The Hunt

Our car struggled to make it's way to the top of hill, i.e. incredibly steep driveway. We still couldn't see the house, just as we hadn't been able to spot it on our drive-bys. As the front of the Honda crested the driveway, we stopped. There before us sat what one might term shacks. They looked wooden. They looked...tilted. They looked hilarious. "We have to go back," Adrian decided. "Too late," I said, pointing to what we assumed was the owner standing at the top of the driveway, waving.

Struggling not to be consumed by laughter, we drove slowly towards the man, wondering how we could seriously do this. Turns out it was a bit difficult. We climbed the rickety stairs (the hand railing moved in my hand), up to the apartment above the garage. It was large, something several of the places we had seen had not been. But it was not much of anything else.

We quickly looked through the bedroom and bathroom, as I evaluated things in my mind. It could work, I thought, with some help. It needed paint, new blinds, new light fixtures, (new stairs)...I walked into the kitchen and noticed the stove was duct taped (duct taped!). I worked to keep a straight face as I asked, "Does the stove work?" "On and off," was the the reply. "But I just bought this new microwave grill," he said as he pulled it out to show me. Much to my surprise it literally was a microwave and a grill. "But does the oven work?" "Well...there's this grill...And let me show you the storage area!"

We followed him down those stairs once more and looked for some sort of storage unit. "It's right there, hold on," we were told. Waiting, laughter was struggling not to explode from my lips. It couldn't wait much longer once I turned around and the man was holding a cordless drill, going to town on the screws holding up large pieces of plywood on the side of the garage. Turn out they concealed the "storage unit" and he could even "lock it back up" for us, by re-screwing the plywood I assumed. This, friends, is what you get for going to look at places listed on Craig's List as "rustic."

Thankfully, our story has a happy ending. But it set us up to be a bit cynical. We had been praying for a little place we could live that would be affordable, would have a place I could garden and have a piano, would have enough room and storage for all our things, would have places for us to go on walks, and would let us have people over to our house. We had seen several places off Craig's List that were fine, but not quite right either in terms of price or size or location. We had also looked at apartments, which seemed like they would work.

And then one night we went to look at yet another random Craig's List posting that couldn't send us pictures, but wasn't too far from us. We drove up and, again, Adrian said, let's turn back. The driveway was beat up, the house looked like a mobile home. It wouldn't be what we wanted. But it was. It turns out, even though the house is older, it's clean and kept up (necessary repairs are made and things have been replaced!), it's got a good amount of storage (cupboards, shelves, laundry room storage, bathroom cabinets), it's on two and half acres (there's a place for me to garden, there's fruit trees and animals), and most of all, the lady who owns it is extremely kind -- and a Christian!

We're quite excited as we have picked out paint and are going to paint the place next week and move in at the end of the month. We have no idea what it will be like to live there, but we know God has kindly heard our prayers and we look forward to seeing what he has in store for us here. Thankfully, the hunt is over.

P.S. Feel free to come help us paint or move if you have some extra energy! :)

Sometimes

Sometimes grace is full and sweet, like the first bite of a ripe peach where you find your teeth sinking deep and look up sheepishly with juice trickling down your chin.
Sometimes grace is sharp and salty, like the way tears cut their way across your flushed cheeks and your tired mind can trace their path and taste their deposits at the corner of your mouth.
Sometimes grace is both, twined together, entangled.
Sometimes you look up and you think, The goodness of God is too good. And it stabs itself into your stomach and makes you gasp, even as tears rush down your face because you know, I don't deserve it.
Sometimes you wonder how God could really have answered your prayer, simply because you asked it. And sometimes you wonder why he didn't answer your other prayer, the one you wept and slept.
Sometimes you open your hands, slowly, weakly, tired of clutching them and squeezing--suffocating--the flame of joy because you're so intent on holding on to it--protecting it. Like the little girl who smiles ghoulishly into the fish tank, anxious for her next victim.
Sometimes you stand on the top of the hill, gasping, aching, looking at the sun meandering its way behind the hills and you know fire--grace--gifts.
Sometimes you hug someone and you think Redeemer, we need you.
Sometimes redemption is deep waters, enveloping, swallowing, dragging to the bottom claiming Him for their own so you could stumble, collapse on dry ground. Taste sand and know joy. Wild.

Anniversary Celebration

So thankful for one year of marriage! To celebrate, we headed up to Big Bear Thursday evening after work, hung out all day Friday, and came back Saturday afternoon. It was perfect. We had a cute little cabin equipped with a kitchen, so we could cook all our own food, went for a night walk by the lake and stood looking at the soft-moving reflections of the setting sun, went kayaking on in the late morning sun, hiked an "easy" trail (made difficult only by altitude), watched Casablanca (Adrian for the first time!), and read, read, and read some more. Loveliness. God has been so good to us.

Kayaking on Big Bear Lake

Wonderful day!

Our little cabin

Adrian grilling our anniversary steaks.

On our actual anniversary, we headed to Petco Park for a Padre's game (my first!) with the Reilly family. (We didn't purposefully plan to go on our anniversary, it was just the only day that worked for all of us :)

Petco Park

Some of the Reillys...some of whom are looking at the camera.

Happy to be sitting under a warm blanket on a cold night, watching baseball.

Oh, one wonderful part of this weekend that I haven't added yet is that I discovered a lovely new cd that I love! "Jenny and Tyler" are a husband and wife duo who sing fantastic music -- check 'em out!

Safari Saturday

This past Saturday Adrian and I headed to the Wild--I mean, Safari Park with Mike and Lauren, who now live in CA! I had only been to the Safari Park once before, and I mainly remembered it being extremely boring, but this time around we were in the company of good friends :) Really thankful for half price tickets and a long day walking around in the sun, for picnic lunches, the amazing variety of animals God has created, and for getting to see a cheetah run (amazing!).

This lion happens to be the only animal I took a picture of.

Sunset Lovin'

It the smell of hay mixed with puffs of dust kicked up around our feet, sticking to sheen of sweat around our calves that made me exclaim, "This reminds me of going to the fair!" I then proceeded to relay all of my childhood memories from the Kern County Fair to Adrian as we walked the distance from our car to the Temecula Balloon and Wine Festival.

It felt like a fair inside also. Vast numbers of people, cowboys hats everywhere, booths and games, food stands (funnel cakes!), and loud music. We plowed our way through the people, wandered around, collected free tooth products (which Adrian pulled out of his pocket later to show me...I convinced him not to floss his teeth), and finally plopped ourselves onto the grass behind several levels of fencing to watch Gloriana, Chris Cagle, and Phil Vasser.

Mainly, we were just there for the music. Mainly, we were just there for Gloriana.

But I have to say, Chris Cagle was probably better -- he had obviously been performing for a long time and Gloriana was still a little new and awkward.

Gloriana

Just chilling on the lawn, trying to avoid being stepped on by somewhat intoxicated folks.

Chris Cagle

 After all this crazy fun, we headed to balloon glow--which, it turns out, is where they gather a bunch of hot air balloons on the lawn and light them up again the night sky. Huge. Beautiful.

Before.

After.

Thanks Temecula for having your famous festival right next door to us! It was fun.

Thursday Thrills

Completing a set

Season's first raspberries and peaches

Summer Days

In case you hadn't heard from us, we're spending this summer on a vineyard. Housesitting, more or less, for just three months. Most of us our stuff is in storage and we're looking for a place to move come August.

But for three lovely months, we're living across from hills, running in the cool morning air, and watching the sunset.

The move was kind of (totally) crazy. I was really stubborn and didn't want to start packing up all of our stuff until I had to (wanting to enjoy every last possible moment in our first little home), but I kind of underestimated how soon "had to" kicked in. After Adrian being out of town for a week, Jana's graduation, sickness, and three days in Mexico, I sort of stumbled my way through packing for three days before the big move.

But we made it, thanks mainly to the help of the sisters-in-law (Jana and Lauren, who helped save me from my mess).

And now we're stumbling our way through someone else's stuff, and hoping lots of people come visit us out here this summer.