Hello World... It's Me

Hello World...
Yes, it's been a while. Do you mind if we don't talk about that? I'd rather focus on here and now. I wouldn't mind telling you about the awesome trip we took to celebrate our 20th Anniversary however.

Bucket List Item

It's been a long time desire of mine to visit New Mexico. I love the southwestern architecture, those tan adobe structures with their colorful turquoise window trim and doors. I love the rich culture and history the state represents. And who doesn't appreciate a warm dry climate when you hail from the Pacific North WET.

So when our 20th anniversary was approaching and we started talking about what to do to celebrate-- and we agreed it should be something special-- something bigger than a weekend away-- New Mexico topped the list.

We flew into Albuquerque on a Saturday evening, rented a car and spent the next 7 days touring the state. We crammed as much as we could into each day without exhausting ourselves. It was WONDERFUL.

We toured the heart of the major cities (Albuquerque, Santa Fe) taking in guided tours, museums, national parks and mysterious wonders.

We drove along the historic Route 66, poked around in cute little touristy shops, climbed into Cave Dwellings from ancient times at Bandelier National Monument, and learned more about the National Lab of Los Alamos. We tried Pinon Coffee, and juiced our taste buds with Hatch chilies!

We stood in awe in the Loretto Chapel and gazed at the miraculous spiral stairway. We saw one of the oldest standing missions and oldest adobe home.

We admired amazing rock formations and breathed in deep the smell of pinons and roasted peppers. We toured the UFO Museum in Roswell and had a close encounter.

We celebrated our actual anniversary day with a scrumptious dinner and a relaxing stay in a very lovely suite in Carlsbad.

 We toured Whites City and Carlsbad Caverns. We made a pit stop in a itty bitty city in Texas and learned about bottomless lemonade. We toured the 'other' town of Deming and made comparisons.

There was some adjustments needed for the much much higher altitude and the drier climate. We learned that at every place we ate we'd be asked if we wanted 'Red' or 'Green' or 'Christmas', meaning what color chili sauce did we want. We learned there is a distinct difference between Mexican food and NEW Mexican food but it's all delicious!

We visited dear friends, shopped, watched a parade, and saw balloons filling the skies from the balloon festival. In the hours of longer drives we listened to books on tape and every once in while we'd just enjoy the companionable silence that being married 20 years can bring.

We rested, we recreated, we romanced. We laughed, we played, we wined and dined. We truly celebrated the gift of marriage and the gift of each other. It was a great vacation.

Upon returning home, the sogginess of Fall in the PNW has fully descended. The nights come quicker now and it's dark when we wake up. This is the time of year I dread, much as I love Autumn. When we change our clocks back an hour it really kicks in for me and I am glad that I gave in and added to my anti-depressant regime. That seems to be slowly getting better... still fighting some lethargy and anxiety but I know this just takes time.

What Follows 28?

So, I've just completed 28 days following the Fast Metabolism Diet in strict adherence.  I reached my goal and I feel great. I am craving a cup of coffee with cream again. Can I drink it? What about the foods I avoided while following the 28 day regime? I don't want to lose the healthy glow I have or the energy I feel. What next?

Maintenance can sometimes be an unpopular activity. I know from all my previous weight loss journeys that it is often harder than the diet was.

Weight management wasn't an issue for me as a teen. I was a skinny little freckled face farm girl growing up. Even though I gained a TON of weight during both my pregnancies (60# with the first, 45# with the second) I managed to lose all of but 5# with in the first year of their births. And truly at the time, I needed that extra weight. I was too thin.

I didn't start having issues with unwanted weight gain until I was separated from my first husband. For the first time in my adult life I didn't have anyone controlling what I ate so, I ate whatever I wanted. (A lot of despair and anger was soothed by the midnight munchies, a lot of stifled aggression diverted by the drive thru window of Micky-D's) As a result I quickly packed on the pounds. Then life got more settled and calm, I was working a full time job and slowly the weight came back down.

I fell in love and we got married. Happy and content to play homemaker again I started banging out all kinds of wonderful in the kitchen. Aaaannnnnd, the weight crept back on. When one day I saw a picture of myself I knew I had reached the point of desperately needing to do something.

the picture that spurred me to change.

I joined Weight Watchers. I was successful with the program and by the end of the first year had reached my goal. I kept the weight off for several years, then slowly it started creeping back on. Maintenance wasn't going so well.

Next came Curves. Running my own business, working out every day, following the weight management program we promoted, I quickly lost weight. Then the stress of running my own business took it's toll and slowly but surely the weight snuck back on. It seems to be a never ending story with me! Lose it, Gain it. Lost it, Gain it. Aaaaaaghhhh!

The thing each of these weight loss stories have in common was the maintenance phase. Each time I reached a goal and started living out life in maintenance mode, it would only last for so long. Why? Because I had been counting calories or counting points or following specific meal plans and as soon as I returned to eating without counting, my body greedily grabbed hold of each morsel of caloric/ fat and stacked it back on. That is why this 28 Day Fast Metabolism Diet held such appeal. I wanted a metabolism that was on fire! I wanted my food to properly fuel me, to be my ally not my enemy.

So, back to my original question. Can I have my coffee with cream? After following specific phases of eating each week and avoiding certain foods, what do I do now?

Well, since wheat and gluten and corn were already on my "do not touch" list due to food allergies I have no issue with leaving them off for forever! I suspect dairy should not have a primary place in my eating anymore but in moderation I plan to explore that. Many of the things that were strictly OFF THE LIST, during the last month I have no problem leaving behind. And let's be honest, NO ONE can eat anything and everything and expect to stay fit and healthy. We all need to be sensible in our eating choices to be healthy.  But after following the plan that allowed my liver to heal and process food the way it was designed to and for my metabolism to be revved up, I should be able to navigate maintenance successfully. I'll post an update from time to time and let you know how it's going. Feel free to help hold me accountable. :)

Greatest Day In History

*The Greatest Day in History

Death is beaten, You have rescued me

Sing it out, Jesus is alive

The empty cross, the empty grave

Life eternal, You have won the day

Shout it out, Jesus is alive

He's alive

Oh, happy day, happy day

You washed my sin away

Oh, happy day, happy day

I'll never be the same

Forever I am changed

Blessings upon Blessings 

this glorious Resurrection Sunday 2015! 

*Tim Hughes - Happy Day Lyrics | MetroLyrics 

The Cherry On Top!

Life is so good! 
My sweetie has been at the new job for over a week now and is doing just fine. There's a lot to learn and he comes home mentally exhausted but it's all good. We're taking it one day at a time and continuing to trust God. He's never failed us.

Life is so good!
Spring is just around the corner and with that comes a special celebration!

The first day of spring is.... (drum roll please) .... this Friday! We've been blessed with an exceptionally tame winter and spring-like weather has been teasing us for weeks now. There are buds and blossoms breaking out all around us and we've even mowed our lawn once! And just like spring, where new things blossom and grow, so it goes with the story of the love-burkes.  Our first date was on the first day of Spring 21 years ago this year! 

If you have been following this blog for any length of time, or if you know me in real life, you know that I LOVE to celebrate! Birthdays, Anniversaries, milestones-- all worthy of a shout out!  When it comes to me n' my sweetie, it's no exception. I make no apologies for loving this man and letting the world know it. So, if you aren't interested in sharing in this celebration, just skip on over to your next favorite blog. No hard feelings.

To mark this years occasion I decided to put together a slideshow of pictures of us over the year as a surprise for my sweetie. It was hard to decide which pictures to include and which ones to pass on, so I ended up with a pretty lengthy presentation! It was a lot of fun to revisit the box of photos though! I found pictures I'd forgotten about (oh those days before we had digital!)

check out these young things!

the 80's called; they want their dress back!

that shaggy haired worker guy

young babes in love

I'm so glad we were able to work past the fear and trepidation we had about dating and risking our hearts for a new relationship. It was all worth it and the fact that we clicked, fell in love and ended up together has been the cherry on top!

Life is a Treasure

The sun is shining, there's not a cloud in the sky. The wind that charmed my wind chimes yesterday has died down and the temperature has come up. I've gotten in my walk, swiped some blossoms off a neighbor's tree and put them in a vase on my table. I've got laundry going and have sucked down my 3rd cup of coffee for the morning. I've cleaned out my junk mailbox, caught up on facebook and checked out craigslist.

It's just a day in the life of.

I've got no complaints, I feel content  and I am grateful for all my blessings. I am fully aware of how precious each moment of our lives is, perhaps today more than ever.

You see, today there are 2 memorials taking place. I'm not planning to attend, as I didn't really know either of them. But I do know the people who are grieving their passing so today, in my own way, I will take some time to honor their memory and hold my friends up in prayer.

One of the memorials is for the mother-in-law of a friend of mine. I met her once or twice many years ago. She lived a long vibrant life but the past couple years has been rough on the family as they watched her take that agonizing decline into dementia. And I would surmise that as much as saying good bye hurts, they are also rejoicing over her graduation to heaven.
I'm not there today my sweet friend but know I'm thinking of you and sending you hugs and prayers.

The other memorial is going to be much, much harder I am sure. This friend is saying good bye to her husband who passed away unexpectedly after brain surgery. I did not know her husband at all, except by name. And truthfully my friendship with D. is one of those kept alive only by the powers of facebook. She was a year behind me in school and we didn't hang out together but there was a short period in my life where we shared office space as we worked at our respective jobs. Being women, being wives, we shared more than office space, as over a period of months we revealed our hearts through our conversations. I know her as a sincere and gentle-hearted person  and my heart aches for her and what she is going through.
I'm not there today lovely lady, but you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Thinking about those kinds of losses makes me somber and thoughtful. I lost my dad about 8 years ago and I know the day is coming when Mom will go home too.

I don't even want to think about what life would be like if my husband was gone.

We just celebrated the 19th engage-aversary of when he proposed and every minute we have together is precious and treasured.(Yes, even when you snore and I have to elbow you honey- it's precious)


So, yes the sun is shining and there is not a cloud in the sky. I'm taking some time today to lift up those who have lost a loved one by embracing the moment and being grateful for those special people in my life.

BECAUSE LIFE IS INDEED, SWEET.

When No Becomes Yes

If you read my post on  Divine Appointments and then the follow up Handling Disappointments, about the whole job opportunity for my sweetie that didn't come to pass, this may be of special interest to you.

When the "divine appointment" happened, we clearly could see it was a God-orchestrated thing. And then, after the interview, when they called and said "sorry, but not at this time", we trusted there was still a lesson in all of it and we'd just roll with it.

Then, last week a couple of things happened.

First, a little out of the blue, Bruce was offered a part time-short term position with our church helping assess a maintenance position that needed to be filled. He thought that sounded rather interesting and said sure, why not.

On the heels of this, another call came in and.... yep, the job that didn't happen was now calling back asking was he still interested? (Apparently, the first person they offered the position to, didn't work out.) Short story is, he will start working full time for the building supply company in March!

(Insert insanely happy dancing and yippy-ki-yaying here)

Our take on this is that given the way the job came to his attention in the first place (with a little bit of shock) and considering the internal struggle he has wrestled with,(is this really what I want to do?)  God was just giving him more time to think on it. And to flex that ol' trust muscle a little more. The interim position with our church is also an interesting piece of the pie and I am sure the next 30 days will prove to be greatly beneficial in ways we are yet to discover.

It humbles me and scares me at the same time. One thing I am learning over and over again is that when we choose to be Christ followers, we allow God to be in control. The journey with God is best enjoyed when we let Him choose the vehicle that will transport us from one adventure to the next. The best thing I can do is get in, buckle up and let God drive. When I let God have His way with me, I experience that Peace that Passes Understanding, for which there is no comparison.

This new job for Bruce is going to be an adventure for sure. Thirty-some years ago, God led him into construction, kicking and screaming, and then he discovered how well suited he was for it. We're trusting that God's leading into a different realm of the construction world is just as big a part of God's plan for our lives as it always has been.

With Thanksgiving

Come, let us sing to the Lord! 

Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. 

Let us come to him with thanksgiving. 

Let us sing psalms of praise to him.

 Psalm 95. 1-2

Funny how just when I enter a whiny, self centered phase, my daily bible readings start cropping up with reminders of being thankful. Yes, God must be trying to tell me something. I'm working on it Lord, I'm working on it! 

I am thankful for...

... work for my husband! It was only a couple of days worth of work, but it will pay another bill! 

...getting to spend the day with him. Not only getting to watch him work (something that always amazes me-- truly-- carpentry never fails to impress me) but being able to help even in a small way.

... FREE lattes! Yes, Oh, Yes!! (thankful for a full punch card!! whoot whoot!) (hey, it's the little things!)

...Rain...because it smells wonderful, it sounds delightful and even watching it (from inside a cozy warm room of course) brings me comfort. (full disclosure: I skipped walking today!!!) 

...  a  freshly made bed. Now, granted, I made the bed so I guess I could add that I am thankful I can make a bed!

... a couple of leads on other jobs for hubby. One that sounds very intriguing, one that would utilize his brain power instead of his body. 

...a big ol' sack of potatoes. Yep, someone gifted me with a 10# bag of russets. That'll go a long ways to filling our tummies. Potato soup, hashbrowns, baked taters, etc...

...my sister. Today is her birthday and she is my next best friend after hubby. Oh, the adventures we have had! 

... speaking of sisters and birthdays, tomorrow I get to spend the day with her and help her shop for clothes! Yay!

... thankful for a hot cup of tea to settle down and round out my evening. 

... and last but not least, I am thankful for God's Grace and Mercy, NEW every morning. His daily reminders of his love and provision, his love letter to the church, his bride. 

It's not my complete list of grateful's but it's a good start. 

it was very good.

Our 18th wedding anniversary came and went! Usually I blog with in days of an event but October brought us sickness along with the rain and my energy seems to have flown out the window. It has taken me forever to put together a coherent travelogue... but finally... here it is.

destination: Vantage WA. 

We took a long weekend with the Burke Turque and escaped to the east side of the state where the sun was still shining and except for an early sunset, no hint of Autumn.

We drove over on a Friday and set up base camp in the little tiny town of Vantage, population 70. We're talking a couple gas stations, a hamburger joint and a general store with postal service and limited hours. Oh, and a campground. That's important because it's where we stayed and really it is probably the life and breath of this town. They get a lot of traffic connected to the "Gorge", a nearby amphitheater that offers concerts on a regular basis.

bridge over the Columbia River from Vantage WA.

It was great for us to be able to set up camp and then explore the neighboring areas. The campground has certainly seen better days. Run down and in desperate need of maintenance, we sensed the economic downturn has carried quite an impact on the whole area. It's a shame because Vantage is in such a great location being right next to the Columbia River,Wanapum Recreational Area and the Ginkgo Petrified National Forest and State Park.

The Burke Turque: home sweet home!

Saturday morning dawned bright and sparkly and as excited as we were to set out and visit the petrified forest, Bruce was getting over a cold and I felt like I might be coming down with one. Bummer!!

We took it easy all morning, making the most of coffee, sunshine and quiet solitude. It was so peaceful!

coffee made the old fashioned way ! tasted so good!

Eventually we felt rested enough to head out and to the Petrified Forest we went! Our first stop was the museum. They have a really great display and a lot of interesting facts. We saw plenty of petrified varieties of wood and rocks, hieroglyphics from the Wanapum Tribe and then to our surprise, a herd of wild Big Horn Sheep grazing on the grounds. What we did NOT see where any rattlesnakes, thankfully!!

a walk around the interpretive trail

the love-burkes in the petrified forest!

big horn sheep!

We did a short walk around the Trees of Stone Interpretive Trail under a brilliant blue sky with a hot breeze swirling around us, then headed back to town. We took a drive down to see the Wanapum Dam, which is under repair.  We slurped up creamy goodness in the shape of milkshakes from the funky little restaurant in town and kicked back in our camp chairs.

how beautiful are the feet... 

Sunday, our official Anniversary date, we got up early to avoid the heat while we hiked up the steep trail at the Wild Ponies Monument just east of Vantage. You cross the Columbia River, then take a turn off of I-90 to a parking lot. High above, perched on a steep bluff, are 16 amazing works of art.

we are going to hike up to see the ponies!

Made from iron and bronze, the ponies can be seen from quite a distance away. I have always wanted to get a closer look at them and this was the day. It's only about a quarter mile to the top but it is a rather steep and slippery climb owing to the loose dry gravel on the trail. Coming down was a bit more challenging than climbing up!

view from the top!

Grandfather Releases the Ponies

After our excursion up the mountain we drove on to Ellensburg and the tiny town of Thorp. Ellensburg has some beautiful historic buildings that deserve a longer look but we were really eager to see Thorp so on we went. The town of Thorp is named for Fielden Mortimor Thorp, one of the first permanent white settle in the Kittitas Valley. F.M. Thorp also just happens to be Bruce's Great, Great, Great, Grandfather!

Ellensburg WA

Thorp WA

We toured the Thorp Grist Mill and took in some of the local history there. Fascinating stuff. Our next stop was searching out a way to get to something we've seen several times from the freeway. A pioneer cemetery that has the names Thorp-Splawn on it. Owing to that family connection Bruce was understandable curious about getting a closer look. It took some sleuthing to ferret out the owner of the field the cemetery is located in.

Thorp-Splawn Pioneer Cemetery

With permission granted we came back the next day and tromped across a soggy field where Bruce was able to see the final resting place of his Great, great, great grandfather and GGG-grandmother. A truly special moment.

the headstone on the left is the Thorp's. Splawn was also a relative. 

We broke camp Monday morning and hit the road early as we had several stops to make before we headed home. After our visit to the cemetery we lunched in Cle Elum and then hooked up with a friend of Bruce's to see a house he is building. (hey, I'm married to a builder. it's what we do)

I think the builder is salivating...

Our final stop on the lane of nostalgia was to see the Masterson Ranch. Bruce's mother's maiden name is Masterson, and Bruce remembers visiting the ranch when he was just a wee little lad. What fun to find the ranch, the old homestead and then, cherry-on-top, knock on the door of the house and meet a long distance cousin!

just like Bruce remembers it.

meeting a distant cousin for the first time.

Bruce remembers posing in front of this house with his mom when he visited at around age 6.

After exchanging contact information, with the sun setting and miles to go before we slept, we pushed on to make it home late that night. Tired and sore from a long days drive, but happy and content with the weekend we experienced.

saying good night and good bye to the east side of the state.

To close I will leave with you just a few more photo highlights from our fun little weekend get away! 

God is good. 

close up of the lead pony.

panoramic view from the top of the viewpoint.

rocking this anniversary!

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