Triathlon Training

So, I'm throwing this out there into blogdom in hopes that it will provide a little accountability for me.

I am doing the Reeds Lake Triathlon on September 12, 2009.

Yikes!

I really want to become more physically active and be a healthier person, and I need a goal like this as motivation.

Anyone else want to join me?

If I had more time...

If I had more time, I would learn to play more than 10 chords on my guitar. I would love to lead worship with the youth group. I would seek more opportunities to use my voice.

If I had more time, I would make my own cleaning solutions that are 'green'. I would sew. I would've made my own baby food and used cloth diapers.

If I had more time, I would be in God's word more. I would memorize more. I would read more.

If I had more time, I would exercise more than I do. I would go on more walks. I would do yoga. I would train for this triathlon coming up in September.

If I had more time, I would go on dates with my husband. I would be more creative in showing him how much I adore and respect him. I would make him lunches.

If I had more time, I would help my friends more. I constantly feel like I'm letting people down because I don't have much free time. I would sit and listen. I would pray, and I would just be present.

If I had more time, I would have a much cleaner home. Actually, that's probably not true. I just hate cleaning, regardless of how much time I have or don't have.

Do you ever feel like there's not enough time? Not only in a day, or week, but in life? I wonder how many things on my 'bucket list' I'll actually cross off in my lifetime. I wonder how much time I've wasted by watching TV or taking facebook quizzes. I wonder how much more I would accomplish if I used my time wisely. I think a lot of the things I've mentioned are not that far out of reach. How much time does it take to think of a creative way to tell Marc I love him? What if I spent just 10 minutes each day picking up the guitar and practicing, or spent 5 minutes each day memorizing Scripture. It's just a matter of being disciplined with myself and remaining determined.

I am truly hoping with the change of pace brought on by summer, that I can have the resolve to accomplish some of these hopes.

The times, they are a-changin'

In less than two weeks from now, we will have gone from 7 to 5 in this house.

In less than 4 weeks we'll be down to 4.

We may or may not get down to 3 in this big ole' house this summer.

If so, play-dates will be a-plenty, BBQ's and game nights will abound and every facebook quiz out there will probably be taken. :)

I have mixed feelings about all this change. It sounds refreshing and quiet on the one hand. It could be great for Marc and I to reconnect a bit - especially if his schedule goes back to 11am-9:30pm. I won't have to cook as much, do as many dishes, pick up as much, etc.

On the other hand, it will seem quiet and empty. I think Isaac will miss the boys & Auntie Jen a ton. There are always people besides me to entertain him, so he doesn't often get sick of me. That may change this summer - thus the playdates.

I welcome this change and the changing pace of summer at church. I enjoy sleeping in on Sundays and walking to church with my family. I love having actual lazy Sunday afternoons when I don't have to go set things up or get ready for youth group. I like being able to skip going to church in the evening if I want to...shhhhh, don't tell!

My sisters

I often use my blog as a place to vent my frustrations, failures and struggles. Tonight, I want to

use it to show my love and admiration for my beautiful and talented sisters.

Emilie: My sister is my best friend. She is way smarter and creative than she gives herself credit for. She is an incredibly hard worker and will do anything for her family. I have always looked up to her, and not because she's taller than me. She is whom I've learned the most about parenting from (well, and my parents too, I suppose). She is a loving and compassionate mother to Noah & Levi. My sister is beautiful. She is very organized and gifted with administration. She's got a decorating sense that could compete with those on HGTV. She can clean a house better than Merry Maids, and she doesn't leave any nook or crany untouched. She has integrity and strives to live out her faith. She's a huge support to me. Philippians 2:3 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."

Leah: My sister -in-law Leah is incredibly ambitious. She is a hard worker and gives all she's involved in 100%: teaching, parenting, faith, love, auntie-ing. She has a steadfast faith in God. This verse reminds me of Leah. Romand 12:12 "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality." Leah is very generous. She is wise. She is a caring mother and aunt. She is a faithful prayer warrior. I admire Leah's ability to be positive and remain hopeful.

Kerri: My housemate. I would be so bored without her. Kerri exhibits this verse from Romans 12: 14 "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.[c] Do not be conceited." If I ever need to feel like someone is relating to my feelings, I just have to tell Kerri how I'm feeling & she can empathize. She will cry when I cry and rejoice when I am filled with joy. She is a great listener. I admire her desire to follow God's plan for her life & her patience in waiting to figure out what that is. She is a a amazing Auntie. She demonstrates humility and patience. She exhibits wisdom and asks great questions. She's a seeker of knowledge and of God.

Jen: Watching Jen's life over the past 3 weeks has built my faith by seeing multiple answers to prayer. Jen is strong. She is smart. She has perserverence. She is pressing on and I am SO proud of her. I admire her ability to make the right decisions even when the circumstances are really tough. I admire Jen's determination. She loves her neice and nephew so much and it shows. Philippians 3:12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

I am incredibly blessed to have these relationships with my sisters. I admire them all deeply.

Proud new owners

We now have a 99 Nissan Altima as our second vehicle. This obviously means that Marc does NOT have to take this May class, but does have to substitute something for it in the fall. That may make fall a little busier than we had hoped, but it helps tremendously for now.

Thanks for your prayers! We are blessed!

Monday at 2:30pm

Please pray for our car/class/money situation.

Marc has a meeting with the provost to plead his case for not taking this May term class.

The benefit of this would be:

a. Not having to pay $2200 odd dollars for class & being able to buy a vehicle instead. Yes, it's either class or a 2nd vehicle.

b. Marc not having to go insane for a month with class from 8a-12p and work from 3p-2a.

c. Me not going insane for a month with Marc's crazy schedule.

d. The rest of my household not going insane because I'm going insane.

Anyhow, prayers are much appreciated!

learning to trust...again.

I'm not sure why I have to repeatedly learn the lesson of trusting God, but apparently it's time once again.

Our van is dead.

We have finally built up a bit of an emergency fund and now *swoosh*, it'll all be taken by having to buy a new car. Actually, our little ER fund will not be enough to buy a new car, so I'm not sure what we'll do.

I really have been trying to trust God on this one, but it's frustrating when I'm starting to have to use my toes to count how many times this has happened throughout our almost 4 years of marriage. I'm honestly not too worried or stressed about it, merely curious to see how the Lord will use it this time.

I can tell you one thing - I feel very blessed that at least we have a bit of an ER fund to use towards a new vehicle. Now we just have to pray that no other emergencies happen until we're able to build it up again.

starting to get to me

My son looks like a monk. Or perhaps like one of the Beatles from this album cover.
http://www.boskowan.com/www/jirka/beatles/covers/with.jpg
I went to the lake this weekend to spend time with the graduating seniors of the youth group and left Marc home with Isaac. It went just fine until Marc got the idea to cut Isaac's hair. It was a good thought. Let's just say I'm hoping to get it fixed today. Pictures to come.

Anyhow, it felt truly relaxing to get away for a night. Unfortunetly, I came home and feel like I need more of that.

My mom used to always clean the house frantically before leaving on vacation or on a weekend to chicago. I never understood that until recently. I despise coming home to a messy house. Nothing jerks me back into the reality of the daily grind like a kitchen covered with dirty and clean dishes, bottles and yogurt containers sitting on the counter instead of in the recycling bins, mail scattered about, shoes taking over the entry way, and random toys littered about the entire room. And that's only the kitchen!

The reality of living with now 7 people in this house is getting to me. I need a break (I have a feeling that this summer when Tim & Jung have left and Jen has gotten a place that I'll be writing a post about how empty my house feels & how I long for more people around!) Not only am I working full time and being mom to Isaac, I am trying to maintain a very large house with 4 other adults living in it! That's a lot of extra food to buy at the store, a lot of extra dishes in the sink, and a lot of other peoples random stuff around the house.

I love every single person in this house, and they all bring a ton of life, joy, diversity and love into this house. It is truly worth it all, it's just in the chaos of May I am longing for a slower pace with less on my plate. Or more hands. Or more help. It's days like today where I wish I was a full time mom and not working outside the house. Then I wouldn't have to take a vacation day just to clean my house.

We're gonna party like it's 1999...

Monday, May 18.

6:00pm-9:00pm

Gradutation & Goodbye Party for Tim Kim & Jung Hoon Kim.

Reserve the date.