Happiness

Jefferson Barracks Park

Today was one of those days that I felt truly alive!

These types of days have been surfacing less and less each year.  I want every day to be like today!

First, I needed to drop something off at a friend's house this morning, so I set my alarm for 3:30 a.m.  Shockingly, I hopped right out of bed and got the errand done.  I then drove to South St. Louis County to my favorite park, Jefferson Barracks Park, to walk the trail.  The weather was beautiful, and I even jogged some of the trail.  During my entire walking time, I prayed the Rosary with the Sorrowful Mysteries and then the Divine Mercy Chaplet.  I think this is such a better choice for me than simply listening to music while I walk.  I want to go back and do this again in the morning tomorrow, but I really need to find a good walking park closer to home.

On my walk I saw a bunch of deer (and no bobcats or bears, thank goodness!).

I was feeling good when my walk ended at 8am.  I didn't feel like driving home in morning rush hour, so I took back roads and took a nice drive.  Windows open, music blasting.  It was amazing!  I stopped to get some breakfast and then drove some more.  This time, I had my roof and all the windows open, my car stereo on max (it's a miracle I didn't blow a speaker), and I even took my shirt off (oh yes I did!).  Well, I was wearing a sports bra, but I had never done that before!  I thought, why the hell not?!  I wanted to get a little sun on my skin, and taking the shirt off would do it.

When I got home from driving for 3 hours, (!), I took a 3 hour nap before going into work.  A coworker commented that I looked like I was glowing.  Yes.  Yes, I was.

A glorious day in the midst of some crazy this week.  What an absolute blessing!  I hope tomorrow provides at least a moment that is like today.

Thank you, God, for today!

Mid-MO

Today my sister and I embarked on a great "Sisters Across Missouri" roadtrip.  It all started earlier this year when my sister received word that she won a sweepstakes.  I thought it was a scam, but lo and behold it wasn't.  She won a two night stay at a Country Inns & Suites along with free water park passes and a $50 gift card to the Legends Outlet Mall.  She wanted me to go with her, and how could I say no to free hotel and free shopping (well, $50 doesn't go that far at an outlet mall...).

So, she picked me up in St. Charles this morning and we made our way on the great I-70 to Columbia, Missouri (CoMo).  My sister, being a proud Mizzou alumna, made it an imperative to stop at Mizzou for shopping at the Bookstore.  I don't know what I'm more excited about:  my new purple Mizzou T-shirt or my new white Mizzou cap with a big pink glittery "M" on it.  Yes, pink and purple girlie Mizzou-wear!

Do you live in Missouri?  Have you experienced the cicada infestation we have right now?

I really hadn't, because they aren't by my home.  Well, they had their revenge on me in CoMo.  We park at the student center and I'm halfway out of the car and BAM!  Dive bomb kamikaze attack on my head by cicadas.  Lovely.

Anyway, Katie let me drive her car from CoMo to KCK.  I was kinda excited because she's had her car for a while now and she had NOT allowed me to drive it...until now.  I'm jealous of her high end features in the Acura, but it's still a Honda at heart. :)

While driving through downtown KCMO in rush hour on a Friday, we were confused by the road construction!  In a one mile span of road, I saw 4 signs.  They said:  Left lane closed, right lane closed, center lane closed, ramp closed.  Huh.  I was waiting for the entire highway to be shut down!  But luckily, only the left lane and ramp were closed.  Whew!

After we checked into the hotel, Katie and I check out the outlet mall.  I spent entirely too much money at the Ann Taylor Loft Outlet, and we ate at a Western bar for dinner.  Katie wanted me to ride the mechanical bull, and although I was tempted, I refrained.  Here's my yummy dinner...

Dinner at Wild Bill's something something something...

Overall a great day so far, except our gift card Katie won came up with only $15 on it instead of $50...  She sent a stern email to her contact person about it.  Boo!

A Case of the Mondays...

Today was a little strange for me.  After pumping myself up to start back at work last Monday, I found myself feeling a blah like I was on winter break from work once again when I had an unexpected four day weekend due to inclement weather.  I seem to have lost that "back to work" momentum.

First, I was about 10 minutes late to every school today.  This so very unlike me!  Then, at the high school I work at, a few colleagues were commenting about some strange noises coming from the outside windows.  I, of course, assumed it was falling ice from the building, but as a joke, I asked them if they had a ghost in the room.  To my utter surprise, I got this answer:  no, that would be the fourth floor.  What?!  Apparently, a student committed suicide on the fourth floor years ago, and there are stories and reports of unexplained things happening in places like the choir room.  Maybe I've just been watching Ghost Hunters too much lately, but it kinda creeped me out!

I was just kinda out of it today.  I had a lingering headache that 3 Aleve in the morning couldn't cure.  But then my evening got much better.  I was able to take a nap, which helped me feel a bit better.  Then, I got a text message from the boy I'm maybe dating?  We've been on one date and have been talking for a month.  Is that dating?  Anyway, anytime someone calls me gorgeous, I just have to smile.  Then I decided to take a drive...at 9:30 p.m.  If you know me, you know that I love to take a good drive.  I don't know if it is the vestibular input that is calming or the idea of being in control of the car, or just getting away from the house where I have an unending to-do list waiting for me, but I like driving a lot.  Well, I turned on XM 117, one of my favorite channels, and the Fully Alive radio show was on.  I love this show!  And they were talking candidly about sex.  I ended up driving around until 11 p.m. just to finish listening to the show!  I find the theology related to relationships, marriage, and sex so fascinating.  And, I've been wanting to get some books about it for a long time.  I gave myself permission tonight to order those books since I am unable to attend the lecture series on the Theology of the Body starting in February at my church.  My grad school classes interfere - boo!  So, here is what I ordered:

Who knew that a single, 30-something, Catholic woman thought about sex so much?  I cannot wait for these to arrive!  I will have my own personal study of TOB going on in the midst of my graduate classes.  Very exciting.

Thanks, God, for a great and holy way to end the evening.  Jesus, I trust in you!