Our first apartment

As I look around our packed up apartment, so many thoughts run through my head. This place holds a special spot in our hearts. This was mine and Nicks first home together. We came back here on our wedding night to an apartment filled with candles and roses. We bought our first furniture and got to decorate exactly as I wanted it! We had our parents, grandparents and friends over for dinner to see our "home". We celebrated birthdays here! We had people over and packed out our apartment, and walked to watch the Rose Parade. This place holds a ton of memories of our first 2 years of marriage! I can't believe how fast time flies! God is soo good, and we are blessed to have had such a wonderful place to call home for our first two years as man and wife. It is sad to leave, but there are exciting things ahead to look forward to! Nick's job out in Santa Clarita means that when we get home from India we will begin to house hunt in finding a new place to settle down some roots in! It is an exciting adventure to partake on, and we look forward to establishing a new home and making new memories that we will store in our hearts as well.

I know this is kind of sappy but we will always hold a special place for Pasadena in our hearts:)

Packing!

Keep us in your prayers this week and next!  We are just a tad bit overwhelmed with all that we have going on.  Trying to finish up the school year, move out of our apartment and pack for India is keeping us crazy busy!!  But at least we are still smiling!!  We leave for India in 9 days!  WOW!  Not much else to say...better get back to packing!

Napa!!!

So I have been told by my cousin that our blog is too boring, and I need to do some more updating, so here goes!!

Nick and I went to Napa a few weeks ago, and had a great time!  Before Napa we made a stop off in Visalia with our friend Colleen to visit and celebrate Katrina's 25th Bday!!  We hiked a huge 

hill, played some grass vball, and went to a great dinner!  Best of all we got to see Kat's new house and have some much needed friend time:)  

After V-town, we drove up to Napa and had the best 2 days of relaxation!  We found that upon arrival our hotel was overbooked and had to send us to Holiday Inn for a night.  With all the free stuff and upgrades they gave us I think we got the good end of the deal!  They paid for our breakfasts both mornings we were there (amazing food by the way).  I got a massage at their spa which is literally in a cave underneath a vineyard.  They allowed Nick to use the mens side of the spa with jacuzzi and steam room, and amazing showers.   Nick said and I quote "I took the best shower of my life"!!  The showers had the nozzles on every side so you didn't even have to move and water would hit you from every direction!  A little piece of paradise!!:)  

That afternoon we drove up the highway and went to two vineyards and went wine tasting.  Definitely liked Sutter Home the best!  We came back to our upgraded room with a balcony overlooking the pool and the vineyard and relaxed before dinner out on the town.  

All in all a great trip, and very much needed before the crazyness!

BIG Life changes!!

WOW!!  Where do I begin with all that is going on!!???   Nick and I found out that he got hired to teach math at Golden Valley High School in Santa Clarita next year!  Praise the Lord!!!  Nick and I are very excited, but are incredibly overwhelmed, because we have sooooo much to do!!  We are going to pack everything up and move everything out of our apartment into storage while we are gone in India.  That will save us a lot of money, and allow us to prepare to hopefully buy a house once we return from India!!  

I just started packing up like 8 boxes tonight, and I feel like I barely made a dent!!!   Needless to say we have 2 1/2 weeks to get all that done, while at the same time Nick is transitioning to a new job, finishing up school with Azusa, me finishing up with MSA, and all the while getting ready to spend 6 weeks in India!!  Crazy, but also very very exciting.  Please keep us in your prayers over these next few weeks.  

I can't believe summer is almost here, I am just about done with my first year teaching!  Wow, it has flown by!!  and best of all...I survived it!!!  I am excited to get year 2 under my belt now:)  Officially today I completed year 1 of my BTSA program and had everything signed off by the head guy at the district office!  That was very exciting!!

Nick and I had so much good news this week we decided to hit up the melting pot tonight for a splurge on some great food!  We had a wonderful time!  I am trying to enjoy my last few weeks of living in Pasadena, although I am incredibly excited to move to Santa Clarita, this was mine and Nicks first apartment together, and it holds so many special memories:)...it will be hard to say good-bye.

PS If I didn't make it sound as though we are busy or anything, our good friend Tim is getting married to Nena this weekend, and Nick is in the weddding!!  We are so happy for them to begin their lives as a married couple.  Good times!  

I will try to blog once more before we leave for India, hopefully by that time our apartment will be completely packed up!

Spring Break!

So sad that we don't have the same Spring break:(  Mine is this week, and Nicks is next week.  However, since my 25th falls at the end of the week, my wonderful husband is taking Thursday and Friday off of school and we are going to Las Vegas to celebrate!!  It will be a fun birthday to remember, especially because we are going to see The Blue Man group!  I can't wait!!!   I will definitely post pictures of our fun trip in my next blog.  

Other new news...not much else going on actually.  We are continuing to prepare for India, and have a long book list to be reading as we prepare!!  

Good news about Nicks Job.  The Azusa district took back all the pink slips given out about a month ago, so it looks like Nick has a secure job with Azusa next year.  

That is about it for an update with us, more to come soon!

Mammoth and 3 years!

Nick and I had the amazing opportunity to go to Mammoth for the past few days with our friends the Hoovers and the Weavers.  We stayed in an amazing condo, and had a great time sledding, watching movies, snowboarding 

and hanging out!  It was such a relaxing time to get away from the busyness of life, and spend some quality time with good friends!  Snowboarding in Mammoth kills snowboarding at both Mountain High and Big Bear!  We had such a great time, and I got to use my new snowboarding jacket Nick got me for Christmas!!  

Today 12/29 is our 3 year mark of being together (dating), and we of course have to celebrate by going back to where it all started...good ole' BR: Baskin Robbins that is.  Nick asked me to be his girlfriend there, took me there for our one year, and asked me to marry him there so it of course holds a special place in our hearts!  After that is off to pick up some friends from the airport!  

Tomorrow is an exciting day since Nick and I get to go to mini high school reunion for me.  My old group of friends is getting together and it will be fun to see them, meet significant others and see where everyone is in life!!!  Time flies quickly, I can't believe 2008 is coming to an end!

Christmas time is here!

Yea, for Christmas time!!  Nick and I are finally on break from school and loving our time off!!!  We have a jam packed Christmas break!  This past weekend we went to the annual Christmas party at Kurt and Kellie's house.  We posted some of the pictures from that fun night!  This past Sunday the 21st we went to a hockey game with the Sowas and then to Christmas lights lane in Rancho Cucamonga for our annual tradition of looking at Christmas lights!  We of course had our favorite holiday starbucks drink with us: chai eggnog latte, quite amazing!  For Christmas Eve we will be with Nicks family, and then onto my side for Christmas day!  On the 26th we will head up to Mammoth to snowboard for a few days with some friends!!  We will bring in the New Year with our annual trip to the Rose Parade!  Nick celebrates #25 on January 4th, and then it is back to work for him!!  I will have one more week off before going back to school!

God is so good and merciful to us and what a wonderful reminder we have this season of celebrating the birth of His son into our world to save and redeem us.  Jesus truly is the reason for this season!  Nick and I hope you have a wonderful holiday season as we begin a new year!