Blogging Bum

Yup -- that's me! The latest blogging bum!  For a multitude of reasons I have been MIA.  Lately, I'd rather be spending what precious time I do have with Isaac...darn football.  And then this weekend was spent with 4 wonderful girl friends of mine.  Though I promised to try and take photos -- true to form, I was having far too much fun to even think about it! I did bring my camera with the best of intentions.  But there's something about taking walks, random/spontaneous Zumba parties, & a nerve-wracking Stanford game that keeps a girl preoccupied.

I will say that I was reminded again of how thankful I am for the blessings of wonderful girl friends.  It's always so surprising how nice it is to just be surrounded by good friends, talking about serious things, laughing & giggling about silly things, and having a shared love of Christ to be bonded together.  A brisk 2.4mile walk in to Sunriver Village was awesome -- followed up by a cup of coffee & a quick stop at the renovated market.  There's not much that beats a girls weekend. 

And to top it all off -- this week husband has a bye for football, but of course we're going to another high school football game.  It wouldn't be fall without a football game every Friday night.  But this game is the 1st playoff game for his cousin who plays in Portland against another Salem team. So it'll be fun to sit with family, and actually enjoy a high school game with my husband! And we're likely getting tickets to the OSU/Stanford game too which will be AWESOME! Thank you Coach Souza! I pinky promise to take some tailgating/game photos! I'll even get Ike in on the action & to remind me! :)

MUST mail off scarf swap box tomorrow! Waa! Have to get a few more items for the package before I mail it, but boy it takes a lot of thinking! Hope my swap partner doesn't mind that I'm not super creative.....eek.

Have a great one friends! Glad to be back in the mix!
<3

So Much to Do....

And so little time -- or at least that's what I'm feeling these last few days & what I'm anticipating for the next few days until I get myself & my buddies to our girls weekend!

Side note -- I'm participating in my first blog swap!! Leesh from The Blarkness Chronicles is hosting it.  Yup! I'm pretty excited it.  It's a scarf swap, so I'm on the hunt for an infinity scarf to send off to Canada.  I'm not entirely sure where I should look for the scarf...any suggestions?  I also have to send it with a hot drink packet or gift card.  Doesn't that sound like fun?! And hopefully I'll get mine back too from my swap partner!
And though I have fought it and pushed back against the "popular" trend of Pinterest...I have given in.  Yup that's right.... I've succumbed and am pinning away.  What's your Pinterest name? I'll follow your boards...here's mine: AnnaParker4 Yup I've fully crossed over.  And with that I'm going back to the Pinterest addiciton. :)


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Girls Weekend -- RIGHT around the corner!

Since getting married I have been keenly aware of the time I need with my girlfriends.  It's totally unhealthy, not to mention un-realistic, to expect & hope for my husband to be everything that I need, all the time.  And thankfully I've got a pretty good husband who encourages the girl time. 

So with that in mind - a few weeks ago, I decided to organize a girls weekend & invited some great buddies of mine.  Two I know from the football coach crew & the other two are just great friends, one who's my best & the other is her cousin -- who I just happened to have grown up playing sports with.  All in all I am beyond excited to have a weekend away with other women who are likeminded & women that I know I can trust.  There's something about spending quality time with people who know, love, trust & challenge you.  And I'm fully intending to just enjoy this time with these friends.

Girlfriends are a blessing - so it'll be fun to see how God moves in this weekend & what He brings to the surface for us.  There aren't any plans, except for who is responsible for what meal.  Other than that it is full on relaxation mode for all of us. Maybe a couple chick flicks.  Maybe a board or card game.  Maybe a walk.  But for sure dinner out on the town on Saturday night.  It's going to be glorious!  I'll try & snap some photos of the adventures to share.  But you know me....so we'll see how I do! :)
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Freakin' Eye Twitch!

Nothing glamorous to report dear friends -- despite the fact that I've had a flippin' eye twitch for about 3 weeks now.  You read that right...3 weeks!  Needless to say it's driving me a little batty...which I think only exascerbates the whole issue.  "Stressed much?" is what I heard from a friend.  I probably am but haven't noticed.  Well except for the fact that I spent nearly an entire weekend holed up in my house....like a loser.  That was two weeks ago.

Perhaps I shouldn't beat myself up too much about that stuff - you know, like comparing my existence with that of someone elses?  I'm no fashion blogger.  And definitely not one to blog about interior design. Definitely not a blogger who goes to meet ups - or is invited.  Love to appreciate those - but they are definitely not my forte.  So why be mad at myself for not producing those types of blogs.  Because you know what ultimately ends up happening - those small things start the reel of comparisons, and boy is that an ugly cycle if I've ever seen one.
I am Anna - girl who is married to a Hawaiian, who thinks I'm the most beautiful thing in the world, no matter what I say to dispute him.  I am the girl who would drive 4 hours to see you for 2, and I'm the girl that will sit my cold rear end on a bleacher to watch a bunch of kids play football & they aren't my own.  And I'm the girl that will take my 6yr old cousin Cooper to get a burger & fries -- just to bribe him in to liking me, well not only for that reason.  I'm the girl that is just trying to give a window in my ultra "normal" life, while trying to be as honest as possible.  That's me - and that's good enough.

But frick man...this eye twitch is driving me bananas!

A Saturday Reprieve

Every fall there is one Saturday that I look forward to -- one Saturday where there are no football plays being scribbled on scrap pieces of paper, one Saturday where I'm not waiting just to see my husband at 3pm, one Saturday when we spend every moment together doing whatever we want.  Yesterday was that day -- and it was awesome.


There weren't any grand plans on the agenda.  In fact there wasn't anything "spetacular" about the day, except for the fact that we were together for an entire Saturday.  The primarily consisted of a Saturday market visit, dropping off our dog at the groomer, grocery shopping, dinner and a quick run in to Toys-R-Us(try not to judge).  Super glamorous events I know.  But in complete honesty, nothing about yesterday sucked or was boring.  I love my husband....and without trying to sound like one of "those" wives, I would not trade him for anything or anyone.  God obviously knew what he was doing in putting us together.


I treasure that Saturday every season. It's perfectly timed -- right in the middle of the season.  It's a reminder that all the time away is worth it.  And it's a reminder that the end is near, and the partnership will be back to normal.  Football season is hard -- especially on the wives/girlfriends sometimes.  But this weekend was a reminder that I'm married to a wonderful man and through it all he loves me above football.  So I'm ok with sharing him & letting him be the best man possible as a football coach!
Love that man
<3

Sick of Myself...

Sometimes I forget that life is hard -- like really hard.  There are days when you want to throw in the towel and escape to a sandy beach, free from all responsibilities.  And your only care in the world is to always have a full glass, that you have enough SPF, and there are plenty of reading materials handy.
The last few days have been that for me -- a battle to fight against the urge to either crumple up and hide under a blanket or run to the nearest warm beach to get away from it all.  I don't mean to sound overly dramatic but there's just been this air around me.

Even at BSF on Friday, I had the hardest time connecting with my discussion group & paying attention during the lecture.  Nothing in me wanted to be there. I goofed around during the hymns (typically my favorite time of the evening).  It was weird....and exhausting.  I hate this time of year when things are in transition -- hell, I hate transition in general.  I'm not a fan of change (don't stress, no major changes are on the horizon...but even small changes are stressful to me).  Call me a control freak - it's been something I've struggled with for my entire life.  I've always been the one to take the reins and lead the charge, knowing that I'd get it done some way or another.  I'd muscle my way through it if I had to.  It was very "me" focused...and even now, looking at this freakin' post there are more "I's" than anything else. BLAH! Do you ever just get sick of yourself...of hearing yourself talk...of over thinking situations.  I have hit that place -- the place where it would seem easier to just pack it in, because at this point in time I bring nothing to the table that isn't completely & utterly selfishly motivated. Barf.   A good dose of reality is needed -- a kick in the pants -- something!

How to break thru this.....if only there were an easy solution....
<3

My Husband the Coach

This season has been challenging for my husband, the other coaches, and the football team.  To say that this season has been less than what was expected would be a gross understatement.  In fact, so far it's been downright heart breaking.  Truth be told this past week I almost cried at the football game....yes, you heard me right, I almost cried.  Oh, and I may have had to genuinely control my temper & tongue from saying something to a parent.  Not a proud moment -- but I was proud of my self control.

With the disappointing season thus far we've been trying to find lessons to learn and find positive outcomes from each game to focus on.  It's sometimes easier to just surrender and give in to the negativity.  But not if you're my husband....nope.  He always allows himself Friday night to be disappointed & angry.  But come Saturday morning brings with it a new opportunity to solve a new puzzle.  I'm learning so much about Isaac and his philosophies about coaching football.  

I sincerely can't wait to see Isaac be a head coach some day.  Those kids are going to be incredibly lucky -- not that I'm biased or anything.  My reasoning?  Isaac isn't simply focused on winning football games, don't get me wrong or anything the man does want to win -- but he isn't willing to sacrifice building and encouraging boys in to becoming young men.  That's probably the best part about Isaac as the football coach.  He sincerely wants to have great football players but he also wants to help kids figure out how to be the best young adults possible, to help them make solid choices, and how to be responsible in all areas of their lives.

It's going to be pretty awesome to see him in that capacity when the time comes.  For now...we're being grateful for the place we're in.  The lessons are plentiful and the joys are many.  Sure there are sacrifices -- but those sacrifices help bring more gratitude for the blessings.

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Lazy Weekend

This weekend was a complete and total lazy weekend.  I don't tend to take these too often because as a teenager this is all I would do.  It's not a good life choice to always be a bum on the weekends....but I am a firm believer that these are needed from time to time.


So in my lazy weekend I went to the Willamette football game with my husband, had dinner with one of our friends -- and the best part of yesterday was the clay mask facial Ike & I did last night.  Yes I'm kicking myself for not taking a photo of it.  But let's just say we looked awesome with our lemon mint clay masks!  Top that highlight off with a margarita and Dirty Arnie and life was good.  


These simple times together are so nice -- and so appreciated, particularly during football season.  The other thing that I realized yesterday was how much I'm looking forward to being a parent with Isaac.  We're not in the season of our life where we want to start trying now - but it is comforting to see Isaac with our friends' children and see how much he loves them that I can only imagine what our lives will be like when it's our time.  Very exciting.


Side note -- girls weekend is coming up and I can not even express how much I'm looking forward to it.  The women that I am spending the weekend with are wonderful, I trust them and know that our friendships are based on sincere trust and a mutual belief in Christ.  Can't wait to see what the weekend has in store, what conversations will come, and how God will be glorified in our fellowship! Huzzah for girls weekends! I'm thinking this will need to be a quarterly thing!
<3

A Tough Decision

I've shared before how I am a volunteer leader with a youth program where I live.  And that the reason I started leading again was for my niece....she had approached me half way thru her 6th grade year saying that she wouldn't go unless I was her leader.  To give you the entire backstory of my relationship with her and her mom (my half-sister) would take a while....and I'm afraid you'd stop reading.  So because of our history, I decided to move forward -- because honestly, she was the main focus for me.  I wanted to be able to share the goodness of the Lord, and how He had changed my life with her specifically.  It was a blessing to get more acquainted with her friends as well.  
Around this time last year, some things started to take place in our area that eventually led our team leader to step away from the ministry; which left our team with out a specified leader.  Regardless the other leaders & myself were committed to getting kids to camp in the summer.  In fact, I directly told my area director that I didn't care if I only took my niece -- that she was my entire focus.  The Lord was good, and this past summer we took about 30 kids to camp...6 who made new commitments to Christ (one being my niece!).  To say that I was excited & overwhelmed would be an understatement.  And since camp, my relationship with my niece has blossomed and grown, and the Lord has blessed us with opportunities to really share about our lives & where we God shaping us.  It has truly been a night & day change from what our aunt/niece relationship used to be.

That being said.....I feel like I'm at a crossroads.  There are things taking place, and truly things not taking place, that are causing me to reconsider my involvement.  I'm not sure how to move forward when in my gut something just does not feel right. Primarily what I'm battling is the notion that I stay involved with something while battling my internal feelings about the entire program(how it's run, where it's focused, and where it's headed...).  There's a stirring conflict inside my heart & my stomach.  And I'm not entirely sure how to approach it.  It's something that I'm definitely praying for -- and if you're of the praying mind, would you also?  Pray for discernment, pray for courage, and pray for grace.
Thanks friends.
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Back In The Swing (AND 300!)

I've said it before...and truth be told, I'll probably say it again.  But I feel like I'm getting back in the swing again with my work outs!  Yesterday I didn't make it out on a long run with my running group -- but I did get out of bed at a somewhat early time and made my way to the local gym.  I hopped up on a treadmill...aka "Dreadmill" if you know me personally....and proceeded to run 4.89 miles!  Not a crazy long distance, but long enough for me to feel really good about it.  Walked away feeling pretty dang good, a small twinge of achey-ness in my left knee, but otherwise felt great.


That being said I had a slight revelation while running....I actually do like it, and I like that I can feel myself getting slightly faster & my endurance getting slightly better.  There's some power in that feeling let me tell you! Now, do I consider myself a workout junkie -- not by any means.  I'm one of those people who would just rather cozy up on my couch for a night instead of sweating it out at the gym.  But I am once again seeing & feeling the benefits of being there.  And like the old saying....I never feel worse leaving than I did going in.  
Next I need to start working in a weights regimen.  Don't want to be one of those fat-skinny people.  The only challenging part is that my schedule is a little more tight these days, and the time slots are not really lining up.  So perhaps husband dear can come up with an easy routine for me to do on my own.......we'll see :)


Side note.....this post right here marks my 300th post! Cuh-razy I know!  I can't say I would have figured myself to stick with this blogging thing this long.  But looking back at some previous posts -- and some from last year even, I can tell this is good for me.  An outlet to respectfully share my thoughts, feelings, experiences.  It's sometimes easier for me type my thoughts out then try and explain them in person.  So with that, thank you friends who read this. It's nice to know that there are friends out there who care to know. I appreciate you!
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