Monday, March 23

Ecclesiastes 3:11

Jasmine is blooming everywhere...
and flowering trees...magnolias, lemons, plums, crepe myrtles, oranges, tababoulias...everything smells good.

last week was rough...but God showed me a LOT about Himself throughout it. i learned about how much fear i harbor (i didn't think i could possibly have needed to know more about that), how fragile i am (again...i thought i had that covered), and how much i need my brothers and sisters in Christ to keep me straight and accountable.

yesterday, Sunday, was one of the most beautiful days ( i think) that we've had this year. it rained early in the morning, leaving the skies clear, clean and full of magnificent deep, thick clouds in brilliant contrasts of light and dark. the sun shone most of the day, but a chill breeze blew as well, making scarves and jackets a necessity.
though, for a few hours in the afternoon i refused my sweater... content to let my arms soak in all the different warms, cools and breezes in the air.

after church the whole clan went to lunch at pei wei, including anna, the meyers, even dave came and met us, fresh from SLO.
gwen discovered she loved a tube of lip gloss i had in my purse.

afterward mom wanted to see jeff's house and the work he was doing on it, so while the two of them talked home improvement, i sat on wren's front lawn (as they are next door to each other) and enjoyed the previously lauded weather. i was joined on and off by sarah and alec, and at one point, reid and cam--who enjoyed a bit of tag and wrestling.















i hung out around there most of the afternoon...eventually getting coffee with wren, anna, robin and my mom. then we went and bugged jeff, who had just laid down on his couch for a nap.

in the evening i stuck around with jeff and mom took my car home. we decided to go to Whole Foods to get dinner supplies, deciding we wanted to create a vast array of delectable delights to graze from. we were there for the better part of an hour choosing cheeses, fruit (apples and cantaloupe), prosciutto, salame, olives, bread, crackers, chocolate, tea...and a nice bottle of something that, once empty, could hold a bunch of jasmine. after a long, store-wide search, we were left with 2 obvious choices: a really pretty blue sake bottle, and a rad beer bottle with an owl on it...we decided to go with the sake.
we also went by bed bath & beyond because jeff needed wine glasses. he also bought a new trashcan. he was super excited about it.

once back at his place, we prepared the food and listened to the Sweet Hurt whilst doing so. i spent most of the time wrapping the prosciutto around the melon. wren and cam came by and sampled a few things. cam also spent a good amount of time perfecting his form sliding across jeff's still empty new hardwood floors.

once jeff finished the sake i went outside and shivered as i clipped a bunch of jasmine from his vine. around 9:30 jordan came over with a few more things, we did pushups, and then sat down to enjoy our spectacular array of food while watching james bond.
how do i know it was an awesome evening?

because i forgot to take even ONE single picture.

~~~

Friday, March 20

Lord i feel inadequate awkward weak and unable to stand up

i can't wrap my head around what You are presenting
i don't know what You want me to do right now

please strengthen me

~

Wednesday, March 11

You know, some things in life may not be ideal to me. But blessings abound.

i like that i work in a situation where i can take a lunch break and go sit in a beautiful yard on a beautiful day.

and where Pip can do handstands in the driveway.

and sometimes...


Saturday, March 7

stupid stupid knee

i stopped running a year ago because i messed up my knee. on & off over  the last few months i've gone out for a light run and come back disappointed. recently, feeling like trying again i went out and bought new running shoes. they're super awesome. so today, feeling restless, and needing some alone time, not to mention it was a gorgeous day, i decided i would take the first run i've had in a long while. so i put on my new shoes (which are black, and light as a feather) secured my knee brace, and went out the door.

a few minutes into it, i thought to myself "oh man, this isn't bad at all, i may have to take a couple of walk breaks, but this is great! i'm gonna be fine!"
i was in store for a very humbling experience.

after about 15 minutes my knee was hurting so badly i had to walk the rest of the 3 miles. i got angry every time i tried to quicken my steps and my whole leg protested. my pride bubbled as people jogged past me. and despite my fast walking pace, i began to get cold as evening fell around me.
all in all...i was a very discontent figure making my way around the rose bowl.

i got home and put ice on my knee, and it's still there as i type this.
i'm very sincerely praying that this isn't going to be something that will always keep me from running...because i think i would be kind of heartbroken. i miss it so.
oh sigh.

but WOW it was a beautiful afternoon.

~~~

Thursday, March 5

number 600

welcome to post 600! not much else to say about that...just the acknowledgement of a nice, round number.
I am currently putting off working on an orthographic of an express train. these days life for me revolves around being so so grateful to have a job, to be working doing something even REMOTELY creative...but also wishing i had some time to paint, draw, and sing and go running and see people...but that's just where things are. i know the Lord probably has all kinds of things getting ready to drop into my relatively stable existence, so for now i'll enjoy being able to pay off my student loans :)
Really, though, life outside of the studio has been pretty rad.
There has been an influx of awesome people i know moving to (or back to) the Pasadena area...i'm really enjoying even the small amount of time i get to work on my own art endeavors...and it's been raining this week so the weather outside is AMAZING. all very good things.
Jordan teaching Jeff "cribbage"...

Jordan, Evan, and Alec have a nightly push-up bonding time at 9:36. they call each other pretty much wherever they are and stop and do 2 sets of 25 pushups. last week Jordan pulled over and stopped in a gas station to do his. after Bible study last week the 3 of them and my dad ran into the Meyers' backyard and went for it...
oh yeah, and they take their shirts off.

karaoke at the Miyako hotel last Friday night...Amy is singing her every popular rendition of "My Heart Will Go On". Jeff and i make her do it almost every time we go.
i took this picture of cam, reid, mikey and ethan after church on sunday. i remember when each of these guys was a little boy. now all teenagers, it's a total trip seeing them acting more and more like young men...(some of the time)... it's amazing and scary. will i ever get used to how fast life is flying by??
do i want to?



well, i just found out that a project i spent a good half a day on last week was lost somehow...so i need to get on that. X(

Psalm 103 is amazing. i'm trying to memorize it...and it helps me fall asleep at night...running it through my mind instead of thinking about my insecurities or what i didn't get finished during the day.

~~~

Wednesday, February 25

one of my favorite videos

just to make your day a little brighter...




(ps--it has now been 6 days since my cel phone vanished from the face of the planet. if i don't find it by tomorrow i need to get another one. thank God i have insurance...but come on! i never left the house!!)

Monday, February 23

dance parties and take a break cookies

reeeeeally quick...

i like the mountains. i also like the clouds on them.

alec and sarah had a belated birthday (alec's) and dance party last weekend. laura and thad were there, and alec's friend dave. the pictures make me really happy.
this one is just so rad. you must enlarge it.
sliiiide
AND VIDEOS!!

(thad is sitting down because he just had an appendectomy :(...)


last thursday at work, brie came by and saw pip and dropped off home-made cookies for everyone...they were gone by the end of the day.
thank you brie :)

okay. gotta get to work now.

Tuesday, February 17

sunny rainy days


Linkstill terribly busy. but so thank-ful to be so.

trying to read a lot, and draw a lot. my drawing for elizabeth is coming along slowly, but surely...maaaaybe a progress post soon? anyone interested?

i am currently listening to a mix of Low, Fleet Foxes, of course Sufjan, various mixes from friends...plus the "yacht rock" and smooth jazz pip and andrew play at work...
i just finished a splendid book called The Goose Girl, and i am close to finishing Dr. Zhivago.

a lot happening in work and life...lots of creative opportunities (thank you, Lord) lots of wonderful people (thank you again) and all around blessings.

just the problem of inward ache. it's kinda bad right now.
but it's been worse.

Isaiah 49:8-13

8 Thus says the LORD:


“ In an acceptable time I have heard You,
And in the day of salvation I have helped You;
I will preserve You and give You
As a covenant to the people,
To restore the earth,
To cause them to inherit the desolate heritages;
9 That You may say to the prisoners, ‘Go forth,’
To those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.’


“ They shall feed along the roads,
And their pastures shall be on all desolate heights.
10 They shall neither hunger nor thirst,
Neither heat nor sun shall strike them;
For He who has mercy on them will lead them,
Even by the springs of water He will guide them.
11 I will make each of My mountains a road,
And My highways shall be elevated.
12 Surely these shall come from afar;
Look! Those from the north and the west,
And these from the land of Sinim.”
13 Sing, O heavens!
Be joyful, O earth!
And break out in singing, O mountains!
For the LORD has comforted His people,
And will have mercy on His afflicted."

Tonight after prayer, after everyone else had left, Jordan was talking to us about his time in prison, and while he was in there the Lord led him to read the prophets...Isaiah, Jeremiah, &c... and those books that to him had always been about judgment and despair and failure, suddenly began to reveal their messages of hope and redemption.

i had just read the the above passage a few days ago. i understood exactly what he meant.
i thought it was pretty cool.

~~~

Tuesday, February 10

dad's watching the weather...


looks like more rain

work has taken over my liiiife!!

~

Thursday, January 29

doo dee doo

it overwhelms me how much quality music there is out there to hear. i am so behind.

~

Monday, January 26

is that a woman?

video from memphis of amaris' amazingness.


~

Friday, January 23

i felt like writing a little

there is a stamp of abraham lincoln on my left hand.
i saw a band called Woven Hand tonight, and though it wasn't the most amazing show i've ever been to, there were a couple of songs that were some of the most fascinating music i've heard live. i'd listened to a few tracks a while back and really liked what i heard, but never followed up. yet seeing a band live always makes me appreciate them more; so needless to say i'm going to have to bite the bullet and by an album or 3. if only to find one song they played that seriously melted my face off. (why else would i be hiding it in the picture?)(which by the way is reversed. mac photo booth does that. the stamp really is on my left hand. i did not lie/am not confused)

*meanwhile*...
i finally have a picture of the painting i did for Tom and Jeannie...



i'm also starting the final stage of my new project for elizabeth...a portrait of her 5 children!! i posted a preliminary drawing i did a while back...anyway here is the scary blank paper.
i've actually drawn a lot since i took this...but you don't get to see it.







mom is slowly getting better...it's been 2 weeks since the surgery; and as usual she is working way too hard. here she is working on a drawing in bed...i took this last week.
the picture is of her being good...99% of the time she is not good...she is up far too much for someone who can't sit or stand and it's making me crazy because she is in constant pain. i can't wait for the next 2 weeks to be gone!! last night (actually, tuesday night) we watched the last episode of season 1 of the original Star Trek. looks like i need to buy season 2...

sunday afternoon i drove cam home from lunch and as i lounged in the living room with him, i sneaked a picture of him playing the guitar...his newfound object of devotion. i thought it was cute.

Monday was Jeff's 31st birthday. a gathering was had at Wren's for fajitas and family togetherness. after dinner we went next door to see his new floors, and Reid promptly made excellent use of them...












As you see, he aquired a substantial audience for his newfound breakdancing talents. their enthusiasm just oozes from the picture, does it not?

i was almost too tired to even go see everyone on monday...but i was also too tired not to, if that makes sense.

i wish i didn't get so stir-crazy!!! i live, work. eat and sleep here. it's becoming a bit tedious.
work for the past couple of weeks has been intense, as we have had a nearly impossible amount of production to do on characters and locations for the animated film we are working on...compounded with mom being so unwell. Lord, please let her sleep tonight...

i got back from the show about an hour ago and as he drove me home pip asked me what things i wanted to do, to get done, this year.
make more art
move out (SOON)
get a steady job doing something awesome
travel more...including going to more conferences
save $$$
...you know. the usual stuff. writing a book and learning to play the cello would be rad too.

i don't know. i feel like i'm where i'm supposed to be right now...i just wish i knew i was moving towards something. i'm trying to be better at praying that i'll make the most out of where the Lord has me...because if i can't do that i'll never be content no matter what i'm doing.

God has been telling me a lot of stuff. i wish i wasn't such a coward as to always keep it to myself.

~~~

Monday, January 19

inaguration tomorrow

i wish i could be excited. i really really truly do.

but i simply can't.


~

Tuesday, January 13

the great western special delivery road trip


So, i did end up going to Colorado over the weekend. on saturday morning Evan and i flew to Denver, where we were picked up by Robin's husband (my new uncle) John. He drove us to Colorado Springs, where we got to see the house, hug Robin, and were given our vehicle that was the reason we were there...(and which was to take us home).



the next couple of days were beyond awesome as we poked around a pretty amazing part of our country...seemingly abandoned towns where the only signs of life are horses walking the streets, and 2 little boys pushing a tire...dream cafes appearing in the middle of nowhere...listening to voyage of the dawn treader while driving through a glittering snowy desert...mountains and skies that make you feel like a teeny tiny hobbit.
from old steel mills that made Evan flip out, to miles and miles of sparkling white that made me sigh at its beauty....
it was pretty cool.







below are links to the facebook albums of the trip...enjoy!

link to the first album

link to the second album

~~

Thursday, January 8

huh.

Well, turns out i have a lovely bacterial infection. :D
Perfect timing for mom having emergency surgery tomorrow to RE-ATTACH HER HAMSTRING.
Dad is also very sick again.

Prayers welcome :)

i was supposed to fly to colorado on saturday. we'll see...


P.S...just had a small earthquake as i was typing. wow?

~

christmas

just a few pictures before time gets too much further away from me!!...









Wednesday, January 7

Man, just a few weeks ago i had the stomach flu and now i'm fighting a nasty cold. my body has simply not been happy with me.

~

Monday, January 5

pictures from memphis...

as i said before, the conference in Memphis was awesome. click here to see the facebook album...sorry it seems so lazy...i'm very tired.

love, c

~

Saturday, January 3

i said y'all today

i've been in memphis for 3.5 days and i'm picking up an accent. hm.

it is cold and wintery...and the messages and fellowship have been wonderful. i can't believe i'm already going home tomorrow.

~