so we've moved!
we're here in Nampa, Idaho and loving every minute of it!! Well, Jeremy is back in California finishing up a recording project but hopefully will be home soon! I've really decided that life is so much better when we're together. We have learned so much about marriage over the past six months..and it seems like God is molding and shaping us daily...I get excited thinking about the hard times, realizing that God's at work in our lives....it's really an incredible perspective to have....God's really been testing me to pour out His grace on people in my life..
some I have succeeded...
some I have not...
I've learned so much in the few weeks I've been up here...
about myself..
about people..
about lifestyles..
about impact..
about intentions..
about love..
about faith..
I think that's why i haven't been blogging..I've really been in a time of listening and reflecting. I feel truly blessed that I'm able to take this time off from working..and just recenter myself.... Figure out who I am, completely dependent on God...
it has been amazing.
.......
the group of friends I have up here already feel like long time friends.... even family I would say. Jeremy and I are so excited to live life with these people. Having Sunday dinners together every week, committing ourselves to being intentional......man, I love it. I feel like this is the kind of place I have been searching for all along.
loves-a.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Dear Honda (aka Jacob),I will miss you greatly. 7 years ago you and I became a pair..... you were only 63K deep....
I can't even remember all the trips we took...
the weather we drove in...
the music we played..
the passengers we hauled...
..
i do remember that one time we went 4-wheeling on accident...sorry about that.
i remember the first time I let Jeremy drive you, which was a big deal, I normally don't let people drive...
i remember when I ripped your side panel off, driving through the snow
i remember the time we got pulled over, well Jeremy was driving, late at night, but got out of a ticket
....
and now... 90K later, I say goodbye.
your new owner seems nice...
what more could an 18 year old boy want?
you'll be perfect for him.
you will be missed.
loves-a.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
5.04.10
I'm at a point in my life......
-that the people I surround myself with, I want to invest in their lives, and want to feel the same from them.
-that I don't care about your style, your beliefs, your status, I care about you, and want you to be yourself around me. NoliesNodrama.
-that I am content with sitting at home, reading a good book, instead of drinking the night away at the local watering hole.
-i don't want to waste time on fake friendships and surface relationships.
-i want deep, meaningful relationships.
-i want people that I can be myself around and not feel pressure to be someone else.
the other day I realized.....
-some friends never change, for the good or the bad.
-some friends you pick up with, right where you left off, even if you haven't seen each other in 6+ years.
-some friends inspire you to be a better person, without you even realizing it.
-some friends will always be your friend, regardless of the crap that's happened.
-some friends will never be your friend again, because of the crap that happened.
Really...
I'm a simple girl.
All I want.....
-to live every day in His presence
-to surround myself with love
-to always love
-to always impact positively
-to have genuine people in my life
it's crazy....
--for the last year or so, I haven't felt that here in Redding.
--but since we've decided we're moving, so many incredible people have came into my life.
-old friends and new friends-
--why now? why not last year, when I needed you the most?
--maybe to leave Redding on a good note?
--good memories?
regardless....
-I am happy that those old friendships have been rekindled...
----if we have survived 5 or 6 years with no contact, I know we can survive a 10 hour trip----
-I am blessed by the new friendships
----and plan on spending as much time with YOU before I leave.
I am....
-looking forward to this new chapter in my life.
loves-a.
-that the people I surround myself with, I want to invest in their lives, and want to feel the same from them.
-that I don't care about your style, your beliefs, your status, I care about you, and want you to be yourself around me. NoliesNodrama.
-that I am content with sitting at home, reading a good book, instead of drinking the night away at the local watering hole.
-i don't want to waste time on fake friendships and surface relationships.
-i want deep, meaningful relationships.
-i want people that I can be myself around and not feel pressure to be someone else.
the other day I realized.....
-some friends never change, for the good or the bad.
-some friends you pick up with, right where you left off, even if you haven't seen each other in 6+ years.
-some friends inspire you to be a better person, without you even realizing it.
-some friends will always be your friend, regardless of the crap that's happened.
-some friends will never be your friend again, because of the crap that happened.
Really...
I'm a simple girl.
All I want.....
-to live every day in His presence
-to surround myself with love
-to always love
-to always impact positively
-to have genuine people in my life
it's crazy....
--for the last year or so, I haven't felt that here in Redding.
--but since we've decided we're moving, so many incredible people have came into my life.
-old friends and new friends-
--why now? why not last year, when I needed you the most?
--maybe to leave Redding on a good note?
--good memories?
regardless....
-I am happy that those old friendships have been rekindled...
----if we have survived 5 or 6 years with no contact, I know we can survive a 10 hour trip----
-I am blessed by the new friendships
----and plan on spending as much time with YOU before I leave.
I am....
-looking forward to this new chapter in my life.
loves-a.
Monday, May 3, 2010
5.02.10
So it's official...
we are moving to Idaho on June 18th!
Nampa will be our new home....
and I absolutely cannot wait.
It's crazy to me that I've only been there 2 times...
yet, just after the first few days there, I knew I wanted to live there.
The people there are probably the most genuine & sincere people I've ever met.
They're the kind of people you'd want to take home to meet mom & dad.
They're the kind of people you'd want your kids to grow up with.
....
they're the kind of people I can't wait to live life with.
It is weird to me that we're actually doing it...that I'm actually going to move out of Redding!
Been a long time coming...
But I must say...we are not leaving Redding because we hate it here...
it's actually quite nice...
Just not for us, anymore.
....
things I'll miss about Redding:
1) my family is here (well close to here)
2) Whiskeytown lake
3) being 3 hours from the ocean
4) being able to see 2 beautiful mountains, well 3 if you count Balley
5) our house
......
is it strange that I can't think of much more? I know more will come to me..right now I'm more excited about Nampa.
of course I'll miss some of the people here...
but the new life beckons...
ah, adventure----- i can't wait.
loves-a.
we are moving to Idaho on June 18th!
Nampa will be our new home....
and I absolutely cannot wait.
It's crazy to me that I've only been there 2 times...
yet, just after the first few days there, I knew I wanted to live there.
The people there are probably the most genuine & sincere people I've ever met.
They're the kind of people you'd want to take home to meet mom & dad.
They're the kind of people you'd want your kids to grow up with.
....
they're the kind of people I can't wait to live life with.
It is weird to me that we're actually doing it...that I'm actually going to move out of Redding!
Been a long time coming...
But I must say...we are not leaving Redding because we hate it here...
it's actually quite nice...
Just not for us, anymore.
....
things I'll miss about Redding:
1) my family is here (well close to here)
2) Whiskeytown lake
3) being 3 hours from the ocean
4) being able to see 2 beautiful mountains, well 3 if you count Balley
5) our house
......
is it strange that I can't think of much more? I know more will come to me..right now I'm more excited about Nampa.
of course I'll miss some of the people here...
but the new life beckons...
ah, adventure----- i can't wait.
loves-a.
Friday, April 30, 2010
4.30.10
So in my quest to live a simpler, more natural life...I have decided to do two things: the master cleanse and start natural birth control.
The cleanse.... I think I'm going to start on Monday.. I have been researching it like crazy and feel like I know the ins and outs pretty well. I have already mentally and spiritually prepared myself for this time, and am actually pretty excited about the "results"....the hardest part will not necessarily be not eating, but not cooking instead. i LOVE to cook....so for 10 days, I'm going to hang up my apron... well, maybe not, I've read a few MC'ers, were able to cook a meal for their family around day 7, without any temptation....so we will see. So this weekend, I'm planning on making a few of my favorite meals: Nacho Spuds, Slow Cooker BBQ Pork Sandwiches, and BBQ Chicken & Potato Packets.... then the rest will be up to my darling husband. I tried desperately to convince him to do the cleanse with me....but guess I'm just not as convincing as I thought I was....Oh well, I do know that I am stubborn enough to do a cleanse by myself :) Pretty sure that in the last couple of weeks, I discovered I'm lactose intolerant... yep. Sucks. Man oh man...I love cheese and don't even get me started on ice cream *sniff sniff Ben&Jerrys*.....but realized the whole dairy thing just doesn't sit well with me... Make sense, since humans were not created to drink cow's milk, but breast milk from their mother.... So since it would be a little weird (and not to mention unheard of) to purchase breast milk, I've opted for Almond milk... and I love it.. So now the hardest part will be the cheese... I think I might first try goats & sheep milk cheeses and if that doesn't work...sigh, does that mean veggie cheese? I don't think I'm a huge fan but haven't really dabbled too much into the fake cheese.
anyway...
as far as the natural birth control, or natural family planning, it just makes sense...and really is the only option that I'm a fan of. I took birth control almost the first 2 years of being married, and suffered from extremely bad headaches...so bad that my doctor suggested I stop taking it because it could be causing blood clots in my brain. Really!??!?! And you prescribed me this in the first place??? Anymore, I'm just so over all the prescription drugs we get from doctors that are "helping" us, when in reality, they're really just pumping us full of chemicals that our bodies may have a reaction too.... anyway.... yes, we could use condoms for the rest of our lives, but really, c'mon people, who wants to do that. And no, I don't want to get an IUD...I have too many moral dilemmas about that to even consider it. So, "taking charge of your fertility" and "Honoring our cycles" now sit on my bedside table. Is this too much information? Well, you know me...and this is my blog after all, I didn't ask you to read it. ;)
I'm sure I'll be blogging more and more throughout my fast.... telling you all in depth about my eliminations... haha, but seriously, I might.
love you all.
-amy
The cleanse.... I think I'm going to start on Monday.. I have been researching it like crazy and feel like I know the ins and outs pretty well. I have already mentally and spiritually prepared myself for this time, and am actually pretty excited about the "results"....the hardest part will not necessarily be not eating, but not cooking instead. i LOVE to cook....so for 10 days, I'm going to hang up my apron... well, maybe not, I've read a few MC'ers, were able to cook a meal for their family around day 7, without any temptation....so we will see. So this weekend, I'm planning on making a few of my favorite meals: Nacho Spuds, Slow Cooker BBQ Pork Sandwiches, and BBQ Chicken & Potato Packets.... then the rest will be up to my darling husband. I tried desperately to convince him to do the cleanse with me....but guess I'm just not as convincing as I thought I was....Oh well, I do know that I am stubborn enough to do a cleanse by myself :) Pretty sure that in the last couple of weeks, I discovered I'm lactose intolerant... yep. Sucks. Man oh man...I love cheese and don't even get me started on ice cream *sniff sniff Ben&Jerrys*.....but realized the whole dairy thing just doesn't sit well with me... Make sense, since humans were not created to drink cow's milk, but breast milk from their mother.... So since it would be a little weird (and not to mention unheard of) to purchase breast milk, I've opted for Almond milk... and I love it.. So now the hardest part will be the cheese... I think I might first try goats & sheep milk cheeses and if that doesn't work...sigh, does that mean veggie cheese? I don't think I'm a huge fan but haven't really dabbled too much into the fake cheese.
anyway...
as far as the natural birth control, or natural family planning, it just makes sense...and really is the only option that I'm a fan of. I took birth control almost the first 2 years of being married, and suffered from extremely bad headaches...so bad that my doctor suggested I stop taking it because it could be causing blood clots in my brain. Really!??!?! And you prescribed me this in the first place??? Anymore, I'm just so over all the prescription drugs we get from doctors that are "helping" us, when in reality, they're really just pumping us full of chemicals that our bodies may have a reaction too.... anyway.... yes, we could use condoms for the rest of our lives, but really, c'mon people, who wants to do that. And no, I don't want to get an IUD...I have too many moral dilemmas about that to even consider it. So, "taking charge of your fertility" and "Honoring our cycles" now sit on my bedside table. Is this too much information? Well, you know me...and this is my blog after all, I didn't ask you to read it. ;)
I'm sure I'll be blogging more and more throughout my fast.... telling you all in depth about my eliminations... haha, but seriously, I might.
love you all.
-amy
Thursday, April 29, 2010
04.29.10
April....where did you go? sheesh. . . seems like just yesterday we were driving back from Idaho, wishing we never had to leave....and that was back in February! Maybe it's how busy we allow ourselves to get that makes time fly so fast...I can remember being a kid and feeling like the school year was soooo long. . . and then summer, oh summer. Summers when you're a kid, there's really nothing like it.
This is a good year. . . .
lots of changes happening.
At the age of 28, I finally feel like I am moving in the right direction towards the life that God has planned for me.
simple.
full of life.
full of meaning.
full of love.
full.
Reading this book right now..."Animal, Vegetable, Miracle," by Barbara Kingsolver...and it's changing my whole view on the way we live here on earth. Along with her family, Barbara made a commitment to only eat food grown locally...and by local, they meant within an hours drive from there house. And in doing this, they only ate what was available seasonally. Novel idea, eh? This family labored in the garden from March till October, knowing that the food they so meticulously cared for, would sustain them. Lily, the little 9 year old, raised chickens, so she could start a business of selling eggs.... Camille the eldest helped her mom can insane amounts of tomatoes.....
long story short...this book has really got me desiring to live a place that will allow me plenty of room to garden...and maybe even have a couple chickens? Just to be able to go to farmers market, and really establish a relationship with the fellow growers.... and really know where your meat is coming from. Yes yes, it is more expensive...now, but if enough people commit to eating locally, the prices will drop----true, it might not be until our unborn children are our age---but wouldn't you rather leave them with that future? .... so in the past week I have bought local eggs and local ground beef from Lazy 69 ranch here in Redding...well actually we just started selling both of them at my store...and yes, it was way more than I'm used to paying but it made me realize, I don't have to eat meat with every meal anyway.... in the long run, isn't my health more important anyway? Wouldn't I rather know that what I'm cooking hasn't been injected with hormones or antibiotics??
anyway....
I've been thinking about what to do with my life....now that I'm all done with school, I feel like I should go on and do something with my Psychology degree...so all that money isn't wasted. But now I'm thinking, how cool would it be to go back to school and get a degree in Sustainable Agriculture or something like that? I secretly wish I could work on an organic farm. . . and really hope to have one of my own someday. I think that would tie in rather nicely with my dream of owning a B&B.....oh think of the incredible meals I could create with food from my garden.... *sigh*
I feel more and more that I want to live as simple as possible..... there is so much I can go without. And I feel like this is a season in my life that is pivotal in how I'll live the rest of my life....So in addition to cooking at home 5 nights a week, I want to cook local food as much as possible. Another aspect of learning to live without, Jeremy and I are selling our Honda next week, making us a one car family---I can't wait, I've wanted this for a long time. I want to start canning, like my mom and grandma used to. I want to start making my own deodorant and laundry soap..not just because it' the "green" thing to do, but because it just makes sense.
Poor Jeremy, he's probably thinking I've turned into some crazy woman :)
loves-a.
This is a good year. . . .
lots of changes happening.
At the age of 28, I finally feel like I am moving in the right direction towards the life that God has planned for me.
simple.
full of life.
full of meaning.
full of love.
full.
Reading this book right now..."Animal, Vegetable, Miracle," by Barbara Kingsolver...and it's changing my whole view on the way we live here on earth. Along with her family, Barbara made a commitment to only eat food grown locally...and by local, they meant within an hours drive from there house. And in doing this, they only ate what was available seasonally. Novel idea, eh? This family labored in the garden from March till October, knowing that the food they so meticulously cared for, would sustain them. Lily, the little 9 year old, raised chickens, so she could start a business of selling eggs.... Camille the eldest helped her mom can insane amounts of tomatoes.....
long story short...this book has really got me desiring to live a place that will allow me plenty of room to garden...and maybe even have a couple chickens? Just to be able to go to farmers market, and really establish a relationship with the fellow growers.... and really know where your meat is coming from. Yes yes, it is more expensive...now, but if enough people commit to eating locally, the prices will drop----true, it might not be until our unborn children are our age---but wouldn't you rather leave them with that future? .... so in the past week I have bought local eggs and local ground beef from Lazy 69 ranch here in Redding...well actually we just started selling both of them at my store...and yes, it was way more than I'm used to paying but it made me realize, I don't have to eat meat with every meal anyway.... in the long run, isn't my health more important anyway? Wouldn't I rather know that what I'm cooking hasn't been injected with hormones or antibiotics??
anyway....
I've been thinking about what to do with my life....now that I'm all done with school, I feel like I should go on and do something with my Psychology degree...so all that money isn't wasted. But now I'm thinking, how cool would it be to go back to school and get a degree in Sustainable Agriculture or something like that? I secretly wish I could work on an organic farm. . . and really hope to have one of my own someday. I think that would tie in rather nicely with my dream of owning a B&B.....oh think of the incredible meals I could create with food from my garden.... *sigh*
I feel more and more that I want to live as simple as possible..... there is so much I can go without. And I feel like this is a season in my life that is pivotal in how I'll live the rest of my life....So in addition to cooking at home 5 nights a week, I want to cook local food as much as possible. Another aspect of learning to live without, Jeremy and I are selling our Honda next week, making us a one car family---I can't wait, I've wanted this for a long time. I want to start canning, like my mom and grandma used to. I want to start making my own deodorant and laundry soap..not just because it' the "green" thing to do, but because it just makes sense.
Poor Jeremy, he's probably thinking I've turned into some crazy woman :)
loves-a.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
4.4.10 Easter
so Lent is over.
here's what I learned....
sacrifice is good and essential to my faith. I live a simple life, but a life full of luxury nonetheless. A life that gets so busy that I often find myself caught up in a whirlwind, forgetting my purpose here on earth.
Today I remembered.
Today I got to love on a friend of mine. Offer up encouragement and advice. Love. Listen as they bore their soul. Love.
I'm not sure what has happened with this little town that I live in...but I feel like so much evil has surfaced.....and it's all around me. I'm starting to feel like those new buds on the trees outside that just got hammered by the wind and the rain. Wondering when it's going to end...but it's not me that's hurting---it's those around me, getting hurt, hurting themselves. And my heart is just broken for them. So I guess I am hurting for those out there in the storm. Hardest part.....I don't feel like I am close enough to speak into their lives, or that even if I did, they wouldn't receive it how I mean it. . . . Ish. How do I explain it...... I'm not close to people here like I used to be, which saddens me, but it's so much easier to hear God when you're not caught up in the drama. I miss the community though. I miss having a church family that I can fit into. I miss having people to call when I'm bored.
Life is good nonetheless. God has been speaking to me about my future lately. And it's so wonderful to hear Him and see Him working in my life. It's so freaking exciting to see what the future holds. I'm in the Word every day again, which I'm eating up... it's incredible how stories I've read countless times, practically punch me in the face with a new understanding.
.............anyway.
Going up to Oregon for a few days with my mom this week. Grandpa isn't doing well...he's got a stomach full of cancer, with no option for operation. I have a feeling that it is going to be hard to see him....realizing it just might be my last. . . .
weird thing happened though the other morning... I hopped into the shower and was sudsing up...when all the sudden I was overcome with an urgency to pray for healing in my Grandpa. That God would cure the cancer....outta nowhere, I believed God could do it. Now don't get me wrong, I am a firm believer that God can heal the worst of the sicknesses in this world...but I've never been one that felt I had the authority to pray for it. that morning..I had it though. Not saying that my prayers will keep my Grandpa alive, because sometimes God has other plans, and one thing remains---His plans are always good. but....just feeling that, was a rush.
so I'm looking forward to that trip, going with my mom. Going to see my cousins and aunts and uncles, and my incredible Grandparents. I will forever remember being a little kid, laying away at night, listening to them pray for each and every one of their grandkids, every night. I need that kind of commitment in my life.
anyway....Happy Easter friends, quite a lonely one for me this year. Jeremy is with his family, I'm here. I roasted a duck. Making a mix for my trip. . . sigh...someday I will have a job where I don't have to work weekends..and especially holidays!
loves you all.-amy.
here's what I learned....
sacrifice is good and essential to my faith. I live a simple life, but a life full of luxury nonetheless. A life that gets so busy that I often find myself caught up in a whirlwind, forgetting my purpose here on earth.
Today I remembered.
Today I got to love on a friend of mine. Offer up encouragement and advice. Love. Listen as they bore their soul. Love.
I'm not sure what has happened with this little town that I live in...but I feel like so much evil has surfaced.....and it's all around me. I'm starting to feel like those new buds on the trees outside that just got hammered by the wind and the rain. Wondering when it's going to end...but it's not me that's hurting---it's those around me, getting hurt, hurting themselves. And my heart is just broken for them. So I guess I am hurting for those out there in the storm. Hardest part.....I don't feel like I am close enough to speak into their lives, or that even if I did, they wouldn't receive it how I mean it. . . . Ish. How do I explain it...... I'm not close to people here like I used to be, which saddens me, but it's so much easier to hear God when you're not caught up in the drama. I miss the community though. I miss having a church family that I can fit into. I miss having people to call when I'm bored.
Life is good nonetheless. God has been speaking to me about my future lately. And it's so wonderful to hear Him and see Him working in my life. It's so freaking exciting to see what the future holds. I'm in the Word every day again, which I'm eating up... it's incredible how stories I've read countless times, practically punch me in the face with a new understanding.
.............anyway.
Going up to Oregon for a few days with my mom this week. Grandpa isn't doing well...he's got a stomach full of cancer, with no option for operation. I have a feeling that it is going to be hard to see him....realizing it just might be my last. . . .
weird thing happened though the other morning... I hopped into the shower and was sudsing up...when all the sudden I was overcome with an urgency to pray for healing in my Grandpa. That God would cure the cancer....outta nowhere, I believed God could do it. Now don't get me wrong, I am a firm believer that God can heal the worst of the sicknesses in this world...but I've never been one that felt I had the authority to pray for it. that morning..I had it though. Not saying that my prayers will keep my Grandpa alive, because sometimes God has other plans, and one thing remains---His plans are always good. but....just feeling that, was a rush.
so I'm looking forward to that trip, going with my mom. Going to see my cousins and aunts and uncles, and my incredible Grandparents. I will forever remember being a little kid, laying away at night, listening to them pray for each and every one of their grandkids, every night. I need that kind of commitment in my life.
anyway....Happy Easter friends, quite a lonely one for me this year. Jeremy is with his family, I'm here. I roasted a duck. Making a mix for my trip. . . sigh...someday I will have a job where I don't have to work weekends..and especially holidays!
loves you all.-amy.