Changes in Motion

  Like most people, I have oodles of goals, plans, dreams, ideas, hopes... sometimes it almost seems like life is just too short for it all. I just happen to be one of the lucky few who married someone similar.

  Anyway, we’ve recently been evaluating our current life in comparison to our goals and dreams. And sadly it seems that we’re a bit off track, which is why we've decided to change it up a bit.

  For starters, we aren't attending Rhema Bible Training Center anymore. Yes, I know: shock, confusion, disappointment, you're-out-of-the-will-of-God... ok, are you done now? Good. It's not like we didn't pray about it. It's not like we made a rash decision. We prayed, listened, had a peace, and followed it. Now we're able to put the money we had been spending on RBTC on our credit cards, or savings, or toward accomplishing some of our short-term goals.... which brings me to another point.

  Now that we have more time and are focusing more on accomplishing some of our goals, and learning Spanish is one of them, we splurged and bought Rosetta Stone Levels 1 & 2. This means I should be speaking Spanish in 7 days + 10 minutes. {For those of you who are slightly less radio-commercialized, the software takes 7 days to be delivered, and they promise you'll be speaking your new language in "10 minutes or less!"} We'll see how that goes.

  Also in that ‘goals' category falls 'move out of Oklahoma'. The less politically correct version is ' get the heck out of this boring, flat, barren state'. In June we will be gracing the beautiful state of Colorado with our presence. We have quite a plan in mind.

  At the end of May we will move out of Tulsa and drive to the Denver area where we'll stay for about 5 days. We’ll rent a storage unit and put everything we own there, we won’t look for an apartment, and we won't get a job.

  Instead we're going to go on an insane journey hiking the Colorado Trail. It’s a 485 mile trail through the Rocky Mountains, stretching from Littleton, CO to Durango, CO. I really can't wait! I'm so excited!

  So, changes are in motion. Once again, I’m breaking the mold. And I love it.

Of Sidewalk Musicians & Sore Mucles

  Last weekend we drove the flat, boring 73 miles to Oklahoma City, and somehow ended up in a magical, almost whimsical, bit of forgotten life. Downtown OKC seems like a million miles away from the normal, dirty, gang-ridden downtown scene.

  El and I wandered through the narrow streets, listening to the clip-clip-clip of hooves against the brick-paved roads, the high-pitched ringing of bicycle bells, the low rush of water as bright yellow gondolas passed underneath our bridge. There's a tall red-head in a black velvet dress playing violin on the street corner. She has quite a crowd gathered around her, and her small son, dressed in a mini- tuxedo and top hat, is playing with the coins left by appreciative listeners. Just past her is a lanky bicycle-carriage driver. Judging by his passenger’s curious looks and whispers, his dread-locked hair and big smile are fascinating to them. White lights are reflecting off the river beneath us, where a guitarist is singing and couples stroll down the sidewalk with eyes only for each other.

  We stand there for what seems like hours, until El gently tugs on my hand and reminds me that we both need some sleep.

  By the next morning the magical remainders of our night have long vanished, now replaced with a crazy, silly, excitement. Pack the bags, check out, and head to the water park! Windy, warm morning... perfect for hitting the water slides. The sun lives up to expectations, keeping us hot and darkening our previously fading tan. Eight hours, a foot-long corn dog, and the best workout I've had in months, we finally head home to Tulsa. And I can hardly move. Talk about aching muscles! I hurt in places I didn't even know I could hurt.

Our weekend still isn’t quite over… now we're headed to the drive-in movie theatre. and then home. and sleep.