Wrapping up February

At this moment, I am sitting on the front porch in shorts in February. The past few days have been a sweet taste of spring. Hallelujah!

First signs of life

Well, it seems like I sneezed and February has passed. Of course it's a shorter month, but seriously, where does the time go? Our lives are full of blessings, even though I am often slow to acknowledge them and even more slow to give thanks to God for them.

China buffet insanity

One of the small but very filling blessings have been the friendships we've found here in Salt Lake City. Davis and I often get silly ideas and for the most part, people enthusiastically join in. This past Sunday after a little hike in the foothills, we decided to taste the humor and MSG of an immense China buffet. This one comes with an enormous gate. We all laughed and ate until we rolled one another back out into the parking lot once finished. It may not seem like a big deal, but to Davis and I it's the continuation of a silly tradition enjoyed in Colorado.

Over President's weekend, we took a trip back to my native land, North Carolina, to visit with part of Davis' family. His sister, brother-in-law and two nieces live outside of Asheville, my hometown, in Black Mountain. Davis' mom flew in from Mississippi too. It was close to Julip's fourth birthday, so we were able to celebrate with them. We mostly shared space and company, it was a sweet time. It's hard to get to know family you marry into when you live far away. I love them but because they are family, it just seems harder to really get to know one another due to lack of time shared. Every time we visit, it seems like the relationship is strengthened and encouraged. Life definitely seemed a little less  enjoyable with the void they all left when we returned home.

Eloise, Davis and Julip.

Davis and I enjoyed putting the doll house back in order...
almost ;)

bear hunting with Julip

children = stickers everywhere

modern children = random selfies (of Julip)

We enjoyed playing with our nieces, sharing stories, cooking, exploring, eating, visiting Asheville and the Biltmore House, and strengthening bonds in Christ. We are hopeful they can sometime visit us in the wild west!

Biltmore Lion

External details of staircase

After four days of fun, Davis and I headed back to Utah. Every time we see family, we long to be closer but are torn because we do believe God has us in Utah for a time and a reason. We want to be present while we are present. So, here we are soaking in this pseudo-spring and friendships.

bootstraps

Life lately has been somewhat uneventful. I am fine with that. Some work, some play, some sunshine, and surprisingly a good bit of rain. It's been looking like a Georgia winter the past five days or so. I am not complaining, I am much more experienced being mobile in rain than snow.

Let's see... I woke up before work last week to check out the snow fall before heading out for the 6am work start. To my surprise, there was a herd of twenty-ish deer and moseying down the side walks. It was a pretty cool sight but also made me a little sad. Come to find out, they live in a large cemetery a couple blocks away and sometimes find their way into town. The awe and sadness dissipated a little with knowing the facts. However, in the moment I was so mesmerized I woke Davis up just in time for him to be super sleepy and miss the whole thing.

only proof of deer, tracks in the snow

Hmmm... Jenna and I had a girls date to the hair salon, I feel silly using the word salon, last week.

Tonight will be our second meeting of a nine week discipleship group through church.

Our dear friend in Fort Collins, Eric James, got engaged to a fabulous lady. We can't wait to celebrate with them in May!

I had a stupid cold for awhile. I felt fine except that my eyes constantly watered and my nose eternally dripped. I had to miss work because who wants their nurse dripping snot on a their fresh newborn? 

Saturday we had lunch with the McKinneys and Moffats to send the McKinneys off on their RV adventure. I have another friend moving in a week and a half. And then the Moffatts will leave SLC at the beginning of the summer. It seems right now everyone is leaving. It's gotten me down a bit. These people have been our family here.

Saturday night we took some of the youth group to a University of Utah basketball game. I am really very impressed and thankful for the group of students in these churches. Despite the fact I feel super insufficient for this task, I have received so much joy and encouragement through their lives already. Davis and I were thinking back on our married life and had to giggle a bit at where our lives are currently. Never ever did we foresee a life in Utah and helping start a youth group. A place we never thought twice about before and a job we never thought we were great at. God is good and sometimes humorous.

uuuuuuuuuuuutah

This coming Saturday we fly to North Carolina to visit Davis' family for a long weekend. We haven't seen them in a long time. We will get to celebrate our niece's fourth birthday while we are there. And they live near my hometown of Asheville, which also happens to be one of my most favorite places in America.




So that's the update.

Now, that I finished that I just need a minute to confess and be so very thankful.  Davis can attest that I was pretty grumpy, sour, argumentative, and selfish this weekend. Not that those things were limited to this weekend, they just seemed to be more pronounced this weekend. Y'all, I am a big time sinner. So often I expect Davis (everyone really) to read my mind and get on board with my selfish plans. I often neglect or miss opportunities to serve, encourage, love, and ultimately glorify God because I want to live for myself.

But the problem is, even if I wanted to better myself of these things, I can't. I  cannot do enough good to save ourselves. Christianity is a religion of love and grace. There is nothing I can add or do to earn our salvation. Jesus paid it all. There is no such thing as being able to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. Anything I think, do, or say that is glorifying to God is because of the Holy Spirit's work in my heart. And it's not to try to fix myself up so God will finally love me and bless me. It is because he has/does love me and has/will bless me.  Repent and believe. So simple and beautiful. Thankfully, I can't mess that up by being grumpy sour pants all weekend.

So, to end the ramblings. Here is part of a prayer the pastor gave us during discipleship groups...  I just really like it...

"Lord, you are full of compassion and gracious,

slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy;

there is always forgiveness with you!

Restore to us the joy of your salvation;

bind up that which is broken,

give light to our minds,

strength to our wills,

and rest to our souls.

Speak to each of us,

and let your word abide with us

until it has wrought in us your holy will. 

Amen"

friends weekend

This past weekend we were blessed by the visit of some dear friends from Fort Collins. They made the long and isolated trek through Wyoming to spend a few days with us. Little could bring us more happiness than these folks. They are dear to our hearts.

Sadie, Georgia, and Ingrid: BFFL

The Angerts brought their pups along and these fur sisters were briefly reunited. They ran amok until they dropped. Ingrid basically slept for two days straight after they left.

Davis and Lucy

We were able to get some quality time with little Lucy as well. She was a delight to have in our home. Davis is super cute when he holds children.

We did a little sight seeing around Salt Lake City. We tried to focus on eating good food and simply spending time together. The Angerts received a pretty detailed history and tour of the city. And thankfully the air quality wasn't as it's absolute worst while they were here.

Davis' engineered sun blocker behind the TV

Davis and I had soup making duties for church fellowship the same weekend. We are grateful these are the type of friends who can easily make themselves at home. Morgan and Lauren played a few Nintendo 64 games while we made 5 billion gallons of French Onion Soup, or at least it seemed like it. We did chop enough onions to fill two five gallon buckets. Thankfully, the Moffatts attended our onion chopping party and cried with us :) Anyways. It was a huge encouragement and joy to spend a few days with them. I am openly plotting to have us all move to the same location when Morgan finishes seminary.

blessed

I've had plenty of time to write lately. Apparently, it is the slower season of baby birthing. People want summer babies, so I hear. I've still worked plenty, just less than the forty hours a week. However, I've been fairly lazy when it comes to this blog thing. I didn't know what to write or if I did think of something, it was mostly a bit of a downer.

But anyways, here I am to write a little something. I will catch y'all up on Christmas time and be amazed that January is already over half way gone.

This is our fourth winter away from the southeast. After  four years,  we had our first holiday season out west. Typically we've made it back for either Thanksgiving or Christmas. And this was the first year I've truly felt home sick. Well, let me rephrase that. When I think of "home", I don't think of a place, I think faces and ones I hold so dear. My little heart ached pretty hard this year at the holidays. I even spent some time looking for new jobs for Davis within a driving radius of our families. Also, I spent Christmas day and New Years at work. I just couldn't shake how sore my heart felt to be so far away. Even Davis, the perpetual optimist, always jolly, even commented how this holiday season seemed less cheerful. I am so thankful for a sweet husband and a goofy dog to call my family here in Utah. Additionally, we have made some amazing friends who have so lovingly welcomed us into their lives. I guess, in some cheesy fashion, I can say I am thankful to have family and friends that I can love and miss. Not everyone can say that.

family self portrait

But that also leads to how by Fall of 2014, our lives will look very different here in Utah. One family we grew really close to just closed on their house last week and will soon be moving on. We prayed for them at church Sunday. I got all teary eye and sniffy nosed. Gosh, I love those people. Additionally, probably our closest friends, the Moffatts, are moving back to South Dakota this summer. I am afraid I will all out ball over these ones leaving. There are other ones leaving and plenty who talk of leaving, it's a pretty transient community. Not to mention we are in a definite minority here. All this makes it hard for me to want to stay. I'm okay right now, I am sure this summer I will be a total mess for a bit. The heart ache at Christmas is passed but I am keeping a leery eye to the future. I don't know what God has in store for us here in Salt Lake City, but I want to trust him to provide what we need.

Enough of this sad talk. We are so blessed. I mean, I just look out the window at work sometimes and am totally blown away. When the inversion isn't being oppressive, this is what my community looks like.

work and a view

I can't help but be amazed at the mountains that hug Salt Lake Valley.


This past weekend, the Moffats, Davis and I decided to get away. There are some supposed Ice Castles up in Midway. Midway is past Park City, which is currently in the middle of Sundance Film Festival. The Ice Castle is slightly misleading, it's more like an icicle fort. It's a bit of a tourist trap but we are glad we saw it. We also walked around Midway, checked out a couple antique shops and had delicious Mexican food and beer for a mid afternoon lunch/dinner. We decided to skip trying to find famous people in Park City, we probably wouldn't be good at recognizing them plus we didn't want to get stuck in the traffic. Davis and I also had tickets to hear Ravi Zacharias speak that night.

entrance

turns out wearing sunglasses in the castle was a great idea
Ice and snow is very bright

stalactites of ice

slot canyons of ice

our group after successful navigating the maze
(it wasn't hard)

 So, there it is. Life as of late. The heart soreness has passed for the time being. Everyone is back to work and reality. Our year is already filling up with trips, family visiting, friends, and so on. We have much to be thankful for.

A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices

I have been thinking about Christmas a lot lately. Who knows why, it's not like the whole of the "Christmas Season" explodes in our faces through lights, music, parties, food, shopping, presents, and so on. My original thoughts were how I see Christmas differently than I did when I was younger. My parents and grandparents worked really hard the whole time cooking, baking, buying, working, and still trying to get us kids to see the real meaning of Christmas. Now that I am an adult and it's more or less up to me to do the work of celebrating, it doesn't seem as thrilling. I still love all the traditions, memories, and fellowship that come with this time of year. I can't help but wonder what the what has happened to Christmas. I so badly want to take a step back from the decor, cookie exchanges, gift giving out of love and/or guilt, endless parties with people you may or may not know or like, the blaring commercials trying to convince everyone that Christmas will suck if you don't get the one right present or a million presents, elf on the shelf (whatever that is about), and so on. Sorry for the huge long sentences.  I don't really see these things as evil, it's the fact that we make idols out of them and forget what Christmas is really about. How many times have you heard that phrase in a cheesy hallmark made for TV movie?

Ingrid loves Christmas
she loves to tear up paper

Anyways, what really got my brain synapses firing and my heart stirring came through a text message of a friend who works in the ICU here. We invited she and her husband to our annual Christmas dinner but she was on call that same night. She explained she probably wouldn't make it because their census was high due to the increased number of suicide attempts at this time of year. I had somewhat forgotten this sad fact since my patient population is a bit different this year. But it's true, underneath the illusion of perfect Christmas season, people are perhaps more lonely, sad, angry, lost, and hopeless this time of year. Their situations seem more dark and hopeless in contrast to the bright twinkle lights that surround them. It really isn't the most wonderful time of the year for some people. It is a poignant reminder that all is not right yet.

Lamb Wellington from the feast

Not that I think we should have a decorated tree in our house all year but Christmas should be thoughtfully celebrated and clung to year 'round. It shouldn't be confined to a day, an event, a month, a shopping period of sales, or whatever. God is God throughout time and transcending time. The hope of Christmas applies moment to moment. Just when we want to give up, feel utterly alone, lost, unloved, ugly, dumb, angry, discouraged, and hopeless should be when we teach ourselves again and again Christmas. Not the Christmas of whirlwind activities, fake smiles, and presents that turn to dust but true Christmas of the Bible.

Harper, the Christmas Cherub?

God of the universe, creator of all things, out of love, sent his only Son to humble human birth as a baby in order that we can have eternal life. But not just hope for when this life ends and all sorrows and troubles shall cease, but a present and living hope as well. God cares deeply of our momentary afflictions and our present sufferings. And since Jesus walked this earth as a man, he is no stranger to our weaknesses, heartaches, toothaches, arguments, tears, and so on. He lived as we live. Hope, peace, and love for the moment to moment. Hope, peace, and love for the future.

snowshoeing on Christmas Eve

Also, let me take this a bit further. Remembering this truth at Christmas isn't just the little bit extra that gets us through a tough spot. Faith in this is everything for salvation. It is all our hope, love, and peace. A part from Jesus, we have nothing and can do nothing to free ourselves from the broken patterns of this world. Christ had to be born a man, live the perfect life we cannot live no mater how hard we try, be crucified for our sins so justice could be satisfied, and overcome Satan, sin, and death through His resurrection. This had to happen that we may be saved and have hope, life, peace, and love. That is why I celebrate Christmas. That is what I teach myself  when I become sad and angry at work on Christmas Day. That is what I cling to when death touches my family or suffering knocks on our door. I want to celebrate Christmas, giving glory rightly to God, all year long and all life long.

O Holy night, the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
'Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Merry Christmas!

hello from narnia

I have been thinking about Christmas a lot lately. I was thinking I would blab a little on the blog about it, but I right now I just want to put up snow pictures. For your eye pleasure, here a few more i-phone photos of our ordinary days. Don't worry, a Christmas ramblings will come shortly. Probably later today even, since I will be killing time trying not to think about going into work at 11pm tonight.

city creek canyon (or narnia)

state capitol building from top of memory grove/city creek canyon

another beautiful, cold sunset in the neighborhood

Davis made my flapper head thing, it was for his work
Christmas party

and it snowed again. it's so pretty.

So in other news, work has been a little slower for me. I have been canceled a few times. I am not complaining, it works so well with my winter-i-want-to-hibernate-and-drink-hot-tea-and-never-have-to-drive-in-the-snow-can't-stop-being-southern-mindset. It's also given me a little extra time to think about Christmas. This time of year just often becomes too busy. Also, this will make my mom happy, I finally had snow tires put on my car. It won't change my mentality about driving in the snow but it will at least make it a little safer. 


Happy Friday!

the ordinary days

I often just write about the big events, visitors, happy parties, and so on. When I look at pictures I've taken, it's mostly of ordinary days. I don't write about those days as much, that's the sigh we all live in more often than not. The drawn out days between Saturdays, the mundane of moment of getting by the best we can. The worry that weighs us down through the week, the fourty-eight hours of hope which are quickly snatched away. Or maybe that is just me?  I just look forward, failing to see God's presence in the moment, desiring a change in circumstance to bring me more comfort. Constantly, my mind is filled with plots and plans for the future. Trying to move my chess pieces just right to win an easy life. How does one live in the "already but not yet"?


I heard on the radio recently that if you want to make your weekend seem longer you need to make more memories. Our brain measures time by events. Therefore, the more you do, the more memories you make and then your time will seem more full. Or just maybe your weekend won't feel as short when the sun sets on Sunday evening. (Need I say more more?)

I am not sure what I am trying to say. Maybe all I want to convey is that the little pieces of people we get is never the whole picture. We always want to present the best version of ourselves and seem awesomely put together. We want all our time filled and have a sense of importance. We want purpose. We want hope. We want love. We look to those bigger events, happy parties, and the break from the ordinary to fulfill us. We look to fellow man for our ultimate love and approval. Yet, we still feel so weary and empty in our hearts.

Maybe at Christmastime I get overly thoughtful and sentimental. I just can't help but think all of humanity is in the time of waiting, hoping, and longing. At least that is where I am. He came once before in form of man and has promised to return again to bring us home, to fulfill all His promises. Living in a weary world, Christmas brings that thrill of hope when all our longings and ordinary days will be forever satisfied in His presence.

But until then we live in the present with an eternal perspective. I cling daily to the cross and yet rest in my heart that all will be made right one day.


Here are some ordinary day pictures :)

the day we fit a 6 ft tree in the back of the VW GTI

garland I made, inspired by my sister-in-law

ingrid has matured enough to get a dog bed and not eat it

decorated the tree
topped with our toilet paper roll and aluminum foil star

it snowed and got really cold

I am too scared to drive in the snow

So, I walked to the trax station at 530 am
so I could take public transportation to work
(and not drive in the snow)

lonely commute in the early morning

I worked a night shift two days after the snow
and the roads were cleared to my liking
it was so cold/beautiful that morning

 

 

 

went with some friends to see LDS church's Savior of the World
Christmas production. Temple Square had some serious lights.

today's view. white and grey. light snow falling

using her bed properly

Those are just pictures of my ordinary days.