the case of the unlikely beneficiaries

With the sun setting it was necessary to cover the bare skin of my arms. Putting on my flannel, it smelt of summer. Sunscreen to be specific. The past few days it has occupied the same bag I use for my nanny activities, that do in fact require large amounts of sun screen. I positioned myself on the ledge of the cement wall of the viewing point so my feet dangled comfortably, then happily opened my Ninkasi that Dean had brought along. It wasn't till then I truly took in the perfect site in front of me. The city that has brought me such joy, beginning to sparkle with evening city lights as the sun dropped. When the sky turned completely black and the last beer had been finished, Dean hugged me as he always does, a massive, feet off the ground, I love you to pieces hug and we part ways.

These meet ups are generally like this. We drink local microbrews, pick an epic spot to enjoy the city we love, whist enjoying a good IPA and talk about God. Married, pastor to be and traveling loving, free spirit seem to be an odd pair of friends, but theres one major thing we have in common. We both are obsessed with people and how to become better at loving people. In the same sense we both are on a path in doing such, Pastor.. Nurse..
I'm grateful to have so many different types of people and styles of relationships in my life that mold me in such a way. I think its important to purposely seek out a variety of connections in turn creating your own sense of truth. I always walk away from Dean talk's with at least a few things that truly stick and this time was no different. I admire his dedication to the profession of love and only hope to be as good at it as he is.

no where else I'd rather be

There is literally no where else in the whole world that is better than Oregon in the summer. No where..

round again

I was slightly drunk, distraught, confused and hurt. I thought I knew everything I wanted, needed and desired only for it to be turned up side down. I starred at my computer screen, battling with myself wether or not to do it, to actually do it. I thought of the current place I was and who I was, none of it made me smile. I had lost myself within a vicious cycle of a relationship going on 3 years with a side of academic perfection overload. I needed an out, I knew that the answer had to be drastic for a drastic personality. I took a drink of my beer, a deep breathe and started typing in the 16 numbers that changed my life. Click to confirm.. *click.

10 months later I boarded that plane to Australia, running away from a broken relationship, a broken family, a broken Claire but denying every aspect of the broken. Once I switched hemispheres, I had the journey of a lifetime, I smiled again, I felt happy again and I even loved again. But as soon as I returned home I had to pick up where I left off. I took a year to finally.. well.. deal. 

This time is different. It's passion. Devotion. Friendship. Youth. Contentment. I'm finally taking off to travel for genuine reasons. Im not running away.. I'm running toward opportunity and I couldn't be happier. Why?

I recently realized I have the friends I'll be friends with for the rest of my life.

I recently realized I have a family thats so unperfected in the perfect way.

..therefore I'm free. Free to be, because I'm loved and supported to the end of the world and back

I also recently realized.. I'm one of the luckiest people in the entire world. How? Why? But thank you. To have beauty in every corner, to know love, to be loved, to have support, to be encouraged, to be safe, to be more than acknowledged, I thank God everyday.

The trip..

September 22nd PDX > LAX: ((First stop)) best friends wedding Ms. Nancy Tolman.. soon to be Waldron

September 26th LAX > GUA: Guatemala and the rest of Central America

November 24th NICARAGUA > LAX: Thanksgiving in Orange County

November 29th LAX > AUK: New Zealand. Finally reacquaint with Kait McNally for who knows what. But it will most definitely involve friendsday, goon, driving on the wrong side of the road and tim tam slams.

ticket ends there..