Big Bear

It's been a while since I've shared any pictures on here...it's also been a while since I wrote something other than school work.  I apologize.  The reason for no pictures is because I lost my battery charger, so I've had a dead camera battery for a couple months.  The reason for no fun posts is because I've been too consumed with school and work to do anything fun, let alone write about it.
However, after an intense 2 weeks studying poverty and development under the renowned Bryant Myers (Walking with the Poor anyone??  I know my fellow CCSPers and ECHO folks are with me!), my brain was jello.  It was a lot to take in 3 hours a day for 2 weeks straight, in addition to working and taking my other classes.  So I needed a weekend without thinking!  Thankfully, largely in honor of Daphne's birthday and the fact that they are moving to Cambodia in several weeks, Daphne's husband, Ryan, organized a weekend away for 10 of us in a cabin in Big Bear, a lovely town in the mountains 2 hours northeast of LA.  People were actually skiing up there already, though the temperatures were still in the 60's!
It was such a wonderful weekend to relax, go hiking, journal, enjoy the hot tub, play dominoes, realize how bad I am at pool, breathe fresh air and just decompress! 
I wish I had some pictures to show what a gorgeous setting it was, but I'm sure Daphne will post pictures eventually:
http://ryandaphne.typepad.com/