Overdue updates

First, you all have not kept me accountable to blogging more! How will I ever get better at this? But I will tell you, I am making progress on my other goals!

Running. Last week I started the Couch to 5k training program at the suggestion of a reader (thanks Leah!). I really love it because it is attainable for me as a beginner runner and I am not so overwhelmed when I think about running 13 miles. I am aiming to run 4 days a week and do yoga one. I am still struggling with the cold weather and hope as it warms up that I will be more eager to work out after work.

Emails. I am trying everyday to leave work and go to bed with an empty inbox. Occasionally I will leave one or two that can't be answered immediately but it feels so good to be organized and timely!

Photography. I have taken more pictures and as the weather warms up I plan on carrying my camera around with me all the time.

Flexibility. HOT YOGA. Um yeah. I was in serious pain for several days after my first class back but it feels so good. I feel so relaxed and re-energized after an hour and a half of cardio and stretching in a 105 degrees.

I have not made great progress on the other goals. I have been particularly bad about snail mail and going to bed early. But if I completed all my goals in one month, what would I have to work on? Baby steps, right?

I hope you are continuing to keep up with all that is happening in Haiti. Licia posted pictures of the new Rescue Center today and has been updating us on several of the kids. I loved seeing Dorchelle's progress, I will always love that little girl! I hope you'll remember to pray for those who will serve long after the media is gone, for the little babies who are still starving and for those who are only beginning to think about recovery. Go read about Mirlene here, and plead with me for God to heal her. Read about how you can meet some very basic needs by shopping online at Wal-Mart. My heart aches and it hopes for Haiti.

I am so incredibly embarrassed that I asked you all to pray for my sweet Dad and then I did not update you here. (just FYI, I update twitter multiple times a day, so you can follow me there!) Everything went very smoothly and after 2 days in the ICU he was out of the hospital the following Sunday. He has been home recovering for the last week and is gaining strength everyday! I am looking forward to seeing my family for Easter, I can't believe it has been since Christmas!

Lastly, I have been writing and praying over a post about the Healthcare crisis we are facing here in America and before I post it, I think it will be helpful if you know to about the clinic that I work for. It is called Faith Family Medical Clinic and is a non-profit primary care clinic for the working uninsured in Nashville. We see patients who are either working (or a dependent on someone who is working), receiving unemployment benefits, are a full-time student or in a rare case are receiving Social Security without Medicaid or Medicare benefits. We do not see anyone who has any type of health insurance. I love the people I work with and I love our patients, well most of them :) I hope you'll watch this video to see what I do everyday!

Birthday weekend and prayers needed

Mark and Caroline came in town for the long weekend. Friday morning we headed out to Loveless Cafe for some of their famous biscuits!

We had a fun day shopping and hanging out, and then went to dinner and had friends over for a game night. Saturday morning we had donuts and pedicures, a fun lunch, spent the afternoon outside and had Mexican food for dinner! It was the perfect day.

My parents sent me these beautiful flowers

Sunday afternoon was spent out at Arrington Vineyards celebrating the warmest, most beautiful day

If sunshine was the only gift I got, it would have been just wonderful. But this weekend was the best birthday!

I also wanted to share with you all that my family needs your prayers. When I was gone in Haiti, my dad was diagnosed with Mitral Valve prolapse. Divinely, he was visiting the doctor for a problem with fluid in his ears, when the Nurse Practitioner heard a new heart murmur. In just a few days he was diagnosed with this serious, but relatively common disease. The great news is because he is otherwise very healthy, he is a great candidate for surgical repair. Tomorrow morning he will check in at 6 am to have the surgery (using incredibly fascinating robotic technology). I ask that you pray for him and my mom tomorrow. Pray for peace. Pray for the doctors who will be working on his heart. I am so thankful to know and trust that God is in control. We would truly covet your prayers in this time.

Thankful for this blog community of prayer warriors. Love you all!

Dorchelle update

Anna totally made my day yesterday when she sent me these pictures of Dorchelle. She has lost her hair but I still think she is so precious. She is crawling a ton and even getting into Anna's bed at night :) They are struggling to balance her hydration status so she is back on an IV so she can work more on drinking calories. I love this little girl and I am so thankful for Anna and Lori who are giving her the best care possible. Thanks for loving her for me!!!!

Check back later for a full re-cap of the best 23rd birthday weekend! We are headed to Arrington Vineyards for the afternoon.

Happy Sunday!

Something on the Road

I Saw What I Saw by Sara GrovesI saw what I saw and I can't forget it
I heard what I heard and I can't go back
I know what I know and I can't deny it

Something on the road
Cut me to the soul

Your pain has changed me
Your dream inspires
Your face a memory
Your hope a fire
Your courage asks me what I'm afraid of
And what I know of love

We've done what we've done and we can't erase it
We are what we are and it's more than enough
We have what we have but it's no substitution

Your pain has changed me
Your dream inspires
Your face a memory
Your hope a fire
Your courage asks me what I'm made of
And what I know of love

Something on the road
Cut me to the soul
If you have do not have this song, go get it right now. You won't regret it.

Resolutions

I had this really great idea when I was in Haiti over New Year's to come up with 10 goals for 2010 and then get started right when I got back. Then it was March 1.

In my own defense, an earthquake happened that totally changed the course of the last two months. But I'm through defending. So I am calling them March resolutions. And here they are (in no particular order)

1. Take more pictures. Last June, I got an SLR camera for graduation. It has been used well on vacations and in Haiti, and has taken some incredible photos, but I don't use it enough. I want learn to shoot manually. Good thing I have Caroline.

2. Blog more often. Pretty simple, just need to do it.

3. Run a 1/2 Marathon. I was recently challenged a lot when I read Don Miller's new book A Million Miles in a Thousand Years to quit daydreaming about doing things and just do them. I have always wished I liked running but I never have. In elementary school, my mom made me join the jogging club and she would drop me off at 6:45 am and we had to run laps around the backstops and collect popsicle sticks for each lap. My white Keds had morning dew and grass stains and I smelt like playground kid the rest of the day. I hated every minute of it. Deep rooted issues? Probably, but I am determined to change that. Starting with a new pair of running shoes, I will begin a training program in a few weeks when it finally warms up! Are you a runner? What motivates you?

4. Re-gain flexibility. I was a gymnast and a cheerleader for many years and have since lost most of my flexibility. I loved doing yoga in college so Christina and I are starting yoga again next week!

5. Send more snail mail. I LOVE to get snail mail. Who doesn't?

6. Stay in touch with old friends. I miss college a lot. And I miss having my friends close so I vow to be better at staying in touch with old friends. The goal above should help with that

7. Take the GRE. This is not really a fun goal. I want to go back to grad school in the next couple of years and in order to do that, I have to take the GRE. Studying is the one thing I have NOT missed about college, but I know it is in important discipline and in the long run will be so worth it.

8. Learn more Creole. This is a fun goal. Anybody have good resources for this? I found a couple things online, but would love to know what works for you? Hope to get some more real practice too :)

9. Respond to emails immediately. If you have ever emailed me, you are probably aware that I am in the horrible habit of reading emails and not responding for an embarrassingly long time. Therefore, I am going to try and respond to emails ASAP. Feel free to hold me accountable to this :)

10. Get to bed earlier. I have not adjusted to the fact that as an adult, it is not okay to stay up till the wee hours of the morning most nights. I am actually a morning person, and wish I could wake up at 5:30 everyday, spend some time in the Word with several cups of coffee, run 5 miles and look like a million bucks all by the time I have to be at work. But the problem is, I am also a night owl. And when I stay up too late, I am pretty useless from 2-5 in the afternoon, which is prime napping time. Until I live in Spain and get a siesta everyday, I have to change my habits.

I felt that if I put these in writing and if I told them to those of you who read this blog, I'd actually have to make a stab at this year's resolutions. I hope to check in every so often with how I am doing with each of these, so stay tuned!

In other news, I am officially over this winter and dreaming of the days when I get to head back to Zihuatanejo this June. Oh Zihua, I have missed you so...

RHFH Videos

Casey Zachary, who is Lori & Licia's brother, is down in Haiti this week visiting his family. He brought a video camera along with him and uploaded some great footage of things going on at Real Hope for Haiti. I think they will help you understand what any given day in the Clinic and Rescue Center could look like. Head on over here and check them out.

I am off on Fridays so it's officially the weekend. Hope yours is great!

*Anna was playing with my camera and caught Davidson doing this! had to share :)

Home

I'm about to enjoy a hot cup of coffee and some oatmeal on this beautiful and chilly Saturday morning in Nashville, but just wanted to post a little update and let you all know that I am home safe and sound.

Licia and I had a fun trip back including a late night stop at Waffle House in Ft. Lauderdale for some breakfast and we split ways yesterday morning, me to Nashville and her to Seattle. I hope to post some more as I process my thoughts (and photos!) in the next few days.

Also, Anna posted and update on the sewing projects for the Rescue Center so head on over there and check it out.

Continue to pray for Anna and Lori who are still holding down the fort in Cazale. They are rockstars.

Hope you are still in your pj's enjoying this Saturday morning :)