I Like TV

I really like TV.

Grey's Anatomy
I Love Lucy
Jon and Kate + Eig8t
Amazing Race
Making the Band
Project Runway
Top Chef
E! True Hollywood Story

and that's just some of them...

Jon and Kate + Eig8t

If you've never seen this show...you should.

I randomly flipped onto it and LOVE it.

It's adorable. And really funny.

A crazy, fun family raising twin girls and sextuplets...yeah, they have eight kids.

My favorite line: Kate says, "I'm sure there are plenty of perfect parents out there...but we're not any of them."

Seriously...you should watch it.

Megan Hutchinson

I had a chance to meet and talk with Megan Hutchinson (and her husband Adam) this past week. She spoke at an APU chapel and then did a small forum for about 8 of us.

I had heard of Megan through PDYM and Simply Youth...LHGH too. But I had never heard her speak and share her life as a pastor, wife, mother.

There really isn't any other word to describe the experience other than amazing. She and Adam had incredible insights and so much wisdom. Not to mention the fact that they are madly in love with each other...which makes being around them so darling.

It was fun to see her excitement when she found out I was all PDYMed and that there were many people we both knew (Doug, Jana, Neely, Josh, Katie, Allison...).

All this to say...

she is fantastic!

4 days?

Yes,

I haven't posted in 4 days...

sorry.

New material...

this week!

Today...I am Happy

The fact that tonight I get to experience this...
have no plans set other than watching this...

and am going to have this for dinner...

make for a happy me.

Mush...

Yeah, I know, two mushy ministry posts in a row...

I promise the next will be either ridiculous or completely off the wall.

Promise!

Energetically Drained

The other day I read this on a friend's blog:

"I am drained from 4 brand new messages in less than a week, but at the same time I am energized from being able to live out my passions."

I really couldn't have said it better myself.

There have been times when I've felt physically, emotionally, spiritually drained...everything in me feels like I'm just about to fall apart. Usually this comes after a 12 hour day. Planning last minute details for a retreat, programming an overwhelming weekend, hitting 4-5 meetings in one day, dealing with conflict, etc.

There are other times when I have so much on my plate yet don't mind at all. I actually feel like , in the midst of my exhaustion, I could go on for hours and hours.

Because at the end of the day everything I do is for students, everything I do is for God, everything I do I love.

I LOVE that God allows me to live out my passions, my heart...

I really love...

students.

I had such an amazing time with my small group last week and can't wait for tonight.

Last night as I thought through things I wanted to share with them I figured out that half of them won't be in my small group next year...they're seniors.

I know...this happens every year, but these students are different (or at least the situation is).

They're the ones I started with, the ones that have walked me through youth ministry, the ones I learned with, made mistakes with, found my heart for students with.

It's amazing to think that the past 5 years have gone by SO fast.

I really love our students.

MILK on MLK Day

All my life, I've found milk to be disgusting.

When my mom made me drink it, I'd pinch my nose-hoping to not have to taste it. I'd guzzle it down and then brush my teeth right after. I thought it tasted gross and left a terrible after-taste in my mouth.

I was always jealous of my friends who loved milk. I thought it was so cool, the way they craved milk with a piece of cake, slice of pie, donut, freshly baked cookie...and I always opted for apple, orange, grape juice.

Just about a month ago I decided to have a cup of milk with a cupcake...

I liked the taste, the smell, it quenched my thirst...

Just last night I had my first actual milk craving. On my way home from picking up my mom I decided I wanted to stop by for a donut and have it with a glass of milk at home. I did.

I can't believe that after 24 years...I now like milk.

The Quote Wall...

After Broomball tonight...

"Dude, 24 is the new 16!"
-Henry Marquez

So, so sweet!

For Janette:

I've spent the last two evenings at Janette's house.

I love the fact I feel so "at home" at her house. I can just go in the fridge, snack, lay back, cuddle in her bed...and feel totally comfortable.

There's really no other place I'd rather be.

And no other person I'd rather spend my evenings with.

Love you Janette!

FUN FUN Day!

I decided that I'd dedicate today to friends...nothing but friends.

I got up bright and early (7:30am)...that's early, for my day off.

I had breakfast and played Scrabble with my friend Christian...got my butt kicked, but laughed a lot.

Then drove over to La Mirada to have lunch and visit with my new-mom-friend, Liz. I can't believe she's a mom! First one of our friends to get married and the first one to have a baby! And her daughter Faith, is even more adorable in person than in her pictures.

I drove back to South Gate and went to a basketball game with Edgar. We wanted to see Henry and cheer him on.

I'm still on a roll, I've got Fuse and a late dinner with Leo and German...

It's been a really great day.

Good Morning?

Yesterday I woke up and saw a streak (a small one) of blood on my sheets...

I looked over and saw a dot of blood on my duvet...

I got a little freaked out, but was late, so I gave myself no time to think of it.
I got in the shower and found the source of it all: a small cut on my elbow (there was even a little streak of blood right below the cut).

All day long I couldn't think of where that cut came from. When did I hit myself? On what? Why did it start bleeding at night?

When I got home yesterday, I went straight to my bed and crawled under the sheets.

The memory came rushing back...

I remember waking up in the middle of the night (to a loud BANG) and rubbing my elbow. I remember telling myself, "Wow, that freaking hurts!" and then going back to sleep. I had hit myself on the headboard.

I know I've had bad sleeping habits lately, but really...this might just be too much...even for me.

Looks Can Be Deceiving

Yesterday Evelyn turned 18...but continued to look 12.

Small group was back up and running so we celebrated it there...

Cupcake tree, chips, dip, apple juice and chicken salad...what more could you ask for?

Here are some pictures:

I really love her!

Her father posted about this too.

My Celebrity Crush

I have a crush on Dermot Mulroney.

I started to like him when I saw "My Best Friend's Wedding"...

and officially crushed when I saw "The Wedding Date".

His characters have said things like:
"I think I'd miss you even if I'd never met you"
"I'd rather fight with you than make love to anyone else"

And sung:
"The Way You Look Tonight"

Really...how could I not?