the way we were.

As is the purpose of most blogs, my hope is to share with you some of ourselves, our thoughts on life, and our journey. Baxter and I find ourselves these days on the cusp of some new and exciting things, which finds me in particular sentimental and reflective.

Now I'm a big believer in the whole idea "you can't know where you're going until you know who you are", and thankfully, the Lord has allowed us some sweet but challenging years to really get to know who we are. I think back about when we got married, and first of all wonder who let kids like us make such a major decision . . . but I also love seeing and knowing how the Lord has been sovereignly present over our every step. Friends in denial, sweethearts to newlyweds, worn out seminarians to life with a 9-5 . . . its been a crazy journey that has quite literally taken us around the world and back, but I can't imagine doing it with anyone else. Baxter is absolutely my dearest friend and soul mate, and life with him is such a fun adventure.

But before I get you all misty eyed and play sweet eighties love ballads in the background, I thought I'd give you a glimpse of some of Team Bentley's earliest days. Brace yourself.




See on that little sidebar where it mentions "a big haired girl from Texas and a long side-burned boy from Alabama"? I wasn't lying was I?!! This lovely gem was taken one of our very first weekends at Samford University in August 2001, and my fellow Samfordites will recognize the glorious background of Vail lobby. What's that you say? A closer view of the carnage? Why of course . . .



I can't decide what's more astounding, how I managed to make my hair that big, or how Baxter's big hair makes his head look so tiny. This treasure of a photo happily makes its home on the side of our fridge, and we love remembering not only how we met, but also how ridiculous we looked. Thankfully God is on His throne, and I grew out my hair and Baxter trimmed his burns.

Now I promise that not all posts will be full of such flattering/self-deprecating photos of Team Bentley, but I thought go ahead and lay it all on the table. No pretenses or skeletons in our closets - bad hair decisions/running photos are OUT!

If you know us well, you know Baxter and I love a good laugh, particularly with or at one another. Hence why this photo stays on our fridge. God has been so good to gift us with the ability to laugh on the good and bad days, and I hope this goodness will be with us the rest of our lives. I love knowing that for all the times, things, and ways we are not, we serve a God who IS. My prayer would be that in this transparency of confessing the ways we are not, be it from poor hair style choices or on a much larger scale, you might more deeply see and love who our God who is. Because that my friends, is what we pray our life will be about. Big hair and bad sideburns to boot.

it seemed like a good idea.

am I on a roll or what?! Blog up, post #2 ALREADY! Ok, fine. I'm at my "less than involved" job today, so sure, I have a *little* time available. But don't worry, when people walk in I am ON - Customer Service Extraordinaire. ; )

I completely blame my dad, but I have a little hobby, ehem addiction. I remember watching my dad do races as a kid, and seeing all the guts and gore that crosses marathon finish lines and think "these people are NUTS! WHY in their right mind would ANYONE do this madness?" Enter graduate school. While I always enjoyed working out, "running" for me up to this point consisted of a less than 3 mile jog with a girlfriend. [and YES, there IS a difference in jogging and running. Right,Dad?] When 16+ hours of your day are consumed with class, work, reading or writing - you develop a need to mentally escape for while. I realized that when I would go for a run around sketchy Waco, it was the only time of the day that was mentally MINE. No class discussions to participate in, no zillion pages to be reading, just ME. It became this holy (albeit sweaty) experience for me . . . and I knew I began to need it when my precious husband would kindly "suggest" I go for a run after a stressful day. He's so clever.

While at Truett I ran two half marathons, the Bearathon and the Austin Half. Both were great experiences, and not only did I finish and NOT die, but I LOVED it! I knew I was hooked. Post seminary years I knew it was time for the big kahuna . . . the MARATHON. 26.2 miles of guts and glory. Last year I ran in the Ft. Worth Cowtown,and LOVED it. Sure, it was FREEZING and I bawled like a baby upon finishing . . .



But can you blame me? Mama, Daddy, and the love of my life all cheering me on as I accomplished a life long goal. 26.2 miles of exhaustion + female who ain't skeered of her emotions = weeping/moment of a lifetime.

Having accomplished my first marathon, I decided this past fall it was time for another. And I wanted a BIG race. BIG. Chevron Houston Marathon it was, with 22,000 wackos pounding the pavement beside me. We did the whole thing again - mosey on down with the fam the night before, carbo load, wake up at some ungoldy hour, wait in line with the other billion loonies to pee, then RUN YOUR HEART OUT. Cheering crowds, pumping beats, belly dancers and these folks



all cheering me on along the way. Houston KNOWS how to do a race. It was a beautiful course with LOTS of spectators which made it really fun. I beat my first marathon time, had a blast, and felt great. But what I really was hoping for, was some good action shots. At most races they have photographers to catch you at your best (or worst) moments throughout the race. I regretted not having any from my first marathon, (rookie mistake of having the fleece OVER my bib number. oops), but I was determined to get a good one this go round.



Hmmmmmm . . . see the thought here was to hold up a "2" so that I would always remember that was my 2nd marathon. Instead I just look like an Asian tourist or a devout fan of Richard Nixon.

And then there's this. Evidence of the runner's psyche: reaching deep inside myself, pulling out all the guts my tired body had and layin' it all out on the pavement. (and because I know what you're thinking based on the look on my face, YES, guts were the ONLY thing laid on the pavement that day).



Yeah so not my best face, and NO, it will NOT be making next years Christmas card, but hey, who DOES look awesome around mile 24? There is something thrilling to me about these type of moments in life where you truly, honestly doubt if you can do it . . . and then somehow, miraculously, you do it. I believe that we are called to be a part of something much bigger than ourselves, and in some twisted way - running reminds me of that important truth. I think that's why I'm hooked - the challenge, the seeming impossibility of the task . . .but then that wonderful moment when you realize, you finished. You conquered. You SURVIVED.

What I especially love is that we don't go at these impossible tasks alone. But that along the way are the cheerleaders, the believers, and those who love you even in your moments of ugliness and doubt.



And sure, it doesn't hurt when they're extremely handsome either ; )

I surrender.

Well, here it is. A blog. And even a blog with an ENTRY in it! I must confess I have been a "blurker"- [one who habitually lurks on others blogs while avoiding identification or detection] for some time now. It's only fair that the tables turn . . . so feel free to blurk at your leisure, although identifiable comments and followers are quite welcome and appreciated.

While many people start blogs at major junctures in their life, such as having a baby (no dice - sorry mom!) the intention of this blog is to write about both the major as well as the mundane. Baxter and I tend to think that we're pretty fun and interesting people, so hopefully you will too. My hopes and wishes for this little diddy aren't too high and lofty, but simply to cajole and entertain the masses with whimsical tales. Simple really. So while some days I may just feel funny and write about a random adventure, I also forsee many life-changing theological insights pouring forth. I hope you're ready for both . . . because that's how we Bentley's do it. REAL. RAW. AND AWESOME LIKE YOUR MOM.