Slowing down long enough to listen.....

When I was in NM the other weekend, my mom bought me "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World" by Joanna Weaver. I had seen reviews of this book before and thought it looked interesting.

I am only a bit into it so far, but I am really liking it. The book is based on two sisters, Mary and Martha, from the book of Luke. It explores the differences between these two sisters and the changes that both made.

So often I feel like I am burning the candle at both ends, with all my obligations falling short. What I need to realize is that I put these obligations on myself, no one expects more of me than me. More times that not I am holding myself to an unobtainable standard then feel...disappointed in myself.

I need to take time to nurture my relationship with God and to truly give time to listen to HIS call. It is THE most important relationship in my life, and I need to honor it as such. My good deeds are never going to be good enough....they are just that - deeds. Rushing around trying to put 30 hours in a 24 hour day isn't going to work, and it's going to result in burn out.

I guess what I'm looking for is to stop being too busy to listen to my Savior. Only I can do this, only I can prioritize my life. I need to stop comparing EVERYTHING and just start enjoying. I am so thankful for ALL the blessings in my life, they are more abundant than I can recount. However, I know I will find much more in THIS relationship than in the ACTS I hold so dearly now.

I'm trying to read a chapter a night....but, true to my nature, sometimes I fall asleep the minute my head hits the pillow. So it might take a while, but I'll give you the full review when I'm done. And hopefully I'll have some positive changes to report as well!

YEAH!! Jesse's coming to Colorado!!

I'm so excited, I just found out this week that me and Tony's great friend Jesse is coming out for a visit!!! I'm so excited for her to come out West and see where we live! She's coming at the end of April and Tony and I are already planning what to do/see. I always want to shove as much as possible into the visits that people make. I'm afraid it drives most people nuts, but really, I just don't want people to be disappointed or bored. And our time together always seems so short. The weather should be really nice so it will be perfect for driving up to the mountains. OR if we are feeling adventurous maybe some WHITE WATER RAFTING???
Ahh, so much to do and see!! Can't wait!!

Things I L-O-V-E

Inspired by Jesse, here I go. This list is not complete or prioritized, I'm just writing as I go. The people in my life that I love so much know it, so if I have forgotten someone or something, I do apologize, it was not intentional. My brain is only working at about 40% this morning, so you'll have to  be forgiving.

Tony, my parents, my lovely talented sita, my in-laws, my grandparents, my aunts and uncles. The roof over my head, Kirby, brunch, salsa and chips, journaling, Jesse, Robin, Craig, Renata, Cherie, Jen, Heather, and Irene. Jenni and Rob. Jesse's blog. Health Insurance. White Russians, Bloody Mary's, love letters, really good dreams, irony, the public library, Italy, the Cistene Chapel, Morano glass, a really good cup of coffee, iced cokes, sappy commercials, when someone else washes my hair, Baltimore City, the Rocky Mountains, playing the piano (on a tuned piano), Sofjan Stevens, Philly, Gettysburg, my sweet neighbors (Mandy and Michael), Grace and Josh, people who truly love being parents, babies, Sonic, La Posta, the smell of roasting green chiles, canoeing, camping, hiking, snow shoeing, journaling. Cookbooks, My So Called Life, Wings, books that make me think outside the box. The way Kirby smells after he's been sleeping, road trips, yoga, making lists, planning meals, the fall, gardening, canning, rollercoasters, Lake Superior, a New Mexico sunset, Andrew Wyeth, Portland, Maine, karma, empathetic people, that point in your run where you forget that you are running, the finish line, Aunt Edie's cabin, my Nannie's cooking, my mom's cooking. Giving the peace at church, singing loud, languages, houseplants that I don't kill, adult league kickball, baseball games, Joe Mauer, the light at the end of the tunnel, Nora Zeal Hurston, cooking, baking, sledding. Really good sermons, Assisi. The Opera. Muscials. NPR. Mornings. National Parks.

So there it is, I'll probably think of things throughout the day that I didn't put on here, but I'll leave it as it is. What are some things you love?

Pay it Forward

Yesterday morning I woke up at 5:30 per the usual and in a fog wondered down stairs to feed Kirby and pour myself a cup of coffee. No coffee in the coffee pot, so I thought I forgot to program the timer. Then I realized the coffee machine was broken. Nuts! So I pulled out our french press that we use for camping. As I take off the top the plunger falls apart. I tried for 5 minutes to put it back together and finally gave up with the consolation that I could just run by S-bucks on my way to work. Not a bad consolation!
So I stopped by S-bucks and ordered my coffee - that's when the girl at the cash register told me my drink was taken care of today. WHAT? I just smiled and said thanks, but didn't push it. I figured I was winning something, like maybe I was the 20th customer or something. I really didn't want to prod because I was afraid they would take my prize away. Then the guy behind me ordered 2 small coffees and she said the same thing to him - his was taken care of. So he asked her why? And she said "someone came in this  morning and paid it forward". So he handed her his money and said - let's just continue that then. Upon which I almost started getting teary and I gave her my $5 too. I'm a selfish girl for thinking I would keep my $5 to myself. I was just shocked. So of course when I got to my car I started crying. It was the nicest thing a stranger has ever done for me that I found out about. Paying it forward? I thought that was only something you hear about in the news, not something that truly ever happens to you. And granted it wasn't something big - just a cup of coffee, but still - it completely made my day. Something so small, but it meant so much. It made me remember that there are still good people in the world - the type of people who just want to make a complete strangers day better because they can. Small gifts of kindness mean so much. Imagine if we all paid it forward when we were able to - just a little bit here and there, how much better the world would be? Even if it's only our little world in which we live day to day. I still get weepy even thinking about it.

A man named Bob

My first boss when I started working for the government was Bob. He was the first person I got to meet from my new office - he came and ate lunch with me on my second day of induction. He was very kind and gave me, a nervous and overwhelmed girl, a warm feeling that I was going to be ok. He was very specific about his last name and the pronunciation of it. He gave me all his contact info and when he left I felt a little bit better about this huge decision I had just made.
Over the course of working with him for almost 3 years I witnessed how kind he was to everyone. EVERYONE! He never spoke harshly, was always understanding, and most importantly to me - he was a man of God. He truly was a witness - the kind I feel that all Christians are called to be. He wasn't evangelical in the sense that he walked around proselytizing, he did it by his actions and his words.
Last night Bob passed away. Suddenly. This morning when I got to work I found out. And my heart wretched to be with my friends, with my old colleagues. The people who had helped me to grow and develop when I felt so lost. They all know the Bob that I know, his quirky sense of humor and miscellaneous accidents that we always laughed at and said "oh Bob". I can hear it now, I can close my eyes and I'm there. But I'm not there, I'm thousands of miles away. We talked on the phone and it really helped for me to not feel so alone in my grieving.
Bob left behind 2 children, one still young, and a wife. He also left behind many friends and admirers. Most of all though, he left behind a legacy. A legacy of kindness and diligence. He loved what he did and he did it well. He did it with a smile and with a kind word for everybody.
Maybe if we all just had a little more of Bob in us, the world would be a better place. My world is a better place for having known him.
This probably doesn't make any sense except to those who were there, for that I'm sorry if this excludes people. But I was trying to think today of times that were so funny with Bob, and the one I keep going back to was the day we all ate lunch together and Bob was telling his story of his brother's dog and Irene asked him if he wore a mustache because he had been attacked. I hope my friends can find a smile when they read this - and they know that I love them, and I wish I was there to hug each one of them, and go through this together.

New Mexico in May

We went home to New Mexico for Mother's Day (and my B-day). I would have blogged about it sooner but I'm a bum! :) It was wonderful - the weather was great and it wasn't windy!! We got to see my great grandmother. She's been so sick and we were really glad we were able to visit with her. Tony had a good time - it has been years since he had been back to NM. We didn't get to stay there very long. We got in after midnight on Friday night and had to leave Sunday morning. It sucked because I got sick on Sunday morning - I was probably just being a hypochondriac but I got bit by a spider and had a weird reaction. SERIOUSLY? Always something! It was really beautiful though and we had fun - I'll probably go back in July but Tony may not make it back until Christmas.

Visit with my parents

My folks came up last week - it was wonderful!!! They had been in Phoenix with Amy then drove up through Moab to come stay with us for a few days. We had a great time! Of course I tried to over compensate and drove us to a lake that turned out to be REALLY far away....super cold and windy - we were probably at 13,000 ft. I felt bad for that - all Tony and my dad wanted to do was fish but we spent way to long in the car. But the drive back was beautiful and we stopped and played in the South Platte for a while.
Here's a couple of pics:

Amy

I was in a Ryan Adams mood tonight and was thinking about the first song I ever heard from him. It was probably around 2001/2002 ish. I was making a CD for my sister and trying to find all songs named Amy when this one came up. The video isn't very good, but the song is still good quality.

Casa de Richards....We are HOMEOWNERS!

We closed on the house yesterday!! So exciting. And so very relieved that it is over. This has been such a process....some many things came up that we thought were going to make this fail....then we just kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. But we signed our life away yesterday and got the keys!
Last night we celebrated by eating take out Chinese food and Champagne in our empty house!
And tomorrow night we are going to have our first (hopefully of many) party! A few of our friends are coming over to celebrate Halloween and the new Casa. I am going as, surprise surprise, Sarah Palin! I'll take a pic and post it. I found a fabulous red dress shirt at Goodwill for $3.99 and bought some frameless glasses at Target. Fun fun!! Tony is going as Bob Ross, it should be a crack up too!
Here's a couple of pics of the new place. I haven't taken one of the front of the house yet though.

Welcome to this World Evan!

Renata, my really good friend from Maryland, and her husband Jason welcomed a sweet little blessing into the world this morning!! Weighing in at 7pds and 8 ounces. WOW! This really makes me miss Maryland.....I can't wait to meet Evan!! I am so happy for them!! I have been anxious since last week, thinking Renata was going go into labor last Friday!!! But Evan must have been super comfy in there.
Renata - much love and happiness being sent your way from Colorado!!!