well, i didn't finish last

today was the 12k i've been gearing up for. my friend katie and i ate lots of pasta, elevated our feet, took a nap, prayed for cloud-cover; all the things i could think of. we were hoping to finish the race in under 1.5 hours. amazingly enough i finished in an hour and ten minutes and.............. in SECOND PLACE! katie got third place and we're splitting the winnings - 1500 pesos for each of us. i haven't competed in anything in a really long time, so a great sense of accomplishment has been with me since this afternoon. thanks for the prayers!

my niece's big day

Merit's birthday was yesterday. I called and sang in Spanish, and I think she really liked that. She went to Olive Garden for dinner - every one year old's dream. She also went to the zoo, and knows how to make dog and cat noises, although I don't think they saw dogs and cats at the zoo. She didn't have her birthday suit on, but was not wearing any pants at the time we spoke. She's having a big hoopla on Saturday, so keep checking out her website for those pics to be posted.

There's a big muscle inside me that squeezes pain inward.

hyped to run

i had planned to run in my first ever race today - two meals of pasta downed and everything. unfortunately, my friend didn't know the time of the race and we arrived after it had already finished. we went running anyway, but i was bummed to miss the opportunity for a free t-shirt. luckily, next week is a 12k that we do know the starting time! i've twisted and re-rolled my ankle several times in the past two weeks, but there are cash prizes for the winners of this upcoming race, and i'm planning on being one of them. pray for my ankle.

non-retreat

this week is Retreat at escuela caribe - much like summer camp. i have been so looking forward to hearing from the speaker we invited and serving the congregation on the worship team - i've been ready for a change of pace and time of refreshment. but here it is friday, Retreat ending tomorrow, and i've missed over half of it. i was off the first day and then yesterday and today was spent at the hospital with one of my girls who got a severe concussion during one of the games yesterday.
i wonder what the Lord wants me to see; if i have the eyes to see; and if i have the eyes, i wonder if they are open. there are so many other things to look at - how do i see Jesus thru it all?

an ode to Ghetta

you didn't have A/C but i loved you anyway

those summer drives were hot

so i always had sweat tissues ready

you loved the song "ghetto superstar"

so i sang it pretty often

rubbed the wheel and serenaded

until you finally started

once i marched around you

seven times seemed right

i claimed you for the Lord

and you didn't put up a fight

now you've bit the dust

because Erin didn't see

that fast car coming towards you

so now she'll drive a mini

you won't be there when i get home

i'm saddened at the thought

but after all we've been thru

it isn't for naught

a blur of a morning

only me, with 11 girls this morning; one of which was vomiting all morning. another that wet the bed. then there's our newbie (age 14) that walks around like she owns the place. oh, and i think that there was one girl that was crying off and on all morning....i'm not sure.
most days i feel on top of things, but not this day. so i'm sitting here wondering what i need to do for my time off - catch up on sleep? check myself out and veg with a movie? go play soccer with some dominican kids? treat myself to a nice lunch? most likely i'll do all of the above.
most importantly, though, please pray that my heart would be refreshed in the Word and Spirit. pray against my growing weariness in doing good. and pray for my girls after such a chaotic morning.