Every Day in November

Well, after mentioning in my most recent blog that I hoped to write more frequent, random, short entries like the two I posted last week, I realized today is the first day of a new month and is thus a good time to start working on a new goal... And putting the two together I decided to make it a goal to post on my blog every day in November. No particular topic or theme, just SOMETHING every day. We'll see how it goes. Wish me luck!

Thanksgiving All Year: 101-110

Late again! But better late than never, right? At least I blogged between my weekly lists of thanks this time -- and not just out of some perceived sense of obligation!! I'm hoping to start writing more frequent, random, short entries like those I posted last week, especially since I decided upon reactivating my Facebook page that I no longer have much desire at all to post personal status updates there. It feels nice to let people know what's going on in my life, and I enjoy reading about what's going on in other people's lives, but there's something about the instant accessibility of Facebook that is almost repulsive to me after my recent month-long hiatus. I'd rather post about my life on my blog, where posting requires more thought and effort -- and where feedback also requires more thought and effort -- than to grant my thoughts instantaneous publication. But alas, I digress! Thanks is the matter at hand!

This week I am thankful...

101. That my mom is feeling much better after fighting that nasty bug last week.

102. That my dad and I have yet to come down with the bug. (Praise the Lord!)

103. For lunch and quality time with Dana at the river last Tuesday.

104. For a PTO day last Thursday that allowed me to catch up on a lot of cleaning and straightening up at home.

105. For a great coffee date with Jessie last Thursday at Jolt-N-Java and for our delicious pumpkin chai lattes.

106. That Ben and I got to enjoy a beautiful fall day excursion to Apple Hill last Friday.

107. That CHUCK has finally returned for its fifth (and final, *sniff*) season and that I got to enjoy the season premiere with Cassidy, Erin, Rebecca, Mike, and Ashley.

108. That Andy and Tommy had another first place finish on The Amazing Race this past week.

109. For renewed resolve to catch up on my Perspectives homework, which I have been weeks behind on.

110. That God is continuing to teach me valuable lessons during this season of my life, the most recent of which is that my focus needs to be on HIM, not on trying to predict the outcome of what He's doing right now -- something I would have done well to learn months ago.
 

Have a great week, folks!

It's a Little Bit Funny, This Feeling Inside...

My poor mom has been SUPER sick the last couple of days. She's been able to keep a tiny bit of food down today but is still achy and miserable. We're not really sure if it's food poisoning or if it's some sort of really nasty bug, but I'm paranoid that I'm going to come down with it, too (which is why I personally hope it's food poisoning). Ben and I are supposed to be going to Apple Hill on Friday. It's Nevada Day which means we're both off work (woo hoo!) and I would REALLY rather spend my day off enjoying the fall weather and chowing on some scrumptious apple crisp than to end up stuck at home tossing my cookies.

Here's half of our Mexico team sitting at the US/Mexico border.
This was the last picture I was in before I got slammed by the bug.
I think even here I look a little "green." It was not a fun night...

This afternoon I keep wondering if my tummy feels a little funny, and I honestly don't know if it really does feel slightly off, if I'm just a little hungry, or if paranoia is simply sabotaging my senses. But I'm having flashbacks to our Mexico trip in April, when our missions team passed around some sort of 24-hour bug and I was constantly analyzing the inner workings of my tummy and whether anything sinister was going on in there. Unfortunately I DID get hit with that bug on our way home, shortly after our vans crossed back into the US, and I missed our team dinner at Cracker Barrel that night in Phoenix -- TRAGEDY! This time I'm really hoping I'll just be able to chalk my fears up to my melancholic overly analytical tendencies and that my paranoia amounts to nothing more than that! I suppose time will tell... Stay tuned!

In the meantime, feel free to say a prayer for my poor mother! Get well soon, Mom!!

Happy Birthday Ben!

one of Ben's multiple "photobombing"
efforts in Santa Cruz in 2009 and
one of our first pictures together

Today one of my favorite people in the entire world is celebrating his birthday. I first got to know Ben a little over two years ago when he went to Santa Cruz with our church youth group. My first memories of Ben are mostly of him attempting to "photobomb" as many pictures as possible. I quickly found that he has this off-the-wall, goofy, completely unique, HILARIOUS sense of humor. I wish I could convey something of his humor by writing about it, but my attempts to describe it would fall flat in comparison to the riot that he is in person. You simply need to spend time with him in order to understand.

After coming home from Santa Cruz Ben became part of my core group of friends that lasted through the next two years, but as time passed I found a special quality in my friendship with him that set him apart. Ben has been there for me through some of my most difficult times, he has received my encouragement with more appreciation than almost anyone else I can think of, and he has made me LAUGH harder and more often than probably anyone else I've ever known.

Best of all, Ben has a heart for the Lord like few I have ever seen -- so genuine, so sincere, and so eager to be a part of what God is doing in the world. Cassidy once referred to him as "the Billy Graham of his school" because he had such an evangelistic heart and influence. His best friend Alex came to Christ about a year and a half ago as a result of Ben's friendship, and Alex has grown by leaps and bounds in his faith to the point that he and Ben remind me of David and Jonathan in the Bible. It has been a JOY to witness Alex's faith journey and the part Ben has played in that. Ben has been an ENORMOUS inspiration to me and to many others who know him.

Our friendship, like any, has seen its rough patches, but Ben remains one of my favorite people I've ever met in my entire life and there just aren't words to describe how grateful I am that God has given me the privilege of having him in my life. I am SO THANKFUL God created this dear friend of mine!!!

hiking at Donner Pass this past July

Thanksgiving All Year: 91-100

I am officially a pathetic blogger. No posts since my last weekly list of thankfulness, which was late, as is this next list! Good grief! I had 3 separate house sitting jobs within a two-and-a-half week time span, plus the overnight trip to San Francisco, and only spent 3 nights at home in between, so with all the back-and-forth things have been a little discombobulated!! I am officially back home now, as of last night, so hopefully I can get back on top of things!

This week I am thankful...

91. To be back at home, eating dinner and watching TV with my parents, and sleeping in my own bed at night!

92. For the snowboarders on this season of The Amazing Race and for the way their faith in Christ was highlighted in this past week's episode!! SO COOL!!

Andy and Tommy have been my favorite team from the start of this season simply because
they are so laid back and easy going... I was STOKED to find out they're Christians --
and that Andy's hometown is Truckee, California, just up the hill from Reno!

93. That God delayed me in completing a photo book on Shutterfly last week so that I not only got free shipping (which was supposedly to have ended the previous night but was apparently extended) but also 20% off on the book!

94. For extra money made by house sitting.

95. For being caught up on tracking my finances once again.

96. For a SUPER fun sleepover Saturday night.

me, Rebecca, Cloe', and Kelly in back;
Emily, Jess, little Sadie, and Mickayla in front

97. For my friend Rebecca who provided some delicious sourdough bread for the sleepover dinner, a ton of help preparing the dinner, and lots of encouraging conversation while we cooked!

98. For a scary/hilarious late-night visit from Ben, Alex, and TJ during the sleepover.

the girls reenacting their fright when the guys
showed up in the back yard without warning lol

99. That God is continuing to work in my heart in life, bringing growth to areas that have been lacking.

100. For the story of Onesimus and for Philemon 1:15.

Here's hoping for better blogging from me in the week ahead! Have a great day, friends!