Friday, July 16, 2010

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Our entrance into the CITY!
Stephanie with two of the Brothers from St Damiano Friary.
The pilgrims with the Brothers of St Damiano Friary. They really enjoyed the service, dinner and conversation.
Our home in San Francisco. It was a rush to get here, drop off our bags, then drive to the Friary and find parking! Whew!

Saturday, July 17, 2010
Stephanie’s Prayer/Activity Day
Theme: God and Homebase
6:30 am Wake up (Dani & Katie prepare breakfast)
7:00 am Breakfast (bring your packed bags to breakfast) morning prayer
7:30 am Final cleaning/pack vans
8:00 am Depart for Fort Mason (Fisherman's Wharf Hostel - San Francisco)
12:00 pm Arrive Ft. Mason – noon prayer (lunch on the way?) Explore the Presidio/Golden Gate National Recreation Area, walk Golden Gate Bridge, walk to Lombard Street, get groceries & dessert for dinner at Friary
6:00 pm Mass at St. Damiano Friary (Open House) dinner provided San Damiano Friary
8:00 pm Evening Activity
8:30 pm Evening Gathering (prayer/reflection)
9:00 pm Personal Time
10:00 pm Lights Out
Daily Questions: · Think about your family and friends at home - Who inspires you? Who challenges you? How? · Who do you look up to? Why? · Who are you missing?


We arrived in San Francisco safely! Kellie, Hannah, and Dani are super excited to finally be in the city. Had dinner at St Damiano Friary! Loved it! More to come later....We decided to sleep in a little this morning, then head to SF. It took a little longer than anticipated with the traffic, not knowing our way, etc. We finally arrived at the hostel, drop off our bags, and headed to St Damiano Friary. We made it just in time to make quick introductions, learn our part in the service, begin the service. Afterward, we enjoyed a fabulous spaghetti dinner with the Brothers and their guests. Then it was back to our dorm rooms at the hostel. Since we arrived late in the city, we didn't have time to really explore Golden Gate National Recreation Area, nor the Golden Gate Bridge like we had hoped. We did see the exit side of Lombard Street. Barb didn't like sitting on the hill below the crooked street.

Theme: God and Homebase
Think about your family and friends at home. Who inspires you? Who challenges you? How?

My neighbor Naomi challenges me. She thinks she's better than me.
My mom inspires and challenges me. She was a single mom, raising me and going to college. She challenges me to do what I aspire to be.
My brother and dad challenge me. Challenge me to go outside my comfort zone.
My older sister inspires and challenges me. She is successful, going to medical school, has a job, handles her life; pushes me and challenges me.
My dad and brother tell me to try everything, get my feet wet. My brother succeeded, and tells me to give 10% more, go first class. My mom inspires me by getting up at 4 am, is hardworking.
My cousin Russell, immediate family push me for greater goals.
My friend found her niche in life, overcame personal challenges. My parents inspire me. My dad followed his dream and made it a reality. My last boyfriend challenged me to make relationship work.

Who do you look up to? Why?

Sister Dani, who always pushed through things, always happy.
Haley - very different, with hair, sings, like her a lot.
My mom. despite being pregnant while she was young, she became successful.
My brother. never catches a break;moves past shortcomings; great personality;will miss him when he goes away to college.
My sister's boyfriend, who does what he wants without holding back.
My dad. He followed his dream, passion, took risks, created his company.
My grandpa. Whatever he wants to do he does it.
My friends, parents, grandmother. She was a single parent who raised 5 kids on her own, and taught me how to sew and cook. Looking forward to spending more time with her.


Who are you missing?

Not really missing anyone. I am transitioning, and will be leaving for school. I love my family, but am not really missing them. I am happy to spend time with the group, getting closer to God.
My family. Not really homesick.
My brother. Miss being there this week for him, as he was getting his wisdom teeth out. I am not there to entertain him.
My family and best friend Chloe. I consider her like my sister. Everyone in my family. My mom is always there. My dad, he's funny. My brother, who's really weird.
I miss my dog, my mom, Calvin and Hobbs (geckos). I am sure they've grown. Miss my other animals.
Kind of miss my dad.
My best friend Katie.
Nikoly. I miss people back home - Dad, dogs, friend Josh, Ryan, dogs, Mom.

Highlight of the Day:

skunk in the garden
Getting into the city
The Friary - "cool guys"!
Seeing new sites and walking into the Friary.
CITY! (Kellie)
Being in the car, laughing, listening to Max's tangents, dancing, singing, talking on the walkie talkies, walking after being cramped in the car.
The worship service at the Friary. It was different than usual.Finally able to recite the Lord's Prayer like we usually do! (different than the Prayer Book)
The whole evening at the Friary. Just to sit and converse and find things in common.

Quote of the day:


"No, the guy was looking at me" Max
"Snarf" (Dani's favorite word)
""If you punch someone in the face while you're wearing this ring, you will leave an elephant impression." (Br. JP showed the kids his ring)
"I think we have to stay off that street"


Our Aha moment:


Realized we made it to San Francisco.
The city is bigger than I thought it was.
Saw the skunk
I locked my key in my lockbox.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Don't worry, we didn't let her eat any of this sugar pine cone!
Dani and Katie preparing breakfast!
The pilgrims sitting in front of one of God's magnificent creations. Finally seeing these giant sequoias. To know that these were here during Christ's time on earth was just amazing!

A little taste of just how small we are!
Bonding, playing a little frisbee after lunch.
Our prayer area, in God's Cathedral, under the tall trees.
Just sittin' around under the giant sequoias.
Enjoying some silly time, hoping that Emma would feel better.
Learning about each other and their willingness to try new things.
Helping to put it all in perspective, the roots of a giant sequoia.
Realizing how small you are, yet how important!
What a beautiful smile! (nice hair, too!)
Not sure what the riddle is all about, but enjoying the kids!
Our Beagle Wolf One driver. (Max created a story about beagle wolves, so we became known as Beagle Wolf One and Beagle Wolf Two, depending on whose car you were riding in.
Drew cooking us breakfast. Mmmmm Good!


Friday, July 16, 2010 Dani’s Prayer/Activity Day

Theme: Seeking the God of Wonder
6:00 am Wake up (Drew prepares breakfast)
6:30 am Breakfast (prepare/pack lunches for the day) Morning Prayer
7:30 am Vans to Sequoia NP (Grant & Sherman Trees) (sack lunches)
6:00 pm Dinner (Kellie & Hannah prepare dinner) dinner. Prayer
7:30 pm Clean areas/pack 8:00 pm Evening activity
8:30 pm Evening Gathering (prayer/reflection)
9:00 pm Personal time
10:00 pm Lights out


Today was our silly day. Emma wasn't feeling well, so we just kind of hung out around the house, being silly, while she rested. The girls played with the boys hair, straightening, brushing, creating. Lots of laughter. Then Emma felt better, and it was on to Sequoia/King's Canyon. We saw lots of "big trees", and took lots of pictures. A mother bear and her two cubs were entertaining blocked cars along the road. We were graced with a beautiful amazing sunset on our way out of the parks. During our dark descent down the mountain a cougar sauntered out in front of Beagle Wolf 1, (our group name is Beagle Wolves, car one and car two) We heard all about it in Beagle Wolf 2, over the walkie talkie!! Had dinner in Oakhurst - wonderful pizza, before heading home! A really late night.


Notice the God of Wonder on our travels today. Notice where you experience a sense of awe and wonder. What has inspired you?

• The size of the trees- big, heavy and tall- mind blowing
• Strength and endurance of the trees through the fires
• Hollowed out trees were used for so many different things
• The sunset last night
• The cougar, baby bears, and deer (Beagle Wolf One had a cougar cross the road in front of them on our trek down the mountain out of Sequoia.)
Shadows of the mountains at night
• The steepness of the cliffs
• Color of the trees- red glowing color- phrase came to me, “the Glory of God”


Think of a song, poem, or quote and/or write your own to express what this pilgrimage means to you.

• I can only imagine by Mercy Me
• Lost (A writing that was left for pilgrims to find during our spirit walk.)
Stand still. The trees ahead and bushes beside you are not lost. Wherever you are is called Here, and you must treat it as a powerful stranger, must ask permission to know it and be known. The forest breaths. Listen. It answers, I have made this place around you, if you leave it you may come back again, saying Here. No two trees are the same to Raven. No two branches are the same to Wren. If what a tree or a bush does is lost on you, you are surely lost. Stand still. The forest knows where you are. You must let it find you. –David Wagoner
• Time to Pretend by MGMT
• All the Small Things by Blink 182
• Wagon Wheel by Old Crow Medicine Show
• Poem-
I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in. – John Muir
• I’m on my Way by Mercy Me
• Columba’s Rock
• Psalm 126 on page 89 in our hour by hour prayer books.
• “Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything that is beautiful; for beauty is God’s handwriting-a wayside sacrament.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson


Highlight of the Day

• Beauty Day!!
• We were able to go to see the trees!
• To see the cougar, the baby bears, and the buck
• The sunset
• To just hangout and relax.


Quote of the Day

• “Beagle wolf 2… OH CRAP!!... I am beagle wolf 2!” (learning how to use the walkie talkies)
• “My buns are tight, they are giving me a headache.” (Kellie had buns put in her hair that were apparently too tight!)
• “Cougars? We don’t have cougars! We have mountain lions. Don’t scare me!” –southern girl (the fee collector at the entrance station, as we were leaving the park)
• “Ma’am! Ma’am! Please stop!” –southern guy (people were excited about seeing a chipmunk, and wanted Barb to stop walking so they could get a video of the critters playing)
• “The hour is not premium for the doing of the up.” – Pedro in a Ukraine accent (silly time in the car! You had to be there!!)
• “It is not many a day when I laugh into the toilet.” – Emma in a Ukraine accent (Another silly time, where you really had to be there!!)
• “Can I touch your buns?” (a comment regarding Kellie's hair buns)


Our “Aha” moments

• Walking through the hollow Sequoia tree
• The stump they had school on.
• California hoax not believing the Sequoia tree was not a real tree.