Good week/weak

Nothing super interesting going on. I am still working at the run/walk thing. Trying to shift the emphasis to RUN/walk...takes time. I am an instant gratification kind of girl, so this is hard. But I love the endorphins that take me over when I have pushed myself a little farther than I normally would. Good drug!!

Good Temple Work
This past Tuesday I was able to go to the temple with one of my girlfriend's parents and help with some family temple work. IT WAS PHENOMENAL for me.
1. I was touched to be able to help my friend Sara's mom, Georgia do some work that had I not gone, she would of had to put it off longer. It made me feel necessary. I like that feeling.
2. I, for the second time in all of my history of temple attendance felt an unmistakeable "connection" to Heavenly Father. Hard to explain, I always feel good going to the Temple, but this was different. Oh how I wish I was eloquent enough to express my feelings. It was almost like I was embraced...trying not to sound weird here...Ahh well.

Pioneer Day
Sunday was our Pioneer Day talks. This is usually one of my least favorite topics, along with Mother's day. I just have no connection. But one of my young women spoke and it wasn't what she said but I just sat there and looked at her in awe. She is a newly baptized girl from an less active family. She is 15 and could easilly be mistaken for an airhead, but she is completely opposite of that. I called her a couple times this last week to make sure she was comfortable speaking and to offer help, and she said "No, sister Patti (that is my name to the young women) I want to do this myself". She did a wonderful job. She is a bit of a pioneer in her own home. She comes from an interesting family that is always in conflict with each other, but she stays so calm and focused learning and improving her situation and consciously rising above her family's constant drama.

Our second speaker aluded to this quote from the Martin Handcart company...which really touched me

“I have pulled my handcart when I was so weak and weary from illness and lack of food that I could hardly put one foot ahead of the other. I have looked ahead and seen a patch of sand or a hill slope and I have said, I can go only that far and there I must give up, for I cannot pull the load through it.”

“I have gone on to that sand and when I reached it, the cart began pushing me. I have looked back many times to see who was pushing my cart, but my eyes saw no one. I knew then that the angels of God were there."

“‘Was I sorry that I chose to come by handcart? No. Neither then nor any minute of my life since. The price we paid to become acquainted with God was a privilege to pay, and I am thankful that I was privileged to come in the Martin Handcart Company.”

There have been times, hopefully this is not blasphemous to compare myself, that I have felt like I am pushing my metaphorical "handcart" and that the load is too heavy to bear, I have always been supported by my Heavenly Father. Always. And sometimes after I have come out the other end, I am even grateful for the experience.

5!!

I didn't plan on it, wasn't in the mood for it but after the forth mile, just like Forrest Gump, I kept going(well, he ran)...I did 5 miles! In mile 4, I really wanted to do a 12 minute mile, and barely got it in by the skin of my teeth...12:47. My husband said I was a new shade of purple...kind of plum-ish...
But purple must be my color, I felt GOOD!

Good Weekend

It was a good weekend!!

I got to take Friday off, so I was able to walk in the morning. As I was walking my 3rd mile, my friend Kellie texts me an invite to the beach. I really was hesitant as this figure of mine is just not Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue ready...yet... But I said yes and am I ever glad I did. I had a great day. I got there an hour or so before Kellie and just planted my chair right at the shore and let the waves lap up and it kept me cool and the relaxing rhythm of the waves - COMPLETELY RELAXED me.











Kellie and I got to catch up as well which is always a good thing!
Herb and I had a nice 4th. It is so HOT here right now, 95 degrees by 11 am...so we went to see Ice Age 3. It was pretty good. I remember seeing Shrek at the theatre and at that time we took Michael and Lauren because it was a "kids movie" We were laughing at parts that flew right over their innocent little heads...That is kind of the way Ice Age 3 was. Nothing really bad, just a cartoon tolerable for adults as well as the younguns.
BUT THEN...we went to the mall...
Herb got some new shoes and he got a gift certificate along with it - this required us to go up to customer service...stepping out of the elevator, I saw the comforter that I have coveted...ON SALE! The sale was great. 50% off of the price and then 30% off again! I got the whole shebang for a steal! about a quarter of the price of the comforter alone! This is a picture of it online, not my bedroom...














It is a change - we have alwasy had a down comforter, but this is a nice change during this ridiculously hot weather. HMMM, now I need to paint my room...

Our neighbor must have gotten a $50k bonus, or something, because his fireworks outlasted the downtown fireworks (they went for 37 minutes!!) and were far better than Lake Eola has ever been. Oh yes AND we got to watch from the comfort of our home. Good weekend.