busy bee.

*lenya noodle and I at the CCSB luau! How cute is she. 

The best word to describe the end of August/beginning of September is BUSY. But busy in the best way possible! Here are a few reasons why:

-My dearest friends Anneke and Natty sue will be in town labor day weekend - hallelujah! Anneke is coming from Chicago to help her sister move into college and Natty is driving down from Napa to hang out with everyone, especially our friend Courtney who just got back from a year in India! We are hoping to get a good group of us ladies together :)

-The Hans are in town soon! We get the pleasure of hosting the Hans for a week while they soak up their last few days in Cali before taking the big move to Coloradoooooo. I am so excited for them to take on this big move but always so thankful for the time we get to spend together!

-The good Lord has blessed me with a tutoring job 10 minutes from home and I have really been loving it. 99.9 % of my clients are Japanese business people or housewives who recently moved to the states and need help with their English! I consider it a huge blessing from God that he has provided me a job I truly love. I mean, I get to spend my days connecting with new people and encouraging them in their learning! *and talking about delicious Japanese food - yes!* Many of the clients we work with were gone in the summer, and now they are allllll coming back for sessions meaning my schedule is filling up fast! 

-Reading goals! There are many books I am in the process of reading and many I still hope to read in the future. I'm thankful for the time, energy, and enthusiasm to dig into some good books and gain some knowledge. currently reading --> Surprised by hope (N.T Wright), Half the sky (Kristof and WuDunn), and Works of love (Kierkegaard). Also at the Bridge bible study we are going through Ephesians and I'm in the process of remembering some key verses from the first 4 chapters. 

-random other important things...I'm shooting some video footage for my sweet friend Deanna's wedding the first weekend in September...and oh! my former Ugandan roommate and friend Travis has moved from PA to CA to intern with krochet kids here in costa mesa and i'm greatly anticipating eating in & out with him! 

SOOOOO.....many things happening but I couldnt be more stoked for all that up ahead. I thank the Lord for the ways He opens doors for opportunity in our lives and my prayer is that He may be glorified through everything!

EPHESIANS 4:1-5

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is OVER ALL AND THROUGH ALL AND IN ALL. 

5 years later...we're paddle boarding.

Yesterday my long lost friend Bianca and I went paddle boarding with a few other friends down in Huntington harbor. so fun. I knew Bianca in high school which seems like a looooooong time ago now and we just recently reconnected thanks to my brother in law Ant who ran into her at church! Long story short...it was definitely a blessing from the Lord that he allowed our paths to cross again because Bianca is one of the most genuine, kind-hearted, easygoing people i've ever met and I love hearing about what the Lord is teaching her! I am thankful for old friend, new friends, life long friends....and random friends that God brings back into your life! woo!

recently..

target shopping with G+G. The other day grandpa tried to hand me a $20 bill...as I kindly rejected his offer he looks at me and says with a serious voice, "you need to use it to wash your car." haha. How could I deny that!

The Zoo with Hunter, Camden, and Jen. I genuinely have so much fun at the zoo because it is fascinating having such an up close view of all the amazing animals. I think our favorites are the Giraffes, the Rhino, the hippos, Chimpanzees, and Billy the Elephant. *my personal favorite is the Condor which I named Connor. I'm actually terrified of birds but for some reason the Condor is pretty cool to look at. 

Our church just celebrated it's 100 year anniversary!! Pretty incredible if you think about it

The church put on a huge luncheon to celebrate 100 years and the theme was "His faithfulness continues..!" Which is so appropriate because it comes from Psalm 100!! 

The whole family was able to attend and the babies did a pretty good job at such a nice event!

My long time friend Kelcie and I with our two little nieces!! Kelc's niece is named Mackenzie and that 1/4 white in her is so so cute! I think it's really a special thing to have grown up in a church like a lot of us did at GVBC. I have memories of running through the old building to Sunday school, or playing in the old CE hall, or going to high school group in the newly remodeled building..and it is just so cool how the roots of this church run so deep and how truly faithful God has been through it all!

*over 600 people were there!

On Sunday the 100th anniversary party continued with a special service at church...and then we all met up at Karin's house to have another Paleo swim party!

How cool is this sign? *ironically I did have cake for breakfast at church before this lol.

The Engoys, Richards, Madlagbayans, and R.Komae's were all there making it quite the crazy kids party. This is Ezra who kept saying "can you take my picture under water!" haha so cute! 

Andy is seriously the Paleo queen!! For this meal she made paleo waffles (idk how thats possible) with bacon, avos, tomatoes, and homemade ranch dressing! On top of that Jen made spaghetti sqash Pad thai WOWIE. I love spending time with these "older sistas" of mine aka Stac, Jen, Rin, Andy, Miss...and It is so fun being around all the kiddos!

crazy week/weekend! thankful for God's faithfulness through all generations!

"ENTER HIS GATES WITH THANKSGIVING AND HIS COURTS WITH PRAISE. GIVE THANKS TO HIM, BLESS HIS NAME. FOR THE LORD IS GOOD; HIS LOVINGKINDNESS IS EVERLASTING AND HIS FAITHFULNESS CONTINUES TO ALL GENERATIONS." 

PSALM 100. 

SUNSCREEN.

THIS IS COLOSSAL is probably my favorite art website. It's really well curated by editor-in-chief Christoper Jobson and has introduced me to a ton of incredible artists from all over the world.

Their latest post is this video titled HOW THE SUN SEES YOU and It blew my mind! The video was made by artist Thomas Leveritt and it will completely change the way you view sunscreen and skincare in general. I'm definitely protecting my face with suncreen at all times!!

3 kids and a lot of snacks.

Last week we went to Daiso to buy some gifts! And by "we" I mean... Hunter, Cam, Lenya, and Stac (taking the photo) and myself. The Ergo baby carrier is so awesome and Camden gets all cozy in there and usually falls asleep. Hunter picked out a yellow Elephant along with some stickers as his two things he could get. 

After shopping we came home to the best snacks ever...

 Sesame mochi balls with azuki bean from Hong Kong Bakery!!!

AND Baked Char Sui Bao!!! SO AMAZING!! 

little lenya

Took this last week at G&G's house when Stac and I went over there to help Grandma with her computer problems (haha). I call Lenya "little scadoodle noodle" or noodle for short because she crawls around like a tiny noodle. Most people agree with us that she definitely resembles her dad with those filipino eye brows! I love being her auntie and having the privilege of watching her grow up everyday. 

Yesterday I was asked by a friend, "Do you miss Apu?" To me, this is always a loaded question. Do I miss being challenged by classes? Yes. Do I miss the rigorous always-stressful schedule? No. Do I miss the weird food on campus. Heck no. Do I miss living with my best friends. YOU BET YAH.  

When I look back on these photos I am reminded of one huge all-encompassing theme of my college life - GOD'S FAITHFULNESS. There is no doubt to it. His faithfulness is friendships. In every assignment. In passing impossible classes. In our health. His faithfulness in our growth. In the deepening of our knowledge of him. The faithfulness of God is written all over these memories!

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; GREAT IS YOUR FAITHFULNESS." - lamentations 3.

Grandpa.

Grandpa turned 96 the other day (7/26) and I felt very honored to be there to celebrate. He is a very wise and noble man, and somebody I greatly admire. I remember growing up, he could always beat my brothers in arm wrestling and any type of trivia game or quiz. He would also get giant grapes from the Japanese market and peel the skin off for us so they were easier to eat. His kindness was evident to me at a very young age. 

Now that he's 96 he is as lively as ever. He always tries to slip me some pocket money after I drive him around places and laughs when I tell him he's, "stubborn but in a good way." His legs may be getting old and his hands worn from all his years gardening, but his spirit is so full of life and history and i'm truly grateful for the example he has set for all of us. 

He is a man of such character, such discipline, integrity, devotion, loyalty, and wisdom. Happy 96th birthday gramps.