I like the hugging, the bringing together, the end of missing someone.

“I like to see people reunited, I like to see people run to each other, I like the kissing and the crying, I like the impatience, the stories that the mouth can't tell fast enough, the ears that aren't big enough, the eyes that can't take in all of the change, I like the hugging, the bringing together, the end of missing someone.” 

― Jonathan Safran

California, here I am! I’m  home. I'll say it again.. I'M HOME! It’s my first official California sunrise in a long while and I’m officially 23. I don’t hate it.  I’m yet again traveling on my birthday. Does four years in a row constitute as a new tradition?  

Here’s to a house full of family, food, reuniting, and ample amounts of hugs and love awaiting me. It’s safe to say I’m kind of a big deal today. Yeah, whatever. I said it. It’s my birthday. I can gloat if I want to.

P.s. I bet you have never been greeted by such a sight in your life. This trumps all my airport greetings by far. Don't worry that you don't understand it. Just accept it as sheer genus concocted by young life girls turned sisters at it's finest. 

kkkkty's here!

a walk down memory lane. 

 06.

07. 

08.

09. 

10.

11. 

she's fantastic. you should really get to know her. :)

Tidings of comfort and joy from me to you.

Never mind the fact I'm COMPLETELY done with my Christmas shopping.  Say what?! women around the world are jealous. Fact. Why yes indeed I did make a fireplace complete with logs. (Obviously not lit in commiseration of Fresno's "no burn days.") Fact. Those are dollar store decorations and wrapping supplies. Fact. Brown paper packages tied up with string, these are a few of my favorite things.  Fact. My humble abode just got a little warmer.

 It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

What do you mean no one answers their phone at 4am? Can't you see I'm falling apart over here!?

It's way too cold. It's way too late. I've eaten far too much (or so I thought). I've counted numerous times exactly to the minute how much sleep I'd get if I fell asleep right this second, two hours later.. awake. Fantastic. It's been nothing short of torture. There’s now no doubt in my mind that for the second time in three weeks I was about to endure food poisoning in its harshest form. Let me start off by saying I don’t use the term ‘endure’ lightly. Three weeks ago I found myself all but in the hospital hooked up to an I.V. due to severe dehydration and let me tell you, the only reason I wasn’t was because of my own stupidity. It took every ounce of energy, hope, and life I had left in me to fight off my first bout and was praying this time it would be different.

I’ll spare you the details, but all the signs were there and I felt it coming. It was only a matter of minutes before it became official. I’m not sure if it was the mere memory of the terror I fought through just three weeks prior (and was still recovering from mind you), or the thought of facing it yet again alone that scared me senseless. Regardless, whatever it was I am beyond thankful for. 

As soon as my mind registered what was happening, I prayed. Quite literally the first hour consisted of “God, please just don’t let me throw up more than ten times!” That’s it. I’ve never pleaded with God more nor have I ever felt so helpless. I kid you not I prayed straight through hours on end that night.  I did end up throwing up, but only twice and I was done with it.  Granted I had other issues that had to be worked out, but compared to every 15 minutes for two days straight,* I considered it a victory.  

Two things happened over the course of those 24 hours. 1. I was forced to slow down. I was forced to rest. I was forced to bask in silence. I was forced to be alone with God.  All, though wonderful and necessary, were things I had cut out of my life for weeks upon weeks. I know. I know. Shame on me. 2. I recognized my complete and utter NEED for my savior.

Not to over spiritualize my sickness but, in hindsight, I feel like he was just trying to get my attention. This semester has completely consumed me with maters that only concern myself. While my work as a pre-school teacher is teaching me much, I am depriving myself of so much more. Sundays were added to my schedule and while at first they were taken hesitantly, podcasts became my only source of spiritual nourishment after a matter of weeks. There has been no real time for community in a 60+ hour work week. My financial security in the adult world has consumed me and I am loosing myself in the process.** I go home tomorrow for winter break. It couldn’t be welcomed with more open arms. I’m looking forward to this time of rest. To a time of relaxation. To time of carefree living. We’re talking good solid nourishment in it’s purest form.. FAMILY.

*you do the math
**applications for a life coach are now being accepted. 

ABC.. as easy as 123.

All right. All right. All right. I've gotten behind yet again. I never ended up calling comcast and time has once again managed to escape me.* Needless to say mass amounts of blogs are about to be posted. Most written on time, just never published. :) Internet really does play a vital role in my day to day. Who would've thought it would take me until now to realize how dependent on it life really is these days. 

Let it begin.. 

Hello to you my nearest and dearest. It has been brought to my attention that I forgot to mention this in my last post. Thanks to your prayers and encouragement I have landed myself a job far beyond my skill level. I am now officially a preschool teacher!** I work 30 hours a week teaching lovely 3 and 4 year olds (pre k’s if you will) all about Jesus and the A.B.C’S of life, quite literally. Yes you heard right, Jesus. I was hired on by a well-known Christian early childhood development and enrichment center in Spokane not too far from my apartment. God is beyond good. I’ve only been here a few weeks but it’s proving to be a good fit. Challenging, but you know how much I love challenges! I guess all the hours of early childhood education that Moody didn’t take in transfer units paid off after all. ;)


* I'm starting to think that's why flava flave wears a giant clock around his neck at all times.
** God be with me. 

Fridays are for Frozen dish soap.

Yup, I said it. Frozen dish soap. It was this morning when I woke up to frozen dish soap and a thin sheet of ice layering the top of my coffee pot I realized just how cold my lovely abode was getting. If it weren’t for my droopy eyelids I might have even been able to see my breath, but for the sake of my sanity I’m refraining from such thoughts. I know what you’re thinking; there are easier ways to discover how to live like and Eskimo. Truth be told it hasn’t really been that bad, but as the temperatures keep dropping and snow is now falling, I’m thinking something’s gotta give. Our tenant’s downstairs were conveniently enough our landlord and his lovely wife. Since they’re expecting they’ve thus decided to invest in a larger place to call home. While we’re quite excited for them, Melissa and I’ve realized their absence will not go lightly. Through facing the loss of losing irreplaceable neighbors, we’re realizing we lost a lot more. The power downstairs for one that no longer lends life to our washer and dryer, porch light, lobby, and bottom portion of the stairs. Our “free” wi-fi’s absence on the other hand wasn’t felt as harshly at first. That is until weeks of solitude and productivity were replaced with the haunting reality that life in your 20’s is pretty much unmanageable without the world wide web. Needless to say Comcast has been called. Which leads me to our newest discovery recently added to our list of losses.. HEAT! Without the Taylor’s to heat our floors we’re fighting a loosing battle with our electric bill and our sanity. All this to say, we’re ready for a renter.

Fall-ing in love with Washington.

Happy October!! My favorite time of the year is officially upon us. Behold, the crisp breeze, bursts of color, and changing leaves are here at last. Let the festivities commence!

Since my arrival back in Spokane I've been committed to experiencing as much of this beautiful city as it has to offer before the first snow falls and it's treasures lie hidden once again under a blanket of white. I'd like to think I've done fairly well for myself considering my responsibilities tend to get more than their fair share of time. Whether it be experiencing my favorite places completely transformed by vegetation and outdoor enthusiasts or partaking in new explorations, there have been plenty of discoveries underway during these few short summer months and I’m loving every minute of it. A few things I’ve stumbled upon; Many a wildflower fields speckled with families of deer, DOZENS of rivers and streams stretching farther than the eye can see, Scenic yet challenging hikes, and Endless amounts of fresh markets, art&music festivals, and craft fairs. I was here to experience Spokane’s famous “pig out in the park” where hundreds of food booths transformed the beautiful Riverfront Park downtown into your healthy lifestyles worst nightmare. Yesterday I was blessed with a trip to “green bluff” after church with some close friends. (It’s quite similar to “apple hill” near El Dorado hills/ South Lake Tahoe back home.) It’s a chain of farms located just outside of Spokane that transform their acreage into one giant fall festival. They open up their pumpkin patches, apple farms, and vegetable fields for picking while offering train rides and live music community wide. While each farm specializes in something different and exciting, you can generally find anything under the sun “apple” flavored. (pie, donuts, butter, cider, honey sticks, etc) It’s cheap, fun, and family friendly. (there are so many rides for the little ones and competitions for the adult with an inner child) I loved it. We plan to go back in a few weeks to get pumpkins for our Halloween party (more on that to come with pictures from our most recent green bluff extravaganza to follow.)

Basically I've come to the conclusion over these past few months Washington is my souls counter-part when envisioning God's majesty, beauty, and love in tangible form. It is truly majestic here in all seasons and fosters an environment community centered and naturally driven. There is much love felt with plenty to go around to be sure. It seems as if everywhere I turn there's another community involved outreach event catering to every age group. My friendships are flourishing and with each passing day my natural enmity is shifting towards more affection and gratitude for our savior than before.

Here are a few highlights from my time here thus far:

Little Easton's here so now I get the pleasure of playing with two friends and call it something along the lines of "work."




Meet my boyfriend Stuart!! He's a junior at the University of Illonis and a mechanical engineering major. We met on summer staff in Minnesota at the young life camp we both volunteered for. He too was a boat driver and after a few months of pursuing my heart over the phone, snail mail, and skype, he made the trek out to Washington Labor Day weekend. We've decided to give this distance thing a try and see where the Lord leads it. So far he must be granting favor on us because Stuart recently decided on an Internship offer with Boeing out in Seattle this summer. I'd take 4 hours over 2,000+ miles any day. :) We're excited to see where life takes us and just enjoying the ride. He's planning on coming out to cali over christmas break so chances are you'll get to experience this amazing man sooner rather than later. :)







Life with friends back in Spokane has picked back up where it left off. I'm working on busting out my camera during the times when a pictures worth more than a thousand words, but so far I've only managed to capture a few.

Homemade miniature golf course throughout the boys' apartment and onto their roof:



lunches in the park with mckenna.




We believe full moons and boulders overlooking the city skyline should be a full blown spectator event.




And I leave you with a few of my findings.