Life comes at you fast

I've been kind of busy lately. Busy enough that I can't believe tomorrow in Monday again. Not that Mondays are bad, I just wouldn't mind a little more R&R.

Some updates:

• My speeding ticket was reduced. Hallelujah! My lawyer (I still get a kick out of writing that) got my speed reduced to 74 in a 65. That will definitely help with my insurance costs. Also, I'll get fewer points (if any) on my license. That was (and still will be) an expensive lesson learned.
• I've set a date for my important eye exam. I'll be donning my glasses in late October for an eye exam on the 2nd of November. I'll be wearing my glasses at least a week. This exam will determine if I'm qualified for implantable lenses.
• The National Center for Leadership program has begun. We met on Wednesday night for our first dinner and a "meet and greet" session. There are 11 people in our group. We spent about three hours getting to know one another, hearing about the program, and eating a delicious Italian meal! You can look for updates to their website pretty soon...

I worked a bit this weekend. Rich is on a Commission for "Advancing Intercultural Competencies." The Commission addresses justice issues that fall under six categories: Racial Harmony, Gender Equity, Human Sexuality, the Disenfranchised, Pop Culture, World Religions, and Internationalization. There's a lot that's discussed when the Commission meets! It is always very interesting when I get to join him for the meetings. They convene twice a year and once in D.C. It usually requires working on a Saturday.

This year, the meeting was on Friday afternoon until the early evening. After we adjourned "business talk" we went to dinner at a delicious Indian restaurant, Rasika. I'd never been there and it was worth the wait. The food was amazing and the presentations of the dishes were just as impressive.

After dinner, we went to my favorite theatre, the Woolly Mammoth, and saw The Unmentionables. It was a fitting play considering the Commission's passions and themes. The acting was phenomenal and I enjoyed myself.

I made it home shortly after 11 and pretty much went to bed. It was "business as usual" with the Commission on Saturday morning. We finished shortly after noon and went to lunch at one of the yummy German restaurants on the Hill. When I was "free" from CCCU business, I basically went home and crashed for a while.

Today was lived in fast forward too. The National Center for Leadership had a commissioning ceremony for us today at the National Presbyterian Church in D.C. It was a nice ceremony in which we Fellows were called to the front of the congregation and recognized. The congregation prayed for us and then talked with us after the service. I was surprised at how many people I actually know just from the circle I've already been exposed to. It was great to have the congregation's support and blessing.

Between services I also met my mentor, Katlyn. We had the chance to speak for about ten minutes. She seems really nice and I'm excited to learn more about her and from her. She only lives about five blocks from my house too!

After the two services, we had a cookout on the church lawn to celebrate. Previous alumns of the program, mentors, and friends joined us for a yummy feast. It was a great time and opportunity to get to know some folks even better.

Our next meeting (Wednesday) will be the first one for which we have to prepare. We've been assigned some literature to read. I'll be focusing on the first three chapters of Vocation: Discerning Our Callings in Life, by Douglas Schuurman. Also, our group will be leaving for the beach next weekend. We'll be going to Bethany Beach, DE, from Friday until Sunday. I'm anticipating some fun carpooling, honest conversations, and a memorable weekend. Hopefully I'll get some awesome pictures to share!

Coasting

Mike and I went to his company's employee appreciation party at Carowinds on Saturday. I hadn't been to Carowinds since I was in high school. A lot has happened since then and I couldn't help but let my mind drift a bit as I walked through the park. There are many new rides (or new to me), most of them being roller coasters. They were shiny and twisty, smooth and fancy. The seating was even "modern" compared to other coasters. Instead of traditional seats where one climbs aboard and plops into a bucket, the new coasters had seats where your feet dangled or they tilted backwards (much like how the passengers rode) or there was no seating at all. The riders simply stood and were harnessed into position. Overall, great improvements that made the coasters edgier.

Towards the end of the day, Mike and I walked to the back of the park. There was a coaster I recognized- The Hurler! It's old and wooden and the line was non existent compared to the hour-long lines we'd been enduring. Mike and I walked right up and got on board the traditional coaster.

It took off like all others and memories came flooding back. This coaster rocked when I was in high school!

I remembered this moment.

The car clicked up the hill. It jolted as wheels met track and belts pulled at the train.

Click, click, click.

I looked at Mike and he was grinning as I imagined myself doing. The park beyond him was shrinking as we climbed the hill. Someone in front of us was already screaming. We were at the top and gravity was calling.

We sped down and the old tracks let us know their age. It felt like we were running over a bunch of firecrackers. The wooden tracks seemed to buckle underneath us and I realized that maybe there wasn't someone screaming in front of us. Maybe it was the tracks.

We flew faster than the other coasters we'd been riding. I then realized that the speed wasn't making it more enjoyable. The rails fought the metal train and were ferociously winning. There was that scream again. Was I getting a headache? We caught the hills and my stomach was somewhere two seconds back. Awesome!

We raced around the corners and I prayed. All I could think about was whiplash and that maybe I was too old for this. I looked at Mike. His face mirrored my own. It was this odd combination of thrill and hate.

Oh, geez, another turn. This meant another dance with the Whiplash Devil. I looked ahead and could tell that we were a little over halfway done. I definitely had a headache. I must be old now. I should write AARP and inquire about a membership.

Somewhere between the headache realization and the screeching halt, we finished the ride.

"WOW!" I caught my breath and said another quick prayer (of thanks this time). "THAT was an experience."

Mike laughed. The man in front of us turned around and grinned with apparent agreement. He had to be at least thirty. I wondered if he was going to need help off the ride.

We all made jokes about the ride while laughing a little uncomfortably. I wondered if their laughs were laughs of relief too. We had survived.

The Hurler is a fitting name. I wasn't tempted to physically go where it suggests but I sure threw out (up?) any ideas that I could endure that ride again. Maybe it means I am old. Maybe I was just an idiot when I rode it in my younger years. Or finally, the tracks have just changed themselves. They're wooden and aged. They're weathered, but still perform.

I've weathered some things myself. Been on my own roller coaster since then. I'm looking forward to staying on it for as long as I can.

It was good to return to an old stomping ground with my new friend.

I'm Getting Implants

I finally took the plunge and went to the surgeon's office on Tuesday. We talked about the benefits and risks of a procedure that I have wanted for years. After talking about options, I've decided that implants make the most sense... implantable contact lenses that is.

The eye surgeon said that I can't achieve 20/20 vision with LASIK cuz my eyes are beyond perfect repair. However, there's a new procedure where they actually implant a small lens in the eye. The procedure has only been approved a couple of years, but the surgeon I went to has been involved in the FDA study since it first began in 2000. He's well practiced and encourages it for folks who are as blind as I am.

I picked up my new glasses from my regular eye doctor and they are ok. Although the frames are way cute, I'm not thrilled about donning them for any long period of time. However, it is inevitable.


Before I am approved for the laser surgery, I have to wear my glasses for a week. This allows my eyes to return to their normal shape (contact lenses contort the eye's natural shape a bit) and be at their healthiest. I'm not excited about this step. Arrg. I just have to remain focused (no pun intended) on the prize!

Once I've worn them a week, I have to go to their Maryland office and get a comprehensive eye exam. Basically, they're looking closely at my eyes and giving me the final "thumbs up" for the surgery. After they have all my measurements, I can wear my contacts again until the days of the procedures (which I won't get done until early 2008). They won't do both of my eyes at the same time, which is a bit of a relief. I can basically get them done within one week of each other (at the earliest) or wait until I feel like getting the second one done. The eye doctor said that one lady waited a year between getting both of her's done because of her finances. I may do that because the procedure is pretty costly. It's more than LASIK per eye. Although it's quite an investment, I feel like it's something I won't regret. Plus, I've been weighing it for years now.

I'm SO incredibly psyched about this! I'll provide updates (eye exam & surgery dates) as I learn them.

In other news, my traffic court date is today. My lawyer is in Dinwiddie, VA, and going to represent me for my "reckless driving" violation. Keep your fingers crossed that the judge has mercy!

Finally, I'm going to NC tomorrow night for a long weekend. I've taken off Monday from work. It'll be good to get out of DC. I've been feeling a little boxed in and aggravated lately.

I Wish this Weekend was Long too

My weekend is almost gone. I can't believe it. Where did it go?

Last week seemed to crawl by for various reasons. Maybe because it was a literally short week, it had to make up for it figuratively. It seemed to drag, but the weekend is almost gone. Sadness.

There are some changes happening at work. They're changing the structure of the CCCU a bit and this will inevitably play out in the future with my position. Not quite sure what the implications are yet, but I know there will be some. Although Rich and I have talked about it, he seems to think that changes will occur pretty slowly, but that I may have many different roles by spring of next year. Guess we'll see...

We had a cookout yesterday afternoon. About 15 people came over for hotdogs, burgers, and fun sides. Emily did most of the cooking and Robby manned the grill. It was fun having people over. I had to slip out early cuz I attended a bachelorette party for a friend from the CCCU. That party was quite enjoyable too.

I think this week will feel long. Rich will be out of town until Friday. I originally was going to take Friday off and go to NC on Thursday night, but have opted for taking next Monday instead. Mike learned of a last minute work trip to Kansas on Thursday and Friday, so I would have missed him if I'd taken Friday off.

I don't have too much going on this week- just the Pregnancy Center laser-eye surgeon on Tuesday afternoon. I can't wait to talk to them about options and am excited about probably getting it done next year. It's something I've been wanting for a real long time and am finally making it happen.

I think this will be the last week for a while that I'll have plenty of "down" time. The Leadership Program starts next week. Between the Pregnancy Center and Leadership Program, I'll be busy enough.

Wish I had more to report on, but it's been kind of quiet this week...

Mike and My Anniversary Weekend!

Mike came to DC this weekend and we celebrated our one-year "dating" anniversary.

I can't believe it's been a year- time has flown and I still feel like every time I see him that I'm falling more and more in love. I am so blessed and God is awesome! I've included a link with some pictures from the weekend. So, check them out!

Mike arrived late on Friday evening, which pretty much only allowed some socializing with the roomies and some friends before calling it a night.

On Saturday morning, we went with Robby and some of his friends to Jimmy T's, a local diner, for breakfast. After breakfast Mike and I made our way to Arlington Cemetery. Neither of us had been and we spent several hours there. From the pictures, you can only get a glimpse of how HUGE it is. Over 290,000 people are buried in Arlington Cemetery. As we saw the fresh graves, it was a reminder that the number grows weekly.

There are many famous people buried there. We visited the grave of John F. Kennedy. We also saw the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where we watched the changing of the guard ceremony. It's a somber ceremony. The spectators are silent, with respect and awe. The soldiers are flawless in their motions. The only sound is the wind.

After Arlington, Mike and I drove to a Labor Day cookout in Annapolis, M.D. Annapolis is located on the water and it's beautiful. We strolled downtown with some friends where we had Ben and Jerry's, window shopped, and took in the sights and sounds of the harbor.

On Sunday, we went to church and then to the Nationals vs. the Giants game in the Nationals stadium. Robby, Drew, Mike and I went. We also met up with Steve while we were there. It was a quick game that the Nationals closed with a winning hit. It was my kind of game... we sat in the shade, the company was fabulous, and the food delicious. Plus, the game was relatively short and my team won. Nice!

After the game, Mike and I went to dinner at Phillip's Seafood Restaurant. It has a buffet bigger than any I had seen. Our table overlooked the Potomac and the breeze made it comfortable. We ate enough seafood to meet our (or at least mine) quota for quite a while! Mike and I both decided that the crab legs were amazing and the best we'd ever tried. After dessert, we walked along the water's edge and took in the sights of the river bathed in the half moon.

We slept in this morning. My calf muscles ache from all the walking we did this weekend. We enjoyed breakfast together and Mike left late this afternoon. I miss him already, but am reliving the memories of our time together. I think how much I love him and can't imagine what it will be like when we live closer together. If it's amazing now- it's going to be bliss when our time isn't interrupted by six hour drives and weeks apart. We've made something awesome together and God is blessing it.

I can't wait to see where we'll be in another year... and even longer.