Happy New You

(Anyone go to Winterfest way back in the day?  The subject line was a Jeff Walling-ism one particular year.)

So welcome to the new design, everyone!  I wish I could say it was easy as pie, as I originally anticipated it would be...(and by the way, whoever came up with that phrase OBVIOUSLY did not make their own crust...I can't even transfer the store bought stuff out of its tin without it crumbling into a million pieces as I curse Mr. Pillsbury.  Blurg.)...but it wasn't (easy), and we'll leave it at that.  C'est la vie.

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season.  Our Christmas was fabulous and relaxing and aside from my turkey still being frozen on Christmas Eve (oops), it was perfect!  We spent New Year's traveling to my parents' house in Atlanta and Colorado Springs for our annual youth ministry conference.  Good times.

Now I am finally getting back into the swing of things.  *Deep sigh*

Here's my January Update:

1. My New Year's Resolution is to chill out about things that are a small deal (oh boy, that needs a lot of work), and to make a bigger deal out of things that are important to me.  (Or in short: better prioritizing.)  My training for this resolution is to read the Sermon on the Mount all year long.  

2. People have been asking if I've been running since the marathon.  The answer is yes, but not very far.  I am up to 2 miles.  This may seem ridiculous to you (as it does to me--I mean, I was running 15-20 mile runs a little over a month ago, for crying out loud!), but all I can say is it's just part of the recovery.  When I get over a mile, my knees start crying uncle.  I am being sweet to them by taking it nice and slow(er than usual, if you can believe that's even possible).

 

3. I have Inauguration Fever and it is out of control.  I am not sick of the whole shabang, in fact, I am quite intrigued and fascinated.  I heart Obama.  Here are my favorite quotes from his Inaugural Address:

"We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things.  The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness."

"And so to all the other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and chid who seeks a future of peace and dignity..."

"To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds.  And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect.  For the world has changed, and we must change with it."

(And, for those of you who know me well, don't you know I was looooving the "we are the keepers of this legacy" stuff.  The passing forward to our children's children...I ate it up with a spoon!)

4. I am still loving my haircut!  If you are looking for a hair stylist that does a great cut AND color (hard to find in one person, in my opinion), I have got the woman for you!  Icing on the cake: she gave me a free trim the other day just to keep things shaped up (I like to stretch cut/colors out to once every three months), and she sent me home with half a styrofoam cup of my favorite (expensive) clarifying shampoo!  As you can tell, I am a big fan.

4. Owens has been a little down-and-out lately--he has been acting younger than normal this year with the presence of an adolescent puppy in our house, but I fear his youthful jaunts have caught up to him and his back was really hurting after traveling.  I took him into the vet and he got a cortisone shot, but he has definitely been showing signs of his age (he'll be 10 in April), which is unlike him.  And just after Moses got healthy!  If it's not one thing it's another.  If you have any tips for helping an older dog take it easy, send 'em my way!

I'll leave you with a short clip from Owens' younger winter days...