recap-iness

You said it best, Lloyd: I hate goodbyes. 

As sad as it will be to leave I am overwhelmed with appreciation for all that I was able to do and for all the people I was able to visit with. Time spent with family, with friends living here, with friends visiting, road trips, Disneyland, the beach house, birthdays, Angel game, beach days, good food, game nights, mountains, welcoming friends back into the country, playing with kiddos... I am BLESSED!

Rather than me ramble with words, here's a recap in pictures of the last several months here in SoCal...

Many weekends with this view from the beach house. You will be missed.

Me with Paul...1 of 4 that I nannied since he was in the womb.

Ru-Ru...2 of the 4 

Em and Luke...3 & 4 of the 4. Oh how I adore these children.

With Kenny, Terry, (cousins) and Kristin (Terry's wife). Gonna miss dominoes with you guys!

1 of 2 road trips up the coast to visit Robin and fam. Sweetest little girls EVER!

2 of 2 road trips up north...this time to visit Lena too!

With Lena and Erin. Welcome back to the States, Nena!

With Erin who has been my buddy the last several months. Thanks for sharing the memories with me, friend! I love you mucho!

My incredible parents who have put up with me since May. Love you guys!

With Elaine at an Angel game. So glad we got to hang while you were visiting!

Elaine's munchkins...love these boys to pieces.

Girls weekend at the beach house. Love this bunch with all my heart.

Jamie, Linda, and Casey visiting from Austin. I miss them so.

Cousin Hayato and his wife Amber. A couple of my fave's.

Jamie in town for her birthday. We got to celebrate our 30th's together after all!

At the cabin in Arrowhead

Patricia...the one with the best taste in fashion, purses, and food!

Gabs beginning her two's!

I don't know about you guys, but Michael W. Smith's "Friends are Friends Forever" was definitely the background jam in my head while I skimmed these pics. What am I saying...it's always the background jam in my head.

As much of an amazing time I've had here I'm so, so, so excited to see what God has in store for me in Japan. I pray I make the best of every opportunity He brings and fulfill the calling He has set for me. I am overwhelmed with all the encouragement, prayer, and love that has been coming my way throughout this whole process. I am so humbled and truly blessed by the people in my life. Love you all so incredibly much.

I fly out tomorrow. Oh goodness....I have no idea what God's got brewing for me over there, but I'm ecstatic to be along for the ride. 

So....Until Japan, my friends!

simply the best

As time passes by me, I've realized in my "mature" years that I truly cherish the simple things. I would take the simple over the extravagant any day. And by "simple things" I guess I mean just being in the presence of the ones I love, engaging in great conversations, sharing life lessons, and laughing A TON...because laughter only comes in Tons when with my peeps. In a recent conversation with a close friend she stated that we (our close girl group) are all at a point in life that our meet up's don't necessarily have to be somewhere that provides a packed agenda of Must-See's, To-Do's, or Go-Here's; our main need is to just be with each other for the amount of time life allows us.

This weekend mi amiga, Erin, and I drove up the coast to meet up with our good friends Lena and Robin so we could all celebrate Robin's birthday with her and her family together. I have learned so much from Robin over the past several years as she loves, honors, and supports her husband, as she selflessly mothers her 3 daughters with strength and determination, and as she strives to serve those in need with urgency and passion.

Another admiring thing about Robin and Jim is the way they choose to live lives filled more with loving others and showing how to love rather than filling their lives with materialism and "treasures of the world." After time spent with her I always walk away with more respect for who she is, what she's gone through, and her honesty about it all. Read her blog and you'll come to the same conclusions.

So how did we celebrate Robin? Morning started out with a yummy, homemade, American breakfast by her oh-so talented, man of many hats, husband Jim...with a little bit of help from his cooking elves...ahem, Lena, Erin, Mariko. Then off for mani's and pedi's for the ladies. Home for some game time with the little ladies. Quick Mexican lunch. Some fun by the sand, around a lighthouse. Back home for some outdoor swinging, tree-climbing, pumpkin-naming, song-creating, boots-wearing time. And what was for dinner? Japanese food, of course! And, seriously, I had nothing to do with that decision...Robin and Jim just think that the Japanese are the most genius people in the human race and they believe that one day Japan will hold dominion over the entire world. Or, they may just enjoy the food...whatever, same difference.

Ami's choice of footwear for tree climbing: boots.

Maya's choice of footwear for swinging: 1 flip-flop on, 1 flip-flop off

The little ladies then went to bed and it was time for the bigger ladies (and Jim) to play some Apples to Apples, eat birthday ice cream cake, and let the delirium laughter consume us. It was seriously perfect. When I think about how the day went and how it ended, 5 of us sitting on the floor in a living room whispering the happy birthday song with Robin blowing out her candle, my heart smiles. Simplicity. One of the best birthdays I've ever been apart of.

Thanks for letting us share your birthday with you and the fam, Robin! Grateful for you in my life and treasure every moment of time spent with you!

october thirtieth

Update on the checklist:

-Flight ticket: CHECK

-Visa:

I'd say that's a CHECK, baby, CHECK, baby, 1, 2, 3, 4!

-Several mini-panic attacks: CHECK

-God's faithfulness in confirming that this is His plan: one big, grateful CHECK

Holy smokes, kids, it's happening! And I'm a whole bunch of emotions all balled up into one. Overall, I'm ready to be settled into my life in Japan. I don't like the transitioning. I don't like the goodbye's. I don't like the process of packing up and transporting to my end location. I don't like the job search process. Is this just me? Am I asking too much to just skip that process and have my routine already? But I believe that there's something God wants to teach us or grow us in during those transitional periods in our lives. Patience. Grace. Understanding. Strength. Faithfulness. And I guess those are good qualities to have. :)

So October 30th is the date. In just a few weeks I'm literally leaving on a jet plane and don't know when I'll be back again. I continually get asked, "What are you going to do there?" No clue! Ok, that's not completely true. I know what God's placed on my heart to pray for: community, a place to serve in ministry, and a job that I will enjoy. I'm confident that He's already prepared all this for me. Sometimes I let my doubts seep in and then I go through my mini-panic attacks...What am I doing? What if I don't find a job right away? What if my lack of Japanese hinders me from being effective in ministry? How in the world will I find my way around with public transportation?? What if my origami skills is not up to par?? (I kid with that last one.) God is good though. He's been faithful in using people and circumstances in my life to prove that this is His will for me. For right now.

I plan on being in Japan for at least 2 years. What's gonna happen after that...who knows. I've learned a long time ago (actually right before my first to move Japan) that it's stupid to try and plan your life for the long haul. It NEVER goes the way you think it will. I've learned to just pray that God will show you the next step. And that's all you can focus on. What's the next step. I've learned to not be afraid of the desires of my heart. I believe the Lord puts some of those desires there to lead us that way. He loves us. He wants us to love living a life surrendered to Him while we're here. So who knows...in a couple years He may place somewhere new on my heart where He's leading. Or He may have me stay there for a couple more years.

October 30th. The beginning of the next step and a new adventure. I'm so pumped!!!