oh my sri sri

There is no way to update now.. but luckily I've been writing in my journal so maybe one time when I have a moment I can type some of the entries up. This place is amazing.. crazy amazing. I can't explain it. I'm finally here.. how nuts is that? It's amazing. The people are amazing here, the culture is epic, the sun is hot, the air is humid, the food is cheap, the grinds are good, the fruit is refreshing, the water is dirty, the waves are crazy, the mornings are perfect, the sunsets are unreal, the crows are annoying, the lack of communication is humorous, the property is a blessing, the team is a family, the tuk tuk drivers are nuts, the animals are everywhere, the dogs are rabid, the kids are adorable, the grandmas are priceless, the music is solid, the dancing is amazing, the smells are "different", and most of all the honor of being here is humbling!

I miss you all back home but know that I am totally right where I am supposed to be and I'm stoked to be here. I love hearing from you guys! Today we are off to Safari! Yesterday I got to play with the kids in the town and go swimming with some of the girls. It's just like being back in Hawaii.. the ministry keeps on pushing - no matter the country!

Much Love

Happy Birthday Steph! (One day late)

Happy Birthday to you. To my friend, mentor, and best i chat buddy there is =). There are words to describe the impact you have made on my life but those words do no justice to the change, to the love, to the acceptance, and to the fun you have not only shared with me but have also help mold throughout the last of my college years. From the first time I came over to your house for lunch thinking I would never come  back (hehe) to the days of never wanting to leave me cozy escape at The Riley's. There are endless memories with not only you but also your family and I am forever blessed for that. Memories filled with fun and new things, memories filled with lots of hikes, lots of talks, walks, lunch dates, boating and oh so much more. I hope you spent the day showered with the love and honor you deserve. Steph, Thank you for being you and being there for me when I needed you the most. Thank you for pushing me, challenging me, encouraging me and laughing with me. Thank you for accepting me into your family and making me feel apart of your cozy corner. I am sorry I couldn't be there to celebrate your day. I miss you lots. Love you!

It's summer.

It's summer thus blogging is FAR from anything I care to do. Update for now and one that pretty much will apply to the rest of the summer is this.

Surf. Work. Surf.Sleep. (Repeat)

I'm working everyday this summer trying to get enough funds to survive as a post graduate + my missions trip so with working everyday it creates little to no adventures outside of Cannon Beach but with a job like mine I can't complain that much. Have a great summer everyone!

Happy 7 Months My Love

 

On June 14th I graduated college and Will and I celebrated our 7 month annivesary.  It was a crazy day. There was so much great time with the family, my commencement, Micah's commencement, and than finally after some goodbyes to friends it was off to celebrate. Will took me to Fall Creek for a sunset adventure.

  

We watched the sunset and by the grace of God didn't get locked in the park. The sunset was so great. The weather held for us and it was such a great night to have spent together.. our last night that is. SAD!

 

It was a happy 7 months / suck the next 7 months. For the next few months Will and I will be far apart. For this entire time we have lived less than 10 blocks from each other and now we are not only in different parts of the state. Come August we will be in different countries. Him in Mexico, me here... than come September - December I will be somewhere between Hawaii and Isreal.  So with that.. this night was so great and oh so hard. After our fun date at the lake we were off to happy hour by the fire on the river front. I miss you already William Joseph!

And then I was done.

Are you kidding me?!? I am now done with college. I can't believe it. It's a feeling people warn you about, excite you about and explain to you but honestly there is no way to truly understand it till you walk across that stage. There is no way to capture the joy and pure numbness standing in line waiting to march in to the view of the cheering crowd. There is little to no words that can capture the feeling you have when you are sitting in the front row of the 400 some fellow students as you all wait to get the signal to stand and begin to walk forward towards the stage. Let me tell you there is absolutely no way someone can prepare you for the sensation you get the second before you take your first step up the ramp towards the man who reads your name, you pass your name card and hope you don't slip, you begin the walk across the stage and you don't know where to look. Do I find my family? Do I just look forward? I should smile.... I'm happy but I'm nervous. Why the heck am I nervous? Should I shake with my left, grab with my right.. .no no no.. you shake with your right and grab with your left. Oh yup shake, grab.. uhh uhh.. HUG and woah what I'm done. No stand here smile - SNAP - picture. I hear my name.. where are they. Uh just turn and wave and hope they are in that direction. Welp didn't see them, back to my seat. Sit down and done. Just as fast as the four years of college flew by the tradition of walking across the stage was over. These past four years have been more than classes, more than tests, exams, crams, stresses and messes. These past four years have been about failure, success, love, joy, Christ, friends, family and learning lessons in life that have prepared me for my future. I am so excited to see what God has in store for me. I am excited and fearful , not for what won't happen but for what I will get in the way of happening. So here's to dropping in on a ski jump you can't see the bottom to, here's to jack knifing on the landing and getting back to the top to run it again and here is to letting Christ leading me farther past the starting line. 

A Saturday To Remember =)

So Saturday morning William and I decided we wanted to take a hike up Spencer's for sunrise and boy was it a good idea. We made it to the top (after my spit of disappointment we were running late.. due to making coffee.. man sometimes I am just straight up dumb!) But in all reality we weren't late and we were right on time. So we get to the top after surviving Will's attempts to have an Australian tour guide accent.. ha. We were two of the five at the top but we decided to jump to the farther side to not have to deal with any other company. Crazy that I have been to the top so many times I have yet to be able to enjoy the sunrise from the other little rock peak.

 

We sat on the top and read a bit from James and just completely enjoyed each others company. After we hiked on down we headed to Keystone and my boy took me out to a amazing breakfast =) From breakfast it was off to the the Riley's and on to the lake.

 

Get it STEPH!

 

My boy getting some air. He improved so much on this run. Def. more skills than I have.

 

I stick to the surfing look or the oh this is glassy I'll venture over here sorta mind set.

 

Well with all of Will's skills.. there also comes some hard falls. He took a few too many smacks and this boy def. had a concussion! Poor Joseph.

 

Hitting the tube with Sarah. We had so much fun on there. Just chit chatted the whole time and had a blast as John tried to freaking kill us. Apparently we got some serious air time but we were having so much fun we could care less if we were 6 inches or 6 feet off the water.

 

Love'n it with my 'lil broski. Poor Brayden's arm was stuck under mine and he came away with a little red color ... sorry B! But it was so much fun being on the tube with him. He is such a dare-devil and I love this little boy. He's gunna rip!

 

This is when Will and I were on the tube together and John was having a lot of fun + so were we! My neck is just about back to normal now.. 

 

MUAH! A kiss from my boy =)

Wow what a great day. Thanks Steph and John for taking us out on the boat!

Grad PART-AYS

 

The girls chit chat'n in the corner.

 

Very inventive Tony!

 

The Rileys - Steph

So with those pics above, it's a little taste of a Grad party we had at our house + a B day party for Heather. It was so fun. So many friends showed up and a lot of food was devoured... well minus that pack of chicken that was left outside our house for a few more weeks.. till we discovered the stench on a hot day (took awhile to get that) SICK!

 

Due to lack of motivation this is the only pic that will be making it on here from the grad party we had at Keith's. Maybe some time I'll put more up. But what a fun night!
 

Okay this one makes it too :) A nice freezing cold dip in the outside pool.

Seattle Baby!

Alright welp let's rewind to remember. So a few weeks back I went to visit Jordyn (aka J.Bird) in Seattle and here are some pics of our fun adventures. It was a such a great road trip! =)

 

First stop - Lunch time in the market (best fish and chips ever)!
 

Then it was the gum wall =) Don't deny you are jealous of my brilliant idea.
 

Do your troll thing! Us at the Troll under the bridge.
 

I loved this little coffee hut! (so much I forget what it is called....)

 

VASHON ISLAND! The best idea we had all weekend =) We took the ferry over to this island and had a blast all day. We loved it. We hit this little coffee shop/country market and were there for a few hours just journaling, reading and people watching. One of my favorite things was the wall of mugs with locals names on them... loved it.
 

We found a bike... in a tree.. and J.bird broked it.

 

More Vashon love!
 

Then the last night we hit up a Mariners game. So fun.  We did everything you could think of. Seattle and all things you could ever want to do in Seattle. We did DT and OT Tacoma for a day along side pubs and happy hours. We were of to Vashon for a day and than a baseball game. Honestly we never stopped moving, never stopped laughing, never stopped making memories. Such a great Memorial Weekend. I love you J. Miss you!

Happy Birthday William

Happy Birthday my dear. Today is a day to realize how loved you are. How treasured you are by your family, your friends and by me. You are an amazing man of God and you are a blessing to my life on a daily basis. You are an amazing encouragement to those who surround you and the little boy that was brought into this world a few weeks ago, named William after my own boy - he is a little boy with huge shoes to fill as he has taken on your name. His parents named their baby boy after the man of God they see in you. They wanted to honor you and I know they can only hope to raise a man to reach the bar you have set. You are an amazing in so many ways. Your heart to challenge yourself and know the man you want to be not only to me but also to everyone that is close to your heart - is an indescribable encouragement.  These past 6 (almost 7) months have been a crazy ride and a ride I wouldn't want to take with anyone else but you. Through thick and thin... good and the bad - I know we'll make it through. We have had some crazy adventures and I'm excited for new ones to unfold. Enjoy today and soak it up my dear. I love you.

 

BIRTHDAY DATE AT DORRIS RANCH

I took Will to Dorris Ranch for a little picnic and fun :)
 

I wanted it to be a full surprise.. thus he was blindfolded :)
 

And then there was our picnic :) Market of Choice treats, bottle of wine and a little journal for his birthday.

 

Will making fun of me wanting to take pictures all the time. Trying to be as awkward as possible.

 

Playing in the orchards :)

 

On the path by the river.

 

We found an old tracker and took cheezy pictures on it.

 

But we all know we can't be that serious. :) A fun afternoon celebrating Will's birthday! :)