Sunday, November 2, 2008

Work party

So our Russian counterparts are in town for a meeting- which means a perfect excuse for a party/get together. Here are some pics from Saturday's shindig:



Looking at pictures of Andrey's vacation



me and the hostess, Erin


Jeff was NOT happy with the outcome of the UT/Texas Tech game...


Moose and Andrey


Us cracking up at Kevin doing magic tricks with Luke


Vladimir, Olga, Sergey, Inna, and Andrey

More pics on Todd's blog

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Houston Quilt Show

Today a friend of mine from work, Moose, and I went to the Houston Quilt Show. It was a-MAZING! Here are some of some of the pictures I took. Some quilts you weren't allowed to take pictures of: like the one with a space station on it and the ones where someone recreated a Hubble nebula picture using tiny pieces of fabric- incredible!



Tumbling blocks quilt- currently one of my favorite patterns- I love the 3D aspect



What aero engineer wouldn't like this one?


This one made me and Moose giggle- I think it looks like the big bear is strangling the little bear. But of course, in all fairness, I could never do something like this...the bears are pieced from small pieces of fabric and the detail was amazing!



Um, red and orange, could there be anything better?


I really like the border on this one. It's using a technique called applique which I haven't learned to do yet.


Ovarian cancer quilt


I like the swirling lines in this one


Amazing butterflies

Calf status...blah...

So my silly calf muscle is not healing very fast. The doc was surprised today to find that it is still feeling about the same. After 3 PT sessions, they usually see a marked improvement. Ye old calf is just about the same- ouchy.

So, that means no Mud Run participation for me next weekend :(...I will, however, still be traveling to Ft.Worth with the gals and will cheer them on loud and obnoxiously in full MUDD-E (our team name) regalia! Thankfully, the girls are still allowed to race without me, although they won't be eligible for prizes (not that we were aiming for any ;-) ).

As for the calf, I've got 3 more PT sessions this coming week. The doc said if there isn't any improvement after two of them, I will need to get an MRI done to make sure the tear isn't deeper than they think (although I don't think I would be walking so well if it was deeper)...it just seems my body heals slowly- not sure if that's a side effect of the meds or not...oh well. I was told I can swim and even do stationary bike (its the impact of running they are concerned about making the tear worse)- so I plan to start that up next week to at least stay in shape until I can start training again.

Friday, October 31, 2008

Who's a dork? That would be me...

So back in May, I heard that they were going to publish a study version of the ESV (English Standard Version) Bible. I was SO excited. I've never had a study Bible before (study bibles have notes at the bottom of each page that commentate on the verses you just read- helps sometimes when you just aren't understanding what is going on). So, I pre-ordered from Amazon in August and waited for October 15th...and waited...and waited after October 15th...where's my Bible? So I look on Amazon and the Bible is still on my shopping list! Wait, did I not purchase it? Guess not. Okay, I will buy it "again".

So then yesterday, I get this little nastygram on my apartment door telling me that if I don't pick up my package by today, they will return to the post office. I am thinking "wow guys, my package must have just gotten here because I ordered it this weekend...uber sensitive about packages sitting around aren't we?". So I check my mail and sure enough, there is a friendly little orange card from the post office saying I have a package. So when I go into the apt office, she hands me my Amazon box. As I turn to go, she says "oh wait, here's another". With crinkled brow I take the other package. Yes, you guessed it...I am now the proud owner of TWO ESV study Bibles- one in genuine leather and one in TruTone...(I'm keeping the TruTone...it was cheaper :) ). I am such a dork. If I would have just checked the right email account, I would have seen that Amazon had shipped it on October 15th as promised. Hehe...


Tuesday, October 28, 2008

My first running injury

That would be a torn gastroneimus muscle, or what most people call your calf muscle. After a week of icing it and limping along, I decide the looming Mud Run was looking a bit iffy the way I was feeling, so I went to see a sports medicine person today and thus the diagnosis. I did my first PT session (deep tissue massage and torn muscle=Melissa about to kick the guy in the face with the other foot while she quips "so what's the point of this massage, I mean besides to cause me lots of pain?"- good thing he had a sense of humor). I've got 5 more sessions scheduled before the race...which the doc says is still possible, we'll know more after this week...here's to fast recovery!

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Hugs

The title really should be "God hugs". I know that sounds weird, but bear with me. As believers in Christ, we all KNOW that God listens to us...but sometimes it feels as if He isn't. These past two weeks for me have been filled with little moments where I feel like God is giving me a hug, saying "I am hearing you". I have been overwhelmed with what the world would call "coincidences" or "that's weird" moments. God has been confirming what He is teaching me and how I am applying it in my life, left and right, and I just feel so blessed to have that knowledge and tangible reassurance.

Besides the amazing message I got to hear at church today, which confirmed my blog from Thursday, I purchased the latest album from Sovereign Grace Music, and lo and behold my favorite psalm ever, Psalm 130, is one of the psalms they did...and here are the lyrics...once again confirming my blog from Thursday- which could probably be subtitled "The Big Picture". God is so good.

Out of the depths, O Lord, I cry to You
When I am tempted to despair
Though I might fail to trust Your promises
You never fail to hear my prayer
And if You judged my sin
I’d never stand again
But I see mercy in Your hands

So more than watchmen for the morning
I will wait for You, my God
When my fears come with no warning
In Your Word I’ll put my trust
When the harvest time is over and I still see no fruit
I will wait, I will wait for You

The secret mysteries belong to You
We only know what You reveal
And all my questions that are unresolved
Don’t change the wisdom of Your will
In every trial and loss
My hope is in the cross
Where Your compassions never fail

For those of you who are interested, here is Psalm 130 (ESV), which those lyrics are based on:

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!
O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my please for mercy!

If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for morning
more than watchmen for the morning

O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast
love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities

Friday, October 24, 2008

Ouch

That is the sound that my heart is making right now...ouch.

Please pray for my Grandma. Her name is Dorothy. We found out last week that she has stage II breast cancer. She's 86 and has decided not to do anything, which I can understand. She's the sweetest grandma ever, so its unimaginable to think of her being in pain- that's what makes it the hardest.

I also just heard that my aunt, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer a year ago and has been in remission for several months, now has to start chemo again. Please pray for her (Laurie).

I hate cancer.