A secret note...

A student passed this note onto me today...they didn't know who made it. Such an encouragement.

latest going ons

The view from my front porch this morning

Well...February has been busy, busy. Lucky for me, in so many good ways. Middle School basketball started - I am coaching the JV team. We are 3-1 right now! yay! and we are having so much fun. I never knew I would love coaching so much and that it would be so natural...being back in the gym is unbelievable. We recently took the girls to a UW womens basketball game. They were on a 12 game losing streak until they beat UCLA last friday. It was a great game...harry the husky definitely was a highlight...although he touched my leg...akward.



My roommate Alicia's birthday was this month as well. We celebrated at mamma melinas - delicious italian food. Of course I ordered the risotto, mmmmm. There were 15 girls and then Alicia's brother...lucky guy! :)





Sadly, I did lose a friend to Denmark. Emily and her husband moved to Denmark a couple of weeks ago and I have missed em so much! What an adventure. I can't wait to visit.

I'm also preparing to take a team of students to the Dominican Republic in the beginning of April. I am beginning to get excited as we meet and plan out our time there. It has been stressful though organizing everything! So much work taking 26 students out of the country! :) I'm definitely looking forward to the sun and heat. It is so cold here right now.

In fact, it snowed last night and so we are on a two-hour late start. Oh, if everyday we started at 9:45...I could get in yoga, make a good breakfast to go with my homemade latte, read, blog, shower and take my time getting ready! It was exactly what I needed this morning! Thank you puget sound convergence zone!



Off to start the day...on a better foot than yesterday! Yay for snow!

Stress

Life is messy...

I'm trying to be okay with that fact of life today. Life is not orderly, predictable, or controlled. It is hectic, unreasonable, and unexpected. I'd like to think that I handle stress fairly well, but today I have done a poor job and it's not even noon. I have to believe that out of the messiness that causes stress there is good to come, either I will be changed in the process or someone else will be changed. Without that hope, it's pointless.

Jennie's Bridal Shower

I'm sitting here on the couch in a room that is still warm and friendly from the earlier events of the day. It's amazing how much more cozy a home feels when it is overflowing with friends. Today we celebrated my dear friend Jennie's engagement and soon to be marriage to Chris. I am still reveling in the feelings of celebration, love, excitement and friendship. I don't want the feelings to end so I continue to just sit on the couch in the living room taking in the peacefulness and contentment, listening to david gray sing in the background and of course adding pictures to facebook (although I didn't get too many good ones). No one else is home. I can simply sit and rest.

It is exciting to think about the days to come...the preparations for the wedding - invitations, flowers, music, dresses, decisions and more decisions - and then the few days before when everything seems to fall into place and excitement builds, the day of getting hair and make-up done, finally seeing Jennie transform into the most beautiful bride and then being able to stand by her side as she promises her love to Chris, the party to follow - food, drink, dancing, laughter - it is all a daydream away and yet will pass so quickly.

I am so honored to be in Jennie's life and to be able to experience all of these details with her! I hope she is able to treasure and cherish the next few months as her wedding draws near...what a perfectly content time of life.