Pink-a-licious

You may recall from an extremely early post that I bought a pink phone in hopes of adding joy to my phone calls. Well, this phone was stolen, but now I have purchased a new pink lap top. I find the internet to be far more entertaining on a pink computer. Well, that and my old computer no longer tunrs on so it was a little difficult to do things on it :)

Now I will cut and paste an email that I had sent to people earlier this week that is an update of what's going on in our lives. This email is lacking in fun or humor... it simply "is." I'll add some pics from camp.. then again this may be an over zealous thought and I'll actually do that at another time. we'll see. OH, and I start my new job on Friday.... YIKES.

"As most of you know I'm taking on my 2nd event with Team in Traning and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. This time, though, I THINK I may run the FULL marathon!! I had a fundraising event that was sponsored by Chipotle, and the famous beer of Ben Black at the beginning of July. We invited friends and family over to deat and drink away cancer for a small doantion. It was a success, though I still have quite a bit of $ left to raise. This training group has been such a wonderful experience for me. I have met a TON of girls that I really enjoy being with, I'm pushing my body further than I thought was possible, and I'm helping those who feel the affects of cancer. I ran further than I have EVER run before last saturday, a full 14 miles. I thought perhaps my life was ending at mile 12, but turns out, I made it through :) I then was concerned I had hip displaysia, but again, it turns out that I was just sore :) I am so thankful by the amount of support that I have recieved from so many of you, both financially and emotionally. Don't forget that every amount counts... $5 $10, $10,000 they all make a difference to someone. Please visit the website to donate (or send a check). You can visit my fundraising website at pages.teamintraining.org/ctx/rnrsa08/amandaeblack or send a check made out to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to 6808 Luckenbach Ln. Austin, TX 78729. My goal is to complete my fundraising by the end of August! Please help me reach my goals! Last week Ben and I traveled to Bridgeport, TX--to the very place we met 10 years ago. I have been going to this camp for 18 years, crazy. For the last 4 years I have been a co-Director of the Senior High camp for the north Texas conference. This has been a wonderful experience for me to give back to youth what others have given to me. This place holds a very special place in mine and Ben's lives--and not just because we met there in high school! Ben hasn't been able to volunteer the last couple of years due to finishing his PHD, luckily, he was able to take some vacation time last week to be able to go. He loves working with kids and we both love being in that environment. Is there a better way to spend time with one another and also to be present for others? I am not sure there is! Now we are back and Ben is jumping straight back into a crazy week at work, NI week. This means lots of night time work and entertaining important people. NI week is a week of sales conference meets a normal conference. The entire company shuts down to market their new products, launch new ideas, and schmooze with their clients. This will be Ben's first time at NI week as an employee and not a student whom they are sponsoring. It is Thursday-Thursday, hopefully he'll get some rest! I'm having a brief few days off before I start... my new job (on Friday.) I'm going to be the Director of Ministries at the Texas Methodist Foundation. What does this mean? I'm not entirely sure, but I think it sounds great. I'm really looking forward to working with others in Ministry and helping them to find personal success within themselves and as part of the larger clergy of Texas. I suppose it's now time for me to have a real Mon-Fri grown up job... with benefits! I'm excited about this :) We can't believe we have been in Austin for a year, now... and we just got curtains! Slowly this place is beginning to become "home." We have traveled a lot in the last year visiting all of our friends and family in the great state. This has been wonderful, but we are looking for it to slow down quite a bit and spend some good quality time here. We hope to hear from you and know how all of you are doing! "

Much love, me

I think my house just fell and now everythign is in color. Now where are my sparkly shoes?

SO.... we've been LIVING in Austin for almost an entire year! This is crazy. I can't quite seem to place where the last 300 odd days have gone. I think some of them got lost somewhere between loving being in texas, hating not being in atlanta, missing my friends, hating my job, taking 4 jobs, making new friends, running, having some drinks, traveling etc, and then... all of a sudden... it's the middle of JULY... I still miss being in Atlanta, am happier to be in Austin, decorating the house, having ONE job that starts in Aug and actually coincides with my gifts and graces, running, making new friends, traveling raising money for LLS, getting a new dog and curtains. Um... and realizing, that I am co-directing a church camp in less than one week. What? How did camp creep up on me in no time? I feel like for the last few summers of directing I've been on the ball. I've been prepared for camp, getting my stuff together, working with the authorities (of bridgeport, that is,) and now... not so much. I feel like I have just woken up and now what?

Dear Dorothy, please let me borrow your shoes. I need to go on a technicolor adventure. IT would also be great if they could transport me from one wedding to another and go wtih every outfit. But then again... don't red sparkly shoes go with every outfit? I'm going to go out on a limb and say, "yes."

So many things going on these days and life seeming to fall into place. Sort of. Hopefully.

After my long struggle of the "job issue"... hating the spa, being unemployed and hating myself, working for Rodney--he's so nice, but hte job is boring, to being offered the PT youth director position at University UMC (loving the church), being offered the PT after school director at Trinity Episcopal School... taking both, still not wanting to work on weekends, realizing I was going to be working Sun-Fri with late evenings and being excited by and disappointed by both all at the same time. I was offered a, what seems to be, AMAZING job wth the Texas Methodist Foundation being their Director of Ministries. I'm not entire sure what all this entails, but I do know that it comes with benefits and a lack of weekend work. Awesometown. Truthfully, it sounds like I'm going to be so happy at this place. I'm really excited to start in August!

My sister is knocked up. Joy of joys! I get to have a small person to buy things for! I'm holding out of the purchasing until we find out what she's having! YAY for babies in the family (and buying us some time before the real pressure is put on us.) Realistically, I have to go to Italy and drink wine and eat cheese before I can be "in the family way."

I have a LOT of friends getting married! I love going to weddings and getting to be a part of that day for my friends... and now I must find some shoes to go with the cute dresses I need to wear :) Kidding. Clearly, it's not about my shoes... it's about love.

I guess I'm just feeling overwhelmed and honestly like I've just woken up from a dream and am slowly realizing that I've been going through the motions of life and not taking hold or being completely present.
I all just seems so un-real. You, and you, and YOU were there. I guess I've been here all along. Eitherway... this is home. Austin is home. I'm goign on 29 and I'm home.... (for today anyway)