the desert run

This week has been completely different than the rest! For me, that is. Chase is doing the usual work. Actually he's been filling in for a service manager that recently resigned. Chase will become a service manager after his 18 month management trainee program. He is enjoying managing all the service techs and is really gaining their respect because he is always on top of things. He gets done what needs to be done, and he works hard. That's something I've always admired about Chase, is that he has a serious work-ethic. To the point that his first weekend of college EVER, he stayed in to read his econ book...BEFORE class EVEN STARTED!!! Ok - let's be real, that's a little ridiculous. I think I called him a geeeeeeeeeeeeeek for that. But in all seriousness, he's not afraid to put in the work because he knows that it pays off.

My week has been so wonderful because I've had the opportunity to volunteer at Just Moved Ministry. As the name explains, it's a ministry for women who have just moved. The woman, Susan Miller, who founded this ministry is leading the Tuesday morning class I go to at Scottsdale Bible called "Moving On After Moving In." I have met such wonderful and Godly women! They have embraced me as family already. That has really filled my days, and has been such a job. In the meantime, I am still applying for jobs.

Last night, Chase and I decided we needed to start running again if we want to actually run this 10k we keep telling ourselves that we are training for. We had taken about a week off of running. We decided to run to the Mayo Clinic, a hospital 2 miles away from our house. About .25 miles into our run to mayo clinic, the sidewalk on the road ends. Between our apartment building and the Mayo Clinic is literally nothing but desert and one two-lane road. We ended up running into the wind and sun THROUGH THE DESERT. And when I say through the desert, I mean like literally a desert (have I said that before?) with no buildings or civilization around for about a couple miles. Tumbleweed, little pathetic shrubs, and a whole bunch of flat sandy dirt. Into the wind, into the sun, and then it started to rain...which neither of us were mad about because the wind and rain droplets kept it cool, and not 110 degrees - which would have made for an impossible run.

We didn't stop until our hands touched the Mayo Clinic building. We went inside, got some water, and then proceeded to take a longer way back to our apartment (we walked) while exploring the desert around us. Because it wasn't as hot, and the sun was setting, it was actually quite beautiful! Also, the rain had stopped. We really enjoyed it and definitely saw God's beauty in a different way. If this is a taste of Arizona winters, I think I am going to LOVE this place Oct-March!