Itinerary PartII

Nov. 1 Canmore, Alberta with Jackie & Christian
Nov. 2 Kelowna with Russell Currie
Nov 5 Chilliwack, BC with Dave & Kristi Vegt
Nov. 6 Burnaby, BC with Laani
Nov. 7 Vancouver, BC with Jess, checking out UBC
Nov. 10 Portland, Oregon with Michelle
Nov. 11 Camping, Corvallis, OR checking out Oregon State University
Nov. 14 Bass Lake, California at Summit Adventure
Nov. 16 Dixie Chicks in Fresno
Nov. 19 San Luis Obisgo, CA
Nov. 20 Santa Barbara, CA with Kelley
Nov. 21 Passadena with Joy
Nov. 22 Ramona, CA at Mom and Dad Mitchell's for Thanksgiving
Dec. 6 Zion National Park, Utah
Dec. 8 Moah, Utah
Dec. 10 Denver, Colorado, checking out University of Colorado
Dec. 14 Camp in Texas
Dec. 15 Austin, TX with Gracie
Dec. 17 Camp
Dec. 18 St. Louis, Missouri
Dec. 19 Indianapolis, Indiana
Dec. 20 The circle will complete back at the Clymer's in Pennsylvania, where Leslie will stay.
Dec. 22 Welland, ON with Amanda and Mark, Riley and the new little one, Mason that arrived at noon on Monday, Oct. 30
Dec. 23 Parry Sound, ON
THE END

Other Saskatchewan Pictures

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  The first two photos are of me 'posing' as a climber for my chapel sermon on Monday. I spoke on getting out of your comfort zone (which of course climbing is for me!). I compared being in the bathroom with Trooper the owl (see photos) to Daniel in the lion's den and how we sometimes make lions out of owls when called out of our comfort zones.

The next couple photos are me with friends and hosts, Jeff and Martha and then Steve and I.

You'll notice no pictures of Leslie. I'm happy to say she has emerged from the den of darkness (her study) and will be featured soon!

Briercrest Classroom Pics - Recreation Leadership

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the blogger update

Ok, not that life is all text twist - we promise! But with the help of some friends, the new high score is 44,890.

So that you believe me life is not all text twist, some updates on PhD. I am not going to U of Minnesota. At first this was quite disappointing, but then I realized no is an answer too - so I am happy one more school is out of the running. UBC's application is due next week - this one might be out by default because it's my bad on that one. We'll see if they give me an extension.

For those of you familiar with group formation - forming, norming, storming, performing and adjorning - my class has finally normed and even stormed a bit - they are talking, sharing, laughing and playing and it is exciting (if not more demanding!).

Also, we are awaiting word on the arrival of my new little great nephew!

Hope all is well with you!

We're Improving

Well, we've achieved a score of 29,070! Who knew gaeity was spelled gaiety - well, we do now!

This is blog is coming to you from Caronport, SK - where I am teaching 'Recreation Leadership to 24 fine students and Leslie is putting her nose to the computer and books in great diligence.

It is great to be 'home' - one of my homes at least. I am enjoying reconnecting with so many in a way that makes me feel like I haven't left.

Carrie

we've been beaten!

the game is surely on - 32,330 in text twist by Joel and Kelly. They gave us tips to improve (only 50%) so watch out!

text twist

Alright - the competition is on - our best score to date is 24970!

West Virginia to Chicago

Capturing our Chicago experience!
Pictured here are friends: Joel, Kelly and daughter Ruby. Kelly and I studied abroad in Indonesia together over 5 years ago (we've always enjoyed dressing up, or down, together!)

Chicago style pizza! Yummy! Hope you're not lactose intolerant!


Ruby... resting after her amazing projectial vomit trick across the room (or close to it)!
















$1.88 per gallon in Virginia! Can you believe it California?!













Another one of our lovely Clymer hosts, Hannah!











Friends at Seneca Rocks, WV (Left to right: Pam, Sara, Eli, Jair, Leslie, and Steven)

Season of Changes

It's snowing today in Mankato, MN. The air has certainly taken on a new chill since our beginnings in early September, for which Carrie's allergies are thankful, and most of the trees here have lost hold of their leaves for the winter. This trip has not only taken us through the physical changing seasons, but also the personal ones that come through experiences that cause us to live, die, grow, and cry. This time has been full of sowing seeds, watering them with our tears, and the joy of reaping fruit of the harvest.

When we left you last we had made our way as far south as North Carolina to visit the colleges of Brevard and Montreat. We then drove north through West Virginia to visit Summit's marketing director, Jair and his beautiful family, who introduced me to some of the east's best climbing at Seneca Rocks! From Seneca we made the beautiful drive east to Harrisonburg, VA through George Washington National Forest to the home of Hannah Clymer. Hannah was our "tour guide" through the weekend of Mennofolk and her life of service, love, and passion in this city. We also got to meet all but one of the entire Clymer family during our time in The Burg! (Where's the road to Hawaii?;)

After a few enjoyable days of endless West Virginia forests, and our Mennonite emersion weekend, Carrie and I are spending a few days in Mankato, MN to learn about our future education opportunities here.

I write from an encouraged state, full of prospects for beginning my Masters studies in Experiential Education in the near future! After meetings with a couple of the advisors from the program and learning much of the philosophy and heart behind this program, my head is swimming with possibilities for learning and growing as an outdoor/adventure educator through and with the folks here.

By the weekend we will be back in Caronport, SK where we will be through the end of the month. This will be a bit of an interlude for us, and a time for us to look ahead to the coming months and prospects for our travels during November and December!
More to come...

Loss

This morning, my friend and colleague, Shantelle Almeida (pictured here with her daughter, Mikayla) died. Shantelle was the only other full time female faculty at Briercrest College during my time there - this alone bound us together - but we also shared a love of wild spaces, learning, the classroom and our students.

Her death is devastating news to receive. Shantelle had been diagnosed with terminal cancer about a year ago. She battled through, prayed through and suffered through months of the ravages of this disease. In September, many of us celebrated as we heard she had been cured. She was cancer free!

Her reflections on being cured are as follows:
"On the way home from church tonight Kayla asked me if my cancer was coming back - she'd overheard me talking with her dad. I explained to her that I didn't believe it would but that I was afraid anyway. Then I asked her if she understood. She said no. Smart kid. I tried to think like a child and realized of course the two didn't really go together: not believing that the cancer would come back but being afraid anyway. So I tried to think of an example and that is when it hit me! I finally understand this element of my emotional state!
So I said to Kayla, "You know how when after a storm everything is wet and you can still see the terrible dark clouds in the distance?" She said 'uh huh'. I explained further, "I guess that's kind of how I feel...like I know the sky is blue, but I'm still 'wet' from the storm...the feeling of being IN the storm is still all around and inside me...it hasn't faded yet." It is still there, like a bad taste in the spirit. I can see the blue sky, but I'm still able to see the clouds too…they are lingering on the horizon as they fade into the distance. There is relief that the storm has passed overhead, but the knowledge that a major storm came so quickly has me looking around constantly for any cloud in the sky. The wetness of the earth is still there to remind me of the storm also, with my emotions still transitioning. In fact, I'm still wearing my raincoat and boots. The storm is still so recent that I haven't had time to take them off. Does that make sense?" (from her blog, prairierascal.spaces.live.com)

It's hard today to understand the storm that has hit this family today. It wasn't cancer, as she feared, that took her - rather a brain aneurism that struck suddenly last night, leaving her on life support, and finally, without breath this morning at 9:30am.

Please pray for her husband Joe, daughter Mikayla and all of us that are grieving her loss.

It is a strange and difficult thing to be miles away from this tragedy - both in distance and experience. I think it is hard to live happily knowing the heartbreak of friends. I am learning, in yet another way, that it is not either/or - I am not either happy or sad - I am both/and. Today, I am happy for a day to hunker down (the weather is cold and rainy in West Virginia) and get some much needed work done, to laugh and fellowship with Leslie and others, while at the same time recognizing this undercurrent of grief. I am glad this daughter is home with her heavenly Father, but I am sad and confused at this unexpected storm and my heart is heavy for her family.

The Pearl of Great Price

by Madelaine L'engle

"The moment of inspiration does not come to one who lolls around expecting the gift to be free. It is no giveaway. It is the pearl for which we have to pay a great price, the price of intense loneliness, the price of that vulnerability which often allows us to be hurt; the less readily understandable price of hurting those we love...And I am not sure it's a choice. If we're given a gift - and the size of the gift, great or small, is irrelevant - then most of us must serve it, like it or not. I say most of us because I have seen people of great talent who have done nothing with it and who mutter about getting down to work 'when there's time'."

And so I felt God asked, 'why are you afraid of the price? Why are you afraid of loneliness? Don't you know your faith in me is enough to sustain you!?!'. I think this journey is less about finding a school to do my PhD at, and more about becoming prepared to do my PhD. Up until now I have leaned forward with my upper body towards this time of study and learning, while digging my heels in - in a resistence of the solitary nature of a PhD study, in resistence of the 'traditional' nature of this education. The words of others - those we encounter and those I read - are encouraging me to enter in and press on!

North Carolina cont...

These first photos are of Leslie and I climbing at Looking Glass - notice the big hunk of granite with no cracks - this was friction climbing. Yes mom, even I climbed - about 80 feet to the top where I was able to set up to rappel and come down on my own!

The next photo is of supper at our cabin in the woods and the last photo is of a Brevard squirrel. Notice anything unusual? Yep, it's white - apparently some white squirrels escaped from the circus some time ago and these are unique to this area.

Happy Thanksgiving

Oh boy, it's only been 5 days since we had wireless, but as our photos attest, we have been many places (9 states) with many different faces! Let me introduce these sights and friends to you...this round of photos goes from most recent, so at the top is Robert, Andi & their son Logan (and let's not forget Woody and Goldie, the lovable dogs!). This family are known to me (Carrie) from Thunder Bay where Robert taught Outdoor Rec, and most importantly, taught and influenced me as a leader.

The next couple photos are from White House Hill - where we offroaded with the Clymers for a hilltop picnic. Martha and David are Corinna's parents - Corinna is a good friend and works with Leslie at Summit. The good food and fellowship were a delight (and memorable)!

Tell me you wouldn't giggle at a town named 'Intercourse'!!!!?! Well, good for you - we sure giggled however! The name was quickly overshadowed by the name Stoltzfus - we met the generous and kind Myron Stoltzfus. He and his family own and run Stolzfus farms - makers of wonderful meat - after a chat and tour we left, arms laden with sausage, lunch meat and a big beef bologna! Oh, and we weren't allowed to leave town until we had indulged in a Reuben sandwich - a tasty indulgence indeed - rye bread, corn beef, extra swiss cheese, saurkraut, thousand island dressing - all grilled up!

Generosity and hospitality seems to be a Pennsylvania trademark, as we received much of the same at the home of Betty and Eli Smucker - parents of Dustin who knows Leslie through Summit. So many connections eh!?! Incredible! Good thing we didn't stay in Pennsylvania too long - I think I put on 5 lbs. in this state alone! Oh, and I learned that there are more Canadian sayings then 'eh' - such as 'yut' - our particular way of saying yes - I think it's supposed to be yep, but we don't say it like that! All you Canadians reading this, pay attention to your speech the next bit and see if you don't say yut!

As most of you know, Pennsylvania has been through a recent tragedy with the shooting at the Amish schoolhouse. If generosity and hospitality are marks of this state, forgiveness seems to be another - at least in the example the Amish set for us. To be with in a few miles of this tragedy has impacted Leslie and I. To hear testimonies of the way this community has come together and the willingness to consider this terrible incident perhaps a 'fruitful cleansing rain' is astounding and gives me goosebumps.

Leslie has her arms around Amy Lowen, a former Summit instructor (getting the picture that Summit Adventure is far and wide reaching!). Amy is doing her masters in education at University of New Hampshire and was kind enough to let us invade her living space for 3 nights. The picnic table and leaves were what we encountered on a roadside lunch break.

It's hard to believe that 2 weekends ago we were at a concert in Montreal, last weekend climbing in Maine, this weekend enjoying waterfalls near Brevard in North Carolina, next weekend a folk festival at Eastern Mennonite University in Virginia and the weekend after that in Caronport, Sk! Does it make your head spin? Mine too! Things are still going well - the only road bump being that we discovered 9 hour driving days aren't our favourite as they increase our cranky levels and I found this weekend seeing familiar faces made me homesick for more familiar faces - but soon enough eh!!!! For now we are tucked into the 'mountains' of North Carolina at a little home that Robert and Andi have let us take over for 3 nights. This is a refuge and resting place!

By the way, happy thanksgiving to the Canadians! A tradition at my house is to say what were thankful for - maybe a list of 5 - sounds like the daily journal Jon keeps. So today I am thankful for water and the way it flows, for Leslie and her willingness to come on this journey with me and make it what it is, for the means to afford such a trip as this, for friends and family that span this continent that love us enough to invite us in and for friends and family that love us enough to let us go.

Carrie

How is the trip so far?...

... asked friend Jon Nolan ... and I told him that the trip has been good - life is restful and nice and I like it. I was worried life on the road would be too un-routine like and that staying in so many different settings would drain me of energy. Instead, I have received so much goodness and life giving love from those around me - those that we've visited and and from Leslie - that for the first time in a while I can say that I am rested and well. I was discouraged from my calling/gifting/passion and tired, but God has affirmed that I am where I need to be and that I am on the right path - even though I don't know right now where that is going.

There have been many beautiful moments on this trip, and one of them was when Jon MacDonald asked if he could pray for us before we left. I felt (feel) so humbled and privileged to be invited into the lives of others. It is especially encouraging to me to reconnect with students from Briercrest and see that what happened there between them and I carries on so much further than I can hope or imagine and that even though I am done (mostly) at Briercrest, what has taken place there certainly isn't done. God is so good to allow my life to intersect with so many others.

Just a thanks to those of you who are following our journey. We were smiling to think of all those whose minds we are on because you are following our blog or you have invited us into your home, making you a part of our journey. While our blog connects you to us, please remember to connect with us - by comments, emails or calls! We love to share what's going on with us - but even more so, we love to share in what's going on with you!

We've entered a new phase of the trip today - that of visiting universities that we consider potential places of learning for master and PhD studies. We are at University of New Hampshire (http://www.unh.edu/education/programs/phd/experiential_outdoor.html) . It's a funny learning journey towards a learning context (meaning I'm having to learn how to figure out where I want to learn). I like this process, but what a process - even learning what questions to ask is new! My head is spinning!

Today we sat in on a 3 hour grad seminar course called 'Change Processes in Adventure Education' led by Dr. Jayson Seaman. The discussion centered around apprenticeship, guided participation and participatory appropriation (basically, community, interpersonal and personal aspects of experience). There were 4 students plus us there - so we definitely were invited to be involved. In the afternoon, we chatted with Jayson about his experience as a PhD student and now faculty at UNH and then met with Dr. Michael Gass (of 'Book of Metaphors' noteriety). Mike was inviting and helpful and we left his office and presence energized, and for myself, a little overwhelmed in a positive way. It was exciting to watch him catch and share a bit of a vision of how I could be a match with what is going on here, but frightening too! (Sociology!?! What!?!) I look forward to tomorrow - sitting in on Dr. Brent Bell's class wrapping up Dewey's 'Experience and Education' and chatting with him, as well as a couple of current PhD students. I am also glad to have a bit of time to mull over this experience here before the next school (University of Minnesota).

Rest well friends, Carrie

Maine

So, wow - Maine eh!?! What a feast for the eyes, as the first pictures attests - the colours are out in Maine. As Leslie said, it's like our road trip is perpetual fall - we're travelling as if to stay with this favourite season. And what a feast for the belly too - mmm, lobster! The next day we worked off the feast with a hike and a climb. The hike up the Precipice was something else - I didn't think Leslie or I were going to die, but others on the hike concerned me as one woman said 'a non-technical climb for the adventurous is an understatement - more like a hike for the foolish' - not sure what she was saying about us, but this awesome hike definitely took us up some exposed steep rock! Then we climbed - really, I was happy to let Leslie climb - but most of you know Leslie, and she is way too much about sharing experiences (I say this in love)! So I found myself following her lead up a 5.6 route (the story of O - I thought this for sure meant Oprah!) to clean gear - the close up of me is my ecstatic smile at having gotten to the top. Gosh, climbing scares me and there is just nothing in me that is a climber - I made it up in the most unorthodox ways possible (no 'how to climb' book includes the 'body smear' - that's a McGown speciality - one that I prefer go unobserved by any audience). Finally, we bid Bar Harbour farewell by cooking supper on Rhoda's trunk in the middle of the chaotic, but still beautiful, harbour.

New Brunswick - the rest

This first photo is of my Canada World Youth host mom Elsbeth (11 years ago I did an exchange and lived in Fredericton and Egypt for a total of 7 months of life challenging and growing wonderfulness). The next photo is of Leslie with Jon & Alicia MacDonald and their little ones Jack (3 months old) and Afton (1 1/2 years old). We know this family from Briercrest - where Jon was an adventure student and Alicia a Christian min student. There home is Camp Tulakadik, where Jon is the director. We enjoyed staying a night in there home, where I got to put my gift of reading to little ones to use again! :D