10.31.08

it's been 2 weeks and 5 days since I blogged last.
weird.
i was on a roll there for a while...
blogging every day.
where did i leave off?

.......

well my older and only sister, Jill got married to her darling man Erich.
over at Houda Point in Trinidad.
beautiful beach, despite the fogginess.
got to see a good old friend, Jordan Coghill.
I wish we lived closer-I know Jeremy and him would be come the best of friends.
out surfing and playing the guitar.

anyway.
the wedding was beautiful and small.
short but sweet.
erich's family is full of great people
and so is mine...
so it was a good weekend.
I love Arcata.
the co-op.
the plaza.
the hippies.
the cool, coastal air.
the pot.
j/k...but seriously-we'd been there no more than 30 seconds and we're just beginning to unload our stuff when some guy came up and asked if we wanted to buy some pot. I didn't know what to say..after all we haven't talked about the Stoned Elephant at church yet.... maybe next week..:) just kidding... amazingly enough, i'm proud to say I never touched the stuff-even living in Chico for 2 years and then moving back to Redding to become good friends with drug dealers. God was totally protecting me on that one I think..
jill and erich's reception was last weekend.
out at Whiskeytown-Dry Creek group camp to be exact.
it was fun-lots of work and hecticness..but fun.
lots of cupcakes, tri-tip, and salads.
plenty of beer and wine left over-which was weird.
wasn't expecting that.
got to hang out with some of my great friends I never see anymore...
Leah and Mike...Matt and Andrea
i hate growing up because you don't get to see the people you love as much as you did when you were young...
saw my Aunt Karry (my mom's twin) and Uncle Ed ..pretty sure they're my favorite Aunt&Uncle.
got to see my.... second cousins? i'm not sure-they're my cousins kids.
Aiden and Arianna.
cutest kids ever.
i've only seen them maybe all of 4 times in their lives-but they clinged to me like we were BFF's.
i love kids.
excited to have some of our own someday.

our life group is incredible.
one of these days, we'll take a family photo so you can see all of our friends.
thursday nights have now become my favorite night of the week (bonus that the Office is on thursdays too!)
but seriously-in all of these awkward elephant topics we've talked about..there has been no awkwardness, just comfortable conversation with plenty of laughter.

things i'm looking forward to..in the near--distant future:

1) tuesday. ....... ohana means family...you know what rhymes with ohana?
2) going to Ashland next weekend with my mom.
3) a week vacation after thanksgiving...ahhh.
4) my birthday:)
5) holiday parties.
6) finishing year 1 of 2 in pursuit of my degree!
7) everything involving the holidays....
-second Thanksgiving (and the first one too!)
-Christmas parade & tree lighting
-decorating our Christmas tree---hopefully we can afford a living one this year, if not, there's always our manzanita Christmas tree like last year...
8) thinking more seriously about buying a house, here in Redding (weird, I know).
9) making goodies like pumpkin port butter and cookies for friends.
10) maybe getting a kitty???

just got the new Snow Patrol----A Hundred Million Songs. i love this band. they're one of those I forget about and then when I hear them..... ah, it's falling in love all over again. Snow Patrol was the band playing on my little stereo back in the day..the very first night jeremy and I hung out... stayed up talking till 5 a.m. *what a great way to start our relationship*

anyway..
that was alot of stuff. sorry. it's been a while.
i'll try to blog again soon.
loves you all.-a.

10.12.08 x 2

greed.
ick.
the elephant.
the BIG pink elephant.
nate.
dude, you rocked it tonight.
for those of you that missed the stirring
tonight.... you need to listen to the podcast.
do yourself a favor.
this was totally my heart tonight.
for the longest time i've been struggling with

how much that we have as Americans.
i got some new perspective tonight....
it's okay to have wealth, but it's how you use your wealth..
is it moving you towards God?
or away?
it doesn't matter how much you have
we're all in the same boat.
i made 28,000 dollars last year.
28,000 dollars! (when i think about it-that seems like SO much to me)
but the crazy part about it all is....
i can have the same level of greed as a person that makes 100,000 a year.
it's not God's fault that we have credit card debt or student loans. . .
it's my fault that I needed all of this stuff so it could fill my drawers and cupboards..
it's crazy that some of our cupboards are full
to the brim.
most of us have plenty of food in our pantries or our freezers to eat off of for at least a week.
doesn't that bug you guys?
that there are people out there that are lucky to get one meal a day.
if any.
we have a closet just for our coats....
our coats that we don't even wear all but once or twice a year.
and then there are those that can't even afford to buy a coat, so they wear a trash bag to keep the rain off...
we have to go out and buy a new pair of shoes because none of our 20 other pairs match our new sweater.
then there are those that don't even own a pair.

or if they do, they're full of holes.

can you imagine what our world would look like if we put aside our greed and focused on the need around us?
can you imagine how much we'd be able to give away if we stopped stock piling for our future? For the "American dream.."...
i'm sorry but screw the American dream.
that's not why God put us here on this earth.
it's not.
we have a higher calling.
to love.
to stop being greedy.
to start caring.
to stop the want.
to start filling the need.

i hope this ruins your world as much as it did mine.
we need it.
we need the change.
i want to be known as someone . . .
. . that gave it all away.
who cares if I don't have a retirement saved up?
I'm pretty sure that God will still be able to provide for me.
i want to be known as faithful.
i want to give it all away.

enough is enough.

one guy i know, Chris Cable is giving it away this weekend...
in the form of a BBQ for the folks living at the Market Street Manor Hotel.
he could use some help.
some people.
some toys for the kids.
some winter coats to keep the people warm.
c'mon, you can help.
stop being greedy.

i hope you know that most of this blog was directed towards myself. . . after all, that's what this is, just a way for me to get my thoughts out. . .
loves-a.

10.12.08

what a beautiful afternoon.
67 degrees out.
quiet house.
Jeremy's taking a nap
the birds are singing
the wind is gently blowing
i love this.
think i might go take a power nap too.

we went to the downtown eatery last night
pretty sure this will turn into a regular place for Jeremy and I.
great vibe.
dElish food.
nice people.
good beer on tap.
. . . really, just a great place.
they might just give old carnegies a run for their money
if they end up doing a "pint night" of sorts.
but seriously, go check them out sometime.
Say hello to Paul, Joel, David, and Bekah.
or stop into Sugarmama's and tell Kendra hello.
she's a sweetheart and is finally living her dream..
owning her own bakery.
i think someday i'd like to own my own.........
bed and breakfast/bookstore/bakery/coffee shop
hhmmm...
someday.
ok..for reals.
naptime
2 hours before church..
beautiful.
loves-a.

10.10.08

this is going to be a blog full of photos.
pictures speak louder than words right?
i'm still at a loss for words about the
Sigur Ros show.
i really wish i could convey to you
what we experienced....
oh well, you'll just have to experience it
for yourself.
same with this pie
amazing.
hannah and
i have started a pie club.
jealous?
maybe we'll let you in on the goodness but you'll have to pass a test first.
next week i think we're actually going for a pot pie. seriously.... marie calendars..good old marie. she knows what's up.
hannah is such an incredible girl.
i love her to death.
so young, so educated, so liberal.
conversation with her is great
i love that there is almost 10 years between us..
but there doesn't seem like there's a gap at all.
so either i'm immature for my age...
or she's mature for hers:)
i'm going with the second...
seriously
you see all the confetti in the picture at the left?
i never thought confetti could make me so happy
but wow...
i've been trying to find a video to show all the confetti but.... the sound quality kind of sucks because of all the drumming....but go listen to Gobbledigook and just imagine:)
i've decided that Irresistible Revolution has really ruined my life
especially when it comes to shopping...
i go out
try on some clothes
decide to buy them
and shortly after i leave the dressing room
i remember...
i don't need this.
no matter how i look at it
i don't need this
how can i honestly spend 100 dollars on new clothes?
i saw a quote on a Shane Claiborne video by Ghandi that said...


"There is enough for everyone's NEED but there is not enough for everyone's GREED."
how true it is...













word..... loves you all.

10.4.08

i don't even know what to say.

Sigur Ros.

They blow me away... every time.
I really don't even know how to explain last night.
I just spent the last 20 minutes on You Tube...
trying to find a video..... so you could feel the experience...
but nothing did it justice.

it was the most amazing night.
the rain held off just till the very end...
i don't think we even cared about the rain
the music got louder.... the rain poured down harder.

i swear the whole crowd was worshipping.
i know i was
i know all my peeps around me were

incredible.

sorry i can't give you more...but really-you just have to experience it.
thanks to Hannah, Heather, Matt, and my honey for making it a great road trip. you guys are incredible. i love you.

we got home at 4 a.m. this morning. strange. that's what time I normally get up for work. needless to say I tried sleeping in but at 8 I was wide awake, laid in bed till 9:30 snuggling with my honey, listening to him sleep. I love those kind of mornings. i'm a lucky girl.

so blessed.

10.01.08

October? Seriously?.... wow.
went to the DMV today to get my new tags for the Honda. Ran into my old friend Shelby Haskins. God bless the DMV. We ended up going to Yaks downtown to catch up b/c it's been days since we actually sat down and talked. She is such a sweet woman of God and so beautiful. It's funny because she is one of those friends I've known since I was 16 and I'm sure we'll always be friends and be able to sit down and pick up where we left off... a pleasant surprise nonetheless.. I don't really go out for coffee with people anymore, so it was very refreshing. We saw Jared Witt there as well-another amazing person totally in love with God. I'm so blessed-God has surrounded me with such amazing people (and even let me marry one of them!! :) Found out Shelby is going down to see the Sigur Ros show as well...oh it's going to be incredible....
so, it's time for #4.
Sigur Ros.
Take 4.
Oakland, CA. at the Paramount
I want to say 2005.
This was after I'd met Jeremy
and had the pleasure of introducing him to all that is Sigur Ros.
So we get to Oakland early...
weird town.
We found the venue and decided to walk around and find some dinner.
weird town.
the only thing that was open was Subway.
of course like 5 city blocks were blocked off to all pedestrians and traffic.
Why you ask?
Oh because Will Smith was out there in the street...
they were filming Pursuit of Happiness.
great movie if you haven't seen it.
So anyway, ....
showtime.
We finally get to our seats after going up stair after stair.
Balcony seats. awesome.
Awesome because we were in row Y.
yes, as in the next to last letter of the alphabet.
Row Y.
it almost made you dizzy how high up you were.
oh well-it didn't matter. we could see the stage-it's all good.
the lady usher, an elderly black woman...
came up to Jeremy and I
"you two are a beautiful couple..."
and walked away.
lights dim.
music starts.
they look like giants on stage.
playing behind a scrim.
I really think they played like 3 songs with this thing down..it was incredible.
there was like a minute of silence...
in the middle of song.
they just stopped playing.
no one said anything.
no one clapped.
coughed.
whistled.
nothing.

then out of nowhere, they started up right where they left off, all together.
it was INtense.
I told Jeremy on the way down to the show that this would be his best concert ever.
be prepared to be blown away.
to have a spiritual experience.
he didn't believe me.
but up there in Row Y....
he experienced.
he fell in love...

seriously..2 days till Sigur Ros.
**sweet**
i'm feeling much better today in case anyone was concerned. so much that I think I'll go do some housework and make some chocolate chip cookies...
loves you all.---a.