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Friday, 13 November 2009

Thursday, 12 November 2009

  • New Do!

    Yesterday I enjoyed Veteran's Day off by going out to lunch with my hubby and getting a new hair do! I went dark this time with 2 shades of red highlights and the rest dyed a very dark brown. Not much length was cut off, just some layers added, but I feel exotic with a new darker color!

Monday, 09 November 2009

  • H1N1 may be overhyped by the media, but it was the most sick I've ever been.  Last Saturday morning I felt great, I cleaned the house, Shredded (level 3!) and we went to Traverse City for shopping and lunch. I was in
    the middle of church Saturday night when I got freezing cold, I turned to Brent and asked if he was cold thinking that some how the AC must have been on. He was not. And as I got colder (visibly shaking), I got incredibly sore and achy. My hips and legs hurt much worse than after running the half-marathon. The tops of my feet hurt and so did my arms, back and neck. Even my gums and scalp hurt.


    Saturday night I was in bed by 8:30 under a mountain of blankets unable to get warm. Even a hot shower didn't help, it hurt to be touched by the water and even though my skin got red from the heat, my core was still freezing. Until I got out, then I was sweating and panting I was so hot. Besides the extreme chills and aches and pains, I had a wicked cough and major congestion.  I'm still battling the cough, congestion and fatigue. I haven't been able to sleep through the night from all the coughing and I've lately developed nausea and light headedness. I worked one day last week (Friday) and then slept 12 hours Friday night and took a 3 hour nap on Saturday. A half hour walk yesterday was all it took before I was back on the couch resting most of the afternoon.

    I'm thankful this week is broken up my the Veteran's Day holiday. I can work 2 days and get a little break and then work 2 more days. To say that I haven't been running or working out should be obviously. I think it will be a while before I come back from this illness. At least I'm giving the tear in my knee cartilage plenty of rest!

Wednesday, 04 November 2009

  • Wondering why its been so quiet? Well, I've got the wonderful H1N1 Flu and have been way under the weather. I'm feeling much better today but still have some major congestion/mucus issues that aren't pretty to hear or to look at. And I've burned through 4 PTO days just like that. Boooo!!

Thursday, 29 October 2009

  • Currently
    The Message Remix: The Bible In contemporary Language
    By Eugene H. Peterson
    see related

    Simple Pleasures

    I've been working on contentment and for me that means recognizing the simple pleasures in my life. So here is a brief list of things that crossed my mind this morning:
    - Coffee with skim milk
    - Bananas with my cereal
    - Fuzzy socks/slippers
    - Making Brent laugh
    - New mascara

    Another simple pleasure added to the list is windows that seal! While I was at HeartQuest Brent had 3 new windows put in the house!! These windows were in desperate need of replacing. Once I had sprayed Windex on the window above the kitchen sink and it actually ran down the window and onto the outside of the lower pane, no seal at all! The other 2 windows didn't latch. So when I was at the Superchick/Barlow Girl concert, Brent had our friend, Benny, come measure them. Benny's dad custom made them (they are very oddly shaped) and then Benny installed them when I was gone. I was so surprised at that thoughtful gift and can report our house already feels more snug!

Monday, 26 October 2009

  • HeartQuest

    Last week was incredible. The weather wasn't the greatest, but the food, fellowship and new found freedom more than made up for the lack of sun. I can't even begin to describe the amazing transformation I went through and the freedom and love I am now experiencing. Brent likes to say that the first rule about HeartQuest is that you don't talk about it, and he is right. HeartQuest isn't secret but instead is sacred.If I had known much more about it than the bare basics, I would have been sorely disappointed. I didn't take any pictures, but I'll get some from some people and post a few.


    I was really hesitant to go with 25 women whom I see regularly. I was worried about being judged, but instead I've been blessed with 34 (9 ladies were from downstate) new sisters who experienced the same thing I did.  We were also blessed with the all-star ministry and hospitality staff. Most of our teachings were done face-to-face (not via DVD) and the truths they shared have totally changed my life. I was moaning when Paige Henderson said she'd be spending the next 3 hours teaching on just 25 verses of the Bible, but those 3 hours flew by and left me hungry for more of her life changing teachings. The hospitality staff also rocked, our food was incredible!


    Today I'm still tired. Staying up until 1:30 am laughing and then being ready at 6:45 for our room mamma's to come get us for breakfast has left me sleep deprived.  Spending 11 hours outside in the cool rain has left me with a sore throat. But getting a fresh lease on the life that I was called to live was worth every second of discomfort and every tear I cried.


    I think the best way for me to sum my experience is with a Rhema Strike:
    Ezekiel 36:26 & 25 ~ I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.


    FREEDOM!!
    ~ Lady Katie


    For more info on HeartQuest (women) and/or Quest (men) visit www.fellowshipofthesword.com Care to see Paige Henderson for yourself but don't want to commit to a HeartQuest? She'll be speaking at my church on December 14 for our Night Out For Ladies Christmas party.

Thursday, 15 October 2009

  • Currently
    Daylight is Coming
    By Remedy Drive
    see related

    See ya for now!

    This might be my last post for a week or two. I leave Monday for 5 ½ days of leadership training through my church. I haven't started packing yet, but was excited to learn from those who have gone before the very casual dress code (per the instructions) can equal yoga/sweatpants and t-shirts. Pretty much whatever each attendee feels most comfortable in she can wear. It is just a group of 36 ladies and the female ministry team tucked away in a beautiful lodge on a lake.  We also have a formal night, which is exciting. I have a red strapless dress (the same one I wore to Sr. prom and as a bridesmaid in a wedding) which still fits (it didn't fit so well in April!) that I plan on jazzing up with a nice ribbon sash.

    Work has been busy; the week I get back is the week of meetings (6 meetings in 5 days!) that I'm responsible for. My boss chairs and I prepare the agendas, packets, minutes, etc. So I've been soliciting documents and reports a week early so that everything can be sent out tomorrow

    Today will be good though. I've brought some favorite CDs to work and am jamming along to Remedy Drive as I draft an agenda and pull reports together for a meeting.  Tonight I'll be baking Boss's Day treats. Tomorrow night Brent and I are going on a much needed date. Brent received his largest paycheck to date (yay for writing lots of hours!) yesterday and I'll get my biggest paycheck of the year tomorrow (cashing out 22 PTO days), so we are celebrating with a nice dinner in TC and a viewing of "Capitalism: A Love Story". Saturday I'm cleaning house and baking a cake for the 30th anniversary celebration we're having for my parents at night. My Grandparents from Florida are doing their fall tour and taking the family out to dinner to celebrate. Sunday is Community Group. And somewhere in there? Gotta pack!!

Wednesday, 14 October 2009

  • Last night I headed out for a run. I wanted to run 4.6 miles (a nice 2.3 mile loop twice). How did I do? I ran the loop once (2.3miles) in 20:48 and called it quits. Not due to my knee (yay!) but due to the fact that not running for 3 weeks has taken a serious toll on my fitness. Yikes!! I was really feeling it the last bit and wanted to walk, a habit I got into because of my knee. But my knee wasn't hurting, so I wasn't walking and pushed through. I also slightly overdressed for the run and it was windy, all contributing factors to my decreased stamina but the truth is I've got to get back into shape! I like runing long!


    First run without knee pain in 8 weeks? Awesome! First real run post half-marathon? Awesome!

    And the best part, dinner was ready when I got out of the shower! I made a favorite fall meal * sausage stuffed acorn squash with a side of cauliflower + cranberries (Brent had sausage, corn and potatoes). I loaded up the oven before I headed out and all I had to do post shower was cook Brent's corn as he set the table.

Tuesday, 13 October 2009

  • Currently
    Daylight is Coming
    By Remedy Drive
    see related

    Weekend Review - a day late!

    This weekend was a whirlwind of activity. Thursday was the awesome Superchick + Barlow Girl concert, where I decided that I want to be a rock star. All I need is a dose of talent and a new haircut and I'm set!


    Friday was our Costume Party. Brent did a fantastic job cleaning the house and getting things ready while I was gone Thursday night. We had a good turnout and a lot of fun. Fact * Cats do not like it when a chainsaw is started in the living room.

    Saturday I ran some errands and we went to a wedding back in Brent's hometown. And that was when I felt like a rock star or some other celeb was I was hounded by a paparazzi wedding photography. One of the photographers is a good friend with Brent's crazy ex. And wedding photographer was on some sort of mission to take photos of us/me and do who knows what with them. Before the ceremony started, she asked to take our picture and Brent told her to please not take any pictures of us. She replied "If I don't take any pictures, I can't post them on facebook." Uh*good, no need for crazy ex to see pictures of us on facebook. Then at the reception, she was hovering around our table and kept trying to snap pics but we'd put our hands up or wipe our face with a napkin. Even from across the room she would spin and point the camera at us, when she should have been taking pictures of more important things like the cake cutting. When Brent got up to use the bathroom, I let my guard down and not one but two pictures were taken of me (confirmed by friends sitting by us). She then proceeded to take a number of pictures of Brent and I when he returned regardless of the fact we were trying our best to block our faces and keep our backs turned. Brent was fuming by this point, and went to speak with her and her co-photographer (boss?). It pretty much ruined the reception for us as we left early and didn't want her to sneak some pictures of us when we were dancing. Does anybody else find this weird? The guests we were sitting with couldn't believe her behavior!


    Sunday was a good day where I got some kitchen work done (cooked and deboned 12 chicken breasts, made lunch, roasted beets, cooked squash) and relaxed. I also managed to run/walk for 30 minutes. I intended to just walk but couldn't resist running, so I'd run a couple blocks, than walk a couple blocks. I didn't have any knee pain, just mild stiffness towards the end. Once home, I stretched with 20 minutes of yoga and my knee feels great today!


    That's my weekend in a nutshell, complete with a nutty stalker! This week, I'm getting ready as I'll be leaving Monday for 6 days. I'm catching up on laundry, packing, prepping meals for Brent and taking care of any other loose ends.

Thursday, 08 October 2009

  • Currently
    Remixed
    By KJ-52
    see related

    Tonight I'm spending the night at Ferris, in my old dorm, on my old couch. Hannah and I are going to the Superchick + Barlow Girl concert in GR tonight and I'll crash in her room after the show, then go to work
    from there in the morning. Saves me a lot of driving and I'll get more sleep. Yay!


    This morning getting ready, reminded me of when Brent and I were dating. He was at Ferris (living in apartment though) and I'd often spend the night and go to work from there. As I threw clothes into my well worn purple bag, it was eerily similar to those mornings 2 years ago when I was contemplating what to wear to work the next day and tossing the stuff into my purple bag.


    Hannah is also treating me to The Rock. Many FSU alum, know The Rock as the dining hall to avoid and the hall you were forced to eat at on the weekends. My dining experiences there were always out of necessity and
    always resulted in feeling wretched for an hour or two after the meal. Hannah ate there a couple times when she visited me and now claims it is totally revamped and really, really good. So we'll see. It might be a painful drive to GR after that meal.