This season of life.

Let's start this post by saying my apartment smells gloriously like peanut butter because I just made a double batch of these peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies! Oh.my.word. SO good!

Life has been busy and calm all at the same time lately. And since a picture says a thousand words, I'm going to let my pictures speak for me.

My best friend got married!! Everything was absolutely beautiful- the bride, the ceremony, the marriage, and of course the bridal party ;)

So thankful for my daddy. 

The roomie graduated from SPU (oh, and she's TEACHING there in the fall) Ridiculously proud of this girl!

Mom and Dad came for a visit in June. It was great to spend time with them in Seattle.

I've been loving the Magnolia Farmer's Market just a mile or so away from my house. A few weeks ago I bought fresh raspberries and made yummy jam. Farmers market fresh homemade jam...makes me feel like the pioneer woman. haha

4th of July weekend was full of food, family, and friends in California. I'm SO glad I got to see these two wonderful women while I was home!

Flying back to Seattle from the Long Beach Airport. Seriously, my favorite airport ever.

Celebrating a new baby!! Loved showering this family and sharing this journey with them as they anticipate the arrival of their little girl. 

Another celebration! But this time for a birthday...half a century right, Meg? ;)

Less then a dozen pictures and so many important people in my life! Seriously, these are the people who have helped to shape me into the person that I am today. They have laughed with me, cried with me, and been there for me no matter what is happening in my life. I am truly blessed by the people I call friends and love being able to celebrate their weddings, babies, birthdays, and more.

It seems like everyone I know is getting engaged, married, having a baby, buying a house, or doing something else exciting and life changing. What am I doing you ask? Welp, I'm still trying to figure that out. I've been researching grad schools in California to get a Master's in Teaching and a teaching credential...So that's the current plan for next year-ish. I'm really excited about the idea of moving back to California and becoming a teacher there, but it also terrifies me. Seattle has finally started to feel like home and where I thought I would be for a while... and now I'm looking at changing ALL of that.

But isn't that what life is about? Get comfortable and bam! life changes! Through all these changes and unknowns I know that one thing stays the same. God is faithful. He will not leave me or forsake me. I know that his plans are bigger and better than anything I could come up with by myself. I am thankful for this confidence because I couldn't imagine going through life without knowing that there is a God who has taken care of everything for me. No matter where the future takes me, I am thankful for each season that the Lord provides.

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1

The Last Few Months...

My computer is working again!! I have the best boyfriend in the whole world. He took my laptop apart and fixed it with his magic technology fixing skills. I am now backing up my files (after a slight panic that I would lose everything in my computer) and enjoying being able to do all the things that a smart phone and iPad cannot do. The last few months have flown by with a whirlwind of activities, everything from graduating and weddings to beach trips and working full time. Here is a glimpse at life lately for me...

Ivy Cutting with President Eaton, followed the next day with graduation at  Key Arena - 6/8/12

4 years and 2 degrees later, I am officially an SPU alum!

I spent my summer Fridays at FFMC helping out with "Mom & Me" story times. So fun to spend time with these little ones and their moms!

Wedding #1 Hannah & Nate's lovely wedding in Sandpoint, Idaho - 7/14/12

Luke and I had the opportunity to go to the Mariner's game and sit in the owner's booth with Mr. & Mrs. Davis! Mr. Davis threw out the first pitch to celebrate the Mariner's 35th anniversary.

No summer would be complete without a trip to the beach with these lovely ladies. So glad we were able to do this while I was home!

Wedding #2 this summer :) Esther's beautiful wedding in San Diego - 8/18/12

Love this girl!

Janelle and I got to practice our cake cutting and catching skills. We're going to see how many weddings we can cut the cake for :) I love that I get to have this girl as my roommate once again!

Last but not least, I came back from a vacation at home to a week of VBS- my first at FFMC. Such a fun week! Here are some of the highlights...

All in all, life is grand. I'm excited for this next season of life. Post-college with a great roomie, a wonderful man in my life, and not just one but two jobs I thoroughly enjoy. The best part is that it's all happening during my favorite time of year. Bring on the scarves, boots, and pumpkin spice lattes!

Are we there yet?

Everyone has memories of sitting in the backseat asking their parents if they have arrived at their destination yet. As an adult this is a very "duhhh" kind of question that I want to respond with, "If we were there, the car would be parked and we'd be getting out of the car!" All that to say, I feel like I keep asking my imaginary driver- "Am I there yet?" There are only two more weeks until graduation, but I will be done with school a week from tomorrow. ONE WEEK of school left. ever. for the rest. of. my. LIFE. [or until I go to grad school- whichever one comes first]. I am ready to be done, but I am still nervous about my future. Part of me seriously wants to crawl into a hole or maybe run away to a deserted island somewhere and escape the responsibilities of life. But we all know that isn't an option. I know that I am ready for new challenges and that the Lord will provide all that I need, but it is still scary to think of what is ahead. I have a unique situation, different from most those around me. I will be graduating and starting a full-time position at the day care and working 10 hours a week at the church. So I will be very busy! I'd rather be busy than bored any day, but it's still a little overwhelming to think about tackling these new roles and responsibilities. 

This weekend was a wonderful break but now I'm easing back into reality. I "surprised" my parents and came home for a long weekend. It has been nice and relaxing to be removed from my every day environment, without much homework to work on (I couldn't escape it completely!). Today my wonderful best friends came over and we laid out in the sun for a few hours. And after a small glass of wine at dinner I am just about asleep! [I'm pathetic. haha] I love seeing them, but am always a little sad when we must separate. I often wonder what life would be like if we were all in the same place at the same time; if we got to be roommates; if our boyfriends were all friends; if we went to the same college...etc. etc. Even though we are often apart I know they are always there for me, and I'm so excited to see where the Lord will lead us.

But still, I often wonder, "Am I there yet?"

Home.

Home, home, home! I am home for Thanksgiving and have so many things to be thankful for. First of all, I'm thankful I get to be home, because the last two years I was not. (holidays just aren't the same away from home). I'm thankful for the warm weather and sunshine- I'm wearing flip flops today! I'm thankful for the fridge full of food and the yummy smells coming from the kitchen. I'm thankful to be going out to celebrate my birthday tonight with my parents. I'm thankful to have family here tomorrow (even if it's not the original plan, it's still family). I'm thankful that I have friends who are just as excited to see me as I am to see them, even after we've been apart an extended amount of time. I'm thankful for Thanksgivings of the past and the memories that come with them. We always miss loved ones more around the holidays, and this one will be no different. Grandma & Grandpa, we wish you were here.

2008- the last time I was home for Thanksgiving, and the last time they came to visit us in California

There are at least a dozen pictures similar to this over the years. I miss playing cards with them.

My sweet Grandpa.

Someday we'll celebrate together again, but until then we miss you dearly.

Done and done.

Well, it's official- I am done with my third year of college! The stove has been scrubbed and cleaned, the living room vacuumed and dusted, sink cleaned, drawers emptied, boxes packed, sheets and towels laundered, suitcases zipped, keys turned over, paperwork signed, and ta-da I am no longer a resident of 34 W. Cremona and am on my way home for the summer! I've been counting down to this day for two months (okay, let's be real, I've been practically counting down since September) and now that it's here, why do I have mixed feelings? I felt so sad saying goodbye to some of my wonderful roommates. I will miss saying goodnight to my "Francis" every night, laughing about random things like thinking there is a raccoon in the oven, and staying up way later than planned because we're talking about weddings, grad schools, boys, friends, papers, and more. I have been truly blessed this year and can't wait to be back next year.

But now that I am sitting in the airport waiting for my delayed flight I can not be more happy to be going home. I just want to sleep in my own bed, wander around in shorts and a tank top without wearing shoes, eat yummy food, watch tv, read lots and lots of books, lay by the pool, and just relax! The next week and a half will be busy since my little baby brother is GRADUATING from high school, but after that I know things will calm down and the real relaxing will begin. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful home, family, and friends, to return to. I know that is not really normal to want to go home so much, but I've never been normal ;)

Only God knows what this summer really has in store for my life. My prayer is that I would be open to the things he has for me and take advantage of every opportunity he presents.

Summer To-Dos

• beach
• Disneyland
• movies
• READ
• get tan
• exercise
• spend more time outside (when weather allows)
• find time daily to study God's word
• intentional time with family & friends
• San Diego Zoo
• be involved at church
• SLEEP!

Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken...One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard: "Power belongs to you, God, and with you, Lord, is unfailing love"; and "You reward everyone according to what they have done."

Psalm 62:1-2,11-12

California here I come :)