The people I love most.

As many of you know, my family came to visit me last weekend.
It was an incredible time of laughter, rest and quality time.

While we were here, my wonderful friend, Amie, took my brothers' senior pictures and also snapped a few family pics.  We haven't had family pictures in sooooooooo long.  Thanks, Amie!

My best friend in the whole wide world.

Daniel and Kendall...aren't they good looking? :)

We're just models. nbd.

The parentals.

My parents have THREE seniors this year!!  

The boys will graduate in June and I will graduate from college in December  :)

I miss these people already.  Thank you, Lord for an amazing weekend.

Dear Mommy

Dear Mom,

Today is your birthday and I really wish I was there to celebrate it with you.  I know you are going to go to church and be loved on by everyone, but I have to admit that I'm a little jealous that I didn't get to wake you up with a birthday hug and kiss  :)

Today I want to say thank you.  Thank you for your love for life and how evident it is in everything you do.  Thank you for showing me what it means to love God and serve others.  Thank you for loving our family with a selfless love--always putting our needs first and letting yours be last.  Thank you for raising your children in the knowledge of the Lord and teaching us to follow Him.  Thank you for loving Daddy always.  Thank you for your laughter and no matter how bad any day got, you always found a way to slip humor in somewhere.  Thank you for chasing bad guys with me...for real.  Thank you for still tucking me into bed even though I am 20  :)  Thank you for standing beside me through think and thin, for knowing when to stand up and fight my battles for me and when I need to learn to fight them myself.  Thank you for never ceasing to pray for me.
Thank you for loving me.

My prayer is that I love you back just as well and that someday I might be half the mom to my kids that you are to me.

Happy Birthday, Mommy.  I love you!

{jumbled}

It is almost midnight and here I find myself with my brain running a hundred miles a minute, my heart sad and my eyelids heavy. 

This summer has been a whirlwind on so many levels.  In some ways it seems like I was just in the middle of a stressful finals week at school and in other ways, it seems like this summer began forever ago.

And now, it's the end.  In less than 28 hours I will be on the road to my home away from home--APU.  It's mixed emotions like never before.  I'm hopeful for what God is going to do and thankful for what He has already done.  I'm scared that I'm completely inadequate, yet learning to trust that when I am weak, He is strong.  I'm sad that I'm leaving and overjoyed to arrive.  I'm missing my family already, but so looking forward to seeing all my friends at school.  I'm blessed by my girls here and can't wait to meet the girls on my hall.

I'm all jumbled up inside.  

And you know what?  That's okay with me. 

I'm learning that it's in the moments when I don't have it all figured out that I'm reminded what it means to trust God.  To draw on Him alone for strength and encouragement.  To abide in Him and soak up His mercy.  To allow myself to be lavished with His perfect love.  

And this perfect love gives me hope.  My God is enough.

"...we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character, and character, hope.  And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us."

~Romans 5:3-5

H O M E .

Sometimes I feel like I'm a prisoner in my own [California] home. 

I wake up in the same room that I spend my entire day in.

Then I go to bed.  And the cycle repeats itself.

I can't wait to hear familiar sounds, music.

I can't wait to see familiar sights, family.

I can't wait to feel loved by the people I love most.

I can't wait to be [Washington] home.

Christmas in pictures

Christmas Eve...

We celebrated Christmas Eve by having our good family friends, Allison and Phillip over.  We started babysitting Phillip from the time he was about six weeks old.  So, he's pretty much like a brother to us!  He's only a few weeks older than my brothers.  We basically grew up with a set of triplets in our house :)

We discovered that traditional Jenga can evolve into many different games!  Here's some pictures to illustrate:

(Traditional Jenga)

("Domino" Jenga)

("Tower" Jenga)

Here's all of us! (L to R: Morgann, Daniel, Phillip, Kendall)

Our neighbor makes AMAZING gingersnap cookies!  

Daniel LOVES them!!

Can't have Christmas without some yummy goodies!

 Christmas Morning...

My stocking: cute knee high socks, hair accessories, lots of earings, gum, lotion, and my FAVORITE--GLUTEN FREE recipe magazine!!!!!!!!

The morning we celebrate Jesus' birth.

 Christmas Day...

Mom and I always do puzzles when I'm home.  

Our favorites are Charles Wysocki and "Hometown Collection."

My favorite present!!  My new Bible  :)

Luke 2: The story of Jesus' birth.

Christmas dinner table!

This year, it was "just us" for Christmas day.  For the first time EVER, we didn't have any extended family over and we didn't have to go anywhere!  We literally stayed in our pajamas all day and spent time as a family.  Dinner was quiet and relaxing.  It was a joyous Christmas day.

"And there were shepherd living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  And angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 

'Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.'"

Luke 2: 8-14