friday

I can't wait to get back to Virginia for a nice long visit. By the time I land at RIC, it will have been a year (almost to the exact day) since I've had my feet on Virginia soil. I'm so excited for summer weddings and birthday parties, and lots of time with family and old friends. I have great friends here (Julia... I'm talking to you!), but sometimes I do miss the familiarity of my old life. I call it my old life because everything is different about my life since I've moved to Oregon. I think I'm still the same person at my core, but I'm also quite different. Not sure if that's because I moved away from everyone and everything I knew, because I've gotten older, or maybe a combination of both? I'll go with the latter.

When I am in Virginia, it feels like I never left, and like it's been lifetimes since I left- all at the same time. It's pretty weird. The first time I visited after I moved, I remember feeling very confused. I felt homeless. Now that I've been here for more then three years, I feel much more settled and this is definitely my home. At least that's one thing I'm certain about.

The photo was taken at Timberline Lodge a month ago, just a few days before my surgery. I love nature so much, and Timberline is one of my favorite places. I can think of different things I love at each of Mt. Hood's three resorts, but my favorite thing about Timberline is that on a clear day, you can see forever. You can see Mt. Jefferson, Dollar Lake & Ski Bowl. The view is just infinite. It's so quiet up there. My favorite thing about Meadows is just how huge it is. It can take you quite a while to get from top to bottom if you want it to. There are a million places to explore. My favorite thing about Ski Bowl is this run on the Upper Bowl that takes you on a long trip around the edge of the mountain. It's easy, very few sharp turns and only one spot I detest (it's on a curve and uphill so yo have to be going really fast to get past it, no thanks). The views are stunning. Sometimes I really think the main reason I love snowboarding is because you get to take in views that you otherwise wouldn't see.

Soon I will be healed and I will be able to get back to doing all the things I love. Soon!