WOW!

Back home again from a trip across the country. This time, however, I visited Arizona. No rowing included. :) It was a super fun trip visiting family in Phoenix. A review of trip includes sooo much...Sedona (my personal favorite:) , Grand Canyon, Phoenix Art Museum, Heard Museum, Hiking, South Mountain, Flagstaff, Jerome, Scottsdale, Cameron, Navajo tacos, polka dot rain boots, talking stick, sister rings, Ba Da Boom (and the funny waitor), blood orange sorbet with balsamic reduction, Aunt Challadies, almost getting lost, Camelback, Gemstone Earrings from Indian Reservation by GC, Harvey Girls movie (Now let's all sing a song together), Sliding rock, Karen Cementary, swimming pool, golfing (ha ha jk I can't golf;), art galleries, Bach Choir concert, ASU campus, Dessert Botanical Garden, meeting the author-Charlene, early morning jog in Sedona, getting sick:( and so much more. I took so many pictures! Although the colors of the Grand Canyon didn't turn out as well as I hoped, I really enjoyed trying to capture Arizona. The Sunset over the rock formations in Sedona was amazing! I could wake up and fall asleep to those mountains any day. Now I am packing and getting ready for my next two upcoming adventures! Friday night I am driving up to northern Minnesota to make the long trek to the Boundary Waters! My dad, sister, and I are going to canoe and camp for three and a half wonderfull days. I am excited! Next I am flying off to Okinawa, Japan (my first time out of the country!) to be a camp counselor for the summer! I leave on my 15+ hour flight early Saturday morning and I will be there until a week before school starts in the fall! I will be officially a sophomore! Go Hawks! Has anyone seen Shrek 3? If I have time, I would love to see the flick that is breaking all expectations. I love that idea.

*Love

Finally....after a long day of flying, filled with delays, flat tires, and expensive airport food, I have made it back to my home, Iowa City! Tennessee was interesting, to say the least. My boat didn't do as well as expected. So no hardware to bring home, however, my boat, also named Ms. Christine B. Grant, did place the best out of *every* U of Iowa boat. :) The Grant and its eight motors, a.k.a. rowers, pulled to a place of 11 out of 22 boats! Where as the other boats, 1V8, 2V8, 1V4, and open 4 all placed 13th or higher. As happy as I was to remove the riggers for the very last time, I will be sad next year because it was my very last race. :( I will miss rowing. Or better stated, I will miss some aspects of rowing, friends, toned arms (it's true), and the feeling after you get done with a race and know that you did your absolute best. I won't miss lumberjack hands (disjusting blisters exposing the raw inner layers of skin tissue), 2ks on the erg, seat races, and gross hotel rooms that smell like fermented grandpa's pipe smoke. Yes, rowing has its ups and downs, but so does everything that is enjoyable in life. If it wan't like a roller coaster then where would be the thrill? When would you say, "I think I'm going to die!"?Then you are rescued at the last second and your life takes an unexpected, sudden surge and you continue up the tracks of life and the train keeps clicking away until the next giant drop. Or so I'd like to think:) Pictures coming soon!

FIRST DAY!

Hey! I am so excited for my very first post! I just finished my last final and I am done with my first year of college! I never thought this day was going to come. Tomorrow I am flying to Oakridge, Tennessee (my first trip to the state) for Rowing Centrals! My boat, the first Novice 8, is ranked 3rd out of 22 teams! We will be rowing our blisted hands to the grand finals and hopefully to a big, shiny medal!