Embrace the camera.

This week has been one long haul. For example, I went to bed last night after grading a test for first period. Then, this morning, no snooze for me... I was straight out of bed at 5 to finish up 3rd period. I was pretty proud when I pulled that off... Morning is always my best time, probably because of a good cup of coffee. You do what you've got to do! I'm all out of talent by eleven or so now... So if it's going to happen, it's got to be before anyone else is awake!
So, as we came in this afternoon, Hannah just wanted a cup of milk and to veg in front of of a good episode of Peep and the Big Wide World (her new favorite show). And I kicked up my feet, cracked open a nice cold root beer, and I think I'll read for 15 minutes before I pick up some more grading. Some day it will be done. And then it will be summer again :)

 There's nothing like a girl who can surf. And this daddy knows that...

They make my heart melt. 

It's Thursday. Go Embrace the Camera with Emily at the Anderson Crew!

What I Wore Wednesday!

Teal Dress (needs to be altered badly!): from Target
Banded Triangular Belt: Noonday Collection. Handwoven in Peru :) A splurge, for sure, but oh so worth it when it has so many colors to make the outfits come together just so. It's got little pops of red, so you know I'll wearing it with well, everything!
Shoes: Old Navy... years ago. Hannah actually picked these shoes out for me today. Nice touch, honey!

 I am not a hoops girl. But you can barely see in this picture, I'm wearing a pretty delicate pair... the Upcycled Hoops from Noonday Collection. I think I LOVE them. They are so light, the only time I feel them is when I turn to look over my shoulder and they brush my neck. They are faintly colorblocked, which makes them interesting, and easy to match with any other jewelry... gold, silver, bronze! Here, they're paired with my favorite Beza Charm Necklace.

 I can't get enough of these colors. Delicious mustard yellow, cool aqua, and bright electric blue, and tiny bronze beads to tie it all together. These are the colors for me this fall.
Mukisa Necklace, paper and bronze beads, from Uganda.
Escalera Bangle,tagua seeds from Ecuador.
Gypsy Stack Bracelet, from India. Reminds me of my friendship bracelet days!

 I wore this with all black... letting those colors really pop!
Black top from Target (has an adorable keyhole in back, too).
Black maxi skirt: Nordstrom
Yellow Sandals: Steve Madden (found at Ross)

 Here's the look I was going for: I was actually wearing the Stacked Arrows Necklace at work, but as you can see I snuck this shot in at the end of the day, and I had actually taken it off. In a quiet classroom, while students are working on a quiz, the two necklaces kind of bang together and make more noise than one would expect... it's okay. We made a few cowbell jokes about it and I just took it off! But seriously, these necklaces were made to go together!

And I'm by myself tonight, but here's a new favorite.
I never met a stripe I didn't like, so this is one of my favorite shirts to wear. (from Old Navy)
These are by far my favorite accessories this week, too!
The Exploration Necklace, from Uganda.
and my green striped earrings from Lovestory Lane. These are made by my friend Danielle, and all proceeds go to support her adoption, so they are EXTRA SPECIAL!

Ok, well that's What I Wore! Go check out the others at the Pleated Poppy today!

Make it happen Monday

Mondays are tough. (That's why I drink coffee).

I felt that today showing up for my first class... oh my, there was a lack of energy everywhere I went. It was as if the whole world needed another 3-day weekend. (Sí, ¡por favor!!!) 

Sometimes there's a little something that helps us "make it happen" around here, and finish the day.

Today, it's Pandora radio. 

I cook with my Ipad, using the Cozi website for recipes and lists, and Pandora plays while I work. Tonight's channel? Hymns, to keep our hearts in the right place at one of the most stressful times of the day. Somehow the music keeps me moving and the rest of the family calm, and it's enough background noise that no one is asking to turn on the TV.

We ended up sitting down to Basil Orange Chicken, with couscous and salad (carrots for Hannah, she doesn't do salad yet) and some orange slices for fun. Micah calls them "the taste of AYSO", and Hannah and I love to make orange smileys while we suck the juice out of the slice. It's the little stuff like this that makes the day feel special. And I know that Hannah notices little blessings like this as she blessed dinner tonight:

"Dear God, thank for my orange. And for Grandma's arm getting better. And Meemaw and Pa, and my school and oranges and my Spanish songs. Amen." 

That's right little honey. 

Count those blessings.

Thank you Lord, we made it through the day! 

On to the next one! 

ps- this is in no way a paid advertisement. Just sharing what helps us pull it together when life gets busy and make it happen!

Embrace the camera

It's Thursday. Time to Embrace the Camera. This one was from a couple of weeks ago... so good, I had to save it for later!

How cute are these two?

Hannah is content to sit and watch mountain bike races on the computer for an hour with her dad.

He needs this.

I'm feeling kind of bad, because earlier as he was watching the race, I was sitting next to him at my desk all excited about a Noonday sale, and drooling over fall samples! It was parallel play for parents! Watching these two now, I wish I had seized the opportunity for quality time instead!

P.s.- I did actually sit and watch the race with them before writing this. I did learn something!

Like sweet pictures like this one? Go check out some more at Embrace the Camera with Emily at the Anderson Crew this week. Linking up with them has helped me notice moments like this so much more! 

What I Wore: September 5

It's still funny to me when I blog about what I wear... I have never really thought of myself as a super-stylish person... I like to pull things together well, but I never really put tons of effort into it where I felt that I would have something worthwhile to share with others about getting dressed. Following What I Wore Wednesdays has helped me branch out from my basic staples and be more creative about the colors I wear and combos I come up with (i.e... don't always wear the same shirt with the same pants. Make different outfits.)
But now, I am SUPER EXCITED to share a little bit about what I wear each day... as a new ambassador for Noonday Collection, I've found a new purpose for pulling the outfit together... empowering others across the globe with our purchases! Hey, as a working woman, I am always trying to make my wardrobe stretch as far as it can, but it's got to have a certain level of polish and professionalism. Great accesssories like a colorful necklace, statement bracelet, or a great pair of earrings really help give some variety to familiar old outfits, and at the same time, bump up the stylie points, too! (I love to wear basics, which makes one of my outfits sans accessories pretty boring. But easy to match.)

 First up:

Gray tank: Lands End Canvas. New favorite place for teacher clothes :) 

Black bubble skirt: Kohls. Years ago, I know. 

Sandals: Ssekos from Noonday Collection.

Necklace: The Twisted Necklace from Noonday Collection. Here's the story: 

Seriously here. It's not just fun to put on a beautiful necklace... you are empowering a man to earn a living wage, save for his education and much needed medical procedures, and most importantly, giving him HOPE. That's something I'm excited to share!

 Next up: 

White sweater: Forever 21

Pink tshirt: H and M

Blue linen pants: Target

White driving mocs: Target

 Necklace: Beza Charm Necklace. 

This is the kind of necklace that makes people ask you about it. My favorite is the color of the leather straps... it's not gold, and it's not silver, and it pretty much goes with everything. The handmade beads are pretty much the same color, and the cool thing about them is that they are made from melted down artillery. 

Read the story of hope from one of the artisans, Adissalem:

So beautiful.

 Here I am doing my best June Cleaver pose in the kitchen after Back to School Night. 

I love this dress so much, we call it "the Back to School Night Dress" at work. Which parent is going to notice that I wear the same dress each year? Probably no one. 

Special this year: I am wearing flats, and therefore, still smiling after Back to School Night. Somehow, the parents came in almost 20 minutes early, and I was still in my cheater shoes. Stayed in them all night. (So glad I didn't bring the usual Rainbow flipflops!) 

Dress: Calvin Klein, Macy's 

Shoes: Zac and Zoe, Payless.

I wanted to highlight some of the more delicate silver jewelry from Noonday... many times the accessories have more of a global flair to them, but these are simple and classic

Sterling Circles Necklace: Handmade in Bali by a group that utilizes fair trade standards in the workplace. A portion of profits also provides a micro credit loan towards a business woman. Awesome. I could wear this one every day. 

Circles Forever Bangle: Noonday Collection

Stamped Circle Earrings: a glamorous addition to any outfit, from Noonday Collection, made in India:

These are the people I think about, and pray for as I get dressed in the morning, and why I am so excited to share what I wore with you! 

Go check out some more at the Pleated Poppy today!

See you next week!

3 year old favorites

Tomorrow is Hannah's first day of school. As I was talking with her about this earlier today, she was a little confused about that...as she's been in school for the summer too. This has just been a long weekend for her! Either way, she's excited about tomorrow, and I know once she gets there, it will be all kinds of fun for her! One of their special activities is the "All About Me" poster... which I am up late putting together at the last minute! (Classic. I even procrastinate on my daughters homework).
Thought I'd snap a photo of this... a little slice of her favorites here at age 3. I remember doing this last year as if it were last week. Time flies! And she's learning and changing so much... though I am pretty sure that Elmo, purple, and dancing were on there last year, too!

If I were to answer the same questions:
Name: Bonnie Nourse
I am: not ashamed to admit I'm 30 years old now.
I live in: Laguna Hills. Forever. I'm probably never leaving.
My favorite food is: hard to pick.
My favorite color is: obviously red.
When I grow up, I want to be: retired. (The end of Labor Day weekend makes everyone feel like that, right? Summer, don't go!)
I like to: sleep, eat, cook, run, dance, spend time with family and friends, speak Spanish, read the Bible and other things, teach high school, sew, shop, and swim.

What's your favorite?

True story.

Yesterday, it was a slow afternoon. Everyone was tired. I was doing everything I could to BRING IT, but at the end of the day, the day after back to school night, I was running low on energy too. 

Well, things got interesting: there was an EARTHQUAKE.  

and I DIDN'T FEEL IT. 

I was standing on my own two feet and I didn't even feel it. 

Even when my class got under their desks, I still kind of thought it was a joke. 

Thank God they know what to do... and remind me to do so. 

"Hey Señora, you should get under a desk or something..." 

Turns out it was a 4.1, in Yorba Linda. 

It's still hard for me to believe. I seriously thought my class was bored and had decided to fake an earthquake. It could have been a brilliant plan. But instead, the Earth was shaking. How crazy am I that I can't feel that? Weird.

What I Wore Wednesday: Back to School

Oh my, I have been back to school, which means dressing professionally, even though it is still hotter than Hades outside the classroom. My classroom by the way, is either stuffy or freeeeezing, and nowhere in between, and since stuffy is the kind of uncomfortable we can't fix, it means I'm dressing in layers during the week!
I have been in a crazy hurry though, so there's only three shots from this week! This is really disappointing for me, as I've been pulling it together pretty well here at the beginning of the year!  But I didn't even take a picture of the first day of school (last Wednesday. unbelievable.) I promise, I'll wear the same thing on Back to School Night next week and post a picture then! (That is probably more a promise to myself than a concerned reader :)

 RED!! my favorite color... this was picture day. Too bad my shoes weren't in the picture, because I love how they were working with that top!
Red button up: Target
Dark wash jeans: Express
Sandals: Ssekos
Funky Paper Statement Bracelet: Noonday Collection (on SALE!!!)
Coral necklace: Gift from Panama

 Here I am, still working after a long day.
Gray cardi: Target
Gray tank: Target as well
Rings: designed by hubby <3 br="br">
Coin necklace: H&M
Minted necklace and tagua seed bracelet: Noonday Collection (don't you love that green? makes me think of mint chip ice cream. every time.)

This was a new combo I was trying... fun way to stay cool at work!
short sleeve cardigan: Target
black top: the Limited
Skirt: $1 garage sale score! I get compliments on it every time I wear it...to think it came from Marian's garage sale, what a fun story!
Sandals: Ssekos
Black necklace: (practically invisible in this photo, but it was my Grandma's)
pink acaí berry necklace: Noonday Collection (ps- it's on SALE!!!)

Ok, for more fun go check out the others at the Pleated Poppy this week!

The Sleep Book

Dr Seuss wrote a book called the Sleep Book, and while its not one of his better known works, in our opinion here in the Nourse home, its his best work. This book is requested night after night, is packed in the suitcase with us for trips, and I even recorded myself reading it (among others) for Hannah while I was in Argentina. It never gets old. When she was younger, I thought it was written with a magical number of words, because she always fell asleep... we never finished the book together.  I had to read the end for myself, and I did, because it's that witty and delightful! Now she stays awake, reciting the story (word for word) and counting sleepers. I'll miss this book when she no longer needs to read it!

Embrace the camera: photo booth

My favorite shots for Embrace the Camera are the ones that happen spontaneously...like this one.  Outside after dinner, we were playing around and just grabbed the camera. Awesome. Go check out some more with Emily at the Anderson Crew! Then grab your camera and link up too!

What I Wore: August 8

I know last week I was just wondering how it could be August already, and here I am back to school already! (For meetings, at least!) But, it has made What I Wore fun to write this week, as it was fun getting dressed for work this week! 

Striped cardigan: Ross
Red Chevron Tank: Ross
Jeans: Charlotte Russe
Sandals: Ssekos, from Noonday Collection
Coral necklace: Gift from Panama
Red tagua seed bracelet: Noonday Collection
Red snap-on watch: Target
Bone carved earrings from Noonday Collection

 Denim top: Buffalo Exchange
Inca Steps Necklace: Noonday Collection
I'm actually also wearing Packaged Pretty Earrings, but they are pretty invisible in this picture.
Initially, I wasn't sure if these earrings were my style, but I ended up LOVING the square shape, and the colorful paper beads match everything!

Striped top: (never met a stripe I didn't like) Loft
There's a teal cami under there, but it did not show in the photo.
Jeans: Same ones from Charlotte Russe. Love that cropped length!
Sandals: Ssekos with gold ties.
Dainty Everyday Necklace from Noonday Collection
Beaded Statement Bracelet, also from Noonday Collection. These accessories are really bringing any outfit to life, makes getting dressed so FUN!
I'm also wearing those Packaged Pretty Earrings again. I told you they go with everything!

Ok, if you're counting this week and wondering why there's only 3, I missed a few days. It was a busy week! Check out the others over at the Pleated Poppy! I'm always inspired, every Wednesday!

Friday night...unexpectedly sweet.

We had plans to be at the Great Park's first giant dance party of the summer tonight...a salsa dance party...and then, at the end of a long day, I got a headache. A massive kind of headache, that made me just want to crawl into a quiet place. But, sometimes, there is no quiet place for mommy in the house. As hard as daddy was trying to distract her and do something fun (like swim) Hannah really just wanted to whine at me a little more. And all I wanted to do was dance. Except my head was already thumping, and I was totally out of energy for the night. I was so sad...so very sad and disappointed with myself for missing out. And I was still trying to hide from all noises because of my headache. So when they turned on the Olympics in my quiet place and Hannah started to whine about milk, I got up, got her the milk, and then headed to the living room where the TV is broken, sat in my favorite red chair by the fireplace, cuddled up with a favorite quilt, and grabbed that copy of Bossypants I thought I would have finished over spring break and I had me some dulce de leche ice cream. Pretty soon, Hannah wanders out, tells me she's "done watching bobbyball... I want a blanket too" and then curls up and dozes off in the chair next to me. Sweet. My headache is gone now. But I think I'll end the day here, on a good note. Here's a little photo of my Friday night bliss. Good night!

Embrace the Camera: Me and my love

This picture was one of the favorite emails I got while I was in Argentina. Subject line read: "GREAT picture of us. You look SO GOOD!" This meant so much to me... at the time, I was wearing crusty paint jeans for the third day in a row, and I did not feel beautiful. Actually, I wasn't even thinking about feeling beautiful at the time, I was there to serve, but knowing that Micah thought that across the world blessed my heart in a way that I cannot describe... feeling so treasured there after a long day in my crusty jeans!
Husbands, if your wife's love language is Words of Affirmation, she never gets tired of hearing sweet things like this!

So... Embrace the Camera is all about getting in front of the camera with our loved ones. I have to confess that for as much as I love Micah, we are almost never in front of the camera together! (So sad!) So, I have been making an intentional effort to stop for a photo with him more this year, for many reasons:
1) We've been together long enough that sometimes we look different (me more than Micah, he may look the same forever, actually) than the pictures we have on the walls. Of our wedding. Almost seven years ago.
2) He's my favorite person to look at. Why wouldn't I love more pictures of him?
3) Hannah loves to take our picture. (We just can NEVER EVER forget to make her wear the strap on her wrist. See entry from last week about broken camera. Sad day.)
4) Pictures that show how much we love each other are really valuable to us today, and even more valuable to our family someday. I had the great privilege of making a slideshow for the family when my grandma Sarah Ann passed away this past December. I can't tell you how sweet it was to see all those pictures of her and my grandpa holding each other so tight... and there were some from their newlywed days that were just too cute for words! Their marriage is a great example to me, my parents, our family... and inspires us all to one day have a love story like theirs! Photos are a great way to capture the moments along the way as we grow old together! (yes, Micah and I are getting old, I can say that)
But we're still young enough to have some fun. Here's a few of us hamming it up on a Saturday morning for Hannah:

Check out some of the other fun photos at Embrace the Camera with Emily and the Anderson Crew!

Wing in a Sling

(Singing) Quote of the Day from Hannah:
 "I've got my wing in a sling! I've got my wing in a sling! Just like Grandma..."
Micah and I stopped, and she had to explain to us: "Like Grandma's hurt arm." Thankfully, she didn't realize that we were trying to stifle giggles.
What will she say next?

What I Wore Wednesday: August 1

It is not August already. Tell me it's not August already!!!
Nope, it is... I was out early running this morning with my neighbor, and it's already HOT. It's August, for sure.
It's also Wednesday, so I am joining up with What I Wore Wednesday over at the Pleated Poppy again! Well, this is the second time. And this week is extra "special" because Hannah had an accident with my beloved little camera (with the self-timer)... and it bent the lens and died.  It was a sad day! But, I have to remind myself (over and over, because I miss it) that it is just a thing. Just a camera. First-world-problem. Let it go. So, these are grainier cell phone self-portraits... sorry, not even cool Instagram pictures, I know! Another first-world-problem. I need to stop that!

First up: I "sun-dressed up!" (pictured with Gus the Wonder Dog. He doesn't wear accessories. Ever.)
Chambray sundress: Target
Brightly-Lined Scarf: Noonday Collection. This is a favorite. The four colors make it so much more versatile than I ever expected (because I don't wear a lot of patterns) and it brings a lot of life to anything I wear it with!
Sseko Sandals with favorite red ties: Noonday Collection. 

Denim button-up top: Buffalo Exchange.
Black shorts: Old Navy. These are the perfect length, cut. Modest, but not campy. And they have a cute little drawstring tie at the top, which really "tied it together" with my sandals. (Stop me now, that pun was ridiculous!)
Sseko sandals with black ties: Noonday Collection. I love these shoes. Being able to switch the straps makes it seem like I have countless more options! See the challenge Sseko has going on this month: (30 Ties in 30 Days!) They are comfortable, you can wear them a different way every day if you like, and they don't flop, so you don't have to curl your toes at all to keep them on when you walk, and they're a lot stealthier than flopping around all day! Plus, those ties are too cute!

 Here's the running clothes I chose for this morning.
Do.not.wear.this.
Clearly, I still felt like I was in Argentina, where it is winter, because the running tights and long sleeved shirt were so not necessary. Too much in fact. I broke an amazing sweat this morning. But, after a hot shower and a hot cup of coffee, I felt unstoppable!

 All fresh and clean:
Gingham top: Target
Blue shorts: Old Navy (once I found shorts I liked there, I bought another pair). No ties on this pair though.
I am still wearing my Ssekos with brown straps, though!
Minted Necklace: Noonday Collection. Handmade paper beads from Uganda. I love the color of this necklace. It's like mint-chip ice cream.
Tagua seed bracelet: Noonday Collection
Gold earrings: gift from Meg!

Stuck.

I miss Argentina. I sat down, meaning to write something more profound, and that's all I have to say about it right now!

I am not forgetting.

A week ago, I was in a bus. In the desert.
That's weird to think about. It seems like it was forever ago, and at the same time, like it was just yesterday. Maybe because I have been thinking about the same thing for a whole week. Time doesn't seem like it's passing that quickly when you are thinking the same thought over and over again.
What was I thinking about? Not forgetting. 
This is not the first missions trip I've been on, but it's the first one I've been on in a long time. Since Hannah was born, actually. It's the first trip I've gone on where I felt like I had left my own life in the U.S. and somehow ended up on the other side of the world empty, but waiting to be filled, or used. I felt like a strange, empty vessel landing in Buenos Aires on the first day, having no idea what to expect. In retrospect, that was probably the best way to be for this trip. I wasn't full of daily agendas, lists, plans for the day, concerns, and my perpetual task list. Once I had been in touch with Micah and Hannah and knew that life was just fine for them at home, I was free to just serve.  Or, sometimes, just sit back and observe. And I took a lot in in 3 weeks time... and I pondered it all in my heart: riding in a bus, walking through town, while I was working, journaling... I journaled a lot. Mostly in the form of blessings, a list I started after reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. I wanted to write as much down as I could so that I would remember, so that I could look back and see what God was doing at this time, because He was doing so much in my heart, and in the lives of the people around me.
On our last night in Andacollo, we were challenged to not forget...  When I heard these words, my heart broke, and tears welled up in my eyes, knowing how hard it would be to remember once I got home, and was back to busy-ness. It was easy doing this in Argentina, when we were all serving together, and there wasn't much else to be distracted with. We were challenged to be like John, a voice that cries out in the desert.  Again, this is easier in Argentina. I knew this would be a real challenge coming home.  I thought about my life at home, what I sound like when I talk to people: "How was the weekend?"
"Cute shoes!"
"What are you doing this weekend?"
"Ooh, I like your dress!"
"I.am.SO.tired."
"Oh, this is from Target!"
"I need to make dinner."
"I have SO many papers to grade."
"This week is going to be so busy!" (I think Micah and I say that every weekend!)
These are not exactly statements that give any sort of account of what God's doing in my life. Actually, seeing them all in a list like that, it looks like all the things that may be distracting me from what He's doing in my life. Enter the 1000 gifts again. Writing down God's blessings in my life puts me in tune with what He's up to that day: small things, and BIG things... they're all on the same list. When I first came to Argentina, there were 120 things on my list, (that I had started in December). In three and a half weeks, the list was up to 370. Why was it so much easier for me to be thankful, to see what He was doing in a place that was not familiar to me? Why couldn't I do that at home? This is what I thought about in that bus. Every time I saw that desert we were driving across, I was reminded of the voice "crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the LORD." And I wondered, how am I going to do that?

I wondered this as I woke up from a nap that morning in the bus. I had fallen asleep coming down the mountain roads all bundled up in my sleeping bag... and I woke up in the desert.

I thought to myself, "How profound. Just like Mauro's message last night!" And I pondered these things in my heart. Joyfully, thankful for the time to think (obviously this is at the beginning of the bus ride.) I journaled my thoughts. Task-oriented, I made a list of things I needed to keep in check so that I would not forget. Ways that I thought I could bring more glory to God in my life - how would I be a voice that cries out in the wilderness of Orange County: Ponder, ponder, ponder. But I didn't come up with something to write for that one.
Time passes. I talk with Letty, we eat some empanadas, I take another nap. I wake up: we are still in the desert. 

I am yet again reminded of the voice crying out in the desert. Everyone is napping, so I go back to listing in my journal... it was so easy to name the blessings, but I still had no idea what it would look like for me to be the kind of voice that desperately cries out in the name of the Lord to those around me: I work at a Christian school, I come from a long line of Jesus followers, and I married a man who is much the same. Most of my friends have known me for a really long time, so they know what I am all about... what more do I possibly need to be telling them? Uf. This was getting frustrating. I close the journal, sad that I had not been able to finish that list yet. It's at this point I imagine God chuckling at me... "Patience, Bonnie. You still have so much to learn."  But I wanted my answer... NOW!
So... you can imagine how I reacted after dozing off and waking up a THIRD time, and we are STILL IN THE DESERT.

I share my frustration with Letty, Sandra, those around me... but the frustration is not so much that we are still in the bus, in the desert, but rather, every time I look out at the desert I am reminded of the challenge that waits for me at home... and I am afraid that I don't know how to deal with it. I didn't actually mention that at the time... because I wouldn't have known how to talk about it anyhow. But my head pretty much sounded like this: "God, help me!... I give up. We will get back to this, Lord."
We talk in the bus. Stop for dinner. Back in the bus, it is dark, and we are ready for bed. Letty makes a special request for Spanish praise songs, and Mauro played and our little group sang for an hour or so - and I cried... not just because Spanish praise does that to me, with it's beautiful language and how emotion is expressed so much better through words than in English, but because I really didn't want to forget this moment. And I knew it was passing. I thought about grabbing my Ipad and using the QuickVoice app to record them. Wish I had, just for the sake of singing along now, but that may have seemed strange at the moment, so I didn't. But I was so afraid of forgetting. I was so tired, but I couldn't sleep for the longest time, thinking that I would wake up and it would all be lost in the past.

I woke up at a toll booth in Buenos Aires. Not in the desert! I was literally fist-pumping as I saw the bus drive through the toll booth, so happy to see civilization again! And I hadn't forgotten... I still remembered EVERYTHING. We had some extended time alone in the park that morning, and I was ready to sit down with my journal and pencil this all out! There was a light at the end of the tunnel... I'm sure I would have this figured out before we headed home! And I sat in that park, and I still wrote down blessing after blessing, but then I stopped. I looked at my little list, and I still wanted to know what God expected from me once I got home. And I sat there... no idea what to do. I prayed.
Decided to just take it one step at a time.
(This has been the decision many other times in life when I don't know what to do. Funny how you can learn the same lesson over and over again, and it's still fresh each time!)
I got back to Buenos Aires,
did some more sightseeing,
debriefed the trip with the team,
wrote letters to my new amigos,
said goodbye to so many dear people,
got on a plane,
came home,
went to the pool,
caught up with family and friends,
met my niece on her birth-day!
God is good. And I am still taking things one step at a time.
Turns out, this is what a life of faith looks like: turning it all over to God to let Him do His thing.
And when you tell others about it: it brings glory to Him.
To God be the glory!
And I figured out what to do: Just TELL PEOPLE about it!!
God is good. All the time!
Every time I open up my journal to write about it, I am reminded of my time in Argentina, and what God taught me through his people there. And the good news is: I haven't forgotten! I just find myself thinking and praying for new things in the same old place now!



Some other highlights from the bus trip:

We left in the morning, so I watched the sun rise over the mountains. Rad.

I sat with Sandra. We talked. About so many things: family, boys, kids, college, dogs. We played a game where you ask questions, but cannot answer with yes, no, black or white. (Turns out this is a tough game to keep up with in your second language. I'll be practicing this!)

We sat and talked some more. We had a LOT of time to share our hearts. And that blessed me more than I know how to say!
I spent a lot of time talking with Letty, too. She cracks me up. And she challenges me, too! Why did we not take a photo? It's ok... I still remember!

Favorite holiday, favorite new friend.

4th of July is my favorite holiday, for many reasons.

• It is exactly one week after my birthday. I try to join the two celebrations together in one big week of summer fun! 
• Red being my favorite color, it's a great excuse to dress up and decorate everything red, white and blue! 
• I love barbecue. We have a hot dog party, and everyone brings side dishes (having done this for a few years, we settled into a routine: potato salad (Aunt Cheryl), green bean salad (Aunt Candi), Donna's famous brown sugar beans, usually a box of ice cream sandwiches from the Willhoits, and everything else in between!
• Who doesn't love fireworks? It's the best part of the day! When we are home, we like to avoid the crowds,walk up the hill and watch several shows from there. Orange County's best kept secret. Except for the year that the sprinklers came on. Whoops! (Never happened again.)
• I come from a family where we are proud to be Americans, and so growing up, I had a healthy dose of patriotism instilled in me. 

So, when I was scheduled to be in Argentina for most of July this year, I had lots of friends asking, "What are you going to do for 4th of July?" and truthfully, I wasn't sure.  Secretly, I had hidden my July magazines with all the great ideas for 4th of July so I wouldn't see them, because that might have bummed me out (just a bit). So, I just waited to see what God had in store for that day.  
Of course, He's so good. He had plans for the day.
Letty, my favorite new American friend from this trip, gave us daily encouragements every day. Little surprises that came with a Scripture to boost our spirits in the morning. Today's surprise came at lunchtime, when we all paused to say the pledge to the flag, and sweet Kaley (with the voice of an angel) sang the National Anthem, and Letty busted out bags of poppers, noisemakers, silly string, and little American flags to share with our new amigos.
Their comment was: "How fun that you celebrate your independence day so much! We don't really do that. It's just a day off." (Argentina's Independence Day is July 9, so we were all about to ask what they do for their big day!)
Here's a photo I snagged from Facebook. (I love the wonder of modern technology as I try to stay connected with new friends across the world. As I was composing this blog, I had chat windows open on Facebook to New York, Argentina, and Paris. Thank you, Lord for technology!!!) This is me, dressed up in all my red and blue (no white, we were working, but actually, now there's white paint all over that jacket... can't remember which day that happened.) It's obvious that it's cold, not like an American 4th of July, but it was awesome, in ways I could not have expected. I'm posed with Sandra, my favorite new friend from Argentina. Here, we had just begun our friendship, and already had a special bond: little did I know that by the end of this trip we would be the kind of friends that could talk about anything!  Sandra always makes me laugh, and this day, the joke was about teasing me about getting up high on the scaffolding to paint (was not going to happen. a ladder, maybe. the scaffolding, no chance!) I think she loved this hat (like anyone with a great sense of humor does) and I love this picture that she got this picture of the two of us: my favorite day, with my favorite new friend. I couldn't have asked for a better 4th of July!!!

Someday I'll want to remember this...

Will she ever put her shoes on the right feet? For months now, she's been wearing her shoes backwards... but she does it all by herself! The backwards shoes drive micah crazy... I am just happy that she does it herself, but today I had made a special effort to make sure to have her put them on the right feet, and so as I transferred her to the car (sleeping after preschool) I noticed her little backwards shoes. I can't help but wonder if they just got that way after she took them off at school and put them back on, or if she switched them because she really does prefer them that way. Either way, I had to take a quick shot, because someday this will all be behind us, and I didn't want to forget!