Santa Monica for a cause.

On Sunday the fam and I spent the day in Santa Monica for a cause that hits close to home. We were participating in the LA Heart Walk (American Heart Association) in honor of our Uncle Dennis who passed away last year from Heart disease. We walked along side many people who have lost a loved one to Heart disease (which is the leading cause of death in American for both men and women) and it was a blessing to support a cause that affects so many. 

The walk took place right on the pier and went through third street and around. Most of us socal people have spent plenty of time in santa monica but rarely do we ever have a chance to walk around and explore on foot *everyone is always driving* and the weather happened to be beautiful on Sunday so it was quite glorious! 

stroller gang.

 After the walk Kris had told me about this place called Philz Coffee (a branch from San Francisco) with a famous Mint Mojito iced coffee. AND WOWIE was it amaaaaazing! I'm not a coffee snob really, but this was some darn good minty delicious creaminess. Anthony's response when I told him to try a sip was, "wow this is wonderful" hahahaa. 

new kicks. 

 I am very blessed by the siblings God has blessed me with and I love when we all get to spend time together...whether thats shopping or eating (usually eating) we are lucky that we truly enjoy each others company  *also how cute in Camden in this pic?? sheeeesh that smile!*

 I believe in this picture D was saying to Hunter, "stand still and smile and i'll give you a lolly pop!" The only way to get this kid to stand still these days is to bribe him haha. 

H A B A K K U K 2 : 1 4 

to sit with God.

"I am not trapped in the grip of blind forces, nor am I tossed about on an ocean of chance...but I am being trained in the school of God's providence. " - Alistair Begg

*thanks sissy for sharing such a good word*

I'm considering naming my first child Alistair. Jk. I'm sure the name was created to be said in a British accent. But anyway...how dope is that word from Alistair Begg! For young post-grad's like myself it's so easy to feel like we're just being tossed about on an ocean of change...one job posting to the next...one friend group to the next...la la la...or to feel like we're being trapped by these blind forces that come out of nowhere and knock the wind out from us...

but...

we are actually being trained in the school of GOD'S PROVIDENCE. hallelujah amen! Thats a beautiful picture. God has a great big plan for all of us- and that plan is....drumroll....to make us more like His son JESUS. I feel that. I receive that truth and I pray that it covers all of us in the moments when we feel tossed at sea and in an endless chaos of uncertainty. The very glamorous Gwen Stefani had it right when naming her band...for there is No Doubt that God is equipping us in the academy of His providence and glory! 

I'm very thankful that my times are in His hands. 

Deanna and Michael!

Deanna and I go back to summer 2010 when I was fresh out of my first year at APU and I somehow stumbled upon working at Forest Home. Deanna was my roommate that first year at camp, and I remember immediately liking her laid pack personality and gentle spirit. There was one night when we all decided to watch some scary dramatic movie (Momento, I believe) and I remember feeling really heavy after... and I couldn't fall asleep. Deanna was up in her bunk bead and turned around...looked at me and said, "well let's read our Bibles then!" She knew that we needed to ask the Lord to lift the evil spirit off of us, and we did just that.

Thats how i'll always know Deanna to be, someone gentle and peaceful - yet so fierce in the spirit of God. I love that about her...and I love that the Lord has blessed her with a man to compliment and enhance that in her! These two are radical people, and after their honeymoon they are heading up to Redding CA to be filled and equipped in ministry to bring all that glory back down to Southern Cali.

I was thankful for spend the day documenting their love (via videography) and i'll be posting that work once I'm done with it! For now though, I wanted to share one of the few stills I took yesterday.

Congrats to Mr & Mrs SKOLOS!

"home"

: a familiar or usual setting : congenial environment; also : the focus of one's domestic attention. 

:the place or region where something is native or most common. 

Isn't it crazy to think about the fact that your home, your house, is different than everyone else's in the entire world? No one has the same exact home as you. And even if you express the word home in reference to your home country, no one sees it exactly as you do, no describes it the exact same way you can.

And on top of that, every country you visit, every town you stop off in, every country you fly over - is someone's home. That fact alone has given me a deep sense of appreciation and respect for every place i've been able to see. All of these cities are the place where someone's fondest memories are held, where someone learned to walk, where someone attended elementary school, learned to ride a bike, found their friends, got married, had children...and these places may be foreign to me - but they're home to someone. 

I think thats a huge reason why I love being exposed to these far away lands. I feel so honored to step into people's homes, their neighborhoods, their restaurants, their airports, their taxi cabs and market places. So in respect to the idea of "home" here are some of the best homes i've ever been to...

Gulu, Uganda.

Samut Prakarn Provence, Thailand 

Bruges, Belgium 

La Push beach, Washington 

Bangkok, Thailand 

Gulu, Uganda 

London, England

Pisa, Italy 

Mekong delta, Vietnam 

Paris, France 

Live in the light.

"This is the verdict: light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainy that what he has done has been done through God." 

John 3: 19-21  

We were created by God to live and thrive in His light ; His love.

I love how God teaches us about his presence and his power through the concept of light and darkness. To me, this has been evident through the people i've spent time with the past week...how their lives are filled with TRUTH and how they have boldly stepped into the LIGHT.

BYE!! - Said farewell to the Hans...they stayed with us for a week before making the big move to Colorado Springs, CO! I love spending time with them because Karah and Caleb are some of the smartest, funniest, quirkiest kids I know and i'm always learning something from them! I also admire Auntie Jill and Uncle Daisup's wisdom and faithfulness in all things!! 

THE MOVE- Stac and Ant moved into their new home and little Lenya love has plenty of space to crawl around now! We spend the weekend moving them in and taking advantage of the fruit trees in the back - a few of which are housing my eno hammock right now! 

USC GAME - I told my dad that he is lucky I like sports...and he definitely makes the most of it by taking me to every sporting event possible! Our most recent was the USC season opener against Fresno state where we at huge Turkey dogs and sat out in that hot sun as the trojans pummeled the bulldogs. 

NEST - Anneke was in town from Chicago so 6/9 of the nesters gathered for a mini reunion! Lucky for us, Kate and Brad live right in-between LA and SD so we met up for pizza and dreamt about all living in the same city again. 

love em so much. Im thankful for these friends - they're the real deal!! 

IN & OUT - with trav! It pretty rad how things worked out...Travis and I were housemates in Uganda and now he's here in Cali to continue interning with Krochet Kids. Being the native Californian that I am, I had to introduce him to the glories of in&out (he's from PA). classic! 

SARAH! - It's been 8 months since i've seen this chick! Last time I hung out with her she was on her way to study abroad in Florence and I was weeks away from traveling to Uganda. It was pretty ideal being at the beach with her and sharing stories of our travels. She is one of the raddest chicks I know and i'm always refreshed by her creative spirit.