Life Errands

I'm unashamedly quite proud of all the life tasks I've accomplished since school has let out: 

• Emissions testing; 
• Passed the saftey inspection; 
• New hubcaps; 
• New front brake pads; 
• Plugged the holes from two nails in one of my tires; 
• VA driver's license; 
• VA license plates; 
• VA title; 
• VA registration; 
• Registered to vote in VA; 
• Library card; 
• Mailed mom her birthday present; 
• Ordered checks; 
• Set up a 403(b) plan; 
• Updated my credit and debit cards for international use while in Peru; 
• Went to the doctor (for the first time in almost three years); 
• Cleaned the apartment; 
• Donated a dozen bags of clothes and other items to the shelter; 
• Run, walked, biked, or hiked every day :) 
• Lunch dates with three friends; 
• Got groceries; 

Boom! How's that for catching up on all the things that you can't do when the grasshoppers consume all your time, energy, and love?  I love the grasshoppers, but summer is good. 

First Commute

Jesus gave me the most beautiful sunrise as I crossed the bridge from Arlington to D.C.  My first commute from 'the other side' was a magical one.  Thank you, Lord, for your beautiful creation!

This sunrise isn't what I saw coming into work today.  Rather, it's a sunset I saw in the mountains of Tanzania.  I would have snapped a picture this morning, but I figured I ought not to text/photograph while driving 50 mph.  :-) 

Here Comes the Sun

Today is one of of those days that I find myself so perfectly content.  I'm just smiling...and happy.  Lately I've been listening to the Beatles' Here Comes the Sun on repeat; I have a Pandora station from the song and I play it for the kids each morning when they come in, partially to expose them to a broader repertoire of music than their typical Bruno Mars and Jay Z, and partially because it helps me start my day off well.  Despite the fact that I'm now sitting at my computer typing discussion posts and writing papers for my last grad school class, and working on materials and lesson plans for the last instructional week of school - I am happy.  I am grateful to be in this season of the kind of happy joy that comes so easily.  Thank you, Holy Spirit.  There are some seasons that are very hard, seasons when joy must truly be fought for... but these moments are not that season.  I am grateful today for sunshine, trail running, friendship, jazz, coffee, laughter, dancing, and home cooked meals.
~
This morning, I ran a half-marathon at Algonkian Regional Park and it was muddy, bloody, hard, and so much fun.