Chris has to work two weeks (6 shifts total) of night shift and I'm just going to complain for two seconds because I can't stand it. I don't know how people do it forever and I am super lucky that I can go into work at night if needed so we're not on completely opposite schedules.

2 seconds over. Sorry.

I've been feeling soooo weird lately because this weather is outrageous and bipolar! My body is like WHATAREWEDOING..and we have winter clothes and summer clothes and spring clothes all over our house because we don't want to pack anything away at this point. Crazytown. I'm taking vitamins like I'm getting payed for it because ain't nobody got time to be sick up in here.

Happy Ash Wednesday. I'm majorly sad that we are missing, for the first time in years, our Ash Wednesday service at the Lilleypad. It was always one of my favorites. Thinking of you guys, Kim and Aaron!

I never gave up anything for lent until college..I'm not sure why. It wasn't a big thing in our house growing up and I never really thought about it..but I grew to love it once I studied fasting in general..not just during this season. While fasting from a variety of "things" can still be considered fasting, scriptural fasting meant giving up food and/or drink. There are so many cultures in which fasting is done regularly..and ours just isn't one of them. (Actually, I was just talking to Liz about this as she's in Africa and living in community with people who fast regularly.) But I was fortunate to live amongst community in my later college years that made it a habit for a variety of reasons (prayer, worship, etc.) I was blown away by the significance and beauty of fasting in a way I hadn't been before..so when lent came around I was excited to engage in a specific type of fasting to prepare for Easter. We don't give up things for lent because we feel like we have to, but we desire to use fasting as a form of worship and prayer in a way that is much more physical, which I love. It's a re-orientation and "turning" back towards God..and it's amazing how abstaining from something you eat/drink/do frequently really reminds you so much more throughout the day of your purpose here and the one who brought you.

I'm a fan. Thanks, Jesus. If you've never fasted before, I recommend researching fasting in scripture first to get grounded. You'll love it, promise.

"Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return" (Gen3:19) are typically the words spoken when marked with ash, and in the past I always found this beautiful..but nowhere NEAR as beautiful as it is this year after Ellie. Those words just really hit a special place in my heart today because of her short life. I don't know how to describe the way it makes me feel--but I am surely reminded that our time here is so short...whether 9 months long or 90 years.......I want my whole life to be a turning towards the only Love that matters.