ahora

Today has been a GREAT day!

Went to church, saw lots of people I have known for many years of my life, got hugs, caught up on what is going on in their lives, they did the same with me and Kent, my niece, Faith, sat down next to me in church and drew a beautiful picture of me and Kent (we both had earrings in this particular drawing and some pretty awesome red hair) and, later, insisted that I bring her to her Sunday school class...

Then it was off to home for Sunday afternoon dinner with the fam. I got to see little Blakers - now 4 months old (and as adorable as ever!) and getting so big! We had an amazing meal and yummy dessert AND, to top it all off, a nice little nap this afternoon.

I went to a friend's apartment for a couple hours to catch up with her and her life these days and then went to LOFT for the first time since I graduated in May. It was like freedom. I saw so many of my friends that I lived in the dorms with, hung out with, lead worship with, and just did life with. Most didn't know I was going to be there and were really excited to see me (after the service, there was a mini swarm of people around me - it was great!). It felt so good to be welcomed so warmly by people who know me as Shelly - the pre-WA Shelly...people who I have done life with and have shared so many amazing and challenging experiences with. Don't get me wrong - I love meeting new people and making new friends...but there is something to be said for the friends who have been there with you throughout the most shaping years of your life and have seen you grow and change into the person you are today and can see why you are doing what you are doing. There is a freedom there - not having to prove anything to anyone because they already get you and love you for being you. Plus, being in the Calvin chapel again...that beautiful chapel that was built to promote worship to our Heavenly Father...it was all like coming home. Singing the songs, praying together as the Body, listening to Paul preach (my mentor in the WA program 2 years ago and friend of Kent and me), seeing my friends and people I have worked with on the LOFT team for 2-3 years leading...it gave me great joy. I kept telling Kent on the way home, "I'm so happy right now."

It has only been less than 48 hours of being here, and I am so happy and am loving every minute of this trip. I am so blessed by the people in my life and the experiences I have had. I have grown so much in the past 4 years. All of this helps me to better know and more fully understand that God will take care of me and Kent in the future and will form and shape our todays to be great memories that we can look back on and say, "God is good, all the time."

This morning, Kent and I flew in to GR once again to visit family and friends. We thankfully had an uneventful flight. I was able to sleep the entire time throughout both flights - something that hardly ever happens with me - and was eager to walk out and see my mom, sister and nieces waiting for me at the welcoming area. I was warmly welcomed with big hugs and kisses, lots of smiles, and a little (and I do mean little) dog named Lucy - my sister's new puppy - whose face was popping out of my sister's coat. :)

This afternoon, Kent and I took about a 3 hr nap, woke up to a kitchen smelling of freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies and pumpkin bread, as well as a great smelling pasta dinner. The food was good. The company was great. The tickling match I had with my nieces tonight was fun with lots of smiles and giggles...

It is good to be back.

until I get to see my family again! :)

...we're staying in Washington for at least one more year.

Kent recently got hired to work for a company in Bellingham, WA. He begins Monday, March 3. This is really exciting for Kent because this job utilizes a variety of his gifts and interests all in one job. This is also good because I get to stay in the same school for a second year - a good thing for a teacher!

I'm glad the decision has been made (and basically was made for us). God is good and knows what is best for us. I look forward to seeing what blessings God has in store for us next year!

3 years ago today, Kent and I went on our first date.

He actually called me on Valentine's Day to ask me out for that Friday...that didn't work for me for some reason, so we ended up going out that Saturday. I was SOO excited that he had called me (just ask any of my girlfriends that were in my dorm the night he called). However, I knew that no matter how interested I was in him, he wouldn't be right for me if God has something else in mind. Therefore, before our date, I remember praying that God would make it really clear if this was a relationship worth pursuing. I didn't want to date just to date. So I thought of a few really important questions that I knew I needed him to answer in order to keep pursuing this relationship...

He picked me up at my dorm - Bennink Hall - took me to Starbucks in East Grand Rapids where we chatted about nothing and everything. As we talked, the way he answered questions and the things he valued were either what I was hoping for or way better - that made me giddy and excited for a potentially long relationship (I remember trying to cover my giddy smile so I wouldn't look like a fool who couldn't stop smiling on our first date). We drove back to my dorm parking lot and continued talking until I needed to use the facilities. He walked me to my dorm and then asked if I wanted to go for a walk - my first Calvin walk! Since it was February, it was really cold and snowy. We walked all around campus and talked more about our families and interests. I remember we laughed a lot.

After our walk, he asked if he could call me the next day. Of course I said yes, but inside wondered if he would be a man of his word and actually call...he did, and the rest is history.

I am so blessed to be married to my wonderful husband, Kent. We've only been married for 8 months, but God couldn't have placed me with a better person to complement my strengths and weaknesses and to just do life with.

I love you, Kent. Happy Anniversary. :)

This past weekend, Kent and I went caucusing. Yes, caucusing. I had never heard of that before and, if I had, had no idea what it meant before this past Saturday. Unlike Michigan, which only holds primaries for up-coming presidential elections, Washington holds a state-wide caucus as well.

Kent and I drove to the location nearest us and found a table marked with our precinct number - there were around 6 precincts there. We then signed up our names, other info, and who we voted for. After waiting about a half hour, we head the results of the tally of votes from our precinct only. At that time, they assign a number of delegates to each candidate based on popular vote. Then, anyone who wants to can get up and say why they are voting for their candidate of choice to try to persuade other voters to change their minds. I believe one woman changed her mind. Then, votes are re-counted, people split up into groups based on who they voted for, and then delegates are chosen to attend the next caucus.

It was really exciting. There's something about sitting in a room with a lot of other voters and feeling the excitement in the air - a sense of community - a sense of hope for the future of our country. It was also very meaningful because Kent's and my vote truly counted. I've always known that every vote counts (my mom works at a City Hall in Michigan and deals a lot with elections and voters and sees the direct results based on voters), but this time I experienced it with an immediate response. Our candidate of choice won in our precinct by 1 vote. If Kent and I hadn't been there, the other candidate would have won the popular vote, and therefore have had, at least in our case, one more delegate than the other. We felt important. We felt proud that we were physically there standing up for the candidate we believe in and got the results we had hoped for. It also made us both realize more clearly that it is important for us to not only be involved in the final election day, but in the process leading up to it, too. Every vote counts and will work to make our country either better or worse than it is today.

Later that evening, Kent and I went to grandma's house for dinner - as we do most Saturday evenings - and then went to some friends' house afterwards to play some games. The first game we played is called "Guitar Hero" - more or less a video game where you play a chordless guitar and push note buttons and a strum button at just the right time based on the colors you see on the screen to some rockin' songs. There are 4 levels of difficulty. I had heard of it from students and others, but had never played it before last night. It was a lot of fun! I didn't do to shabby either (unlike Kent who got booed off his first two tries...but got better as the night progressed).

The second game we played was "Ticket to Ride" - a board game where you have to collect cards and lay tracks to claim routes for specific destinations before the others finish. It is a strategic game and lots of fun to play with a small group!

It's a lot of fun to have a group of friends that Kent and I can actually call friends and hang out with just for fun. It has been a long time. I still miss my friends and family back home dearly, but this makes it easier to be here and makes it feel more like a home.

So I learned this week that apple slicers are extraordinarily effective.


Lately, Kent and I have really enjoyed buying spinach leaves to make a salad using crushed up walnuts, fetta cheeze, and sliced apple pieces (pears are also yummy...). When we registered for our wedding, I registered for an apple slicer - it's effective, it saves just a few more minutes of preparation, and it eliminates the worry that someone might slice open a finger with a knife. It's a great gift!


The other night, I was in charge of preparing the salads to go along with our spaghetti. I had sliced the apple successfully, and the next step was to take the core out of the center and clean it. I like to push the core through from the bottom - it seems to work the easiest for me. However, as I pushed the core through, I ended up slicing the side of my thum pretty good. I said a few choice words because of the pain and then proceeded to rinse it with water and search for a band-aid to stop the bleeding. I couldn't find one. I put Neosporin on, rummaged up one band-aid from a random drawer, and ended up going to the store that night to buy peroxide and a box of band-aids.


I think next time I'll make the spaghetti while Kent slices the apples.