blah

went home sick from work today...sharp stomach pains and major acid reflux stuff, i think. slept for 3 hours-i was dead asleep too...woke up sweaty because it was 82 degrees here (yippee)...proceeded to do some 'spring cleaning' between continued stomach pains. i have a box ready to go to value village; i did my pacific northwesterner's duty and contributed significantly to the recycle bin :0)

oh, and i'm sleeping with my window open tonight for the first time this season...FRESH AIR. (and hopefully no nosey neighbors-yikes)

probably going to take tomorrow off...my stomach is super sore and doesn't feel a whole lot better than it did today. :0(

Special Forces

i am very PROUD to announce that my brother has just signed a contract with the Special Forces division of the Texas National Guard!! we (my family) are soooo excited that it's official and that he has the opportunity to serve this country like so many before him. GREAT JOB, andy!!
i could not feel any more love for this guy i call my brother.

Lord, protect his mind; saturate his heart; give him courage; shine brilliantly through him.

Fried on the Beach

Today was absolutely gorgeous in the Pacific Northwest!! And what better day to spend at the beach, than a sunny holiday! so off i went to my normal spot, ready to people-watch, sunbathe and generally breathe in life. two and a half hours later, after rotating a few times, my backside started radiating...yep, i definitely had my white washingtonian skin FRIED in todays rays of blessed sunshine. it's not the worst burn i've ever had, and it will be tan tomorrow probably...but right now, i feel like my behind could melt through a glacier-ha.

Janelle and Andy's Wedding

This weekend was a monumental event. My friend and former roommate, Janelle, got married to Andy Coe-FINALLY. They have been dating for 7 years....there ain't no way I'm dating that long-she was a patient lady, Andy!

Spa Night

Sierra Leone or Bust!

My friends, Joanna and Taylor Sprague, left for Sierra Leone today! They are going on behalf of a ministry called Families for Africa (www.familiesforafrica.com) and will be there for 3 weeks. They will be connecting and working with another friend of mine, Sarah Saunier, who has been there for almost a year teaching. She has been such an inspiration to all of us back home and now is excitedly hosting Taylor and Joanna while they get a glimpse of her beautiful country. Pray for safety both during travel and in country. Also, pray for a vivid experience as they seek to be a blessing and, in turn, capture the stories of the beautiful people Sarah has come to know and love.

Great Question...

"I'd like to ask God why he allows poverty, famine and injustice when he could just do something about it. Then I realize, I'm afraid God might ask me the same question" -Pontius Puddle Cartoon

from my brother...

"I've got cars, guitars, and guns. Treat my sister right and you'll only see the business end of the cars and guitars."

Mariner's Game and Tugboat Races

This weekend was full of fun! I really really wanted to go to the Mariners/Yankees game on Friday night, and Laura and I were able to get tickets last minute :0) I'm very quickly falling in love with this ballpark...


oops...zoomed a little too close-thought it was funny!

soooo excited we got tickets!

Also this weekend, the World's Largest Tugboat Races took place in Elliot Bay. It was part of the Maritime Festival put on by the Port of Seattle. The merriment included not only 3 gripping races between the A,B,and C class tugboats, but also what they referred to as "water ballet" with choreographed routines...random to say the least. I dragged my friend Maren with me to this "cultural experience" and to be honest it was terribly anti-climatic...BUT you never know until you try and the day was nice-so we had a good time! Here's a few photos.

Two Worlds/Same Continent-Why?

Still struggling with those suffering so badly in areas such as Darfur. Some of these photos are from Sarah and the beautiful children she knows and the others are documented Darfur photos. The difference in the faces of these children is astounding. Why should little ones, barely old enough to spell, have such sadness in their eyes? IT'S NOT FAIR. and i want to help.

Art Museum at 1am

the Seattle Art Museum has been closed for the past year while renovations and an expansion were completed. it's grand re-opening was this past weekend and it stayed open for 35 hours straight with free admission. a group of friends and i went down around midnight, didn't get tickets until 1am, and stayed in the museum until 3am...
there were amazing pieces of art, including an Andy Warhol piece...so glad i went. when we left, there was still a line down the block to get in...who even stays up that late?!

Mariner's Game w/ Nicole

I won some really good tickets to the Mariner's game last night against the Chicago White Sox...Nicole went with me and we got to sit in the "Terrace Club" section! It was such a good game-and we actually won!!
This is my second game this season, and I think I'm hooked! (I have a little bit of a crush on the 1st baseman-Richie Sexson-he's 6'8")

Parental Units

I LOVE MY PARENTS...this is a picture from their most recent visit (it only lasted 12 hours)-they are such wonderful people!

Spring Flowers