Fall Break

Many years of fall break and none quite like this one. Thursday and Friday UNM was off from school, which is normal for me...I usually student teach at Arroyo Del Oso and teach lessons on Friday so nothing changed there. But...Saturday began a weekend completely full of adventure.

Mike and I joined a team of about 18 to head down to Smith Lake, near Grants, New Mexico to work on building a fence for the skate park with Sagebrush Community Church. The team was hoping to just start the fence by getting the posts laid in concrete and possibly start putting up the chain link...we (entire team) managed to get the entire fence done. The group was new to such a venture but through working together and pushing each other we got the entire job done, which means another team will not have to go back in a few months to take care of the project. It was a fun experience and I look forward to other Smith Lake adventures.

Then...being only about an hour away, Mike and I headed to Chaco Canyon to see what was there. We found a 22mile long dirt road with many bumps and rocks to take us to the canyon. Once we finally arrived we were both very glad we took the trip and ventured out of the usual box of travel. The canyon is filled with ruins from the Chacoan people. They made two and three story houses and very large kivas. It was amazing to see the ruins and wander through the area. We did not get to see everything because the sun quickly set over the canyon, making it hard to see where we were walking in the ruins. The road out, toward Cuba, New Mexico was better than the road we came in on but we still found some wash board stretches and then saw a rather large Elk. For dinner, at 9:15pm, we stopped at the Subway in Cuba then ventured home to arrive around 11pm. It was a very long day but full of fun, laughter and adventure. There will be another trip to Chaco Canyon to see the rest of the ruins and spend more time exploring.

Today began with attending service at Sagebrush Eldorado. It was different from the main campus at Riverside but fun. It is always good to see Billy and Tara and others from CounterCulture and Hoffmantown. Then there was a biking adventure in the Bosque. Mike and I rode from Montano to Alameda and back. It was easy and mostly flat but a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Then home for family birthday dinner with the parents, Mike, Grandpa Mike and Grandma. Good times...(Great oldies). :) What a great way to spend a weekend off from school.

Throughout the weekend, I managed to learn how to make a chain link fence, explored a new place in New Mexico, ride my bike and have entirely too much fun. I am filled with gid. Grandma, do you know why?

May God bless you as you enter into the coming week and may I remind you that a smile says more than words and actions speak louder than words.