threadless sale!

Another famous $10 t-shirt sale at Threadless.
Lots of great shirts-- check it out!

http://www.threadless.com?streetteam=LASTARR

mom's here

totally uncharted territory--- my mom will be staying with ME for a week! (starting tonight) and then I'll drive us to Yakima next friday for the long weekend. (come back monday morning?) I don't know. Anyway, so if you see my mom tagging along with me, that's why. I can't really even comprehend what that's going to be like..... she'll probably stay at my house a lot and run errands in my car while I'm at work. PRETTY EXCITING! plus she'll be overseeing the new carpet going in all the bedrooms. :YEAH!

I found a praying mantis in my front yard this morning! How cool is that?!

today's highlights

I've been on a real roller coaster of ups and downs recently. Good thing the Lord dropped the words "Ecclesiastes 3" in my head Sat. night while I was sleeping (or not) on the hard ground, under the beautiful stars and meteor showers. I went and looked it up the next morning. To my surprise it was the famous....To everything there is a season (sing it with me)"a turn, a turn, a turn." So this morning as I was journaling about this concept, I decided I should take a turn at writing my own verse. Let's see what I can come up with right now:
a time to work, a time to play
a time to run, a time to sleep
a time to eat, a time to fast
.....
a time at home, a time at camp
a time alone, a time with friends
a time to cry, a time to scream with joy
......
a time for pain, a time without
a time for hope, a time for doubt
a time to give, a time to receive

Maybe this inspires you to write some yourself! (I know I am going to have new ones come into my head all day-- maybe longer)

Anyway, even though the negatives can really pull us down. Ecclesiastes 3 gives me hope and a promise that God has grace for both and in fact wants us to experience victory (which can't exist without something to conquer!) By writing your own passage like this, I see it as a way of testifying to what God has done and what he's brought you through.

On that note here are my highlights of the day thus far:
seeing on the calendar that this week is payday
Cuddling with Zoey on the couch
journaling in much more depth about Ec. 3
Running for the first time in my new shoes
Tori called me on my way to work
my boss complimented my hair
my co-worker offering me her old dresser and to trade bikes
the newest strongbad email! http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail.html
a clothing rep. brought us cookies!

random

This morning, a bird dropped out of the sky and hit the roof of a Jeep, while we were stopped at the light on Rose and 2nd this morning. I could see a lot of people start laughing in their cars or looking very disturbed while looking up into the sky. It made a loud bang. It made for a bloody mess on the road. It wasn't tiny. How odd! "THE SKY IS FALLING," said the bird as he plumeted to the ground. . .
(or maybe not)
On a happier note I ran 7.5 miles this morning (I was measuring it with my car when the bird dropped). Happy Birthday to me....the Moya's are taking me out to lunch! yeah!

August 7th

Happy 1st Birthday Zoe!

AND exactly 2 months 'till the Portland Marathon!!!!!!!!! OCT 7th
Saturday I ran close to 2hrs. (with my dad) I'm halfway there! I have 5 weeks to increase 8 miles (a 20mile run in 3 hrs). That doesn't sound too bad. It helps that I've been down this path before. ;) This week also marks a new focus on eatting MORE (and eatting strategically--more protein, fiber, and fat) Whoo hoo! Fuel up time! I also need to find a place in town that sells GU. I'm starting to get really excited! Looks like I'll be running this marathon alone though..... I'll have to work on that. (see who I can get to run little chunks with me) I'll start a sign up sheet. I'm envisioning Dad for the first 8? Jenny Gilbert mile 8-16, ...17-19 by myself, 19-22 with Kirsten, 23-26 with Tori-- THAT WOULD BE MY DREAM TEAM (except for missing Rand-- she'll be out of the country) -- Doug Lewis and Carol Stuley would be great options too! OR JOEL!!!!!!! HE WOULD BE GREAT! I better start working on drafting my team! Now I'm REALLY excited!

advice

never watch Solaris (with George Clooney)

It's really slow! It could cure all bouts of insomnia.