10 years is a LONG time....

I was told I had to get my passport picture today for my trip coming up at the end of Feburary. Which wouldn't have been that big of a deal because thankfully I have been trying to get myself back into some type of normal sleep pattern and therefore making myself get up early so I don't have nights like last night where I toss and turn for 2 hours before I fall asleep... which means I straightened my hair today and looked somewhat presentable for a simple passport photo. But if I had known the day before I would've been sure to put on a shirt which brought out my skin tone and eyes as well as actually done myself up a little... yes I am a picture snob. It's a flaw of mine... one of the thousands. So sue me. But like I said, I was fairly content because I had at least tamed my beastly hair and straightened it this morning. After all it's just a passport picture right?

Well those were my sentiments while talking to the photographer during my photo sesh (that's what us model type people call a photo shoot). I stood up straight, made sure I didn't have any double chins and smiled away. He took a couple shots and then he stopped...

"this is for your passport isn't it?"

"yes, why?"

"you're not supposed to smile."

hmmmm. I'm not sure why you're not allowed to smile in passport pictures but I complied and tried to figure out a way to semi smile without actually smiling. Right. That went over about as well as a a whale swimming in a bathtub. He took one shot and showed it to me. I wanted to say "delete it and take another," like we do at home when taking "candid" shots to fill our walls with memories but I didn't want him to think I was vain, so I swollowed my pride and said "Thanks!" I thought about it and convinced myself that it wasn't a big deal, it's only a passport picture.

Ralph (the photographer) brought the pictures by later and I continued the mantra, "it's just a passport picture, it's just a passport picture," as I brought it up to our processing directorate within our building. I sat with Larry (my processor) and chatted while he went through all the paperwork. He hadn't seen my picture at this point and he jokingly said "I hope you like you picture because you'll have it for the next 10 years!" great. Thanks for the encouragement, Larry. Does the phrase cruel and unusual punishment mean anything to you? Well, it is what it is... at least for the next 10 years. Here I am, in all my non-smiling glory...

10 years of this?!?! REALLY? awesome.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year... Good Day and Good night!!

For some reason I seem to remember it taking FOREVER for Christmas to come. I could NOT wait for Christmas time. Once Thanksgiving came, there weren't many nights that I went to bed and fell straight to sleep. Visions of Transformers, GI Joes (WHAT?! I was a tomboy) and whatever the new toy out that year was, dance through my head non-stop. I'm honestly not sure when I stopped believing in Santa but I loved the idea of him and the excitement that lingered in the air during the Christmas season. Yes, I knew that Jesus was the real reason for Christmas, but come on I was a kid.... I still got excited about toys and new stuff! Christmas came and went BUT at the end of it all I had lots of new and fantabulous toys to play with so I wasn't really all that upset about the actual day ending. Plus! I was still on vacation for another week...what's so bad about that?

Fast forward to now... As of a week ago, the only reason that I could remember that Thanksgiving had come and gone was because it's hard to forget a 9 hour drive and a week spent with family. But other than that, I feel like I just got back from the Dominican (July) and am wondering where all the days went in between July and December. I got to go down to SC again to visit my parents and spend Christmas with most of my family. Love it! Going to Mom and Dad's house always brings back nostalgic feelings of Christmas time as well as an overwhelming sense of inadequacy. Mom redefines the phrase decorating for Christmas. It's like the freakin Cracker Barrel at our house during Christmas time.... I LOVE it and wouldn't feel like it was Christmas if there wasn't greenery, lights, santas, and some new home-made Christmas decor (she's like Martha Stewart, seriously) in EVERY (and I mean that) nook and cranny throughout the house. But I must admit, it makes me wonder if I really did come from this woman's womb.... my Christmas decorating consisted of strategically placing a nutcracker and a family of snowmen on my mantel. I tried counting Santas one time, but stopped at like 150 or so because all the shinny lights were making me dizzy.

For some reason a week of staying up late and sleeping in even later seems to have more repercussions now than it did when I was a kid (doh!). Christmas came and went and now I have to actually go back to work BEFORE New Years and am wondering how I'm going to get up before 8 tomorrow morning. It's almost 2009 for goodness sakes and I haven't even thought about possible resolutions. I need a pause button so I can take a day or two to reflect on 2008. I'm afraid if I blink too long, I'll open my eyes and it'll be 2010 without me even realizing that we're in a new decade.

For now, I guess I'll take one day at a time and try to make some sort of resolution for 2009 (stop and smell the roses? stop hurrying my way through life?....no, I need something I can measure... give me some time, I'll think of something) by the end of this year. Maybe. Christmas came and went too fast again this year but I'm starting to realize that's how life goes. I'll just have to remember that and soak up every drop of it while I can. My day is going to come early tomorrow, so as Ainsley (my niece) would say, "GOOD DAY!!! and GOOD NIGHT!!!" She picked that up from Johnny Depp, in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Nice. She is so darn cute when she says it, I just had to give her a shout out!

Wordless Wednesdays - I think not

There are too many words to be spoken today, so I'm scratching it in order to celebrate someone very special....

My MOM!! 61 years ago, God gave Gus and Jean Swanson their first little girl. I'm sure from the start they knew what a blessing she was but I bet they didn't know that she would be such a blessing to so many other people as she's walked through life. I think of different stories -the nerdy boys from hs that came up to her at her reunion and said "you were always so nice to us even though you were popular" or making dinner for a sick mother, the list goes on - that I've heard throughout the years about Mom going out of her way to make someone know they matter and I want to make sure on her birthday that she knows just how much SHE matters!

I hope you know just how amazing you really are, Mom. I can't imagine it was ever an easy task organizing 5 kid's schedules, being the head of whatever mom's clubs they had when we were growing up, cooking, cleaning, creating a loving environment for us to grow and having some kind of time for yourself to keep you sane. Oh yeah, I forgot, you too often put what you needed to the side in order to make sure everyone else had what they needed.... you still do! Of course I know part of what kept you sane was seeing us kids happy and growing, but come on a girl needs a break sometimes. And you've served your time as loving soccer, awana, and marthat stewart mom who never got a second for herself to breathe.... As we grew older, you and Dad continued to impressed the value of walking with our Creator as you had when we were little. Whether you were telling us or showing us with the way you lived your lives, it was obvious that God was the center of your life. That's probably the most important thing you could've ever done for any of us. Sure there have been hard times at different moments, but what's remained constant has been your devotion to God and yeilding to what is true.

Mom, you are so much fun! You crack me up whenever your precious Huskers are playing... What 60 year old woman knows every players full name, where they are from, what position they play and their favorite color?! Seriously. I'll never forget Marcus walking out of the bathroom at the house in VA saying, "Do you guys know Baret Rudd?" "No, why do you ask?" Marcus- "Well because there's a news paper clipping of him on the back of the bathroom door!" LOL!!!!!! I love the stories I've heard of you and dad starting a new chapter in your life down in SC. You make me laugh so hard sometimes. But please, no more laughing at dad when he falls down the side of the road picking up trash that fell out of the car... I just laughed out loud, literally, thinking about that story.

Mom and her man! (at a Huskers game of course)

Mom having fun!! She does a mean hula hoop!!

So today I just want you to know that you make a difference in my life, Mom. Whether you're making me laugh, challenging me, driving me crazy, teaching me something or just being my friend.... I couldn't imagine my life without you! Thank you for loving me so much, I am who I am because of you (and Dad). Happy birthday to you Mom! I'm thankful God knew to make me your daughter! He is so good :)

Mom and I just hangin out A loyal fan for life

I love you DESPERATELY, Mom....

Kate the great :)

First Win

We got our first win last night!!! Here is my write up for the school about the game... I will try to post these every now and then to keep you updated with the team and how we're doing! I was really proud of them last night, even though at times I wanted to yank them up by their jerseys (don't worry, I didn't)! Enjoy

- 12/11/08 Game

The Girls' Varsity Basketball team captured their first win of the seasonlast night over Holy Child at home. The score was 54-47, which brings EHSto 1-1 in conference play (1-0 in the division). It was an exciting win forthe Maroon that will lead the team into the Walsingham Academy Tournamentbefore the Christmas break with added confidence.

EHS started out the first quarter strong and ran the offenses effectivelyagainst the Holy Child defense. Rachel Hurley and Kelly Wallace stepped upand were offensive threats from the outside which spread the defense andreally opened things up inside for our posts as well. Holy Child wentinto a full court press that seemed to rattle EHS the first couple possessions. But the Maroon came together as a team and regained their composure to end the half with a 6 point lead.

The Maroon kept the lead in the third quarter but Holy Child was starting to chip away at it. The fourth quarter is where the excitementbegins!! EHS' focus for the season so far has been on relentlessly doingthe things that require only effort and playing consistently throughout all four quarters. The past two games EHS has struggled with that in the fourth quarter because of mental lapses and inconsistent play. The Maroon needed to stop that tendency in order to win the game.....and that is just whathappened.

Holy Child amped up their press in the fourth quarter and the Maroonpanicked for a few minutes. Long enough to allow Holy Child to take thelead. BUT our captains, Kelly Wallace and Breanna Jones did the best job ofthe season so far, leading and bringing the team together to regain their composure. EHS recovered their confidence and recaptured the lead bybreaking the press together as a team and setting up our half court offenses. Another key to EHS' win was controlling the boards, one of our goals for the game. Mary Foran led the team with 13 rebounds andBreanna Jones tallied 11 as well! Offensively, EHS was led by Jones with 23 points, along with 7 different players scoring for the team and the guardsdoing a great job finding the open player as well as feeding the posts. Defensively, after the Maroon regained the lead, Holy Child was held scoreless in the last 2:15 of the game, which was a enormous team effort!

This was a great win for the Maroon! It was our best effort as a team andeveryone contributed on and off the court. The team showed signs of growthand grit. The game was up and down, but they never gave up and most of allthey came together believed in each other! Please congratulate the girls for a well fought game!! The Maroon's next game will be at the Walsingham Academy Tournament. EHS will look to carry this momentum with them as we travel down to Williamsburg before the break.

Visions of John Legend danced in my head

Today is one of those days that as an adolescent, you wouldn't be able to sleep the night before. We have a game tonight at home and it's our first league game of the season! We're 0-3 right now but I'm hoping we turn the corner tonight. And if season league opener isn't exciting enough... I will be going to the John Legend concert after the game!!!!!!!!

For those of you who don't know about John Legend or my love for him, you obviously don't know me well. If you have spent any amount of time traveling with me, it's inevitable that you have heard this man's voice playing through my stereo. His voice is smooth and at the risk of sounding over dramatic, a part of me melts when his genius hits my ears and then resounds through my soul. I remember hearing "Ordinary People" for the first time on the radio and I thought to myself, "who sings this and when was it made? How have I not heard this song before??" I had mistaken his oldschool sound and soulful voice for song from the real R&B era, when people use to actually sing to real music... but I knew that it must've been a new song because I had never heard it. When I found out that he was a young semi-new artist and this was in fact a single from his NEW cd, I was hooked! I HAD to get this man's cd and when I did, I wasn't disappointed. As a matter of fact, John Legend has not let me down yet. I have loved EVERY cd he's come out with and am like a child the night before Christmas everytime he drops another album.

Unfortunately I have missed him in concert almost everytime he's come to my area (I saw him in concert with Common in Baltimore...amazing). And I thought I was going to miss him again because I had a game tonight. I didn't think anyone would want to go a little late and go after the game so I chalked it up as another missed oportunity. BUT I was wrong (thank the Lord)... I have a friend who loves John Legend almost as much as I do and bought a few tickets for the concert. He asked if I wanted to join him and I told him I had a game so if I came it would be late and I didn't want to make anyone late to the show. Sad. BUT because he shares the same affinity for John Legend that I do (he says J.Legend is his man crush... lol), he decided he would wait for me so I could go too!! How awesome is he?! Very.

So JC, this blog is for you and it's dedicated to you and your awesome opening-act-sacrificing-self!!! Thank you :)

Fantastic Fridays - New gadget

It's Friday, and it's been a while since I've blogged on a fantastic Friday... or at least it feels like it's been a while. Last Friday I was with the fam down in SC and it was a lot of fun... here are a few pics from the week down there....

At the dock so Cooper could take a dip in the lake...

Poppy and Laura

Grammy and Andrew

The whole gang

While I was down in SC, we went to the Verizon Wireless store. I ordered my new Blackberry Storm and I just received it last night!!! Wooo hooo! That's pretty fantastic if you ask me. I'm realizing that I have a little bit of figuring out to do in order to be able to use all the functions and capabilities this thing has. It's amazing! I feel like I have a hand held computer... which I basically do. I'm slowly figuring it out... but if anyone has a "Crackberry," as users often refer to it, and has some tips... I'm all ears!

Today I will be figuring this wonderful little device out... I've been waiting for it to come out. And it has finally arrived... That makes today, a Fantastic Friday!!! :)

Wordless Wednesdays - Holidays

There's nothing like a warm cozy fire when it's cold outside. Sitting by the fire always reminds me that Christmas is just around the corner :)

It's that time of Year! :)

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Wordless Wednesdays - Walk for Autism

Fantastic Fridays - TEAM

Tonight is the night. I made final cuts last night. After practice tonight we are having a team dinner where the girls will bring their RSVPs from the invitations they received to be a part of the Epicopal Varsity Basketball 2008-09 team and paste them on our commitment poster for the locker room. And then - our team will be final!!! :) It's been a crazy, hectic first week - but so fun at the same time! And that's why today is fantastic... because I made it through my first week as head coach! :)

Lend your ear.... it's worth it

For those of you that don't know, I go to a church that is racially diverse to say the least. One of the priorities in my church is reconciliation. My pastor (Brett Fuller) decided that after the election, the results had the possibility of dividing the people in our church so he took the issue head on, although it may be a little uncomfortable. It was a much needed sermon and amazing how he hit both sides from a Biblical perspective. I could write a lot more about this but Pastor Fuller does a much better job talking about it so just click here and listen! LISTEN TO THE WHOLE THING!!!!!!!!!!

Let the Games Begin!!!!!

Today is the day!! Tryouts for the Episcopal Varsity (and JV) team start at 3:30pm sharp this afternoon....

My life, as I know it, for the next 4 months will be immersed with high school basketball, game strategy, boy-crazy girls (I'm talking about my players, not my friends), figuring out how to get my players to take ownership of something bigger than themselves...a team. I loved working with these young ladies last year and I'm hoping for more of the same this year! They are like sponges... and hilarious....(did I mention dramatic and stubborn) at this age. That's what I love about working with them, I get a chance to pour into them and help mold their lives!

I'm excited to see what new blood we get this year and becoming a new team as we practice and grow together! I'm hoping to continue to blog throughout the season even though I'll be as busy as a bee! As for now, I have to get going!!!!!!! Wish me (us) luck!!!

Wordless Wednesdays - Classics

Here are some old pictures that I have no words for - Just captions!

Jule's has always had a fascination with what's goin' on in the world.

LOL! The outfits, plus the bonus mullet. So 80's, Mom and Dad

Perm plus mullet... YES!

Meggo, I really have no words.

I'm embarassed to even post this, but I can't call everyone else out if I don't put myself on blast too!!

More Fall and Fun

I was gonna post about my weekend and put a few pics from the different excursions I joined in and some how or another I came across these cutie pie pics and couldn't help put them up. I know I'm not related to J & A's Lil D... but I sure do dote on him like I am! I love going by their place after work just to see this little smile looking up at me as I walk up the stairs and come around the corner. It melts my heart! I can't imagine having to say no to this little man. Thank goodness I don't have to! :) Here are some pics of my weekend (but mostly of Dawson):

Tiny D in his Halloween costume... What a handsome little cowboy! Saddle up!

Playing with Tiny D... The cuteness factor is way ridiculous here.

I asked A if I could take the little guy out and do a photo shoot with him... he didn't disappoint, of course. He's a natural!!

I went to Great Falls with some friends from GCC. It was absolutely beautiful on Saturday! And of course we got to partake in my favorite: 3F's Fun, Food (picnic) and Fellowship

Here's a shot of the crew after our hike!

Needless to say I had a great and relaxing weekend as well as enjoyed God's beautiful creation with some of my favorite people!! I start my early days the week after this one...So this was a much needed time of rest for me. Now it's time to get down to business :)

Wordless Wednesdays - Fall is Here

My dear friend MM {real name eradicated}, is somewhere that has no Fall (very sad I know). So my friend, Precious {name also eradicated} and I decided to take some pics so we could send a little fall her way.

MM, these are for you! We love you!! Happy Fall!!! :)

No She Di-int.... Yes, yes I Did.

Yep, I've gotta do it. Now for those of you who don't know me and are wondering around the bloggy world reading random posts, I'm going to tell you something about myself. I rarely am wooed by the bumping into, hanging out with or meeting of professional athletes or celebs. Maybe it's my pride that won't allow myself to put these people (after all that's what they are) on the pedestal that society does but day in and day out, they are just like you and I... with a few extra million in their pockets and the fact that they can't eat dinner in public because people are constantly dying to run up to them and make a fool of themselves (eh hem) just for one little obligatory head nod and word of appreciation (if that). Which brings me to the reason I'm writing this post.

I went to this new spot at the Reston Town Center on Thursday night with my friend Abby. When we walked in I was shocked at the crowd. There were literally people smushed from wall to wall at the bar and it was a 45 minute wait to eat. So Abby and I decided to go fight our way through the crowd until we found a place big enough that we could squeeze our head through and order a drink while we waited to be seated. Fun. So we sat, no actually we stood, drank and chatted until our little buzzer thingy went off... 45 minutes later, after not eating all day and a half a Mojito or Cosmo too many (lol, Abby you know why that's funny), we stumbled our way to the table and were ready to order.

As I'm looking at the menu, this tall glass of water starts walking right towards the open table next to us. I notice him out of the corner of my eye but due to the lack of nourishment during the day plus the alcoholic beverage (yes, that's singular folks) I consumed, I needed to concentrate on what I was going to be eating. I continued to try and stay focused on what really mattered (me getting food in my stomache) but I couldn't help it, he caught my eye again. I looked up right as this man was about to be seated and my heart fluttered (wow that's corny). This man was beautiful. I smiled sheepishly, as I just knew he could tell my heart rate went up as soon as he started walking my way. He smiled back and sat down.....ALONE! "No way was this man dining alone," I thought to myself. Consumed by his gorgeousness I didn't even think about the fact that it was Jason Taylor. As soon as I could put words in my mouth I whispered, not very softly, "That's Jason Taylor!!!!!" to Abby. She said, "Who is that?!" Oh my dear Abby.. Only the most beautiful man in the world, who happens to play for the REDSKINS, which happens to be my team! So she glanced over at him and the first thing she says to me, "He's not married." We both laughed and then she says "Are you going to say something to him?" My response of course was, "I normally don't do this, but I HAVE to... " So I leaned over and tapped him on the arm "You're Jason Taylor, aren't you?" He smiled and said yes. I'm not sure exactly what I said after that, I'm pretty sure it sounded like diarrhea of the mouth but went something like this... "I am a huge Redskins fan and I love you." He laughed and said thank you so I scooted back over to my booth and tried to keep myself from squealing.

I can honestly say that, that is the first time I can remember ever getting school girlishly excited about meeting an athlete. But the more I think about it, the more I realize it had nothing to do with him playing for the Skins (a bonus, no doubt) but everything to do with the fact that I think I met the most beautiful man in the world. And let me tell you, he's even more good looking in person. So yeah, I met Jason Taylor this week and while I know he puts his pants on one leg at a time, he sure does look a lot better after it's done than anyone I've ever seen. I think this is just after he pointed at me and said "you have my heart." It went something like that, I'm pretty sure. And that's a purity ring, not a wedding ring on his finger ;) A girl can dream can't she?! lol

The Real Blessing

I had a conversation with a friend of mine today. She gets Joel Osteen's daily emails and I guess todays was about speaking over your situations, kind of a daily affirmation type thing. I don't know why but I cringe a little when I hear pastors talk about speaking the things God has for you into existance. I understand that people see verses like this "And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, 'I believed and therefore I spoke,' we also believe and therefore speak" 2 Corinthians 4:13, and then want to start speaking their finances or fiancees into existance. But my question is then, 'how do we know what exactly it is that God has for us?' Unfortunately I do not have a crystal ball that lays out my future and tells me when I will meet Mr. Right or when I will be able to pay off my mortgage... or if I ever will for that matter.

The problem that I see with this whole idea (again I don't see a problem in believe in God and trusting that He is going to bring us to what He has for us) is that some people act upon this thought and then if something doesn't happen, i.e. they don't get the job they were speaking on, or they go bankrupt when they were trusting and affirming that God would deliver them, they think one of many things. 1. God is not trustworthy, 2. They must have done something wrong and our not walking with God or 3. God is not a loving god b/c if he was he would've come through and brought them whatever it was they were affirming. Which in most cases, probably isn't the truth. God is trustworthy. And just because you don't get something you "believed" God wanted you to have doesn't mean you are not walking with God. And God is a loving god, moer than we will ever understand. Which is probably why you didn't get what you were praying about.

The way I see it, God really isn't all that concerned with how comfortable or rich we are. He wants intimacy with us. So if it takes us living pay check to pay check or in a season of lonely, singlehood to get us into an intimate relationship with Him, that's what He's going to give us. And of course that's not saying that we all need to be single and in poverty to really be intimate with Jesus. That's a bit extreme to say the least... But sometimes I feel like we get it backwards in wanting "OUR BLESSING" more than we want Him and that's when we miss out.

Do I think we need to believe that God is working for the good of those who love Him? Yes, without a doubt. But do I necessarily believe that I can speak my own desires and self proclaimed needs into existence without asking God to reveal to me what are HIS desires for my life? Nope, I'm not convinced. My God is a big god and can do anything. And there is nothing wrong with believing in Him for deliverance, blessings, etc. BUT just don't let yourself be convinced that God does or doesn't love you because you have or haven't been delivered. You never know... God may just be pursuing you, in fact, I'm sure He is. Your intimacy with Him is far more important to Him than your comfort here on earth will ever be. Ginny Owens song "If You Want Me To" just came to mind. Her lyrics are so powerful.... This is how I want to desire Jesus.

If You Want Me To
The pathway is broken
And The signs are unclear
And I don't know the reason why
You brought me here
But just because You love me the way that You do
I'm gonna walk through the valley If You want me to
Chorus:
Cause I'm not who I was
When I took my first step
And I'm clinging to the promise
You're not through with me yet
so if all of these trials bring me closer to you
Then I will walk through the fire
If You want me to
It may not be the way
I would have chosen
When you lead me through a world that's not my home
But You never said it would be easy
You only said I'd never go alone
So When the whole world turns against me
And I'm all by myself
And I can't hear You answer my cries for help
I'll remember the suffering that
Your love put You through
And I walk through the darkness If You want me to cause
When I cross over Jordan, I'm gonna sing, gonna shout
Gonna look into your eyes and see you never let me down
So take me on the pathway that leads me home to you
And I will walk through the valley if you want me to Yes, I
will walk through the valley if you want me to

Half Full or Half Empty... You Can Decide

"You can either allow your circumstances to be a trap and ensnare you for the rest of your life, or you can use them to learn what it takes to succeed in a world where things won't always go your way."-- Lenny Wilkens

Wordless Wednesdays - New du or not to du?

I don't like my newest cut and color so I'm looking for a new du... what do you think?!

Wordless Wednesdays

Pics by an amateur :)

I can't remember if I took this last one or if it was Mego's and I just edited it. But none the less it's a perfect picture for "Wordless Wednesday" ;)

Wikihow is wikid-awesome!

I have found a new favorite website!!! I have enjoyed and gleaned so much information from it in the short time I've known about it that I can't help but tell all of my loyal readers about it. It will change your life, well at least help you navigate this journey we're all on. You can find out "how to" do anything on this site. From ending a manipulative relationship and preventing wrinkles (lol at #9 in the process) to way more important things like cooking baked potatoes in the microwave and learning new golf swings. You can find almost anything on this site, it's awesome.

To all of you doubters, check it out. Next time you don't know how to do something, whether it's how to fix a hole in the wall or surviving the first month of motherhood, go check out http://www.wikihow.com/. You won't be disappointed.

Fantastic Fridays - On the other side

This week has been crazy for a myriad of reasons but mainly because the Army Ten Miler is taking place. I have been in charge of selecting the All Army team that will be competing in the Elite/International group. There are so many little things that go on behind the scenes when entering a team in an event like this. As an athlete I think I took so much of it for granted. Coordinating the travel, equipment, money disbursement, hotel reservations, and event obligations are all things that use to "just happen" when I was the athlete. But now, I get to be on the other side of it. God is funny like that. I think he just wants to make sure that I think back and appreciate the people in my life that made my life as an athlete seem to just smoothly sail along.

It is quite eye opening when I think about it because God has placed me in two positions that I am in charge of things I never had to worry about. Stuff like planning, organizing, logistics, funding and more planning are things I never even thought about, nor did I want to. Sometimes it's much more enjoyable when you're ignorant to the things that go on behind the scenes. Although knowing these things helps you appreciate the opportunities that others have helped happen.

I can't begin to tell you how many seasons Mom and Dad had to coordinate their schedules with getting us kids to our extra cirricular activities throughout the years. And as much as I'm sure it brings unspeakable joy to watch your little rugrats chase a ball around some field or court, I can't imagine that it was ALWAYS the first thing on their "Things I'd Like to Do" list. So thanks Mom and Dad, for all of your support and sacrifice!

If you haven't realized yet, it is Fantastic Friday. I'll be in DC all weekend working with and for my team. It won't be all bad though... I have a hotel room in DC and will be able to get away to spice things up a bit! So even though I've been crazy busy doing behind the scenes work for this weekend, it was worth it because I love love love the city and am going to take advantage of being there for a few days (I say that like it's far away and I live in the country).... and that is pretty fantastic!

Enjoy your weekend!!

Dancing for HIM

A friend of mine sent me a link today and I was not prepared for what I was about to witness. Let me first say that I'm all about Christians branching out and trying to reach every culture through different types of ministry and such. But what exactly was the target group of this performance??

It's obvious that my mind has not been "renewed" enough to thoroughly enjoy this song and dance... Something about it just doesn't sit right with me. They have rhythm and can sing just fine but for some reason the 1-2 combo that they are presenting just sends mix signals to me. What about the 40 something year old woman on the right in her prestine blue skirt suit says hip to you? Exactly, nothing. And lets talk about the dude's solo in the middle of the video for a second. Is he auditioning to be on one of Chris Brown's new videos? He would undoubtedly be cut but I guess because he's dancing for da Lord I'll cut him some slack... He can keep a beat and you don't see too many white guys that can at least move to a beat like that! Kudos, brotherman.

I'm not quite sure what the point of this post was other than to give you a reason to smile and maybe chuckle a little bit while watching this video!! If you haven't smiled yet today, this will do the trick! :)

Wordless Wednesdays

Okay, so today won't be wordless.
Disclaimer: I'm not sure my Wordless Wednesdays will ever be completely wordless but the alliteration is catchy and "Cool Pictures with Captions" doesn't really roll off the tounge quite as easily. So here's the start to another endeavor in letting you see a little bit of my world as I journey through this life! Enjoy.....

I went to Goshen, VA this weekend on a retreat. We stopped at a little hole in the wall restaurant that was chanelling something like Cracker Barrel.. The product below was being sold there..... What is Butt Massage??? Apparently I'm not spending enough time in the kitchen!

These are some of the girls that I got to hang with all weekend! I had too much fun with these ladies!

Fantastic Fridays - Happy Birthday Dad!

Well this Friday could be fantastic for an aray of different reasons. But I think I'll talk about the most special one that happened 63 years ago today... Richard Tazewell Scott Jr was born into this world and has been living a life of legacy ever since. He's not only my dad but has been my protector, provider, supporter and friend.

Dad is not a man of many words but a man that shows love through honor, integrity, sacrifice and action. His dedication to provide and be there for our family has been one of the greatest pictures of love one could paint. I think I speak for all my siblings when I say that our dad has taught us what it means to love unconditionally. What makes his love so powerful is the fact that he doesn't have to say a word, his actions show us.

“My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.
-Jim Valvano

For as long as I can remember, people have labled me as competitive. And I guess to some extent I can't argue. But I think some my desire to win comes from something other than competitiveness. I can remember before my swim races Dad would come over and look me in the eyes. He would say that he could tell if I was going to win by the look in my eye. I still remember him saying that to me to this day. Now whether or not that was true, I don't know. But I know one thing is for certain, I wanted Dad (and Mom) to be proud of me. And although I know they were proud of me whether I won or got second (the first loser, right dad), they were much more excited when I won. Obviously. But as a 6 or 7 year old, processing the fact that your parents were elated when you won and "compassionate" when you didn't doesn't quite equal what is reality. You just understand that they are really happy when you win and disappointed when you don't. Of course I understand now, that they were never not proud of me... they just knew that I wanted to win at EVERYTHING I did and that I was the one disappointed when I didn't. So they hurt b/c they knew I was hurting. I suppose the point of this story is to show one of the many ways Dad has molded me as a person. I am competitive and determined ultimately b/c I wanted him (and mom) to be proud of me.

“The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.”
-David O. McKay

I have to say I am one of the few and far between now days that can say my parents are still together, enjoy and support each other and seem to grow closer as they get older. They are so funny together. I know Dad drives mom crazy with his little quirks but the one thing is for certain. Dad is crazy about Mom! He supports her, cherishes her, encourages, and respects her. He has set the bar high for us Scott girls when it comes to what we're looking for in a spouse. Some people say I'm too picky but I refuse to settle. My dad has proven that there are Godly men out there that know how to treat a woman! So Dad, I'm not married yet b/c of you!! It's all your fault ;)

Well Dad, you're 63 years young today and should be proud of the life you have lived! I don't think I could've picked a better dad for myself if God would've let me try. Words could never thank you for the support and love you've given me throughout my life. You have sacrificed, supported, and loved our family. You have been able to be the rock of our family b/c you are an amazing man that knows who the real Rock is and built your life on Him!! You (and Mom) have helped mold me into the woman God has created me to be and I hope you are half as proud to call me your daughter as I am to call you my dad! I hope you're having a fun birthday weekend with Mom in Raleigh watching Navy win at Duke (fingers crossed)!! I love you Dad! Happy birthday!! YOU are why this Friday is FANTASTIC!!!

Wouldn't you like to know..... I bet you would!!!

Here's to procrastination and learning more about yours truly! lol. A friend of mine sent me this via email so I thought I'd fill it out and post it.
TEN YEARS AGO
September 1998

I was a sophmore at Western Carolina University and praying that pre-season would end already. I was excited about the coming season b/c I had work hard over the summer and had been palying well in pre-season. I was eager to start the real season and start our games! Only for my dreams to be dowsed 2 days into practice due to another should dislocation. That was the last time my shoulder came out as I had surgery in November of that year and redshirted the season. But, I was in college, and was meeting fun and new people who ended up being very important in my journey!

That was a fun and exciting time in my life. And without fail, this time of year (maybe it's the weather, football season? who knows) always stirs up the excitement within me. Sometimes in the fall I'll have this emotion that's unexplicable but so tangible. I'm excited and giddy for what seems to be for no reason at all.  I LOVE this time of year and I think it loves me too! :)

FIVE YEARS AGO
September 2003

Pre-season again... shocker!!! Although this time I was coaching rather than playing. It was my second season as an assistant coach at the Naval Academy and I was convinced I had the best first job out of college anyone could've asked for. By this time I had been there a little over a year and had made Annapolis home for me. I met people that quickly became like family to me and impacted my life for the better. I made friends that will be dear to me for my lifetime and it was football season at the Naval Academy (after having the first winning season in years)! There was an electric ambiance throughout the yard (campus) and it was an exciting time to be there!

FIVE MONTHS AGO
April 2008

I had just finished a couple trips for work and decided to take a little time to go down south and visit my girl J, who had just had a baby, and my parents. I figured I would take some time while I had it as I would be going back on the road for a couple more work trips.

J's baby boy was just precious and she is one of those moms who makes you sick b/c she had her six pack back in no time (not hating J, just speakin truth!!). It was amazing to watch her become this amazing mother as soon as this little bundle of joy came into this world. And of course seeing my parents is one of those cherished things for me now. They went from being 9 minutes away from me to being 9 hours away. I love getting to go hang out with them and they are overjoyed anytime I make the effort to make it down there. I feel like they think I'm making this huge sacrifice to come see them, when really I'd do it b/c I love seeing them and spending time at with them in their new house! Hopefully I'll make my way down there and become a more permanent Southern at some point :)

FIVE THINGS ON MY TO-DO LIST FOR TOMORROW
(it's amazing I know what a TO-DO list is)
1. Put laundry in dryer before I go to work
2. Put Selection Msg out for the Marathon Team
3. Decide what to be and put together an oufit for the High School Stereotype Party I'm going to
4. Take car to car wash on my way home frome work (just sounds like it should be on a TO-DO list, doesn't it?)
5. Go to party

FIVE THINGS FOLKS DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME (isn't there a reason people don't know)
1. I am, a procrastinator. There I said it. whew. That was tough.... but maybe you already knew that???????
2. I care what people think of me.
3. I secretly wish that I could breakdance like Twitch and Josh from SYTYCD
4. I almost always give people the benefit of the doubt. But once they've lost my trust, it's hard to get it back.
5. I never compete unless I think I can win.

FIVE BAD HABITS
1. Procrastinating. Waiting til the last minute to do something. Not making to-do lists.... etc
2. I sometimes text while driving (now mom, I have the letters memorized some how, so it's not as dangerous as it sounds)
3. Not being direct if I think it will hurt someone's feelings (I'm getting better)
4. Overbooking my schedule... I think quality time is ONE of my top love languages so it tends to lead me to over committing myself so I can hang with everyone. When I do this I always end up cutting something short and/or being late (such a pet peeve) for one of the rendezvous!
5. Never giving up.... most times people consider this a good thing and I would concede to that fact in most cases. But when it's time to give up after a long hard fight, I have issues surrendering. I'm a competitor. If I feel like there is time on the clock and a shot to be taken, I'm gonna take it. The problem lies when the clock has run out and it's time to walk away from the court but I am convinced there's an overtime... time for at least ONE MORE SHOT. Sometimes it's better to know when God is telling you "I've allowed you time to wrestle with this for long enough, now it's my turn to work things out. LET GO," rather than thinking you can still WIN.

FIVE PLACES I'VE LIVEDI'm not even sure why this is interesting or the last question.
1. Pax River, MD
2. Jacksonville, FL
3. Oak Hill, VA
4. Cullowhee, NC
5. Annapolis, MD

Well, there you have it. It's me in a nutshell and now it's your turn! I'm taggin anyone who reads this blog. Whether you post this on your own blog or in my comments section, it doesn't matter! JUST DO IT!

Office coversation - Whoever smelt it.....

The person's name with whom this conversation transpired has been removed but I just had to blog this moment. I could not stop laughing.

XXX: how late are you working today?
Me: i'm trying to leave at 630 but we'll see
XXX: omg i just farted and i didnt think anyone would come by my desk
Me: lol lol lol hahahahaha
XXX: but of course right after i did it two people came over and were standing here for like 3 minutes!!!!
Me: i just laughed out loud.. did they smell it?
XXX: and it stunk bad!!!!!!!!
Me: AHHHHHH AHAHAHAHA
XXX: so embarrasing
Me: LOL so funny
XXX: yeah, and embarassing... its one of those things where i SHOULD have said something like hey sorry i just farted but i felt dumb!!!
Me: lol lol omg i'm rolling over here


What a riot. I could totally imagine the scene as XXX was telling me. Anyone ever had a similar situation??? Just a fun post to get you through humpday!

Fantastic Fridays - Rest for the Weary

After coming back from Nebraska on Tuesday and staying up way too late on the subsequent nights doing one futile thing or another (scrabble, mancala, hanging out), I am thankful Friday is here. I wasn't sure if I was going to make it through the week. Yesterday I felt like I was in need of a wheelchair as I was trying to pull myself out of bed. I think I've done it. Summer is ending (tear, followed by a sigh of relief) and I have officially worn myself out with all the bbq's, parties, running around, hanging out and traveling I've packed into it (I do have a job remember...so add that into the mix). I feel like I've been hit by a Mac truck and need some time to recuperate from all the fun I've had!

As an adult it's not as easy to enjoy the summer like we did as youngsters. No longer are the summers filled with endless hours at the pool with Dave A., going to different sports camps, family vacations, games of capture the flag and kick the can, late nights that run into the morning and are follwed by sleeping in until the next responsibility which was often lunch, or enjoying whatever fun may come up in the span of a wonderful summer's day! Some how these adolescent summers have vanished and the word summer has taken on new meaning. Summer is now a time of intricate planning and running on fumes in order to squeeze as much fun into the fleeting season as possible. It can be an exasperating task, balancing adulthood and summer. There is only so much time in the day. When 9.5 of those hours are spent in an office, 3-7 are spent sleeping, and then 2 hours commuting, I have to become a planner. And in my opinion, as far as adulthood summers go, mine was perfectly packed with just the right ammount of fun trips, cookouts, visits with people I love, hearty laughs, pool time, games, happy hours, sunsets, golf and hanging out. Sure there were late nights when my mind would race with the daunting reality that my alarm clock knows no season, could care less that it's summer time and will be louder than ever in a few hours. The insensitive little thing sounds at the same time the next morning as it did in the winter mornings and have no apologies about it. And I've just about had it! My summer is coming to an end and I have to say I'm not broken hearted.

I will miss the long summer days but I think God made summer in VA just long enough for me! It's Friday and I am taking a weekend off. I'm not planning anything other than cheering Amy on at the Reston Triathlon and just chillaxin' all weekend (disclaimer, sometimes chillaxin' includes golf so don't go calling me a liar when I write about shooting under 90 this weekend). And that's why this Friday is so fantastic... because I have nothing to rush home, quickly change and get ready for. AMEN to that! I will be on my couch or someone's couch watching a movie and listening for the storm we're supposed to get! FANTASTIC!!

MY shot heard 'round the world.... or at least Lincoln, NE

"Albatross:
Three-under-par (-3); also called a double eagle. These are extremely rare, and occur on par-fives with a strong drive and a holed approach shot. Holes-in-one on par-four holes (generally short ones) are also albatrosses. The most famous albatross was made by Gene Sarazen in 1935, which propelled him into a tie for first at The Masters Tournament. He won the playoff the next day. The sportswriters of the day termed it "the shot heard 'round the world". Between 1970 and 2003, 84 such shots (an average of less than three per year) were recorded on the PGA Tour.[4]" ........

Uncle John took us to play a round of 9 holes out in the good ol' CornHusker state. It was a site to see. 8 people averaging from beginner to novice in ability trying to navigate through 9 holes of golf AND keep pace as to not make the course pro (that'd be Uncle John) look bad. If you've ever played you can imagine how much of a clustershmuck we were. I, for one, was not helping make our group look any more experienced for the greater part of our day... Except for one shinning moment......

It was hole 6 and I hit an okay tee shot. Distance was good but the shot was a little to the left (as were ALL my stinkin shots that day). So I grabbed my hybrid and listened to a few words of advice from Uncle John and took a whack at it. Good contact!! That's all I cared about! I hit it well and it went where I was aiming (he should think about becoming a golf pro ;)..... A plus in my book no matter what happens after that. I see the ball take one bounce and land on the green. EVEN BETTER! I hit the green! SWEET! I was 160 yards out and saw that it was rolling slowly so I started talking to Uncle John about the shot. Meanwhile, David was attentively watching my ball continue to roll, as I had thought it stopped. All of the sudden I hear David say "I think it went in the hole." I immediately looked up on the green and couldn't see my ball anywhere. No WAY!!! Maybe it just rolled off the green, there's NO WAY that just went in the hole.. right? David and Amy drove up to the green and then walked past the cup with no expression. Darn. I guess it rolled off the green....WRONG!!! That little ball went right to its' home and made my whole golfing experience in Lincoln, NE unforgettable!!!!!! A 2 on a par 5!!!!! I guess what they say is true... Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good!!

Fantastic Friday - Leaving for a Long Weekend

Need I say more?!?! I'll be on a plane in less than 12 hours with Amy and David. That, my friends, is FANTASTIC. Looking fwd to a weekend with some of my favorite people in the Midwest. Good times will be had and photos will be posted. I. AM. OUT. :)

A Cloud of Grey Muck

I think it's a valid statement to say that most people have at some point in their life have felt a void or had some sort of empty feeling. God made us with those voids so we would need Him to complete us and ultimately seek him for wholeness. But too often that's not the route we take because God doesn't always fill us in a tangible way. And we in our human nature often want to tangibly FEEL the things in which we believe. We don't always feel whole, although through Him we are. So I've been thinking about this for the past couple days b/c I seem to have a few friends and aquaintances in situations that I have labeled the Grey Area in dating. Grey area dating normally starts off as a fun, seemingly harmless distraction in the form of a relationship, from whatever it is that's causing angst, heartache, emptiness or hurt in your life. I think a good number of us have probably done this before but not even realized it until it's too late. Grey area dating starts off as a crutch or diversion from whatever it is that's crippling your soul or just making you feel like you're missing something or someone in your everyday life. The relationship, if you can call it that, is not predicated on love, honor and respect but more often as a means to make life a little more fun and a lot less lonely. It's a quick fix for loneliness, if you will.

Come on, you've been there before... when a good book and some ColdStone on a Thursday night just won't cut it anymore. Before you know it the guy or girl that you considered as strictly friend material is all of the sudden seen in a different light.... "maybe his arrogence isn't THAT bad, at least he's confident (what?!)," or "her materialistic approach to life could possibly be outweighed by her looks if you squint really hard" (yes guys get involved with Grey Area Dating too) because for a brief moment in time (or lapse in sanity) the thought of companionship, even if it isn't God's best for us, sounds better than eating another pint of icecream and watching a rerun of Grey's Anatomy alone or another night of poker with the guys. So it begins. The downward spiral of Grey Area Dating. It becomes this breeding ground for emotional instability because you and the other G.A.D. (Grey Area Dater) using each other to fill a need that was never meant to be filled by either party. At first everything is great, the interruption of your icecream and quality time with Meredith Grey and her coworkers is welcomed and always enjoyed. It's new, it's exciting and often times feels like you're making progress to filling this void that has reared it's ugly head again. Your problems have all magically vanished and life is good. Then the next thing you know, lines are crossed, feelings deveop but neither one knows if what they're feeling is out of selfish motives or genuwine care for the other person. I guess at times it's possible to be both. But never the less, the ride has begun.

The problem with Grey Area Dating is most of the time there is no "defining the relationship" talk and the feelings go back and forth from elation, depression to down right confusion. But nothing is every said for fear that actual communication might scare the other one off and the bandaid each of you has become to the other will be ripped away with out a single word or warning. So all of the wounds and hurts that you were trying to bandage up with this pseudo-relationship all of the sudden are no longer covered but exposed. Great. The overarching theory behind your masterminded plan to forget about your issues has now just opened them to the elements. I guess that's the problem with Grey Area Dating. It doesn't really get to the root of the problem, it's just a way to distract you from what's really lying beneath it all. It's like hitting your thumb with a hammer in order to stop thinking about a broken ankle. Works for a brief moment but in the end, the pain is still there and needs time to heal and be strengthened.

All in all I guess we get involved in the mucky waters of Grey Area Dating because we're doing what we were made to do... seeking for something more. That emptiness that we feel is there to lead us to Christ and allow Him to give us our identity. Afterall He is the one who created us and knows who He has made us to be. I for one, wish that my faith wasn't so precarious and I would remember that in times that I felt a little lonely and sick of icecream! But I guess we can learn from the different paths we take in life and I'm thankful for that. I think God must watch us sometimes and either laugh or cry. We are quite amusing with our ideas of "fixing" our problems on our own!!

Writers Block

.....If I'm allowed to call it that and not be actually "deemed" a writer.

I know I know. I haven't posted in a week or two. It's strange because I love writing but lately everytime I sit down to write something, I lose all interest in what I thought I was going to pontificate (I think of Bill Cosby everytime I use that word. Do you remember that episode?). It's like my creative juices are at a halt and need to be rehydrated. Normally when i write I don't think much about it, I just kind of feel it. Kind of hard to explain, but my thoughts normally just run through my hands and in the end I have a finished post that anyone who feels led to can read. Lately, I got nothin. But the odd thing about that, is that I really have had a lot going on in my life. Seriously. Maybe its that I have SO much going on, I can't decide what to write about or that I'm not sure its all really that exciting and worth blogging about? Who knows. All I do know is that I haven't blogged in a while. Man, it's a good thing I don't get paid to write.... For now just know that I haven't been avoiding my blog, just the words to put on it have been avoiding me! I'm sure the words will find me soon and I'll be back in action... until then I'll leave you with the topics that I've thought about writing on.

1. Michael Phelps

2. A trip to Iraq

3. How the stuff that children watch is taking their innocence (way too deep for someone to get into with writers block!)

4. Me being a head coach at EHS

5. Relationships

6. More on my trip to SC

7. The happenings of last weekend (parties, baseball games n such)

8. The Olympics



Yeah, those are all things that something has hit me and I've thought "oooh, I should blog about that." But then the second I sit down to write, I get unmotivated.... lazy or just don't have the words. Well, I guess that's it for now. I'm signing off until I feel motivated to get back on here and write something worth reading. :)

Trip down yonder.... waaaay yonder!

Well, I'm back from South Carolina. I went down to my parents' place in Six Mile, SC and had way more fun than I deserve. I got to hang out with my family, sans the Little Scotts, visit with old friends, golf, play in the lake and chill by the pool for 5 days! Doesn't get much better than that, does it?! It's a different world down there in Six Mile. Megan and I were driving to the grocery store from church and saw 5 cars pass us... we looked at each other and said it must be rush hour. The lake is absolutely beautiful. You can see the Smokey Mountains from almost anywhere and you get the feeling that God is showing off just a bit when taking it all in... "you see all of this? enjoy it. marvel at it. take care of it. Can you see the joy it brings me when something I have made takes your breath away?" I think I would've stayed on the lake all day, everyday if it were possible. I kept asking Dad to take me out on the boat as if I were a child asking to go to the park. I ended up giving him some gas money because he obliged and took me out more than my fair share of times! :) Thanks Dad (and Mom). I'll post some more about the trip but for now I'm just going to list my Top 6 moments of the trip and put some pictures up!

6. Tubing with old friends.... watching Megan try to get in the tube for the first time might have been one of the funniest things about that event!
5. Golfing at the Cliffs
4. Sunset cruise with Mom and Dad
3. Pool competitions with the fam (baseball, races, helping Beckham fly highest, inner tube diving... it was a riot)
2. Watching the Olympics....Cheering the Men's 4x100 relay team to a Gold medal over the French.... most amazing race I've seen!!!
1. Being with my family - my favorite.... Food, Fun and Fellowship

Jules and I just hangin out

The Newlyweds :) cute

Captain and his mate!

The Smokey Mountains from the Lake

Meggles and I on the boat...again.

The kiddos

Golfing at the Cliffs with Mom and Barb

Dani and I on the tube... well trying to be!

Beautiful SC sunset...ahhh.