We just love getting together when our Russian colleagues are in town. For this party, Molly and I had a surprise: we played a duet for everyone. Our Russian colleagues are very musical and are always playing guitar and/or singing for us, so we decided to show them what the Americans can do! I think it went very well for us only having practiced one time together!
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:
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!
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.
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...
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!
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.
