you may ask? The water begins to rise, rise, RISE.... I scream to Charlee to get out of the stall and her flip-flopped feet don't move. It begins. It is gushing out of the toilet now--(who knew plunging a clogged toilet could have such an effect?) I run and grab the radio, everyone in the lobby wonders what is going on. Amid screams and the toilets consistent and faithful streaming (old faithful would be impressed)--I radio over the camp. The conversation, amid the frantic screams and the sound of water pouring, must have gone something like: "MAINTENANCE, THE TOILET WILL NOT STOP OVERFLOWING"--screams!--"WE NEED HELP!"
Maintenance: "All right, turn off the water valve."
talking, talking, talking... "HOW?" break
Screams!--Frantic yelling to others: "Turn off the water valve!"
Charlee: "I think I broke it!"
"You WHAT????" On radio: "I think we broke the water valve."
Enter more screaming, more flooding.
"Darrin is on his way."
etc-etc-etc.
So! Twenty-five minutes late to dinner over a toilet you didn't clog that the WHOLE CAMP heard... Wow. Sometimes I amaze myself. The true test of friendship comes out in toilet matters, thanks for sticking with me Natalie! (I stuck to her like glue... mmm, yep, everyone knew. Nope, I didn't clog the toilet.)
So, you may wonder how I will ever be expected to find an eternal companion or have a serious conversation again in the course of my lifetime or succeed in long term experience... and you know, I'd be wondering too :)
I also think I lost my phone.
Red, not-toilet-clogging, over radio using, forever unconquerable (mostly) Jena, signing out. Still too blessed to be stressed, but you gotta admit--what a day. This is funny. :)
Today was a long one. :)
You may wonder what constitutes an embarassing moment in the life of a girl who has at least one every day and whose life is an open book... well, I will tell you one today that made my top ten most embarrassing moments. Let's just say it takes a lot.
Let's start when I finished work... I terrified the living partrucia out of myself when I climbed up to the high ropes course for the first time... I hadn't done the rock wall before and it is not easy. Half way through, a small yellow rock climbing knob lures you in, being the only thing in reaching vicinity. But it is TINY! You reach, get stuck, reach, MISS and luckily the man belaying catches you as you begin to fall from thirty feet... Mmmm, I was shaking. All I wanted at the top was a hug from my guy friend at the top. What an experience!
So I drop my girls off... (this week I have four girls in my group... they are angels and wonderful) after climbing. Before this, we embark into the pool though it is an overcast day. In the muck and hurry and everything, guess who forgets to put sunscreen on in advance? Yep, Jen. Slopping it on IN the water, she figures that this is enough. When changing into cowboy clothes, she discovers a nasty burn on her shoulders, back, arms, some on the face... etc. I hope it doesn't blister! :) ha ha
And here it comes. I am sitting with come of my counselor gal friends when I decide that I am BUSHED and I want to hit the lodge (where we bunk) for a couple minutes. My friend had a rough day--really rough day--with her group, so I grab some money to treat her to ice cream after dinner and before the evening work. I run to hit the bathroom quick before leaving, and as I walk out of the stall--I hear water. Where is this water coming from, you may ask? I look around, surprised to find myself alone and no one washing their hands. Then I see it. Water is tenderly gushing over the edge of the brim full toilet, steadily pouring onto the floor. Shocked because I had only gone number one (sorry if this is TMI!)--I wonder what on earth happened. And it all goes downhill from there. Three of us are in the bathroom, I radio maintenace for help. Doesn't it make sense that you would send a sound wave that transmits over the whole camp in a situation like this?
The conversation goes something like follows:
Jena: "Maintenance, this is Jena; we have aslight sitaution in the girl's bathroom at Snowshoe that we could use some help with."
Someone: "Jena, if this is what we think it is, can you guys take care of it yourself?"
Jena: "....yes, I will look for a plunger."
Having this all transmitted and sent over the airwaves, I head back to the bathroom. A girl who lives here year round (Charlee) laughs and asks if they said we should take care of it. Yep, they did. Five of us in the bathroom now. Stomachs rumbling for dinner. One girl tries plunging the toilet to no avail--nothing happens. Nothing. So two leave for standby and I take over and resume her plunging efforts. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing.
Charlee comes in and tries. Nothing. But then--something begins to happen. What you may ask? The water begins to rise, rise, RISE.... I scream to Charlee to get out of the stall and her flip-flopped feet don't move. It begins. It is gushing out of the toilet now--(who knew plunging a clogged toilet could have such an effect?) I run and grab the radio, everyone in the lobby wonders what is going on. Amid screams and the toilets consistent and faithful streaming (old faithful would be impressed)--I radio over the camp. The conversation, amid the frantic screams and the sound of water pouring, must have gone something like: "MAINTENANCE, THE TOILET WILL NOT STOP OVERFLOWING"--screams!--"WE NEED HELP!"
Maintenance: "All right, turn off the water valve."
talking, talking, talking... "HOW?" break
Screams!--Frantic yelling to others: "Turn off the water valve!"
Charlee: "I think I broke it!"
"You WHAT????" On radio: "I think we broke the water valve."
Enter more screaming, more flooding.
"Darrin is on his way."
etc-etc-etc.
So! Twenty-five minutes late to dinner over a toilet you didn't clog that the WHOLE CAMP heard... Wow. Sometimes I amaze myself. The true test of friendship comes out in toilet matters, thanks for sticking with me Natalie! (I stuck to her like glue... mmm, yep, everyone knew. Nope, I didn't clog the toilet.)
So, you may wonder how I will ever be expected to find an eternal companion or have a serious conversation again in the course of my lifetime or succeed in long term experience... and you know, I'd be wondering too :)
I also think I lost my phone.
Red, not-toilet-clogging, over radio using, forever unconquerable (mostly) Jena, signing out. Still too blessed to be stressed, but you gotta admit--what a day. This is funny. :)
Monday, May 31, 2010
Happy and so :)
I realized tonight that I am the happiest I think I have ever been in my life. This realization came somewhere between walking home from a 50s WWII movie (for Memorial Day) and running out with a willing guy and girl friend to check the lawn for detergent in ziplocs. Life truly is beautiful. How overwhelmed I am at the blessing of our God! I truly feel completely enshrouded with love and protection, I want to shout to all the world the JOY the Gospel brings. There is something special up here in these mountains, and I wouldn't trade it for any other opportunity I could have taken this summer... truly, I feel so blessed. I feel so humbled to be held so closely in the palm of my Heavenly Father's hand, it overwhelms me. There is nothingh so glorious as a Father above loving His child, there is nothing so glorious as a parent's love for their children... I saw these single parents come these last weekend, devoting their lives, sleep, social/emotional/physical--EVERY aspect of their lives to their kids. I see my sweet siblings try so diligently to raise their kids in the best way they know, to teach them to reach for the light. It amazes me these mortal parents devoting their lives to their children. And you know what? I can't wait for that day :)
Sunday, May 30, 2010
This week at Aspen Grove :)
I started a post a few days ago entitled: "Second post, fourth day" but it turned into a rant about whiny people, so... I'm not going to publish it.
SO!
This week at Aspen Grove... has been crazy!!!! The days feel like weeks and as such... I am officially at my Aspen Grove one month benchmark ;) Tomorrow it will gave been a week... how crazy is that? I love it here. I came home from church and just felt like I was coming home (sorry, mom and dad! home is still home too) :) On Friday our FIRST group came to Aspen Grove. I was so nervous, I haven't been able to sleep in past like 6 or 6:30 everyday... or nap... what is this game??? I am loving it though, I am making so many good friends... even this minute I am in the lobby with PEOPLE! Spending so much time in an empty household makes me just love this. It's so crazy though! How would you like a family extension of like 70 people??
Yesterday I met my group at 9:15. I sat up in bed yesterday morning and said: "I get a radio today!" And indeed I did get a radio. In fact, yesterday I held up the moo-ing cow I happen to possess to the radio transmitter, and with the click of a button--the WHOLE CAMP WAS MOOING. What a wonderful job :) There was this point of pure epiphany when we were playing wall-e-ball... I just looked around at my group and thought, "man, i feel like these guys are my best friends"--I was deoing what I love with people I had fun with and it was a moment of pure joy. And there you go! Aspen Grove is full of all sorts of pure, especially with the dress guidelines. :) I love it. Everything feels pure here!
On that note, we had a testimony meeting today. I was so impressed with all of the single parents who bore their testimonies... what power and how shaped by experience they were. It was a beautiful meeting, I felt very strongly that no one was there by chance.
On a more meloncholy note, I think that my attention span is shrinking. Even writing this, I feel like a crazy lady. According to my recent personality diagnosis, physically sitting on my hands will supposedly help. My personality type, according to this test, has thoughts three times as rapidly as the other personality types. I was double this said quick-thought personality type. That explains a lot huh???
SO!
This week at Aspen Grove... has been crazy!!!! The days feel like weeks and as such... I am officially at my Aspen Grove one month benchmark ;) Tomorrow it will gave been a week... how crazy is that? I love it here. I came home from church and just felt like I was coming home (sorry, mom and dad! home is still home too) :) On Friday our FIRST group came to Aspen Grove. I was so nervous, I haven't been able to sleep in past like 6 or 6:30 everyday... or nap... what is this game??? I am loving it though, I am making so many good friends... even this minute I am in the lobby with PEOPLE! Spending so much time in an empty household makes me just love this. It's so crazy though! How would you like a family extension of like 70 people??
Yesterday I met my group at 9:15. I sat up in bed yesterday morning and said: "I get a radio today!" And indeed I did get a radio. In fact, yesterday I held up the moo-ing cow I happen to possess to the radio transmitter, and with the click of a button--the WHOLE CAMP WAS MOOING. What a wonderful job :) There was this point of pure epiphany when we were playing wall-e-ball... I just looked around at my group and thought, "man, i feel like these guys are my best friends"--I was deoing what I love with people I had fun with and it was a moment of pure joy. And there you go! Aspen Grove is full of all sorts of pure, especially with the dress guidelines. :) I love it. Everything feels pure here!
On that note, we had a testimony meeting today. I was so impressed with all of the single parents who bore their testimonies... what power and how shaped by experience they were. It was a beautiful meeting, I felt very strongly that no one was there by chance.
On a more meloncholy note, I think that my attention span is shrinking. Even writing this, I feel like a crazy lady. According to my recent personality diagnosis, physically sitting on my hands will supposedly help. My personality type, according to this test, has thoughts three times as rapidly as the other personality types. I was double this said quick-thought personality type. That explains a lot huh???
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