5.

I remember walking into a room full of people.

Welcomed by the screaming mouth of a stuffed bobcat head that hung over the futon, I sat down to hear stories from the infamous Erik Anderson.

I don't know if I was more scared of the bobcat or the sound of my rapidly beating heart...

But either way,

He had me at hello.

And he still gets me at hello.

Even after all these years.

Happy 5 years, Mr. Anderson.

I love you more than hello can say.

And I'm glad you don't still have the bobcat.

Traveling the World...One Plate at a Time.

Hanging out with High School students is the best. Especially when it means you get to try new things.

Me and a few of the wonderful ladies from our High School group have made it a habit to get together for dinner once a month and try out the awesome cultures of food that Modesto has to offer. Surprisingly, there are quite a few!

Anthony Bourdain...move over!!

So far, we've hit up the All-American/Greek pita, Japanese Sushi, and fine Indian cuisine complete with dinner time Bollywood entertainment!

We try to find places that the majority of our circles of friends and family don't go. No chain restaurants allowed.

It is awesome!

There is nothing like sitting around a table and experiencing food and culture that we don't usually partake in or, in most cases, are too scared to try. It is quite the thrill waiting to see what each dish will look like when it comes to the table!
As we eat, we come up with crazy ideas of the next places that we will stumble upon in our travels!

So far on the docket we have Authentic Italian, Thai, and...Russian?

However, the best part...by far....is the great conversations we have, the life experiences that we talk about, and the time we spend just being "world travelers".

Often times, the best part of traveling isn't even the places you go. It is the people you are with and those that you meet in the process.

And these people are some of the world's finest.

Cheers!

The Eve

So, yeah. It is a little early, but who is really counting?

In celebration of our 4 year anniversary, Erik went ahead and proved himself husband of the millennium...again!

To honor the path that we have walked, the adventures we have been on, and the passions that we have discovered, Erik made these incredible pictures for me and put them in frames.

In the words of Ben Folds (what up high school!!)...

I am the luckiest.

seriously.

that is not an exaggeration.

My Life As A Time Lapse

As a kid, I remember watching special videos that my dad made. As a photographer for FOX, this was not a rare occasion. However, this specific video I recall vividly in my mind...and I'm not sure why.

In 1995 St. Louis constructed the Trans World Dome (now known as the Edward Jones Dome) in order to bring the NFL back to the area. I remember my dad spending tons and tons of hours piecing together a time-lapse video of its construction. He was so proud of the result after hours, days, weeks, and months of work. 

I remember watching the video and being proud too.  

I also remember being amazed at seeing something that was built over a long period of time come together in a span of 5 minutes. 

Doesn't it sometimes feel like life is that same way? You work so hard for these huge events in life and then all of a sudden they are over and it feels like you were just living life as a part of a time lapse. 

The last 4 weeks of our lives have felt that. I mean like high speed, crazy outcome, non-stop time lapse. 

Here is a little review. In the last 4 weeks, we have:

• Hosted 1 Student Ministries Fundraiser
• Hosted and ran 2 Adoption Fundraisers
• Completed our Homestudy for Adoption
• Housesat for one of our High School Students
• Had an out of town visitor for a few days
• Successfully put together and completed our High School Mission Trip
• Lead Worship for Sunday Church
• Preached a Sermon
• And a partridge in a pear tree?

I think back and wonder how on earth we fit all of this into our lives (on top of the regular work schedule, photo shoots, bible studies, seminary). When I look back at it, it is just a glimpse of the reality of the time spent to build, construct, and execute the actual events. 

It all happened so fast. 

Now that I have some time to step back and slow down, I look back at the completed month and see the incredible results of all of this madness! 

To list a few...

• Relationships built cross-generationally within our church through raising money for CHIC
• 2 months of prayers and encouragement to get us to the point of completing the first step of our adoption
• $1,700 raised from our Mini Session Photography Fundraiser
• Renewal and Refreshment in old friendships
• Building and deepening in new friendships 
• Seeing the fruits of letting go and trusting God
• Changed lives through service
• Stronger relationships within our student body
• Stirred passion in our hearts for Inner City Missions
• Finding purpose in using our gifts to glorify God 

You can't always see things clearly when you are in the thick of it. Sometimes it takes watching it all pieced together at completion to realize that the whole process...long, daunting, and challenging as it may be...has created something beautiful. Beautiful and lasting.

Gearing Up

Oh my. What is the date? With the mixture of church fundraisers, photo sessions, mission trip planning, housesitting, and finishing up all of our last steps for our home study....

I have completely neglected this little blog. Poor guy.

But now that I have a some-what rainy day and nothing to do (for approximately 12 hours), I can confidently say that I am back!

And we are TOTALLY gearing up...for A LOT!
We have exactly 6 days until our last home study meeting and exactly 7 days until our Mini Session Fundraiser! Oh geez.

Last night, a few incredible ladies came over to help put together some of the backgrounds that we are making for the Mini Sessions. We got one background completed and parts of another...but mostly, we spent time laughing, talking life around a great spread of food, and enjoying each other's creativity and wisdom. It was soul filling at its finest!

And although I didn't get any pictures of the hotties working...I captured a few of what we did and a couple shots of my models showing off how awesome the background looks when you snap a photo!

Thanks ladies for your help!! I'm so excited for next weekend!

Fres-Yes and Fitzsimmons

All I have ever known of Fresno is that it doesn't have much to offer.

Well that is just not true.

Fresno? FRE-YES!

As a Christmas present to Erik, I bought him tickets to one of his favorite artists, William Fitzsimmons. As an added bonus...we got to take our great friend, Tom, with us!

We had an amazing time wandering the streets of the underwhelming yet still somewhat exhilarating Tower District while waiting for the doors to open for one of the most intimate and moving shows that I have seen in a long time.

And I couldn't have asked for a better crew to go with!

just one of them days.

I'm so tired. (this is me whining).

Like straight up, dragged down, emotionally, physically, mentally, spiritual EXHAUSTED!

5 hour energy can't even cure this situation.

And I don't really have a good excuse. Seriously.

All things considered, I'm a bit of a slacker.

I guess everything just piled up on top of each other and the weight got a bit too heavy today. Ministry, marriage, adoption, photography, fundraising...BLAH!

Do you ever have those days where life is just too much? Where you don't know how you got there but you are literally on the verge of a complete breakdown?

That is me. Right now. Right here. Happening today.

I kind of just want to go sit in a room somewhere for like 4 days and not talk to anyone.

How is that even appealing?

You would have thought there would be some kind of warning, right? Like flashing lights and detours signs? I feel like that pour little kitten hanging from the tree branch.

...I just feel it super necessary to give a visual reminder here in case any of us have forgotten the wonder of "Scholastic" and all of the ridiculous posters they allowed you to purchase in the name of education. Amazing...

Ok back on track...
I'm reminded today of the reason we started this blog and the theme that holds it and our lives together. I don't want to be reminded today, but I am.

And for my sake, I'm going to share it on here today...if only for me having to read it as I type it out to remind myself of its truth.

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on your. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

Matthew 11:28-30 (The Message)

Happy Love!

Happy Love day!

I hope that you are feeling loved today no matter what stage of life you are in! Today is a great day to celebrate those around you who have loved you and walked through life with you!

So whether friends, siblings, parents, husbands, wives, boyfriends or girlfriends...

Go give someone a hug! :)

Or write a sweet note...

I promise. They will feel loved.

Reality Check.

Debt sucks.

Reality check #2.

When you realize that your debt is over a swimsuit coverup you had to have in 2006 that was so generously donated to Goodwill in 2007 because it was "so last season".

The truth is...we struggle. And I know a lot of people do. But for me, it is easier to justify debt from owning a house or raising a family over debt from splurging on too many superficial things.

And I guess now, more than ever, we are feeling stuck in the reality of our debt vs. our future family. That is a heavy burden. One that we placed on ourselves and now one that we have to deal with.

Dave Ramsey (a great and wise man who offers relief from debt for many families) tells you to start with the snowball effect. The "pay off the little things first to gain momentum" idea.

Well, what happens while you are waiting for the snow to fall so you can begin making your snowball?

It is hard to find momentum when you feel like every time you start, you hit another road block. Whether it is a car breaking down or a medical bill that needs to be payed...sometimes it just seems like too much.

Don't get me wrong...we are SO blessed! God has completely offered provision to us in amazing ways and through amazing people.

This is just one of our realities right now. A hard but true reality and one that we are looking at face to face and ready to change.

3 Girls and A Camera

I had the awesome privilege of adventuring with three incredible ladies this Saturday to capture some snapshots of friendship at its finest!

Ellie, Shannon, and Meghan were not only great models for my photo practice...but truly brought so much joy to my heart as I caught precious moments and exchanges between these three best friends! It was beautiful to see laughter, joy, and love between these girls!

Thank you to you, ladies, for letting me in on a moment in your world as we tromped through forests and orchards!

"My friends remind me, by their very steadfastness, that truth, goodness, and beauty exist in the world, and that no matter what, there are and always will be, people loving people through thick and thin."

Dreams Really Do Come True

It has seriously been a month...a little more...since we got home from our trip to Ireland and I realized that I didn't say anything about it!

Well...I haven't said anything about anything really! :)

For the sake of not making people look through the exasperating number of pictures on Facebook...and in reflection of the trip of a lifetime...I have decided to make a little post about it!

(Also, in honor of Ellie Gundlach for being so patient with me putting pictures on my blog!)

So...here a few highlights from our trip!

First thing is first...our entire reason for the trip was to go and celebrate the wedding of my dear friend Emma and her now husband Yannic. We felt so honored to be a part of this incredible celebration of two of the most incredible people I have ever known. We made new friends with amazing people from Switzerland and spent some much needed soul time with old friends from many years ago! Honestly, we could have travelled the world and not found a better time anywhere else. It was such a blessing to be with all of these people, laughing, crying, reminiscing, and enjoying life!

 After our time at the wedding, we went into Belfast to see my old stomping grounds while in YWAM! This is the church that we lived at while we served. It was crazy how many flashbacks I had while walking up the street and back down to the City Centre...including walking down to the mailbox with the Teen Squad to mail a letter to Erik confessing my love for him! Wow...

 We also enjoyed some breakfast at Cafe Nero, including those delicious scones! My husband is so good looking!

From Belfast, we headed up to the North Coast! I think (as far as road tripping went) this was our favorite portion of the trip! We toured the Bushmills Whiskey Distillary...a dream come true for Erik...visited the Giant's Causeway...and stayed in Port Rush for an evening of GREAT food and beach walking! 

 From there, we travelled to the South and ventured into Galway! We spent one of the days driving through the Connemara National Park, which felt just like a storybook...or Lord of the Rings...

We stopped by the Kylemore Abbey....crazy beautiful...and the oldest Victorian garden in Ireland!

Our adventures continued and took us to the Cliffs of Moher, where I totally reenacted the beginning of Princess Bride! Ok...not really...but it was completely breathtaking...and super windy!

 We also got to meet up with some great friends of our from Modesto, Larry and Missy Stewart! We had lunch with them in Killarney and caught up on all of our adventures in travelling!

 On our last day in Ireland, we made a special stop at the K Club for Erik! Not only did we get to take in all the greatness of the golf course...but we got to see the Ryder Cup and the whole shrine of pictures that they have to commemorate the event and the golfers! It was like a little paradise for Erik!

Our last evening we stayed with my friend Tom outside of Dublin! He took us for an evening of fish and chips and a walk on the pier! It was the perfect way to end an incredible trip!

To sum it up....

Even these pictures can't tell the full story of our amazing journey! It was truly incredible!