Moved.

So, I’ve recently moved into a place of my own (well, with a new roommate!) and I kinda feel like I’m reinventing myself. How’s that for new-age? Maybe it’s the cooler weather and the kiddos heading back off to school (or something complete else different), but I just feel an energy about life lately. I’m lovin’ that! There have been a few words that have driven this reinvention of Jaime… Courage. It’s inserted itself into my life in several uncanny ways (really, only God could have done this – ask me about it sometime!), but it’s encouraged (see, there it is again) me to have courage in life… to be who God wants me to be, even if it looks a little different than everyone else… to write whether anyone ever reads it or likes it… to live a life of intention. That is the other word… Intention. As I think about what will go into my “new life” as an apartment renter, I ask questions like, how can I honor God with my time? What should I spend time studying? Who should I spend time investing in? What should I have for dinner? I know, this all sounds overwhelming, doesn’t it? I have this inexplicable peace that it will all happen in its time as I trust the Lord. Yep, the cave of my now is definitely brighter, more hopeful and faith-filled.

What words are defining your fall/life season?

Lambeau Field.

My favorite Cody got tickets to the Packer game last Thursday and decided to take me.  (All ladies may direct applications for getting to know Cody to me.)  I had never been to Lambeau Field (inside the stadium) before… So, you could say I was excited! 

As we walked toward the stadium in a sea of green jerseys, I felt… privileged.  I guess that is the best way to describe it.  It was like, I was a part of something bigger, I had a ticket to the party, like we all knew a secret and were going to be let in.  A smile was smeared across my face the whole time.  The stadium, inside, was… life-size.  It was giant and full and majestic.  The guys on the field were visible – not like you see on TV – just normally sized.  It was… wordless.

The night was warm and humid – I could not imagine being there in the dead of winter without hand warmers and a good pair of wool socks!  Cody and I had so much fun on this little adventure together.

I would recommend Lambeau to anyone.  The fly-over after the national anthem... totally awe-inspiring!  It left me breathless!  Oh, and we won!  But what else would you expect from the reigning world-champion Green Bay Packers! ?

Thanks for taking me Cody!  I love you bro!

Jesus was at Devil's Lake with us...

While we were hiking up the East Bluff along the south face at Devil’s Lake State Park, we passed a troop of Boy Scouts from the Chicago area.  We had seen them at a couple of different points and they had admired (mostly with their cameras) Fabi’s rock climbing skills, I mean, “bouldering skills.”  Anyway, Fabi was barefoot while we wandered and pretty scruffy looking on the face.  A chunky little Boy Scout who passed us took one look at Fabi and grinned sheepishly, saying “Hi Jesus.”  Oh, how we laughed for days and days.  We still do.

That day at Devil’s Lake was one of the most epic of the whole month.  I absolutely LOVED being there enjoying something that Fabian enjoys so much!  It was sunny and I read while he climbed… the lunch spot… oh, the lunch spot was designed specifically by God, just for us!

The Craft Mobile!

Being with Amber always means adventure, and most of the time, epic adventure.  Epic is Amber's middle name.  She can make microwaving a burrito epic. It’s just the way she sees things.  It’s one of the many reasons I crave spending time with her.  This weekend, we decided to hold the first tri-annual (or quarterly – we aren’t sure yet) “crafting weekend”… it’s still up for debate whether we will actually craft at every one of them, but we thought we’d start it off with a bang… a trip to JoAnn Fabrics.  We almost didn’t make it out actually.  We almost spent our whole weekend in the store, standing over our cart, admiring fabric and dreaming about what it could become with the right amount of stitching and patience.  We pulled ourselves away after several pep talks.

We had two main projects: A make-up bag and some placemats.  We sewed for about 10 hours, with a short break for pizza dinner.  Have a look…

We used a pattern from a German woman.

This is Amber's bag because it has chutzpah.

We now have matching AWESOME place mats!

 

We came, we saw, we crafted!

Our other goal was to eat food out of Amber's beautiful garden that Fabi and I helped plant this past May... and, well, we failed miserably.... but we had great burgers at the Big Star Drive In... and pizza delivered by Papa Johns (yummy garlic butter sauce!)  Here are the before and after pictures from her garden...

Before in May

After in August

 Impressed?  I was.  Amber grows a garden in an epic  way!

Magnificent May... The First of Many Memories

When Fabi left in the end of May, the summer was before me and I just knew that I would not have sufficient time to write well about our time together.  So, I began vomiting all over my computer, making lists of experiences to flesh out one at a time as I had time.  I forced myself to write some each day no matter how tired I happened to be at the end of it.  It has been a rejuvenating process of reflection so far!  Over the next few weeks and months, you’ll find little snippets of this ever-growing document.   I’ll share funny stories, serious stories, pictures & thoughts about the trip of my recent lifetime with Fabi…

Overlooking the Bright Angel Trail

We watched our first sunset in that perfectly secluded spot overlooking the Bright Angel Trail from the Hermit’s Rest Rim Trail.  We had our Grand Canyon brewed beer while watching the canyon, having opened our beer with the canyon rim!  It was beyond words to see that beauty.  I was reading in Isaiah (2:10-17).  It’s the section that talks about the lofty/proud being brought low.  Some of the examples included nature – like the cedars of Lebanon.  I guess they were some famous and magnificent Cedars in Lebanon.  It made me think of the power of God to crush the Grand Canyon flat in but a moment, a word.  God gives us amazing beauty here to enjoy here on earth, but to read that God will destroy it for one purpose – showing His glorious wrath and making all men look to Him alone.  Wow.  Anyway, it was a precious time for me to spend that sunset with God and Fabian. 

Looking north at the Colorado River from Desert Views

On our way back to the car, we talked about our Bright Angel hike scheduled for the next day.  Would we go all the way to the river or turn back part way?  In a moment of sheer stupid and awesome brilliance, Fabi asked me if I would yell my debit card pin number to him as I was falling over the edge of the canyon if I ever did.  How thoughtful of him! (geez!) So, I yelled seven-two-fiiiiive-niiiiiiiiinnnnnnne… and we laughed hysterically (Mind you, I told him the correct pin, not this stand in for public use.).   He scrambled for paper when I told him that I had actually just then and there told him my correct pin number. Thanks for thinking of what little money I had in my bank account over and above my life! 

SFOOG: 2011 -- We're Back and Better than Ever!

Sunday was the 3rd mostly annual SFOOG (Sherf Family Outdoor Olympic Games).  I say "mostly annual" because last summer's weekends got eaten up by planning a wedding!!  :)  The events of SFOOG are Jaime originals, at least the twists are.  We pair up and compete in the activities I create and then we dress up in the medal outfits for a picture based on our finishes.  Enjoy the picture and blurb recap of highlights!

Bring Sally Up, Bring Sally Down

  We all got down on our stomachs for some good ol' fashioned push-ups.  As we listened to Moby's Flower, we came up and went down with the lyrics for Sally.  The person who lasted the longest in the song without stopping got to pick his/her partner for the day.  Cody won!  Congrats bud!

Gold Medal winning Ice Escape performance

 The first event was Ice Escape, formed in my mind while we were ice fishing this winter on the Lake of the Woods.  As we were in my dad's car, we contemplated the best possible way of escape if we were to break through the ice.... the sun roof!  One member from each team had to start in the driver's seat and be timed as they projected him or herself out of the car and onto the pavement.   Winning time?  5.72 seconds.

Winner?  ME!  That's right, Jaime Sherf beat out 2 of her 3 brothers for the title of quickest escape out of an Impala sunroof!

 Event #2: Roofball - the family fav!  Technical rules (which only Cody and I really know since we made them up).  It's a hoot!   A pregnant woman and her husband took the gold in this event.  By the way, the "gold" medal was an Aaron Rodgers' jersey, a tiara and a superman cape :)

Event # 3: Fru-Bik-alad

The names are just as fun to come up with as the actual rules of the game!  One team member headed out via bike around the block.  Once one lap was completed, his or her teammate proceeded to eat a bowl of fruit salad.  After the consumption of the salad, the first teammate would set out for another block of biking.  The first team to make it back to the mailbox won gold.

The Bikers of Fru-Bik-alad

The 2^nd place finishers got to don a straw hat, a maraca and a Ghanaian head wrap.   The third place team really was worse than getting 4^th because you had to show up in a picture wearing the pitiful jersey of GB#4.  There was also a Marilyn Monroe style wig and some Viking colored beads.

The winners of Fru-Bik-alad!

Bonding over a cold soak!

 Event #4: Cold Feet

The kiddie pool scares my family.  It might have been from the time I made us all stick our heads underwater at hold our breath in a competition of lung capacity.  In any event, it’s always fun to spice it up a bit.  I filled our pool with a few layers of ice and then freezing water.  Then, we stuck our feet in.  We shared moments of intense pain while we strengthened our wills to be the last foot in.  40 minutes.  Not bad.  It all came down to a quiet conversation between my brother, Jeremy and me… and then I took my foot out, securing second place.

Medals for Cold Feet

Event #5 Bean Bag Toss

Nothing new or insane about this, which I think my family was thankful for… because their feet were still tingly.   By this point, Jeremy and Nicole have completely run away with the day… winning all by one gold medal.

 

Event #6 Nut Stack

We had a four way, head to head, team nut stack.  Oodles of fun.  The goal was to stack 7 nuts (three different sizes), alternating team members, using a shish kabob skewer. 

Nut Stack Results

 All in all, it was the best way to spend a Sunday afternoon with my dear family… making memories!

What memories did you make this last weekend?

Summer Days

The days don't get much better than this weekend!  It's treating myself to a cold Starbucks drink, opening the sunroof on my dad's car and listening to my new summery music loudly as I drive through town, the wind swirling about me.  You couldn't wipe the smile off of my face! 

Today was a treat, just how summer, and the 4th of July should be.   I met Amber in town for what promised to be an adventure of epic proportions, no matter what we actually decided to do!  Amber can make microwaving a burrito into an epic adventure!  So, just before we set off on a somewhat lengthy bike trip around Point, with various stops along the way, we decide to give Olson one last chance to hang out with the most delightful women around.  He picks up his phone finally!  Belt's.  Now, you all know that I am a pretty religious ice cream eater... and most of you probably know that I don't consider soft serve actual ice cream... but I go to Belt's on special occasions, when those I am with are not so enlightened. Today was one of those days.  

The three of us caught up quickly and easily, as we always do.  Are you ever with people who you've known forever and even though you feel like you've changed somewhat, they still know exactly what you'll think or say about something?  Those are these friends.... special and deep friends.  Friends I thank God daily for.   

We headed for the river in hopes of finding some great trees for slacklining (Wiki it if you wanna know more.) and fields for frisbee.  The perfect temperature.  The perfect amount of breeze.  The perfect absence in the ability to text (Thanks Element Mobile!).  The perfect company.  Oh, this was a glorious day!  We talked and laughed and I did a pretty good digger as the line flung me off of it. Hilarious.  We missed our NYC contingent for sure!  We left some holes in our pictures for you two!

Jeremy left to begin his actual epic adventure of a year of clinicals in this 3rd year of med school. Fun!  Amber and I biked over and dropped in on Ann and Lee, who just happened to be sitting down to dinner, which they had cooked extra of, which was providential.... score for Amber and me! :)   Their porch is perfect for evening sun, laughter, good food and more special friends.  Could you ask for anything more?

Arriving back at the Perri-base after biking through Point as it said goodbye to the mid-summer holiday weekend, we found ourselves being offered more food and fellowship-y fun.  You just can't beat the cook outs and parties of summer, can you?

It was the perfect day.   And I am perfectly exhausted after this weekend.

Next post will include all of the highlights of SFOOG 2011: We're Back and Better than Ever!  (Our 3rd annual Sherf Family Outdoor Olympic Games.)  Pictures too!