happy 4th!

well this morning was the firecracker 5!

lindsay and i ran it in 49:26....and i couldn't be more proud!

i just love when new runners, run. i could run as slow as a snail and be so happy that they are just running.
it was funny--at the end we decided to sprint in.
well there was a boy about 12 or so years old.
and he did not like that we were passing him, so he kept trying to go faster as we approached. and it was funny cause linds and i looked at each other and read each others minds. we went faster.  and finished ahead of him!

i met the new pastor at VGF at the race--brad is his name.

we talked a bit and he asked if he could tell me something.

naturally, i said yes.

he told me that God has big plans for my life and will use my smile in so many ways. and that if i feel discouraged {which i have a lot recently} to just keep going and know that big things are to come.

wow! did i need to hear that or what?

here are the lovely ladies before hand--mallory joined in!

corey took the pic, he ran with us too! 

{only we would be smiling at the end of the race!  the lady in front?  not so much!}

{we finished!}

yes, lindsay and i did talk during the entire race.

and jamie ran too fast to begin.  ended up on the side getting sick.

but she finished and we are so proud!

and then chris and Finlay joined us. and i couldn't resist.

how STINKING cute is this?!! 

notice their matching headbands haha.

then the parade went down. i sat with the one and only leona!

i had not showered yet.  gross....i know.  but bare with me here.

real friends claim they know you when you're sweaty and gross :]

that's all i am going to say.

{george took this!}

{she is amazing!}

one of my favorite things about leona?  she is so patriotic.

i love a woman who loves her country!

the 4th of july is the best thing where i live.

i am so sad that it is going to end today.

but we're one day closer to leaving to the beach!

and i get to start packing tonight!

the other day at church, at the 11 o'clock service, they worshiped the whole time.

of course, i had nursery duty.

and honestly, i was real bummed. i wanted to be part of that so bad.

so i was expressing this emotion after wards {and my fellow nursery workers said: 'at least we allowed others to sit in the service without their kids!'. totally put it into perspective!} 

but my friend dan said something to me as i was bummed.

he said: 'ann. it's not about you.'

i almost got knocked over. right then and there.

then, as i was listening to perry noble tonight, he said the same thing in his message tonight {talking about people who don't like the worship music. they think it's all about them, get it?}

so i challenge you as i am challenging myself to honestly try to live that motto this week, and hopefully forever.

it's not about me.

it's all about Him.

join me?