It is hard to imagine that it has been over a month since I last wrote something here. Once the semester gets going, many things fall off my radar. Running has been one of those things that completely got sidelined for awhile. Luckily, I began to get back to the gym last week to start running and working out again. With my friend coming out from Des Moines to run the Boston Marathon in April, it reminded me of how I wish I had the time this year to train and join him. Soon enough! As I hosted our visiting speaker for a preaching lectureship last week, I received one of my favorite compliments to this day. Crawford Loritts used to be the associate director of Campus Crusade and now pastors a large church outside of Atlanta. We ate lunch together and got to talk for awhile. The next day I introduced him to Miho. Instead of replying with something about my passions, gifts, interests, etc., he said, "Your husband smiles alot when he talks about you." As good as it would have been to have him tell her about my gifts or hear for missions, this reminded me of the love I have for her that is evident to others. I didn't think about my facial expression or non-verbal communication during lunch, but I guess it just expresses itself naturally. I just pray that I never stop smiling when I think or talk about Miho! There have been many great CD's released lately that I want to get. This has caused music to be on my mind recently. I've been listening alot to a band that I have just begun to really get into. I began to reflect on how I usually have a "band of the year" that I latch onto. While many bands I still follow over many years, there are usually at least one band that I begin to take an interest in each year. I am the type of person that remembers useless knowledge, especially years related to CD's I listened to or movies that I watched. So, here is my little list of bands that I have been hooked on over the past few years: 2007- Emery (Christian punk band from SC) 2006- Mat Kearney (Acoustic folk Christian singer from Portland) 2005- Mae, Anberlin (Two unique Christian punk, rock bands) 2004- British Invasion bands (I lived in the UK for 4 months and got hooked on some British groups) - Keane, Snow Patrol, Embrace, Damien Rice, Razorlight, etc. 2003- Shane Barnard (Worship leader from Texas) 2002- David Crowder (Worship leader from Waco, TX) 2001- Jimmy Eat World (best friend got me hooked on them, and the drummer was a part of the church I worked at in Phoenix) 2000- Blindside (hard rock Christian band from Sweden) 1999- Switchfoot (Christian band from San Diego, debut album is amazing) 1998- Waterdeep (folk Christian band) 1997- POD (hard rock Christian band) 1996- MXPX (first Christian band I ever really liked) 1995 and earlier- Notorious BIG, Snoop Dogg, Bone, Tupac, etc. (my rap days of junior high :) ) (who would've thought white kids from Iowa loved rap growing up!) | 
