Rocked my World

I have never experienced Christmas lights like this before. Sure I have seen this stuff done on the internet and movies, but never in person, on a street in Eugene. I screamed like a little girl when I first saw and heard it happen. The music you hear is my radio. You set your radio to a certain station, and the lights are qued up for what ever is playing. It's an HOUR loop. I thought it was just going to be one song played over and over, but we stayed for a good 30 minutes and nothing ever repeated. Magic!! Sorry it's not very good quality, it's through my cell phone. I'll try to get a better one with my camera, because yes, I will be going again before Christmas.

And not only did we get to experience this little drop of heaven, but before while driving around looking at other lights, there was a santa walking around the neighborhood, and of course, we yelled with excitement. He came walking to our car and gave us two handfuls of candy canes!! Probably one of the best Christmas light extravaganzas I've ever had.

Lazy Day

This is what my Sunday consisted of:

-The Holiday

-27 Dresses

-Elf

-hour nap

-P.S. I Love You

-The Proposal

I've never been able to accomplished watching 5 movies in one day. Go me!

Help-Portrait

I just spent my morning being involved with this:

It was the most humbling and encouraging experience all in one. A photographer put something together where we went to a mission and set up for family and individual portraits. Then the photographers gift to these woman and children will be those pictures, any size any amount, all for free. My roommate Kelli and I got to man the hair and make-up. All the little girls want their hair curled, they were so cute. I can't even express to you how much of an impacted this made on everyone, including myself. To give you a little taste how huge this movement is and will be, one woman said, "this is an incredible opportunity, I haven't had my picture taken since 1986".

Look Both Ways.

Kelli and I were at the grocery store getting a birthday present for our friend. So excited for what we found, I was even more excited to get to him and present it! With that said, we were leaving the store and my mission was set: car, starbucks (where he works), present, joy; let's make it happen. I'm B-lining to the car with the gift in my head and all focus on that when I hear, "Uhhhhh.... CAR!". I can see in my peripheral a very large object coming around a corner right at me. I spin around as fast as possible and run into Kelli's arms with full knowledge that if she didn't say anything there would have been contact with me and this very large Lay's Potato Chip Truck.

Moral of the story: No matter how exciting the things in your hands are, or no matter how old you are, you should always look both ways!

Thanks Kelli.

Hard Work + Faith

= a lethal combination and incredible rewards.

Who can count the amount of times I have been injured or sick in the past 4 years? Who can count the amount of times that I have watched everything I dreamed of and work for slip away? Who can count the amount of people who have given up on me? I can't. It's too many to count. But I can be thankful for those times and people. Because with out them I wouldn't know the true meaning of working hard, I wouldn't know the true feeling of accomplishment. I still have so far to go, but all I needed was one glimpse of hope, one step forward, one look at what could be.

This Thursday, Thanksgiving morning, I saw that glimpse. My coach gave me the opportunity to run in the 27th Annual Turkey Stuffer 5K (3.1 miles). I am so lucky to have been given that opportunity because the week before I ran 0 miles. I spent my time in the pool aqua jogging due to a very painful shin. But with taking good care of it led to a couple days before the race my coach giving me the go-ahead.

So pumped. Here's my shot. After working and praying so hard, I've been given this chance.

Highlights of the race:

1) Ran 18:51 ... PRed racing in my first 5K back after 3 or so years! Good way to get back into it!

2) Was the 2nd overall girl! Got a ribbon!

3) First race EVER that I have beaten my father. He wasn't far behind though, so I have to stay on my game.

4) I had an incredible crew of a turkey, pilgrim and indian to help push me through the race.

5) Kelli, in her 2nd 5K ever, ran a 22:31 which is 2 minutes faster than the first!

6) It was just a really good day!

Before the race!

After the race, and we're still happy!

My boys that helped so much. Caleb, Todd, and Justin.

He was a good sport after getting beat :)

So, I'm back.

Running is good

God is great.

I Love Fall.

Fall is no doubt my favorite time of year. The colors, the weather, the fresh, crisp air, the count down until the Christmas season, running through the leaves, the rain, cross country, and just the smile that can't be taken away from me.

AND, I especially love Fall when it lives in my room.

Fail Blog

My life is a fail blog....

I am currently sitting in my car outside my house.

So I went to leave for work this morning, left my house, locked it behind me and headed to my car. I got into my car and went to start it up to drive to work. Well, when I go for runs, I take my car key of my key chain to hold to and it just so happens that I forgot to put it back on. I have no key to start my car. So, naturally, I go to get my key inside the house. One other thing I forgot to mention and realized as I'm walking to my house, I lost my house key yesterday! I can't get in my house. I called my dad to see if he could give me a ride to work, told him the story and then informs that he found a key outside his house. A little light at the end on the tunnel. Now, I can't go anywhere in my car, I can't get into my house to get the key, but I can sit outside my house in my moveless car and freeze while I wait for my father to get here with the key.

Waun

What's a waun you might ask?

Well, it may be when you plan on going for a point A to point B 90 minute run with absoluetly no energy or strength and you end up running for 46 minutes, lose every ounce of energy you didn't have, stop at a park, borrow a starngers phone to call and get a ride, can't get a hold of anyone so you walk for a little bit to try and regain energy. You may then get some false energy and start running again only to make it another 14 minutes before you can't bare to take another step running... so you stop, walk for 40 minutes until you reach the closest place with someone you know and get a ride the rest of the way home, coming to a grand total of over 2 hours of adventure.

It's fun. I highly recommend a walk and a run, a waun.

I am blessed.

It's Saturday night, I'm standing in a crowded room surrounding by hearts and voices being lift up. Heartache, joy, tears, love, lust, pain - all emotions running through the people in this room. You can feel and hear the emotion as everyone in unison are singing praises, being in the moment. I can't know what's in everyones heart, but I know what's in mine. As I stand there and sing "great is your faithfulness", I can't help but think that I am blessed. I could stand there and have a pity party on myself and recount all the ways I believe my life isn't going the way I want it, but then I think about the day i just had. My life is beyond blessed.

The day:

-Wake up to horses outside our house.

-Run in a 5K road race, been years since that's been able to happen.

-Kelli runs in her first EVER 5K road race.

-Wintson is with us.

-Kelli wins 10 coupons for water fitness classes!

-Drive to Portland listening to Shane & Shane

-Winston's asleep.

-Coach the most fantastic kids I could ever, ever ask for.

-Sheldon high school rules the day and every one of them has an incredible race! Nothing makes me more happy than when I get to see them happy and accomplish what they wanted.

-Pouring rain!!

-So much love poured out at the meet with my high schoolers.

-Find Winston and Kelli and drive to Kelli's dad's Pawn Shop. Get the tour.

-Go to lunch with Ty Williams! It's been years since I got to hang out with him.

-Go to Kelli's parents house, get the blue tour.

-Drive to Camp Tadpole for the CCF retreat.

-Winton's asleep

-Get lost a couple time.

-Hear Winston's life story

-Arrive at Camp Tadmor

-Stand in a circle of three, plus some here and there and laugh til my sides hurt.

-Break yourself!

-Talk to a nervous, God-filled roommate ready to pour her heart out.

-See the influence and inspiration in the peers around me.

And here I am, standing, finally understanding how blessed I am. How many little things in my life make the big picture of beautiful. How everything around me can be temperamental and changing, but when I completely stop, I can completely see. I let the sounds of the song fill me, I let the lyrics consume me, and I sing with the biggest smile on my face because I know that I have been uncountably blessed and there's no greater feeling.

The night continues:

-Julie stands up and bares her soul and her heart and touches my mine and I can only imagine so many others. So proud.

-Eat pie.

-Pit-digs

-Consume myself with people who change me inside and out.

-Drive home

-Winston's asleep, and Kelli joins.

-Recount the day and rejoice always.

It was a good day.

Fire

Fires bring a safe, comforting feeling for me. They represent my favorite time of the year, which is right now, the beginning of fall.

Tonight has surrounded me with fire. After we got home from our day, Kelli and I put on our sweats and walked down to a nice, delicious restaurant, Mazzi's, with our buy one get half off coupon. We get there and they seat us next to the fire place, setting the mood of the perfect date in sweats. The food was incredible, I'm pretty sure I finished mine before Kelli even took her first bite. But the feeling sitting there in the restaurant just brought me such joy. I was comforted by this fire next to me, the crisp air on our walk, and the great company with me that life was going to be okay. That the decision and progress with my life are in the right direction and that things are going to work out and be good. Life isn't going anywhere, it's only just beginning.

After dinner, we got home and joined our other roommate Abbey, got a fire going (picture above) and had a bible study. We decided that through this school year as a whole we're going to read through the New Testament, and this was the first week into it and I know already how much of a blessing it's going to be in my life. Being able to question and discuss and comfort each other through God and through our lives is exactly what I need this year.

Fire, Fall, Friendship, Family ---- Life is good.

Because Of Your Love

http://kelmaks.wordpress.com/2009/09/30/because-of-your-love/

Everyone should probably check out my roommates blog. It's been my life as of late. My guitar skills are really coming along.

It's Been A While...

I thought coming back to Eugene was just really going to bum me out and that I was just going to fall into a hole stress and business.  I was far from wrong.  Yes, I have been busy and yes, things have been very stressful, but the people surrounding me have blessed beyond measure.  I couldn't be more happy where I am right now.  The time I took with my family in California was much needed and I love them more than anything so that was the perfect way to unwind(and sleep).  Then I got back to Eugene and instantly was in love.  In love with my new house, my new roommate , my high school cross country team, my family and running.  Some pictures to show my love:

My new favorite animal - the burrowing owl

In Loving Memory

-----Original Message-----
Sent: Tuesday, August 04, 2009 12:12 PM
Subject: Update on Frank

Hello Cross Country Family,

Thank you for all your prayers, concern, and love for Frank Moore and his family.  Yesterday the doctors met with his family to let them know that he not going to recover from this.  After some time together, the family has decided to "let him go".  We do not really know how many hours that might take.  It might even take a day or so.  The family has asked for some private time here at the hospital and a chance just to be together, so please help them by not coming to visit just now.  Please continue to pray for Frank's family and all who are saddened with this news.  I will keep you posted on any further information. 

Much Love,

-Tom 

-----Original Message-----
Sent: Tuesday, August 04, 2009 8:36 PM
Subject: Frank Moore's passing

Hello Again Cross Country Family,

Frank Moore passed away earlier this evening at Sacred Heart Hospital at Riverbend.  Again, thanks for all your prayers for him and the family.  Please continue to pray for and encourage the family, especially during this difficult time.  In a couple of days or so, we will begin providing meals for the family.  If you would like to be involved in that please let me know.  As far as a memorial service/celebration of life, we'll aslo let you know once those plans take place.  We also may be having a get-together tomorrow evening or the next evening.  We'll let you know.  

Much Love,

-Tom    

Like it says in the emails - please, please keep their family in your prayers!  It's been a rough time for them back home and for me, especially being so far away, but I know they have so much love and support around them, so the best I can do, and you can help, is just sending the prayers and love.

Pslam 118:24

In My Brokenness Complete

This last week, week 5, can go down as the hardest week I've ever had at SSP.  It was a very emotionally draining week for many reasons, and it took me far away from being here for the campers.  All I wanted was to be in Eugene.  There was a lot of housing and money issues and then one of my high schooler boys father had a heart attack on Thursday.  And to not be there for that and for my kids is one of the hardest things.  Plus, to not have cell phone service to get continual updates has been a very big struggle.  Those things combined have pulled me away from the work here and I don't like that feeling either!

This song I posted is called Unashamed by Starfield, and around 3 minutes into the song is very powerful lyrics for me right now.  It says "Here I am, at Your feet, in my brokenness complete" and repeats it over and over again.  That's all I can rely on right now, being broken, but God is there through and through to fall back on.  It's very hard for me to not be in Eugene right now, but God's incredible strength will pull me through this last week and protect the hearts of everyone I care about and give strength to Frank to recover from the heart attack.  All I can do is fall down to God and give all of my fears to Him and know He has a plan.  I am broken right now, and I'm hurt in so many ways, but if I let Him, God will complete me. 

Please send out prayers for Frank Moore and his two sons Todd and Geoff and wife Barb.  Frank underwent heart surgery and then was induced into a coma.  They are in the process of waking him up from the coma right now, but he has yet to wake up as far as I know.  We went through something very similar to this last year with another kid whose father didn't make it - I'm not ready to do it again.  Lots of love and prayers to the family!

Week 1 + 2

The Rodeo on the 4th of July!!

My staff

Jer bear

Wednesday water day - Lake Almanor

Thursday night spiritual walk.

I'm also trying to figure out another way everyone can see my pictures because it takes about 10 minutes a picture to upload on here.  So hopefully I can figure that out soon and you can see more than 5 at a time.

It's moving along

Just a quick update!

Things are going great here!  It's extremely exhausting but so rewarding.  The kids surprise me more and more everyday with who they are and how they aren't afraid to open up and let down walls.  I'm being taught so much from them!

I have campers this week who want to run everyday, so that's been a big blessing to have people to run with!  We've been on routine to wake up at 6:10 am and leave by 6:20.  Today I wanted to go a little further so I woke up at 5:30 to get started and then came by to pick up the campers.  It's been extraordinary to wake up every morning with them.  They appreciate the cool morning air and the beautiful scenery that we get to wake up to and experience the quiet serenity of the morning.  I could do this everyday -  I will do this everyday.

Week one of campers have left, leaving a huge impact of me and my program.  Now we're mid-way through week 2 and moving fast.  I know in 6 weeks I'm going to be blown away at how fast it ran away from me.  It's still hard to believe we're already on week 2....  I need to remember to hold on to what I have because I know some days I just want the day to be done, but by the end I'm going to wish I that extra time.  I'm excited to see the program grow and these kids grow.  It's going to fly.

Next week the church I grew up in is heading here!  Westminster!  So excited to pour into those kids!

Anyway, I need to go bring cookies the campers at their work sites!

Finally! The peek of pictures

Dinner time in out thrift store clothes!

These are the showers we built!  Hose water... very cold. (And our home, the building behind it)

We moved a barn.

This is where our Thursday night walk will be, Round Valley Lake.

My beautiful staff/family.

We're cool.

Water day at Lake Almanor.... beautiful!!

Indian Valley - The Beginning

We have finally arrived in the little town of Greenville California.  My staff and I got here on Sunday and just trying to make it our home now.  Internet got here just this morning, and I really didn't  understand how much I love it until I got it for a brief moment yesterday and then was taken away until this morning.  Those 24 hours were very hard.  Anyway, first week of campers come on Sunday and we still have work to get done.  We have to build the showers still (hose water running for 3 shower heads for 60+ campers!!) and set up the port-o-potties which hopefully will come tomorrow.  The biggest project that happened so far was moving a barn, and that was interesting. 

My family here is awesome and I'm so excited to spend the whole summer with them.  I am actually going to be a little sad when campers come because there will be no more real family time for just us.  

But I absolutely love it.  I've been able to run everyday and explore the town and mountains.  It's definitely feeling like home.  It's sooooo green here.  Pictures are to come very soon!

Love to all! 

Here is a little peek of the week thus far:

Mullet

It's here!!!

The day of moons.

This weekend started out rough for me.... It started with me supposed to be camping but instead spending my time in Emergency Room.  I have had reoccurring headaches that have be nothing like anything I have experience, so concern was spread quickly, mainly from MRI results I had last year.  Nothing is immediately wrong and I'm doing much better, but I have a follow up MRI Thursday and hope and pray for good results.  With all of that going on however, my first day back from bed and rest was one to enjoy.  Every Monday for the past 5 weeks or so have been spent with my good friends Kelli, Mark and Shaphan.  And this Monday, the last one for the foreseeable future was filled with a giant cookie with ice cream on top, Mario Kart on the 64, and a 20 picture photo shoot with Mark and Shaphan and Shaphan's jean jacket.  A little preview of how the night panned out! 

The Cookie (in dough form)

The crew. Me, Shaphan, Mark and Kelli (*Shaphan and I are not dating nor did I choose that pose*)

The best ones of the photo shoot.

I have great friends.

Birthday!

So I've come to the conclusion that I suck at taking pictures to capture big parts of my life.... That's why it's great to have roommates/best friends who will no doubt be taking pictures.

So, today 22 years ago was my day of birth (thanks mom)!  The day started out awesome.  I woke up around 7:30 and walked into our kitchen to find the wall plastered with pictures from the past year with Julie.  And in the background was Kris Allen, the new American Idol, and his CD!  Then around 8:00 AM about 10 of my friends showed up to have breakfast and enjoy each others company.  They slowly started to go home or go to school (who does that) and Kelli stuck around for a while, thanks to her sick day, and we got to talk for a while which is always great.  At 2:00 pm I went and saw the most incredible movie I have seen in a long time - UP, in 3D!  That movie has every emotion of the rainbow and is just one of the new favorites for sure!  I then hurried over to cross country practice where 2 of my kids made me mac & cheese with a candle in it.... and brought window paint to write on my car however I biked so they just attacked me and painted my body.  After that I got to spend time with the family.  I went to dinner with my father and brother and then had dessert at my mom's with her and Jen.  But, I went back to my dads after dessert and he has a tradition of making a cake every year, so he had another cake for me there.  I am now left with a lot of cake... but that's not a bad thing.

All in all, it was a wonderful day/week of birthday!

A few shoot outs:

-Mom : Thanks for birthing me and always being there through thick and thin.  To always know you're on my side helps me get through everyday.  And for the watermelon in my hair!

-Dad : Thanks for helping create me.... and giving me so many of your traits, however some I could probably live without (like only answering the question given).  But the relationship we have grown into is everything more than I ever asked for.

-Thaniel : For making it on my birthday!!!  That was something I have been looking forward to for a long time now.  Thank you for blessing me with your presence!  I've made it 22 years now, and I have you to thank for getting me through most of it.

- J :  Uhhh.... this could go for too long, so to make it short and sweet (for now), thank you for the most incredible week, let alone year.  When Kara and Abby told me I need to say the best 3  things of my twenty-first year, you were one of them.  

-Emily : Thank you for the flipping my life around to a one with Christ... and to surprising me on not my birthday to a day filled with a human hamster wheel!

Surprise 22!

I have had one of the best weekends yet.  For those of you who don't know, my 22nd birthday (which i'm pumped because I love the number 2) is coming up on Wednesday, June 3rd.  So I've had some plans here and there for the actual day but little did I know that on Saturday my friends would be waking me up at 7:30 am to capture me(again) and blindfold me and take me out to the lake for my surprise birthday party!  It was truly magical.  Elisa made french toast with blueberry syrup for all of us and then we just played in the water.  Emily has this giant hamster ball for humans that floats on the water and is the most epic thing I have ever played with!  And we decided also that it would be a good idea to swim all the way across the lake (longest I have ever swam for sure!).  However when we reached the other side some of us were a bit tired, so my friend Reid found a large log against the shore and paddle back on the log!  It was so fun!

The rest of me weekend was just as fantastic: I went to go watch me friend Casey run at the regional meet at Hayward, went a BBQ for CCF at the University park and got in massive water fights, feel asleep to a movie, woke up and rode my bike to church with my roommate Julie (about an hour eachway), had Jamba Juice on the way, had lunch with Casey, had a bridal shower for my other roommate Rachel, had dinner at my favorite place Cornucopia with my mom and Jen, went to CCF, hung out with friends after, and then finished off Emily asking Ryan to formal!

Did I mention it was a good weekend??

(I don't know why the pictures are so little)

Braai

My good friend Germaine Gamiet is leaving to go back to South Africa to live for, as long as I can tell, forever and ever.  It's an extremely sad thing that I am not even remotely ready for. 

The story of our friendship began last year at Emily's house.  There was a group of us gathering together to play games and just enjoy each others company.  Somehow we got on the topic of me dying.  How this happened, I'm not sure.  But regardless, there we were talking about my death and what I would will to people.  I willed Emily my monkey stuffed animal speakers (thanks Sarah for that), willed Aaron Brose my running speed, and then Germaine (us just meeting for the first time that night) asked what I would give him.  The first thing I thought of was my car.  So, Germaine, if I die, you get my car, even if you are in South Africa.  Also that night, Shaphan decided it would be a good idea to dare me to eat a entire candle stick.  And when I'm dared, I don't back down.  So, I was fully prepared to eat this candle stick for ten dollars, however someone freaked out and basically refused to let me eat it.  There went ten dollars I will never see.  But the point of that story is that from that day forward, Germaine would remember me as the girl who was going to eat a candle. 

Anyway, Sunday night his Eugene family threw him a Braai, which essentially is a South African BBQ.  It was a great time with even better company.  We had some wine, delicious food, great dessert, all followed up with a great fire on their deck patio.

Germaine and Me

Germaine, Emily, Christian, and Me

Beauty and the Beast

So my internet at my house has kicked off everyday and just doesn't want to let me use it.  And I'm frustrated about that, but life goes on.  So I am currently at a friends house using up all of their internet!

Life as of late:

-We thought we had a house, now we don't and we're back to square one.

-I'm sick again.

-Cross country is starting up again and I'm stoked!

-One of the kids got 2nd at state in the 800 for high school.

-It's a week and a half until my birthday

-Got to talk to Sean Murphy for a long time and he brought me back down to a normal freak out level for SSP program stuff.

-And the highlight of the week, we put on an awesome date night for my friend Emily and her beau Ryan.  It was Beauty and the Beast themed! Ryan = Beast, Emily = Emily, Me = Chip, Abby = Mrs. Potts, Christian = Cogsworth, Matt Jones = Lumiere, Pastor Ben = Crazy Old Maurice, Mary Cross = Babette (the feather duster)

PS Red Sox took the lead!

Taylor Swift

Finally, Emily and I drove up to Portland for the Taylor Swift concert!  It was us surround by a few more of us college-aged and then the mass amounts of screaming 13 year olds and their parents.  However, I didn't mind because I loved the concert.  I was fully prepared for a mediocre performance due to the rumors of her not being good live, but she proved that to be the complete opposite.  She was sounded great, and did an awesome job!  Needless to say, leaving the concert I still very much love her music, and secretly wish I could be her.

Anticipation

I have waited a long time for this, and it's here!  Today I will be driving up to Portland with Emily to see the one and only Taylor Swift!  I am soooo excited!  

Yesterday, I got to hang out with two of my favorite people in the whole world.  Life with out them would be like life without taste.  They truly remind me to love and enjoy the simple pleasures of life.

Ryan

Michael

Also, after long anticipation and talking about it for months, we finally got everyone together and watch "The Wizard".  On of the greatest movies from when I was a child.  It's about a boy trying to make it to "Califoooorrrrnia" and ends up in a video game competition at Universal Studios.  I completely recommend it.  It was not a disappointment like some movies are after you're older.  It was awesome!