tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75805733951527586212024-02-19T04:19:25.607-08:00All the Places I Call Home :)you're already home where you feel loved. --The Head and the HeartAll the Places I Call Home :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15600430724068658387noreply@blogger.comBlogger85125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580573395152758621.post-17604258523929130682011-09-20T17:35:00.000-07:002011-09-20T17:35:36.210-07:00Ask 5 for 5 guest post!Hi friends,<br />
<br />
I stumbled upon this wonderful cause last night and I immediately knew I'd love for Sarah to guest post on <i>All the Places I Call Home</i>. Last year I worked with several families from Somalia, and those kiddos remain close to my heart. Thus, with the state of famine in Somalia, I've felt compelled to do something, but totally unsure what I could do. Sarah provides a really concrete way to act in love and support health for children suffering in the horn of Africa.<br />
<br />
Welcome, Sarah from Ask5for5!<br />
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<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.5em; padding-left: 0.5em; padding-right: 0.5em; padding-top: 0.5em; vertical-align: top;"></td></tr>
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<div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left !important;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Guest Blogger: Sarah Lenssen from <a href="http://www.seeyourimpact.org/members/ask5of5%20%20" style="color: #1b445c; text-decoration: underline;">#Ask5for5</a></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left !important;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Family photos by <a href="http://www.mikefiechtner.com/" style="color: #1b445c; text-decoration: underline;">Mike Fiechtner Photography</a></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left !important;">Thank you All the Places I call Home and nearly 150 other bloggers from around the world for allowing me to share a story with you today, during Social Media Week.</div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left !important;">A hungry child in East Africa can’t wait. Her hunger consumes her while we decide <em style="font-style: italic;">if</em>we’ll respond and save her life. In Somalia, children are stumbling along for days, even weeks, on dangerous roads and with empty stomachs in search of food and water. Their crops failed for the third year in a row. All their animals died. They lost everything. Thousands are dying along the road before they find help in refugee camps.</div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left !important;">At my house, when my three children are hungry, they wait minutes for food, maybe an hour if dinner is approaching. Children affected by the food crisis in in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia aren’t so lucky. Did you know that the worst drought in 60 years is ravaging whole countries right now, as you read this? Famine, a term not used lightly, has been declared in Somalia. This is the world’s first famine in 20 years.12.4 million people are in need of emergency assistance and over 29,000 children have died in the last three months alone. A child is dying every 5 minutes. It it estimated that 750,000 people could die before this famine is over. Take a moment and let that settle in.</div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left !important;">The media plays a major role in disasters. They have the power to draw the attention of society to respond–or not. Unfortunately, this horrific disaster has become merely a footnote in most national media outlets. News of the U.S. national debt squabble and the latest celebrity’s baby bump dominate headlines. That is why I am thrilled that nearly 150 bloggers from all over the world are joining together today to use the power of social media to make their own headlines; to share the urgent need of the almost forgotten with their blog readers. Humans have the capacity to care deeply for those who are suffering, but in a situation like this when the numbers are too huge to grasp and the people so far away, we often feel like the little we can do will be a drop in the ocean, and don’t do anything at all.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.5em; padding-left: 0.5em; padding-right: 0.5em; padding-top: 0.5em; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkbdDnmuvaf80kYlRd7maY43PIK7YGRFCsfFRWdH7G30S-QovfqJrLLFJP-aP23HO3izGltd76dzyI0RDD5qb1ANZVzvvbRGHrMTYgO2vZH5HjAsaciagJDUaFdU91nSy3JZvFXo5XEnQ/s1600/Lenssen-Fiechtner-03.jpg" style="color: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkbdDnmuvaf80kYlRd7maY43PIK7YGRFCsfFRWdH7G30S-QovfqJrLLFJP-aP23HO3izGltd76dzyI0RDD5qb1ANZVzvvbRGHrMTYgO2vZH5HjAsaciagJDUaFdU91nSy3JZvFXo5XEnQ/s640/Lenssen-Fiechtner-03.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: 5px; vertical-align: middle;" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.5em; padding-left: 0.5em; padding-right: 0.5em; padding-top: 0.5em; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left !important;">When news of the famine first hit the news in late July, I selfishly avoided it. I didn’t want to read about it or hear about it because I knew I would feel overwhelmed and uncomfortable. I wanted to protect myself. I knew I would need to do <em style="font-style: italic;">something</em> if I knew what was really happening. You see, this food crisis is personal. I have a 4-year-old son and a 1 yr-old daughter who were adopted from Ethiopia and born in regions now affected by the drought. If my children still lived in their home villages, they would be two of the 12.4 million. My children: extremely hungry and malnourished? Gulp. I think any one of us would do anything we could for <em style="font-style: italic;">our</em> hungry child. But would you do something for another mother’s hungry child?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center; zoom: 1;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyZ-XksD21UKUGi8HGLgKWhrezTLI6-V_CaRdMW4XP6djoNVgFxzZWcBgodg6Sg3E2M5B0qPv2yehJVOnKnS7pbPbKcoW3vrjSWkAOYP5codgmXB3Qrf3V_IpdrvVNMhANRkmigvQkYww/s1600/D200-0442-132-wm+web.JPG" style="color: inherit; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyZ-XksD21UKUGi8HGLgKWhrezTLI6-V_CaRdMW4XP6djoNVgFxzZWcBgodg6Sg3E2M5B0qPv2yehJVOnKnS7pbPbKcoW3vrjSWkAOYP5codgmXB3Qrf3V_IpdrvVNMhANRkmigvQkYww/s640/D200-0442-132-wm+web.JPG" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: 5px; vertical-align: middle;" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left !important;">My friend and World Vision staffer, Jon Warren, was recently in Dadaab Refugee Camp in Kenya–the largest refugee camp in the world with over 400,000 people. He told me the story of Isnino Siyat, 22, a mother who walked for 10 days and nights with her husband, 1 yr-old-baby, Suleiman, and 4 yr.-old son Adan Hussein, fleeing the drought in Somalia. When she arrived at Dadaab, she built the family a shelter with borrowed materials while carrying her baby on her back. Even her dress is borrowed. As she sat in the shelter on her second night in camp she told Jon, “I left because of hunger. It is a very horrible drought which finished both our livestock and our farm.” The family lost their 5 cows and 10 goats one by one over 3 months, as grazing lands dried up. “We don’t have enough food now…our food is finished. I am really worried about the future of my children and myself if the situation continues.”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center; zoom: 1;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM1iVRXLd0BHv8brdCIhXP_3T83f7L1AoO9oLOAwNqN8WFX7Ksm7adgH52ErPMYC8HG0ZnxKQK4cGytYmijxMgojjz9xjEC-nIxrhOCxPRJEwEHWK2nfZxiCPp4dENPxIyOf4hIsAcPSw/s1600/D200-0442-64-wm2.jpg" style="color: inherit; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM1iVRXLd0BHv8brdCIhXP_3T83f7L1AoO9oLOAwNqN8WFX7Ksm7adgH52ErPMYC8HG0ZnxKQK4cGytYmijxMgojjz9xjEC-nIxrhOCxPRJEwEHWK2nfZxiCPp4dENPxIyOf4hIsAcPSw/s640/D200-0442-64-wm2.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: 5px; vertical-align: middle;" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left !important;">Will you help a child like Baby Suleiman? <a href="http://www.seeyourimpact.org/members/ask5for5" style="color: #1b445c; text-decoration: underline;">Ask5for5</a> is a dream built upon the belief that you will.</div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left !important;">That <em style="font-style: italic;">something</em> I knew I would need to do became a campaign called <a href="http://www.seeyourimpact.org/members/ask5for5" style="color: #1b445c; text-decoration: underline;">#Ask5for5</a> to raise awareness and funds for famine and drought victims. The concept is simple, give $5 and ask five of your friends to give $5, and then they each ask five of their friends to give $5 and so on–in nine generations of 5x5x5…we could raise $2.4 Million! In one month, over 750 people have donated over $25,000! I set up a fundraiser at <a href="http://www.seeyourimpact.org/members/ask5for5" style="color: #1b445c; text-decoration: underline;">See Your Impact</a> and 100% of the funds will go to <a href="http://www2.worldvision.org/?&r=t" style="color: #1b445c; text-decoration: underline;">World Vision</a>, an organization that has been fighting hunger in the Horn of Africa for decades and will continue long after this famine has ended. Donations<strong style="font-weight: bold;"> can multiply up to 5 times in impact </strong>by government grants<strong style="font-weight: bold;"> </strong>to<br />
help provide emergency food, clean water, agricultural support,<br />
healthcare, and other vital assistance to children and families suffering in the Horn.</div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left !important;">I need <strong style="font-weight: bold;">you</strong> to help me save lives.<em style="font-style: italic;"> It’s so so simple;</em> here’s what you need to do:</div><ol style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 2em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><li style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 8px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Donate $5 or more on <a href="http://seeyourimpact.org/members/ask5for5/" style="color: #1b445c; text-decoration: underline;">this page</a> (http://seeyourimpact.org/members/ask5for5)</li>
<li style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 8px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;">Send an email</strong> to your friends and ask them to join us.</li>
<li style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 8px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Share <a href="http://www.seeyourimpact.org/members/ask5for5" style="color: #1b445c; text-decoration: underline;">#Ask5for5</a> on Facebook and Twitter!</li>
</ol><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left !important;">I’m looking for another 100 bloggers to share this post on their blogs throughout Social Media Week. Email me at ask5for5@gmail.com if you’re interested in participating this week.</div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left !important;">A hungry child doesn’t wait. She doesn’t wait for us to finish the other things on our to-do list, or get to it next month when we might have a little more money to give. She doesn’t wait for us to decide if she’s important enough to deserve a response. She will only wait as long as her weakened little body will hold on…please respond now and help save her life. <a href="http://www.seeyourimpact.org/members/ask5for5" style="color: #1b445c; text-decoration: underline;">Ask 5 for 5</a>.</div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left !important;">Thank you on behalf of all of those who will be helped–you are saving lives and changing history.</div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left !important;">p.s. Please don’t move on to the next website before you <a href="http://www.seeyourimpact.org/members/ask5for5" style="color: #1b445c; text-decoration: underline;">donate</a> and email your friends right now. It only takes 5 minutes and just $5, and if you’re life is busy like mine, you probably won’t get back to it later. Let’s not be a generation that ignores hundreds of thousands of starving people, instead let’s leave a legacy of compassion. <span style="text-decoration: underline;">You have the opportunity to <a href="http://www.seeyourimpact.org/members/ask5for5" style="color: #1b445c; text-decoration: underline;">save a life today</a></span>!</div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left !important;"></div><div id="_1" style="display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; zoom: 1;"><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left !important;">Check out all the bloggers that joined Ask5for5 for drought and famine relief, and posted for Social Media Week!</div></div>All the Places I Call Home :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15600430724068658387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580573395152758621.post-14972832849270009292011-09-11T17:42:00.000-07:002011-09-11T17:42:19.908-07:00we remember.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-lr2PRMe0qPhoYdxOt3Fl_P0-tZ5gyJxQVEqO_jGRjv6ddjXInk_abNlqKtrTPQIl1bn_leP_gZvcdOpJJDKezDbex83VeEu75DPpKIyXkOngteQsAAVgTH6p6gk52jTpY2skMcjHrQ/s1600/IMG01338-20110911-1928.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-lr2PRMe0qPhoYdxOt3Fl_P0-tZ5gyJxQVEqO_jGRjv6ddjXInk_abNlqKtrTPQIl1bn_leP_gZvcdOpJJDKezDbex83VeEu75DPpKIyXkOngteQsAAVgTH6p6gk52jTpY2skMcjHrQ/s320/IMG01338-20110911-1928.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Z9yAjSq_4qHT52fsNKrYylhT8vsBFmz6V_FXLkhRw_TtFNQkVOiVe7DLwq9-SOBKQwVbxsu1xSpYN0aZ0tiIxu22hS0eiyWSN7fa4RxzHCQkbg1jYbUvAAB3xSwpaua9dTljycT71qI/s1600/IMG01341-20110911-1930.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Z9yAjSq_4qHT52fsNKrYylhT8vsBFmz6V_FXLkhRw_TtFNQkVOiVe7DLwq9-SOBKQwVbxsu1xSpYN0aZ0tiIxu22hS0eiyWSN7fa4RxzHCQkbg1jYbUvAAB3xSwpaua9dTljycT71qI/s320/IMG01341-20110911-1930.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8HeFo4vl_X52D3MfQxNJIK6-UuGcg1j7vwJkL0bZDFs6ow1DQehqbwUFLy8A8NcddU3-9Cq9IDWfLdIm0c_EQXimoTb14Z84bzhR2jdjyF6ok3zr9LhDBWe_FrujBNDwuArFk7ibTXac/s1600/IMG01351-20110911-1942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8HeFo4vl_X52D3MfQxNJIK6-UuGcg1j7vwJkL0bZDFs6ow1DQehqbwUFLy8A8NcddU3-9Cq9IDWfLdIm0c_EQXimoTb14Z84bzhR2jdjyF6ok3zr9LhDBWe_FrujBNDwuArFk7ibTXac/s320/IMG01351-20110911-1942.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7pBKOPT3GBvX2_qc5320kB_H-bKzP4k_dJKVgkRWL05SN3JL0cyFgMA35aPl_Gd2X-ZWE45H9v3PQXztf6tXGt1cV-Y2GOsn1Rku4OhEcA5K5cC97CPJq1cLkPxLja_oI4T9rTZGxb5s/s1600/IMG01353-20110911-1943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7pBKOPT3GBvX2_qc5320kB_H-bKzP4k_dJKVgkRWL05SN3JL0cyFgMA35aPl_Gd2X-ZWE45H9v3PQXztf6tXGt1cV-Y2GOsn1Rku4OhEcA5K5cC97CPJq1cLkPxLja_oI4T9rTZGxb5s/s320/IMG01353-20110911-1943.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We remember. Today, and everyday.All the Places I Call Home :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15600430724068658387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580573395152758621.post-19002244741449526132011-09-07T20:19:00.000-07:002011-09-07T20:26:48.459-07:00happy birthday, sweet friend Megan!<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPLBy4NgoNAT7rA3-9YooH15g4bBs3FrRCkETp21RoIp_oUg_ziWFPy-9Ob4oIVGQm3TjMmhuD4WhGQ-ylZEK915tC3TQL96o6BuZzXHAYYw1cOJPjhuwocu_qBGG0xe6FCkHIyP9wh-M/s1600/favorites+085.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPLBy4NgoNAT7rA3-9YooH15g4bBs3FrRCkETp21RoIp_oUg_ziWFPy-9Ob4oIVGQm3TjMmhuD4WhGQ-ylZEK915tC3TQL96o6BuZzXHAYYw1cOJPjhuwocu_qBGG0xe6FCkHIyP9wh-M/s400/favorites+085.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Today is the birthday of one of my very best friends in the whole wide world. Megan is a big ol' 23! I met Megan my first few days at Gettysburg College. She lived just a few doors down freshman year, and after inviting me home to her parents' place for Fall Break I knew we would be best friends. Sophomore year, Junior year (while we were at Gettysburg) and Senior year we were roomies, and let's just say, if she wasn't married and living in Baltimore, I'd love to still be roommates :)<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I am so thankful for Megan. In so many ways. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">She is one of those sweet, kind, thoughtful and quiet souls that is <i>so </i>good at loving those around her. She is also spunky and so much fun. Some of my favorite memories with Megan are dancing, long talks over coffee, mini bible studies, and well, just about everything ;) We weren't every very good at studying together though... it seemed that talking always would take precedence. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Enjoy this flash back of our friendship!</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhk3dIPwd5xquST0GkUlyAfOYGAStcnyKEfxtGNmdO6xvSWLZfOqg76_PbYHu9zf2s0KcaqnadQFWyDw0lGlEbrWvVCej6AEuVod7NLZPLSG7EfhvhVBXXzujxwa-Sf4etBDvrSWZHVEM/s1600/IMG_0960.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhk3dIPwd5xquST0GkUlyAfOYGAStcnyKEfxtGNmdO6xvSWLZfOqg76_PbYHu9zf2s0KcaqnadQFWyDw0lGlEbrWvVCej6AEuVod7NLZPLSG7EfhvhVBXXzujxwa-Sf4etBDvrSWZHVEM/s320/IMG_0960.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">September 2006--first picture of the two of us!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6wQ89SOOXUtEM91cKnyNfGms60rG38hzmaHlksLLC1szcfiykXanmiXOtYXaqyjlPmAIYoz0QuXnkC99OVMRynEA465ZLOgkZuQ8VDw_Qa4AtDKRf1TkwG1xGpXjq4zuAGmmVr7JrogM/s1600/IMG_1029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6wQ89SOOXUtEM91cKnyNfGms60rG38hzmaHlksLLC1szcfiykXanmiXOtYXaqyjlPmAIYoz0QuXnkC99OVMRynEA465ZLOgkZuQ8VDw_Qa4AtDKRf1TkwG1xGpXjq4zuAGmmVr7JrogM/s320/IMG_1029.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">las tres amigas</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioShyyqtQPRmUMy7Lbo7_7JlvSvv7b6cplUm8ZyKVlgLLnEHlrBPcnsYU5prtQV_e2JSQo-OVfyit39DHQ3qWR5EuVqzZaCHsYHzysfEqjPGElVbmJcqgnh3K7kMgbKlJSeV9FHJdtn9U/s1600/IMG_1024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioShyyqtQPRmUMy7Lbo7_7JlvSvv7b6cplUm8ZyKVlgLLnEHlrBPcnsYU5prtQV_e2JSQo-OVfyit39DHQ3qWR5EuVqzZaCHsYHzysfEqjPGElVbmJcqgnh3K7kMgbKlJSeV9FHJdtn9U/s320/IMG_1024.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKS-Nn0UQRvLKGHyl2WU8gJY_S0SXZV9dmpISa5T2ON2zRXWkdTkjtC65o3Me37aMy0hjt41fJbY45JjUOaLlcxd3rP4PxPLLzlOiGA6R_iEhr4EQWeZBxPOpulgQXgDh5Tt62B11BH9g/s1600/IMG_1085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKS-Nn0UQRvLKGHyl2WU8gJY_S0SXZV9dmpISa5T2ON2zRXWkdTkjtC65o3Me37aMy0hjt41fJbY45JjUOaLlcxd3rP4PxPLLzlOiGA6R_iEhr4EQWeZBxPOpulgQXgDh5Tt62B11BH9g/s320/IMG_1085.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeAiGFemJyzv_RQ-_tG6xncaBc1hkl2rA1IEIn46T9KQE_6QI_rSNTriipYANGxvYlx72HuTHB9ZWMIE8-Skd_oYsxerlVY3ih-z1UsHLtZ78dnZqbv7daCjE4y3AQd47T0AJ3roZv4_c/s1600/IMG_1115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeAiGFemJyzv_RQ-_tG6xncaBc1hkl2rA1IEIn46T9KQE_6QI_rSNTriipYANGxvYlx72HuTHB9ZWMIE8-Skd_oYsxerlVY3ih-z1UsHLtZ78dnZqbv7daCjE4y3AQd47T0AJ3roZv4_c/s320/IMG_1115.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOr0ncAbcjWxqu91O9ag7lPlJ7_SYubBdgAoX_fljGFfWagDHMwlc-m4wFSmySz7jazneX6GutqEexGtPTlY-oYpdBrtaxstP0aDLUff_mTU3px6do4V3IalgG7siK-Uc_VAa7MDsJKlA/s1600/favorites+017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOr0ncAbcjWxqu91O9ag7lPlJ7_SYubBdgAoX_fljGFfWagDHMwlc-m4wFSmySz7jazneX6GutqEexGtPTlY-oYpdBrtaxstP0aDLUff_mTU3px6do4V3IalgG7siK-Uc_VAa7MDsJKlA/s320/favorites+017.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcNiOtwCgtabVvxnrTHhg1C6wKJ-JAMzXGmoRRd4R6YP9_FQVCVJW119pl-gF-YYCuRO_Smo-nVUg1cdT_Gfoyq_30B0HlypMcv5xlMW3E51tT9NK-u9__uESLYwQwTBNd2xSp70WuisM/s1600/IMG_1839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcNiOtwCgtabVvxnrTHhg1C6wKJ-JAMzXGmoRRd4R6YP9_FQVCVJW119pl-gF-YYCuRO_Smo-nVUg1cdT_Gfoyq_30B0HlypMcv5xlMW3E51tT9NK-u9__uESLYwQwTBNd2xSp70WuisM/s320/IMG_1839.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I guess you just had to be there... this is a classic that I LOVE</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBIsg67458diY99b-CQYbIZI5ajvxkQZ4WBBmkQZIgxKyXw2RinfX4uFmvcAaaTMJS-W6LdYK_q8CSMZg1McocdPnvEm46rdwn3vxWRDkD7U-g4Xmnz8AFRI7FoSr99mtlXfmQpjAhbU8/s1600/n1458000112_30068324_3629.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBIsg67458diY99b-CQYbIZI5ajvxkQZ4WBBmkQZIgxKyXw2RinfX4uFmvcAaaTMJS-W6LdYK_q8CSMZg1McocdPnvEm46rdwn3vxWRDkD7U-g4Xmnz8AFRI7FoSr99mtlXfmQpjAhbU8/s320/n1458000112_30068324_3629.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQi9Gh3juDJVyau-W4yYfqEZPQu-VbpO9xF8aw-7jLHdP2mkRFQUzYJeW88JUvseZ1jICjGi72PlCxX5mG2oUsKIFOKtg-MT9b6A0SvwlWnWlxewJpSZxbD6a71C_gewA5tmv6-4UtzQQ/s1600/IMG_3081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQi9Gh3juDJVyau-W4yYfqEZPQu-VbpO9xF8aw-7jLHdP2mkRFQUzYJeW88JUvseZ1jICjGi72PlCxX5mG2oUsKIFOKtg-MT9b6A0SvwlWnWlxewJpSZxbD6a71C_gewA5tmv6-4UtzQQ/s320/IMG_3081.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SEATTLE 2007</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDtafxrl7VfsEJP9L1lLi49OTftoNfipGUp4dqOlaUhE6_N9YW-2HTlYDar1x_sFLitaHeE5JVCBlsDW0vToIo-fOuEp4cQfQy6pShodj322h9SDexynCHTjEssglCBmD3oUX8r6zok4k/s1600/IMG_3093.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDtafxrl7VfsEJP9L1lLi49OTftoNfipGUp4dqOlaUhE6_N9YW-2HTlYDar1x_sFLitaHeE5JVCBlsDW0vToIo-fOuEp4cQfQy6pShodj322h9SDexynCHTjEssglCBmD3oUX8r6zok4k/s320/IMG_3093.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oregon 2007!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN6TGp2-9g8X5UTstdmYsMOPFfIAOyLnNJpE7NDERgCQjcD1Lj2PSpqpG2IWy9ImzPJWlMPvwXovYy8n64a7rshWBzPtVNV1SyIS6ox5RgE24jB7DdDAxffz8nN8BsPbaktvgPbEW7ZUQ/s1600/IMG_3930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN6TGp2-9g8X5UTstdmYsMOPFfIAOyLnNJpE7NDERgCQjcD1Lj2PSpqpG2IWy9ImzPJWlMPvwXovYy8n64a7rshWBzPtVNV1SyIS6ox5RgE24jB7DdDAxffz8nN8BsPbaktvgPbEW7ZUQ/s320/IMG_3930.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">just so cute :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGDwsBmAvWv8Mkxrsfn-wW4DCRANARb-xhvPufnoM9BDcsLqetrEode_hhpNI7nCa7G1RCCvHhaxVtabSnLIzmGt1as8PTHTAvjl-oQofg1TBChYs-QffdXI3m6hQm8clkaLPNzHQTLc0/s1600/IMG_6806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGDwsBmAvWv8Mkxrsfn-wW4DCRANARb-xhvPufnoM9BDcsLqetrEode_hhpNI7nCa7G1RCCvHhaxVtabSnLIzmGt1as8PTHTAvjl-oQofg1TBChYs-QffdXI3m6hQm8clkaLPNzHQTLc0/s320/IMG_6806.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy8BD31ICt7Yjl80T6PtufBajM9JNHEW5kJgPPWg_C9r4s5GSpssfN_a0dznvFnfYTgjlahZfmCTxvgxiEkpDiSRNETkKA5qtf2H2mtPkTEMTF_e20m3JDL7zAkJhBIT4fhES1-dePeoA/s1600/El+Centro+084.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy8BD31ICt7Yjl80T6PtufBajM9JNHEW5kJgPPWg_C9r4s5GSpssfN_a0dznvFnfYTgjlahZfmCTxvgxiEkpDiSRNETkKA5qtf2H2mtPkTEMTF_e20m3JDL7zAkJhBIT4fhES1-dePeoA/s320/El+Centro+084.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">:)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3LbMoRYX7luBwuHun0GguFb53w6xU1hu824-WBj59AJ8AEvucNB-IP7_F2jtX1pNQYhf5JNcW1KYVBtOGOJRLTOGhwxR1HvSEcjOuSLw2WVX5IqmgKsfT4bGYCrw_CDKtKPXiQXpeHbw/s1600/DSCN0965.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3LbMoRYX7luBwuHun0GguFb53w6xU1hu824-WBj59AJ8AEvucNB-IP7_F2jtX1pNQYhf5JNcW1KYVBtOGOJRLTOGhwxR1HvSEcjOuSLw2WVX5IqmgKsfT4bGYCrw_CDKtKPXiQXpeHbw/s320/DSCN0965.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJZZ-NDTX2wnlHCFYZDevkX9_RDqj8lFwZx_8y8JSYpJzzAEkvsxoIGNogY-uphhmdMT-IZesOtedzSupKUoveC_0woSdWZrM9m4rlU2OT5ozJdSsqz_78ujhsff-BSTl_c2Hk2-Gw9JU/s1600/IMG_9208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJZZ-NDTX2wnlHCFYZDevkX9_RDqj8lFwZx_8y8JSYpJzzAEkvsxoIGNogY-uphhmdMT-IZesOtedzSupKUoveC_0woSdWZrM9m4rlU2OT5ozJdSsqz_78ujhsff-BSTl_c2Hk2-Gw9JU/s320/IMG_9208.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2cUccEC9dCIKMI5btXOgIPAGSqxtaUO6Y-qAIkpY2cF1PS7IZgURS6LMgZWUQSvhYGDSP0RdsFGZ_49q_uD6rs3m_NzhYt1d0rk1I3oj6QIA_8R70zYC4Wbs-vglAINXnkRZ3S6_39ig/s1600/IMG_0060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2cUccEC9dCIKMI5btXOgIPAGSqxtaUO6Y-qAIkpY2cF1PS7IZgURS6LMgZWUQSvhYGDSP0RdsFGZ_49q_uD6rs3m_NzhYt1d0rk1I3oj6QIA_8R70zYC4Wbs-vglAINXnkRZ3S6_39ig/s320/IMG_0060.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Furmans :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibywLZ5KPl2NrHeuaH10hQppEdLTQ5It2TuV0dalcqI5Unn5LEh3vYDfzJUOVMeK36l8OlznOs-I2uS7YNNwo6443NZRJUpnJoPj-lLZz4jlQ2Esh0KIBkA5LcHX8W25KbmKxtDoIZLe0/s1600/IMG_0853.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibywLZ5KPl2NrHeuaH10hQppEdLTQ5It2TuV0dalcqI5Unn5LEh3vYDfzJUOVMeK36l8OlznOs-I2uS7YNNwo6443NZRJUpnJoPj-lLZz4jlQ2Esh0KIBkA5LcHX8W25KbmKxtDoIZLe0/s320/IMG_0853.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFoPYoztBF9_ZcnmlfjpI50BxLuOwetc6y2foMKxXJBFtVq3vPL8QPqwiS9rjtyOK-SMZoKQ3yBsBnEXlXs1IONPCTOzfbnGT4KWkrJYhcMT2MYlSAM37I9TnFANjkq1NGWb7xtHSOb-Y/s1600/IMG_1186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFoPYoztBF9_ZcnmlfjpI50BxLuOwetc6y2foMKxXJBFtVq3vPL8QPqwiS9rjtyOK-SMZoKQ3yBsBnEXlXs1IONPCTOzfbnGT4KWkrJYhcMT2MYlSAM37I9TnFANjkq1NGWb7xtHSOb-Y/s320/IMG_1186.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Sooo many good pictures, I just chose some of my all time favorites--which inevitably mean there are some embarassing ones in there, but let me promise you... I have more embarassing ones that I am NOT sharing ;)<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: purple; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Happy Birthday, Meg! I love you!</i></span><br />
<br />
<br />
xoxo,<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s1600/kate1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s200/kate1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>All the Places I Call Home :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15600430724068658387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580573395152758621.post-2465793462254715252011-09-03T11:17:00.000-07:002011-09-07T16:01:39.326-07:00irene.Hi friends!<br />
<br />
It's September already and I can hardly believe it! I have been in New York for a full month, and just finished my fourth week at work. Things are coming along, and I am getting more and more acclimated. But friends, it is still a transition. More of one than I anticipated, I suppose.<br />
<br />
Last weekend was a crazayyy weekend! Hurricane Irene threw me and the rest of NYC for a loop. Living in a basement apartment, I decided I should probably find another place to stay for the weekend. Not knowing quite what to expect, I took everything off the floor in my room, stacked in my bed, locked up and headed to John's parents' place just north of the city.<br />
<br />
Sure enough Irene passed through, leaving NYC mostly untouched. My apartment weathered the storm with true style--no power outages or flooding! Woohoo! However, though Irene was gracious to the city, she certainly had her way elsewhere. It turns out that Westchester county (where I was staying) was hit much harder by Irene than Brooklyn was.<br />
<br />
Enjoy these pictures from last weekend's adventure!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmfCmbLfL5XsPNjKrKTfBCzDTHRrNyNAFhoawtl0nRjOeX0jN15hRPvf4pwqWHh1hHmHj3QfLxEQC4-QjkAUIGj1gaNQ8l1QvYAcqQeakOIvdPTP9-hR3mXI60_zNcm3OxMtRwBU6N7Cc/s1600/IMG01307-20110828-1846-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmfCmbLfL5XsPNjKrKTfBCzDTHRrNyNAFhoawtl0nRjOeX0jN15hRPvf4pwqWHh1hHmHj3QfLxEQC4-QjkAUIGj1gaNQ8l1QvYAcqQeakOIvdPTP9-hR3mXI60_zNcm3OxMtRwBU6N7Cc/s320/IMG01307-20110828-1846-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">trees and branches down<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN9k6Y4q-r4XEpjVrumS5G4F_QWyuNO9JBmDOeTERBZ_55vnq-R1sDitgfV_wJ1z9XZtNcjFimP2X9mCJ-vkWrLCJ1bUYy7AJnjEDwNtqnZX5-1yzqfSdI6CN_uQkifb-bwiLpRFr53Dc/s1600/IMG01310-20110828-1851-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN9k6Y4q-r4XEpjVrumS5G4F_QWyuNO9JBmDOeTERBZ_55vnq-R1sDitgfV_wJ1z9XZtNcjFimP2X9mCJ-vkWrLCJ1bUYy7AJnjEDwNtqnZX5-1yzqfSdI6CN_uQkifb-bwiLpRFr53Dc/s320/IMG01310-20110828-1851-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">no, that's not a river... that's a major parkway, with 3 feet of water flooding it!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisF15zgxss5M7aRFgnbeYBSwZSDxftEeowylnnEtsTLZI1sMk50evM80RuKM540OWJT-DHEMpb-Sw1iRx5P2VqfQSCp7byh9Zloqy_F07NQzqFvURgNkg9fAB3f7Ncd6762xf7G1mNfV8/s1600/IMG01312-20110828-1852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisF15zgxss5M7aRFgnbeYBSwZSDxftEeowylnnEtsTLZI1sMk50evM80RuKM540OWJT-DHEMpb-Sw1iRx5P2VqfQSCp7byh9Zloqy_F07NQzqFvURgNkg9fAB3f7Ncd6762xf7G1mNfV8/s320/IMG01312-20110828-1852.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0NXJ-j2TY8Yd4AbB_Pajcgt2yKKW37uusAB3RMTWaXZ1jL6UiJ6HqpSHGQvggXq9AGEuQ_zNZkwFg1HCapHrCBGVYerpVAWTm5Ey9OFYDFsa8mrDu68oRupgMUEdwiyt4dlRok268W10/s1600/IMG01313-20110828-1853.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0NXJ-j2TY8Yd4AbB_Pajcgt2yKKW37uusAB3RMTWaXZ1jL6UiJ6HqpSHGQvggXq9AGEuQ_zNZkwFg1HCapHrCBGVYerpVAWTm5Ey9OFYDFsa8mrDu68oRupgMUEdwiyt4dlRok268W10/s320/IMG01313-20110828-1853.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2Xc41MlkAJ0MI5PVkVMsnPJKLa_jgD1lOl_cM3r5FvdovijrO7i-CKiXysZZxCuq4Nkjhr08x9zrwAtFhFKoV2P8tC1rksBkSnOi_SM650RedxAsZ3t8iwJQhiAsvsaMEwCmXtEklvM/s1600/IMG01314-20110828-1856.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2Xc41MlkAJ0MI5PVkVMsnPJKLa_jgD1lOl_cM3r5FvdovijrO7i-CKiXysZZxCuq4Nkjhr08x9zrwAtFhFKoV2P8tC1rksBkSnOi_SM650RedxAsZ3t8iwJQhiAsvsaMEwCmXtEklvM/s320/IMG01314-20110828-1856.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">car struck on a flooded street.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Things have calmed down now, but last week was interesting that's for sure!<br />
Hope you all enjoy this three day weekend. It sure is nice to be able to take a deep breath!<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s1600/kate1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s200/kate1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>All the Places I Call Home :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15600430724068658387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580573395152758621.post-16071296224126833702011-08-21T14:15:00.000-07:002011-08-21T14:20:05.020-07:00i have the cutest brothers in the world.No if ands or buts... I have the cutest brothers. In the world. Period.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFggF6E7F841fGRQOiWoF2PQ3qO1F0kBMvpAcLNTpdIrHg2qKibNRl-uMHRb8_Xq7qE53SWXp6OjNm3fEWpRKAhqSIrG4NpRjEV8z558SYh0OVT1u2LRv2nDX7HoPEfKQMh3quYnq870Y/s1600/Slide1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFggF6E7F841fGRQOiWoF2PQ3qO1F0kBMvpAcLNTpdIrHg2qKibNRl-uMHRb8_Xq7qE53SWXp6OjNm3fEWpRKAhqSIrG4NpRjEV8z558SYh0OVT1u2LRv2nDX7HoPEfKQMh3quYnq870Y/s400/Slide1.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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Don't you think?<br />
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New York has been wonderful thus far, but I must be honest, I miss home. Especially my family. I can't even begin to tell you how much I miss these little guys.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6AiG1jq1hpH2r3JvoNDIf6_6UjY23uJadqD0nG_1UMyJAhRhEKpUBt5UtX724W3CjrEIHPCIklFEwIpl9u8hpL4uc5BO5nQNJ4kLTEqzlfP7lB920ivYIlBwOO4ZQAluq_iRn1XR439s/s1600/IMG_1331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6AiG1jq1hpH2r3JvoNDIf6_6UjY23uJadqD0nG_1UMyJAhRhEKpUBt5UtX724W3CjrEIHPCIklFEwIpl9u8hpL4uc5BO5nQNJ4kLTEqzlfP7lB920ivYIlBwOO4ZQAluq_iRn1XR439s/s320/IMG_1331.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDKQKM9Rt_UOqWnxy8bv9kPrmkx1Vnut6dmvxCnIRJ0mKZmgvNMPsQDN76gY7_nJ3EHzXLeY6hLQOSFU3o3as0cAVHkHqdppHh2ADroSX1s6P2SnKs2kmV8cUUwc6hNqMUpyVwDdD7o1Y/s1600/IMG_1334.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDKQKM9Rt_UOqWnxy8bv9kPrmkx1Vnut6dmvxCnIRJ0mKZmgvNMPsQDN76gY7_nJ3EHzXLeY6hLQOSFU3o3as0cAVHkHqdppHh2ADroSX1s6P2SnKs2kmV8cUUwc6hNqMUpyVwDdD7o1Y/s320/IMG_1334.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div> These three musketeers sure do make me smile :)<br />
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Hope you all had a wonderful weekend, friends!<br />
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All the Places I Call Home :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15600430724068658387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580573395152758621.post-89197008077841907452011-08-18T15:24:00.000-07:002011-08-18T15:24:39.492-07:00Thankful Thursday: little things that make me smile :)Hi there sweet friends,<br />
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It's my first <i>Thankful Thursday</i> post in quite some time! Today, I'm going to share some little sweet somethings from around my neighborhood that make me smile.<br />
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This sweet sign made by my WONDERFUL roommate Sarena, welcomed me home on my first day in my apartment.<br />
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A couple blocks from my apartment is Love Lane. Can you think of a sweeter street name than that? Just thinking about it makes me smile :)<br />
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Discovering the laundromat just two blocks from my apartment made my day--no joke!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This monthly MetroCard gives me unlimited access to the subway system and boy, let me tell you, it's such a relief to not have to worry about how much money is left on my card and trying to calculate how many trips I think that I'll do in the next week. I love this baby! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfbadz3tAsOtJ1LA_vfQEswWazMdvb2tpq04cLxrCHXZcDhyphenhyphendwvIeoehxVvpz_i-vMKTYGSQnY5D6z9GKl2PINSUOfhKNdWV6ecD5OJuaCrfXN3ynhLFsiZtGdczT4fMPBuS6vt5dpsws/s1600/IMG01301-20110814-1303.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfbadz3tAsOtJ1LA_vfQEswWazMdvb2tpq04cLxrCHXZcDhyphenhyphendwvIeoehxVvpz_i-vMKTYGSQnY5D6z9GKl2PINSUOfhKNdWV6ecD5OJuaCrfXN3ynhLFsiZtGdczT4fMPBuS6vt5dpsws/s320/IMG01301-20110814-1303.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
And of course, my decorated "wall" in my cubical makes me smile every time I see it (sorry for the blurry picture--I felt a bit awkward taking a picture of desk at work, so didn't go for a better one ;) )<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi11cF4T9KcmSm_8GPcBnAsFMyBRd_AowV0GucNewq2sHTpAjGPCazc67wg0Hb-AikF-nybrzf4KmVEuAIPPdq63Datwr7NY9xA2GfsqMf3pzx0pnU-JJCoJBvLawhuNxTy2n0fPICwT4Y/s1600/IMG01303-20110818-1458.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi11cF4T9KcmSm_8GPcBnAsFMyBRd_AowV0GucNewq2sHTpAjGPCazc67wg0Hb-AikF-nybrzf4KmVEuAIPPdq63Datwr7NY9xA2GfsqMf3pzx0pnU-JJCoJBvLawhuNxTy2n0fPICwT4Y/s320/IMG01303-20110818-1458.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Soo.. what do you think? Do you have those little things that just make life that much sweeter that make you smile too? Bet you do :)<br />
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Happy almost Friday, friends!<br />
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All the Places I Call Home :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15600430724068658387noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580573395152758621.post-45880030612767671152011-08-14T17:27:00.000-07:002011-08-14T17:32:17.419-07:00zooming in--to my room.Hi Friends,<br />
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After a whirlwind of a first week at work, this weekend seems to have flown by. I guess that's how life is though, right? My first working week in NYC was a wonderful though hectic one--lot's to learn--but more on that later.<br />
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Today, I wanted to zoom you in to my room.<br />
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First off... let's look at how far I have traveled to be here. From Seattle all the way across the country to New York City.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZCRmd1h3UvX2fd6emzhFBuaCApwtgKmNWMAG7hU9opf6g6IoCHdt5zQlatFSFiRj_L1J6zIgYMZV1uphwykfJOGOve06izNXEp4PgZfJZD1DHK9mzSyKovsBglm72twvN-VawTD-PSNw/s1600/map_of_us%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZCRmd1h3UvX2fd6emzhFBuaCApwtgKmNWMAG7hU9opf6g6IoCHdt5zQlatFSFiRj_L1J6zIgYMZV1uphwykfJOGOve06izNXEp4PgZfJZD1DHK9mzSyKovsBglm72twvN-VawTD-PSNw/s320/map_of_us%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://emerging-advertising-media.wikispaces.com/Text+Message+Ads">[via]</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Okay, now New York. It's a big state! (not nearly as big as Oregon though--don't worry all, I'm rocking my OR pride!) New York City is in the southeastern tip of the state.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyV876kQ5-9U-ceVV4O1kN78JvVRV4cDcgOruwxwkCHeSq3cc-r2IW0AypTvM89NL-ZPnbsWcOMh6G-UPvsUPjfsG5AuJ9tltV-Uw_GDe5dxLobBws42JCmocFNtGKbXWQ_ljlfbGyLNM/s1600/new-york-road-map.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyV876kQ5-9U-ceVV4O1kN78JvVRV4cDcgOruwxwkCHeSq3cc-r2IW0AypTvM89NL-ZPnbsWcOMh6G-UPvsUPjfsG5AuJ9tltV-Uw_GDe5dxLobBws42JCmocFNtGKbXWQ_ljlfbGyLNM/s320/new-york-road-map.gif" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.new-york-map.org/new-york-road-map.gif">[via]</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Now the boroughs. I think I have them down now, but it took me a while to sort out what was where.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZu3-yw4YYAXMEJFLyleeloEXs0PR9uJLRsh_XUbgrpiSe-jfIx7TeDf3nb92TAL7IkAxhnKNAiTjbGMszGMYte2rwtZT_tkhKAA-lQjF-qxJHqtB2Kf1H_VZ7T5NA8LwQvCIXFfkxqDE/s1600/map_boroughs.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZu3-yw4YYAXMEJFLyleeloEXs0PR9uJLRsh_XUbgrpiSe-jfIx7TeDf3nb92TAL7IkAxhnKNAiTjbGMszGMYte2rwtZT_tkhKAA-lQjF-qxJHqtB2Kf1H_VZ7T5NA8LwQvCIXFfkxqDE/s320/map_boroughs.gif" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://residentialnyc.com/borough/borough.html">[via]</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Let's look at Manhattan up close. I work in the Financial District... yup at the very tip of Manhattan!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheNwxMMwvrbRcEdLD1eOtJ-I3etuB7twD3fF31hU8022mZmOdaYGY-anSTt2UiANLWYVo3YFgj9EVxGnmcKXapRH7DK9rvF4CoWap8J5JikS6LGeBywVIwaJtxBN4VpwgrFTCr-WGFDyk/s1600/map_hoods4.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheNwxMMwvrbRcEdLD1eOtJ-I3etuB7twD3fF31hU8022mZmOdaYGY-anSTt2UiANLWYVo3YFgj9EVxGnmcKXapRH7DK9rvF4CoWap8J5JikS6LGeBywVIwaJtxBN4VpwgrFTCr-WGFDyk/s320/map_hoods4.gif" width="166" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nyctourist.com/map1.htm">[via]</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>And, I live right across the East River in Brooklyn, specifically Brooklyn Heights--it is a really beautiful neighborhood, known for it's brownstone buildings.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFxkv9k4LR97sYrRhHohcb-HnxRYSnhVAydo8Y-6zix0-wJN8Tuj5bmOMy6C4YedWfnSNJZywtxOudPgOWgwEVHM-Rq3-pHKILeVrS1rCRyOGgybfgmaL28OOgBGyKtPrCkd9hxVnV2Io/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-08-14+at+7.58.16+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFxkv9k4LR97sYrRhHohcb-HnxRYSnhVAydo8Y-6zix0-wJN8Tuj5bmOMy6C4YedWfnSNJZywtxOudPgOWgwEVHM-Rq3-pHKILeVrS1rCRyOGgybfgmaL28OOgBGyKtPrCkd9hxVnV2Io/s320/Screen+shot+2011-08-14+at+7.58.16+PM.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Pretty sweet commute right?! (Point A is work, Point B is home)</div><br />
Now, let's see my room (finally!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoqtrO7z8yZKYCf-6tiixgjmfmUKAfcF_Txke0QYIJPBa71PccAfl4Mty0jLMnHHFbhc8sDps2v6_5JJm15fJ2CIm4ei-lDEQQNrsyAod-Fp3Z38wn_OXzPF4PuYtRFWe45ineZnhqHkE/s1600/IMG_1367.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoqtrO7z8yZKYCf-6tiixgjmfmUKAfcF_Txke0QYIJPBa71PccAfl4Mty0jLMnHHFbhc8sDps2v6_5JJm15fJ2CIm4ei-lDEQQNrsyAod-Fp3Z38wn_OXzPF4PuYtRFWe45ineZnhqHkE/s320/IMG_1367.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The doors to my room!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>So technically speaking, in New York terms, I have a "good sized" room. This means that I can fit a full size bed and one other piece of furniture, which I have chosen to be a multipurpose shelving unit from IKEA. Truth be told, I have a small room, but I love it!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32MRVkHsC-YExilgpozqmAeIUzkrdfT3cZ3QJgkZnlbRFxQo26KQKs-0zXmd-sIMZYbPwUxQXxT77MkmN_B_8MLy8XkoEQIydDjkXzJZlZXIxGWzoleFLcM1SfUiqC8EGXigNLkAHMnw/s1600/IMG_1363.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32MRVkHsC-YExilgpozqmAeIUzkrdfT3cZ3QJgkZnlbRFxQo26KQKs-0zXmd-sIMZYbPwUxQXxT77MkmN_B_8MLy8XkoEQIydDjkXzJZlZXIxGWzoleFLcM1SfUiqC8EGXigNLkAHMnw/s320/IMG_1363.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8PX0182PfTo5Ja03g5VCtrgNx9iui0OHI4vKfgDVx67N-37p0DZq5URo8v4GAlAAJzGf-gywLYjxA_xbTuQJ4HJBTTgcGRlF1NQTH7dj9V7Z9GOCMNu-twXJUGPm3fXHn9TmLZ1aYiGI/s1600/IMG_1371.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8PX0182PfTo5Ja03g5VCtrgNx9iui0OHI4vKfgDVx67N-37p0DZq5URo8v4GAlAAJzGf-gywLYjxA_xbTuQJ4HJBTTgcGRlF1NQTH7dj9V7Z9GOCMNu-twXJUGPm3fXHn9TmLZ1aYiGI/s320/IMG_1371.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguyVTH0FLg2q3mncMkXhZOjNcN9pjGkL-aavAcb7-dDzy8i-JDzPjB8Og4wxd9yt0GtHhF3Sn3rorU5LLCa-bssjSHl63sXFk5qmhQdEYrrG8aOoSSOEoBQxKuEVE6HbhwF7IfhiCH0Xw/s1600/IMG_1372.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguyVTH0FLg2q3mncMkXhZOjNcN9pjGkL-aavAcb7-dDzy8i-JDzPjB8Og4wxd9yt0GtHhF3Sn3rorU5LLCa-bssjSHl63sXFk5qmhQdEYrrG8aOoSSOEoBQxKuEVE6HbhwF7IfhiCH0Xw/s320/IMG_1372.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The only piece of artwork I have up so far--more to come!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4YifUOID-iheDI69LugMpZnY9BR45YcWl22AAwn6HLbmQVfA6Ogyp9ZyQttd7G2Kpu5Iaav3gM-xdEuw-ix8axGugXDchiQV4erpkJ-GgdWaJwKMwCGWPUvq85mhCnBmzcwiCz2zbIuI/s1600/IMG_1373.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4YifUOID-iheDI69LugMpZnY9BR45YcWl22AAwn6HLbmQVfA6Ogyp9ZyQttd7G2Kpu5Iaav3gM-xdEuw-ix8axGugXDchiQV4erpkJ-GgdWaJwKMwCGWPUvq85mhCnBmzcwiCz2zbIuI/s320/IMG_1373.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The door opens to a private and enclosed back patio--I will definitely be making use of that space!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>That fan you see? A $23 life saver!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ06nFRy0DsKzuKVSThkqsUG-1cNUW_mTo0PNCngDouaOhqonLEg0v42Z0WmtQV4OhpvAmqTr1GS8bTyMKFvZ9VeowOM_7kShVg1YOZFKYhOUbF8-8G922GFODEoXeZrljY093EbEgqOo/s1600/IMG_1379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ06nFRy0DsKzuKVSThkqsUG-1cNUW_mTo0PNCngDouaOhqonLEg0v42Z0WmtQV4OhpvAmqTr1GS8bTyMKFvZ9VeowOM_7kShVg1YOZFKYhOUbF8-8G922GFODEoXeZrljY093EbEgqOo/s320/IMG_1379.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here I am, sitting on my bed in Brooklyn, NY. Hiya folks!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I love my new room and my new apartment. (I will show more pictures of my apartment in the weeks to come.) The transition so far has had it's ups and downs, but as the sermon of the new church I checked out tonight reminded me, I am here in NY for a reason, and God is with me along the way.<br />
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More updates to come--love to you all!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s1600/kate1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s200/kate1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
All the Places I Call Home :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15600430724068658387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580573395152758621.post-78477261555516645892011-08-08T19:26:00.000-07:002011-08-08T19:26:50.733-07:00first celebrity sighting!Hi Friends!<br />
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Today, was my first day of work as a New Yorker. It was a really wonderful though overwhelming day. I met a lot of people and learned a good deal about the vision and heart of the organization I work for... but more on that later, and pictures coming soon too!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEbPrZM6G8gkzdxGIQprtbSFvPhlrtWX1yS1bNlTSDYZyfgM9XXJYdjBSVfDAsbriyJFomvbGqgBZ5XNQckdBhHDRPTOtay6mHZspF43M5z_Lnm13hMXA9cpJZE5zCU5u-K8PPoRNqnkY/s1600/ed-westwick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEbPrZM6G8gkzdxGIQprtbSFvPhlrtWX1yS1bNlTSDYZyfgM9XXJYdjBSVfDAsbriyJFomvbGqgBZ5XNQckdBhHDRPTOtay6mHZspF43M5z_Lnm13hMXA9cpJZE5zCU5u-K8PPoRNqnkY/s320/ed-westwick.jpg" width="198" /></a></div><br />
For now, I just wanted to share a silly bit of excitement! I had my first celebrity sighting in NYC! I saw Ed Westwick, better known as Chuck from Gossip Girl. He was walking around Williamsburg--the part of Brooklyn that John lives in, also the hipster capitol of the world, second only to Portland and Seattle--with who seemed to be his mom. John and I were walking just about 15 feet or so behind him, I couldn't believe it!<br />
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Was I star struck and did I run up to get his autograph? No.<br />
Was I excited? Yes yes yes!<br />
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A little bit of fun NYC for you :)<br />
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Oh, also, I saw rats on the subway tracks... welcome to New York!<br />
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Love,<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s1600/kate1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s200/kate1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
All the Places I Call Home :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15600430724068658387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580573395152758621.post-32326381699066210612011-08-07T18:35:00.000-07:002011-08-07T18:35:57.689-07:00Transitions, transitionsHi friends,<br />
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Yes, I have made it to New York. I am one week in as a New Yorker... crazy to say that?! The transition has been a transition, carrying with it a bunch of things you can't quite prepare for, but nothing too overwhelming...And I am finally starting to feel settled. My room is coming together, my job starts tomorrow and I am getting lost less and less (at least around my neighborhood that is!).<br />
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I will write more soon, but for now, I just wanted to say thank you for all your support... and pictures are coming soon!<br />
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love,<br />
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KateAll the Places I Call Home :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15600430724068658387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580573395152758621.post-46174223736309118742011-07-28T13:12:00.000-07:002011-07-28T13:12:34.173-07:00And, I'm off!Hi Friends!<br />
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In <b>two days</b> at this time, I will be in New York (find out my plan for NY in <a href="http://alltheplacesicallhome.blogspot.com/2011/06/new-place-to-call-home.html">this post</a>)! Woohoo, I can't believe how fast it has arrived. Needless to say, these last cherished moments in the northwest I won't spend blogging or even on the computer at all--I'll be spending them with the people I love most, my family! I have plans to golf and go to the batting cages with my brothers and Grandma, some delicious dinners and lots of quality time just being together. I can't wait!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4IgL-UynPJwG_Gu6X1l6C_fkJDh_UG5LyMuZnV0Kh2oWmXEx91PM4RfWFaIlALcWfKkXAo7R43TNbK_jkHm0tJqDQ7aWtc9NvbCzPxNY-OCzClGL5k8hQo6cah0gS__tAMWYzIHybAmU/s1600/IMG_1238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4IgL-UynPJwG_Gu6X1l6C_fkJDh_UG5LyMuZnV0Kh2oWmXEx91PM4RfWFaIlALcWfKkXAo7R43TNbK_jkHm0tJqDQ7aWtc9NvbCzPxNY-OCzClGL5k8hQo6cah0gS__tAMWYzIHybAmU/s320/IMG_1238.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">we have a good time together :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The next blog post I write will be New York written! I'll try to post pictures of my apartment as soon as possible! Thank you for your support through this transition, I so appreciate it!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_82O7uveaIh_n7N1iZfMQdhz4sAwZ5TevcltGfQgBJjVNNgJwk24ntG5ZgElqVRVanYW6QE6mqMkwl7CeTqFuvBKRrzX9MhlilvBQtL17zxJW609iMN-C_SSqZFq9XsRfXsIXaoxda0o/s1600/IMG_3096.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_82O7uveaIh_n7N1iZfMQdhz4sAwZ5TevcltGfQgBJjVNNgJwk24ntG5ZgElqVRVanYW6QE6mqMkwl7CeTqFuvBKRrzX9MhlilvBQtL17zxJW609iMN-C_SSqZFq9XsRfXsIXaoxda0o/s320/IMG_3096.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Farewell Oregon, I will miss you! </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Ta-ta for now! I'll see you on the flip-side (of the country that is ;) )<br />
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love,<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s1600/kate1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s200/kate1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>All the Places I Call Home :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15600430724068658387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580573395152758621.post-42642062042076543252011-07-26T15:30:00.000-07:002011-07-26T15:57:11.565-07:00words of encouragement Tuesday!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuB5-D3PrDWZwsws8E0d5su2urwc20WLaD1Rm6HXQSgQ0pgMElGwJBxFIM8l08DjjCY6eTZ7REesdfrFTiN2jsOIcxZOBqkmR52kyAoDu7R5AnaPpM-1rVBLiauloc6-zaybWayvmNdTI/s1600/IMG_3078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuB5-D3PrDWZwsws8E0d5su2urwc20WLaD1Rm6HXQSgQ0pgMElGwJBxFIM8l08DjjCY6eTZ7REesdfrFTiN2jsOIcxZOBqkmR52kyAoDu7R5AnaPpM-1rVBLiauloc6-zaybWayvmNdTI/s320/IMG_3078.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Speak from that place in your heart where you are most yourself. Speak directly, simply, lovingly, gently, without any apologies. Tell us what you see and want us to see; tell us what you hear and want us to hear... Trust your own heart. The words will come. There is nothing to fear. Those who need you most will help you the most." --page 25 from Life of the Beloved by Henry Nouwen</span></span></span><br />
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</div><div>Friends, after reading these words, my heart pitter patted a bit faster. It was as though the writer of these words was speaking directly to me. These words were spoken to Henry Nouwen as he began to write the moving book <u>Life of the Beloved</u>. And these words speak to me, reminding me that the most beautiful thing any of us can do is truly be ourselves. This quote encourages me to be none other than me. And there is something truly refreshing about being who we were created to be. </div><div><br />
</div><div>I hope you, too, are encouraged by these words.</div><div><br />
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</div><div><br />
</div>All the Places I Call Home :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15600430724068658387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580573395152758621.post-68544319587647698682011-07-25T17:11:00.000-07:002011-07-25T17:12:15.502-07:00Happy Birthday Daddy!Today is my dear daddio's birthday!!!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;">Happy Birthday Dad!</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNBaLDlfJKKL0KxelVTLEvKvaPbX95A_BPhMyGqdu9Qnm2JZHXOalUSD9PyhpvwiLZmxXYVjA8P2u8Xa4agEaEwTdrDjgtKaRjQO-lk8x8wBEZ1yOfPfQqN1prez-3faUcGktdx6DKE7I/s1600/CIMG0019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNBaLDlfJKKL0KxelVTLEvKvaPbX95A_BPhMyGqdu9Qnm2JZHXOalUSD9PyhpvwiLZmxXYVjA8P2u8Xa4agEaEwTdrDjgtKaRjQO-lk8x8wBEZ1yOfPfQqN1prez-3faUcGktdx6DKE7I/s400/CIMG0019.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Knee deep in getting ready to move to New York, I have been blessed over the last week to be able to spend some good chunks of time with my dad. I think he and I both can agree that we'd always like to be able to spend more time together than we have been able to over my 23 years. So these last couple months have been especially sweet with our increased amount of quality time together.<br />
<br />
Here are some reasons that I am particularly thankful for my dad.<br />
<br />
He is...<br />
<br />
<i>Totally reliable</i>--He is there when I need him. I have experienced this in so many practical ways over the last couple of months. In a phone call of (mini) crisis he answers and talks me through whatever my stress at the moment is. Thank you, Dad!<br />
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<i>Problem solver--researcher</i>. He does the work or research to know how to answer life questions I have and find really practical solutions for them.<br />
<br />
<i>He loves me, and he prays for me.</i> I know my daddio loves me--first off, he tells me he does and secondly, I can tell he does by how he tries to protect me from life's snares (and by how much he worries about me). He also consistently prays for me, which I find such a powerful way to demonstrate love.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiEB5HdFgQ14VhRUsbtsuHskbSZpDzr6-7eBK7tBQZr4eZceFqYGGNR7g9derTMsfA9fYlSeIqZB_EACACBBH9iE4fSW7RyMomio4JRfehEdtUoHYFJ01NkYeSXamDAizfq6qZUCpGMjI/s1600/Photo+on+2010-03-31+at+18.28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiEB5HdFgQ14VhRUsbtsuHskbSZpDzr6-7eBK7tBQZr4eZceFqYGGNR7g9derTMsfA9fYlSeIqZB_EACACBBH9iE4fSW7RyMomio4JRfehEdtUoHYFJ01NkYeSXamDAizfq6qZUCpGMjI/s320/Photo+on+2010-03-31+at+18.28.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I love you, Daddy and am so thankful that I got to celebrate your birthday with you today!<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s1600/kate1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s200/kate1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>All the Places I Call Home :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15600430724068658387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580573395152758621.post-3926636786579206762011-07-15T22:46:00.000-07:002011-07-15T22:49:58.596-07:00so long sweet kitty, and so much moreHi friends,<br />
<br />
These past couple of weeks have begun the final closing to my childhood. (I sound pretty dramatic, right?! but hear me out!)<br />
<br />
I have sold my childhood dresser, the bed from my childhood room and the car I learned to drive on.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXK22soC8soGAddAFc-JNgSSyeqrfd8ryzKnB13ZUfVG8L0Au1NQroUaDJYiEbsxtlHKdoCqMW6ZHNmNn3uDhyEmib7UvtFpB3UwtCPAuflGSnFaFFFbgtA2b3d4jda1E0aia7knEjJQ/s1600/IMG_1302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXK22soC8soGAddAFc-JNgSSyeqrfd8ryzKnB13ZUfVG8L0Au1NQroUaDJYiEbsxtlHKdoCqMW6ZHNmNn3uDhyEmib7UvtFpB3UwtCPAuflGSnFaFFFbgtA2b3d4jda1E0aia7knEjJQ/s320/IMG_1302.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWJ2K2Ry-YJL0z6ZCgsH68R_yRmj5aRngDkEsRJawTOjM2AYg2rl3fox4-0klRzvTF88nwlrtU3U1NXvoKkojOiz_8JOTBSRCXrBAAS1y2NAWhY4eN6NHh1fWVUTWydWqH_2GepqgoDks/s1600/IMG_1283.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWJ2K2Ry-YJL0z6ZCgsH68R_yRmj5aRngDkEsRJawTOjM2AYg2rl3fox4-0klRzvTF88nwlrtU3U1NXvoKkojOiz_8JOTBSRCXrBAAS1y2NAWhY4eN6NHh1fWVUTWydWqH_2GepqgoDks/s320/IMG_1283.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I have sorted through mounds and mounds of stuff, and have in many ways cleansed myself of material items, keeping only that which holds the most importance and value.<br />
<br />
I have said goodbye to children who will grow up, and positions that will be filled. I have said goodbye to wonderful friends, who I really will cherish forever.<br />
<br />
And, last and most sadly, my sweet kitty-cat, Croissant, passed away this last Wednesday, from what we assume to be a coyote attack.<br />
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This cat was something special. I found him in a barn at a bbq back when I was 8 years old and begged my mom to let me take him home. Being rejected by our other two cats, we placed him in the guinea pig cage for safe keeping, where he happily lived most of his kitten life. Two years later, he went missing for 10 long days and <b>came back on my 10th birthday!</b> A couple years back we had to get him a lion cut because of matts, and boy was he <i>CUTE</i> (and self conscious). Without getting too sappy, let me just say this cat was my "little man." He carried himself with a tough guy attitude, but let himself get all lovey in my lap. I loved this cat for 15 years of my life and he was the last of my childhood pets to pass away.<br />
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It truly is an end of an era. Childhood no more, as I prepare for my move in 14 short days to New York. I am leaving Seattle tomorrow (Saturday) and will be home (relative term now, I suppose) in Portland for the next two weeks.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiEB5HdFgQ14VhRUsbtsuHskbSZpDzr6-7eBK7tBQZr4eZceFqYGGNR7g9derTMsfA9fYlSeIqZB_EACACBBH9iE4fSW7RyMomio4JRfehEdtUoHYFJ01NkYeSXamDAizfq6qZUCpGMjI/s1600/Photo+on+2010-03-31+at+18.28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiEB5HdFgQ14VhRUsbtsuHskbSZpDzr6-7eBK7tBQZr4eZceFqYGGNR7g9derTMsfA9fYlSeIqZB_EACACBBH9iE4fSW7RyMomio4JRfehEdtUoHYFJ01NkYeSXamDAizfq6qZUCpGMjI/s320/Photo+on+2010-03-31+at+18.28.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxdde75fJevCkq8juXnQGRFit982MgxMVaJAiBWw8cz92agmAkJ2oZulgVd5LbYWgmLCuS3RFYeKQfBvs7NM1Eo8i7CJLMwtYgO5FVpeIaUtDXm1QM-kBMwo-1Rt-Fk5pizIWPSP-L808/s1600/Photo+on+2010-03-31+at+18.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxdde75fJevCkq8juXnQGRFit982MgxMVaJAiBWw8cz92agmAkJ2oZulgVd5LbYWgmLCuS3RFYeKQfBvs7NM1Eo8i7CJLMwtYgO5FVpeIaUtDXm1QM-kBMwo-1Rt-Fk5pizIWPSP-L808/s320/Photo+on+2010-03-31+at+18.35.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Time is flying and I feel like grown-up hood is sneaking up on me! I've made a committment though, to have more fun and keep that kid at heart alive!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTu8Rupg1I15yBGH4QOy7tcXbdLRssm2zltwEbpqXcGj1zKAJeQQ_Fqo7I-YWjzimExpcobFYu0S_I_694ytQ29E3HL4t58DQBJeOgLpr1l1PbUXNHukUhKI-uRIm-au05NA-UVajrAsI/s1600/Photo+on+2010-03-31+at+19.04+%25233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTu8Rupg1I15yBGH4QOy7tcXbdLRssm2zltwEbpqXcGj1zKAJeQQ_Fqo7I-YWjzimExpcobFYu0S_I_694ytQ29E3HL4t58DQBJeOgLpr1l1PbUXNHukUhKI-uRIm-au05NA-UVajrAsI/s320/Photo+on+2010-03-31+at+19.04+%25233.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGWNSBpYQgz0XMvurTz3KEJ_FRC4Iv6wcetqijkRCC8T1Aqyq5_Sfgz29iB8-EscFGc62PLZA3w6pJQBgZZykglbyed8V9SpZFyYsafFEAWn5TuK1GfxajjiPhdm7y_aXc-fvdlghi4ic/s1600/Photo+on+2010-06-14+at+20.37+%25232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGWNSBpYQgz0XMvurTz3KEJ_FRC4Iv6wcetqijkRCC8T1Aqyq5_Sfgz29iB8-EscFGc62PLZA3w6pJQBgZZykglbyed8V9SpZFyYsafFEAWn5TuK1GfxajjiPhdm7y_aXc-fvdlghi4ic/s320/Photo+on+2010-06-14+at+20.37+%25232.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I am sad at what I am stepping away from but excited for the journey ahead and the new phases of life I am entering into.<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s1600/kate1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s200/kate1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>All the Places I Call Home :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15600430724068658387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580573395152758621.post-21708796257505316192011-07-09T00:46:00.000-07:002011-07-09T00:46:44.042-07:00packing...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOyFvLUSDKYKdOANmsMaMjZB4Qyd_BiNjRR_5PHJyzy_3TV44nC5Sc75k8903vLYdP16L2U3YheHrcI7tXtKzRzsI5Z9or3GEr0gM1YjN4Id-A6xREGLxTpZigifz7h7x3SOlDE_RdaN8/s1600/IMG_1289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOyFvLUSDKYKdOANmsMaMjZB4Qyd_BiNjRR_5PHJyzy_3TV44nC5Sc75k8903vLYdP16L2U3YheHrcI7tXtKzRzsI5Z9or3GEr0gM1YjN4Id-A6xREGLxTpZigifz7h7x3SOlDE_RdaN8/s320/IMG_1289.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcxlYpeNmzeuBDaDbvy8GgHdX1BUCZ48eWrJ6LjJRcOBhoPtF0G5P_hyphenhyphen99jnnCv50k7YWWySWPFIFcaboh9RXdotftm0jOTNtA1umGHYwifj8bzzdE1wocN6LvbO50Tj0W0yy9cX2-Vds/s1600/IMG_1291.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcxlYpeNmzeuBDaDbvy8GgHdX1BUCZ48eWrJ6LjJRcOBhoPtF0G5P_hyphenhyphen99jnnCv50k7YWWySWPFIFcaboh9RXdotftm0jOTNtA1umGHYwifj8bzzdE1wocN6LvbO50Tj0W0yy9cX2-Vds/s320/IMG_1291.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIOdtxYUSOAeAsw_9qwQHfRuxn1RuN0SgL-VBuuftWQkII_sHRH93tiU3L_2Iz-PvlKZ_5Qmtg6fIIjZTxD_ziVApR_EXMJlNC4bRAbZJa0eWzcYIvj3fv60V7qTx-P4yy_O0QWsIMmmw/s1600/IMG_1293.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIOdtxYUSOAeAsw_9qwQHfRuxn1RuN0SgL-VBuuftWQkII_sHRH93tiU3L_2Iz-PvlKZ_5Qmtg6fIIjZTxD_ziVApR_EXMJlNC4bRAbZJa0eWzcYIvj3fv60V7qTx-P4yy_O0QWsIMmmw/s320/IMG_1293.jpg" width="299" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hi friends,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Let me explain my lack of blogging this last week (and likely this upcoming week too!) .... Well, my room is a mess, my mind is a mixture of running a million miles an hour and all over the place and I am knee deep in packing with seven days left in Seattle.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It has been a cleansing process, an exhausting process and well, I guess just a long process on top of all the other things that go along with leaving an apartment, a city and a job. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">But, my friends, it is good.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I hope you are well after a short week following the 4th of July! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Love,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s1600/kate1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s200/kate1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>All the Places I Call Home :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15600430724068658387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580573395152758621.post-51804401742159211872011-06-27T22:56:00.000-07:002011-06-27T22:58:12.135-07:00favorite quote!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFPwJSWcniCpJSIk7aQ_3JXtf-f4qqekgYnFJwFH2xuFii-7mzD9orNvhC7ETG49oKyMQWxnonRqlb8_gkx4RdIES9uSn2E78HlXPhH-fPXJbNRCB4YamANAt4Whc0xJrZUyqtL4hsTNc/s1600/DSCN0579.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFPwJSWcniCpJSIk7aQ_3JXtf-f4qqekgYnFJwFH2xuFii-7mzD9orNvhC7ETG49oKyMQWxnonRqlb8_gkx4RdIES9uSn2E78HlXPhH-fPXJbNRCB4YamANAt4Whc0xJrZUyqtL4hsTNc/s320/DSCN0579.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Hi friends!<br />
<br />
Today, I was filling out end of the year paperwork for AmeriCorps (check out what I'm doing next <a href="http://alltheplacesicallhome.blogspot.com/2011/06/new-place-to-call-home.html">here</a>) and on our check list of items to submit to Pat, my AmeriCorps supervisor, was an item that said: your favorite quote. I love fun things like this, and I love quotes--probably because I just love words so much. Have you noticed I'm pretty wordy?! :) Anyways, it was fun to think about.<br />
<br />
Here are a couple of my favorite quotes:<br />
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"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes it is a quiet voice at the end of the saying, "I'll try again tomorrow" --<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px;">Mary Anne Radmacher</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">"When I have learnt to love God better than my earthly dearest, I shall love my earthly dearest better than I do now. In so far as I learn to love my earthly dearest at the expense of God and instead of God, I shall be moving towards the state in which I shall not love my earthly dearest at all. When first things are put first, second things are not suppressed but increased." C.S. Lewis</span></strong></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></strong></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal;">"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 10px; line-height: 5px;"><b> </b></span></span>neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39</span></span></strong></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></span></strong></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: small;"><span class="body" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.</span> MLK Jr.</span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><strong><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light. --Hellen Keller</span></span></span></span></strong></span><br />
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<div style="font: 12.0px Garamond; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">An artist is not a special kind of person. Rather every person is a special kind of artist.</span></b></div><div style="font: 10.8px Garamond; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">-Meister Eckhart</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSByD1BwkCu72EoDOxifbtcEeO5Pn5g09VgqcUqlaWTuZOSfq51vf0dtoBt7L1rMQvb85ISoEtGrBcK5yyLQ25PtQThQC_8QPP5YacpVlWTZCzMA9G_v_sQiF2WuKi3bdFkMg3YWm4z-k/s1600/IMG_0974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSByD1BwkCu72EoDOxifbtcEeO5Pn5g09VgqcUqlaWTuZOSfq51vf0dtoBt7L1rMQvb85ISoEtGrBcK5yyLQ25PtQThQC_8QPP5YacpVlWTZCzMA9G_v_sQiF2WuKi3bdFkMg3YWm4z-k/s320/IMG_0974.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 10.8px Garamond; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></i></div><br />
I'd love if you'd share some of your favorite quotes with me. Feel free to leave them in a comment, it'll make my day :)<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s1600/kate1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s200/kate1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>All the Places I Call Home :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15600430724068658387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580573395152758621.post-65211549119601958032011-06-26T22:44:00.000-07:002011-08-07T18:31:35.077-07:00a new place to call home...Hi Friends!<br />
<br />
After some clues here and there, and probably a lot of word of mouth, I am finally going to go into details about my plans for post-AmeriCorps. With less than 3 weeks of AmeriCorps left, it seems only appropriate that I go into all the mushy-gushy details, as Seattle will soon be a lovely place I used to live.<br />
<br />
Are you ready?!? Well, friends... I am moving to New York, NY!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUHCSGzcPpdR9QkQhebkx9_4tenT4bkUScQiIpEyinYJ_LNp5TJdGtvPfpc6DxkFLHYOfM6zphvFuYpWDJPddsOHcAs3pC5in3tk9tKfRiPyuXhiRcEwx9RdgsmqOW59Kik8Y_RJG52jI/s1600/IMG00383-20101126-1656.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUHCSGzcPpdR9QkQhebkx9_4tenT4bkUScQiIpEyinYJ_LNp5TJdGtvPfpc6DxkFLHYOfM6zphvFuYpWDJPddsOHcAs3pC5in3tk9tKfRiPyuXhiRcEwx9RdgsmqOW59Kik8Y_RJG52jI/s320/IMG00383-20101126-1656.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Empire State Building</td></tr>
</tbody></table>After lots and lots of prayer and uncertainty, God opened up an incredible opportunity that has far surpassed my expectations! I was surrounded by prayer as I flew out to New York for an interview mid-May and was blessed by news about a week later. I received an offer that I happily accepted for a Program Coordinator position with the organization iMentor.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBWdFY9CC5lfet_ADVF0Mmo9VRwjmQvV9-hJ6sum7RkQhI0ZMV4LZaa-tIGyQrgjZWsdRj2CcKqkbKOOzGgttDQXrdepZzEVOWyjaINdAOs1YZhOG3gVTaycI71NwIbKZMyw_Lq5odFFA/s1600/IMG_0286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBWdFY9CC5lfet_ADVF0Mmo9VRwjmQvV9-hJ6sum7RkQhI0ZMV4LZaa-tIGyQrgjZWsdRj2CcKqkbKOOzGgttDQXrdepZzEVOWyjaINdAOs1YZhOG3gVTaycI71NwIbKZMyw_Lq5odFFA/s320/IMG_0286.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chrysler Building</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
iMentor is a really unique and wonderful organization that utilizes technology to create greater access for mentor-mentee relationships to form. Based on a very thoughtful and intentional curriculum, iMentor high school participants email weekly with their mentors who are NYC professionals. Monthl, the mentors and mentees meet up at various types of gatherings. My role in this organization will be to manage and facilitate 100 of these mentor-mentee pairs. (iMentor has 1800 pairs right now, and is continually growing!) I am so excited for the opportunity to work with this organization, to have my first big girl job, salary and all, and for the opportunity to build relationships will all sorts of people. More than anything, my goal in life is for people to know their inherent value and to see how lovable they are. I truly believe this type of one-on-one relationship is incredibly valuable--not only is it key to creating greater access to opportunity it also shows these high school youth that they are important and that others care about them and are invested in their futures and their lives. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCveULrj0RTDLZuqu61M2KqII6eNAl4xeeV1fzR91fYTjQ3frNgphVuPMlsgs5WpXjuYPAwka24vWAJuylDgRVN91UJvr-pLadMrZaCLYGpyd3Luw-sGAStSaFzdKyyuBiTkqrYNsfIR8/s1600/El+Centro+229.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCveULrj0RTDLZuqu61M2KqII6eNAl4xeeV1fzR91fYTjQ3frNgphVuPMlsgs5WpXjuYPAwka24vWAJuylDgRVN91UJvr-pLadMrZaCLYGpyd3Luw-sGAStSaFzdKyyuBiTkqrYNsfIR8/s320/El+Centro+229.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">High Line Park</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I am a huge advocate for mentoring relationships, largely because of my experience as a mentor. I completely believe that mentors have as much to learn as the mentees do. Check out <a href="http://alltheplacesicallhome.blogspot.com/2010/11/thankful-thursday-kenia-and-jose.html">this post</a> if you want to learn about Kenia and Jose, two wonderful not-so-little kiddos who John and I have the pleasure to mentor :)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN4uJXeBNHdzWcuOat6Oj1DbyVgpaPrdT2oR6fnuMTG0GVXAKT5iepJoS_i8JKpzUArP891m4WWZ9JK_vUGYRyzl6M5d3tHNUGgu9dVyIGUE4auna4pgjSh2TwcoeMZxcSuNAkKihHb6k/s1600/IMG_3855.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN4uJXeBNHdzWcuOat6Oj1DbyVgpaPrdT2oR6fnuMTG0GVXAKT5iepJoS_i8JKpzUArP891m4WWZ9JK_vUGYRyzl6M5d3tHNUGgu9dVyIGUE4auna4pgjSh2TwcoeMZxcSuNAkKihHb6k/s320/IMG_3855.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Ready for some more details? My first day is August 8th--less than a month and a half away! I have booked my <u>one way ticket</u> for July 30th. I will be working in lower Manhattan (a block from Wall St.) and living in Brooklyn. I will be living with my dear friend Sarena (who I studied abroad with) and her current roommate, Tomi. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuHQgFlqORLXGRlQM7ViiDChODXnINDxJNxphEhrFSxjonnYnwmDmp050ArfZaoE01OL-VpBOtatP5X1jl0oNnTimsZrKRu-hjxGy3uCwy9gNTA7iz_yIFI4i15uObWjL4lMrAhTSGW3Y/s1600/n1391040214_30628580_1475.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuHQgFlqORLXGRlQM7ViiDChODXnINDxJNxphEhrFSxjonnYnwmDmp050ArfZaoE01OL-VpBOtatP5X1jl0oNnTimsZrKRu-hjxGy3uCwy9gNTA7iz_yIFI4i15uObWjL4lMrAhTSGW3Y/s320/n1391040214_30628580_1475.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful Sarena is the in the blue, to my left :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>And let's not forget about one of the most exciting things about my move--NO MORE LONG DISTANCE! John, my sweet love, will be living in Brooklyn (he moves into his apartment on Friday!). I can't wait to have a normal dating life and see how that allows our relationship to grow in beautiful ways. Distance has been a wonderful season in our dating life, where we have learned a lot, but it isn't quite sustainable ;)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcQrt23niiGUoPCRcAiPN3vWA228UOnb1xfVJjs_iGzYbMMlzFSkPVklgnepGhrVOdQdsy1Za_2RgvfMYI6RW2sQ6TzV_oNJs6GDAG8WReGo6-f4ytUx4zPYdHkE36hVmnag3Af8RkRHs/s1600/Summer+2009+385.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcQrt23niiGUoPCRcAiPN3vWA228UOnb1xfVJjs_iGzYbMMlzFSkPVklgnepGhrVOdQdsy1Za_2RgvfMYI6RW2sQ6TzV_oNJs6GDAG8WReGo6-f4ytUx4zPYdHkE36hVmnag3Af8RkRHs/s320/Summer+2009+385.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><i>All the Places I Call Home</i> seems like an even more fitting title to my blog, as Seattle really has become my home. I have loved it here. All the gray winter days, make for perfect and enjoyable summer ones. The funky and quirky people create room for me to be myself. My work with AmeriCorps and New Futures in particular has brought incredible people into my life. I've had the beautiful chance to be closer to many friends, family and other loved ones. Seattle is a place I have loved to call home. New York is next, and though I am sad to say goodbye to the west coast, and Seattle, I am so excited to create a new home in New York.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3WrfV7HPlG5U4a8QLVGhComEqLiQ4chUcCSl16YUtncC-wKmSnxQ901RU5r-j4J7VNZIqFS9ChB5RRPle1nx6OSpUhwwu3gTBe9UBadGuP4wJg7QECQkmRUnPjJxczwy8yYI4k2UiPyc/s1600/IMG_0176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3WrfV7HPlG5U4a8QLVGhComEqLiQ4chUcCSl16YUtncC-wKmSnxQ901RU5r-j4J7VNZIqFS9ChB5RRPle1nx6OSpUhwwu3gTBe9UBadGuP4wJg7QECQkmRUnPjJxczwy8yYI4k2UiPyc/s320/IMG_0176.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goodbye, Seattle....</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZeqhYZjhGrUkteUFgU2cdflnJDqmdtL0kapRfATS1gfyzmvcQRz0mlubrA3MUq-r4jsjtXBLR04IsJmhMW9u2unwkAuHjJW30rU2zsV7vNL9EQOkdsVZXgjzSfqgivcIB26T2u3gUS5A/s1600/IMG_0284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZeqhYZjhGrUkteUFgU2cdflnJDqmdtL0kapRfATS1gfyzmvcQRz0mlubrA3MUq-r4jsjtXBLR04IsJmhMW9u2unwkAuHjJW30rU2zsV7vNL9EQOkdsVZXgjzSfqgivcIB26T2u3gUS5A/s320/IMG_0284.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...Hello, New York!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Thank you for sharing in this excitement with me, friends. I am so glad to be able to share this with you!<br />
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Love,<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s1600/kate1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s200/kate1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">PS If you are looking for ways to support me through prayer, I'd really appreciate prayer surrounding finding a good apartment in a good location without much additional hassle. Thank you :)</div>All the Places I Call Home :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15600430724068658387noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580573395152758621.post-15268993698534437862011-06-23T21:12:00.000-07:002011-06-23T21:15:15.618-07:00Thankful Thursday: 'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">When words seem few and far between and I can't seem to wrap my mind around all that is going on, this hymn often sings sweetly to my soul. Today, on my Thankful Thursday post, I am thankful to be able to trust in Jesus and pray for grace to trust Him more. Happy Thursday, friends. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">'</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;">Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;">Just to take Him at His word;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;">Just to rest upon His promise;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;">Just to know, Thus saith the Lord.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;"> Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;"> How I've proved Him o'er and o'er,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;"> Jesus, Jesus, Precious Jesus!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;"> O for grace to trust Him more.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;">O how sweet to trust in Jesus,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;">Just to trust His cleansing blood;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;">Just in simple faith to plunge me,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;">'Neath the healing, cleansing flood.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;">Yes, 'tis sweet to trust in Jesus,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;">Just from sin and self to cease;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;">Just from Jesus simply taking</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;">Life, and rest, and joy, and peace.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;">I'm so glad I learned to trust Thee,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;">Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;">And I know that Thou art with me,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;">Wilt be with me to the end.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">love,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Kate</span></span>All the Places I Call Home :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15600430724068658387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580573395152758621.post-83854053905109632332011-06-20T23:17:00.000-07:002011-06-20T23:17:50.879-07:00Dinosaur Attack!Here is a typical day with my Colorful Hands kiddos.<br />
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I love the progression of this dinosaur attack...<br />
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Wednesday is our Colorful Hands preschool graduation. I sure am going to miss these kiddos :)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s1600/kate1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s200/kate1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>All the Places I Call Home :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15600430724068658387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580573395152758621.post-38705305053227018702011-06-19T19:07:00.000-07:002011-06-19T19:07:10.232-07:00Happy Father's Day!<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Happy Father's Day!</span></span></div><br />
I hope you all had a lovely weekend and in some way or another are celebrating your fathers today!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn7wegZkb0oPh4t5MvfzA8WLEyDALok5jjX__shsI4Z4GFBEKWHwGXtf460p1NG1GQOEVPKjwQjxTo4KHwyBCaiaNmRIfrlQDH7wPR7dD7txmxGOtVzHT3RQmVLEnqp-UCB1okaRb_JHo/s1600/IMG_1281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn7wegZkb0oPh4t5MvfzA8WLEyDALok5jjX__shsI4Z4GFBEKWHwGXtf460p1NG1GQOEVPKjwQjxTo4KHwyBCaiaNmRIfrlQDH7wPR7dD7txmxGOtVzHT3RQmVLEnqp-UCB1okaRb_JHo/s320/IMG_1281.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My dad on the beach with Gracie :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This weekend I went to Anderson Island to spend the weekend with my brothers, dad and stepmom. It was a special time together. We met up just in time for the 7:30 ferry over to the island and enjoyed a relaxed evening with the boys showing me their secret fort in the woods that surround the cabin.<br />
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Saturday we went into Seattle for the day where we enjoyed a wonderful lunch at Seattle's well known Ivars. We left full of fish and chips and headed to the Pacific Science Center. The Pacific Science Center had a lot of really great exhibits, but my personal favorite was the Science of Fear!<br />
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We left the Pacific Science Center and headed back to the island where we enjoyed hamburgers for dinner, followed by watching the Pink Panther Strikes Again. We had a great time together. It sure is wonderful to be silly with my brothers :)<br />
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Today, was probably my favorite part of the weekend. After all the kids had woken up we started making all sorts of cards for my dad. It was really fun to see how industrious and committed my brothers could be. It was also fun to teach them about pop up cards and other fun card creations. They all created beautiful things which my dad so appreciated. It was also nice to just sit there around the dinner table and create together, I love those quiet moments.<br />
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Carol created a delicious breakfast, and my dad came out of their room just in time to see the feast and the pile of cards.<br />
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After a delicious breakfast and some downtime at the cabin, we headed back to the ferry dock, where we parked our cars and enjoyed the low-tide. The boys found clams, crabs, sea anemones and lots of perfect skipping stones. It was a wonderful time.<br />
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I sure am going to miss my family when I move away from the Northwest. This weekend was perfect. I am so glad that I got to spend Father's Day with my daddio. It was a sweet time together, and I am so thankful for that.<br />
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love,<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s1600/kate1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s200/kate1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>All the Places I Call Home :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15600430724068658387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580573395152758621.post-37005487771764598382011-06-16T22:10:00.000-07:002011-06-17T10:58:16.545-07:00endings...Well, friends, as this week comes to a close, many other things in my life are also coming to a close. Some of these things are exciting, others are sad. I think with all endings, and good byes, there is always a sense of sadness. Coupled with this sadness is the excitement of the journey that's about to begin around the corner. That's where I am right now, and I have to say, it's pretty bitter sweet.<br />
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Here are some of my endings...<br />
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My term of service with AmeriCorps is quickly coming to a close. I have less than a month left.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9XYpPxjQVIoraMZNX4GhojzKG7bcp53J8JuGCqga0j23IhVtPfXv04jVXXJONTUOUN3HTIlto6yOuMFBWaQ4emahnBzoI0Rprc-f3_JnsI2sjCdOCuZFuzAhBkkOa1JcYJvmI4_IqXcY/s1600/IMG_6400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9XYpPxjQVIoraMZNX4GhojzKG7bcp53J8JuGCqga0j23IhVtPfXv04jVXXJONTUOUN3HTIlto6yOuMFBWaQ4emahnBzoI0Rprc-f3_JnsI2sjCdOCuZFuzAhBkkOa1JcYJvmI4_IqXcY/s320/IMG_6400.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">half of our team :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1cYG7YbL3Lr6WcaHpFi5Gi3Bn_4Y7omTsliyLl5zu2PUpKMMhfjg_7d7tOr5FX57ZE3zbjocd3san86Yn-vrQO_soHkPrptBQt5bpBZQF1XiKl4R_7GZ67os-SxE-naexWuss_hdN8NQ/s1600/IMG_6649.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1cYG7YbL3Lr6WcaHpFi5Gi3Bn_4Y7omTsliyLl5zu2PUpKMMhfjg_7d7tOr5FX57ZE3zbjocd3san86Yn-vrQO_soHkPrptBQt5bpBZQF1XiKl4R_7GZ67os-SxE-naexWuss_hdN8NQ/s320/IMG_6649.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">working hard...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNUG7_2hAWtYDeVtXdgRovbOZ5xj0PsaAlNQ5AuwwiO-uCqkaRHGVdmXj0MuTTO-kx9ZUEWb9FOvs3tDhlfJ4sZ48n-ezQhC0zwwiv-1gEoIBh9hyphenhyphenaLZ-NOFSCuoe0lG80Sb4VEjqq0kc/s1600/IMG_7205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNUG7_2hAWtYDeVtXdgRovbOZ5xj0PsaAlNQ5AuwwiO-uCqkaRHGVdmXj0MuTTO-kx9ZUEWb9FOvs3tDhlfJ4sZ48n-ezQhC0zwwiv-1gEoIBh9hyphenhyphenaLZ-NOFSCuoe0lG80Sb4VEjqq0kc/s320/IMG_7205.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you guess who is in that Eager Beaver suit, bustin' a move?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs10G1TRRPev1Fiy7_7CUEtjA97AX9OgiS363CkOun0IhP9yUcU832WqkfjbKL5egI3orr1uZpxbruOxE2Z54G3Vsk53CvTKT-TTw9nZ_iwV0yRBp9p7-yoXJpIdl4-9DWj1SwaE2ReNs/s1600/IMG_7318.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs10G1TRRPev1Fiy7_7CUEtjA97AX9OgiS363CkOun0IhP9yUcU832WqkfjbKL5egI3orr1uZpxbruOxE2Z54G3Vsk53CvTKT-TTw9nZ_iwV0yRBp9p7-yoXJpIdl4-9DWj1SwaE2ReNs/s320/IMG_7318.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">painting at the White Center Food Bank</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I said goodbye to the After School Program that I tutored at before I left for the wedding. It has been strangly quiet (yet remarkably busy) around the community center. Thankfully, the kids still drop in the often, and I've been giving a lot of standardized reading tests to close out the academic year, so I still get to see their sweet faces. I will miss these kiddos a ton. They have touched my life and have taught me so many things.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8cKqg2xqUWqjakZ1RR164VG7aRi4gDWCWXVWMVeAir33c1TzTWcATtDhWostK9xMnAtAPOheCKtn-1b2XCrWZqn5kUdexTaznwZ046qeD0RpEw95OydfNDVBgXXkVXAP89WA8eAFqKc/s1600/IMG_0942.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8cKqg2xqUWqjakZ1RR164VG7aRi4gDWCWXVWMVeAir33c1TzTWcATtDhWostK9xMnAtAPOheCKtn-1b2XCrWZqn5kUdexTaznwZ046qeD0RpEw95OydfNDVBgXXkVXAP89WA8eAFqKc/s320/IMG_0942.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">sweetest smile around!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ7hXsJiVxjMQryPhMp8hWEwzlc4R9r-vdiVVKWqtud77Mn_WvQkjcs6rM52R_Pen2HaadVyqlvlT38yrmrlU9fjEAXs7JYJWjzCFtyEQVwQXPwwKADr7bNsWAgChjtZnE9KqtaaVujJQ/s1600/IMG_0943.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ7hXsJiVxjMQryPhMp8hWEwzlc4R9r-vdiVVKWqtud77Mn_WvQkjcs6rM52R_Pen2HaadVyqlvlT38yrmrlU9fjEAXs7JYJWjzCFtyEQVwQXPwwKADr7bNsWAgChjtZnE9KqtaaVujJQ/s320/IMG_0943.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">nothing can beat this picture :)</td></tr>
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Soon, I will also be saying good bye to Seattle. I'll be leaving shortly after AmeriCorps is over to head home to Portland for a few weeks. Then, I'm off on another adventure--more on that later ;)<br />
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With saying good-bye to Seattle, I will be also be saying good bye to dear friends, a wonderful church, and a lovely family I have so enjoyed babysitting for.<br />
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I also say good bye to my car, and most of my furniture. A couple huge garbage bags of clothes I am taking to Good Will, after I try to sell them at Buffalo Exchange or Cross Roads.<br />
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What I'll miss most about leaving this area are my wonderful family members I'll be leaving behind. My sweet grandma will no longer be a 3 hour drive away. Nor will my precious brothers, my dad, or step-mom. Nor will my sweet cousins or my lovely momma. I will miss my family enormously. I have enjoyed this brief season in my life that has given way to opportunity to spend time together.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbxtVWHcjXJN67RAhyphenhyphenW2FFz1wz7LLgVnqY_zx5MvOm2D_99mxSmh2lViGZoyb6UUP4IPaqKKm45lJJcCK1BI428zs591TEoNFSL3dUyCe2Pady1l781QN478pdfDQ_xxuGgA4Uif_MtO8/s1600/CIMG0556.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbxtVWHcjXJN67RAhyphenhyphenW2FFz1wz7LLgVnqY_zx5MvOm2D_99mxSmh2lViGZoyb6UUP4IPaqKKm45lJJcCK1BI428zs591TEoNFSL3dUyCe2Pady1l781QN478pdfDQ_xxuGgA4Uif_MtO8/s320/CIMG0556.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHHkTUEXEAiaWoaIwfwrdfpXt69LZ-35BaeDRhBsZGktTLySlfEzK8I7Q7V9TnqkN8G0OfwO9Q2SIZu97ojL3fYbrIBTDwZBm_axvfolQ8lBJUkb1TXBlHBlD31wEJgcIMb8yhS7m6mFc/s1600/IMG_0522.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHHkTUEXEAiaWoaIwfwrdfpXt69LZ-35BaeDRhBsZGktTLySlfEzK8I7Q7V9TnqkN8G0OfwO9Q2SIZu97ojL3fYbrIBTDwZBm_axvfolQ8lBJUkb1TXBlHBlD31wEJgcIMb8yhS7m6mFc/s320/IMG_0522.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I'll also be saying good bye to the northwest (for now at least).<br />
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Next week, I'll share with you what's coming next. It's pretty exciting, and I've been dying to tell you guys :) Here's a hint--one more thing I'll be saying goodbye to is a long-distance relationship...<br />
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Happy weekend friends! I hope you have a good one. I get to spend this weekend my daddio to celebrate Father's day and I am oh-so-happy about that!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsSlDz4FHXkN4hk2mypwepDmQQ3PtNo7dqBskkvQlED3ke21f_hJrVLFi9ndwkcSdLfWT9PsbcqrwHnVvcIyatSCC1zmXO3WrCsuz8SxqPOUmmC6mVpc5T5FrLfJUTUVWgDJ22HFck4zs/s1600/IMG_0602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsSlDz4FHXkN4hk2mypwepDmQQ3PtNo7dqBskkvQlED3ke21f_hJrVLFi9ndwkcSdLfWT9PsbcqrwHnVvcIyatSCC1zmXO3WrCsuz8SxqPOUmmC6mVpc5T5FrLfJUTUVWgDJ22HFck4zs/s320/IMG_0602.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">love this picture of my dad--laughing so hard he's crying :)</td></tr>
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Love,<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s1600/kate1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s200/kate1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>All the Places I Call Home :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15600430724068658387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580573395152758621.post-13802284577109099902011-06-13T19:44:00.000-07:002011-06-13T19:46:55.501-07:00Beth.<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Happy Monday, friends!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Yesterday was my dear friend Beth's birthday :) Sweet Beth turned twenty-four! If I had planned a bit better, I would have published this post on her actual birthday, but for now, we'll be celebrating today, the same day she (hopefully) got her birthday card from me--keeping the celebration going or just running late, you can choose :)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Celebrating Beth's 22nd birthday!</td></tr>
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Beth is one of those friends that I treasure each moment with. I laugh constantly when I'm around her--whether it's with her or at her, that's another story ;) ....just playin' Beth!<br />
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Beth is thoughtful and a sensitive soul. She is by far one of my very best friends. Period. And, I am enormously thankful for her. I love our conversations more than anything in the world. Beth is real, supportive and encouraging. She accepts me for who I am and gives me the benefit of the doubt, even when I stumble. This is a true friend.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsRniK04Qo4Yct1obQgsn_zgygYgeUJGrf2OI3NgkRGG9eF7oVwZPQTGQERzQx2irp8bdtT5AlA9Kau0T9rYa0SEIxA1yobQDmsRNkJtVeO90IhkkBQ0H9DYh0Dh7KBJpwYFuG00SNfq4/s1600/IMG_3874.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsRniK04Qo4Yct1obQgsn_zgygYgeUJGrf2OI3NgkRGG9eF7oVwZPQTGQERzQx2irp8bdtT5AlA9Kau0T9rYa0SEIxA1yobQDmsRNkJtVeO90IhkkBQ0H9DYh0Dh7KBJpwYFuG00SNfq4/s320/IMG_3874.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqKi9uMZKycdy1t7RVq47J7fkQ2DkinEpsJxsjvKXfQSPYuIQ0pmtF8OmtPJQ9SAxZHyExtYhltzU6d0baZnBN4tADo0wn69c0AEJqdpgmOSAQen3PYPnxjVArwQILBgpqlHsC1DdB0F0/s1600/IMG_8894.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqKi9uMZKycdy1t7RVq47J7fkQ2DkinEpsJxsjvKXfQSPYuIQ0pmtF8OmtPJQ9SAxZHyExtYhltzU6d0baZnBN4tADo0wn69c0AEJqdpgmOSAQen3PYPnxjVArwQILBgpqlHsC1DdB0F0/s320/IMG_8894.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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We met our freshman year at Gettysburg College and have been dear friends since then. I frequently went home with Beth over school breaks, and have enjoyed getting to know her family.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I had the pleasure of getting to spend some fun time with her while I was in Philadelphia for the wedding just over a week ago. It was such a sweet time.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYUkDlQ42n03PO8HvsDrTWL0uOPDoIexhAfVgxMevfbPcaThK_6E0eDBqchSfZyuea1Ex_RN8nQ-6nHyYJXLx5xWkJy-wgYNLTX8spcmZ28cquJX2RANAKeKiK9cf0NYhBB3PeG1-uLIE/s1600/IMG_1064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYUkDlQ42n03PO8HvsDrTWL0uOPDoIexhAfVgxMevfbPcaThK_6E0eDBqchSfZyuea1Ex_RN8nQ-6nHyYJXLx5xWkJy-wgYNLTX8spcmZ28cquJX2RANAKeKiK9cf0NYhBB3PeG1-uLIE/s320/IMG_1064.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I love you, Beth. So glad we're friends!<br />
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!<br />
<br />
love,<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s1600/kate1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s200/kate1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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ps also, Beth and I often joke about how even if we're not having our best hair day, we take great pictures together--pretty sure it's safe to say, Beth and I take better pictures together than apart <3All the Places I Call Home :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15600430724068658387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580573395152758621.post-28947145517387437802011-06-10T00:02:00.000-07:002011-06-10T00:06:24.587-07:00two months later...Hi Friends!<br />
<br />
It has been a long two months since I've last written. And a new blog picture to go with it... what do you think?<br />
(It's off to the right if you have not idea what I'm talking about ---> )<br />
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Please forgive me for my absence and the lack of updates. These last couple of months were <i>busy </i>to say the least!<br />
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There have been ups and downs and lots of figuring-outs along the way. Do you ever have seasons of life like that? God sure uses them to bless us, but in the midst of it, it's hard to rest in that truth. My birthday began much of the craziness, and was followed by a couple baseball games, two trips back east, some bad food poisoning, a gardening project, a trip to Gettysburg, and a very special wedding weekend. Over the next couple of weeks I'll try to fill you in, (without boring you) to the direction my life has taken. It's been a whirlwind, but it most definitely has been exciting.<br />
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Let's start with age 23. I said goodbye to 22 on April 16th and hello to 23. I have to admit, I <i>loveeee</i> birthdays. Whether it is mine or others, celebrating never feels quite as good when it's celebrating a birthday. This year, I celebrated with family and friends. It is always good to be surrounded by those who love you, but I definitely noticed the absence of those miles and miles away :)<br />
To celebrate, Anne Marie, Teryll and I went out for margaritas and dessert. These two wonderful ladies are two of my oldest friends, dating back to early elementary school. It was great to celebrate with them!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDZF2v9uaB4UYnT9vXHn4sqdupEhsTBMd0zY2XnWfjXnWb-gufvNlR2IXXLxWbFHuvDut67iBuJh2KZs6o_N26-2aS5GPnCSHC8RLkb96D-9aohneUYMYI4Zxm6n0gheE72npFzCa7ADA/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-06-09+at+11.37.11+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDZF2v9uaB4UYnT9vXHn4sqdupEhsTBMd0zY2XnWfjXnWb-gufvNlR2IXXLxWbFHuvDut67iBuJh2KZs6o_N26-2aS5GPnCSHC8RLkb96D-9aohneUYMYI4Zxm6n0gheE72npFzCa7ADA/s320/Screen+shot+2011-06-09+at+11.37.11+PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anne Marie, Teryll and I celebrating <br />
another birthday a couple years ago (Teryll's 21!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge38ySD1w15EPlSE5V2G0FoynXbAGsBK38PCP1-7i7sSaPYHvmSBH_teIygGuYr2KpmAOejJd8g3ZZB4BLj47TGQ1DkO3S8Pdv7KS5v04WU3vLotUrYC_S7zhPHKP8ih_j5xZ6A9k8nnk/s1600/IMG01009-20110416-2121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge38ySD1w15EPlSE5V2G0FoynXbAGsBK38PCP1-7i7sSaPYHvmSBH_teIygGuYr2KpmAOejJd8g3ZZB4BLj47TGQ1DkO3S8Pdv7KS5v04WU3vLotUrYC_S7zhPHKP8ih_j5xZ6A9k8nnk/s320/IMG01009-20110416-2121.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>This year we didn't get a group picture. But they did snap a shot of me with the honorary birthday sombrero and my sweet dessert :)<br />
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Have I peaked your interest as to what I've been up to?! Here are a few pictures of what's to come...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzNinItRL7LScMm9nXozV8ydTe5tfXeezns9TCfYgPkaWvKnezxo_X-INs6gam4EDqe4DgVGWZTE9k4FUog6iIAMR6WCQNGc6Gok6Cnp568TSnU7kTYIF56nk4H2K1cEu-8eUx3xzY30/s1600/IMG_0890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzNinItRL7LScMm9nXozV8ydTe5tfXeezns9TCfYgPkaWvKnezxo_X-INs6gam4EDqe4DgVGWZTE9k4FUog6iIAMR6WCQNGc6Gok6Cnp568TSnU7kTYIF56nk4H2K1cEu-8eUx3xzY30/s320/IMG_0890.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a baseball game...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDyTW6Zj6Xz_8-fOA8wDyqF6vu0GkFQJctHWum7SB-7VAwQCmLqyNCytAGIAqsxJKcAg8BZ2PAY3lXdCDQvJxlik-bLJrF7dWpdtB0y9DKTUaRwO1rYzBh99ANCZF5ecEkD07eaWiEzl0/s1600/IMG_0920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDyTW6Zj6Xz_8-fOA8wDyqF6vu0GkFQJctHWum7SB-7VAwQCmLqyNCytAGIAqsxJKcAg8BZ2PAY3lXdCDQvJxlik-bLJrF7dWpdtB0y9DKTUaRwO1rYzBh99ANCZF5ecEkD07eaWiEzl0/s320/IMG_0920.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">gardening project...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghdUHUYYguNiJHiQHp4AJqkgAsYoQDZajrsR1k66ouz9dpKWclGMvUI5TjIeh4aXvjYzMAK2tzFy9GLvf-cW-78kgkSTkqe2JWW1JY5k7nEeL72XlKCwnNFAU-E85vZQ0Izw-9ODMphIQ/s1600/IMG_0974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghdUHUYYguNiJHiQHp4AJqkgAsYoQDZajrsR1k66ouz9dpKWclGMvUI5TjIeh4aXvjYzMAK2tzFy9GLvf-cW-78kgkSTkqe2JWW1JY5k7nEeL72XlKCwnNFAU-E85vZQ0Izw-9ODMphIQ/s320/IMG_0974.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">end of After School Program...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQsPtAU5EymauuvlLGsbIIDN4OkIvPmDWoxunRGWKD4pHm_Knrwkam2BmFnIzQS0ubXcDgf_-2r345fdC4T4LLZoKonK925raYwzBA9TBUhlQFUFYYXL6pLX6sLgY8mLJAYxwX4teota0/s1600/IMG_1034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQsPtAU5EymauuvlLGsbIIDN4OkIvPmDWoxunRGWKD4pHm_Knrwkam2BmFnIzQS0ubXcDgf_-2r345fdC4T4LLZoKonK925raYwzBA9TBUhlQFUFYYXL6pLX6sLgY8mLJAYxwX4teota0/s320/IMG_1034.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a fun trip to Gettysburg...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPE4E94n616k8d8r0yNjes96KiDR9JayyGN3lDrwGhMljB1oWc1DzYFmPbNndMN2WUuQw-5oX1vSnuQ7qU4hWn5E7KFGSk3MeH_XYIF0XJLjebU04KaH6_ePtLOzSzfe_Cq-u6UNmiZv0/s1600/IMG_1186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPE4E94n616k8d8r0yNjes96KiDR9JayyGN3lDrwGhMljB1oWc1DzYFmPbNndMN2WUuQw-5oX1vSnuQ7qU4hWn5E7KFGSk3MeH_XYIF0XJLjebU04KaH6_ePtLOzSzfe_Cq-u6UNmiZv0/s320/IMG_1186.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a picture perfect wedding....</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I can't wait to share all these joy filled moments and days with you. To be honest, there were many days in between these happy days that I let stress, worry and heartache dominate, but God's goodness continued to shine through and His perfect timing was once again revealed.<br />
<br />
It is so good to be reconnected through the blogworld :) Please let me know how you are doing, friends.<br />
<br />
Expect more soon!<br />
<br />
love,<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s1600/kate1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s200/kate1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>All the Places I Call Home :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15600430724068658387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580573395152758621.post-86796316952029860012011-04-12T00:31:00.000-07:002011-04-12T00:31:34.519-07:00my sweet brother MatthewHi Friends!<br />
It sure has been a while since I've posted--sorry about that! A lot has been going on in Seattle, and the weather is getting nicer, so I suppose I am also spending more time outside :) Blue sky, it is good to see you again, I have missed you! Soon there will be more updates, but for now, I want to write about my sweet brother Matthew.<br />
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Something special happened last week, Matthew turned 11! Matthew is my kind-hearted, silly and sensitive, reasonable yet creative, and almost too-responsible-for-his-own-good brother and boy do I LOVE him! Just writing about Matthew puts a big smile on my face. I love the conversations we have, the times we spend together, his sweet and goofy smile, his wonderful laugh, his pre-adolescent moodiness, ooh there is so much I love about him--I could go on and on and on!<br />
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For now, I'll show you some pictures over the years. This boy makes my heart melt.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhynWGwuH3nPLqe1HPAzmtu-gwOJuCSXIjz-Txz9xTU_IbKeBJgswOxKkKw56c0XylUTkf6Z-k79370Q0vFrbZjOVUiBfysjSgAgw1OzccNfLIaXx0czWTJ2pHooyoWmotAimi3okWmgEA/s1600/IMG_9960.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhynWGwuH3nPLqe1HPAzmtu-gwOJuCSXIjz-Txz9xTU_IbKeBJgswOxKkKw56c0XylUTkf6Z-k79370Q0vFrbZjOVUiBfysjSgAgw1OzccNfLIaXx0czWTJ2pHooyoWmotAimi3okWmgEA/s320/IMG_9960.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feb 2011--perhaps my favorite picture of Matt<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCVDOiT3k2W_2MeJkhH2jCDMybEQFv-GOjPyWw-dUIFKsbjdSp_YUeiiH7DF_943drt4esAlgXdFUqhjWFFI3JAHzvYUMHIhbGbjeZ1yZsMpUfbPyTYRDhpymCpVP7UyBfdzxE5J73CHE/s1600/IMG_0165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCVDOiT3k2W_2MeJkhH2jCDMybEQFv-GOjPyWw-dUIFKsbjdSp_YUeiiH7DF_943drt4esAlgXdFUqhjWFFI3JAHzvYUMHIhbGbjeZ1yZsMpUfbPyTYRDhpymCpVP7UyBfdzxE5J73CHE/s320/IMG_0165.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcwM4D8N_4UIuLi5aNSgpUzm-0rbGv6pBW23ZmF10cSu5P1_teSnMeOQDCRVxMc0RdySB-I92AQcV6PQ30mgLEmdMOloN_lHSWoi9FsPrQL8jj6-KL_RFKJwIHnN0Ra8wrJ8xgaUakNvU/s1600/IMG_9624.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcwM4D8N_4UIuLi5aNSgpUzm-0rbGv6pBW23ZmF10cSu5P1_teSnMeOQDCRVxMc0RdySB-I92AQcV6PQ30mgLEmdMOloN_lHSWoi9FsPrQL8jj6-KL_RFKJwIHnN0Ra8wrJ8xgaUakNvU/s320/IMG_9624.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Summer of 2010</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjrvMjpvO1o0U6WkfszAHxmQ-IgDrTKKORFZghA1UEtzoYng4xvWJhyphenhyphentMa3Vtjfddd2VfLf1NBy-43wE-s6QKE6WsLfK9_Lh771qdfjdteD7zlARdKj747JmRxuKZbg_NDLgrvyH30i6c/s1600/facebook+bro.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjrvMjpvO1o0U6WkfszAHxmQ-IgDrTKKORFZghA1UEtzoYng4xvWJhyphenhyphentMa3Vtjfddd2VfLf1NBy-43wE-s6QKE6WsLfK9_Lh771qdfjdteD7zlARdKj747JmRxuKZbg_NDLgrvyH30i6c/s320/facebook+bro.bmp" width="249" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">December 2006<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFjniP048fSa-9nU1OrEQdm20CLlBMnE_pwC2lM01Yo09ImyC2EwQtoYG7kJkBIqbI0ChRy3kiTObhGoICtEYgjpr2QPbHs93lX6KQV4UCRpqR205DgXMSOrUygsqDRKxTlBw_3rxTzH0/s1600/IMG_6561.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFjniP048fSa-9nU1OrEQdm20CLlBMnE_pwC2lM01Yo09ImyC2EwQtoYG7kJkBIqbI0ChRy3kiTObhGoICtEYgjpr2QPbHs93lX6KQV4UCRpqR205DgXMSOrUygsqDRKxTlBw_3rxTzH0/s320/IMG_6561.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0QXc-8o-Qi_K7FuRuBMscrqB99BNBjUlXxqDnrmM8Najaxk_CkS143XZm_Bk2L7Rwb_n5_7kbISG9UbJoHIDPXMIY69K0TgeicotEQKwTlWJdlj67Ooa7MwGvKDDb9_ymFZ6Wr9UQq0c/s1600/IMG_3122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0QXc-8o-Qi_K7FuRuBMscrqB99BNBjUlXxqDnrmM8Najaxk_CkS143XZm_Bk2L7Rwb_n5_7kbISG9UbJoHIDPXMIY69K0TgeicotEQKwTlWJdlj67Ooa7MwGvKDDb9_ymFZ6Wr9UQq0c/s320/IMG_3122.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">play date--summer of 2007</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0W7d9GLXvlSR_WjZN3irVX0b-VEgpiDUj8OCJ24ggBfvqvZVl_TgOqhrj6cbe12D6-dR3bD5hyMAVeXNXsMkosnS33pZbcVzLsQJmDJPL5qJwgHLLkzTkSlUKLCqEdKoxMAdbWCZAZE/s1600/IMG_3192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0W7d9GLXvlSR_WjZN3irVX0b-VEgpiDUj8OCJ24ggBfvqvZVl_TgOqhrj6cbe12D6-dR3bD5hyMAVeXNXsMkosnS33pZbcVzLsQJmDJPL5qJwgHLLkzTkSlUKLCqEdKoxMAdbWCZAZE/s320/IMG_3192.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzdef0mj4OSm3_fp2fnIOPCdZNxUiqUdaYis6NhTDMfcCTvjQ_nSKWR-zZN_O8YMmSFJcyyRvqM2GZZvMnZXhCveBcqIq4kxwkTswXu0CWJvel1eLLuubSC70_FpRYsu7GPhZ_L0v4_bQ/s1600/IMG_3209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzdef0mj4OSm3_fp2fnIOPCdZNxUiqUdaYis6NhTDMfcCTvjQ_nSKWR-zZN_O8YMmSFJcyyRvqM2GZZvMnZXhCveBcqIq4kxwkTswXu0CWJvel1eLLuubSC70_FpRYsu7GPhZ_L0v4_bQ/s320/IMG_3209.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">we're silly together :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj64wUO5Eqo7rMNY9XYbmdZOR_W8sItI3_T-_wNdWhRhO7QjzTvVFjkPeNqeMlp33Jn9_d9nDf2mYokfeB_DMYH5QcaSXpJzZ9AeqABfUxOtAG0FqeWOpE0KPOMd4yj4GteW3rr32Rz8nE/s1600/IMG_3922.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj64wUO5Eqo7rMNY9XYbmdZOR_W8sItI3_T-_wNdWhRhO7QjzTvVFjkPeNqeMlp33Jn9_d9nDf2mYokfeB_DMYH5QcaSXpJzZ9AeqABfUxOtAG0FqeWOpE0KPOMd4yj4GteW3rr32Rz8nE/s320/IMG_3922.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flat Matt came to Gettysburg to visit</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWSdH0kb8fYr45F4hquAvth4tCOq7xCzCLJ2iA9fgvUG2a1UWHwSWgl-1AfWhZufIkvBpafmRqixEx7M4JscUN8tyY008JXljPBPgDjUYhWmoioL31UB9nwq-kY3mplkc0bi_rEDOWbXw/s1600/matt+dino.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWSdH0kb8fYr45F4hquAvth4tCOq7xCzCLJ2iA9fgvUG2a1UWHwSWgl-1AfWhZufIkvBpafmRqixEx7M4JscUN8tyY008JXljPBPgDjUYhWmoioL31UB9nwq-kY3mplkc0bi_rEDOWbXw/s320/matt+dino.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">silly Matt</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyhzZ4kxuAIH7XUN5EHSsyaAgrJ6RwYIMyXC2PolO8RQfxIITx-hkCQVcQm9zAV_I5MVvD4gB4DE2eQn_6Cvkp9z_Bn3-S0yG8vVGgtEj2gz3_6rWN9oxeFo-lBUE06Au3RgSLBHx46iE/s1600/Chicken%252520Matt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyhzZ4kxuAIH7XUN5EHSsyaAgrJ6RwYIMyXC2PolO8RQfxIITx-hkCQVcQm9zAV_I5MVvD4gB4DE2eQn_6Cvkp9z_Bn3-S0yG8vVGgtEj2gz3_6rWN9oxeFo-lBUE06Au3RgSLBHx46iE/s320/Chicken%252520Matt.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">oh so happy to take this picture Matt <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQh9TkcBSWy4dDST4hyRqc-bPx8X2oH7BNDhwY94EnPLDLTkvpxJ8outcJ01M6YUaMxowNq_6zFWuNKgr1WAwRWh7eIJKGqXkRYRorm2izo1L-YYKWnR_SzrsGEahLBEgwmx1eUheTgtc/s1600/matt+memorial+day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQh9TkcBSWy4dDST4hyRqc-bPx8X2oH7BNDhwY94EnPLDLTkvpxJ8outcJ01M6YUaMxowNq_6zFWuNKgr1WAwRWh7eIJKGqXkRYRorm2izo1L-YYKWnR_SzrsGEahLBEgwmx1eUheTgtc/s320/matt+memorial+day.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR65geK03OQoLLKbCz27YDf2FY-K8iY_dH_BWRNh2ounCmTMm3x3e2A069hkfxIIVKbPzeQVikvhc-2sgEECFP177GzRd-MnKdthrQM67oZTWwNAlt2s-aaC2lFDmhhv7KMb9QHGdAR4o/s1600/Driver%252520Matt%252C%252520Fair%2525208-09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR65geK03OQoLLKbCz27YDf2FY-K8iY_dH_BWRNh2ounCmTMm3x3e2A069hkfxIIVKbPzeQVikvhc-2sgEECFP177GzRd-MnKdthrQM67oZTWwNAlt2s-aaC2lFDmhhv7KMb9QHGdAR4o/s320/Driver%252520Matt%252C%252520Fair%2525208-09.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cute and cheesin'</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghMb3bQYex2mPtRHrW3DCzy-YELxhJp_sfYvHmY_7Mxhfo5v_NnVOtmAE-8s9qdehA497zqag0xjHInCdJmabVRxNIthdGDHhwzUs8UEO0PjT8a-5oCsstMKDrtwlNuNqbGIs6cimSmw0/s1600/Summer+2009+144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghMb3bQYex2mPtRHrW3DCzy-YELxhJp_sfYvHmY_7Mxhfo5v_NnVOtmAE-8s9qdehA497zqag0xjHInCdJmabVRxNIthdGDHhwzUs8UEO0PjT8a-5oCsstMKDrtwlNuNqbGIs6cimSmw0/s320/Summer+2009+144.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">summer of 2009 (Matt is on the right)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Ck4kPV6CxjBeufjmuw5bc9sUCAFAePH0fgvGR0_zSqMHPmjCs-PGmLGRHRdPn1PSMihEgvVx69Cxq3htIje8LklYsxTN60JOu1q8ChI3FEqKVBM4QfBEqWkDemhC7fMbBx-wcKlh1iU/s1600/IMG_3213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Ck4kPV6CxjBeufjmuw5bc9sUCAFAePH0fgvGR0_zSqMHPmjCs-PGmLGRHRdPn1PSMihEgvVx69Cxq3htIje8LklYsxTN60JOu1q8ChI3FEqKVBM4QfBEqWkDemhC7fMbBx-wcKlh1iU/s320/IMG_3213.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">on the right, with brother Sean and cousin Jeremy--summer 2007</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYalC7Bf8JMXI5VExR1UWKQ4Bo1j17raR_IkHbCBrCYPBgzQGGx-B3CJXgRLSz9uTHB1VJzxixgSM6brMe0wE8k2ynKp6c_UJmi4n_OGkcS2bXKjs723yLZ1dwlt0a8etZ7jPPOP-FGUU/s1600/IMG_0581.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYalC7Bf8JMXI5VExR1UWKQ4Bo1j17raR_IkHbCBrCYPBgzQGGx-B3CJXgRLSz9uTHB1VJzxixgSM6brMe0wE8k2ynKp6c_UJmi4n_OGkcS2bXKjs723yLZ1dwlt0a8etZ7jPPOP-FGUU/s320/IMG_0581.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">he's growing up, isn't he?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I sure do love Matthew, and I can't wait to see him this weekend :)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s1600/kate1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s200/kate1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>All the Places I Call Home :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15600430724068658387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580573395152758621.post-63083321780929158602011-04-03T15:27:00.000-07:002011-04-03T15:38:50.612-07:00when my world is shaking, heaven stands<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdiTi7uzgkR-ttSSwzW06CJmje3v52L1evBE7m2uM65SMbU-HimooduqwZXfxU9-zL_GWSkX-vftWAPPJ6Up-kl-O06qUyB_DI_hVbhsUdNglZ4RKe1mkq_A-oirEsRcZs92J1Ho0z4eI/s1600/Holding_hands_by_IandIphoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div style="text-align: auto;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdiTi7uzgkR-ttSSwzW06CJmje3v52L1evBE7m2uM65SMbU-HimooduqwZXfxU9-zL_GWSkX-vftWAPPJ6Up-kl-O06qUyB_DI_hVbhsUdNglZ4RKe1mkq_A-oirEsRcZs92J1Ho0z4eI/s320/Holding_hands_by_IandIphoto.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">[<a href="http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs42/f/2009/126/c/6/Holding_hands_by_IandIphoto.jpg">via</a>]</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
</div><br />
Hi friends!<br />
Sometimes song lyrics articulate the sentiments of my heart in way my words never could. I especially find that true with church hymns. Though the song I am sharing today is not a hymn, it sure is beautiful and speaks to my heart. Here are the lyrics to a beautiful song by JJ Heller called <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlL8LayF0uw">"Your Hands."</a> Enjoy :)<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 20px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 20px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 20px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 20px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 20px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 20px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have unanswered prayers</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have trouble I wish wasn't there</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And I have asked a thousand ways</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That You would take my pain away</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That You would take my pain away</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am trying to understand</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How to walk this weary land</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Make straight the paths that crookedly lie</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh Lord, before these feet of mine</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh Lord, before these feet of mine</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When my world is shaking</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heaven stands</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When my heart is breaking</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I never leave Your hands</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When You walked upon the Earth</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You healed the broken, lost, and hurt</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I know You hate to see me cry</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One day You will set all things right</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yea, one day You will set all things right</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When my world is shaking</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heaven stands</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When my heart is breaking</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I never leave Your hands</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Your hands</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Your hands that shape the world </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Are holding me, they hold me still</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Your hands that shape the world</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Are holding me, they hold me still</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When my world is shaking</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heaven stands</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When my heart is breaking</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I never leave You when...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When my world is shaking</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heaven stands</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When my heart is breaking</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I never leave...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I never leave Your hands </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s1600/kate1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s200/kate1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div></span>All the Places I Call Home :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15600430724068658387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580573395152758621.post-7771980299395931512011-03-27T21:10:00.000-07:002011-03-27T21:10:00.169-07:00last weekend and bridal shower shenanigans :)Last weekend was a wonderful [long] weekend. Period. No if, ands or buts, it was just plain wonderful.<br />
Wednesday night I left Seattle and Thursday morning, I arrived bright and early into JFK. I met my love in the city for a quick breakfast before he headed off to work. The bustle of Thursday morning was a foreshadow for the weekend to come. We were busy, but happy as could be.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA-eKQtLBorqCRjS5hbLCAZx2cWzx-ATDXGgZqOeu00U2WcQSiiE8-no_JD3e2myd2pZ2luw_ajgnrAJfeHvFZJN1Lup7UYajnPTmPbZ9pljnKTS8FYYrvHr3VZua_tqnKULjtczKddtk/s1600/IMG_0757.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA-eKQtLBorqCRjS5hbLCAZx2cWzx-ATDXGgZqOeu00U2WcQSiiE8-no_JD3e2myd2pZ2luw_ajgnrAJfeHvFZJN1Lup7UYajnPTmPbZ9pljnKTS8FYYrvHr3VZua_tqnKULjtczKddtk/s320/IMG_0757.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
After being in the city Thursday, spending the lunch hour with John and the post-lunch hours with his good friend, Nick, we headed back to John's place for a relaxing night in. It was wonderful to spend time with John's family. I was a bit delirious [and some may say grumpy] by then due to the little sleep I got on my red-eye flight, but I had a great time.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFycNa-HOzdOt18b-TQ3kQUL3fpy_SZelqCmOEsk1Fn9vXC_ewCwLVabewJPh3zstHLgMIVF8L4QEX9Dwj5ADKiAf47bOQldT4U-nOphKjqPfV3p97E-QQRUL_CNg5OFMGoWq8Q0fudxI/s1600/IMG_0759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFycNa-HOzdOt18b-TQ3kQUL3fpy_SZelqCmOEsk1Fn9vXC_ewCwLVabewJPh3zstHLgMIVF8L4QEX9Dwj5ADKiAf47bOQldT4U-nOphKjqPfV3p97E-QQRUL_CNg5OFMGoWq8Q0fudxI/s320/IMG_0759.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Friday, I headed into the city with John, had an exciting morning and then met up with John's sister for lunch. John got off work a bit early and we headed to Philadelphia. The ride down was lovely, it was so nice to have some one on one time to really talk and just enjoy each other's company. The long distance relationship definitely makes me treasure each of these little moments. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVg0XcLv70gd8nzs7JkIiA53wtFCK9pG3ZujhQ_ymDhafWeOxXuJyrARapTdNmTeduEUUvauuBNtqZf2YfBv6Gwwtf5-z9G2c5W4Lu_oYTpYtUkdS74-k7XzxiX57L5hg3rodALBPBGjE/s1600/IMG_0776.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVg0XcLv70gd8nzs7JkIiA53wtFCK9pG3ZujhQ_ymDhafWeOxXuJyrARapTdNmTeduEUUvauuBNtqZf2YfBv6Gwwtf5-z9G2c5W4Lu_oYTpYtUkdS74-k7XzxiX57L5hg3rodALBPBGjE/s320/IMG_0776.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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After missing our exit, we arrived a bit late to Megan's parent's house. It was SOOOOO great to see Megan, Andrew and their families. Megan is one of my very best friends, and I had not seen her since last August--the longest we've gone not seeing each other. She is happily engaged and knee-deep (perhaps even waist-deep) in wedding planning. She is engaged to her college sweetheart and John's college roommate and a good friend of both of ours. I love Andrew and Megan together, and couldn't be happier for them! I am especially honored that Megan asked me to be her Maid of Honor and that I get to be a part of their special day in June.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYytIri0bS4duD2cwpmTWqXX1MBldsaLt-vYSDFHD25gqFrciz8zIljYr1f2fI_2xp6FQOnWxTuSrSr5yVR-K69gTWqxb7vObrVBdA4yTDHqn6JV8TdGMY5TfmwCT7FugisYLQIHKUtEA/s1600/IMG_0779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYytIri0bS4duD2cwpmTWqXX1MBldsaLt-vYSDFHD25gqFrciz8zIljYr1f2fI_2xp6FQOnWxTuSrSr5yVR-K69gTWqxb7vObrVBdA4yTDHqn6JV8TdGMY5TfmwCT7FugisYLQIHKUtEA/s320/IMG_0779.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Friday night, we spent eating pizza and catching up. I was so excited to be there I barely had an appetite (and if you know me, that is saying something!). We ended the night with Wii dance, where we all laughed so hard we cried.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdFC3zOT3fhr2Qi79qefZVVKqRgTDJoZwYivw5NATZYVREuBJ2BK6ReXyuR-f2oO5kEvUioM-CGLhPWsz_5s-DTUNKt5xrOKDC35wU-hzQ1mJE-clMKY9QfBcQtx8oXEHjsU5hTwGdx4g/s1600/IMG_0792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdFC3zOT3fhr2Qi79qefZVVKqRgTDJoZwYivw5NATZYVREuBJ2BK6ReXyuR-f2oO5kEvUioM-CGLhPWsz_5s-DTUNKt5xrOKDC35wU-hzQ1mJE-clMKY9QfBcQtx8oXEHjsU5hTwGdx4g/s320/IMG_0792.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
So, truth be told, the real reason for my trip east wasn't to just visit John, or catch up with Megan, it was for Megan's bridal shower! I would have written about it earlier since I had been planning it for a while, but... I didn't want to give anything away to Megan if she happened to read my blog. So post-shower, you all get the fun details (and pictures!).<br />
Last Saturday (March 19th) we had a Wine and Cheese themed shower with extravagant cheese and wine pairings, delicious food, hysterical games, and about 20 guests. Megan's Aunt Becca, Aunt Bonnie, Grammie, cousin and bridesmaid Sammie and I planned and hosted this shower. It was so fun to work with such energetic ladies. I so appreciated their on-the-ground support, as I planned from 2,000 + miles away.<br />
Here are some pictures that tell the story of how the shower went.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2LBGABm8u2jVnRAZLIptnRi6y0FPfoNo7WQAOxbKwh0PDoTuT7Jx154IE3ezfg0dlEmH1NWB5tF5DQcft0tVLOSH6pPVp6xTalujjM1LqIgSgHUHNNGJCpXwUAGiw4ycIxH1iKC5_YUk/s1600/IMG_0799.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2LBGABm8u2jVnRAZLIptnRi6y0FPfoNo7WQAOxbKwh0PDoTuT7Jx154IE3ezfg0dlEmH1NWB5tF5DQcft0tVLOSH6pPVp6xTalujjM1LqIgSgHUHNNGJCpXwUAGiw4ycIxH1iKC5_YUk/s320/IMG_0799.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wine and Cheese tasting station</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjkqR_E1JoxCfJdXRk_kSMCsxgOlH_FYixp6sM3Z3BYcQmTuRAadOVpltgcu81eXM-AOuiNAvoH5MN0v_cCq9DolAtfbHo3KFXZTbhCvowmdEmQlHGqPULNVmzMu4vcQpMZRWpaBy-LFU/s1600/IMG_0800.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjkqR_E1JoxCfJdXRk_kSMCsxgOlH_FYixp6sM3Z3BYcQmTuRAadOVpltgcu81eXM-AOuiNAvoH5MN0v_cCq9DolAtfbHo3KFXZTbhCvowmdEmQlHGqPULNVmzMu4vcQpMZRWpaBy-LFU/s320/IMG_0800.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">another tasting station</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDkkSKTgagwfuzkTmFzrcoM8jjRIEfBSxcyJLDrJY5gwXwBZhFqgEtltdNaTxEbxvu-sFlcnWNJxdUyzUMuHutkI_CLLXenO_fmiETviHcMgT2B1MKUqVM055oFm7gcUS79Bu8fDSYlcE/s1600/IMG_0805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDkkSKTgagwfuzkTmFzrcoM8jjRIEfBSxcyJLDrJY5gwXwBZhFqgEtltdNaTxEbxvu-sFlcnWNJxdUyzUMuHutkI_CLLXenO_fmiETviHcMgT2B1MKUqVM055oFm7gcUS79Bu8fDSYlcE/s320/IMG_0805.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">beautiful bride to be, Megan<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGflpN2o2PCZLcYBP2rTVgsx9YYFfsKh3nkwB8eTSrznFFKpVs9i9uxjeZfSOAksvgSgPd6MJRH1xsz4p_hsxmXoC1bv1oAIq7JdYvfML-hCQ2G4ckX8pbghacEdyLK0FHmMzRGrihKsQ/s1600/IMG_0806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGflpN2o2PCZLcYBP2rTVgsx9YYFfsKh3nkwB8eTSrznFFKpVs9i9uxjeZfSOAksvgSgPd6MJRH1xsz4p_hsxmXoC1bv1oAIq7JdYvfML-hCQ2G4ckX8pbghacEdyLK0FHmMzRGrihKsQ/s320/IMG_0806.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">another tasting station with sweets</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4bDC_2p4HWNHEl8zf0OnW5NBvnJwYdZBd1_O2eD6TmGKxfw_HS0zbxfPprnKHR5Tr6coAzqdhepN-DqCd3Ouj1tyTLz4MMeLYSiKBs2i5Bj16QWskf-anZHjtrCgLHXhwWqgwqKLLNyA/s1600/IMG_0808.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4bDC_2p4HWNHEl8zf0OnW5NBvnJwYdZBd1_O2eD6TmGKxfw_HS0zbxfPprnKHR5Tr6coAzqdhepN-DqCd3Ouj1tyTLz4MMeLYSiKBs2i5Bj16QWskf-anZHjtrCgLHXhwWqgwqKLLNyA/s320/IMG_0808.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">party favors :)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ3wHKd5Iwg7TwPKUJK2ciZ3p551pZV9hk3GxsWb43HUkFLBK_dQW3YOCttwMAf19WkrGv7_6eLBVBEv8MtKq8x73qEfUZerJ-CWomdn8uk1H0x80VLRNbOqBy5peSGy7QiH9IR6dLn0Y/s1600/IMG_0816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ3wHKd5Iwg7TwPKUJK2ciZ3p551pZV9hk3GxsWb43HUkFLBK_dQW3YOCttwMAf19WkrGv7_6eLBVBEv8MtKq8x73qEfUZerJ-CWomdn8uk1H0x80VLRNbOqBy5peSGy7QiH9IR6dLn0Y/s320/IMG_0816.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MOB and her friends enjoying</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI_cWmd8eqri_WAadrnEBVkQocMhNC9Hmj2dRYTKLYEJsWnuPSmgkIFtPYEmM4SbGgnNranNoLhfKOpBJTnPp-NiLNFz-asMymImqyMQlSlzV8Dd9nnxnM7-Y5n1Um3ValR_1a2wkkFFw/s1600/IMG_0819.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI_cWmd8eqri_WAadrnEBVkQocMhNC9Hmj2dRYTKLYEJsWnuPSmgkIFtPYEmM4SbGgnNranNoLhfKOpBJTnPp-NiLNFz-asMymImqyMQlSlzV8Dd9nnxnM7-Y5n1Um3ValR_1a2wkkFFw/s320/IMG_0819.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>After a questionnaire we gave Megan about how well she knew her hubby-to-be we did a silly game--create a beautiful wedding dress using one roll of toilet paper in less than 10 minutes. It was great!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLdS0rQfGh3xKSCUrno6ksNGI52GAQyMWPUM0rs8dh4BYRz4E7ZeDXU_N3K3Etu16w58orCo_yeTYUAbvAMG95-SLEhrsWYNso_T3F3-SLbzhbseSQVsC8io_dAjlI29ZxzY9ADgsxmLk/s1600/IMG_0822.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLdS0rQfGh3xKSCUrno6ksNGI52GAQyMWPUM0rs8dh4BYRz4E7ZeDXU_N3K3Etu16w58orCo_yeTYUAbvAMG95-SLEhrsWYNso_T3F3-SLbzhbseSQVsC8io_dAjlI29ZxzY9ADgsxmLk/s320/IMG_0822.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mary was my model!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq-GWYA5JcZOrZquH6EGfYhuPAdrAcKmCmhIU47ewmYriUvcQd6L1tufnhAvnw7um6I_HzGnUyPAYhpc5eBK_GCp5Hk6TKp-Eyv-zLzoGowgmIeHkKfr0N2a9a0UAfrlOBQxMP_0s6B5c/s1600/IMG_0824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq-GWYA5JcZOrZquH6EGfYhuPAdrAcKmCmhIU47ewmYriUvcQd6L1tufnhAvnw7um6I_HzGnUyPAYhpc5eBK_GCp5Hk6TKp-Eyv-zLzoGowgmIeHkKfr0N2a9a0UAfrlOBQxMP_0s6B5c/s320/IMG_0824.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhad0pw5WfBQ0s1GaZSG6dEj25IMeYG_2aWspsRabnVS8OzGHNReQUkB8Rd6TDOugnig4Wd34RXNQ6N3VguB5FkCNX86YczRulwVVQM_H9VEUYuflKs-2vIpZhE2STZBXczz460nV7T1Fc/s1600/IMG_0837.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhad0pw5WfBQ0s1GaZSG6dEj25IMeYG_2aWspsRabnVS8OzGHNReQUkB8Rd6TDOugnig4Wd34RXNQ6N3VguB5FkCNX86YczRulwVVQM_H9VEUYuflKs-2vIpZhE2STZBXczz460nV7T1Fc/s320/IMG_0837.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After this game, the guests answered questions about Megan, seeing who knew the bride best! Next, Megan opened presents :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg68Js7e4win2RKZ2SYhnRJAWqIOyuWSKVf3FrJP2GE5BL4nBSEjkVLxv5OIDKcJPbzUCbchoDD7PIA16zZ-_oiHiR6qGTqYoy3uD31G8fKog0QF3jCHL81Vn805s9peHqR678lNKc9o7I/s1600/Smilebox_2088498904.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg68Js7e4win2RKZ2SYhnRJAWqIOyuWSKVf3FrJP2GE5BL4nBSEjkVLxv5OIDKcJPbzUCbchoDD7PIA16zZ-_oiHiR6qGTqYoy3uD31G8fKog0QF3jCHL81Vn805s9peHqR678lNKc9o7I/s320/Smilebox_2088498904.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">During present opening, I took notes. No, not on what Megan was given or who gave it to her, I took notes on Megan's comments. Becca, Megan's aunt then read the comments, under the pretense of a "Honeymoon preview" It was HILARIOUS! (and everyone was blushing!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvSe3jQjjIvuZTexk1ZEEerLkNpJ0DQwZ2MmuSZ6SAUZKU5CZRxXD1iPicmxHS7ANH1cD_jIx2xOq_jFQdJVYu82X00z24H9K72Nvvcuzx-akAaB-BAa8c86TmH6CzVzX7MNDn_rpaUtI/s1600/Smilebox_2088498906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvSe3jQjjIvuZTexk1ZEEerLkNpJ0DQwZ2MmuSZ6SAUZKU5CZRxXD1iPicmxHS7ANH1cD_jIx2xOq_jFQdJVYu82X00z24H9K72Nvvcuzx-akAaB-BAa8c86TmH6CzVzX7MNDn_rpaUtI/s320/Smilebox_2088498906.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bec reading the comments</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikyrZylpE0KdFXeURe-zmjkpW7iG2fD_QXXs4OJOBsVdKWWRqfgTTVvtCOGAmS_FCBEs9hdXs9RUgedk9QFp7-WmK3TyUngKtlwJFGKZmS90U0KpC5Z04FqJ3FFirQj1359ElPwUCaJ5Y/s1600/Smilebox_2088498920.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikyrZylpE0KdFXeURe-zmjkpW7iG2fD_QXXs4OJOBsVdKWWRqfgTTVvtCOGAmS_FCBEs9hdXs9RUgedk9QFp7-WmK3TyUngKtlwJFGKZmS90U0KpC5Z04FqJ3FFirQj1359ElPwUCaJ5Y/s320/Smilebox_2088498920.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> The next surprise we had for Megan was my favorite. We blindfolded Megan and told her a "special guest" was coming. We tried to allude to the fact that it might be a stripper. When she was thoroughly thrown off guard, these handsome men came in. Blind-folded Megan felt each of their calves to determine which one was Andrew.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKZUsH7UnUUL368KpRYJ6E2RIw8hFry71QuBDYsHqjBxn7_huY1dCDyk16xtoszpeCpcoP45PnPVDcDqk36MWUAKqXV4WbghhIii6b27MNSpXIK3axhQDztkPsBMi4cu2h2IQ-aU1UZPA/s1600/Smilebox_2088498921.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKZUsH7UnUUL368KpRYJ6E2RIw8hFry71QuBDYsHqjBxn7_huY1dCDyk16xtoszpeCpcoP45PnPVDcDqk36MWUAKqXV4WbghhIii6b27MNSpXIK3axhQDztkPsBMi4cu2h2IQ-aU1UZPA/s320/Smilebox_2088498921.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">great picture of my love :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOv4lSS3K16POFWLw2FqltLEMD7metdythe5N26E1kauE9GEMDpaMhQD8nLp5LnUKQUBVWSrNXOL7CqXAF1E5kaoH8uEJ02bshSvatMbnePny1ZfvnG1tMN6fo7VQ8D1VG6INrSCLhVOc/s1600/Smilebox_2088498925.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOv4lSS3K16POFWLw2FqltLEMD7metdythe5N26E1kauE9GEMDpaMhQD8nLp5LnUKQUBVWSrNXOL7CqXAF1E5kaoH8uEJ02bshSvatMbnePny1ZfvnG1tMN6fo7VQ8D1VG6INrSCLhVOc/s320/Smilebox_2088498925.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">this is my favorite picture of the event--we were all laughing so hard!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdpTK71cZm6zS3OouNnuYtuHc9cWvUg3Fo6STJSBa1fet9zHzlXkvpyo0JMv_liaJOoFNHT5sqY5zgKJHICq7Ba5dU_4colxlOs3T0tnhyphenhyphenAkccba7eJ8uCsTOBXiLHHymJM4ZD5UhWMa0/s1600/Smilebox_2088498927.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdpTK71cZm6zS3OouNnuYtuHc9cWvUg3Fo6STJSBa1fet9zHzlXkvpyo0JMv_liaJOoFNHT5sqY5zgKJHICq7Ba5dU_4colxlOs3T0tnhyphenhyphenAkccba7eJ8uCsTOBXiLHHymJM4ZD5UhWMa0/s320/Smilebox_2088498927.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Megan's dad was such a good sport!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm55Z3pWUFtUvKSFTTZ3-OEMeH16xhjfsmmPJBqPCnamAZLfTTr8oYWvZ82Cnzcgsyw9oDCz_w2rRb0NSjd4SBJXjK9I3UtXdf7mXmI2HglgvVOfc8-BoulbKu-QIKfMRzLyCrVmVrIRs/s1600/Smilebox_2088498931.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm55Z3pWUFtUvKSFTTZ3-OEMeH16xhjfsmmPJBqPCnamAZLfTTr8oYWvZ82Cnzcgsyw9oDCz_w2rRb0NSjd4SBJXjK9I3UtXdf7mXmI2HglgvVOfc8-BoulbKu-QIKfMRzLyCrVmVrIRs/s320/Smilebox_2088498931.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>After not being able to determine which calf was Andrew's (she knew it wasn't John's--"too hairy" she said!) she went to feeling biceps. The whole thing made me laugh so hard, I was crying!<br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 9.16667px;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKd9ogH8ROBXEdXwaMV-sN9fN9rfloQ6xNzbuHvlRR8XISjm8L_BN-8edlopfb7Ik1SnKHbVfIOSbWPGEHlhlRvWyNvwvGp-Vu75dxlYqylwgdMKRRSRkjO1NlRZnDCUJOkHjW33r242I/s1600/Smilebox_2088498935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKd9ogH8ROBXEdXwaMV-sN9fN9rfloQ6xNzbuHvlRR8XISjm8L_BN-8edlopfb7Ik1SnKHbVfIOSbWPGEHlhlRvWyNvwvGp-Vu75dxlYqylwgdMKRRSRkjO1NlRZnDCUJOkHjW33r242I/s320/Smilebox_2088498935.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">beautiful lovebirds :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-EBO46NyJd9iQ9vHaBq2BZZTjC-w7CtQBryBVydWqFsRCC1YB_ZoPwDHtLZpAc_gB0Wo9tL8qwVsCbolZVLOs18G50vgT_UMyniRsmzETwVSde39hPgC7wo6PXGvyQllnk-pId8ORZjc/s1600/IMG_0846.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-EBO46NyJd9iQ9vHaBq2BZZTjC-w7CtQBryBVydWqFsRCC1YB_ZoPwDHtLZpAc_gB0Wo9tL8qwVsCbolZVLOs18G50vgT_UMyniRsmzETwVSde39hPgC7wo6PXGvyQllnk-pId8ORZjc/s320/IMG_0846.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Megan and the MOB with the rehearsal bouquet <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNsOB7_ExWwgYvaBOkUF6wnOEkQkG53DFcVNc9QPt314eUksKcrKqvcTaVZhKe3fimZuDL_TZu_iQfKxkP2iZ-iqyknB33zk4ln8ZsVHtJxCr0vFcxz9QcYlQw4Ch9BxdHm1ArzJ-7W-4/s1600/IMG_0852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNsOB7_ExWwgYvaBOkUF6wnOEkQkG53DFcVNc9QPt314eUksKcrKqvcTaVZhKe3fimZuDL_TZu_iQfKxkP2iZ-iqyknB33zk4ln8ZsVHtJxCr0vFcxz9QcYlQw4Ch9BxdHm1ArzJ-7W-4/s320/IMG_0852.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiygsRDuvarCv14DQMzyaH09e3oeOuwTpl2jPqZivCNeL2NCA7_s2yDCTpFTQMdaGV_kULgiMnz42ZOfnnZtdPyC98cpFxFeXOTSxc3kM8WpjcUqlv7WhHw66xv4WEbezWXOsNc9MIkU2o/s1600/IMG_0853.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiygsRDuvarCv14DQMzyaH09e3oeOuwTpl2jPqZivCNeL2NCA7_s2yDCTpFTQMdaGV_kULgiMnz42ZOfnnZtdPyC98cpFxFeXOTSxc3kM8WpjcUqlv7WhHw66xv4WEbezWXOsNc9MIkU2o/s320/IMG_0853.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">so happy to be reunited!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEdMC7zaXcBpTbrnF_YNsfEKp_c3tzRh1yc3kldfIfkei_t9VRMgXao1luGIFR9xJj1VN6M0GK5WY2N0_YckspJiVf-1sNwmdPsQWfCrBuDqDEta4fRkDjuxXRlfasXhDXWPfz7Eg0q4E/s1600/IMG_0859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEdMC7zaXcBpTbrnF_YNsfEKp_c3tzRh1yc3kldfIfkei_t9VRMgXao1luGIFR9xJj1VN6M0GK5WY2N0_YckspJiVf-1sNwmdPsQWfCrBuDqDEta4fRkDjuxXRlfasXhDXWPfz7Eg0q4E/s320/IMG_0859.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
After church and lunch all together on Sunday, John and I headed back to New York. I left early Monday morning, arriving in Seattle a couple hours late for work. Needless to say, Monday night, I fell asleep early and slept soundly.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglxetmdLYcbg24jmIFR33UhRwmlQ8kn2Oc3Q_LssCu-sa-JvaSD4VqOH-0-MCeGD65OgGh7H5sPpqDwP0La4KlAKj7joUVccicAXg7XHxx2Rshxu-aQViXwJYDKvNMjcmPnnMYCmiKGQM/s1600/IMG_0870.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglxetmdLYcbg24jmIFR33UhRwmlQ8kn2Oc3Q_LssCu-sa-JvaSD4VqOH-0-MCeGD65OgGh7H5sPpqDwP0La4KlAKj7joUVccicAXg7XHxx2Rshxu-aQViXwJYDKvNMjcmPnnMYCmiKGQM/s320/IMG_0870.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
It was a wonderful weekend. I can't wait to be back in New York/ Philadelphia (and even a quick stop in to Gettysburg) end of May/ early June for Megan and Andrew's wedding--less than 70 days til the big day!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s1600/kate1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwAu1i4oxU1anVccyc5dLtVBRfwFs9KOUD1MIooU977StR6PJvj7OfbnM8WhNqfr0MYUe1kml97fUbEXkwLc1P9JhUwZjcxKIMiGH8NR0CyAFXuSKYl5_l00248SoMNHCHhdZ3f2muYE/s200/kate1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>All the Places I Call Home :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15600430724068658387noreply@blogger.com0