Paris

We slept all night with the windows open

No bugs

Maybe that's why everyone sits outside here

There are no consequences

Jullian showed us volleyball 

He spoke of his cousin the futbol player
Paul romanticized the South of France 

He won't live in Paris

It's been raining mostly but we don't mind the rain  

We sleep until two in the afternoon mostly

Our room is soft

The view is simple and sweet

Today we will meet someone near The Louvre

Who will give us something to bring on our journey

Then the Eiffel Tower that so many have spoken about 

Will speak to us as though we've known it for years

Paris is quiet 

The buildings are humble

The air is crisp 

And the people are people

Photo by Sadie Myers.  Words by Dustin Whitehead

Here comes the

May grace find me here,
in hopefully waters,
buzzing with the excitement of next-ness.

We often look to brilliancy as a sustainable life,
but I'll tell you that light is rare
so when it comes----squeeze it to death,
till the light seeps over in your hands
like shiny yellow blood, wetting your knuckles and the insides of your fingers.
put this light to your lips and sate the dark depths.

For hope is coming. Teaming out in the distance.
Hope is coming.
Lets the tears roll down your face,
track them to your jowls, to the side of your neck
where lovers kiss,
to the collar bone, that most kids have broken
to your breast plate and sternum, that guards whats most precious.
And let them stay there as a damp reminder that hope is coming

and it looks like light.

Hope looks like water and tears and light and color
and when you find it for yourself,
(because it will be different for all)
sink your nails into it
sink your face into it
sink your heart into it

hope is coming.
And it looks like this---

Drawing by Adam Peterson. Words by Jordan Shappell.

Thanks for the love

Dear wedding,

I'm flying in circles around your perfection
Attempting to include you in my every afterthought without overwhelming my heart

You took us in
You held us
Danced with us
Smiled and laughed with us
You howled at the moon and swayed in the river breeze

You brought us together

You sang sweet music
You said 'let's do it' and in she came
More beautiful then ever
You made peace with the grass and the sky
You asked them to hold her
To lift her up

You fed us and sheltered us and gave us drink

You were an afternoon
An evening
A day
A lifetime
An idea
A promise
You were everyone and everything we love

Thanks for the people
The smiles
The tears
The hope

Thanks for the community
The family
The honesty
The promise

Thanks for the future
The memories
The potential
The life

Thanks for the love

Photo by Amanda Grupp. Words by Dustin Whitehead.