What a week! ...briefly

There is so much that I want to share about what has been going on in the last...wow 10 DAYS?!? However, considering I am in class right now and my professor sounds like the Charlie Brown teacher I have but a window of time to..."prioritize my time" (hmmm...good justification to not pay attention). Leslie and I are about to throw the rest of my stuff from Riccara's in the car and head to Denver. Mom and Dad are leaving good 'ole North Carolina today after work! I love them so dearly. Leslie and I are going to meet them in Denver then head down to C-Springs.

The UNCW Volleyball team is playing in Boulder, right outside of Denver, so maybe we will get to see them.

Mine and Raleigh's new house is getting closed on today and is ready to be moved in as soon as we all get back from Denver.

It's been absolutely crazy thus far with Les. It's been fun having her be the first introduced to my friends, who were technically her friends first, plus some wonderful new ones, and be apart of my "living day-to-day" life. Though I believe that my life has been blessed as quite exciting, it honestly doesn't compare to what it is like when she is around. I told her that I expect to the unexpected when she's around. For example, we summited the second highest mountain in the connected U.S.. We camped out the night before beside the glorious mountains beside the Twin lakes, woke up at 4:45 and were at the top by 9:15!! We enjoyed the miraculous view for like 10 minutes considering I had fatty, frozen hands and she was missing something quite vital for survival (OXYGEN). Haha. The summit was worth every bit of the hilarious comments made on the way up. In which we didn't laugh at any of them until we were on the way back down.

Les and I attempted "Tracy Edwards" baked spaghetti... SUCCESSFUL!!

Raleigh and Leslie decided to talk me into running off a plank (for speed), ride down a zip line, kick my legs (for more speed), then extend my legs to brace the impact of a gianourmous tree. The running led to a 2 foot leap of faith where my hands slid off the bars where I then proceeded to plummet 10 ft to the solid earth. I was then greeted by Leslie's classic laughter and her firm belief that I wanted to fall off because I "chickened out." Though not true. I don't know which would have hurt worse.

Settler's Settler's Settler's of CATANNNN!!!!

In a quick summary, "Who needs sleep when they could be eating Choc-O-Lot's chocolate chip cookies?"

PIKES PEAK MARATHON!!!

From the summit of Pikes Peak!! What a marvelous weekend!!

This weekend was pretty awesome and I ain't gonna lie! Saturday and Sunday Raleigh and I volunteered for the Pikes Peak Ascend and Marathon. Get this. The Ascend, which was ran on Saturday, is 13.32 miles long with a 7,815 ft. gain, was won by this guy below named Matt Carpenter in 2 hr. 9 min. 57 sec. Then on Sunday, the Marathon, a 26.21 up-an-back down run, was YES.....won by the same guy!!!

The aid station that we worked at was called the "Cirque Station". This was the last station before the runners reached the summit. To them, we were "heaven sent". Though we were thanked for helping them, it was truly humbling to see these sweet people achieve their goals.

Raleigh and I did the water along with several other people who handed out grapes (millions of grapes), candy, and Gu type gel. There were all types of people too. Old, young, in shape, fairly out of shape, hating life, loving it, some looked amazing, and other looked like sheer death!

As for the Cirque, it is a 1500 ft. depth off the side of the summit of Pikes Peak.

Not a bad view from the station is it?

Just for an update: I have totally been inspired to run a marathon. So I started my own training today by buying new shoes that feel like an air puff cloud (Riccara and I decided that's what it should be called) and carrying a Nalgene of water. So in my sudden struck professionalism I went for a drink of water while running, which then went up my nose, caused a seriously intense burning sensation of the nose, coughed and choked, and snotted in the midst of Colorado Ave. (a.k.a. Main Street). Mostly embarrassing and highly obvious that I did not run that race. None the less, many updates to come on the training.

Nanny Season...one game left.

Tomorrow is my last day as a nanny. Yes, I would say that I am not exactly the happiest person about leaving good ole' Divide, but it's definitely time. I find that the hardest part of leaving is knowing that I love Trenton and Tristen. Like the kind of "lay my life down for them" love. But in all the not-so happiness of the situation, today we still had one of my favorite days. Trenton and I chopped wood!! It was BANGIN'!!! And of course we had Tristen as our magnificent picture taker! So here are some wonderful pics from our wonderful day. P.S. Can you please keep them and the rest of their family in your prayers? God is all ears for them I know!

howeva...

WATCH OUT FO' THA "NO NO" NANNY LOOK!!

it might still be in play!

Which this could possibly also be used as an "Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires" poster. Whatever works best, is fine by me.

For starters I need to navigate you to Raleigh's page so that you can get a much more adequate explanation on the latest happenings of our new house plans and the bird story.

Now I have to tell you about mine and Leisha's hil-freakin-larious experience today:

Raleigh and I go to Wal-Mart. Pretty typical American thing to do I would say. On the way we start joking around about putting on chap stick and lip gloss. I put on chap stick...she puts on lip gloss. Things first begin to get out of hand because Raleigh all of a sudden has shinny lips. Haha. This doesn't happen ever so it's odd and so, so funny. When we (I, Raleigh, and her shinny lips) get to Wal-Mart we head inside where a friendly man by the name of John proceeds to give me a shopping cart putting Raleigh a few steps in front of me. In the meantime, Rals is just struttin' her stuff and her shinny lips past two men. Then one specifically (tall, light mocha skinned with dreads) thoroughly becomes enthralled by her presence, completely checks her out, licks his lips, nods his head, and practically makes her toes curl up in discomfort by his "Mac Daddy" looks. So I see all this happen. The first encounter. The head-to-toe stare down. Dred's totally workin' his game. Then Raleigh's knees buckle only due to gag reflux. So he might of gotten 3 steps past me before I burst out into massive belly laughter which was quickly joined by my little-did-I-know "suga momma" new roommate. Oh, such uncontrollable laughter. There is only one explanation for this whole dilemma: darn LIP GLOSS!!

How dangerous of an item she was wearing! Haha. As for an update, she has recovered well I suppose. It's hard to say considering for some reason she reapplied before we got to the Thrift Store. Haha.

Is there a need to say "goodbye" at the end of a phone conversation? I just don't get it. Don't like it. Feel like it's sad. No fun. Ending.

Just a great friend of mine and roommate of the past 2 years, Lauren Isenhour, hates with a passion the fact that I don't say "good-bye" when I get off the phone. For example, tonight I didn't say "bye" to her before I hung up the phone, so she called back within seconds again reminding me of her extreme dislike of this habit. Though it's not a big deal to me, I really feel like/know that she hates it and maybe should make an attempt to change my ways.

So I think that I just need outside opinions on this matter. Is "talk to you later" or "aight, be good" or "i'll holla atcha lata" acceptable? Hmmm.

Even this blog. Wouldn't it be the same if I put...

Sincerely,

Calli Edwards

...?

Greenhorn Peak

This past Wednesday, in having the day off, Raleigh and I headed to her fams cabin in hopes to "hipe"/hike Greenhorn Peak, which summits at 13,347 ft. It is beautiful (for lack of a better word). As we climb upwards for 4 hours the sights of Colorado seem endless almost.

The top picture, Vanna gracefully shows off eastern Colorado...into Kansas. Below is where either a tornado or mud slide shredded a multitude of trees that we passed through several times on the switchbacks in search of the top of this giant!

From the top:

These next group of pics are western CO. It was so neat being above tree line. Probably the most surprising thing was the tremendous amount of flies at the top. Like Rals said, they were pretty brave. They would just hang out fearlessly on your sleeve, like we wouldn't swat 'em off.

In hiking pretty much all uphill to the top, an easy downhill stroll to the bottom was all that was left. Which it was until...I proceeded it would be a much better situation to twist my ankle oh, you know, a lil' over an hour down. So for at least 2 more hours we hike down, with Rals' calf muscles under constant strain from nursing an already sore tush, and still she carries me across multiple streams since I'm not able to hop from rock to rock.

The total time of the hike was a lil' under 9 hours. Yet a short nap, a camp fire, Mark Broussard, and "walkin' it out" for the Lord seemed to cap off a great great time with Leisha in Greenhorn.

A Birthday for the Decades

I don't know where else to start except for the menu. Raleigh prepared an incomparably non-monochromatic (thank you Risa) meal for the rest of the Tillman fam, Riccara, and I. Try:

Filo Tomato Tart
Peach Caprese Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette
Fresh Corn Cakes
Field Greens with Toasted Walnuts and Raspberry Vinaigrette
Chili-Lime Grilled Chicken and Shrimp (yes Dad...seafood)
Homemade Cookies & Cream Ice Cream with Reese's pieces con a la waffle cone served with Riccara's Chocolate Cake

...for a birthday dinner. Let me tell you, not only is it humbling, but filling! And yaw the whole time I am just overwhelmed with joy and trying to figure out how I could be blessed with such great, great friends in such a foreign land when God literally places His majesty outside the front window. A full rainbow...double rainbow radiates separating the darkest of clouds from the brightest of sun.

God is that BIG. Just like my brother in Christ, David says, "I can expect my God to be that BIG." If it has taken me 20 years to believe that. 20 years to know that if you let God take you where He desires, serve Him in whatever the circumstances, and know that each day is a gift of God then so be it. But I pray that each person that I have been blessed to meet, know, and grow to love will be able share that peace, because there is an inexpressable joy that is to be had.

So even though I didn't have enough air to blow all 20 candles out I can expect my prayer for you to still come true. Thank you all!

In His Mighty Name.

Firecracker, firecracker...boom, boom, boom.

Can someone please help explain this reaction?

So what had happened was Riccara and I were sitting in the living room, you know, just talking the night away. Then all of a sudden...POW, POW, POW!!!

Therefore the only cause and effect reaction that I can think of is Duck and Cover...DUCK AND COVER!! Before I knew it I was under the window sill and my knees were on the ground. And Riccara?...nothing, just sitting there on the couch like firecrackers being shot off in the road is a normal thing. NO...now I've heard plenty enough stories at school (not Wilmington) to know that gun shot sounds mean danger, and get cho tail as low as be possible. Even though Momma ain't raise no fool, Momma sho ain't never taught me that.

For clarification it was just a firecracker. But for explaination, one is needed. Why in the world would one just automatically do that? Oh Quita, I dunno.

Totally Him.

My upmost apologies for the lack of blogation in the past week or so. However I really don't feel all that bad because I don't think I would even have the words adequate enough to explain how remarkably God has moved recently. Let me put this in somewhat-of-a perspective: changed lives, renewed relationships, hope for the hopeless, rest for the weary, God's fatihfulness to the unfaithful? Does this explain anything?

So here I am, honestly floored by the majesty of God as He totally does His thang in the prayer answering business, left with this blog to tell you what life in Colorado is like. Therefore in all attempts to do so I am capable of but one explaination--Nothing compares...NOTHING. Which we know (if you don't, it's true, and it's worth knowing), but why is it dumbfounding when you actually see it? Then to think that He says, "If you have faith even as small as a mustard seed,you could say to this mountain, "Move from here to there", and it will move (Matt 17:23)." This means the Rocky Mountains too yaw. And regardless of whether or not they are doing the movin', He is. He is here and miracles are happening. Amen.

So believe it or not, I am left speechless. Again...Amen.