2am thoughts and musings

i have never known whether i am a "night person" or "morning person". To put it simply, i like my sleep. i don't want to wake up early, and to be honest, i have no problem going to bed early either.

But tonight i am a night-owl. or insomniac...i'm still trying to decipher the two.

it's been a while since our last blog. new things are happening. not even sure of where to begin.

but it's 2:33am EST. and i am wired. i know i'll be an angry grouch tomorrow...but i'm prepared for that. not sure if others are, but that's how the cookie crumbles.

lots of questions rolling around in my head tonight. "does anyone still read this?" is one.

don't know. don't care. it's too late for that.

but how about an update on our lives on the East Coast. I wish i could use a "middle-east" joke on here like on Anchorman, but i openly know very little about the geography over here.

ashley accidentally locked me out of the house for 2 hours while she had coffee with a friend. i was angry at first...angry at her, but then, realizing it was an accident, i became angry at the situation. it was about 90 degrees outside and humid. i was in jeans and a tshirt. bored. i took a nap on the deck. watched the muted tv through the window. and tried to spit on a lizard.

ashley finally came home and let me in.

we then went out to chick-fil-a for dinner. i'm only a fan of chick-fil-a when i haven't had it for a while...i get "over" that place quickly. but tonight it was refreshing.

as we shuffled into our booth in the almost empty restaurant, ashley smiled and said, "it's been a long time since we've done this". we used to visit chick-fil-a quite often in our early dallas days...but the chicken-novelty rubbed off. and they raised their prices.

we sat across from each other, separated by diet coke and sprite cups, two sandwiches, some fries and sixty-four used ketchup wrappers scattered on the table. just talking about random things. random life-change.

we talked about this move. this lifestage. this step of faith. this move to a new state, even further away from anyone we know or anything we've ever known.

to say the least, we are content. i never know if 'content' is a good 'Christian' term to use. i guess it's a mindset, and not an action plan. does that make sense?

we love our lives here.

yes, it's hard being away from 'blood-family'. but we've acquired new family here. a family away from family. and we feel blessed.

God has shown us over and over again that we are in the right spot. we're scared at times. sometimes we're even sad that we're so far away from "home"...but we're in our new home now. assured that we're called to be here. meant to be here. for a reason. for a purpose.

...and we're content in this. ecstatic at what God is doing. and humbled that we get to be a part. and incredibly in love with this place. these people.

sometimes i ramble. blame the 2 gallons of strawberry-lemonade crystal light that i've consumed in the past 36 hours. i'm addicted.

sometimes when i write i remember my appreciation for things...for people.

as ashley sleeps, i can't help but be in awe of this woman i get to live life with.

i love that woman. i love my best friend. i love my wife. i love ashley ann.

i don't say that near enough. to her, or anyone.

i have no desire to proof read this. so i rely on my spell check.

and i'm not going to apologize for the lower case i's.

this is what you get for 2:33-2:58am.

random, yes. genuine, absolutely.

it's our life.

and we're in it together. forever.

3am brings music videos on mtv.

they're starting it off with jennifer lopez "waiting for tonight"...it's such an old video, she's not JLo yet.

week of firsts

My apologies to our dedicated blog readers for the 6-month gap between posts...not that i know of any hopelessly devoted blog readers, but sometimes things surprise me.

My hope is that whoever is reading this, already knows the backstory that takes us to where we are today, but i know there is the occasional creeper, and i get that...to each his own. But if you don't know the backstory and you're dying to know--i'd be happy to fill you in.

So today is June 15, 2010. Ashley and I have been on the "East Coast" for a total 80 hours. I sit on our couch, in our new home, while Ashley and the dogs sleep...thinking about this pilgrimage.

I just sat down from rummaging through cabinets for something to eat to watch the 1 channel we get on our digital converter box...catching up on the latest happenings in the gulf and thought i would chronicle the latest news in our own lives.

So...we are here...the culmination of 4 months of conversation and preparation.

Moved.

Unpacked.

Unsettled...still living amongst the clutter, but slowly making this house our new home.

I find it hard to believe that less than 5 months ago, we were living in Dallas.

Settled.

Content.

Home...completely oblivious to what was about to take place.

But here we are. In, what seems like, a new world.

I still can't comprehend what's really going on.

So many different emotions running through my body.

I am excited for this new beginning...but terrified because it's just that: a new beginning.

Just 3-years-ago, Ashley and I were starting our ministry together in Plano, Texas. Doing new things, experiencing a new world and meeting new people. And this week, we begin that all over again.

This week is a week of firsts:

Tomorrow is my first day in the office.

Friday is our first youth event.

Sunday is our first official Sunday.

This is the beginning of this journey.

I'm ready. We are ready.

We have a ball of fear sitting in the pit of our stomachs, but the peace that we have surrounding this entire event makes everything alright.

3 years ago it was so easy to fall in love with the students that came into our lives.

And that love is still there.

And now we get that opportunity again...to fall in love all over with another group of students. A chance to be impacted by a group of jr. high and high school students and to be allowed into their lives. How we were blessed with an opportunity like this, i have no idea.

I'm thankful for this opportunity.

I'm thankful for this journey.

and honestly, I'm terrified...but incredibly ready to dive in.

We want our lives be used for something that matters.

Fear is part of that process.

Nervousness is part of that process.

...but this is our calling.

And we're in this together...with God preparing the way, we are ready to make it happen.

3 MORE DAYS UNTIL I GET TO SEE THESE GUYS!!!!!!

3 DAYS

'TIL I GET TO SEE MY NEPHEWS!

PROUD AUNTIE:

(of my nephews, not Santa!)

ELI STEVENSON - going on 8 months

BRODY SIMPSON- going on 11 months

These two bring me so much JOY!
Even though I'm not with them much, the pictures and the stories that their mommies send me TRULY make my day every time!
I can't help but smile when I think or hear of them.
I cannot wait to spend 5 WHOLE days with them.
LOVE YOU TWO SO MUCH <3
See you guys in Denver
-Auntie Ashley

Christmas time is here!

This year Scott has had the opportunity to help plan the Wesleyan Youth Convention for our region which will take place in Denver on the 28th of December, THIS has been a HUGE BLESSING as this stuff is RIGHT up Scott's alley... he LOVES it. BUT because of this and the time off of work I need to take off to be apart, we are unable to go home (Sacramento) for Christmas. This will officially be the FIRST year I've been away from my parents over Christmas...makes me FEEL a little more grown up, but not ready to accept it :). It is REALLY hard to not be around family during this time. Especially when they all get together,

and the BABY NEPHEWS are doing all their new tricks!

There truly is no place like home for the holidays!
SOoOoOo, to make me feel more at home, I attempted (with Scott's help) to make my mom's "family" cookies. Even though they didn't turn out as good as mom's, or grandma's, or even great grandma's... they did, however, give me a little piece of home :) not to mention I had a blast making them. I'm not sure I can say the same for Scott, but he was a good sport.

I love you honey!

please note: that is hair dye on my left shoulder. classy.

puzzle work!

my cookie decorating ELF

Peanut butter balls- Scott made these and did a wonderful job :)

Christmas tree time! I am a HUGE fan of REAL trees...

but for the past few years (because of traveling) we've settled for a fake one.

It does the job.

This year we started a new tradition in the Stevenson home... We've made it a point, when we travel, to always get an ornament as our "souvenir". Over the 2.5 years that we have been married we've acquired quite the collection, so we decided that this year we wouldn't just put them on our tree, instead we would share our favorite memory from that trip or place and then we'd hang it on the tree. IT WAS A SUCCESS! We revisited some wonderful memories and it was a great refresher of each trip, in hopes that we never forget. We are so blessed!

This is a tradition that we will continue to do for many years to come!

The finished product!

So thankful as I am reminded of the TRUE meaning of the season...

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father,

The Prince of Peace.”

ISAIAH 9:6

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Happy Thanksgiving: Montana style...

Scott and I FINALLY made it happen! We finally made it to Montana to visit our DEAR friends, the Bybee's, over Thanksgiving. Scott and I met Annie and Terry at College in Oklahoma. To sum up our friendship, us girls are constantly trying to keep the boys out of trouble, they tend to bring the best out of each other when they are togther. But as crazy as they are they always make us laugh. Aside from goofing off, we've been there for each others engagements, apart of each others weddings and continue to cherish their friendship even though it is a "long distance" relationship. In all honesty, the challenge of staying in touch is always present, but the wonderful thing about them is that no matter how long it has been since the last time we've all been together, we pick up right where we left off!

It was such a blessing to visit with them, watch them PARENT their two beautiful kids,

LAUGH hysterically, play games, and just catch up on life.

Here are just a few of the fun memories we made....

Annie and I getting ready to head out the doorTerry and Hadley
(Not sure why, but I didn't get any pictures of their kids. SAD. They also have an 8 month old Jude...BOTH OF WHICH ARE ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE)
While we were in town Annie and Terry insisted they take us to their favorite restaurant's in Billings...Fancy Shmancy Restaurant #1....it was great!

Yes, this is what they do!

Pictionary...

SEE ABOVE: THIS IS NEVER A GOOD SIGN FOLKS!

Good ol' pictionary was not good enough...on to their "new" made up game

..."BELLY ART" PICTIONARY.
VERY CREATATIVE.

I love this picture.

It's not often he laughs THIS hard...had to document it :)

Annie and Terry love weekend get-a-ways....

so they took us to one of their favorite places.

A cabin in BIG SKY!

The landscape was BREATH taking...and the cabin was so nice!

This was our room

Hanging out by the fire

On to playing more games....a good 50% of our time in Montana was spent playing

Hide-and-go-seek (NO, not a type-o)

Scott and Terry could play this game ALL. DAY. LONG. ALL. YEAR. LONG.

We also played NERDS while drinking coffee and listening to Pandora

...even thought I am awful at this game I throughouly enjoy these times we shared!

BIG SKY TOWN...this is were I got my ornament

(I collect ornaments from every place we visit)

Enjoying our view from our balcony

Oh Brother!

And he is down!

This is what happens when City Folk try to walk on ice...lol!

Sledding...with a babies sled. not ours. Fantastic.

Hmm...we were the only people in this restaurant.

i wonder why...

Calamari...Reason # 1

Terry's face tells all!

....reason # 2 waitress would not stop talking about Alaska (lol)
reason # 3 the boys ate none of their food. Picky Picky!

Playing the number game

Snowy day at the cabin...our last day in Big Sky.

It was a wonderful trip, one we will always remember.

Loved being in Montana and loved being with our friends.

October Festivities!

While October has come and gone (quite a while ago)...here are some of the happenings that took place in our world...in our October.

The first week in October Mrs. Georgia Renee Russell moved in with us (short term stay) and also celebrated her 22nd birthday! Above is a picture of the BEAUtiful cake Scott and I made for her. I can assure you that it tasted MUCH better than it looks!

Our friend Jenn (also performing arts director at our church) has been "gigging" it up at some of the neatest coffee shops in the DFW area...this was one of those nights.

We also indulged on one of THE BEST Vanilla Chai's EVER!
GEORGIA!

Enjoying the atmosphere, music and the COMPANY...lots of good friends!

Jenn doing her thang! She doesn't normally dress up like Dorothy :)

Scott and I are BLESSED to be godparents to this lil' bumble bee, Emmy. It was so much fun to experience her first holloween with her (even though she had NO CLUE of what was going on).

Isn't she cute?

Not only was it Emmy's first Halloween,

but it was Marquita's (her mom) first time trick-or-treating!

One of the houses in our neighborhood turned their garage into a haunted house, so me Marquita, Georgia and Scott decided we'd go in... Georgia was stuck in the front becuase she is the bravest, then the rest of us followed. Scott, of course, on the tail end.

**Side note: It never fails, if somthing jumps out at him, he ALWAYS throws me infront of him (lol) i guess for protection. Isn't that sweet?**

Well, this haunted house was no different! The girls in front and Scott hiding behind us. We SCREAMED and LAUGHED and SCREAMED somemore...it was FUN!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN (...2 months late)

Fields of Faith Event

Scott had the opportunity to be the main speaker at the FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) event, Fields of Faith for the Plano school district last week. One of our youth students is the president of FCA for her school and was part of the planning committee for the Plano event, she asked him 2 weeks in advance and Scott JUMPED all over it! THE
Senior highs (11-12), the high schools (9-10)

and the middle schools (6-8) for the entire Plano school district... lots of students!

As nervous as he was (trust me, he was nervous) he did a great job! The moment he got on that stage he was in his element making people laugh, and most importantly speaking the truth of Christ into the lives of students...and adults!

My Handsome Hubby!

Always proud to do ministry alongside him.