Of pies, people, and Portugal

Last month I wanted to make a pie.  Now, I am not a stranger to the art of pies.  I love baking!  And pies are one of the desserts I gravitate towards.  But this pie was one I had never made.  It was, however, a specialty pie made multiple times by a woman in our church, Jane.  In order to ask Jane about her pie, I was going to have to call her or find her on a Sunday morning and speak face to face.  To my knowledge, she didn't own a cell phone, I didn't have her email address, and I'm pretty sure she doesn't have a Facebook account.  As luck would have it, I had something to drop off at church midweek, and as I walked on to campus, there she was!  I pulled up a chair beside her as she worked her needle up and down through the quilt stretched out in front of her, and asked her about her sour cream raisin pie.  Any tips?  Could I substitute the fruit in it, blueberries rather than raisins, since I don't care for raisins and the blueberries were ripe and readily available at Farmer's Market that afternoon?  She was ecstatic that I wanted to try my hand at her pie!  She asked me why and for whom I was baking it.  She asked me what my favorite pie was, fruit versus cream.  She asked me about my kids and enquired about my life in general.  As my five-year old was then tiring of playing with the straight pins and magnet handed to him to keep him busy, I said goodbye and promised to give her a report on how my pie-making venture fared.

Two weeks later I baked the pie for a dessert auction at our church, benefitting the missions team I will be a part of in July traveling to our sister-churches in Portugal.  I was busy in the kitchen, helping cook the lunch, but managed to sneak out for a bit to say hello to some friends.  I couldn't help sneaking a peek at the desserts, looking for anything to place a bid on myself, but also to see how the bidding on my own pie was going.  It was a modest amount, not unlike the other beautiful desserts surrounding it.  I couldn't recognize the signature for the highest bidder on my pie.  Minutes later as the auction ended, Jane's husband hovered over the dessert table, waiting until the last second, and happily took my pie back to his table.  They'd bid on MY pie! Jane can (and does) make this pie often, yet she chose to spend her hard-earned money on my first attempt at HER pie!  I was so happy...and humbled.

A few days later, as I reached into my mailbox, a brightly-colored, small envelope with a handwritten address label caught my eye.  It was a thank you note from Jane, encouraging me to keep on baking and telling me how much she enjoyed my pie.  My eyes welled up with tears at the thought of this wonderful woman taking time out of her day to encourage me, a busy, most-of-the-time frazzled and overwhelmed mom, trying to improve my baking skills. I had had an especially hard week with my kids, poor attitudes abounding in our home (my own included), feeling like I was always one step behind, and this note from Jane made all this difference to lighten my emotional load.

In our technology-filled world, it is so easy to find information.  I could have easily "googled" the pie that I wanted to make, or searched through the archives of my favorite food blogger.  But although I may have found a good recipe, and even baked a great pie, I would not have had the chance to connect...face-to-face...with this amazing woman that I admire so deeply.  I would not have been able to encourage HER by asking her about the skills that she has acquired over the years, through the many hours spent in her kitchen, cooking for friends and family.  If I had looked up the recipe in the comfort of my own home, on my own computer, I would not have connected with anyone...I would have simply gained information, and lost out on the love, inspiration, and encouragement that I received through my interaction with my friend, Jane.

THIS is why our church sends teams to Portugal every summer. THIS is why our church hosted Pastor Marques last summer.  There is something so special that happens when you sit in the same room with a friend, chat over coffee and look them in the eye, tell a funny story and watch their reaction or laugh until you cry...together.  These are things that are lost through the computer, that cannot be replicated on a Facebook page.  And although there are many wonderful things about technology that DO help us connect over the miles, the feeling of an actual hug can never be replicated.

So for those of you that have supported me as I prepare for my trip to Portugal, THANK YOU!  I have been in my life, and continue to be, acutely aware of the importance of time spent with another.  Please continue to pray for our team of 15 (5 here in the United States, and 10 in Portugal) as we prepare for English camp, the week of July 18-22.

Father-Son Backpacking

Yesterday Randy took Isaac on his first backpacking trip, just a quick, easy, overnight trip to get a taste! Randy and Isaac have had weekends together camping, but not backpacking.  Isaac was so excited!  They decided to hike to Weaver Lake (a short 2-3 mile hike, depending on which trailhead you start from), and a destination Randy and I really enjoyed a few years ago (see that post here)

 Heading off!

 Well, after an unsuccessful drive to the Fox Meadow trailhead (which cuts almost a mile off the hike,  but 3.2 is not bad to begin with) they decided to start from the Big Meadows trailhead.  And after getting distracted by a group on horses at the registry box, they started up an unmarked trail.  Randy thinks they hiked almost a mile before the trail diminished to nothing and the tree markers ended.  So they hiked back to the beginning and found the clearly marked trail.  

So they probably hiked closer to 5 miles, but it's all good exercise, right?!

They made it!  

Relaxing

An attempt at fishing...no luck

Dinner time!

Exploring around the lake

Enjoying the sunset

Good morning!

Pumping water for the day

All packed up and ready to head home

One tired kiddo!  That means the trip was a success!  

Half Dome!

I never thought I would climb Half Dome.  It always seemed like a far-fetched, "serious" hiker's goal. And as much as I love the outdoors, camping, backpacking and hiking, I never looked at Half Dome and thought, "I gotta get to the top".  My friend Jennifer, however, had always wanted to accomplish this feat, and asked me to join her on the hike.  And I am SO glad she did!

In case you didn't know, the National Park Service no longer allows anyone to climb Half Dome, or even to be in the back country beyond Nevada Falls, without a permit of some sort.  They limit the number of people on the cables to 250 per day.  You can get a backpacker's permit, day hiker's permit, and also need the trailhead permits as well, depending on what you choose.  So the four of us (Jennifer, her hubby, me and Randy) put in 2 bids last March (one with the girls named as the leaders plus 2, one with the guys named as the leaders plus 2) to day-hike Half Dome, and hoped that one of them would be picked in the lottery first week of April.  Only one of our bids was successful, giving us the date of May 30th for our climb!

After a bit of stressful planning, (1) finding a place for our 8 kids to stay while we were gone hiking (4 of theirs, plus 4 of ours), and (2) figuring out sleeping arrangements as close to the trailhead as possible, ideally the valley floor, when people book rooms/tents for Yosemite months in advance, and we had only 7 weeks!  Well, with the help of some very gracious family friends that offered to have our kids stay with them for the weekend we had one problem solved!  The other part proved a bit more complicated.  With every room, tent, and campsite already booked on the valley floor, we made "back up" arrangements at a campground just outside the park's southern gate (not ideal, still an hour from the trailhead, but it was better than nothing).  We continued to check in on the National Park website for cancellations.  Only 13 days before I hike, Jennifer found 2 tent cabins in Curry Village that opened up!

So, on to the hike...

We left Friday, mid-day, after dropping off all the kiddos, and drove into the park and up to Glacier Point.  It was nice to see where we would be hiking the next day from across the way!

Vernal Falls (lower left) and Nevada Falls (upper right).  The trail starts on the valley floor, climbing on the right of the river up to Vernal, then over the river, up the left side to Nevada Falls, the curves to the left to climb behind the domes, up the back of the mountain,...

following the trail (switchbacks, granite steps, and cables) on the far side of Half Dome, looking from Glacier Point.

Couldn't resist...Glacier Point selfie!

After driving down into the valley and checking into our tent cabins, we found a great spot for our dinner BBQ!

With full tummies, yet anxious minds, we packed our bags for the next day's hike, making sure everything was secured in our bear box (especially after Kirk had to chase away a giant raccoon that managed to slip inside our neighbors' not-quite-closed bear box and drag away a Camelback). We then settled down for a few hours sleep in Curry Village.

Sunrise in the Village.  We were up at 5 am, emptied our cabins, took everything we weren't hiking with back to the car, and shared a quick breakfast in the parking lot.  We hit the trailhead at 6:10.

Vernal Falls Footbridge, .8 miles past the trailhead

Climbing up the Mist Trail to the top of Vernal

We made it to the top of Vernal by 7:30 and stopped for a short rest and snack.  

We kept on to the top of Nevada Falls (2.5 in from the trailhead via the Mist Trail), and arrived at the top about 8:30.  We were making good time!  No stopping here, onto Little Yosemite Valley backpacking camp (3.8 miles in) where they had real toilets (composting) and we could stop at the creek to refill all our water bottles. 

On from Little Yosemite Valley, past the switchbacks (still slightly climbing, but offering shade under the trees), now onto the climb in the sun.  You could already see Half Dome and if you looked closely, the cables!  

Being out of the forest meant you now had great views along the trail!

Kirk, getting his bearings of all the surrounding peaks.  Jennifer and I gearing up for the next few hours without shade! 

Onto the granite steps...here we go!

Made it...we're gonna do THAT now?! Truth be told, Jennifer and I were pretty nervous once we got to the base of the dome.  It looks as if you are climbing straight up!  But we'd gone this far, we weren't going to quit now! 

Top of sub-dome.

I think the photos here were just a good excuse to take one last rest.  

Looking calm and ready for the cables.  

We made it!  After 6 1/2 hours on the trail, we were at the top!  

Randy wanted to sit near the edge.

I stayed a little closer in! 

Alright, I'll get a little closer.

Not that I looked down while we were out here, 

but we went out on Half Dome's "diving board" for a picture. 

Kirk and Jennifer too!

Time for some lunch, complete with boysenberry cream cheese hand pies that I made! 

After a good hour on the top, relaxing, relishing the fact that we made it to the top, it was time for the climb down.  I thought the climb down the cables was the hardest part of the hike.  I actually took it backwards most of the way, like rappelling.   

Helping us follow the trail on the open granite.

Then back down the granite steps, a rest at the base of sub dome, then back into the shade!  

After a couple miles on the trail, we rejoined the Merced River, above Nevada Falls.  With the terrain still flat, and the river relatively slow moving, we found a nice "beach" area to cool off our tired feet and pump a bit more water. 

The last bit of the Mist Falls trail below Vernal Falls felt fantastic!  

The evening sun (about 6:30 p.m.) made for a remarkable rainbow!  

We made it!  About 13 hours after starting on the trail that morning, we finished.  

Granted, we still had another mile walk back to the car (which seemed much longer than it did that morning on the way to the trail)!  

After a quick rinse off at the nearest water source, and changing into flip-flops to let our feet rest, we headed over to the Curry Village Pizza Patio to fill our tummies with some hot pizza and cold beer! It felt so good to clean off, sit, and enjoy a meal together!  We drove back to Fresno that night, eager to sleep in our own beds (some of us may have even enjoyed some sleep on the ride home).  

I can't said I wouldn't ever do this again. I was inspired to see some older men and women on the trail, many with younger family members.  One elderly woman who was coming down the cables as we were going up told Kirk that she had just finished chemo and had always wanted to climb this trail, so she was doing it to celebrate finishing her treatments.  Another woman we met at the Vernal Falls footbridge was celebrating her 60th birthday by climbing with her two adult daughters.  We saw them again as we were halfway down the granite steps, they were halfway up.  At 2:45 they were going to cut it close, probably be walking the last mile or so in the dark (we hoped they brought head lamps), but Jennifer and I were so impressed!  

I hope that God gives me many more years of health to be able to enjoy the outdoors and long hikes with my family!  May I be cognizant of my fitness level and always strive to be healthy and fit so that I can enjoy these trails with my kids and my friends in the years to come!  I am so thankful for a husband that encourages me to do just that, and loves to explore the outdoors at my side.  And I am so thankful for our friends, Kirk and Jennifer, that were willing to hike with us!  

Where are we gonna hike next?  Who wants to come?  

Spring "happenings"

So much fun happened this spring!

Easter Egg-stravaganza at the neighborhood park.

For the second spring in a row, we celebrated a Passover meal with our good friends, Paul and Kathy. We have enjoyed learning the symbolism that comes from this traditional meal, the tangible foods eaten that point us to Christ.  We have enjoyed learning from Paul as well who, having grown up in a Jewish home, has explained much of the tradition to us and has shared a bit of his family history with us in the process as well!  It has become a very special tradition for our two families, one we hope can continue for many years!  

Easter Sunday lunch with Grandma Arlene

Enjoying the smells of warm zwiebach at the annual MCC sale!  

Enjoying an evening out at Valley Children's Hospital's "Evening of Possibility", their annual fundraising dinner and auction that benefits the Adaptive Sports program.  This year was the best ever, bringing in over $40,000 for the program!  

If you have never heard about this amazing program that provides sports clinics (rock climbing, water ski, snow ski, track and field, etc) and team opportunities (basketball, tennis and sled hockey) for disabled kids and their families throughout the Valley, ask Randy about it sometime!  Or start by clicking here.

Our water boy!

And our water girl!  Audrey enjoyed swimming with her Jr High team this spring.  Her "regular" events included 50 Breast, as well as a 50 Fly as part of the Medley Relay team and a 50 Free in the 200 Free B team.  She is finding that she really loves being in the water and staying active in the pool.  Have a feeling this girl might be a club swimmer someday soon. 

Violet performing in her Spring Mini-Melodies performance.  She has LOVED singing with the choral group two mornings a week at her elementary school!  She is very lucky to attend a school that continues to provide many musical opportunities for their students!  

Audrey continues to enjoy playing her violin.  She plays with her school orchestra, and was proud to sit 2nd chair, 1st violin this year.  She also continues private lessons under Erin Scofield. In May she performed with about 30 violin students (all from the same studio). All of the students performed one piece, accompanied by a pianist.  She did a fantastic job!  And it was wonderful to hear all of the other students play as well, some of them having studied much longer than Audrey, and hearing how excellent one can become with time and lots of practice!   

It's baseball season!

Audrey and Lindsey, all dressed up and ready for Spring Dance!

Isaac has enjoyed playing many sports as a Gator, and this year was no exception! Every noon league that he could sign up for, he did!  Isaac loves being part of a team, and he got the chance many times over as he played football, ran cross country, and then ended the year with the softball team!  So happy that he was able to be a part of so many teams that helped him grow in strength, in teamwork, and in stamina.  He is a better kid because of it!