Pieces of Life, Lately

I feel like there's been so much that's happened that I haven't even told you guys about. Like....

1. We have an iMac. We've had it for about a month. And I love it!!!! Everything is so fast, and pretty, and easy.... But we got it right before my parents came to visit, so it was a whole week before either of us could sit down and learn how to use it. But I'm thinking I might just start video blogging more often. Because it comes with a camera, and a video making/editing tool. Macs are the best!

And just so we're clear, Art and I did not buy it. His parents bought it for us, because it was as cheap as it was ever going to be, and they just told us to pay them back in three months. Which we can easily do. Otherwise, we weren't looking to get one of these for another year yet. It was an amazing surprise.

2. Did I just mention that my parents came to visit? Because I also totally forgot to mention that. They visited the last week of April/first week of May. My dad had never been out to see where we live, and my mom hasn't been here since October '08. So they came out for a week, and I took a bit of time off, and we did a lot of driving (sorry Dad! His idea of a vacation is sitting in a boat on a lake).

But that's the way it goes around here. We wanted to take him up to the border to show him where we used to live, and go to my favorite seafood restaurant right one the bay, and go down to Seattle, and go to Whidbey island, and all of that. They also got to go to the San Juan Islands, just the two of them, for a couple of days.

So I don't know that it was exactly relaxing. But I think he had a good time. He and Art got to bond over a few guy movies, and my mom and I got to put a puzzle together. And they both got to see where both of us worked. And someday I'll put up some pictures. Because there are some good ones!

3. As of last Friday, I got my very first cell phone! I know I mentioned that this was coming. It's a Sony Ericsson Walkman flip phone. It's apparently a $400 phone, but I got it for free, because Art and I are on our own phone plan now (we've been on his dad's this whole time). Also, Art got an iPhone. He's been wanting it for ages and ages and a long, long time, and so far, he's having way too much fun with it. The Sleep Cycle app? Heck yes! We're so nerdy....

So I have my first cell phone, and I added about six contacts today (who's numbers were formerly written on sticky notes around the house, and no, I'm not joking). I sent my second text ever to my sister-in-law, who was sitting two feet from me. She thought it would be funny. It kind of was. And the next morning? I forgot to take it with me. Which is the whole point of a cell phone. Oops.

I'm kind of excited that it also has MP3 capabilities, but I just found out it didn't actually come with the cable to transfer music from my computer to the phone. I have to buy one. Of course.

4. Okay, so this hasn't actually happened. Yet. It's something that's going to happen. My 25th birthday is next week Friday, May 28. And you know what's weird? I don't feel ready for it. It seems strange that it's that soon. And that I'm going to be 25. I wonder if part of it is because it doesn't feel like May around here. We're finally starting to have some beautiful weather, but not as nice as it should be for this time of year.

And I think another factor is that I don't have any plans. I did have plans. And then Art said he had something better in mind. But he wouldn't tell me what. The last time I brought it up, he said he forgot. Does that mean that he forgot? Or that he "forgot"? I need to remember to ask him.

5. We were south of Seattle two weekends ago for a CrossFit competition. There were 36 gyms represented there, and our gym got 9th over all. That's pretty good! I'm so proud of them, no matter what place they end up in. I'm proud of everyone that competed. And that's what I love about the CrossFit community. Even though you want your gym to do the best, you want everyone else to do well too. You don't want to see anyone fail. I yelled almost as loud for people I didn't even know as I did for my husband.

Some of the workouts were really tough. I saw some people suffer right up until the 30 minute cut-off, and they just couldn't finish all their reps, and they kept trying, but they were so exhausted. It was heart-wrenching. And these people that didn't finish their workouts? They are not flabby or new to the CrossFit world. They are ripped and fit, and in top shape, but the workout just beat them up.

Others that we cheered for seemed superhuman. And there are some celebrities in the CrossFit world that we got to rub shoulders with. The names don't mean much to those outside a CrossFit gym, but to us? They're a really big deal. We were so starstruck. It was kind of hilarious.

Anyway, I've got a video of one of the workouts Art did. I'll try to post it, but it's 90 seconds long, so the file might be too big. We'll see.

6. I FINALLY got a haircut. I've been meaning to get one since February, and I just kept putting it off. Two weeks ago I was like, "I've had enough", and I made an appointment, and got about four inches chopped off. It seemed really short at first, but it was necessary. It's pretty blunt, but it feels so good! And I'm used to it now. I'll even go as far as to say that I like it!

7. We're moving. That isn't exactly news either. We always knew we'd be at this place for one year, and one year only. But it's two months away and I'm starting to get anxious. Here's the thing: I've never lived in an apartment. Ever. I know that makes me a spoiled brat, because basically every young person or young couple lives in an apartment at some point. But we haven't had to go there yet!

And I'm scared that we might have to. There are plenty of houses to rent, but they are just a couple hundred dollars out of our price range. We can't stay at the duplex, because Mari is leaving and we can't afford it just the two of us. So that leaves apartments. And it seems like every apartment is right by a main road/highway, or by the university. Neither of those options give us much peace and quiet.

Art called a woman about a one-bedroom place that's not quite a house, but not exactly an apartment either. It sounds okay. But it's one bedroom. I'd prefer two. We have a lot of stuff. And with no garage....

Anyway, like I said, I'm anxious. I know what the Bible says about worrying vs. praying, but I'm so afraid that we're going to have a repeat of last year, when we didn't know where we were moving to until a week before we had to be out. That sucked. A lot. And yes, God came through. But things don't always have to be so last minute. Right God????

Well, I don't want to end this post on a downer. I'm wracking my brain to see if I have any good news to share.......Art is having car trouble. Wait. That's not good news. Uh..........just go back up to the top and read that stuff again. That's good news.