Happy Leap Day!!

Laura:  "The stars look really bright tonight."

Me:  "That's because it's Leap Day!!" =)

This year already feels special to me for many reasons, and the fact that we have this "extra" day is one of them.  I love that I "took the leap" to go back to school and run the marathon during a leap year! =)  And I love that I finally got to experience dinner and dessert at Chuy's with Laura tonight!  Then we went back to her house, watched Modern Family, and played awesome duets of Heart and Soul, Chopsticks, etc. on her keyboard.  (One of those awesome keyboards that can sound like a flute or guitar or drums or several other things... so fun!  I want one, and I wanna be able to play again like I used to!)

Playing those songs made me think of this scene from Big.  Love it!

Anyway, I spent much of my day thinking of ideas for a "Top 29 list" for the 29th of February.  Laura had a book of list ideas... I may have to start a weekly Top 10 list or something, because they all sounded fun! 

But in honor of "Leap Day," here are 29 events that I would love to "leap" into and re-live, time machine style!  (I don't mean re-do or change things, but simply live again, just as they happened...)

1. Playing "Wild West Bakery Shop" with Rach and Blake when we were little!
2. Grandad reading Cinderella to me when he used to babysit us
3. Racing the cousins to dive in when Havno threw his change into our pool! lol
4. Picking up pinecones, walking along the railroad ties, and playing "Little House on the Prairie," "Little Pilgrims Progress," and "Noah Webster" (all books we read at CHA) with Rach outside Dad's office back in the day...
5. Going to WhiteWater with JB, Rach, Blake, and Emily... back when JB and Emma stayed in the kiddie section all day and we rode The Flumes a gazillion times!
6. The first time I rode the "Terrible Twister" at Frontier City, not knowing the floor would drop halfway through and I'd be suctioned to the wall! lol
7. The 4th of July reunion with all of mom's side of the fam at our house when we majorly decorated everything and had some sort of fun red-white-and-blue jello dessert
8. Playing "The First Noel," "Amazing Grace," and "Joy to the World" on our old piano on Christmas Eve, with the fam gathered around listening
9. The confetti-on-the-fan-turned-on-at-midnight New Years Eve party for 2000!
10. Waiting in the 2am line in Mom's minivan for Krispy Kreme donuts... with Mom, Rach, Mark, Jay, Holly, Megan, and Kate!
11. Driving back from Tri-State, snowy ditch and all, with Jordan Law entertaining us all the way home :)
12. Walking the beach late at night in Hawaii with Babah, Grandad, Rach, JB, Blake, and Emma... seeing Babah and Grandad dance out there... splashing around in the ocean... awesome
13. Laying out in Florida, listening to the waves, singing "Sittin on the Dock of the Bay" in my mind
14. Sitting on the porch swing with Josh in his backyard, just talking
15. The whole day in Boston when we went to the Boston Pops Sound of Music sing-a-long (with Josh, Evan, Sarah, and Zana)
16. The ballroom dance "party" - Josh and I went (after taking lessons) with Holly and Jordan, and at least in my head, we looked good 
17. Chet's 21st birthday and the group's first time at Caravan... learning new line dances is always fun!
18. Not the cruise itself, but the roadtrip back home after the cruise with Rach and Kate... they were so entertaining!
19. The roadtrip with the Wallaces - hilarious from start to finish!
20. Making the boxes for all the volleyball girls (painting, finding pictures and verses, etc.) with Mom!
21. The night of our downtown carriage ride with Rach, Holly, and Megan... so many funny memories that night
22. Talking to Natalie Gruenberg in her car for several hours after Bobbi's first Christmas Shenanigans party (I'd re-live that entire night)
23. The first night at Big Cedar - a fun dinner, then swimming/floating in the hot tub under the stars, watching Dan in Real Life, and just hanging out with Malori, Ruth, and Charlotte
24. The Eugene Field summer cookout with the lifegroup
25. The One Republic concert on the beach at Mandalay Bay... hanging out with Malori, Chet, and Jeff... such a great night!
26. Breakfast at the Bellagio "Pool Cafe" - yep, two from that Vegas trip that I wanna re-live.
27. The whole day of 11-11-11 in Vegas (Bill & Jill's wedding, Maggiano's lunch, shopping with Malori, reception at Stratosphere)
28. Watching Titanic at the Hollywood Theater in Norman (I'd go just to hear that theater's theme song again)... then talking about it all night with Rach, Ashley, and Amber
29. The night at Disney World when we rode Splash Mountain over and over because there was no line... awesome! :)

12 in 2012 ~ February

Well, this February has lived up to my high expectations. =)  We even get an extra day tomorrow, which I'm definitely going to celebrate!!

My mini-goal for this month was to focus more on others, doing something kind for someone every day.  I won't go into too much detail , but I've been pretty successful on this one... some more memorable than others, and most of them have been small (like sending an encouraging FB message or writing a card to someone).  But that's the cool thing about kindness - the smallest things sometimes make a huge difference!  And it's uplifting for you and the other person. 

I've also kept a daily journal through the month of ways that I have felt God's love/kindness toward me.  Things where I have felt His presence or His favor, little things that have made my day, people going out of their way to be kind to me, etc.  That one has been pretty exciting... God is good, and there is so much to be thankful for!! 

I read Chasing Rainbows for my February fiction book.  It was good and thought provoking, but I'm far more excited about reading Little Women for the first time as my March book (about the March family - how appropriate)!

February is full of awesomeness... Jace's birthday, Rachael's birthday, Valentine's Day fun, Anthony's birthday (his health is improving and he should get to go home soon, which is awesome), my birthday, starting school, etc.  Anyway, it's had so many fun celebrations... and so many occasions to be unhealthy.  Sad to say, I haven't done very well on eating habits this month, but I've kept up with working out and have not let myself become discouraged.  I've also stayed consistent on my "stairs only" plan at work.  I've taken the elevator only one time in 2012, and that was because they were doing construction on the stairs that day!  It just happened to be on my birthday, so I think that was a mini-wink of kindness from God. :) 

Okay, so my original March goal was to get back into writing and write 500 words a day.  That was before I signed up for school, and I've decided not to put that kind of pressure on myself!  I do want to get more serious on eating right, though, so my March goal is this:
Write down everything I eat, and stay under 1500 calories every day!

I may use MyFitnessPal to help track it.  Doable, yes.  Easy for me, no.  But as Joyce says, all that is required is a "quality decision" to do what I know is right!  Going by what I know, not what I feel.  (I'm praying for God's grace in that area, that I would become more and more emotionally stable, not letting my emotions throw me off course, but obeying God regardless.)

Anyway, I'm finished eating my PBJ with Apricot jelly (YUM), and I'm off to the jail to take some pleas.  Happy February, and happy "Leap Day" tomorrow!!  I'm expecting good things!

Crystallized Memories

Today has been a good day.  This morning, I cut myself some fun new bangs (thanks to Rach for teaching me to do it right) and then my judge said he really liked my hair, and that got things off to a great start! :)  I got up early enough to work out, I was productive at work, and then I had my first real class tonight.  We went around the room telling a little about ourselves, and the instructor wrote our occupations and hobbies and future career goals on the board... one girl is working as a waitress, so she wrote restaurant, only she spelled it "resteraunt."  Hmm, my proofreading mind was stuck on that for a while. lol  Anyway, the class was such a relief to me, as all of the homework and presentations, etc. is about 500 x more simple than I had imagined.  I looked over it through the past week and was beginning to stress a bit.  Not needed.  She said over and over, "Don't make it harder than it has to be."  Deal!

Anyway, we talked about the adrenaline cycle in class tonight...

When we experience a major life event, good or bad (the birth of a new baby, a car wreck, a death, etc.), our body responds with adrenaline (such a God thing).  It sends the blood flow to our brain and heart, sharpens our senses, and helps us to process it in slow motion.  In these big events, our mentality quickly shifts from our head to our heart. 

For the first week, we are all over the scale of emotional highs and lows. 
Three weeks afterward, we will be sick if we have not properly flushed out the toxins from the adrenaline.
Six weeks afterward, there is a natural downtime period of reflection, questioning, and processing doubts. 

How do we get rid of the toxins?  She said the best options are tears and sweat.  (Adrenaline is also a natural dehydrator because it thickens the blood, so drinking lots of water is really helpful.)  I find that so interesting.  Fighting to "stay strong" when we're in turmoil is only making us sick, so cry it out... and once again, there's something to be said for the benefits of working out! 

Within 24-48 hours of any major crisis, our mind will form what she called a "crystallized memory" of the event -- immovable no matter how we turn it, like a snow globe.  For a while, you will see the whole world as distorted 'through the snow globe' -- when you cannot stop picturing and reliving the crisis and you feel like you're going crazy.  (Been there!)  The point of all this was to emphasize that in the middle of feeling like a lunatic, you can take comfort in knowing that your reaction is actually very normal.  And eventually (the time differs based on the crisis and how you seek healing), you'll be able to 'set it aside' and see the world more clearly.  But these are deeply embedded memories that stick with you and shape you... how you react and how they shape you long-term is your call!

The Image of GOD

I finally finished my required reading for this week... I won't procrastinate so much again, as I would love to keep Sundays as a "day of rest" and feel refreshed before class on Mondays.  Today, I went to the 8:30 service at the new Broken Arrow LC campus.  Then I came home and went back and forth between reading, then walk/jogging and watching season one of Downton Abbey.  I've figured out that I absolutely cannot have the TV on at all if I want to study and comprehend anything... that I need a nice break every now and then... and that I highly prefer to read/study when it's sunny outside! :) When the house is silent and I'm reading textbooks and it's dark out, it's just terribly unpleasant to me. 

This first course is focused on Human Development: Birth through Adolescence.  The reading has been pretty interesting so far, and my mind is adjusting to the intensity of all the technical terms.  Something I found really interesting:  in China, your birthday is celebrated on the date of conception (I actually love that - as it is when life begins)... but it's sad and ironic that they believe that and still force abortions.  How awful.

Another key thought... I am so thankful to have been raised in a Christian home, church, AND SCHOOL where I was never for one moment confused on the concept of my own origin.  It is more than just a pet peeve - I find it offensive when human beings are compared to or labeled as animals.  People are NOT just another category of animal.  That so many schools teach children that there are only two forms of life, plant and animal, is tragic.  That so many people believe it all started with evolution is such a destructive lie. 

The truth that human beings are created IN THE IMAGE OF GOD is not something I take lightly.  That is not the case with any animal.  That we have a body, soul, AND SPIRIT... that God has given us authority... that we are the crown of creation... that Jesus died to save us and can come to live in our spirit... it matters, and it gives us great intrinsic value.  I have dealt with some insecurity, but I cannot imagine how differently I would view my own identity and worth, how much it would weaken any sense of personal responsibility to believe that I am simply another animal, here at this time by random chance, and that my early ancestors were monkeys.  No, the God of the universe created people separate and apart from animals, then He gave them authority over the animals.  God formed me and made me unique and special... I am fearfully and wonderfully made and I am precious to Him... He sees my heart, knows my character, and has a purpose and plan for my life.  I am the apple of His eye.  I don't know how anyone can truly believe that and remain lukewarm or halfhearted on the subject of "the big bang." 

Anyway, that's the end of the mini-rant, but I do believe it's an important one.  I'm happy to be done with "work" for today.  And now I'm off to make dinner (Velveeta Cheesy Skillets - aka "liquid goooold!") and watch the Oscars... hooray!!

Obstacles?

"For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin – real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last, it dawned on me that these 'obstacles' were my life. 

This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way.  So treasure every moment that you have...  and remember that time waits for no one… decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy.”
~Alfred D Souza

I like this quote.  There will always be something to overcome, something to reach toward, something to desire... I am looking forward to meeting the right person, I am excited for the day I finish school, the first day of my new job, the day I reach my weight goal, the day I get married, the day I adopt a child, etc. ...but Jesus is here with me today, revealing His heart in ways that are often more intimate than epic.  He loves me, His timing is perfect, and He is working out His plan.  So I am choosing to enjoy the journey with Him!  I'm praying for God's grace to fill me with radiant joy ("calm delight") and genuine peace, right here in the present.  =)

"...and I'm SINGING!"

Well, tonight was mainly an orientation and getting all of our books and our laptop, etc.  There are 12 people in the FSG program (9 women, 3 men - one of whom is named Michael Jackson :)) and they all seem great so far.  The instructor had us all get up and pray holding hands in a circle, which made me really happy.  I wasn't sure whether they would downplay the Christian thing or really go for it, and I'm happy to see it's the latter. 

Today as a whole has been awesome.  I'm off work - hooray President's Day!  Malori and I got up in OKC and drove from her house to my house... then I went with her to hear her give a presentation for CHK at TU.  She was very poised and impressive, and I have no idea how she manages that with no notes and no nervousness!  After the Chesapeake thing, we did lunch at Queenies at Utica Square, then shopped around Coach and a couple other stores.  I went by Maurices and got some new clothes... because you have to look good on your first day of school. ;)  Then there was the orientation... they got pizza for us and we spent some time getting to know each other a little, then learning how to navigate around our new laptops.  My first class is "Human Development" -- it's 5 weeks, and I think it's going to be interesting!  We shall see...

Ready for class on day one, February 20, 2012

{Side note:  Is it strange that I always highly prefer the pictures of myself that I take from the mirror (with my camera pointed at the mirror image instead of at me)??  Ten of my FB profile pics are done that way. lol  Maybe it's because of BP or because that's the way I always see myself, but I definitely think it's more flattering than the non-reversed version of myself.  I'm sure all of this sounds narcissistic, but it's just something I was thinking about tonight.}

Anyway, I'm about to go to bed, but in honor of my awesome day, here are two random fun videos that make me happy... both from movies starring Zooey Deschanel, oddly enough.

"It's a Time to Begin!" ;-)

I'm about to head to SNU-Tulsa for my first night of class!!  Get excited! =) 

The first two verses of today's Psalms reading were Psalm 37:30,31...
"The Godly offer good counsel;
they teach right from wrong. 
They have made God's law their own,
so they will never slip from His path." 

A small thing that it used the word counsel, but that made me quite happy.