I'm moving...

MY BLOG!

I did a little research and decided to make a little change

{from blogspot to wordpress that is}

Everything is not perfectly in place on my new blog

(I plan on getting a new header and changing the layout)

but such is life, right?

I don't wanna lose you so please come and visit!

Enjoying Now

and link up

http://www.enjoyingnow.wordpress.com/

Theoretical Bargain Hunting

I'm not a regular at Pier One {Target is usually my store of choice. Can I get an Amen?} but last weekend I was lured to the store by the giant 60% Off signs hanging in their window.


Who can pass up a sale? NOT ME {or my friend Cassie}!



I sauntered into the store...and found the a small little shelf with 60% off items that were clearly from last season {as if I truly know when last season ended and this season began, nevertheless...}.



So much for the big sale I was hoping for but I could still wander around the store for good decorating tips {a lie that I wholeheartedly believed} . I told myself that their advertising tactics would not work on this intelligent woman!


I almost made it out of there until I laid my eyes upon this:

Then it was over.

Pier One had another customer.

And if you have to know, my purchase was not 60% off.

See how great it looks...

They are after me...

Ever since moving to Parker, I have felt as if the animal population here are trying to "get me." Let me explain...

It all started with a little piece of doggy poop on our patio furniture. We currently rent a condo on the bottom floor as we try to find a house up here. So there is a porch directly above ours. Well that owner has decided to allow her dog to relieve himself outside, on her porch. Do you see where this is going? Yes, the poop, from the little wiener dog, falls through the cracks in the wood onto my porch.

Then there was the time that I went out to my newly cleaned car to find not one but two large deposits of bird poop on my windshield.

These two incidents didn't put me on my guard because hey, things like that happen to all of us right? And they don't know that pooping on other people's things is rude.

What really got me thinking was the day I was running along the sidewalk by this abandoned piece of property. Lots of ground hogs {or whatever they are called} live out their days in comfort here digging holes and moving dirt. Well as I am running I trip on some barbed wire in the middle of the side walk...I am sure that I could almost hear those little guys high-fiving and laughing as I picked myself off the ground. Their little booby trap had worked.

Then they must have radioed down the path to the EXTREMELY large snake to scare the life out of me (see this post for that story).

Last week it was the deer population that was after me. I hit a deer with my car. Actually, more appropriately, the deer ran into my car. Yes, I like that way of thinking better. And for all you people feeling sorry for the deer, don't. He walked {trotted} away from the event only having large bruise on his right hip. He {or she} got off easy compared to his/her dead relative that had been mangled by a car just moments before.

See here is a picture of him that I got right after the accident.

My car on the other hand...

...has enough damage to "notice" but not enough damage for the insurance company to pay me more than I will pay to have it fixed.

I don't know what it is with the animals in this town but seriously, I am a nice person!

I DON'T wear fur,

I am NOT a friend of Michael Vick

and I have never been hunting.

But I have been known to, on occasion, kill any and ever spider that ever comes across my path.

Do you think that is it?

My little fam

The assignment this week: family

~~~~~~

Well not much photography action this week. I was too busy running, hanging out with friends and working. But a few weeks ago, I decided to break out the tripod (since I am new to the photog world) and try my hand a a family portrait.

Here is my favorite:

See how smart Turbo is. He knew it was in his best interest to look at the camera on the first try... Now that is a miracle!

Who's that?

702 is yours truly

and

701 is none other than my

super-star husband!

This year he ran the Bolder Boulder 10k with me just because he loves me.

And you better believe that is the only reason he woke up at 530 am to run 6.25 miles on his day off!

Little does he know that I plan to make this not only my yearly tradition but our yearly tradition. :)

Here are a few pictures of us after the race:

Adventures in Running

So last week, I was officially TRAUMATIZED while running on the {concrete!} trail by my house.

I love {d} this trail so much because it is close to our house, each mile is marked off, there are bathrooms along the way, great scenery and lots of people (which makes me feel safe).

So there I was on mile numero 4, jammin to SugarLand on my Ipod and thinking about the wonderful fruit smoothie I was going to make after I was finished when....

I step on THIS!

Yes, I screamed.
Yes, I screamed like a girl.
Yes, I screamed like a girl and started jumping up and down.

I also forgot to mention that it was the 3rd snake I had seen that day (the other two were friendly and much smaller gardener snakes).

So needless to say I have yet to do any running on this wonderful {demon possessed} trail. Tomorrow I am going to give it a go again and hopefully God will protect me from those devils.

Sweet

This weeks "You Capture" Challenge: sweet

~~~~~~~~~~

Everytime I stop and stare at this little guy, I smile

He is the sweetest pup. Ever.

I enjoy trying to caputre his essence with my camera.

Most times, he is a little tricky to photograph but the other day,

he was all about posing.

See, doesn't he look sweet?

101 Posts...

means it is time to do the infamous blogging post {drum roll please}...

101 things about moi!

1. I have a propensity to use ketchup for a dipping sauce
2. I love to know about a need and have the resources to fulfill that need (call me a fix-it girl)
3. When someone is hurting, I tend to feel their pain internally
4. I love a clean and organized house
5. My car also likes to be clean and organized
6. I love to give blood
7. My husband and I have the same blood type which obviously means we were meant for each other. Except I am not sure if I met someone else who had my blood type that I would feel the same about them
8. My whole life I wanted to be a elementary school teacher
9. I am a nurse
10. All of my patients have non-survivable injuries and some are already brain dead
11. But they save countless lives (through organ donation)
12. I named my first dog after my elementary school (Lewis-Palmer)
13. His name was Lewis and then my sister got a dog and named it Palmer
14. I now have a dog named Turbo
15. He is 5lbs and will always look like a puppy
16. No, I did not name him after my school
17. My mom and dad met at 7-11 (if you don't have those in your state they are a convenience stores/gas stations)
18. Interestingly enough my dad was born on 7/11
19. I always like going to 7-11 because I went there a lot with my dad when I was little. Many of my lunches were 7-11 hot dogs and a Slurpee.
20. My dad died when I was 11 and I still get sad about it to this day
21. One of my favorite things is when my mom says "Your dad would always say..." or "You know what your dad do in this situation..." It makes me feel like I can still know him
22. My mom is one of the strongest people I know
23. She has "lived" her faith
24. When my world was turned upside down (when I was 11), my family landed firm in the arms of Christ
25. He has never let me down
26. I had an eating disorder for 6 years
27. It was the most HORRIBLE thing I ever went through
28. People ask me how I got over it...
29. no one thing, but the common thread through it all? CHRIST!
30. No single diet, or therapist, or exercise or prayer or fast did it, it was a process
31. I always hope that someday I can help other girls with eating disorders
32. I never kissed anyone until I got engaged (the first time)
33. I bought my wedding dress then
34. and didn't wear it until 3 years later when I married the aforementioned man with the same blood type as me
35. I kissed him before we got engaged (and 4 other people...so much for virgin lips!)
36. We used Mountain Dew for the toast at our wedding
37. and the guestbook was a football for people to sign
38. I met my best friend and my husband at the same restaurant
39. I had never dyed my hair until I was 24
40. when I found 3 gray hairs
41. I have been to 6 different countries
42. Hawaii is my favorite place to travel
43. I don't like long plane rides overseas
44. which probably stems from the fact that I threw up the entire way home from Rome (12 hour flight!)
45. I use to think flying in commercial planes was scary
46. until I had to fly, on a regular basis, in a prop plane {over the Rocky Mountains, in a thunderstorm)
47. I don't like roller coasters
48. I do like the mountains
49. I love to hike
50. I have hiked *8* 14,000 ft mountains in Colorado
51. Hiking Pikes Peak was my least favorite
52. There is a parking lot at the top and a donut shop which is very anti-climactic after a 14 mile hike
53. Skiing is fun
54. My husband fell off a ski lift once so he doesn't ski
55. I have a sister who is 12 years older than me (she used to ski)
56. She has 4 kids--2 born in America and 2 born in China
57. I am closer in age to her two oldest than I am to her
58. I got lucky when I married David because I now have 2 more sisters
59. They are my age...
60. If you know any single, Godly, available , handsome men...lets set them up!
61. One of my favorite job's was being a camp counselor at the camp I went to when I was little
62. I can't wait to be a mom
63. We already have the first and middle names picked out for our first boy and girl
64. and our next dog...
65. no we won't name it after my school
66. I have a boy middle name--"Michael"
67. David has a girl middle name--"Lindsey"
68. Just another reason we were meant for each other
69. Did I also mention we were both born in October?
70. I sometimes think I want to be a doctor
71. Then remember the amount of school it takes and what I wrote on number 62
72. I played soccer when I was younger
73. Now I run
74. I have run a 1/2 Marathon
75. and will run another 1/2 in June
76. Does running two 1/2 marathons, allow me to say I have run a full marathon?
77. I am 5'5" and born on October 25th and 5 is my favorite number
78. People ask me why I have a favorite number...I don't know, I just do
79. If I ever pick a number between 1-10, guess what I pick?
80. 5!
81. Blogging is a fun hobby of mine
82. I especially love when people leave comments
83. Words of affirmation is my love language
84. I just bought a Nikon D-60 in Nov
85. I want to become a better photographer
86. so I take 1,000's of pictures of Turbo
87. He is so DARN cute
88. Tulips are my favorite flower
89. I love to decorate my house
90. Target is my favorite store generally speaking
91. My biggest flaw is comparing myself to others
92. I use to be defined by my good grades and the fact that I was a "good girl"
93. Being on time is not something I am good at unless there are consequences for being late
94. When the Lord speaks to me I am at peace
95. I love my life (especially when I am not doing number 91)
96. I hope to someday own a horse
97. I want to own a house with a front porch where I can sit on a swing or rocking chair, drink iced tea and watch my children play in the yard
98. I think my eyes are my best feature
99. I love my husbands silly nature
100. I wish I were more spontaneous
101. I love having life-long friendships

We never discussed this in pre-marital counseling...

My husband has a "fun" little personality trait...

He {apparently} dislikes throwing things away

and will {at all costs}

avoid throwing things away by simply leaving small amounts left in boxes/bags,

milk jugs,

(please note that the new milk is already used)



or toliet paper rolls.

These are just a few of the examples I found when I woke up today, went to eat cereal and found the box

Almost...

EMPTY!

Flowers!

This week's You Capture assignment: Colors

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I love Spring and I love flowers...

and I love to take pictures of flowers in the Spring...

I also love when my husband brings me flowers {in the Spring} for no reason at all...

Random Ramblings pt 2

So today is my first day off in 16 days and blogging has obviously been taking a backseat to work lately. I am trying to find the balance in life {aren't we all?} and not doing such a good job due to the aforementioned work schedule. And guess what? Tomorrow I am back on-call and working 5 more days. I know work is necessary and I do love what I do but the hours and the schedule, hmmm are they worth it? I rarely see friends, am constantly cancelling on people, getting involved at church is pretty non-existent and running, well it's like two steps forward and one step back. Thankfully David understands and my relationship with him {and Turbo} has not suffered. Somehow I seem to be able to make time for him and he for me. Yep, I married one of those "good ones."

Can dogs get fevers? If so, how would one treat it? Tylenol is probably not the best even if it is the liquid kind. The reason that I ask is Turbo seems a little "hot" to me. When I pet him, he seems warm and when he gives me my daily dose of kisses, his tongue seems really warm. Not sure what to do about it.

I am ADDICTED to Inta Juice. It's this smoothie place in Parker and I love it SO. The pomegranate smoothie is my new best friend {since I don't really have time for my other friends} and I get it after every case. yum, yum!

I love summer. I love flowers. I love my mom {who I get to see today!!}. The end.

Oh and here is a picture of Turbo..isn't he just adorable {please bare with me, I don't have kids}!!!!

Race for the Roses

Tomorrow is the Kentucky Derby--the first race in the infamous Triple Crown Challenge of horse racing.

When I was younger, I may have done a little barrel racing and goat tying which led to my complete adoration of horses. After my dad died and I had to stop riding, I would spend most of my time riding my bike {pretending it was a horse}. But, friends, that is a story for a different day...

My mom loved horses too. Before I was born, she even owned one of her very own {what I wouldn't give to have been born 12 years earlier!}.

And like never having owned a horse, I have yet to see a Triple Crown won in my lifetime.

Some horses have won the first two races only to completely BLOW IT in the third. Maybe it will be this year...

Well the last few years I have attempted to watch the races with people who think that is OK to chat during the pre-race show and the races themselves.

"Excuse me but if you want to watch this sporting event with me there will be a few rules:

1) no talking or breathing at an audible level during the program

2) DO not talk at any time except during commercials

Thank you."

Seems simple {controlling} doesn't it? I don't know why/how I got this way but I love listening to every detail about the horses and listening to the stories about the trainers/owners.

So this year I am having my mom over for the race. She "gets it" and we always have a great time watching the shows {in silence}. She is actually the person that introduced me to the Triple Crown.

I thought it would be fun to make the food they make in Kentucky on Derby weekend until I looked at the recipes and didn't think any of them sounded all that good.

So we will be having our own Derby dinner:

• Turkey Pesto Sandwiches
• Steamed Zucchini and Squash
• Blueberry Smoothies
• Angel Food Cake and Strawberries for Desert

Here's to hoping that this is year for a Triple Crown Winner!

Some people gamble,

Some people do drugs,

Some people lie on their taxes,

Some people eat too much...

~I buy new bedding~

Ever since I was little, I loved getting a new comforter for my bed. My mom will probably shout "amen" when she reads this since she paid for countless when I was growing up. I don't know what it is about a new comforter that makes me ready to take on the world. Maybe it is the new smell or that the room gets an instant face-lift...who knows?! The only things I love more are, well, Jesus and David, of course! ;)

We bought a new bedding when we got married {2.5 years ago people!} so I have been scouring the stores trying to find a new duvet that both David and I like. He is not so into the flowery patterns and solids are not my first choice.

Well, we had a deal that when we moved to Parker I could buy a new duvet... and this is where the story takes an un-expected turn. When we got here I couldn't find any duvets that were {worthy of my adoration} better than what I already had. So, I made peace with my addiction, received prayer and decided to stay with what I had ...until this weekend when I sauntered into Pottery Barn {1st mistake}. I wanted to look for some decorating ideas {lie: I really wanted to check out the bedding}. David obliged and we went in... and came out 36 minutes later with a new duvet {which was actually on sale, which is important to note because if you have ever been into Potter Barn then you know that everything is fifty times as much as a person anyone should pay for it!}. While I was there, I was also introduced to the fabulous Euro-style pillow {by the sales lady that is most certainly paid on commission}. Confession: I bought two of those as well.

So here is my new bedding in all it's glory...

What's your favorite thing to splurge on?

New Birth

Today my heart is full for two reasons:

1.) My friend Amber had her baby this week and... "it's a boy!" All of my friends having babies lately have been having girls so it is nice change it up a little bit.

Isn't Caleb Matthew handsome? :)

2.) One of the guys that is on David's Golf Committe for his tournament this June gave his life to Christ last week!!!! David was so excited that when he called me he must have been talking a mile a minute {I adore my husband}.

It is the first time that we have seen the fruit of our labor here in Parker and let me tell you, it makes everything worth it..everything! I know the Lord is doing many things here that I have yet to even see.

Lord you are SO good.

You know you live in Colorado when,

the sun is shinning, the sprinklers are on and there is still snow on the ground

Working, working, and a trip to Vail

But don't be fooled, going to Vail was for work as well.

So really the post should be titled:

"working working and even more working in Vail"

Mother Nature decided to DUMP a TON of snow on Colorado last week as I was en route to Vail, CO for an organ donation case. Subsequently, many of the roads were closed and my colleagues and I got all-expense paid trip to the Vail Valley Hospital

For all you Bachelor fans out there...
yes, that is where Ryan and Trista Sutter are from (the only "Bachelor couple to ever make it)
yes, I asked the nurses there if they knew them
yes, they rolled their eyes
yes, they gave me the low down on each of them :)

So here I was in Vail trapped at the hospital, trying to find a way for the surgeon (in Denver) to get all the way up I-70 (which was closed) to recover organs. The State Patrol was too busy with all the accidents and snow problems to help but they did recommend this a guy that does critical care transport for them in these situations. We called up the Good Samaritan and he volunteered to drive our surgeon from Denver to Vail (typically a 90 min drive) and back in the middle of the night in his Hummer, the Beast.

And yes, that is the name he gave his car...which truly is a beast because 3 1/2 hours later they arrived at the hospital safe and sound. The roads had to be bad though because even the Beast went off the road, into a ditch full of snow, on the way up the mountain. But the difference between the Beast and the other cars on the road was that "the Beast is able to get herself out of the ditches."

Thankfully, we were able to recover the liver and kidneys to save three people's lives. The surgeon and the Good Samaritan made it back to Denver safely and I got to stay in a SWEET hotel room in Vail. There was a fireplace in my room, a full view of the slopes and deliciously- overpriced room service. Too bad, I was only in the room from 2 am to 9 am but nevertheless I enjoyed the bed.

Sometimes I get tired of working but honestly, I do have a great job.
On most occasions, I know that no matter how long and hard I work that people's lives are saved.

And sometimes, I get paid to go on fun little adventures.

Twitter (Blog-style)

Right now I am...

• Sitting here on the computer catching up on all your blogs--what fun people you are!
• Warm because Turbo is snoozing on my lap
• Scouring the Internet looking for a simply devine homemade chocolate cake recipe to take to our friends house for dinner
• Anxiously watching my blackberry and sending it subliminal messages: "don't you buzz or ring or do anything for the next two days...do you understand me??? It is Easter and you better make sure I don't get called out!"
• Trying to figure out why Tiger Woods isn't kicking butt in the Master's because he truly is the best golfer EVER!
• Hoping that someone will buy our old desk and bookcase so I can finish decorating the office already.
• Thinking about how much my bathroom needs to be cleaned.
• Wishing I could go to Express and buy a new outfit that would only cost me $25, ha!

But most of all..I am thankful that Christ died for me and that He purchased my freedom (at such a high price) so that I could hear His voice and spend eternity safe in His love.

Happy Easter Everyone!

Sold

On March 24th it was official, the sale of our house that is. It was rather, what shall I say, anti-climactic. I was never quite convinced that it was going to happen and didn't even believe it until the money was in our checking account. I kept thinking something would go wrong.

We put our house up FOR SALE in September (as most of you know) and had been begging the Lord for months and months to sell it in the "terrible" market. David and I were both commuting to Denver (since January) and it was putting somewhat of a strain on our marriage. I needed to be in Denver to do my job and he needed to be in Denver to be able to minister effectively. We essentially felt trapped and unable to go forward in the new calling He had placed on our lives.

Truthfully there were times when I felt like the Lord was mocking us because it all didn't make sense. Especially when our next door neighbor put her house up for sale, when there were houses identical to ours in worse condition that sold for more money, when foreclosures went on the market for SO CHEAP! Then there were all the weekends we spent looking for houses up in Denver to buy so that when ours sold we would have somewhere to move and each house that we were even remotely interested in sold (yes, in this market).

We kept pleading with God to show us what to do and then a miracle happened that allowed us to rent up here in Denver while our house was still on the market within our budget. So we found a great condo in Parker and moved on Valentine's Day.

Then, the next week a lady put an offer on our town home! Not even kidding...the next week!

Of course at that point, I was moved, already unpacked and had accepted that we were going to be renting. I had made peace with the fact that the Lord would take care of us (He already had). I had let go and trusted without stress, without fear, without worry and that is when it happened.

Now I don't think that is the "formula" for getting God to do what I wanted but I must say that I did learn a lot through the 6 months. The biggest lesson I learned was that what I treasured most wasn't that God sold the house but that He stayed by me through the trial and He taught me valuable truths about Himself and my relationship with him. Now, I have a greater understanding of how He communicates with me and my relationship with Him is better for that experience as hard as it was for me at times.

That is the short story about the "house" and what happened. I thought I would need a house to make a home...I thought "that" was the next step for us. But truthfully, I am content in our condo--I like the location, I like the layout, I like the people we rent from and most importantly, David and I can do what the Lord has called us to do.

Thank you to everyone who stood with us during this time and offered up prayers and encouragement on our behalf. You were all such a blessing!

I am waiting for the walls in our condo to be painted to post pictures of our new place...more to come soon.

Another Little One

She was just so perfect that I could stop holding her...

Welcome to the world,

~Sarah Elizabeth~

Excuse me while I pick myself off the floor...

Today I came face-to-face with the realization that I am apparently not as "in shape" as I thought I was.

I love all the different classes that 24 hour fitness offers and have been trying to go whenever I am NOT on a case. It is nice to do a something different from running and have a motivating instructor tell you what to do and how long to do it.

Spinning classes are one of my favorites but the only caveat is that you have to show up to the gym an hour early just to sign up. Sometimes, I only have the hour free to work out, not two hours to sit and wait to work out. If you haven't tried a Spinning class yet, you should. Nothing can make you sweat faster!

Turbo-kickboxing was a lot of fun even though I didn't get all the choreography down right away. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to hang but I did and hopefully my upper cut will look better next time I can go. After that class I still had the energy to run 3 miles and felt pretty good.

Today I decided to try 24-hour's version of boot camp. {"Self, what were you thinking!?"}

Just before going to the gym I sent David a text, "going to try boot camp and probably do Pilate's afterwards." Ha! Little did I know...

Have you ever watched the Biggest Loser?

Yes, well then you know Jillian.

Today I met the Colorado version of Jillian and she was my "boot camp" instructor.

I did enjoy the variety that she included in the workout but I was definitely not able to keep up with all the exercises {pushup's for 2 minutes, ha!}. Apparently being able to run 6 miles on a treadmill under 60 minutes and training for a 1/2 marathon doesn't really mean you are "in shape" because I could barely keep up with the lunges, the push ups, the frog leaps, the mountain climbers...

Let's just say I didn't make it to Pilate's afterwards and I had to do a pretty darn good job of convincing myself to shower. You can be sure I rewarded myself with ice cream tonight!

Here's to hoping I make it out of bed in the morning!

:)

Daylight Savings...

The other day I am on my way home from work and decided to stop by the bank to deposit some checks.

I pull in to the drive through {thinking, no lines...sweet!} and they weren't open. hmmm???

I started to wonder if here in Parker the banks close on Fridays or if I had missed some national holiday or if they closed on account of the 12 inches of snow we got the previous day.

and then I looked at the clock, it was 7 pm!

But you wouldn't have known that by the amount of sun that was still shinning.

Daylight savings you are messing with my mind

---but I still LOVE YOU!

Pick a Number!

Okay, lets play a little blog game...

Pick a number between 1 and 3

Picked yet????

Now please go to the corresponding number on the list below and if you have time, please say a prayer for that person/family. I have changed the names of those that the Lord has placed on my heart so that they can remain anonymous. However, the Lord knows whom I have in mind.

I wholeheartedly believe in the power of prayer. I know that the more people that approach the throne of God on behalf of another, the more it power of the Holy Spirit is activated. In turn, I promise to pray for you if you would like to send me a prayer request at dafarmer06@aol.com.

**The List***

1. The "biggest family ever" has lost their home to mold this past October. They have 9 children total and had to leave all their belongings in the house and move to a different state to receive treatment for all the diseases that they acquired as a result of the mold. Please pray for their health, their finances and that their family would become closer in this time of trial

2. A lady "Ann" that I know has just been advised by the police to get a divorce from her abusive husband of 10 years and to file a restraining order. Ann is true follower of Christ and has never felt peace about this decision until now. Please pray for her safety and the direction of the Lord during this process. Divorce is never something that she wanted and she now struggles will feelings of failure.

3. My dear friend "Heidi" is going for a doctor's appointment this week to see if she may have breast cancer. She is only in her early 30's but her family has a history of cancer. She is such a giving person that always puts others before herself. Please pray for peace in her heart, that she would feel the Lord standing next to her as she walks through this week. Pray also for healing in her body.

A grenade in orange juice?!

So work was a tad bit challenging today...

The short story goes something like this: my colleague and I had to take an organ donor to the OR emergently, the surgeons refused to recover due a personal opinion, it was 3 am, we hadn't slept in almost 24 hours and we HAD to find a solution to the problem. Sound fun???

Not so much.

I am pretty sure that about 3 different doctors showed me how skilled they are at using as many 4 letter words as possible in one sentence and then they would hang up the phone before I can get a word in. Good thing I told them all my name was "Phyllis".

I had to get in contact with the neurosurgeon on the case, who had missed his wife's birthday party the day before and had the worst day ever in the ICU, to rewrite a brain death note. Let's just say he that he didn't jump at the opportunity to become lifelong friends.

The amusing part of the night was that he ended his phone conversation (on speaker phone) with me like this:

me: "thank you sir and I apologize for having to bother you so much tonight and appreciate your willingness to help...yada yada yada..."

him: "Good night and will you please be sure to put a hand grenade in the transplant surgeon's orange juice?"

me: "Sure!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here I am now, after 4 hours of sleep, needing some therapy...

R-E-T-A-I-L therapy!

Can you guess where I am headed?

Babies everywhere!

In the last 2 weeks, two of my friends have given birth to their first child:

Meet

-- Miss Chloe--

&

Sweet Avery

Two more of my friends are due in the next month...it is definitely the season for babies and I love it! :)

wanna save a life?

Tonight I was watching Extreme Home Makeover {and crying}. That show always gets me right when they "move that bus!" and the family starts jumping up and down and crying. The tears start rolling down my face and I turn to David saying, "that is just soooo sweet! " It's that emotional release that keeps me coming back each week. Man, ABC is so good at what they do!

The little girl on tonight's episode is dependent on blood transfusions to survive. Don't worry, I will graciously spare you all the nurse-y details about her disease process and instead, climb onto my soap-box about how great it is to donate blood. Ahem...

As a nurse I have given a total of 14 units of blood in one 12 hour shift to save someones life. That means 14 people that had to donate to save that one person. We all like to talk of changing the world and making a difference and this is one simple way that we are sure to SAVE a life. The little girl on Extreme Home Makeover made me conscious of the importance of this again tonight.

I grew up with giving blood as a part of my life. My parents both did it on a regular basis and I have done it since I was able to. When you go the worst part is of course the needle. But that part lasts about a 1/2 of a second {promise!}. The blood bank staff at the hospital always makes up for that brief pain by treating you like royalty. They will get you a warm blanket, your choice of juice {get cranberry, it's the best!} and some really delicious cookies {or fruit for those of you that are health conscious but remember that when you give blood you also burn calories}. Then you get a very stylish band aid and smiley-face sticker that says "Be Nice to Me, I Donated Blood Today" and don't forget the good feeling that you will have for the rest of the day knowing that you helped to save a life.

So who's in? :)

A Rollercoaster???

My job often requires that I travel throughout the states of Colorado and Wyoming to different hospitals. Most times we drive but since Grand Junction is about 4-5 hours from Denver and time is of the essence in organ donation, we have to fly.

Sound's glamorous doesn't it?

Not when you {loathe, hate, detest} dislike flying...

You see, something happened to me between the age of 20-25. Not only did I get married, graduated from college, start my career, and become a {dog} mom but I developed a very {rational} embarrassing fear of flying. I don't know when or how I developed this new quality but David is quite aware as I always have a death grip on his hand as we fly to various destinations. Even the slightest jolt sends me into convulsions because I am certain that the plane is about to plunge nose first into the ground.

When I think about it rationally, I know the statistics of me dying in a car crash is much higher than in a plane but it doesn't seem to help when I am actually up in the air.

Nevertheless, I must fly for my job and I must keep it all together. This week I experienced my first and second fly-out. Here is a picture of us me and my co-workers before the flight...

Obviously I survived since I am writing this post but it was not without a few pesky anxiety attacks. Before take-off I warned them all that I could, at any moment, feel the need to grab their hand with my notorious death-grip. They were very understanding as we took off in the little tin can with wings. Most of the flight was spent convincing me of what each bump and alarm noise meant as I did Lamaze breathing. hee, hee, whoooo, hee, hee, whooo...

24 hours later I was on my way home and the cab driver from the hospital to the airport told me to "pretend it's a roller coaster" during all the drops. I am sorry Mr. Cab-driver but there are a few differences between planes suspended thousands of feet up in the sky and roller coasters that are on tracks, bolted to the ground and inspected daily.

And between me and you, I also HATE roller coasters so his advice really didn't give me the warm fuzzies.

Like I said earlier, this week was not only my first fly-out but my second. What did I learn from these experiences? My fears may be a little bit unhealthy. The Lord is obviously trying to help understand that this is an area in which I haven't trusted Him. God is good that way, He is always teaching us. This may sound cliche but I realized I am afraid of is dying in a plane crash.

I don't want to die... and often times I feel more in control when have the illusion of control. When I am driving the car, I feel like I can prevent the crash. When I am running, I can prevent disease. But really, when it is my day to meet him, it will be my day. Whether I am in sky or sitting here writing this blog.

Hopefully this new realization will help me enjoy the next flight a little more. :)

Wedding Present

let's see, David and I have been married for about 2 1/2 years...

and I just opened the most wonderful wedding present ever {besides my hubby himself}!

Aunt Shannon and Uncle Greg gave us a Kitchen-Aid Mixer for a wedding gift and I hadn't ever broken it out of the box until a few weeks ago when we moved. That should be some kind of deadly sin...let me know if you find it in scripture. :)



Having never really made much from scratch I decided to give homemade pizza dough a try now that I had the {most wonderful} necessary equipment.


Here is the finished product...

The crust was a little thick but still yummy. Does anyone have a homemade cinnamon roll recipe they would like to share? That will be my next project.

{did you catch my sly mention about moving...yes, I have some good news to share soon!}

Oh how I love thee...

my Babe sure knows how to get on my good side....

the other night he came home with these

and these...

Ever tried the Sweet Tart jelly beans???

Can you tell I am not a chocolate-girl?

Give me candy any day!

Widsom

When we signed up for

we also bought a membership for

The two compliment eachother so nicely!

Turbo the "not-so-great"

Today we went over to our friends house and they suggested we bring Turbo along for a play-date of sorts...

You see, us couples that have yet to make babies of our very own seem to view our pets as children from time to time.

Like the time I was on the airplane sitting next to a very large man {extraneous information but necessary for effect} that was taking up most of my seat and smelled of onions. Well he talked to me the whole flight {when I didn't have my ipod blaring}. Towards the end of the flight, we got on the subject of pets {can you see where this is going?} and I offered to show him a picture of my Turbo. Now mind you, this is the first time that I had shared information about myself. Well he {rudely} politely tells me that he could care less about seeing any pictures of my {child} dog. Needless to say, I didn't ask to see any pictures of his children!

Anyway back to the play-date...

So we went over to Michelle and Eric's to hangout and they have two dogs and a cat {who thinks he is a dog}. All the pets are around 5-10 lbs {turbo size} so we thought our little guy would have a great time.

Friends, let me tell you that my happy, vibrant, playful Turbo was a complete scaredy cat {dog}. He tried to escape back to the car several times when we first arrived and firmly planted himself on the couch next to my purse {practically in my purse and yes, he could fit} for much of the afternoon. Even the promise of a "good boy treat" would not make him flinch.

How embarrassing!

My dog is shy, scared and is in no way living up to his name!

We would have done better to name him "Turd" as in a turd that lies in the grass.

I kept making excuses like any mom would:

• "Last summer he was traumatized by a huge black lab that tried to eat him."


• "He didn't sleep well last night."


• "He hasn't been himself since the move."


• "He must be coming down with the flu."


• "He's not like this at home..."

He eventually warmed up to the idea of getting off the couch but spent the rest of the afternoon by our feet.

What are we going to do with our little guy?

He is in need of some socialization with {kids} dogs his age.

Any {moms} pet-owners free for a play-date?

Happiness

Today I drove by a billboard that said,

"Happiness is having an organized closet."

Amen to that you clever billboard-makers!

However, I must personalize and make the slight adjustment to change the word closet to house or maybe even life...

But then again, that may be a little too much to ask.

:)

The Journey Begins

Tomorrow, I am officially going to begin my half-marathon training. I use a program on Runner's World that takes your most recent race time, the distance that you are training for and your desired intensity, puts it in a mathematical formula and poof! out comes a special program designed for s-u-c-c-e-s-s!

Last year I ran a half marathon in Steamboat (in 2 hrs 7 minutes) and this year I am going to run the Rock n' Roll in Seattle (I think I beginning to repeat myself in these posts...).

Well our life has been a little crazy {actually the new version of normal} and my running has not been up to par so I am starting a bit early on the training this time. I am also planning on doing some cross training along with the running this time so I look a little less exhausted at the end of the race. I am also going figure out what food {anti-diarrheals} my stomach most tolerates during running so that I don't spend so much personal time in the less than pleasant {disgusting} port-a-potty, ugh!

Honestly, I am a bit nervous about being able to stay consistent with the training. Since my new job is a bit difficult to plan around, I am afraid I won't be able to stay on schedule. And if you know me, you know I am a planner that loves to stick to what's been planned {some call it anal}.

In case you didn't catch it, that was the {un}official warning that my blog may take some form of a running diary for the next four months...

Wish me luck!

another VaCaTiOn

On June 24th we will be off to SEATTLE!!!!

You may secretly wonder why we can afford so many vacations...
Let me explain..

--No we aren't rich--

Just smart (and a little prideful) but mostly blessed. :)

When we got married we signed up for a Frontier Credit Card (gasp!)

--Not to buy many frivolous trinkets that we cannot afford--

You see we get miles for every dollar we spend so we buy everything with our card and use it like a debit card.

Now back to our trip...

2 round trip tickets: $10
Lodging: free (thanks to Aunt Shannon)
Rental Car: TBD (but splitting it with David's sister who will be joining us)
1/2 Marathon: $80 ($10 off for a coupon code I found online and $25 off for signing up early)

I am thankful to have another vacation to look forward to during these months of training (24/7) at my new job. :)

Monday Night Ritual

I don't know why I continue to watch the Bachelor/Bachelorette every season when the love never seems to last.

And this year Jillian was my pick from the beginning. I sure hope that Jason doesn't disappoint and that in 6 months I am watching their fabulous-ly, stylish wedding on ABC.



Deanna better not mess anything up tonight.

Anyone else out there addicted?

Just because I am curious...

What do you order when you go to Starbucks?



The reason I ask is because sometimes I feel like my order is a little, too long.

Here's what I order when I go to Starbucks:

**Inhale**

I will have a TALL, non-fat, EXTRA HOT, one pump sugar-free vanilla, NO WATER...

*Inhale again*

...CHAI

Now please tell me I am not the only one with such a specific request. :)

Finding the one...

I know many of you ladies are out there still trying to find the "one."
Oh how I sympathize.

While I have already found my man, I too am looking still looking for the "one."
And by the one, I am referring to the person that eventually will buy our townhome.

Let me explain:

You: wait for potential suiters to pursue you
I: wait for potential buyers to schedule showings

You: buy a new outfit, do your hair just right, paint your nails, and pray that it will be your last, first date
I: paint the walls, shampoo the carpet, dust, mop and pray that this will be the last, first showing

You: go out to the movies or a nice resturaunt or a concert or to Starbucks
I: grab Turbo and stratigically park my car behind a tree down the street. Then I lower my seat low enough not to be seen but high enough to spy on the prospective buyer

You: return home and process the good and the bad from the date
I: return home and check all my booby traps to see if they looked behind the shower curtain or in the laundry room or in the dishwasher (all clues to see if they were interested)

You: (assuming you like the guy) wait by the phone for him to call
I: wait by the phone for an offer

He: may not have felt the same, or already have a girlfriend, or just want to be friends, or....
They: may want the parking space a little closer, or the laundry room a little bigger, or the price a little lower, or one less stair, or one more bathroom, or....

Then my friends, we must start the cycle all over again.
Just to find THE ONE

Have faith girls...

Someday your prince and my buyer WILL come!

Our "New Life"

Well today was our last "offical" Sunday at our Colorado Springs church.

New Life Church (maybe you have heard of it on Oprah, or Larry King, or maybe HBO?)

Ahem!

I remember the first time I knew that it was the place that God wanted me to attend. Will you join me for a walk down memory lane...

The year was 2001 and I had just graduated high school. I had been to the youth group at New Life a few times before (not experiences that I would like to re-live so we will continue on...). This particular Sundy, it clicked. I was hungry for the presence of God and loved worship... New Life excelled at both of these. The messages challenged me, the worship ushered me into His presence, the community was rich...I was home.

Over the past 8 years, I walked through the church doors in many different states--I can remember low points and high points. I have wept, laughed, prayed, worshipped, made friends, met my husband, lost friends... There have been times that I contemplated leaving but never felt the Lord allow me to go. There were times I could not have imagined a better church.

Over the last few months, I have felt the ties being cut. Or maybe it was just David and I chosing to pull back. If I sit and dwell on leaving this church, tears fill my eyes. So much invested, so many memories...it has been a pleasure to be counted with this congregation through all our trials.

Goodbye my sweet church.

and on a happier note,

Hello Denver United!
How appropriate that New Life would plant a church in Denver during the very season that God has called us to serve there. :)

That is why today is not so sad.

Shhhh

I am one of those people that has a hard time keeping surprises.

I get so excited that I just NEED to tell someone, anyone.

Sometimes I beg David to let me give him his presents early just so I can get it over with. But, he won't have any of it--he actually likes waiting (I guess opposites do attract)!

Well, I am planning a surprise for Valentine's Day.
I can't tell you what it is (David might read this)
But I am so excited!

David always does big surprises for me so I felt like it was my turn to keep the flame burning.
I am working on it tonight so hopefully my creative juices are flowing.

Are you a person who enjoys waiting for surprises?

a top 10 of sorts

Some of my favorite things about our Caribbean Cruise:

10. Movies Under the Stars--imagine watching a movie on a lounge chair with free popcorn, a cozy blanket and your favorite person underneath a sky full of stars and a full moon. One word: bliss!

9. No responsibility--blackberry wouldn't work, no laundry, no cooking, no budget balancing, nada!

8. Twice-a-day maid service--I never made my bed or hung up a towel the entire time

7. Seeing the ocean every, single day!

6. Learning how to play Canasta on our balcony

5. Ordering 3 different flavors of ice cream at dinner --just so I could see which one I liked best

4. Getting to be with David all the time

3. Spinning Class--my first time ever and running has never made me sweat quite like that

2. Being rocked to sleep every night--I totally understand why babies like that so much

1.Doing what we wanted, when ever we wanted and never being bored--a perfect vacation!