30 hours

30 hours ago I left my house. Went to Kansas City with Steve. Ate at Oklahoma Joe's Bar B Que, one of Anthony Bourdain's 13 places to eat before you die, very delicious.

From there to the Rend Collective, Tenth Avenue North and Chris Tomlin concert. One of the best worship events I've been too.

After the concert was over we drove to Springfield, Mo, stayed the night in a hotel. Searched for donut shops for breakfast and found St. George's Donut Shop where I ate the best twist donut of my life. It would make Patsy's Top 13 places to eat before you die. (I'll work on the other 12).

We then headed to the other side of Branson to the Mark Twain National Forest on Table Rock Lake to see my friend Rebecca. We spent the day with her and her husband and two kids in Branson, after seeing the new home they are building on the lake. We plan to spend more time back there in July. It was a beautiful home in a beautiful location.

After a 5 hour drive home, I understand all the viral videos of road trips, if I had video'd Steve and I singing along to Mike F.M.'s everything 80's weekend radio...well, you all would laugh till you peed.

I still know all the words to Cameo's "Word Up", and Bon Jovi's "Bad Medicine" and Steve belted out Chicago's "Look Away". We enjoyed Milli Vanilli and Flock of Seagulls.

I had to google "Talk, Talk" because I had never heard that one.

I am glad we got to go visit lifelong friends and attend the concert, but I'm so happy to be home tonight.

The same kind of different as me

For the last 8 months at work I have sat by myself. In a building that makes jet airliner assemblies, in the office area that has over 160 cubicles, there were 16 of us. I had a row, 10 cubes, all to myself. That may sound lonely, but it was not. It was quiet, it was semi-private and I got a lot done.

This week, two of my co-workers moved aisles to consolidate us all to the same area. They now sit one directly facing me in the next desk and one across, facing me catty wampas. I love both these women. It struck me yesterday how different we are.

One is my daughter Kari's age. They went to middle school together. One is 30.

One is in grad school with a cute boyfriend
One is married with 3 little ones, ages 9 months to 8 years old
One travels and goes out of the country several times a year
One can't stay overnight in a hotel because the little one turns in tasmanian devil
One knows all the latest dance moves, is in wedding parties every weekend, and is current with pop culture
One knows all the latest Taylor Swift songs and disney radio, is in school holiday parties and is current with cartoons
Both are liberal, democrats, live and let live people.


And then, there is me

I have the husband, but my kids are grown.
I travel, not as much as the youngster, but way more than the 30 year old
I know all the 80's music, my generation; all the 90's and 2000's, because of my kids; I go to grown up parties, Chris Tomlin concerts, Fleetwood Mac concerts and Professional Bull Riding, whenever I want to.
Daughter of a baptist minister

On the surface, you would never put us together as friends. But we are.

We all have our own attitudes, our own struggles, our differences of opinion, but we definitely find a way to make the work day more fun.

I find myself more and more as I get older celebrating our differences. Not just accepting them, not tolerating them, but appreciating them. Wanting them. Loving the uniqueness in God's creation.

We're all different. We're all special, wonderful, unique, originals. And in that, we all find our sameness.

In my corner

Here's a few things I've been up to in the last couple months:

Still training with Marquis. Love this guy more all the time.
Celebrating my birthday with Marquis (and Steve, Harpreet and Sheila)


10 mile Turkey Trot 2014. This was my 7th year running the Turkey. The gang - Sheila, Steve, Emily, Whitney, Harpreet & Marquis


With my friend Katrina at the Steve 50 2015


Celebrating Leesa's birthday.


And I turned 7 years worth of race tee shirts that either don't fit right, wrong size, or we have duplicates into this tee shirt.
I am quite pleased with how it turned out.

Investing in what matters

Recently Steve and I have started making things we are invited to a priority. And not just invitations of people we know well, but even the facebook invites to birthday parties and work invites to hang out.

I watched a show on television the other day where everyone at work hung out together and were friends. I like my co-workers. But I've always kept a professional distance. Which I think is okay, but on the flip side, I really love a couple of them.

Last weekend Steve hosted the fourth Steve 50 event. This year, he actually had his first 50 mile finisher besides himself. Several of his ultra running friends came out this year, friends from work, and friends that share our trainer. We had 65 participants on one level or another. And one of my co-workers and his wife came out and another co-worker's husband ran.

As I look at the places my life intersects with other people, I am making a conscious effort to invest more in relationships. I have several really good friends that I see on a regular basis, and it makes it easy to keep my distance. However, I don't believe that is the way I'm supposed to be living my life.

I have a lot to give to those I love and a lot to learn and experience and everyone I come in contact can teach me something, can be a benefit to my life. (Even those I don't want to).