Advent blog: When everything is right

There are times in my life when I have to stop and say that everything seems right...like it's really going well.  I didn't really have an appreciation for most o these things until I was an adult.

My marriage
I was 18 and David was 25 when we met Easter weekend during my Freshman year of college.  We have been together since the night we met, our first date was the next day.  I didn't know anything about this guy, I just knew I wanted to be with him for the long haul.  There was no reason our relationship lasted more than a few weeks and a lot of reasons why it shouldn't have, but it did.In December 1998 we were engaged and we were married on September 11, 1999.  We have lived through for better and for worse (blog later in the month) and sickness and health.  We have grown into adults together, which means we are different people now than we were then.  But he's still here every day (when one of us isn't on the road) and hasn't bailed out yet.

My house
First and foremost I have a roof over my head and I always have, even when I didn't have a "home."  I have never had to spend a night on the street, and for that I am thankful.  I left for college when I was 18 and haven't lived with my parents since then.  I lived in the dorm for 4 of 5 years of undergrad and university apartments for 5th year.  Halfway through my freshman year my parents moved to Mexico for 3 years.  Dorms close during the holidays and summers and I needed to work during the summers, but I was always able to find a place to live: Gantzer's house one summer, St. Francis one summer, Lexington, Kentucky during my internship, and the planner chick house.  In 2004 when I started working in Indianapolis, David and I decided it was time to buy a house.  We had been well extolled of the virtues of homeownership.  There  are things that are wonderful including that we are able to host family and friends comfortably in the large public areas of our home.  Our house has appreciated in value over the time we have been here.  I have lived in our house longer than at any single address in my life.

My job
I have one.  That's a big deal.  I didn't appreciate how big of a deal that was until I was laid off four years ago.  When you are laid off because there is no work in your industry, you know the chances of finding a job are not great - it's not like people are hiring.  I was fortunate to be laid off for only a month and join a great non-profit with a wonderful staff.  Most of the time I can use my skills and strengths to advance our mission and that is important to me.  I have flexible hours and can work from a variety of locations.  I have great benefits (ok, less vacation than my first job, but university vacation is amazing).  While we're on my job and it's Giving Tuesday, visit www.iaced.org and make a donation - we help a network of organizations in Indiana help create vital communities and resilient families.

My circle of friends and larger network
I have some amazing friends.  Many of whom I didn't know 7 or 10 years ago.  For a long time my friend network was pretty small.  Ten years ago we joined St. Paul's and since then we have met and become friends with so many amazing people.  We are so fortunate to be part of that community.  Seven years ago I made a pretty big lifestyle change.  With that came joining Indy Runners and from there and relationships formed there I have an amazing network of athlete friends - runners and triathletes - that are also really cool people. I also have a great network of people I know and can reach out to or connect other people to each other easily.

My health
Injury and chronic disease aside, I am healthier now that I have been in my adult life.  I can do things I couldn't have imagined 10 years ago.  I have run 4 marathons and 53 half marathons.  I run at least 1,000 miles a year.  I have ridden my bike across Iowa twice.  I have ridden 100 miles or more in a day 5 times.  I am a half Ironman.  More importantly, I was able to witness the beauty and wonder of God's glory hiking in Wyoming with my husband of 15 years last September.  We weren't able to do much hiking on our honeymoon in Estes Park, Colorado...I wouldn't have been able to go very far.  We saw a lot of beautiful things, but mostly from a car and scenic overlooks.

There is a lot that is right in my world.  As I watch and wait this Advent, my I be aware of my blessings.