Odds and Ends

I know. I know. I've been a little behind on blogging these days.  Partially because I've been unusually busy doing nothing, partially because I've been suffering writers block.  Enter: Out-of-chronological-order / random blog post about the last two week of my life!

Working my new job in addition to still working 40 hours a week at the church is probably the biggest culprit.  I'm used to blogging on Tuesday when I'd have the day off.  Now I'm working a full day.  That'll end soon.  Probably another month or so?  I'm enjoy the job so far.  I've been working on a new website for the company. It's been a joke trying to write content for a subject I don't know.  At least my boss is helpful in teaching me, and he likes to take ping pong breaks.  Perfect little afternoon treat.  Love it.

My job at the church is wrapping up nicely.  I had my last big catechetical night on Sunday.  It was a small crowd due to the end of Spring break but intimate.  It was wonderful and spirit led.  I'm glad to go out on a high note.  This coming Sunday is our end of the year party.  DJ, 22' inflatable slide, cotton candy, snow cones.... anyone want to come chaperone?  We have adult only slide time after! ha

Last weekend I went on a retreat for me.  You're probably thinking, girl, you go on so many retreats for work why'd you give up another weekend to go?  That's the thing, I lead the retreats.  This was a retreat for me.  It was just what the doctor ordered.  We learned about women in Scripture.  And for the first time I connected with a woman in the Old Testament, Hannah.  She would be angry with God, stressed out, suffer from anxiety, depression, weeping....  Finally, her trust in God led to the fulfillment of the desires of her heart.  Lesson Learned.  I need to trust in God more and not lean on myself.  I mean, I've known this for years.  But I have never really known it with my heart.  Many of the speakers on the retreat mentioned a book called One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are to which I promptly returned home and purchased.  I've started reading it and this is the perfect book for me post-retreat.  Learning to live in JOY again after allowing stress, fear and anxiety run my life.  I'm looking forward to opening my heart to the wisdom of the book to help me heal and transform me.

Enough emotional work-y type stuff.  Eric and I have been off having fun too!

Eric went to the Braves Season Home Opener (using our season tickets! whoop!), ran an 8k, and has been feverishly brewing and bottling beers.  The boys are working on some new equipment to help the process of home brewing. I am really proud of them.  And I am anxiously awaiting Lent to be over so I can try a few of the spring brews :) Eric also went to Athens to volunteer at our favorite beer festival all while spending some time with some friends who have relocated to Athens.  He took the next day (Monday) off from work and took his kayak to the river to paddle and read.  Not going to lie, pretty jealous of that!

I have certainly had my fill of fun adventures.  Bocce league is in full swing.  We lost our game last night, but look a this sun-glare.  Who could play in that?

And if you look right in the middle of the court, there is a cluster of three divits.  It was anyones game.  It was frustrating for us, but the guys we played against were hilarious and made our loss not the end of the world.

Two weekends ago Katie Mom and I went out for Mexican and then to one of those paint-a-canvas-and-drink-wine places.  We had a Groupon for 50% off, so hey, why not?

We were a little frustrated at the process, as there is a learning curve to working with acrylics, but by the end we were pretty pleased with our results.

Also, I'm not sure why we look so drunk in this picture.  We'd only had a glass each.  Perhaps because it was Friday night and we were pooped from work?  Bad lighting?  Paint fumes?   Regardless, we had a great night out.  I love going to these places - granted I'd never pay full price.  This is $15 fun, not $30 fun.  And really, what do you do with the paintings when you bring them home?  I'm probably going to line a hallway wall with them...which means, I need to go again.  Who is in?

I hope you're have a blessed week!  I promise to catch up more often :)