Girl's Night at Will's House

It was so nice to get off the base campus and go to a home where there were couches, carpet, and a movie. Will and his roommates let me invite my new Phase II friends over for a nice evening together. We watched the movie Once and I made Norwegian buns. YEAH! Thanks Will for your couch and carpet!Elaine (PA & Chile), Micha (AL), Brianna (SD), Kyrgie (Kyrgestan), Ilsa (CO), me, Becca (IL), Stephanie (AZ)

under the dump

This is the view from my bed window--under the dump of snow! Alot of it!!! I think it will continue to fall throughout the day. Yesterday the boys that live at the alternative campus in the mountains could not come down because of the weather. They just played in the snow and had a day off all day! We went to class and did work duties like usual. Today we will do the same. As it has not stopped. It's fun, I just have a hard time letting go of the reality that I will not ride my bike anymore. boo.

I have had a great last week. I will share some photos with you now.
Will and I got engaged...as you saw and probably knew. We also celebrated our one year anniversary soon after on Oct 22. We were in Redding, CA last year for the Open Heaven's Conference at Bethel Church. Will had come to actually figure out if I was the one he wanted to date. It was Oct 22 when he called my dad and asked him if he could pursue me....then we changed our status on facebook. That makes everything official! So it has been a whole year now. A hard year of distance, growing with God, and figuring out what the Lord has already told both of us....but we just needed to learn it again.

To celebrate Will made shrimp alfredo! I LOVE SHRIMP!!!!! It was so great.We played and sang a little together on his new piano.
We did a little wedding planning too.

A delightful night at my future home! He splurged and even bought me flowers! I love this man so much. I am definetely blessed.
On Saturday of last week it was bright, shining, and warm! It is a bit different now you can imagine. We met Christina and Geneva in Boulder for brunch. We ate at Duchambe's Tea House. It was so fun to talk about wedding plans with her...she was helpful, curious, and generous.
Saturday evening Will and I drove down to Colorado Springs and joined a small party of people in a private home for Indian cuisine and a night of discussing art, Christianity, and our role in today's world. It was so exciting to meet up with artist who are INSIDE of thier craft. They are doing this stuff. They are committed to the Lord in so many areas. They have discovered that art is the way to communicate God's heart so they are doing it. It was encouraging to hear from some people about thier struggles and triumphs. We were both blown away by the years of experience in that room.
Dr. Michael and debi Story Maddox were the hosts. She is the artist that I met at the Arts Coference I attended in early October. She has her huge prophetic paintings hanging all over her house.
Sunday night we got to spend some time with friends passing through town. I did my School of Worship with Brittany on the right (with her husband Taylor). They were stopping in for two nights before heading up to Estes Park for a YWAM Conference. The others in the photo are Stephanie Snell (staff member here in Denver who married my other cell band leader from my SOW) and Megan Gilles (who recently married the electric guitar player in my SOW cell band). It was a lot of talk about marriage, engagement and pregnancy (Brittany just found out she and Taylor are expecting). This is a strange and new life.....to be in these girl groups talking about being wives and mothers. Oh boy.......what a change. It's fun.

Will and I started our pre-marital counseling from a pastor and his wife that Will knows from his church. It is going to be great!!! They are so similar to us. She is from Storm Lake, IA!!! It will be a wonderful time of learning and growing.

Have a great day!!!

our story told

The day was all planned out, sort of. I think Will had the gist of it, but how it all played out was decided on the spot. Remember I honestly did not have a clue. I just thought it was a nice day for a hike. And I do not get surprised very quickly. I might have to rethink that.
Anyway, here is how it all happened:

Will tried to trick me by giving me a few gifts at the top of the waterfall we were hiking to near Vail. It was close to our 1 year anniversary so it didn't seem weird. They were just decoys: a beautiful scarf and then silver circle earrings. We began our hike down, but stopped along the way. Will was looking for the river's edge. He was fascinated with getting there, but I didn't know why. We were nearing the end of the trail, so he just said, 'sit down on that rock'. He asked if he could wash my feet. What a cool symbol! That is why he wanted to get to the water!! He then pulled out this beautiful letter and read it out loud. I could have gone home happy after that. The tears were welling up in my eyes trying to wait until he was finished to burst forth. Seamlessly he popped out a little black box with a shiny ring!

What beautiful ring! It is perfect. And fits perfect too.
Through my tears and sobs I managed to say YES!



We're Engaged!!!
Let the fun continue!!

10-10-10 Oct. 10, 2010

Here is a photo of me and my beautiful mother. We ate at HuHot for a goodbye dinner. Love you mom and dad! I miss you already!

I left Pumpkinland with a bang! There was a VOTA band concert behind the shed + 500 youth. It is so sad to leave that wonderful place, but I am so happy I got to be a part of that wonderful pumpkin patch family. The special art piece I had been making (batik: wax and dye process) was for Dave and Helen as a thanks for all their wonderfulness.
I need to paint again soon. I have felt God's surge of creativity pouring through me as of lately. I have been overwhelmed with ideas and concepts to express through painting, but no time. Pray for that please. This is a 'blow your mind' piece of artwork from the Arts Conference I attended with Don Harding in Colorado Springs last weekend. The artist, debi Story Maddox, is painting from a place of deep prayer and meditation on God's Word. This painting really struck me because it reminded me of my calling---and who I am!
We went to the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs with our good friends Sara & Ross. Yeah!!!!! for couple-friends!!!Being in Denver is different than anywhere I have ever been before. I think it is the mix between a
--new place and
--new place in life.

I have been here for a week now....officially!

Will and I are discovering very important fundamentals in our relationship. Now that we are finally in the same place on this earth that poses some transition as well. Keep our relationship in your prayers as we joyfully discover what it means to be ' two people in relationship' not just 'a relationship'. ponder that one!

The school has been in session for a week now. The real meat of the teaching and classes begin next week. We are bonding and getting used to the dorm living, work duties, and schedule this week. I have a few wonderful roommates and a small group that has already been a blessing. I begin the reading soon. I found out my weekly work duty. Monday through Friday I will be in the kitchen preparing dinner from 3:45-5:30.I made this veggie tray! Isn't it delightful?

Will and I looked for cars Wednesday night. I think I want a 4 door, used, foreign car of some sort. It's exciting to think that someday I might be able to own something like this for my very own.....wow! The Lord is such a great provider. Think back to your first car......that's me now. ha ha ha! If you want to help finance this car with me.....let me know. :)

That's it for me now. Enjoy your weekend.