lacking wisdom?

i got my wisdom teeth pulled a week ago. yikes, this has been an experience. things went pretty smoothly the day of the procedure (as smoothly as something like that could go). The next day was worse than the first. the day of nausea, followed by excruciating pain and exhaustion. but now, things seem to be coming back under control. still really tired, but on the mend for sure. cant wait to get back to normal.

but last night was fantastic. in the middle of my exhaustion and pain, i found myself in the middle of thanksgiving. it was truly a time of worship. a time to look back over what God has done in my life. How he's been present with me every step of this hard journey i'm on. it made me feel really blessed. it started when i was talking to my mom about God's protection in getting me to the dentist sooner than i had planned before anything turned into an infection. something that seems small, but right now is a really big thing. and that has been a theme. God really has blessed me, both large and small. And i am so thankful. it was a time to realize that he's brought healing in a few places that i've been praying for healing. praise be to God.

and p.s. i just got an email from my boss telling me to take it easy for another day and not come in to work tomorrow. rest up. definitely another blessing from my papa.

flight

Bret: i'm developing a vaccine for epileptic dogs
Girl: are you a vet, or a doctor or something?
Bret: no, but i am very intelligent (readjusts glasses)
Girl: i'm not sure you should do that, it could be dangerous.
Bret: no, its not dangerous, i've been taking it for a while now and i havent had any epileptic symtoms
Girl: but you werent epileptic before taking the vaccine.
Bret: well, no - but i think its because of the vaccine.

hee hee hee. it's probably funnier with a new zealand accent.

Portland in the Summer

One of the many things i love about Portland is all the free stuff that goes on in the summer. On friday night Sara and i went to see the ballet at washington park. Semi-frozen but mostly happy (luckily, no rain). The first half was just the Oregon Ballet Theater. They performed one of my favorite pieces from last season and a brand new ballet, which was brilliant. After intermission came Portland Cello Project. i had heard recently read an article about them, and was quite impressed (although the sound at the amphitheater didnt do them justice). they had a couple of guests on stage with them. the last two of which emcee at a local karaoke bar in sellwood. We had a bit of a cello dance party on the lawn when they performed "take on me," which was both weird and wonderful. They also covered a never released elliott smith song. i heart portland.

next: the summer finale. the symphony at south waterfront. ahh. mark your calendars friends, its gonna be a good one.

Dennis the Menace

Cant forget the legendary Dennis the Menace park in Monterey. As you can see, i'm winning! this was one of the most bumpy slides of my life...those twists and turns might look an adventure - but looks can be deceiving.

Bay Side (and i dont mean the high school in Saved by the Bell)

spending the weekend in Monterey was de-lightful. portland had been having a ridiculous heat wave, and my little apartment was overheating. being on the top floor with plenty of west facing windows didnt help anything. i, like many portlanders, do not have air conditioning. but unlike most portlanders, i also dont have a proper fan. what i do have is one of those t-i-n-y desk fans. so i took that little guy with me where ever i went. i couldnt move more than a few inches because i wasnt about to risk having to experience the true heat without my artificial breeze. it is a weird reality when the Bay Area is more temperate than Portland.

Monterey would have been lovely on its own, but it was doubly fantastic because it got me out of the heat. And you cant go to Monterey without going to the aquarium. i think it is one of the only things i've experienced that didnt feel smaller after revisiting as an adult. but then again, the place does have several life-sized whale replicas hanging from the ceiling, and i think that alone would keep anyone from questioning its magnitude. Kevin was a great tour guide - he knew all about the exhibits and would answer all my questions, i didnt have to bother reading those pesky placards next to each tank. who has that kind of time, anyway? we stayed in a really nice hotel and while we were there my mom and i relaxed and got pedicures, i'm still showing off my freshly manicured toenails. (i might have to consider making pedicures a regular routine:) marvelous.

what was weird to me was being on the beach where the sun didnt set over the water. because we were right on the Monterey Bay, the beach was often to the north and the sun would set away from the water. it kinda freaked me out. thats what happens when you spend most of your life only experiencing the pacific ocean. you dont know how to respond when your near water but the sun sets over the land. it felt wrong.