Teenagers

This is what I came home to on Friday. Daynah (on the right) and her friend Jordan were laying on the kitchen floor. Why, you ask. I have no idea. They wouldn't tell me. They just giggled a lot. Then when I got the camera, they got all shy and hid their faces, as if that would stop me from doing anything with the pictures : ).

My Non-Post Post

So, I'm failing my readership. I haven't blogged since Saturday. I am a horrible person. Here are my excuses (in no particular order). First, it would help if I got home before 10:00. Second, it would help if I could get on the computer before 11:00. Third, apparently I'm going to be out of the country a week from today (actually I will be 13 1/2 hours into my first flight with only one more hour to go!!!). Fourth, I turned on my computer last night at 11:45 to post something only to discover that our Internet wasn't working. Fifth, the cats were out of food. Haha, just checking to see if you're still paying attention or if you're just skimming to see if this gets any more interesting. It doesn't. And I think it's all I have to say.

I feel like I missed something...

Like a week of my life. So, I worked a total of 10 hours this week and saw 2 clients. This is the worst case of the flu I've gotten in a long time and I'd love to say I'm over it, but I'm still really weak. I worked a full day on Thursday, but then ended up only working one hour on Friday because I think I overdid it on Thursday. On Friday I was at work sitting at my desk, feeling like I existed in a tunnel and that if I didn't lay down, I was going to pass out. I quickly decided that it was in my best interest to not drive or put kids in my car! I am beginning to think that I will never get over this sickness, but I know that I will. Enough about me being sick...

In the midst of the foggy week, apparently Valentine's Day happened : )





Kevin brought me flowers to work on Thursday. He is so sweet. He knows that Valentine's Day isn't a big deal to me, but he still made it special, even amidst me being sick. The funny thing is, I didn't even see him that day, I just kept finding proof that he had been around! When I got home from work, I also had a present on my bed. Everyone gave me a hard time because I didn't cancel Bible study on Thursday, but it turned out to be a good thing because both of us were probably too sick to do anything!

More cutest nephew pictures...

My sister-in-law is a huge New York Giants fan, so John got dressed up for his first Super Bowl party!
I know it's a little early for a cell phone, but how else will I get to stay in touch with John when he is so far away?!
I received a bunch of pictures of him smiling today. He is so adorable!

I am beginning to feel as if I will never shake this cold/flu. I have been doing nothing but laying around and sleeping for 3 days now, and it doesn't feel like I am getting any better : (. I've been taking lots of medicine and trying to drink lots of liquids (never an easy thing for me when I am sick). I know there is an end in sight, I'm just not sure when it will actually be. Amy said she just yesterday started feeling normal and she had the worst of it Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of last week. And everyone is still hacking from the cough. So, now my goal is just to get better before the Thailand trip, which is in 16 days!

Like Death Warmed Over

I'll admit it. I'm sick. And at this point in time I need sympathy. My brother started this disastrous course in our home when he got sick last weekend. Then Amy and Daynah got sick. I was just beginning to think I had missed it, when it hit like a two-ton bag of bricks on Saturday evening/Sunday morning. I've been running a fever for two days, coughing up fun stuff, and feeling really gross. I call it the funk. It is nasty. I want it to go away. Sigh. Okay, I'm done being a baby, at least out loud. I will wallow in my own self-pity in the privacy of my room and await a time when I wake up and feel human again. I hope all is well with everyone else out there in the real world!

Out of Context, but Still Funny

In seminary, my friends and I decided we were going to have t-shirts made with Psalm 56:1 written on them (we never did, of course, but we talked about it a lot and talking about it always amused us. It was like every time we talked about it, we were wearing the t-shirt!) Now, before you read the verse, understand that we fully knew we were taking the verse completely out of context. The psalm is really written by David when he had been captured by the Philistines. But picture four single girls sitting around reading this verse and you might just laugh along with us. Anyway, here it is: "Be merciful to me, O God, for men hotly pursue me; all day long they press their attack."

Why am I posting about this today, you ask...For one, it was a fond memory. Secondly, I was reading in the NASB and came across this verse and started laughing so hard, I think a tear came out of my eye. This translation puts a whole new spin on the verse: "Be gracious to me, O God, for man has trampled upon me; fighting all day long he oppresses me." Ha, how about that for a t-shirt! : ) Here it is in The Message: "Take my side, God--I'm getting kicked around, stomped on every day. Not a day goes by but somebody beats me up."

Twenty-one

The age I was 7 years ago.
The number it takes to win a hand of Blackjack.
7 x 3
3 x 7
The number of days until I leave for Thailand (technically, I will have been on the airplane for 10 1/2 hours of my 14 hour flight to Korea! Then there is a 4 hour layover and another 6 hour flight into Chiang Mai. I am SO excited [insert sarcasm here]). I really am excited about the trip, just not so sure about the flight time. But it's all part of the experience!

A "Friendly" Game of Ticket to Ride

So, I was playing Ticket to Ride with some friends the other night. Kevin was green and Kari was black. (The red and blue trains are irrelevant to the story, although the people who played with the colors are very important to me! I also don't think they read my blog, so they will never know they weren't mentioned and that the way I first worded that sentence implied that they were irrelevant, which, of course, they are not.). Back to the main purpose of the story...Notice the two green trains in the middle of the black trains. Kevin played these to complete a ticket, but also managed to block Kari in the process. Now notice the four black trains between the green trains. Kari played these trains simply to retaliate! Needless to say, it was a very interesting game of Ticket to Ride! I love hanging out with my friends!

Weekend Retreat

Here is a picture of me standing on a frozen pond. I'm not sure, but I think this might be a first.
Here is a picture of me with a friend. Notice the streak of gray in my hair. I'm not sure where it came from and don't feel like it is normally there, but it shocked me when I saw it on my camera. You'd think I was getting old or something.

Anyway...on to the retreat...It was wonderful and much needed. We went somewhere in Iowa to a Christian camp Friday night through Sunday morning. It was hotel style lodging which was nice since last year we slept in one big room with lots of bunks. Pastor Daniel gave up time with his newly united family to come and speak! He spoke on materialism and finances. It was a very enlightening topic, very challenging, and very applicable. We had free time on Saturday afternoon where people played broomball on the pond, climbed a rock climbing wall, and played volleyball. I spectated all of these things but did not participate in any of them except to take pictures! I think I got a total of about 9 hours of sleep. I didn't really expect to get sleep because I never do on a retreat, but it helped me realize that I'm not getting any younger! Okay, that doesn't do a very good job of summarizing my weekend, but I think it's the best I can do. Anyone else who went on the retreat can add comments as you wish.

Time Flies

My mom pointed out to me today that I hadn't blogged in awhile. Frankly, I didn't believe her. I feel like I blogged several times last week. But, as usual, she was right. I got online this evening only to discover that it has been almost a week. So, here are my excuses: Tuesday I worked late and then had to get some stuff done around the house. Wednesday I worked until 5:30 and then went straight to church for AWANAS and then went straight to the airport to see Daniel and Whitney arrive home with Ellie!!! Thursday I had Bible study and then spent some much anticipated time with Kevin. Friday I left for the weekend to go to Iowa on a retreat with my Sunday school class. And actuallly right now I should be sleeping because its late and I got approximately 9 hours of sleep this weekend. So, off to bed I go. I will try to post tomorrow about what an awesome weekend I had on the retreat!