Church

I love our church. People always ask if we've found a good church in Austin, and they are surprised to know that we didn't church hop when we first moved here. We knew that we needed a place with solid teaching, and people who would love us. Crosspointe offered both on our first Sunday; so we stayed. It was really tempting to look for a church with a hopping young adult program where we could meet a lot of people our age, but we decided to keep our focus on how we could serve the church rather than how the church could serve us.

It has turned out to be a great decision. We don't have a lot of friends our age there, but we have people who would drop anything to help us if we needed it. And most importantly, we are part of the living, breathing, serving, worshiping Church. Every Sunday is so encouraging and refreshing. The leaders of our church are committed to loving God and loving his people.

I learned this song from our phenomenal worship team (I'm sure it's old, but I just learned it) and I love it. The words are simple, the tune is bluesy, and the truth is powerful.

I have a hope, I have a future

I have a destiny that is yet awaiting me

My life’s not over, a new beginning’s just begun

I have a hope, I have this hope

 

God has a plan, it’s not to harm me

But it’s to prosper me and to hear me when I call

He intercedes for me, working all things for my good

Though trials may come I have this hope

 

Chorus

I will yet praise Him, my great Redeemer

I will yet stand up and give Him glory with my life

He takes my darkness and He turns it into light

I will yet praise Him, my Lord my God

 

My God is for me, He’s not against me

So tell me whom then, tell me whom then shall I fear

He has prepared for me

Great works He’ll help me to complete

I have a hope, I have this hope

 

Goodness and mercy, they’re gonna follow me

And I’ll forever dwell in the house of my great King

No eye has ever seen all He’s preparing there for me

Though trials may come, I have this hope

 

Bridge

There’s still hope for me today

‘Cause the God heaven loves me 

-Tommy Walker

Summer Vacation

We just got back from nearly 3 weeks of vacation. We worked hard for the first half of the summer and played hard for the last part.

My dad came with us for the first week. He flew to Austin and then we drove from Austin to Gulf Shores, and stopped in New Orleans for a couple of days. We had been there before, but only for a few hours. It was really fun to be able to spend time and enjoy more than one restaurant, since there are so many delicious ones. Here are a few of my favorite pictures from NOLA.

Nothing says French Quarter like wrought iron and lots of plants!

Jackson Square

Carriage ride at dusk

Then we headed to Gulf Shores where our goal was to spend time with Andy's family and friends, enjoy the beach and eat lots of seafood. All three goals were accomplished.

White sand and turquoise water- what more can you ask for?

Kissy faces on the beach.

On the way home we stopped to visit friends we met in Malawi- the Evans and their new baby, Jack, the Jones family in the Mississippi delta, and the Kilpatricks in Ruston, LA. It was so good to be with people who knew us in Malawi. What a special connection the mission field creates between people. Here is a picture of me with 7 week old Jack Nolan Evans. 

Sweet sleepy baby

School starts on Monday and classes start the following week. I am so glad we had a break before we go back to the grind!

4th of July traditions

I have spent very few 4th of Julys in civilization. Usually I am in the middle of nowhere, enjoying the great outdoors. This is the first year in 20 years that I haven't been camping for the Fourth of July!

Tonight in my class (yes, Andy and I had class on Independence Day...) we did a presentation that was supposed to tell something unique about us and I shared these pictures.

The view from the bottom, where we camp.

2010- married for a week!

1991- Kelsea and I on our first trip to the river!

Despite the evidence that this picture presents, I actually do like it there. I'm pretty sure my dad woke me up to take this picture, which made me upset. Then I got upset about the scratchy grass and the bugs. Oh, the memories. Thanks for forcing the picture, Dad!

Life in Austin

Things I love about Austin:

1. The weather. We have recently bid spring (85 degrees) goodbye and have greeted summer (99 degrees). While I do feel that 99 is too hot for things like hiking and running, I think it's excellent for swimming, tanning and reading outside. I much prefer the latter activities anyway, so 99 is fine by me!

2. The skyline. Austin has a really trendy feel to it and the skyline seems trendy to me too. It's nice to hang out down town like we did today. I felt pretty trendy laying in the grass at Zilker park reading a book about Zimbabwe (which is really good in a really horrible sort of way). We even gave people directions twice. That's right, we're basically locals.

3. The hill country. We live right on the edge of the really pretty part of "hill country." The other day I went on a field trip and we drove out past some really pretty parts! Visiting some wineries and state parks in the hill country is on our to do list for the summer.

Apartment living

It's weird to live in an apartment complex. It's kind of awkward, socially. We recognize the same people, and we are always friendly and they are friendly back, but anything beyond a "Hey, how are you?" is crossing the unspoken boundaries.

The exception to this is at the pool. Anyone can be friends at the pool! Although the time I'm most aware of the fact that I live in Texas is when I visit the pool. Stereotypical, beer drinking, beer bellied, tattooed, loud TEXANS. I've seen two tattoos that have been particularly...mmm, redneck. First, in giant letters across the back: TEXAS (with Austin and Houston written smaller below). Second, in giant letters across his chest: WHITE TRASH. I only wish I was making this up. Let's just say the pool is best in small doses.

Speaking of the joys of apartment living, I'm pretty sure my upstairs neighbors are going to come through the ceiling one of these days. Like maybe any minute.

Oregon- Part 1: a wedding and a niece

Now that my sister has been married for more than a month, I don't feel like I have much to blog about! I've been waiting for pictures, but I don't have any yet.

First, let me say that I can't believe my baby sister is married. I was so much more emotional at her wedding than I was at my own! The ceremony was beautiful and so simple. She looked beautiful in her cowboy boots and dress with pockets!

The newly weds are doing well, they were meant for each other. Now that the wedding is over they are preparing for their next big adventure in life: the arrival of my niece, Adalee Megan Taggart.

I can't wait to meet the little monkey! I think she has my nose. ;-)

Oregon- Part 2

Ok, ok. I know, part two is a long time coming. Sorry!

My friend, Rachel, asked Andy and I to be godparents to her baby girl, Lilliana Rose Mary. While we were in Oregon we got to attend her baptism. She is a precious little girl and it was such a blessing to see her receive the gift of baptism.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."

I love those words! Liliana has been born into a living hope, the same great hope that we have because of the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Oregon- Part 3

I have three major things to blog about from our Oregon trip. However, I am starting with the last one because it's the easiest. We had the privilege of witnessing two of God's greatest demonstrations of His love (these will be the subjects of Oregon- Part 2 and Oregon- Part 1): marriage and baptism.

This blog, though, is about the complete majesty and awesomeness of His creation. These pictures do not even begin to do it justice!

I know that I grew up in Oregon and everything, but for whatever reason, I have hardly ever been to Mt. Hood. Don't get me wrong, when the "mountain is out" (an Oregonian phrase meaning that the clouds have gone away long enough to see the mountain), I smile from ear to ear when I catch a glimpse of it. I miss seeing it when I am away from Oregon, and I love flying into Portland when I can see it from the air. I just have never really been TO the mountain. Until last weekend. My dad took Andy, Kelsea and I up to see the snow while he skied a few runs. It was beautiful. And cold. But mostly beautiful. See?

A break in the clouds makes for a beautiful sunset!

Cool icicles!

This is a THIRD story window! That's the top of a Douglas Fir (those are tall trees)!

Andy in the snow bank by the parking lot. It was about twice as tall as him.

Sunset pic...that the mom of the red headed boy in the background wanted also.

Etsy

My friend, Bethany (who has two of the cutest little boys on the planet) just started an Etsy shop! She's got a great sense of style (she managed to always look cute in Malawi, and that really means something) and I love the jewelery she put in her shop. You should all check it out by clicking right HERE.

These are two of my favorites:

I think this is so sweet! I love the off center rose and the matching earrings!

Fun! I love that it's basic. It would dress up all my plane-jane tshirts for sure. Love it.

Warning: Etsy can be really addicting. There are a lot of people who are very talented and creative. While I was browsing, I came across this:

It goes inside your purse to organize! Isn't that a great idea? My mom gave me a super cute purse for Christmas, but it is one big pocket. I am forever digging around to get things out. This would solve my problems. Now, why couldn't I think of that?

7 things

My friend Marley, who lives in Vermont, gave me a blog award. I'm not really sure what that means, but I know I'm supposed to post seven things about myself. Usually I kind of construct a blog post in my head before I sit down to write it. I have not done that for this post, so consider yourself warned. Here goes nothing.

1. I hate exercise. Always have, probably always will. The only exception to this was in Malawi when I used to power walk up and down the the 1 km hill with some ladies on campus. I liked that. Now, I force myself the gym at our apartment complex and I'm lucky to get 20 minutes in on the Elliptical before I'm bored to death, and tired and sweaty. Three things I hate: bored, tired and sweaty.

2. I had fruit salad and yogurt for dinner tonight. And goat cheese. My favorite combination of foods lately is grapes and goat cheese. I'm not sure why I haven't discovered this until now. But it's really delicious.

3. I have a degree in teaching, but have not really been using that degree for the past two years. Not that I'm in a completely unrelated field, I'm just doing a job I could have done without my degree. This makes me sad on occasion. Then I remind myself to be thankful that I have a job.

4. I love Africa. I miss living there and working there. I plan ways that we can get there as fast as possible, only to remember that I'm not in charge of things like that, God is.

5. I waste a lot of time on the internet. Sad, but true.

6. I could eat Mexican food for every meal and not get tired of it. I can't wait to try a new restaurant up the street that I bought a Groupon for a while back.

7. I love hymns. I love the melodies, the harmonies, and the theology in the words. We sang Holy, Holy, Holy in church on Sunday and it gave me goosebumps.

It took me far too long to thing of seven things about myself!

Now to pass this award on:

Bethany @ Still in St. Louis

Rachel @ Life of Lily

Kristy and Gideon @ Go Forth

My Valentine

Victoria and Albert Waterfront, Cape Town, South Africa

Zanzibar, Tanzania

 

New Orleans, LA

Wallowa River, OR

1300 feet above Baldwin County (Foley-ish?), AL

Engaged.

Honeymoon. Lincoln City, OR

What? We got married and moved to Austin, TX??

Where ever we go, what ever we do, I know that I'll always have the world's best Valentine.

I love you, Andy!

Roasted Chicken Experiment

I read a few cooking blogs like this one and this one. The second one featured this post about how to eat for a whole week on a roasted chicken. In the interest of trimming our food budget (which I am failing miserably at so far) I decided to try it. I was terrified. The scene from Christmas Vacation just kept running through my head (you know, where he cuts into the beautiful turkey and it deflates with a puff of smoke).

Here are my thoughts on the roasted chicken experiment:

1. It is SO worth it! I don't know if I'll ever just buy chicken breasts again. They cost twice as much and only make 1 meal. The chicken I bought was less than $5.00 and it made 4 dinner meals plus left overs for lunch.

2. Why was I scared? What could be easier than spending a few minutes preparing the bird and then sticking it in the over for a couple of hours?

3. I would say that it did not significantly decrease our food budget for the week. Either we already spend too frugally for it to make a difference, or the food we buy for lunches is way to expensive.

Here's what we ate for the week (I guess that's presumptuous of me to assume that you care, but I'm going to tell you anyway because I was very proud of my developing home-maker skills):
1. Roasted chicken and veggies (using the lemon recipe in the blog post above)- DELICIOUS
2. White Chicken Chili (also featured in the blog post above and very tasty, especially the next day)
3. Homemade Pesto Chicken Pizza (probably my favorite of the "leftover" meals...spinach, artichokes, tomatoes, yum)
4. Chicken Enchiladas (I followed this recipe but I used canned sauce and was not overly impressed. I also did not realize how much work they are, no wonder my mom hardly ever made them!)

And, because I know what's really important- the pictures:

Who wouldn't want a bite of that?!

Even Andy was excited, putting his photography skills to work. Mmm!

Week in Weather

Last Sunday (Jan. 30): 78 degrees and sunny

Wednesday ( Feb. 2): Highs in the 30s and lows in the teens, rolling blackouts (Malawi-style...well, not really because the power was out for a few mintues, not a few hours/days)

Thursday (Feb. 3): High of about 29, low of 17ish, two hour delay due to previously mentioned blackouts (which only happened on Wednesday)

Friday morning (Feb. 4): 20s and SNOWY, no school

Friday afternoon (still Feb. 4): 50s and sunny, no more snow

Sunday (Feb. 6): 65 and sunny

I guess that 78 degrees and snow in the same week are par for the course in the South, but it's still pretty crazy to me! We took some pictures in the snow:

Our new truck. It looks like a lot of snow. I think it's because the neighbor kids immediately began stealing snow from our truck and knocked it all down there.