Well, I'm more than half way through the week and still surviving. Monday with the difficult co-worker really wasn't so bad, but Tuesday was utter chaos and my body felt like lead by the time I got home. Thankfully now I'm done with working with her for the near future, and today was a great day. But I did feel obligated to report a few incidences to my director about her behavior and actions.
I babysat after work and those kids are so cute. The boys just started T-Ball and I can't wait to go to one of their games. I threw some pitches to Joshua the other day and I have never seen a 4-year-old hit a ball so well! His Mom told me that last week he hit the ball, ran to 1st base, then yelled, "Mom! Did you bring me a snack?!" Anyways, tonight I played baby-dolls with Lacey, and then Joshua joined us for a tea party... and he ran the whole thing... made the "tea" and "cake" and even brought over a bottle for Lacey's baby. Noah isn't quite so into tea parties. Since I am working more at the daycare this month, I won't get to see them as much :(. But it's so cute, whenever I leave, they ask me how many days it is until I come back. And then their mom always tells me they ask for me to come over like every few days :). It's nice to be wanted :-D.
So, I'm behind on my library reading and since the last book I read took me forever, I brought it back a few days late, and then started reading this one late, and I can't renew it because there's a hold on it. I might rack up quite the fine.... unless I can be a super reading fool in the next few days!
Matt's new bike got here today... he's still at work, but it was all assembled and sitting in the breezeway when I got home tonight. Someday when we have time together during daytime hours, we can actually go for a bike ride together...
In other news... Turniphead is now 5 days late!
Softball tomorrow, hurray!
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Monday is coming...
It's Sunday evening and the weekend is sadly coming to a close. Softball yesterday was a lot of fun, despite the 20-30 mph winds that made any sort of throwing accuracy quite difficult. It was great to get back in the game, however, I did A LOT of throwing, which I haven't done in a long time and that has made me VERY sore today.
I am slightly dreading this week. I am going to be working a lot of hours and for part of it, I have to work with someone who is rather difficult to work with. So prayers for energy and patience would be appreciated :).
In Discovery Village (kids Sunday school) this morning we taught the kids about having patience, and in church the sermon was from James again, this time about taming your tongue. They were both things I really need going into this week. Patience, as always with all those 2-year-olds. And then taming my tongue and responding with love even when someone else' s words are rude and spiteful... that one I will need when dealing with that co-worker.
So, Matt decided he wanted to gather his birthday money to get a new bike. He ended up getting two different coupons and in the end is getting a $299 bike for $240 with no shipping and no tax! I am thinking of getting a bike for my birthday as well. But I am a little disheartened by the lack of good biking trails around here. I am REALLY longing for the Burke-Gilman Trail right now... would it really be too much to ask for them to make one in GR? You know, but it would have to have a winery, a beach, and a sweet city park like Gas Works and along the route.... However, we do have a very short trail just a few blocks away from us that is quite nice... but it's only a little over a mile long.... a good length for a run, but a pretty short bike ride.
Random comment: I recently read Love in the Time of Cholera, and I would NOT recommend it. It was one of those books I finished out of duty because I had started it, but it was a chore.
I am slightly dreading this week. I am going to be working a lot of hours and for part of it, I have to work with someone who is rather difficult to work with. So prayers for energy and patience would be appreciated :).
In Discovery Village (kids Sunday school) this morning we taught the kids about having patience, and in church the sermon was from James again, this time about taming your tongue. They were both things I really need going into this week. Patience, as always with all those 2-year-olds. And then taming my tongue and responding with love even when someone else' s words are rude and spiteful... that one I will need when dealing with that co-worker.
So, Matt decided he wanted to gather his birthday money to get a new bike. He ended up getting two different coupons and in the end is getting a $299 bike for $240 with no shipping and no tax! I am thinking of getting a bike for my birthday as well. But I am a little disheartened by the lack of good biking trails around here. I am REALLY longing for the Burke-Gilman Trail right now... would it really be too much to ask for them to make one in GR? You know, but it would have to have a winery, a beach, and a sweet city park like Gas Works and along the route.... However, we do have a very short trail just a few blocks away from us that is quite nice... but it's only a little over a mile long.... a good length for a run, but a pretty short bike ride.
Random comment: I recently read Love in the Time of Cholera, and I would NOT recommend it. It was one of those books I finished out of duty because I had started it, but it was a chore.
Friday, April 25, 2008
tgif
Boy am I glad that it's the weekend! It's been a long and busy week. Monday night I had a staff dinner, Wednesday night I babysat, and Thursday night I had parent teacher conferences (and I had very chatty parents and was the last teacher to leave :-P). Then today was very hot and humid and our kids were absolutely insane. I was ready to pull my hair out by 11 am! We really ought to get some video footage of these kids, edit it, and call it "Attack of the 2 Year Olds"!
I was not digging the - as soon as you step outside you can feel how thick the air is and you're constantly sticky - ness today - yuck! Time for me to get used to the midwest humidity once again... and prepare myself for my first FULL summer out here. It was also pretty windy, so that was a huge relief, plus I already look a little bit less pasty white. But all this heat, humidity, and wind is building up for what's supposed to be one heck of a thunder storm tonight - yay! Maybe it will start early enough where I can go out and get drenched in some pouring rain? And maybe I'll be able to convince Matt to join me? Oh... and for you Seattle people, this will make you feel better about our beautiful spring weather: there is a chance it will snow on Monday... we're supposed to have 40s and 50s next week, boo.
So... to end this post... a little encouragement to my soon-to-be-born niece.... Go Turniphead, Go! You can do it! I want to know your name and see pictures of you and pretend that I am there.... so hurry on up (or more like down)!
I was not digging the - as soon as you step outside you can feel how thick the air is and you're constantly sticky - ness today - yuck! Time for me to get used to the midwest humidity once again... and prepare myself for my first FULL summer out here. It was also pretty windy, so that was a huge relief, plus I already look a little bit less pasty white. But all this heat, humidity, and wind is building up for what's supposed to be one heck of a thunder storm tonight - yay! Maybe it will start early enough where I can go out and get drenched in some pouring rain? And maybe I'll be able to convince Matt to join me? Oh... and for you Seattle people, this will make you feel better about our beautiful spring weather: there is a chance it will snow on Monday... we're supposed to have 40s and 50s next week, boo.
So... to end this post... a little encouragement to my soon-to-be-born niece.... Go Turniphead, Go! You can do it! I want to know your name and see pictures of you and pretend that I am there.... so hurry on up (or more like down)!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Winter = Boring... Spring = Busy!!
The dreadfully long winter that is FINALLY over was really rather boring and unexciting for me. It lasted longer and was colder and snowier than any I've had yet in my 5 winter in Michigan. I had little to do and was stuck inside. I definitely developed a seriously case of cabin fever that also turned into lazy lethargicness the more I sat around by myself.
But now it's spring and life is already much busier and looking up, up, up! First of all, our weather the last 2 weeks has been AMAZING! It's a little scary how much that alone has lifted my mood. But I already have all these options of going for walks, runs, and bike rides; simply sitting outside on my deck in the sun while reading a book, and eating outside on the deck too (Matt and I really enjoy that!).
But aside from the anytime springy things I can do... I just started babysitting every Wednesday night so that the mom of the kids I watch can join a biking group... and the best news ever.... THURSDAY NIGHT SOFTBALL!!!! OK, let me backtrack.... a couple weeks ago I went to watch my friend Allison's softball game (she going to Trinity in Chicago and was playing in GR at Cornerstone), and it got me all pumped up and dying to play. One week at church I saw an announcement for a church women's golf league... and I thought to myself, "Why couldn't that be softball instead?" And then this past Sunday, sure enough, there was an announcement for a women's softball league!!! I am SUPER excited, as I am sure you can tell. Except for now I have to squeeze a last minute practice in this Saturday and go straight from work to play our first game next Thursday, oh well!
Anywho, the point is, now I am busy 2 nights a week, and I get to see Matt 2 others nights (how perfect that both those things were on nights that Matt works so that I don't have to see him even less! God definitely had a hand in that one), and I'll be back to being busier and more content :).
On another note... We have 2 people on vacation at work next week, so I agreed to work all 5 days (at 9-10 hours each) to help make up for their hours. It quite possibly could kill me, but the money will be nice.
But now it's spring and life is already much busier and looking up, up, up! First of all, our weather the last 2 weeks has been AMAZING! It's a little scary how much that alone has lifted my mood. But I already have all these options of going for walks, runs, and bike rides; simply sitting outside on my deck in the sun while reading a book, and eating outside on the deck too (Matt and I really enjoy that!).
But aside from the anytime springy things I can do... I just started babysitting every Wednesday night so that the mom of the kids I watch can join a biking group... and the best news ever.... THURSDAY NIGHT SOFTBALL!!!! OK, let me backtrack.... a couple weeks ago I went to watch my friend Allison's softball game (she going to Trinity in Chicago and was playing in GR at Cornerstone), and it got me all pumped up and dying to play. One week at church I saw an announcement for a church women's golf league... and I thought to myself, "Why couldn't that be softball instead?" And then this past Sunday, sure enough, there was an announcement for a women's softball league!!! I am SUPER excited, as I am sure you can tell. Except for now I have to squeeze a last minute practice in this Saturday and go straight from work to play our first game next Thursday, oh well!
Anywho, the point is, now I am busy 2 nights a week, and I get to see Matt 2 others nights (how perfect that both those things were on nights that Matt works so that I don't have to see him even less! God definitely had a hand in that one), and I'll be back to being busier and more content :).
On another note... We have 2 people on vacation at work next week, so I agreed to work all 5 days (at 9-10 hours each) to help make up for their hours. It quite possibly could kill me, but the money will be nice.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Sermon thoughts "Joy and Trouble"
We had a really good sermon at church yesterday, or at least I thought it was good because it related to me and convicted me. It was off of James 1:2-8.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything form the Lord; he is a double-minded man unstable in all he does.
James 1:2-8
Pastor Jeff talked about having joy and a loving heart and attitude even when everything seems to be going wrong in your life. This is by no means an easy thing to do. He asked what we wanted people to remember about us... that I was a great person, but someone to avoid when bad times hit... or that I was the best version of me, and a joy to be around no matter my circumstances? Well that's not hard to answer... but it is hard to do. I know that especially when the bad things begin to build up, I can get very down and frustrated and in a rut that's hard to pull myself out of. But that was part of Jeff's point... we don't need to get ourselves out, we need to ask for and allow God to pull us out. And by "out" I mean out of the rut of frustration and anger, not necessarily of the situation.
This is how we grow, we get hurt, God helps us heal, and we learn and grow and mature in our beliefs and actions as a result. There was a very good example of how we grow from pain in the weekly Bible studies that Ada Bible puts out. It had a story about a little girl who had a condition where she couldn't feel any kind of pain. The result was that she kept injuring herself and mangling herself even because she couldn't learn not to do things that harm you without feeling the pain. The pain is what teaches you and keeps you away from more bad things. And then I was thinking... why in the world would I want the pain without the growth? What could I possibly gain from pain that makes me feel down, without God there to help me learn from it and Him?
And then you tend to think, that sounds great, but how to I actually get there? And the answer is right there in James... if you lack wisdom, ask God! But even better, James adds the note that not only does God give generously, but also without finding fault. There isn't any friend I can think of who is ALWAYS generous with their time for me and advice for me and who will NEVER find fault when listening to and trying to help me.
Anyways, I thought it was a very good reminder and wake up call that I need to have joy always, not only when things are going well. And this means not having a bad attitude and taking my frustration out on anyone else, not getting down and feeling lethargic and apathetic, not being anti-social, taking a deep breath, and saying a prayer to ask God for peace and wisdom.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything form the Lord; he is a double-minded man unstable in all he does.
James 1:2-8
Pastor Jeff talked about having joy and a loving heart and attitude even when everything seems to be going wrong in your life. This is by no means an easy thing to do. He asked what we wanted people to remember about us... that I was a great person, but someone to avoid when bad times hit... or that I was the best version of me, and a joy to be around no matter my circumstances? Well that's not hard to answer... but it is hard to do. I know that especially when the bad things begin to build up, I can get very down and frustrated and in a rut that's hard to pull myself out of. But that was part of Jeff's point... we don't need to get ourselves out, we need to ask for and allow God to pull us out. And by "out" I mean out of the rut of frustration and anger, not necessarily of the situation.
This is how we grow, we get hurt, God helps us heal, and we learn and grow and mature in our beliefs and actions as a result. There was a very good example of how we grow from pain in the weekly Bible studies that Ada Bible puts out. It had a story about a little girl who had a condition where she couldn't feel any kind of pain. The result was that she kept injuring herself and mangling herself even because she couldn't learn not to do things that harm you without feeling the pain. The pain is what teaches you and keeps you away from more bad things. And then I was thinking... why in the world would I want the pain without the growth? What could I possibly gain from pain that makes me feel down, without God there to help me learn from it and Him?
And then you tend to think, that sounds great, but how to I actually get there? And the answer is right there in James... if you lack wisdom, ask God! But even better, James adds the note that not only does God give generously, but also without finding fault. There isn't any friend I can think of who is ALWAYS generous with their time for me and advice for me and who will NEVER find fault when listening to and trying to help me.
Anyways, I thought it was a very good reminder and wake up call that I need to have joy always, not only when things are going well. And this means not having a bad attitude and taking my frustration out on anyone else, not getting down and feeling lethargic and apathetic, not being anti-social, taking a deep breath, and saying a prayer to ask God for peace and wisdom.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Why the new blog?
So... I keep thinking how I should spruce up my xanga page and start writing on it again. But then I decided that I might as well just start over with the whole thing and went with blogger instead. One of the main reasons for getting back on the blogging bandwagon is that I am feeling rather isolated and closed off. Whenever I talk to family or friends it's more to catch up than to actually talk about what I'm thinking or feeling about anything. That combined with having very few close friends actually living near me, has left me with the feeling that my relationships are becoming less and less real. As much as I like sharing everything on my mind with my wonderful husband, I think he and I both would be happier if I could do that with more than just him :).
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