What you get for your money in LA

These past two weeks James and I have been moving into our new apartment. I like to think of our place as our little cottage, because that's exactly how it feels. Apartments in LA just aren't the same as they are on the east coast, or probably anywhere else. We're happy with our find. To to have a refridgerator and a washer and dryer in the unit is big deal out here! James and I are also excited to put more of our money in savings as our cottage apt. will assist us in doing just that. Luckily our friends have been a huge help in getting us situated. While we still have piles of boxes to get through and two more rooms to paint...without the help from our friends we wouldn't have been able to move and get things as far along as they are. 

Work has been incredibly busy for both James and I so we've only had the weekend to really get things settled. We've made many trips to Lowes, and are about 60% done with getting everything unpacked. Ughhh....so much left to do....Well anyway here are the first batch of pics of moving in.

Also this past week we went to the E! holiday party. It was wild! It was held at LA Live an outdoor club in the middle of downtown. The sceen inside was a wide range of activity: pool tables, rock band video game, patio area, 2 open bars, dancing, platforms, etc. It was fun to meet more of James' co-workers. But the whole thing reminded me of a more tasteful version of spring break :) James and I had fun dancing! This week is my office holiday party and it will be pretty great if I do say so myself! 

New Place

Good news! We signed on our new apartment and already have the key. We'll begin painting and moving in this weekend! Yay and praise the Lord!!!! Though I'm not looking forward to the actual move...I am looking forward to a new place! I try and post pics as soon as we can. Thanks everyone for your advice and prayers :)

This Weekend

This weekend James and I spent apartment hunting. To be honest it was not very fun. Most of the rentals in southern CA are small privately owned complexes. So we were driving around looking for signs, calling the numbers, and using our GPS the whole time I felt car sick. It was the same feeling you get when you read too long in the car or if you are riding down really curvy roads. We have a lot more looking to do. I must admit I am getting a little nervous, given our lack of time for looking and the price range we are looking for. I really want to be happy with whatever we decide upon. If anyone has any suggestions of where to check out please let us know.

Also this weekend there were major fires in the surrounding LA area. The sky was hazy and the smell of smoke was evident in many areas. Luckily in Burbank there was no danger or smokey smells. Last night we had plans to visit our friends Joel and Amy to hang out in Fullerton. The fires were in a nearby city. Though logic would say not to drive towards the fires, of course we did the opposite. There was no danger by Joel and Amy's place or in their city but the smell of smoke was everywhere. Looking out their windows you could barely see some of the fire on top of the mountains 8 or so miles away. So we went to see the new James Bond movie and had yogurt at yogurt land. By the end of the night ash white ash was falling like a very light snowy mist. It's sad when you think about the ash being some one's memories or home. I wish we would have brought our camera to capture some pictures. But Amy and Joel have posted some of theirs here from earlier in the day. I am so thankful for all of the firefighters in CA who yearly fight these major fires. It makes you think......

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!!!

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!!!!

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!