Bolder Boulder

Today was the Bolder Boulder 10k!  We had to get up at 4:00 am to be up there and parked by my 7:35 wave time but it was so worth it. The race had about 50,000 runners and was so well managed. We had perfect weather, not a cloud in the sky, milder temps in the morning and there was plenty of shade as we ran through the neighborhood plus there were plenty of homes with their hoses, sprinklers and even a slip and slide available to cool off. It wasn't very crowded at all and there was so much entertainment the whole 6 miles! 

Thanks to Jason for getting up and going with me. Poor guy had to walk about a mile to get to the finish line and then wait for me to finish. So appreciative of his support! 

It was such a fun morning, hoping to do this race again in the years to come!

at the starting line

starting line - our wave is up!

first mile

beautiful views

running through the neighborhood

running through town

finished and watching everyone else come in!

New Church Home and a Couple Small Groups

Jason and I have been going to a new church since about January or February. We liked the church we had been going to but weren't getting connected (after many attempts at small groups, bible studies and serving regularly) and after a while the messages and the music both weren't speaking to me. So after some discussion we decided to scope out some other options kind of with the idea that we may be back to our original church.  After just one time at Mission Hills we fell in love! It was big like we both like and the music was amazing. The messages were speaking loudly to both of us and the church just "felt" right.  I couldn't be more excited! As we continued to go I would feel completely lifted up and closer to God after leaving, almost as much as when I was back at Willow!

Since then we have signed up for a couples small group which meets on Sunday nights that we love.  There's only 3 other couples but everyone is so down to earth and we feel we all just clicked. It seems like we're all in different places in our walk with God but all in similar places in our lives looking for similar things from group but most importantly wanting to grow in the Word.  Yay!

I also joined a woman's small group that meets every other week on Wednesday nights which we've only met once but also seems like such an answer to prayer! Everyone seems very open and excited to grow together and in our walk.  I wish we met every week but am so excited to get going with this and get to know everyone.  It's been about 5 years since my last women's group so it's about time I got connected again!  Another yay!

Next up is finding a place to serve both in the church and in the community.  But in the meantime I am so excited about our new church home and finally getting connected!

New Computer!

It's been about 8 months since my last computer crashed. Jason was nice enough to give me one of his computers (he does computer-ish stuff for a living so he has just a few!) but its been annoying me since he gave it to me.  It crashes when it shouldn't and I have to restart it often. I'm pretty high maintenance when it comes to my computer since I use it all the time! We decided to bite the bullet and get a new one from Costco where prices are reasonable. I love it, it's lightweight and according to Jason has all I need in computer! I'm in the process of getting it all personalized just how I like it. Super excited! And now no excuse to not blog a lot more often!!

Autism Walk

Saturday I joined some co-workers from the long-term sub job to walk around Coors Field to support children and families with autism.  I was so excited when they invited me to their team as I had already been considering doing it but who was I going to walk with or be on a team with?  I was able to raise just short or $300 (HUGE thank you to all who donated!!) and had a super fun Saturday morning!!  One of our favorites (well all our kids are our favorites! ;-) even came to the walk with us! After we did our walk we all went out for breakfast downtown at a great rooftop. Such a FUN day!  Thanks again to all who donated, you truly are making a difference in the lives of those living with autism!

I love the picture...we tried getting the boy in which we were walking for but he wouldn't get into the picture. As that was happening I realized that summed up autism. It's not about "bad" behaviors or them not listening.  It's not about a boy (or girl) who's too old to have a tantrum.  It's autism.  And it is for autism that we came together and walked.  

Green Smoothie

Ever since I started working out at Lifetime, I started having shakes/smoothies every morning. I have some sort of fruits mixed with yogurt, ice, protein powder (that's actually just as much vitamins as protein) and a little water.  I love them!  I am filled up for a few hours, I'm getting a lot of my daily fruits and protein in and just feel better throughout the day!  When I saw a recipe for a spinach shake and Jason's gone this week I figured what better night than tonight to try it out for dinner?  I love spinach so assumed it'd become a staple food. Well, it really just tasted like peanut butter but I can't get past the texture and the color. What a bummer...I'd have loved to add this to my weekly routine!  Anyone try them or have any really good recipes that I should try to convince me?

Chris Tomlin at Red Rocks

Need I say any more than the title?!  I've been looking forward to May 4th since the middle of November when I bought the tickets. We got the tickets in pre-sales so we got some VIP tickets which meant we were in the front section. We ended up in the 4th row in the center of the amphitheater...it was surreal. I don't even know what to write except that the night was alive, the Spirit was present and it was truly amazing! Chris Tomlin had so much energy and had us all dancing and clapping and worshiping our wonderful God all night. They recorded the whole show so we will definitely be buying the DVD.  The night was INCREDIBLE.

...this ones for you Dad. :)

...at this point Chris went to the middle of the amphitheater and did an acoustic set so there weren't really the lights that were needed for the video but it was beautiful with the red rocks in the background. 

...I already blogged about this song here.  Needless to say tears were steaming down my face on this one.

...this song  Kari Jobe joined Chris Tomlin.  It was "the song" of the mission trip I went on in Mexico which forever changed my life. I cannot listen to this song without thinking of the little kids in Mexico!  

So I didn't realize the girl in front who waved her hands all night.  I had my eyes closed most of the night so didn't notice!  She was into it! :)  Amazing night!!  

Random Last Minute 5K

Saturday morning I woke up knowing I Had to get a long run in and wasn't feeling it at all.  I haven't really been feeling like running much lately probably because of the same reason I've always said, I need more people out on the trails to hold my attention!  So when I woke up at 7am I looked to see if there were any 5k's in the area and there was on in Highlands Ranch at 8:15 (about a half hour away), plus it was a qualifying run for the Bolder Boulder which I am doing in May!  I literally jumped out of bed, showered, dressed and hit the road. I got there and found parking then registered in plenty of time.  The run was one of the harder ones I have done here because it was hilly.  I know for any Coloradoans who read this, it probably wouldn't be hilly to you but oh my gosh it was hilly to me!  I was so proud of myself for not walking when I wanted to so many times.  I also knew I had to get under 32:38 to get into (the last!) qualifying wave for Bolder Boulder so the last 1/10th of a mile I really had to pick up the pace. I ended up with a time of 32:19...whoe I cut it close but it was one of the best times I have had since back in my real running days pre-injury.  It was a great way to start my Saturday morning and was so proud of myself for pushing as hard as I could.  Slowly but surely I am getting used to these darn hills and the elevation. Sadly when I went to get my free beer afterwards I needed my ID which was far far away in my car.  Bummer...so instead Jason and I met for breakfast and I fueled up on healthier food. Great Saturday morning!

Crazy Colorado Weather

These pictures were taken 24 hours apart. The snowy picture yesterday (when it was making national headlines about snow in Denver on May 1) and the next one was taken today. I wish they had a time stamp on it to prove it but the weather here is just crazy (good) in Colorado.

And it snowed another 6 hours after this picture was taken! 

We get snow and the next day it melts.  Love love love how the sun almost always shines here.  Now I'm just praying that it's nice this weekend since we have an outdoor concert to go to...forecast isn't looking like it though!

Another Transition

Today is bittersweet...it was my last day as the long term sub in an ILC classroom.  I cannot believe how fast this time went by! I am going to enjoy not having to work ridiculous hours but am going to miss the kids and the responsibility even more.  I learned so much more these past 3 months and think I have grown so much not only as a teacher but as a person.  I established some pretty awesome relationships with amazing kids and learned a lot from the TA's I worked with.  I am subbing  few days in the same classroom this month so it was nice to not have to really say my goodbyes yet.  Thanks to all those I worked with and the parents and especially the kids who I learned oh so much from!!

Now it's on to subbing for the remainder of the year and hopefully getting a job for next fall.  Say an extra prayer for me as I know subbing is bound to toughen me up a lot!  :)