My Birth Day, November 18th 1985

I thought I would document my first day of being 23, partly because a lot of my best girlfriends don't live near me and I said I would fill them in on the day. the only big difference about this birthday was waking up next to my man. You know how people say, "don't you feel older," well I never did and it always felt just like another day except a lot of people saying happy birthday! Anyways it was a great enough gift in itself to be next to my wonderful husband. Well here is the day...Waking up in my orange sheets which I love. We had yogurt and granola and prayed together. I had lots of singing birthday calls from 7:30am to 9am!
the thing i love the most about getting gifts is when someone knows you well enough to get something that is you. It shows they have spent time with you to really observe and know what you like and dislike. Well I think all of my wonderful gifts were very me. Thank you!
I taught birth control today in class. It is probably one of my least favorite lectures, for a lot of reasons. But we'll just leave it at that. If anyone wanted to know, the tan cap is a diaphragm. All of the kids were like "what the heck is that!" I said ask your mom.
My girlfriend Leah came by and brought me flowers and a journal. She is probably one of the most giving and thoughtful people I know. Thanks Leah!
Michael and I went to Morro Bay to capture the sunset, but the fog beat us to it. the bay was very beautiful and there is always a lot going on down there, from boats, to kayaks, to fisherman and spastic dogs. We had one of our favorite wines Tobin James, Liquid Love (thanks Rhiannon, you introduced us). We had reservations at the Galley, so while we were waiting to be seated we had a photo shoot (there are much more).



We had an amazing seafood dinner at the Galley. With clams in a white wine sauce, lobster, and seabass, and a complimentary chocolate rasberry cake. Michael of course looked at reviews for every seafood restaurant from Cambria to Arroyo Grande. The Galley had the best reviews overall. I would also agree.
the Lord has graciously and abundantly blessed me in many ways and he always brings me back to when I first found my salvation in Him when I was 15. Being twenty two was full of surprises and transitions. Here are some happenings of being 22.
1. Last year at Cal Poly
2. Senior Project: Michael and I went to Thailand
3. Got engaged
4. Mom diagnosed with cancer (now in remission)
5. last year of living with my some of my best friends
6. Planning a wedding
7. Moving out of the house from my best friends
8. In a wedding
9. Got married
10. Three week honeymoon to the Northwest
11. Full time job as health teacher
12. Paying bills
13. Learning how to be a godly wife
14. Learning how to more deeply love and relate with my students
15. Balancing friendship, fellowship, and my personal health & wellness
16. Trying to not get pregnant!
17. Continually seeking the Lord for his plan in Michael and my life (sometimes I wish we could just escape to Italy, live off the land, and grow our own grapes to sell wine. But then I realize there are a lot of people who do not know Jesus, who are without clothes, food, medicine, and other resources that I would be completely unsatisfied. I find that I am most satisfied when I am loving and giving to others. Because I know this pleases the Fathers heart)

Progress

The past two weekends Coastal Creations Landscaping went to work on our house.  We uprooted, dug, hacked with muscle, sweat, and blistered hands.   Some plants were half dead looking for some TLC and some were looking for a home from the nursery.  I am excited to watch our plants grow as we care for them.  

Presidential Canidates

Election day is 11 days away...Who are you voting for? And why?

Do we really live by the beach?

 I thought I might give some validity to claiming we are really Paines by the sea by sharing with everyone our new addition sunny.  She was found in Los Angeles, long awaiting the strong current beneath her belly. Here is her first time out about 50 feet from our home. If anyone is down for going kayaking give us a call we would love to!

Fall is here

Shell Beach

That's my man!!
Brunette Brigade (minus Pizuki!)
The central coasts version of fall is quite the humble portrayal of leaves changing colors, winter squash, cooler, crisp nights, colorful pumpkins atop inviting porches, and the sweet smells of nutmeg and cinnamon wafting into the streets.

Today I took a group of 6 teenagers from Nipomo to Avila Barn to pick out pumpkins. We jumped on the tractor and chugged all the way to the pumpkin patch. The next half an hour the teens rolled the biggest pumpkins they could to my feet for my approval (they are weighed by lbs.), we left with four. Last weekend I again enjoyed the barn with my old roommates, as we caught up on the high's and lows of the past two months not living together after almost three years. I also enjoyed shaving Michaels head half way, as he did the other half. As well as strolls at dusk to the end of our street. Some special moments captured...

Usually ashamed that I'm part of the text message, facebook, indirect, non-committal generation I feel awkward posting. However, having family beyond the convienence of a quick evening or more quality weekend visit, I've seen the benefits of blogs, with the benefit being praying without ceasing. So in I too jump in the cyber world of maintaining a community that crosses borders, state lines, and main streets.
For such a time as this...nestled in a quaint pocket of the heralded and fantasied California coast our experiential reality is only shaken when the sun doesn't shine for a full day or the thermometer rises above 80 degrees or I get a traffic ticket due to my ill regard for law and for law enforcement "filling" their time. Death is buried and never seen, save for the engraved granite, pain is blunted by the pharmaceuticals at our fingertips, fear is composed of the possibility of being a have-not. Play is at my doorstep with the beach beckoning and the surrounding hills and mountains discreetly hiding the joys of hidden springs, oak nestled valleys, and panoramic vistas. Family and work, both gifts to be treasured and stewarded, seem often to tip the balance towards consuming in the meetings, deadlines, diapers, soccer games, driving, home projects, dinners, etc.  Contentment and permanence, or jointly permanent contentment appear to be where this is going.  Yet I feel the Day is drawing ever nearer, the Lord's Day, and we live in such a time as this, on the precipice of His Advent, where His permanent justice and  unchanging reign, and our joy filled hope our consummated.  To summarize his return and our times in relation to our comfort/contentment have been on my mind recently as I am wrestling with the idea of what it means to eagerly wait for his appearing.  Gratefully fill my belly full with delights(i.e. snickers)with thanks to God, sell everything and give to the poor, or play the safe middle ground of whatever is convenient.

the name above all names

Taken in Portland Nob Hill District

Our great High Priest who intercedes on our behalf, His name is Jesus.  Blood spilt forth to break the bonds of death unto bursting light shall we walk by day and by night.  Flesh and bones will perish but spirit and soul will enter eternal love and praise with the Father and Son.  Until that day we seek, knock, and wait for His Kingdom to come on earth and for His great return.

Michael and I have been pressed and called to pray unceasingly, steadfastly, with great faith and overflowing with thanksgiving. Oh what an amazing call to walk in and to see the hand of God answering prayers.  He has been so kind and faithful to answer some things we have been praying for the past few months.  

First Fellowship.  So many nights since we have been married we have shared a meal with friends in our new home and so many have opened their homes to us to feed us and share stories.  Every friday a group of us meet and see where the Lord takes us that evening.  It is such a dynamic group because one couple has kids, two couples are newlywed (us being one) and others are single and serving the Lord with passion. We come with our joys, passions, frustrations, desires, and needs and wait at the Lords feet.  Oh, God is so good to provide.  Second teenagers.  I work with a group of teenagers after school three days a week.  We do homework, activities, crafts, go on field trips and much more.  None of them have a relationship with Jesus but our familiar with the Catholic Church being raised in the Mexican Culture.  Conversations have been stirred up completely by their initiative it has been great.  God is really developing a heart in me for them and showing me ways to continually love with His love.  Third, my family.  God is doing some crazy work in my parents and sisters heart.  They are seeking, asking, and knocking!! Fourth, Michaels work.  He has so much work, too much actually:) Yes Jesus, you provide!! I hope this encourages you to approach the throne with boldness and confidence as you present your prayers and petitions to our great High Priest who intercedes on our behalf.