La Sonya

"The Lord will work out His plans for my life -- for Your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever. Don't abandon me, for you made me."

This is it. Tomorrow I cross over to Summer Camp Staff. I did it. I worked the whole year here in Wawona. I made friends with our neighbors, I explored the back country, I got a library card and I am on a first name basis with our mail office. I learned so much from the people I worked with. I learned how to cook for 200 people. make home made pop-tarts. drive a back hoe. identify the trees of the Sierras. what it is like to live with people who tell the truth in love. work long hours for something I love. survive in the snow with a small amount of people for long periods of time and no electricity. run 13.1 miles. be friends. This year was a good one. "How shall I go in peace and without sorrow? Nay, not without a wound in the spirit shall I leave this city." ~Khalil Gibran

At first I was afraid I was petrified Kept thinking I could never run a mile To save my life But then I started training My legs grew strong I learned how to run real far And I'm not sore I ran through empty space I didn't walk that much and I ran my training pace It all paid off I ran my heart out For 13.1 miles I will run more As long as I have shoes I know I will run to live I've got all my energy to give I will run I will run more Hey, hey.

I ran 6 miles in the Sierra Mountain's spring rain storm. I am an athlete I am a runner

I have something I want to say about simplicity. I learned it last week; the funny thing is though I can’t get it out. I can’t seem to find a way to simply say it. The concept is what I learned from my students this last week of outdoor school. We discovered how important it is to keep communication simple. To cut off all the extra words, to cut off all the extra fat that isn’t needed to make your point. I was reminded that it is important to not put extra words but to keep it simple and to the point. Even now I am struggling with that. I’ve been praying a lot lately about life. I’ve been trying to be honest and simple with God. It is not always easy. I always want to add fluff to the hard things to say, even to God, I always want to put a cherry on top and soften my feelings, but I can’t always do that. I need to be honest and straight. Why is it scary to be honest with God? Why is it terrifying to ask Him “Why?”. With people it is even harder, how often do my conversations involve fl...

Summer is just around the river bend. How do I know these things to be true? Well here are the facts. The afternoon air is getting warmer There are kids at camp The "Get Away Van" is back in its usual parking spot on Forest Dr The sun is up by 6 am The sun doesn't set until at least 8pm The work days are long The wagons are back at the Historic Village The Horses are back in town at the Historic Village Construction has started again on the road to the Valley The Wawona Hotel is back open There are random foreigners all over the place The are long lines of traffic to get into the park The road up to Mariposa Grove is open again It's hard to find parking in the Valley I'm wearing my Choco's

My first week as an instructor: Snow My third week as an instructor: climbing Yosemite Falls . I really do love what I do.