Home.

I’ve spent the last 10 days in the patch of desert called home. While there, I was able to spend time with family, friends, mountains, and bikes – all of my favorite things. I didn’t get to see everybody I wanted to, unfortunately, due to time constraints and a time-honored family tradition of everybody getting sick.

Right after I moved to Boston, my brother and his wife Jill started hosting weekly dinner groups with some of my best friends in the world (nice timing, guys). Michael is a great brother, in that he either invites me to dinner group every week, or calls me in the middle of it to let me know how much fun everybody is having without me. Dinner group is usually held on Thursdays (so that The Office can be watched), but this past Wednesday (June somethingth), they held a special dinner group so that I could go.

The evening’s attendees (Michael, Jill, Kendall, Ashley, Brandon, and Marc ) (Julie wasn’t there, but must be mentioned as the proverbial hub, as well as Amychoate and Owen) were among those responsible for my survival at BYU. They are all not only incredibly talented, but also some of the most open, thoughtful, fun, and adventuresome people I know, and the kind of friends with whom it is safe to be utterly authentic. Also, their unconventional tendencies and noncompliance matches or exceeds mine (excepting Michael, who is the most normal person on the planet).

The food was so delicious that everybody had to rest. This is pretty typical - Michael and Jill's home is very comfortable and spacious, so everybody spreads out and relaxes. Also, Michael's laptop is actually surgically attached to him.

I don't remember why we were laughing so hard, but I do remember that we were the only ones who thought it was that funny.

Marc and his flexible new girlfriend Morgan. I liked her.

I like to call this one "Conjoined."

Ashley and I are pretty much BFF.

An older picture with Amychoate. Owen has since reclaimed his beloved timer, and Amychoate is now sporting an 8-month baby bump. She still looks beautiful, and I know this because I ate lunch with her Wednesday afternoon at an awesome German deli that she suggested in Salt Lake.

The shirt and tie outfit is Owen's way of rebelling against spandex.

And if your sister or your brother

Were stumbling on their last mile

In a self-inflicted exile

You'd wish for them a humble friend.

~ Dar Williams

Till death do they part.

I have arrived in the west, where a) my hair dries within seconds of stepping out of the shower, b) the roads are wide enough for 7 or 8 vehicles to travel side-by-side, and c) there is plenty of overhead lighting with these nifty inventions called lightswitches conviently located... let's see... everywhere you expect them to be. I'm here at this particular time to celebrate the nuptials of my friend Owen, who has been married to the lovely and talented Anna Isabelle for at least 3, and as many as 18 months. The exact length of their legally-binding union is "unclear," according to the truth-dodging groom.

They had a very nice ceremony with family and a few close friends at Red Butte Gardens - a venue that I've never visited despite spending my formative years in the vicinity. It's beautiful, and the perfect place for a small wedding.

After the wedding, we went on a group honeymoon that involved Owen, Anna, and 16 of their friends under one roof and several severe biking activites (see later posts). The condo arrangements were obviously made by Anna's friends, as the place had several full bathrooms, laundering facilities, beds with mattresses and sheets, and (of course) a small waterfall in the backyard. If we (Owen's friends) had been in charge, it wouldn't have been nearly as nice (or expensive) and probably would have involved self-dug latrines of some sort in the middle of the dessert. All in all, we had a great honeymoon.