California to Texas

Well, we weren't prolific with our picture taking en route to our current resting place of Austin, Texas, but let me share about the ones we did take...

The first is of one of my favourite flowers...a 'Bird of Paradise'. The first time I went to California (just last year) I was astonished to see these flowers growing abundantly on shrubs. Beautiful!

Leigh, the second picture is for you! You gave me my first taste of corndog in Julian, and it tasted like more, as they say! So I happily munched on this one in Utah, and Leslie happily snapped a picture of me doing it, all the while smiling and thinking of you!

The third picture is a bit of deception. This gorgeous hot spring is where we spent the night in Utah, but this is not how it looked! This photo is from the spring, when Leslie and I and a whole gang from Briercrest stayed there as part of our Green River Expedition Management trip. The hot springs (Leslie's third visit this year!!! and my second - are we spoiled or what!?!) really looked like the 4th photo - cold!!!! Snow and very cold temperatures. I got up before the sun did to go thaw my frozen feet in the hot springs. Rough life eh!?! Thawing out from a cold night in there while watching the sun come up over those mountains!

The final picture is of my good friends Leah and Tim Everson. This is who we stayed with in Denver. Tim and I met 6 years ago when he came to Briercrest as an adventure student, and our friendship has held fast since that time. Tim took Friday off to explore Boulder, Co with me - we shopped, walked and met with Dr. Daniel Liston and my overall impression of the possibility of studying in Boulder at University of Colorado is favourable. I could certainly see myself studying there. This is almost disappointing - seeing as at none of the schools we visited the heavens opened with beams of sunlight and a deep voice saying, 'Carrie, this is where you will study', I was at least hoping to eliminate one of my choices. But I haven't - my applications are in at New Hampshire, British Columbia and Colorado, and there are good reasons to study at all three.

To summarize what I think after all these travels, regarding schools:
New Hampshire is close to home (app. a 10 hour drive), and I would be led and taught by 2 women. Up until now, I have felt keenly the lack of female role models in my development as a teacher.
British Columbia is in Canada, with more than 4 good friends living in the area, and is where the strong 'connect the dots' experience occured with the 'head, heart and hands' piece of my research. I could also pursue some theological studies at Regent College.
Colorado is amazing, Boulder is a small city (100,000+) with accessible wilderness. I have friends here too! The professor here is doing work with Parker Palmer's 'Courage to Teach' Teacher Renewal center in Denver and Parker is one of my bigger influences. It's also the only place of the three where I would be working with a professor of Christian background rather than Buddist. Also, I could pursue some theological studies at Denver Seminary.

So there you have it! All I have left to do is my GREs (on the 20th, for real this time! Please pray) and my application for New Hampshire. The rest is in the hands of the schools, and ultimately God, so we'll see!

After Boulder, I headed to a cabin in the mountains with friends of Tim and Leah, while Leslie spent time with friends Mo and Bryce. Leslie and Bryce will be leading together in Equador this spring, and took time to go play and instruct out at Mary's Glacier.

We left Colorado on Monday, and headed into Texas to stay at the home of Mike and Donna Terrell - parents of James - another Summit instructor (see Vancouver, we saw him there!). The big impression of the day was the copious amounts of dancing tumbleweed pouring across the highway. Rhoda deftly avoided much, and gleefully (oh, wait, that was Leslie) took out many too!

Yesterday we arrived in Austin (which requires much more than mapquest to negotiate) to the home of Gracie Bowden (and her family Jeff, Jennifer, John and Tate). For me, what a treat to meet this young woman that shared such a significant time in the wilderness with Leslie. Her family is also such an example and encouragement to me. They embody the beliefs that we choose our attitude and we choose how to live. They live well, loving one another as family and travelling together with a wide eyed interest in the world.

So, tomorrow we go to Little Rock to camp, Friday to Knoxville to finally stay with someone from the Mennonite Hospitality guide, Saturday to Virginia to stay with a sister of Corrina, whom we pick up on Sunday (hooray, looking forward to that!!!). Monday, I bid Leslie farewell and Rhoda begins to travel her last kilometers home to Canada. (Currently she is about 27,000kms - or 17,000 miles if you prefer, in! What a car!!!).

Love you all, Carrie