God is Wierd

I'm not sure why I'm sharing this story with you but... here I go:

As I set out on my walk down Pac Highway to catch my bus late on Tuesday afternoon, I looked at my phone and realized I was a little behind schedule so I picked up the pace and realized that with a large duffel bag on my back this was a little more difficult than I realized.  So I started jogging and after a few minutes I was running down 240th like some kind of track star (at least I was in my mind...) oh, and don't forget the duffel bag.

And Lo! The bus pulls up, I'm still running and now sweating and watch the bus - in slow motion  - pull away.   After a few seconds of expletives and wiping off my sweaty brow, this african lady pulls out of the parking lot in this big clunker and offers me a ride.  I'm not really sure why I said yes because usually I'm pretty cautious about this kind of thing but alas - I got in the car. 

As she was driving me home, I found out that her name is Mary, she is from Kenya, she goes to an African church and she has good friends from the Congo and Rwanda!  Of course I told her briefly about my adventures to Africa and my greeting cards and she invited me to her church.  How wonderful and wierd is that?

Oh but the story gets better...

As I drop my stuff of at home getting ready to run to my massage I realize that I forgot my phone in her car!  Seriously???  For the love of God and all that is holy!

Thanks  be to this wierd God of ours, we exchanged phone numbers before we left!  I ran to the massage, used their phone to call her and arranged for a pick up.  Apparently she had called several of my family members to drop off the phone - ahhh, I can already here the lectures already. (thanks Casey)

Thanks to my wonderful neighbors who drove me to her house all the way in FW, I retrieved the phone. And both of us wholeheartedly agreed that God has his ways and for some reason we were destined to meet, if for no other reason, to remind us that his timing is perfect, His children know each other as siblings before and even if we have never met. ultimately, even if He is wierd, He's still God and He is so good!

BTW - the massage was totally worth it!

Karma

Here are some of my favorite pics at Karma Vineyard from Kate and Kris' wedding weekend:

A special bouquet for a special bride

The Unity Candle

A very cool door

Please indulge me while I show more flowers - i love flowers!

Kate + Kris

So after some major technical difficulties with my pictures,   I wanted to share some of my cousin Kate's wedding. It was at Karma Vineyard in Chelan.  The weather was perfect and it was a perfect setting for Kate and Kris.  So here are a few of the highlights:

Our secret escape for a last minute drink the night before...

(you didn't really think we were just going to "Safeway" did you Che-reee?)

Two Blondes + Sh*tty wedding cake = A great joke at the expense of all in attendance!

The First Dance!  (this is my favorite...)

Shout out to my little cousin Drewby - you caught it!  Only a few days left before you'll be throwing your own!

(Sorry... you'll always be my little cousin)

Stay tuned for some more...

Team Tony

Today I finished my 2nd half marathon!  Being that this marathon was to benefit the LIVEstrong campaign, my inspiration not only for signing up, but for training and finishing, was my cousin Tony.  He has truly been an inspiration to all of us through the last year and PRAISE GOD that his PET scan came out totally clear last week - no cancer!

Running a half marathon is a big deal for me. I was never even close to being an athlete when I was younger and have always been self defeating about athletics in general.  Running is as much a mental and spiritual endeavor as it is a physical one for me.

So indulge me for a little while I share some of this experience with you.

Start line - excited, nervous... The first song I hear in my marathon mix - "indescribable, uncontainable, Awestruck we fall to our knees and we say, You are amazing God..."  How appropriate considering the miracle we had just witnessed with Tony's remission!

Mile 5 - Cruisin' at a good speed, listening/singing to the "Eye of the Tiger" loudly...

Mile 7 - Getting cheered by cousins Tessie and Breana!  What a special treat!

Mile 8/9 - What the F have I gotten myself into?  I'm gonna puke... well at least i've gotten through the big hills

Mile 10 - Running through the forest and along the water into Port Angeles, Gorgeous!

Mile 11 - working. through. pain.  marathon mix = "all of my super fly ladies, Rock. That. Bo-dy."

Mile 12.5 - Almost there, I can do it!  current song, "with every breath I take, I'll give thanks to God above and testify to love"

Mile 13.1 - Tessie and Breana cheering again, the announcer calls my name.  Tears of joy (and pain!) for the big accomplishment, but mostly for Tony's healing.

After I finished somebody asked me, "where is the rest of your team?" "They're at home taking care of business and I'm just here to represent!"

A big shout out to my trainers, Naomi and Dwayne, for pushing me hard and believing in me!  I'd also like to thank Tessie and Breana for waking up early in the morning to cheer me on.  It was so special and a wonderful treat!

Mama don't take my Kodachrome away-ay-ay

On a lovely spring evening I took my nice (ish) camera to the beach getting ready to shoot a lovely sunset but when I got there I discovered that it broke - I literally cried... BUT I got a new one!  I have been salivating over digital SLRs for quite some time now.  So here is some new camera miscellany just for you...

Need I say more???Not so sure.

 

Busy bee in Mark and Nee Nee's backyard

My test subject getting testy...