Page's Corner

knee high

2009-07-04T11:20:00.003-04:00

last night i finished weeding
apparently earlier in the week,
my watermelon tried to find freedom
from the confines of our little garden
but was reigned back in

our lovely garden
my row is the far one with corn
and the third one that is blocked
by the overzelous zucchini

my buddy kevin who shares his garden space
and who consequently has no filter on his mouth
but who makes us all laugh really hard
his family is my own family away from family

here we are, showing off our chests
with our hard-earned kevin cain 5K shirts
and as you can see
the corn is more than knee high
by this fourth of july!

confession

2009-06-30T23:38:00.004-04:00

tonight i had a performance with the concert band i am part of. we played in a retirement center full of encouraging smiles. however, there is one song that we play called "american salute" where we honor those who served in the armed forces. when they hear the song from the branch of the military they served in, they are to stand up and be recognized.

confession: i choke up every single time we play this song and i see them standing.

and it is a bit tricky to play my trombone when i am fighting back tears. but i'm just thankful for what they have given so that i can be free to do the things i love.

meet my plants

2009-06-27T08:43:00.004-04:00

i thought this might shed light
on why i was weeding for three hours
and still didn't finish it all the way
my garden (aka "the jungle") before weeding

and it magically became a garden again
though i still have a little to finish at the far end

i wanted you to have a chance to meet everyone
this is my lovely sweet corn
he reminds me of home
so he's my favorite, but don't tell the others

and my wonderful cucumbers
who have begun to take over

these little guys have a soft spot in my heart as well
they were my first attempt at gardening
i planted these tomato seeds a few months ago in little pots
i didn't know if they would come up or not
they day i saw them sprout through, i was ecstatic
i put them in the ground a few weeks ago
and they have loved their new home
as you can see

this little yellow summer squash got planted late
so he's not very big yet
but i have a feeling he's really going to make up for lost time
and take over his area

not pictured:
watermelon (who is doing great!)
greenbeans (who i'm a little worried about)

a jungle

2009-06-25T16:26:00.003-04:00

last night i weeded my neglected garden for three hours.
it was a bit of a jungle in there.
i'll post some pics tonight or tomorrow.
i don't remember the last time i've seen something as lovely.

the corn is already knee high.
my greenbeans are surviving.
my cucumbers are taking over.
my watermelon is promising great things.
my tomatoes have enjoyed the freedom of garden life vs. potted life.
and my yellow squash made its debut from the underground!

now i know why people plant gardens.
it was the most lovely three hours i've spent this week.
even if i can barely walk today!

Life and Death on my Balcony

2009-06-23T20:37:00.003-04:00

I bought the plant on the right when I moved in last summer. As you can see, it isn't doing well. I froze it to death over the winter months when I refused to turn my heat on. And then I discovered I was sacrificing it to the sun god when it got warm again. It isn't a "needs sunsine" plant...it likes shade more so. I didn't realize this until I decided to go buy a little sister for it...we'll see how they do together now that I know they are shady plants!

This is my cute new table with candle and new plant. Yes, I had another one of these plants last summer as well...but again, my freezing apartment killed it. I decided to try it again, and this winter I'll at least take it someplace warm if my apartment is utterly cold.

And my favorite gerbera daisies. They are such happy flowers. And these have delighted me. I got them back in early May and they are still alive and kicking...even flowering! My balcony is a lovely little sanctuary away from the chaos of life.

good shiny moments

2009-06-22T21:26:00.002-04:00

some chapters in life require one to search a little harder for the good shiny moments, but they do exist.

today's good shiny moment: a hug from my officemate.

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-21T10:27:00.002-04:00

Happy Father's Day
To all the dad's out there...
But especially to my favorite one!
Love you!

Yum

2009-06-19T17:46:00.003-04:00

Sometimes all a person needs is a good home cooked meal to make the day a little brighter.

My meal tonight:

Mom's Meatloaf
Sweet Corn on the Cob
Mashed Potatoes
Dr. Pepper

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

I think the sun may yet shine.

Thinking...

2009-05-29T20:53:00.003-04:00

In the past several years, my sense of home has become far more based in relationships than where I happen to find myself living. And the more I move around, the more important those relationships become to me. The beauty in this is that I can move virtually anywhere in the US (or world for that matter) and have someone I know within a reasonable distance.

However, as I have pondered over things, it has hit me just how much I miss being near my family and friends who have been with me the longest. The majority of my family and friends live in the Midwest - the very place I am most often homesick for. And though I know I will not move back to Iowa, my heart continually tugs at the rest of me to head west.

Tonight I sat looking through pictures of my three new second cousins, my niece, my "other niece", and I can't help but be a bit sad at all I am missing by being so far away. It gnaws on me each and every day. And though there are great things here that I know I would miss, I wonder if it would be outweighed by being near again to those I love so dearly.

I feel entirely unfit for living in the Northeast. It exhausts me to live here, but I am learning. God has provided people who are like family to me here. But they can never take the place of my actual family.

So I wonder when it will be time to go home. I wonder if it will ever be time to go back home. I wonder if being closer to those in my heart would take away this desire to roam. I wonder if I am one of those constant wanderers who will never be completely happy because something is always missing. I wonder what it would be like to see my family more than a few times a year.

And though I'm not making any moves right now, it looms in my heart for the near future - an ever growing question mark that I long to see an answer to.

The ache of my heart? I miss my family - and friends who are family to me. I am tired of being so far away.

Life of Pi

2009-05-27T19:43:00.002-04:00

"I have nothing to say of my working life, only that a tie is a noose, and inverted though it is, it will hang a man nonetheless if he's not careful."

-Life of Pi by Yann Martel

That pretty much sums it up.

Crazy Times!

2009-05-23T21:42:00.004-04:00

So after my travels to IA, IL, TN, SC and back to PA
I turned around and met my friend Becky in DC for the weekend
Her brother-in-law was graduating
So I got to hang out with her and her family

They treated me to many wonderful meals
So I got lots of good time with Becky

Seeing her little girls was a delight
I can't believe how big they are getting
N loved the puppies most of all!

We attended the GW graduation on the mall
It was a wee bit rainy
So we were crowded into a sea of blue ponchos
But it was pretty amazing nonetheless

Becky and I after graduation
Yeah, it was a pretty cool view!

We did some site seeing after graduation
Becky and her hubby, Anthony in front of the White House

Becky and I in front of the capitol building
What a great way to spend the weekend!

As if all that travel weren't enough
This past week, we had interns come through the office
They are going out to serve for 7 weeks around the world
We put them on the train to do some team building in Philly
And then we mobilizers went into the city later to meet them
This is my teammate and I in the city
That day, I did love my job
No office, no desk, no email
Just hanging out in the city with my teammates and our interns!

Changing

2009-05-20T23:02:00.003-04:00

About seven months ago, I met a fellow Iowan on my train ride from the airport to my new home in PA. He warned me that staying here for too long would change me, and he didn't want to see that happen to me as it had to him. He had become hardened and life became hectic in the way it does in this region.

His warning has rattled around in my head for the last seven months. Everywhere I have lived has had its impact - making up this mosaic of me. And in the past few weeks, I've had a nagging feeling that a change is taking place. My pace of life has raced from tortoise to hare speed and my level of stress has gone from ocean bottom to the surface of the moon. And as I frantically run along in hopes of keeping up, I mourn the loss of being able to stop and breath without feeling guilty.

I don't share this to complain or fish for sympathy. Each chapter of life is different from the last. I just fear that I have forgotten how to slow down and be in awe of what is around me. And that scares me more than just about anything else.

My Reality...

2009-05-12T23:28:00.000-04:00

...is His grace.

A Welcome Friend

2009-05-11T08:41:00.003-04:00

I woke up this morning, not to sounds of traffic and high heel shoes on concrete, but to birds singing and other little creatures forewarning me of a coming rainstorm. I looked out my window and didn't see other apartment buildings with a tree here and there, but instead I saw the Smoky Mountains in the distance and countless trees swaying in the gentle breeze. And now I sit in the kitchen of my good friends wondering to myself, why would I not just stay here?

It's not about escaping where I live and all the pressure and frustrations of that place. It's about feeling a peacefulness here that I have never felt where I now live. And certainly there are beauties to be seen there, but its places like this that act as a salve to my soul and beckon me to stay. This is how I am designed.

And even though this is just a momentary escape from the chaotic pace of my new life, it is a welcome friend.

Back Home in Reverse

2009-05-08T18:59:00.004-04:00

So I've already fallen behind in keeping up with this.

But I'll keep trying.

I'm traveling now - back in the Midwest.

And I brought a bit of PA with me in the form of my friend, Cindy.

I love being home.

Dad and I got up this morning and took the canoe out.

Went fishing

But the fish weren't really interested.

Which was ok because I was with my dad.

Water tower on Michigan Ave in Chicago.

Hundreds of lovely white tulips on Michigan Ave.

Horse drawn carriages.
Hundreds of white tulips.
Lovely.

Prior to heading to Chicagoland,
Cindy and I hung out around Iowa City.
So I introduced her to the ducks.

Went to my hometown to meet up with my girls.

Something about being with these girls IS home.

Mosaic Fun

2009-04-20T18:47:00.003-04:00

As promised.
I couldn't resist.
Click on it and it should show you a larger version.

Girls' Day in the City

2009-04-19T22:36:00.004-04:00

Sunshine. 75 degrees.
No agenda for the day.
Philly's Italian Market.
Two great girlfriends.

It was a place where smells, colors, languages, and people mingled.
For just a moment, I was reminded of being in Dakar.

And no trip into Philly is complete without a cheesesteak.
Cindy, a SE PA native had never eaten Gino's.
So we went there.
And I have to say - go Gino's over Pat's.

Then we came across the oldest inhabited street in the country.
Elfreth's Alley. Inhabited continually since the 1700's.

The ladies and I at some pretty church in old downtown.

The pretty church.
Spring has sprung!

And the mosaic wall.
More pics will be coming on this.
But it was pretty much the most fun part of the day.
And it was one of those treasures we found accidentally.
I'm starting to think the city might be ok...
...every once in awhile. :)

The Race

2009-04-07T22:48:00.004-04:00

Sunday was the big day. My first 5K ever. And the best thing I have to say about it is: Boy, am I glad that's over!

All in all, it wasn't bad. I was wary going into it because I had not run in a week and a half (knee issues and being sick) and hadn't eaten in a few days. I was determined to run it by myself because the guys I was with are much quicker on their feet, however, I was not allowed to go it alone. My buddy Kevin (on right) ran (and walked) with me every step of the way.

Now, if you know Kevin at all, you know he's not a shy one in the slightest. He talked to everyone along the way and told them to cheer for us. And when he saw me getting discouraged, he told them my name and had them cheer ME on. If nothing else, it made me keep going so I could escape the embarrassment. :) But he stuck with me and pushed me through the pain and wuss-ishness that I felt. And we finished.

It wasn't a great run time, but my goal for the day, given the previous week and a half, was just to finish. My buddy, Kevin, helped me do that very thing. And now I've even got the shirt to prove it. :)

So I've determined that I'm not a runner, but I can run. With that in mind, I've got to get to bed, 5:45am is going to come early and that cold air on my face will be rough. :)

Two buddies from work who also ran.

Mark (aka "Running Guru"), me, and Kevin

It's Been Awhile...

2009-04-02T19:07:00.008-04:00

Hi Friends,

It's been a couple weeks since I've written, sorry about that. Things have been nuts. I hinted at some chaos at my work place in my last entry - it has since blown over, but it was quite the storm for awhile there. There was more than one day when I seriously contemplated hopping in my car and just driving west as far as I could. But peace has been restored and the sun is shining once again.

We had a really cool International Arts & Music Gala fundraiser for my workplace. Now if you know me at all, you know that I don't dress up very often. But it is fun to do once in awhile. So we got all spiffied up and went to this fancy gala. Fun times. I even managed to snag a picture of my running buddy and I. I wasn't kidding when I said his legs were twice as long as mine. But he's patient with me and pushes me along.

The next week I participated in the candidate evaluation process for my mission agency. I wasn't looking to join, but instead, it was approached as a time of "personal development". I'm not sure what they were hoping I'd develop, but I didn't learn much new about myself. I'm still an impatient, imperfect, and incredibly stubborn person who has issues. So that was reiterated for me. It was an incredibly frustrating and stressful week, but I met a couple of new people who I really enjoyed - the saving grace of the week.

Last Saturday my friend, Susie, came for a visit. I love when people from other worlds of mine come and step into this one, even briefly. We hung out and had some tasty food - yes, including an honest to goodness Philly Cheesesteak. And yes, I drove into the city. I decided I need to conquer this fear. If I can drive in foreign countries and half way across the United States by myself, this fear of driving in the city is irrational. It was a lovely day.

It was also a bittersweet day. That same Saturday my dad and niece celebrated their birthday. So my whole family was in MO having a blast without me. And though I love my Susie, I was torn because I wanted to also be with my family; laughing and having fun. But I talked to them multiple times throughout the day and at least got to experience it from a distance.

In the last week, I have decided that God may not want me to run in this race on Sunday. It began a couple weeks ago when my knees started bothering me. I got new shoes thinking that would help. But alas, it got worse. After consulting the running guru at my workplace, I was informed that I probably had "runner's knee". I've had swimmer's ear and writer's block, but runner's knee was a new one on me. So I decided to take it easy with running and back off just a bit until the pain in my knees lessened at least a little.

Well, just as the pain subsided over last weekend, I came down with a nasty cold. I was out from work a couple days this week, feeling like I had an anvil dropped on my head repeatedly. It was lovely. My race is in three days and I'm still not at 100% and haven't run in a week, but I'm determined to cowboy up and run tomorrow with my buddy...in hopes that I will be ok to run in the race on Sunday.

Tuesday, I played hookie from work for half the day and went out to explore a big ol' flea market of sorts with my friend, Cindy. After a sweet purchase of some great mitten-gloves, we drove around the PA countryside and my hope in this state was restored. It was beautiful. We snuck into a few little towns that dot the area and dreamed about living in them. Then we happened upon a place that she knew and I had never heard of; Ringing Rock, PA. A town truly deserving of its name. There is a boulder field where these rocks were left behind by some glacier or something many, many years ago. If you take a hammer and hit the rocks, they ring! So cool! A couple of guys were out there at it when we arrived. Who knew rocks could sound like that!

It's pretty tricky to set the timer and run across a field of boulders...almost didn't make it on this one!
This try was much smoother. :)

So if you've actually made it through this far, good job. I'm honored. And I'm going to try to be more consistent with my posts. I think I just fell into a black hole a few weeks back and am just now coming out of it. :)

Enjoy your evening!
:) sara lyn

Still Here

2009-03-19T23:04:00.002-04:00

I'm still here. I haven't fallen off the face of the earth...yet. One of these days I'm gonna write something with some meat on here again...but today is not that day. I just wanted to share some highlights of the last week with you:

I got my PA plates. Yep, I'm officially residing in PA. Weird.
After a hard drive crash, my computer is back up and running.
Speaking of running, my running buddy and I ran 2.8 miles one day last week. I've yet to run the full 5K. About two weeks left before the big day! Yikes!
I'm buying new running shoes tomorrow.
I decided this week all over again that I can't stand the God-card. I might need to write a post about that.
During band rehearsal on Tuesday, I realized that I really do need to practice more than one time per week.
The sun shone this week in PA. Two days in a row even. I couldn't believe it...but I loved it!
I got the road trip bug...and I'm itching to go! I just need to find someone to drag along with me! :)

Registered

2009-03-11T10:13:00.002-04:00

It's done.
They have my money.
I have a receipt.
April 5 is the day.

I know a 5K doesn't sound like much to most people. But coming from a fish out of water, it's a good place to start. I won't ever be a marathon or even half marathon runner - but it has been a goal of mine for a couple years to do a 5K. I've been training for the last two months and I've got 3.5 weeks left...we'll see how it goes. At this point, I'll be happy to finish the race, having run the whole thing. Kevin Cain 5K, here I come!

Images of SC

2009-03-10T18:43:00.004-04:00

Sunshine. Laughter. Babies. Outdoors. Friends.

Mixed it wiht a good sized dose of work,

And that was my past week in SC.

Teaching Will to stick out his tongue.

Gotta start these things early.

Twin boys!
It doesn't get any better than this.
Mon Amie and Tom's boys, Alex and Will.
They are a handful!

Alex is a smiley little guy.

Goodness and cuteness.

Through and through!

I am smitten with these two!

I'm in love. :)

Seriously?

Who can resist that face?

Will and I were chillin' after his bottle.

A lovely family. :)

Together again!

Me, Mon Amie, and Karin

I just love this big ol' flag.

I saw it every Sunday on my way to church when I lived there.

80 degrees.

Sunshine.

Only thing missing was the beach.

Lesson Learned

2009-03-04T21:39:00.004-05:00

Tonight I learned a very important lesson in running...

...don't eat a full meal before you run.

They say you shouldn't swim for an hour after you eat or you will have cramps. It's a complete myth. However, it is NOT a myth for running. I didn't yak, but dry heaves and stomach cramps are not pleasant in the middle of a jog on a lovely South Carolina evening.

But I did run the whole campus and had more left in me - and THAT was a first. All this training really is paying off!

They Finally Got It Right

2009-03-02T18:09:00.003-05:00

On Saturday, my running buddy informed me they were forecasting a major snow storm for today, so we wouldn't be running before I took off for SC. We have run in the snow before, but with wind and pretty chilly temperatures, he thought we should forego it for today. I told him I'd believe the snow when I saw it, but not running before a travel day was fine with me.

Weathermen out here don't have the best track record with predicting storms. They usually go overboard or they don't forecast anything and we get dumped on.

Last night, it started to snow. So I began to pay attention.

This morning, it was still snowing. So I checked my flight. To make a long story short, they finally got it right. We got a good 6+ inches of snow along with lovely wind and low temps. And my flight got canceled. Hopefully, I will be headed out tomorrow for a week of warmer temps, sunshine, and friends...oh, and work. :)

NYC

2009-02-21T11:06:00.007-05:00

Yesterday, my team took a trip to NYC to see the work going on there.

First stop, Columbia University.

Where they are working with graduate level international students.

After learning all about the work going on, we walked down to Times Square

It was just as insane as I had always imagined.

My team.
We LOVE our job!

The insanity of it all.

Sensory overload!

It was good to go.

But I've never been so thankful to get back to my place.

It made me miss the wide open spaces of the Midwest.

I'm just not a city person.

I heard it said that the average American eats 2 pounds of soft pretzels in a year.

Whereas the average person from Philly eats 20 pounds.

I believe it. :)

But they do make for a good dinner on the train home!