My morning

Just because I thought you could all enjoy a good laugh, let me tell you about my morning! : )

• First I awaken to the beautiful music of lawn mowers and weed eaters going at full speed right outside my window. Love wake up calls like that!
• I manage to shower and dress. Then walk to the thermostat to turn the A/C down (as in warmer) while we're at work. What do I see? I giant cockroach on his back in the midst of biting the dust. YUCK. I can't even tell you how much I hate those things. I even get the condo sprayed 4 times a year to avoid this. (Why wasn't he there when Isaac got up?)
• I then go to get my coffee and realize that somehow the burner on the coffee maker turned off. No worries--I reheated my coffee in the microwave. Almost good as new.
• I sat down on the couch to drink my coffe and check my email. I got up to brush my teeth, then sat back down on the couch. OOPS--forgot that I left my coffee mug on the couch cushion... so when I sat down, the mug spilled and got coffee all over the couch, and all over my clothes. I had to change every article of clothing I had on... and of course I had on a white shirt!
• Left for work and noticed the rain gradually increasing so I got to walk into work in the down pour. When it's raining like that, it's impossible to stay dry.
• Got to the office and realized that the two people I want to hear from (read: HR and hiring manager) are out for the next few days. So much for getting my answer on the job today.
• On a positive note: I did my devotion this morning at the kitchen table for the first time in months... I noticed that the flat, hard surface of the wood table was a much better platform for my coffee mug!

So, I'm going to count it a victory when I get through this day. Tomorrow's gotta be better! : ) Hope your mornings went a lot better!

Interviews and Running

It's been an exciting couple weeks here in the Johnson household. Isaac and I have both been interviewing for new jobs--both of us within our current organizations. Isaac flies to Pittsburgh on Tuesday to interview Wednesday for an Energy Engineer position. This would be an amazing opportunity for him. So please pray that he will knock their socks off--just like I know he will (you should see how he has prepared for these interviews).

I am in the waiting stage. I've had a phone screen with HR, a phone interview with the hiring mgr, and 3 hours of in person interviews last week. Was that ever intense! I should hear something this week, so we'll see how it works out. I would definitely appreciate your prayers as I've had a hard time sleeping with all this job excitement. We've both had major roller coasters at work recently, and it would be nice for things to settle down for awhile.

On another front, running is going well! I almost logged 100 miles this month--probably my most ever since I was training for the Marine Corps Marathon in 2006. I think I was 9 short, and I just couldn't get it in gear yesterday to run. I think the blisters on my feet were probably thankful! : ) We have the Rock 'N Roll 1/2 marathon in Va. Beach this weekend. I am so excited! The best part is spending the weekend with Kathleen and Haley. The race starts at 7 am on Sunday, so I'm hoping for the best weather possible. (Plus I've been training in this hot, soupy weather all summer.)

I'll post pictures and updates as I get them. Thanks for your prayers!

My Prayer

Hi all. I realize I've been feeling disconnected spiritually recently. I think what usually happens is that I experience some really stressful things and then I get anxious... and then in my anxiety, I try to "figure things out" and do "contingency planning" on my own... and God gets completely squeezed out.

I am a fairly anxious person by nature, and this is a battle I've constantly stuggled with throughout my life. Poor Isaac is so patient. And I'm sure he, along with God, sit back and chuckle some times at the depth of angst I subject myself to. Isaac will often say wise things like, "It will happen when you're ready." "This turned out exactly how it was meant to turn out." It's very zen and often exactly what I need to hear--that I don't have to DO anything... that I can let life happen... and trust that I will be just where I need to be.

My devotion today was on the peace of God that passes all understanding... one of my favorites verses. Today I am praying to experience this grace and peace... and to pray for others to experience the same. Perhaps in this intention I will feel a little less disconnected, and more aware of how God is working in my life--whether I do anything or not.

You had a bad day...

You all know the song, right? "You had a bad day, You're taking one down, You sing a sad song just to turn it around..." That sums up my last 3 days at work. BAD. I'm in the midst of another huge work project, and things are really hard. My comment that I can't travel to Greenville, SC on Sept 20th (my 1st anniversary, and a Sunday) for training in our Greenville, SC office... turned into "Andrea is unwilling to train"--said by someone in a meeting where I couldn't defend myself.

I was totally crushed... and then I got angry.

I have totally poured myself and my energy into this job. And it hurts when you are betrayed by someone you thought would be on your team.

Then it turns out those that sit around me are upset over what they've heard over the past couple days. I'll be honest, some of it hasn't been pretty (but not about them). Trying to tell a good friend how awful it is to cry at your staff meeting isn't not the easiest thing to do. And perhaps I should have gone home, or gone into a conference room. But I just needed to vent. And when I vent, most of the time I'm not too quiet about it.

So, I've cried the last 3 hours. And Isaac has been such a friend to comfort me during these tears. I know I need to do something different. But goodness, I wish it didn't have to be this hard.

Please pray for me--for wisdom, and healing, and forgiveness, and reconciliation... and just to feel not attacked anymore. I am trying to look for how God might be working in this situation. Surely he is there... I just need to trust he has something to say to me. And then be obedient to whatever that is.

Thanks friends.

2 Years

Yesterday was the 2nd anniversary of my first date with Isaac. I came home from work after a pretty hard day, and he arrived home a few minutes later. He went into the bedroom and closed the door... then a few minutes later, he told me to close my eyes. (I promise this is G rated people!) A few moments later I heard him going out the door. And then the door bell rang. I answered the door and there Isaac stood, in the exact outfit he wore on our first date. He took me to Raleigh Times, where we had our first date. And we reminisced about the whirlwind the past 2 years have been.

I am so grateful for Isaac. For his thoughtfulness and compassion... for how easily he extends grace to me when I'm having a bad day, and how he makes me laugh, and how I feel completely safe and at ease when I'm with him. God really did bless me with an incredible husband. And I am so thankful!

33rd Birthday

I celebrated my 33rd birthday on Friday, August 14th. I worked all day. Then Isaac took me to Irregardless Cafe for dinner. We had a couple friends over for cake and ice cream, and enjoyed the carrot cake with cream cheese icing that Isaac made for me. YUM. It was a last minute plan, but I am so glad we had friends over. It reinforces what an extrovert I am, and how much is nourishes me to be with other people.


Isaac and I ran 13.5 miles on Saturday morning training for the Rock 'N Roll 1/2 marathon on Labor Day weekend in Va. Beach. We were more than a bit sore after we finished, but felt better after we moved around (and took a bunch of advil!). Isaac headed to work and I waited for my family to arrive.

My twin sister Kathleen and niece Haley arrived at lunchtime to spend the rest of the weekend. My mom came up from Burlington to take us to lunch. We had a yummy lunch at Sitti, a Lebanese restaurant. Mom enjoyed her goat cheese and orange salad with salmon. And the rest of us enjoyed chicken salad. It was delicious.

Isaac came back from work and had bags and bags of groceries for us. We had not been to the grocery store in awhile, so we needed a lot. We made chicken enchiladas and Spanish rice for dinner. It was yummy.

We enjoyed each other's company and all crashed around 10. Haley had been at overnight Girl Scout camp the week before and was exhausted as we were (from getting up at 5:30 to run). We woke up and had a nice breakfast together, did a little shopping, then headed to 5 Guys for lunch. Again, YUM.

It was such a blessing to celebrate my birthday with friends and family. Isaac worked very hard to make sure I had one of the best birthdays ever. He gave me parts of the Willow Tree Nativity scene for a gift. I love it! Isaac said to me on Friday morning, "Today is your birthday, but for me, today is Thanksgiving." I have the sweetest husband EVER!

Here's a picture of us before Kathleen and Haley headed back to Virginia Beach:

Haley Bug's Visit

We had such a great time having our niece Haley last week (thus the lack of posts). Haley is 10 years old and will be in the 5th grade this school year. She is incredibly sweet, bright, and loving. This is the third year we've had her come to Raleigh for a week during the summer. She went to Eco-Explorer's camp at Umstead Park while we were at work. Then, in the evenings we spent the whole evening together--cooking, visiting cousins, playing Jenga, and catching up on movies. Here is a great picture of Haley and Isaac playing their marathon game of Jenga. They did SO well!

Here is a picture of Haley before camp one morning. Isn't she precious? She got to go canoeing, hiking, swimming, and camp out over night at Umstead with her camper friends. What was her favorite part of camp? "The SMORES!" Now that's my girl!


Each night, Isaac and I tucked Haley into bed. We said our prayers (Haley learned the Lord's Prayer in record time!), read a little Nancy Drew, and snuggled. Isaac snapped this shot on one of our last evenings together. What a precious memory!


We love our Haley Bug and can't wait till next summer when she gets to come back for another week... although, she's coming back with her mom (my twin sister) next weekend to celebrate our 33rd birthday. Can't wait!