the last run before the run.

it was today and it was short. despite having a head cold and needing to talk myself into not stopping to walk, i did it: i made it to the end of marathon training. in some ways, this day's run is more monumental than the run... in some ways not. but making it to the end of anything always feels nice, i think. i am glad to be at the end, to be able to look back regardless of how sunday goes, and remember that one day i'll be able to get back here. one day.

i will run and not grow weary.

a little inspiration for you.

my cousin lost his vision in november... and he's decided to run a race. go figure.

read about his radness here.

a little bit, a little bit.

abbey's been telling me lately i'm going to lose it... break... crash and burn. she doesn't use those words; instead she gives me a look that screams you're doing too much. i roll my eyes and take a bite of our weekly shared bean and cheese burrito where the waitress asks us if we're having our usual. i'm fine.

truth be told, i've really been fine up to this point... the tasks, the hours, the action steps, the errands, the goals, all of it: i've been fine.

but i'm a little bit fragile, i realized yesterday. i'm just not okay with aging parents and sick parents and hospitals. and my mind races a little bit and my stomach aches and i get a little bit loopy. so i decided that everything you're going to get out of me will be good enough. take it or leave it.

good enough dinners.
good enough marathon-ing.
good enough pie.
good enough letter writing.
good enough professional-bus-girling.
good enough supervising.
good enough listening.
good enough field trips.
good enough hair.
good enough sleep.
good enough love.

not letting go.

i do this because you're in need.
i do this because i have the skills, the resources.
i do this because i want to.
i do this because you let me in.
i do this because it's fascinating, you and all your stuff.
i do this because you said it's helping.
i do this because there's a good God.
i do this because i believe in forgiveness and redemption.

and i will keep doing this: showing up. making sure you eat. listening and asking questions. crying a little bit when i leave. hoping.

this is what i was made for.

this dust is shaking.

there are few things in life i enjoy more than spoken word poetry...



thanks, katie.

today we laughed together.

oh, it's been so long; my heart was a bit warm when we were done. of course, it was only the type of laughter we get to do because professionalisms and appropriateness is vital ninetysix percent of the time.

the excitement of this month is brewing: much hard work will culminate into a continued awe of my Design.

pressing in, pressing on.

good friends, good family, good sunburn.

everyone should have an adult themed piñata on their birthday.
it's even better when shaped as a baby seal.




























everyone should also play with sparklers on the fourth of july.
it's even better when on the seventh hole.

places to go in the second half of twothousand eleven.

alaska.
santa barbara.
new york city.
huntington beach.
oceanside.
chicago.
santa cruz.
portland.

why not, right?