Open channel flow.

It is funny what things you remember and what things you don't. Last weekend I hiked for a couple hours along an aqueduct, filled to nearly overflowing with water to be changed into electric power down the line. Some of my first thoughts went back to my Fluids or Hydraulics class at the School of Mines: open channel flow. All I could think about were hydraulic jumps, Bernoulli's formula and what kind of pressure the water was putting on the wall on which I was walking. I'm still not sure if that served to make the trip better or worse.

But that is not the point of this afternoon's blog. It is high time I tell you about Dani. I have not yet because I don't know exactly where to start, and I know that no matter how poetic or brilliant I write, it will not do justice to her. But nevertheless, here is my best attempt to introduce you to my girlfriend:

There are all kind of things I could tell you about Dani. She was born on leap day, she spent 8 months in England (and therefore speaks better English than I do), she loves McDonald's (even after I made her watch "Super Size Me"), her favorite color is orange... and mucho mas. But I would prefer that you not just know about her, I want you to know her because she really is something special.

Sometimes stories are a good medium to help us know someone. That's what God does, so I'll give it a try, and return to the beginning of this blog.

This last weekend I went backpacking with Dani and some friends of ours (James and Julie Bellingham... quickly becoming some of my favorite people). The first night we hiked for an hour in the dark. I'd never done anything like that, and it ended up being one of my all-time sweetest experiences. It was a perfectly clear night and there was no moon, so the stars put on a show for us. As we hiked we came to a summit. Down and to our right was a lake. Up and to the left towered Mt. Tikimani... one of the most majestic mountains I've ever seen. We hiked along and came to an overlook of the lake. From way above we saw lights on the lake. My first thought was that there were fireflies, which would have been sweet, but the reality was even better. As we came to discover, the lake was so still that it reflected the stars back to us! It was nothing short of amazing. The scenery made me want to love God more.

Two days later it was snowing. Wet and cold. The wind blew and took our breath away and our soaked shoes were no fun to put on for the three hour hike out.

These two different experiences of this backpacking trip made me reflect on this last year here in Bolivia. I have experienced things that were so great and so awesome that there is no other explanation than that they originated with and are simply a gift from God. I've also walked down roads that were nothing short of miserable. Things that I would never wish on my worse enemy. And so I realize that life has a little of both. Sometimes more of one than another. But it is all circumstantial and no matter how good or evil, the experience passes. So what then, is important? My answer to that is the people you spend those times with.

I spent the last year with Dani. Not all of it, but a lot of it, and the last couple months I've spent even more of life with Dani. The circumstances of life have brought me great experiences and some sour ones as well. But going through it with Dani has made it brighter. She sings praise songs while hiking in the bitter cold rain. When I feel defeated, she finds these small victories in my situation and celebrates them. She teaches me that love is greater than my darkest hour, and she wants to learn from the way God has made me different than she. She is teaching me so much, but one very important thing is that the things I often think are important do not carry the worth of the relationships in my life. And of course my relationship with God she reminds me is the most important. Essential.

So there, I made an attempt to tell you about Dani, and as I read back over what I've written I'm not sure I should publish. I can't really tell you how great Dani is. Fact is, I myself have no idea just how great she is... so how could I put something I'm still discovering into a blog? She is great. A gift from God. A wonderful friend. More than I could have ever asked for, and far beyond what I deserve.

Dani teaches me about grace. And she's beautiful too! Here, take a look for yourself: