Can you hear the bells? ...no, me either.

I am always so interested in how couples meet and end up spending the rest of their lives together. Most of it is from my genuine curiosity of people's stories. Some of it comes from fear. What am I afraid of you ask? I fear that I will miss my chance at meeting the man of my life just because he shows up in an unexpected way or place. So, I reassure myself my inquiring and listening to other peoples budding romance stories.

Last night, I asked Julie how she and Tommy met.

As she shares her story, Abby and Allison get to thinking... here's the plan:

If I get married in the next 2 years, Allison will be my flower girl. We pinky swore on it. Six year olds don't forget that sort of thing. As for Abby, she just wanted to be invited. I told her I would have to look into it a bit and get back to her. I was kidding of course and mentally secured her a spot near the head table.

As I am writing this, Tom and I are talking along the lines of dating and finding your life partner. He told me that before he met Julie, he was always looking over the fence for greener pastures or wondering what was in the next pond over. When he started dating her, those thoughts ceased to cross his mind because he had found everything that he was looking for.

This got me to thinking. Is getting married more about when than who? Maybe there is just a certain time in a person's life when they are ready to share their life with another person. Like that there is a biological clock within us, the bells sound and subconsciously we know its time. Not that we settle for just anyone at that point, we still have standards and know what we are looking for. Besides, I don't believe there is just one person out there for me or anyone else. We can be compatible with many people. Who we chose determines our reality and way we journey through life.

I didn't know that I was going to get free wedding counseling and planning services when I signed up for this nannying gig! I can't hear the bells yet... and I am very alright with that.

Hitting the Back Space Button

I was sitting on the floor in the sun room doing my normal morning routine of checking my email, getting updates from my virtual life - facebook, and sipping my second cup of coffee when in walks Abby. She's a curious little girl, and I could about guess what she was going to say. "Whatcha doing?" She asked as she watched me hunched over my computer hammering out an email. I didn't answer right away, so she continues to observe and blurts out, "You hit the back space button a lot."

What? I thought I got away from all being critiqued on my keyboarding skills when I left primary school! Before I said anything, I stopped and did a insta-reflect (reflect on a situation as it happening) then said, "You know what? I do, don't I?" But I was thinking about it in a different sense...

Its easy, right? As you're typing away, you make a mistake, no big deal. Hit the back space button and its like it never happened, nobody knows, because it is completely erased. Think of the final product of a report or paper. Its clean, free of error, and in perfect state. You are proud and happy to hand it in or show it off. Nobody knows how many times you had to hit the back space button to get to that final draft.

Wouldn't it be nice if it was like that in real life? That the bad decisions or mistakes we make were totally wiped away by a simple tap of the back space key? It could never work like that. How could we ever learn from our mistakes if all it took was quick tap of the back space button? Even insta-reflect can't work that fast.

Wouldn't it be nice if we treated everyone as though they were the final draft? Forgot about the mistakes they made and just took them for what they were, right then and there? To not dwell on they're past, but because they have grown and learned from hitting the back space button. And from all that are at the most perfect state they can be at that very moment.

I don't think we are ever supposed to be at the final draft stage of who we are. People continuously change and we have to allow them to do that. New people will join our journey through life, and some will take a different path. Appreciate what you have with them in that moment.

Fill Bucket, Empty, Repeat

It seems like my kids remember the exact things I wish they would forget....

"You said if we were good at the lake that you would take us out for ice cream, we still haven't gone!"

"What? We can't have brownies for breakfast? You let us yesterday!"

"Emily, you said yesterday that we would do a fashion show! Come on! I want to pick out your outfits and see all your clothes!"

I am such a push over when it comes to fun. I pretty much specialize in fun as a nanny. But in all seriousness, I would do anything for these girls and when I say that I will do something with them or for them, I stick to it because it matters. Not just to them, but to me as well.

When I say I am going to do something, I don't sit around and talk about it for too long, I get up and do it! Why wait? If you have a fiery desire in your heart to do something, get out there and make it happen! Before my trip to Australia, I had heaps of people say to me, "WOW! That's so great you're traveling to Australia for the summer! I wish I could do that!" You CAN do it. "Oh no, I can't. Come on, Emily, really?" Yeah, sure! Just go get a plane ticket, that's what I did.

If you don't take action on your so-called dreams and desires, then they really aren't that important to you in the first place.

There are so many things I want to do before I die, or a less grim way to state it is a bucket list! This is ever changing, just my nature to do the things I want to. There are 2 activities from my bucket list that I am focusing on this summer:

Learn how to play guitar.

Run a marathon.

Both are going to take quite a bit time and self motivation to accomplish. Good thing I live with my ferrets who are constant reminders!

My guitar sits in the sun room just off the kitchen and I will sometimes hear Allison strumming a few chords on it. I gently say, "Allison, please let it be for now. I haven't got it figured out yet. But once I do, I will teach you, OK?" Without missing a beat she says, "When will you know? Why don't you just practice?" There she goes again, making my life easy by saying it like it is.

One day I was watching Allison during gymnastics and wishing I was as fit as those girls doing flips across the floor. I said to Abby, "Hey, I need you to make sure I go for a run today." All afternoon she was riding me, "Have you gone for a run yet? When are you going?" Ugh. I was beat, I really didn't want to. I'll do it tomorrow I said. This is important to me? Obviously not. I argued with myself for 20 seconds then ran upstairs to get changed, came down and ran 3 miles. There. Take that, self.

Get excited and tell people about what you want to do! Once you voice it, then you are automatically accountable to doing it, especially around the crowd that I hang with. Decide what YOU want in your bucket, empty the bucket by doing what YOU want, then meet Jack and Jill (in my case Abby and Allison) at the top of the hill to fetch a new pail of water!

a heart to heart with a 6 year old

I just received some relationship advice from Allison. It went something like this:

Allison: Emily, are you ever going to get a boyfriend?

Emily: Probably not. Why would I need one when I got you guys?

Allison: Well, if you are going to have 1,000 kids, you are going to need help taking care of them. That's why you need a boyfriend.

Emily: Oh, I get it. I will be married before I have kids, so still no need for a boyfriend.

Allison: When you get a boyfriend, we have to meet him and tell you if he is OK or not. AND he needs to act the way you want him to, or he doesn't get to be your boyfriend anymore.

Emily: Great idea!

Life is too easy when you are 6....

Meet the Ferrets.

Cute. Squirrely. Curious. Full of Surprises. Abby. Allison. Ferrets.

Abby: age 9. She's very competitive and is a killer gymnast. I swear every time she hugs me I have slight internal bleeding. In all seriousness, she is a very sweet girl who has a knack for WINNING. She cleaned house at county fair bringing home 3 purple ribbons and 2 trophies.

Allison: age 6. This girl is a big talker... I mean she talks A LOT. I love it though! She appreciates good fashion and freezey pops. She has a wild imagination. I see her making an excellent addition to a high school speech team in the impromptu and a perfect fit as a sorority girl in college.

Back to the Drawing Board

I can't believe it took me a trip across the world to realize it! It all makes sense now: my excitement for the outdoors, the high I get after a good run, how in-the-moment I get when I see something beautiful in nature and feel like a camera would get in the way, the thrill I get when I see an animal in the wild or looking up and seeing the sun's rays breaking through the clouds in the distance... I love hiking! A week into my trip, Jess took me out to one of her favorite places in Berry: Tables and Chairs. AKA - Drawing Room Rocks.

As your walking on this trail, you think to yourself, 'Who found this? How do you blaze a trail up this mountain?' The bush is incredibly thick on the way up this mountain! And the trail is constantly changing. First, its your typical dirt trail, then it gets quite rocky, then watch out for those tree roots jutting out of the ground, cross a mini Grand Canyon, splash through puddles, duck under and squeeze through the thickest bush, and you're almost to the top! The trail levels off, and you look out and see that it was all worth it.

At the top is this natural rock formation. You can see how the bigger, flat topped rocks look like tables, and smaller one surrounding them are like chairs. From here we could see out all the way to the ocean.

You could see for miles! Jess and Brad pointed out the surrounding towns:

Berry, Nowra, Kiama, Gerroa, Gerringong and ocean landmarks: Jervis Bay, and 7 mile beach... incredible.

Looking down onto this landscape reminded me that the world is so much bigger than me. Sounds like an easy concept, but often times, each of us get so wrapped up in our own reality. Everyone walking around down there is living with their own set of values, perceptions of the world and the people around them, fighting individual internal battles, or attempting to manage the external world around them. There are times when I get so tangled in my own thoughts and issues that when in the whole scheme of things is so insignificant. I reckon climbing this mountain and seeing how big the world is, just this small part even, was a way for me escape that fog. I spend way too much time worried about what other people think.

Thinking of this led me to think, 'OK then how many people out there truly care about my well being?' I mean REALLY care about the decisions I make and where my life ends up. Not too many. My family (that's all I really got), a handful of friends (I make friends quickly, and usually lose touch with them in the same manner. Easy come, easy go.), and a few mentors. Too often, I have made decisions or done things to earn a person's approval. It's one thing to care about what people think and another to worry about what people think.

When I worry about what people think, I don't actually know what they are thinking. I am only speculating and that small snowball sized thought quickly turns in massive boulder thundering around in my head. In the end, its a heap of wasted emotional energy.

Caring about what a person thinks more productive. We all care about our reputation, so take care of it! That's different than worrying about what people think. It's those people I mentioned before whose approval I really care about. Their opinion matters to me because they know who I am and the person I am striving to be. All those other people out there, are just there. Living in their own realities with their own problems.

This trip has sent me back to the drawing board. I thought going across the world would help me get past the toughest year of my life. It has definitely helped, but I don't believe it was totally necessary. Just like the bushwalk path, there are parts of life that are more challenging to pass through than others. Your abilities or bushwalking experience doesn't matter with your in the thick of it, its the choices you make that make you who you are and get you through.

We all live in our own realities and deal with things differently. Embrace your way, respect and seek to understand others way, do more caring, and less worrying. Put your spirit toward things that matter to YOU.

Crazy Contiki Tour

Before I left for Australia, heaps of people asked me, 'What are you going to do when you get out there?' My answer to them was usually, 'What ever I want! I'll figure that out when I get there.' It's awesome how the best things in life come from things that are unplanned, spontaneous, spur of the moment, or all of the above! You know that feeling in your gut that what you are doing is so right, but your head is saying, 'What the hell are you doing?' or 'What's next after this?' Then all the excitement drowns out those terrible rational thoughts that could potentially wreck your in-the-moment great time and the gut takes over and screams, 'Just go with it!'

There are a handful of things in my life that I can look back on and say, "Wow, that was one of the best things I have ever done." This Contiki bus tour up the coast from Sydney to Cairns fits quite well in that category! I didn't look into it much, just booked it when I got out here because it felt right.

Take a look at this map: Sydney to Cairns is a long way! Here is a briefing of our itinerary.

Day 1: Sydney to Coffs Harbor -->OperaHouse, Harbor Bridge

Day 2: Coffs Harbor to Byron Bay

--> Surf Camp in the morning and Cheeky Monkeys that night.

Day 3: Byron Bay to Surfers Paradise

--> Hearing stories about what I did the night before, Australia's most easterly point, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary (check fb).

Day 4: Surfers Paradise

--> First time sea kayaking and snorkeling! Fish feeding, bush walking, and wallaby spotting.

Day 5: Surfers Paradise to Noosa

--> Explored Brisbane by morning, Noosa Surf Club by night. Well, we started in the afternoon which made for an interesting night...

Day 6: Noosa to Fraser Island

--> The world's largest sand island! Took a 4WD tour around the island and the coast was referred to as there highway!

Day 7: Fraser Island to Farmstay

--> Little different than home: Brahma cattle and a fierce whip cracking demo!

Day 8: Farmstay to Whitsundays

--> Crossed the Tropic of Cancer.... thats about it. Big driving day.

Day 9-10: Whitsundays

--> 2 day sail around the islands! Snorkeling, living in a postcard at White Haven Beach, and good ol' fashion sailing!

Day 11: Whitsundays to Cairns

--> Returned from the sail to Day Dream Island where we were welcomed with beautiful shell necklaces. This place totally lived up to its name.

Day 11-13: Cairns

--> Party Capital of Australia! and gateway to the Great Barrier Reef! Sweet snorkeling and just a ferry ride away from tropical Fizroy Island.

Besides all the amazing adventures and sights, the people on the trip is really what made the experience unforgettable. Its so interesting meeting people from different countries and

cultures. The things we value, the things we take for granted, the family we grew up in, and lifestyle we come from all play into who we are, how we react to events, and the way we treat those around us. Learning about these people as well as allowing them into my life was just as challenging as it was rewarding. It was a difficult balance at first knowing that these people will probably only be in my life for the next 14 days. Should I let them in to who I really am? What if I get attached? I figured out in the end, its all worth it. Working through getting to know someone new, letting them into your life, and being honest is 100% worth the heartbreak of saying goodbye and missing them. But hey, this goodbye makes for a sooner hello.

can't escape what you love

It's funny how the things that you love always find their way back into your life... its like when really great friends show up time and time again in your life. I only spent 2 months in Australia, I still can't escape what I love... fitting and showing dairy cattle!

Last week, I was just outside of Cairns getting cattle ready for the Malanda Show! It was just like county fair back in the states complete with rides, camping, dairy and beef cattle, horses, chooks, and late nights with friends!

Before the fair, I mean show, began Jess, Roxann, and I clipped a total of 44 cattle in 5 days on 2 farms! It was just like old times of the Stearns County Fair!

First stop: Eachemvale Illawarras. We stayed with the English Family, owners and operators of the 120 cow dairy. I felt right at home with them... I pretty much was! With 7 kids all within 7 years of each other and plenty of shenanigans, we fit right in!

Right when we walked in, mum was rescuing the fish from the soapy depths of their contaminated tank because the youngest, Frances, thought they needed a bubble bath! Aside from all the funny pranks by the rugrats, the English Family was so good to us during our stay with warm, homemade supper every night and coffee and biscuits all hours of the day. By the time we said good bye, I had an array of nicknames: Porky, Brownie, Sister Bella, Miley Cyrus (apparently I look like her??) I loved staying with the English's.

Next stop: Barron Bella Holsteins.

We clipped 7 cows and 2 heifers for the Cuda Family and worked with them through the show. Its so much fun to work with great cattle! They took home heaps of hardware including Intermediate Champion, Best Udder of the Show (Same 2 year old by Bolton), Senior Champion and 1st and 2nd place in every class!

To the right are Morgan and Murphy, grandsons and nephews of the owners of Cuda Dairy. First class of the day was paraders, like showmanship. They set the pace for a great day!

Showing cattle in Australia is incredibly similar to the way we do it in the states all the way from prep to finish. The best similarity was how its an event where family gathers. The people in the dairy industry here are a lot like they are at home: friendly, hardworking, always up for a good time or helping out a mate, never let you live it down when you do something stupid, but they only give you a hard time because they like you.

This experience really solidified for me how much I want to be apart and make a difference in the dairy industry when I grow up. Shouldn't be too tough, you can't escape what you love, right?

sail through life

This is what I wrote in my journal while we were out sailing:

The weather lets you know whether or not you sail. Waiting, being patient. Can't force it or change it. Just going with it.

Act when the time is right, put up the sails at the right time to take you in your desired direction.

You have some control, but not complete. Just like life.

More to come on this adventure.

Pick your wave and look cool

On the first real day of our tour, we stayed at Surf Camp. I wish I would've grabbed a few pics of where we stayed... because it's going to be hard to believe when I tell you about it. 4 people to a room, no carpet, barely any room to pass the other girls staying in my room, sliding doors that closed crooked, a bathroom with no shower curtain, and on top of all this, it was down pouring the entire time we were there and about 50 degrees out. I didn't mind, I wasn't there for spectacular accommodations, I was there to cross out a line on my buck list: Learn To Surf.

When I came to Australia, I expected every Aussie man to be super tan, have beach blonde hair, and be carrying a surf board where ever they went... I finally found those guys at surf camp! Our instructors were super laid back and partyed with us the night before lessons and made the whole experience heaps of fun!

The best surf is in the morning, so we were all up before the sun. At least I thought we were, its not like we would've saw it anyway with the how intensely it was raining! We got out to the beach and had a really quick lesson on how to paddle out, pop up, and look cool. Looking cool and howling like a wolf made up the majority of the lesson, technique was very secondary... I only noticed this when I was paddling out and thinking, "What the hell am I actually doing out here??!"

The waves were coming in so fast, one after the other, crashing into my face. They were so tough to fight! I was getting really worked up about not catching every good wave that came in. There were so many great ones to catch! We all had to take our turn, not just one person could catch every wave.

Same way in life: there is no way you can take advantage of every single opportunity that comes your way. Pick the ones that work best for you, big or small.

One instructor noticed how hard I was fighting the waves and offered to help out. He was like, "Don't get pissed like you are, just pick your wave, let it come to you, and RELAX! Don't tense up. You got this." After I put a smile on my face and worked with the ocean instead of against it, success found me! I popped up on the board a couple times, put my arms out, and looked cool, just like they told us to on the beach! I completely forget all the technique, and just went out there and did it, and it worked!!

Right now in my life, I am stressing out a lot about my future. I look over my transcript and think, "Who would ever hire this kid?" I worried about not having enough experience, or missing an opportunity. So many paths to take and am I doing everything right to ensure a strong future for myself and my future family? This is the stuff I loose sleep over. I fear that I won't have a purpose or make a difference when I grow up.

I don't know what waves are coming my way. I don't have total control over those waves either. I trust in God that he will put some stellar waves in my ocean and I need to have faith that he will guide me through the rough ones that crash in my face. I have to trust his will for me. Fighting the way God has laid out for us is like fighting the waves while surfing: totally unnecessary. God wants us to be happy and enjoy the life he has in store for us. It's a waste of spirit to fight it, just ride it!!

This experience taught me not to stress out about catching every wave. Pick your wave, fight for it, don't tense up, and ride it till the end... oh yes, and look cool doing it.

Love. My. Life.

Having an AMAZING time on this contiki tour!!! Hanging with some of the best people from all over the world, meeting super friendly locals, seeing wildlife and nature, learning new things!!

catching waves

Last night we stayed at Surf Camp in Coffs Harbor! It was so awesome! I am travelling with a Contiki tour group for the next 2 weeks and its EXCELLENT so far. All of us are in the same boat, up for meeting new people, trying new things, and have a ball doing it!!

It has been out of control raining here and was pouring down while we were surfing, but it made it AWESOME! The waves were really intimidating at first, but you just gotta jump over, pick your wave and ride it in. It was more exhusting than I expected, but I got up a couple times.

I am meeting some super great people out here, I <3 my life. I am so blessed. I only have 15 minutes of internet at this hostel we are in, so thats all I have time for now!!

crushed grapes.

The other day, Jess and I went on a mini wine tasting tour. Seriously, we live near everything out here. From beaches to dairy farms and rain forests to winerys.... Unbelievable.

As we were taking our time tasting, we got to know the tasting host at the last winery. She couldn't have been only a few years older than me. We found out that she spent some time in Oklahoma and Texas touring with a band as country singer. It had always been a dream of hers to be a country singer so she headed to Nashville. When she was there, she met people who had been waiting for up to 20 years for their 'big break' in the music industry. "I can't waste my life like that," she said.

There are many times in my life where I have fallen short of my goals. It's always tough to accept at first, like I'm not good enough or worth the time and energy of others. There's one person in my life that has always come up with the right things to say in times like these, my sister Rachel. Recently, she said to me, "Hey, this dream didn't come true. It just means now you can move on to the next one."

Really, we can't waste our lives looking back at goals we didn't achieve, such a waste of spirit. At least you had the guts to take a risk! Instead, channel that energy to discovering whats next in your life. Learn from the process you attempted to accomplish that goal, take the good, leave the bad, and adapt it to fit the next one.

Move, reflect, then move again.

trying out my sea legs

The Skipper (captain) of the Jervis Vessel #3 got on the intercom gave a run down of the morning... telling us about the area of Jervis Bay, what we might encounter today, tea and crumpets available on the main deck, come and chat with the marine biologist on board, what to do if you become sea sick. Did you know that you should look at the water when you feel sea sick? Doesn't that sound ironic? They say the worst thing you can do is to close your eyes or put your head between your down. Its best to look out to the water or focus on land. I don't know why I got into such detail on that, I didn't even get close to being sea sick.

It was my first time at sea, and it was literally breath taking. Its not like we were on a speed boat, but looking out on the vastness of the ocean and taking in the fresh, cool air was incredible.

Skipper said he saw the spring of a blow hole and so we set sail in that direction. I must have missed the part where he said, "Please do not stand or jump up on the rails." When I saw the first whale, I was like a kid on a leash at the state fair! I was hardly able to control myself! I jumped on the first rung of the rails, leaning over the edge as if I was going to jump in there with them. We stayed along side a family of 3 humpback whales for about an hour as they surfaced and flapped their tails, it was like they knew we were watching.

After all this excitement, I went down to the where Skipper and the marine biologist were stationed, I think it was called the Bridge. Marine Biologist Scott was like a walking encyclopedia when it came to marine wildlife and their migration habits. He shared with me that the male whale we spotted had some usual markings on him. To an inexperienced whale watcher as myself, the markings were simple black stripes on his under side. Scott identified them as scars from a scuffle this whale got into with some boat's motor blades. He reckons that he got good enough photos that he may be able to match them up with other pictures taken up the coast to track this whales migration.

The most interesting thing I learned from Scott is that a whale's tail fin is like a human finger print. Each one is unique to each whale and can also be used for identification as part of the research he was conducting.

When we were pulling back into the bay, we spotted some dolphins close to the harbor. It was a great capper to a great day.

no sign that says you can't!

I finally figured out what all this rain is good for... WATERFALLS!!

I think my adventurous nature is rubbing off on Jess because when I woke up on Wednesday morning and she was like, "Grab your coat! We're going to Fizroy Falls!" Too right then!

The hike took us around a valley where the falls were cascading into. I think hiking is going to become one of my new hobbies, just loved it. Going at your own pace, being your own guide, no one to tell you, "Hey, don't jump over that fence!" or "No, you can't climb those rocks! It's dangerous!"

This waterfall look out area is the Grotto. There was a fallen tree blocking my path, huge rocks jutting out the sides of the cliffs, and uneven steps to watch out for. Down the way, I was singing to myself that song from Sesame Street, 'Can't go through it, can't go around it, let's go over it!'

It was the shortest waterfall of but the most fun! I jumped the railing because there was no sign that said you can't, and went all the way around the fall and climbed all over the rocks in front of it, so awesome!!

Think about water here for a minute. Something we know about it is that is flows down the path of least resistance. Pretty easy concept. It

flows from its source and on down to wherever the rest of the water collecting. It's a simple life for a raindrop.

Some people go through life like a raindrop falls to earth and flows down a waterfall. They do enough to get by, stay under the radar, do what others expect of them... Yeah, this will get you through life, how fulfilling is it? I like having the approval of others, I am definitely one of those people. But sometimes it gets to a point where it just isn't doing it for me and working to please everyone else but myself is exhausting. On top of that, a total waste of spirit worrying about what people think. It's tough to advocate for yourself, but if you don't do it, who will? Stand up, choose your direction, and hold steady. Stay true to your heart. There's never been a time when my gut instinct has let me down.

It's easy to sit in the passenger's seat of life like a rain drop just rides down the river. It takes courage to take control, be the driver of your life, and sometimes choosing a way of more resistance because it's true to who you are and what you stand for.

Get out there, make your own path, live your own life! There's no sign that says you can't!

controlling the action

The other day I went up and toured a bit more of the coast with a new mate I made out here. This is the world famous Kiama Blowhole. OK, not quite world famous, but great sight none the less. When I thought of seeing a blowhole, I guessed that it would be like every hour or so to see it explode, like those geysers out in at Yellowstone, but this one is constantly spewing out water. The water gets in under these rocks and then hangs out in a reservoir until that fills up. When more waves come in, it pushes the water up this blow hole. Pretty neat, right?

It's been raining here the last few days, but that hasn't stopped me from adventuring. Despite the less than desirable weather, I think this was best day to go out and see this, it just added so much to the atmosphere of the rocky coast. The wind was blowing

like crazy, rain crashing in my face, and the waves below causing a ruckus. It literally took my breath away. Robbie thought I was a little too full on about seeing this stuff, but I just couldn't help it!

We continued our tour up to Jamberoo where the town slogan is "Jamberoo-where you control the action" - excellent. Much better than "Sauk Centre-in the middle of Minnesota". Then we went out to Jamber Jerseys (Robbie's farm) and milked cows, my first time in a herringbone. I'll get some pics of that next time, its flooding out here with all the rain. He made sure to point out a few of his best Jerseys that beat Brad's at the Sydney show just a month ago.

Giddy Up!

I remember Jess making such a big deal about the races when I would ask her about her weekend... it was worth all the hype! We had a ball last Sunday! Everyone out there dresses to the nines with their facinators and the guys in their best suits.

I put a few bets on, but didn't come out on top. A few factors could have contributed to this:

1) The guy on the right was my Financial Advisor... so really, what could I expect.

2) I would pick horses with the best names like 'Captain my Captain'

3) Or picking the ones with the best patterns and colors on their jerseys

4) If you can't tell by the photos, betting on the races was not our primary focus.

Aussie Slang

Aussies say some of the craziest phrases, and if you know me, I am a sucker for cheesy one-liners, corny jokes and funny phrases!! I am going to keep updating this as I hear more, so check back!

How ya going? - in place of how are you. First time I heard this I thought, 'OK, where am I going or how am I doing'

Silly as a possum in a wheely bin.

Frog in a sock - think of how crazy a frog would go if you put him in a sock, just go nuts.

Righteo. - Agreed.

Fair shake of the sauce bottle - still figuring this one out...

Fair Dinkum - Are you kidding me?

'rang-er - you know like an orangutan. Red head AKA Ginger

Reckon - they say this all the time... so, I probably will too when I return. For us it sounds real southern, right?

Heap - not like a pile of something, more like 'that's heaps cool' or 'there's going to be heaps of people going'

G'ed up - really excited about something... maybe its like geared up?

Prawn - it would be like a Butter Face, you know, you like everything but her face. A prawn is a shrimp and they have an ugly face, but you love they're body, it's tasty! In conclusion, a girl with a hot body and a ugly face.

Why not?

When I got out to this beach, I stood out on the rocks on shore and shot a few pictures. Jess said, "Why don't you go out there? I'll get some pics of you climbing on the rocks." Yeah, why not? I little dangerous, but totally adventurous... sounds great!! As I was climbing out there, the waves coming in were larger than the last. Jess was yelling at me to turn around, didn't happen with how loud it was out there with the waves crashing up on the rocks. I was scared for about 2 seconds, then thought the worst thing that could happen was a wave totally overtaking me and washing me up to shore on top of a soggy car ride home. Besides, there was a guy surfing not too far from where I was hiking. What a rush! Part of me really wanted to feel a wave wash over me, to feel how powerful the water could be.

There's loads more to see on the rocky shores. This is from the same coast I was rock climbing on. It's not all to often you find all this neatness in one location... that's called nature. It's amazing. Think about it. How easy would it have been for me just to continue to stand on that shore and shot pictures. Why not get out there and explore it? I would have missed this pocket of sea creatures if I didn't put down my camera and take it in for myself. Just to be fully present and in tune with where I was, not only physically, but mentally.

Get out and see the world around you. Sure, you're thinking easy to say for you, Emily, you are in Australia. Yeah, everything is new and beautiful here, but it makes me think of how different and wonderful my home is in the Midwest. Some people out here probably take for granted the panoramic ocean views and sounds of waves crashing on rocks, just like I sometimes take for granted the gentle rolling fields of golden wheat and the smell of fresh cut hay.

Try being fully present to where you are. Ditch your cell phone for a day. Go outside, run around, climb things, look around. If I am doing it for half the summer, you can surely handle it for 1 day. Why not?

How Neat is That?

We only live about 15 minutes from the beach! Not all of them are rocky like this, but I'm gonna get a bike so I can go down there whenever because I don't know if I could get use to the driving thing down here... its totally backwards. Not only do Aussies drive on the other side of the road, but they're cars are designed with the drivers side on the left! WHOA!! I still can't even wrap my mind around it! When I jumped in the car with Jess for the first time, I turned to her and said, "OK, you steer, I'll work the pedals!"

Usually when you picture beaches of Australia, or any tropical place, you think about long stretches of sandy coast line. Like this one over here. These are nice, great for swimming... but its winter.

I had a better time adventuring out on the rocky coast lines. Jess and I went out on a nature walk yesterday, how neat is that? We visited 7 Mile Beach, Black Head Reserve, and Werri Beach.

More to come on this adventure. For now, we are going to Hangover 2 tonight and then out for tea!!

Up Top!

Jess and I go to the Top to everyday for chores.

The 'Top' is where Jessica's partner, Brad, houses his top-notch Jerseys and Jess keeps her Illawarra, Fay. They call it the Top because it's at the top of the road from where we live... It took me a bit to catch on.

Can you believe this view?? The first time I went up to the Top, I was just blown away! This is winter time? NO WAY!! Whoa! Look at those flowers still blooming over there, are those hibiscus? That tree over there looks great for climbing!! Jess, I am climbing that before I go. What mountains are those back there? Can we go? Oh, the Glass House ones are better? Let's go! Jessica was probably thinking I was all crazy from the long flight which might have been part of it, but most of it is that I genuinely appreciate how neat nature is. God gave us this earth to live, work, and thrive on. Showing gratitude for this just makes me feel alive.

I will get some more photos up from the top soon, but for now, here's how they keep the algae down in the water tanks!

Just get out of there!

Flew into Sydney and got through customs in like 4.5 seconds. For real, I handed the guy my slip that I filled out on the plane and he said, "Have a g'day, exit's on your left." I easily made it to the McDonald's where Jess told me to meet the shuttle guy. She told me that he would be waiting for me with a sign with my name on it!! Just like the movies, right? Except in the movies, they actually spell the person that they're picking up name right... fail. So I met up with the guy who had a sign that read 'Emily Atherm' close enough, right?

The views were INCREDIBLE on the way home!!! We drove down the coast from Sydney to Jess's town, Berry over hills, through valleys down weaving roads. Even though it is winter here, there are still flowers blooming and locals surfing. The Great Dividing Range is not to far from the coast so there were mountains on one side, and the ocean on the other.

When we got to Berry, the driver was like, "What does your place look like?" I was thinking to myself, 'Hell if I know, I am paying you to drive me there!' No worries, we got there.... so I thought. He pulled in the driveway and dropped me off and waited for me to get in the house. I was excepting Jess to be running out of the house to greet, I mean, that's the way it always happens at home. You know, little brothers tackling you to the ground out of excitement sort of thing. I rang the door bell, knocked on the door, but no sign of Jess. The door was unlocked, so I stepped inside just so the shuttle guy can be on his way.

I took a look around and thought, 'Wow, Jess has a nice place... I don't remember it being this nice from Skype.' I called her name, no answer. I took a look around and realized that I did not recognize the people in the photos... I run to my bag by the door and pull out my notebook with Jess's number in it. As I am frantically fumbling around with that, an alarm noise goes off!! I grab the phone and dial thinking, 'Don't mess this up Emily! You don't have much time till someone busts you for breaking and entering!!' Thank God Jess picked up the phone (but I never heard the phone ring anywhere in the house...) Here's how the conversation went:

Emily: Jess, I'm here. Where are you?

Jess: In the house. Where are you?

Emily: Am I at the right place??? I just got dropped off!!

Jess: You are at 46 Albany St, right?

Emily: Yeah, that's where the shuttle guy took me. (nearly in tears)

Jess: Emily, just get out of there!! GO to the end of the drive way, I will come get you!!

I don't even grab my stuff, race out of the house, and Jess was there at the door!! She lives in a conjoined place and I didn't see the other half where she lived! We visited her neighbors that night, and I told them the whole story. Stupid American x2. They cracked up. Thank you everyone, I will be here till July!

Oh, and that alarm noise was a device that detects when a car comes in and out of the driveway. So the sound came from the shuttle guy leaving.

Trip Out to Aussie

On Monday the 23rd, Mom and I headed to the airport at about 11am and I arrived at Jessica's home in Berry at 1PM on Wednesday the 25th. With the time differences, this totaled to about 32 hours in route to my final destination here in Australia. Woof. No worries though, what's really neat about travelling though is how fast you can make friends because you already have something in common with them: the destination!

I was hanging out waiting for my delayed flight to Dallas and met an Aussie that was on his way home, Matt. He had been working in the states for 2 years in law enforcement and sounded so excited to get back. Matt was the one to inform me that there was a tornado in north Minneapolis just the day before. Wow, I told myself that I wasn't going to be that stupid American and I already was without leaving the US.

You have no idea how long I had been praying that I sit next to someone who would be willing to be my pal on this journey. My prayers were answered when I met Kate in seat 29E. She was on her way to Brisbane with about 20 other college students as part of a mission trip. They were from universities across the Midwest but all members of Crusaders for Christ. (Hazzah! God wills it!!)

When we got to Dallas, I followed Kate and congregated with the group as the chaperons gave some instructions. I did a great job blending in... OK, not really. Most of the students were doing more double taking than listening to their leaders ;) I played along as long as I could, but I am terrible at keeping an exciting secret. Seriously, I could never throw a surprise party. Besides the point, I was so blessed to find this excellent group of kids to hang out with during our lay over in Dallas as well as the 16 hour flight to Australia.

I especially connected with Emma. At first, I was surprised at how curious she was about me. Those feelings faded pretty quickly when I became genuinely curious in who she was and discovered how in tune she was with her spirituality. We pretty much exchanged life stories with laughs and tears included.

I think a lot of people out there are worried about being interesting or feel the need to prove that they are indeed interesting. I believe that each and every person we encounter on our journey will be absolutely fascinating. This is something that I struggle with and continue to work on. It is more important to be interested than it is to be interesting. Try it. Be receptive to being inspired.