"I want to give my life to you, for it's all I have to give... because you gave your life for me."

So, it's been awhile.... let's catch up (in non-chronological order..)

As a brief overview.. in the past couple weeks I've made an overnight trip to Traverse City, wrapped up coaching my Rush team (which was bittersweet... I loved the girls but the organizing was just really frustrating at times), started conditioning and tryouts with the Jackson Christian girls, taught high school Biology for two days, babysat baby Shelby with Di, went to B & N with Jen and Di, outran the police, joined a gym to train for my half-marathon in April (SnapFitness to be exact... Randi, remember your experience there?), dealt with a doozy of a customer at work, and told my parents about my plans for India this summer. There is definitely a lot more than this but like I said it's a brief overview. 

Now for story time...

1. My random trip to Traverse City was to join my dad for Farm Bureau's state convention at the Grand Traverse Resort. My mom couldn't go with him so he called me on Thursday and told me that he was up there by himself. I couldn't bare the thought, so at 8pm I decided to drive up north to stay with him for the night and be his date to the formal dinner the following night. Well I got to Kalkaska and low and behold northern Michigan was getting a snowstorm. It had been 40 degrees and sprinkling in Jackson when I left so I didn't pack a coat or expect to be driving 27 mph for over an hour. I should know better though, I've lived in Michigan my whole life. I guess I was blinded by the hope of spring. Anyway, getting to the point... I was approximately 2 miles from the hotel and my car spun out of control and slid into the ditch on the other side of the road. Let me remind you that I was just in the ditch on Bradleyville road (that's by Pigeon for those who aren't familiar with the name) a month ago. What the heck! I've never been in the ditch before and now it's 2 times in one month. I did find out that Traverse City has some great citizens. Three or four people stopped to check on me and a deputy that was off duty set up some flares around my car and waited with me until my dad arrived. He even gave me his card to prove who he was. When I read it, it said he was from the narcotic unit. Is there major drug trafficking in northern Michigan? Weird... Well everything turned out fine. No damage. Got a tow. And we're back in business...

2. Rush is over. Eric asked if I was going to be around to coach next year... I politely said that I needed to find a full time job and right now this area wasn't being very cooperative in providing me with one. We'll see though. I'm applying at a couple districts within an hour of here so it could be possible for me to commute. Highly unlikely that I will be staying though...

3. I did conditioning with the girls this week... due to training for my half marathon the mile run had nothing on me. I felt great! I was, however, pretty sore from doing hills and sprints. 

4. I taught Bio at Jackson Christian this past week. I now know more than I ever wanted to know about the Bubonic plague, SARS, West Nile and a bunch of other disease causing bacteria. 

5. Shelby is the cutest thing! And what an awesome baby... she hardly ever fusses and she didn't cry at all. She's pretty chill. Mach and Brent bought Di and me pizza and we spent the evening watching TV and playing with Shelby. Shelby spent the evening watching tv, crossing her eyes, starring at the light bulb, sleeping, and flatulating on me. Luckily, we did not have another explosion like Diana experienced a few weeks ago. 

6. B & N and Chipotle with Di and Jen.. reading and mexican food topped with a carmel frap, mmm wonderful. It was fun, besides the constant badgering that I got from when I ran my car into a dumpster at the SAU apartment over 2 years ago (remember Mol? you were the only eyewitness to that feat). 

7. I outran the Po Po when I was out on deliveries the other day. I passed one when I was going between 62 and 65. I didn't realize it until I saw him put on his brakes to turn around. Fortunately, I was right where Brooklyn road splits so I took the split and turned off so he couldn't find me. I win!

8. I am a member of Snap Fitness and I ran 4.5 miles the other day. I'm excited. A little over a month left and I'll be running in Charlottesville. Supporters are welcome!

9. Why are people so grumpy when all I want to do is give them flowers? I don't get it. Come on people, have a little joy and show a little gratitude.

10. Welp, looks like I'm going to India at the end of June! I'm still making final plans so I'll write more about this adventure later. It deserves its own post. And this one is getting way too long...

Until next time...

Oh great light of the world, fill up my soul... The light of your grace, to fill up my heart

Another week...come and gone.

So I scored a goal on Tuesday! It was for my league in Canton. I was excited because my days of goal scoring have been a forgotten past time. I practically had to plow the keeper over to score but it counts all the same. We won 6-5. On Wednesday, I had Rush training with my girls. I didn't have anything planned but it ended up being one of the best sessions of the indoor season. I started the girls out with little instruction and waited for them to figure out the tricks of the drill on their own. That didn't happen. I wasn't that surprised. So, I stopped the drill and asked them what would help. They made some good points but not exactly what I was looking for. So I told them. I started the drill. They did what I told them. Success! It is so encouraging when you see improvement! Thursday was indoor in Lansing. We won 7-3. Friday was the Championship. My parents even came to watch (they are still super fans - even for indoor). We lost 5-4. Almost an undefeated season, but not quite. It was really dumb how we lost but that is a rant that I don't want to get into at the moment. Stupid Team Summit. 

Jen and I made a mega batch of applesauce this week. Let's just say we are becoming experts and who knows maybe we'll be a household name someday. Look for us and our products in your local grocery store. 

Let's see... for those of you who do not know. I am taking Violin lessons with the Jackson Symphony Orchestra. My teacher's name is Clyde. He's a fun guy and he's very patient with my squeaks and imperfections. I feel so elementary sometimes because when I am packing up from my lesson, Clyde asks the student that comes in after me "So are we going to be playing Bach or Mozart today?" This week I am working on staccato music which is a lot harder on the violin than say the piano and trumpet which I have played before. Clyde is also teaching me a stroke called "stick on the hair" which when it is not done right can produce one of the most horrific sounds I've ever heard. But it's coming... Johann will have to wait for now but I have "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" down pat. 

Two little boys came in with their dad this week to the flower shop. I would have to say around ages 5 and 3. Their mom had been away on a trip and it had been just the guys at home for the past few days. Well, mom was coming home and dad had brought the boys in to pick out some fresh flowers for her return. I walked over to the front coolers to help them. The dad kindly instructed the boys to tell "the nice lady" (I hate being called "lady") what flowers they wanted to get for mom. The youngest walked over to a nearby table and picked up a hideous bunch of purple and white silk flowers and proudly said, "I want this one!" Dad redirected and reminded him that the real flowers were in the refrigerators. The eldest pointed to the yellow mums sitting in the back corner and the youngest quickly followed the example of his older brother and said he wanted the same. I knelt down to their level and pointed out some pretty purple flowers to go with their choices. The oldest responded with "Ewww" but I won over the youngest so I figured 1 out of 2 ain't bad. I took the flowers to the front to wrap them up all pretty while the boys took off in the store like it was playland at McDonalds. The highlight of their trip was when they found the fish pond in the back. They came running up to tell their dad about their discovery. The youngest looked at me and asked what their names were. I said that they didn't have names and that he could name them. Oh man, it was like I gave the child a million dollars as he ran back to tell his brother that they were the ones who were in charge of naming the fish. When they finally returned to collect their flowers and head home, I asked what they had named the fish.  Between the two of them they came up with Nemos (which could quite possibly be the Spanish version of Nemo), Dorthy, and Sharkface. There you have it... the famous fish of J.Alexander's florist in Jackson, Michigan. It's moments like these that make my job worth it.