{thankful} For My Motorcycle Man

Motorcycles (and other fast moving objects) are sort of Seth's speciality, I've known this since day one. The day after our first date Seth took me to his work (a motorcycle shop) and made me try on helmets...oh how far we've come.

Over the years, I have had fears about Seth getting hurt on his motorcycle.  This isn't because he is a bad rider, but because drivers are dumb...especially in California. The likelihood of distracted drivers not seeing him is high...and I worry. 

Matthew 6:34  “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

I worry too much, but that is a post for another day. 

When Seth told me last week that he was going to a track day, I wasn't worried. It's actually safer for him to ride on a track than on the streets...but for some reason the fear crept in on Sunday night. 

The only conclusion that I can come to about my worrying is that I love Seth more than ever, and with our wedding getting close, I can't even begin to imagine my life without him -- so anything dangerous I'm naturally hesitant about!

It doesn't help either that I've been plagued with nightmares lately. Ever since I watched "Paranormal Activity 3" a few weeks ago I've had trouble sleeping, and major trouble with scary dreams.

I had a terrible nightmare on Sunday night that Seth died on the track. I woke up in a complete panic, and hardly slept the rest of the night. Monday morning rolls around, and I know that Seth left early for the track so I texted him as soon as I could and told him about the dream. 

He LOL'ed at me, and reassured me that he was indeed not dead. My plea every time he leaves is "don't die"...so I'm glad he caught on and told me that first thing. His next genious idea to get rid of my anxiousness about him riding was to invite me to the track for a couple hours...

So I went. 

I got off of work a little early to head to the track, which is a little over an hour away. I don't mind the drive when you get views like this...

When I pulled up and rolled down my window you could instantly hear the high pitched scream of the motorcycles...but I was actually pretty excited! (I had pumped myself up on the drive up)  The lady in the ticket booth told me to get my cheerleading outfit on, and to be honest I was more worried about his life than looking cute for my man...but maybe next time, babe. 

Seth happened to be on the track when I arrived, so I quickly ran out to the stands to see if I could identify him. You see, Seth's bike is easy to recognize.  It is named "Ronald Mcdonald" because of its bright yellow, red, and silver parts.  When I saw him whiz by me I almost cried, which is really embarrassing to admit, I must say.

He is second in from the left

I was giddy when I finally found him, sans bike. We got to watch the other groups race around the track for a while before he went back on the track.

The track is gorgeous -- set in the North Bay hills overlooking rolling mountains and wineries.  I wish I brought my camera up to my lookout spot!  After we watched the super fast group, I stayed for one more session of Seth's group, he and his friends were all in the same group and it was pretty neat to see them all out there together.  

Overall, I'm super glad that I went, even if it was only for a short while! I don't feel so scared about him going to track days, and I would love to go back again.  

The best part? 

I haven't had any nightmares since...and I am SO thankful for that.

But he is going dirt-biking today so I'll let you know what happens. 

xox

Wednesdays Comic Relief

That's some good parenting right there.

Seth's Birthday Weekend

Weekends should really have no end. 

3-day weekends are wonderful, until they are over and all of the fun gets sucked back out of life. 

This week will go by super fast though -- and then it will be JUNE.

Holy crap.

There is SO much going on in the next month that it makes my head spin just thinking about it.

3 states. 1 bridal shower. 1 wedding. 1 week of camp. 

I am so excited!

That just means that I will get to have more fun weekends to share with the people I love.

This weekend we got to celebrate Seth's birthday. We started the night with some broomball and then went to our favorite local pub for some dueling pianos. 

I didn't play -- I've had a bummed calf muscle since Friday morning that still hurts! I'm glad I didn't though because so many people that came were posting pictures of their bruises the next morning!

Everyone had a great time, I'm sure we'll be doing it again! I love the perks of working at an ice rink, we got such a great deal on the ice time!

This is just one of the three amazing cakes: Strawberry Cheescake, Chocolate Mousse, and Red Velvet.

Come. To. Mama

Seth makes awesome faces when he is feeling fierce. Which is pretty much all the time. 

I am so thankful for Haeley and her picture taking because I always forget to capture these amazing times! Seth got a special birthday song sung for him by our trusty piano playing friends. This is the first year that I've been 21 and able to go out and party with him and his friends, so I enjoyed not being excluded from the festivities this year!

The rest of the weekend was pretty lazy. I love having my girlfriends home again because I can be lazy and watch trashy tv all afternoon without feeling guilty. I mean, who doesn't love 3 hours of Sister Wives? 

Until next time,

Happy Monday and Happy short week at work :)

<

Thank You, Soldier.

I watched an incredible story about a man who has devoted life to attending soldiers funerals and lining the streets with American flags in their hometown.  It was his way of showing his thanks for their service in the only way he knew how. 

This weekend we are reminded of all of our fallen soldiers who served our country to protect the freedoms that we take for granted every day. 

My goal is to personally thank a serviceman this weekend for serving in the armed forces, knowing it will certainly bring a smile to his face.

I encourage you to take time this weekend to thank or remember a soldier that has passed, understanding that their bravery and courage is far greater than we can imagine. 

Birthday Boy

Happy 24th Birthday to the best guy I know!

Today we are celebrating by eating carbs, relaxing, and playing broomball :)

I Love You!!!

Things I Love Thursday

I haven't been very pinteresting lately.

Maybe the amazing-ness of the website wore off a little bit for me.

Or I just pinned everything in the world, and ran out of things to love.

But here's a few things I've been loving and dreaming about.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pretty Tattoos

Source: share.renren.com via Mary on Pinterest

Peonies (I wish they were in season for my wedding) 

Source: intimateweddings.com via intimatewedding on Pinterest

Organizing 

Source: wanelo.com via Jamie on Pinterest

Cell Phone Covers

Source: wanelo.com via Haeley on Pinterest

Low Carb Recipes 

Source: cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com via Michelle on Pinterest

Unique Wedding Crafts 

Source: Uploaded by user via Jessica on Pinterest

And Cuter than Average Animals 

Source: data.whicdn.com via Laura on Pinterest

What are you guys loving this week?

Linking Up with Paige from Pink Lemonade!

"One Thousand Gifts" A Review!

When Emily and I decided to start a book club a few months ago I didn't quite know what I was getting myself into.

I don't really like to think of myself as the book club type...but what Em and I prayed for and desired is a place where women could fellowship and read an awesome book together at the same time.

"One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp was our first book that we chose to read. It reads to a variety of ages and spiritual maturity levels and while her writing style is different, I found myself captivated by her words.

I didn't really see the need to research reviews of the book, I feel competent enough to be discerning about what I read, and also competent enough to discuss things that might not be biblical or theologically correct. I didn't hear about negative reviews until after reading it through the first time, and by then we were just about to kick off book club, so it was too late to go back!

Overall, we received good feedback from the women in our group. The message in each chapter was a launchpad for great conversation and discussion.

I liked the simple message of the book, the simple charge to be more thankful. The message isn't daunting or hard to comprehend, and her journey of thankfulness was inspiring.

 Be thankful. 

See everything as a gift, because it IS a gift. 

 Count the ways He loves you because surely they are numerous.

Find JOY in the hard times, trust that He is using it for good. 

 

 As we traveled through this book the last few months in group, our hearts were laid bare on the table, and I, on an individual level, was forced to confront situations and things that I was stubbornly, constantly ungrateful for. We shared the things that we were grateful for in joy, and the things we were grateful for in suffering. We shared our lives with one another, and I got to know a few women deeper than I ever expected to.

 It is troubling that there is rising controversy about this book among Christians, men and women alike. Many have a problem with her poetic writing style, and while it was certainly hard to understand at times, it didn't bother me once I came to expect it. It's kind of like reading Shakespeare for me...translating as I go and getting the big picture when I'm finished.

Another charge at her writing is that she is promoting Panentheism. My first response was "umm..WHAT?" All over this book is a constant call to be thankful for what CHRIST HAS DONE and what He is still doing! Charging her for promoting Panentheism is a blatant disregard for the overall message of her book. Her gazing at the moon and seeing the Glory that God created in it, is not the same as saying that God IS the moon. 

The moon is pretty stinkin' beautiful, after all.

The third most talked about issue is the sexual nature in which she relates her relationship to Christ. This is where the red flag was for me. Emily and I prepared the women in our group to face that issue before we read the book, and we decided to still read the chapter where it occurred because lets face it..in this world we will be confronted with this ALL the time, so better that we confront it now as a group than later as individuals. Does "50 shades of gray" ring a bell for anyone?

As far as I'm concerned, the last chapter of "One Thousand Gifts" is completely unnecessary. Ann's description of her relationship with Christ in a sexual manner is an analogy that has been taken one step too far. I found it awkward. I found it uncomfortable. And I felt that she was making us equals with God and taking Him off of His throne, which is impossible...so just don't. 

The last chapter of "One Thousand Gifts" is a poor ending for the book, and not a representation of what the entire book was about. When theologians and scholars are reviewing this book, I hope they don't read the first and last chapter and make their judgment from there. That is doing the book a whole lot of injustice.

My hope is that people can step back and see the message that Ann is trying to present. Just because her writing style is different than (insert awesome theologian's name here), doesn't warrant us to write her off completely. There is no perfect book, besides scripture (obvi), so it is OK to avoid certain parts -- but the whole message doesn't need to be lost!

The experience of reading this book with a group of women at church was an awesome one. I am so thankful to be on this journey with Emily, and so excited to see how the Lord continues to work through this ministry.

Happy Thursday

 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

James 1:2-4 

I had a fantastic end to a terrible week.  It helped to start today with James 1. It helped to end my day with a good friend on a hike.

That is all. 

When Life Gives You...

I wish I felt like this today.

But I kinda feel like this. 

And this.

Or maybe this. 

Mondays are notorious for being the suckiest day of the week but I think today topped the charts of suckiness.

Oh, Monday. Why must you be so mean?

I'm hoping that going to bed early with a book will make tomorrow a lemonade kind of day.

Here's to make lemonade on a Tuesday..and rejoicing in the fact that a (very) good God cares and loves  us, and without that God life would be markedly, impressively, radically, intensely worse than any bad Monday. 

Mama, I Love You

Today I'm channeling my Spice Girls loving self and singing "Mama" Baby Spice style.

My mom cries at that song every time.

My mom actually cries at EVERY thing. And that my friends, is not an exaggeration. 

Another thing I can't possibly exaggerate is how awesome my mom is. 

My Mama is a true giver.

She gives all of her energy, time, and love to other people.

She loves without expectation.

She gives selflessly.

And she rarely thinks of herself.

She's a great cook.

She is excellent at getting laundry done at lightning speed.

She can cry on command.

She's got a super-amazing Doctor brain that I'm always awed by.

And she has the incredible ability to hold a tan for years on end. 

I hope I'm half as cool as you are when I'm grown up, Mom.

I love you!

10 on 10: May 2012

More like 10 on 5. 

Because most of the hours I forgot to take a picture. 

And my day didn't really become exciting until 3:00.

But those 5 hours were pretty exciting. 

So here ya go:

1. I wore my new shoes to work. I was slightly nervous cause the place is old and dirty. But they survived. 

2. Coworker Joe tries to get me to do pushups while balancing on that middle beam. His idea of getting in wedding shape is killing me. 

In between work and car wash I had a meeting in Burlingame..and instead of the usual coffee date we went to cupcakes. I had a S'More Cupcake and it deserved a picture. But I devoured it too quickly to get one. Better luck next time!

3. After a meeting in Burlingame I went to my favorite car wash to give my new car her first wash. 

4. Who doesn't love when the soap covers the windows? I don't think I'll ever get tired of it!

5. Seth and I went to FreeBirds for the second time. I have to say, the first time I LOVED it, my work ordered it online and my salad was fantastic. This burrito bowl was very underwhelming...I was devastated. 

 6. Seth came up with a great idea right as I was about to take an evening nap. He taps my shoulder at 5:30 it went a little like this..

"Hey babe..what do you think about going mini golfing and grabbing drinks after?"

 I agree and then as we are getting on the freeway... 

"One time, I went to this mini golf place that had 3 different courses with different difficulties, it was awesome!" 

"Oh yea? Where is it? Do you want to go?"

" Sunnyvale, heck ya!"

-- Only later did I find out that he was going out on a limb and didn't think I would even say yes!--

We arrive and Seth chooses the most difficult course -- and it truly lived up to its name. 

7. I heart this guy. And his fun Thursday night ideas. 

8. Seth made a friend at the ticket booth (what else is new? He makes friends with EVERYONE) and got him to take a picture for us. 

9. This was one of the most difficult holes. The ball has to fly off a ramp and into the middle ring to get a hole in one. I think we each tried this one 4 times before getting it into the loser hole. 

10. And then we went to Chilis with one of Seth's coworkers that lives in the area. My first time there and I thought it was great! This was a Sangria Margarita and whoever came up with this fantastic concoction should win an award. It was fantastically yummy and I wanted another, minus the brainfreeze. 

So my not so exciting work day became a fun evening with my honey. I hope being spontaneous pays off more often!

Palm Springs, I Love You

I love your shuffleboard track

I love your poolside games

 I love your poolside in general

I love your fancy drinks

I love your ability to make happy people even happier

I love your sweet Air Museum

And that you cherish history (probably because of the high geriatric population)

I love that you make him so happy

I love your sunshine

And Seth loves your popcorn

I love your laid back vibe. I would never buy shoes like this if it wasn't for you, Palm Springs

I love your spirit

I love your BBQ pits

and I love your ability to give me a relaxing week off of life...

let us come back soon, my lovely Palm Springs.