The Difference

So, here are two videos delineating the difference between the two candidates.

Obama:

McCain:

Abortion is more than a life or death issue for the babies and mothers involved. The issue holds that level of gravity for our whole nation. The importance of it is not something to be drummed down or silenced because of social discomfort.

This forum at Rick Warren's church happened the night of TheCall, and there are many here who see this particular question as an answer to prayer. The Lord had stirred hearts to pray for abortion to become the "wedge" in the elections this year, and it is happening. The candidate's answers to this question have been broadcasted over and over and over again, and the important of this matter is coming back to the forefront. Even the secular media is using the word "wedge" for the place abortion is beginning to hold in the elections.

The church needs to be able to stop handing appeasement after appeasement to this issue and to those pushing it forward. I feel like part of the what the Call gatherings are crying out for is for Christians to take this (and other issues) to heart. Realize that whether or not abortion stands affects you personally.

1. You live in this country
2. It matters to God what goes on in this country
3. Abortion is the kind of crime that God will not allow to continue unrestrained and unpunished forever

Lou preached at church this morning and got us all fired up about what God is doing and how vital these shifts are. Anyways...I'm probably writing about this because I just have been stirred and saddened over the last few days at seeing how many people Obama has taken in. It makes me sad to listen to what he says about abortion and then turn and watch my friends follow him and cheer him on like he is a hero.

Two of Us

The cuteness of pigtails

Um, this is my FOURTH post today.

Song(s) of the Week(s)

Please, please excuse the gross negligence that has been shown in this area of my blog. Just to make it up, I am doing an ALBUM of the week.

Ooooohh!!!! FANCY.

This is actually kind of because I just love this cd. (Even though I don't own it...*clears throat*)

HOLY by Matt Gilman and Cory Asbury

Let me highlight:

"Where I Belong" -- this is kind of like the onething internship's favorite song right now, I think. It does have lovely, lovely words.

"Holy" -- this song is pretty famous right now. Matt rocked it at TheCall and it is so powerful. "Only one word comes to mind...there's only one word to describe..."

"You Made a Way" -- "I am Yours; You are mine! And we'll be....together...FOREVER!!!" Um, YES.

"Closer" -- I adore this song. It speaks the tenderness of Jesus and the reality of mercy. Love it, love it.

To Remember Everything

For the past few days, I have felt utterly and completely disorganized. People would ask me to babysit or do something on a certain day and I felt completely incapable of knowing for sure that I was free at such and such a time. This led me to desperately want a planner. Suzy has one that is cute and constantly at her side. (the cute factor is very important...I will be so much more likely to use it if I enjoy it).

This morning two cars set off for an adventure. Glorie and Lizzie led and I drove the McD children and we had lunch at a new cafe that Liz's friends have opened and then we were onto Target. I did get an organizer and I am beginning to fill it out with great expectation. Here are the things I plan to use it for:

• keeping straight when I am going to the office and when I am babysitting who


• being able to plan babysitting jobs more easily


• remembering those little things I want to blog about


• reminding myself to do Song of the Week!!! (I am sorry about missing a few...there was DC and then after that it just totally my own brain having trouble keeping things straight) I will write it in!


• remembering the books I wanted to read and the movies I want to see


• making sure I get to the gym and the prayer room


• keeping my contacts alphabetized

Here is my little beauty I've decided to name Egret. Like the bird.

Knotted Up

Last night, I woke up for a second and then was instantly hit with a charlie horse in my calf. It was so mysterious...when these happen to me, I can't rub it....all I can think to do is grab my calf and focus on getting through it. It of course subsided but the calf muscle stayed tight all night.

I was confused because I ate half a banana yesterday!! =) With a little research today, though, I found out that it's possible to have enough potassium and still have problems because of dehydration...if you're not hydrated the potassium can't do its work. Since losing my waterbottle in one of the shuttles in DC, I have definitely not been drinking as much and often find myself walking around very thirsty. You know that feeling...when you all of a sudden realize that you have been going about your day extremely thirsty. You have to have that interesting revelation before you think to drink a glass of water. The thing is, I drank a big glass of water right before bed also! Maybe the vitamin B I took caused it. Now I'm making up nonsensical hypotheses. Apparently sodium matters a lot as well; except, I had salt in my hot chocolate (never EVER forget the salt when you're making hot chocolate from scratch...makes it sweeter).

The scariest theory I've seen so far is somebody who had a heart condition that caused the cramps in his right calf. Apparently, the right calf is the farthest large muscle from the heart, so when your heart activity decreases while you're asleep, the calf muscle doesn't get enough blood and cramps. All you have to do is move a little and it goes away (because heart activity increases and then solves the problem). The guy with these cramps ended up having bypass surgery. Don't worry...I don't think I have a heart condition, I just think it's an interesting story.

Next to me on the couch, Liz is introducing Glorie to the Sound of Music through YouTube videos. I was reminded of that part at the end of the sol-do-la-fa-mi-re-do song where she sings up like a fifth and a third from everybody else....super voice. For some reason I have felt interested in watching it recently...which is funny because you really only need to watch every year (or five) or so. The people in it do have some pretty sweet voices. (Like sweet as in smooth and sugary, not sweet as in rad, although they are that too). I think when I listen to Julie Andrews sing, I wish my voice sounded like that.

To Love

1 John 4:19 "We love because He first loved us."

Today as I ironed curtains (again), I began to think.

As Christians, we know we're supposed to love people. We know that the love of Christ draws sinners into redemption and compels even the hardest heart to soften. We understand that we are supposed to love others in a way that gives the world a living, breathing example of the affection of Christ.

But we fail. We stare at the fact that we looked down on the homeless man we just passed on the street. We get offended at the friend who didn't meet our needs. We decide what we feel comfortable doing is more important than obeying the Spirit when He says to serve our neighbor. We find ourselves knowing what we should be doing and staring down the fact that we're not quite doing it. A lot of people then move into the place of trying really hard to fix that problem and beating themselves up for not being able to do it right.

What I began thinking today, though, is that striving is the wrong answer. Instead of working hard to decipher how to fix our heart problem, our response should be to ask the Lord to reveal to us again his intense desire and love for us. Our action should be study of the heart of Jesus. Go back and become more rooted and grounded in love.

Because, you see, love that transforms people isn't forced or co-erced, whether by condemnation or false views of God. Love that transforms people flows out of love that has established identity. Love that flows out of a person naturally because it has become their definition. When the love of Christ becomes the ultimate reality of one's life, the love will flow naturally out of who Christ has transformed that person to be. He lavishes His love on us and offers to change our deepest parts into a heart after His own.

What I long to see is my friends, my brothers and sisters in the Church, myself become free from the idea that we just aren't doing it well enough. I long to see us soak in the heart of Christ, to lean on and cling to the love that is more demanding than the grave, to be enraptured and captivated by the tenderness of the God-man who gave His everything for us, to the point where we live the love of Christ instead of just knowing of its existence. For us to intimately know our Savior and minister out of that living relationship instead of out of our own compulsion. Gaze at Christ and what He did for you, and you will change. Then you will see the love you long to give to others flow freely.

So remember. Remember that when you want to love others "better" the answer is to re-visit the way Jesus loves you. Let him pour that oil of delight and tenderness over you and know that He will be faithful to answer the cry of the heart that seeks Him. Ask Him about His love; He will answer.

Untimely Treat

Today when I walked into the house after class, it was quiet and I found Elizabeth scooping ice cream with three adorably expectant children sitting at the kitchen table. Now, this is a slightly strange occurrence considering that it was 10:45 in the morning. Right before Glorie's lunch and nap, with the other kids having a period of the day where they would be very awake and now, thanks to the cones, high on sugar.

It turns out that these ice cream cones were bribes/rewards for what had been a traumatic experience. In the play room/living area, there is a fireplace with a brick base. There are usually pillows in front of it to protect children from the brick corners that are just waiting for some little head to bang onto them. Somehow, though, in the midst of play Judah had indeed whacked his little cheek against it, quite hard. Apparently, Judah had cried very hard, of course. Lizzie comforted him, while Glorie's own little emotions broke apart watching Judah be in such trouble. Judah got a sucker out of the deal as his cheek was iced and all three children were now getting ice cream as a reward for making it through the trial. Enjoy the photographic results.

Oh, and I forgot to mention that once I saw them having ice cream cones, I had to have one myself. Ahem.

Annie, you're getting a little bit old

One of Ariel's recent questions is "Annie, when will you get a husband?"

Suz's answer the last time was, "I don't think that will be happening for a while." I, however, just wanted to throw it out there just in case, you know, he might be reading this or something.

The Chinese are Dominating the Diving Competitions

Sometimes I meet people that get excited about Chicago when they hear that's where I'm from. Then they bring up baseball and I prepare to cringe inside...until I find out that they are Cubs fans....then everything's okay again.

A few days ago, I find out that the super high cell phone bill wasn't a mistake as I assumed but was actual terrible overage charges. This has never happened to me before! Granted, I've only had the phone for three or four months, but still. When I realized how much the bill iss compared to how much is in my bank account, I cried. Suz comforted me and gave me the idea to call and explain and maybe they would take some off. They did give me a $10 "good-will credit." Good-will indeed.

This, of course, left me 1) trusting that Jesus really will take care of me and 2) needing to earn some money fast. I babysat yesterday but still didn't have all that I needed. Elizabeth then offered to pay me the rest of what I needed to iron their clothes.

It took me 4.5 hours!! (including one break) Of course it made me think of house-wifery and such. Men's shirts are so much easier to iron that women's because oxfords are just so straight-forward. In the end, I feel much more competent when it comes to ironing, and it was an interesting way to spend my Saturday. Yay for ironing.

That was Yummy

We had a great night of bratwursts and barbecue and then the McDowells and I went off to get some ice cream. There is this fun place called Crayola Cafe at Crown Center downtown. I have to admit that their limited ice cream flavor selection was a little bit discouraging at first, but I eventually recovered (especially when I found out that the Oreo sundae included Oreo cheesecake). Anyways, the kiddos were uber cute the entire time, and we had a blast.

And then we walked across the street to a free country concert that was part exciting and part unnerving. It was exciting because it was music and the kids' first concert, and it was free. But it was unnerving because there was lots of cigarette smoke, and beer, and cowboy hats (well, the cowboy hats were cool). My mind was going the whole time as we walked past people, "Is that beer? Oh, that's probably beer. That kid looks way too young to be drinking BEER!" and it probably wasn't all beer.

Just having an outing was nice, and for some reason I am greatly looking forward to this weekend. It feels like it's going to be a great weekend of rest and just having fun with my family, instead of getting ready for something or stressing over anything. Suz and OJ have a house, I work with TheCall, and Jesus is going to take care of me. I'm doing great! =)

I'll leave you with one last taste of our night of ice cream. I can't get over these guys!

We Made Cookies

Choc-Oat-Chip Cookies to be exact. Just the girls and me. :)

Observings

I peered down into the case, studying the old scroll of the book of Esther, written in Hebrew to be read at Purim, the story of how God saved the Jewish people from destruction in Bible times. I looked up to smile at the little Orthodox Jewish girl standing across from me, also looking at the scroll as well. She smiled back at me with dancing eyes, turned away to join her family, and tears began rolling down my cheeks.

The most poignant part of the Holocaust museum was the fact that I walked through it along with Jewish families, going through the story of terrible discrimination and terror directed against the generations before them. The utter wickedness of the Holocaust is mind-blowing and incredibly relevant to the reason I was in DC in the first place. The bloodshed of the innocent, whether the Jewish nation or the unborn, is not forgotten by the heart of God, and as I walked through the museum I kept thinking of the verse

"And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones?" (Luke 18:7)

Recovery

I am tired. and I have a cold. But I am home, and that is bliss.

Apparently while I was gone, Judah asked "When is Annie coming back to me?" and Glorie grew two inches. They are darling and I love coming home to the crew that I did!!

Last night I was late on the numbering list for boarding. Southwest has this funny system where they treat you like cows instead of humans...except then they give you free checked bags and great drink service. I ended up far back in the airplane (thank you thank you Ferrill for giving me the seat you did!) surrounded by interns. Bless the interns for all the work they did all week, but there is a time for singing and a time for quiet, and I think those interns need a little bit more teaching on the book of Ecclesiastes.

The descent was terrible. I have a cold, and was all stuffed up with runny nose and everything. I'm fully convinced that the newest method of torture could be infecting someone with the common cold germ and then putting them on an airplane. I cried. Ferrill encouraged me that they would pop and just to swallow hard and I brushed away tears and longed to be on the ground and home. Oh, to be home and in a bed by myself.

Then on the way home someone yelled, "Somebody sing a song now!" and I cringed. But I did get home, and I slept soundly and deeply. I'm still sniffly, and my energy level is docked about fifty percent, but I am delighted to be listening to Ariel singing about Jesus right this second and smooching Judah over and over and over again.

DC Chronicles, Installment 2

Here is a very un-finished commentary on a small part of my time here...I wrote it in my notebook the other night to save until I could get on the internet to actually post it.

Day 1, Tuesday
The day began early in the night...2:45 AM. Everyone assembled, waited eagerly for the Starbucks to open (we beat Starbucks to the airport. Now that's early).

Day 3, Thursday (sorry, skipped Wed...not quite sure what happened then)
Ahh....to finally sit down and rest.

When I put on my skirt this morning, the zipper was on the left side. When I took it off tonight, it was the completely other side. Who knows, it might have made three or fourw hole rotations...I probably wouldn't have noticed.

I've had an earpiece in my ear all day, listening to the team's communication. I took it off a while ago, but I can't shake the feeling that it's still there.

So, I can't get internet inmy hotel, but I heard that DC has city-wide free wi-fi that the hotel blocks out. Bummer. What am I supposed to do? Go sit on the sidewalk and check my e-mail? Am I supposed to blog at 6:30 AM before I leave or at 9:00 PM after I get back? Ah, the difficulties...yesterday I used one of the registration computers before stuff started.

I was standing and walking all day and my legs ACHE. I know that if I stretched my shins out of their tension they would hurt a lot worse.

There is a point where I begin to find it slightly ridiculous that men and women spend their entire lives trying to earn respect for how fast they can swim. And yet I am fascinated by watching it over and over and over again. Those people's physical condition is unbelievable.

Day 6, Sunday

We finally got most of the day off! There wasn't much more we could do, since we aren't quite qualified to take apart the stage, so we went on adventures. Sadly, the Library of Congress was closed, so we ventured to the Botanical Gardens instead. One mind-blowingly cool thing about DC is that most of the attractions are free! Weee!

Day 7, Monday

I chose the smart shoes today for once. We are planning on seeing a Smithsonian and the Library of Congress and the National Archives. Yesterday, we tried to go to the Library and climbed the steps only to find that it was closed. Christina did made a valiant effort...we were really tired, and our legs are kinda wobbly at this point.

Did you know it's only a four hour drive to New York and only two to Rhode Island? I've never been to Rhode Island.

I'll update you on the actual day and more details later! Adios!

DC Chronicles

I apologize for not writing sooner. The connection at our hotel is pretty much non-existent in the free areas, and outrageously expensive in the others. I did get online at Corner Bakery (thank you Corner Bakery for your free wi-fi!) but didn't get to blogging in my few minutes before I had to catch my ride back to the Mall.

The Mall! I have to say that it is so crazy just to be here. Everywhere we go, even when we're going because we have to, we pass unbelievably amazing sites. The Call stage is just a lawn down from the steps of the Capitol. So basically I see this and this

everywhere I go. It's pretty cool.

I have an earpiece in my ear. Mine's a pretty normal looking one but there are others that totally make us Call staff look like a band of FBI agents. Watch out.

I have been mostly just fwamming around trying to be useful and trusting that the Lord has a bigger plan for my time here than just what little jobs I can do for TheCall.

The first morning I got up at 2:45 (less than three hours of sleep). We all got here and have had very busy days since. It feels like we've been here a lot longer than three days. The Pre-Call conferences start today, so it's exciting to see what that will be like.

The stage at the Mall is probably about half way set-up, and there are trailers and port-a-potties and fences and everything. The first night we were here we met at the Lincoln Memorial with the interns and people to pray with Lou. It was pretty cool.

I'm gonna sign off. Pray for me, pray for TheCall, pray for our nation!!

Loudness

I've been watching the synchronized diving at the Olympics. I've been having a lot of fun watching the Olympics, actually. I'm enjoying the synchronized diving, and Peter is being more and more pained with each flip.

My favorite moment so far has Michael Phelps' roar last night, seen here:
I don't know if you know the history (I hope you do) but in case you don't, here it is. This picture was taken just after the men's relay. There was a French swimmer who promised to "smash" the Americans... Phelps, apparently, gets pretty fired up when people make comments against him. Our last swimmer was a bit behind the French guy and then just went on super-quadruple speed and caught and passed him, winning by eight hundredths of a second. Phelps went wild and positively roared. Classic. Everybody was swimming their fastest it seems. Even the team that came in fourth beat the existing world record.

Side note, Phelps has been instructed to eat 8,000-10,000 calories a day. That is craziness. As much as I really really wish I could eat more dessert, that many calories would probably be near impossible. He eats like a madman then swims five hours a day. I think he looks like a mer-man because he has huge, huge shoulders and massive muscles but then a tiny, tiny waist and slim legs. Apparently he has flipper feet also, size 14. They say he was made perfectly for swimming.

Tomorrow is D-day. I am getting picked up at 3:15 tomorrow morning. (Actually, that's the middle of the night, not morning) I will try to keep you updated as well as I can, but who I knows, I might be too busy meeting the President for dinner. Every night.

I killed a spider today that was up on the wallk, and it fell down the shoe and onto my hand. Eww. Ewww ewww ewww.

The packing for tomorrow has yet to be done. I realized that I don't actually have any usable flip-flops. I usually borrow Lizzie's, and the one pair I do have I ruined by using with Glorie in the pool. What am I going to do?!

I started my Excellencies of Christ class today...and my mind is already blown. It's so awesome. From the teaching today, all of a sudden Genesis 2 isn't just the creation story, but the craziest picture of the way God designed us. I love it. Love it, love it.


Well, it is 7:53 at the moment. (Actually, now it's 8:14). I need to get things together. Bye.

A River

I am dead tired. Let me tell you why.

One bright afternoon a few moons ago (maybe just one ago), Elizabeth proposed to me a plan. She would pay me (which, in my situation is quite a valuable beginning to most sorts of plans) if I would clean her bathroom. Clean as in scrub. First let us interject that she was willing to pay me to do it because the tasked seemed to her much too daunting to even consider beginning. The last time she did it, she was trying to make herself go into labor with Glorie. (Let me tell you, this side of the job, I have absolutely no idea how she managed to clean the bathroom being that pregnant).

Today the task needed to finally be done. I leave for DC on Tuesday, so the time was running short. I began counting up my minutes, strapped on my iPod, and looked over all the assembled chemicals just waiting to eat my brains cells all up. (If I don't get into any sort of college, blame it on the bathroom)

I began. I scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed. With a toothbrush. I scrubbed the shower, I scrubbed the floor. I scrubbed the little teeny grout cracks that go between the many, many tiny tiles that make up the (white) floor. I scrubbed under the table and around the toilet.

I sprayed bleach. I sprayed Mr. Clean. Then I ran downstairs, afraid that the funny smell I whiffed was the deadly mix of bleach and supposedly unknowin ammonia in the Mr. Clean trying to come and eat my lungs up. Don't worry, I'm still alive.

I jammed, I sang. (And Liz closed the door. I can't stand how you always sing off-key when you have earphones on...always!)

A few breaks were had. A bit of rest here and there. Some texting and tweeting.... Water started seeping through to the kitchen and we still don't quite know where it came from.

And then I was dusting. And the shelf wasn't as secure as I wish it could have been. And I knocked over a perfume bottle, sending it's glass lid crashing to the floor. And it crashed. And broke. I tried to get one or two steps over to where the broom was and as I put my foot down, JAB, a fat piece goes right into the ball of my right foot. I yelp and then check out the damage. It seems okay...maybe it wasn't actually that bad. Wait, I saw a piece of glass with blood on it. Oh wait, now there's a river of blood gushing from the spot. And now there's a lake of blood in my curled up toes.

I yell for Liz. That I'm cut. Peter yells from downstairs asking how bad...I say bad. And I run (hop) over and hold my foot under the shower, having dropped big splats of blood along the (newly cleaned) floor as I go. They come with wet cloths and I sit down and press on the cut as Liz sweeps up the glass...

It was kinda a sad story, to have the day of triumphal cleaning turn out that way. But I have to admit, blood is slightly interesting to me (in a non-vampire, medical sort of way), so it didn't ruin my day or anything. We comforted ourselves with the fact that Wendy our doctor friend was slated to come over for dinner and Liz wondered whether I would need stitches.

I didn't need stitches and it hardly hurt through the whole thing. It did lead to me bleaching the floor one final time (this time to clean blood instead of dirt), and we had a lovely night of dinner (Wendy made Thai curry) and friends. My one pain is my arm. Literally. All that scrubbing must have worked my poor little muscles so much that I'm feeling like I need to go to bed just so I'm asleep and not feeling my arm hurting. It was worth it, though. I made some money that I can use in DC, so I'm satisfied. And it's an interesting story.

Oh, and I tried to dry my ear out with a blow-dryer. The water from swimming last night (exercise swimming -- I've decided I need to add it to my exercise routine because I am sadly out-of-shape with it) is still residing down in my ear somewhere, and Wendy suggested either a mix of rubbing alcohol and white vinegar (neither of which we have) or a blow dryer. So I blow-dried my ear.

Interesting night indeed.

Quotes from the McDowell House

Ariel: But why did Jesus make the whales like that?
Annie: I dunno! You could ask Him.
Ariel: (looking up to the ceiling and in the sweetest voice ever) Why did you make them that way, Lord?

----------------------------------------
Judah: (after we finished our prayer before dinner) I want to pray again!
OJ: You want to pray again, buddy? What do you want to pray about?
Judah: goats!
OJ: Okay. Dear Jesus
Judah: Dear Jesus
OJ: Thank you for goats.
Judah: Thank you for goats
OJ: I like them.
Judah: I wike them.
OJ: Please let me have one.
Judah: Pwease let me haf one.
OJ: For Christmas.
Judah: Fwo Chwistmas.
And we ate.

They seriously need a quote board, because the things said in that family are just too classic not to be remembered.

The Songs They Know

Newly Edited Photos

This is totally my new hobby...

(Ummm... L.O.L. on that last one)

Fizzy

Drinking seltzer water for fun is a new phenomenon for me. I always used to like sips of Mom and Dad's and then would go pour myself a whole huge glass like theirs and never be able to have more than a few sips of my own.

Recently, however I have begun to enjoy it (as does Glorie tremendously). A staple in the Herder household, it's constantly around and I like it! I especially enjoy this stuff, known as Talking Rain...available at a Costco near you.

And, I know believe that Talking Rain should cut me some profits for this advertisement. After all, anybody who's somebody reads this blog. If their sales increase at all next month, I need to get at least a little credit, I think.

Song of the Week; Installment 3

This week's Song of the Week is one that I like to dance to with Glorie and listen to many times over. It makes me happy inside. :)

After Your Heart by Phil Wickham

The Little One Pig and Big One Accent

Today I trekked to FSM to register for the Excellencies of Christ class. That lady who sits at the front desk has seen me way too many times before this. The first time, I thought I would register but then it was a different price than I was expecting, and then the second time I was sweaty and red-faced after working out but just had to run in as I passed the school to ask if classes were canceled for TheCall or not.

After handing in my forms at FSM I had to go the base to pay my fee. On the way, the "Traveling Preacher" handed me a slip of paper through my open window that delineated for me the ways that a good man will give up sin, etc. My sister just picked up the paper and I described where it came from and she said "The guy with the beard?" He must be a quasi-celebrity around here. He did have a beard and what looks to me in my memory like a safari hat. This (sort of) brings me to my next point.

It is 104 degrees here. 104 degrees, people. And I was driving with my windows open. I have this strange resistance to air conditioning. I am usually perfectly happy with just windows. Today I drove like that for the first two legs of my drive. By the third I realized that I was, in fact, very hot and the A/C went into action.

I am eight sleeps away from going to DC. That is exciting. I'm excited.

Here are a few more pictures. There has been a shocking lack of pictures on this blog lately, hasn't there? Blog whacks to me.



I am currently sitting with Glorie and Judah watching Babe. Judah is telling me how "The big duck flied!!!" and imitating the rooster "Cock-a-doo-doo" with that tone of voice that has a smile in it. This little boy has what is basically a Brooklyn accident. "AHHH Da's Pewfect" "Oh da's bad. da's TEWWIBLE" Also, we often here "But WHYYYY?" You're right!! It is the cutest thing ever. How did you know?

Cuteness Defined

Suz and the kids are here and searching for a new house. There is the seemingly perfect one, which we are waiting to see.

These pictures are examples of how I have discovered the fun of playing with pictures and their color. You can get such vibrancy! It is unbelievably satisfying. :)

I am nine days away from leaving for DC! I am so pumped. I'm getting a clearer picture of what I will be doing while I'm there, and I am so, so excited...

More blogs coming -- I'm sorry for the delay! It's harder to write when your days are full of
the cutest kiddos ever. (Which doesn't help the fact that I haven't even started college essays. argh argh argh.) For now, I am going to watch Ben-Hur with Suzy and eat my strawberry ice cream (with chocolate caramel sauce and Christmas sprinkles on top).

Good Plan

So, this morning I wasn't totally ready to get up because I've been sharing my bed with Ariel the last few nights and honestly haven't been sleeping that well; tonight we will try a different arrangement. But the rest of today has been marvelous!

Suzy told me to "take the morning off" so I had an incredible time going to the prayer room and working out. Today, after three miles on the elliptical (I'm pretty satisfied with myself...I've taken a break for a while) I tried doing sit-ups on the ball. Like this:

I didn't really know what I was doing, so I just guessed and tried it. (Side note: I am usually slightly intimidated by the thought of looking silly at the gym...purely because of my ignorance on how to do....most things exercise related) It was so good. It burned. Which is good. I thought it would be good for my back. It helps one's back to strengthen one's core, and I figured the support of the ball would be good for my back as I strengthened my core. Suffice it to say, it felt quite successful.

I could still use a nice raspberry white mocha or vanilla chai latte. But, this is a good day. :)