Here, there and a little bit of everywhere

Jess & I rolled back into Virginia this morning after a 3.5 day trek to Jersey with Tristan and Gabe. These days it is rare for Jess and I to have opportunities to catch up and just sort of relish the value of sisterhood. Driving up to Jersey at 2 am with the two little dudes snoozing in the back we were able to freeze frame life for a very epic six and a half hours of life. I value friendship and relationships, but there is nothing that can hold greater value for me than that of the relationship that I have with Jess. There was time for serious conversation and the other chunk of time sharing totally off the wall stories of the three of us growing up. We have been through a lot together and from the times we watched the stars overhead on our roof in Medford as little kids to now planning Sponge Bob Birthday parties for Tristan there is a tremendous amount of history between us. I'm pretty grateful for her and the two little dudes who have truly captured my heart.



The boys had a great time at the shore getting their toes wet and playing in the sand. This was Gabe's first experience in the Atlantic and I am definitely getting the vibe of future surfer. They definitely fit the part of little surfer dudes with board shorts, flip flops and a crazy head of curls that is inevitably paving the way for potential long boarders : ) Oh, how that would make E's heart proud...



With Jess having little opportunity to get up north it makes it challenging to see old friends. Carrie and the girls rolled into town and we spent most of the afternoon together. We've known Carrie for what seems an eternity and to now watch her & Jess's kids hanging out is fairly priceless. From scrambling to make dinner, watching them haul around the back yard and story time made for a pretty great time together. Good stuff. Yesterday Mo Blong & her madre (shout out mama B : ) were able to stop in with Mae who was born less than a week after Gabe. It was a quick visit, but so great to see the three of them. Tristan was able to demonstrate his very talented leaps from the diving board as Gabe bobbed in the pool with mom digging the whole floating noodle concept.

Rolling to Carolina tomorrow for a few days to lend a hand with some amigos and soak in some sun .... so pretty much hitting 3 states in 48 hours.



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Farmin' with the fam

The transition from my life in Jersey to that of 'life on the farm' reside on two drastically opposite ends of the spectrum. One finds me running in a million directions as a counselor, youth group leader, friend and so on. My running on the farm consists of two hyperactive nephews, renegade pigs and a handful of perturbed cows. Summer is a beautiful time here, but there isn't much time to be pensive and soak it in the surrounding beauty with a yoga mat and soft trickling water tunes resonating from a cd player.




The other evening Tristan woke Jess up and said, "Mom, I had a really bad dream." When she asked what he dreamed about he responded with, "I dreamed that E didn't love me anymore." Shortly after Jess had me on the phone with him providing reassurance that his 'E' would now and forever love her little dude. Having the past week to make bonfires, chase after baby pigs and create some fairly wicked tye dye tee shirts has been my greatest form of therapy. My time during the year is in short clips of weekends and holidays. I am savoring each day with my two buddies, but in the back of my head there's the reality that I'll be hitting the road again once September rolls around. For now, I will do my best to block that out and just relish the present.



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Summertime chill

The past week I've been running around spending time with friends & family that I haven't had opportunity to spend quality time with in awhile. The other day I sat on a porch with an old friend people watching, chatting and taking time for plenty of catching up. I feel it's important to have people in your life that make you smile, are encouraging as well as those who are able to provide an element of wisdom from their own life experiences. So with that I have peeps in my life from all walks of life and there's quite a wide age bracket. I believe in asking questions, learning and gleening from the paths taken from those young and old. With that view I have adapted quite a eclectic outlook on life that sort of prevents any complacency or stagnation to take place.

The other night it was pretty cool spending some time with a group of my Drug Squad Alumni who are now entering their junior year of college. Every summer my kids organize a get together of past and present D-Squad members as a way to reconnect and catch up on a whole year of life. I really do enjoy having a first hand opportunity to watch them transition from kids to adults and hearing the where the paths of life is leading them. I do consider it a blessing and a really awesome way to be a part of so many lives. Pretty cool stuff.

Sands of time

Life and the responsibilities that accompany it have the tendency to be stuck in high gear. Why is it that as we get older time seems to slip through our fingertips? As a little kid summer felt eternal and the daily routines of life felt like it was in slow motion. Afternoons of riding bikes with no destination in mind, hands stained a deep purple from hours of picking blueberries in the woods & barbeques that lasted until stars filled the charcoal sky.




Now, it's often quite the opposite where I can find myself running, and at times often sprinting, to keep up with the pace of things.I'm stepping into my sixth year as a counselor and it is unbelievable how quickly that time has gone. What brings a smile to my face is how rich my life has become in meaning, relationships and the ability to appreciate the epic nature of life even with the bumps in the road. Overall, it's a canvas that I'm diggin'.
The past week has provided opportunity to just chill & catch up with some of my quality 'peeps.' As great as it has been my heart is lightened with the sound of my nephew's voice on the receiving end of the phone knowing that I'll be seeing him on Sunday. I'm looking forward to hanging on the porch, catching fire flies & being with my two favorite dudes in the world.

Rollin' with the summer groove

I would pretty much be fully content with a year long version of summer with lazy summer days filled with sun, sand, barbecues and quality time with friends and family. There is just something about summertime that makes me feel ageless and infuses a little fresh air in the lungs.



This past weekend consisted of nothing particularly epic, but it was the first to really 'feel' like summer was busting out and on the loose. Being able to relax and catch up with friends and just sort of 'be' was beyond awesome. There was no rush to get anywhere in particular and more emphasis was placed on good people and conversation than the day planner. I headed back to reality with sand stuck to my feet, salt air in my lungs and a lightened sense about me. Good times.



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Post-Island, but it's all good

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I've been home a week & it has allowed some time to play catch up along with check out my pics from a really amazing experience on San Salvador. I'm back into the swing of things, but really appreciative of being able to be part of something that was truly spectacular. Good stuff.

Back & ready to reflect a little

Rolled back into Philly late Sunday evening after what seemed like a very long day of hopping from San Salvador Island to Nassau then onto Charlotte and finally scooted home. Every time my plane lands that final stretch of runway & I walk out into good old Philly/ South Jersey air there is nothing quite like being home. I do love livin' in America & feel truly blessed to be in the land of the free and home of the brave.

I would have to say the Bahamian reef project was a great success that has allowed me to gain new insight into the critical nature of reef preservation along with being on the front lines of an epic restoration project. Being able to jump into the thick of things and be part of a project that will contribute to the environment for years to come is beyond epic. Reef replicas will lay at the bottom of the ocean's floor for years to come as a home to new coral & fish - so very cool.

The flora on the island was vibrant and abundant. Red, yellow, purple & yellow shades of flowers that were just awesome to look at. It's often easy to walk right by nature's canvas, but when you really open your eyes there is such beauty in color, shape and abundance of God's creation.

I'll post some more pics and a video or so when time permits. Already in the process of planning the next trip in August, but I'll fill in the gaps as the time grows nearer.

Caves, bats & beaches

Last full day on the island was bitter sweet. Shortly after sunrise we headed out to Grotto Bay for a little beach combing and reef exploring. We located a straw overhang mid-way along the beach and it proved a great little place to duck out of the sun & re-charge when needed. The visibility has been around 60-80 feet and each dive provides views of new species of fish, coral & the ever so epic run-ins with eels or barracuda. When there's a four foot barracuda looming above the reef and creeping closer with those buggy eyes it has the propensity to evoke flashbacks of Finding Nemo in that not so fluffy, positive way. Please don't bite me, por favor. No bites, no charges... good day : )
Later in the afternoon we hit the other side of the island taking a wicked walk to the island's lighthouse with panoramic views to die for. I never knew there were that many shades of blue before my experience here. A handful of us opted for a bush walk through the jungle which ultimately lead to a literal hole in the earth that provide for some epic cave exploring. There was a very non-government approved steel ladder that seemed to be propped up by the dark abyss below. So very cool. We headed into the floor of the cave where bats fluttered above and darkness set in quickly. There were a few head lamps between us as we lowered into the ground and soon we were wading through chest high waters through a myriad of twists and turns. The views of rock, stalagmites & scurrying bats made for a very Goonie-esque experience. We traveled about 1/4 mile through dark waters & it was a great way to cool off from the intense Bahamian sun.
I'm heading to a local gathering in a few for some epic deserts & with hopes of catching my last sunset on the island in the presence of our project crew. There will be at least one last plunge into the ocean watching the sun rise with palm trees waving in the breeze and the feel of warm white sand on my feet. Diggin' it.
On a plane and heading to the States mid-afternoon. I'll be downloading some videos & pics to post within the next few days. If I attempted that here it would have taken 4.65 days & for those of you who knew me, that's not happening. So, I'm off for a walk on the beach with a cold beer and good conversation with people I have come to really enjoy spending time with. This is a great big world with alot of different people, but when it comes down to it we're more similar than we realize.
Keep on keepin' on : )



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National Geographic... Unplugged

Last night we reviewed the final details for our project's mission which was placing our reef replicas onto actual reef on the west side of the island. Each team member was given certain tasks and out of the 14 of us Tom (a teacher from Carolina) & I were given the grandiose task of working with the project coordinator connecting reef replicas with the actual reef surface. Our site was located off shore and after a bit of time my body was sore, but on a total rush of adrenaline.
After swimming a few reef structures out two others from our group, Lexi & Kevin, had the task of placing grout into the mouth of each structure from the bow of the boat. The challenge was for Tom & I to get the structure from boat to reef & then placed underwater within a 5 minute window of time. Dodging barracudas, a handful of eels & being able to hold your breath while trying to connect our replicas with the reinforcement bar that John had drilled into the reef was an epic task. At one point another crew member tried to lend a hand, but made things a little more complicated than needed actually dropping the structure at one point that proceeded to land on my head. Awesome. Thankfully, my medulla obloganta is resilient & a mere bump was left behind. Deep breathing.
We installed a total of 12 structures and it was awesome to go along the reef and see what had been accomplished in a mere few hours. Tom, John (project director) & I rocked it out and although we were exhausted it was amazing to think in years to come that these structures will be part of the whole cycle of aquatic life here for years to come.
I have to say that the past week has been an awesome experience that has fully surpassed all expectations. I am exhausted both emotionally & physically, but I would do this project again in a heart beat. Tomorrow we head out for another round of sea mapping. Stoked.
Last night we hit the east end of the island listening to waves lapping on the shore, soaking in a near full moon & breathing in a Bahamian breeze that alleviated any and all anxiety or concerns that might be spinning in our minds. As our boat driver so aptly put it, "take a deep breathe, relax & take it all in... you're in the Bahamas Mon'."

Just reef-it

I've always viewed life as various chapters awaiting to be filled. Sometimes pages are filled with profound events and other times not. The past week has been anything but normal, but as I grow older I've come to the conclusion that I'll never fit the 'mold' of society and will nearly always be traveling a path that will inevitably raise a few eyebrows.
Today for instance I awoke on San Salvador Island to the rattling of something outside my window around four in the morning. I'm not faint of heart, but have gathered a tad of common sense in my years and had no desire to challenge the animal of a four legged nature pacing around our dorm area. Persevere over strange scary animal in the middle of the Caribbean: Check. Glad I have that one down.
Early a.m. our research team spent a solid hour digging out the concrete reef structures that we built a few days prior. Molding them in the ground was one thing, but carving and then lifting them out was a whole different ball game. The research center is focused on accelerating reef reconstruction to better the aquatic life & with that they survive on grants & gov't funding. I didn't have any expectations treking here, but when they say no frills they totally mean it. From the living arrangements to the research equipment it's a loose version of Survivor without the 1 million dollar pot at the end. Trying to cut and prop equipment with dulled materials and sometimes no materials at all has made me think more out of the box than normal (I know, you didn't think that was possible did you?). I'm loving having to search down the beach for tree limbs, rocks & anything else that would suffice for 'research equipment.' Going from addiction's counselor to 'reef survey researcher' has been a pretty sweet transition, but I don't forsee a future in this life time. It is intense an intense field of work that I have a whole different level of respect for.
Mid-afternoon we took a tour of the island and met up with some locals for a great lunch of conch fritters, beans & peas (local thing), grouper & some seriously epic Bahamian music to boot. I was stoked when the wind switched up making it impossible to do another dive from any other sites today for further mapping. Yesterday I hit a wall and was all but lost in the realm of positive self talk. I hung with some others from the research center wading in the water, surface diving at leisure for conch shells & star fish & just soaking in the moment of being on the island.
Once the sun goes down and the breeze kicks in I'm off with some other research folk to the east side of the island to meet up with some locals for a game of poker & a cold cerveca watching the sun go down. It totally doesn't get any better than that.
Embrace the moment, live life with open arms & and open heart - I promise you won't have any regrets. Until tomorrow...

Aquatic-ly Challenged

Sitting in the computer lounge, and I use that term quite loosely, overlooking palm trees and an electrical blue ocean. We just finished dinner & if I headed back to the room I would within minutes be unconscious. Yesterday we laid cement reef structures on the beach that will be placed in the ocean later in the week. I was a tad challenged yesterday, but today was by far a level of intensity that I haven't experienced in a long time.
The task for my partner, Tam, and I was hard / soft coral mapping of approximately 30 feet of ocean surface. That may not sound like much, but with a number of unpredictable elements thrown in it was anything bud dull. Our first free dive lasted a good bit of time with fairly calm seas, but the challenge was pacing yourself for air & accurately labeling coral. When you have to assess the ocean's surface on an inch by inch basis it can prove daunting.
We returned to the research center for lunch & when it came time to meet for our afternoon trek. Our second reef site was a solid distance off shore. The equipment had to be transported out via boat and the it was critical to not have it hit coral in the midst of the shallow waters. Loco. I had to implement the whole 'positive self talk' mantra as the sun was beating an intense 95 degrees and the tide was switching up.
I'm hoping to turn in fairly early tonight, but the beds we've been provided are as ancient as the national Seeley Posture Pedic Plant. As springs jut through the fabric and the wood that improvises for a box spring is obviously on its last leg - I just tell myself, 'dude, you're in the Bahamas.' I would normally hit the floor, but the concrete combined with our evening 4-8 legged visitors is a slight deterent. But, sleep will be achieved in one manner or another. Tomorrow we hit another reef site & then have a pretty epic lunch lined up with a local townswoman who will be hosting us. Stoked : )