today we had driver training. aka a really boring day for the most part (and a little scary too). my group met up at 7:50 as normal and we went for an hour long meeting on how to properly drive a van. then we watched an almost two hour long video on how to drive a van. and then we had ten minutes to go get our ipods and get in the van. and then we spent from 11:15 until a little after 5 driving in the fifteen passenger van. woo.
my team leader (they're called tl for short) tim is really nice and really does want us to have a good time in denver so instead of just driving around in circles like all the other groups did we got to drive around the outskirts of denver and see some of the natural wonders. so, one team member would drive us to one spot then another team member would drive to another spot and so on.
the first place we went was red rock park. it was actually built by the group that americorps came from the ccc. it's a park and an amphitheater. it's amazing! and massive! it's right in the middle of these huge rocks. and the rocks are all really red! red rock park- appropriately named! evidently, the folks of denver just love working out and they come out and hike/ride up the mountain and then get in the amphitheater and run up and down the stairs. i'm serious. it's like an outdoor treadmill. i think amber would love it!
next we went to the grave of buffalo bill. this was another mountain and from here we could see denver. it was really beautiful. this mountain was like the first and so when you look to one side you see nothing but flat land and buildings and when you look to the other side you see nothing but mountains! it was so beautiful. heyward would have loved it there because it had a nifty little museum and fun things outside. we also got icecream!
our final stop was a bit more somber but way more moving. we made our way to columbine high school to see the memorial. it was very moving to drive by the school and park in the parking lot beside it and imagine how many parents waited there in horror wondering if their kids were wounded. we walked through the sports fields and saw all the kids running and playing soccer and football and cheer leading and i had to remind myself that while i was only in elementary school when this happened these kids were in diapers. i still remember things from that day. i remember seeing the faces on the news and hearing people talk about it. walking to the memorial we heard laughing and talking and people living their lives normally. and when we entered the memorial it was weird because you walk into that circle and you really couldn't hear the noise anymore. all you could hear was the fountain. i walked around the memorial reading the memorials to the teens and teacher who died and then reading the quotes that were in the wall. looking around i saw some of my team mates wiping their eyes. i had two favorite quotes from there. one was about how that tragedy didn't weaken peoples faith in god but strengthened it and the other was about how death is inevitable. what's most important is love. and i couldn't help but to think of my family. all the things we've been through, all the horrible losses we've faced and challenges that have arisen none of those things have made us bitter or angry with god but have strengthened our relationships with each other and with god. my family means so much to me. and i realized that when i got so far away but even more so when i read those memorials today and it hit me harder than ever how strong my family and most importantly how strong their faith in god is. i pray we never have to experience loss like that but i thank god for the things that have happened in our lives that have made us who we are. it was a very eye opening experience for me.
i did drive the 15 passenger van and no i didn't wreck or get a ticket. but after the memorial little else seemed to be important today.
tomorrow morning my day starts earlier than normal at 7:10 with a doctors appointment/drug test and then i get my steal toed work boots. after lunch is an afternoon in a classroom learning the rules and regulations of americorps. i'm sure none of that will be interesting but i'll update again as soon as something good does happen!
i love you all
xoxo,
B
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