So what, if I'm not 5' 9"

I just finished looking at some scholarship sights but I had to stop because I was just getting too frustrated and I come to you trying my hardest not to rant. I mean, seriously I don't qualify for most scholarships because I'm not a minority, I speak English, my parents are US citizens, I wasn't born outside the US- the list goes on and on... And, I just came across one scholarship offered by some organization to do with the tall people of America and to qualify I would have to be over 5' 9" (have they seen how tall my family is- no offense guys). Oh, and then there is one offered by Bill and Melinda Gates but only for minorities (because they clearly have experience in this area as two wealthy white Americans). And, while we are on the subject of minorities/race (adding more fuel to my quest for financial aide fire) one of my Human Services professors was saying that race doesn't exist (she is a black woman mind you) and was going on and on about how genetically we aren't different and by stressing racial divisions we are only hurting ourselves (makes sense to me) so then without sounding too ignorant why the heck does my friggin "race" matter so much to the idiots who make up the rules for financial aide and the stupid FAFSA form? Ohhh darn, guess it just means that I have to marry some tall, foreigner who was born outside the US (providing our kids with duel citizenship- I hear that financial aide thinks thats pretty cool), and learned English as a second language. Then, just maybe my kids would have a better shot at receiving some sort of financial and be able to afford college. I think I need to send word Obama's way about the idea of socialized post high school education- not thats more like it.... I'm done now.... I think.... Anyway, moving on if I didn't offend anyone too harshly.....

The last few weeks have been a blur, mostly just school, work and studying. Saturday was fun, the INN had a local service event where we went out to the small town of Acme (by the Mt. Baker highway) and helped a recent widow who's house was at the bottom of a hill/mt. and as a result of all the snow then rain the nearby creek overflowed and brought over 2 feet of mud/rocks/sand/uprooted grass up against her house. We spent most of the day shoveling and wheelbarrowing away the mud to fill in the giant river bed that was created as a result of the storm through what was once her grassy backyard. The amount of mud was truly unbelievable, and although we were able to clear enough mud to see her pathway from her back porch and get into underneath her house it was crazy to see how much mud was still left there...
Sunday was also a pretty good day. A group of 5 of us girls went to church and then wanted to go to lunch afterward. Sarah suggessted costco- because its cheap but we realized that none of us had costco cards. That was until Kelsy realized that she still had Mary's card from when we bought the seran wrap for Nick's car. So sure enough we went to costco, but how can you go to costco without making the sample rounds... Which of course lead to us getting a cart and buying "just a few things".... An hour later we made it to the check out line and purchased our things- with absolutely no question of who Mary was mind you- I like to think that its because Mary's picture on the card is really cute and sometimes I like to think that we do look alike :) Anyway, items purchased, we then grabbed some lunch, and then gas- again who can resist the cheap price of costco gas.... Then, later after everyone was back home and studied for a bit we went to the fort's intermural basketball game, and then their dodgeball game. We like to accredit the reason that the boys basketball team is undefeated is because of our excellent fan/cheering abilities... The dodgeball team on the other hand, lets just say we are there for a little moral support after the games....

Ok, I am tired, and should probably get some reading in that I have been trying to do for the last two hours before I go to bed.... That being said, I will leave you all with some pics from the local service event that happened on Saturday.....

The drive out to Acme- such a nice day...

Making wheelbarrows at the church before heading off to move some mud with Danielle, Laura, Grant and Caitlin...

Laura and I before we got muddy...

The woman, Mary's backyard- this used to be all grass....

over 2 feel of mud against her house...

Before....

After.....

The whole gang....

Sunset as we left Acme....