Home Sweet Home?

It's been a whirl wind of craziness....after staying with our friends Joel and Amy in Fullerton, CA for a couple of nights we were off apartment hunting in Burbank, CA. I thought that I had prepared myself for the move, and perhaps I had in my own way, but this was very different indeed. We must have looked or drove to over 40 apartments. Most of the apartments were either too run down or too expensive. We finally settled on a cute 1 bedroom apartment in a safe and nice neighborhood. The only problem is that we think we could find something cheaper, so we signed a 7 month lease. This means I can't paint the apartment like we did the last one, but at least we found an apartment. We also had to jump through a lot of hoops to get the apartment.... Nothing seemed to be easy. We also had to change our insurances on both the car and the renters insurance. The costs of both doubled at least... ouch!

The same day we were finalizing our lease, James got a call for work as a production assistant for a show with E!. It was also his birthday so we were really excited for him. The only downfall was that he was going have to be at work the next day and we had to move everything in that same day. Alsop the moving truck we paid to haul our stuff to CA was too big to park outside of our apartment. So around 5pm James an I drove out to the truck hub and unpack all of our things and re-packed them into a u-haul. Then we drove the u-haul back to our apartment community. By the time we had completed this task it was really late and we were exhausted so we went to bed. The next day I was stranded at our empty apartment because James' job needed him to have the car during the day. I also had to find a way to unpack the u-haul and return the vehicle within the next day. So I passed the day by unpacking what I could of the items in the u-haul. It was really difficult and the progress was slow. Also, most apartments in CA do not come with refrigerators so I had nothing cold to drink and the temperature was in the 80s-90s. Luckily there is a nice grocery store down the block so I made frequent trips to get cold water and feel the air conditioning. Around 7pm Joel and Amy drove 45minutes to come assist me with unpacking. We are so blessed to have such amazing friends!!!! They helped me unload almost everything from the truck while James was still at work. James got home around 9pm and was able to assist with the bigger items. By 10:30 we finally had all of our boxes and furniture in the apartment. Praise God!!!! But wow it was a crazy day!

The next day we spent briefly unpacking some things and then since we had the U-haul truck we decided to craigslist a refrigerator. We found a pretty good deal and went to go pick it up. Yes, James and I then loaded and unloaded a big fridge. It was a lot of work too, but now we can keep food cold and we didn't have to rent a U-haul again. The fridge has seen some better days but hey it works and it's another item off the check list. By the time we got it home the day was done and we were whooped. That evening I continued to trip, drop, and run into boxes... it was like a maze. I think boxes can make any place look ugly and dangerous. That night I looked at my legs and couldn't believe what I saw. My legs are covered in all kinds of bruises and scratches. It was kind of painful, and very un-attractive. The next day James had work, and I made my way unpacking...box by box. Our apartment turned into a sea of flattened boxes and trash bags with packing paper. It was really hot too! But I made progress with most of it....

Sunday James had off of work and we visited one of the Mosaic churches and we met up with our friend Josh who interns with Mosaic. It was great to see him and I really enjoyed the service. It reminded me of Frontline Arlington back in Virginia. The whole multi-site church thing and the look/feel of it. Though both are still quite different, it was nice. When we got home James wanted to go check out a car for sale so we did. It was a pretty cheap car, but in the end we didn't want to make a quick decision so we decided to wait. When we came home we assembled things and put more things away... the unpacking just doesn't seem to end....

Today, James had the day off again so we awoke, and decided to go get our license and registration taken care of. Joel and Amy gave us a little insight into the CA license procedure and informed us that we would have to take a written exam. (Which was news to us we thought they would just transfer our license over.) So this morning we read up on some of the practice tests and got all of the paper work that we needed for the DMV. I was so nervous about taking the written exam... I hate tests. I also knew that you aren't allowed to miss very many or you won't pass. If I didn't pass than I would have to re-take the exam and I had no idea when I would be able to drive to the DMV again while James and I are sharing cars. James is a great test taker so I knew he would pass with flying colors. I decided to take my time with the questions and carefully read each one. As I was still taking my test, James had already completed his and I heard them telling him congratulations on passing the exam. So the pressure was on... I finally turned in my test.... and I passed!!! Yay! I only missed one more question than James did too! James and I are now registered drivers with a registered car in the state of CA. So this too was a huge blessing! It would have been incredibly difficult to coordinate another day and time to take care of our DMV responsibilities. Praise God for making this one easy.

Tonight James and I have been going through the remaining boxes... I think we have 4 or 5 left. The temperatures have been extremely hot and the ac in the apartment isn't the best it only cools one room and the windows aren't much help. We're still trying to figure out the best way to get our apartment cooler. James likes to walk around with a wet towel on... it makes me laugh :) We have a few things still left to buy... our apartment doesn't come with a microwave, we need to get a new file cabinet ours broke in the move, and we need to fix the coffee table... another moving causality. But all in all we're making progress one step at a time. James is also keeping his eye out for a car so I can begin my job hunt and go on interviews. Busy times for James and I, we're pushing hard to get the "have to's" done so we can maybe get a day off to play at the beach. James tells me the road trip isn't over until we make it to the beach, I think I agree. I'll be happy when we can join the real world and forget all the getting settled stuff... that will be nice... I think.

Road Trip Out West - We're Here!

Well.... we didn't have any internet access for the rest of the trip so we're here! We made it to California!!! After visiting with our friends in Nashville, TN we made our way to Dallas, TX. The drive there was very pleasant and fairly easy. We were in Dallas, TX by around 5pm and stayed with our friends Chase and Elizabeth. It was a great time to catch up with them and to hang out since it had been 2 years since I had last seen Elizabeth. We played a game of settlers, sampled Elizabeth's wonderful cake, and then went off to bed. We got an early start the next morning for our long trip to Tuscon, AZ. We left Dallas, TX around 6:30am. It was a long drive and I learned a very interesting fact too.... everyone in Texas drives a white truck. I also pulled over for the first time.... it was terrible... luckily I only got a warning. We passed many desolate looking areas as well as driving extremely close to the Mexico border which was pretty interesting too! We finally made it to Tuscon, AZ at James' Aunt and Uncles house where there was cactus plants, mountains, and warm weather. It was lovely. We had a great time hanging out with James' family. We went hiking up bear mountain the next day, and saw Tuscon wild west style at a themed dinner area. It was so much fun and James' family is amazing! Lots of fun!

On Friday we took off from Tucson, AZ at 6:30 to visit the Sadona and the Grand Canyon and camp there for a night. The drive was very pretty with many cactus plants, mountains, and sun. Seeing the scenery change as the land elevation changed was amazing. Sadona was a beautiful red rock area. We hiked in Sadona and then went into they're shopping area. It was absolutely wonderful and beautiful. We stopped at a cafe for lunch to split a sandwich and homemade slice of apple pie. It was great! Then it was off to the Grand Canyon. We made it there by 4pm and we were able to get one of the last camp sites at the national park. So we set up our tent and sleeping bags and then headed to the lookout point to get a view of the Grand Canyon at sunset. It was breath taking! I couldn't believe how amazing the canyon was!!! I loved it and how the mountains themselves looked painted. It is truly a lovely sight well worth the drive. The only part that I didn't enjoy was James pretended to jump off the cliff.

That night we cooked hot dogs on an open fire and went to bed in our tent. The Grand Canyon is really rocky and cold. So next time I would bring a mattress pad and warmer clothes. It was a beautiful night to sit by the fire and look at the stars. We awoke the next morning and make breakfast on the campfire. Then we hit the showers and took to the trails. We hiked down a beautiful trail that if we had more time to continue on the trail it would have taken us down to the bottom of the canyon. But the part we did was a great workout and was quite amazing. After the hike we drove on to California. The drive was really boring and there was literally nothing in between flagstaff and the Bristol, CA. It was so strange. But then the city life began to pick up as we drove closer to the LA area. It was a tough drive but we're here and staying with our friends Amy and Joel. We'll go to church with them tomorrow and then it is off to apartment hunt. I'm so excited to get out,look around, and to find a place to call home. Well that was a brief summary of our road trip.... it could be awhile before we get our apartment and are able to upload the photos but maybe we'll post our video soon once James finishes editing it. It was a great trip and our friends and family made the trip a wonderful memory! Praise God for getting us here safely... now to just find an apartment and jobs :)

Road Trip Out West - Day One

This morning we said a heart felt goodbye to the Kanka family as we began our trip out west. It was bitter sweet for all of us. We got on the road at 6:30am and arrived in Nashville, TN at 3:30pm (Tennessee time). Along the way James and I listened to Brett Dennen, and decided that he was our new favorite artist. We also had our first experience with McDonald's iced coffee the vanilla flavor. It was worth the couple of dollars and hit the caffeine spot we were looking for. I drove the first part through the scenic VA hills and James drove the second. While James was driving I perfected my skills at his ipod game bejeweled and beat the computer at Othello twice! Then as the drive progressed, my boredom did as well. That is when I suddenly decided to draw fake tattoos on my feet. I think they turned out pretty well. Perhaps I'll post some pics. Also along the way James has frequently been video tapping our journey to document our travels. He has also been getting some extreme close-ups... of course... not too thrilled but whatever! Now its off to dinner with friends in Nashville!!! Fun! Fun!!!

On Our Way

I'll admit I'm naive.... I figured that 4 days would be plenty of time to pack up our apartment, load up the truck, and head out west. I was incredibly wrong in my estimations. James and I have spent the last 4-5 days packing up our apartment and loading it on the truck. (Not to mention also cleaning the apartment to get our deposit back.) We are blessed to have suck wonderful friends to help but WOW this was a lot of work. Every day we would get up early expecting to get the rest of the packing done, only to stay up late exhausted determined to get "one more box" packed. It was a learning experience for both of us. Had I known all that was involved I probably would have quit my job at least one week earlier. Our friends were such a BIG help and assisted us with some of the most difficult parts of loading and packing. Now we are at James' parents house feeling good, knowing that we are fully packed! We are fully exhausted and decided next time to just sell everything.

Things have been quite strange as we have busy in our own little world of packing. We've said a bunch of good-byes, and every time I am reminded of just how great God is. He's given us so many wonderful friendships here in VA. It's been a joy! And now we are off to build new friendships. Off to that scary beginning of moving, acquainting ourselves with California, and being the new kid once again. Please pray for us as we begin our trek and our adjustment to life out west. We are excited but there is a lot to figure out as well.

We've decided our route today and due to the laborous and tedious task of packing up our apartment we've decided to leave early Monday morning. Our first stop will be in Nashville, TN where we are hoping to see our friend Sarin. Then onto Dallas, TX where we will see our friends Chase and Elizabeth. After visisting in Dallas we'll drive to Tuscon, AZ where James' uncle Steve and family live. We'll spend a day there and then head to the Grand Canyon where we'll camp for a night. From the Grand Canyon we have two options to go to Californina or to make a stop in Las Vegas before we hit California. I'm hoping we skip Las Vegas. I think by the time Saturday gets here I'm going to be tired of the car..... not to mention I'll probably be ansy to find an apartment. So that is the plan. Today we are staying at my in-laws and enjoying the last day in VA and then we're headed off bright and early in the morning. I'll post when I can but internet will be spotty. Here's to a great adventure!!!

End of April Pics

It's the end of April and here are pics from our Anniversary Day at the National Arboretum, Anniversary Dinner, and Goodbye Dinner with my Uptown Team :)

Exhausted....

This weekend I worked the men's conference that I assisted in coordinating. There were just under 1000 men who attended!!! I was at work from 9am until 11:30pm on Friday. After the conference let out for Friday night, James and I headed over to our friends Scooter and Laura's house. They were having a going away party and we really wanted to be there. It was really fun but we got home around 2:30am only to wake up at 5:30 am to go back to work for the morning session of the Men's Conference! Today I came home at 1pm totally exhausted but it was definitely worth it! It was a fun way to end my work at MBC. Today Saturday was my very last time working at MBC it was sad but good, and filled with lots of hugs! Next Friday we leave for California so we have a whole lot of packing to do.... Tomorrow James and I are hanging out and saying more goodbyes to those we hold dear. On Monday we're getting down to business with this packing! I'm looking forward to sleeping in a little tomorrow :)

A couple weeks left....

Well...it's been a couple of weeks since the cruise and life has been quite eventful! James and I have been going through our closets trying to get rid of anything and everything that we don't want to pack. We have yet to fully pack one box...but at least we have some started! We had our last Bible study group last week. It was so sweet, they cooked dinner for us, played games, and then prayed for us as they sent us on our way. It was a very special and heartfelt night!

This past weekend was a really full one! Saturday morning I attended a bridal shower for my friend Arielle. It was a lot of fun not to mention I love anything that has to do with weddings! Arielle looked lovely as ever, and it was fun to take everyone's pictures! I was able to get some really great photos! After the shower it was onto other festivities! James' family hosted a going away party for us in their beautiful back yard. It was really fun!!! 90 of our closest friends, family, and co-workers showed up to help us celebrate! It was a great time and wonderful to know that so many people care! There was food, great conversation, beautiful weather, a live band, and of course James brought out his video camera! It was a fabulous night! Unfortunately I didn't take too many pictures since I was running around saying hello or goodbye to everyone that came. But James was able to take some nice footage of people sporadically throughout the night!

Yesterday, Tuesday April 22 was James' and my anniversary!!! We've officially been married for 2 years now! Time really flies! It's amazing to see how God is at work within our marriage and just how perfectly He has fit us together. James is my complete opposite in almost every way. Though I must admit sometimes this is frustrating..... it's really amazing too! God uses James to build me up where I am weak and to teach me things I would not have learned otherwise. We consistently pray that as we grow together and learn from each other, that we would also grow towards Christ. That we would be Christ-centered. I praise God for James and the marriage He has given us...2 years down...many more to come! To celebrate our anniversary I was able to take Tuesday off of work. So Monday night we went out to a movie. Tuesday morning we slept in and then went to the National Arboretum with our cameras in hand. I had he still camera and James had his video camera. All of the flowers and trees were in bloom and the park was fairly large and had many pathways. It was really fun to walk around, chat, and have a photo safari with nature. Afterwards we came home, put on some fine fashion, and went out to eat at Maggianos a wonderful italian restaurant. It was very sweet! Our waitress was a little weird and could not believe that James and I had been married for two years. So at the end of the meal she brought us a giant piece of chocolate cake with two candles on it. We were stuffed by the end of the night but it was a really nice night with lots of good food and conversation! Not to mention we looked good! :)

Today, Wednesday when I got to work I had flowers waiting for me at my desk from a MBC staff friend. My last day of work is on Friday :( So sad! I really love MBC, and all the people there. I have so many great memories and friends to thank for the experience. This afternoon they had an appreciation gathering for me! There was a red carpet and it was decked out in a Hollywood theme. It was wonderful and so thoughtful! James joined in on the celebration. I shed a few tears and shared many hugs! How nice and lovely it was to have everyone come to show their support and say good-bye!

Tonight we were able to have some boxes donated to us from our friend Jen. She even drove them to us!!!! Thanks Jen! Now we are ready to really get packing.... yikes!!!! Its sad to think about putting your life in a box....I'm sure it will get easier but with all of these goodbyes it's pretty hard. I'm really not so good at goodbyes. We've said so many in the last month. We still have a few major ones to go. I don't know how people do this all the time!

This weekend I'm finishing up my work at MBC with the Men's conference. It will be BIG.... right now we have 800 men signed up. It could easily be 1000 by Friday! It should be a great and busy way to end! There is still a lot of work to do with the conference approaching but it keeps my days moving. The moving truck comes on Wednesday so we have a lot to do between today and Wednesday!!!

I'll try and post pics soon of the anniversary photo safari! It was fun! But for now I'll leave you with the pics I took from Arielle's bridal shower.... it was so much fun!!!!

Cruisin with the Clugstons - Pictures!

Post Cruise Goodies!

We're back from the cruise and we all had a fabulous time! We took lots of pictures and had many laughs. Most of all it was wonderful to spend time with my family. I'll post pictures another day, (trust me there are a lot!) but today I wanted to take some time to write about our first ever cruising experience! Be warned this could be long!

The trip began with James and I meeting my parents in the Atlanta airport to then take another flight to the Miami airport. It was so fun to meet at the airport! We had a quick bite to eat and then got on the plane to Miami. The ride there was filled with sudoko puzzles for me and ipod for James. Once we got our luggage and headed for the taxis we noticed it was pouring rain outside. I was so worried but the storm passed quickly along with my fears of a rainy cruise :)

The taxi took us to our hotel which was located in the art deco district of Miami beach. It was a cute and quaint hotel just a few blocks from the main strip. After we checked in we decided to walk along the strip. What a strip it was!!!! The whole walkway was filled with shops, rave music, restaurants with patios, and people who didn't wear very much clothing. I don't really know what I was expecting... but this was definitely not what I had in mind. Though many posh restaurants and eateries were located along the strip, there was trash everywhere and crowds of people in bathing suits and party wear. We were able to find a cute little French restaurant that wasn't too loud and grabbed a table that was a little out of the main traffic area. The restaurant was called Paul's and I loved it! Especially the menu everything was so French and many of the itmes on the menu were French. By the time we had finished eating we were all pretty tired from traveling so we went back to the hotel and called it a night.

The next morning we met up with Brad and Nicole! They had a late night flight which didn't get into Miami until 1am. So we all decided to meet for breakfast! And surprise, surprise, we went back to Paul's because we enjoyed it so much for dinner. The main strip was much more friendly during the morning and didn't have all of the loud rave music pumping from the shops, restaurants, and bars. After breakfast we all took a walk to the the beach to look around. It was typical Miami beach, the sand was really white, body builders were our tanning themselves, and men were walking around with tiny European bathing suits. After the beach we parted ways with Brad and Nicole and headed back to the hotel to pack up and go to the marina to board the cruise ship. The lines went quickly and efficiently and before you knew it we were on the boat walking around exploring all of the many decks. One thing I learned quickly, and within the first few hours, the people on the boat always want to take your picture.... I feel bad for the workers, everyone is always trying to avoid them!

It was a little windy that day but that didn't seem to stop people from putting on their bathing suits and going swimming. The boat was beautiful! There were at least 4 different lounges/bars, 2 floors of sun decks, a running track, a workout room, 2 formal dining rooms, a cafe, a theater, a climbing wall, and so much more! After we checked the boat our and got our rooms we ate at the cafe and there were so many food options it was ridiculous! Our room on the boat was wonderful! It was bigger than I had expected and we had a big window. There were neat little drawers and cubbies to store all of your things in. It was very well laid out. The best part was the wine and cheese that Mom had arranged to be waiting for us in our room!!! Very nice! As far as bathrooms go I was also expecting the toilet to be really loud when it flushed, though it was a little strange it really wasn't very loud at all! How fun!

Later we had our emergency drill where everyone put on their life jackets and met out on the running deck. James and I were in a different group than Mom, Dad, Brad, and Nicole. We were lucky, my parents had to be video tapped by the cruise staff. The videos were shown on the TV station throughout the cruise! Ha ha! After the emergency drill the boat took off and we watched Miami fade in the distance. About an hour later we were siting down for dinner as our waiter Ricardo took our orders. The wait staff were excellent! They learned our names and catered to our every need. Ricardo was nice though sometimes a little more wordy than needed (I think he was translating to English in his head thus the very long and detailed description of what was for dinner!) Sometimes we just nodded and smiled because we really didn't know what he was saying. Dinner was wonderful and very filling.

That night the wind was very strong! The ship was swaying from side to side. We knew it had to be somewhat rough because at every staircase there were barf bags conveniently ready to use. It didn't really seem to bother any of us, it was kind of soothing to sway back and forth. The deck was so windy we went up to the top and it really blew us around! James had to go to the top deck at the front of the ship and play in the wind, while my mom was frantically hanging onto a tower afraid she would be swept off into the sea. I think I was somewhere in between the two extremes. That night I awoke to really rough seas the room was going side to side and then there was a constant squeaking noise from something above due to the swaying ship. So I didn't sleep much that night. The next morning I got up early and went to the workout room... it was packed. I managed to snag a treadmill for my morning run. I got upset though when I realized that most of the other people on the treadmill's were just walking the whole time. They could have walked on the deck! The running on the deck was prohibited until after 10am. Oh well! It was a beautiful workout. I got to see the lovely island of Nassau as I was running.

Due to the strong winds our excursion for the day was canceled. We were going to go on a world cup racing sail boat :( I guess it will have to wait! Instead we walked around the island of Nassau. It was a strange island. Many of the islanders looked oppressed yet all the shops and stores were name brands like Coach, Channel, Starbucks, Cartier, etc. Everyone was trying to sell you something there. Especially when we entered the straw market. There was a huge tent and inside there were tons vendors. The retail stretched from floor to ceiling. Everyone seemed to be selling the exact same things handbags, tee shirts, and jewelry. All of the handbags were knock offs of Coach, Gucci, Channel, Juicy, etc. I felt bad that these people had to make their living this way. There was barely enough room to walk around and they sat in the tent everyday trying to sell their goods to tourists. After the straw market we walked to a church that was beautiful I believe it was built int he 1600's? From there we went and visited this historic staircase area. Though getting there was an excursion of its own! We walked all over and I was beginning to think we were not heading in a safe direction but all was well. We found it alas! Apparently the slaves on the island were forced to cut out a stair case/walkway through solid rock. The staircase extended for hundreds of feet, it was truly remarkable and I was sad for the many lives spent carving the staircase. At the top was an old fort. It was built on a highpoint overlooking the island. It was beautiful and had a few old cannons left in the fort. After the excursion of finding the stairway and fort we decided to head over to the Senior Frog's restaurant to get a drink before getting back on the boat. It was quite lively!

That night back on the boat it was windy but not as much as the first night. Dinner was fabulous again! It was formal night and we all looked lovely in our formal attire! We went to the show in the theater that night, and then it was off to bed a little early. I was wiped out from all of the walking around that day, plus I knew I would want to be ready quickly for the next day on Cocoa Cay island. That night the boat swayed from side to side again but not quite as violently and I slept very soundly.

The next morning I decided to skip the workout and go straight to breakfast. After breakfast in the cafe we put on our suits and headed to the beach!!! We had to take a ferry from the cruise ship to the island. The island was quite calm and beautiful. The water was very blue and there were lounge chairs and hammocks everywhere!!! James and I looked for some prime hammocks but the only ones left were in the shade and were very low to the ground. So the whole family took some chairs right in front of this building called the Wacky Seagull.

Dad rented some snorkel gear for us and we all took turns going out to sea. It was a lot of work swimming out to see the fish but it was worth it. There were old boat and plane ruins which had lots of fish nearby. We saw fish that looked like Nora from Finding Nemo and we also saw some other bright colored fish. We saw some big fish too but they weren't quite as colorful. I didn't realize it was James' first time snorkeling so I was often wondering why we had to go check out "everything". But it was fun. Eventually I had to come back in and we let everyone else have a turn snorkeling.

When we got back to the beach we noticed that there were a lot more seagulls on the island. My mom informed me that someone behind us had already been pooped on. James and I decided to go get some food. As I was walking with my plate of food in hand a seagull laid a BIG one on my arm!!!! I was pooped on and horrified!!! (I HATE birds!!!) After I washed off int he bathroom and ate our lunch we headed back the the beach where the Waky Seagull lived up to its full name. The birds were dive bombing all around and it was aweful. I couldn't take it anymore so James and I found a quite and secluded area away from the seagulls. It was beautiful by the rocks overlooking the sea. So calm and NO SEAGULLS!!! There was even an open hammock for James to sleep in. When he woke up his back was covered in rope marks! Later we took a walk with my dad further down the island and it was very beautiful and peaceful. We saw a large bag of big crabs that someone had caught and put in a potatoe sack in the trees, as well as a very large lizzard thing. It was neat looking! We headed back to the boat on the 2nd to last ferry and enjoyed the slow ride listening to Caribbean music as the ferry circled the ship until it was our turn to board. The dance crew from the show we saw the night before were also on our ship, I was glad to see that they got a little time off :)

After our day at the beach it was off to dinner and again it was lovely. This time our waiters sang for us. Our waiter decided to make a bunny with his napkin it was cute but you could tell they had to do this a lot. We cheered our waitstaff team on as we knew this was probably a tad embarassing but fun! After dinner there was another show this time a comedian who sang songs and put different words to them. He was quite funny and good. After that there was a party by the pool with yes, more food! They even had an ice sculpture carving demonstration. How fun! On my way to the food line I crossed paths with another girl and her drink went all over me and I believe some on her too. I felt so bad afterwards, oh well :( After we stuffed ourselves yet again and had a drink we decided to go to bed. The next morning we would be at Key West and there was an excursion to go kayaking!

The next morning we awoke to the phone ringing. It was my parents calling. James and I had overslept and so did they. I was so disoriented. My whole body felt achy and my throat hurt. We hurried off to breakfast and then quickly jumped into our bathing suits. Then we had to wait in line to go through customs to get off of the boat. That part was not so fun but at least it all went very quickly. By this time my legs, back, and head were really throbbing. We then got off of the boat and walking up and down Duaval a little before our kayak excursion was to meet. I was feeling worse by the hour. Luckily I brought water with me so I just kept drinking the water. We were soon on a pontoon like boat heading to our kayak excursion. All the water that I drank was beginning to sink in. Suddenly we saw two island type things as well as another boat suspended int he water with kayaks attached. I was hoping we each would get our own kayaks but we had to share. This meant that James and I had to work as a team and I was NOT feeling very good or very cooperative. But I think we managed okay :)

Once we were out, James was the first to stand up in the kayak and the first to fall in. Unfortunately he landed on me first before hitting the water. His second time up was much more successful. Apparently I was a little loud though as my brother pointed out. Finally we were getting the hang of kayaking together. We saw many fish, a few sharks, and some really BIG sponges. It was cool! The water was only like 4 feet deep and very clear. James kept wanting to go check out all of the darker spots in the water. One spot turned out to have a 4 foot shark in it, and James proceeded to have the kayak go right over the top of the shark which scared me a little. But luckily the shark just swam away while we were intently watching him. After we turned the final corner around the island to head back to the pontoon boat the winds had picked up. It was a really tough paddle and took a lot of strength. Brad and Nicole were the first to make it back to the boat and proceeded to assist everyone else with getting onto the boat. Once I arrived on the boat all I could think about was getting to the nearing toilet and quickly. On the ride back to the port James and Bradley jumped and leaned in the wind on the boat as it sped through the waves. It was quite entertaining! I of course couldn't think of much more than the pain of feeling really sick and needing to relieve myself of all the water that I had drank. The ride was not quick enough. One the boat was docked I had to run all the way back to our room on the ship. Luckily I made it just in time!!!

After the excursion we all rinsed off and put on some shorts to go explore Key West. We went to Kelly's which is a very well known eatery/bar. It was owned by an actor lady who was in Top Gun. It was also the first birthplace of pan am airlines. Mom ordered Conch shell soup and it was good! We also walked around Key West and saw the Little White House which is a very historical place where many important politicians stayed and meetings took place. We also walked around the lovely grounds where my Uncle, Aunt, and Grandparents all stay when they visit Key West. It was beautiful! We walked to Ernest Hemingway's House, Robert Frosts old cottage, and and old light house. These places charged to get in so we decided just to stand and look in the doorway. We also found my Nana's favorite church in the area and looked around. It was very pretty. Key West is a very friendly and cute area I would love to go back and visit sometime especially when I am feeling better. There were chickens and roosters everywhere it was quite interesting. We were told that cats are everywhere too and we did see one hanging around the lighthouse. After the long walk we headed back on board for the last dinner on the cruise!

Dinner again was great! Again the wait staff sung for us, always a treat! I was able to take some cold medicine which made me feel a lot better! Shortly after dinner we all packed up our luggage and had to put it outside of our door for them to move off the boat in the morning. That night there was a final performance in the theater. It was all Earth Wind and Fire, and Abba music. Very strange but entertaining! It was fun going with Mom and Dad. Although I can't remember if it was the last night or not, we went with my mom to the bingo game where they were giving away another cruise. She didn't win but it was fun watching the girl that did win! After the show we went up to the cafe for some late night pizza it was good! The last night we met Brad and Nicole in the salsa lounge and listened to the band play as Brad and Nicole sipped on their Mohitos, while Mom enjoyed her glass of wine. I might have joined them with a drink but I was still not feeling well. But the music was great and there were some talented salsa dancers on the boat. I was not brave enough to go dance because they were all so good! Shortly afterwards we all called it a night and headed off to bed. I was exhausted.

The next morning the cafe was a buzz! I was sneezing like crazy and before we knew it our color was called to exit the boat. Everything was so well organized. Once off of the boat we received our luggage quickly and conveniently found a large van taxi to take us to the airport. We were at the airport in Miami by 9am and our flight didn't take off until 1pm. Unfortunately Atlanta was having bad weather and it was delayed an hour. I was sneezing and blowing my nose a lot! We passed the time by playing games on James' ipod and thinking of ideas for Cathy's wedding shower which will be coming up soon! On the plane James and I made some new friends. A little sweedish girl took a liking to me and passed me notes, hung onto my hand, and talked to me in german. It was very sweet! Her brother gave us some german lessons which I think he found very humorous. It was fun to meet such a nice family from so different a place!

Once we landed in Atlanta the fun trip really began! Everything was delayed, including all of our connecting flights! James and I made our connecting flight. The plane didn't leave the airport until 6 or7pm. My parents made theirs but the airline gave up their tickets for some odd reason. It was a big mistake. My parents had to deal with many terrible people and barely made it on another flight as standbys. They didn't get home the next day until 3am. I felt awful. Meanwhile James and I finally made it back to DC around 9pm and my cold was at it's worst. We were looking for our luggage. We had two of our bags one of which was covered in saran wrap. Apparently the airline broke our luggage to the point where they couldn't close it. Sweet.... We also were missing one of our bags, along with 30 other people. By the time we got through the baggage claim line another flight had come in from Atlanta so we decided to check their baggage. We found our missing bag. The busted bag they are paying to have sent to Delta to fix or replace. We'll see but I was very disappointed and upset. I've now decided that nothing good ever happens when I fly Delta. This was just the icing on the cake for my experiences with them. Oh well maybe I will give them another try....but definitely not for awhile.

Once home James and I crashed and I took more medicine. We felt a bit dizzy like we were still moving on the boat. The next couple of days I spent recovering from my awful cold and walking around dizzily from being off the boat. I felt so glad that I didn't feel sick until the very last day on the boat, I was truly able to enjoy the whole experience!!! It was great!

All in all it was a very fun and eventful trip! I loved having this first experience with my family and to see everyone again was great! I would love to do it again!!!

I'll close with this list of James' First Time:
- on a cruise
- snorkeling
- seeing sharks in the wild
- standing on a kayak
- falling in the water on a kayak
- in the Florida keys
- on a private island
- being in a salt water pool
- eating lobster bisk
- eating lamb shank
- sleeping on a boat


My list is similar with one exception,

- being pooped on by a seagull :(

Spring Pictures!

Here are the pictures from Easter, hanging out with Arielle and David, and the bridesmaid dress that I hemmed for the formal night on the cruise!

Time for a Vacation!

Tomorrow James, my family, and I will embark on a cruise!!! I am so excited not only to see my family but to relax. We'll post pictures of the fun when we get back. In the meantime you'll just have to imagine the extravagance!

James had his last day of work at the Washington Bureau on Friday. His boss took him and the guys out for drinks. I think James had a fun time. I had dinner with my friend Arielle and then later James and her fiance David joined us. It is always so much fun with those two!

The cherry blossoms are in bloom and the city looks beautiful! My Nana would love it!!! I'll have to try and get some pictures!

Jame and I are begining to pack up our place. I'm starting to get a little anxious with all the work left to do but I know it will all work out. I just really like to get things done!!!

Today I'm thinking I might hem an old bridesmaid dress from my brother's wedding. I haven't worn it in 4 years! I was really skeptical to whether or not it would fit, but it fit great! So I'm hoping to hem it for our formal night on the cruise. I am not the best sewer yet though so I am a little nervous. The last dress that I hemmed turned out alright but it was definitely a work in progress. My whole family is filled with wonderful sewers. I got my sewing machine 2 years ago so I have a lot to catch up on. I hope I can live up to the reputation set by the Archers!

Here's an interesting question... so what exactly do you do when you have a closet full of bridesmaid dresses? I've hemmed one dress and about to hem another, but what does everyone else do? When you're in a wedding you often hear the bride say, "I chose this style dress because I was thinking everyone could wear them again..." Does anyone else actually wear their old bridesmaid dresses again? So far the count for me is 2 out of 5. I think that's a pretty good return on the purchases! I guess I'm lucky!

Well maybe I'll post a pic later today if I get the dress completed :) In the meantime have a great week I'll be spending mine in the sunshine!!!!

The Mundens Came to Visit!

We're Moving!

It's official! James and I are moving out to Burbank, CA in about 2 months!!! Yikes that is soon! It is a sad but happy and exciting time! We knew that moving to California was going to be a future goal for our family and for James to have a chance to work on movies. So we have been thinking, praying, and seeking God's guidance of this. When James got back from his LA preview trip we knew that now was the time to move to California.

I know these last few months I've felt God closing doors for me. In some ways I believe this was to prepare me for moving to California in a God kind of way. I have never experienced a time like this. I feel like God has been slowly showing me that my time is done here. It is so sad to think about.... This was our first home as a married couple. I have met amazing people and developed some wonderful relationships. I have had an amazing job at MBC, where I have poured my heart and soul like never before. James' family lives close by. My family is only a day's drive or an hour plane ride away. Life and God has been good to us here in Virginia. But like everything does, this too must change.

Though I feel God is guiding our family to move to California, it doesn't make this process any easier. I have a hard time with change, and new things. God is so wonderful for working on my heart in this process so early on....but I find myself not wanting to say good bye. Good bye is a hard word for me. Everyone has to say good bye sometime....good thing mine won't be for another 2 months!

James and I keep looking at the city every time we are driving through. DC is so beautiful and unique. Here we are living right in the midst of our great nation's capitol. All of the history and diversity that is offered here is priceless. Thank God we've had this opportunity to experience DC!

I'm truly excited for what the Lord has planned for James and I. James will finally get his chance to make movies and be in the business. I will finally live where it is warm 75% of the time. And we will truly be a sandal wearing family. I'm praying for God to just walk before us in this process of re-settling and also that He helps us to connect with other Christians in the area. Please pray with us through this process. Also please pray for us as we tie up loose ends and have to say a LOT of goodbyes to our friends, family, and co-workers.

Well that's it for now more to post later!

James' pics from LA

Here are some of the pics from James' LA trip enjoy!!!

http://blog.jameskanka.com/2008/02/la-visit-on-quick.html#links

So much in a couple of weeks!

Well James got back on Sunday morning, just in time for me to enter the real world again. This past month I have been overloaded with work and pushing the extra hours just to ensure a well done job. The 2008 women's conference was held on-site at MBC this year and with my new role of event coordinator that meant that I was up to my ears in planning details. The event turned out to be a great success with only a few hick ups. Lots of women turned their lives over to Christ on Friday night of the conference. It was so neat to see 1,700 women all worshiping God together. Everyone seemed pleased and it was the largest event we've ever hosted totaling to 1,700 women!

I definitely learned a few things along the way...

• Final is not absolute only figurative
• Women like things to look pretty, even if it is just for a few hours
• Who has time to hang out?
• Sleep is a highly prized item and sound sleep is a gift!
• Everyone wants to help, they just need you to ask
• Flat shoes can be just as uncomfortable as heels
• Sometimes you have to cancel meetings in order to actually do your work
• I don't like change
• You know you've been working too much when your family calls to make sure you are alive
  
• I can remember all of the conference details but don't ask me where I left my keys
• My husband can in fact make his own dinner :)
• Tie the balloons after you get down the stairs
• The women who I worked with to plan this event are truly amazing God fearing and talented women who I never would have had a chance to know otherwise
• Don't put all your trust into technology
• Sometimes the best time to send email between each other is between 12 and 1am
• 1,700 people hearing the message of Christ makes it all worth it!

Well since the conference I have been wiped out and completely tired and sick so I've spent the last two days at home using comp time I've accrued. I thought I would completely rest but I neglected my apartment for 3 weeks and it was time to catch up on all the little errands and household chores. So tomorrow I will be going in and I'm sure I will have quite a lot to do not only as a recap from the conference but the men's conference is on the way so... back in the saddle again eh?

James had a great time in CA staying with Joel and Amy. They were such a blessing to us to be able to have James stay with them and borrow their car. James loved catching up with Joel and he even was able to visit our friend Josh from our Wildwood summer project in 2003. James met with a few people in the biz of Hollywood and gained some valuable insight as well as a face to face connect. James also spent time surveying the Burbank area. It was a hard week being away from each other. It was good too. We were both reminded of just how precious our marriage is and that we are blessed to be able to spend each day together in marriage. We missed each other greatly so it was great having James come home. Now we are discussing and making plans for the very near future... its scary but I believe God is pointing us both in the same direction.

Well I am off to watch the remainder of American Idol (Yay! I can watch TV again!)

Visit to LA

James is going on a visit to LA next weekend! He is so excited and I'm excited for him to...wish I was going! We decided to save some money and due to the large conference that I am involved with planning at work, I decided it probably wouldn't be a good time for me to go. So James is going to go visit our friends Joel and Amy and get a taste for what LA is really like. He has plans to meet up with some people he's been networking with and get insight into film making. So please pray for him and for safe travels. Also pray for me I'll be lonely here without him!

I've been incredibly busy with work lately....I'm counting down the days till the end of this big conference. The only downside is that after this conference is over, another one is right on its heals. For Valentines day James and I decided to just make a nice meal and have some champagne. Our present to each other was to clean the neglected apartment which was in dire need of attention....it was really bad! So now its beautiful again and we're happy to have our dining table and kitchen sink back for their intended purposes. I need a vacation myself.... I'm really looking forward to that cruise that my Dad is taking us all on at the end of May beginning of April!!! So other than my work life there hasn't been a whole lot going on, or maybe there has and I've just been working, who knows! :) James has been working a lot too so I think this trip to LA will be a nice relaxer. I'll make sure to post some of his pictures when he gets back!!! Hopefully I'll have some time to post before then.... not to mention a better report of news and what we've been up to.

Hamburgers....

Today James and I made giant hamburgers.... I couldn't resist. I ate the whole thing. Now I am in slight discomfort. I can feel my stomach expanding as we speak. despite this minor loss in judgment, recently I've been eating really healthy and managing a somewhat regular workout. I think I'm starting to get in shape? But who knows after eating this massive hamburger ha!

Tonight James and I stayed in and watched "The Princess Bride" it was fabulous as usual! What a great movie, it always makes me smile. Have you ever had a movie that you can watch over and over again? I love those kinds of movies!

I have no idea what the rest of the evening will entail but probably some picture editing of some sort.... I'll post some when I'm done :)

working out

People who say that they really enjoy working out make me sick! I feel like the are lying or possibly not telling the whole truth. In my opinion, the feeling after you've worked out is the best. While I'm working out I'm thinking about when it can be over :)

Busy Days

Things are moving pretty quickly lately. My new job is busy to an extreme extent! My days fly by and before I know it I'm getting ready for bed. Surprisingly the past two weeks I've actually managed to go to the gym. I think it has given me the extra energy I need, not to mention a major stress reliever. I'm hoping to get back into shape soon, but we'll see if I can keep this up!

Last week working out was so embarrassing! I was running on the treadmill and my ipod fell off. So I thought oh I'll just jump off after it, that will be faster than stopping the treadmill. So I barely made it of with out falling over and as I was being propelled off there were loud clanking noises from my feet hitting the ground. But I made it! I then picked up my ipod and made the quick decision to jump back on the treadmill. Well I guess I thought it would be challenging but of course I thought I could move quickly enough. I hoped on and was even able to get a second step on the belt and then I started to go down..... I quickly grasped the handles next to me and caught myself just in time. The loud clamoring of my feet and hands as I desperately tried to get to speed was really embarrassing. The gym was full that day and everyone heard and saw my strange show. The guy next to me even asked if I was okay, my only response was "I guess I should have stopped it first." I only missed a couple of steps and bruised 1 knee. I technically didn't fall down, but I guess since my knee touched the ground it doesn't count as a clear landing. Not to mention the mortification factor. All in all it was a perfect example of how an ordinary day in the life of Danielle can escalate to an extraordinary day! ha ha! I am the biggest klutz I know! The best part is I get to see everyone that was in the gym all the time since I am now going regularly! Ha!

Yesterday it snowed pretty hard it reminded me of Michigan for a few hours... and then it all melted :(

James bought a ticket to CA to go for a pre-view trip! He'll be heading out at the end of the month and will be in CA for a week. We'll let you know more news on that later.

Other than that things are kind of quietly busy.

We'll see what this weekend has in store. In the meantime I'll try not to jump onto moving things for awhile!

New York, Christmas, and New Years Pictures are Here!!!

I forgot to mention that on Dec. 15th James and I and some of our friends took a day trip to NYC! It was incredibly cold! But it was a lot of fun we went to some interesting places, namely the indian restaurant that is decked out with lights from all kinds of holidays. I believe in one of the pictures it even says "happy halloween!" it was a riot! So have a look at our trip and notice the fun faces of the people around us!



For Christmas we went to Michigan for 3 short days and then flew home to VA on Christmas day. Being in my home town for Christmas is always so wonderful. My family was all there and I was able to spend a lot of time with them. We were all able to go to the traditional Christmas Eve service at the church I grew up in. When my family goes on Christmas Eve we take up a whole pre row!!! We also had a new addition to our Christmas festivities. My cousin Cathy is engaged and her fiancee Matt was able to come celebrate with us. When we came home on Christmas Eve the dogs had a party of their own and tore up all the toilett paper. Shredding it around the house like confetti! Of course James and I got some wonderful presents from both sides of our families this year too! On Christmas day we flew back to VA to spend it with James' family. That was really fun too! James' dad and sister had a present wrapping contest. Teralyn was announced the winner by the judging panel of Grandma Babers. James' Grandmas had just had knee surgery on both knees and was walking around all over the place. Despite the pain of healing I think she is feeling so much better. Christmas night James and I crashed, exhausted in a good way!



New Years was a blast! My parents came from MI to drive us our presents so we wouldn't have to ship them, and to spend New Year's Eve with us. It was so much fun. James and I got a tent for Christmas so after my parents got here we assemebled the tent in our 1 bedroom apartment. Well... the tent was actually very large! It took up our whole living area but it is so COOL!!! Not to mention it was a fun experience setting it up. Now James and I can really go camping in our new tent! I was able to show my parents where I've been working this past year, and we went exploring to some monuments that they hadn't seen before. For New Year's Eve mom and I made pizzas from scratch! It was fun and easier than I had thought. The only problem was the fire alarm went off 5 times that night... go figure!!! James parents joined us for New Year's Eve and it was fun! We played games, chatted and ate pizza and fondu. We really enjoyed having our parents over and the games made us laugh even after everyone went to bed! It was a really fun holiday and I was so blessed that my parents came to visit, I LOVE having them near. I'm counting down the days until the cruise in April that my Dad is giving everyone. Yay! Well have fun looking at the pics!

New Year New Job Title

Well I can now say that due to the longer appeal process with the MBC Uptown campus, my team has been dispersed with other jobs/roles within the church while awaiting the appeal process. I was previously the campus administrator for MBC Uptown while continuing to help with FL Arlington, now I am still working for MBC Uptown at a smaller capacity and in the mean time I have been given the opportunity to be the events coordinator for adult ministries at our church. I will no longer be working with Frontline Arlington which is sad, and I'm bummed to not be devoting as much of my time to the Uptown campus. But this is a new challenge for me with the events coordinating position and I'm ready to give it my best shot! :) The first major event is our women's conference which is coming up in Feb. This is likely be a 1,000 -2,000 person event. I am coming in mid-planning so right now I'm just getting a handle on what this kind of a conference looks like and assisting where I can. It's a whole new world to me! Not to mention a whole new ministry and staff team. I have a lot to learn, I'm hoping I will catch on quickly and learn the ins and outs of the ministry as quickly as possible. So this is another change for me but I truly believe that the Lord is going to grow and prune me in this process as well. Please continue to pray for the MBC Uptown campus, the appeal process, and for our volunteers who we are leaning on to keep up our outreach ministry and continue reaching the District for Christ.

On other news, James and I had a great Christmas and New Year's Eve. Though it was very busy it was so wonderful to be with my family. I miss them already! I'll post pictures later. James is looking to take a preview trip to CA in Feb. so we are searching for cheap prices on plane tickets. I know he is looking forward to seeing what's out there for him and what God's plan is for us. Well, I'm sleepy and off to bed.... write more later!

My Personality - Myers Briggs Test

So today I took the Myers Briggs Personality Type Test twice from two different sources...both had the same result.

It was pretty interesting, I found it explained a lot....

I am an INFJ which in the terms of the test is

"INFJs, making up an estimated 1% of all people, are the most rare type (males even more so). They are introspective, caring, sensitive, gentle and complex people that strive for peace and derive satisfaction from helping others. INFJs are highly intuitive, empathetic and dedicated listeners. These traits tend to act as a "tell me what's wrong" sign on their forehead, hence the nicknames Confidant, Counselor or Empath. INFJs are intensely private and deeply committed to their beliefs."

Here are some websites that explain it a little better....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/INFJ

http://www.mypersonality.info/personality-types/infj/

These were some funny/interesting commentaries I found on the INFJ personality....

"Under extreme stress, fatigue or illness, the INFJ's shadow may appear - to be preoccupied about unimportant details and doing things that have no meaning"

"People who have known an INFJ for years may find sides emerging which come as a surprise. Not that INFJs are inconsistent; they are very consistent and value integrity. But they have convoluted, complex personalities which sometimes puzzle even them."

"INFJ- creative, smart, focus on fantasy more than reality, attracted to sad things, fears doing the wrong thing, observer, avoidant, fears drawing attention to self, anxious, cautious, somewhat easily frightened, easily offended, private, easily hurt, socially uncomfortable, emotionally moody, does not like to be looked at, fearful, perfectionist, can sabotage self, can be wounded at the core, values solitude, guarded, does not like crowds, organized, second guesses self, more likely to support marijuana legalization, focuses on peoples hidden motives, prone to crying, not competitive, prone to feelings of loneliness, not spontaneous, prone to sadness, longs for a stabilizing relationship, fears rejection in relationships, frequently worried, can feel victimized, prone to intimidation, lower energy, strict with self"

I also found out that one of the worst professions for me would be " a race car driver".... I had no idea this was even a choice of a profession?!!! Ha!

December Pictures

Still Breathing

I decided to give my blog a new look. I was thinking my life needed a new theme as well. I need to simplify and give myself room to breathe. The last two months have been a blur. Thanksgiving came...and went. So many things in my life have been changing. Lately I'm having a hard time remembering the simplest things. My world has gone from right-side up to up-side down and then back again. Some days I just wish that God would give me one of those "you are here" maps. The truth is even if he did give me one of those maps I probably wouldn't stop long enough to see the bigger picture.This season has been full to the brim of things to do. I've decided to take some time to breathe. To allow God's Spirit to move through me and give me rest. I know that things may not slow down for a long time, but I am resting in Christ.

I would love to share with you all about what has been happening lately at work. There has been so much, new to report. But I must wait to disclose this information. I will probably post more on work in January.

In the meantime I am truly looking forward to going home for Christmas. To see my family and spend time celebrating Christ's birth.

We Are the Champions!

So this weekend James and I played a game called sequence with our newly engaged friends Kevin and Drew. We decided to play girls vs. guys just for fun. The first game was a super quick and seemingly effortless win by the girls. Then came the second game which was won almost as quickly as the first. The guys still felt like they needed to play another round. The third game could have been called a lightening round, the girls won and totally triumphed in the game of sequence. It was hilarious!!! At least we thought so! They guys already want a re-match, they couldn't believe their defeat!

On other news, James and I have been editing all weekend. I have been editing wedding pics from a wedding that James and I shot for. He did the video and I did candid pictures. I love taking pictures it is so fun and yet I have so much to learn. And the more pictures I take the more I desire photography gadgets....as with any hobby. Also I've been helping to plan two big outreach events with the church. Its pretty fun! This next weekend we will be reaching out to refugee families in the DC area, so I'm excited to get it planned.

Tomorrow I have the day off so this week will be a short one!Thanksgiving is just around the corner and my parents are coming to visit James and I in VA!!! I'm super excited to make a thanksgiving meal with my mom! We make a pretty good team!

As I close I will quickly recap our halloween fun. James and I had the small group over and we carved pumpkins. James and I were ninjas, and I accidently scared two 4 year olds who were trick or treating.... all in all a fun and eventful night! Here are some pics!

Update Needed Now!

So I admit I am currently a VERY bad blogger....hopefully that will change. So much has happened since my last entry. My job has picked up a lot. I am so busy, and my days seem to fly by. We're trying get the church going in Washington DC and it is tough stuff! But wow do we have an amazing opportunity to serve here. It's been neat working on my new team and getting the know the group dynamics. The last two weeks have been a blur though with everything that has been going on. There have been prayer meetings, classes, registrations for classes, sunday service work, and lots of popcorn! Yes, I served popcorn to thousands of people at church last weekend to promote our new campus which Lord-willing will be in this really neat historic movie theater. Lately my weekday and weekends have been running together with plans and engagements of some kind or another. A few weekends ago James and I went to VA beach for a much needed rest and relaxation. It was wonderful and so calming... I even got a tan! James and I also had time a few weeks ago to visit the white house and get an official and VIP West Wing tour!!! It was so neat to see where the President and previous Presidents worked. To think of all the decisions that were made in those rooms and to be where people had changed the world was too amazing. Not to mention knowing that not everyone gets a West Wing tour was definitely a plus. It was pretty neat!

This weekend James and I went to Pennsylvania to visit our friends the Mundens! It was really great to see them and spend time with them. They are possibly going to go to Africa as missionaries within the next few years. There was a play at their church and fundraising event. It was neat to see their whole church get behind this missions trip prayerfully, emotionally, and financially. The play was about some of the missionaries experiences from the last trip where they spent many years among an African tribe and how God used them and taught them there. We also ended up going to an apple orchard for fun while we were there and that was pretty fun too! The had some interesting animals!

This past week I also ran into a girl that was at my campus crusade staff training in FL in 2005!!! It was crazy! And fun! Its always so encouraging when you get together with people whose faith just leaps out of them. I've been missing my friends lately. You know the verse "as iron sharpens iron, so one man shall sharpen another."? Well that is how I feel about my friends and we're so spread out lately, running into this fellow staffer was so refreshing. I hope that we can meet up again now that she is living in the same area as James and I!

This week I'm hoping things will relax a little...but that might be a lofty hope! I'm excited for Halloween I love the holidays and decorating for them. I found out today that my Boppa might need to get another heart surgery so we're all praying for him and waiting to see what the doctors say. He had a triple bypass surgery years ago and now they say his heart is not getting enough oxygen so we will see. I pray that the Lord would be with my Boppa, my family, and the doctors who overseeing this.

On a side note.... today I baked two pies!!! I'm pretty impressed with myself... they are pretty good! Now I can officially say that I've baked an apple pie! Ha!

Well that's it for now, I'm seriously going to get better at blogging! In the meantime, though enjoy the update pics!!!

Interesting Day

That is what I would call today...interesting. It started out by waking up at 6:30am on my day off to go into the DMV to get my car licensed and registered. I really thought that this time would be smooth sailing...well not so much. We didn't have the right form, then I didn't need the new form, then I needed a notarized copy of something. I guess they just didn't believe that I bought my car from my dad for $1.00....I guess I can't blame them, but c'mon this is a run around. Not to mention the lady that was helping us out wasn't exactly friendly. I shot her my best smiles and had really great manners, none of which seemed to matter or have effect on her. I think it made her dislike her job even more. I don't think anyone that works there likes their jobs. They're not very friendly and no smiles, anywhere. The only smiling I see is when people are actually leaving the building.

After the DMV, James and I were off to get notarized a form she had give us. We thought maybe we could do it at the post office. And since we were going to go to the post office we might as well get my passport renewed and the name changed. Then we thought if we were going to get the passport taken care of I would need new photos. So we went to Costco to get the photos. Costco was quick thank goodness and I actually liked my photo. (Not too shabby for waking up at 6am with no shower and no makeup.) So off we went to the post office to get the passport and notarization. We soon went to the wrong post office. Then we went to the right one and found out they don't do notarization, or whatever it was we needed. So we continued on with the passport renew. I started to fill out the only passport application thingy I could find. I soon found out that I had to fill out a different application form. They had run out so that is why they did not have any out for us to start filling out. Then I hurriedly finished filling out the correct form for the renew. The passport lady then took my pictures and measured them, and Costco screwed up!!! My picture would not work and would be sent back and make the passport process even longer. So I rather than feel like the day was completely useless, I had the lady at the post office do my passport photo and it was $10.00 more than what I had already paid. Ugghh! Now I have to go back to Costco and tell them to refund my money for the crappy passport photos. (I decided to do that on a day where my success rate was a little better.)

On our way home, James and I thought that we would check to see if our building access keys were working yet. Our plastic access keys (FOB) let us into the clubhouse where the workout facilities are and some other things too. They had stopped working and when we stopped in on Thurs. they were going to have them working by Friday. Well sure enough neither of ours were working correctly. Luckily there was a really nice guy in the office who fixed them on the spot for us and gave James a new one. So that was successful at least and good thing too since I would like to go and work out tomorrow!

Tonight my friend Maggie and I went into Old Town Alexandria and my day took a big spin for the better. The place was bustling with people, art, food, music, and people. We ate outside at Chadwicks where the waiter kind of forgot about us (but it was okay b/c we enjoyed the time talking and catching up!). It was wonderful weather. Then we walked around the streets where they were having the art festival. We heard an amazing blue grass band performing in the street. Then we walked down by the Riverfront to look at the boats and water. On our way we passed many different talented people performing. There was even a guy playing water glasses...he had about 30 glasses on the table of all shapes and sizes. A little further down there was a one man band. He was pretty good! He was playing the harmonica, drums, guitar, and singing all at the same time. (Or at least all in the same song!) It was quite impressive! Then to top off the evening as we approached the end of the waterfront where the pier was...the fireworks began! They just exploded right before our eyes! Talk about great timing! It was a fun evening and I love having time with Maggie!

I'm praying for some rest from the crazy morning and for a better beginning tomorrow! I'll let you know, but sometimes it good to have days like today. They remind you not to take life's mishaps too seriously. It also makes me very thankful that I do not work at the DMV or the post office.

Summer 07

Well, it's officially the end of summer.... it went so quickly! Things are going pretty well. James and I were able to really clean out our apartment and get rid of a lot of junk. I was able to visit home in late July for a short visit and loved my time there. I wish I could go back! Things at work have been pretty good. I get my new laptop from work on wedsnesday and I'm excited. I am as busy as ever with all the different campuses we are preparing to launch. Tonight I am exhausted! There isn't too much new that I can report on right now I guess you'll just have to sit through all 87 photos on the slide show to really see how we've been filling our time these days.



On a side note.... I've been thinking a lot about how God in His amazing love is beyond compare. He is good and His way is perfect. Beyond any plans I could make for myself.

Lifehouse

Make sure your speakers are on and please take a moment and watch this all the way through... I just love it!

July is Here!

Well, things have certainly been busy! Recently work wise we announced the launch of two new churches in the DC area. Since my job is to assist in these new campuses to say I was busy is definitely an understatement. Everything and everyone has been a buzz these last few weeks. Not only are we opening two new campuses but I have been chosen to be the campus administrator of the Uptown campus! How amazing is that?! I am on a team with some amazing individuals from MBC. I've only been working here for 3 months and I'm honored to be given this position to say the least. So right now, until things are finalized with me switching over, I've been working for 3 different campuses of MBC. I'm looking forward to getting things a little more organized and to focus on the things ahead.

James and I have attended 5 weddings in the last 6 weeks! We have one more to go this weekend in Erie, PA. It's been fun to see all our friends getting married and sharing in their joy. It's so weird to think James and I have been married for over a year now. We've been getting to know the couples in our small group (bible study group) and that has been great! They are all uniquely wonderful! I turned 25 a couple of weeks ago! I am officially a quarter of a century old...so weird! And I get cheaper car insurance :) The weekend before my birthday we hiked with friends in the Shenandoah mountains and it was beautiful. We saw waterfalls and got a workout too.

It seems like all my updates lately are about what I've been up to... I guess I just haven't made time for myself to reflect. I'm going to though. I need to! I also need to workout... I'm going to do that too! Every morning I plan on working out and the battle between sleep and my alarm clock begin. Sleep wins a lot... but we'll see maybe I can develop some good habits and just get up! James and I are planing to go home in early August. I am so excited I miss my family and I miss Michigan!!! I'm counting down the days! Well that's it for now please click on this link if you want to see James and my photo albums. We have lots and lots of pics so be warned, but if you want to see what we've been up to in our free time, check it out!

http://picasaweb.google.com/james.kanka

Weddings and Suff

I am so tired! Lately I feel like I am just going, without really taking time for myself. Last week was especially busy with work, friends, and our friend's wedding. It was a great wedding and the best part (besides seeing them get married) was being asked to be a "wedding nazi" with my friend Jenn. Our friends Jenn and Kyle stayed with us that weekend and both of our husbands were groomsmen in the wedding. It was a fantastic way to see my friend Jenn who I miss so much now that she has moved to UVA to be on the Campus Crusade staff there.

The bride and groom knew how much Jenn and I really love weddings and planning, so we were the go-to girls. When I first got there I really didn't think we were going to need to do too much because everyone that was helping out that day seemed to know what to do. But then, out true roles emerged! People were late and needed calls, last minute changes needed to made at the reception site, bouquet holders were not in place, the guest signing table was not set up, caterers had no tables, trash was left around the room after set up, and at the end of the night... you guess it. People left and left their cleaning/packing up responsibilities too! So Jenn, I, and some other friends stayed to get things ready to go. I unfortunately was conered by the lady who is the coordinator from the church and told to mop and sweep the kitchen floor!!! Ha! It was a fun night and this only made me laugh :) No worries though, I didn't spill a thing on my dress and the bride and groom had what seemed to be a fairly seemless night! Yay! Job well done for me and Jenn.

This weekend we have one wedding and two receptions. James' cousins (who are sisters) are celebrating weddings on the same weekend. We have the wedding today with all of James family and then tomorrow is the riverboat cruise reception for his other cousin that was married on a tropical island and now is going to celebrate with family and friends. Next week we have another wedding, our friends from GMU are getting married on a vineyard. Then we actually get 1 or two weekends off, and at the end of the month of June and beginnning of July we have two more weddings! It'll be great fun! And I am definitely getting creative on what to wear so I don't look like I only own one dress! :)

Thurs. night James' grandparents from Nebraska flew in for the wedding celebrations this weekend. We don't get to see them very often and they are sweet as can be! When they came for our wedding in Michigan, my grandparents and James' became best buddies, it was really so cute and perfect! They now write eachother post cards and keep track of eachother from time to time. Who knew that our extended families would like eachother that much? We couldn't have asked for anything better! I'm excited to see them this weekend and this week, seeing how I am a big family person.

And on a side note, this week felt really good at work. I was told some really great things about the work that I have been doing. It's nice to be noticed and appreciated :) Well hopefully I won't take as long of a break from blogging next time. Have a great saturday!

Lights, Camera, Action!

Well this past weekend I let James buy his long awaited and much researched video camera! It was a big decision and I didn't make it on my own by any means, but it was a decision that James was gracious enough to let me make when I wanted to make it. He is so excited and I love seeing him get this way over something he is passionate about. He wants to impact our culture for Christ through film. To him it is not just entertainment but art and a story. The camera is arriving on Thursday! Today I came home to find him trying out all of his tripods, camera stands, and other gear! Just like a kid on Christmas, I can't wait to see his reaction on Thurs.! James' birthday is on Monday so this is just in time :)

Things have been really busy lately we've been having people over a lot which is great! On Saturday James and I went to a farmer's market and it was fun! I liked the samples best! Tomorrow we are having our new bible study over. It's being lead by a great couple that we met through church. Church is really taking off and people are coming to know Christ! That is really cool! This weekend I'm looking forward to celebrating James' birthday and Mother's Day! And I'm really looking forward to relaxing!!!!

I love my work!

Recently at work I have been working with the Frontline Arlington team to plan a volunteer appreciation night for all of our volunteers. We made plans to have a red carpet night and we pulled out all the stops...there was a red carpet, paparattzi, our very own E Entertainment host, Arlington Feud, prizes, lots of cameras, lights, a life size award man, chocolate fondues, chocolate fountain, beverages, a pool table, a rooftop view of the city, and a swanky and modern room to tie it all together. It was a blast and looked amazing! I love that I was able to help plan and implement this night! My team is amazing and here are some pics from the night! To view all the photos from that night you can go to: http://picasaweb.google.com/james.kanka/FrontlineVIPNight

Stuff

Okay so quick update! These are two pics from the bridal shower I went to this weekend. It was a surprise bridal shower for our wonderful friend Jenn. It was a blast! And I got to hang out with some great friends! Job update: I love working at MBC and with the people. Everyone is very nice and welcoming. I enjoy doing something that is having a direct impact on people for Christ. James and I are celebrating our 1yr. anniversary this coming weekend!!!! YAY! So we're going back to Virginia beach to celebrate :) I'm looking forward to being at the beach and hanging out with my wonderful husband. It's crazy to think that just a year ago we were preparing for marriage :) Things are going great so far and really fast! I have recently become addicted to the game settlers of Catan. It sounds so nerdy and it probably is... but I love it and I love playing it with friends. I also attempted to make some drapery this weekend as well. The apartment is almost done, but I feel like there is always something more I would like to do oh well. Recently I've also started to feel sick so I'm praying I will feel better before the anniversay trip!!!! Well, I know I said I would give you all some good details but this is as good as it gets tonight I am sooo sleepy!!!! Night!

Sorry!

Okay, so I haven't exactly been keeping up with my blog this past week or so... sorry! I'll totally update this weekend and get back into the groove of things. Staring my new job and reworking my schedule has been a little crazy, but great. So I'll post more this weekend and maybe even have some pics! :) But in the meantime check out this cool new website that MBC just created its called: www.notasermon.org.