101 update Part 1

101 Update:

2. I've read a few more books, which I'm really happy about! I love having my Kindle Fire and it makes reading so much easier when I want to stay up to not have the light on bothering my husband. There may have been a few nights turn into days where I've needed extra caffeine because I couldn't put down my book. So add 2 more to the list!

8. I moved Tigger, my horse, about two months ago to a new home about 20 miles north of our house. I'll be honest, it is terribly hard to convince myself to ride him so far away. I feel TERRIBLE, seriously. I have no excuses, but I make plenty of excuses. I'm sure he doesn't mind since he doesn't have to work. I did ride him though a few times at his new home which has a nice arena and trails. I hope the weather stays nice and I can focus more on him after my half marathon next week.

14. We're getting our pictures taken by Laura Benitz on the 23rd of October and I'm super excited!

17. We're working on attending church more. Again, no excuses other than making excuses to not go. I hope we can go this weekend.

18. I'm sad the Ag Backers program from K-State's College of Agriculture is no longer around. I want to remain involved in promoting K-State, most importantly, agriculture! I hope to attend this on November 8th!

I'll stop there for now! I have a few more updates, but I don't want to get too lengthy!!

A Little Gift for Myself...

I bought the Kindle Fire for my graduation present to myself. I was going to get an iPad or MacBook Air (and I'm going to get the Air soon enough when they make the new Mountain Lion system). The Fire though is pretty nice and I have already read one whole book on it in three days! That's pretty good for me. It also happened to be Fifty Shades of Grey (oops, yes I admit I read that!). It was too good to put down, and it was the first "romance" novel I ever read. Either way, I am excited to have this new gadget to take with me on vacation and road trips! Thanks to myself for finishing my Master's with a 3.94 GPA!

Have you ever had a real "raw" moment?

I am so thankful for Facebook. I feel like I am now closer to my family whom I rarely see. My great aunt Lois and her family live in Minnesota. I have only gone there once to visit them when I was in 5th grade, and I can still remember most of our vacation. It was wonderful, but one of my most favorite parts of the trip was visiting my cousins, Lori, Alan, Kendra and Kristin. We played soccer in their backyard and had a cookout. Lori is Lois and Maynard's daughter who married a professional soccer player, Alan. I remember thinking how cool is that, a professional athlete in our family?!

Fast forward a number of years, and the last time I saw all of them was at my grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary in Nebraska. I was so so so happy to see them all in addition to their new addition, Sam. What I didn't know was how much they were all going through at that time.

Fast forward a couple more years until late 2011, and again insert Facebook, I knew Lori had written a book called the "Story of Glory". I am so glad Lois sent me a copy. I put it one my list of nine books to read as part of my 101 in 505 challenge. It was the first book I read. I just finished it last night. I could have easily read it in a day if it not had been for the tears flowing down my face from parts of the book and realizing how little I knew of what as going on within my own family.

I am saddened from all the heartache and hurt that filled their family a few years ago from infidelity. It was truly one of the few "raw" moments of shock and pure emotion for me. Lori and Alan have always been such a beautiful, loving, funny couple and I just broke when I read Lori's story. Thank God for her faith and unrelenting pursuit of understanding His will, purpose and mercy for her life. As I start my own marriage, I pray that Todd grows to know God, seek Him and we can grow together. Alan and Lori's story fills my heart with such joy that they have overcome what seemingly would be the end of any marriage and on the other side triumphed to walk together in Christ. I pray that Todd and I can also do some of the same things such as attend bible study together, pray together and not just attend church and wonder if he really believes in the power of God. This book came at a good time for us, and I cannot wait to share the story with him.

Oh, and if you get the book, wait for the "chill factor" at the very end! What an awesome and mysterious God we have!

The Story of Glory is an amazing read for anyone struggling with a relationship, marriage or a walk in faith. My cousin Lori wrote the book, and I am so glad she was willing to put it all out there to help others.