Congrats Amanda & Steve!!

A few weeks ago I got a very exciting phone call! Amanda and Steve got engaged! Hooray!! I have been waiting with anticipation for months, knowing it would come eventually! And now it's here! Amanda and Steve are a wonderful couple. I love every time I am around them it is so evident how much they love each other! Congrats!!

Amanda and I have known each other for years. She is the most selfless, loving friend! She cares deeply for people and loves Steve with her whole heart! I'm so thrilled for the 2 of them to begin their adventure in Marriage~



I love you Amanda!!

Summer is coming to an end...

Well, it certainly has been a busy, but really a fun summer! I'm so grateful for my job and what I get to do! I have spent so much time with some really amazing students this summer, and couldn't imagine my life without them in it! A few highlights (in no particular order)...

1. Hanging with my awesome students!
Part of my job as their pastor is to point them towards having a loving relationship with Jesus and help them feel connected and part of our junior high family. I love these students!!

2. Houseboats - #1 & #2, both totally different, but amazing trips with the students! And of course tons of new friendships!


3. John's 10 year high school reunion - so fun to go back to Oklahoma and visit with family and friends! And see my dang cute niece Audrey!

4. My 1 year anniversary at Mariners on August 15th! John and I took time to remember what happened last summer and are so grateful to be at Mariners! A place we feel at home and connected, part of a family! God has truly strengthened our relationship and we have both learned so much more about Jesus this year!!

5. Going to the beach...A LOT!! When john and I were moving back from Oklahoma, I made this list... to hopefully accomplish in the next 5 years.

1. take a trip to Catalina
2. See a Padres game (I am an Angels fan!)
3. Go to the Ghetty Museum
4. Go to Sea World
5. Purchase another Disneyland pass
6. Stay at hotel Del Coronado in San Diego
7. Go to the beach atleast twice a week, even if it's just for a walk or to watch the sunset.
8. Surf more
9. Take a trip to San Fran
10. Buy a home (pray)
11. Take a snowboard trip to Mammoth or Tahoe
12. Run a marathon, well 1/2.
13. stay the night at the Montage in Laguna Beach
14. Hike up Saddleback Mountain
15. Eat more Sushi (there are NO good sushi places in oklahoma)
16. get better at wakeboarding
17. play soccer again

Yes I still have a lot to accomplish, but the beach part has been so easy because we live so close! Seriously, I'm obsessed with Dana Point!!

We are truly blessed! And thank God for it all!!!

Day off!!!

So today is my first of 2 days off, I don't remember the last time I had 2 days off in a row and we actually stayed in Orange County! I actually am looking forward to getting stuff done around the house and running some errands...lame I know, but it makes me feel so much better when things are organized. So here is the "hopeful" list...

1. clean house - before we left for houseboats I cleaned, but just bringing our luggage back in the house it has managed to get messy again :(

2. grocery shopping - I for sure won't need to buy any creamer, I may have a problem!

3. buy a new vacuum - fell down the stairs with the vacuum before we left and broke it...:(

4. hang shelves in laundry room

5. go to leasing office and get info to re-sign the lease, yeah!!

6. wash both cars

7. pay bills...boo!

8. buy a bookshelf at IKEA! John and I combined have SO many books, he for sure has more than me, but I contribute!

9. get pictures off our old camera - just found the cable!

10. sand and re-paint 2 dressers, and 1 bookshelf

11. clean patio

12. plan a vacation!! yeah!! hopefully here...John and I got to talking about how we really want to go somewhere!


No idea how much I'll get done, but it's good to have some goals!

Back from houseboats...Summer is coming to an end :(

So we're back from houseboats and it was an absolutely amazing trip. Our students were fantastic, the staff at camp was so wonderful, and I had so much fun! Here are a few pics, I kind of became the unofficial photographer for our ministry after I begged my boss to let us purchase a fancy camera! Overall I took over 800 pics!

My sweet 7th graders getting destroyed on the bananaboat!


We took about 60+ students, 5 houseboats!


My amazing husband!


one more...haha, makes me laugh!

Off to houseboats for the 2nd time this summer...

So we leave in just a few hours for Lake Shasta...

We load the bus at about 10pm and arrive at the lake around 8am :) Yes, it is a long ride, but so worth it to not drive during the day! This is one of my favorite trips of all time! I love that we get students completely away from what they are use to, there are no TV's, no video games, basically no distractions. The trip is HIGHLY relational and VERY fun!

This is a (scary) pic of me and Andrea, she works with the ministry we go through and I am so excited to hang out with her for another week :)

So of course I haven't packed, but there isn't really much that I need, a backpack full, a sleeping bag and pillow! It's seriously great!!

So John and I won't be around for a week!!



see ya!!!!

One year ago today...

I started my job at Mariners! Crazy how fast a year has gone :) It literally seems like yesterday John and I were driving back to CA from OK. God has blessed us so much here :) We are just about to leave on our 2nd houseboat trip of the summer and I am so excited!

After we get home we will kick off the year with small groups! The theme this year is building :) Since we are building a new building and I just love the idea. It comes from...

peter 1:5-9
So don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus. Without these qualities you can't see what's right before you, oblivious that your old sinful life has been wiped off the books.


and here is the design:) thanks B-hurst!!



life is good!!!

I Heart the Olympics!!

everything about it! I love it!!

why I love what I do!

I had a very cool moment at church last weekend. During worship, Schu (worship guy) was taking about a little girl throwing her hands up in the air and praising God with all she had! I turned around to see our 6th grade guys pastor playing cards with a student and I thought, "what a cool moment" it seemed that Andrew new exactly what that student needed at that time, he didn't need to be forced to do something, he needed someone to sit and play with him. Then during the song I had one of my autistic students singing at the top of her lungs, while other students danced around with their hands in the air! I love my job, I love my students, I'm so grateful for my church! And so grateful to God for putting me in the perfect place to serve!

Happy Birthday MOMMAAAAA!!!!!

Today is my beautiful mom's b-day!! I am so grateful for this woman in my life, she is the most encouraging, loving woman in the world! She teaches me so much everyday, has gone through so much in her life and still brings so much joy to this world!


She and my dad are the cutest couple!


She loves us (her family) more than anything and we LOVE her the same!


Happy Birthday MOM! I LOVE YOU!!!

Our trip to OKlahoma!

So I flew straight from houseboats to OKC for John's 10 year High school reunion!
We had a great time visiting with his buddies and their wives! They told really funny stories from high school and we laughed A LOT!!

We got to go down to Norman to eat and play games with Sean and Michelle!! We really miss them a lot!! We drove by our first home and as I was sad that I no longer have my orange kitchen, but we are so grateful God took us out of that situation!


We spent A TON of time with the family which was so wonderful! And our sweet niece Audrey couldn't get enough of us! And I loved every minute!



We also spent time with the entire Wince family! Every time we go into town we have a blast with them!


Me with Aubra and Joyce (momma) Wince! I love them!


It was a wonderful trip with a few bug bites, lots of great food, and tons of laughing!

really exciting news...

I got new Rainbows!! Oh wait it gets better!! I don't know how I never thought to try them on, but I fit into a kids 4-5!! Which means I only paid $22 instead of $33!

That's exciting news!!!!

Next post will be about all the fun things we've been doing!!

Made it home, well, sort of...

I made it home from houseboats Saturday at about 7am (I'll put up pics soon). Jumped on a flight at noon and headed to Oklahoma! And I have been here since. We have been visiting with family and friends,taking trips down memory lane for John's 10 year high school reunion, seeing our first home and being thankful we no longer live there, playing with my niece, and talking a lot of ministry! It's been a great relaxing trip! And I have a TON to do when I get home.... :) tomorrow.

But I have really missed my friends and family (and my bed :))