Sing Praise to Him

Today was a new experience for me to say the least.  As a young child I often spent summer mornings picking raspberries at a local farm, but strawberries!? Now that was new for me! There is nothing better than leaving on a full stomach, strawberry stained hands & tired from so much laughter. Summer days are bliss. 

 The past four years I have prayed continuously for a true friend and if anyone would have told me I'd have a roommate senior year I would have just giggled. Yet- here is Emily! One of the greatest friends ever, but more a sister now.  Last November she moved in and she has become a big part of our family from cookouts to ER visits we've been there for each other through many ups and downs.  I owe a huge thank you to this girl!  Nichole, my sister'n law and better half.  Growing up Nichole baby sat me and now I babysit her little girls, #3 is on the way! Love love love her! Meet my sister and Mom- the two most independent women I know. Not sure where I would be without these two and I'm thankful for all they have done for me.

After a night at camp theres nothing like a pit stop to Snow Falls for exploring.     The moment my best friend gave me the most helpful advice in the world "Don't fall- Mariah.." Why thank you Emily.  Being best friends wasn't our choice, but more of God's way of saying - here meet now and us becoming like soul sisters.  Not sure where I would be if it wasn't for having such an awesome friend who always knows when a good road trip is necessary! Getting comfy there Em?

The Przewalski's horse is the last wild horse known to mankind with only about 250 still remaining in the wild.  Crazy! I've always had a strange love for this horse when I wrote a report in 5th or 6th grade. Horse loving :) 

 A mans best friend may not always be that of a dog.  Mans best friends comes in all shapes, sizes and colors.  Some they waddle, or others they fly. Here is that of Kate's new friend.  They hit it off for sure, literally he chased her back and forth for a good thirty minutes.  He was friendly and curious, a lively bird at that.  I now understand why it is zoos carry signs that read "Please do not touch animals."  Why would anyone actually want to touch an animal? But this bird, boy was he tempting to reach out to. As soon as Kate would walk out of sight the bird would look high and low, left and right for her- a shadow even.  Any movement sparked his running, and upon not finding who he had sought out he would hang his head. A mans best friend, a bird. 

I always imagined the cemetery before ever being there, but upon seeing it for the first time no amount of past thoughts could ever have taken the initial wow away. Grave after grave, in thousands of rows it was as if death was staring right back at me.  If I closed my eyes I could envision the young men and women on the battle field, their loves ones anxiously awaiting back home. The generations of heroes, the history of many- all in one field.  To the unknown soldier we say.    

             The girls were anxious to begin the trip, but now as the first night comes to a close it's widely known that everyone is exhausted.  Red in the face (from the sun of course), grumpy by all mean and just plain tired.  Getting accustomed to a new area is always difficult, but with the humid heat and little experience in the area, maps of all colors became our new best friend.  Water bottles in hand, pins hanging from all the girls necks and the race was on.  Here at NHD boys and girls all over the world find common ground very quickly when it comes first to their passion of history and second get as many new pins from as many new places as possible.  Kids literally sigh when they realize the state you're from is already shown on their cord.               The speaker was amazing; a former NHD contestant herself she knew the drills; from research to traveling tips.  Ye...