Wednesday, September 30, 2009

The weather report

It has been hot and sunny for the past, oh, 200 days or so. Don't get me wrong, I am sort of getting used to the heat of my lovely little city, The Box. After 23 years :) But this morning, I awoke to a breathtaking view outside my window of ... clouds. A cloudy morning. The way it should be every morning. I love cool mornings. I got to wear sweats to walk Emma, and be comfortable. And I got to wear sweats, and feel like I was dressed perfectly.

Now it is sunny. I remind myself that God created the sun just as he created the clouds, and I am thankful for the sun. For with no sun, I would not appreciate the clouds.

Thank you Lord for cloudy mornings. And thank you for the sun.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Wake up

Emma wakes me up every morning. Unless I have to wake up before 6. I set my alarm, you know, just in case. But she is faithful. She wakes up anywhere between 6 and 7. This morning, it was 7. That is a good day. Every morning she crawls up on the bed next to me, lays down and rolls over on her back with her paws in the air and nose reaching back toward me. And I scratch her tummy. This morning she stayed in that position for 10 minutes. The thing about Emma is that she's pretty fidgety. Like, she can't hold still for more than 5, 10 seconds max. But today, it was 10 minutes. Then I let her out. Then if we have time, we come back and cuddle some more. That's when she attacks J with kisses and wakes him up. And he always says, "awww good morning Emma." This morning I realized how lucky I am. I get to wake up with my puppy and my husband every morning. These are the moments I love. Thank you Lord for mornings with my family.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Sister Sister

I really and truly have the best sister in the world. She is the most sarcastic and funny girl I know. She can make fun of me for hours while making me laugh. She is wise wise wise. Surprisingly wise. Like, she's kinda like my big sister sometimes. She tells some great stories (and don't you interrupt her when she's talking ;). She has a heart for her animals and isn't afraid to tell you just what she thinks. She's the girl I go to for the real truth, to lay out by the pool, to get coffee, to chat for 4 minutes between classes, to get ideas for dinners... for anything and everything. I love my sister more that I can explain. Happy 19th birthday Carly!!!!

In honor of her, here is a short tribute :)

Baby Carly!
Love my little sis
You always were the cute one. Train ride! All aboard....!You have the cutest smile
Rock on in Denver at the conference!Thanks for being my Padres dugout buddyYou were the prettiest and best maid of honor out there.Family pic! (with Emma trying to escape as usual)Beautiful girlYou are such a fun little buddy. Happy 19th Birthday, Sis!!!

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

This too shall pass

I really don't like to give very much credit to any particular day of the week. In general. For instance, I've never been one to say Fridays and Saturdays are my favorite. In fact, I like to think I am optimistic in saying Thursdays are usually my favorite day of the week. Depending on the week. :)

And then there's Tuesday. Tuesdays have always tended to be my least favorite day of the week. However, this semester, I head to Oceanside every Tuesday to complete my clinical requirement for mental health. Needless to say, it takes all I have to make it.

But I hate being negative. Truly truly hate it. So, I have made a list of three reasons I like Tuesdays (at least the next 11 Tuesdays).

1. Excellent worship in the car for a full hour every morning.
A current favorite is Vicky Beeching's "Stronger than the Storm"
When we're soaked by the rain of sorrow
When we're battered by winds of change
When the world all around is shaking
and we're deafened by crashing waves
You are stronger than the storm
You are reigning over all
Faithful God you're always in control
You're the anchor of peace for our souls
With one word you can calm the ocean
Turning chaos to glass like sea
Speak unshakeable hope to our hearts
Be our fortress of perfect peace
We will trust in you.

2. 15 minutes at the beach with the Lord, His Word, and His creation. Blessed that my clinical is two blocks from the ocean.
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." Romans 12:12

3. I get to wear a jacket... because it's actually cool in the mornings :)

And now, 3 reasons I am thankful for this Tuesday.
1. Happy Elephant Appreciation Day!
2. Happy first day of Fall (I'm on a hunt for fall colors in San Diego nature).
3. Dinner at Claim Jumper with J, complete with mud pie.

Lessons from MWS

Last night we celebrated our dear friend Katie's birthday. And I was reminded of Michael W. Smith's song, "Friends." Katie and Mark are those friends he sings about.

"And friends are friends forever if the Lord's the Lord of them.
And a friend will not say never, because the welcome will not end.
Though its hard to let you go, in the fathers hands we know that a lifetime's not too long to live as friends."

God has blessed us with friends to encourage our relationship and enrich our life as we journey through daily life.
Happy birthday Katie!

Monday, September 21, 2009

This weekend's moments

Beautiful Point Loma sunsets.
Date night with my hubby! Thank you honey. I love to be with you!
I got tickets to Lamb's Players Theater for my birthday from J's parents (thanks!), so we went to see "Leaving Iowa" Saturday night. So cute! We made a night of it and went to dinner at the cutest (fanciest) Italian place... way fancier than we thought. They put the napkin in my lap! Who does that? There's a first time for everything :)
I even ate this! And liked it!
Day with the girls.
Delicious and beautiful lunch, courtesy of Brie :)
The most amazing paper store... ever.
Fun coffee shops.
Random household decorations.
An auto ferry to the cutest little island ever. Who knew they put cars on boats?!
Fun taffy at the cutest candy shop!

Monday, September 14, 2009

Wedded Bliss

"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh."
Genesis 2:24


This weekend I went up to Sacramento with my parents and sister to go to my cousin's wedding. We all met at the airport... Mom and Steve picked me up, and Carly walked off the plane soon after. Funny! The really funny part was that my parents got a PT cruiser for rent!
We cruised to our ultra fab hotel in our ultra awesome PT. We met up with my mom's half sister and her little girl (Aunt Drina and Kendra) for some excellent frozen yogurt.
Then we headed back to our hotel to beautify before heading to the McKinley Rose Garden for Jeff and Kirsten's wedding. This is them with Jeff's parents, my Uncle Dave and Aunt Helene.
To the reception in downtown Sac town, only a block away from the state capital. So pretty at night. We spent about ten minutes trying to get this picture right. :)
Don't I have the most pretty mom and sister ever??!!We snagged Jeff for a picture at the end.
Then a quick turn-around the next morning as we headed off to the airport. Carly on her plane, and the three of us to San Diego.
As quick as it was, I am so glad I was able to go and take a mini family vaca to see my cousin get married. Congratulations Jeff and Kirsten! Marriage is God's best gift to his people.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

How quickly it changes

Ahh, amazing how quickly we go from frolicking...

to the books.

This is looking to be a very 'fun' semester. :)
And I remember His truth.

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

What does the worker gain from his toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end."

Ecclesiastes 3:1-11

She never ceases to make me laugh.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Happy birthday Kris!

Today is my mother-in-law's birthday! To celebrate, we went to Corvette Diner last night with the fam. Quite the experience! If you've ever been to Corvette Diner, you know their trademark entrance...I love this car! I thoroughly enjoyed the huge heads of hair, the "all-restaurant" chicken dance, and the thumping Beatles music :). But really I did. And it was fun to be with J and his parents and grandmas. What sweet grandmas. Anyway, back to the house for some yummy ice cream cake (nice work John Sr!).
I am very blessed to have such a special second family. They have welcomed me in so warmly and I really enjoy getting to be with them. Kris you are a wonderful MIL and it has been so fun to have coffee dates this month! (and last...). Thanks for all of your encouragement and support. I love you!

And Happy Birthday!!!

Saturday, September 5, 2009

A Spot of Tea

Friday ... check.
Mom ... check.

Carly ... check.

Grandma ... check.
Tea ... check.

English accents ... check.

There is nothing like sipping tea with my favorites. My mom booked us to go to the Aubrey Rose Tea Room yesterday before my sister and I go back to school next week. From the moment I got the email from my mom ... "Would you like to have tea next Friday at 11? I'm going to book it..." I have been eagerly anticipating the day. Ladies tea. The four of us.

There is something about tea that brings women together (or men, but mostly women). When a woman says to another woman, "would you like to have tea?" it means more than that. Tea time is a time for laughter, a time to relax and sip the daily stresses of life away, a time to reconnect and share stories with each other, a time to pull out the English accents (if only I was as good as my sister). Tea time is a break in the day. An hour (or two) of peace and joy.

I knew this. Because we have had tea before. And so I waited with excitement for tea time to fellowship with my mom, grandma, and little sister.
And we laughed. And drank tea. And ate sandwiches and dainty fruit slices and desserts and scones. And looked around the cute store filled with tea pots and tea cups and all sorts of beautiful gifts. And drank more tea. And talked about life.
Grandma told us her story of killing a rattlesnake outside her house with her two shovels. My sweet beautiful Grandma. Needless to say, Carly and I were very impressed. And Mom piped in with a story about when she was younger and how Grandma had saved her cat, Flower, from a rattlesnake with her shovel. And Grandma told us of her most proud attack with her long-handled clippers. And we laughed and laughed. And I thought, I hope I will be brave enough to kill the rattlesnake to save my kid's kitty one day, just like my grandma.
And then my sister told us about her last day at work - she worked in a vet boarding office. And she explained the fabrics she gave the office to use for dog bandanas (each dog gets a bandana), and I thought how proud of my little sister I am. Everyone at work loves her, and I thought, man and they don't even know the whole Carly like I do. We listened to her as she told us funny stories about the animals, and we all laughed.
And my mom talked about the specialness of tea time and these special moments, and we all pondered the blessing of three generations coming together over tea. And I thanked the Lord for tea time, and for special moments.