August: Done

How in the world is it already the end of the month? Seriously!?!!?!?!? This was the biggest whirlwind of a month I think I've ever had.

* Had a chance to speak to a group from IWU when they came to visit the station. It was such a fun day to have them observe the show and then give them a tour!!

* Began the official, hard-core, planned-out training for the 10K. I've been pushing myself to run on my own for a couple of months, but I printed out the official (granted, NOVICE) training program and began the days of stop-watched runs and cross training and stretching and...and...and...

* Thoroughly enjoyed the Olympics which, of course, technically began in July but the bulk of the viewing pleasure fell in this month!

* Went to the zoo...okay...TWICE! Two zoos, two purposes. Once for work and once just 'cause!

* Worked the Fandana Music, Arts, and Film Festival in Huntington. Ended up getting a beautiful day to be outside.

* Spent some quality time with the fam when my brother-in-law, Jeff, came home to visit for a few days! Always good to see him.

* Finally got rid of my gray roots...an adventure only about 2 months overdue. YUCK!! Think I'm entering a growing-out-the-bangs phase, too. I'll keep you posted on that.

* Worked my only Super Summer Sticker Stop, which was, of all places, in a WALMART parking lot! That was the day the lady showed up with an alligator. Only Bekah!

* Attended the Women of Faith Conference in Indianapolis, which resulted in my infamous run-in with hotel security, since clearly I looked questionable. Eyeroll.

* Got to meet up with friends for dinner now and then, which was so wonderful. I feel like I need a whole separate 24 hours in each day to keep up with everyone!

And y'all...the crops and trees are turning...I feel like we should be entering OCTOBER, not September. What in the world is up with this early fall????? I feel like I'm completely losing time here!

July: Done

How in the world is July DONE?? Seriously?!?!? This year is flying faster than I can keep up with it!

I spent the first couple of business days working from home because Fort Wayne was still recovering from a HUGE power outage after a 91 mile an hour wind/thunderstorm.

Elected to watch fireworks on TV instead of in person because it was 23840283409820349823 degrees outside on the 4th of July. Even at 10 pm.

Got my first honest to goodness photography gig at a golf outing Lynne's husband organized. It was 2903842038402384382 degrees that day too, but such fun to be-bop around a golf course with Lynne for a whole day!!

Spent an evening at the Howard County 4H Fair with my friend Amber. Perfect night. Not too hot, not too cold, not rainy, a little sunny....that's great fair weather!

Participated in the Three Rivers Festival Parade again this year - sporting my lime green Bekah shirt. :)

Worked the Children's Fest with my friend, Sheryl. We had to move to plan B on what we did at the festival, due to technical difficulties, but we still had a great time!

Officially registered for the 10K race I'm participating in this fall! It's for real now! (Gulp!)

Fully immersed myself in the OLYMPICS, BABY!!! The one time in life I'm more excited about the sports than the accompanying party!! :)

Had a chance to visit the lake again, which I loved, because you know how I love water. Won't even tell you how many hours in a row I sat staring at the water and praying...

All in all a fantastic month, despite extreme heat and lack of water in our state. So happy for a beautiful month of memories!!

June: Done

The beginning of June feels like it was 850 years ago. CRAZY. It's been one full and beautiful month!

Started the Experiencing God study with my Sunday School class at church. The daily homework is a discipline to complete, but God is definitely using the study to teach me!

Had the privilege to interview Bruce Marchiano, about his role of portraying Jesus in a few movies...and that interview was an honor!!

Attended my friend Lisa's baby shower and had a blast catching up with friends I made during Olivia's wedding!

Spent an afternoon with my buddies James and Liam - which was fun unbridled...and also exhausting! Two boys wear a person out!

Crashed one of the station's Sticker Stops to hang out with my friends Sheryl, Amy, and Anna. You know you love your job when you voluntarily go see your work buds OFF the clock.

Went to Savannah and Liam's art show and got to see some of their creativity unleashed. Not gonna lie - they did great. Much better than I would have. :)

Went swimming at Rachel's house which reminded me how grateful I am to have A) friends and 2) friends with pools.

Rented a car for the first time in my life for my trip to visit Lynnette in Asheville, North Carolina. Fell in love with little Sammy the Civic and decided I wanted to keep him. (I didn't.)

Drove BY MYSELF to Asheville and back, making it my first ever solo trip of that distance AND my first time in the mountains. Fell in love with those, too!

Visited the Biltmore Estate, traveled on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and attended a Shakespeare play all as part of Lynnette's birthday weekend adventure!

First trip to Lake Webster for the season - resulted in a crazy ridiculous sunburn but so much fun o the side!!

Visited my college roommate and my sister on one of my vacation days! Great to see both of them.

Served dinner at the PARTY PALOOZA winner's party in Fort Wayne - a luau theme! And yes. I wore a grass skirt, thankyouverymuch.

Rounding out the month with a game night with my high school buddies!

May: Done

This was one CRAZY busy month. I am not even sure when I had time to shower. But I did. I mean really. I promise.

Had a chance to speak at the Maple Run Friends Mother/Daughter Banquet - which was a wonderful evening with my friends. I was thankful to be invited to share!

Went house hunting with Abby (my realtor) and found a house I LOVED. Loved, loved, loved. (Will it love me back? I don't know.)

Spent a day at the Cherished Moments Craft Hideaway - with good friends, and accomplished a TON.

Got my first cold in over a year and was NOT happy about it. Sore throat...fever...sounded like the Allstate Man and Bea Arthur all rolled into one. Attractive for a job in radio.

Started my official training for the 10K this fall...and was pleased with the progress I made along the way...and surprised at some of the obstacles.

Worked the Secret Keeper Girl event in Ohio, and managed to get pulled over on the way home...STUPID BURNED OUT HEADLIGHT!! :)

Enjoyed a VERY fun birthday with all my work buddies, my friends, and my parents. Loved feeling so loved!

Went on a weekender vacation with Miss Lynne, checking out the worlds of Granville and German Village in Ohio. AND - fulfilled my summer livin' list item of going to a Farmer's Market! YAY!!

Took a day trip to Shipshewana where I not only had fun, but added to my embarrassing moments reel. It never ends.

Enjoyed a scrapping day with Miss Marie... and got all caught up on my little scrapbook.

Picked up my sister at the airport and got us lost in Indianapolis the night before the Indy 500. Brilliant. Then we spent a quality weekend together hanging out and SHOPPING!!

Bought my first ever hammock - which probably seals the deal that I'll be SO LAZY now.

Got to interview my mom on the chocoholic Mid-Morning show.

And last but NOT least - got to see my best friend! She was in town for a bit and I loved having dinner with her and her husband!

And that, my loves, is the month of May. Whew. I need a nap.

April: Done

This has been a CRAZY busy month. Hard for me to believe it started with Easter. That seems like forever ago! Nevertheless...it was this month! And 600 or so pictures later...here's what I did!

In the land of Easter celebration, I went to see the Marion Easter Pageant, and I spent Good Friday afternoon with Amber, soaking up spring and coloring Easter eggs. (We embraced our inner preschooler.) And on Easter Sunday, Mom threw an Easter egg hunt just for me!

Purchased a new computer - which was initially NOT in the near-future plans, but it's so funny what a dead computer will do to your near-future plans.

Re-entered the world of dessert after Lent, trying to be as gentle as possible and not eat all dessert in sight. Not going to lie though - thoroughly enjoyed the Ivanhoe's strawberry shortcake I had when I got back in the game!

Went to 2 kids' birthday parties. April was a very popular month for my friends to have babies, it seems! Had to miss a third because of work. :( One of the parties...was at a fire station. That was a new and fun experience!

Went to hear Ken Davis' comedy in Fort Wayne with my friend Ronda. Really fun to just sit and laugh my head off for an entire night!

Shared some devos at a church service and really enjoyed it. (I actually prayed before it started that I wouldn't be so nervous that I entirely hated the experience...and I didn't!)

Worked the Women's Expo in Fort Wayne - with Miss Lynne. We got to meet a bunch of sweet ladies and make some new friends! Fun day!

Played photographer for Jim Barron's illusion show at the start of Daddy/Daughter Date night. I love taking pictures, but I was nervous I'd totally mess up when being brought IN for just such an occasion!!

Worked the Newsboys concert and had a TOTAL blast meeting them and spending the evening with my friend, Miss Jaye. (And that was my first solo emcee event!)

My house was shown three times - which is more than it had been in several months before combined! Showings are great...still praying for a sale!

Got the chance to see Brent Vernon in concert and have breakfast with him too...great weekend of catching up with my friend!

March: Done

Got a new phone right at the beginning of the month, which replaced the phone I just got last summer...which died of a failed charger port. (Sounds painful, doesn't it?) I was so thankful the phone was still under warranty and the company gave fantabulous service in replacing it for me!

Worked the Fort Wayne Home and Garden Show and had a very fun time meeting listeners and my new blog buddy, Mary Jane!

Went to my friend Jonathan's ordination service which was one of the most Spirit-filled services I've ever been in. Loved it.

Played "birthday catch-up," getting together with some friends to celebrate their birthdays: Starbucks with Faith, The Mill with Lynette!

Participated in, most unwillingly, I might add, the switch to Evil DST.

Helped out with Share: Wrap it Up! to finish our fundraising for this year, and got to spend two nights at Lynne's house, too! Love the Casa de Ford!

Went to see Faith in her new business as a Premier Design jeweler and was very proud of the work she's doing!

Worked the Mark Schultz, Bebo Norman, Point of Grace concert, which if you missed the stories, also involved my debut in a Mickey Mouse suit and in driving an artist to a venue. Mercy.

Opened the grill for the season and enjoyed eating outside in the gorgeous weather!

Went on a Mid-Morning field trip to see a house made from a real life dairy barn!

Went back to being a brunette because I'd had enough fun as a blonde for a while. :)

Took a vacation day and had a blast hanging out behind the camera lens capturing the beauty of the first official days of spring!

Went to see the play Steel Magnolias in Ft. Wayne, with my friend Diane. Loved it!

Spent a girls' day out with my mentor, Lara. We haven't really spent any time together yet this year, so that was a treat!

Did the inaugural yard mowing for the year...no turning back now!

Attended the poetry reading done by my friend and former college buddy Susanna. I don't really understand poetry all that well, but I am smart enough to recognize incredible talent and she has it!

Headed to Lima, Ohio with Lynne for the Fresh Grounded Faith conference...to hear Jennifer Rothschild and Kathy Troccoli! Had a blast hitting the open road with Lynne - and meeting new friends!

February: Done

Had the opportunity to have several dinners with friends I don't often get to see...like Jenny, Gaytha, Greg and Angi, and Lois (all the way from California)!

Went to the Hancocks' house for the Super Bowl Party where I was the lone Patriots fan. Good thing the party was fun!

Spent most of my retirement on a new set of tires for my car, but MAN were they needed. I'd worn the old ones down to almost absolutely nothing. I feel much safer now on snow and ice!

Was surprised (floored is a better word) when the neighbor finally cleaned up the tree that fell last August in the storm that took down the stage rigging at the Indiana State Fair. That tree had been sprawled over my fence ever since.

Survived another Valentine's Day and was pleased that this one was less painful than most. (Spent the evening house hunting online, eating waffles, and watching 19 Kids and Counting.)

Opened Bekah's B&B for Julie when she came through town for an evening. (And spent two subsequent evenings adding to my living room slumber party....because it was just such fun!)

Jumped into a new Lenten adventure by giving up dessert - and working on having a godly attitude about that! (Ma-ma!)

Went to see the play Arsenic and Old Lace...with the lovely Julie Crandall, because her husband had a role in it. He did a great job! And the play was very funny, too.

And as of today...completed the 30 day journey God called me to a month ago. It has been the greatest journey of learning and rejoicing and seeing His hand at work and inviting others to join and hurting and wondering and leaning in to His discipline and...well...you get the idea. :) SO glad I said yes. Even when it hurt.

January: Done

* I rang in the new year with friends...the old and the new. Faith and I celebrated the official start to the new year with our Hawaiian themed festivities, and I spent the entire first day of January meeting new friends in Fort Wayne, worshiping with them, eating with them, and spending time getting to know them.

* My Pinterest-inspired month gave me a 2012 time capsule, a way-too-cute snowman wreath, inspiration for a blog post, and a twisty little twist on scarf tying/presentation.

* Started my one thousand gifts journal as part of Mid-Morning's 1000 gifts challenge for the year 2012. As of this morning, the count is at 196...and I know there have been more gifts than that...some have slipped past me.

* Went to the Goshen Fire and Ice Festival where I got to see ice sculpting in action for the first time. Pretty fascinating!!

* Had to stay in Fort Wayne three times because of weather. Not too bad for an Indiana January. Still...looking forward to the day when I can put AWAY the suitcase from its on-call status.

* Had the privilege to join Lynne on the air to interview Ann Voskamp, Lisa Harper, and Angie Smith...three women whose writing and ministries I very much admire.

* Participated in my first ever SHARE - which was a delightful blend of SO much fun and SO exhausting! And SO much food. Seriously so much food.

* Got to be in my first attempt at a video with Lynne - for one of the recaps of SHARE. It was much fun - and the things I do to humiliate myself never cease to amaze me. :)

* Started writing again. Destination: completing volume two of a Bible study I began writing a few years ago. A church group did volume one and has asked for volume two, so I have to finish it. More updates to come!

* Received a 30 day challenge from God which begins today. More to come on this tomorrow!

December: Done

* The month began with hearing the news that my former roommate, Angela, passed away after a valiant battle with cancer.

* I decorated (as such) the house for Christmas and although it was considerably dialed down from what I usually do, it was festive.

* Did my first ever picture cards since I'd already packed all my stamps and stuff. No handmade cards this year!

* Did all my Christmas shopping in a couple of marathon sessions - much later than I usually do it. AAAHHH crazy life!

* At work...I had lots of fun experiences...like helping Lynne with the Christmas show, which included getting to help interview my friend Jody Hedlund, co-hosting the Biggest Loser former contestant show, working the Holiday Houses for Habitat remote, and surviving Lynne's adventure in jury duty. I also started my very own blooper reel with my first ridiculous on air blunder. Good grief. And to round out the month, Lynne and I spent a day madly planning our course for 2012!

* In party-land, I attended the client party for the realty company I'm shopping with in Fort Wayne. Found a new favorite pizza and had to-die-for yogurt! The station was invited to the Taylor Christmas party, so that was fun to attend! (Though it felt strange to go to the OTHER school's party after 11 years of IWU!) I went to Miss Kaylah's birthday bash and went home full of cake and ice cream!

* Gave valiant effort to speaking to kids for the first time since I taught Bible school last summer. Much shorter time frame - considerably larger audience!

* Had a handful of Christmas "meetings" over coffee and dinner with friends I hardly see anymore...like Bill and Kristin, Jenny, Faith, Judy, Ronda, Laura, Amber, Tom and Olivia...yes, I was quite full of dinner and coffee! :)

* Went to see the lights in the park even though I had to go by myself.

* Had Christmas with my family - and had a good time! You already saw the pictures. :)

* Thoroughly enjoyed some days off - my first, really, since beginning my new job. I desperately needed the rest and the time to regroup and plan for the future.

* My car hit the 100,000 mile mark right before New Year's - who EVER would have thought I'd drive a car far enough to hit that many miles?

And finally....my stone jar project has come to an end. One stone to represent each day of this year and the ways God has been present in my life. He is GOOD.

Stone Altar: End of December

November: Done

* I worked the Rock & Worship Roadshow - and had my first experience with a LOUD concert. :) Had fun though!

* Conducted my first interview on the air - with Tresha from the Cherished Moments Craft Hideaway. I was so nervous but didn't do to terrible job, so I was excited about that!

* Worked the Phillips, Craig and Dean concert - which was not only much fun, but very faith-boosting. The crowd raised $10,000 that night for a military outreach. Had no idea they would come through in SUCH a big way!

* Started doing Beth Moore's Breaking Free book with Olivia. Love being back in a regular study with her!

* Got to be a guest on Mid-Morning for the Author! Author! show again - bringing me full circle with my trip to the show last year!

* Had the chance to go out to eat a few times with my co-workers. They're a great bunch of friends outside of work too - and I count that a gift. They even introduced me to new (to me) restaurants - like Qdoba and Smokey Bones.

*Went to my first ever football game with Phats and Cara - the Purdue/Iowa game. Purdue lost, but I had fun anyway and now feel one step closer to "arriving" now that I've been to a real game.

* Flew to Kansas for Thanksgiving and had all sorts of adventures, including going to a real live soda fountain, walking Cassie's dog, riding a bike for the first time since I was a kid, cooking Thanksgiving dinner, "playing golf," and getting to see Greensburg in a much more rebuilt state than it was last time I was there!

* Had Pancakes with the Princess on the Road with the family while I was in Kansas.

* Worked the David Phelps concert and got to introduce him in my stage debut for the station. (GULP!!!)

* Began the task (sigh) of packing a bag to keep in my car in case I get stuck in Fort Wayne due to bad weather - which did indeed happen just last night! Simultaneously kicked up the prayers for my house to sell.

Stone Altar: End of November

October: Done

*Went to the pumpkin patch and corn maze - which was both a first and a very fun experience for me! Love fall and the fun opportunities it brings!

* Spent a day at the Cherished Moments Craft Hideaway - with longtime friends...and some new ones. That place still feels like home. Wish I could just move in!

* Played photographer for an evening and took pictures of my friend Rachel and her husband and kids. Gorgeous evening - fabulous colors.

* Went to (and worked) the Gaither Homecoming concert. Not only a great evening of David music...but also a great evening of worship and friendship!

* Spent many days scheduling and researching at work...while I don't think there's much of anything I dislike about my job, those are two of my favorite things to do.

* Attended the Extraordinary Women conference with Marie and Faith and had an incredible time of spirit-rejuvenation while I was there.

* In the kitchen, I tried out a pumpkin pancake recipe, which I wasn't crazy about, but I did fall in love with the pumpkin snickerdoodles from Sandi Patty's new cookbook - and her BBQ chili. OH yum. Made my first ever calzones, which weren't pretty (this time) but they were very tasty.

* Started the Pray 21 adventure with one of the teens at church. I already told you more about that...an adventure I was scared to do but now I'm glad I'm doing it!

* Got to see Lynnette when she was in town for a brief time. Miss her so much! Love it that she lives at the beach, but hate it that I'm so far FROM said beach!

* Taught Sunday School a couple of times - an intimidating adventure when several of the people in the class used to be MY teachers in school!

* Got to cohost a few times with Lynne - who is a DELIGHT to work with. We're kind of starting to sound on the air like we do when we're just sitting in the office laughing away. She makes it so easy!

* Played "interior designer" at a friend's house, which was very fun. I can only afford to decorate my house so many times, so getting to help someone else choose new house pretties was a great way to get my fix without going broke!

* Started the dreaded fall yard work of raking (since my mower still only has three wheels and I can't use it to bag the leaves. It reinforced WHY I want small/no trees at my next house.

Stone Altar: End of October

September: Done

Three months left in this year, people! That's it! Can you believe it? Here's September in a nutshell!

* Busy month of firsts at work! I worked my first sticker stop in Lima, Ohio, which was so much fun, despite the rain! I also got to be on the air a little more...and I think I'm sounding less like a man, which is making me very happy (as you might imagine). I worked my first Friendraiser...getting a taste of reading pledges on the air...answering the phones...and helping to serve lunch. This month also held the Laura Story/David Crowder concert...and my first time to chuck t-shirts into a crowd! (Kind of like softball...right?) We had to cancel a show at the last minute, one day, so I had my first try at reading the intro to an encore show...live on the air. (Yes, I was sweating.) AND - I did my first (and second) ever official co-hosting of a show. Lynne made that a great experience.

* Thoroughly enjoyed my first Labor Day weekend off - ever. Loved the rest and the shopping!!

* In the kitchen, I made a fabulous chicken lasagna, a batch of kettle corn krispie bars for my Mom's birthday, some very yummy pumpkin bread, and tried my hand at Aunt B's caramel surprise brownies. I also spent a day in Lynne's kitchen doing some cooking in prep for one of our shows!

* Made it to the lake at the very last possible minute - and thoroughly enjoyed an entire day on the water - even if the boat ride meant wearing a hoodie, jeans, and tennis shoes!

* Attended a concert that I didn't have to work! Ronda and I went to hear Ernie Haase and Signature Sound - which was one of the best concerts I think I've ever been to. They do a great show.

* Enjoyed season premiere week of my favorite shows. And so begins the life of making sure I'm home when they air...because yes, it's true, I don't have DVR.

* Hosted Pancakes with the Princess with my pastor's family, AND the return of Rachel's Thursday night TV visits.

Stone Altar: End of September

August: Done

I think August can be classified as the month of the "last minute." Very little was planned ahead but it was still so full of FUN!!

* In the world of attempting to relocate...I went house hunting with my sister, Lori, and found a house I absolutely fell in love with, which resulted in increased prayers about the entire situation. Lori also helped me by heading up (aka doing every last stitch of work regarding) my yard sale. Very excited about how that turned out - both in $$ made and stuff ditched! I also started the paperwork process of being able to purchase a new home in case mine does sell soon - getting the pre-work out of the way!

* In the land of entertaining...it was fun to have Lori and Jeff here to open up Bekah's B&B (which is now sorely lacking the first B...we sold it in the rummage). I hosted Pancakes with the Princess for my friends, the Hubbards, and had another overnighter party with Julie Crandall when she came for the Anne of Green Gables fest!

* In Mid-Morning news...I made my first appearance as an engineer WHILE talking on the air at the same time. Took multi-tasking to a whole new level. I was also so excited to receive invitations from Lynne to help with the show as a whole...new ideas...brainstorming...all that. Very exciting. Have I mentioned I love my job? And while it wasn't for Mid-Morning, I also recorded my first station promo! Freaks me out every time I hear it on the air. I spent Lynne's vacation week researching like CRAZY - left her a whole stack of show ideas - complete with a table of contents for each one. NERD!

* Had some time to cook...trying out Judy Reynolds' chocolate and caramel crispie bars, plus a peach cobbler (never cooked with peaches before - ever!). I didn't love the cobbler...I'm more of a crisp girl. But I loved the crispie bars! Tried - and loved - the new pepperoni pizza chili recipe. For the Anne of Green Gables party, I made a shortbread cookie recipe (turned out mediocre...but cute!), raspberry cordial (minus the alcohol), and a tortellini caesar salad. AND I made a fantastic cream cheese danish that you're going to love!

* Acquired my neighbor's tree in my backyard...during the great windstorm of 2011. So thankful for Dad and his friends who came over and cleaned it up so my house isn't too horrible looking while it is on the market!

* Worked on a "fresh start" with some new clothes and accessories (I like to do one or two big clothing blitzes each year) for the new job. No more mid-year slump for me! And in that fresh start business...a new day planner and color coded system!

* Also did some new stuff...including going to my first Thirty-One party, eating at Biaggi's for the first time, and going to my first ever Fort Wayne Tin Caps game - which you'll see more about later this week!

Stone Altar: End of August

July: Done

Well...it's almost done. :) But tomorrow is weekly recap day, so we're rounding out the month a day early.

This month wasn't really any slower than June! So buckle your seat belts and sail through the past four weeks with me.

* Of course the biggest news was starting my new job at WBCL. Talk about a total career change! I went from reading federal regulations and running a calculator all day to learning to engineer a control panel and hunting down potential guests through all manner of interesting search methods. (Channeling my inner Locater.) I adore this job and know for certain that this was the God-ordained step for me right now.

* Made all sorts of new friends at the station. They are one great bunch of people, let me tell you. I never felt anything less than loved and completely welcomed. That's a huge step for a girl who never used to fit in anywhere!

* Participated in my first parade at the Three Rivers Festival in Fort Wayne. I helped carry the station banner - and the parade was even on TV. It was a fun day and a great ice-breaker into the new job.

* Became a commuter for the first time in my life. The drive is truly not bad. It's a straight shot and most days the traffic isn't heavy at all. I don't mind the time in the car...usually turns into worship, which is great. But I'm not interested in being a commuter all my life. Not my gift.

* I was baptized in a pond in a beautiful service that I loved so much. After months of planning it and wondering what it would be like, I absolutely loved the way it turned out. So many people said it was "so Bekah." I think that's supposed to be a good thing. :) I loved that it was personal and had a theme and was just gorgeous.

* Had a party for thirty or so people after the baptism was over. That was a lotta cooking! I don't often have a large group of people over because my house isn't really set up for that many people. But we had a great time and new friendships were formed right here under this roof. That made me pretty happy. That's what home is about for me.

* Sorted, sorted, sorted through a whole household (and attic) of stuff for things I wanted to put in a moving sale in preparation for my sister's upcoming visit to do the whole sale from start to finish. Eleven years in one house leads to accumulation.

* Became "more official" at work after receiving my business cards, going to my photo shoot, and having my on-air introduction. I think I'm a real person now! Those were some fun moments for sure!

* Embraced my inner Paula Abdul by serving as a judge for the Campus Challenge competition again this year.

* Said goodbye to my sweet baby kitty, Kaegan, who died on July 23rd at the age of ten. I miss him terribly. I always knew the day would come when I'd have to say goodbye...I just never thought it would be this soon.

* Participated in "wedding week" for Miss Olivia...including her bachelorette party, the rehearsal/dinner, and today...the wedding!

Stone Altar: End of July

June: Done

This month has been filled with the unexpected...the exciting...the hope-filled...the sad...endings...beginnings...my goodness!

* The biggest news of all was my God-led decision to resign from my job at Indiana Wesleyan and accept a job with WBCL Radio. I've never before resigned from a job, so this was a first for me. While I was (and still am) confident and at peace with the decision, it's a risky little feeling to put the words "my last day will be..." on a piece of paper and hand it to your boss!

* In the land of entertaining, I had my first cookout of the summer - with Jonathan and Ronda. I enjoyed having Jamie Bennett come to visit for part of a weekend; I don't often get guests that stay overnight! And while they may not have found it entertaining, I did cook dinner for my parents the night they came over to help with Habitat for Bekah. Miss Marie came over for a Bible study/movie night and we ate dinner while she was here! I took Pancakes with the Princess on the road this month and cooked for my entire office.

* Worked my last freshman registration at Indiana Wesleyan. What a gracious bunch of families! As I shared with them that they'd be working with another counselor in the future, many stopped to inquire about my future plans and shared genuine excitement for me. I really appreciated that.

* Began the great purge 'n pack of 2011. Though I have no idea when my house will sell, I figured I might as well start going through my stuff...throwing away things that should have been thrown away a while ago, setting aside other things for donation or sale, and leaving the rest to be packed when the time is right. I have a lot of stuff. A lot.

* Cleaned, cleaned, cleaned. You know - I might want to move into this place myself! While I'm not a slob (ever) by any stretch of the imagination, this place is pretty spiffy now! Lots of hard core cleaning inside and out, preparing it to be put on the market. The challenge is keeping it that way on a constant basis.

* Wrapped it up at work. One of my goals for my last few days at IWU was to finish well. I did begin to understand what people mean when they say "What are they going to do - fire me?" It definitely is tempting to coast to the end. But I tried hard to get as much done as I could while also cleaning everything out and writing down detailed instructions on tasks I do that others don't do...and saying goodbye to my work friends. It was a lot to pack in to the three weeks I had in the office after I resigned.

* Got my first ever smart phone. This will, in the words of Jonathan, replace the dumb one I had before. While this is all new territory for me, I kind of feel like a brand new person now that I have my new fancy pants phone.

*Tried a few new recipes. I made Ronda's strawberry shortcake - which is now my new favorite thing. Tastes ALMOST like what they serve at Ivanhoes. I tried my hand at making up a strawberry smoothie recipe, too...didn't turn out too bad! I also made Oreo cupcakes with Oreo cream cheese icing. They were very good!

* Took my first ever writing retreat. Rachel and I spent a week in southern Indiana, off the internet grid, writing...writing...writing. It was not only a great time to get a lot of writing done, but it was a much needed break from the mayhem that was the rest of my life this month!

* And then there was the other stuff...like attending two bridal showers for Olivia, going to Joe and Sarah's baby shower, finally getting the overheating issue with the car fixed, receiving the first hints of life at my new job (I'm gonna love it!), listing my house with a realtor, and spending many hours house hunting online.

Stone Altar: June

May: Done

This has felt like one of my most disorganized months in a long time. It was a busy month...a month in which I faced a lot of change and uncertainty. My routines changed - sometimes by choice and sometimes by necessity, and it's just taking me a while to adapt to everything.

*I welcomed a new year of my life this month. Trying to top last year's birthday of an ocean-side vacation was not easy, but I still had a great time this year. My friends lavished me with attention and love and I so appreciated everything they did for me.

*In the world of writing...I was asked to write a devotional for a bridal shower (that was a new one for me!), and I wrote a speech which I delivered at the book club dinner earlier this month. Both pieces were very well received by my friends who read them; in fact, Rachel said the speech was one of my best pieces ever. Since I have some devoted-to-writing time coming up, I'm excited to be in this mode.

*Very aware of and grateful for God's protection this month. I can't go into details (right now anyway) of what happened, but I found myself in an unusually difficult situation and was just so aware that God was watching over me and that His angels aren't just wing-tipped fairy tales to make us feel better. They are mighty warriors fighting for His children every hour of the day (and night).

*In the land of entertaining...it was so much fun to have Rachel over a few times to watch TV with me. It was one of our favorite things to do when she lived on campus and I'd missed those times with her! Loved hosting Mother's Day, sharing a meal with Miss Jamie, having Marie in for Bible study, and of course - hosting another round of Pancakes with the Princess.

* In the kitchen...I tried a new cupcake recipe (didn't care for it), made the Twix bars you've now seen, tried a BBQ chicken pizza soup recipe (it was good!), made the successful ice cream lasagna recipe, and found a danish recipe that I cannot wait to try. If I thought I could eat a 9x13 of it by myself, I'd just make the thing today.

* Road trips! I went to Indianapolis twice this month (which is unusual for me) and over Memorial Day weekend, I hit the open road to visit my friend Jenna up near Chicago! (She's the one I visited last October on my way to Wisconsin. We decided we should meet up again, so this was the time!)

*Outside my normal schedule...I went to the Chick-Fil-A Leadership simulcast, attended Llita's book signing, celebrated with Rachel at her open house, went shopping with Kristin, started the new Bible study with Miss Marie, did a BUNCH of reading, finished teaching Sunday School (off the rotation for the next quarter), went to game night, survived storm after storm in what has to be one of the worst Mays ever in weather history, spent too much time shopping at Cato (they know me now), played my first game of Bocce, got to eat at SONIC, began working through some hard-core assignments from the Lord, and survived a whole month on extremely minimal sleep. :)

Stone Jar: End of May

April: Done

I feel like I just wrote the monthly recap for March. This year is zooming!

* ACTUAL springtime arrived this month, and boy was I glad to see it show up for real (though I could have done without daily rain). I remember one night sitting at my desk, working on a writing project, when I looked outside to see sunshine, more green grass than brown, some daffodils, and real leaves on the trees. Thank you, LORD! And Kaegan and Braeya were overjoyed to sit in the windowsills for hours on end.

* Speaking of writing, I started doing that again...in earnest. I found it hard to get out of the emotional slump of last year and really dive into the kind of all-consuming writing I love to do the most, but I finally got there. I'd missed it. I knew when I was excited about research...I was back. (And I haven't lost my nerdy streak.)

* April was the month of seeing friends I hardly ever see. Lunches with in-town friends like Amber, Zach, and Amy...and a few hours spent with friends from out of town, like Jamie and Olivia. Not sure why I always bunch up those reunions all into a tiny space of time, but it was great to see them, and I feel so caught up now!

* All my friends chose to give birth in April. Not this April. Random Aprils of other years. But it makes for a busy month of birthday parties. I went to two and missed one more because it fell on the same day as one of the others. I feel so in touch with my inner child after April. And very full of cake.

* Speaking of cake, I baked one this month...and found a to-d.i.e.-for recipe for homemade chocolate frosting. My sister's reaction to this news was Why would you do that when you can buy it in a can? Answer? Because I'm an overachiever. For me, cake is merely a vehicle with which to eat frosting. And this frosting's a keeper. I also tried a new chocolate chip oatmeal cookie recipe that you'll be seeing sometime, brought back the classic fave of a taco bar for dinner, gave the crouton recipe a twist into garlic bread and found life's most perfect pancake spin. It revolutized my world.

* After all that eating, I had to work out, so I tried my new DVD, The Biggest Loser Cardio Max. OW. I bought it because I was getting bored doing the same DVD the whole time. I also started doing some of my workouts outside (because I can), and ran my first ever consecutive mile.

* Gave the living room a makeover with brand new paint...and even rearranged the furniture just to make it feel completely brand new. I love it.

* Somewhere in there, I had time to help Angi decorate cupcakes, watch Rachel's kids in exchange for some of her cute handmade hair bows, start the spring cleaning, make my first ever Etsy purchase, attend the Marion Easter Pageant service, crank out the first lawn mowing of the year, spend time with Olivia and her wedding party on wedding-palooza day, finish the Florida scrapbook, spend Easter with the fam, and say goodbye to another semester at IWU (which included the graduation of Rachel and Jonathan).

Stone Jar: End of April

March: Done

What a whirlwind of a month!


* Absolutely loved welcoming springlike weather to my world (for a minute anyway). I had grown very weary of shoveling...sprinkling salt on the sidewalks...bundling up with gloves, scarves, and hats. Loved seeing buds on the trees, tulips and daffodils pushing up through the ground, and opening my windows for the first time. And then...snow returned. And then...spring returned. Welcome to Indiana.

* I think the last half a month of posts tells you how much I loved my very first trip to Florida. So thankful for the invitation to go, the financial provisions God offered to make the trip affordable, and the time I spent relaxing AND hearing Him speak while I was beach-side.


* Celebrated Kaegan's tenth birthday and a decade of him living in my home! (Lucky for him I was gone on his birthday, so he got a celebration with the house sitter and then one with me a week later!)


* In the land of cooking, my greatest achievement was the night I made five coffeecakes in one night. Man, my feet hurt after that! (Let the record show, I did not cook WITH my feet.) I also tried out cinnamon bun pancakes - LOVED them. I made an extra yummy new brownie recipe too (three times, but who's counting?). Brought back a golden oldie recipe I'll have to show you sometime - salsa sloppy joes. Somewhere in there I ate some real food. I do promise.


* Entered full blown busy season at work. The time when my desk is always cluttered, my voicemail light is always lit, and I utter sentences like "I'm tired of talking." WHAT!?!! I love the busyness - because it's always good to be busy, but I don't like feeling behind. That bugs me. I even pulled my first twelve hour day of the season...


* Lent began this month. Last year God asked me to give up music in the car, and I thought that was kind of weird, but I did it. That was the season in which He taught me to hear Him...something I needed during my desert. This year He brought a new theme to my life which I'll wait and tell you about in an upcoming post. Let's just say giving up chocolate would probably be easier!


* Spent some time with old friends. Not as in aged, but as in haven't-seen-forever. The week in Florida was part of that, and then the week I went to the Pampered Chef party and the Stampin' Up! party, I got to see friends from my old church that I never run into anymore. Inviting a couple of sweet friends over for meals gave me more chances to catch up - and I did so love that.


* I've been learning anew how to depend wholly on the Lord. Many drives on the prayer path...many walks on a prayer path...many moments in the pew at the prayer chapel...a few times of being flat on my face before the Lord. I have no idea what He's doing in my life, and at times, it feels He is pulling me apart at my very core, but I am choosing to trust Him.


* And then all the randomness: like surviving (granted, not well) the switch to evil DST, helping paint a classroom at church, switching the closet to summer attire, successfully finding an Easter dress (before Good Friday! and without the assistance of a cross-dresser!), an epiphany of a new writing project, working on my Florida scrapbook, and decorating the house for Easter.

Stone Altar: End of March

February: Done

February, despite its cantankerous presence in terms of weather, was a good month. Much learning. Much growing. Many milestones and victories.

* I survived Snowmageddon! And the surprise ice storm later in the month! And the additional storm that came to close out the month! My friends and I agree that we've never seen a winter storm quite like the first one, though. Worst shoveling ever. Such an inconvenience...even weeks after, when my street was still clogged with cars that couldn't park close enough to the curb to let other cars through - all because the icy snow held firmly to the ground. But it came with good points too - no loss of electricity for me...and a free day off work! WOO HOO!!

* Made it through the one year mark of the Isaac journey. And not only did I make it, but God brought redemption to the days I dreaded. As I passed through Valentine's Day weekend and remembered last year and the introduction to the man I grew to love, I begged God to help me find new meaning and purpose now that life has changed so dramatically for me. And He did - in wildly beautiful ways. I am thankful for His mercy.

* Learned to love impromptu hostessing! I'm nothing if not fastidious about the appearance of my home when people come over. (Thank you, Mom, for instilling this in me.) But this month, I had two different opportunities to welcome people into my home without any warning. No time to clean. And I was so thrilled to find that both times, I was able to relax and enjoy the chance to share my home without over-apologizing for its less than pristine condition. (If you only knew me...you'd say Our little Bekah is growing up!)

* Started keeping a food and exercise journal and loved what it began to teach me about myself and my habits. It has prompted me to enjoy saying no to food as much as I've enjoyed saying yes to it...and it has encouraged me to be more conscious of my water intake, which was an area of my life that was embarrassingly lacking. Plus it allowed me to celebrate my exercise accomplishments. The personal best for me this month was 2.6 miles in 30 minutes on the track. I know some of you do much better than that without a second thought, but this was huge for me. I'm thrilled with it!

* Learned two more Bible verses and even beyond the amazing lessons I learned from what God prompted over my life, I was excited to see how God used one of them to spur someone else in her life. One of my friends was touched by Ephesians 1:17, my first SSMT verse this month, and decided to implement it as a prayer for people in her life. I loved watching God move the blessing right on to her! I'm also beginning to recognize that these verses are so very God-ordained. As I look over the four I've learned in this year, I see how God has prepared me for each piece of the journey through the verses He prompts me to learn. I love it.

* In the land of cooking I found the s'more cup recipe, which is a total winner, I tried three new fondue recipes, all of which I loved and will use again, AND found a scrumptious pumpkin quick-bread recipe that I declared a keeper.

* Learned so much from the Lord through songs...and verses...and books...and blogs...and words He whispered to my heart. He gave me goose bumps over and over with His tenderness in speaking to me. I would have to say I heard Him more this month than I have since the desert. (Maybe that has more to do with my intentional listening skills than anything else.)

* Joys and adventures filled the month, like being asked to be a bridesmaid in Olivia's wedding, taking a cupcake class, hosting a fondue palooza for Valentine's day, going to my friend Jamie's for her celebrate God's love party, meeting baby Silas, hosting my first game night (with my high school buddies) in a couple of years, and hosting Pancakes with the Princess...round two!

Stone Altar: End of February

January: Done.

As of today...January's done.

Which of course, raises the question...if you made new year's goals, are you still headed toward them? Or have you completely abandoned all resolution and become the you of...well...last year?

I have to say I'm pleased with this month. I was nervous about how I would do in my first month back in "real life." After months of being hidden away spiritually and emotionally, I wasn't sure I could hang onto that intimacy with God and live life again. And certainly I didn't do everything right. I had my share of head-shaking moments. But today I'd like to celebrate what went right this month.

And if you kept even one of your goals - you should celebrate, too!

* Though I didn't set out to make this a habit, I did get up early every day to spend time with the Lord before I started the day. That is a Bekahland first (in 32 years)! I'm so thankful for those moments. I never thought morning devos would be "my thing" but now I can't imagine NOT starting the day that way!

* I got back into working out five days a week. I'd slacked to three for most of last year, but I'm back to five, and I'm keeping my goal of switching up the kind of exercise I do (walking, running, cardio, strength training...how is it that I even know these words!??!). I hate admitting it...but I do feel better. And I never would have dreamed I'd get through level 2 of that 30 Day Shred without keeping paramedics on standby. While I still am far from being good enough to be IN the dvd (ha!) I am now surviving it. Miracles abound.

* I've been diligent about cooking and planning ahead for meals, rather than living on cups of macaroni and cheese and bags of lettuce - or daily diets of fast food. Found out my passion for cooking did not die in the desert! I tried three new recipes and found two of them to be keepers. Stay tuned for those!

* I invited friends over for meals three times in one month - which is probably more than all of last year combined. And each time I sit across the table from a friend who has come to eat with me, call me crazy, but I'm aware that I'm blessed to have friends who want to come over and eat a meal with me. That honestly moves me.

* Though I was tardy in sending some of them, I returned to card making for the first time in months. I'll admit my creative juices aren't really flowing yet, but I'll give them time.

* Shocking even my own self, I memorized two Bible verses this month as part of the Siesta Scripture Memory Team. And not only did I memorize them, I was disciplined through their words (and that HURT)! I thought this project was going to just be about committing words to memory but God seems to have a much bigger plan in mind.

* I worked on a new writing project - which I'm very excited to watch unfold. I have no idea where it's going right now, but I'm journeying with it to see where it leads. Since I spent most of the end of last year focusing on the sale of the book I wrote before, I hadn't spent much time at the computer writing!

* I began meeting with my new mentor and am looking forward to more time together with her and seeing what God wants me to learn from her life and path. She's fun to laugh with and even in just our first two meetings, I've learned beautiful truths.

* For the first time in about three years, I braved teaching junior high Sunday School and found that I love it and love the girls in my class. They really do have beautiful hearts and spirits eager to learn and grow.

* I finished reading two books and read parts of others, which is a huge step for me...hadn't been able to focus on a book for a while.

So I declare January to be a huge success in re-entry to life. It's a YAY GOD month!

Stone Altar: End of January