Prison Break

I feel like I crawled out of a cave today. That's because, for the last two weeks, I've been obsessively watching Prison Break with every minute of my spare time.

It's one of those shows where almost every moment is riveting. You never know what's going to happen or who's going to die next. The plot twists and double crosses kept me guessing the whole time. There's a sense of peril that compels me to watch "just one more episode" because I can't stand the suspense!

I've spent the past two weeks in Michael, Lincoln, and Sara's world, watching them face everything that was thrown at them; seeing Michael maneuver through every dire situation. It's been really cool to watch a show where the main character is the one who's always one step ahead, trying to stay ahead of law enforcement (prison guards, cops, FBI) instead of the other way around.

The characters are what really make the show. I loved Michael. He's not just a genius with a plan to break out of prison- he's clever, charming, empathetic, stoic, and flexible at the same time. I loved Linc- the self-described "brute" who always had his brother's back. I loved Sucre, Michael's loyal buddy. I liked Sara and Mahone, even T-Bag and Gretchen for what they added to the story and how their characters evolved.

There were so many good things about the show, along with a lot that made me mad, but it was an exciting journey. Throughout all four seasons, the characters grew and changed, but for the most part remained true to themselves (I'm finding this to be rare in TV shows now- characters are so inconsistent and make dumb, irrational choices). I loved the brothers' relationship that remained strong and steadfast to the end, and all the other friendships that Michael made along the way.

The finale was both terrific and terrible. There was a definite conclusion that wrapped up most loose ends, but the ending was bittersweet and had me bawling my eyes out. It's been awhile since a show did that. And it wasn't just an emotional ploy. The ending made sense, with the characters coming full circle in a lot of ways. I was heartbroken because I believed it. It made sense with the storyline and the character's personality, but I still didn't want it to be true because I loved the character so much.

All I have to say is, I'm glad I got to spend the last few weeks watching this amazing show. Even though it's meant late nights, tired days, and an emotional roller coaster; it was well worth it all.

My First Crossfit Experience

I went to my first Crossfit class 3 days ago. We started out with a warm-up, did a few dynamic stretches, then went over the proper form for squats, push-ups, and pull-ups. The main workout was a half-Cindy: 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, and 15 squats as many times as we could in 10 minutes. I managed to make it through 5 rounds, using a band for the pull-ups and I started coming down on my knees for the push-ups. For the last round, I needed 2 bands to do the pull-ups and I was practically falling on my face for the push-ups. I was pretty tired and sore by the end.

Three days later, I can not move my arms above my head. My triceps and lats were hurting so bad today I had to prop my arms on pillows on the couch and try not to move at all. My pecs and abs are somewhat sore (it kind of hurts to laugh or take a deep breath) but I'm used to how that feels since I've overworked those muscles before. The triceps/lats soreness has really knocked me out. It really sucks not to be able to lift my hand to my face without pain. I can't brush my teeth, or eat, or drive, or open a door without my muscles screaming at me. I couldn't fall asleep last night because it was hard to find a position where my muscles weren't in agony.

My initial thought after Crossfit was that it was fun and a good workout, but I was going to be sore. If I had known exactly HOW sore, I definitely would have taken it a lot easier. I've been known to push it to my limits, especially if I have a trainer/coach looking on and someone else to compete with (both were true at Crossfit). But since I rarely work out my arms, doing so many push-up and pull-ups was a VERY BAD idea. I wish I had started out with a little more basic strength before starting my month-long membership.

Overall, I still like the concept of Crossfit as a total body workout. The workout was short and fun and definitely worked my muscles. The problem is that so many of my muscles are sore, I haven't been able to do anything for the past 3 days. Even my job suffered. Day 3 has been the worst so far; I'm hoping I start to feel better after this. I'm looking forward to taking another class (and taking it easier) once I feel able to do it again. I just can't wait for this muscle pain to end, because honestly I don't ever remember being this sore in my entire life!! (that includes post-marathon!)

Richmond Half Marathon #2

I have an unwritten rule: I don't like to repeat races. I kind of feel that if I've run it once, I've gotten the experience of it. If I'm going to pay money for another race, I'd rather have it be a new and different one.

Richmond is the exception. Richmond will always have a special place in my heart because it's where I ran my first half marathon (which was also my first race ever) and then a year later, my first marathon! I love the course, especially the sections along Hermitage and Brook road, my old running grounds. It's so familiar, but it never gets old. Those are the streets that made me fall in love with running. That first race 2 years ago is what made me fall in love with running. So I keep coming back. :)

On to the actual race! Tristan was once again by my side, my favorite and most loyal running buddy. Both of us have been busy with our full-time jobs this training cycle, so it wasn't our best round of training. (We did manage to make the 1 hour drive to each other's houses whenever we needed to do a long run together.) But with our lack of quality running this cycle, we decided that we were going to run this race together, and it was going to be fun. No time goals.

We carbo-loaded the night before and set out our running clothes. I was all prepared for it to be freezing the next morning like it had been the last few days. I woke up to a rainy, drizzly, but warm day. We drove to the race, but had a little trouble finding parking. My usual "secret" spot was blocked off. After we parked, we had 30 minutes until the race started, and we were parked more than a few blocks from the start. Then it started to pour.

As we sat in the car watching the rain come down, I was still optimistic that this would be a good day. Even though we were running late this morning, we got here and found parking. Even though it was raining hard, it looked like it would pass over in a few minutes. So we waited. After a few minutes, the rain slowed to a drizzle again. We got out of the car and started booking it to the starting line. On the way, we stopped at an indoor bathroom at the convention center. Score! No lines and no porta-potty! We were lucky.

We were not so lucky at finding the bag check. We weaved through crowds of people towards the UPS trucks, only to find out that they were the trucks for the marathon. We turned around and had to go down a side street to get to the trucks for the half marathon. All the while as we were searching for the right truck, the national anthem was playing. Then the elite runners were off. We finally got to the bag check and made a last minute decision to take off our long sleeve running shirts and just wear our t-shirts underneath. It was getting warm despite the drizzle (very different from how cold it was the last 2 years).

By now the first two waves had taken off, but somehow we were able to jump in with the right corral and start in a good spot near the front of our group. It was perfect. As we started out, I remember thinking it didn't seem nearly as crowded as it did 2 years ago. I guess because we were in a faster wave, and less people were walking early on. Tristan and I settled into a good pace right from the start. Somehow I missed the first mile marker, but at 2 miles we were at 18 minutes something.

Tristan and I chatted about anything and everything over the next 6 miles. The rain had mostly stopped, with just an occasional sprinkling now and then. But it was humid for November, and we both agreed we made the right decision to leave our long-sleeved pullovers behind! As we ran, I was mentally estimating our pace at each mile marker. I knew we were keeping it under 10-minute miles, and at the 10k time clock, we were under 60 minutes and almost halfway done. I started to believe that we could run this race in under 2 hours!

Now I didn't really have a time goal for this race, but 2 hours has always been a barrier for me. I've only run one race in less than 2 hours, and it was a brutal effort! I also secretly wanted to beat all my other friends and co-workers who were running, which gave me extra motivation. I started to pick up the place just a tiny bit. I didn't want Tristan to notice or get frustrated by me setting this time goal suddenly, but I thought if we just picked up the pace a tad, we could do it.

Miles 7-9 were still great, and slightly faster. At mile 9, we hit our first mental roadblock. Bud was supposed to join us at mile 9 and run with us to the finish, but he took a wrong turn and got stopped by all the road closures. We called him as we were running, and he didn't think he'd be able to make it. I was sad, but still determined. We had each other, and we could do this! I told Tristan I wanted to push it till the end.  I said, "Let's leave everything on the course! We're going to finish strong!" Tristan seemed ambivalent to this idea, but she went along with it.

At mile 10, I was the one who needed encouraging. I was starting to feel the distance and regretted pushing the pace since mile 7. We still had 3 miles left to go, and I was running out of energy! Luckily, Tristan was hitting her stride. She kept us going with her comebacks and made funny comments about signs people were holding. We both laughed when Tristan  said, "Is that Bud?", and it turned out to be the boyfriend of the girl right in front of us.

Still those last few miles were tough. I kept looking at my watch, and I knew we were so close to coming in at 2 hours. But I also realized we'd have to run a little faster to make it, and I was already pushing the pace as much as I could. I was taking my advice and leaving everything on the course. I don't think I could have run any faster.

One mile left to go. The last mile is always a relief because it's downhill. I looked at my watch and saw that we'd have to run the last mile in 7 minutes to make it in under 2 hours. I knew we'd never do it, but that's okay. We gave it everything we had, especially in those last 3 miles. I was proud of our hard effort. Now we just had to finish, and we could still get as close to 2 hours as possible!

We sprinted the last few hundred yards and finished strong! I looked at the clock and told Tristan we did it in 2:01 or 2:02 if I calculated right. So tantalizingly close to 2 hours! We'll get there one day.

Later we found out our official time: 2:00:59.
Official 10k split: 58:02

For the first half of the race (10k), we averaged a 9:20 pace.
Over the entire race, we averaged a 9:14 pace.
That means for the last 6.9 miles, we averaged a 9:08 pace.

If we had run the first 6.2 miles as fast as the last 6.9, we'd have broken 2 hours. Still, I'm so happy with this race! For one thing, we negative split. For another, we ran the last 3-4 miles as hard as we could and pushed ourselves at the end. We gave it everything we had! It was a great race. As usual the course was fantastic, the weather ended up cooperating, and we had a blast.

Oh, and Tristan got a PR!! Doesn't get better than this!

We celebrated finishing this race by signing up for 3 more races in the Spring of 2014!

As I contemplate running another marathon

"The magic of a marathon isn't in the 26.2 miles on race day; it's in the nearly 500 miles of training that happens in the months before. It's in the countless feelings, frustrations, and fears I have worked through while running down those desolate tree-lined roads. You see, I wasn't supposed to be a runner. But I am. And my life is better because I chose to be one. "

As I think about running a spring marathon, I feel daunted. I remember all the training I had to go through last year. All the long runs, and ice baths, early mornings, and sore muscles. Most of all, I remember all the time I committed to running. Making such a huge commitment again is intimidating to say the least.

Then I remember who I was a few years ago. I was someone who couldn't run 3 miles, let alone 26. I never dreamed I could run a marathon. Somewhere in those months of training, I learned how to push myself, how to discipline myself. I was determined. I ran when I didn't want to. I kept going when it got hard. I decided I was going to be the kind of person who never gives up. Running taught me a lot about myself and about who I could be if I set my goals high enough.

I want to run another marathon not because I desperately want to run 26.2 miles, but because I want to be that kind of person again.

Lilli at 5 months

Everyone thinks their baby is the best at stuff. Since I don't have a baby, I get to brag and fawn over my niece. I think she's ADORABLE. A lot of people think she's a boy, which just makes me love her more because everyone used to think I looked like a boy when I was a baby! Here are some milestones she's accomplished that make me a proud aunt:

She is really active! She can crawl (the average age for crawling is 8 months).

She can "walk" around in her jumper.

She can almost pull-to-stand (she can pull up, but usually falls over within a few seconds). However, if positioned near furniture, she can hold on and stand up (average age for pull-to-stand is 10 mos).

She loves going on walks, and swinging, and bath time!

All the girls dressed up for church:

Lilli, you are very loved by your Auntie Kim!

October

I love the first few days of Fall. The cooler weather is a pleasant relief from the heat of summer, literally like a breath of fresh air. I love Fall colors, and Fall scents, and Fall foods. There's something exciting about the changing of seasons and the promise of something new to come.

Yesterday I went on an early morning Fall run in my Mizunos - and it was perfect. :)

Confessions of a Shopaholic

I love to shop. LOVE it. Especially after a hard week at work, I love to go buy a few "treats" for myself. However, I don't like to spend a lot of money. My favorite stores are bargain stores like Ross, Marshalls, and TJ Maxx, and department stores like Target where I can find great deals.

I'm kind of a spastic shopper. I usually have a few ideas of items I'm looking for, but I also check out clearance racks and sales. I buy the most random assortment of things! I thought it would be fun to post about my retail therapy shopping trip!

First up: Target. I was actually looking for artwork and a corkboard for my bedroom, but I didn't see anything I liked. Instead I bought:

Champion sports bras. These are my favorite sports bras and I've been waiting for them to go on sale! They are NOT compression, so they're more comfortable than a lot of other sports bras. I love the lightweight breathable fabric and seamless design.
$11.88 each

Hangers. I needed these because somehow I'm always running out of hangers in my closet!
$2.99 and $1.47

Styling station. My first completely random purchase of the day. It's a container for my straightener and curling iron! I've tried hanging hooks in the bathroom to keep it organized, but that hasn't worked. I think this will work better because I can hang it over my towel bar and keep my styling tools off the bathroom counter.
$10.48

Beach Towel. Earrings. The beach towel was another random purchase. I don't really need it, but I loved the colors and it was on major sale! I love checking out the jewelry at Target because they have an entire section of nickel-free jewelry. I found a lot of cute earrings today for a good price.
Towel: $3.48
Earrings: $7.99 each

Pie server. Conditioner. Q-tips. Lastly, I hit up the dollar section at Target for some deals. I've been wanting a small container of Q-tips to take with me on weekend trips. I got the conditioner because it's for damaged hair and I want to see if it helps my split ends. The pie server was completely random, but sometimes all my spatulas are dirty and I need an extra!
$1.00 each

Next stop: Ross.

Wine glasses. I've been looking for wine glasses like these! I saw similar glasses in a store a few weeks back, but the box was damaged. I love the idea of different color stems so everyone can remember which wine glass is theirs.
$9.99

Cosmetic bag. I've been trying to find a good cosmetic bag for weekend trips. This isn't exactly what I wanted, but it's big enough to hold full-size bottles of shampoo and conditioner plus make-up and other odds&ends. It also has a plastic lining inside to prevent leakage, so I figured it was a good buy.
$9.99

Last store: Marshalls.

Scarf. I recently bought some new fall tops and I think this scarf will go perfectly with a few of them. I love the maroon color. I don't typically wear scarves that much, but this season I'm falling in love with styles that are pulled together with a scarf or a statement necklace.
$12.99
Water bottle. I have a few running water bottles, but the last one I bought was cheap and it leaks. Last weekend, I ran with Tristan's water bottle and I loved it. It's Nathan brand. It has a big pouch, comfortable grip, and most importantly a spout that's easy to sip and doesn't leak!
$9.99
Eye shadow. I almost didn't buy this because I'm not sure if I like all the colors. I'm also not sure about the quality of Elf eye shadow. But I'm running out of some of my Mary Kay browns and every now and then I like to try some new shades. Plus, it was cheap so even if I only like a few colors, it'll be worth it.
$4.99

There you have it! I had a lot of fun shopping today and found some great deals. I'm excited to try out the new products I got! I love love love bargain shopping!

Pro-action

Today I was in the office at work finishing my notes, and I started talking with a co-worker about some of the long term care patients. I was telling him about some patient complaints, and how I get the feeling that the CNAs and nurses on the other unit are either 1)mean 2)lazy, or 3)don't care. And I was saying that I feel sorry for the patients on that unit.

My co-worker agreed with my observations. Then he asked, "What are you going to do?" I was a little taken aback. I mean, I do my job- I treat these patients for PT- and I'm a little extra caring and attentive to them since I've realized that they probably don't get the best care at other times. I don't even know which CNAs and nurses are to blame for the problems.

His point was that if we see a wrong, we have to fix it. And it hit me that I can complain about the CNAs and nurses all day long, but it's not going to make a difference. I need to take action and fight for better care for these patients. My co-worker and I came up with some ideas that we're going to implement. A lot of it will just be vigilance and persistence on our part to make sure that these patients are receiving the best possible care. I'm looking forward to see what happens, to see if we can make a difference.

Anyway, on the way out, I saw the staff doctor. I rarely ever see him because he's only there on certain weeknights, usually after all the therapy staff are gone for the day. I have a patient that I'm convinced has Parkinson's, but she's never been diagnosed with it. I'd asked the director of rehab and the director of nursing for a neurological consult (and so had another PT), but so far nothing had happened. I decided to talk to the doctor and mention a few of the signs and symptoms I'd noticed.

He took the time to briefly examine the patient and agreed that she likely had Parkinson's disease. He told me that sometimes with Parkinson's, it's best to just start the patient on meds and see how they respond. Then he asked me if I thought she should start on some Parkinson's meds. I was flabbergasted. Never have I ever been consulted on a medical issue like this! I told him I thought it would be a good idea, and that was it. So easy! After all this time of trying to bring this issue to attention, all it took was one moment of proactive behavior, and my patient may finally receive the meds to manage her symptoms!

I'm excited to see if the drugs help, and I'm motivated even more to be an advocate for my patients! This is what makes my job meaningful- noticing something wrong and doing something about it to make a difference in my patients' lives. Today I loved my job.

Combatting Laziness

I finally went on a run this morning after not running for almost 3 months. It was so incredibly hard to drag myself out of bed at 5:45 this morning. Then I kept dragging my feet getting ready. But once I took the first few steps out the door, I already felt victorious! Three miles is easy after the first three steps.

I've realized that I have the tendency to be lazy. I'd rather just sit back and take what comes than be proactive about getting stuff done. I have difficulty initiating new things. Once I start something, I have a certain tenacity and determination to get it done (one example: I once spent hours on an impossible calculus problem long after everyone else had given up).

My problem's always been beginning. I seem to lack the motivation to get started. It's hard for me to get going in the morning, but hard for me to go to bed on time if I'm working on something. I have trouble keeping in touch with friends, because it just never occurs to me to initiate messages and calls. However, I'm pretty good about following through once plans are made.
I'm a good finisher, but a terrible starter.

The big problem is that you can't finish anything unless you start it! I'm trying to find ways to combat my natural laziness and get myself in gear. Some tips I've found on the internet:
-Change your mindset from passive to active
-Remove temptations to be lazy (TV, computer)
-Get things done now instead of later
-Surround yourself with motivated people
-Exercise
-Positive self-thought
-Break down tasks into smaller steps
-Visualize yourself performing/accomplishing task

My favorite advice is from Nike: Just do it. Def something I need to learn- stop overthinking, analyzing, feeling, and making excuses- and just get 'er done.

Lake House

Earlier this month, I got to go up to Maine for a week at the lake. It's one of my favorite places.

Kayaking

Hiking at Grafton Notch State Park - awesomely fun hiking trails!!

I'm sad that summer's almost over. It didn't really feel like summer to me since I started my full-time job, but I'm glad I got to spend a little time in Maine. It was peaceful and relaxing- just what I needed after studying for the boards.

Work Life

This month I've gone from being stressed out and overwhelmed by my job... to actually enjoying it! There are still stressful moments, but overall, I like what I do and I feel more confident about it. This is a welcome relief after feeling completely inadequate for the first two months!

Another cool thing that happened this week: I recognized the signs and symptoms of a DVT, put a hold on PT, and asked the nurse to order a Doppler. Turns out the patient did have a DVT. The doctor ordered bedrest for 2 days and started her on anticoagulants. A DVT (deep vein thrombosis) is dangerous because it's a blood clot that can break free and travel to the lungs, resulting in a pulmonary embolus, which is a life-threatening condition. I'm glad I was able to do my job and recognize the warning signs. :)

Licensed... what's next?

Today was a great day- I found out I passed the boards for physical therapy!

It was an overwhelming feeling, but kind of anti-climatic. I checked my boards in the morning after receiving a couple texts and facebook messages from friends saying "results are up," just as I was about to leave for work. I quickly logged on to check. My heart was in my throat as the page loaded.... at first it was hard to find the six little letters I'd been waiting for: passed! I was ecstatic and relieved and giddy all at once. This huge rush of emotion hit me that all I'd worked for the past three years had culminated in this: I'm now a licensed PT. Then I had to drive to work like any other day. Like I said, anti-climatic.

Now that I've passed my boards, I'm already wondering what my next goal should be. I've been waiting for the day when I could stop focusing on studying to focus on other things! I have several ideas, but I want to think through them all and focus on a few things at a time. In general, here's what I'd like to do:

1) Fitness goals: I really want to try CrossFit, run another marathon, and do an un-assisted pull-up.

2) Healthy eating: I've been looking into Paleo and I like the simplicity of it, but like a lot of diets it's just a little too extreme. I want to start phasing out junk food and start eating healthier until I'm eating about 80/20 Paleo.

3) Travel: My plan is to take advantage of opportunities around me and the ability to stay with friends in order to travel cheaply. Several possible opportunities: Savannah, GA; Edmonton, Alberta; and an African safari.

I'm trying to decide what to focus on first. I want these goals to be FUN not stressful, so I don't want to take on too much. At the same time, I'm really excited and want to do everything all at once! For now, I'm taking a moment to enjoy free time that's not filled with PT books.

The Job, Boards, and Life

There's a reason I haven't posted at all in July until now. Actually, two reasons.
#1) I started working full-time
#2) I've been studying for the PT Boards

Either one by itself wouldn't have been so bad, but putting both together has been kind of overwhelming. Starting a new job is stressful enough, especially since it's my first full time job. I've been treating patients on my own for the first time, as well as learning the ropes for scheduling, billing, and documentation. There's definitely a learning curve. There were a few days early on where I felt so inadequate and incompetent, I was convinced I'd entered the wrong career. Now it's gotten better, and I'm slowly gaining confidence; although I'm not nearly as efficient as my colleagues yet. That will come with time and experience, I'm sure.

The rest of my time has been spent studying. Let me just say that it's incredibly difficult to study
three years worth of information in one month. It was hard to know where to start, and what was most important, and which facts to memorize. And I just plain didn't want to do it, especially when I was tired after work.

Yesterday, I finally took the boards. Hopefully, this era of my life is over. I'm tired of studying to pass a test. I'm tired of learning information that someone else thinks is important. I want to learn about things that interest me. I want to have time to pursue knowledge that I think is meaningful. For many years in college, I didn't read (other than books for school). I love to read, but so much of my time was already taken up by reading textbooks, that I didn't have time to read about other topics. And I always wanted to take a fun class like cooking or photography, but my major was demanding and I never seemed to have time for that stuff.

So, now is the time. I'm done with school, but that doesn't mean I'm done learning. I want to make it a goal to experience new things. I want to try new recipes, different workouts, maybe join a team just for fun. I don't want to become lazy and complacent, now that I'm "settled" here in Richmond with a job. I always want to be looking for the next challenge, and I never want to be scared to venture out into unknown territory. I'm excited for new opportunities and new adventures!

Modesty Part 2: What to wear?

Source

Since I wrote my post on modesty, I've seen even more articles on the subject. Several bloggers have said something along the lines of "women can't be held responsible for how men react to their bodies." I agree... mostly. Some men will lust after a woman no matter what she wears. You can't live under a sheet or hide behind closed doors just because you might cause a man to lust.

On the other hand, some girls dress so provocatively and flaunt everything so blatantly, it's clear they're TRYING to make men lust after them. (By the way, I think this is somewhat rare). But what about scantily clad girls at strip clubs, (or any club)? What they're wearing may be similar to a bikini, but it's clear the intent is to make themselves sexually attractive to men.

However, those are the extreme cases. In an everyday situation where a girl is wearing typical clothing (whether on the modest end of the spectrum or otherwise), she can't be responsible for every guy's reaction. A guy may be attracted, but if he chooses to take his thoughts beyond that to lust, that's a problem with his sin, not hers.

BUT, dressing modestly does help out guys, who are visually stimulated. Ultimately, it's not a girl's fault if a guy lusts. However, dressing modestly is about RESPECT for guys. They in turn can show RESPECT to girls by guarding their thoughts, not allowing themselves to go down that path to lust. It's not about who's right and who's wrong. It's about caring for yourself and the people around you. It's about respecting yourself and presenting yourself in such a way that others will respect you too.

A lot of people seem to take offense that a girls' clothing choices would be influenced by what other people think. But don't we already make choices by this criteria? In college, what I wore in my dorm room, surrounded by a bunch of other girls, was different than what I wore in mixed company. And what I wore to class, where a professor would see me, was more conservative than either of the first two. The idea that other people's opinions shouldn't dictate our clothing choice is unrealistic; they already do. A lot of times, we dress and act based on what kind of impression we want to make.

Ultimately, the way you act is more important than what you wear. In 1 Timothy 2:9-10, Paul writes, "I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God."

The alternative to wearing elaborate hairstyles or gold pearls is good deeds. Instead of focusing on the outward appearance, women of God are supposed to focus on actions. Greco-Roman society was characterized by extravagant dress, so Paul was telling Christian women to go against the culture (sounds familiar!). Women were not to flaunt expensive dresses and jewelry. The noticeable thing about a Christian woman shouldn't be trendy clothes but a kind and loving attitude that is evident through her good deeds.

1 Peter 3:3-4 says it this way, "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight." When Christians talk about modesty, and make a bunch of rules about lengths of skirts and width of straps, they're missing the point. Modesty comes from a heart that is submissive to God.

Women should focus on having good attitudes and doing good deeds, and shouldn't be preoccupied with outward appearance. "The outward adorning of the body is very often sensual and excessive; for instance, when it is immoderate, and above your degree and station in the world, when you are proud of it and puffed up with it, when you dress with design to allure and tempt others, when your apparel is too rich, curious, or superfluous, when your fashions are fantastical, imitating the levity and vanity of the worst people, and when they are immodest and wanton." (Matthew Henry's commentary).

Wow. There's a whole slew of reasons that women should dress modestly! Instead of having rules about what's modest and what's not, I encourage Christian women to look at their hearts. Why are you wearing that? Is it to show off? Are you trying to out-do everyone else? Are you proud? Are you trying to tempt someone with your sex appeal? Are you flaunting your money? There's a better way! Adorn and beautify your souls rather than your bodies. Put your efforts towards what really matters. The beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit is of great worth in God's sight, no matter what you're wearing. The question is not What to wear? but How to act?

Modesty

I've recently seen a lot of posts about modesty on facebook, with links to various blogs. I don't know if it's due to the start of summer, a reaction to something, or a sudden interest in the topic, but I wanted to share my own thoughts on the subject.

I think how we dress is very important. External appearance, including clothing, is the first thing you notice about a person.  Before you get to know someone, you've already made subconscious judgments about them based on how they look and dress.

I love how someone's personality can come out through their clothing. Are they vibrant and loud? Do they love trying new trends and styles? Are they always well put together? Are they laid back? casual? sophisticated? cute? I can think of friends who fit into each of these descriptions, and I love how well their clothes fit their personalities.

So what does it say about a girl when she dresses in clothes that are too tight, too short or too revealing? I can think of a lot of things, but none of them are good. Maybe she's insecure, or trying to get attention, or trying to show off. It doesn't usually make you think too many positive things, except maybe, "she must work out." So number one, I think it sends a wrong message.

Secondly, it's distracting. I find it extremely disconcerting when I'm trying to talk to a girl with cleavage hanging out of her shirt, or when I'm walking behind a girl with a skirt that barely covers her rear. I don't know where to look. It's uncomfortable and awkward for me, and I'm a girl! I can only imagine how it is for guys.

Lastly, dressing immodestly draws the focus away from the person, to the body. Clothes can let a personality shine through, but a lack of clothes can turn focus away from the person, to their physical attributes. Women are seen as objects, just pieces and parts, not a whole being. Yes, dressing immodestly can get attention, but it's not the right kind of attention. The attention is on your body, not you.

There are girls I know who dress fashionably and modestly. One of the things I've realized is that I always notice their clothes secondarily. I was talking to one friend in church for 10 minutes, when I suddenly realized what a cute dress she had on. It was fitted in the top and had a cute little bow around the waist, and such an adorable pattern. It really complemented her perfectly. However, it wasn't the first thing I noticed. I noticed her, and then her clothes.

The Bible commands us to dress modestly for a reason. The clothes we wear speak to the state of our hearts. Am I humble? Do I care about how I make others around me feel? Do I respect myself and my body? Do I wish to honor God by my choices and my actions? I think if the answer to these is "yes", we should choose to embrace modesty as a beautiful way to demonstrate love and respect to ourselves, God, and other people.

Fave photos from Yosemite

Family vacation to California.
Some of the best scenery in Yosemite:

Yosemite Falls

 Bridal Veil Falls

El Capitan

 Vernal Falls

Yosemite Valley

 Nevada Falls

View from the top of the Half Dome









Introducing: Lilli Skye

Lilli Skye

Born May 10th, 2013

6 pounds 2 ounces

19 3/4 inches long

Mommy and Daddy

Uncle Buddy

Auntie Kim

 Grandma Teri

Grandpa Rick

Great Grandma

Great Grandpa

 

We are all so excited and thankful that Lilli is a happy, healthy baby!



Graduation

I've finally graduated from physical therapy school! It's been a fun, stressful, crazy three years. I've learned a ton, and I'm proud to finally be a Doctor of Physical Therapy!

The best part of the past three years has been all the amazing friends I've met. We've studied together, stressed out together, and helped each other out through all the difficult times. There were times I wanted to quit, but the encouragement from these girls got me through!

My family has supported me and encouraged me throughout grad school too, and I am forever thankful for their love and generosity!

So glad I made it!!