The Underdog Prevails!

I could hardly believe my eyes as I witnessed the 50-1 long-shot horse Mine That Bird come from dead last in a field of 19 to win the 135th Kentucky Derby this past Saturday. And not only did that scrappy little bargain horsie win, he blew the rest of those horses away. His win constituted the second largest upset in Kentucky Derby history. I love it! You should SO never judge a book by its cover. Beauty, size, prestige, net worth, famous trainers and fancy owners...guess all those things don't really mean crap if you've got talent and want something bad enough. Those with the most heart always win!

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He is risen!

But the angel answered and said to the woman, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell his disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you." Matthew 28: 5-7

Happy Easter!

Peeps + The Office = Killer Combination

Anyone who knows me at all knows that I love candy with a burning intensity that defies all worldy logic and understanding. And, to me, there is just no candy more exciting and fun and unique than Easter candy. My favorite Easter confection of all is the Peep. I cannot express the sheer ecstacy and exhilaration I experience deep down inside when I bite into that fluffy, sugary, little marshmallow creature with the tiny fake chocolate dot eyes. I love the way the sugar coating crunches against my teeth when I bite into one, I love the way it tastes so marshmallow-y and refined sugary and I love the way I feel after eating a Peep....all charged up and full of life, like I could run the New York City Marathon. I love seeing the huge displays of Peeps in stores, as well. I get so blissful to see row after row and shelf after shelf of nothing but Peeps...adorable chicks and bunnies in a cheerful rainbow of colors all living side-by-side in perfect harmony. Oh my gosh, how I love Peeps.

Anyone who knows me at all, also knows that I maintain a similar, unyielding obsession with The Office. That show just makes me super happy to be alive. I am so thankful that something as simple as a 30-minute TV program can put me in a good mood for an entire evening and erase all the problems of the day by making me laugh until my stomach hurts.

Soooooo, you wonder what the point of this post is. Well, I will tell you now. Did you know that there exists a situation in which these two seemingly unrelated, yet equally awesome phenomena, coexist? Yes, it is true. A heartfelt thanks goes out to my coworker (and fellow Office junkie) Dan for opening my eyes to this situation.

Click on the link below to be transported to a magical realm where people have recreated scenes from the show using Peeps. I can't believe that somewhere out there, there are people just like me...loving Peeps, loving The Office and actually making strides to bring them together. This is so wonderful to know.

http://www.officetally.com/the-office-peeps-contest-finalists

Spring Has Arrived!

I am thanking God today that winter is officially O-V-E-R. Is it just me or was it seriously like the longest, coldest, bleakest, snowiest, windiest, most relentlessly brutal and hideously unforgiving winter ever???

I don't think I have ever been so ready for spring and warmer temps in my entire life! I cannot wait for the glorious heat and sunshine to return in the coming months, even if it brings with it suffocating humidity and cringe-worthy bad hair days on my end. I am never complaining about hot, sunny weather again. Bring it on, Mother Nature!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jesus Saves...Again and Again and Again

I was recently reminded of God's infinite grace and how much He has helped me to understand since I began walking with Him. I still make many mistakes and fail daily as a Christian, and I have a long way to go in my spiritual walk, but despite these things, I can still rest and be happy knowing that God is God, no matter where I am or what I do. He never changes and He is always there for anyone who seeks Him. He will meet every one of us exactly where we are, no matter how far away we may stray or feel from Him. No place is too dark or scary or hopeless or impossible for the saving, healing power of the Savior of the World!

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever." Hebrews 13:8

Mister Softee Sighting in NYC!!!!!!!

Spotted! A lone Mister Softee truck heading southbound on 5th Avenue in NYC this afternoon!

According to my unofficial Mister Softee contact (i.e. the trusty Mister Softee man who spends his summers serving me ice cream cone and soda float lunches from his parked truck on the corner of 22nd St and Broadway), the beloved blue and white mobile unit of frozen awesomeness was not due back in New York until April. So you can only imagine my utter disbelief - followed by feelings of sheer, unadulterated joy - when my eyes spotted said truck faithfully making its way toward Union Square as if it were any random summer day.

This sighting can only mean one thing. Summer is just around the corner. I don't care that it's only February and still freezing cold outside. Mister Softee=Summer. Period. Hallelujah. Amen. Yippee! I can almost taste those rainbow sprinkles and cherry dipped cones as I write this.

As a side note, I would like to strongly encourage you to explore the official Web site of Mister Softee.

http://www.mistersoftee.com/default.html

Not only will you learn about the history of this great franchise, but you will also discover the sheet music to the Mister Softee theme song. Who knew there were actual words?

Pencil Lives!

Oh no! Pencil is stuck!

 

 

His owner tries to help.

A rescue team is called...

Pencil is free. Yay Pencil!

As previously mentioned, I love heartwarming animal stories - especially when they originate from my homeland (a.k.a. The Bluegrass State).

There's a walking horse named Pencil who lives on a farm in Campbell County, Kentucky. Apparently the heater on Pencil's water trough stopped working on Wednesday morning. I guess Pencil got thirsty and taking matters into his own, um, hooves, went off in search of water. He found water alright. Unfortunately for Pencil, he fell right through the ice of the very pond from which he sought refuge from his thirst. And then he got stuck and was freezing to death. Poor horsie! He just wanted a drink of water.

But luckily, with the help of nearly 40 firefighters, including members of the Northern Kentucky Large Animal Rescue Team, Pencil was rescued from the throes of the icy pond within an hour and is expected to make a full recovery. So great.

I totally want a horse named Pencil now.