GPS FAUX PAS!

I love my GPS navigator when I travel-- what a gadget! I have even lovingly nicknamed my GPS device-- I call her Rita. (She just sounds like a Rita.)

Well, the only faults Rita exhibited before last weekend were monotone speech and mispronunciation. But last weekend in Flagstaff, Arizona, Rita led me in circles and down nonexistant roads and dead end streets. Ultimately, her confusing instructions sent me to the shoulder of the highway when a police officer pulled me over for drunk driving. (Evidently, Rita's map doesn't always match reality. I knew that, but at 2AM after a 14 hour drive, I wasn't thinking straight.) The moral of the story: when it's common sense versus the GPS, trust common sense. :o)

Anyway, my big news from my trip is that I put an offer on a house! Unfortunately, there were at least five competeing offers, so I probably won't get it, but, there's still a chance, and I am waiting ANXIOUSLY to find out. The house is fabulous: three bedrooms, two bathrooms, light and spacious living room, covered patio in back, adobe exterior (see photo), and perfect location! I am hoping against all odds that I'll get the house so that I don't have to endure another marathon weekend of house hunting. Last weekend, I saw 33 properties in two days, and drove 31 hours round trip to get there and back. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

FRIENDSHIP

"In friendship, we think that we have chosen our peers. In reality, a few years difference in the years of our birth, a few more miles between certain houses, the choice of one university instead of another, the accident of a topic not being raised at a first meeting — any one of these chances might have kept us apart. But being a Christian, there are, strictly speaking, no chances. A secret Master of Ceremonies has been at work. Thus, friendship is not a reward for our discrimination and good taste in finding one another out. It is the instrument by which God reveals to each the beauty of all the others." (C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves)

I felt compelled to share this beautiful quote and to tell each of you how grateful I am that God has enriched my life and revealed so much beauty through you!

Happy Pi Day!

Today is the first ever National Pi Day! Since today's date is 3/14, math enthusiasts have celebrated the number Pi on this day for years, but this year is the first year that 'Pi Day' has been official!

US Congress just approved a resolution which includes the following statement: "Now, therefore, be it resolved, that the House of Representatives– (1) supports the designation of a `Pi Day’ and its celebration around the world; (2) recognizes the continuing importance of National Science Foundation’s math and science education programs; and (3) encourages schools and educators to observe the day with appropriate activities that teach students about Pi and engage them about the study of mathematics." The resolution passed with 391 Yeas and 10 Nays. (For once, congress agreed on something!) Reportedly, congress debated the bill for 40 minutes. I'm really curious what they talked about. :o)

Although I am probably an incorrigible math nerd on some level, I also know that Pi Day is really just an excuse to have a party and eat pie. (Pie is perfect for Pi Day because not only is it a homophone of Pi, but it's also circular!) At the university, we had our usual celebration with our digits of Pi chain and pie-eating contest. This year, I also merged two of my favorite things (math and running) by organizing the university's first ever Pi-K run. If you understand the sign in the picture below from the run, you're probably a bit of a math geek yourself. :o) We started the race at Pi minute, which is at 1:59 p.m. I guess if we were really committed, we would have started at Pi second (1:59:26). At that moment, the numerical representation of the date and time aligns with Pi out to seven decimal places: 3.1415926.

NO SWIMMING, NO WADING!

I wonder if anyone will even read this since I haven't posted in months. Several of you have told me you've given up--sorry! I am going to try to catch up. :o)

In January, I discovered how awesome Donut Falls is in the snow-- thanks Becca and Mike! In February, I discovered cross-country skiing at Harriman State Park. I can't believe that I only just found Harriman my last winter in Idaho-- it is absolutely awe-inspiring! It is a true winter wonderland with endless blankets of snow and a bright blue river peppered with snow-white trumpeter swans. I went cross-country skiing at Harriman nearly every weekend in February! I'm really going to miss the snow if I move to Phoenix.