Crashing California

(a continuation of my last blog about meeting and spending the week with my two sisters in Minnesota, Aug. 15-19) I spent such good times with both the girls the four days I was there.  I told them this morning as we left that I feel like we got to spend about 15 years of good sister times together in about 5 days!  We went shopping, I did their make-up, AND their hair, we (well, they) dyed it crazy colors (part of our shopping experience was going to Hot Topic and picking out red, pink and turquoise hair dye, which afterwards during the one thunderstom we had, we dyed colors in the hotel room while watching girl movies and eating subs and getting the shower in my hotel decidedly pink). Playing Piano & singing for me ;) I cried! Our shopping date =) "Processing" the dyeing experience, lol Elle helping me get on a horse! And we're up! Capturing the beauty of the countryside Hangin out after dinner, this is actually in th...

(This next blog post is pretty lengthy so I'm splitting it up into sections, I wrote it on the plane while flying back from Minneapolis last Friday -- all the reflections on my sisters and meeting them and all else, also some pics =) ) I have wondered at that word a bit over the years. I've known friends who have had sisters, and I have wonderful sisters-in-laws, I have sisters in Christ who hold me up and pray for me ~ but I didn't know the meaning of the word really (in my opinion) until this week. When I was discovered by my Dad and family 8 months ago it was a whirlwind of emotion and excitement and wonder, mostly for my dad at first, and he has eight other children ~ which is a feat in this day and age.  I quickly became attached to two of the eight ~ two sisters, Emma (the one who emailed me on facebook first) and Elle, a 20 year old sweetheart cowgirl.  They texted and facebooked me, and I was able to chat with them on the phone, but even they still seemed surrea...

The following was written yesterday on the planeride there -- which was less than wonderful, but I'm a horrible flyer, so, what can I expect! lol ---------------------------------------------- Not the first time I have done this ~ wanting to write my thoughts down, why does is always seem that I write whilst I fly in pivitol moments in my history? I guess I like the space that it offers. So, I am sitting aboard an airplane, 30-some thousand feet in the air enroute to Minneapolis MN to meet two sisters that I have never seen, and only were aware of in January.  How crazy is that??? There have been rare moments as I've been planning for this trip (from the beginning) that I have had glimpses in my soul about what this will be like. What it's going to be like to see a girl who shares my DNA, my real live younger sister. There are moments it terrifies me and moments there is pure joy that sits inside my guts.  It will be magnificent and wonderful and very emotional I woul...

So, after a short break, we are back!! (well, I am back) I am currently in Minnesota (say what?) lol, yes!!, I had been planning to make the trip the last couple weeks, to come out and meet/visit with two of my sisters. I had decided to take the plunge when I found out that Emma (the one who had contacted me first) was going to be here visiting her sister in Aug. ~ everyone is so spread out and since my Dad isn't making any sudden moves anytime soon, I thought this might kick him in the butt ~ PLUS, ofcourse, I wanted to meet the girls who share my blood!! So the first meeting and visit went well -- I had written a blog on the plane, which I'll post, then I'll blog somemore ;)  The are wonderful and beautiful girls!! I am still trying to kind of figure out what they think of me, haha, I think they like me ... I am really looking forward to the next three days =)  I will be seeing where they grew up, I think Elle is going to take me to see her horses (she's REALLY into...

well, we have *almost* made it through our 21 Day Journey!! Today is day 21 in the Daniel Fast, the last day.  Jay and I went for a glorious run this morning along the beach (don't worry, I am still into my P90X, I'm in my "rest" week right now, so it's cardio and stretching for pretty much all 6 days ... so I am subbing some runs in, since afterall, we DO live in one of the most beautiful places on earth and I've realized that it means alot to Jay to be able to get up and do these things together. The practical side of this fast first: It's been alot of work -- and I'm not talking about the spiritual side of things, but just practically, in the kitchen. I have cooked more in the last 21 days than I usually do in prob. 2 months, and NO going out to eat has been a part of that too, but the fact that you just make so much of what you eat from scratch, it's been labour intensive, lol ... and the dishes (ugh!) haha, but overall a good experience. ...

So we have gotten to day 18 of the fast (!!) only four more days to go till we are finished. Both Jay and I are admitting to struggling yesterday, and today feels irritated.  Which is strange, I don't know if it's because we can see the end of this discipline that it's starting to wear on us, or if the diet itself, because we are in a state of perpetual, slight fatigue that it's becoming cumbersome. Whichever the case, I can say I am feeling it today. SIDEBAR: Tho I have to say, I smelled some coffee in the cafeteria this morning and it actually grossed me out (haha!) it WAS icky "nestlé coffee machine coffee" ... still tho ... possible step forward? It's all too easy to lose sight of the benefits of what we are putting ourselves through.  We are making our bodies slaves to us, instead of the other way around -- which is a space I think many people live and pay rent.  Today's reading was on "Running to win the Prize": I Corinthians 9:...

2 weeks down! Just 1 to go!!! I feel like I don't even remember what it's like to eat anything but good fruits and veggies and soy products, lol. Today's devotion was on Hebrews 12 :   " Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us..." And so I've been praying about the "races" that are set before us.  Our job situations (band, our day jobs, direction for both).  Our church worship leading, our lives here in SoCal.  There are so many races that we run every day!  But to "throw off" all that hinders (slows us down!) and the sin that so easily entangles ~ but to run with perseverance ( steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.) (that's from dictionary.com) .....