Provision and Gratitude

At my ladies Bible study this morning, we got talking about gratitude. It is amazing how much my attitude can change when I focus on all that I have, rather than don't have, right now. I have a lot of big things on my plate that I am praying for right now (marathon, job searching and my wedding) but in the midst of all of it, life is amazingly good.

For one thing - what a JOY it is to see Matt everyday. I laugh more than I ever have in my life, and we have so much fun together. He is super involved in all things wedding planning, which is a huge relief. So creative, too!

Also - I really love my new town! It is quieter, less traffic, and a fun new experience. Sure home is far away, but "home" is starting to feel like it is here.

Tonight Matt and I are going out to celebrate his one-year anniversary at his "temp" job (amazing how God made a four-week assignment turn into a year!). I am so proud of him - even though it is a job that he really dislikes, he has stuck with it all the while still job searching. God provided for him just when we needed it!

What are you grateful for?

Happy Wednesday, all :)

Too Busy For Pictures!

I lugged my camera bag everywhere with me this weekend (well, aside from the run...) and only managed to take one picture. Geesh! I need new batteries in my bounce flash, but aside from that - I would just say it was because of busyness!

Matt and I did the Long Run on Saturday morning - yippie! It was a 12-miler, that I somehow miscalculated because it took us 2 1/2 hours to get part of the way - and we are not that slow. We should be done by then. So...poor Matt got a bit more than he wanted with the run - too many miles! He took it like a champ and before long we had gotten all packed and ready and headed out for an afternoon in Ellensburg. Matt's dear friend from college was home on leave from Iraq so we attended a party for him. It was wonderful - and it turned out that I knew many folks in his family, the small world that our college town is. Ah, memories :)

We hit the road from there for the two hour drive onwards to my parents home. We had a little party there for autumn birthdays. We got there so late but still enjoyed eating and seeing baby Daniel and other extended family. It was wonderful! By 10pm though - we were zonked. SO tired! What a jam-packed day that had started with a 6:30 alarm to get up for a long run. Geesh...

Sunday was wonderfully productive. We attended church in the morning and soon afterwards we met with the wedding coordinator for the church to talk about all the details for our ceremony and reception. It was great for planning purposes and the to-do list - a huge sigh of relief. We also decided to go with silk flowers for most of everything as it saves so much money...it is just what I have to do. I will have fun next month making everything!

I laughed SO hard on Sunday afternoon - Matt was trying to make baby Daniel laugh, and he did an impression of that scene in "Bruce Almighty" where Steve Carell's character gets his voice all messed up on air. Matt did that, and added "ca ca poo poo!!" at the end of it - I died laughing. Oh my word - tears, streaming down my cheeks. I needed that laugh too - great exercise :)

We stopped by my folks house to get some baby photos for our slide show before hitting the highway across the state back home. It was good to talk wedding planning for most of the drive, too. We are less than six weeks from the big day!

Ah - the last week of September. I am checking out some other staffing companies this week, and stepping up the running a bit on my weekday workouts. Less than two weeks to the marathon - ah!

Happy Monday, all :)

Friday Reflections

Matt and I are heading out in the morning over to the west side - with a quick stopover in our college town. This weekend is jam packed - a 12 mile run, a party for a friend home from Iraq, scouring for photos for our slide show, and maybe registering at Target - all on Saturday alone! Sunday will hopefully be a family breakfast before church and then meeting with our wedding coordinator before heading out to a family party in the afternoon to celebrate some autumn birthdays. The trips to the west side are usually this packed - so much to do before the wedding!

But Friday nights are our date nights. Since we were long distance for so long (and Fridays seemed to be the most painful for us when we were apart) we are making up for it now. We make a meal, maybe watch a movie, or work on his car together. I love just being with Matt. Oh do we laugh. About anything and everything.

My sister is asking for names of ladies to invite to my bridal shower. I am so torn because many dear friends live on the East coast, and many more friendships over here in WA I have neglected because of all my travels and being away. First I was gone in China, and then I went to DC. I am aching to re-establish my dear friendships again - and now I live four hours away from them. My two best friends live in California and Mississippi. It is...hard. I know I am supposed to "bloom where you are planted" but I keep on...transplanting. I know I will be here for the next two years at least, and I find myself starting out again trying to develop relationships with ladies here that are the kind that we can have a heart to heart with. *Sigh* I am tired. Life is hard sometimes, but I am so grateful for the people in my life. God is so good.

So - I am on a roll today! To-do list checking away, getting ready for us to head out tomorrow. I need to see some evergreens - on the west side of the mountains here. I saw a SNAKE on my run yesterday (I live in Eastern WA - like the desert). EEK!

2 weeks to Chicago Marathon. 6 weeks to my wedding...and ____ days until I get employed. God moves in mysterious ways sometimes, and that is OK with me.

Happy Friday, all!

Wedding Ideas?

I know this picture does not fit the title, but I loved it. SMILE! :)

Ok I know I can count on the blogosphere to help me out on some wedding favor ideas. I am just about 6 weeks away from my wedding and need a super cheap idea - the one we originally had (giving away little packets of coffee that benefited a charity) fell through because of the costs of shipping, etc., so I need a new idea.

I still have *quite* a lot on the to-do list for the big day. According to my wedding website, I should have decided on some major stuff months ago, so you know - it can feel a little stressful. However, we are doing pretty good considering we just set the date in August.

My "recession wedding" is made up of a lot of donated services, but there are still some expensive things I have to think about. Like flowers, for instance. My dear former housemate Lauren is making the bouquets for me, but I need to purchase flowers. I need to order them this weekend to allow enough time for delivery, and there are less types in season. So, we are doing some silk flower items and some real. It will be very simple, and that is ok. I don't need fanciness to get married.

Food will be simple (potluck items and some donated special foods) but there is still a lot of behind-the-scenes coordinating that has to take place. Our wedding party gets bigger every week (I added my niece as a junior bridesmaid!) and we are so excited for all the folks that are traveling far to be there for us on our special day. 44 days to GO!

Ahhhh I am trying to be a good steward of my time - but I am so torn between the marathon training and job searching that the wedding planning sometimes suffers. So, if any of you have any helpful tips or ideas that are inexpensive (or free!) that you feel led to share, please do!

Happy Thursday, all!

Almost Legal

Went to the county offices this mornin'....
...and left with a license to wed. So exciting!

One step closer to marrying my best friend. :)

Productive?

I get up early - usually 6:40am, naturally. Just up and ready to get my day started. I eat my first breakfast, then run, then shower, and have my second breakfast. (Marathon training means splitting a normal sized breakfast into two small meals so you are not too full on the morning run).

Then I tackle the to do list, in no particular order. It usually includes job searching; (all the websites, researching local companies, following up on emails, and/or driving around to a few places), wedding planning, and little odds and ends of the relocation of my life from the East coast to the West coast...farmland town.

Today I had a longer run and then went to Matt's to do some work where I could be alone as he was at work all day, and I could say hi to him on his lunch. What did I do? Laundry, dishes, vacuuming, dusting, coffee-making and email writing! I loved it. And, I wish it paid a salary to do so. It pays with appreciation, and for that I will take it today.

:0) Matt and I are getting our marriage license tomorrow! Holler!

Happy Tuesday, all.

A Uganda Update

In July of last year I traveled to Uganda with World Help and helped do construction on a vocational school there. It was hard work! Here was a picture that I took while in the middle of the project:
I was so excited to get these pictures this week of the classrooms now in use, fully finished (for Uganda standards :)
It is amazing how unfit the place seemed when we were working on it - and to think that it has childrens' play equipment nearby now too! I was so excited to see these updated photos by my friend, Janna.
I wanted my friends in the blogosphere to see these too as some of the money that I raised to come to Uganda helped to fund this project - so for those of you that donated towards my trip, here is a little picture of the difference that you all made!
It totally made my day seeing those pictures :)

On other news - I survived my 20 mile run on Saturday! It took over four hours, but was terrific. We parked a bike at the 10-mile mark for Matt to use, and he ran the first 10 miles with me. We ran along, chatting, me munching on Clif bars and Powerbars and such to keep going. By mile 16 I wanted to be done, but Matt cheered me on to continue on. We passed by where our car was parked so I could run the remaining four miles that I had to do. It was a gorgeous day - and when I was finished, I sprawled in the grass at the park and stretched. Then we had pizza!

Back to the job search and wedding planning today. Have a great day all - and a special shout out for Hannah's birthday today. (Thinking of you, Rach!)

The BIG RUN Tomorrow

Three weeks from today, Matt and I will be packing our bags as we prepare to fly out for the Chicago Marathon. That means that this weekend - the infamous 20-miler must take place according to many training guides out there. After you complete it, then you begin what is called "tapering" or reducing your miles to store up energy for the big race. I've been training a long time so it is sort of exciting to reach this point.

I remember a year ago when I did my first 20-miler - it was with Matt, and the date of it was on the date I will be running Chicago this year - October 11th! I was a nervous wreck and he rode his bike by me the whole day.

Well this year is different - Matt will be joining me on the run for the first ten miles, and then he will bike next to me for the remaining 10. I am so excited! The trail we will be doing is an ambitious one.
It covers all three cities of the Tri-Cities area of Washington where we live, mostly following alongside the Colombia River. We have run portions of it, but not the whole loop.
The Pasco side is quieter but I have not run this side yet so it should be interesting. Once you complete your 20-miler, you are given a boost of confidence that you know you can complete a marathon. It is said that the first 10 miles of a marathon are your legs, the next ten are your brain, and the last 6 miles are your heart :)
So we will be up early tomorrow to do this big run - thanks for cheering me on! Today is a rest day sort of. Resting from running but I am still wedding planning, job searching, errand running, to-do list checking, and eating good meals to build up energy storage.

Happy Friday - and a great weekend, all!

Job Searchin' Craziness

I love this picture of Matt and I at the FDR Memorial in DC - there is a section of it devoted to the Great Depression, and we got in line with the other statues.

Matt's "temp job" is not so temporary - he's been on the same assignment for almost a year. He's taking a break from the job search and just sailing on this opportunity until another door opens. My search just started at the beginning of this month, and two weeks into it I have so much more compassion for him in the job search department! I am grateful that I have some savings and not desperately searching with the added stress of needing to pay my bills too. Still, it is tiring, annoying at times, and has changed a lot in the past couple of years.

For one - I posted my resume on an online job site, and within a couple hours I had been spammed by all these "work from home and make a thousand dollars a second!" companies. So, I removed my information and closed down my account. There are a handful of staffing firms in the area, but few assignments. I have emailed all the folks I know of here that may have some local connections. I am getting more familiar with what is around here, so that is good too.

I have a lot on my plate right now. I am adjusting to living in a new place, new church, and also planning a wedding all the while job searching. It's a little crazy to say the least...but I am OK.

So...yeah, God - if You want to just, you know, plop a job in my lap at the right time, that would be awesome. Then again, if I need to go threw this struggle so as to build compassion and character...I will take the latter. I need it.

Happy Wednesday all!

PS. My hands are all healed but my prideful ego is still bruised! ;)

Burned

I'm somewhat embarrassed to write this post, but if it helps anyone out there avoid what I did to myself last night, then it's worth it.

I have never experienced this kind of pain in my life. How did I burn myself? By cutting and dicing jalapenos for a salad dressing. Strange, but true. I was Asian Noodle Salad by Pioneer Woman for Matt and I over at his house. I was so excited as I had wanted to try this recipe forever. I'd never handled a jalapeno before so I just treated it like a pepper - cut it up, scooped out the seeds, the brushed the diced pieces into the salad dressing off of the cutting board.

Huge.Mistake.

About a minute later, my hands started to BURN. First it was a tingle, then it was like my hands were being held under hot water from a running faucet and I could not pull them back out of the water. Matt sprang into action, googling what to do if you burn your hands on jalapeno juices/oils. Over the course of the next two hours, this is what I had to do:

• lemon juice. It felt good because it was cold. Still stinging.
• rubbing alcohol. Felt good for a second, still stinging, and now my cuticles hurt.
• milk. I loved soaking my hands in a huge bowl of milk. Still, when I took them out it was stinging to high heaven.
• Matt got desperate, hating seeing me in tears and called Poison Control. They said to put full-fat sour cream on my hands. Matt headed back to the store for the second time...
• Sour cream felt incredible. Still after 30 minutes of "soaking" in it my hands were still on fire once I dried them off. It was nearing 9pm.
• I drove myself back to my place. At one point I was holding my breath because the pain was so bad I started seeing stars. Had to breathe like a woman in labor all the way there!
• The couple I am living with sprang into action: Clint is a nurse and he got out some Benadryl, and his wife Jen called her mom who suggested tomato paste. She put ice cubes in the tomato paste and that was heavenly. It curbed the pain so that I could breathe a bit and stop bawling my eyes out.
• After 30 minutes of rubbing tomato paste I then had to use Dawn dish washing liquid to neutralize the oils on my hands. Ouch! Then, another layer of tomato paste once rinsed off.
• No joke - the next item was cheese. I am not sure what it does, but I had to rub a slab of cheddar on my hands. They looked and smelled like pizza now. For kicks, Jen threw a couple slices of pepperoni on them.
• It was after 10pm now and they still stung like hell. Time for more drastic measures! Lidacaine - a local anesthetic that numbs pain receptors on the skin was applied via a lidaderm patch. Ahhhhhhh heaven. I knew I would be able to sleep with my hands numbed.
• The tips of my fingers did not get a patch on them so I had to hold ice packs all night. I had crazy weird dreams.
• I woke up at 6am with numb hands, the pain subsided, and an embarrassing story to tell.

So there you have it folks. I am mad at myself for not knowing any better (especially when there are latex gloves under the sink at Matt's house!), mad at Pioneer Woman for not putting a warning on the recipe for ignorant folks like me trying to learn how to cook (oh I really do love her just irked right now), and embarrassed.

I do have to say that I have the most amazing husband-to-be in the world. Matt was so wonderful in running to the store for me, cleaning up splashed sour cream all over his kitchen, and eating the salad that was full of cilantro when he is not a fan of the stuff in the first place. My love language is acts of service - and boy did he provide many for me. Thanks babe!

SO. I can't run today because of the drug still in my system, and I have a 20-miler to do this weekend. Prayers are appreciated! And, do me a favor: just avoid jalapenos altogether.

A Race Weekend

Oh Matt and I have so much fun together. This weekend was a trip back to my home for us so we could do some wedding planning and run a race together. However, I was unable to do the race!
I believe that THIS was the reason that I got sick on Saturday night and could not do the race the following morning: Coldstone Creamery. I had too rich of a dessert (dark chocolate mixed with peppermint patties!) and combine that with all the running around we did during the day and stress of travel and all: I needed a break. SO! Matt did the race solo, but he did it - his first race!
We got up early, picked up our bibs and I got him all set up by the starting line. It was so sad to not run with him - but I just did not have the energy after poor sleep and getting sick the night before. Boo. Still - it was fun cheering him on. He did awesome!
I had to laugh - he beat my PR (Personal Record) for the 10K - in about 1 hr 13 min. Way to go, Matt!
It was a great race - called "Bank to Bay" because you start at a sponsor bank downtown Tacoma, and then run along the waterfront (Puget sound bay). Gorgeous day for a run!
Matt earned his cupcake at the end...and had one for me too :) I love you, sweets - way to go on your first race! Thanks for cheering me on in my marathon training, too. ;)

And in other news, it was a productive weekend! We picked out our wedding cake (a five-tier, five flavor, ivory cake with white roses and green vines!) and visited with some of his extended family. It was a quick trip but a fun one. We also filmed our wedding invitation video - we thought it was an inexpensive alternative to the regular invites, and showcased our crazy personalities :)

I am feeling MUCH better and back to the grind. Job searching, to-do list checking, running, and dealing with the crazy cat that loves my ankles. Ouch! ;)

Happy Monday, all!

Cooking Adventures

I thought I would get a little adventurous yesterday and make stuffed peppers. I'd found them for 33 cents each at the local supermarket, and when I got home realized there was no room in the fridge for them. Time for some creativity!
I am not a fan of cooking meat myself (I will eat it and order it but never touch it raw) so what I came up with was different. Matt would be over for the evening as he was working on the brakes on his car, so I wanted something filling. This is what I stuffed in there: cabbage, broccoli, beans, brown rice, wheat germ (for added protein), spinach, carrots, tomato sauce and basil. YUM!
I sprinkled cheese on top and then cooked them for about 45 minutes. Healthy, filling, and tasty! Matt has tried a lot of my dishes this week: stir frys, Asian salad, huge burritos, homemade hummus, and pasta dishes. He is a trooper - I am still learning to cook and experiment with spices.
I snapped this pic while waiting for him to get off the phone with one of his 5 million friends. :)

This weekend is a trip back to Western WA for us as we do some wedding planning and participate in our first race together on Sunday - a 10K! So excited :)

In the meantime, back to the job boards. Have a great weekend, all!

More Answers to Prayer

Oh God is good. It's truly crazy to worry about stuff, because I really do trust that it will all work out ok. In this season of moving, job searching, planning a wedding and a marriage - and living in a new place - things can feel a little crazy.

I was reading through the little prayer list that I keep in my Bible and saw so many things that I can now check off the list!

• The Chicago Marathon: training is going wonderfully, Matt and I got awesome plane tickets and a cheap hostel to stay in near the starting line and it is a month away. I'm excited and feeling more ready for it daily! Running in a new town is great too - found some awesome trails and the experience of running by corn fields...well makes me feel a bit like Forrest Gump. It's fun :)
• Matt's Job: so when does a temp assignment last almost a year? We were talking this past weekend about how the assignment he was given to help work at a title company for a few weeks has been steady, nearly full time work. Sure it is not glamorous at all, but it pays his bills and has been a great resource for networking. We praise God for the provision as we continue to look for a more permanent opportunity (with benefits too).
• My sponsored child in Uganda: I got a report card from his school and his grades are slipping. I sent off a card and called World Vision to just check in. Turns out that the harvest season there affects his work...but I am proud that he is providing for his siblings. (Oh and he is only 14. How many kids out there can provide food for their family?)
• The Colorado trip: provision for tickets and lodging while we were there, and had a great time together. We still laugh thinking about some of the experiences that weekend!
• God provided a place for me to live. It is adorable and the couple I am staying with are a total delight. Their friendship means so much to Matt and I.
• A car! I now zip around in a borrowed Honda Civic and it has a sunroof! I've metro-ed for three years so...watch out drivers on I-182 :)
• My job search: I've been blessed with some great networking here so far. I feel like it is really coming along, and my savings will still stretch for sometime. I feel like I've surrendered it over, and that is such a relief. I tend to hold tight and be worried about the results. I know it will all work out the way it needs to.
• Wedding planning: God is blessing our socks off! The couple I am living with have a million ideas and resources. Recession weddings can be incredibly creative and simple - and more focus goes onto the people and the joy of two being joined in marriage. It has not been stressful at all because we have to say "no" to so much already - but those are sweet sighs of relief. 58 days and counting!
• My health: April and May were scary months for me as I did not know what was causing the fatigue and susceptibility to colds and illnesses. After deciding to come home and making the move I've felt better than ever, stress has been reduced, I am sleeping 8 hours a night again (it is so much quieter here) - those issues are totally resolved. Is it possible that I had actual physical homesickness? I think so. I also think I finally took a step of faith that was in the right direction: home :)

That is just a start. It feels good to write some of these down because that is when we get an opportunity to pour out praises to the One whom it is due. Thanks, God. You rock!

Happy Thursday, all!

Labor Day Weekend 2009

Matt and I had a restful, relaxed Labor Day weekend together. Less running around and driving all over the state, and more just being. It was nice :)
Friday night we rented "State of Play" (which was filmed all over DC and I saw Russell Crowe twice while he was there filming it!) and ordered pizza. Fun to carbo-load the night before a big run! The trail we followed on Saturday morning goes along the Columbia River. It was awesome - I ran 18 miles and Matt did 10. I was so proud of him!
Saturday we rested after the run and then he worked on his car. Well, he and a friend did - I played with the cat and did chores :) Sunday I forgot to take my camera but we went to a community block party sponsored by a local church. It was fun! By Monday we were wrapping up work on the car and were invited to go to a BBQ with the Miltons (the couple that I am living with until I get married.) They are wonderful!
They have the sweetest little doggie, Macy. Fun times!
Matt and I loved taking pictures of the waterfront in Pasco. I live far away from home now, but views like this make it worth it :)
I could stay here for awhile :)

I am off - gotta run to do Save the Date cards at Matt's this afternoon. Stay tuned :)

The View From Here...

It is remote and quiet here in Eastern WA.

I love it.

;)

Change of Place = Change of Pace

Have you ever heard the expression, "A change in place = a change of pace?" I heard my pastor in DC share something similar when he was encouraging folks to step out of their daily routines a bit to gather new experiences around them. I can definitely say that moving to Eastern Washington this week has brought about quite the change of pace, for sure.

When I was in Western Washington these past couple months I would wake up between 6 or 7am daily, have my coffee and a bit of food before heading out on a morning run. I typically followed a familiar route and then would come home, shower, eat, and have some quiet time to read a devotional and write in my journal until about 10 or so. Then, I would do whatever was on the list for the day: errands with mom, time with friends, appointments, wedding planning, and sometimes nothing at all but relaxing.

My new routine is interesting. I am usually in bed by 10:15 every night (so as to be a respectful house guest, but also I am so tired by then!) and up at 6:15 every morning. I wake up without an alarm - that is all my body needs. It is so quiet here that I actually sleep through the night. It is heavenly.

I run first thing when I wake up here because the heat is so bad by 9. It was in the 90's most of this week alone. I found a bike trail just outside the development that I follow out of the town area. I run by corn fields! Crazy! Usually I do an hour daily, but I am stepping up my time a bit since the marathon is next month...

When I get home I shower, eat, and have my usual daily quiet time with some freshly brewed coffee. The couple I live with have changing work schedules, so sometimes they are home and we chat, and other times I am home alone with the dog and cat that don't get along so well. Their kitty is great company - so fun and cuddly!

I spend most of the day now job searching. It is a different job search than the one I did in the Seattle area in the fall of 2005 (check out my archives for the write up on the heavy experience) as I am less stressed about it because I saved for three years to have a cushion so I would never have to go through that again. I learned an important lesson on saving while in DC! So important. I want to start working soon though so that I can use my savings for down payment on a car rather than to live off of...so pray for me that I can find a job here soon! The recession makes it a tough time to look for one, so I am working my networks here and looking in different places like retail and customer service opportunities, as well as the local staffing firms. I feel encouraged just living closer to Matt - we spent the evening last night together while he changed his oil I did yard work near him. ;)

So I am all settled in. It feels good to have a place to call home until November when I get married and Matt and I will be family. That is so amazing to think of. I am happy that it is Friday - it is my running "rest day" as I prepare for the long run tomorrow (18 miles!) and a long weekend! Woot!

Have a great one all! I hope to get some pictures up of the neighborhood soon. No big weekend plans but you never know what kind of mischief I can get into here...

P.S. = Beckaboo, my computer won't let me access your blog! Is there a media player on it? Sometimes it freaks out with those. Anyhoo, I wanted to comment on your recent post, glad to see he is healing up! Have a great weekend!

New Place, New Friend

Well I could barely get him to hold still for a picture but here is my new friend!
Having this little kitty here at the house I am staying at for two months will be so fun. I hope :)
I am pretty much all moved in. I mostly have clothes and toiletries here and most of the rest of my belongings in storage bins at Matt's house across the Colombia River. It is so nice that we are in the same vicinity - not across the country (or state!) from each other. Last night we had dinner together and did an activity at church. I've enjoyed my morning runs - instead of along busy streets they are along corn fields and sleepy streets. So fun :)
This week I am just getting used to my surroundings. I should have a car to borrow for awhile by the end of the week, and start setting up appointments at local staffing firms to look into getting some employment soon. But this week is nice to just get settled. So much change this summer...phew! And where did summer go?
Kitty, I am not a scratching post. Thanks so much.
I am excited for autumn. Reading some other blogs that had posts about being excited for fall, I was surprised that I had not written anything yet! Autumn is my favorite. I love all things Fall. Eastern Washington does not get as much color-changing as western WA but Matt and I will get over to the west side often for wedding planning. I will be taking pictures for sure!

Happy Wednesday, all :)

Weekend Wedding Fun

Oh my word what a great weekend! It was a delightful time attending the wedding of a good friend of Matt's in Colorado. What a whirlwind trip - how time flew!
I had myself a hot date! It was our first flight together, as well as first wedding we attended together as dating/engaged couple. Mushy mushy! We worked on our pre-marital counseling books on the flight and just really enjoyed the time with Matt's friends as well.
It was a gorgeous outdoor wedding with an indoor reception at a local hotel. I took lots of mental notes as I plan my own special day! :)
I have to say that my favorite part about the wedding was watching Matt dance. I learned to just stay back during "You Make Me Wanna Shout!" it.was.hilarious. We later recounted that it was one of our favorite days together because we laughed so much.
Matt and some of his best buds brought down the house. Out of control crazy fun! Very entertaining...
As soon as we returned from Denver on Sunday night, we drove east from Seattle and over the mountains to what will be my home for the next two months. I moved into the cutest room in an adorable house - good friends of Matt's that opened their home for me until we are married. It is so humbling and a wonderful blessing. I will do a post on the place later this week but in the meantime will get settled in a bit more.

It feels a little scary, but wonderful. 67 days until we are married and I plan on doing a lot with the time in between. God is so good. It looks like I will be able to borrow their car while I look for a job and get ready to purchase one of my own. Prayers are much appreciated! :)

On a side note, my mom finally wrote the blog post on my dress-shopping experience. Spoiler pictures are on it, enjoy!