the weekend

It's the weekend! Actually, the weekend is almost over. Sunday comes quick and it will be a full day of various activities. we have church, some homework, and then I'm attending a banquet and Dalena is going to our home group meeting. We will reconnect after all of that but tomorrow is going to be full of hopping from thing to thing. Whew!

This weekend has been really good so far. I woke up early this morning and put a lot of my online class behind me. It set me up to finish it quickly later on that day. I was hoping for a good game of ultimate to get me to run around a bit but we didn't have enough. Instead, we played a different game that shrinks the ultimate field down and requires everyone to play defense and make good, accurate, short throws. It was a decent game but I would have loved to play a full fledged game. Perhaps next weekend. (That reminds me, I've got to add anyone and everyone I've ever played with to try and grow the frisbee group)

The Laue's baby shower today was really cute. I am so excited for them and Dalena is too. We are glad to have them as friends and can't wait to see them begin their parental journey. It's so weird to have friends with babies and then to think that the whole dad thing isn't that far off for me. CRAZY! Exciting but crazy! It seems like only yesterday...

Ok, no flashbacks this time. It feels good to get stuff done this weekend though. My home desk is still a little messy. Dalena's side is too though so I don't feel too bad. We were having a silly play argument earlier which distracted both of us from doing the actual work we set out to do. Ehh well! Those silly games are what make being married so much fun.

For now, I'm going to work on my about.me and other pages. I'm slow to the tech stuff and only recently did my first googledoc. If you have never used that, it is wonderful. I'm going to need to get a vitae together too. It's a lot of work but will be helpful in the long run. I hope to have that, my about.me, linkedin, and a couple of other nice things looking really good by the end of May. It's a good goal.

As it is getting late, I think we're going to start settling down and might catch a movie. I might try to get us up early to run tomorrow. We need to get back to working out so we can run the White Rock half marathon. I can't wait to do that race with my wife. She has not idea how great she will feel.

Night all!

My mind

I have a lot on my mind right now. There is a large amount of stuff going on at work, with school and just life in general I suppose. The end of the academic year up to this point in my life has always had an effect on me that causes me to reflect on the state of things. In addition to that, there are many changed taking place all around me which is even further causing me to wonder some things. Now, where to begin? I guess there is a beginning so here goes.

My first cause of concern is on the large scale. I am not happy with the state of things in the world. I have felt for a long time now that as a society and people we are more broken than anyone ever thought and it seems to be getting worse not better. I am worried for the future and what that will hold. At this point my work environment is pretty safe but for how long will that last? My job security depends upon the ability of others to afford to pay to attend an institution of higher learning. As funding and support for universities and financial aid dwindle it becomes more difficult for others to get here. What will happen then? My other cause for concern is that I am at a transitional stage of life. While yes, I am not going anywhere soon, I am beginning to explore what is out there and what I need to be doing to get the next job. My real question though:

What is the next job?

The world is a scary place and I'm willing to accept that there isn't anything I can do on my own to change how it is so I will sit back and let God tackle that one and if He should decide to use me for that then so be it.

Let's take a look back at the previous year. Walk with me...

I taught a class. That was pretty exciting and time consuming. I'm leaning more firmly toward not doing that again but it felt so good to teach that I almost want to do it again. Almost. I have a job and I can't do it and teach at the level I hold myself to for both. I feel like I let that slip this year overall and even though things seemed to go well, there is a big part of me that feels like I could have and should have done better.

Taught the class. Got married! That was the highlight of this year. It's been so wonderful to this point and I know it will continue moving forward well. We are worshipping together, budgeting together, saving together, and many other things. It feels great to take care of someone and be taken care of. I still find myself in disbelief. I think it stems from it being so good and me not wanting it to all be a dream. If it is a dream, let me stay asleep.

I have begun a process to reinstate communication between me and family that became estranged. As someone who loves everyone and strives to find the good in all no matter who or what they are, I can't sit idly by and allow my family to be so distant from me when they put firth effort I will be matching it. So far reconnecting leads to success. I'll stick with it.

I have started and stopped working out many times. Come on Taylor. Get it together. No joke, I need and want to want to start again and get healthier. Grr!

a month ago today

March 11th was a memorable day for me and for the rest of the world. As I look back at wedding pictures and read the journal I kept on the honeymoon, I can't help but relive those amazing days. Dalena was so happy (still is too). I remember the first look I got of her when she was walking down the aisle in the gorgeous dress. It was a special and I will treasure that memory always.

As it happens, our wedding took place on the same day as the terrible earthquake and terrible tsunami that has ravaged Japan. We spent a fair amount of time watching BBC news on the honeymoon to pay attention to world events. It is difficult to have such a joyous occasion on a day that is filled with so much pain for so many. I recall the nights I prayed for the people of Japan and the families that were experiencing such pain. The only explanation I can muster is that God has a reason for everything.

My wedding day is forever locked in history for me for several reasons. A month has passed and Japan has yet to return to normalcy. Dalena and I are also not quite at a normal state either. It's a funny thing this whole marriage thing. We are both so happy but there are little things that we never thought would matter.

Scheduling is the big area we're working on right now. We are busy people and both of us had personal goals that now became shared goals. Dalena is an amazing woman who is tackling a difficult educational program. I am working on my 2nd degree and working full time. That said, we're loving life, each other and God. Personally, I have felt my faith grow so much since we met for the first time.

I always wondered how I would know who the woman I would marry. The truth is that I didn't until I did. Dalena and I met and something awoke inside of me and began churning. There were prays that escaped from my lips asking for the words, the courage, and the trust that she would be mine. March 11, 2011, I got my wish. The world, much like love, is such a tumultuous entity. God has some amazing power that can unite two people in such a strong way and He can ravage a country by shaking the very ground it sits upon.

I am thankful that our first month has been going so well, thankful that we have put together a lovely home, and that we can enjoy the company of loved ones without fear. It's truly a gift. I look forward to the day when we are able to spend more time together but we're united for the rest of our lives. In the coming weeks, I plan on working on my ability to be present in the moment, a skill we both wish to practice, my discipline to working out and reading the word, two more things both of us wish to do.

Here's to a month of marriage, and the many more we may be granted.