Taking a breather

Beginning January 1, 2012, I decided to sign off of blogger [and everything online-but-not-work-or-school-related] for the remainder of the month.

See you in February!

Reasons to smile

I have three things to share with you.

1. A work of art.

This is the third or so year that my church's youth have stepped up to visually represent the pastor's vision for the upcoming year.

Today, we finished Vision 2012, on two small canvases:

Somehow, all three years we've managed to stick to the same color palette: black, purple, and gold. :) 

I think it's cause the gold looks really AWESOME when the light hits it.

2. Good hair day. 

I had to capture it, even if I felt weird doing it [and even if I'm probably the only one who notices the difference between today's hair and yesterday's hair :)] I give credit for this idea to my good friend Ellie.

 

3. Church Music

 

I know what you're going to say. I'm like a year behind. David Crowder Band came out with this album ages ago!

But I have spent the last hour or so listening through the entire album, while reading both the lyrics and David Crowder's comments on each song. 

I also did this a few years ago with their album A Collision. 

Both times, I have been really impressed -- not just at their music and cleverness, but at how truly God has marked His fingerprints ALL OVER THE PLACE. He and His ways are evident in so many things, from the number of petals on a flower to the love between a man and a woman [not that Crowder addressed these topics specifically -- these were just examples that came to me.]

Anyway, I'm sure you've heard the album, so I won't say much more on the topic except that I LOVE how they love to celebrate God's goodness!

Sisters

I had a realization while visiting Ivory yesterday.

There is no one like a sister.

Miss you, Ivory. You're the best.

The past month, in pictures

Now that I bored you all to death with an exhaustive list of the goings-on of the last month, here are some photographs depicting the events in a more fun way!

So, it actually begins before Thanksgiving, with Ivory's despedida.

I recycled things we already had at home for all of the centerpieces, like this frame with engagement photos, a napkin, and a hair clip. :)

You've probably played it before: toilet paper wedding dress! Susy's team [far right] won.

Now, on to Thanksgiving.

Mom never fails to make Dad's two favorite pies: pecan and apple.

 

Then, of course, black Friday shopping!

Oliver: "What's a budget?"


Followed by Mom's birthday:

[Notice the pie left over from Thanksgiving!]

Then, it was time to move on from Thanksgiving to my favorite holiday.
Dad and Oliver did it all this year, from cutting the tree:

To trimming it:

 As The Day approached, I got to accompany Mom and Ivory to her seamstress's house. She tried her dress on for size, one last time. Then, we carried it home with us. The wedding seemed to getting nearer by the day!

 And then it was like - boom! Rehearsal, rehearsal dinner,

 pictures,

 WEDDING!

Ivory was married. Just like that!

I didn't think about it this way before, but the trip I made to Michigan was like my own honeymoon after Ivory's wedding. It was a time to process it all while serving in Laura's wedding.

Of course, it was also a time to reconnect with sisters in Christ, and to strengthen each other.

And now it seems I've entered a new season - one of transition, and transition implies vulnerability. I can trust that it will only be for a season. This will be a season of increased intimacy with the Lord and with my parents. Just as God has given me grace before, so He will give me to grace again, to do whatever He is setting before me now.

Blah, blah, and Michigan :)

Sometimes a blank page is intimidating.

Especially since I haven't blogged since Thanksgiving.

So, let's just list the major events since then:

1. Hosted a despedida de soltera for Ivory [aka bachelorette party]
2. Attended Ivory's personal bridal shower at the Bakers' home
3. Survived finals and passed all 6 classes! :)
4. Wept as I watched my sister drive away from home
5. Traveled to Kirkland for Jared & Ivory's wedding weekend
6. Saw my sister kiss a boy for the first time
7. Worked my last day as a tutor at P. Middle School and at O. Middle School
8. Flew to Michigan for Laura's wedding!
9. Saw Amish people!! [in Michigan]
10. Had my first real manicure, and my first taste of Biggby's [also in Michigan]
11. Spent quality time with various friends, namely Rebekah, Ellie, Laura, and the Gilleys
12. Had an MC class Christmas party
13. Got a tour of Jared & Ivory's apartment!
14. Drove home, did laundry (!!), and went to church --- aaahh! :)

I don't know how major some of those events were.

Enjoy some photos from my recent trip to Michigan.

Below is my good friend Ellie, and her sister Emmy. I stayed with them while I was in Michigan.

The morning of the wedding, Ellie took Rebekah and I to experience "Biggby's," which is to Michigan as Starbucks is to Washington.

After Biggby's, Rebekah treated the three of us to manicures! A very pleasant Vietnamese family did them for us, and the daughter took this picture for us:

Then, it was off to the wedding! It was hard to get good pictures, but here are a couple.

This is just before the reception. I had to snap a photo of some of Ellie's siblings.

First dance:

MC sisters:

Prayer partner photo 1:

Prayer partner photo 2:

Aside from the wedding, a definite highlight of the trip was our visit to Ellie's family's farm. The remaining photos were taken there.

 [someone referred to Rebekah as a pumpkin with a tu-tu! We all had to wear something bright-colored when we went out for a walk, to avoid being shot by hunters. Rebekah got the coat - haha :)]

Ellie and Emmy tricked us into believing this was an old Native American toilet:

 Turns out, it was just a grinding stone.

 It seems our excursion in the woods left Rebekah and I ready for a nap on the couch; and Ellie, being always up to her sneaky devices, snapped a picture of us trying to nap.

Our last morning at Ellie and Emmy's apartment, Emmy and their roomate Rose made us a lovely pancake breakfast!

 I was blessed by so many people on this Michigan trip. I am grateful for everyone who sacrificed sleep, time, and gas to accommodate and transport me. :)

The first Thanksgiving Day proclamation

President Abraham Lincoln

Washington, D.C.

October 3rd, 1863

from Thanksgiving Day Proclamation

No human counsel hath devised

nor hath any mortal hand

worked out these great things.

They are the gracious gifts

of the Most High God,

who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins,

hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

It has seemed to me fit and proper

that they should be

solemnly,

reverently

and gratefully

acknowledged

as with one heart and one voice

by the whole American People.

Happy Thanksgiving!

[Read the whole proclamation here.]

Abe on Democracy

As I would not be a slave,

so I would not be a master.

This expresses my idea of democracy.

Whatever differs from this,

to the extent of the difference,

is no democracy.

A. Lincoln

Winter Soldiers

These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph...Up and help us; lay your shoulder to the wheel; the heart that feels not now, is dead.

Thomas Paine

"The American Crisis"

Exhaustion & a new brother

This will be brief and picture-less.

I took the ELL WEST-E (you know - the 110 questions thing), and came home with a major headache. Feels like the beginning of a head cold. So, I have been asleep for the last 3 hours. :) I feel much better after that, but still with the stuffy head.

In between the test and the nap, I gained a brother: Oliver Robert Guy Avila, and, in doing so, welcomed a turning point in both his life and mine. Nothing will ever be the same again.

Come to think of it, I always wanted a little brother. :)

WEST-E Part II

Rebekah asked me to post when I was to take the second (and third) portions of "the teacher test," called the WEST-E.

Tomorrow, I'll carpool with friends Joanne and Debby to take the English Language Learners portion of the WEST-E test. 8 AM. 110 questions. Something like $130. Ouch! Haha. Pray if you will.

To test a man's character

"Nearly all men can handle adversity, if you want to test a man's character, give him power."

– Abraham Lincoln

Parties, planning, and priceless people

Who knew that a wedding is not one single event?

I'm finding that it's actually the culminating party of lots of other parties!

I'm referring, of course, to my sister Ivory's wedding to Jared.

First, there was the engagement party on our side of the mountains. The following picture might look familiar.

Then, there was the engagement party on Jared's side of the mountains. I don't have any photos from that one.

Then, there was Ivory's bridal shower, hosted at Lynn's home, by Marika and myself.

 As you can see, Marika and Lynn did an exquisite job with the decorations.

We also played a game of mad lib.

If you don't know what mad lib is, it's basically a story with lots of the words blanked out.

[In this case, it was the story of how Jared proposed to Ivory.]

The attendees were split into teams, and each team created their own list of words to fill the blanks in.

Here is Stephanie and Denica's team at work: 

Afterward, the teams all shared their stories out loud. Each one was hilarious!

Here's Darci reading her team's story, just to give you a taste:

Then, Ivory had to answer some crazy questions about Jared -- and pop in a Bubblicious every time she got one wrong!

 That was not Ivory's favorite game.

In the end, I think fun was had by all.

That said, we're planning for yet another bridal shower [Mexican style] this Saturday!

[With all this planning, I am becoming very familiar with my laptop's "Sticky Notes" application.]

[Marika will notice that I'm following the same order for this bridal shower as we did for the last one. Hehe.]

And, of course, there are more parties to come: a bachelorette party, a church farewell to Ivory, and a personal shower, if not more.

In all of this, I am awed by two things:

1. The incredible support system that surrounds a bride [I can't even name all the people who have offered their help to Jared and Ivory, from hosting parties to finding flowers], and

2. The huge CHANGE that marriage brings about. It's like all of the festivities indicate that marriage is a momentous occasion, unlike any other occasion we may experience [although births and deaths come close.]

Thanks to everyone who has blessed our family during these wedding preparations. Not only Jared and Ivory, but our entire families feel the effects of your generosity.

I've done it.

I got bangs.

Yay!

Thanks, Ivory!