I just got home a little bit ago from an almost two week vacation. Well, the first five days were actually part of a missions trip Utah with our church's awesome youth group leader Jonathan (I have mentioned him before :), and the last 6 or so days have been spent in Yosemite Valley, Oakhurst (just outside of Yosemite), and Pismo Beach with the family! It has been so great to spend time with my family, and just relax for a little bit, before the school rush starts all over again next Thursday! Aaaagh! :(
Anyways, the missions trip was absolutely incredible. Like I mentioned in a previous post, a sum-up word for the trip could be: potential. EVERYONE in Utah is a possibility for Christ and evangelizing. I look forward to going back, soon hopefully!
Our group of four got home Tuesday evening, and Wednesday morning my sister and I got in the good ol' Corolla with our parents and headed up to Yosemite Valley! The view upon entering the Valley is absolutely breathtaking. There is truly nothing like coming out one end of Tunnel View and seeing El Capitan on the left, and Half Dome straight ahead and a little to the right. I am still in awe. What a glorious God we serve that blesses mankind with such majestic creation! While in the infamous Valley, my family and I stood 40 yards or so from one bear, and got some more great shots of another one. We also saw several deer (buck and does), and saw a massive buck in the moonlight one night that crossed the river by our campsite. So majestic! Did I mention we also saw coyotes, fish, and my mom saw a wolf (or so she thinks)? What a great way to know more about nature which reveals Christ! Also among things we did in the Yosemite Valley were climbing to the bottom of Lower Yosemite Falls with my dad, walking some trails, spotting rock-climbers on the side of El Capitan, and rafting down the Merced River.
After a few days in the Valley, we headed up to my grandparents house in Oakhurst, appropriately labeled "Gateway to Yosemite," since it is the southern entrance to Yosemite. While with them we went to a place called "Big Sandy," a natural preserve I believe, and spent a few hours there taking in the sunlight and the chilly river. So beautiful over there! We also checked out a cute little restaurant called "Ol' Kettle Restaurant" which had a decent tuna sandwich and yummy sweet potatoe fries! (: Such a fun time with the grandparents.
After a few days with the grandparents, our family headed down to Pismo Beach, where we stayed at the Sandcastle Inn and had so much fun! We walked around Pismo a few times, walked along the pier a few times, spent time on the beach (I went for a run on the beach which was sooo refreshing! :), checked out ATV riding, and ate some yummy food! If you ever have the chance to go to Pismo, there are at least two places you must check out. One for their food (it's super delish!) and the other for their scenery. The first is called "Splash Cafe" and they are known for their absolutely wonderful Clam Chowder breadbowls. Try it! The second place we went to is called the Apple Farm in San Luis Obispo (SLO) and is so pretty and charming! Go there! (:
There are many memories that have been made the past couple weeks, and I am so blessed to be a part of them. I am so thankful for my family and church, and that each "group" loves the Lord. I cannot imagine life without them! And it's all because of Christ. He is worthy to be praised! There is simply too little time to post everything I have experienced in the past two weeks in one short blog post, and I doubt I would be able to convey as much enthusiasm as each event deserves as well, but I will suffice it all to say I had a blast and hope to do it again soon!
As I close, I will leave you with a verse that has been quite consistently passing thru my mind for a few days now:
"I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." - Phil. 3:14
May we labor to know and love Him more!
Enjoying my family and friends,
Em
*P.S. ~ Pictures coming soon! *
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