{12 in 13} April update

Four days, folks. Four days. That's how far I made it into my daily Bible-reading plan for the month before I missed a day.

But you know what? I'm all about finishing the race, even if I mess up along the way. I am going to persevere. I haven't been keeping track of how many days I have missed or not missed, I am just going to try again each morning.

One way that this is going to happen is that I have joined "The 6 a.m. Club." One of my dear sister-friends sent me a book called Shopping for Time, by Carolyn Mahaney and her daughters (of girltalk fame) which builds the book around an analogy. The authors describe a well-planned-out shopping expedition, where the shoppers clip coupons, make lists and maintain their focus on the end goal, moving from store to store until they accomplish their mission. We always want the best deal, the most for our money. How much more should we be intentional about how we "spend" our time, which is not, in fact, an unlimited resource? They offer five tips for 'making the most of every opportunity':

1) Rise early
2) Sit still (at Jesus' feet)
3) Sit and plan (taking a personal retreat)
4) Consider people (evaluating relationships carefully)
5) Plan to depend (being productive in daily life)

Under the first category the authors bring up the idea of the "club" they started in their family to help each other get up earlier. (Theirs is "The 5 a.m. Club," but I have little desire to go quite that far... at this point in time...) They emphasize the importance of sitting at Jesus' feet first thing in the morning, before everyone else gets up, before the day's demands descend on unsuspecting households, and you find yourself merely surviving, 'same song, different verse.' It's a pretty solid point, I think, that it's crucial to "Eph. 6 it" as my friend Mallory says; we face trials and challenges so much better, and we respond so much more kindly to others (esp. the little people at our feet!), when our minds are prepared for action, and our hearts are refreshed by the truth of the Word.

I know I do not have the self-discipline to get up... and stay up... when I try to get up early. I have demonstrated that to myself often, especially since my kids will sleep until at least 7 usually, sometimes until 8 a.m. I have enlisted the help of Mallory once again. She has graciously agreed to give me a little ringy-ding each morning at 6:05 my time. It's working! Because even though the call is only 30 seconds or so, I know I would be more miserable if I let myself down and got back in bed, than if I just slogged through those first few minutes of waking-up-when-I'd-rather-be-hugging-my-pillow. And it doesn't hurt to hear her cheerful Southern voice, either! :) Love you, Mal.

I've been enjoying that hour or so when the house is quiet. (I can see why Sean likes it.) I keep the curtains drawn though, because, frankly, I bet I will someday enjoy seeing the sky's early-morning dimness, but for now I don't want to be reminded that it's not light yet. :)

A note on the {12 in 13} adventure: I'm finding, as I pursue these monthly goals, that I've really been learning a lot about myself, and about how to live this life well. Even though I have been far from nailing every goal 100%, it's been so neat to experiment, in a way, and strive toward something. Ultimately I want to strive toward "finishing the race." (Can you tell I'm doing a Bible study on Hebrews?) But it's been cool to see what works, what doesn't, and to test myself in different ways. I'm both scientist and guinea pig in this endeavor. :)

I'm excited for next month: the Bull Canyon Run is only a few weeks away! That race will seem easy in comparison to getting up early every day. To each his or her own!

Until then... look to Jesus, friends!

Caleb's Corner (Jan-Feb)

Chloe gets a lot of attention these days... but Caleb is such a joy!!! I want to enjoy him (and blog about him!). He says the greatest, funniest things! Almost daily I think, "I need to write that down," but rarely manage to. Here are a couple examples of cute and/or funny things.

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A few weeks ago we purchased the classic Disney movie Lady and the Tramp. We've watched it with Caleb twice now, and I've seen a couple effects.... 1) During pre-meal prayertime, he asks for "proteck from bad doggies" (and from "bad monkeys," which is related to on of Sean's coworkers scaring Caleb with a gorilla mask a few months ago). 2) He likes to role-play a lot, and has started issuing instructions when we are playing together. One day recently, it was, "You be Butch, Daddy. I'm Lady." He proceeded to refer to Daddy as Butch (the Tramp) throughout dinner, which was hilarious to me. "Thank you, Butch."  "I all done, Butch. Get down, please, Butch?"

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Yesterday, Caleb and his daddy were tossing a soccer ball back and forth while I was sitting nearby. After Caleb threw it, he looked over and said, "Mommy, clap!" (Only it sounded like, "Mommy, cwap!" and I wasn't sure at first if he had said "crap" or "clap.") He knows what he wants, I guess... We are working on learning to not demand things of others...

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Caleb tripped and landed on his bottom. He asked, "Mommy put bandaid on Caleb's bottom?" I had to chuckle.

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"Kwo-wee two old months," instead of "Chloe is two months old."

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And now, some pictures, because pictures are just awesome. :)

chalk time with Daddy... Caleb's quite the artist ;)

at Santa Barbara Zoo-- it was a beautiful (bright) day in January

with our buddy "Cam-wun" (Cameron)

hanging out in the back yard one day... he really wanted to wear that hat

checking out the bbq

he loves hugging and kissing, and even sharing with, his sister Chloe!

our beautiful boy

I'm starting to understand it when people say their kids are growing up way too fast. My kids are growing up way too fast!!! :) I'm loving each new stage, and getting to watch him mature a little more every day. It's incredible. A little scary, too, to teach him now to navigate the world. It feels weighty because we are entrusted with such responsibility to train and instruct and guide Him toward God, though only God can save him. He's learning so much from us, whether intentional or incidental--the whole "caught" vs. "taught" concept. Our kids will pick up what we really believe by how we live, and they will notice whether our actions match what we say we believe. God is refining us all through this process, and I'm so glad He's given us the kids He has, all three of them. :)

Josh and Rachel's wedding

As most wedding weekends are, this one was pretty full. It was so good to see friends, hang out, and of course eat BBQ and play N64 as part of the festivities leading up to THE festivity, the wedding. This post will be mostly pictures, since that's the best way to tell this kind of story.

Here are some of "da boys," a.k.a groomsmen, hanging out at Dave and Buster's, site of the bachelor party (Caleb and I had our own party in our hotel room-- he slept, I read on my Kindle :)  I got to go to a shower for Rachel, so I wasn't always sitting around while we were in Missouri. ;)

 Rehearsal dinner, table one-- left side, left to right: Stephanie, sister of the bride and maid of honor; Josh, groom; Rachel, bride; bridesmaid and her fiance (?). On the right are Stephanie and Rachel's cousins, the pastor and his wife, and another bridesmaid.

 Rehearsal dinner, table two-- us and a bunch of family members and friends of Josh and Rachel. It was fun to talk to some of Josh's college buddies and hear stories about him from before we met him.

 All dolled up for the wedding! Handsomest Best Man ever, in my opinion. :)

 The happy couple

 Bridal party

 Best man and maid of honor

We took this self-portrait just after the wedding, waiting outside. One thing I thought was cool about their wedding: they had a big sendoff leaving the church, with bubbles, I think, before the reception-- that way everyone gets to participate in a celebratory sendoff, and it's still light so you can see everybody! There was a second, quieter sendoff later, around 10:30 or 11, I think. Caleb and I were both pretty fried-- him from staying up late with a very stimulating crowd for company, me from chasing him around all day while Sean got dressed, took pictures, placed signs along roads, and did other best-man-type duties. It was a really fun day and we are so glad to have been a part of it!

 Mothers' dance at the reception-- both moms are so sweet!

Sean did a fantastic job recreating the Mizzou logo on the new Lt. and Mrs. Carlson's car. It was fun decorating their ride for them! And now they live about 15 minutes away from us in a cute house! We are so grateful to have them as friends. :) We definitely enjoyed our July trip to Missouri to see Josh and Rachel get married.

Sleeping: Part IV, April travels, and Delayed Gratification

Caleb slept from 7:30 p.m. to 7 a.m. this morning!!! I was very startled to be woken up by my alarm today, and not Caleb himself. He awoke a few minutes after seven, so we started our day. Monday and Tuesday nights, he slept from 7:30 until  6:30 the next morning! It's so good to be well-rested. We've got a great groove going.... just in time to head to Hawaii for 5 days to visit Nalani. Because of Daylight Saving Time, there is now a four-hour time difference, so after we arrive we will be falling asleep into our dinner plates and wide awake at 4 a.m. :) We have three full days there, which is our shortest trip to date, and we are praying about visitation. So far, it looks pretty limited because Nalani's mom does not want to take her out of daycare (she equates it to missing school in the future). We know God is sovereign and good and just; He will use difficult things in our lives to shape our character and make us more like Christ! We will be grateful for the time we get to spend with Nalani.

When we return, we will be home for about two weeks before we get on a plane again, this time to go to our dear friend Amanda's wedding in Arizona! She was my maid of honor-- and a wonderful one at that-- and both Sean and I have lots of awesome memories with Amanda and the group during our time in CA. We hiked. We camped. We did Bible study. We went to concerts. We wandered around the Santa Barbara mission. During my engagement, Amanda was a wonderful support, going with me to scope out various wedding venues in the area. She was there for me, and I'm so grateful. Even now, I feel so relaxed talking with her about anything and everything. She's not big on drama. I love her laugh! She's a really smart engineer-type, and she's always up for outdoor adventures.

In fact, Amanda spearheaded the Big Sur Mud Run a bunch of us went to in March 2009, a whole weekend that included the five-mile-run-with-obstacles-and-pushups-and-mud-pits, some window shopping at Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey (along with some excellent seafood), and a scenic drive along Highway 1, the beloved and famously-picturesque PCH. That weekend is one of the highlights among all my memories, ever. I am so glad I chose to go on that trip! Amanda is a generous, sweet, funny lady and she has found a wonderful guy too, whose name is Matt. If I had to pick three words to describe him, I'd say goofy, caring, and active. :) He is a huge goofball, so funny, but very sweet too. When you talk, he looks intently at you and is obviously paying close attention to you, so you feel respected. Amanda says she always feels taken care of when he is around. He adores her. I think they are a good match. They are both very easy-going and relaxed. And I am excited to be in her wedding, as she was in mine!

It's funny, when Amanda first told me her wedding date (April 23rd), I estimated what Caleb's age would be at that date (I don't think he was born yet), and it sounded so old and big: almost eight months old! Currently he's almost seven months, and I know the next few weeks will fly by just like the last seven months have! Now when I think about it, it doesn't seem so monumental to have an eight-month-old, probably because I am very used to caring for him, and each incremental step simply adds a tiny bit of complexity. God's way of growing humans really is ingenious! A baby's development is so gradual yet so continual that a parent can feel confident as they go. I may not feel confident if he were instantly a two-year-old (yikes), but I don't have to worry about that right now. Each milestone can be tackled individually. I don't have to worry about potty training AND starting solid foods... just starting solid foods. :) Recently, within the last few days in fact, Sean and I have noticed Caleb seems to be "helping" when we dress him, by straightening or bending his arms to get in or out of sleeves. It seems pretty intentional, and it's incredible to us that he has learned that. He didn't used to do that! It's incredible to see new skills just appear, almost daily. We love being his mommy and daddy.

Just one more thought: last week I went to a friend's house for a Lia Sophia (jewelry) party. The conversation, among several ladies in their 20's, a few married, several single, all but two (including me) being "career" women (and lieutenants at that), turned to babies-- I promise I didn't monopolize the conversation! There was one other girl there who has a little girl, two-year-old Reno. Anyway, a couple of them (the married ones) said they thought 30 was a good age to start having kids. One girl even said, "I just like doing what I want, when I want." Her BFF retorted, "So... you're selfish!" She didn't disagree.

I do not want to become prideful about the choices I'm making, or imply that these ladies are horrible and lame human beings. These are smart women who work hard at their jobs and like to hang out with their friends in their free time, or go skiing on the weekend. Nothing wrong with that. But I do think the consensus of the conversation reflects the culture at large, my generation in particular, where people are delaying having children because it will impact their lifestyle. They like having all their income (which, in a DINK situation, and both being officers, is considerable!) and time and energy at their disposal. I will readily admit there are sacrifices involved in having children. You and your spouse are 100% responsible for the well-being of a tiny human. They can't feed or clothe or clean themselves. You help them with when to sleep and when to be awake and when to eat. You take them everywhere with you-- or arrange for someone trustworthy to care for them. Once you have a child, you are a parent forever after. It's not like a job or a car or a house payment that you can walk away from: this is permanent. I can see how it's a daunting proposition. :)

I was talking about this with Sean, and he said it was like apples and oranges. Yes, you have to spend time, money, and energy taking care of a baby, but that baby is a LIFE that wasn't around before! There's no comparing the "sacrifices" to the miracle of that. I agree. The difference between our friends and us is one of perspective, and instant vs. delayed gratification. It is hard to get up in the middle of the night. It is a slight "sacrifice" to go home early (maybe 8 p.m.) from a social event because the baby needs to go to bed, when I'd really enjoy hanging out longer. But all of it is worth it because we have a son, a child, who looks like us and looks to us to raise him and teach him about the world. It's a huge responsibility and very rewarding, even now. I can't wait to have conversations with him and hear his thoughts as he grows! I can't wait to hear him say "mommy" or run to give his daddy a hug when he gets home from work at the end of the day. I look forward to seeing who he will become. I pray we are able to instill truth in him.

Being a parent is a continual investment over a long period of time-- here's where we come to the "delayed gratification" part. Sean and I drive old, paid-off cars, live in a modest house, and budget carefully so we can live on one income. We don't go skiing every weekend. We rent movies from the library, for free, instead of going to the theater and paying $20 for tickets and $20 for snacks. We cook from scratch instead of eating out. We make choices far different from some of our peers, and I'm totally okay with it (most of the time)! We are parents of a son, and we love him so much. I would never ever ever trade his existence for a new car or a bigger house. But I guess people my age don't realize what they are missing, because of the things they are choosing to fill their lives with. I can only fulfill the role I've chosen to the best of my ability. Perhaps it will be a testimony to the awesomeness that is "being a parent." :) I know it's not my job to change other people's minds!

Sometimes I think about the job I left-- a DoD civilian internship that was a straight shot up: to be a GS-11 by the time I was 25! That would have been pretty incredible, and I would have been making a LOT of money. Well, I'm 25 now, and a stay-at-home mom with a monetary paycheck of zero. I get giddy over recipes and enjoy preparing our home for my husband's arrival. I do laundry and clean the house and make food as my "primary duties," instead of instruct or develop curriculum or go to meetings. Again, I have to say it's like apples and oranges! I loved my job, but I LOVE my job now. I kiss the sweetest cheeks in the world. In  the morning I have pillow talk with the bluest eyes in the world, set in a tiny face with a little round nose. My body nourishes a soul housed in a soft, wiggly, miniature human body. I have been given the privilege and responsibility to train up this little person. Yes, I sometimes get frustrated. Caleb does not always accommodate my plans, and it's "inconvenient" having to pause what I was doing to attend to him. But having him in our lives is worth more than any amount of money in the world. I truly believe that. I am happy and fulfilled here. And speaking of Caleb, he just woke up from his nap! Time to go prepare lunch for us both.

Luke and Emily Hawkins

The Wedding

Luke D. Hawkins and Emily D. Forman got married on July 17, 201o-- exactly nine months after Sean and I got married on Oct. 17, 2009-- at the Cayucos Creek Barn in Cayucos, CA. It was a beautiful wedding, expressive, emotive, and very vintage, just like they are. One extremely neat feature was their guest book: a mint-green typewriter on which guests could peck out a line or two (see photo at top-right, my dear friend Amie demonstrating her technique). The bride and groom included thoughtful touches like lighting candles for both Luke's dad and sister, who have passed away, as well as diverse readings by four of their friends-- one, a Scripture passage; one, an excerpt from a book; another, reading a humorous one-line quote. I always appreciate how weddings remind me of my own vows. Now that I am married, I don't have to wistfully wonder if the pastor's words will someday apply to me. Instead, I see those words as a charge, to renew my own commitment to my husband and remember the ultimate aim of marriage on earth: to reflect the beauty of Christ and the Church, His tender love for His Bride and her devotion to her groom.

The Back Story
Luke and I go way back, and it's hard to imagine a truer friend. We have had deep discussions about A.W. Tozer and C. S. Lewis (all great theological writers seem to have initials for names); we took French together for three years in high school; we went to coffee; we went to plays put on by the local junior college, one of which-- Crazy for You-- sparked a "define the relationship" talk, which culminated in "just friends." In fact, we took a couple classes together both at good ole Allan Hancock College (aforementioned j.c.) as well as The Master's College, where I got my degree. We were both English majors for a time, until I defected to Liberal Studies. He finished his English BA at Cal Poly SLO, a university not far from Santa Maria. He's a sensitive soul, a "thoughtful thinker" and articulate writer, the depth of whose insights are much too deep for me. Even his penmanship is careful and calligraphic.

At one point, I would have said our personalities were all-but-identical, but after high school our lives diverged and vastly different experiences shaped each of us. We were kindred spirits, good friends, peas in a pod. After some time, I felt like we had both changed so much that I no longer understood him quite as well, but that did not negate our historical friendship. I am very thankful for him, because he pours out his life into other people. He has suffered great grief and his character is strong. He loves well, and I am certain his life will be well-spent. I am ecstatic he now has a life-partner to share it with! Emily is an incredible person, I am certain. No mediocre, indifferent soul could be a match for Luke. I am very thankful I was able to witness the beginning of their marriage.

Summer Visitors

This summer, we have had the privilege of seeing several out-of-state visitors! We are so excited to be able to open our home, this home that God has given us. (We still marvel at the home we get to live in!) Before we moved in, we prayed every day that wherever we ended up, God would help us be hospitable and let us use our home for Him. I definitely want to be more proactive about having people over for dinner or a game night, but it's really nice when people just let you know they are stopping through your area and are willing to come see you!

In June, my dear college friend Kaitie stopped by overnight on her way from CA to NH (along with her friend Kathy and kitty Wesley, not pictured). In college she and I would often exchange back rubs to counteract those insidious studying-induced knots, or stop by each other's study carrels in the library for a little chat break, and even though we lived in different dorms, we were able to hang out quite a bit. She has a beautiful singing voice (we were in a big choir together, then later on she made it into Chorale, the more-selective 60-person group that goes on a tour every summer), and enjoyed studying biblical counseling (and even took a couple years of Greek). She ended up staying and working in Santa Clarita after we both graduated from college in 2006, so her apartment was the place I stayed whenever I'd come down for a weekend visit, which was fairly often the first year or so. She's got lots of good books on her bookshelves, and is now starting a new life-chapter back in New Hampshire, where her mom and brother live. It will be cool to see where God takes her!

In July, my mom's Uncle Stan and Aunt Phyllis stopped by during a big RV trip, where they visited Wyoming and Montana and all sorts of places over a period of several weeks. They were in Golden, CO and contacted me about a visit before they headed home to Visalia, CA. I'm so glad they thought of me and were willing to stop by for lunch! Sean was TDY in Utah at the time, but hopefully next time they can hang out with him too.

Quite recently, on August 5th, another dear college friend, Kristi, met me in Castle Rock for lunch! Her parents live in Littleton, CO, and she is currently out here visiting them (she and her husband Brian live in Santa Clarita, CA). She and I met the fall semester of our freshman year; we survived a Tues-Thurs 8 a.m. Old Testament Survey class together (completing the special project as a team, as well-- we designed and created a "choose your own adventure"-style booklet on Jonah), and we were wingmates to boot, living just a few doors down from each other. She's the sweetest person, very careful that her words are only positive or uplifting, and really wants to honor God with her life. She has been an elementary-school teacher for two years and spearheads a junior high girls' Bible study at her church. I was blessed to be in her wedding a few summers ago. :) She's also about 10 weeks behind me in her pregnancy, which is so exciting. I can't believe we are pregnant at the same time!! It's just a strange thought that we are sharing this life-phase too, in addition to those crazy college days. Kristi gives the best back rubs and was always willing to take a moment to talk in the hallway, or lend me midnight snacks or craft supplies. One more thing I can't neglect to mention.... the origins are long-forgotten, but somehow our nicknames are KK and MM. That's even how she is listed in my cell phone: simply "KK." I guess there are enough Katys and Kristis that she gets her own moniker.

It's been a good summer for visits! The Allen Fam B&B is always open for business, so come on down! I love catching up with "old" friends and seeing how we are different/older/wiser, and yet how we are still the same. I absolutely love it when you can pick right back up where you left off, with no awkwardness. God is good, and those conversations are always encouraging.

Sean's birthday shindig

For Sean's birthday on 3 July, we had people over for dinner and games! I meant to take a picture of the spread, but forgot. But there were.... strawberries and cherries with cream cheese dip; veggie tray with Ranch dip; taco lasagna (I seem to make that a lot for special-ish occasions); chips and salsa; sweet tea and soda; chocolate inside-out cake with ice cream; and lots of balloons! Can't have a birthday without balloons. I spent most of the day, while Sean was at work, feverishly preparing the house and the food. It all came together!


Opening his present from Mom and Dad J: a package "from home" would not be complete without home-baked goodies, like these awesome brownies (that he's eagerly sniffing)! I come by my baking genes honestly.

The crew: Rachel and Josh, who got engaged July 4th (and we got to witness it!); the very-pregnant Allens; and Leah and Matt, from our Friday night small group

And... substitution of Cam for Matt so we could document everyone who was there :)

July 3rd, and can you guess what those are? Not just tanks, but firework-tanks. Boys never outgrow their toys. Sean was really excited to use his "discretionary" money for the month on these fireworks (we each get a certain sum per month to use as fun money). There was an epic battle, sort of, and much fun was had by all. We also played Mad Gab, a hilarious team game. After it was all said and done, I was pretty exhausted, but it was a great day. Sean said it was a really good birthday, and that makes me happy. He is now 24, and for the next three months we will be the same age... until I turn 25 in October. :) Yikes! That's a big one. I would say that makes me feel old, but it's more like I feel more grounded and mature (not to be too presumptuous). We are really enjoying this time of life. We are settling into "life as it is now"-- learning how to be a husband and wife, building our life together, communicating, anticipating impending parenthood-- and it is very good.

Texan Ranch Chicken Casserole

I was a very happy camper yesterday upon discovering my stash of cooking magazines in a box in the garage! We still have a few boxes we have not fully unpacked. But.... those days are numbered! Sean cleaned out the garage the other day and it feels much roomier without a huge pile of empty boxes (most of the cardboard out there was empty, fortunately). After our garage sale, we have so much more space out there. Maybe someday soon we could even park a car or two in the garage? Crazy thought.

Back to the cooking magazines. I subscribed to Taste of Home's Healthy Cooking for a year so I could have a good pool of recipes at my disposal. However, up until yesterday, I had only two issues with me, one of them being the Dec/Jan one, the rest being MIA. It's very exciting to now have "summer" recipes to try!

This casserole happens to be from Aug/Sept '09, but I made my June menu before I found the other mags, so... onward we go.


Corn tortillas cut in 1" strips; red and green bell pepper, chopped; celery and onion, also chopped; 1 garlic clove, minced; cream of celery condensed soup; cream of chicken condensed soup; small can of green chilies; 10 oz. diced tomatoes; chili powder

Saute the chopped stuff until tender-crisp...

...add your canned items...

...and layer in a pan with corn tortillas, chicken mixture, and cheese! Pretty awesome casserole! Next month I plan on stocking our freezer with some ready-to-go meals in preparation for the baby's arrival in September! It's starting to sink in that he's really coming! And soon. It's going to be crazy-different to be in charge of a tiny human 24/7. But we are very much looking forward to it and know that God will provide the grace we need.

The verdict on this casserole: "more than a keeper!" It was very, very good in both our opinions. :) Not your typical chicken casserole, probably due in part to the caliente kick of chili powder. It was so good, in fact, I am making another one for Sean to take to work tonight. Every once in a while on their "mid" shifts (10:45 pm - 6:45 am), one of the crew members brings in dinner for everybody, which is about 10 people, I think. Sean's kind of famous for bringing great-smelling food for his lunch. :) I'm glad to share a great dish with other people! If you have to work all night, at least it's good to get some tasty food in your belly.

I'm off to go make Wheat Germ Streusel Banana Muffins. YUM! My dear friend Kaitie from college is  coming tomorrow for a visit, and I'm very excited! There is much cleaning and baking to do before then, but it will all get done, or "done enough." On the dinner menu: poppy seed chicken casserole, green salad, sweet tea, and banana muffins, perhaps with homemade frozen yogurt (if I decide I have the time and energy to bust out our fro-yo maker and try it out!).

Another reminiscing post: Big Sur

The last weekend in March 2009 was a momentous one! We (our group) planned a trip to Monterey/Seaside to participate in the BIG SUR MUD RUN, a five-mile trek through sand and trails and paved road, including pushups and wall obstacles and soldiers yelling at you, an annual event sponsored by the Army. Starting and finishing at CSU Monterey Bay, it was an amazing course!! Lots of energy all around, thousands of people, even a few pirate costumes. :) One of the best experiences ever. Sean and Travis, one of our friends, won in their category (20's military male). Doesn't surprise me; they are pretty studly. I was in the heat prior to theirs, and was hoping they wouldn't catch me too quickly. It was toward the end, but they did catch me, even with a ten-minute head start! I hate the feeling of being chased, and would much rather set my sights on people to pass. But I was definitely happy and proud that they won! I was surprised how yucky I felt only a mile or two into it, even though I'd been training harder, and I actually stopped to walk a few times. Early-morning starts are not the best for my body. But it was a very worthwhile experience nonetheless, and I'm very glad I did it. We were all quite muddy by the end!
The collage below displays pictures from our drive back along Hwy 1, a famously-scenic route along California's coastline. Hopefully I will find pictures of the mud run itself to post soon! Now that we don't live in the Golden State, I am extra thankful we did things like this to enjoy the beauty God has established there.

Cecil Fam Visit

Kathy, Zak, and Emily (family friends of ours) stopped by to visit the other night! So fun. We looked at baby-name meanings online and chatted. The kids were full of questions, and it was good to catch up.

" If you have more than one kid, do you think they will like each other?"

"What color pajamas will you put the baby in if it's a boy?"

"What are you going to name it?"

"Do you think 'e will have blue eyes?"

Zak and Em are both hams, and alternately sucked in their stomachs for photos, and pretended to be pregnant. Zak's growing up so fast! I can't believe he's nine now. We watched him when he was an infant, and did informal daycare for Kathy, Johnston-style. I was in high school (homeschooled) and he was so tiny! He's a little less cuddly now, and probably going to be much taller and bigger than me someday, but he still gives good hugs. It was fun to see them!

Montana De Oro (Mountain of Gold)

One of our favorite places to hike or camp, Montana de Oro State Park is absolutely incredible. We love that place so much, we did our engagement photos there! On this occasion in March '09, Josh's mom was visiting from Texas and a bunch of us hiked some trails and took some photos. It's really spectacular when you are able to start out at the beach with awesome rocky outcroppings, then ascend 1400 feet to the top of Valencia Peak (bottom row, second from right), through flower-strewn paths rustling with lizards and birds, all the while taking breaks to contemplate the vastness (and the bright blue-ness) of the ocean. Absolutely beautiful day, and awesome memories with our dear friends.

Yesterday Sean and I were marveling at how quickly we made friends in Santa Maria. And what a quality group of people too! We did Bible study AND fun stuff like barbeques and hikes and camping. We really cherish that season and know it's a rare gift we were given. How often do you fall in with a group of people and feel at home right away? How often are you able to share so much of life with people you just met? They really became like a family, and we love 'em and miss 'em.

One year ago today...

[From January 25th. I wrote this but didn't have a chance to quite finish it.]

One year ago today, Sean sang me a song that changed our lives! January 25, 2009 was a Sunday. We had gone camping at Montana de Oro, one of our favorite spots to hike and camp, the Saturday night before with our dear friends Amanda and Josh (who happened to both be in our wedding last October). The four of us got up early to watch the sunrise and the waves... then booked it to church an hour away. We made it to the 9 a.m. service, barely stopping by our apartments for tooth-brushing, and in church our hair smelled a bit like campfire smoke. :) Sean texted me that afternoon: in case I chicken out later, the song I wrote [that we talked about yesterday] is for you. In the flickering campfire-light I had casually asked, So, written any songs lately? He said yes, but that he didn't want to play it right then. I assumed he wanted to wait for the "nice" guitar back at home or something. The conversation moved on; little did I know how important this song was going to be to both of us.

Sunday morning I realized I had misplaced my phone in the hubbub of camping and packing up, and was slightly worried it had dropped out of my pocket in the dark at the campsite. I didn't get around to looking for it until about 1 pm Sunday, when I saw his text. (The phone had slid beneath my seat in the car.) I did my thing (laundry and getting ready for the week) and didn't text him back until 4 pm, a tortuous three hours for him. For whatever reason, I thought it was going to be a death-knell song for our friendship. We had gotten in the habit of spending hours together throughout the week, jamming, talking, cooking dinner, and yes, playing Nintendo with his housemates. I don't know who writes a "let's just be friends" song specifically for someone else, my response then definitely seems silly now, but I was very nervous about it. Finally I texted back and we arranged to hang out at his house. The song was amazing and precious, and.... well, in it he told me how he felt about me. Surprisingly, I didn't quite cry, but I was pretty excited. We were attempting to chill and just play random music when I just couldn't sit still any more and asked if he wanted to go for a walk. Elbow in elbow, we walked up and down Miller Street and talked about what this meant for us. For one thing it meant we were officially "together" and people could stop hinting or assuming. :) We also both wanted to pursue a relationship headed toward marriage. So from that point on, it was an adventure. We shared lunch breaks at work (highlight of both our days), left notes on each other's cars, spent time going for runs or hanging out at our respective homes, went to church and Bible study together. We wrote songs together. Sean had weekly lunch "dates" with my dad, which revealed his character and how great a trooper he is! He spent time with my parents and me. We started pre-marital counseling in March, before we were anywhere near to being engaged (our pastor had a six-month program, so we wanted to get a jump on it!).

I am beyond thankful that our path progressed steadily toward that goal of marriage. We never broke up, and we didn't date for years and years (which I think would be torture for anyone). God was gracious to grow our relationship from friends to dating to love and marriage, all within the span of a year. We got married on October 17th, one year and two days from the day we first met. I am still amazed that Sean knew he would marry me from very early on (like in February, after we got together on 25 January!). He is a huge blessing in my life and I honestly cannot imagine life without him, nor do I want to contemplate the thought. I never knew there could be someone to so perfectly match me in goofiness and tender-heartedness. God always knows what He is doing! Sean is my best friend and my strongest supporter. I am his helper and he is my protector. I love cooking for him and listening to him. I love how he is concerned for me and wants to give me gifts that will bless me. I love how our hands fit when they are laced together. I love snuggling or hiking or riding in the car, anything to be near him. I love it when he comes home to me after work. I love the thought of raising a family with him someday.

On this momentous day, January 25th, 2010, with a little tear in my eye I ambushed my sweet guy in the closet after he got home from work and was putting his uniform away. (Thankfully, it's a roomy walk-in closet, so we have space to stand and talk.) I wrapped my arms around his neck, smiled at him and asked if he knew what day it was. He was a little startled, and concerned if I was ok; I don't usually ambush him in an emotional tizzy right when he gets home. :) In a whisper because I couldn't speak, I said, it's January 25th, one year to the day that you sang me that song! Then he knew why I was a little choked up and he gave me a big hug. We have been together a whole year, and what a year it has been. Looking back, it seems like we barely knew each other at that point, but I am sure I will feel the same way in a few years, looking back on 2010. He has trouble remembering his own birthday sometimes, so I don't expect him to remember every little milestone like I do. :) But I wanted to share it with him that day because I care about him and wanted him to know I treasure those memories.

And now you know a little more of our story, if you didn't already. I am looking forward to recollecting milestones that are now an entire year in the past. Hard to believe! I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Here we are camping the night before The Song :)

New Year's Eve

I'm on a roll with catch-up posts! We had a fab New Year's Eve at our buddy Josh's apartment, playing games, eating pizza, and NOT watching the ball drop. :) None of us were really that worried about seeing it. Besides, big bucks were at stake (well, big Monopoly bucks)! Games of choice included Boggle and Mega Monopoly. L-R: Emily and Brandon White, yours truly, Rachel "future Mrs. Carlson" Carey, Josh Carlson, and Cam "the man" Cunningham. Every male in that room is an LT at Schriever, by the way. :) All wonderful friends from Vandenberg days in CA! We are so thankful to be stationed together for now.

Sean's Boggle list (he kills at that game!)

Cam contemplating his next move...

It was a great night with friends!