I wouldn’t say I feel all perky, bring on the week, loving this day fresh but more on the sassy side of fresh. That is what you get for listening to some rocking jams during your morning run and BBB workout. Today is just another typical Monday with both jobs on the agenda today, a long 8:30-9 day. Can’t complain though, the office will finally be full again (all seven of us ha!) so I am certainly sure I will be a busy bee. Let’s get marvelous now. 
Marvelous is… some needed reminders and pick me up from this girl. While I wish I could say I was in sunny Miami right now with her, I will pretend that I am basking in the sun as I sit under office lights.
Marvelous is… getting a visitor at work to break up the 12-7 shift on Saturday. I was lucky enough to have Megan come in and getting to meet her for the first time. I felt bad, the store happened to be super busy yesterday so we couldn’t chat for a long time. However, she may or may not have bought a pair of Mizunos. Whoops….
Marvelous is… two hand written cards getting sent out to my Sitoo and great aunt. I am so happy I am sticking to this resolution to keep in better contact with family members that *cough* are a little behind the times in technology.
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Marvelous is… coffee. So. Needed.
Marvelous is… keeping to one of my resolutions, relationship building. My friend asked me to go to church with her and her husband on Sunday. I haven’t been to church since being in DC, so bad I know, but I get totally intimidated about finding a new church all on my own. This was so wonderful to be able to not only spend that time with them but also meet new people my age there. I so wish I didn’t work Tuesday night so I could attend the fellowship group but alas work. Bummer. 
with that Marvelous is… the sermon that was given. I know I don’t talk about my faith much on the blog probably because I have trouble defining it. I never really found my faith until college when an amazing pastor opened my eyes to God’s grace. This two hour (yes, it was a little long) was amazing, I felt so at peace and so comfortable there. Plus the message was what I needed to hear. I forget that I can never be lonely with my faith. I wish I could go weekly to this but sadly it is too far away and if I work I wouldn’t be able to get a ride with my friends. I am pretty bummed about this.
Marvelous is… reading. Ending my night in my bed reading rather on my computer has been wonderful. I didn’t think I could realistically get through two books a month this year but maybe it will happen.
Marvelous is… getting texts from my mom reminding my sister and I it was our dog’s 12th birthday on Sunday. Happy birthday to Zoe! (You can see who the favorite daughter is clearly…)
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Adios friends, its gonna be a long one.
Questions: What is marvelous about your Monday? Any resolutions you have been working on already?
Reading, coffee, text messages… gotta love the little things!! The marvelous thing about my Monday is that I am traveling from Denver to Philly to Miami and as draining as that sounds I am so excited to be back at school!
Whoaaaa that is a lot of traveling, good luck with that.
Oh I’m going to try to read before bed too! I’m glad you really enjoyed the sermon. Good looking dog
Marvelous for me is that all my friends are back, so it’s not as lonely. I would have been quite homesick otherwise.
Yay for friends being back, I always remember those awkward periods of time where no friends would be back. The worst!
Sounds like a marvellous start to your week
! My Monday is pretty marvellous thanks to an awesome spinning class this morning!
Great way to start your monday, I started this morning with a run and strength training which felt great. endorphins for the win!
Honestly, I never go to church anymore, but I still believe in the beauty of a very, very powerful sermon. I’ve been looking more into expanding my faith, and this might be something I’d like to talk to you about soon.
In the mean time, I think that these are all fabulous self-care things that you are doing for yourself. I will be the first one to admit that when I’m (1) busy and (2) not feeling at my best, those small elements of self-care are the first to go. I’m glad to see that you’re making time for YOU. And as scary (and perhaps unimportant) as they may seem, they are 100% necessary for keeping us on the right path, striving for complete self-acceptance and one day self-love.
I wish I was better at making time for me, I still forget that. IT is like I only make time for me when it forced on me. My faith has evolved greatly since I was in high school and I am so much happier and content in it at this point in my life than when I was younger
This post is great Alex! Very upbeat
. It sounds like you have some great things going on. So glad you were able to attend a church service and that you liked it 
. I hope you have a (coffee filled) great Monday!!
Oh it sure was coffee filled can’t say though it was too marvelous. the sermon was what I needed though
Even though you have a long day ahead of you, it sounds like you’re starting it off on the right foot!!
I need to start going to church again more regularly too, I always feel so much better when I am. Hopefully reading that you went will be the extra push I needed to get my own butt in gear. have a fabulous week!
I really do wish I could go more regularly, it allows for a great time of self reflection that I need. I hope you have a great Monday and find some time for you!
You go sassy lady
I’m so happy to see that you’re making connections and reaching out…I’m keeping my fingers crossed that you’ll be able to attend this church with your friends more often than you, and I’m glad that you heard a message that you needed/enjoyed. I rediscovered the joy of reading before bed last night, too (since my body was still on vacation time and thought that 11:30 was an acceptable bed time…fail body on that one)…hoping to keep up with it, especially when I’m reading books that hold my attention the way Gaining currently is…excellent recommendation, love, so thank you for that <3
yay for Gaining! I love that book. IT really has helped my sleeping, I wake up way earlier when I read before bed. Thank you no technology. I wish I could go more often, darn work and no transportation!
Have a great Monday Alex!
You too!
I’m happy that your goal of being more social is off to a great start! And I think I’m going to start carving out a chunk of time to read before bed too – finally having a chance to read for fun over the holidays made me realize how much I miss it.
it has helped my sleep so much, I would so encourage it to anyone I can.
What a weekend! I’m bad about going to church too but my whole family kind of stopped going after I got confirmed. Sometimes I wish I still went, maybe I should look back into it. I know it can be really helpful to some people. You are so lucky that you met Megan! Ahhhh I can’t wait to meet all of you soon! I email my grandparents (thankfully, they know how to press send on a computer, but not much else) every week when I’m not having weekly dinners at their house like I do all summer, and I actually really love it. Good for you to reaching out to family and sending them handwritten notes. They’ll really appreciate it and it will make you feel good too.
It is the only way I would stay in contact with them, they don’ thave computers and calling them is hard with my schedule. I stopped going to church too after I was confirmed until I found a great fellowship in college, it changed my perspective a lot on my faith.
I’m glad you enjoyed church! I’m so glad I got to meet you too…even though I ended up getting horribly lost in Adams Morgan on the way back. I did find out where I want to live when I’m a millionaire, though. And, I agree. The benefits of Starbucks FAR outweigh the costs. Can’t wait for this weekend!
OH NO I am so sorry you got lost. I know, can’t we all just be super rich? Life would awesome
Yes, Alex, you are so right that there is such a difference between reading on your computer and reading a novel! I need to stop getting so sucked into my computer at night — the fluorescent light it gives off is so bad for you right before you sleep. A novel is much more soothing on the eyes!
I sleep better when I read before bed, plus winding down with some fiction just takes my mind off things
I love that you are handwriting cards!! It is so exciting to get mail these days
So glad to hear that you found an awesome chruch – too bad its too far away. Bummer!
Hope you are having an awesome Monday!
I agree, I love getting hand written cards so I hope they do too. I hope you have a great Monday! Ps hearing from you more often makes me uber happy, like uncontrollably happy
Aww, your dog doesn’t look a day over 5! How cute
Coffee is much needed for me today, too! Happy Monday !
I know she still looks and acts like a puppy, what a goober she is.
So many things I LOVE about this! So happy you enjoyed the sermon! Getting peaceful and listening to God is the best
And of course, happy bday Zoe! What a sweetheart!
I couldn’t agree more, having that time to be with just my thoughts and God is something I need to do more often.
Happy Birthday Zoe! Marvelous is that I’m starting Best Body Boot Camp right after work today, and I couldn’t be more excited!
I totally forgot you were doing it too, my abs are sore from the workout haha
reading seriously is the best thing ever! Happy birthday to your little baby! Hope you enjoyed BBB this morning
. Um and coffee makes everything better, seriously its the first thing I think about as I am leaving the gym, I usually say “mmm coffee time” in my head as I leave! No joke I said it this morning!
I actually really enjoyed it this morning, I got my run in and got the circuit workout in. I have to say though my abs are a tad sore… haha.
happy monday! i just found your blog via health’s angel ♥ so glad u had a great sermon
..and that you send hand-written notes (i thought i was the only person left who did that lol).. looking fwd to reading more of your blog! happy bday to zoe 
I am so excited you found my blog and will have to check out yours. I love reading new ones! have a great Monday!
Reading and coffee are definitely marvelous
I also love that you so enjoyed your sermon on Sunday. I love it when God speaks to me so clearly on a Sunday morning. It’s especially nice when I am not really expecting it but am surprised but his goodness and love. 
PS- The ‘Friends’ gifs are great!
I am glad those gifs got a laugh. I need to spend more time with faith because it is so comforting.
awww that’s great you had such a nice experience going to church, I know I usually leave feeling very calm and at peace with myself too (although my church is usually 40 mins lol). Sometimes you just need to take a step out of your crazy life and listen for a change
the good thing was it didn’t feel more than a half hour even though it was two hours, totally shows you I needed that time
I love it when the sermons are really powerful and just what I need to hear at that moment. And I’m with you on the reading before bed thing…I’ve been doing that the past few nights and it’s a really nice way to end the day. Happy Birthday Zoe!
I couldn’t agree more, when sermons are like that I just feel so more at peace the rest of the day, hope you had a great Monday!
Glad you are having a pretty good time. That is one long assss shift. Good heavens. How you make time to run and all that amazes me. I have always felt peace leaving Church, however, I don’t go often.
It is no fun when I have to work both jobs on the same day, no fun at all. I am a time micro manager, the only way I do it,
Very true, you are never alone when you have God and your faith. That stinks that the church is too far to make it a weekly thing. I’m sure there are some other great churches nearby that you could check out though!
I hope I can but right now I still haven’t and it has been six months. Sad.
i love your resolution or sending letters to family members, I’m actually about to put a card in the mail to my grandmother!
I think hand written cards are the best way to talk to them because calling can be really hard with my schedule. I hope they like it
you are so sweet to send notes to your family members! and rock on with the reading, girl. I started reading actual novels again this past month and I’m so happy with the change! stay strong through your ridiculously long work day!
oh, and I just realized that since I have a wordpress account, it doesn’t take you to my website. Any advice with this? http://www.abbyeatsalmonds.com
I am an actual blogger not just some random person! haha
No idea but heading over to your blog now!
I think fiction is just the best way to unwind at the end of the day. Thank you for sending me some comforting vibes this Monday, have a great night!
I finally found my own church in October and I was so scared to go alone. I bit the bullet and went, and I am so glad I did. I have loved going every Sunday morning and the messages always speak to me!! So glad to hear you found somewhere you would want to go back to!
I think I need to do that, just bite the bullet. I first have to find one though that I can walk to. Only way I will be able to do it.
Haha! I had to laugh at that E-Card. I went to VS this weekend and unfortunately spent wayyyy too much money. Ugh. They suck me in with their sales and then I just end up spending more than I probably should. I love that place, though.
Happy birthday to your pup.
You can’t not spend tons of money there, It kills me how much things cost.
Yeahhhhhhhh BBB! I had to start yesterday because I know I’m not going to have time to work out on Thursday, and I thought today’s workout wasn’t *too* awful. Takes a little bit to get back into the swing of things, but I didn’t mind it (especially since I had ample time yesterday afternoon, which was a lot different from my normal AUUUGHHH I ONLY HAVE LIKE THREE HOURS UNTIL I NEED TO GET READY FOR BED AND I HAVEN’T EVEN STARTED ANYTHING YET panic mode haha).
I’m totally with you on the church thing. I went to a church that was really not good for my first five months in Chicago because I was too intimidated to try to find anything else. I’m church shopping-ish right now, but the one I’m strongly considering I’m drawn to because I already know people there. It’s CRAZY hard to go to a church where you don’t know anyone. I’m glad you got a lot out of the sermon, though: that’s fantastic!
BBB was awesome to get into this morning, I know with my schedule it takes lots of planning but so worth it. I still have yet to find a church I can actually get to on a weekly basis, going alone also just totally intimidates me. I am glad to hear though that you are still searching
Long days back are the worst–especially on a Monday!!
I like the idea of reading in bed instead of spending time on the computer. That’s definitely something I should try out since I haven’t been sleeping well lately.
I have always had to go to church alone unfortunately. My boyfriend is Catholic and I go to an AMAZING non-denominational church on the other side of town. While having company is better I think your faith can really grow when you take the plunge and go solo. Keep experiementing to find the perfect fit for you that’s local and everything you want. It’s worth it
I know, long days on a monday are just not the way to start a week. Reading before bed helps me sleep better, thank goodness. I wish I had someone to go to church with regularly, at least you can share your faith together
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ZOE!!!!
I really need to start reading in bed instead of reading twitter/fb/blogs on my phone…
Love that you felt so connected during the sermon. I feel the same way as you about religion and “stuff.” Definitely all there for me, just a little unclear?
Email is coming your way this afternoon- finally!
Also, all of your Friends videos make me heart smile
So cheesy, so true.
I used to read my computer or phone before bed, bad idea. I am so excited for the email and will get to it after work hopefully. Either that or tomorrow!
My heart*… I am not trying to be Irish, I swear
Love all the Friends clips!
And it’s always hard to find marvel in Mondays. I’d say the best part is the evening when the day is almost over!
Friends is just such a great classic. Exactly when the day is over I am relieved
Coffee is so marvelous to me today! Not feeling to well so I need that extra caffeine punch!
Oh I feel you girl, chug that coffee!
Girl, you don’t even know how happy I am to hear that you have so much marvelousness going on in your life right now. The closer I came to the end of your post, the bigger my smile became, and now I swear I’m sitting here smiling like a goofball. Friends? Faith? Books? Family? Coffee?!?! Yes, yes, YES! I may or may not be a little bit jacked up from caffeine and endorphins right now, but I’m super happy for you
Well let that coffee flow, I wish this attitude could have been carried through all day.
Good for you with keeping better in touch with family! That’s always tough, especially with extended family in my opinion. And I sooooo feel ya on the coffee. Much needed!
I really wanted to commit to it so I hope this keeps me more in the loop
Love that you got outside of your comfort zone and received something wonderful from it! I don’t know about you, but it seems that a little bit of faith came into your life at a pretty awesome time.
I have to agree, faith really found me when I was in a bad place searching for the light at the end of the tunnel
Love hearing about your faith! It really is awesome to be plugged into a church home. Marvelous for me today would be the new Starbucks vanilla spice soy chai! It’s delicious. So worth it. Hope you have a wonderful week my friend!!
I don’t really talk about my faith all that much, maybe something I may talk about more later. have a great week as well!
I need to start reading at night too. I had a goal to read more last year… and I did, but it still wasn’t much. You’ve insired me though. I’m going to download a new book for tongiht!
I made a goal this year to read two books a month, I had stopped reading all together soI really want to commit to this
I’m loving your marvelous moments today, I need a dose of marvelous served up by the spoonful right about now… Although, after restarting my week this morning it’s been pretty good. As luck would have it, I received a $50 gift card- hello holiday “bonus”
And that is awesome that you went to church with your friend! I haven’t been very diligent about going myself, which started when I went to college, but it can be so refreshing to get back into it, even if it’s a sporadic occurrence!
WHOA best bonus, I wish I could win the lottery. I wish I could find a church I could actually attend each week, this one I will never be able to go to because it is too far.
Yea! MIMM! I vote for coffee & reading as well, both awesome items I could not live without. Happy Monday girlie!
Nothing is bad without coffee right?
One of the things I really need to focus on this semester is reading every night before bed. I have gotten out of the b=habit of reading and I want back in!
That is my goal as well, we will see how long it lasts
That someecard–I’m dying!! Oh, and one of my coworkers and I bonded today over Mizunos; thought of you, obviously.
WOOOO I love hearing how bonding and Mizunos go together, a match in heaven
Happy Monday Alex! Sending good vibes your way. I agree that coffee is marvelous. Oh how I’ve been looking forward to a good cup of coffee in the mornings! My keurig was the best investment I ever made! Oh and that Starbucks someecards…you have proven that you are my someecards soul sister!
I hope you got plenty of coffee today, I know I needed it! Glad you got a kick out of that someecard. I seriously died laughing
Loved this post! God has a way of placing the right things in your life at the right time
I have to agree with that, I am blessed to have that
Happy birthday to Zoe!! Great job on all the marvelous & goals! I agree, gotta have the coffee, much needed! Hope you had a good day at work.
Coffee is always welcomed with open arms on Monday
You didn’t happen to go to a Southern Baptist church, did you? I went to one once in DC and it was over 2 hours long lol, so I was just wondering. Personally, I can’t take it for that long, but I know that some churches are definitely young people magnets! So it’s good you met some people
I actually have no idea what the church was called, it was a church that they rent in columbia heights. it is a super young crowd. it normally isn’t two hours but there was an adult baptism
I’m glad you enjoyed church. I really need to start going myself! ( Reading before bed is my ideal way to unwind at the end of the night!
I have to agree, reading does that for me as well
Zoe is so cute! I have to agree with you that coffee is a marvelous thing! Without coffee I wouldn’t be fabulous! Thats great that you heard a good sermon at Church. It starts your week off the right way. Have a marvelous monday night
I know, coffee makes me a sane person. that and the running endorphins.
Happy Birthday to your dog! That’s so great that she’s 12. I think mine is 8 (or 9). I don’t honestly remember. Hm, that’s kind of sad
Great job on working on your resolutions. I only go to church when I’m at home, so that’s definitely something that I need to work on!
I am the same way with church so i am so hoping to find one here for that fellowship. we will see if I can find one close enough to attend regularly
Happy birthday to Zoe! and yay so many mavelousness! Esp the whole reading thing. I LOVE BOOKS! yay!
I used to read so much but when I started college I seriously never picked up a book I didn’t have to read. This is a nice change
so proud of you with the relationship building i find it soooo intimidating ! little steps !! and happy birthday zoe she sooo damn cute! ive been working on “enjoying life more” and i have so far but its still vaca so i hope to actually keep it all year round when i need it most
that is an awesome thing to be working on, i need to work on that when I am in the swing of work and life in general
happy birthday to zoe!!!!! Love that you found a church and got to hear a good sermon – I am kind of the same way, I don’t talk about my faith/relationship with God because I’m not really sure what it is yet. I grew up going to church and sunday school but didn’t ever go by myself when in college and now it’s just not a habit for me to go. I need to get back though! And YES to reading before bed – sometimes it’s nice to just unplug for awhile!
that is the same thing for me, college really opened my eyes to the less formal aspects of God and faith which helped me really develop into my own beliefs. I am still looking to find a church here i can attend regularly
Can i just say I LOVE handwritten cards! i just sent Drew one just because. I love mail and all i ever get is junk haha! Reading before bed is my favorite thing to do
sometimes it’s blogs like now and sometimes books!
I am the same way, when I get a handwritten card i am just so so pumped. it makes me grin from ear to ear
Haha I love that someecards picture, so true! That’s so great that you’ve been enjoying church. I grew up going almost every weekend but now that I’m living on my own most of the year in college, I haven’t found a church I really love. But it feels so good to have that sense of community.
it really does, the community aspect is really what opened my eyes to my faith in college which is why i am hoping to find it here as well
I found that ending the night with a good book in hand helps me sleep much better than the glare of my computer pre-sleep. Keep up the habit! I also love hand-written cards. I’m really old-school and tend to send people care packages when I’m away from them (I did that a lot while in college). Happy (belated) birthday to Zoe!!
I agree, it has helped me sleep way better. Care packages and hand written cards are the most fun to get.
OK God has a plan for everyone and he planned for you to go to that church. I was so happy to read this girl SO HAPPY. One of the hardest things for me is going to church alone. But when I get there I remember I am never alone with God. Is there a church near your place you could try?
I haven’t found one near me that I like as much which makes me sad, that is something I wish I could go to weekly