Indian Table Runner

My boss travels to India and China somewhat frequently to recruit graduate students. He usually goes two or three times a year. Sometimes, we get lucky (or he is really nice) and he buys gifts for all of us. I love it because our home's decor is kind of Asian...plus we always had friends that would bring gifts back for us from their homes. So we have quite the collection of international gifts. Last time my boss went to India he brought back these beautiful hand beaded/embroidered pillow cases, which Jon and I decided to use as a wall hanging. This time, we got really lucky...at least that's my opinion. He brought back the most beautiful table runners. They are hand beaded and have been hand stiched. The one I picked just happend to match quite well with the pillow case he got me last time and the rest of our house. I was so excited, although when I got it home last night, I realized that I am not sure where I will put it. We love our kitchen table because it is very unique in size. It is a large, round, modern looking table that we just happen to love. Although since table runners are typically made for rectangular shaped tables, I am not sure what I will do with it. Hmm...I am sure I will be able to figure it out, because it is just so nice that it deserves a good location. So we will see. I really just think that it is great that my boss does that for us and it makes my day everytime!!

A Beautiful Evening

As you may already know from previous blogs, I am absolutely ready for spring to be here. Yesterday turned out to be a beautiful day. Weather.com predicted a high of 50!!! I walked outside in the afternoon to find that the sun was actually a little warm and that the ridiculous wind that we have been having still didn't make it cold out. It was beautiful, and I wanted to be out in it. Of course I had to go back to work, but I quickly opened the window just to soak in as much of the nice weather as possible.

I always go to the gym right after work. Yesterday was my running day, but for some reason I just could not bring myself to go. I even drove there and found a parking spot. I started to get out, but really did NOT want to go. Most of the time I really enjoy going to the gym, so I just decided that I could give myself the day off. Looking back, I think I really just didn't want to be inside. As I was driving home, I drove past a park and decided that maybe I would go out for a run. I thought of another park in town that is close to my house, and decided to go there. I had gone "running" there last summer, although I couldn't make it around once, so can you really call that running? I was a bit hesitant to go, since I had so much trouble last year, but then decided, what the heck. More than anything it was just my excuse to get out!!! I didn't mind going and walking for an hour if that's what it would take to get me outdoors.

So I went and did quite a bit of running, although that isn't important. I got outdoors with the sun on my face and the wind in my hair, and I literally felt like I was walking on clouds. Suddenly I was filled with tons of energy, I had a smile on my face, and my time flew by. There were lots of people out walking their dogs and playing with there kids. It's like spring was actually here!! I even got to sit in the grass (which done below was starting to turn green).

There is just this certain energy that I get from being outdoors. I cannot explain it, but it is incredible. It is why I love to hike. It is why I love to camp. It is why I love just being surrounded by nature. I noticed when I was finished that I smelled like "outside." I probably smelled like other stuff too, but all I could smell was "outside." It's the sent that stays with you after you have been doing something outside, whether that is laying out or exercising, or sometimes just going for a walk. It was beautiful.

Last night ended up being the most amazing evening. I cannot wait until I am able to do that more often. Long bike rides, nice run, roller blading, etc. Oh it just makes me so happy!!! What a wonderful gift from the Lord last night was. It was just one of those little things that he does to show us that he loves us and wants to meet our needs. He is a beautiful God.

The Promise of a Garden

I have a friend at work who is probably my mom's age. Her name is Maureen. She has three sons, but they are all older and none of them live in town. She lives alone and has a big yard that she can't take care of on her own. We were talking the other day about how she wanted to work on her flower beds and get some nice flowers planted this summer. I, half joking half serious, said to let me know when she was planning to do this because I would come over and help. I told her that I love to plant flowers and gardens, I am just bad at the up-keep. So we made a deal that I would help her get started (and get to plant some stuff too), and she would do the up-keep. We will split whatever grows...I am so excited. I love flowers and getting out in the yard to plant something that will turn into something beautiful is one of the best things I could do with my summer afternoons. Also, Maureen is so excited about it. She even recruited one of sons to help with the "manual labor" part of it. The plan is to plant flowers and then in one of the corners of her yard, we will actually plant some fruits and veggies. I think she's already got some raspberry bushes and rhubarb, so we will add some zucchini, squash, tomatoes, and maybe red peppers to the mix. I am so excited about it, especially because Jon and I live in an apartment and can't really plant stuff of our own. It makes spring seem that much closer and it makes me happy!!!

Rattling Desk

I have a great office. It is my own, and I only share it with the copy and fax machines. I love that it is my own space. It has, however, become difficult to work in peace over the last several months. It all started at the end of last summer when the University started doing some major construction on the library, which is about 30 yards away. The parking lot between our two buildings became a construction site as they broke up the concrete to put in larger piping for this library expansion. Just a few months, I thought. Plus, they are just trying to improve the campus and we should complain. It's do-able, although our building has no air conditioning so opening the windows in the summer is a must. We all made it work, and looked forward to September when this construction would end. Two months later (November), it got too cold to lay concrete and the snow began to really pile up, so they quit for the winter. Finally peace!! Not so much. It was at that point that they began replacing the windows in our entire building. Remember that I live in Wyoming and November, December, and January can be brutally cold. So we cranked up the heaters, and tried to bear it. They didn't actually get to the windows in our office until January. Big open holes in our walls in January!!! We didn't freeze to death, but the noise was difficult to work through. We actually found ourselves having to yell at students, just to be heard. The windows have been replaced in our office and the offices above and below us. Whew...no more desk rattling or yelling at students. Wrong!!! Within a few days of the window replacement, they began remodeling one of the basement wings of our building. Lucky for the Graduate School, it is directly below us. So I sit today, as I have every day for the last nine months trying to work, while my desk is shaking and my computer screen rattles. I just found out this morning that the projected time frame for the basement repairs is seven months!! We will get to endure all of this through September...and that is if all the construction is completed on time. Ugh!!! I just hope that it gets quieter in the future, or I may be crazy come September!!

My First Book

I have been thinking a lot about writing a book lately. I have always kind of wanted to do that, but I kind of feel like I need to experience life a little more first. I've got all of these ideas for books in my head and I have "started" several. This means a page or two here and there.

I have always wanted to write about missions or something like that, but I am not a "missionary" so what could I possibly know about missions?? Ok so that is a little far fetched, but that's my thought process. I have considered writing stories. I do have a lot of those and I have a lot of friends who have a lot of stories, I just can't come up with a theme. In my head I see chapters dedicated to the work going on in different countries around the world, or perhaps to different ordinary people that I know that have served in various places.

I just can't figure out the format or the what the purpose of the book would be. Any suggestions??? I will definately give credits to anyone who helps if I ever complete it or publish it!!! Anyway, I think it could be a cool idea, and even just in typing a bit here I have come up with some more ideas. I'll keep you posted on the progress if there is any!!!

Some pictures

This is a herd of elk that we saw on the way to Denver. Khalid instructed me to take a picture, or five. This is one of the things I do love about living in Wyoming. Where else can you see a huge herd of wild elk on the side of the road??

These are some pictures from the Phoenix Suns game that we went to in Denver. Jon is posing with our friend Khalid, from Saudi Arabia, after finishing his first professional sporting event. He had a great time, although we were watching his two favorite teams play. It was a great evening to get to hang out enjoy each other's company.

These are from Valentines Day...actually the day before. I had dropped Jon off after work (we carpool) and then I went to the gym. Apparently he had been working on this all afternoon, and finished up while I was at the gym. That is why the picture of us is so bad...I didn't even have time to take a shower when I got home. He made my favorite steak, filet minion, had flowers and a glass of wine waiting when I got home, and to then to top it all of, we had molten chocolate cakes for dessert. I do have a great hubby!!!

30th Anniversary Celebration

My in-laws will be celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary on Monday, in Hawaii. I cannot believe that it has been 30 years. It seems like just yesterday they were celebrating their 25th in Oklahoma. Jon surprised them with a party. Their friends and family from all over the country came to celebrate with them. It was great, and now another five years has past. They are coming to Laramie on Friday since we are on their way to Denver. They are going to drop off the girls and head to Denver on Saturday morning. I am excited because Jon and I are cooking a beautiful dinner for them and I get to play hostess. I LOVE playing the hostess. It's great...and if that is incentive for anyone to come for a visit, I promise to be an excellent hostess for you too!!! We will be having yummy steak and all the fixings that go with that, along with dessert and wine. Jon said he wants to use our china too, so it should prove to be a fantastic feast!! I am so excited about it. I hope they gather from our preparations how special they are to us and how much we love them. I am truly blessed to have married into such a wonderful family. That means I have two great families to enjoy. What more could a girl ask for??