Happy New Year!

I fell off of the rowing machine at our fitness center today. I should mention that the fitness center was the most crowded I've ever seen it at the time of my fall. I've never seen anyone manage to fall off of the rower before. How did it happen? Well, I sat on the seat of the rower and decided I should stretch my legs a bit before I got started. So I straightened my leg out, and started reaching for my toes, and then the seat slid back, I lost my balance, fell on the beam of the rower and then onto the floor while yelling "Aaah". Most of you know how I vocally overreact. I'm sure people saw me but I was to ashamed to look up. Once I was on the ground I just put my head down and started stretching.

I've gone my whole life thinking that I have asthma and that's why I can't run. Up until the other day every time I ran my lungs would get tight, I would get short of breath, a sharp pain would stab between my shoulders and one of my canine teeth would ache. I'm serious. Well, the other day I was on the treadmill and I decided I would try to run. I'm a music dork and decided that instead of inhaling for 2 and exhaling for two I would inhale for 2 and exhale for 3 to make it more interesting. And guess what. I ran 3/4 mile without any of the symptoms listed above. Today I tried my new breathing technique again and this time I ran a mile. I guess I don't have asthma after all. That's pretty cool. Too bad I didn't know all of this before I sent my medical information to Outward Bound Wilderness School.

I went and saw Narnia the other night with my friend Rachel. We both got to go for free. Afterwards we went to a restaurant to get coffee and they gave us two big coffee cups and an entire pitcher of coffee for $1.20 a piece. God bless the USA! I admit america's oversized food and drink portions are usually a negative thing, but it definitely turns to a positive when it comes to coffee!

My friend Rachel gave me good advice that I want to pass on to everyone that is getting ready to leave the Shelter. Prepare a one minute blurb about your time in Amsterdam. People are going to ask you how your time was and you'll feel like a dork just saying, "It was really good". Either tell a story or sum up your favorite part of your experience. I'm still working on mine.

I'm praying for whoever is working the nightman shift tonight! I'm also praying for all of you getting ready to leave the Shelter!

BTW- there is a movie out in the states right now called "Hostel" and it's advertised as the scariest movie in years. If I didn't hate horror movies I would probably go and check it out.

Happy Belated Birthday Marco and Congrats to Nynke!
Love you guys and miss you!