Tomorrow is the first day of school and with that I'm declaring it the end of summer. So it is free to not be 109 deg. anymore.
On Friday students were moving into Baylor's dorms. Mobs of people in brilliant green shirts cheering each car that pulled up. Later that day, I went to Walmart (for the novelty of the experience... yes, really). I think half of the incoming freshmen and their parents were there. Parents pushing carts stuffed with water bottles, paper towels, and ramen noodles. The cheap TV stand aisle was packed and the plastic storage things area was terrifying. I remember the first trip to Meijers after getting to Calvin. It was a little more memorable since we went to the ... less than stellar Meijers... I think the dog food was on the same aisle as the bread. We did find the cleaner and more logically organized store and bought our fair share of plastic stuff. :) It was fun but it was pretty awesome to know that I'm done with going back to school.
Daniel on the other hand is going back to school. We went through the check-list.
First day's clothes clean and ready
Binders
(Red) Pens
Lunch box. So we don't have a real lunch box for him. But we have a lot of boxes out in the garage. One of those should do, right?
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Thursday, August 11, 2011
... a deep breath
We made it and things are starting to calm down. Looking back, this summer was a fantastic whirlwind. I can’t really believe we did all that we did in such a short time.
The drive down was long, 45 hours of driving type of long. We had fun tagging along like the annoying little brother to the big rigs. “Ohhh, where are you going for lunch? Can I come too?” “How do you get gas?” “Can I park with you?” Compared to our little Toyota, we were miles up in the air and alarmingly large. Daniel did a fantastic job driving even in the midst of miles and miles of construction zones. Narrow Lanes signs had never been such a big deal until this trip. The worst was in the middle of Wyoming when our side of the interstate was down to just one lane for miles. First the cones were just on our side of the dotted line, then they were in a few inches from the line, then they were a foot into our lane, and the only people/equipment we saw for the entire construction zone was one pickup with guys moving the cones still further into our lane. Thanks guys, we really like the rumble strip. It’s loads of fuuuUUUnnnNNNNnnnn. (that’s rumble strip voice if you didn’t catch it).
But we made it... just in time to head back for Megan and Greg’s wedding. The wedding was fantastic. Megan looked so elegant and quite stunning. It was beautiful to see how much they both have grown and love each other and Jesus. I couldn’t be happier for them. I also got to have a little time with my mom and dad while Daniel went hiking with his dad and Justin.
We flew back from the wedding into Austin and drove past UT’s campus. I think we found our spot to go if we start missing Seattle too much. There were several Thai restaurants and strange street art. People dressed differently. There were ads for Priuses (Priui??). If only it wasn’t blazing sunlight and about 110 (seriously), we would have been right at home.
AND THEN, Meg and Bryan came up to see us! You know those friendships where you see each other again and find out that you really are still perfect friends for each other. Yeah, I got me some of those. Daniel and I had wanted to explore town a little bit more and it was great fun to do it with them. We went to the biggest park in town, which has cliffs looking over the river, lots of trees and mountain biking trails, shady spots down by the river, a Frisbee golf course, and Miss Nellie’s Pretty Place. There was a sign, that’s how we knew it was Miss Nellie’s Pretty Place. We agreed. It was pretty. Thanks Miss Nellie. Somehow I don’t think that name would have flown in Seattle. From there we went along the river to the First Suspension Bridge West of the ... or maybe it was South of the... anyway, we went to an old bridge. We then went to Baylor’s campus and I finally saw more of campus than just Daniel’s office. We saw the Baylor Bears. They were hot but seemed to enjoy their pool. And then we decimated Meg and Bryan at board and card games. Sorry guys. They took us to our first ever Texas BBQ. It was a new experience to say the least. As we walked into the restaurant, there was a sign saying there was a concealed handgun class being held there next week. It was a slow night so when we walked in two employees were by a piano, the little old lady playing and the college aged guy boogieing. He jumped up and ran behind the counter where he fixed Meg and I some “something something Texas ‘Taters”. This baked potato was enormous! The butter glob was about 2/3 the size of my fist and then he put 3 healthy handfuls of cheese on top and covered it with meat and bbq sauce and then told us, “y’all make sure y’all aren’t sharin’ none with them boys!” Throughout the dinner we learned many things vital to blend in with the natives… and a few things that the natives do that are just plain wacky. All in all, we had a fantastic time and we can’t wait to see them again.
And so, now we are here and it is starting to sink in that we are staying. Sometimes, especially at church, I miss Seattle and Mars Hill immensely. We were so blessed there. But we have been blessed here: our house is cute and starting to feel home-like. It amazes me how much space we have here. Hobbes enjoys his prowls in the back yard, although it is hot enough he asks to come back in fairly quickly. We are going to go by the humane society tonight to just look at the puppies*.
*This line was responsible for us getting Shasta, although there was a “but mom” at the start that time around.
In other news, today breaks the record for most days of 100 plus temperatures in a row (the streak started in June) and if we keep it up next week we will crush the most 100 plus days in a year record too. Isn’t that exciting?? Please excuse me while I find an AC vent to lay on and a large quantity of frozen things to eat.
All in all, we are settling here. We are a little nervous but excited for classes to start and to see what life will really be like here. I’m still looking and trying to decide what sounds like a good job for me. I have a couple of leads on tutoring opportunities, so we’ll see what happens. I got a Texas gardening book today and depending on how our "just looking" goes today, I might find myself busy training a puppy. :)
The drive down was long, 45 hours of driving type of long. We had fun tagging along like the annoying little brother to the big rigs. “Ohhh, where are you going for lunch? Can I come too?” “How do you get gas?” “Can I park with you?” Compared to our little Toyota, we were miles up in the air and alarmingly large. Daniel did a fantastic job driving even in the midst of miles and miles of construction zones. Narrow Lanes signs had never been such a big deal until this trip. The worst was in the middle of Wyoming when our side of the interstate was down to just one lane for miles. First the cones were just on our side of the dotted line, then they were in a few inches from the line, then they were a foot into our lane, and the only people/equipment we saw for the entire construction zone was one pickup with guys moving the cones still further into our lane. Thanks guys, we really like the rumble strip. It’s loads of fuuuUUUnnnNNNNnnnn. (that’s rumble strip voice if you didn’t catch it).
But we made it... just in time to head back for Megan and Greg’s wedding. The wedding was fantastic. Megan looked so elegant and quite stunning. It was beautiful to see how much they both have grown and love each other and Jesus. I couldn’t be happier for them. I also got to have a little time with my mom and dad while Daniel went hiking with his dad and Justin.
We flew back from the wedding into Austin and drove past UT’s campus. I think we found our spot to go if we start missing Seattle too much. There were several Thai restaurants and strange street art. People dressed differently. There were ads for Priuses (Priui??). If only it wasn’t blazing sunlight and about 110 (seriously), we would have been right at home.
AND THEN, Meg and Bryan came up to see us! You know those friendships where you see each other again and find out that you really are still perfect friends for each other. Yeah, I got me some of those. Daniel and I had wanted to explore town a little bit more and it was great fun to do it with them. We went to the biggest park in town, which has cliffs looking over the river, lots of trees and mountain biking trails, shady spots down by the river, a Frisbee golf course, and Miss Nellie’s Pretty Place. There was a sign, that’s how we knew it was Miss Nellie’s Pretty Place. We agreed. It was pretty. Thanks Miss Nellie. Somehow I don’t think that name would have flown in Seattle. From there we went along the river to the First Suspension Bridge West of the ... or maybe it was South of the... anyway, we went to an old bridge. We then went to Baylor’s campus and I finally saw more of campus than just Daniel’s office. We saw the Baylor Bears. They were hot but seemed to enjoy their pool. And then we decimated Meg and Bryan at board and card games. Sorry guys. They took us to our first ever Texas BBQ. It was a new experience to say the least. As we walked into the restaurant, there was a sign saying there was a concealed handgun class being held there next week. It was a slow night so when we walked in two employees were by a piano, the little old lady playing and the college aged guy boogieing. He jumped up and ran behind the counter where he fixed Meg and I some “something something Texas ‘Taters”. This baked potato was enormous! The butter glob was about 2/3 the size of my fist and then he put 3 healthy handfuls of cheese on top and covered it with meat and bbq sauce and then told us, “y’all make sure y’all aren’t sharin’ none with them boys!” Throughout the dinner we learned many things vital to blend in with the natives… and a few things that the natives do that are just plain wacky. All in all, we had a fantastic time and we can’t wait to see them again.
And so, now we are here and it is starting to sink in that we are staying. Sometimes, especially at church, I miss Seattle and Mars Hill immensely. We were so blessed there. But we have been blessed here: our house is cute and starting to feel home-like. It amazes me how much space we have here. Hobbes enjoys his prowls in the back yard, although it is hot enough he asks to come back in fairly quickly. We are going to go by the humane society tonight to just look at the puppies*.
*This line was responsible for us getting Shasta, although there was a “but mom” at the start that time around.
In other news, today breaks the record for most days of 100 plus temperatures in a row (the streak started in June) and if we keep it up next week we will crush the most 100 plus days in a year record too. Isn’t that exciting?? Please excuse me while I find an AC vent to lay on and a large quantity of frozen things to eat.
All in all, we are settling here. We are a little nervous but excited for classes to start and to see what life will really be like here. I’m still looking and trying to decide what sounds like a good job for me. I have a couple of leads on tutoring opportunities, so we’ll see what happens. I got a Texas gardening book today and depending on how our "just looking" goes today, I might find myself busy training a puppy. :)
Saturday, July 16, 2011
... passing through
Just a quick update:
The time with my mom, gramma, and aunt Linda was great. We had a lot of fun on our various "adventures" (having started the trip finding a definition of an "adventure" as something that contains an odd mishap). We had several odd mishaps that made us laugh all the more, including my mom walking into a taxidermied elk. I also got to see Yellowstone again, the first time since I was 5 and my only memory of the trip was wishing I could get a teddy bear at the Old Faithful gift shop. Yep. Real significant stuff there. This time I actually remember seeing Old Faithful, and the falls, and the wild flowers, and the grizzly, and the wild flowers, and the baby buffalo, and the wild flowers. In typical fashion I took 415 pictures of the week and am in 5 of them. I did really enjoy playing with my camera so it's all good. :)
Daniel got his last signature and turned in this thesis so he is officially Dr. Daniel Bolton now.
The packing is almost done. I went to the store and pilfered 7 boxes this morning thinking it was excessive and they are almost all full now. The "I'll just pack that at the last minute" pile is larger than I expected.
Tomorrow we get to enjoy and celebrate the friendships we have made in Seattle, from hanging out with my kiddos at church to a bbq with our community group and other Seattle friends. (As a side note, pray that Julie, who is hosting the bbq, doesn't go into labor in the next 24 hours. I would love to meet Jon but it could make things complicated).
Monday we pick up the truck and load it and Tuesday we take off. A week from today we will be in our new home!! We haven't figured out internet for there yet so it might be a little while before I post.
I'm excited and feel amazingly blessed.
The time with my mom, gramma, and aunt Linda was great. We had a lot of fun on our various "adventures" (having started the trip finding a definition of an "adventure" as something that contains an odd mishap). We had several odd mishaps that made us laugh all the more, including my mom walking into a taxidermied elk. I also got to see Yellowstone again, the first time since I was 5 and my only memory of the trip was wishing I could get a teddy bear at the Old Faithful gift shop. Yep. Real significant stuff there. This time I actually remember seeing Old Faithful, and the falls, and the wild flowers, and the grizzly, and the wild flowers, and the baby buffalo, and the wild flowers. In typical fashion I took 415 pictures of the week and am in 5 of them. I did really enjoy playing with my camera so it's all good. :)
Daniel got his last signature and turned in this thesis so he is officially Dr. Daniel Bolton now.
The packing is almost done. I went to the store and pilfered 7 boxes this morning thinking it was excessive and they are almost all full now. The "I'll just pack that at the last minute" pile is larger than I expected.
Tomorrow we get to enjoy and celebrate the friendships we have made in Seattle, from hanging out with my kiddos at church to a bbq with our community group and other Seattle friends. (As a side note, pray that Julie, who is hosting the bbq, doesn't go into labor in the next 24 hours. I would love to meet Jon but it could make things complicated).
Monday we pick up the truck and load it and Tuesday we take off. A week from today we will be in our new home!! We haven't figured out internet for there yet so it might be a little while before I post.
I'm excited and feel amazingly blessed.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
... Roller Coaster months
Couple of major updates that shouldn’t be totally ignored:
Daniel had his defense and passed!
We went on an awesome camp/backpack trip out to the coast on the Olympic Peninsula in celebration and it worked out perfectly.
Daniel just needs one final person on his committee (the less than friendly guy) to sign off on his dissertation and he is completely done.
Last week it felt like every day was another “ka-thunk” as we ratcheted our way to the top of a roller coaster that will last the entire month (and spill over a little on both ends). I even had all the feelings of starting a roller coaster: the anticipation, trepidation, and a little of the knot in the stomach. I am convinced that this will be fun, aren’t I??
Wednesday morning was the pause at the top, a moment of normalcy before the plunge. I went for one last time to babysit/help out with the family I have been with for a year. I folded laundry and managed minor squabbles and then I said goodbye, and then we headed for the airport less than 3 hours later. We came down to Waco to find a house and for my first sighting of the place we will be calling home. We flew into Dallas and found that it was hotter at midnight than Seattle has gotten all year. We also found that the guy at the car rental counter was nicer than all of Seattle put together. He told us stories about his kids. Seattlites need to know you for months before admitting they had kids. We made it to Waco and started looking around at houses the next morning. Waco, as a city, is a little of kilter, literally. Check out a map. Do we pick one set of roads as our “north” or do we always have to say NW, SE, etc.? The jury is still out from the residents that we talked to.
We saw some interesting houses. One had a railing separating off 1/4 of the living room. No step, nothing, just a railing. One had pineapple wallpaper in the kitchen. One had bright pink tile in the bathroom. And one was fantastic. It is a beautiful home with a nice kitchen and the most amazing backyard with place for a garden already set aside. The back yard has huge old trees and slopes down toward a creek bed (but being 103 at the time, I’m only guessing that water occasionally passes by on occasion). We are really excited and a little awed at the fact that we will be moving from a 1 br apartment in Seattle to a 3 br place in Waco with only a $150/mo increase in rent. I have no idea what we will do with ourselves and with our rather limited furniture in a place like that.
One loop-de-loop on the trip was that a girl who had just got her license and has a car with bad brakes T-boned our rental car. Everyone is fine. Her clunker might not be any prettier and the rental’s passenger door was dented in exactly the right place for it to not open anymore. But we spent 4+ hours dealing with that stuff. (btw. You should make sure that the credit card used to make the reservation is the one you present at the pick-up counter. It will save you a LOT of grief.) Thankfully, we got the call that we got the house 5 minutes before the accident so we really did have an afternoon to kill.
We are back now, briefly. I will be leaving on Tuesday to go on a girl’s adventure in/around Yellowstone with my mom, aunt, and grandma. We are staying in a rustic cabin for a while and then ending the trip with a day at a hot springs and spa. It should be great. I’ll be back on the 14th. Meanwhile, Daniel is going to a conference and will be getting back the 16th. We load the truck and will be leaving Seattle on the 19th. An epic road trip will follow and we will start to unpack and then fly back to CO for Megan and Greg’s WEDDING!!
And every once in a while, I just might throw my hands up in the air and scream.
Last week it felt like every day was another “ka-thunk” as we ratcheted our way to the top of a roller coaster that will last the entire month (and spill over a little on both ends). I even had all the feelings of starting a roller coaster: the anticipation, trepidation, and a little of the knot in the stomach. I am convinced that this will be fun, aren’t I??
Wednesday morning was the pause at the top, a moment of normalcy before the plunge. I went for one last time to babysit/help out with the family I have been with for a year. I folded laundry and managed minor squabbles and then I said goodbye, and then we headed for the airport less than 3 hours later. We came down to Waco to find a house and for my first sighting of the place we will be calling home. We flew into Dallas and found that it was hotter at midnight than Seattle has gotten all year. We also found that the guy at the car rental counter was nicer than all of Seattle put together. He told us stories about his kids. Seattlites need to know you for months before admitting they had kids. We made it to Waco and started looking around at houses the next morning. Waco, as a city, is a little of kilter, literally. Check out a map. Do we pick one set of roads as our “north” or do we always have to say NW, SE, etc.? The jury is still out from the residents that we talked to.
We saw some interesting houses. One had a railing separating off 1/4 of the living room. No step, nothing, just a railing. One had pineapple wallpaper in the kitchen. One had bright pink tile in the bathroom. And one was fantastic. It is a beautiful home with a nice kitchen and the most amazing backyard with place for a garden already set aside. The back yard has huge old trees and slopes down toward a creek bed (but being 103 at the time, I’m only guessing that water occasionally passes by on occasion). We are really excited and a little awed at the fact that we will be moving from a 1 br apartment in Seattle to a 3 br place in Waco with only a $150/mo increase in rent. I have no idea what we will do with ourselves and with our rather limited furniture in a place like that.
One loop-de-loop on the trip was that a girl who had just got her license and has a car with bad brakes T-boned our rental car. Everyone is fine. Her clunker might not be any prettier and the rental’s passenger door was dented in exactly the right place for it to not open anymore. But we spent 4+ hours dealing with that stuff. (btw. You should make sure that the credit card used to make the reservation is the one you present at the pick-up counter. It will save you a LOT of grief.) Thankfully, we got the call that we got the house 5 minutes before the accident so we really did have an afternoon to kill.
We are back now, briefly. I will be leaving on Tuesday to go on a girl’s adventure in/around Yellowstone with my mom, aunt, and grandma. We are staying in a rustic cabin for a while and then ending the trip with a day at a hot springs and spa. It should be great. I’ll be back on the 14th. Meanwhile, Daniel is going to a conference and will be getting back the 16th. We load the truck and will be leaving Seattle on the 19th. An epic road trip will follow and we will start to unpack and then fly back to CO for Megan and Greg’s WEDDING!!
And every once in a while, I just might throw my hands up in the air and scream.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
... the ironies of life
Daniel is super-duper close to being done with his Ph.D (he defends on Tuesday) and has given his reading committee his thesis. One member of his reading committee is a less than encouraging guy who looks down on the particular flavor of theoretical nuclear physics Daniel did for most of his thesis. Last night the less than encouraging professor's home was broken into and a bunch of stuff was stolen... including his copy of Daniel's thesis. (Not a big deal on our side, Daniel emailed him a new copy and now the only danger is the professor will have bad associations with Daniel's thesis). But the come-back lines we wish we could have included were quite fun. Mostly, they were variations on the: "See, someone thinks my work is valuable!" theme.
Or, from Daniel (as roughly remembered by me...)
I'm glad that now they (the crooks) will understand that the single-body approximation is insufficient for their calculations.
So, somewhere out there is a thief with a vastly improved understanding of theoretical nuclear physics.
Or, from Daniel (as roughly remembered by me...)
I'm glad that now they (the crooks) will understand that the single-body approximation is insufficient for their calculations.
So, somewhere out there is a thief with a vastly improved understanding of theoretical nuclear physics.
Monday, June 13, 2011
... being Seattle tour guides
Daniel's family came out to visit and celebrate the light at the end of the Ph.D. tunnel. While they were here, we did Seattle with gusto. We ate fish n'chips; we saw Snoqualmie Falls; we kayaked among the lily pads by the arboretum; we went to the Market, Gas Works, the troll, the locks, Discovery Park, and Mars Hill. It was Greg's first time in Seattle and we might have gone a little over the top but we had a lot of fun in the process. Dad (Ron) is avid birder and he got to add a bird to his "life bird list" and we got to mercilessly mock him in the process. It was like watching a hunting dog. He was looking around interestedly and then suddenly froze, his whole attention fixed on one spot as he quivered with excitement. Since one of the functions of a dad is to embarrass their children, Dad did this performance in the middle of trying to buy cherries from a roadside stand. He eventually returned to awareness of other things in the world besides the wonderful bird and returned to the car ready to share his triumph. His parade persisted despite a heavy rain in the form of "Daaaaad, it's just a bird"from the backseat. We almost managed to leave the cherry stand when he decided a picture was necessary. While he was trying to get the perfect picture, an unsuspecting guy came for cherries too. The wonders of the bird were then recounted, if not to a more sympathetic audience at least to a less complaining one. It should be noted, according to Megan, that the guy did walk quickly back to his own car and pealed out trying to leave. :)
This weekend I was reminding of all of the reasons I love being in Seattle. We really do have the best parks ever. 68 degrees feels wonderfully nice and warm when paired with sunshine. We can drive through the mountains and kayak on the lake in the same day. And we can laugh about the fact that there are only 2 months a year that you really want to be outside enjoying it.
The culture of Seattle is also just so unique. Where else could you go to a park for a barbeque and find fully armored knights engaging in sword fights have taken over the shelter. No joke. The culture of Mars Hill Church is also very unique. I have never been somewhere where openness, honesty, and an avoidance of being fake was valued this much. I have grown so much as I have submitted to greater accountability and have been inspired by people who share what God is doing in the midst of their mess. I am really inclined to be "moral" and to guard that appearance. I want to be put together, know the right answers (think Hermione) , and hide the fact that I am terrified you would see something in me and be disappointed. (One of the reasons I am writing this blog is to try to pull aside the mask I keep putting on.) Community is so important and we have been blessed beyond measure with our community group. Through conversations this weekend I realized that one of the things that I appreciate most (although not always at the time) is the questions about what is going on behind the sin. What lie am I believing to think my mask is the best choice for me? What truths of Jesus shatter the lie and how do I move my heart towards loving Jesus and the truth more than the lie? When the gospel meets the city of indie-rockers and unabashed medieval knights, real honest discussions result.
This weekend also reminded me that it is real. We are leaving and something different is just around the corner.
This weekend I was reminding of all of the reasons I love being in Seattle. We really do have the best parks ever. 68 degrees feels wonderfully nice and warm when paired with sunshine. We can drive through the mountains and kayak on the lake in the same day. And we can laugh about the fact that there are only 2 months a year that you really want to be outside enjoying it.
The culture of Seattle is also just so unique. Where else could you go to a park for a barbeque and find fully armored knights engaging in sword fights have taken over the shelter. No joke. The culture of Mars Hill Church is also very unique. I have never been somewhere where openness, honesty, and an avoidance of being fake was valued this much. I have grown so much as I have submitted to greater accountability and have been inspired by people who share what God is doing in the midst of their mess. I am really inclined to be "moral" and to guard that appearance. I want to be put together, know the right answers (think Hermione) , and hide the fact that I am terrified you would see something in me and be disappointed. (One of the reasons I am writing this blog is to try to pull aside the mask I keep putting on.) Community is so important and we have been blessed beyond measure with our community group. Through conversations this weekend I realized that one of the things that I appreciate most (although not always at the time) is the questions about what is going on behind the sin. What lie am I believing to think my mask is the best choice for me? What truths of Jesus shatter the lie and how do I move my heart towards loving Jesus and the truth more than the lie? When the gospel meets the city of indie-rockers and unabashed medieval knights, real honest discussions result.
This weekend also reminded me that it is real. We are leaving and something different is just around the corner.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
... Justin and Kaylee's wedding! ... and Vegas.
Congratulations Justin and Kaylee!
The wedding was in Las Vegas (Justin and Kaylee's home) and it was hot! I don't think we have even been properly warmed through in Seattle. It was a little shocking to the system but ohh it felt good.
You know what else felt good? Family. I really lucked out with this new family I got. We hung out by the pool and laughed. We played games and shared stories. We officially added another girl to the tribe. :) Kaylee is an amazing girl. She is so cute, artsy, and drop dead gorgeous in her dress. The wedding was a great snapshot of who she is and her relationship with Justin. The wedding was outside (to enjoy the warmth and the perfect sunset) and small enough that everyone felt included and connected. There were friends, family, a lot of laughter, and a few tears. They don't like to admit it, but the Bolton men can get a little choked up.
It was a lovely weekend and I am so happy for Justin and Kaylee. I am also glad that we aren't the ones living in Las Vegas.
In a strange way, in a I'm-very-glad-it-was-short way, Vegas does put marriage into perspective. I trust Daniel with my whole heart and am thankful for the man that he is, but I don't appreciate him for all that he is worth, in general. We get comfortable. We get predicable. We have unconscious battles over blankets and sheets. We complain about being robbed of all warmth in the middle of the night. While in Vegas, we didn't battle over sheets and blankets (unless it was about getting too many on each other in the night). Instead, there were overt attempts to draw my husbands eyes and heart away. Just trying to make it to the day-after brunch, there was a barrage of ads and fliers featuring girls whose lives have been destroyed and who were being used to destroy other's marriages and lives. Satan's schemes are so much more obvious there. Do you think about the fact that someone is actively trying to steal away the heart of your spouse? that Satan and his followers would love nothing more than to ensnare his heart? The fact that my man is such a good man would make Satan's victory all the sweeter.
This shook me. I never, ever, want to open the door to that chance. Daniel is too precious and good to risk losing. He can't be replaced. The wound if he was ripped away would be too big. So, I want to love well. Honestly, quite often, laziness and selfishness seem appealing, but not at this cost, not if it exposes My Love to danger.
And so, thanks to Las Vegas, a new marriage has been made and this (2-year) old one is treasured all the more.
The wedding was in Las Vegas (Justin and Kaylee's home) and it was hot! I don't think we have even been properly warmed through in Seattle. It was a little shocking to the system but ohh it felt good.
You know what else felt good? Family. I really lucked out with this new family I got. We hung out by the pool and laughed. We played games and shared stories. We officially added another girl to the tribe. :) Kaylee is an amazing girl. She is so cute, artsy, and drop dead gorgeous in her dress. The wedding was a great snapshot of who she is and her relationship with Justin. The wedding was outside (to enjoy the warmth and the perfect sunset) and small enough that everyone felt included and connected. There were friends, family, a lot of laughter, and a few tears. They don't like to admit it, but the Bolton men can get a little choked up.
It was a lovely weekend and I am so happy for Justin and Kaylee. I am also glad that we aren't the ones living in Las Vegas.
In a strange way, in a I'm-very-glad-it-was-short way, Vegas does put marriage into perspective. I trust Daniel with my whole heart and am thankful for the man that he is, but I don't appreciate him for all that he is worth, in general. We get comfortable. We get predicable. We have unconscious battles over blankets and sheets. We complain about being robbed of all warmth in the middle of the night. While in Vegas, we didn't battle over sheets and blankets (unless it was about getting too many on each other in the night). Instead, there were overt attempts to draw my husbands eyes and heart away. Just trying to make it to the day-after brunch, there was a barrage of ads and fliers featuring girls whose lives have been destroyed and who were being used to destroy other's marriages and lives. Satan's schemes are so much more obvious there. Do you think about the fact that someone is actively trying to steal away the heart of your spouse? that Satan and his followers would love nothing more than to ensnare his heart? The fact that my man is such a good man would make Satan's victory all the sweeter.
This shook me. I never, ever, want to open the door to that chance. Daniel is too precious and good to risk losing. He can't be replaced. The wound if he was ripped away would be too big. So, I want to love well. Honestly, quite often, laziness and selfishness seem appealing, but not at this cost, not if it exposes My Love to danger.
And so, thanks to Las Vegas, a new marriage has been made and this (2-year) old one is treasured all the more.
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