Today

Outside my window . . . .oh wait, my office doesn't have a window. ;-) 

Outside my door? I see a wall. Exciting, hu?

I am thinking . . . about my father-in-law who's having a birthday tomorrow.

From the kitchen . . . I enjoyed a tasty smoothie this morning. 

My blender is getting a workout these days.

I am wearing . . .green jeans that are a little too baggy to tuck into the black boots I'm wearing, 

a white lace top, a black sweater and a white and yellow striped scarf to keep me warm in my cold office.

I am creating . . . a list of things I'd like to tackle after work today and tomorrow, 

and a PPT presentation.

I am going . . . slightly crazy, I think. 

I am reading . . . email after email after email.

I am hoping . . .the little prayer pep talk I just had kicks in soon.

I am hearing . . .a couple of colleagues talking in the hallways. 

I think it's time for some Pandora.

Around the house . . .everything looks clean and pretty and makes my heart smile, 

but inside the closets... my organization projects await.

One of my favorite things . . . is being married to that cute boy I'm in love with. 

Did you know 5 years ago yesterday is when he asked me to be his Mrs?

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . . Bible Study tonight, errands tomorrow,

 lunch with a dear friend on Friday 

and meeting sweet baby Joey to kick off the weekend.

A picture to share . . . how about my desktop image? 

Isn't that man a doll?! *swoon*

Pennies of the Weekend

Lately, each work week seems to blow by

without enough time to accomplish what needs to get done.

And each weekend,

speeds even faster.

My soul is longing for rest.

Not just rest,

but refreshment.

Rejuvenation.

Not only a chance to relax,

but a chance to re-charge.

I've been trying to find the perfect balance,

but as I do

I've found it even more important

to stop and count the pennies

so to speak

a flirty date night 
delicious food
getting caught up 
a good sale + a gift card 
a mini workout 
the warm sun on my legs
 a good book
 familiar faces
another year of life 
new friends 
spontaneous gatherings
 late night girl chats
 sleeping in
 a nostalgic breakfast
college softball world series
 the way Jeremiah looked at me on our drive
texts from sweet friends
games on the patio 
surprisingly flexible schedules
family
 ice cream cones. double scoop 
open windows

Date 18: Bruski

Between Jeremiah's busy work schedule 

and softball playoffs for the team I was coaching,

the two weeks that had passed since Date 17 warranted another date ASAP.

And really, what better way to cheer up a Monday

than with a little date, right?

So... Jeremiah and I met up for drinks and burgers after work on Monday

at a little local place called Bruski in Scripps Ranch.

Getting to drive to dates together is definitely my favorite,

but there's still something so special about going to meet Jeremiah after work.

I get little excited butterflies in my stomach.

Anywho...

The little restaurant was nothing special.

It's just a little neighborhood place

with beer, burgers and a few TVs.

But it was so nice to sit face to face,

talk about our days,

what's driving us crazy and what we're looking forward to,

and to know that we do this life together.

The pulled pork sandwich was a plus. :)

Date 10: Que Pasa

On Friday night, Jeremiah and I tried out a new Mexican restaurant in town.
Que Pasa Mexican Grill is so quaintly situated in... well, a gas station parking lot.

Don't let that fool you.

Jeremiah and I met there after work on Friday.
(Note to self: Meeting up for a date can be way more exciting than driving together.
It's fun to let that anticipation set in a bit. :))

I had been ready for a margarita since... well, since Monday.
So I was pleasantly surprised to see that they serve
7 different margaritas, 7 days a week, for $7 each.

I stuck with the beach bum margarita with totally made me feel like I was on vacation!

Pleasant surprise #2?
Creamy jalapeno dip served with the chips + salsa.
Yes, please!

I ordered a simple bean and cheese burrito,
but had it smothered in creamy jalapeno sauce
with cheese and sour cream drizzled on top.

It hit the SPOT.
Okay, really anything would have done that
since I hadn't eaten all day and it was 8:30.
But still, it was delish.

Lesson Learned:
Dinner at the gas station can be tasty AND romantic.

Unexpected Inspiration

... And then there was someone I know from work.

I recently met him
and don't work with him terribly often
But yesterday he said,

"Remember that time we talked about your blog?
What do you blog about anyway?"

And there it was.

The inspiration I had been desperately searching for.

As I explained to him the reason I blog,
I was reminded of the importance of picking up pennies.

And not just picking up pennies when we feel like picking up pennies.
Or picking up the shiny ones and leaving the dull.

But making it a priority to pick up pennies.

Because they get forgotten, because they go unnoticed
because they get trampled on when they aren't picked up
because they have little value when not pooled together
and sometimes for no reason other than
because we are called to.

So here I am.
I'm back.
And I'm picking up my pennies.

Because too many have been swept away unnoticed.

3 Years. 3 Lessons.

Earlier this month I celebrated three years
of working at Qualcomm full-time.

In recognition of these three years
that the Lord has sustained my career,
I thought it only appropriate
to reflect back on what I've learned.

To be honest, I've learned a billion things
(Okay, maybe not a billion, but quite a few)
But if I narrowed it down to what's been on my heart lately,
it'd be these three things:

1. We live in a broken world.
Like VERY broken.
And that's why I'm thankful for lesson #2.

2. I need Jesus.
Despite my personal, spiritual and career development (or more, because of),
each day I need the Lord even more than I did the day before.
I can't function on my own. I can't love on my own.
I can't truly see on my own. He sustains me.
And each step I take towards trying to achieve, develop
and be on my own is one step backwards.

3. Promotions are not just an accomplishment
or a reward for a job well done.
They are a higher calling. A calling to love harder, forgive better,
rely more, and to be a good steward.

Thank you, Lord for walking beside me
specifically for the past three years.
You've clearly prepared me for this job,
but you've also prepared this job for me.
Thank you for using it to bring me to my knees,
to call me to thanksgiving, and to open my eyes
and my heart to who You are and what You've called me to.
Where You lead, I will follow.
Amen.

Thankful for: A Change of Scenery

We've been house sitting for the last couple days.
And while it's always a little bit inconvenient,
I've enjoyed the change of scenery.

I wake up to a different view
from a different backyard.
I wake up at a different time
to feed dogs I normally don't see.
I get to shower in a different bathroom
and use a different soap and shampoo.
I drive different windy roads covered in greenery
and see different people on my way to work.
I stop at a different coffee shop
and get something other than 'the usual.'
I see the world differently.

And when I drive home,
I stroll along the coast,
soaking in every last glimpse of sunlight
before it sneaks back over the horizon.
I try different restaurants
and play with dogs I normally don't see.
I peal away from chores
and from computers
and I see the world differently.

Thank you, Lord, for this change of scenery.
Thank you for the little beauties and treasure I get to delight in.
And thank you for eyes to see.

Thankful for: Canceled Meetings

Sometimes the day just doesn't go as planned.
Production issues come up.
Fires need to be put out.
and well, it just isn't as expected.

But then there are those days.
Those busy days jam-packed with meetings.
The days you wonder when you're going to get any work done.
And then a meeting gets canceled.
or maybe even two.

And it's a little shiny penny
that I can choose to pick up and cherish.

and thank God for.

Thank you Lord, for canceled meetings
and for teaching me flexibility.

Thankful for: Co-workers

I'm one of those people who practically keeps a running list
of things I'm thankful for -
little things and big things alike,
commonplace experiences and sacred moments.

So during the month of November,
a month so commonly dedicated to, among other things, thanksgiving...
I've decided to share one of these pretty pennies each day.

Today I'm thankful for my co-workers.

co-workers who can't wait to hear about my recent vacation,
co-workers who offer to give rides,
co-workers who invite me to parties,
co-workers who are understanding,
co-workers who I eat lunch with,
co-workers who I can rely on,
co-workers who bring gifts back from vacation,
co-workers who make me laugh,
co-workers who miss me while I'm gone,
co-workers who challenge me to be better at my job,
co-workers who are thoughtful,
co-workers who make me feel sane,
co-workers who share,
co-workers who care,
and co-workers that have slowly but surely turned into friends.

Lord, thank you for preparing me for my work environment,
for ministering to me through my co-workers
and for opening my eyes to the daily blessings you bestow upon your children.

If I have this job...

...for just one of these reasons,
I have much to be thankful for.

To be witness to how the Lord provides, contrary to my fears.
To gain respect and learn how to encourage Jeremiah
as he continues to work full time to provide for our family.
To find my worth.
To go through the self-discovery process.
To learn to lean on God daily.
To experience and appreciate the value of mentorship.
To open my eyes to the world's need.
To fund my hobbies and things that bring me joy.
To learn that when I'm faithful with little, I will be entrusted with much.
To understand the value of community and of friendship.
To practice obedience.
To learn these things. or these.

And boy do I have a million blessings to be thankful for.

In the dark

I left work just after 3:45 when I found out
that the outage was affecting both Escondido and Lindbergh Field.
I knew the street lights would all be out
and since I take nothing but surface streets home,
I wanted to get out on the road as soon as possible.

Well, there was one little detail I missed.

I had planned to stop at the gas station after work.
I was virtually running on fumes.

I was able to make it to the gas station before I realized,
I should probably just pull over and wait.

I met a few other new friends that were in the same boat
(except, home for them is the OC).
We all wandered over to the hotel across the parking lot,
hoping to get a comfortable place to wait.
We sat in their lobby for hours
before the staff finally offered us a glass of beer and a handful of Fritos.

Jeremiah came to get me a couple hours later,
but from the time he got off the 805, he was stopped.
So I started walking.
I bought a couple ice cream sandwiches on the side of the road,
and then kept walking a little over a mile and a half.
By the time I made it to Jeremiah,
I had huge blisters all over the bottom of my feet.
He was pretty much still at the 805.
So we took the 56 back home.
Because it was after 6:30 and there were no street lights,
we made it home within about 45 minutes.

Since there was really nothing to do at home in the dark,
we drove around P-town looking for things that were open.

We stopped at a little Mexican restaurant,
but by the time we got to the front of the line,
the restaurant closed.
It was too dark and they couldn't tell if their meat was cooking completely.

We drove by Target and got some extra cash back,
and then headed over to Kaminski's for dinner.
Their food trucks were running,
and they had the football game on.
We ate dinner by candlelight
and actually enjoyed a romantic little evening.
(PS: Their Super Q's are uh-mazing!)

When we finally got home,
we setup camp downstairs.
Since it was too hot to sleep upstairs,
we made beds on the couches
and played Strategy by candlelight until we fell asleep.

We were half asleep,
when we heard the power come back on around 11:30p.

Oh the joys
of sitting in an hour and a half of traffic the next morning
to get back to my stranded car and head to work.

Quite the adventure and a good reminder
to always keep a quarter tank in your car.

Where were you when the Southwest went dark?

A Labor of Love

I recently re-read this post from last Labor Day,
and I think my prayer still rings true this year:

Father, encourage me and sustain me
that I might be honest and hard-working in all of my labors,
as if working for the Lord.
Please use the resources and the abilities you've given me
to accomplish what I undertake.
And please bless my labors each day
that they might also be a blessing to others.
In the mighty name of Jesus Christ,
Amen.

Friday, Friday!

It's Friday, Friday
Get to go home on Friiiiday.

At least those are the new lyrics my boss was jammin to this morning. :)

Speaking of Friday,
Jeremiah and I have started a new kind of routine
where we stop for coffee, smoothies and the like together on Friday mornings.
It's just a simple thing, that takes barely any time at all
But it's a little extra time to spend together before the start of our days.
A good celebration of Friday if you ask me.

So is our dinner and a movie date.

With the price of movie tickets these days,
we don't typically go to the theater very often.
But tonight, Super 8 is calling our name.

What have you got planned for tonight?

Lessons Learned {@ work}

It's been almost two years since I've shared
what I've been learning through work

.. so what has the Lord been showing me lately?

1. It's important to tell/show people how much you appreciate them.
   
   
2. "The way you work says more about your walk
   than the way you worship." - Chris Brown
   
   
3. You're not choosing people over productivity
   if you close your door to get work done.
   
   
4. "If I peer anxiously into the fog of the future,
   I will strain my spiritual eyes so that I will not see clearly
   what is required of me now" - Elisabeth Elliot
   
   
5. There will always be more work tomorrow.
   
   and lastly, but probably most importantly....
   
   
6. Daily, I need Jesus.
   
   
   

What have you been learning lately?

Caffeinated

Softball talk is like a gallon of coffee to me,
especially on a Monday morning.
Thanks.

tGif, for sure

I am VERY much looking forward to this weekend.

Not necessarily because we're going anywhere exciting,
or because we're celebrating anything in particular,
but because it's been a strangely long week,
we have relatively NO weekend commitments
and the weather is scheduled to be gorgy.

I'm one happy girl.



I'm thinking I'll watch the Royal Wedding
{because 3am was just not conducive to my beauty sleep schedule},
help our sweet friends move into their new house,
work on a bridal shower gift for my sister-in-law,
prep a little for Mother's Day,
and enjoy a bit of sunshine after church on Sunday.

Have an absolutely lovely weekend!

Magic Moments

There's something magical that happens

when someone unexpected unknowingly encourages you.
It's like a glimpse of Heaven touching Earth.
A little miracle that could be missed
if you're soul isn't constantly on the look out.

I'm thankful for that magic little moment this week.

[source]

{5 Things}

{5 Things} not to say to your co-worker when she gets glasses:

1. You look smart now.
2. Do you have to wear those?
3. You don't look twelve anymore.
4. Are you sure you can't get contacts?
5. Can I call you 'Professor,' 'Librarian,' or 'Clark Kent?'


Yes, I intentionally posted a picture of the glasses
on my desk instead of on my face =)

Busy Season: Open and Honest

This is our first true "busy season" together.

(For those who don't know: that's CPA speak for "Hell on Earth")

We dated for four and a half years before getting married.
During that time, we were both in school
and of course ran into trials and times of stress.
We had homework, tests, work, wedding planning and roommates.
The whole shabang.

We've also shared in our first year of marriage together,
where "they" (whoever "they" is) always say
you learn to live together, you argue over things like money
and you hopefully come out better on the other side.

Sure, there were some things to get used to
but I'd say the first year of marriage
was pretty much blissdom.

None of that compares to Busy Season.

(Yes, this Busy Season gets bold capital letters, for sure.)

Jeremiah's been working crazy hours.
I never really know if/when he'll be home for dinner.
He drives all over the county.
And once he's finally home,
he catches up on work during most nights and weekends.
He's exhausted.

To put it frankly,
it blows.But now that we're half way through Busy Season,
we're finally starting to get a grasp on how to handle it
and how to protect our marriage during it.

I thought I'd share,
you know, in case any of your husbands
decide to be CPAs or the like.

---

1. Pray for each other.
For strength. For wisdom. For rest.
And to remember where our true worth is found.

2. Set aside time to spend time together.
Most weeks, we only have one or two nights a week.
It may not be all the time we're used to, but it's something.
It's all we have to give right now. And that's okay. Make it a priority.

3. Wife, respect your husband and make life easier for him.
Don't call him a "work-a-holic." It hurts his feelings.
Have dinner ready for him, whenever he comes home.
And wash the dishes even though its normally his job.
Clear your schedule. You may want to play with friends
or line up fun things for the nights and weekends,
but he works towards deadlines all day.
He just wants to kick his feet up and relax - no timetables.

4. Husband, make the wife feel loved
Jeremiah's done this lately by sharing his Starbucks breakfast with me,
By patiently telling me what I missed
when I fell asleep in the middle of the movie
By praying for me when my Monday morning starts off rocky
By cuddling up to watch girly shows with me
even though he absolutely hates them
By playing games with me after a long day at work
By reading me like a good book and making me feel known.

5. Forgive
Because we will make mistakes
We will get on each others' nerves
and we will say things that are not very patient,
or kind, or loving, or life-giving.

[source]

San Frany: Day 6

It's the sixth and final day in this bustling city
and I must say I'm sad to go.

San Francisco: Day 6

Scrumptious Peanut Butter Toast and Chai
A few prayers for the earthquake/tsunami victims in Japan
The final day of class
A slice of pizza for me. And a couple for [new friends]
A little reading at a little street-side bistro table
Half way to my Usability certification
On a jet plane...

The End.