wild weather

It snowed here last night and today! It wasn't in the forecast, so it was weird to look out the window around midnight last night and see it dumping and already sticking. It was still around for most of the day today, and it's in the 20's tonight. What crazy weather up here the last couple months! It snows every time I come. I'm not sure what that means.

Christmas Pics

Trying to get four people to all smile at once... :) This is my sister Lindy, her husband Nate, me, and our ("little") brother Travis... I AM the big sister!! :)

After a morning of brunch, presents, and a lazy afternoon we went to visit my grandpa in the home he lives in. My grandma is on the left. I grew up about 5 minutes from them, and they still live in downtown Bellevue. Her condo is about a block from the nursing home so she's able to walk there each day. My mom goes about 4 days a week and I go a few times whenever I'm in town. Grandpa (middle-right) has M.S. but has lived a long full life! :)

Sis, me & Mom

Around 8pm we went to my cousin Dan & his wife LeeAnn's place for dessert and games. We stayed until after midnight! We always have a blast playing games and just hanging out with them. Lots of laughing. :) This is me and Dan; we grew up together and were close through high school.

Now I have a few more days to try and relax and sleep until I return to "the gates of Hell," according to one particular uncle that I see once a year (right around this time). Yesterday morning at brunch he asked "How's life down in the gates of Hell?" I suppose he meant L.A. ... ?? What is that supposed to mean?? I looked at him for a second before replying, "Umm...I kinda like it down there!" Bring me back to the pit of sin! LOL. :)

happiness and cheer...

Merry Christmas!Dad making his best pirate face, in my cousin's pirate hat

I've been trying to relax some up here. We all went to the Christmas Eve service at church last night, and opened family presents this morning. Brunch with extended family, and now it's just us again, laying around and watching movies. More fun and games tonight with the other side of the family.

I hope you are enjoying time with family and friends! It's good having our family together, for now, for a couple of days.

2007 Races

Look out, I'm coming after you to start training...

Feb 25. Brea 8k
June 3. Danskin Triathlon

If I can find another triathlon to do on my own this summer, I'm considering doing this June 3 one (the one I did last year) as part of a relay team. I figure that is the only realistic way I'm going to get my friends to join me. :) So let me know if you're ready to start training!!!

I'd still like to do a half marathon this year too...hopefully in January I can focus on getting well and running longer distances again. I'll see in a month or two how realistic the half is.

Winter Wishes

Despite the fact that I just canceled out my kickboxing class with the macaroni and cheese I have been craving all day, I am feeling a lot better! I've been sick for almost a month now, two colds and a general run-down feeling. But the semester is over, and I now have six weeks to celebrate my laziness!!!

'Tis the season for...Holiday Cards??? I went to pick up a box of CHRISTMAS CARDS last week and in the section now renamed Holiday Cards, I was hard-pressed to find one that actually said "Merry Christmas." I found an abundant supply of Happy Holidays, Season's Greetings, and Winter Wishes. Nothing wrong with that except for the fact that they have all but replaced the whole reason we send cards anyway. The only "Christmas" cards I found had Santa Claus or snowmen on them! There were plenty of "Feliz Navidad" packs...why don't they have an issue with Christmas?? Just us, I guess.

Imagine a big round conference table. Then imagine it COMPLETELY covered with all kinds of Christmas baked goods…all kinds of cookies, breads, brownies, fudge, cakes, and everything in between. Oh and a fruit basket. :) NOW imagine that your desk is ten feet away from said conference table, and all this food is in your direct line of sight all day long.

This is not good...

just a little break

I am alive! It's finals week and I'm trying to muster up motivation to get everything done. I'd rather just watch TV for 6 hours in a row right now. (I may have done that on Saturday...hmmm...I'm sick again/still, so that is my excuse.) Things are busy busy busy. I will be back soon with something more intelligent and exciting to write about! :)

One note, I have decided not to go to the Philippines in January. I feel much more settled with that decision than when I was going. I also am already looking forward to having the month of January off. I am not going to take a class, just will focus on rest and maybe personal study. I am still working on the Disciplines stuff, and I look forward to having more time for that.

'Tis the season...working on cultivating all my Christmas cheer...fa la la la la la la la la. :)

I've always had this understanding of evil and pain in the world that's sufficed for my own faith and relationship with God as reason for the bad things that happen. Sin, evil, free will, and the understanding of "already but not yet" - God's kingdom not yet fully realized here as it is in heaven.

But more and more, as I see hard, ugly things, and I see how my own explanations don't suffice for others' personal understandings or questions, I ache more for this "kingdom" to come. For the victory to be full and for complete victory over sin and death. We grow weary of struggles with sin and pain; longing for God's kingdom to come, on earth as it is in heaven.