the past 2 months looked like this:

They also looked a lot like clerking in a law firm, staying up way too late, riding in the car way too much, and getting stuck overnight in the airport...but that's beside the point.

I'm not sure if the blog is going to be back in action now or not.  I really like being away from technology and off the map for a while in Maine and may try to keep that up even though I'm back in Lexington.  But for now, this is what I've been up to, though I doubt anyone reading this has actually been wondering.

A quote regarding many things but somewhat relevant to summer adventuring:

The unrest of the quest ends in the discipleship of Christ.

[Franz Hildebrandt]

Until next time?  We'll see what happens.

and one month later...

One month blogging hiatus.  That's not too bad.  Actually, I'm shocked it hasn't been longer considering the circumstances.  March. was. crazy.  For multiple reasons, but namely these:

Guatemala
appellate brief due
oral argument speech competition (a.k.a. Triwizard Tournament)
family in town for Easter
trying to sort out which classes to take next year
too little sleep
too many allergies
way too much snow for what this Mississippi girl considers the first month of spring
contracts and property and con law...oh my

And just like that, March is over.  And now it's April 5, with two weeks until finals, and it's warm outside again, and Keeneland has started, and all I want to do is to press pause and have adventures and soak up life without an ever-ticking clock.  But the clock continues to tick, and so we make the best of the time we have.

Which is why yesterday, when I was sitting in class at 1:00 and got a text that said "Hey, let's go to the Gorge," the answer had to be yes.  Even though we couldn't leave until 2:30 and it takes an hour to get there and we had to be back by 7 and Turtleback Arch is an unmarked trail that's supposed to take "3 to 5 hours" to locate...

We never did make it to Turtleback Arch, but we did see Rock Bridge and jam to some Page CXVI in the car and have good conversation and make it back in time to change into formal clothes and dance the night away.  And it was so, so good.

How is it that spontaneity always, always wins?

strike the bell

I'm on a quote kick lately.  (But aren't I always?)  But also, somewhat unusually, I seem to find myself in various situations lately where I am faced with that age-old life choice: take the leap of faith or play it safe.

Sometimes I'm a risk-taker.  Sometimes I am very much not a risk-taker.  (Surely this is a result of being born to my mom and dad - the calculated, collected, predictable one and the risk-taker extraordinaire, respectively.)  I've been trying to figure it out for years.  Ole Miss made me more of a risk-taker.  Law school is making me less of one.  I'm not sure if I like that.

As I think on these decisions I have, the play-it-safe side is more apparent, more in my face.  Be careful.  Slow down.  You might get hurt.  Someone else might get hurt.  But then there's that part of me deep down, that's always there even if it's whispering, with a question - the question - that will always and forever overpower the play-it-safe side of me.  What if?

What if you go for it?  Think what could be waiting.  What's the worst thing that could happen?  You are always safe in Me.  You have nothing to fear from this world.  Make the leap.  Take the plunge.  What are you waiting for?

Earlier today I stumbled across this gem.  Luckily (yet again), Clive Staples has already articulated my thoughts for me...

Make your choice adventurous stranger,

Strike the bell and bide the danger,

Or wonder till it drives you mad

What would have followed if you had...

[C.S. Lewis, The Magician's Nephew]

Riiight.  Got it.  I remember now.  The anticipation of things unknown usually doesn't make me afraid, it makes me excited.  I just forget that sometimes.  But I don't want to forget.  I have to go for it.  I choose to go for it, boldly.  "Make your choice..."  I strike the bell.

lately

I'm not going to lie.  This week was pretty rough.  I thought school was already in high-gear.  Apparently, there is turbo-gear, and it is scary.  But a bad week of class does not equate a bad week of life.  Especially this month.

Fall in Kentucky is beautiful.  And while this state is so different than Mississippi (more on that later), it has its own grand adventures that I have been fortunate to take advantage of lately.

 More time at Keeneland

Red River Gorge last Saturday.  Absolutely breathtaking. 

And of course, leaves falling everywhere.

I still feel kind of out of place here, but I definitely love it.  And I think the water must be getting to me or something, because the Bluegrass music is rubbing off on me too.  This song, on repeat, all day:

No action-packed activities planned for this weekend (besides the ridiculous law school Halloween party I just got back from) - it's time to sleep and study for a day or two.  I love October adventures, but I think I can stand to handle a little rest for a change.

reflections from the river

Nature is good for you.

This Saturday I got to take a 17 mile canoe trip down the Cumberland River with old and new friends from UK Wesley.  It was absolutely beautiful and, although I rejoiced with everyone else when we reached the end, at the same time I would stay out there forever.  Three days later, the tension in my shoulders and arms from the paddling that I was less than prepared for is gone, and I am once again immersed in the intensity of 1L life.  But some things from Saturday continue to fill my wandering thoughts, some serious, some not at all...

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The best adventures always go un-photographed. 

Bald eagles are awesome.  Good call, whoever named that the national bird.

Clif bars are good.  Clif bars when you're tired and hungry are even better.

I am thankful that my friend Scott who I've known since I was 7 now lives in the same city as me and can share a canoe and ask what God has been teaching me and sing Lord of the Rings songs all at the same time.

Water and trees and sun and sky and clouds are beautiful.  So are hearts and lives that belong to the Lord.

That moment when you see a runaway kayak caught in the current headed for Cumberland Falls and you realize that if someone's going to rescue the kayak, it's got to be you, but you've got to make sure that you don't also end up down Cumberland Falls...yes.  That's a good moment.

What does it mean to live life in such a way that those who see you take note that you have been with Jesus? (Acts 4:13)

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Nature is so very good for you.