Welcome Home, Sasha!

Dear Sasha (pictured right),

It's good to have you back! We're so sorry you had an accident (people really should pay more attention when they are driving), but we're glad to have you back in all of your restored beauty. Truthfully, your bumper was getting a little faded (I didn't want to tell you before), so I guess things turned out well. Plus, it created the perfect opportunity to get your new windshield installed (15 rock chips & one really large crack later).

Sasha, I would like to express my thanks for watching out for my wonderful wife during the accident. That was so kind of you to take the impact for her (she is actually feeling quite well). You'll have to give our regards to your skillful creators back home at Saturn.

Sadly, I must admit that while you were gone, we did employ the services of one Eric the Avenger (pictured left). Have no fear, we were not at all tempted by his sporty appearance (afterall, we're not that into smokers). Yes, it is true that Eric had satellite radio, but I did not let him tempt me. Besides, you're sound system is way better. Don't worry, you never really had anything to fear - we remained faithful through it all!

Ellie greatly missed you during your absence and asked about you frequently.

Once again, it's great to have you back. Here's to many more years and another 100K miles or two!

Your friend & humble oil changer,

Michael

6th wedding anniversary

Well, it's hard to believe that Michael and I have just celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary. Thanks to a visit from my mom, Michael and I were able to get away for a day and visit Snoqualmie Falls. I'm including some pictures from our day together.

The years have really flown by! I can remember our days of dating in high school, which all began with a fellow band nerd asking me for my phone number so he could call me about some cliff notes that he had at home.

It's neat to think about how God had His hand in our lives, even back in our teenage years. God knew that I needed to really know and trust someone before I could give my love to him. And God also knew that I would need a sensitive and special guy to really understand me. I'm so thankful God placed Michael in my path and allowed us to be together.

I remember feeling so eager to get married when we were in college. Even after dating for several years and knowing we wanted to get married, Michael was so patient, knowing that we didn't need to jump ahead of the Lord's perfect time. But, when the time was just right, we had our wedding. And it was a perfect day! I remember feeling so at peace on our wedding day, really soaking it all in! I was so cool and collected until I was walking down the aisle toward Michael. It was the first time he'd seen me in my special gown and I saw him crying...I lost it and started crying too! It was a touching moment! Afterwards, as we drove away from the reception, headed north to our honeymoon, we both said, "This day was just what we wanted!"

Life has changed a lot for us in these 6 years. We've moved 3000 miles from anything we'd ever known before. We've had a child. We've had a lot of adventures and learned a lot about trusting in God and His faithfulness! It's been fun at times, hard at times, but worth it all of the time!! So, here's to many more years of marriage to my great husband!

The End of an Era

Time has flown by. It seems like just yesterday we moved out to Washington. Shortly after I started a project that that has consumed a great deal of my time and energy over the past 4.5 years. That project - Seminary. Now that time is coming to a close. Last night I finished up my final project, hit the send button on my email, and did a quick PTL.

It has been a challenge at times (keeping up with the assignments and still finding time for ministry and family), but it has been good. I must say, I really love my school. It has been a true blessing. For me, it's never been just about getting the degree (there would have been quite a few schools that would have made things a little easier if that was my goal). One of the unique things about my school is that most of the students (probably between 75-95%) are actively involved in doing ministry at the same time they are taking classes. That makes a big difference. When you can take the things you are learning and apply them in a real life situation, it makes it that much more meaningful. The professors know this and encourage us to make application in ministry as often as we can.

In addition, the friendships I have made have been amazing. We're still figuring out what the next stage for us is (we have a couple of things in the works), but it has been an exciting 5 years here in the Pacific Northwest.

Graduation is May 24th (at Northside Baptist Church in Vancouver) at 2pm. Thanks for all the love and support over the past 5 years! We're excited about what the next 5 years hold!

(S)He's just being Miley

You be the judge.

David...


or
Miley...

Summer's a comin'

Here in the northwest, summer is a big deal! It means we've survived a long, cold, and rainy winter. It means the days are really long (light when you wake up in the morning and when you go to bed at night). And it means hanging out with friends and enjoying lots of grilled food (also known as barbecues here).

For our little family, this summer will be the start of a camping adventure. We're planning a road trip to Wisconsin in July and we're going to tent camp along the way. I'm really excited about exploring, hanging out with Michael and Ellie, and seeing what we can discover along the way. It's been fun to talk about where we want to visit. Also, it's been exciting to collect our gear (I've hit some great yard sales) and plan for meals (I took a camp cooking class last week to get ready). Most of all, I'm just excited about a real family vacation...a getaway!

So, this week as we kick off warm weather by reaching for 90 degrees, I'll be soaking up the sunshine and thanking the Lord for allowing us to live in such a beautiful place. I guess it takes the rain and clouds to make me appreciate the sunshine and warmth...maybe there's a life lesson in that!!