Tuesday, June 9, 2009

We Are Alive!!





I am not quite sure if anyone reads our blog still, since it has been months since I actually wrote anything.  It seems a bit trivial to try and fill in the gaps of life so maybe start with today:) The Lord is so faithful in our lives.  He does not leave us as we are because He desires to make us holy and blameless and above reproach.  Usually, always this comes from trials and tribulations.  Michael and I know we have such a great hope in our Savior we can endure and persevere through anything our marriage encounters.  If I could encapsulate our lives in one word it would be transition.  We are currently living with a friend off Hwy 166 in Santa Maria.  We are retreating in her families beautiful home surrounded by hills, horses and cows.  We will be there until the end of the month and then July holds a lot of adventures as well. I think I will tell them as they come.  But we are so grateful for our friends here on the central coast.  We have such amazing friends who have been praying, supporting, and encouraging us during this season in life. PRAISE THE LORD that He is such a giving gracious father. 

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Jesus??!



In the first three chapters of John these 
are all the references about who Jesus is 

He is...

The word 
The beginning
God
Son of Man  
Through Him all things were made; 
without him nothing was made that has been made.
In him was life, 
and that life was the light of men.
The word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
He is the One and Only, 
who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
"Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world."  
The man on whom you see the spirit come down and remain
 is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.
"Rabbi you are the son of God; you are the King of Israel"
"Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days."

Monday, April 6, 2009

RACE DAY


Race Day Cheerleaders

Accomplished, a bit achy, proud, and wondering what is next.
I reached my goal with 4 minutes to spare.
Would I do it again? Yes. All I can say is I perfected the back stroke and I am thankful for my strong glutes!
In order from finish to start...

my biggest fan


transition to bike
coming out of the lake
my girls at 8am

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Lake Lopez Triatholon

Less than 48 hours until my first triatholon. I am experiencing a jumble of emotions from anxious to excited to anticipatory to fearful. Yesterday my tri wetsuit came in the mail and I thought I would try it out in the pool at the gym. I lasted about 8 laps and then I stripped it off as if I was in the race (I have never experienced so many odd looks:) Although I felt so bouyant and light in the wetsuit I know it will help me out a lot for the swim. I just can't stop thinking about you Jason, when you got hit in the face on your first triatholon....Michael seems to frequent this memory often as I have been training. Don't worry I will take one for the Paine team. I know there will be so much adreniline saturday I am hoping I will forget I am jumping into a lake and possibly even forget I am swimming. As you can tell I am most nervous about this part. I feel confident about the bike and since the run is the last part I will have to push through the fatigue and give it my all. Michael and some of my friends will be coming out Saturday morning to cheer me on, thanks guys!!
I would covet your prayers for rest the next few days, strength and endurance during the rest, and an injury free first triatholon!

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Being Sick

Do you think when God wants you to slow down sometimes he makes your nose extra runny, your head extra achy, and your body extra tired? Or do you think that is all part of our fallen world, full of festering viruses and bacteria??

Well either way I have been begrudgingly taking short days of work this week, 2 hour naps in the middle of the afternoon, and avoiding large groups of people as much as I can. I failed at that today as I was at Arroyo Grande High School pestering my wonderful students and buying sponges at Walmart avoiding pressing my security pin at all cost as I saw 10 other fingers press the same numbers I was about too come upon. I used plastic to do the dirty work! I am not sure if my body has absorbed enough vitamin c and echinecea, but if someone didn't know what I was taking they would probably thing I had an issue with pills.

My nose is chapped entirely, it even started to bleed a little bit. I thought the dentist told me to put gasoline on it today, but she said vasoline. Vasoline leaves such a greasy residue I didn't want someone to spot me from down the street because my nose is glistening.

Enough about my sob story, we are officially moved in. The transition out of the old house was a little bit rockier than we had hoped, given we have not received our wonderful security deposit back. But after spending atleast 15 hours of painting the house back white we just didn't have time to clean enough. That would not go unnoticed though and my sweet Michael went back the day the new couple was moving in, a little bit awkward and inconvienant. As is life at times. Yet, we are cozily starting to nestle and get the hang of living in our new place. I love it here! I feel like we have already had more people over in this house than in our Shell Beach house over the past 6 months. I believe the Lord heard our prayers and only time will tell even more as his plan unfolds. I am thankful for this new, exciting, and beautiful transition. Michael and I have explored the dunes and taken runs on the beach numerous times. We have hit up La Tapatia market for $1 tacos. And have been able to enjoy a lot of the teens I work with on the street, playing basketball, or eating in our home. I am only 5 miles from two of the schools I work at during the week and 3 miles from Arroyo Grande High School. Michael is constantly zooming off down Hwy 1 on his motorcycle to go to class. Which he got a 91% on his second Anatomy test. I keep telling him he is a natural and the ladies better watch out because Michael Paine in scrubs....dang!!

Exciting news, I got accepted to Antioch University for my M.A in Clinical Pyschology to become a Marriage Family Therapist. I am very elated and will start in the Fall.

Michael is running in Paso Robles for a 5k race this weekend. And I am going to be tackling the Lake Lopez triatholon next weekend April 4th. Praise God for our health.

Life is full....

beautiful complex and a gift to be embraced

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Praise Jesus

Praise Jesus for little miracles like the Hill's baby today at 12pm!!!

Please join us in praying for this new life the Lord has willed to come into the world.  


Hands Wide Open

Hands Wide Open
Learning to give, love, risk, and trust with hands wide open.