Tragedies Abound

Terrible things are happening to dear friends. 

This is to be expected when we are lead through a world that's not our home. I stole that line.

Is the shock value in all of it a result of being young? In another 25 years will I be less shocked, less devastated?

I want to unapologetically talk about some things I'm thinking about. 

I'm feeling really overwhelmed by all of the things that are going right. My body is functioning as it should be. Being a student of anatomy right now makes that realization more remarkable than ever before. It is more apparent than ever that we hang in a delicate cradle of grace with anything related to our bodies. I am so glad I am starting to understand that reality. 

Jacob wrestled with God. Do you bible scholars ever think about that? He WRESTLED with GOD. Genesis 32 right? We really are left with no details of that exchange. We can suggest that it had something to do with Jacob's guilt over his past with Esau but even then... not really. Of all the things to wrestle with God about and it's about Esau? I don't know, I just... am not convinced it was reduced to just that. But we don't know and we won't. We only know that it happened. And what I take is this... Wrestling with God doesn't mean we deny him. It doesn't mean we turn away. It doesn't mean we don't trust or love or thirst or deny. Wrestling is another form of exchange. Of balance. Of understanding. Oh God won't you give me a kernel of understanding after this match is finished? 

I'm overjoyed by the liberation that comes with true faith. No play acting, no apologetics, no censorship. I'm gritty! I'm crass! I'm immature! I'm provocative! I'm unconventional! I'm grounded. And oh, my roots are growing deep with every drink.

I see my need for external validation peeling away one layer at a time. I'm not sure why this is important yet but feel that it must be. 

Friends, we must talk to friends in crisis with the same persistence we do in peace. We must approach them with confidence and care and compassion. Now is not the time to be silent! Be bold with your friends. Always.

Thankful and angry. Certain and shaken. Uplifted and off-base. 

I remain,

Confidently humbled. 

Today I'm Thankful for...

Being too lazy all week to take the picnic blanket out of my trunk... Without knowing it was still back there, I would not have detoured up to the Mission and siesta'd for a glorious bee-hummed hour by the rose garden. 

Hand-delivered soy au laits, wahoo's tacos, and frozen yogurt.

Little imaginations that can make a cartoon-like character out of any plastic object. Little mispronunciations like PO-sha, doe-fin, hay-ulp. Little misunderstandings like small intestines being referred to as 'small intesticles.' 

Gavin DeGraw channel on Pandora. 

84-degree, no humidity, no bug, mid-July California summers. 

Health. 

Clever greeting cards that elicit an in-store giggle.

2nd Annual Summer Trip to Madison

I think it quite appropriate to make this a photo-heavy post. Madison trips are always a whirlwind. Jam packed with food and beers and putt-putts around the lake and me complaining that no one ever teaches me euchre and 867-5309 finger attempts and Wisconsin Fantasies coming true in the Corn Toss Tournament.

First... PATRICK! UGH it had been six months since I had seen him. Six awful - just AWFUL - months apart! I am pleased to report we slowly chipped away at the laundry list of serious conversations (role of "T" in the GLBT, monogamy, metaphysical body) we had been waiting to discuss and are sufficiently caught up. Linda caught multiple pictures of us being excluge but... well... that's nothing new and not going to change ha.



Night one we had a delicious dinner at Old Fashioned with Bill and Melissa - many a Spotted Cow, Big O, and cheese curds that disappeared in under 3 minutes. Not that I'm admitting to the crime. Then we met up with the Waubesa crew at Christy's. Here is some hilarity from that night with Cory, Eric, and Kelli...

An unplanned yet perfectly coordinated "up high" and "down low" by the brothers...


Aggressive fist pumping happens early at Christy's...


Yipes, Patrick. Patrick - 0, Cory - 1.


Look at their faces in this pic! Classic. Love that this is caught on camera.


Day Two! The weather was not as sexy as Cory's outfit so Rhythm and Booms got postponed until the next day. UGH! Ruined the plan! We were bummed, but we had a great fun day around the house and on the boat anyway :)


Farrah found a friend! Flo tried to convince everyone the fanny is coming back because she read that Madonna was wearing one in Africa or something. Really, Madonna? Could you not further embolden Flo?


Brothers don't shake hands... brothers cuddle.


No trip to Madison is complete without Flo and Bugs. We got into the forrest in like four spins and made tree-sitty-fo (as opposed to Flo's previous forrest showing of only sitty-two).

Corn Toss Tournament day just might be one of the best - if not THE best - day of the year. Better than Christmas I daresay. Here I am ready for the day with my Wisco/Sconi (or whatever it is you want to shorten it to) mug. Patrick didn't like the handle but I felt I had to overcompensate for my non-resident status.

 

We draw partners through matching cards... here's Team Stefatrick talking pre-game strategy.

"Hey, you wanna take a picture of your biggest fan?"

I love how you can scan this picture and see about a thousand little things that are going on (ie Josh and Chris gossiping like little girls by the bracket, Emily and Laurie shooting the breeze, Patrick giving a side five after a good toss... and is that Flo I spy back there social butterflying around?)

CLCTT Commissioner Cory dutifully filling out the bracket...

Too cute to leave out :) Patrick is abnormally excellent at self-takers.  

Bill and Cory emerged victorious and are two time defending champs. I swear I'm going to practice every single day for the next year so I can be more competitive. (That's a lie. I just lied.) Group shot 2009...

So due to the postponement from the day before, we finished up with the tournament and high-tailed it outta there to make it to Rhythm and Booms in time for Little Vito and the Torpedoes. I think we got there literally as they were starting their set. And let's just say I was QUITE in the mood to sing loudly and double fist pump. At one point, Patrick had this circle of little kids around him that were copying every dance move he was doing from shimmies to twists. It was just the most darling darn thing you've ever seen!

3 bags in the hole was my 2008 Wisconsin Fantasy but I'd say this picture is about as close as it gets to outdoing last year!

Taken during the Craig Scott 'Summer of 69' solo. Extreme audience air guitaring ensues as far as the eye can see. 

Kick ball-change, EXTEND!

Um. We were really hungry after scream-performing Boys II Men "End of the Road" in Eric's car on the ride home (complete with Cory taking it deep with the "Baby... I knew you were wit dat other fella... I just didn't care") so everyone went straight to the brats. I don't think Cory or Eric even waited long enough to heat theirs up. Cory is like... cavemanning his. 

When I was flying into Madison I was thinking how I could have never anticipated how special this place would become to me. I really love it there. I love the kind of fun we have, the kind of people I spend time with, the kind of retreat it provides. I love how they all love each other. And I, too, truly love them.