I have a goal. Lose the Google weight, get back in shape and join Ballet Austin's adult ballet workshop. Before I turn 40. In December. Yikes. Seems impossible when I actually type it out. I want my 40th to be a young 40th, a time for celebration, not of horror and dread. I need to plan something fun, something to look forward to. A celebration of sorts.

lol!

London Olympics

I love the view of all the nations flags on the hill at Olympic Stadium. It gets me all teary eyed..



To me, the games represent all that is right in the world. Everyone able to put all else aside and come together and play. How simple and pure and awesome is that? If only that spirit could last more than 2 weeks, how beautiful our world could be. 

                                        " ..Cause even the stars they burn

Some even fall to the earth
We've got a lot to learn
God knows we're worth it
No, I won't give up


I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up
Still looking up..."

someone posted this tonight - pic of Hannah and some of her bandmates

Hannah is about to head out for her 3rd night playing/singing at church camp in Burnet. We've had to pick her up close to midnight each night at church. She has her little possee of friends that are the youth band. I'm so happy she has found a place where she fits in and where  people really value her skills. I know how important that must be to her, especially at 15. Apparently they all convinced her to get on stage last night with their rapper (yes, the youth band has their own rapper) and join him for a few lines. Wish I could have seen that. My little girl who used to be so antisocial, until she found her way to the piano and microphone. She has come alive. I hear stories from adults about how surprised they always are when they see her on stage for the first time. She is just such a natural leader up there.
I'm a very proud mama.
My oldest, college bound, wonder child has been working her butt off at the nursing home. Turns out she really likes old people. :)
I'm very proud of how she's adapted to working so much, so quickly. And in such a very different environment to what she's ever been in.
These girls continue to amaze me.

Dorm shopping has begun in full force. We have made pretty good progress on "the list", but it never seems to end. We just keep adding stuff to it..

12 killed, 59 wounded in Colo. theater shooting

Police say 71 people were shot in a suburban Denver movie theater early Friday during midnight shows of the new Batman movie. Twelve people were killed, ten of them at the theater.

So incredibly sad. I don't think we will be going to see this movie this weekend. It's just too soon.

So proud of my best friend Rene. She is all over all the local news for her signing an exclusive deal with Circuit of Americas for helicopter chartering during the races. So weird to see someone you know so well rise up and take over an industry. I'm a proud friend today. 

Locally owned business snags exclusive F1 Helicopter Charter Service

@circuitamericas partnership/ Charlie Bravo Charter / division of Charlie Bravo Aviation

Ok this is going to be meaningless to probably all of you, but it's my blog and I want this for posterity's sake. I print this blog into a book every year and 20 years from now I may think it's entertaining.

Shileen's Top 3

Shows of all time:

Lost

24

House

Seinfeld

(yes that's 4, I couldn't decide)(note that they are all no longer airing) :(

Snacks:

chocolate

movie theatre popcorn

muddy buddies
pineapple/mango smoothies

Favorite songs of all time:

mainstream:

A Fine Frenzy - Almost Lover

Lady Antebellum - Need You Now

Damien Rice - Blowers Daughter
(runner ups-Howie Day-Collide, 3Doors Down-Here without you, Gavin Rossdale-Love Remains the same,Train-Drops of Jupiter, Faith Hill-How do I Live Without You)

Christian:

David Crowder - How He Loves

David Crowder - Stars

Lifehouse - Everything

Third Day - Lovesong

 Favorite bands of all time (every song they write is my favorite):

Train

Maroon5

Matchbox20

Colors:

Green

red

orange

Flowers:

Plumeria

Orchid

Hibiscus

*****************************************************************************

Books and movies are just too hard to narrow down, there are just so many. Likewise there are sooo many songs I could have picked that are time tested and loved, but those 3 have survived years on top of my ipod list and I never grow tired of them. I plan to add to this list as I think of interesting categories, but again, I don't expect anyone else to be interested in this :)

Audi A6

I think this might have to be my new car in 6 months. No more mom car.

Unbelievable. I don't think we've EVER had rain like this in July. It has rained everyday this week, and now Brushy Creek has flooded. IN JULY! crazy....
Just watched Machine Gun Preacher, the movie about the real life Sam Childers. Amazing man who is an ex biker and druggie who got saved and started an orphanage in Sudan. Not just that, but he is actually leading rescue missions for these children in the heart of LRA territory. You should see it, it will mess you up and fire you up. I so much admire men like that with balls of steel, not afraid of anything, who will do whatever it takes to defend these children. I want his courage and determination and boldness. That man is making his life count for something. That's who I want to be. (Well, similar in effectiveness and passion anyway). I don't know that I could ever be that masculine, nor would I want to be.
Anyways, watch it, if you want to know about one of the many horrors going on in Africa.

"Put your pain in a box. Lock it down, ... we are men made up of boxes, chambers of loss, triumph, of hurt and hope and love. No one is stronger or more dangerous than a man who can harness his emotions, his past. Use it as fuel, as ammunition, as ink to write the most important letter of YOUR life."
-Act of Valor

a few South Padre pics

a rare sight - Hannah reading

sitting at dolphin cove watching the wild dolphins (a favorite past time of Jordan's)

waiting for fireworks on the bay

we had our own private show at the hotel-lit up the whole beach

the best wooden go karts ever

our new favorite restaurant

@Paulinos

Jordan's contribution

MatKot(Hebrew) our favorite beach game

we visited the sea turtle rescue center (of course)

Jordan and I shell hunting on the north side of the island

my view most of the time

view from our balcony

This looks like me - only 20 years ago. The long beachy hair and an oversized sweater. I don't care to be young again, but I would like my body and hair back.

I. LOVE. THIS. DRESS.

That is all for now

Some days I wonder what my world will look like in 2 years. Both kids in college. Josh traveling alot (likely), where will that leave me? How do you start a new life at the age of 41? What will I do? I have spent many hours pondering this question. Should I become a career woman, or is it too late? Should I dive into mission work (expensive)(especially with 2 college loans)? Or start that mission organization I no longer feel drawn to(too much negative emotion involved)? I can't stay home. 20 years is enough of that. I don't know that I've ever felt so direction-less. Without vision, people perish. I am already perishing. Expiring. Rotting. Languishing. Mildew-ing. (Blame the mold, it's in the VERY HIGH count today. My head is reacting poorly)
I need guidance. SOMEONE to come down here, turn my head around and kick me in the butt and say go that way.
Yep.

OK, we are home.
The last 2 weeks I have been having these horrible headaches that were always preceded by a near fainting episode. The first time it was kinda weird but I didn't think anything of it, until it started happening every day. Then several times a day. My dr evaluated me, did lab work, and then sent me to a cardiologist who had me wear a heart monitor for 24 hours, did an echocardiogram, and then deemed my heart fine, but sent me for a stat brain scan. Which we found out was clear-no tumors. Needless to say that was a stressful week. Then we left for vacation with no answers, but glad that it wasn't the worst. These "episodes" continued the way down to the coast, but gradually quit while at the beach. Hmmmm, I knew I was made to live on the beach..
And then yesterday, almost the minute we drove over the bridge back to the mainland(and away from the moist,salty air) it started coming back. So I popped a few advil and thought nothing of it, but it didn't go away, it only grew worse. I took some more advil and decongestants. Still no improvement. Took aspirin as well. By the time we got home it had been 6 hours nonstop headache. I was ready to hurt someone. I went to my dark closet with an icepack and cried. Josh found me sometime later and declared we were going to the ER. I talked him down to minor emergency. All this to say I am now on antibiotics and narcotics, and it has stopped for now. We think that after all this trouble it may just be a sinus infection in my head. Or it could be migraines, I don't know yet, but either way the drugs have lessened the pain for now, and I'm hopeful.
Sorry for not typing this sooner, if you've ever had a seriously bad headache you understand how doing anything at all is just too painful. I didn't even go to work last week. And at the beach I was on vacation, no computers.

All the beach photos are on Jordan's camera and she is at WORK! Yes, she actually got a job at Michael's parents nursing home. And Petsmart even called while we were at the beach and she has an interview there on Wednesday. She's pretty excited.
Gotta start cleaning and unpacking..

 

Sorry I've been gone so long. Last week was really rough, but now we are relaxing on the beach in South Padre. 

I will fill you in later, just know we are all ok and enjoying a few days away.