Hot Spots

So it's been a scorching 115* in Phoenix and has barely let up. Ryan and I got some mercy from driving up to Payson, a cooler city mountain town in Arizona for the 4th of July. We love swimming in that water-hole with the crawdads! Jess and her beau Kyle joined us camping and had a blast.

Cornerstone Church has been another spiritual water-hole for us. It has been a great oasis in our desert of life! We are meeting some great couples, hearing captivating sermons and enjoying our Sundays much more.

I have also started a new work-out regimen that keeps me at the gym for two hours a day and loving it! I am not quite beating the heat with Zumba, in fact it's quite the opposite, but I can say that I am feeling amazing and excited about toning and sculpting. Everyone needs to try Zumba at least once. It's a party!

Oregonians, get ready, 'cuz here I come! I am just ditching the heat altogether by traveling to Oregon to chill with some friends and family. I am so looking forward to immerse myself in greenness and fun. Summers up there are beautiful, not miserable.

Until next time, stay cool in your hot spots. :)

The Census and Sam

We're counting you! That's right, it is time for the 2010 US Census. I have decided to do my civic duty and not only fill out my questionnaire and send it back in, but help train and manage some of my fellow Americans to go out and collect your answers. Although this temporary job with the government has basically taken over my life, I remind myself it is for a greater purpose. The Census helps us fund schools and hospitals, gives seats to the State Reps, and helps with genealogy work, just to name a few things. So please send in your questionnaires! It takes only 10 minutes! If you don't, we use $50 of your tax-paying money to send out an enumerator to count you!

Speaking of spending $50, when your pets get sick, you have to shell out some dough. Little Sam was shaking and moaning in pain yesterday. I tried having her go outside, but she couldn't defecate on her own, so I had to help her. :( I ended up taking her to the Emergency Vet because I didn't want to take any chances with her. (Bowel obstructions, perforations, etc..) It turns out that she had sustained a hip injury that hurt so much that she hasn't been wanting to squat as much to go potty. This, in turn, has backed up her system, causing her to not want to eat or drink. She is getting some x-rays on Monday to see for sure what's going on inside of her, and I am giving her doggy pain meds. She is also not allowed to jump, run, go on walks, and go up and down stairs; I have to carry her everywhere. Poor Sam. Goodness gracious! If and when I become a mother I am going to be a wreck.

Thanks Megan Zimmerman!

So I started a blog due to the inspiration of the one and only, my best friend, Megan Zimmerman. It is late and I can't sleep. I am flying up to Oregon tomorrow for Kyle and Allie's wedding and haven't completely packed, but I felt very impressed to create my blog. My boo-bee-doos are sleeping at my feet on the couch and snoring so cutely that I can't stand it. There is an infomercial for Miracle Spring Water that will supernaturally wipe away people's debt. Are we this desperate at this time of day that we will spend money on water to anoint our checkbooks? Okey Dokey, Peter Popoff. On any level, I sometimes love this quietness of night where I can be accompanied by my thoughts.

I am pondering Ryan's and my church situation. What to stand for? What to let go? We have had very different spiritual experiences growing up and reconciling this in marriage is something we are working at. We are also thinking about when to start a family. What would be best for a future "Renna/Jyan?" Oh gosh little Matthews' running around...get ready world...we are a little nuts. When do I go back to school? Probably when we get back to Oregon. How are we going to rent our condo out? Lots of questions, lots of answers. I guess we just have to pick the ones that work best for us.

Gratefulness comes to mind, too, for finding medications that are helping me feel like I did a long time ago, working online in pajamas, and a temporary job with the U.S. Census to help pay off bills. I am excited and anxious for my audition for "Annie Get Your Gun." I haven't done any *real* acting since 2006 as Maria in "12th Night." Although, I know that if I work at refining my skills, it will definitely pay off--or I could just buy some Miracle Spring Water and anoint myself. :)