5.12.4.

5 hours of sleep.

12 hours of work.

4 hours at a concert.

---------

that was my LONG exhausting day yesterday.

but i will say...

flogging molly

is a fuuunnnn awesome band!

we saw them for free last night.

its IRISH- dancing. punk. loud. awesome music.

despite being soooo tired-

we had a blast.

yesterday was a free show at Duke- to celebrate the last day of class.

we enjoyed it for sure.

but i might say i enjoyed my bed much more.

i slept a gooood nine hours last night in our frigid house.

and only frigid bc it was THIRTY degrees outside last night.

i had to bring in all of the plants!

they are slowing growing!! so ill post pics soon.

off to work now-

today ry will finish all of his papers!! then its summer time for him!

wooooo! :)

love & peace

bort

marvelous monday...

so many things to be thankful for....
let me just go through my day and tell you how marvelous it has been.

.... bike ride (even though i thought i was dying- it was good to do some excercise... especially on a beautiful day!)
.... sunshine
.... a day of shopping sales
... finding perfect secret presents for people
... finding a new coverlet/quilt for our bed
... cooking a homemade dinner for the hubs
... eating previous mentioned dinner- together. just us.
... making cookies with my sweet hubs
... spending a lot of time texting my bestie today
... starting a super fun craft project
... taking some pics
... seeing growth in my garden
... new kitchen gadgets
... my book
...getting 2 more books in the mail today (purchased prior to my pact not to buy more. plus they are used from betterworld books. so they are good)

its been such a marvelous monday!
back to some school work tomorrow... but def more craft time and relaxin with the hubs!

:) love & peace & happiness
bort

oh my

this book



is sooooo dang good.
i just started it tonight... in a good old coffee shop...
and i can't put it down.
OH MY GOSH.
im glad it was on the top of my list because its going to get marked off quite quickly!

in honor of the road...
here is my favorite road picture

saturday night...

this was my saturday night...
captured by my awful cell phone camera.
despite that...
i got off work FOUR HOURS EARLY!
so i came home... did some laundry.
did a little hw (like 2 hours worth)
and then finished this book while eating a bowl of ice cream
in my super awesome lion bowl from katie b!

so the book.
it was good. very quick read. and although it won't be a favorite of mine, it was still very enjoyable. its the story of a 12year old. she gets wrapped up in this fantasy about her brother's wedding. she has decided she is moving away from her small town- and with her brother after his wedding. of course his brother knows none of this. this book is a fun little adventure... with a lot more depth than i am letting on.

------

today ... im doing more homework. taking a quiz. and then starting the road.
probably throw in some laundry and a trip to starbucks.
sounds like a good rainy/stormy sunday to me.

love & peace
bort

a real post....

::lake j last weekend::
all the pics are from our mini mountain vacay

well i have finally come up with an extensive book list.
its long.
quite long.
but im going to push through and just start reading as much of it as i can before school!
4months... should be able to knock lots out.
hopefully by having a list i can stay on top of my reading- AND book buying.
i tend to buy lots and lots of books.
i am planning on not buying any more books
unless its on my list.
and after i have read it.
yes. after i have read it.
i plan on checking out the books from the local library...
or pulling them off the shelf in our family library...
and only buying if i love it.
we shall see how that goes!


the current read is "the member of the wedding" a classic by carson mccullers.
so far its good. not really going to be a favorite- but its def a good (and quick) read.
next up is The Road by mcarthy. ill keep you posted on my reading progress as i go through.
then perhaps do a lil mini book review afterwards.


today i accomplished lots of school work-
(all my classes for the week- now just need to do the hw & quiz)
ran some errands-
and had a fun lil date with my hubs-
local brick oven pizza place
(broad street cafe)
followed by a lil ben & jerry's!
mmmmmm. so good!



ry & i are going out tonight to celebrate the end of classes for him & his friends!
should be lots of fun.
he has finals all next week... aka LOTS OF PAPERS!
then home free until semptember! woohooo.



speaking of ry... here he is before the big meeting.
lookin so gooood ;)


well thats life for now...
well except for possibly the most exciting news in my life right now...
IM GOING TO FLORIDA in THREE WEEKS!! from today actually!
crazy long story- but basically im flying down to see sara! wooooo
then driving my mema back to georgia...
spending time with MY FAMILY...
then back to nc!
its going to be crazy, but soooo awesommmmeeee.

ok. well back to reading.
before we go celebrate.

:) Love & Peace
bort

well darn.

i need to blog.
my apologies that i have not made it here for a full "real" blog lately.
but ill get here.
soon enough.

after our amazing weekend trip-
ive stayed busy busy.
homework
housework
the real work for 25 hours...
that'll do the trick.

off tomorrow for a day of homework-
a blog post-
and a date night with the sweet wonderful hubs-

love & peace
bort

dang

i was so busy doing other things today...
i didn't realize (until now)
that i haven't posted a 'monday thanks' in TWO weeks.
ill get on that.
asap.

homework

i have homework to do.
just a small retake of a quiz & some reading....

and then home work such as paying bills...
mailing some things....
getting a background check for school....

but i really dont want to do any of those things.
i just want to be a lazy bum.
sit outside and read my fun book.

ughhhh i need motivation!
maybe ill start with breakfast.

mountains

i love the mountains.
its so beautiful here.
the air is better for you.
its cool at night.
pretty trees.
lots of pretty flowers.
lakes, creeks.

tonight we hopped in the car and just drove...
through the mountains.
just to drive.

it was wonderful.
we have had such a great relaxing weekend
tomorrow is one of ryan's meetings with the UMC board to become certified.
wooooo.
haha..... anyway.
it made for a great trip to the mountains!
and made me hope that maybe one day... not TOO far away...
we will be setting up house here.

fun thought!
ill post pictures of our lovely trip soon.

love & peace
bort

PS... still taking favorite book recommendations!
tell me your favorite book/what i should read.
ive started a MASSIVE list. its turned into a life list.
because i can't read them all in the next 4 months... haha...
but still. LET ME KNOW your favorite book!

adventure

we are going here.
today.
to spend some good quality time... with the united methodist.

ry has a meeting with the board to be ordained...
so we are making an adventure out of it

im excited to getaway
smell the mountain air
sit by a pool
relax
....and well do lots of homework at the same time

anyway.
we are off on our last minute mountain trip
yay for spontaneity.

ps... i still want YOUR book favorites!
im compiling my list!

love & peace
bort

readers,

why hello again.

im sorry to have been away for so long.
there is no real reason---
but im here now.
pondering two things...

the beautiful earth...
and good books.

today was the perfect day-
seventies- blue blue sky- light breeze-
so i planted a small garden.
i enjoyed getting my hands dirty
playing in the potting soil-
planting seeds- that probably wont' grow.



but i can still hope.
ill water them. rotate the pots in the sun.
and hope they will grow & produce!
just one little strawberry.
thats all i want!




so i spent a little time outside... which i hope to do tomorrow as well.

and now im inside reading.
right now im reading donald miller's recent book:
a million miles in a thousand years

its a really great one so far.
makes ya think. lets ya laugh.
enjoyable for sure.

so let me back up for a minute.
the past two days ive sat in a class.
it consisted of around 9 different lectures all about working in the emergency room in one way or another. it was so great. i really enjoyed it. im not sure if its because i LOVE the classroom?! or what. but really. i love listening, learning, and gaining knowledge. i LOVE it.
which gets me SOOOO excited about starting school-
in whats that...
FOUR MONTHS!

in 4 months my life will drastically change... and one of the biggest changes will probably be the lack of time i have to read for fun.
i love reading.... for fun. novels. chickflicks. historical books. i love it all.
so im thinking....
i have 4 months to read whatever i want!! before 3 years of no reading for fun at all.
i need a list.
i need your help.
if you only had 4 months to read ...
what would you read!!
i'd love your suggestions.
just your favorite book.
just a recommendation!
and starting NOW-
im going to try and read & read & read!



leave me a comment and tell me your favorite book!
if i get a good enough list i'll compile a big list. and start marking off the books!

....for now. its back to donald miller.

hope you all are doing superbly well.
love & peace
bort

sleepy

tired.
exhausted.
...all of the above.

the last two days of work were so exhausting.
mentally, physically, emotionally-
just draining.
i worked 4 12's this week...
which is like a total of 50 hours (when you add up the extra time before and after)

it was soooo exhausting.
i haven't been as tired as i was last night in YEARS!
like back to the college days.

anyway... i have slept 11 hours-
and plan on spending today relaxing.
i have homework to do (lotssss. darn statistics)
but at least i can sit down and do it.
or even spend time at a coffee shop doing work.

its soooo pretty out!
50's- sunny- green!
mmm. hopefully i can get outside
as long as the pollen doesn't kill me!

ok. enough rambling about nothing.

peace & love
bort

exhausted...

physically.
mentally.
emotionally.

im drained.

i just had five days off work...
but its amazing what 3 12 hour days in a row will do to you.
im beat.
and still have another day to go.

off to sleep before 12 more hours...

love. peace.
bort

"we won the national championship"

... the simple first words of coach k today inside cameron.

to outsiders... you may never understand.
but to dukies and really anyone that loves college basketball...
when your team wins the national championship
its AWESOME!!

last night ry & i joined 4,000 other students (and spouses) inside duke's home gym to watch the national championship game. it was UNREAL. so tense.
if you didn't see it... you should watch it online... but it went back and forth the WHOLE GAME.
in the end duke was the better team. and pulled out an amazing win.

inside cameron
we stormed the court-
went crazy in the middle of the court-
then headed out to the quad to celebrate around the bonfire.

it was (probably) a once in a lifetime experience
and one i wont forget

here are a few pics from the night:

right after the win... middle of the court... final score & the newspaper...

the bonfire...

the happy couple

Here is an AWESOME picture... that really shows how awesome the bonfire is... and its really all about the tradition of it. its just what duke does.

http://www.bluevsblue.com/home/2010/4/6/bonfire-of-the-crazies.html

anyway. off to bed after a long day of work.

love & peace
& GO DUKE!

bort

gracias

so much to be thankful for today...

-beach trips



- cheese dip
- laughter
--- laughter that makes your belly hurt & your eyes water
- family time




- hot warm weather
- cool nights
- bright flowers



- amazing church music
- the hallelujah's back in church :)
- JESUS
- aloe vera
- green grass
- easter baskets



- candy
- DUKE IN THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
- my amazing in- laws

.... hitting the road to the north to get back in time for the game
the BIG game

love & peace
bort

ha-la-la-la-la-le-lu-u-jah

its easter!
a day to celebrate!
rejoice & be glad!

its been such a wonderful trip home.
both ryan and i have had such a fabulous time-
relaxing- getting things accomplished- enjoying the fam- watching tv- reading books- and enjoying life.

sad to head back north tomorrow- but not much longer before we are back down again.

the sunburn is ...possibly... getting worse.
the car ride is probably going to be awful.
but oh well.
in case you didn't know
monday night is the NCAA division 1
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP...
and of course
DUKE MADE IT!!

ry & i will be watching inside cameron
cheering on duke with our fellow dukies-
we are quite excited.

its going to be a long, but fun day!

off to watch my new favorite tv show...
LIFE!
on discovery.
its aaammmaazzing.
check it out.

ok. im out...
love & peace
bort

sunshine + my skin =

A bURN!

the hubs, rob (mom in law), & i went to the beach today
first time since august...
and well. it was
WONDERFUL
but my skin is a lil crispy.

yes mom i wore sunscreen.
it just wasn't enough.
only there a couple hours- but it didn't matter.
maybe the worst part is i am burned awkwardly.
like the back of my legs.
behind my knees.
and my shoulder blades.
oh well.
a lil aloe- and a couple days-
ill be back to my white pasty self.

duke basketball tonight.
you better believe we will be watching, and doing cheers, and going crazy.

let's go duke!

peace & love
bort

semana santa.

a year ago i was in guatemala.
its crazy how quickly a year flies by and how dramatically life can change.

when i was in guatey
it just so happened to be semana santa or holy week- and we just so happened to be in Antigua.
Antigua is known globally for its Holy Week festivities-
people travel from all over the world to take part and experience the week long event.

The festivities begin on Palm Sunday when Jesus is carried from church to church throughout the city on the shoulders of the devoted followers. The men dress in purple robes and carry these massive 'floats' throughout the week. Each night another procession takes place replicating the final days of Christ on earth. Imagine in your head: MASSIVE PARADE.

On Good Friday the streets are covered with alfombras (or carpets) of flowers, pines, clover, fruits and anything that is all nautural. We were told the poorer families that want to participate use saw dust that they color to make the carpet and the richer families use real flowers and fruits. The carpets are constructed right in front of the homes and businesses along the route of the final parade. People spend hundreds of hours and all their hard earned money on their afombra- all to prepare the way for Jesus on his way to the cross.
It truly is a remarkable sight.

On the evening of Good Friday their is a drama that depicts the trial and sentencing of Jesus.
(that part we did not see- it was after dark. and well going out after dark wasn't something we wanted to do)
anyway- we were able to watch some families while they constructed their alfombra-
and see the final product while we watched the parade pass through town.
it was truly an unforgettable experience.

the one below is made of SAWDUST!
slowly assembled together to make this incredible design.

maybe my favorite:

there are thousands of people gathered to watch the parade...
this guy found the best seat in the house.
on top of the roof.

sometimes it seems that we forget all about semana santa
we celebrate palm sunday-
maybe go to a good friday service-
and then its easter.

i love that this city shuts down for a week.
no one works.
no one does anything.

they focus on the passion of Christ.
all week long.

perhaps there is a lot to learn from the amazing people of Guatemala.

---------

enough pondering for now...
love & peace
bort