Our Garden

Okay, so when I say "our" I am being a little dishonest, because 98% of the work on our garden is done by my amazing husband.  But I just had to share the progress of our ever-growing garden.  Every year we add a little more.

 These are the cucumbers.  David puts a netting on them so the bugs stay out until they are big enough to withstand some beetles.  Cucumbers are David's favorite food and the reason we started a garden 7 years ago, so he's a little protective of them.  And no, I don't make pickles from them.  Yes, I have some very easy recipes, but I've never tried. 

 These are the peppers.  Hot peppers are on the left and bell peppers are on the right.  Our bell peppers were a total bust last year, so we are hoping for a better outcome this summer.  We freeze peppers and use them throughout the year.  You just dice them and quick freeze on a cookie sheet, and once they are frozen you can put them into ziploc bags. 

 And here are the tomatoes.  Again, it was a rough summer last year for the tomatoes, so we went a little overboard on the tomatoes this time.  We don't can tomatoes, but we do can salsa.  Also, you can put tomatoes in the blender and then freeze and add to soups, sauces, etc. all year.

 And now we have come to the part of the garden I dare not touch:  the corn.  David grows lots of sweet corn (the back of the garden is for the second installment of the corn).  We freeze most of it and eat on it all year.  The other vegetable we freeze for all year is green beans, which I didn't get a good picture of, but are behind the cukes.

Snow peas, cabbage, broccoli, and onions.  We are already enjoying the snow peas and broccoli.

So, there you have it, our garden in a nutshell. I'm going to try and take pictures every week so we can capture the progress.  And if you have any gardening questions, I have NO IDEA, but I will gladly pass them onto my husband.

5-Minute Friday

Welcome to 5-Minute Friday!  If you haven't seen this before, it is a blogging "exercise" from this website, where you write for 5 minutes straight on the given topic.  No editing.  No changes.  Just write. 

Today's topic:  BACKWARDS


GO

This world has got it all backwards.

God has such an amazing plan for each of us.  A plan that will bring us peace, unity, joy, contentment, and grace.

But we turn it around and live it backwards.

Instead of living for Him, we live for ourselves.  Instead of helping the poor, we try and get as much as we can.  Instead of working together as united believers, we disagree and argue over petty differences.

Jesus said to serve.  To live backwards.  And it's a daily struggle to wake up and not be swooned by the ads that say I "need" the new shirt or I "deserve" the new car.  It's a struggle to love those who are hard to love.  It's a struggle to forgive, even when someone hasn't asked for forgiveness, doesn't even think they are wrong.  But this is living backwards.  This is what Jesus did when He was on earth.  Befriending sinners.  Loving prostitutes.  Speaking the truth in love, whether it was popular or not.

In 1 Corinthians, it says that the wisdom of God looks like foolishness to this world. Talk about backwards.

May I live "backwards".  In contradiction to this world, and in favor with the One who made it.

STOP



If you want to take part in 5-Minute Friday, link your post up here.

Thursday Thank-yous

I am thankful for. . .

231.  ELECTRICITY!!! 

232.  Kokomo Beach  (you laugh, but it is wonderful).

233.  homemade rolls in the oven to go on top of slow-cooked bbq chicken.  Yes, sir.

234.  summer reading program at the library (even if all of Kokomo has invaded "our" library and taken away our secret hide-out spots and good books).

235.  dinner with good friends.

236.  a group from our church is leaving in a few days for Zimbabwe to work on an orphan house our church has helped fund.  So excited (and a little jealous) for them.  Still want to go.

237.  popsicles.  What would summer be without them?  Have you found mango-flavored ones?  I have :)

238.  batteries.

239.  the growing garden in the back yard.  Already had some snow peas and broccoli!  (not thankful for the weeds, though.)

240.  seeing people stop talking about church and actually being the church in numerous ways.  It makes me crazy happy!

What are you thankful for?

Sell, Sell, Sell!

I hosted a garage sale this weekend for our youth group's mission trip to Arizona (I think I already shared that yesterday. . .ANYWHOOO).

Let me share some thoughts from the whole garage sale experience:

Garage-sale people are a unique breed.  They have no problem asking "Can I use your bathroom?"  "I know this is a dime, will you take a nickel?" "Can I smoke right over the books you are selling?" (Actually, nobody asked that last question, they just went ahead and smoked RIGHT OVER THE MERCHANDISE!)

But garage-sale people are also funny, and friendly, and they are trying to stretch their dollars, which is impressive.  In previous years I've shopped lots of garage sales, although it's getting a lot harder with 2 kids begging me to buy every toy they see.  I'm a firm believer in re-using clothes, especially kids clothes.  But shopping a garage sale and having one at your house are two different things.  Wow.
I had never held my own garage sale.  I did not realize how much crap, I mean, stuff, is left over.  Even after 2 days, our garage was full!  What does that say about how much stuff we as Americans have?  Wow.  I also didn't realize how much work it is to get everything put out and displayed.  And the heat!  Yowza!! 

So, while it is fun to see your stuff go to a better home and get some money for it, I'm not sure I'm cut out for this every year.  And as my friend Leslie (who helped out like a champ) noted, it's such good people watching.  I mean, where else are you going to see a middle-aged man walk up to someone's house, buy a ceramic kitty cat, and leave pleased with his purchase?  That's good stuff.  Good stuff.

". . .it's like camping. . .but not so much fun."

So, on Saturday (and Friday, by accident) I hosted a garage sale to raise money for our youth group's mission trip.  It was long and tiring, and very hot, but we made some good money.  As we were packing up all of the leftover "treasures" that didn't get sold, I just kept thinking how nice it will be to relax Saturday night and lay on the couch, play with the kids, read a book, etc.

Little did I know we were going to be left in the dark, literally, for the about 27 hours.

There was a pretty big storm that blew through Kokomo, and some of the wind knocked a tree over in our neighborhood, leaving us without any power from Saturday night until Sunday night.

Ugh.

I know in the grand scheme of things it wasn't really a big deal, and I tried to keep perspective.  It wasn't 3 degrees out.  We had a lantern and some headlight flashlights.  The storm was over quickly, so it was calm out.

But I was still frustrated and hot.  Mainly because my plans had been unexpectedly changed.  I tend to stress when I haven't had time to adjust to a new situation.  I don't mind change, but I like to be warned of the change in advance.

Anyway. . .these are some things we learned from our power outage:

*You can still give kids baths and read bedtime stories without power.

*Chinese take-out is still pretty good even when it's cold.

*Sam's Club is good for more than 96 cent pretzels and cheap dog food.  It's also a great place to cool off when you have no power on a hot day in June.

*We really love electricity.  Love it.  If it were a person, I would buy it a nice steak dinner.

(But if the electricity goes out again, I'm asking for a refund on the steak.)

Thursday Thank-yous

I am thankful for. . .

221.  air conditioning.

222.  relaxing summer days.

223.  healthy kids who keep me running all day.

224. downtime with good friends and family.

225.  God turning tough situations into opportunities to honor Him.

226. new "treasures" for my children, thanks to garage sale donations.

227.  the first batch of broccoli from the garden.

228.  s'mores.  My favorite thing about camping, hands down.

229.  the power of prayer.

230.  the students from our youth group who are graduating.  Watching them mature throughout their high school years is always a treasure.

What are you thankful for?

"Making memories is hard work!"

This was David's catch phrase this weekend, as we went on a 4-day camping adventure.  On Friday we packed up a 4-year-old, a 2-year-old, and as much stuff as we could fit into our good old Honda Van and headed to Spring Mill State Park to do some camping.  Now, let me say that we HAVE camped with the kids before, but last time we did, we borrowed David's brother's camper, which is probably a little bit nicer than our own house.  So tent-camping this time was a little bit more of a challenge.

But we had fun.

We got dirty.  We rode bikes.  We went on hikes. We visited a museum.  We swam.  We saw a Pioneer Village.  We ate s'mores.  We ate s'more s'mores.  We played on playgrounds.  We hung out with friends.  We laughed.  And we made memories.

And there may or may not have been a poop incident with a 4-year-old who will remain anonymous.  I don't want to embarass him, so I won't give any more details, but it was definitely memorable.

Now, here is where I would insert all of the pictures of the fun we had, but the camera we packed never even made it out of the case.  We were too busy having fun (and chasing the kids.  and swatting mosquitos).

Sometimes going on adventures like this is more work than anything else.  Sometimes I just want to stay home in the air-conditioning and read a book while the kids play on their own.  Sometimes I dream about hiring a sitter and heading to a hotel. 

And then I remember that we only get one shot with these kiddos.  We are going to turn around and they will be grown and gone.  I'm going to blink and Noel won't be begging me to play with him, he'll be begging me for a car.  So we try to make as many memories with them as we can. 

Even if it is hard work.

Thursday Thank-yous

I am thankful for. . .

211.  the end of half-marathon training.

212. fajitas.

213.  conversations with Noel about death and heaven.  "I bet Grandpa Ed and Johnny Appleseed will be friends in heaven."

214.  a good book that you can't put down.

215. encouragement from friends just when I need it.

216.  my nephew graduating.  So proud of him!!

217. four days camping with my family on the agenda.

218.  watching my kids do pilates with me.

219. time to play in puddles.

220.  shelter from the storms in life.

What are you thankful for?

The Results

Well, the half-marathon was this weekend.

Not sure if you can see the timer, but I finished it in 3:01.  My goal was to do it in under 3 hours, so I was pretty close.  Here are some things I learned from this whole experience:

*Running truly a mental exercise.  I was doing really well for a long time, and then I got discouraged, stopped, and never truly recovered.  I would have cried the last few miles as I was walking, but I wanted to conserve my water. 

*If you're going to run a half-marathon filled with hills, TRAIN ON HILLS!  The hills were what killed me.  I should have taken that into consideration.

*Hydration, hydration, hydration.  I think I got dehydrated at the end, and had a really rough last 2 miles.  There were water stops, but I should have carried some sort of gel pack or something to help keep me hydrated.

*My family is such a source of encouragement to me.  My mom got up early to send me off, and David and the kids drove by to cheer me on.  Then they were all waiting for me near the finish line.  Noel even ran the last little leg with me.  He wore my medal the rest of the day :)

*Never give up!  Keep moving!  Even if you have to walk, or even crawl, keep going!  This is true for everything, not just running!

In hindsight, I'm glad that I had this experience.  I think it was really good for me to push myself physically and do something just for me.  I hope my experience can be an inspiration to someone else that whatever you put your mind to, you can do.

Thursday Thank-yous

I am thankful for. . .

201.  food to eat for every meal.

202.  my upcoming race on Saturday.  Rain or shine, I'm doing it.  13.1, I'm coming for you!

203.  Ben & Jerry's new ice cream inspired by Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.  Chocolate covered potato chips in caramel swirl ice cream?  Yes, please!

204. baby birds in 2 different nests in the back yard.

205.  beautiful flowers growing in the front yard.

206. bike rides with 2 very excited children.

207. my big brother.

208.  a great year working with Bridges Outreach.  Tomorrow is the end of the year celebration. Here's to a good summer.

209.  being able to tag-team discipline with my husband.

210.  take out Chinese eggrolls.  mmmmmmm.

What are you thankful for?

The things of this world. . .

On Sunday, our associate pastor spoke about viewing the world differently because of our relationship with Jesus.  He touched on a few different points, but the one that really stuck with me was how we view what is important in this world.  He reminded me yet again that the things of this world, the stuff, the materials, can never fill the void that Jesus is meant to fill.

He told a story of watching House Hunters and seeing a couple with no children buy a $900,000 house with 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms, and how useless all of that is. And everyone (including me) was nodding in agreement.  "Amen!  Preach it, brother!"

But, do I really live with conviction like that in the real world?

I've never had the means (and I don't want the opportunity, to be honest) to choose to live in a house that big.  And I'm guessing most people in our congregation are in the same boat.  It's really easy to look at the huge, fancy house and say, "What a waste of their money!  They could be giving it to God."

And then I read the story of the Widow and her 2 coins, and I am humbled.

I may not have a million-dollar house, but how much am I wasting on the stuff of this world when it could be used to share a cold drink of water with someone in need?  How many shirts does one need? What would third world countries think if they saw how much we spent on decorations for our house when they don't have a roof to live under? 

I'm not writing this to give anyone a guilty complex.  But I do truly believe that over the past year God has really been speaking to me about how I deal with the things of this world.  Do I offer it to Him?  Do I use what He has given me to help others? 

Oh, God, let me see the world the way you see it.

Getting Old

Today is the anniversary of David proposing to me.  Now, before you think I am super sentimental and remember all kinds of dates, the only reason I remember the exact date, let me explain that the day we got engaged David and I ran a 5K in Noblesville.  We got coffee mugs from that race that have the date, so we always remember that May 15 was the day we got engaged. 

Anyways. . .

I wanted to share something that I share with David sometimes. 

I like it when stuff wears out at our house.

Does that sound weird?

Well, it is weird.

But let me explain.

About a year or so ago I was drying dishes and realized that our dish towels are getting a little ragged.  I realized that the dish towels were a wedding gift, and I smiled.

I smiled because we had been together so long that we have worn things out.  So, when we need new pillows or the kitchen knives are starting to get old, instead of thinking about the expense, I think about all we have gone through in the time it took to wear our "stuff" out.

And that makes my heart happy.

And, yes, a little weird.

See?  Getting old isn't always bad.

Thursday Thank-yous

I'm going to be honest (again) and say that these past few weeks have been a little discouraging.  The kids have been sick again, and David and I are in need of some quality alone time.  However, we can't hire a babysitter when our kids are sick.  Plus, David's work has been really hard on him.  I just feel like I am struggling to see the positive.  But these are the times when giving thanks is the most important.  When we give thanks even in the hard

I am thankful for. . .

191.  my wonderful husband. 

192.  getting a shout out on one of my favorite blogs.  If you haven't read this blog, it's a good one.
193.  successful surgery for David's dad.

194.  learning alongside my son as he asks questions I don't know the answers to.

195.  our front porch swing.

196.  getting to know our neighbors.  (which is another blog post, or 2)

197.  our neighbor's lilacs that hang over our fence and cover up the smell of our dog's poop!

198.  The show "Parks and Recreation".  Seriously makes me laugh, especially after a hard week.

199.  baby birds in the nests around our house.

200.  the fact that every day is a new day.


What are you thankful for?

Welcome, Spring!

I feel like we have been waiting for months for the rain and cold to stop. (If I wanted to live like this, I would have moved to Seattle, right?)  But I think the weather is finally warming up, which means we can get ourselves outside and have some fun!!

So, yesterday I did my workout on the elliptical to save time in the evening for David to plant the garden.  But then it was so nice I had to take the kids for a bike ride.  Surely I can handle a bike ride, even after working out?

Yes, and no.

Yes, I could handle the bike ride, but no, I didn't realize that the tires were almost completely flat.  So I rode my bike PULLING THE 2 KIDS IN THEIR TRAILER to the nearest gas station to get some air in the tires.

I'm not kidding, I didn't think I could make it.  It was like riding a bike in wet cement.  I KNOW the people I rode past got a good laugh.  On a positive note, once the tires were filled the ride was easy as pie.

You know what's not easy? 

Sleeping after you've riden your bike in wet cement. 

I woke up about 1:00 sore all over! 

Note to self:  a)full tires = good b)ibuprofen before bed = excellent

What are you doing to get outside and enjoy the weather?

p.s.  I can't wait to take pictures of the garden, once everything gets planted and starts filling in.

p.s.s. (writing that takes me back to 7th grade) Have you seen my sweet bike?

The picture just doesn't do her justice.  Her name is Moon Dog:  it says so on the side.  It's an old-school, big-seat, wide-handle bar piece of beauty.  I love her.

5 Minute Friday

Today's post is linked up to this website.  The 5-minute Friday challenge is to write for 5 minutes straight without any editing or changing.  Today's topic is:

Motherhood should come with. . .

GO

Sometimes when people ask David and me if we want to have more children, our answer is "Yes.  If we can have them about 9 months old and already sleeping through the night!"  When we talk to new parents, the first thing we tell them is how hard those first few months are.  For me, when Noel was born, I had such a hard time transitioning to being a mom.  It was just plain hard.  And then as time went on, things seemed to get a little easier.  He smiled.  Then he laughed.  Then he became a little boy.  All in the blink of an eye, now it seems.

But when I think about those "hard" times (and the ones to come), that is when we grew the most as parents and as believers in a God who is our ultimate parent.  If we hadn't gone through those challenges, and there are many more to come, the successes don't mean as much.

So, what should motherhood come with?  A glimpse into the future.  So that you can see. . .

They WILL sleep through the night.
They WILL stop being 2-year-old tantrum throwers (we have one in the house right now.  Ouch!)
They WILL appreciate all you do, eventually.
They WILL grow up, and someday you'll be wishing they were teeny again.

The days are long, but the years are short.  Treasure each moment, even the hard ones.  Maybe especially the hard ones.

STOP

Thursday Thank-yous

I am thankful for. . .

181.  walks through the neighborhood pulling 2 kids in a wagon.  Adventure always ensues!

182.  my husband making me coffee every morning.

183.  laughter, even in the midst of hard times.

184.  brave women who inspire me.

185.  Amish variety stores (blog post to come explaining).

186.  children on the mend from sickness.

187.  the Holy Spirit's voice.

188.  my lifegroup students.

189.  open windows in the house.

190.  the great pre-school year Noel has had.

What are you thankful for?

Blocked

I have blogger's block.

There, I've said it.

I have the beginning of several posts all formed in my head, but no motivation or creativitiy to finish them. 

I have a lot on my mind right now.  Some series items (passing of a dear friend's father-in-law, friend having lumpectomy today) and some not-so-serious (Is Jimmy Fallon the best thing there ever was on tv?  How did I cook all of these years without the Pioneer Woman?)  But everything is all jumbled up in my head.

So, here, in no random order, are the things rolling around in my head:

*I've been reading "Forgotten God" by Francis Chan.  The first time I read it I couldn't get into it and quit.  This time I have really been moved by some of the points Mr. Chan makes.  Yesterday I read that we talk a lot about "carrying our cross" for cross, usually referring to the day-to-day life we live:  illness, money issues, job, friends, etc.  But, isn't that life for everyone, not just Christians?  So is that truly carrying our cross?  What if carrying my cross looks different?  What if it means giving up some things that I desire for the greater good of the kingdom?  What if it means moving?  Or changing ministries?  Or not?  Am I truly listening to the Spirit's call? 

I'll admit, it kept me up last night.  And I was glad it did.

*My kids are sick.  I don't deal well with sick kids.  I know God is teaching me to be compassionate and patient, but I just struggle with how to treat them, their whining, and those dreaded doctor's visits there they tell you you are crazy for bringing your kid in, and then he barfs a few hours later.  Yeah, nice.

*I haven't had a date night with David in far too long, and I am in need of some adult conversation.

*My niece Abby has inspired me to try eating more healthy.  Not healthy to diet, which is what I've done in the past, but healthy to get rid of foods that have chemicals, additives, etc. in them.  It's like learning to walk all over again.  But in a good way.

However, I still love me some hot dogs and mac 'n cheese.  Period.

*And then there's the upcoming half-marathon.  I started training about 9 weeks ago to run a half-marathon in Kokomo.  For the record, I'm not even sure there is anyone else but me signed up.  The website it still "under construction" and it's 2 1/2 weeks until the race.  Not a good sign.
The first several weeks were awesome.  I pushed myself more than I ever have physically.  I ran and ran and ran. 
And then I dropped a breadknife on my foot and had to get stitches on my toe.
And then I hyper-extended my foot walking down some stairs.
And then I broke my pinky toe.

All of the same foot.

Needless to say the running has slowed.  So I'm trying to get back into the running swing for the race, but once I lose motivation to do something it's hard.  Plus the foot is still injured.  I'm trying to see this as a life lesson.  (David keeps telling me the lesson is to not run this race!)

But I press on.

And you, dear reader, get to read every tedious scene.

Day #25

#25—Your Day

As a mom of young children, I can tell you that my day is filled with:

smiles
tears
laughter
screaming
questions
answers
stories
games
frustration
fulfillment
cleaning up
making a mess
praying
reading
challenges
successes
love
stress
joy
grace

I love my kids so much I posted this awful picture of myself!



Believe me, there are not always this innocent.  But when they are, oh my.

Melt. My. Heart.

Oh, yeah.  We also have dancing in our house.

Lots of dancing.

May your days be filled with dancing, too!  

Thursday Thank-yous

I am thankful for. . .

171. seeing the world through a 4-year-old's eyes.

172. open windows.

173.  safe travels.

174.  popcorn.

175.  tree buds popping, new flowers planted, gardens planted (although very muddy!)

176.  sunshine!!!

177.  technology.

178.  cinnamon toast.

179. the news that friends are expecting a baby.

180.  shelter from storms of all kinds.

What are you thankful for?

Day #24

#24—Something you wish you could change

I wish I could change my love for all things junk food.  I love cooking healthy dinners, and I try my best to teach my children good eating habits.  But when the kids are in bed, and all is quiet, those junk foods call my name.  And so I don't buy them.

And then I bake a cake.

And eat the whole thing by myself.

I am really doing better in the exercise area, and about 90% of the time I am really good about my food choices, but I can't ever seem to lose my love for snacks!  Thus, I will not be wearing a bikini any time soon :)

Day #23

#23:  favorite book

I love books.  Love them.

I love the library, love bookstores, love Amazon, everything book.  I still haven't decided what I think about moving to the digital era in books.  There is something about holding a book in your hand, turning the pages, marking the parts you like.

I can't even begin to tell you what my favorite book is. (Of course, I could write about the Bible, but that one goes without saying, right?)  Some books I like because of the storyline (And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie).  Some because there is a character who I just fall in love with (Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte).  Sometimes a book touches me because I read it at a specific point in my life where it really affected me (Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom).  Some books are great because they are an escape, while some are life-changing. 

All that being said, I will share a few of my faves:

Radical by David Platt
The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom
Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
1,000 Gifts by Ann Voskamp
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Through the Gates of Splendor by Elizabeth Elliott
Say You're One of Them by Uwam Akpan
Sex God by Rob Bell
Crazy Love by Francis Chan

Here are some authors who I will read whatever they write/wrote:
Jodi Picoult
Anne Lamott
Henri Nouwen
Sophie Kinsella
David Foster Wallace
Lisa Samson
Read on!

Day 22

Bear with me.  I'm almost done with the "30 Day Picture Challenge" that somehow has lasted for much longer than 30 days.

Day #22—something you wish you were better at

I talk a lot.

A lot.

And while I have come to understand that sometimes my words have been helpful, I also realize that I need to think before a say things.

Oh, the stories I could share.

How about the time I made fun of men who cross-stitch, in front of a lady whose husband cross-stitches?

Yeah, that was a good one.

I have offended and embarassed myself and others because the old yapper just doesn't stop.

Think, Beth!  Think before those words come out of your mouth!

5 Minute Friday

On Fridays, I take the "5 minute Friday" challenge.  Write for 5 minutes about the topic given.  No editing.  No second drafts.  Just write.  If you want to take part, read about it here.

Today's Topic:  The Hard Love.

GO

Sometimes love comes easy.  When everything is going well.  When people love you back.  When it doesn't involve much effort or sacrifice. 

But how strong is that love?  Has it been tested and proven?

Today, of course, being Good Friday, my mind is on the cross.  Hard Love.  Jesus took my ugliness, my sin, my filth, and died for it, knowing full well that I would not always reciprocate that love.

I can't even begin to describe that love.

I think about my children and what I would do for them.  But I can't even begin to think about what I would allow someone else to do to them for the sake of someone else. 

Hard Love.

Thank you, Jesus, for never giving up on me.  For not just loving me when it was easy.  May I be an example of your love to others, especially when it is hard to love.

Today, may we remember His hard love and be changed because of it.

STOP

Thursday Thank-yous, in pictures

I am thankful for. . .

161. Elise's Elmo cake that we made, thanks to my friend, Autumn.  It turned out so well!

162.  Someone enjoying her birthday celebration!

163.  These sweet'ums

164. Father-Son time over the weekend.  Noel could not get enough of David.

165.  Easter Egg hunt at the Dean's house!

166.  Spending time with Grandma Linda.

167.  CANDY!!!

168.  A dear friend who hand made these benches for the kids.  So special!

169.  My Mini-Me turning 2.  Such a ball of fury, emotion, entertainment, and spunk.

170.  warm weather on its way??!!  Please?!!

What are you thankful for?

Day 21

Day #21—something you wish you could forget


I have been blessed with a very good memory, and usually it is something I am thankful for.  However, sometimes I wish I could forget my mistakes.  The ones that come to mind especially are some that I made in college.  I was so desperate for acceptance by a guy that I threw myself all over any guy who gave me any attention.  I cringe when I think about the way I acted during those years.  In hindsight, I wish I had just been myself and enjoyed every moment in college instead of pining away over a guy who didn't want to be with me. 

P.S. This picture is one taken in college when we were pulling pranks in the middle of the night.  For obvious reasons, I didn't want to post a picture of one of the boys I pined over.  Ha!

5 Minute Friday

(The goal of "5 Minute Friday" is to freewrite on a given topic for 5 minutes.  No editing or going back.  Just write and share.  You can read more about 5 Minute Friday here.)

On Distance

When I think about the word "distance" a few different thoughts come to mind.

First off, I have been training for my first (and maybe only) half-marathon.  This weekend will be the first time I attempt to run double digits.  That's right, 10 miles.  I never thought I would even consider that being a possibility, but I have learned that running is as much mental as it is physical.  If you can push yourself, you can do it.  It has been a real learning experience for me.  Plus, it gives me time to just be completely alone with my thoughts.  I'm not sure if I'll keep running this far once the half-marathon is over, but I am so glad I have done this.

Secondly, I think about those I love who are far away.  I have friends who are all over the country and all over the world.  Thanks to the internet, we can still keep in touch, but it's never the same.  Never the same.  But I am OH SO THANKFUL for those few friends who bridge any distance (time, miles, age) and can truly be a lifelong friend.

Lastly, we are heading out of town today.  I love traveling.  I love getting away from home, going different places, getting away from home.  It's not nearly as stress-free as it used to be now that there are two young ones involved, but I still love it.  I know I will blink and these kids will be going to college, so I'm trying to enjoy every single moment.  Some days I'm better at that than others, but I AM trying to enjoy every stage of my children, even the crying, frustrating, temper tantrum times (for me as well as them.  Ha!)

Time's up!

Thursday Thank-yous

I am thankful for. . .

151.  walks through the neighborhood with the kids.

152.  a safe trip for my my friend Lesley to and from Haiti.

153.  getting to put the winter coats away, hopefully for a long time!

154.  our upcoming trip to see family in Ohio.

155.  hand-me-down clothes.

156.  filling out "thank you" booklets with the kids at dinner time.

157.  people who live with passion and conviction.

158.  new recipes from blogs I follow.

159.  old recipes from church cookbooks.

160.  Easter.  Without Jesus, our lives mean nothing.

What are you thankful for?

Day 20

Day #20—Somewhere you’d love to travel

For the past several months I have been involved with collecting donations for the Mercy House.  Mercy House is a maternity home that is just getting started in Kenya.  This ministry will take care of pregnant women physically and spiritually in a country where so many are hurting, neglected, and forgotten.  Someday I hope to travel to the Mercy House and see this love in action.

Day 19

19—me when i was little

Okay, Just kidding



Kidding again.

The truth is, I don't have any pictures of myself scanned in, and I'm too lazy to find any.  So I will leave you with this number from about 12 or 13 years ago.  And I wondered why I was single for so long. . .



Day #18

18—your biggest insecurity

I'm not sure if this represents my biggest insecurity accurately, but overall I am most insecure about my appearance.  I am embarassed to say that, but it's the truth.  Most of the time when I look in the mirror I don't like what I see.  Some days it's my hair, some days it's the way my clothes fit, sometimes it's just a general feeling of ugliness.  I recognize that this is all silliness and it really doesn't matter what I look like.  And over the years I have come to appreciate the blessing my body is, but if I am being brutally honest, it is still my biggest insecurity.

5 Minute Friday

This is a five-minute writing exercise.  Try it, and then link your blog post to this blog.  No editing, no going back, just writing for 5 minutes. 

Today's topic:  If you met me. . .

If you met me, you will find that I love (in no particular order)

teaching
reading
my kids
coffee
traveling
being a high school youth leader
cooking
Haiti
running (is it really considered running, as slowly as I go?)
laughing
watching tv
reading blogs
my husband
Jesus

and you will find that I am not very good at

being organized
keeping my living room clean
being patient
keeping my thoughts to myself (aka keeping my big mouth shut)

I have an uncanny memory for all things pop culture (like the fact that the girl in the latest McDonald's commercial was in the movie "To Save a Life"), and it is a completely useless skill.

I am doing what I can to help those all over the world who are in physical and spiritual need. 

I talk a lot.

I love to be with my husband and kids.

And my time is out.

What about you?

Thursday Thank-yous

I'm going to admit, it's been a rough week.  Sick kids.  Sick husband.  Everyone is gone on spring break.  It is times like these where I am tempted to start focusing on the negative.  But it is times like these where I need to focus on all of the blessings that I do have and hang onto that.

Today I am thankful for. . .

141.  good sleep.

142.  Jeff Newton, director of Kokomo Urban Outreach.

143.  the joy of disciplining a strong-willed almost-2-year-old.  Celebrate every little success.

144.  sunshine, especially after a very long, gray winter.

145. bike rides.

146.  8 miles in training for the half-marathon.  Only 5.1 miles to go!

147.  cinnamon-sugar pretzels from Sam's Club.

148.  sharing secrets and inside jokes with my little man.

149.  jellybean season.

150.  time with a very good friend, and watching our boys become friends.

What are you thankful for?

Day #17

17—something that has made a huge impact in your life recently

I left a piece of my heart in Haiti.  I see the world differently, and for that I am glad. Use your life to make a difference!

Day #16

16—someone who inspires you

Several months ago I stumbled on this blog, written by Ann Voskamp.  I must admit, I don't always want to read it.  Not because it's not good, but because it's THAT good.  It's convicting, thoughtful, honest, touching.  And when I saw she had a book coming out, it was the only thing on my Christmas list.  It's taken me a while to read it because the book is very intense. I know I've written about this blog and the book, but Ann Voskamp inspires me.  She inspires me to seek God in every moment of the day. To slow down and marvel at God's love.  To be thankful.  Always thankful.

What inspires you?

Day 15

#15—something you want to do before you die

Well, I would have never considered this a few years ago, but I am currently training to run a half-marathon.  I have run several 5K's, and one 5-mile trail run (which would make a great blog post sometime), but it will be an accomplishment to get my lazy self out there and run 13.1 miles. So far my longest run has been 8 miles, which is a huge feat for me, so we’ll see how the next 6 weeks go.  My goal is to run the entire race.  I don't care if I finish last (okay, I care a little bit), I just want to push myself to see what I an do.  I always tell students that they can do whatever they put their mind to, and I want to walk the talk, or run the talk, I guess.

Day #14

Day #14—someone you could never imagine your life without

No words today.  Just pictures.  And lots of love for him.