Nieve

It falls to the ground in perfect peace
Colorado thinks it will never cease.

The color is pure and makes the earth clean
But if you throw it in my face I will call you mean.

You can make lots of igloos, angels and men
But if you stay inside I consider it a sin.

My favorite is when it glitters in the sun
This white powder brings so much fun.

Even though with it comes cold
I don’t think snow will ever get old!

Check It Out

Lately I have been having problems with my cell phone. By cell phone standards my phone was very old and this was causing issues with texting, and a few weeks ago I spilled water on it and people were having trouble hearing me, so sadly it was time to move on to a new one. Last night I drove to the Sprint store and purchased myself a nice new cell phone. Yea! I was not picky about what it looked like or what features it had as long as it was cheap and it worked. I ended up getting this HOT black phone that you can see in the pictures below.



As you can see I am very happy with my new phone. I can send and receive texts and I am able to be heard which is a huge plus. Through this whole "ordeal" I realized how reliant I am on my phone. I used to think text messaging was dumb, but due to some pretty cool teens this summer my mind was changed. Now I don't know what to do with out it! I also was very concerned that Sprint would take my old phone and then not activate my new one for 24 hours. Eeek! Luckily it does not take that long anymore and it was activated right away. What would life be like without a cell phone?

Actually since having a phone I have had the dilemma/ luxury of experiencing this. Both times I traveled in South America I was cell phone-less and both times I returned home and wanted nothing to do with them. Yes not having a cell phone did make communications harder and made for interesting situations when lost, in trouble, or running late, but I managed quite well actually. I think it was good for me to be without something that I was so dependent on and thought was a necessity to life. It was not too many years ago that my life was lived quite pleasantly without even an idea of a cell phone.

Why am I writing all this? Really I don't know, it kinda just came out. But I do love my new phone and I could live without it but I prefer not to for now!

Dreams vs. Reality

Today is my first day back at my job since surgery. I am obviously working very hard. I did not want to come in this morning and had to hold my tears back and put on my fake smile as my roommate and her boyfriend left to go skiing for the day. As usual it has not been as bad as I thought but all of this has got me thinking. Is the reality of life that work sucks and we have to deal with it and just make the rest of our life great? Or is reality that most people give up their dreams and just have sucky jobs when they could be doing something better. Is it stupid for me to constantly be looking for something better and hope that I can find the "perfect job" or do I need to just be happy where I am and thank God that I even have a job?

I know that God can use me anywhere and that is what is most important, but when do I need to realize that dreams are dreams and I need to face reality? Is it part of my personality that I will never be happy in any job that I get or have I just not found that job for me yet? I know for a fact that I am smarter and more talented than an office job, but what those smarts or talents are I have no idea. I do know that I have a few friends who love their jobs and that is what I want. I know work is work and it is not always going to be fun, but there has got to be something out there for me that I am good at, challenges me, helps others, pleases God, is not routine, and I find fulfillment in. Is it naive of me to believe that exists? Do I need to just suck it up and keep working a job that does not feel right? Or do I keep dreaming?

Maybe this brings me back to the conclusion that God has prepared me to be a missionary because from what I can tell, that will fit all of my criteria. I have wanted to plant churches in South America for a long time and just recently I have gotten distracted from that idea by the beauty, awesomeness and amazing people of Colorado. Maybe God is just using my time here to show me that I can do ministry in the US and that there are good churches in the US (didn't use to believe this), but maybe he is wanting me to stay here because I can do ministry in the US. I DON'T KNOW! God is drivin' me nuts and I can't help but to yell at him!

If anyone (all 3 people that read my blog) has any advice it would be greatly appreciated, but otherwise I will just keep on plugging along, wait for the missing puzzle piece, and pray for direction and peace from God that he is not ignoring me, but teaching me. I hate that!

PS-After I wrote this blog I went to lunch with some of the students I work with and I was glad to see them and they were glad to see me. Lunch did not answer my questions, but it did say to me that God knows how to cheer me up and let me know I am good for now. As Lauren commented, I need to "just keep swimming." : ) So my goal now is to be thankful for each day and find beauty in it (so hard in CO I know) and this should keep my usual positive attitude up! I don't like to be down. I think I need to go play outside today.

Travel By Air

The best way to travel is in an airplane
Even if airports are usually insane.
We pack our bags and rush out the door
Just to wait and wait some more.

The lines are long the food costs money
But if you say bomb they won't think it's funny.
If you miss your flight it could be a mess
But don't worry and don't stress.

How the planes stay up I will never know
They sure don't like to fly in the snow.
Why do I do it I like to ask
Because to drive would take too much gas.

Next time you fly bring a book and a smile
You might be waiting for a while.
But don't worry and keep your bags near
If you give them to a stranger you have lots to fear!

La la, lalalalalala la!

Once again the tune is in my head so feel free to sing it however you want!

Love Song for Colorado

After listening to all of Phoebe's songs off of Friends I decided that if she could write songs then so could I! So here is my first attept. The tune is in my head so feel free to put it to whatever music you would like!

Denver, Colorado I miss you so much

Because you are so very very clutch!

If it were not for my knee
I would be up on the slopes to ski!

Rocky Mountains stand so tall

It is to you that I call!

Snow sparkels like diamonds in the sky

Please don't forget me mile high!

LaLa LaLa LaLa La

LaLa LaLa LaLa La!

I Want To Be An Explorer

I wish world explorer/adventurer was still an occupation. If it was I would have been right there next to Columbus, Captain James Cook or Sir. Edmond Hillary (except that I get sea sick and altitude sick but we can look past that). Unfortunately most land has been discovered, most mountains have been climbed, and all that leaves us is to see how many new germs we can find or how great we can make Windows. The desire to explore has fueled the technology boom and as great as that is...zzzzzzz...BORING! So this leads me to how cool it is to explore the mystery of God!

God is mysterious and wonderful and the fact that I cant know all about him makes me stand in awe and want to know him more. We are naturally curious beings, which probably comes from the nature of God. I want to know as much as I can, but God would not be God if little Dee knew all about big him. So God is the world and I want to discover as much about him as possible (hence the deep thoughts I am working on).

I am content knowing that I will never understand him fully and that makes him even more amazing, but the adventurer in me is also challenged by this which drives me to exploration of him through studying the Bible, reading and listening to other people's ideas, meaningful worship, service and thinking deep thoughts on my own. There is so much to learn about him that will draw me closer and help me help others grow closer also. Every day is an adventure and God is the world that I am exploring!!!!

Ode To the Poofy Vest

I love my poofy vest
Oh yes, oh yes
I love my poofy vest
I will never feel less

Now I have two poofy vests
I dont know how I lived before
The cold weather puts them to the test
But they ace it with a perfect score

I love my poofy vests
Oh yes, oh yes
I love my poofy vests

This I will never second guess

Wow ok so I know I write pretty crappy poetry but I find it quite funny to try. I especially like to try when it comes to serious topics such as poofy vests!! When I moved to Colorado my favorite clothes to wear were a tank top and athletic shorts. Now I have not turned my back on these clothes, but they are quite....shall we say, unreasonable to be wearing during the long, cold winter. So I had to find a winter time replacement and it is because of this that I discovered the wonderful attire of the poofy vest!

My first one I got was graciously bought by my dad and it is the pink one seen above. Seriously, I would wear it every day if it were appropriate but the hot pink kinda stands out. Just the other day I took the long walk to Gap in the mall and found another great vest at an even greater price. My pink vest will always be my favorite, but I am happy to have another one to keep me warm on those cold days that are not cold enough for an entire poofy jacket. So I raise my hot tea to you poofy vest. You have been good too me and I look forward to many years of joy and bright pinkness!

Those of you who own one of these amazing creations know the joy that I am speaking of. And those of you that do not, if you live somewhere cold enough (or even if you do not), you must venture into this beautiful world of down, poofy goodness! You will never regret it!

Think Deep Thoughts Dee

I am trying to have deeper thoughts (inspired by Donald Miller) so here is my first try. Today while doing my usual activity of laying out the couch and watching TV to rest and elevate I watched an interesting episode of Grey's Anatomy. Anyone who watches it has probably seen it and those who don't watch it please don't judge because I do. The characters in this show lead very immoral lives but this particular episode was very focused on spirituality, the belief in something bigger than ourselves and why we celebrate the holidays. There were two quotes that I just loved and wanted to share.

The first one was yelled by Izzy at the guy who she loves but he cheated on her. She came to help him study for his exams and when asked why she screamed "Cause it's what Jesus would FREAKING do!" Part of me thinks that this is very big of her to put herself aside and help someone she does not want to help. But the other part says if we are not serving in love then is it what Jesus would do? Every time Jesus served he did it out of love for those who were unloved. Obviously we fall short of everything Jesus did, so what do we do if we are in Izzy's situation. Is it serving for Jesus if we hate the person? I think it might still be, because we are told to love our enemies and this love is not going to be a feeling but something we should strive show in our actions. So love feeling or no love feeling, serve because it is what Jesus would FREAKING do!

The other quote was said by Dr. Burke to Cristina when they were struggling with a child whose heart transplant was not going well. "The way you’re feeling right now (out of control and no idea how to change it)… is why I have to believe in something bigger than me. Because if I didn’t, that powerlessness would eat me alive. " What a great statement by someone who does not necessarily hold Christian views or values, but considers himself spiritual. We are not followers of Jesus to make our lives easier to to have someone to solve our problems for us, but we do have the peace and blessing of knowing that there is someone else who has a lot more control than we do. Yes Satan is the ruler of our world but God has power over Satan and can work miracles that we sometimes cannot even believe ourselves. Even if we are leading hard lives because we are followers of Christ (and we should be) we can find comfort that there is something bigger than us so we do not have to take care of everything ourselves.

Whew, after all that thinking I should probably head back to the couch. : )

Laughter Is The Best Medicine

I laughed A LOT this weekend and I think it helped. I am happy to say that Sunday I successfully walked around my house crutch less and today I actually climbed the stairs instead of scooting up them on my butt. I am using one crutch when I first stand or when I leave the house because my knee is still weak and buckles, but it is was an exciting first step! I also had physical therapy today and they thought I was progressing very well and should be able to raise my heal by the end of the week. I know this sounds weird but it is an important step in walking.

Most of this healing is just due to my body working to make itself whole again, but I think laughter helped in this process also. I once again was surprised by my best friend Lauren when my best Colorado friend, Jeremy, showed up at my house on Friday night and I had NO idea. He sent me Randi (which was amazing) and I thought she was his replacement, but I was wrong. So we had a super fun weekend (as much fun as a recovering torn ACL girl can have) and we laughed a lot.

Most of our time was spent hanging around the house, playing games, talking, watching Seinfeld (like the good ole' days) and seeing how long Jeremy could play on my crutches before he fell. We also were blessed with the company of Lauren G and Lauren A who added much fun and laughter. We had a super fun "party" on Saturday night with lots of friends and a good game of Cranium. Sunday I had my biggest outing yet of Half Price Books, Panera, and a movie which I always love, even if I have to cover my eyes a lot and dangerously climb over rails. The evening was finished with a hilarious game of Apples to Apples.

This morning we got up (some of us unwillingly), drank a lot of coffee, ate waffles and ALMOST completed a crossword puzzle, which I am still waiting to see the answers in tomorrow's paper. Then Lauren G and Lauren A left and we drove Jeremy ALL THE WAY to the airport (our pleasure of course) and dropped him off. I was sad to see him and his inappropriateness, shampoo stealing, sneezes, and Seinfeld references go, but blessed to have had him visit me for the weekend. I cannot wait to get back to Denver and have some more adventures!!

To some this might sound like a boring weekend of being at my parents house and playing games but don't be fooled, it was a blast. As said before, I laughed A LOT and I know that this lifting of my spirits also helped heal my leg a little bit too. Another HUGE thanks to Lauren G for organizing and to Jeremy for taking the time to come see me and cheer me up. I love you both!!! And I was so happy to see Lauren A also!

The Travel Itch

Ever heard of the travel itch? I have no idea if it is something that lots of people catch or just something that my friends and I made up but it is very real. It occurs when a long period of time has passed and I have not traveled anywhere outside of the country. Yes I did go to Nuevo Laredo this summer with the teens, but right across the boarder of Mexico hardly counts to me as outside of the country.

The last time I really went somewhere was summer 2005 when I had my mission internship in Buenos Aires and that was probably some of the best months of my life. I met so many amazing people, saw so many awesome things all the while learning Spanish and helping grow God's kingdom.

I just LOVE to travel and see the world. It is an amazing place out there of beautiful people, fascinating cultures, delicious and disgusting foods (both that I like to try) and amazing sites that you could never even dream about. Most of my travel time has been spent in South America and I still have so much to see there, but I want to see the rest of the world also. Below are my top ten place I want to visit.

10. India
9. China
8. Australia
7. Italy
6. Antarctica
5. Kenya on a Safari
4. Egypt and the Pyramids
3. Mt. Everest, Nepal
2. Machu Picchu, Peru
1. Jerusalem, Israel

Now luckily I live in a really cool place like Colorado where I get to do and see a lot of awesome things, because this calms the itch for the time being. But pretty soon I am going to have to scratch my itch and get out of here. Where do you want to go?

Heres To You Tony

Let me first say that I am super excited that the Colts finally won a Superbowl and I think Peyton Manning and Tony Dungy and the whole team deserve it. It was very nice to watch a Superbowl that I cared about who was playing and was excited about who won. It has been a while since I felt that way.

As I was listening to the sports announcers (who usually drive me crazy with their stupid comments) I heard a lot of good things said about Dungy including that he never yells at his players and to this someone at the party I was at pointed out that he was a Christian. Now as much as I love NFL football I have never paid much attention to the coaches but hearing these things intrigued me. So I decided to do a little research of my own and see what else I could find on this dude.

Dungy is a professed Christian and it is not something he just talks about but seems to be something he lives also. There are numerous quotes where he states that God is in control and has a plan for his life and career. My favorite quote from him was "The Lord has a plan. We always think the plans are A, B, C and D, and everything is going to be perfect for us and it may not be that way, but it's still his plan." If anyone can doubt God's plan for his life it could be Dungy who lost his teenage son to suicide and despite this tragedy in his life he still believes in the power of God and the importance of keeping his faith strong.

Dungy is also an active volunteer for agencies such as FCA, Athletes in Action, Big Brothers/ Big Sisters, Boys and Girls Club, Family First, Prison Crusade Ministry and other organizations. He is actively involved with his family and at one point considered leaving football to serve in prison ministry.

Now not only does Dungy lead a faithful life, he also lets his beliefs spill over into his coaching. One player stated that Dungy has an open-door policy to which his players see him more as a father figure than a coach. Dungy is known for his calm coaching style and is highly respected for it by players and coaches throughout the sport. Dungy credits his calm approach to coaching to his Christian faith, for part of the faith is, as he stated, "realizing that there are things you might not ever understand and a lot of things you won't be able to control, so worrying about those things and getting frustrated is not fruitful." He also draws upon his experience as a former player, trying to treat team members as he would like a coach to treat him.

So Here's To You Tony! I know that the coach and team that deserve to win the Superbowl are the ones who work hard and play the best, but in this case Dungy and the Colts deserve the Superbowl win in more ways than one. Congrats to them all!!

Info comes from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Dungy and http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/feature/featureVideo?page=amazinggrace

GO COLTS!!!!!

I forgot to say GOOD LUCK to the Colts today. I hope they kill the Bears! Make me proud Peyton!!!

Surprise To Me

I am not the most eloquent story teller so I am going to let these pictures tell the story.
Friday afternoon I was hanging out at my house, actively participating in my daily routine of laying on the couch with my knee elevated. I was talking to my mom and Lauren about who knows what when the door bell rang. My mom casually got up to answer it as I lay there and Lauren smiled suspiciously at me. I heard some people walk in the door but I had no idea what was going on.

When they came into the living room I turned around and was SHOCKED to see my friend Randi standing in my house. I didn't even know what to say so I just laughed. It was a very strange feeling to see her in my house and not because I didn't want her there, but because she was so out of place. Randi and I met in Uruguay and she recently moved to Denver, but she has never been to my house in Houston so it was so funny to see her there.
So we laughed and hugged and she gave me a vase full of flower pens and told me that she was here for the weekend to cheer me up. It was a wonderful surprise and it was all planned by my other two friends Lauren and Jeremy. Jeremy works for Southwest and he got her a free flight to come down and Lauren helped to arrange it without me knowing. She is really good at that. Since Randi got here we have just been hanging out, playing games, watching TV and movies, and laughing and talking a lot like we do well. It has been a great to have her around to keep my mind off of how much my knee hurts. If you can't read that sign it says "Thanks Jeremy" because it is all thanks to him that Randi got to come and see me. Jeremy you are a great friend and I really really appreciate you sending Randi to me. I can't wait to see you again and give you a huge hug and do something super nice for you.

Not for the weak stomachs

Another day, another knee adventure. This morning I got up after a better night of sleeping and headed to visit my doctor for the first time after surgery on Tuesday. The meeting with him was real quick and he said everything was doing fine and that I was ready to start physical therapy. He pointed out to me what each incision was for (not that I remember) and showed us how to change my huge brace from no movement to complete movement. He seemed to have a lot more confidence in my knee that I did but I just went with the flow. The worst part of the visit was that he took away the numbing medicine. On one hand it is nice to feel my leg again but along with those feelings come the feelings of pain. Below are some pictures after the surgery and how I am doing.

Thumbs up for laying around on the couch for hours! I think this is the day after.

Thank goodness they wrote NO on my right knee to keep them from operating on the wrong one. They used super permanent marker too because it still wont come off!!

Between seeing the doctor and physical therapy my mom and I went to the grocery store and guess what I got to do! I got to drive one of the motorized grocery carts. It was me against the old people and I really wanted to race them but I held myself back. My mom said we have to go back to take a picture of me because it was so funny. One of the best parts about the cart was that it had a horn!!!! Yes, the horn did sound like a car horn on helium, but it did have a horn. The other part I really liked was when you backed up it made a beeping noise like the huge trucks make. I really wanted to yell out "wide load, back up" but once again I restrained these urges.

After the grocery store adventure, I got to take my first shower in over two days and it was amazing. I got out feeling like I could conquer the world and then reality came back and off we went to physical therapy. The dude that worked with me told me I was doing really well in recovery already and I am going back for more tomorrow. It didn't hurt too much but I am fine with a little pain since I want to get better asap!!

My church here in Houston that I grew up at had flowers delivered to me today. How sweet is that!!! They are so beautiful!

This is what my poor knee looks like. It is very swollen and has 4 incisions. I think the big one is where they took the hamstring out and did most of the ACL repair.

So that is the updated report on my knee stuff. Tonight will be filled with Lauren time watching Grey's Anatomy. Who knows what the knee will bring tomorrow!