.hope.

I relate SO much of my life through music.  Name a time and there will be a song waiting at the tip of my tongue that just reminds me of what my life was back then.

This is a beautiful song of hope.  It is a reminder of the reality of what this life is really like and in turn, giving us a reason to persevere.  Hope marks the beginning of a fantastic journey I have been trudging through the past 10 months and holds a special place in my heart.

Hope

xoxo,

.{part 3}.

Let’s remember I was 23 and he was 19.  So when I began my big girl job and certain people decided they wanted to set me with this George character I was not game.  Hello!  I was young…I had my own apartment…I liked to go out and have a few cocktails…why would I date a teenager?  Did I mention I was young?  I was super naive…probably a tad on the superficial side…a pretty big deal…

All I knew about life at that time was I wanted a husband and he had to love Jesus.  That’s it.  My list wasn’t super extensive.  So it wasn’t shocking when all of a sudden I liked George {who I actually randomly ran into at a church service that neither of us knew went there and I proceeded to tell my best girlfriend that I was going to marry that boy someday and she pointed at George and cocked her head to the side and inquired, “THAT boy?” And I firmly replied,”Yup!” Then she proceeded to tell me I was nuts.  Pretty sure I thought so too}.  Anyways…What?  Stop.  I will not like him. He hasn’t been able to grow facial hair yet and I like him?  Jump. Back. So I did what any normal 23 year girl would do…I stalked him.  Via our interoffice mail courier that is {social media hadn’t hit big time entirely yet}.  So off I went!   Sent him cookies…sent his favorite candies…probably threw in a couple extra office supplies in there…I asked for advice over the phone on which pens to order through office depot one time as well.

He didn’t take any of the bait.  Desperate times now call for desperate measures.  I will look his phone number up in the office directory and I’ll text message him!  Brilliant!  Turns out…he couldn’t text message back on the phone he had so he called me at the office.  Uber embarrassing. But I landed a dinner date 3 nights later.  Boom.

And that ladies is how it’s done.

xoxo,

.justONE conference.

For the next four weeks I will be attending a virtual conference call the JustONE Conference.  Weird?  Maybe. You can’t bring down my excitement for this though.  I’m stoked.

The JustONE Conference is hosted by a few of the ladies of Leading and Loving It. This organization has allowed pastor wives’ and women in ministry come together virtually to connect, encourage and equip each other.  JustONE has 4 sessions with 20 speakers and is absolutely FREE.  I urge you…if you think you or know of anyone else that would benefit from this, check it out!

Each session is played at 4 different times a week so all you have to do is pick the time that works for you!  Grab your coffee or sour patch watermelons, get cozy and be encouraged! The sessions air Mondays and Tuesdays 11am EST/8am PST, 9pm EST/6pm PST…and I’m not gonna lie: our senior pastor’s wife, Michelle Meeks will be one of the speakers!  🙂

I’m new to full-time ministry.  A rookie.  Amateur at best.  I’m praying that my heart remains open and that I can not only learn, but be challenged, inspired and encouraged by the women around me locally and through the other speakers!

Join Us! #justoneconf

xoxo,

.{part 2}.

For those that are married, do you ever think back on the events that took place in your life that brought you and your spouse together?  What if this didn’t happen or what if I didn’t move here? That’s me.

Weird to think I was born in 1982 and George still wasn’t around until 4 years later who was then born across the world in 1986.  At at some point our worlds would collide.  And it happened to be in the workplace.  I moved home after college…was single and living with my parents in Oregon.  George was single and living with his parents in Washington.  After being home only 4 ish months, my dad’s job happened to get transferred up to Washington.  Welp!  Guess we’re moving!

My mom was in the midst of the dreadful job hunting {notice I didn’t say me}.  Who likes to job hunt?  Yeah…didn’t think so. Lucky me though, like any good mother, she happened to land me a job as a receptionist for a Title & Escrow company.  Ew.  I studied Fashion in college and looked like it.  I also hated working in that industry.  So what was a young girl to do?  You put on your Thursday’s best and you go to that Title & Escrow company and you interview.  That’s what you do.  And that’s what I did.

I walked my Manolo’s through the glass doors and there he was.  A young boy working the front desk and when I uttered the words, “Hi, may I please see the manager? I’m here for an interview!” He SPUN and FLEW out of that work chair and disappeared so fast around the corner without a second to spare. Quick as a cat.

If you asked him he will remember: DAMN! Who is that!? She’s interviewing?? We MUST hire her. {All his words…literally…he typed that}.

Lucky for him…they hired me:)

But it wasn’t love.  It was a game of cat and mouse.

xoxo,

.our love story {part 1}.

Fall 2005

We were so young in that photo above.  And I say so young as if we just received an invitation from our children inviting us to our 50th Wedding Anniversary party.  In reality…it’s only been roughly 7 years since that photo was taken.

That was us though.  George was 19 {yup, a teenager} and I was 23 {yup, I decided to date a teenager}.  He was trying to grow facial hair and sported oversized Sean Jean t-shirts.  I bleached my hair blonde, rocked stiletto heals and wouldn’t dream of leaving my home without a designer handbag.

I love our story.  And not because of just how we met and came to be Mr. & Mrs., but mostly because I can look back and see God’s provision in my life.  How HE looked after me and BLESSED me. And not that George didn’t or doesn’t need me, but that George is what I needed and still do.

We’re great together and not because we’re great.  Because we are always striving to be great.

We both love Jesus and share the same values. We have a FEW similarities, but oh lord have mercy on my soul, we are so different!  Many times we just stare at each other and laugh: How in the world are we ever going to make it 20 years?! I’m a homebody…he’s a social butterfly…he hates TV…I love it…He’s BEYOND patient…I don’t even know the definition…He’s directionally challenged…I’m Google Maps in the flesh…the list can go on {as I’m sure most couples can relate}.

However, we choose love.  It’s not always easy and you’ll see later, but we choose love.  We choose to love our God and choose to love each other.

Looking forward to putting our story into words.

xoxo,

.santa isn’t real.

Best family photo we could get.  We’re all sitting together without crying so that’s a win, right?  Speaking of crying, my kids hate Santa.  Totally understandable at the ripe ole age of 21 months and 3 1/2 years.  Plus, when you think about it?  We dress our kids up and take them to an old man in a costume  and force them to sit on his lap for candy.  I’d be scared too {I still am}.  Then we’re shocked when our little ones get lured off the street by creepers with candy.  Hey, we taught them.

George and I have always struggled with the whole Santa thing.  Do we play it up?  Do we not play at all?  We firmly agreed that we’d play along, cause some of it’s pretty fun.  I mean, hello!  Elf on the Shelf anyone?  BUT…if they were to ask we’d just tell them the truth.  Well, that all went out the window last night.  Kingston has been so scared about Santa.  He’s terrified of him coming into his home, possibly into his room and don’t even mention the reindeer.  So he asked his Grandma to please write a letter to Santa and tell him to skip our home.  As any good Grandma would do, she obliged.

Then last night at dinner, Kingston got a little worried again and wanted to call Grandma and confirm she wrote the letter.  Well all of a sudden I eye George like what should we do and out came those crushing words, “Santa isn’t real Kingston.”

Welp.  Problem solved.  Guess we won’t be playing Santa.

I’m ok with that.  In my opinion, Jen Hatmaker said it best here.  Ditto Mekhail.

And honestly?  Kingston is still pretty young I don’t even think he knew what that even meant. He probably still thinks he’s real. In a brief 5 minute condo, we told him there was a St. Nicholas and touched on the fact that Santa was a character portrayed after him, but we still like to have fun.  Call us crazy, but we really want to stress that Christmas is about Jesus.  We GIVE gifts to celebrate Jesus.  We RECEIVE gifts to celebrate Jesus…and we go visit Santa to celebrate Jesus?  We’ll see how this all unfolds as the years go on…

*Disclaimer: We warned K not to tell other friends there wasn’t a Santa…I don’t exactly want my child to be the one to ruin it for the rest who believe now do I?  But 3 year olds don’t listen very well. 😉

xoxo,

.traveling to New York.

George & I just returned from a 4 day stint in New York City.  Wow.  I feel SO blessed.  We got amazing sitters for our munchkins {thank you grandma’s and grandpa’s}…we stayed here…we ate amazing food…and best of all we attended the Charity: Ball 2011.

Times Square, NY

Team Mekhail are HUGE supporters of Charity: Water along with our church family at Eastlake.  I highly encourage you to scour their website to inform yourself on what is charity: amazingness.  It is a non-prof based in NY that raises money to bring clean drinking water to nations that drink straight up nastified water.  This organization uses 100% of all money to build wells that in turn builds health and dignity among many.  This year they raised 2.5 mil at the event!  #thatscray

Please don’t be naive to the water crisis in this YOUR world. I know I was up until a year and a half ago.  Every human being has a right to drink clean water. And Lord have mercy…New York at Christmas is such a privilege.

Highly, HIGHLY recommended!

xoxo,

.where am I now.

Question of the century.  I’m rocking brown hair like it’s going out of style and still trying to figure out how to drop a few pounds of my baby weight while not giving up Coca Cola and dessert and not working out.  So far…nothin’.  Shocker.

I’m still a stay at home mommy and really just trying to find my place in this world.  Kingston is in preschool now…Saxyn is in full-blown toddlerhood…George is now a Pastor and me?  I’m now a pastor’s wife.  Who.  Knew.

I love to decorate and re-decorate…aaaand re-decorate.  I don’t cook or bake well, but I try.  There is a place for everything and everything has a place. Sometimes I have no filter.  That’s ok though, right?

I’m still a work in progress and love a Big God.  I can’t wait to share more of my story a bit by bit here.

xoxo,

 

 

.where are they now.

This is my son, Kingston.  He’s 3 1/2 year’s old and this photo was recently taken at his Thanksgiving Preschool program.  They made Indian hats and got to pick their own name.  Of course my child chooses “Laughing Cow”.  I’m pretty sure he had Laughing Cow cheese 2 days before.

This is my Saxyn.  She’s now 20 months and calls herself Sassy.  It’s quite fitting I must say.  She prefers to be in her fur boots and a diaper only these days and is IN TO EVERYTHING.  Love her.

xoxo,

.my favorite song.

At this moment in time…this is the song I choose to add noise to my life.  Compliments of Hillsong United.  Kingston tends to lean towards I’ve Been Workin’ On the Railroad, Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes AND Hot Chelle Rae’s Tonight Tonight.  Saxyn likes anything she can shake her booty to.  Some people’s kids.

I hope you’ll listen!

Like an Avalanche

xoxo,