Our Story

"I Still Can't Believe It"

This Christmas I was given the most amazing gift...

Josh proposed!
Give me a sec and I'll give ya all the details. 

Oprah Style...On A Slightly Different Budget

The highly touted, much anticipated, often speculated, and much adorned post of all posts...insert drum roll here... JJ's Favorite Things!

Care to go riding? Why, yes I would love to dah-ling.

A personalized gift for that one (or few) junkies in your life.

One day I will be able to afford these beauties.

I wouldn't complain a bit with this or this.

Not for the faint of heart, but worth the evening in.

Give me one of these to wrap myself up in while napping on this. yum!

Gamer + Puzzle Lover = Nobrainer

Oh goodness oh goodness gracious goodness of all things good!

On a cold and rainy night?

I can just see it sparkling away. Purtee.

For economical purposes I should probably have put this first.

And to top it off, a girl can always dream of getting a chance to be here.

31 Marks the Spot

To my beloved sister, 

 Every year you become more and more beautiful.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas falala

We found her!

The Wild Card

Every year at our family Thanksgiving, before we dive into the yummy food, each person shares one thing that they are thankful for. This is my second* favorite tradition of the holiday's. Mom usually says something about how she doesn't know why she's so emotional. Auntie Ruth is always thankful for something about Noah. Grandpa always mentions health, God's grace and provence. But there's always a wild card. Last year it was cousin Stephen. This year it was Aimee - who wore her true feelings about my BIL on her sleeve - free for everyone to see! Good for her. Happy [belated] Thanksgiving everyone! 

*The first is Christmas morning at home, just dad mom Aimee and I. In our pj's in front of the tree with all the unopened presents - and dad reads the Christmas story out of Luke and then we pray together. Just thinking about it makes me so excited.

"Yes to the Dress"

Last week Sandi (mil), mom, A, and I drove down to David's Bridal to try on dresses. We had to go there first because of this. Although Lucy (Linda's amazing consultant) no longer works there, a wonderful Russian lady was there to help us, Oxsana. She was kind, to the point, and patient (she hung out with us for 3 hours)! A had no idea what silhouette looked good on her so she tried on a bazillion dresses but nothing was really wowing her - or the moms (and we all know from Kleinfeld's that the mom's opinion is sooo important).

Aim heard of a sample sale of sample dresses happening this weekend at a cute shop on La Brea in L.A. All the dresses are designer gowns tried on by bride's in expensive boutiques. But everything is marked down 60% because of that. The shop was teeny - but mom, A, and I walked through the tiny aisles and saw Vera Wang, Monique Lhuillier, Melissa Sweet, Oscar De La Renta (gasp!), Platinum, and on and on. It was a discount couture heaven in there!

She tried on a handful of dresses and narrowed it down to two. Then the consultant, Caitlin, asked if she could put Aimee in one more dress... and of course, that one ended up being "the one". Last night Aimee said, "yes to the dress"!

Mom, elated. :) She has made this whole process so special and fun. Cool beans mom.

San Jose > Los Angeles

I have been up to San Jose many times in the last month and feel like I have had enough time to assess the city and compare it to my beloved Los Angeles.

+'s of Los Angeles

1. Family

2. Church Family

3. Nichols and the Marina

4. The familiarity of the city, the best places to eat, where to shop, the #1 Target, etc.

5. The laid back hustle and bustle

6. The unique people

7. The art

8. It's not cookie cutter, that's for sure. :)

9. Work

10. Lakertown

11. The grid

12. Old Town Pas, Marina del Rey, downtown Culver City, Abbott Kinney, Santa Monica, Palisades, Palos Verdes, Cheviot Hills, Manhattan Beach, El Segundo

13. 10 and 405

14. UCLA and USC

15. The best Japanese food and Mexican food anywhere in the 50 nifty.

16. Different cultures

-'s of Los Angeles

1. Some parts are dirty

2. 10 and 405

3. Traffic

4. Smog

+'s of Nor Cal
1. The crisp fresh clean air
2. The wide streets
3. The cleanliness of the city
4. The SJ Airport (come on lax - can we please get it together?!)
5. The mini J-town
6. The small town vibe

-'s of Nor Cal
1. Drivers - ugh!
2. Blah. When you don't take risks you are left with a bunch of blah. It's like Irvine, just deeper.
3. Giants fans
4. Curvy streets
5. No uniqueness
6. Lack of risk taking
7. Expensive
8. Chains

Los Angeles wins. But San Jose holds the Ace for this competition on best city because it has Josh, and wherever Josh is - well, that's what wins. So for now, and just right now, San Jose > Los Angeles.

Not Your Average Trip To New York

Where do I begin? It was my first trip to the Big Apple.

The city is beautiful and full of life. A tough people; to the point. Cool outside, hot inside. Beautiful old buildings. Basements with kitchens. An underground life through the subway - 2.50 per ride. Close districts. Cultured. Inflated cost of living. Style. Theater. Museums. A different life. Not better not worse, just different.

I have many highlights but the one I must mention first was the group who went. Nona, Barb, mom, Auntie Ruth, Helen, and Aimee. I learned the funny quirks and the different roles that each person assumed. Mom, the fun one. Helen, mom's long lost sister. Nona, the gentle people pleaser, Auntie Ruth, the controlled and quiet excitement. Barb, the deeper meaning. Aimee, my subway seat partner. But all women who love Jesus and are seeking to let Him mold and shape their lives. Always giving glory to God in the everyday and seeking to be more Christ-like. I admire each one and am thankful they allowed me to tag along.

The second highlight was Billy Elliott. Mom, Helen, and I saw the musical "Billy Elliott" on Saturday night and I was so moved by the main actor. I will never forget his red dance. Man, I know he'll go many places in his career. It was a privilege to be able to see such an amazing dancer, singer, and actor at such a young age.

The third highlight... ayai, there are so many. I'll let the pictures do the talking.

What a great trip. Oh wait, I forgot one itsy bitsy teeny weeny bit of info,

AIMEE GOT ENGAGED!

 She had no idea we were walking to her engagement. :)

Helen said it was such a beautiful day that we were going to take a slight detour through Central Park. 

Blane called while we were walking down the Literary Lane. Asking if she saw this and that...

 and then she walked to the famous fountain and he asked her on the phone,

"Do you see the fountain?"

"yes"

"Look to the right, do you see me?"

"What are you doing here!?"

And she ran down the steps to him and he took her to a private place in the park and proposed.

Sorry I have no pics of the actual event. He wanted privacy. :)

 Tada!

We ran into them at Dean and Deluca and Auntie bought them flowers. :)

On the red steps in Times Square later that night. 

The announcement splashed across a jumbotron and the way facebook found out.

To my favorite girl in the whole world. I am up to my ears in pride and excitement for this new journey in life. Finally, all the magazines will be put to use. 

Big News

Something I have been praying for was answered. Josh was offered a job. The catch, it's up north. It's too good to pass up so he's moving up there next month. It is a great opportunity for him.

People keep asking me how I'm taking it. They know that Josh and I do life together - workout, cook, errands, do nothing together, and everything in between. I'm not going to lie and say it's going to be a piece of cake because it won't be.

My grandpa once told me that we need to have confidence that the Lord will have His way. Without such confidence we betray our own confidence that Christ is the head.

The FAQs
Yes, we are staying together.
No, we don't have plans for the future. He's just trying to figure out the best city to live in right now. One step at a time.
Yes, I will miss him immensely.
Yes, the unknown scares me.
Yes, he will try and be home on weekends during the NAU season. :)

Habakkuk 3

2 Lord, I have heard of your fame;
I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord.
Renew them in our day,
in our time make them known;
in wrath remember mercy.
God came from Teman,
the Holy One from Mount Paran.

His glory covered the heavens
and his praise filled the earth.
His splendor was like the sunrise;
rays flashed from his hand,
where his power was hidden.
Plague went before him;
pestilence followed his steps.
He stood, and shook the earth;
he looked, and made the nations tremble.
The ancient mountains crumbled
and the age-old hills collapsed.
His ways are eternal.

18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
The sovereign Lord is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to go on the heights.

I'm not focusing on the destruction and wrath. I'm seeing the vast and all-encompassing scope of the Lord and his mighty power. Habakkuk so accurately speaks of this. And the response in 18 and 19 it says that knowing all this, "yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful, the Sovereign Lord is my strength".

Sharon asked me the other week how I was doing with all these changes. I told her the honest truth, "I'm trusting in the Lord".

29

Man, you wake up one morning and you're 29. I woke up today with these videos waiting for me. :)

Yes, we're such nerds. :) But I appreciated it nonetheless.

Btw, today I've officially began THE list. The "what I need to accomplish before I turn 30" list. I'm having a hard time figuring out what to put on there. Any suggestions?

My Pint Sized House Guest

VJCC Golf Tourney

Somehow, impossibly, I do.

Today Josh and I celebrate 4 dating years together. He reminded me of this earlier in the week and I have been thinking about it ever since. How are we doing? What have we gone through this past year? What is new? What can we do better? Am I supporting him... on and on. He would roll his eyes knowing I'm evaluating every tiny little detail of us. *sigh. I can be quite the handful, I know.

96 hours later and I have come to my conclusion on the matter.

Josh, I didn't think I could possibly love you any more, but somehow, impossibly, I do. Happy 4th.

Odori Recital + SC game + Church + Grandpa's Birthday = 1 Family Filled Weekend

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1 fun weekend 

A & J's

Thanks to everyone for making our housewarming so ... warm. :) 

Please come over anytime.

Steph

Today was officially Steph's last day. She was the first summer intern for the PCJC.  The goal really was to water the seeds that God has planted in her life so that she can reach her full potential for Him. We really wanted the internship to be about developing the individual into who God has for them. 

The day the summer internship program was announced, Steph walked up to me and handed in her application. I should have known then how much trouble I was getting myself into. :) Since we have never had internships at the conference level before I didn't really know what to expect. But whatever those expectations were, Steph blew them out of the water. Sincere, motivated, driven, intelligent, empathetic, compassionate, relational, gentle yet edgy, caring, and a lover of Jesus - she was a joy to serve with. I had the privilege of walking along her journey as she discovered her passions for missions, honed her focus for ministry, powered through her own fears, learned to speak up, fought for what she believed, changed her perspectives, and opened herself up to whatever the Lord had for her in 10 weeks. 

More than teaching her anything, I learned so much. I will miss seeing her every week. I wait patiently to see what her next years unfold. I am a better person today than I was at the beginning of summer because of what she unknowingly poured into my life. 

Thanks Steph. You're amazing. 

Grumpy Pants

Something is besting my happiness and I can't figure out what. 

I hate it when I can't figure it out.

Camp