MIA

How is it that some weeks I end up posting every single day and then the very next week flies by before I even know what happened?


Yeah, me neither

Right Around the Corner

My half marathon is coming up quick!

My runs are getting longer and this time around, this race isnt going to be the light at the end of the tunnel.  I plan to run the Myrtle Beach Marathon in February if I can find a crew to accompany me for the weekend. 

Any takers? :)

Inspire Me Monday

 

:)

The family I nanny for is moving to Kansas City in January to become missionaries.




They told me last Friday.

Ive been a wreck the past week.

They are my family.

I have never missed a birthday... a holiday... a family photo or vacation...




What am I supposed to do without them?

Inspire Me Monday

Everyone said it couldn't be done....

Fit two car seats and a booster side by side in the back seat, that is....

but I did.

Thank you very much.

Applause is appreciated :)


And yes, I now officially look like a mom.

Take 3: Alabama

What do you get when you take 25 women and give them all shovels, rakes, and the love of Christ?

    

 

 .

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

You get an entire house demo-ed and cleaned up in the space of 4 hours.



Nothing is impossible with God.

Alabama Continued...

The family we helped most of the weekend lost everything in the tornado.  Their house was literally picked up and dropped in the middle of the road.  Doug and Barbara lost 10 acres of crops, their home, their livestock, and so much more.  Luckily they didn't lose one another. Twelve years ago, something had told Doug to purchase a storm shelter despite his wife's complaint that it was expensive and unneeded. That storm shelter saved not only Doug's life...  But his two daughters and grand-babies as well.  (His wife was at work at the local hospital)  The tornado was so powerful that it literally ripped 2 of the 3 hinges off the steel door of the shelter.  Doug painted us a vivid picture through his tears of how he stood behind that door, holding it with all his might praying that the Lord would spare his family. 

He made a deal with God that day.

He asked that God would spare his family and in return, he would humble himself and serve God from that day forward.

God answered Doug's prayer.

And Doug is holding up his end of the bargain.

We helped clear Doug's land and replant grass seed so that he will be able to plant some type of crop this year.  Let me tell you, Doug was always smiling.  It warmed my heart so much to see him carrying that seed distributor around laying seed before we shook out hay to cover and protect them.

Doug is so so precious.  His heart is HUGE.  And His love for the Lord is even bigger.  I love that when I look at him, that is the first thing I see.




Prayers are needed for him, though, my friends..... While he was holding the steel down onto the shelter, the Tornado was continually sucking all the air out of his lungs and then forcing it back in.  In addition to the air, it was also forcing particles of debris along with it.  Five months later, and Doug is having to prepare to undergo chemotherapy because of a fungus that is now growing in his lungs.

This man has gone through one of the scariest things I could ever imagine.... and now he is getting hit with this, too?! :(

I am praying hard for a quick and successful recovery.

I am so blessed to call this man my friend.

....More to come.

Sweet Home Alabama

Over last weekend, I was blessed with the chance to travel to Tuscaloosa to take park in some disaster relief with a group of singles from my church.  It is an experience that I will never forget and it lights a fire in my heart to do future disaster relief here in the States.

--------------------------------------------------

On April 27, 2011 at about 5:00pm, a Tornado measuring about a mile wide tore through Tuscaloosa, Alabama with wind speed reaching 264mph.  Most tornadoes only stay on the ground for a short while before they dissipate.  However, this storm is thought to have set a record by covering 300 miles before clearing.  The storm came out of no where.  The weather seemed perfect and many people were unaware that trouble was even brewing.  In about 3 minutes, Tuscaloosa's world was changed forever.

 (images courtesy of google)

To be continued....

Time Flies

So, totally didn't realize just how many things Ive neglected to blog about in the past month so here's a bullet style

• I turned 24 on September 17th.  It turned out great because we were throwing my coworker a going away party the same night so we just combined the two and went out as a huge group (my work friends and my other friends).  The best part?  My job paid for everything at the bar we started out the night at! So awesome when its your birthday and you have your company paying for your drinks :) I didn't want to do anything crazy because I'm not a huge drinker or party-er but I just wanted to everyone to get together.  Overall it was a great time.  Funny thing happened tho, N (my ex), got completely wasted and spontaneously proposed to me in the middle of a bar.  Obviously I just walked away because I was annoyed that he would do that.  Apparently I humiliated him, though, and hes not very happy with me. Whatever- you cant make everyone happy. :)
• I have about 5 weeks until my half marathon and am so grateful to still be running!  After my Alabama trip, I went for a run and woke up the next morning and couldn't put weight on my right foot.  I rested it a few days and went in and had xrays done.  First of all, my feet are jacked. The orthopedist asked if I had injured my foot in the past because there are a few old small cracks that look like they could have been fractures at one point.  This is a surprise to me considering that I have never injured my foot.  We eventually determined that I probably strained my Pero.neus Lo.ngus Tendon/Muscle and I shouldn't have significant problems with it after it heels.  What is probably happening is that one of my "fracture" sites that has calcified is rubbing the tendon and irritating it.  Anyways, I went for a run Friday morning and didn't have any problems.  Weird
• My trip to Alabama was AMAZING.  I am going to post pictures for you to see and tell about the families we worked with and the work we did.  Sorry- I know I promised this earlier this week but with my foot injury, things have been a little whack.

That is all for now, I have a really long To Do list to tackle before work!  Happy Saturday!