Completing #22: Save a Life!

January 29, 2010 = Epic.

We saved a baby!

U of M's Students for Life group sends a small group of volunteers out to the local Planned Parenthood every Friday and Saturday (days when abortions occur) year round to do sidewalk counseling. Due to classes, work, and a general nervousness about it, I have never been able to go. This morning, however, was different. I got up early, put on five layers of clothes, and headed out in the -5 degree windchill to stand with the other young adults
from our club for the first time ever.

What a great experience it was.

A young woman got out of her car to walk into the clinic when Elise, a fellow student, called out to her that we cared and that we had resources for her if she wanted them. She asked what they were, and we called back that we had other options for her, that we had seen people hurt by abortion and that we didn't want that to happen to her. She walked in. We thought we had lost.

15 minutes later, she came back out! She came over and asked how long we had been standing there. We told her we'd been there for a few hours and handed her some information. She asked questions about how far along she was, what to expect inside the clinic, what other options we could offer her, and after sharing a few stories, she went back inside. 

We began to pray.

Over an hour and a half later, after we'd about given up hope, she came back outside with the words "I DIDN'T DO IT GUYS! I DIDN'T DO IT!" I wasn't there but Elise said that she looked like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. =)

I'm pretty sure that was the most epic thing I've ever crossed off the list. Ever.

The courage shown by that young woman can only be that of our Lord. I have never felt the power of prayer as much as I felt it during that rosary. Those 5 small decades held so much hope, so much strength, so much faith... I felt it. So did she, apparently, because inside those hard, cold walls, she stood up for the truth. Please keep her in your prayers -- she needs ongoing prayer for an ongoing decision to keep her baby to term. Her tiny baby needs our prayers as well, as do all of the women that enter those doors each day.

Thank the Lord for that tiny baby!

Not-technically-on-the-list-but-I-did-it-anyway: Winning Something

So here's the deal. Textsfromlastnight expanded from their website to facebook, where each college that is worth anything has a textsfromlastnight group. You send in a funny text you've received and people vote on it by "liking" the post, and then at the end of the week, the administrators announce the winner.

Get this. I won.

Super exciting, right?! I never win anything!

Here's the super exciting announcement:

Amin Haririnia: Congratulations to Sarah Elizabeth Osentoski!! Your text from last night won the "Text of the Week" with 39 "likes" It said: (734): I bet traffic in columbus is nice. Because that's where osu is.(1-734): You're probably right. All the osu students are probably staying on campus for break since no one likes them enough to invite them home for christmas.

Keep the posts coming and don't forget to vote!

Take that Brian. I totes whooped you with not only a good comeback but a win on a website. Which is like a super win because I never win. =)

Completing #12: Receive a message in a bottle.

Just minutes into Christmas Day I completed item #12: Receive a message in a bottle. AND it was technically even on water (because snow is a form of H20, obv). Twas a true adventure - it even involved a scavenger hunt (of sorts) and I was attacked by a dog in the process. Gotta love Jaymin. He's always got the best gift ideas. =)

Back at it: #29 Here I Come

Just 2 days after I began training again following the broken foot, I stress fractured the other foot. Blah. But that's just not normal. So I went to Tortoise and Hare, the running store, and talked to a very nice employee who assessed how I walk and everything. He said I have great shoes -- they're the same ones he trains in -- but that my arches cause the top of my foot to take all of the impact when I run. The shoes I have are great but the material they're made out of gets really hard when it's cold. So basically, when I run in the cold, I'm running on rocks and the tiny bones in the top of my foot take all of the impact. I guess that explains why those little bones break after a few miles. SO he fitted me with inserts that will absorb the shock and told me to avoid hardcore training for a week or two.

Thus, it's ellypticals, walking, and lots of weight training for the next couple of weeks until stress fracture #2 heals up. Thank goodness for SarahJoy. We go to the gym every day & whoop it. I feel SO much better now that I'm back at it.

Also, my bathing suit is in the mail. Can't wait to start swimming. =) June 19, 2010 here I come!!!

Failing at #29: Complete a Triathlon

Go figure. That 11 mile run resulted in me being in a cast and out of commission for at least 3 weeks. They let me choose between a real cast and a removable one, however, and although I was tempted to ask if they had Power Rangers or Ninja Turtles for the real cast, I went with the strap on boot. Blah. Not only does it do very little for the pain... it SQUEAKS! Super loud! Try walking through the hospital with that thing on... the world will hate you. =P Keeps things interesting though. And my friends always know where I am.

So another week or two until I find out if it's a tendon or a break. Hopefully it's just the tendon and I'll be able to run in a couple of weeks. I'm missing some great running weather. =(

Working on #29: Complete a Triathlon

Last night I hardcore trained for the triathlon... on accident. The plan was to do my usual 3 mile trail. But a mile into it, I decided I was bored of that and wanted to do a longer jog instead. So, I stretched, changed my music from hardcore pump up rap to slow girlie songs, and set out.

Then I realized I didn't know where I was going.

So, in my usual random fashion, I opted to do something crazy. I was going to let crosswalk lights determine my route.

In hindsight, this may have been a bad idea. However, it was extremely relaxing at the time. I ended up, in a very roundabout way, past the stadium. And, in a very roundabout way, made it home. I ended up going over 11 miles. At 7:30 minute mile pace.

You may not understand the speed of that run. When I was in cross country, 8 minute miles made varsity. 7 minute miles won first place. How the heck did I manage 7:30 minute miles for over 11 miles!? I may never know. But my body is pissed.

My knee (the one that doctors left metal in when I was 10) is screaming, and my foot is even angrier. Not sure what's wrong there. It seriously feels like I've got some broken bones on the top, although I highly doubt it. I didn't do anything that would break a bone.

Not to mention that I'm cramping again. It's been like a week. Come on uterus - work with me here. I can't handle you ditching your lining every two weeks. What happened to the every 30 day schedule we've had worked out for the past 7 years? Yeesh.

Anyway, I digress. Point is, I tried to run tonight and made it a mile and a half with quite a huge amount of pain. So I'm home. Bike riding tomorrow instead. I wish I had my swimsuit - that'd be perfect in this situation. And I need to start training for the swimming portion anyway.

Yay triathlon!

Completing #20: Let 99 red balloons go outside and watch them float away.

Best. Day. Ever. And it was supposed to suck. (Go figure). Just goes to show you that no day is ever worthless unless you make it so.

Was late to 8 am class (with no damn Michigan time). Then ran to St. Joe's to copy charts (which I promise you is not exciting) and then back to campus for class again. Although I must admit... Sarah & I had some absolutely hilarious times today. Meter Man & our Biker & Immathong made the morning quite exciting. Unfortunately it was short-lived thanks to classes.

Anyhow, hung out with Andrea for awhile and then put on some warmer clothes for The Surprise. It was probably the best surprise I've ever received. Better than I've ever heard of. Probably better than any surprise in any movie ever. (I haven't seen many movies but my guess is that no movie can compare to the gloriousness of it).

I'd ask if you're ready to hear about it but I'm pretty sure you can't ever be ready for this. So I'll just tell you.

I met Tom at the parking garage where he works. We parked & then I had to close my eyes while we went upstairs. We got to the top & I was allowed to peek. It was raining & chilly but believe it or not, Ann Arbor is super pretty from up there. Anyway, then Tom stepped out of the way and behind him, tied to the railings of the parking garage, were 99 red balloons. Yeah. I know. Crazy, right? How in the world did he manage to get that many balloons, first of all, and secondly, how'd he get them to the parking garage? And how'd he get them all tied and ready? SO good. (Shout out to Brandon for his part in it!). Anyway, after I got over the initial shock and confirmed that I was alive, we went & let 99 red balloons go & watched them float over Ann Arbor. It was absolutely glorious. I highly doubt you understand how excited I was (and still am) about completing that one. For real. Not to mention the fact that someone would go through that much trouble to help me cross something off my list. I may have had some help in completing quite a few of the things on that list, but none took the planning and coordination that letting 99 red balloons go did. (Not to mention the fact that it's illegal). Yeesh this kid is amazing. October 15, 2009 = a spectacular day.

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