A Colorado Easter

Our first holiday at "home". And by home, I mean home where we live, not home where are from.

We opted not to go home (to Texas - I know my "home" referencing can get quite confusing!) for Easter this year in attempt to invest in our city, our friends, and our church here in Denver over the holiday instead  (Not to mention flights on holidays are RIDICULOUSLY EXPENSIVE!). So invest we did! We had a blast.

Friday night, we had a reflective service of mourning in honor of Jesus' death on the cross. It was a short time of worship and scripture reading. It was beautiful. It made good Friday so much more reflective. Even more meaningful to me since I had a hectic and busy day at work that day, with critically ill patients and disagreement amongst services on how to treat them. My work day Friday gave me no time to reflect. I got home and was stressed and frustrated (it's not a holiday here like it is in Texas! And yet...we get President's day off?! That's frustrating in itself!). I was even thinking I was too exhausted to go to the church service. I'm so glad we went. It reminded me to quit focusing on trivial things here on earth, like the person at work who rubbed me wrong way or the wound that isn't healing as fast as I'd like, and start focusing on why I work in the first place. To be a light to those people. To share the gifts the ultimate healer gave me. Who am I to think I'm healing those wounds in the first place?

Saturday we had a fun surprise! Tauber and his GF came to town and we got to hang with them! Well, let me clarify. It was a surprise to me - my husband knew all about it. Even the fact that they were staying with us. He just forget to mention it to his loving wife. :) We went hiking and the boys fished in the afternoon while Kristen and I sat by the river and read. It was fabulous.

 Sunday was perfect. Beautiful and sunny - 75 degrees. We went to breakfast with Tauber and Kristen and then headed over to Sloans Lake to Park Church's Easter BBQ! It was great! The kiddos had an easter egg hunt and I must say, the little ones from our small group made out with a killing of candy! Then we ate amazing brisket and potluck style sides, Grant got beat in ladderball by a 7 year old, and cornhole and frisbees were thrown all afternoon!

We then headed home, rested up, and went back to church at 6. The service was a perfect celebration of Christ. We started with baptism....

After baptism we headed into the church, where each of us were handed a flower and before sitting at our seat we placed it in a jar at the alter of the church. Then it was worship time. Page CXVI (our worship band) did an amazing job and it was a beautiful time of singing and praise.

Brian gave a great sermon and we sang some more. Then we headed out to dinner with some friends. Not exactly the fancy feast my extended family always makes on Easter, in fact, it was mexican food! But it definitely will suffice.

We missed our family in Dallas and our traditional Easter, but are truly glad we stayed. We had a great time with Park Church, Taub and Kristen, and our good friends from small group. Maybe next Easter family will come up to us and enjoy Easter the Denver way!

Texas Relays and Track Reminiscing

I love track and field. It may not be the most popular sport in the US, but it certainly is my favorite.

I MISS track and field. I was so fortunate to get to jump in college for Arkansas back in the day. Does 5 years ago count as back in the day? I think it does. My body is certainly not what it used to be and I certainly couldn't go out and run as fast, jump as high, or lift the amount of weight I could then, so back in the day certainly makes that seem more acceptable! So yes - I miss high jumping back in the day and this last weekend made me miss it all the more!

Grant and I got to fly to Austin and meet up with my parents and Meme to see the Texas Relays! This was one of my favorite track meets when I was competing. There are so many memories and emotions revolving around that meet. It's one of the largest meets in the country - with high school, college, and professionals all competing over 4 days. I fell in love with high jump in 8th grade when my dad took me to Texas Relays to watch Erin Aldridge (a volleyball player and high jumper for UT who was my idol as a kid). I competed there for the first time my softmore year, all wide eyed and terrified at how huge and loud the crowd was.  I competed and placed in the state competition there my senior year of high school, missing most of my prom to do so. I hid under the bleachers with Jessica Johnson as it poured down rain my freshman year of college, jumping in a monsoon first.  I jumped the best I ever had and received 2nd place at Texas Relays my junior year of college. And then....I tore my knee in a warm up jump and jumped the worst I ever did in college my senior year, ending my high jump career and having surgery soon after. Lots of memories. Lots of emotion. So it was a little bittersweet going back. But it sure did bring up lots of reminiscing! Here's a few pics I have on my computer from time I competed there. I have lots more but they are pre digital age. :)

Softmore year of high school outside our hotel - haha - I'm pretty sure all of us stayed in one hotel room. Oh the IHS days...and this was the year Maurice Green ran and Meme hyperventilated and acted a fool when she saw him!

Junior year of college - clearing 5'10 and getting 2nd place

So after competing there for 8 years, this was the first year I returned to be a spectator at the blessed Texas Relays! And although it brought up lots of emotion, it was fabulous! A great time with my parents and my sis Meme, wonderful weather, tons of talent, and even a tan! Amy Acuff high jumping, getting to see old teammates Wallace Spearman and LaShante Moore run in the pro events, seeing my college alma mater compete, several future olympians around, and even watching the cute little high school teams run - I loved every minute! I could sit for 8 hours straight like that in the sun and watch people compete every weekend! In fact....I used to...only I was competing for a few of those hours. We were all hot and sweaty on Saturday as we sat and watched so no pictures were taken but I at least took one with the sis on Sunday! Sad I didn't even get one with my rents.

I love humidity. I love my family. I love Texas. And I love Track and Field. It was the perfect weekend. Thanks mom, dad, and Meme for joining us! What a great time!