A Dub

She's on her way...Just a few more hours...

We've had some seriously good times over the years!

OMAHA!

WICHITA!

TACKY CHRISTMAS SWEATER PARTY!

VOLLEYBALL AND MARGARITAS!

CAN'T FORGET FOOTBALL AND TAILGATING!

OMAHA!

We've made great memories in lots of places, with lots of amazing friends!
Can't wait to make some more!!

Slowing Down

My bible study girls and I just finished up our most recent book. 
A Good and Beautiful God.  It's a good one.
Our last chapter was about slowing down.  
It's hard.  Most of the time.
Some days, it's too easy.
I'm not completely sold on the idea that this disease of over-working is a new phenomenon.  I think previous generations of working class Americans worked harder then we do today.  They spent their days working to sustain a modest, humble lifestyle.  We work today to buy more clothes, appliances, tvs, ipods, cell phone, computers and filler STUFF. 
Our expectations of a "good" life are high.  A "good" life looks a certain way, feels a certain way in our minds and we try so hard to achieve and maintain that image.  We're susceptable to the marketing and imagery and pressure to do more, be more and have more, but all that costs more so we work more to live up to that idea.
It's a powerful pull.
It often takes a conscious effort to recognize what is truly good and valuable...relationships, peace, faith are all meaningful to me, but I'm certain my daily life doesn't always reflect that.
Slowing down makes us pause.  We often move at such a pace that we don't even recognize how fast we're moving.
Sometimes just a pause is all it takes to notice the pace of our lives.  Some people (ME!!) need a whole lot of pauses to see that they need to slow down. 
I'm working on my internal speedometer.  Life just moves fast sometimes, but my inner "speed" can be calm and peaceful.  I can hit the brakes, externally, too.  We don't HAVE to be everywhere, in everything.  I feel like it's part of my responsibility as a parent to guard our kids from that mentality too.  It's so pervasive.  And often comes one little activity at a time.
Now, the irony in all this, is my next few weeks are CRAZY busy!  I will have ample opportunity to work on my peaceful and calm internal speedometer!  We'll see how that goes!
Until next time...