Prayers for Mali

 

First the horrific violence in Paris last week, now this attack in Mali. All of this has me praying for safety, for peace, and for those whose lives are shattered in an instant. I am so thankful we have others who are wiling to rush in and provide aide, assitance, and protection. Withouth brave men and women like them things would be even worse.

 

Mali holds a special place in my heart after visiting a few years ago for a mission trip. I am actually scheduled to return this January as the leader of a mission team that will head into the villages and innoculate their animals so they are free of parasites and disease while we also interact with the youth and families of these villages. Hopefully things will be safer by then, but in the meantime I will be praying for the missionaries and others in Mali for comfort and a sense of peace during this very scary time.

The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my savior; thou saved me from violence. I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. 2 Samuel 22:3-4

Missing Our Island

 

Oh beautiful gorgeous Puerto Rico I miss you. I miss your turquoise waters, laid back vibes, fresh coconuts, and endless amounts of sunshine! I kept thinking since it was summer here I could be happy with our great weather, green grasses, pretty flowers, and sunshine but nope keep thinking I really want to go visit our little house and island!

 

 

 

I want no schedule, hours to lounge on the beach enjoying cocktails or coconut water, finishing one book after another, and just unwinding. Trying to wait until winter so it's more of an adventure but may give in and squeeze in a trip before then. Anyone else crave island life even in the midst of summer?

 

 

Benash Family Reunion 2015

Last weekend was our annual Benash Family Reunion at Platte River State Park. Always a great chance to see family and enjoy a little nature fun. This year flew by it seems.

 

Saturday started off misty and cold but I laced up the bright tennis anyway and went out on a trail run. Hate to miss an opportunity to run in such a pretty place.

 

 Lots of fun with family, even though I unfortunately only took a few family photos. No clue why.

 

 

Super cute cabins with bunk beds and peonies for color. I always think these cabins are truly the perfect size.

 

 

 

Field trips to the local winery

 New Hunter boots perfect for the misty chilly start each morning

 And more trail running and exploring. The sun came out the last morning and I so wished we could stay another day!

Super healthy breakfast of rolls, chocolate milk, and diet coke... Don't judge at least I ran first right?

A Couple Great DC Dinning Recommendations

 

I am far from an expert as there are soooo many wonderful options for dinning in DC but was super impressed with both of these places. We dinned at Nora the first evening there and I was blown away by the drinks and the food. All super fresh and all delic. The atmosphere and neighborhood are cute also.

 

A friend recommended Ted's Bulletin and the moment I realized they had homemade pop tarts I was sold. I sadly didn't take the time to sit and eat as had ran there and "ran out of time" funny enough. It was further than I realized but figured all that exercise at least negated the calories of the pop tarts and snowballs. Both were delic! The menu looks great.

Oh yeah and a drink or two at the cool bar at the Willard Hotel is a must. This is the hotel where the term Lobbying was coined. Gorgeous hotel, great cocktails, but you are for sure paying for the ambiance.

Memorial Day 2015

Memorial Day is a day for remembering and honoring military personnel who died in the service of their country, particularly those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle.

 

 Please take a moment today to remember those who lost their life serving our country. Being in DC this past week and visiting the various memorials was such a reminder of how many have lost their lives protecting our freedoms. To each of them and their families I am forever grateful.

National Mall and Memorial Parks at Night

I was lucky enough to be in DC for a few days this week on a trip with the Council Bluffs Chamber to advocate for issues on behalf of my role on city council. One night dinner finished early so I laced up the running shoes and went for a run to the National Mall to stroll through the memorial parks at night.

I was so glad I took the time to do this. It truly was breathtaking at night. Soooo pretty all lite up against the night sky. If you're in DC visiting at night is a must. I am pretty certain there are even hop on hop off tours you can take.

It was the perfect way to get in extra exercise for the day and explore after a long day of successful meetings. I think I ended up with 23.000+ steps that day!