A Week Late

I had an AWESOME trip to Maryland. I did get back a week ago, but I was playing catch up with the house, the job, the friends, and the dog. So here are some highlights of my trip last week:

• Friends and BABIES.
• RITA'S. Mango. I LOVE IT.
• Taking a break from dieting to have McDONALD'S BREAKFAST.
• A half marathon, although we finished 14 from last - out of 4500 people. Which is simply hilarious. I very much wish we would have actually finished in last place. I've done it in a triathlon before, and it makes for a great story.
• Got to watch the start of the NCAA tourney. LOVE IT.
• Took a bump on the way home. FREE FLIGHT!

Really I just LOVED talking, talking, talking and playing with the babies. I got the boys matching shirts that said "Monkey" with a little Monkey face on it. They were SO CUTE! We spent a day relaxing, a day being tourists in DC, and a day doing the race. What an EXCELLENT vacation.

Final Four!

No, I'm not writing a few weeks too early. I realize that the actual Final Four isn't here yet, but my basketball team made the Final Four in our league! I'm headed there in a few minutes to play in the semi-finals, and then hopefully for the Championship later tonight. I hope we win - I want the t-shirt!

Also, I filled out my brackets for the Big Dance. My Final Four are: UConn, UNC, Villanova, and Louisville. We'll see how I do.

It's All Good

Everything this week is GOOD.

• Drove with the windows down today. It is over 60 DEGREES. Bliss.
• Tennis this morning, Bible study tonight, and basketball tomorrow night. Fun.
• Sister sleeping here tonight. Like it.
• Only working for two days this week. Wonderful.
• FLYING TO THE EAST COAST TO BE WITH MY FAVORITES! AWESOME!
• Thursday = Gophers in the Big Dance! I'm sensing a win there.
• I'll probably see my cousin sometime this week out east.
• Feeling not-freaked-out about the half marathon on Saturday. Thankful for that.

The Best Month

Let's take a moment and turn our (my) attention away from the first break-in, the speeding ticket, the broken phone, the second break-in, and the constant crying, (...is it too soon to say that 2009 is "not my year"?....I hope so....) and focus on why MARCH IS THE GREATEST MONTH EVER.

Seriously. I. Love. It. Every time.

Here are some reasons why:

• I've mentioned before that I strongly believe February is the ugliest month (due to the pale skin and all), so naturally coming away from that month is great in its own right.
• MARCH MADNESS. I seriously LOVE MARCH MADNESS. There is no better athletic drama and excitement. Every year. Sometimes I call it March Magic because I don't know how they keep making it better and better.
• I also love the conference tournaments leading up to the Big Dance, especially when the Gophers can win a game (as they did today).
• More SUN in the evenings. I love it!
• March also means that we must ALMOST be SOMEWHAT CLOSE to warmer weather - and that makes me UBER happy.
• This March I am excited for my trip (with friends) to see friends in Maryland....have I mentioned it here yet??!!!
• Sometimes (when the weather cooperates) I go BACK TO THE CABIN in March. Oh, man. I've got CABIN FEVER!

Others also might be excited about Pi day or Mustache March (which is an entirely made-up thing, and somewhat (completely) creepy....), but the list above pretty much covers my favorites.

Hope you are enjoying the month! Can't believe it's nearly halfway gone!

Criminals:

You need to stop picking on me.

I felt very emotionally spent today (see previous post), so when you broke into my car and stole my (brand new) bag (that I had just replaced from the last time you criminals broke into my car two weeks ago) with my COMPUTER IN IT, I went from zero to grown-woman-bawling-in-a-parking-lot in .3 seconds.

How in the world did you break into my car and steal my computer so quickly? I was barely gone 10 minutes. I bet you were watching. I bet that's a "hot spot" for you. Well, if I have anything to do with it, everyone will know to stay far away from that store.

I'd appreciate it if you would stop targeting me. I feel a little creeped out. Actually, you should really stop stealing all together.

Make It Stop

I've been crying all day.

UGH.

Don't worry - I'm a pretty good crier. See a sappy movie = cry. See a good music video = cry. See the Olympics = cry. Hear a good story = cry. Watch athletes celebrate a big win = cry. All pretty typical for me. It's sort of (okay, not sort of, more like REALLY) a joke among my friends. I'm not emotionally unstable or anything, I just...I don't know. It's genetic.

And today was a doozie.

I do have to say that I'm overly tired, so that's not a good element to throw on top of my emotions. I ran 9 miles yesterday on not enough nourishment, then went and overcompensated for my lack of eating before I ran with too many nachos and lots of deep fried ice cream that caused me to toss and turn constantly on the one night a year where you literally lose an hour of sleep. Top that off with getting to church (read: the school building where we hold church) extra early to set up signs and tables and you had one tired chickie. But I manage pretty well on little sleep and most people can't tell how tired I am (I think).

Anyway. Back to the day. Here's a list of what contributed to my constant crying (other than the exhaustion):

• Heard a really great testimony of salvation during set-up time. No real tears yet, just tears in the eyes.
• The opening prayer for church struck a cord. A few actual tears.
• Some amazing corporate worship. Real tears (and a reminder to throw some more Kleenex in the purse).
• New member welcome at church. Seeing a friend's fiance stand up there was particularly amazing to me. They've been down quite the road and two years ago you wouldn't have thought they'd be where they are. Amazing grace.
• A new member shared her testimony. A radically changed life - I know we all are radically changed, but I hope you know my meaning here. It was just so powerful. Openly crying at this point.
• Small group after church. We shared about lives we have seen changed and people we are praying for. I tear up especially when my good friends share about their unsaved siblings.
• Talking to far-away friends on the phone. I love my friends, I just hate the far-away part.
• Talking to my Grandpa on his 90th birthday. He says his legs are sometimes sore, but he is so appreciative that his back isn't, because that is worse pain. I laugh and cry at the same time as he tells me about walking through the flea market with his cane. 90 years. Amazing. I want so many more with him around.
• Wishing I was in Arizona with family and friends as they celebrate my Grandpa's 90 years.
• Going to bed feeling so drained and blessed and confused and sad and excited and .... just feeling a lot.

There you have it.

I don't "believe" in fortune cookies or anything, but one time I got one that I thought fit me pretty well. It said "Those who laugh loud cry hard". I definitely do both. My life is (thankfully) filled with so much laughter, but I have my moments. Today I had happy tears, anxious tears, sad tears, and thankful tears. Probably even more kinds than just those. But that was plenty for one day, so now it's time for bed. Time to cry myself to sleep.

My Weakness

One among many.

SHOES.

It's awfully cliche for a girl to have a weakness for shoes, but really, I swear that I don't like shoes just because I'm a girl. I like them because no matter what size my butt is, my shoes still fit. So, that's that. It's unconditional, both ways.

Anyway, I went to the mall on Sunday to have shirts made for my upcoming race. I was expecting to drop the shirts off and pick them up the next day, so I was caught off guard when they said I could come back in a half hour to pick the shirts up.

What's a girl to do with a half hour to burn at the mall? GO TO DSW!

I was a good girl and I headed straight for the clearance section. As I rounded the corner, my eyes went straight to a certain pair of boots and I said "well, hello! YOU'RE ADORABLE!" (yes, it may have actually been audible...)

As I put them on my feet, I noticed the 70% off sticker and I said "You MUST come home with me!"

And they did.

They make me want to put on a sundress, paint my nails a deep purpley-maroon, carry an over sized shoulder bag, and get a haircut with the perfect bangs. The cuteness, OH, the cuteness!! Seriously. The snow better hurry up and melt so I can wear these.

I didn't want my sporty side to feel totally neglected, so I bought this sassy number as well:

And with that, I blew nearly all of my monthly budget for clothes on the first day of the month.

I also spent my budgeted money for gifts because I am about to take a trip with my two favorite five-month-olds on the planet and I simply COULD NOT go without getting them matching clothes. I am GIDDY just thinking about it! TWO WEEKS!

So. That's it.

Glad They Messed Up

Tonight I am thankful that the Israelites made a covenant with the Gibeonites.

They were NOT supposed to, but they did. And I learned from it.

"So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the LORD. And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore to them." Joshua 9:14-15 [emphasis mine]

The Gibeonites were from The Land, and Israel had been instructed not to make any covenants with people from the Land. Those Gibeonites....they were so sneaky! They came to Israel acting like they had traveled so far (ripping up their socks, wineskins, and clothes to add to the show) when really they had only come about 18 miles. They asked Israel for a covenant and, acting only on what they saw in front of them (deception) and without asking the Lord, Israel entered into covenant.

You see, I was about to jump into something head first. I realized as I read this passage that I haven't prayed about it properly or sought accountability from wiser sources enough to proceed. My life is very autonomous and there are big dangers in that - a couple of those being self-reliance and autonomous decision making. Especially without seeking the Lord's answer.

I'm also thankful I was pointed to Psalm 27 in association with the passage from Joshua:
"Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path....Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!" Psalm 27:11 and 14

So I'm waiting. And praying. And seeking wisdom.

The world is awfully sneaky and can put on quite the show, just like those Gibeonites. So I needed the reminder to not only act on what I see, but to WAIT and trust the WORD.

In other news....I should be sleeping. GRRRRR.....

Remembering My Intentions

Hard to believe two months of the new year are gone. Usually by this time I've forgotten about any resolutions I made. I thought it would be better for me to check in on my intentions every two months in order to hold myself more accountable. I've bolded the items I've already completed and written my comments in italics.

1. Read through the Bible (I am not doing well here...)
2. Play piano once a week (this also is not happening...)
3. Stay caught up with my Bible study (okay, I'm 0 for 3...)
4. Remember to take my vitamins everyday
5. Read 12 novels (I've read 4 already)
6. Read 12 non-fiction books (read none so far)
7. Run a half-marathon (coming up)
8. Run an Olympic triathlon (need to decide what I am doing with this...)
9. Beat my best time in sprint triathlon (again, need to decide what I am doing...)
10. Get out of debt (other than house) (doing well so far)
11. Save three months of emergency money
12. Drink 4-8 glasses of water a day
13. Cook once a week
14. Lose weight (10-15 lbs by May 17)
15. Win a tennis match (YES!)
16. Take one picture everyday (possibly scrapbook them) (this is NEVER going to happen. But it was a nice thought)
17. Blog at least once a week
18. Go on a road trip
19. Host a party (I've had people over, but it wasn't really for a "party")
20. Drink less than two pops a week
21. Develop core values sheet
22. Finish memorizing Romans 5
23. Refresh memorization of Ephesians 6
24. Refresh memorization of 2 Timothy 2
25. Memorize Romans 12
26. Memorize Luke 2
27. Learn to wakeboard
28. Organize photos
29. Clean out basement (SO intimidating...)
30. Save to pay for ticket to Lithuania in cash
31. Ski at least five times (almost...)
32. Complete unfinished quilts (two) (done with one...)
33. Organize Itunes
34. Be more disciplined with bedtime
35. Send cards to friends on birthdays (oy...I think I've failed)
36. Assemble and hang world map at cabin
37. Make a new email account (love it!)
38. Read instruction book for new car
39. Have a garage sale (again, SO intimidating...)
40. Lift weights consistently (not so far...)
41. Go to a Twins game
42. Go to a Vikings game
43. Get a tan (and it's gone already...)
44. Tithe
45. Clean out computer files
46. Sit in a hot tub (while watching a sunset in Hawaii. not bad)
47. Learn to bike better (possibly through spin class?)
48. Go on a date
49. Figure out the email function on my phone (LOVE IT!!#*$!&!#^!!)
50. Organize my blog reader
51. Visit Grandma in Iowa
52. Teach the dog to “come” (working on it...)

I've completed 29% of the list and we're not that far into the year, so that's encouraging (even though I clearly will not ever complete some of the things on this list - and that's okay).