Taking Back Sunday

Sunday morning, I woke up and got ready for church, per usual. I was so glad that Pastor Wendy spoke. Whenever she delivers the message, I always find myself relating so much and realizing I am not the only one who has ever gone through a certain season or wondered what I have. It was about getting your spiritual edge back: ridiculous recovery.

• 2 Kings 1:1-6
• God knows how to help you find what you didn't mean to lose

How do you get your edge back?

• Be honest about where you lost it
• 2 Kings 6:6
• With God's help, take back what you lost
• 2 Kings 6:6-7
• Revelation 2:4-5
• Deauteronomy 2:4-5

I've let so many things go lately, as school has been the only thing my life revolves around. It's like if I stop focusing on school for a bit, I feel like everything else will fall apart and really, it's just the opposite. I need to take care of myself again- bike rides, eating healthy, spending time with friends and having quality conversations, and of course, spending time with God. 

My outfit for the day! 

After the service was over, we had lunch at California Pizza Kitchen. My mom and I tried a different pizza with artichoke and spinach, but I don't think I would get it again. Just not my thing! I thought I had to go in for editing, so I tried to hurry home, change and get ready to go...But, we ended up just deciding to do it the next day in class.

Pizza!

I spent the afternoon hanging out, working on homework and writing. That night, I went to a Condor's game with the other editor's from the newspaper. We've been talking about it for the past couple quarters and we FINALLY made it during playoffs, which is an exciting time for them and our town. Athena picked me up and we headed downtown, as she filled me in on her life, then we met up with the others. We claimed our free hats and noise sticks, then found our seats. We were SO close to the ice, which was a lot more terrifying than I realized it would be. 

We were about three rows up from the ice, right behind the glass, with the safety net ending right in front of me. We laughed so much, poked each other with our noise sticks, took gangsta pictures with our hats, cheered on the team, Athena and I shared the most delicious Carne Asada nachos, danced and sang along to the music, cheered when we saw ourselves on the jumbo screen, and freaked out when a puck almost flew at us (which got stuck in the net, dangling at the very edge) or when hockey players would push each other up against the glass. I don't know how Carrie Underwood deals with having a hockey player husband. Going to the games, not knowing if your husband is going to make it out okay has to be terrifying...Which gave me an idea for a story. It was a wonderful time.

Our group left a few minutes earlier, then went to BJ's for dinner. We have some crazy conversations and we were laughing so much, and I was having a blast. Like I said, I don't get out too much, so being out and doing "20-something" things was just what I needed. When we finished eating, mingling and brainstorming ideas for the newspaper, we headed out. Robin, our editor-in-chief, gave me a ride home. We ended up staying in her car, talking in front of my house for about an hour about a variety of topics from life, emotions, the paper, etc. It was good!

It was midnight or so when I came in, then spent the next couple hours working on an article for the paper, before my eyelids were so heavy I could barely stand it. Then, I heard a loud noise and was incredibly paranoid (but apparently it was just the air condition vent). It was around 3 a.m. when I finally got to sleep. But, I got to thinking, 'If only ever Sunday was like this,' things might be a lot more peaceful. 

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The next morning, I had to wake up earlier and go to the newspaper, even though it was Memorial Day. The news doesn't stop for a holiday. As I drove to my school, I heard Toby Keith's "American Soldier." There's a line that says, "I can't call in sick on Mondays when the weekends been to rough," and it opened my eyes to the fact that I shouldn't be complaining that I have to go to school for a few more hours than I would've liked, because our servicemen and women have to give up SO much. They go months at a time, sometimes a year or so without seeing their families. At least I get to see mine at the end of the day. That song put it all in perspective for me.

We had a potluck for breakfast; all of us brought in goodies, like a breakfast casserole, donuts, orange juice, Debbie Cakes, homemade cheese chips and more. It was a fun time to socialize, edit our stories and do things at a much more relaxed pacing than usual. Everyone got in and got out fairly quickly when it came to the edits, and all we had left to do was do the page layout, which is extremely time consuming. It's always fun hanging out with everyone, though, and I feel like week after week, I learn so much about the process of designing a page and what it takes to make a paper great.

I finally finished around seven, then headed home. It was pretty exciting that I also got to drive, too, because I don't usually get to during the week. It was nice having the freedom and not having to rely on someone else to get home. Once I got home, my parents and I went out for dinner at Chuy's, and the weather was gorgeous. Normally, I would've still been working at the newspaper, so it was nice to watch the sunset with the warm air against my skin. Summer is coming. After dinner, we went to Best Buy to look for a bit, then came home.

I took the rest of the evening off and just enjoyed it. 

It was a great weekend. And the week is going alright. I'm just so ready to be out of school. My energy is starting to wear off. *Sigh* But, it's all good. I'm getting 'er done. Only a few more assignments and then I will be free! WOO!

That's all for now,

Shelby