Bye Bye, Dairy!

Growing up, my mom told us that my three siblings and I were allergic to dairy.  We didn't drink or eat many dairy products.  As an adult, I pretty much stuck to a fairly dairy-free lifestyle.  With the exception of ice cream and milk with Oreos, I didn't consume much dairy.  In the past few years, it started to creep in a little more into my daily life, and it hurt.  Most dairy made me sick to my stomach...or worse.  Last week I decided to go to the doctor and get an official diagnosis.  I have a great primary care physician who listens really well to my ailments (although I think he gets pretty tired of my many mystery issues.  And he did tell me awhile back not to googleanymore before I come in.  Whoops).  He did tell me that I was lactose intolerant, though he told me to watch my gluten intake as well as many times one can be confused for the other or one can invariably lead to the other.

Knowing that I am lactose intolerant honestly will make few changes in my life.  I know that I have the option of taking Lactaid pills if I want something with dairy.  However, most of the dairy that I want to eat I should probably avoid anyway- ice cream, milk with oreos, milk in my coffee.  I drink almond or soy milk at home and yogurt doesn't bother me, so I honestly think I am going to be okay.  This isn't devastating news for me, and I am glad to know that it is what it is.

We Love Fish Tacos

So by the way, fish tacos are more than just fish sticks on a regular taco.  Wish my sisters and I had thought that out a little better.  Fish tacos are one of my favorite foods, but I've never made them myself.  We should have googled it, because they just were kind of unassuming and boring.  And also, http://www.welovefishtacos.com/ is a website.  For real.




This is not what ours looked like, unfortunately


Wednesdays and Thursdays we watch So You Think You Can Dance together.  It's our favorite (well, behind NCIS).  That show amazes me with the amount of raw talent.  Maybe it's because I only took dance to straighten out my feet and posture (I had to wear braces on my feet when I was little even), or maybe it's because I can't get halfway close to the splits and even touching my toes is hard sometimes, but that show blows my mind.  Not only are the dancers amazing, but the choreographers and the costume designers as well.  I don't have a favorite yet, but my favorite dance of the night was Melanie and Marko. 

I've read a bunch of random books lately.  Most have been boring, but I did enjoy the first novel in the Sookie Stackhouse series.  The Gossip Girl prequel was pretty much the same as the actual show (with a few random changes), The Nine Lives of Chloe King was a teen novel that felt like a teen novel, and Deja Dead (the book on which the tv show Bones is based) was so totally different from the television show that I couldn't even begin to get into it.  And it was set in Canada.  I have The Shadow Thieves by Anne Ursu to read next.  What are you reading?  Do you have any suggestions? 

If you like to read, you really need to check out http://www.paperbackswap.com/.  Basically the concept of the site is that you post to your "bookshelf" any books you don't want anymore.  Someone requests the book and you send it to them via media mail (about $2.40).  They credit your account, and you are able to request any book on the site, which is then sent to you for free.  You also get two free credits just for posting your first ten books on the site.  I have loved using it so far and have had no problems.  I have received four books from the site and sent one.  (If that seems like bad math to you, it's because it is.  You can also buy three credits for $10).  The only issue I really see with it is that you have to have books people want to request.  Some of the ones I posted are kind of obscure, so it's possible no one will ever request them.  I guess that's where being able to purchase credits come in nicely.  Because $10 for three books is still pretty good.  Sister sites also exist for cds and dvds, though I haven't used them.

Whoo- New Race Training

Today my friend Stephanie and I signed up for the Rt 66 half in November.  Well, we actually signed up for training through Fleet Feet.  Stephanie hasn't ran a half before, and I would really like to step up from my first, so I am totally excited about the personalized training.

I also had two $25 gift certificates to use there, which means I got two pairs of Nike shorts for $22.  Yeah.  A pink pair and a purple pair.  That's awesome.   

I spent waaay too much time on homework today.  Two of my three classes are fast-track and will last only a month.  I am loving all three classes and what I am learning.  It is so great to feel such a good fit with my major (which will be my degree in a few short months.)  I have a Youth Offenders class, one over Family and Child Welfare, and Intro to Social Work.  Whooo!

I got to talk to my airman a little tonight.  He is at the stage in technical school where he can get off base (ATP, I think.)  It's wonderful to Skype and call and text and email....so much better than when he was in BMT (bootcamp).  Although it's still another twelve weeks until he is home, it makes it better to actually get to speak to him now.  Although now he knows how much I cry.  Haha.  I bet he didn't miss the normal things like PMS and my money habits and when I don't want to kill a spider.  Tonight I asked him how to find studs so that I can hang a clock.  Sometimes I am seriously such a girl.

Have you heard of Pinterest?  It's my new favorite site.  My youngest sister got me totally hooked on it.  I love looking at the beautiful food creations, the DIY projects, the fashion, the home decor.  Basically I just love it all.  Check it out!!!

Pulled in Every Direction

I feel drained tonight...I am tired of giving so much away with so little left for myself.  I delight in loving others, in sharing with them and being with them.  But sometimes I think life asks too much.  And I accept it's seductive plea.  I give it all until there is nothing left for me...And once again it's 10:00 and I haven't studied for my test tomorrow or written my paper for my Personality class tomorrow or cleaned the house or played with the dogs or finished my lesson plans or even taken a shower after my run.
God laid on my heart the Proverbs 31 woman.  He spoke about her in His word as a guide for how we as women should live our lives.  So often I get caught up in what the world tells me my life should look like.  I usually don't even realize the influences in my life until I compare my attitudes to those of Christ and find them lacking.  Tonight I feel like God is whispering to me to leave it be, to leave it behind and to follow Him.  I need to gain my approval from Him and Him alone.  He is the one I need to strive to please, the one who delights in my success.

"She extends her hand to the poor, And she stretches out her hands to the needy." (Proverbs 31:20)
 
"Strength and dignity are her clothing,  And she smiles at the future.  She opens her mouth in wisdom, And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. " (Proverbs 31:25 and 26)

"Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.  Give her the product of her hands, And let her works praise her in the gates." (Prov 31:30 and 31)

This semester ends in three weeks.  I will see my husband in four weeks.  I need to calm down and finish strong.

What do you do when life crashes in on you?  How do you save enough of yourself for yourself?

Put It All In

Today's post is going to be a little like one of Paula Deen's famous desserts- full of everything.  Hope you enjoy this post as much as a Paula Deen cake (oh, who am I kidding?  This post can't compare to her scrumptiousness.) 

The lovely sis-n-law and me at her wedding shower.  So happy for her!!!

Girls night at Los Cabos on the Rivewalk

Bethany, you are amazing!!!!  Your tan makes my tan look like shredded cocunut.

The softball fields I run around

Just me and the road.  Peace.

I enjoyed watching people fish while I ran around them.

Does this water look scary to you?

My tap water looks yellow.  Really!  Yucky rural water....

Too thirsty to be a chooser (as in "beggars can't be choosers).

All done!

88 degrees!  As the inspiring Lindsay Cotter asked, where did the Spring go?

And then it rained.  Which is good, because I needed a car wash.  :)

Song of the Day- "Tomorrow" by Chris Young

Yes, it is sad.  But I think his voice is good, and I like the sound of the song.  I can understand being with someone who is all wrong for you, or knowing you are all wrong for the person you are with and still loving them.  Been there, done that, then I met my husband.  Well, not so much met as claimed. 

This is Albert Pujols, the first baseman for the St Louis Cardinals.  I watched a really interesting interview with him on 60 Minutes today and he is totally a superstar.  He is a strong Christian, he adopted his wife's daughter who has Downs Sydnrome, and he gives back in a major way to his home cities in the Dominican Republic.  Very cool.  And he is Baptist, which is cool to hear.  (That's a freebie I had to look up on the Internet since CBS would only mention his faith in vague terms.)



And that's it for now, folks.  I'm sure I'll think of something else I want to pass along to you later.  :)  Have a good one.

I Like Talking About You You You Usually...

I am lucky to have great friends supporting me while my husband is away. One of those friends is Joe, who is a former Navy member. He graciously offered to take some photos of me so that I could send them to my Airman. Here are a few of the ones he took.





















Well, that was enough of me...

Tonight I was able to spend the night with my beautiful sister in law. She is truly an angel, and I realize how lucky I am to get along with and enjoy my in laws.

Now I am sitting at my in laws' house watching DC Cupcakes. I get a kick out of watching the interaction between the sisters. They love pink and I love pink too. And I also love cupcakes. Seriously. I wish I could wear a pink apron and pink rain boots to work every day. Actually, I probably could get away with that. Hmmm. Something to consider.

Could you wear a pink apron or pink rain boots to your job?

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Running!

I ran tonight! Well, it was more of a jog or a slow canter. But it still happened! And my toe didn't hurt one bit. (Although it is trying to give me trouble now that I'm home. It's actually starting to look like I never had the procedure done at all. Oh no.)






This is me saying "Here goes nothing!". My darling sister/ roommate/ running buddy and I did about a mile and a half, maybe two. It was slow, but wonderful. Running really is my therapy. The wind was cool and gentle, the moon and stars illuminated our path, and I felt totally alive.

I had forgotten how running makes the world make a little more sense. I am a better person when I run. Especially when it's just God and me, pounding the pavement.

I'm up again with a late night of homework... Boo. I don't care about research methods or statistics or hair cells. But I don't mind studying for my Personality of Psych test. That class actually applies to my current job and the future paths I may take.

Did you enjoy any of your college classes? Did many of them actually apply to your post college job?

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