It is a good, warm day

On the plaza with my men. :)

Anxious heart

I hate the waiting game. For most of my life I feel as if I have been waiting for something to happen. I think back to middle school, and how I longed to be in high school. In high school I was quickly ready for college. College also quickly turned into a short means to an end. Even during our engagement season, all the hubbub and pomp got old quickly and I just wanted to be married. And, I know that should the Lord bless us with children, a family, that 9 months of such life changing anticipation is going to be hard. Right now we are at a spot where I'm not sure where to go. I have an issue with contentment, patience, trust.

I think this is a product of humanity in me. Revelation! I'm human! But, seriously, we are all longing for something with eager anticipation, whether that's the perfect career, perfect husband, perfect home, perfect kids, perfect relationship.... Problem is I all too often find myself focusing energy where it doesn't belong and frankly where I have no rightful control.

So there you have it, random thoughts that are on my anxious heart.

In other news, aside from finishing work deadline #1 on Friday (woohoo!!), we have had some fun outings lately. Last Saturday we met up with some friends for a fun night at Lucky Strike. Here are the boys resting their arms from bowling ball speed throwing contests.

This weekend, we visited Shawnee Mission Park and coerced Neosho to get into the lake. Success! It took us a while to find a stick that he'd even consider getting wet for. And, he still won't swim. He'll only go as far as he can touch. Baby steps.



Oh, and last night I went with a friend to the Kansas City Ballet's performance of Romeo and Juliet at the new Kauffman performing arts center. I laughed out loud and choked back tears. It was spectacular.


FYI, it is nearly 60 degrees here in Kansas on February 26th. Craziness! 

My love

Happy valentines day, love. I don't deserve you.

Thank you for the flower delivery, love. They brighten my cube, made me blush, make me smile, and bring lots of "ooos" and "awwws" from my female co-workers.

Happily yours,
Julie

a whole month has gone by?

it's true. and it's because i've been working. and working. and working.

two things have brought comedic relief to my world

1. hoops and yoyo, love them.

2. ke$ha, the below lyrics probably won't make sense to you, but they define me right now.


To the tune of TIK TOK:

Wake up in the morning feeling like John V.
Read my FASs, I’m out the door, I’m gonna vouch this beezy.
Before I leave, grab my keys with my secure ID
‘Cause when I leave day, I ain’t coming back.

I’m talking 10-keys and our phones, phones
Freshly laundered clothes, clothes
Ready to confirm loan, loans
Fast-talking, requestin’ our PBCs,
Staff barely in their twenties,
Bookin’ forty - workin’ fifty…

Don’t stop, Alex sucks
eAudIT please just hurry up,
Fortnight, it seems like
Since I’ve seen the sunlight,
Tick tock, on the clock,
But the audit don’t stop, no

Ain’t got a friend in the world,
But the team I have here.
Ain’t going out Friday night,
Got review notes to clear.
Now the work is piling up,
Cuz they know we know better,
And we’ll keep it till the end
Until we get that Rep Letter.

I’m talking about errbody workin’ through lunch, lunch.
Fluxes due to credit crunch, crunch.
Gonna sit and drink my audit punch, punch.

Now, now we work until they kick us out, out.
But my laptop won’t shut down, down,
laptop won’t shut down, down,
laptop won’t shut down.    

Don’t stop, Alex sucks
eAudIT please just hurry up,
Fortnight, it seems like
Since I’ve seen the sunlight,
Tick tock, on the clock,
But the audit don’t stop, no

DJ, you build me up,
You break me down,
My heart, it pounds,
Yeah you’ve got me.
Look your KAM up,
Book Vaycay now,
If you’ve got free time,
Yeah, book Vaycay.

Look my KAM up,
Look your KAM up,
Look your KAM up.

(And the Senior says, “Nobody can leave ‘till I say so…”)

Don’t stop, Alex sucks
eAudIT please just hurry up,
Fortnight, it seems like
Since I’ve seen the sunlight,
Tick tock, on the clock,
But the audit don’t stop, no

A 1978 Christmas letter

While we were all together in Springfield for Christmas, my mom gave us each a copy of a hand-written (unheard of these days, I know) Christmas letter my grandma, Lila Marie as she was called, wrote (mom's mom). As I read the letter I got a very small glimpse into the past and into her world in 1978, and I couldn't help but want to know more of her story, more of who she was, more of what was going. 

Aside from keeping in touch with family and friends, the main reason I started blogging was to document our story. So our kids and grandkids (Lord willing) can read about us, what life was like here in the early 2000s. It's been about a year now since I've started blogging, and as I look back on this past year, our posts have mainly been centered around events, trips, social gatherings, home projects, cooking and the like. Not bad topics, very much what our lives were like in 2011. But equally if not more important I think is to document what is going on in our hearts, our marriage, what is God teaching us, where is He leading us individually and as a family. 

As I look back on 2011, for Nic and I, it was a year of little outward change. By that I mean no job changes, no moving, no life altering news. Our daily/weekly/monthly routines have sunk in, I can see habits forming in our marrage, both good and bad. But God is doing a work in us.

A goal for me this year is to document life on all it's levels. Suppressing the "but what will they think about me if they read this" thoughts and being honest with ourselves and those around us. Not sure if it's my pride or if I just blame my "my life is private" personality, maybe they are one in the same, but I know I will struggle to articulate in written words what is going on in our hearts and in-between memorable events. But I will try. I want to try.

A thought that came to me as I wrote this was that the worst thing that's ever been said about me has already been said, on the cross. It's true. You, Julie, are a sinner. You have committed the most unspeakable of all sins, your heart is far from me, you put yourself on throne and worship stuff, people, ideas of people, image, success. The list goes on and on and on. And, God said, I know, I know all about you, and I love you anyway. I want to you to know me and know how much I love you. I sent my Son to die for you, He took the wrath your sin deserves, He experienced complete separation from Me, in order for you to not. In order for you to know Me. 

What have I to fear? 

Here is my grandma's 1978 Christmas Letter:

The Kehoe Wedding in St. Charles, MO

After arriving home from Springfield, we both had a short work week and then headed to St. Charles, MO for the Kehoe wedding. Nic was a groomsmen, and while everyone was getting ready and taking pictures, I enjoyed spending time with Neosho and exploring the quaint downtown of St. Charles, MO. The wedding was exquisite, they are creative people (she designs jewelry, and actually made her husband's wedding ring, and he has amazing engineering skills that span from drawing to motor-sport engineering). We had a blast celebrating with them And friends this weekend. Here are some iPhone shots from the weekend.

Congratulations you two!!

Side note: update on my favorite/most used iPad apps. After looking around at blogging apps, I love "blogsy". It's what I've been using the past few posts. If you have an iPad and blog, I'd highly recommend it. :)

Powell Christmas in Springfield

The 7th celebration of Christmas was on New Year's Eve at my (Julie) sister's house in Springfield, MO. We are so blessed by family. Here are some shots of the crew.