10 days and no posts...

SO sorry. Hope you are still alive and well. I know you are probably holding your breathe for the next post from me!!! :) well here it goes, you can all breathe again.

What have I done the last 10 days? Well I started yet another endeavor. I now volunteer at Catholic Charities, right across the street. It is such a good experience. I love the people I work with and I am able to help those who are "economically challenged" get food.

After school program: I made dirt cups for the kids, that was a first time recipe. It isn't too difficult :). The worst part was transporting them over to the program. Last week I made finger JELLO. That was also a first time. The unflavored gelatin does really help (they were heart-shaped for valentine's day). The kids loved them.

After last week I was kind of doubting my helpfulness at the program, though. I felt there were other opportunities for these kids to be learning. I expressed this concern to one of my friends. They encouraged me to keep being involved. They reminded me that ministry is not always "doing" but "being". Just being available to connect with the kids, even if it doesn't happen every week, is important. So I encourage you this week remember to truly be where God has placed you.

I got to run outside for the first time on purpose :D. I have started running on a treadmill but last weekend the weather was so beautiful I got to "take it outside". It is a different experience mentally and physically. I had some sore calf muscles! So Tuesday I decided I would run to work (I had read in Runner's World about a guy who runs 22 miles to work.) I can do 2. Well I didn't know exactly how to get to work on foot and ended up a little too far North, but it was funny. I want the 50 degree weather back :(!

Last weekend my Good friend Natalie came up to visit me. We got to spend time together Friday and went to a fun little Italian restaurant called Scoozi's. So good, and zero calorie bread (they were very proud of that). We then had the chance to go to Moody's Founder's Week and I got to see a bunch of other friends from back home.


ok... I am sure there is stuff I am missing but let's skip to yesterday. Rachel and I hosted a Velentine's Day party for the girls from Rachel's church. It was so much fun. It consisted of a lot of yelling and 8 girls (ages 2-10) running around the little apt. Lots of sprinkles on the floor from decorating cookies. We opened the sprinkles and they had no shaker top!!! A parent's worst nightmare. The girls left around 3:00. Rach and I cleaned up. We didn't do too bad. We sent one home without a sock (It was lost somewhere in the apt.) and one with her shoes on the wrong feet. Well what can we say... it was an experience.

Then in the evening I went out to Lincoln Square (such a fun area) and met up with Erica Sauder and Charla Zollinger. We went to Jack Rabbit and then got to see the film "Slum Dog Millionaire". I would highly recommend it. Finished off the night by joining some friends at "Shiloh" and sang praises to our Awesome God together. Life is good. My God is Love and I am in Love with Him. Until next post...