Flood, Part 1

D-man and I awoke at 5:15 this morning to 2 inches of water in our house. Luckily, we have tile throughout the house and 4-inch tile baseboards. Right? Not today! Over the next hour-and-a-half, the water rose to 8 inches (mid-shin level, seriously!) and it was pouring in the back door and in the door from the garage at one point. Both were closed.

I had standing water in my car. Both our front yard and back yard were under water. The water was waist-deep in the street.

The waters have receded (fairly quickly, I might add, though I'm not used to floods, so this may be normal) and we're drying out. Pictures to come.

Over the last week, we've had an eventful time. D-man's mom came into town this weekend to take care of a little business, and we went to the warehouse where their crate stuff is stored (the stuff they crated to bring back to the US from Brasil). Included in that crate stuff was my china cabinet (made from the wood of a demolished farmhouse), my tea set (which we managed to find half of), and my marble-top table with palm leaves inlaid on top. The cabinet is in the house, and the table is waiting for a place. I'm not sure where it's going yet.

I started my running again today, and I feel surprisingly good. I have been fighting a headache all weekend, and I thought it may not be helped by running (as opposed to walking), but there is currently no relapse in sight.

Interval Training, Interval

I have been on a sort of hiatus from training for the past week, due to knee pain, which is apparently very common for beginning runners. It started last Saturday and kept getting worse, even after I decided to take a few days off on Monday. Then I figured out that the knee pain wasn't only from running. It was from really being sick. (Oh, the joy of being married -- sharing everything -- yes, everything) I've had a cold, complete with body aches, that was graciously given to me by D-man as he was trying to get rid of it himself. After a few days of sick-infested bedding and torrential rain here in Houston (praise God our house didn't flood), I am feeling somewhat closer to my normal state. Not 100%, but close enough to get on the bike today and think about running again soon.

Pulitzer 2009

The Pulitzer prize winners will be announced today at 3 p.m., EDT. Update on the winner for fiction/novel to come.

Update:
The winner has been announced. This year it's Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout. On the list it goes!

Abundant blessings

D-man and I spent the weekend in Louisiana with Big Shady and her family, and I was completely blessed and refreshed. I hadn't been there in 3 1/2 years, and I had forgotten what a retreat it is to be there. Her parents are amazing people, and I love being around them. Her nephews are the cutest little guys ever, and they had much fun playing with Mr. D-man. Complete with flipping the canoe. Twice. Once with the boys in it, and once with the dog.

It is amazing what a weekend away from home, as restful as home is, will do for your soul. I was blessed to see Big Shady and participate in her family's version of the Passover dinner, celebrating God's specific provision for their family at this time of year, every year. I was blessed, as always, to hear her dad preach, and to worship in ways that I often don't feel comfortable with elsewhere. I was blessed to make Big Shady laugh with a comment that wasn't necessarily meant to be funny. I was blessed to watch Mr. D-man play with Big Shady's nephews and know that he is going to be a wonderful father someday, as he is being a wonderful husband in the here and now. I have prayed that we would have eyes to see God's specific provision for our needs (sometimes it's only a matter of perspective!), so that we may celebrate it. May He be faithful, as He always is, to answer.

Recent Headlines

A current headline on weather.com: "Western storminess leads to severe storms"

Interval Training, Week 2

I started week 2's workouts today, and I was really excited about the difference I felt in the running portions of the intervals. I was able to run a little longer without looking at my watch (all the while wondering when it would be over), though by the 5th 90-second interval, I had the world's biggest side stitch and didn't know if I could do number 6 (which turned out to be 2 full minutes instead of 1 1/2). That I am writing this post says that I did, in fact, complete number 6, and I survived well and am quite proud of myself.

On to the 5K!

Interval Training, Day 1

I decided a couple of days ago that I was going to start some interval training. Why I decided that I cannot, for the life of me, figure out this morning. I can walk 3 miles at a pretty good pace without getting winded. I hate to run. HATE it. So, I can't figure out what inspired me except the novelty of a challenge. The particular intervals I'm doing are designed to get you from nothing to running 3 continuous miles in 9 weeks. Pretty good, since we're thinking about doing a 5K in about that. Free Astros tickets come into the motivation for that one -- 2 for each participant. It's good to have goals.

Anyway, I did my first session yesterday, and I am SORE. I'm not sure how I feel about that, except I'm glad that I was acquainted with exercise and didn't try to start from nothing. Anyone out there have any ideas or advice on how to get the most out of interval training?

We've been home for a week, and I'm still not quite over Spring Break. What did we do, you ask? Well, we went to my dad's wedding, of course! Being in that part of the country already, we decided to head along the interstate to see D-man's parents as well. He had the fabulous idea to spend a night in the Big Ham on the way home so we wouldn't have to drive 14 hours in one day. And so we could see the family, which turned out to be really entertaining. There were 9 of us at dinner, including our token single friend, who's so distressed at being single and almost 30 that it's just funny. Did I mention that everyone in the family except me (and D-man, but he's not original, of course) is younger than him?

D-man ended up being very normal around these folks, though in the past he's apparently been holding back. When I say normal, I mean he jumped right into the conversation, made everyone laugh at least once, and got the "stamp of approval" right across his pretty head scar. Not his idea.

Random updates from this past week:

• Sirloin was on sale (I know, BORING), and D-man grilled out last night. He worked Thursday night almost all night, and so we slept in yesterday and had a generally lazy day. Sooo nice. I'm getting distracted. The steak was quite possibly the yummiest I've had (by D-man's assessment, too). Ever. And we got to eat outside. H-town is nice like that, though it's supposedly in the 40's this morning (I haven't been out yet to see).
• I'm supposed to be studying for my pharmacy law exam, but I keep finding ways to put it off. I TOLD Big Shady that it would eventually come down to procrastinating with excuses of having to clean the house, and it has finally reached that abysmal point. Her response yesterday was, "Oh, Jen, no it didn't!" Mine was, "Oh, I told you it would." Yeesh. (Study update: I managed to study for a few hours today, until my brain started spinning. Then I decided it was time to quit.)

Rodeo girl

I suppose that now I'm really a Texan. After March 22, I will be more of one. D-man called me last night as I was on the open road (in 6:00 traffic) and said, "The cheap seats are still available for the rodeo on March 22. Wanna go?" Now, we've been talking about going for a couple of months now, and Houston's rodeo is apparently a pretty fun outing. There is the rodeo itself, you know, with the bullriders, there is a livestock show, and all sorts of other stuff. There are also concerts every night. This year is full of famous stars like Rascal Flatts (they opened the rodeo last night), Alan Jackson, Keith Urban, Reba McEntire, Darius Rucker (you may know him as "Hootie" from Hootie and the Blowfish), and the ultimate closing band, playing on March 22, ZZ Top.

I would have settled for Brooks & Dunn on March 21.

Big Shady caught the bouquet (though my sister definitely gave her some competition!)!

The happy couple

The beautiful centerpieces that doubled for the rehearsal dinner and 6 of the 10 tables at the reception

Exciting news! My friends Allison and Gaines have Baby Boy Redd #2 (now known as Ethan)! He was born on Wednesday afternoon, before the need for a repeat C-section, for which mom, dad, and friends are thankful.

I am in love with my Kitchen-Aid mixer. Behind my waffle maker, electric griddle (that we're babysitting for the m-i-l), and toaster oven. Favorite kitchen appliances? Anyone?

I have been cooking a lot lately, as the D-man likes to eat (I can't blame it all on him; I love to eat, too!). I love to experiment in the kitchen, and I am thrilled that we have gotten 4 cookbooks for wedding presents (including one that a friend made for me, filled with recipes that she's been using for the last 40 years).

I have no intention whatsoever to make this blog about cooking, but I have to tag a couple of recipes that I have made lately and are fabulous.

Recipe the first:
Chicken calzones
Found in Discover Dinnertime
Served with: marinara sauce

Two:
Tex-mex chicken and rice casserole
Found in Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook
Served with: chips and salsa

Three:
Guacamole
Found in The Joy of Cooking
Served with: chicken quesadillas and chips
SO yummy!

Transitioning

D-man and I have been married for a few weeks, and the transition has been surprisingly easy. While it hasn't been completely seamless (I'm not sure it ever is), I have loved every minute of it. I am finding that I have been through some major transitions over the past 5 years, and I have just now figured out why they've been bothering me. As a regular person, I read and researched and formed my own opinions about the Bible and what it said (at least the practical application of it in my own life). I heard the voice of God, not audibly, but through His Word and through trusted godly men and women around me. As a missionary, I was surrounded by men (and some women) who had been to seminary. I wouldn't take too kindly to someone who is not a pharmacist coming in and telling me that what I know isn't right. So, I assumed that I would be better served by being quiet, as others seemed to know more than I did. In a nutshell, I was intimidated by being around people whose backgrounds weren't like mine (though I made some very good friends during that time), who I thought knew more than me about God and His work and His provision and His Word. My own experience didn't seem to be important, though I think that was more of my own impression than anything.

What I am figuring out now is that my experience with God is the most important thing in my life. It opens my eyes, it grounds me both as an individual and in my marriage, and now He is showing me (He is always good to do this) that He doesn't work the same way with everyone. I know that can sound relativistic, but I don't mean that His principles change. I mean that because I am who I am, and because He knows me better than anyone, He knows where to prick to make me sit up and take notice. He knows what words will comfort me in times of distress. He knows what I will soak up from His Word and the books that I read and the conversations that I have.

He is using our marriage to open up a whole new vision of Himself. He is, as always, a faithful Teacher.

Poll

I think wedding cake makes a fabulous and fun breakfast food. Thoughts? Opinions? Please share!

No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. D-man and I were married last Saturday, in a small ceremony with 350 guests. Heh. I love that his dad was able to marry us, and that not only women, but several men as well, cried.
I love being Mrs. F. so far, and I hear that it only gets better. To all of those who were present: we are so glad you could share our special day with us! To all of those not able to be there: we missed you terribly, but hope to see you soon!

Last-minute countdown

Well, folks, we are at 5 days (and counting anxiously)! The D-man arrives tonight, after 2 grueling days of travel from Houston to Nashville, including 2 flat tires on the U-Haul trailer on Saturday before they even got to Baton Rouge! My little sister arrived yesterday after many tears, 2 cancelled flights, and a night spent in the Wichita, Kansas airport. I am ecstatic that she is here, though she might sleep till the D-man gets here, which means my time with her is limited.
There are all sorts of detail-oriented things to do this week, and I am a little stressed out. Not about getting married (the courthouse would be okay with me), but about getting all these details done and worked out. I feel like I'm forgetting something. Marriage license? To the courthouse tomorrow. Check. Groom? Arriving tonight. Check. Bride? I'm around here somewhere. Check. What more is there?