Walk around campus

Walk around campus

          

 

    

  

Crazy times

I'm not sure what we expect life to be like. Jason made the comment about a month ago that he thought we'd been, "sinfully busy." I agree with him. I don't want to be one of those soccer moms who frantically runs from one sports game to the next, frantically rushing kids to piano lessons, play dates, etc., while trying to fit in grocery shopping, and one-on-one time with everyone in the family.

I would love to pack up my family, live half an hour out of town, and peek my head in to friends and family once a week.

However, life is messy. I keep waiting for that "magic" time when life steps into a routine, a step, or a rhythm that is comfortable for me. I'm realizing that: fighting, trying, changing, resisting, controlling, pushing, stopping, going-- they are all things that I've had to do to experience something GREAT. The biggest pains bring the sweetest joys. The plans I've had have been train wrecks...but somehow, slowly, painfully, sweetly, things change. God peels back the old 70's wallpaper from the interior of my life. I start to see something bigger. I start to see gargantuan craters as potholes. He pulls back my crappy covering, and reveals something so intricate, so beautiful, so perfectly divine that I'd be a fool to walk away, or try and take credit for myself. Unfortunately, too often that's exactly what I do.

I walk away in fear, or take over in grandiose self-importance in the realization that He chose me. Instead of realizing that we are ALL chosen, and I am but the shovel, the pick, the nothing...turned to something in my Creator's hands.

Two people came over today. Our house looked something like this: 2 loads of laundry on the front living room couch, a sink-full of dirty dishes from making cookies, tools piled up high around the fireplace, 4 interior doors stacked in the family room, sewing projects on the kitchen table. I smiled. I'm just so done with being embarrassed about my constant state of existence! This is who I am...and life is messy ;-)

Family

Archbishop of New York Response to Pelosi

"Like many other citizens of this nation, I was shocked to learn that the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States of America would make the kind of statements that were made to Mr. Tom Brokaw of NBC-TV on Sunday, August 24, 2008. What the Speaker had to say about theologians and their positions regarding abortion was not only misinformed; it was also, and especially, utterly incredible in this day and age.

We are blessed in the 21st century with crystal-clear photographs and action films of the living realities within their pregnant mothers. No one with the slightest measure of integrity or honor could fail to know what these marvelous beings manifestly, clearly, and obviously are, as they smile and wave into the world outside the womb. In simplest terms, they are human beings with an inalienable right to live, a right that the Speaker of the House of Representatives is bound to defend at all costs for the most basic of ethical reasons. They are not parts of their mothers, and what they are depends not at all upon the opinions of theologians of any faith. Anyone who dares to defend that they may be legitimately killed because another human being “chooses” to do so or for any other equally ridiculous reason should not be providing leadership in a civilized democracy worthy of the name."

Edward Cardinal Egan

Archbishop of New York

August 26, 2008

First Sprint Distance Triathlon

Saturday morning, Heather and I drove down to Seattle for the Danskin Tri. I read in the Seattle Times that there were 3,710 finishers in the race. I had no idea that so many women were there...

We stayed in a hotel in Bellevue,WA, just across the way from Seattle. It was so nice! We were within blocks of all kinds of shopping.

So, Saturday evening, after picking up our race packets in Bellevue, and being kind of disappointed in our, "goodie bags," we headed to Seattle to drop off our bikes. When we got to Genesee Park, (I can only speak for myself) I think we both just about wet our pants! The water was so dark, and REALLY choppy. It really looked scary and gross. We saw a little turtle floating on top of some seaweed...he was cute and all--but the thought of little creatures didn't help me. We checked out our transition station, and realized that we were in the *furthest* corner possible from the water. Meaning, we would have to hustle during transition.

I went to bed Saturday night trying not to think about the water.

Sunday morning, we got to Gennesee Park, put on our wetsuits, and waited our turn to swim. I felt like I was going to throw up the whole time. Heather saw some blue caps going in and their numbers were all in her number range, so she went in with them. I saw the second wave of yellow caps going in and got in line with them, even though my numbers didn't line up, because the assignment sheet said there was only two waves of yellow...and that was the second one I had seen. Also, I knew that I was supposed to go about ten minutes after Heather. Anyway, I'm pretty sure now that it was the wrong group.

I stepped in the water, felt my wetsuit fill with water...floated a bit...and after about a minute--I knew I could do it! It was great. I wasn't fast, but I wasn't panicking at all. The whole way was lined with kayaks and "swim angels" cheering you on. It was awesome. Wetsuits are where the money is at for sure. I wasn't cold, I didn't feel the seaweed, or worry about little cute turtles touching me...and I could FLOAT! I usually sink like a rock unless I'm really working at not sinking ;-)

The bike portion was a lot more difficult that I was prepared for. It wasn't ridiculously hard; it was a little more technical. There was a hill, and the course was only about 8 to 10 feet wide (I'm guessing) on that section. Riders wouldn't shift down, and when they hit the hill--would just stop. I didn't clip out, so the whole time, I was sure I was going to wreck...the women got pretty cranky at that point. They were definitely more aggressive on the bike in Seattle, than at the Luna. The entire time I rode I heard, "On your left"..."coming on your left," or just "LEFT!" I thought it was fun...but it was frustrating when someone would go 10 miles an hour in front of you, and just hang out in the left lane, so you couldn't pass...

Oh. And, coming in from the bike, it was really cute to see daddy, after daddy, sitting on the grass with a baby or two, waiting for the wives to come it. There were a lot of male spectators ;-)

The run was pretty, and it really wasn't too difficult. There was one steep hill, and there were 6 people camped out, playing djembes and congas as you ran up. That was cool. Something I was bummed at myself for was just how lazy I was on the run. I lose all competitiveness...I kept thinking, "I just want to be done." I'm a real bum on the run. :- (

Next year, my goal would definitely be to be more competitive in the final stretch.

My time was 25 for the swim, 37:52 on the bike, and 32:22 on the run. My first transition was REALLY slow, because I couldn't find my bike. A girl two rows over had a bag just like mine...and I kept wandering to hers, thinking it was mine. It didn't take me that long to get my wetsuit off...but it took *forever* to get my shirt on. I think that transition was a little over 7 minutes. My second one was a little over 2.

One other thing that happened was, both Heather and my swim time did not get recorded properly. I'm not sure if it was because I got in the wrong wave (one of the officials said it wouldn't matter) or if the chip was defective. It took us forever to find our times at the race, because we weren't with any age group. We were just listed on the last page, with about 10 other people, whose times also seemed to be messed up. The only reason I know my swim time, was because I happened to set my stopwatch on the swim. It was the only event that I did that for...I'm really thankful now that I did.

So! That's how my first sprint distance triathlon went!

Numero Uno

I am about to post my first, "real," post here.


I can't help but see the humor in my life situation--and the title of my blog. Jason is gone 10 days for work. Our main water line is leaking en route to our home... where it is pumping ridiculous amounts of water to...somewhere.


George Bailey said, "You call this a happy family? Why do we have to have all these kids?" It's such a funny statement. It's hard to imagine one without the other. When we would watch It's a Wonderful Life, when I was younger...my parents would always laugh and laugh when Jimmy Stewart said that. I understand now.

But then. THEN. Then, I just smile. I am like the women from ye old Bible times. With all my awkward, totally un-graceful dignity. I may not have the goat's milk, a nice tent to sleep in, a husband with a long beard or cool water jugs...but I have been blessed by children.

(i.e. Sarah, Rebekah, Leah, Rachel...they were all very thankful for offspring.)

Not just, "Oh, yes we have a beautiful family," -blessed. But, in all the tangled mess of my life--God brought me to La Grande, to Jason, and to my children. He opened up my heart, attached it to some God-sized, wind-up toy...and let it go! I had no choice but to follow. Or forever would I be without my thumper.

God has blessed me because I have been able to have children. When I say, "have," I mean...enjoy, relish, toil for, sing for, BE with, dance with, hold, snuggle, challenge, influence, pray for, cheer for, fight for, cry for, uphold...etc! I don't resent them. I don't think they were happenstance.

I would have chosen Jason and them...even if I had known what would happen to my body beforehand. ;-)

I live in America, my children have never known hunger, I'm young, I'm determined, I'm lost and found many times in the same day. Jason is a husband most can only dream about. He's funny, resolute, inspiring to others--as well as to me. He's intelligent, challenging, annoying, and endearing all rolled into one. He's easy for me to follow.

Jesus has given me 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 25th, 1000th, ummmm...HE has forgiven me over and over--persued me, loved me, broken me. He knows my heart like only the true Bridegroom can.

I have a wonderful life.

George Bailey

• Little Mary: Is this the ear you can't hear on?
  [whispering in his bad ear]
  
  

Little Mary: George Bailey, I'll love you 'til the day I die.

• George: What is it you want, Mary? What do you want? You want the moon? Just say the word and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down. Hey. That's a pretty good idea. I'll give you the moon, Mary.
  

Mary: I'll take it. Then what?


George: Well, then you can swallow it, and it'll all dissolve, see... and the moonbeams would shoot out of your fingers and your toes and the ends of your hair... am I talking too much?

• Man on Porch:Why don't you kiss her instead of talking her to death?

George: You want me to kiss her, huh?

Man on Porch:Ah, youth is wasted on the wrong people.

• George: You call this a happy family? Why do we have to have all these kids?

• George: Now, will you do something for me?

Zuzu: What?

George: Will you try and get some sleep?

Zuzu: I'm not sleepy. I want to look at my flower.

George: I know-I know, but you just go to sleep, and then you can
dream about it, and it'll be a whole garden.

Zuzu: It will?

George: Uh-huh.