Update and Vacation!

I am at work...but I can't work. I am sooo distracted.
At 1130 all I could think was 7 more hours....and now it is 1 and I am counting down...only 5 1/2 hrs.
Until what..until Brandon and I are on mini vacation!
We are going to San Francisco minus kids, minus friends, just the two of us. If you have kids you especially know that this is rare and important. (Last time we did this was April of 2006) Time to reconnect and hope that you still like each other without all of that other stuff that distracts you like your children, work, and friends. :)
We are dropping the kids off at Grandma and Grandpa's at 630 tonight and we have a whole team watching them this weekend...so THANK YOU TEAM!
We only set one thing in stone for the weekend...we are doing a Trail Run in Oakland. And if you haven't heard...lol..Brandon hurt his foot (UPDATE...it does not look like it is a stress fracture and it is feeling a lot better but was told to not RUN for approx 2 weeks. Funny thing is after I bad mouthed him or whatever you call it my foot is hurting...we are walking the 20K and shall just see what happens). But other than that we have NO PLANS...and I love it! We are bringing a book called The Marriage Prayer and going to finish going through it. We are also going to re-evaluate where we are at and where we want to be and talk about ways we can simplify. We found out that Spring Soccer is not going to happen this year so that means no Saturday sports until next Sep..seriously! So we'll actually have time to get things done, clean up our lives a little, and even have fun. :)
So hopefully on Monday I have some great pictures and stories.

World Vision: Experience AIDS

Tonight we had a neat opportunity to do something a little different. We sponsor a young girl named Brenda through World Vision. We found a little girl that is the same age as Ashley and we have been sponsoring her for a couple years now. Basically we just send $35 a month and send letters during the holidays. We get a picture annually and an update on her schooling and health twice a year. We have tried to use this as a tool to share with the kids about children around the world who do not have all this "stuff" that they have and that we need to pray for them and find ways to take care of them. Honestly, not much comes out of it. Every once in awhile Ashley will ask if we can send some extra money to Brenda or will ask about her. Tonight we got to go to something called "Experience AIDS"....an interactive walk through exhibit that transported us to Africa in the footsteps of the children who have been impacted by AIDS. We each wore a headset and became the little girl or boy that we would follow...I became Emmanuel....a young boy whose Mother and Father both died of AIDS, and whose 9 yr old brother took care of him. I spent 20 min walking through curtains that took me to a new scene of Emmanuel's life. Towards the end I stepped into the Health Clinic and waited patiently for a hand stamp...would I get a positive or negative stamp. Thankfully I received a negative...and I let a few tears of joy drop knowing that Emmanuel had not been diagnosed with AIDS. Hearing the statistics and putting them with faces in the room were not only sad but scary. After the last room there was a prayer wall....and across from the prayer wall were children who needed to be sponsored. We took the kids and found a little boy that had the same birthday as Ethan. So now we sponsor 6 yr old Brenda and 7 yr old Justine (boy). I am thinking we need to spend more time as a family in prayer over these two children. Ashley wanted to show me the prayer she had written. It simply said "I know Brenda. I want to know how she is doing." She may not completely understand but I think she truly cares. I love how she just said "I know Brenda." And I thought wow...this little girl who does not have much and is hurting and a little girl on the other side of the world "knows her and cares about her". God knows me....and now I need to do something. My prayer was a follow up to reading Ashley's.
Lord, thank you for your grace. Thank you for your compassion. Thank you for opening my eyes and I pray that I may always be aware of your children that are suffering. It is a start.

Another reason we wanted to do this was that Brandon and I are getting what I think is a chance of a lifetime....we are going on a Mission Trip to Africa this summer. Two weeks going to Kenya, Uganda (where Justine is from), and Rwanda. We do not know the all details just yet....we will be working with a Missionary who builds up the deaf community all over the world. I am thrilled that God is putting all of this in front of me....let me always be aware...keep my eyes and heart open...let your love flow through me.

No Sympathy from me!

I was just told I have no sympathy whatsoever...not sympathetic towards a person at all. So I thought about it and I agreed 100%. I was not sympathetic towards them and it definitly showed in my words and the tone of my voice. I looked up sympathy as I usually look up words...I know what it means but when I read the definition I really see where I am wrong.
It said....
feeling compassion
support & loyalty
power of sharing the feelings of another
So I felt none of those to this person in this situation.
And it was my own husband...the person I am to love most on this Earth.
Why can I sympathize with complete strangers yet not towards my husband.
He may have stress fractures...and basically this means he won't be able to run for the next few months. This has NOTHING to do with me but I made it about me...seriously, I did.
I got upset...we are supposed to do a 20K Trail run this weekend...so excited but he can't do it now. And it cost $$ that will not get returned to us. And he already paid for a Marathon in May that he will most likely NOT be able to run. I should be excited because if he doesn't run it he can't beat my time...lol. But nope, upset that we spent $75 that we will not get back. I am upset because I have told him many times I don't think he trains properly and that he needs to listen to his chiropractor who has told him he does not really have the body of a runner. I have totally made it about me and it is not.
So now I am going to go look up the word humble. And remember not only is this NOT ABOUT ME....but most of what I waste my time on is NOT ABOUT ME. None of this should be about me but I make it about me....being human is hard.

Mama Kat's Writers Workshop

I haven't posted in awhile...lots to say but my head is congested.
I was going to share some confessions with you....BUT I have been reading this blog for awhile now and she gives you a subject/topic to write about once a week. I have never done it but thought I would start doing it. More fun than sharing my confessions with you...lol.

Here is the topic: If I was starring in American Idol TONIGHT and HAD to sing, what song would I chose and why?

Easy! I would soooo be singing "Stay" by Sugarland. Why you ask....because I am a horrible singer, that's why. And I LLLOOOVVVEEE Sugarland and that song. I would probably wear a cute summer dress with some cowboy boots (ps..did I tell you guys I am going to Stagecoach. Oh yeah. The cowboy boots reminded me of that because I am thinking I need to either get some kind of cheap fake cowboy boots or a hat to fit in..lol. I could wear my Jack Purcells but I think boots would go that much better with my new country style that I don't quite have yet.) Back on topic...so I would wear an adorable summer dress and cowboy boots and get my hair trimmed of course with some more blonde highlights. And I would sing "Stay"...and towards the end I would tear up...not only because it is such an emotional song but also because I am so grateful for the opportunity to be able to sing this song in front of America. I would start to cry like Kelli Pickler did at that one awards show when she looked gorgeous. And you would all be sooo touched by my performance that you really wouldn't notice that I can't sing. And you would all tear up too...it would be beautiful.

Honest Scrap

Hehehe...I was given this "Honest Scrap" blog thingy by someone...thank you Christina. We would totally be friends, in fact we would be trouble maker friends...if we just lived a bit closer to each other. So maybe it is good that we don't live closer...lol.
So now I have to share 7 blogs that I think deserve the "Honest Scrap" blog thingy (I don't like the word award). And then I have to just list 10 Honest things about me.

So here are some blogs that I think you should check out...but I am not sure how to link them. So sorry if it doesn't work. :)
1.http://thehowertons.blogspot.com/ She is funny and real!
2.http://megduerksen.typepad.com/whatever/ She is so cute and seems so put together and then she will throw you a post to show you she is human like the rest of us. Love it.
3.http://wrizzle.blogspot.com/ Funny stuff here and so honest...lol.
4.http://templetonfamilytales.blogspot.com/ This one I am liking more and more and as a person too...I like her more and more as I spend time with her. (And she has seen my room at its worst moment and didn't tell my Mommy on me.) :P
5.http://lifeasagoble.blogspot.com/ Another person I know in real life and love hearing her family stories.
6.http://mamakatslosinit.blogspot.com/ Just another Mom who cracks me up with her "realness".
7.YOUR BLOG GOES HERE...yep, I am sure there are so many more blogs out there that I am missing out on.

Now...10 Honest Things About Me
1.We will start with my room...TRASHED...clothes everywhere. So not really trashed...but clothesed. Everywhere...and Brandon and I say we need to go through them and just donate the ones we don't wear because most of them we don't wear.
2.I count in my head a lot...I am a numbers person but I am HORRIBLE at Math. I used to think something was wrong with me because I count everything. I count and then add and subtract all day. Like I have an ongoing math problem in my head since I was in high school..Seriously. And I am infatuated with the number 4. One of the things I enjoyed about working in a prison...I was always counting the inmates. I would know how many were in my bay, how many were at work, at the bathroom, I knew because I am a counter.
3.I love reality TV...I sometimes pretend that something is "bad TV and won’t watch it because it is horrible" but I probably do watch it and just say that so you won’t judge me.
4.I am one of those "Bad Moms" who gives their children chocolate and soda. But I won't take them to McDonalds.
5.I have always wanted to be a good singer but I am h-o-r-r-i-b-l-e! There are a few songs that I think I might sound ok singing and I sing them loudly in the car...Sugarland's Stay...oh, in my car I am Jennifer Nettles.
6.I have broken several of my combs and brushes because I sometimes throw things when I am angry. But I don't want to break things so I pick up something I won't think will break and throw it...most of the casualties have been combs and brushes.
7. There are a few people in this world that can do NO WRONG. I think Brandon is the only person that knows who those people are but it is funny because those few people, even when they are wrong I totally defend them, and poor Brandon has to hear it.
8.I am a wishy washy happy with my physical self kind of person. Sometimes I HATE my body and other times I thank God for having this fabulous body...lol. Sometimes I see others and dream of having their hair or other body parts (I am not allowed to say boobs anymore on here so I won’t). And sometimes I think my hair and other body parts are just perfect the way they are.
9.I am still searching for what God wants to do with me....I am 32 and don't have any real drive to have a career but know God wants to use me in other ways. And I think I waste a lot of my time searching for things God might want me to do when I just need to be still and listen to him.
10.I love people. Not any old person but my friends and family, the people God has specifically placed in my life. I really, really LOVE the people God has given me. I am so lucky and often don't show my appreciation for the people I have in my life. But I LOVE YOU AND YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!

Just Being Me

I'm gonna be honest ....I'm tired and cranky. I was doing pretty good in Dec with keeping up with blogging...Jan, slowed down. February...even slower. Not that there isn't anything going on but I'm just tired and worn down. How did this already happen when just a month ago I said "I will prioritize so I have a less stressful, more enjoyable, more patience, remember why I am here kind of year." This is why I don't do resolutions...lol.
I'm reading a few good books right now.....going up to the snow this weekend(but I have a horrible attitude towards it and I am secretly hoping it will get canceled and I can hide in my house while people think I am away on vacation).....getting a passport (hhhmmm, will have more info on that later).....been going wedding dress shopping and talking weddings with one of my favorites....and see, life is good but I am down. I need more prayer, more bible time, more alone time, less worrying, less listening to peoples judgements, less judging...more God.

My favorite part of Sunday....

I can't believe I forgot to tell you all about my favorite part of Superbowl Sunday.
The Marathon was great BUT....the best part was after wards. We went over to the Titov's and shared a meal....a great meal at that. It was so fun to just sit and eat and chat with our little running community. Brandon and I hope to be like that someday...to have our doors always open to share meals with our friends and family.



Our Hosts


Story behind this picture is that my sister got a new camera and said that one of the cool new features was that it would tell you if somebody blinked while the picture was taken...I figured everyone would have thought "lets test this out" but obviously I am the only one that thought it....had to be there but it was funny.

Event #1- Check

So for my "2009 To Do List" I wanted to participate in 6 athletic events.
#1 was the Surf City Marathon..and done!
Here is a little recap. Woke up super early as usual for these events. Brandon was already up doing his "I'm so excited" dance. He made me oatmeal with berries and bananas...yummy. Got to Debbee's at 615 and the topic of discussion was, what do you wear when you will be running from 7-1130 approx. I decided on short sleeves and shorts...thank goodness because it warmed up quickly and we had PERFECT running weather.
Got there just in time to start in the first wave (no need to warm up when you are running 26.2 miles). Decided to NOT run with my running partner since she is faster and if I start out too fast take a chance and not being able to finish. Smart decision. However I still started out too fast....got behind the 3:50 pacer (remember I want to beat 4:18..Mr Sean Puffy P Diddy Combs's time). The funny thing was that the 3:50 pacer and the 4:10 pacer were approximately 10 feet from each other still at mile 2....not a good sign so I decided I would just run my own race and forget about following a pacer. I would look down at my watch every mile and oops...8:35..too fast...8:34..too fast again...8:40..still too fast. In between my tearing up spurts (I am the biggest crybaby ever) I kept telling myself to slow down. However I made it to mile 16 still under a 9 min pace and than...IT HIT. Mile 16-20 was tough...because I had obviously started out too fast but I still felt pretty good for doing 20 miles. At Mile 20 I decided to walk when I hit the mile marker and walk for 2 min and than run to the next mile marker and it worked. I was almost at Mile 24 and saw a cheering section...I got this huge rush of adrenaline and "thought" it was a second wind...I was very wrong...lol...but it was a nice few seconds. Brandon jumped in with me to finish the last 2 miles and it hurt. My right hip and knee were sore and I slowed down A LOT but I was still within my time frame of getting my time. We saw the finish line and I knew I could do it...I came in alone so I got to hear my name called out...."WE SEE YOU SARAH BRUCE"..and some cheering went on. I was so excited so I thought I would throw my arms up in the air, what a great victory picture that would make but I couldn't quite get them in the air...I sure hope that picture turns out. Me trying to get my arms in the air with a painful expression. My time was 4:14:04 so I made it!!!! And it's a good thing because I checked what's his names time and it was really 4:14:54...that was close. So I finished and said it would be my last ever because I accomlished my goal....however, isn't there always a BUT. My running partner and her crazy self came in at 3:37...AMAZING, NUTS, WOW, BOSTON QUALIFIER! So we were all super stoked for her and her super impresive time and we are already planning our trip to Boston in April 2010. And than I thought about it and if I train (I have a problem with running during the week...I forget to train) so if I actually train for this I could probably break 4 hrs....and at the age of 35 the Boston qualifier drops to 3:45....if I really train by than maybe I could qualify for Boston too. So it was a great experience....everyone we ran with accomplished their goal. Brandon beat my half marathon time so now I have to go back out there in May and run the OC Half to take my win back...lol. Can you say competitive much? :) Here are some pictures....me at Mile 24 and one of when Brandon and I connected up for the last 2 miles.



So I just checked my blog to make sure I didn't have any spelling errors...lol...and I got teary eyed just looking at the pictures. Yes, I live there. I get to run on the bike path next to the beach whenever I want too. How much can God bless one person...wow!