Amazing stuff

If this exhibit comes to a town near you, go go go!
I don't really understand how anyone can leave the exhibit believing that evolution is how we came about. The details of our bodies inside and out is overwhelming. Steve and I had planned to go to Charlotte version of Downtown After 5, but walked by the Discovery Place and decided to see if we could get tickets. And we did! I can't even begin to tell you how wonderfully we are made. The detail down to the tiny little blood vessels and nerves all over our body -- it's humbling. Steve and I talked about how so much can go wrong with all or many systems, but how it's in perfect balance. My favorite part was the prenatal section. It was very moving to see the development of a child inside the womb. They even had the body of a woman who died during childbirth with her child still intact inside her womb. Oh my word it was incredible! Our bodies are "fearfully and wonderfully made."
The bodies are preserved by this method called Plastination. Steve and I got a laugh when we were leaving the exhibit and the girl who took our little audio tour device told us that their was a short video on "pasteurization" right outisde. I thought maybe she said "plasteurization". Poor girl.
(This picture is not mine)

Touched

Have you seen this film?


I saw this movie tonight and I kept having to wipe tears off my face. And by the way, do you notice that one eye seems to tear more than the other? My left eye certainly does! I kept having to wipe the tears off the left side of my face.

Anyway, this movie is great! It's clean. It's sweet and heartwarming. Plus, the acting is good and it's got some cute kiddos in it.

Anyway, go rent it or add it to your online cue!

Remembering Ruth

She was a picture of grace, integrity and strength -- relying solely on her Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ for all things.

Good Enough?

This is a question that has been plaguing me since last weekend.
Here I sit in my rented apartment. I do own the couch that I am sitting on. I am 30 and more than half way to 31. I am single. I do not have any children. I have a bachelor's degree and a paralegal certificate. The state of North Carolina has certified that I am indeed a paralegal. Thank you NC. I feel validated by you at least.

I keep asking myself If I could have been more had I tried harder. Why wasn't I pushed a little bit more? Why didn't I challenge myself in school? Why didn't I go to law school like I had planned since law school? Do I honestly not feel I'm smart enough to do it? Am I locked into this way of thinking? Is it always about money?

After going to Connecticut last weekend for my cousin Mallory's graduation from King Low-Heywood Thomas School (www.klht.org), I felt like such a slacker. I felt like she had accomplished more in high school than I did in all my year's of schooling. I felt like my uncle was disappointed in me. I felt like I had let him down by not pursuing higher education. I have since been told otherwise.

I still can't help but feeling like I took the easy way out. I sailed through school and pursued a major because it came easy to me. My dreams of being a physical therapist ended when I got a "C" in Biology 110. How's that for giving up easily? And now what? Now, I work in an okay job, getting a good salary, but feeling like it's not what I'm meant to be doing?

Why don't I have lofty goals? Why am I not as ambitious as I feel like I should be?

*Deep sigh*

I don't have answers. I am tired of the status quo. I am tired.

I want to be more, do more, achieve more. Where do I start at 30?

Heaven help me.

Leaving on a jet plane

It's Sunday night. Tomorrow morning I will be flying to Charleston, SC and then driving home to Charlotte, NC. I will be very thankful to be home.
CT has been good. It is a different world here. The rolling hills of the estates (read: mansions) here are very impressive. It's all about the Benjamins.
My cousin Mallory graduated from KLHT (prep school in Stamford CT) and my uncle (her father) gave the commencement address. He is a gifted speaker and he's pretty darn witty. He wrote and Ode to the Class of 2007 and had a little rhyme for every student (all 60 of them). It drew a lot of laughs.
Anyway, it was a good time visiting with relatives I haven't seen in a very long time. My cousin Trace has 2 kids, Michayla and Spencer. They are precious and there will be photos posted up on my Flickr site very soon. When I hang out with them it makes me wish we had been more a part of each other's lives. Ian is a great guy and Mallory is hilarious.
Anyhooo, I'm almost home.

Last day

So today is our last full day at the beach. Tomorrow morning we (the fam) board a plane to Connecticut where my Uncle Durrie will deliver the commencement address at my cousin Mallory's high school graduation. It seems bizarre to be flying somewhere after being at the beach for a week.

Part of me is ready to be back in Charlotte. Not at work necessarily, but just in my own space. My niche. Yes, I think I have one there now.

I miss my friends a lot too. I really needed a playmate for this week. It would have been great to have someone to go run with, to just hang with. Everyone else had a "buddy". It's cool though. I'm making the best of it.

This morning, we will eat a big breakfast of eggs, pancakes and bacon. Then, we'll head to the beach for a couple of hours. The rest of the day is open. The sky is blue, the breeze is slight. I think it will be a good day.

I pray so!

I love the beach

Here are some photos to go with the day. Let me say right off that today was so much better of a day than yesterday. We hit a bit of a rough patch. That happens in many family vacations. Right?
So anyway, here are some photos from the last couple of days.

Ahhhhhh....the beach.

Greetings from Isle of Palms

So, yesterday I would count as our first REAL day of vacation. The weather was purrrrrfect. We went to the beach around 10, stayed until noon, came up for a bite to eat and then I went out to the pool. I napped in the afternoon, checked e-mail, chatted with a couple of friends AND answered an important work question. I am SO dedicated. Ha!

Anyway, I am trying to make the best of this vacation. I think any family vacation has its bumpy spots. The key is to have good boundaries. That is why in a few minutes I will go on a long walk by myself.

It's funny but I do miss a couple things back in Charlotte.

Well, that's all for now. I'm off to walk. Wish you were here!

Vacation

I'm heading to the Isle of Palms today. Tropical Barry is heading there as well. I just hope he doesn't stay there too long! Last time we had a family vacation, it rained ALL week. I will be so sad if it happens again. I know we need rain, but come on!!!

Anyway.....off to the beach we go - sunshine or not.

Thanks to Discover South Carolina for the image.

hope

this word is my theme right now. i'm going to be okay, but at the same time, i'm okay just the way i am. we're formed by things in our past -- good or bad. sometimes it takes some of us longer to figure this out. i'm hopeful. i'm hopeful that one day i'll be a great girlfriend and eventually wife. oh and maybe mother. i'm hopeful that i'll be a better friend, daughter, girlfriend with good boundaries. i'm starting to say what i mean. i'm starting to say what i really thing. i'm starting to figure out who i really am. i'm a child of God first and foremost!