Monday, January 30, 2012

One of the Most Amazing Things

Truly one of the most beautiful and amazing things that God created, Yosemite National Park, is seen here in this time-lapse photography video put together by several very talented people.  It starts slow at first, but at about 2mins30secs...wait for it...the music crescendos and you'll get goosebumps. I recommend you put this on full screen to watch it and not have anything going on in the background so it won't skip.


Yosemite HD from Project Yosemite on Vimeo.


I have very sweet and happy memories of spending many summers here with my family while growing up in California...


My dad (yes, that's him, can't you tell?) was driving through Yosemite Valley before I was born circa 197?...
 These memories include: driving through the hollowed-out redwoods, riding our bikes and feeding the deer in Yosemite Valley, camping in tents or in the "housekeeping" cabins, swimming in the clear, cold water of the Merced River and basking on the granite rocks in the summer heat, fishing with family and friends for trout and bass...


 Yep, that's me holding a dead fish, I think age 9 (yes, I really was once THAT tan.)

...Attending a very fun and memorable family reunion for my mom's side of the family (eating bean dip and fritos while sitting on beach blanket after swimming with my cousins and brother), wondering through Curry Village and seeing where and how the Native Americans lived in replicas of traditional huts. Standing in awe at the bottom of a waterfall and seeing the power and force of it, feeling the stinging spray on my hands and face.  Dreaming of one day your family affording to stay just ONE night at the Awanhee Hotel and seeing what it was like.  In the winter, drudging up to the top of a hill, feet and legs pushing through waist-height snow only to finally race down the hill while sitting on a thin plastic disk while getting a major adrenaline rush...I could keep going.  There is truly nothing like being there.  I hope someday to return with my family and share some many more wonderful memories!   

Riding in the back of my uncle Alex and aunt Pam's VW Van with my cousins, brother and mom, traveling to/from Yosemite 1988.  Love our expressions, especially Aaron's :)

Monday, January 23, 2012

Oh yikes!

Frozen berries on our hawthorn tree and the neighbors garage last Thursday during the deep freeze in western WA.
Alright, you made me do it.  I HAVE to blog NOW.  I just discovered this by making a comment on my mother's newly put-together blog that MY blog is in dire need of an update :)  Well here it is.  It's 2012, January 23rd.  We're still living in the same amazing, wonderful house in Tacoma, still working at the same jobs (Harbor Lights for me and Girvin for William).  Been attending a wonderfully new and exciting church called Destiny City Church here in Tacoma and loving it.  God has been very good to us, throughout all the craziness and busy-ness of life, through our jobs, home-making, relationally, financially, most recently birthdays, holidays, 4 Christmases, travel, SNOW and ICE and WIND...and...and...

For the new year I can finally say that we are finally trying officially to start a family.  Being married for five years and counting, I thought we would've had 2 kids by now (I thought that when we got married).  Right :)  Well I can also finally say I'm SO happy that hasn't happened yet.  Just looking back and taking stock in all the things we have accomplished as listed above, as well including road trips/travel, endless home projects,  five years only feels literally like a breath.  Five years feels like we've barely scratched the surface of really knowing what it's like to be married and live life as a married person.  I just feel like I've been together with my best friend who loves me very much and I get to do fun things with :)  Make a home, be in love, make a family, share things, make decisions, create things, understand yourself in ways that you would've never known unless you were married.  As well we also get to learn many lessons along the way of how God is never-ending in his forgiveness, grace, provision, faithfulness, truth and creativity...and...and...

As always we are always striving for more.  Our quest to find the almost-perfect church has been completed, only took us about five years and what felt like 7 churches.  Like I said earlier, it is very wonderful.  We went for the first time last Easter and it was almost a no-brainer on whether or not it was a good fit.  Non-denominational? Check. Fairly close to our house? Check.  Encouraging and energetic worship and preaching? Check.  Seriously friendly pastor and people? Check. Good amount of ministry opps? Check.  God has had his hand on this all the way, and the most amazing part of it was that my husband was the one to say something about checking it out.  Until then I had been the one always to instigate the idea of checking out this new church I heard about, read about, checked out the sermon online, etc.  But I really needed to let my husband lead and be the one to be interested first and take the initiative to go there or else it I KNOW it wouldn't have been important to him.  So for now, we just make it a goal to get to service FIRST, that's the biggest challenge.  Then, there will be greater chances of us naturally getting to know more people by doing more 'during the week things' like bible studies and retreats, etc.  I'm excited for what God will do.

Look at that, I actually typed 4 paragraphs.  Maybe it was reading my mom's blog that got a little jolt in me to type again or the fact I actually have been reading a lot more.  Actually I have about 4 books right now that I have been randomly been reading.  I believe you read more and you'll be more inclined to write more, its like this reciprocating energy.  Ya know? Makes sense to me. I have ALWAYS been irking myself to get a blog going on a consistent basis, it is the 'thing' to do it seems, for the past, well now, 10-ish something years that I started journaling everything.  So now, who knows.  Maybe I'll come back to this in another 3 years or 3 days, gotta keep my brain and my hand moving or the need to express myself somehow will fester.  I have a lot more in my brain to share about upcoming ideas, dreams, thoughts, struggles, happiness's, projects, travels, memories, verses, maybe even some pictures in between. For now here is a wonderful 'quote' that I copied from another Leah that I vicariously know through my mother.  Enjoy and Amen.

 
"Others may do a greater work,

But you have your part to do;

And no one in all God’s family

Can do it as well as you."


P.S. I've updated my blogs I follow list and possibly other things. Look around.