Sooo....Colorado?

Hello to all!! I apologize for my lateness of this post but it's been CRAZY!! A week ago we all were going to Anniston, Alabama!...wait quickly change that to somewhere in Colorado...maybe? That was basically all of the end of last week. I had no idea where I was going to be in three days... Which is really weird. But there is something about the unknown that excites me! The options are endless(that is within the country of course) and it makes my heart beat, my dream living, my spirit burn, my soul soar, and my life exciting!  We left everyone early morning Saturday for Denver, Colorado! It was interesting driving for about 13 hours that day plus stopping every two hours to switch drivers and getting lost twice? Maybe it was three times... But I was NOT driving!! (That's a first) We were basically all asleep the whole way there, when you are not driving and being safety of course( safety = passenger in the front)! We drove through the rest of Iowa, then Nebraska, Kansas, and Finally Colorado!! The site along each state was absolutely beautiful (except for all the corn...). Once we hit Denver however, the beauty was breathless. The mountains are in the background as if it's looking out for you. The blues and whites upon them fall into each other like paint softly brushed. They make me think of my hometown and makes me truly love nature! The Dusks and Dawns are by far my favorite time of day. Both times I am thinking of everything I have done and the beginnings and ends that I have experienced in the last 5 weeks. The colors relaxes me as everything slows down around me. 

Anyhow! We do have training this week, in a classroom, boring, dry, and full of old people who LOVES to contradict the instructors. But then again when do they NOT love to do that hahaha. We've been staying at hotel to hotel, that is until last night. We moved into a big building that reminds me of a airplane hanger or a warehouse. We are incredibly lucky thanks to the Missouri Relief team that is letting us stay with them and they are even cooking us food!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can you tell that I am happy about food?  It's a cool experience that I get to tell how I slept on a cot in a huge room with absolutely no privacy and a bunch of people cramped together for oh about three months? 

Starting Monday(maybe earlier) Pine 5, Spruce 1, Pine 2, Hickory 1, and Hickory 2 will be heading out into the field and getting our boots on the ground! We are all wicked excited and antsy to get started, which may sound crazy, but this is what every single person signed up for... To make a difference in people's lives, in our country, and in the government. Okay so the Government one is a bit of stretch BUT, it's something that the year ahead of us had done! Thanks to the first FEMA Corps DSA(DisasterSurvivorAssistant) was born! This is a program which enables workers to go directly to the survivor and explain to them what is happening during the process of getting assistance. We are called the "eyes, ears, and heart of FEMA" which makes me proud to tell you the truth. This uniform is becoming a part of me the "A" is something that I wear with pride and share the story with pride. To give myself for service is the best decision I have ever made, my team has become my family and I have become their little sister, I guess I can't get away from big brothers! Haha. I have feeling that I'm stuck with them all now and they are stuck with me! 

The road that we have is going to be a bit broken, that's a grantee, but we will hold each other up and call out each other when it needs to be done. We will make fun of each other when we need to

Smile, we will simply be together. This will be an experience that will change my life forever. " In The End, The Journey Brought Joys That Outweigh The Pain" this lyric basically sums up life in my perspective. 

Thank you guys so much for staying with me and being patient for these!! I'm sorry about the bad writing and spelling mistakes, I have to write these on my phone. Once again I hope I here from you and I would LOVE letters from anyone even if I don't know you well or just don't know you! Love you all!! And miss you all!!! 

My bags for the next three months or so 

The most interesting scene of Nebraska 

Colorado! 

I found a river near our hotel! 

Our new home!! 

We're a bit crammed 

GET THINGS DONE!

So this week was kind of, sort of, awesomely, amazing. It all started with hands of peace. A all day meeting with one other group and getting to know each other through games, talks, and laughs. It left a impression on all of us. The next day we had Diversity training. It was a interesting time, we had to make a sculpture out of pipe cleaners... that's when George was born! I have no idea what George is, but we decided that he has to stay in VDubbs from now on.

 On Wednesday our mini- spike began! It was at the Science Center in Cedar Rapids. This project consisted of painting, organizing, drywalling, sanding, moving exhibits, and basically having a kick arse time ! We spent two days there, loving every second of it! I can't even tell you how happy we were to not be in the class room and in trainigs, we were finally helping someone, finally getting things done for a community outside of mine own. 

I was listening to a NPR radio program called Bliss the other day. In the program they talked about how a man was traveling alone to the South Pole and every few days he would bury something to take off his shoulders. Now After three months of hunger and no sleep, he stumbled over his very first burial of his things. Now you can hear him mumbling about how hungry his and how he hopes that he finds something good. What comes next is amazing. His scream is full happiness, full excitement, full meaning of the word Bliss. What does he find? A bag of cheese balls. He continues to dig for a few minutes. Then there's silence. He starts to scream once again that happy exciting bliss yell. What the hell was it that he found, that made him that blissful?!? A chocolate bar. These simple junk foods made a grown man happy as a clam in heaven. Now hearing this it made me think of times in my life that I felt so happy that it could actually be caterogized as bliss? The first thing that came to mind was that long day of work and seating in my car Floyd and listening to my voicemail. It's funny because I never NEVER check my voicemail. But for whatever reason I checked it that night and it was... Bliss. It was a call from AmeriCorps. They wanted me!!! The feeling was amazing!!! A high like no other! I was screaming as I drove down the highway! I was screaming the lyrics of a heart of gold by Neil Young because its what was playing as I drove. I couldn't believe it!! And now it's been a month since I've been in this program, training and getting ready for the future of my service. Come this Saturday I'll be on my way to the Colorado flood disaster. So I have a question for you... When was the last time you were in Bliss? 

So here's another post done! I hope to here from all of you !!! I miss you and love ya!!! So until another post I'll be Getting Things Done! 

George!

My coveralls

FEMA official ! 

Our team tri-fold for induction night! 

Something atleast...right?

It's been a little over a week since I've posted and a lot has happened since then. Our big red van has finally been named...(drumroll!!) Waldo Weasley!! We'll call him vdubs for short. I passed my road test with vdubs, which means I get to drive him all over the country for the next ten months!!

Last weekend was a three day weekend for my team, and I got to visit some family near by and escape from the little town of Vinton, it was very refreshing and strange to be away from all my teammates and friends but it was nice to see family that I don't get to see often.

Monday was slow and torture for us. All the other units (Spruce and Hickory) had work that day, so the pine unit basically just slept and wandered around bored out of our minds. We were all anxious to start up our trainings again!

On Tuesday we got CPR and First Aid certified, for background info, I have been in the emergency field for a few years so the course was quite entertaining, my favorite part was when they tested us on how to take off our gloves and how to wash our hands. But the instructors did a good job of keeping us awake and focus during the 5 hour class.

On Wednesday we went to a meeting called Corps Development, which basically talked about what benefits we will have at our finger tips such as the President Award, Congressional Award, and a certification in non-profit business management. We also learned about the LAA aka Life After AmeriCorps, all the possibilities that we have for more years of service and choices we can make after this crazy journey.

On Thursday we went to a low ropes course and had team building exercises to do. It was a lot of fun! We learned a lot about how we were all laid back and that during a conflict we will listen to everyone. Another thing we did was tool training aka me using a circular saw and other fun powerful tools!

The rest of the week I truly cannot remember, it's all blurring together and going by so fast. Though I do remember on I believe Thursday I had a little girls night out with a my teammates. Since we have to cook all of our meals we have generally 2 fend for yourself nights, which lead to the girls and I going to the local Mexican place and having a laugh and relaxing evening after a long day.

On Sunday I got to play Paint ball which was amazing!!!! It was soo much fun, though I learned that when you play, you should never wear shorts due to the crazy welts you can get on skin contact with the balls.

So I want to apologize to all of you for such a long wait!!! I've been super busy planning, paperwork, and trainings for our mini SPIKE this week ! Now I know it's not the best excuse at all, but it is the best one I have for now. I will be better this week and will post most likely this weekend due to the days off I have! Thank you all and I hope you comment or get in touch with me somehow soon!! I miss you all!

 my dorm  I'm fearless in my mask.

 We are Ready for PT!!