Race for the Cure

We may not have been racing, but we did jog for the cure…Lindsey Haas and I decided to do the Race for the Cure last Saturday in World Fair Park. It was really last minute. In fact, I don’t think we decided until about ten o’clock Friday night. She invited me over so I went down town to her place for a way past due slumber party :) We watched P.S. I love you and tried to google the race course map, but I promise the trail we looked at was like 900 miles long so we were terrified!

But we got up anyways, ate our Wheaties, and ran to the park for our warm up. The trail was not nearly as awful as we expected although it did have about four terrible hills. We finished in about 28 and a half minutes, which isn’t bad for us considering neither one of us have been running… and it was soOo crowded; we didn’t actually start running until about a minute after we crossed the starting line. It was a great time overall and I love a good 5k. There’s just something about the atmosphere that gets me really excited.

I guess we didn’t run quite hard enough because after the race and out walk home we still had enough energy to take pictures like these:

She shoots, and scores!!!

 

Able (the top scorer on my soccer team) was not here on Sunday for the game so I got pushed up as forward. Everyone joked that I had to carry his load since he was missing (which is normally at least a hat trick) so we knew that wasn’t quite possible. I did play hard and somehow believe it or not was the first to score!!! Matt shot and missed and I chipped it over the keepers head for our first goal! I was super excited and the guys were really encouraging. I played forward the rest of the game and was so exhausted.

Kat also scored and it was beautiful. For all who don’t know Kat is the reason I am even on this team and truly a best friend. She is so good to me and always there for me when I really need her. (Even if it means getting up at 8am on a Sunday morning or making herself watch UT football when she really isn’t in the mood).

She told me the other day how she was thinking about how much we argued but still how close we were. We do bicker a lot, like an old married couple most of the time and sometimes we actually hurt each others feelings but we always come back to one another loving even more than we did the day before. We are both outgoing and funny but still have very different personalities. Its hard to remember how different people react differently to different things but I am learning to take that into consideration when I am with her. She and another best friend of mine are the two people I care about the most here in Ktown and both have personalities I love and want to keep around forever.Kat said even though we argued and it stunk, she wouldn’t trade it for the world. It isn’t fun when we fight but I guess she would rather fight with me than have peace and boring life without me.: )It made me happy. Yes it stinks we fight but she cant imagine her life without me in it :) awwwww *the crowd sighs* what a good friend and I love her.

80′s Cocktail Party

 

These girls and many that are not pictured are an answered prayer. This is from my 80’s party Friday night. It is so crazy to look at this group of girls as I wonder, where did they all come from? I say that because a year ago I had a birthday party in which I had two girl friends there… TWO! I can’t even tell you how many guys were there, maybe twenty. Don’t get me wrong I love my guy friends and they are so good to me, but I really craved and needed girl friends. I am so blessed to have not only quantity but quality. God has answered a huge prayer by placing amazing women in his likeness into my life. Surrounding myself with strong Christian girls has been a desire and need of mine that God has fulfilled and I am so thankful. I am also so glad all my friends are almost as crazy as I am and terrific sports who will dress like fools just because I ask them too!

Thank you everyone who helped me with the house and the party (especially Jaime, Becky, Katie and Kristen!). As I said you guys are true friends and a real blessing! I couldn’t do it without you

 

soccer with friends

I am trying to focus on all the things that make me happy. Being active and working out definitely help. That’s not just me though, that’s everyone. Something about releasing endorphins and making you feel happier. Who knows. But Sunday was a great day for me. And the fact that it rained somehow, only made it better.

I love soccer and I love my team. There is something about being a part of a team, where people count of you, respect you and want the same thing you do…to win!

I really do like a team. I don’t know what it is but I love being out there. Many of my worries disappear and all I am thinking about is where I am going to go next. (or the ball or the man I am marking) but you get my drift. It is nice to have a mental vacation for those 90 minutes where your biggest worry is if the ball is going to get past you or not.

This to me is better than running because my worries don’t go away when I run, they actually surface. I have those 45 minutes to think about anything and everything and although it may be good for me, it is not always a happy experience. So at least with soccer my mind is at ease. I am amongst friends, and I am happy.

Praise God for recreational sports!

These are our fans. There are even more behind me but two pictures are enough.
I am kind of jealous of them. Well not them but the spouse they are there supporting. How cool is it that they have no other place they would rather be than watching their husband/wife play a ridiculous game of soccer… in the rain. That is so special and something to admire. I hope one day I have that.

I love softball games!

I really do. There is so much about them that just puts a smile on my face.

It isn’t just the softball game but the love I have for my family and watching them play that makes it even better.

Or maybe its getting so excited and cheering (screaming at the top of my lungs rather) for Dad as he sprints and completes a home run.

And after screaming bloody murder, seeing and hearing my brother shout, with a proud smile, “that’s my sister! :)”

Or maybe it is knowing I am loved by all those guys

It’s even better that I love the metal ding sound when the bat hits the ball

and the cheering, from both teams

and the kids in the background yelling

and wearing hoodies at night because it gets chilly even though its summertime

it’s watching these men 20-55 years old, all play their hearts out and have so much fun

…and sometimes take it toOo seriously

Or maybe it’s the prayer and fellowship after the game

Maybe simply laughing out loud

Or just being happy

Happy to be alive and forgetting about all the trouble and worries I have in the rest of my life.

Yeah, I love softball games.

And I love my brother.