an update!

I want to know more about Amy, and more about how you know this Nick the Supersonic, and what the movie fiasco was, etc. And I want to know how your birthday was...

Alright... According to Tiffani, I need an update and it appears my blog has been behind these past couple of days... It's true! There is quite a bit going on here in Tacoma.....

Amy. She's my cousin. Our moms are sisters. She attends the University of Iowa in Iowa City. WOOHOO - Go Hawkeyes. She is 19 and is a Sophomore. She is an amazing woman with such faith and obedience. I admire her like crazy. Anyway, Amy came to visit for her spring break last weekend... I can't believe it was a week ago already! Sheeesh! Seriously. We had a blast! Sonics, Space Needle, Pike Place Market, Seattle Center, Science center and the IMAX, plus a movie at Mandon's, dinner at Red Robin, New Song, more people, roommates, prayer and dinner with Julie... It was a blast! That also encompasses my birthday... It seriously felt like a celebration the whole weekend! I was so blessed by so many people and so many fun activities...

Nick Collison. I went to high school with him... Iowa Falls Cadets. Yep. That was us. He is a year older than I am and previously played for the Kansas Jayhawks. He is now playing his second year for the Sonics. Last Friday was the first night I have seen him since high school. Very fun game. Funny how an NBA game can be so "normal" after watching one in real life. Hopefully I'll get to see another within the next couple of weeks. Amy and I had little kids jersies personalized for us during the game with Nick on them.

Guys the Birthday was great!!! One of the best. I loved it. We decided a couple weeks ago to attend the IMAX to see ROBOTS. So I invited a group of friends... And even ordered tickets early... WELL! I seemed to have ordered them for FRIDAY instead of Saturday... So when we got there only a few people could see the first show... Traci (my roommate) and Lance (her fiance), Olivier (from Parkland Chevy), Mandon (my friend who works at Wells Fargo across the street from PChev and comes to New Song) and his friend, Kelly (a Teller at WF). It was sad that we couldn't all be together, but Mandon and Kelly had later plans and they could only take in a few of us for the earlier showing... So the rest of us Tricia (my roommate), Amy (my cousin), Alison (from PChevy and sings at New Song), Jarrad and Casey (they live upstairs), Sean (my other good friend from New Song - who dives and likes fish, like M), Matt (a good friend of Sean's), James (a friend from freedom class last fall who lives at the guys Restoration house), and Aimee (a friend from church - introduced to me by Tricia) and I went out for Thai food at this restaurant right behind Key Arena. It was SO good AND a whole lot of fun. It ended up turning out well and I was so blessed - by so many people.

So that's what's up lately.

Work has been incredible this past week. I am so thankful and blessed by Chris Hippe (my boss) and by the management teams. They are amazing. The business empowerment center is moving forward with force and we're taking ground. I love it.

I got to talk to my friend Lindsey this week and our Dgroup on Wednesday was so good. Did I mention how much I LOVEEEEEEE people. I had to call this lady to make sure she was completely satisfied with her recent purchase of a Suburban - and we ended up planning to get together for coffee today. It was SO great!!! I love meeting new people. I feel like things are moving forward in a lot of my friendships here and for that I am thankful. You were right - It does take time to settle in. There are just so many things to share. I am SO excited about Jesus these days and am finding that I can't resist sharing him and his goodness and the things that he is doing. He is pushing me out of fear and I am having a blast sharing him with others. Definitely a new level of evangelism birthing in my heart. That in itself could be an entire blogging session. Oh and I've been able to do some design recently! WOOOHOOO!!! SO fun. Challenging this time around that's for sure... but good. and longterm rewarding I hope.

John Eldredge has a new book out called, Captivating. It's like Wild at Heart, but for women - and he wrote it with his wife STASI. I am looking forward to it. Right now, it is time for bed... It was fun sharing with you. I miss you and love you much.

A Prayer for the Ephesians
14For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15from whom his whole family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge–that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.