Category Archives: Personal Photos

It takes a Village

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It takes a village to raise a child, or for that matter put her through school.  Whether it be here in the good old US of A or in a small village in Nepal.  It takes everyone doing their part to see to her future.

Many of you already know that I’m headed to Nepal in just a few short weeks to help build a school for girls.  My passion and shire excitement can’t be fully expressed through words.  I’m over the moon with anticipation.  :)   But I’m also nervous.  There’s going to be a lot of first’s on this trip, including a 10 hour hike one way.   But despite all the worrying and fussing, I can’t contain my excitement!  Seriously SOOO much good is going to come from us all being a part of it.  So many amazing souls to meet and hear their story!  So so so much good.   A school means a higher education, life beyond poverty, a future to become whatever they want, a means OUT of their current situation.  And you know what the most amazing part is?  YOU CAN BE A PART OF IT TOO!  When everyone comes together it’s amazing what can be accomplished.  The girls in Nepal need our help and I want to take you along with me to do it…together.  Be apart of something so much larger then yourself and bring hope to hundreds of girls for years to come.   If we work together we can move mountains…maybe even the Himalayan Mountains.  :)

Alexa (another awesome chick headed to Nepal) and I have put together a drink night at Delite to raise funds for the trip and get people involved here.  Check out the invite and if you need something to do on a Tuesday evening, please consider joining us for a Kentucky Cider!   Cider to School House Fund Raiser!  Join us in building a bright and wonderful future for these girls.

When:  Tuesday Nov. 8th  6pm-9pm

Where:  Delite, 32 S. Broadway

Why:  Because a school would mean a BRIGHT future for hundreds of girls.

If you can’t make it out to our event please consider joining us in spirit and donating HERE.  Every amount matters and every heart matters.  I’m so humbled to be the spokesperson for you.  You are the one that make it possible and you are the one that I will carry with me as we do something amazing together.

THANK YOU THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart to all of you who have shown your support in one way or another.  I wish I could squeeze you into my carry on bag.  Your support is what gives me hope that anything is possible when you believe and when people come together.  I’m truly honored to carry the torch and bring new life to girls in Nepal.  *hugs*

I will leave the world a better place then when I found it.
Rachael

Grit and Determination

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Ten months ago I would have said NO WAY.  Six months ago I would have said, not in the plans.  Three months ago I said ‘hell yea I can do this.’  Where does determination like that come from?  To go from why would I do that again to sure I can do a 1/2 in 2 hours.  After my 1/2 marathon experience last year, I said no way I would do that again.  My body just isn’t made for that.  But for some reason in July I decided that not only will I do it again, but I will do it in 2 hours.  Hairy goal for someone who runs a 10 minute to 11 minute mile.  But I put the hammed down and made my plans.   I changed my training to include more strength building and less focus on pure running.  I’d say it worked because not only did I run it in 2 HOURS but I felt good!  REALLY GOOD!  I even sprinted the last 100 yards.  OH HELL YEA is all I gotta say.  :)

The shire number of people running blew my mind.  14,000 runners in the 2011 Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon and 1/2 marathon.  CRAZY!  It was such an experience be surrounded by so much energy.

Cody did an awesome job finding a spot to not only watch me cross the finish line but get a photo too.  :) Notice the look of determination…and not of pain.

It’s so inspiring to see so many runners cross that finish line, but even more so when they’re in a wheel chair.  Brought tears to my eyes.

I will absolutely do this again!  Such an amazing experience!

Summer Vacation

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I miss the days when summer vacation was about relaxing and hanging out with friends.  Now it’s all about working and squeezing your friends in when you can.   Summer has gone by way to fast, as it always seems too.  I use to love summer, the freedom, the long evenings of sun way past bedtime, and the fresh fruit and veggies we’d eat straight from the garden.   Green beans are my favorite followed by raspberries in a close second.  Summers now are a lot of work.  I did choose this profession, but I think it’d be the same if I’d stayed in architecture.

But with every season there is a fresh start.   A new beginning filled with hope and possibility.   For me planning for next year and meeting next year’s couples.  Planning what I’m going to spend my time doing over the sometime low time of Winter.  Yup Fall is definitely a time to stop and saver all the yummy smells and colors.

So here’s to the end of another Summer and looking towards a bright and wondrous Fall.

 

Cheers!

ps. so many posts to do, so little time.

 

Hope Changes The World

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‘Everything that is done in the world

is done by hope.’

-Martin Luther King

July has been a month of catching up on work and finding balance.  It’s been a month of coming to grips with reality and what the future might hold.  I’ve been given an amazing opportunity to take part in over the next few months and I’m just in awe at how life works sometimes.  I’m not where I thought I would be, but the future is looking pretty freak’n amazing even if it’s not what I thought I wanted.  I can’t say what the big opportunity is quiet yet, mostly because I don’t want to jinks it.  But I promise I will be screaming it from the roof tops soon.  And no I’m not pregnant.  :)   It’s an opportunity that will take every ounce of my strength and faith.  Changing paths is difficult, but I know sometimes you just have to step out onto the water and have faith.  Even if you’re petrified.

Life as a home owner

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Life as a home owner is always interesting, especially when you bought a foreclosure property.  Many of you already know that we are always doing something to the house, but recently it’s just been boring projects that you really don’t even see.  But over the fourth of July weekend we called in the troops, aka our fathers, to help build a much needed deck in the backyard.  When we bought the house the yard was nothing but weeds.  We planted grass and put in the pavers our first summer in the house.  Then along came a four legged crazy dog named Champ, who promptly all but destroyed the grass.   The back step had become nothing but dirt, which of course brought the dirt straight into my kitchen….anyone with a dog or children can relate to a dirty kitchen floor.  So a deck was put into the plans this summer.  Which I have to say the boys did a fabulous job, and in a day I might add.  I’m already envisioning the new path to the gate and a big patio under the tree….awww the joys of do it yourself.  :)   Anyway I thought you all would enjoy knowing what we’ve been up to beyond the day to day wedding biz.

Champ likes his new squirrel watching perch too.

And my own personal victory, we now have a disk washer!  Five years of hand washing have paid off in a brand new stainless steel dishwasher.  It’s bizarre to see the sink empty.

Hurray to all the Weekend Warriors out there!