back to the "real world" (well, sort of...)

Jesse and I both begin work tomorrow. It's crazy to believe that these three weeks have gone by so quickly. In one way, I think we're ready to settle into routine and escape our time of painting and remodeling the house, but at the same time, I wish this wonderful time of simply being able to spend every moment together never had to end. We have had so much fun! Setting up house has been a lot of work (I don't know how many trips we've made to Home Depot in the last two weeks, or how many cans of paint we've gone through...) but it has been so rewarding! We are still a long way from being completely finished, but compared to what it looked like in the beginning, it is such a huge change. I can't wait to post before/after pictures! I just have to wait to get all of our "afters" together first :)

We sure have learned a lot about this house in the last few weeks. Like the fact that the back door isn't weather-proof, and that hosing it off from the outside is a reeeeaallly bad idea. Or that one shouldn't turn on the washing machine without first checking to make sure someone else hasn't plugged the utility sink (into which the washing machine water drains) to soak paint brushes and rollers. That poor back entry--those two episodes meant that it was completely flooded twice in one week!
Also, it's important to check what color paint you're using before you paint all the trim in the house with it (it's pretty hard to tell until it dries...) And make sure you're not allergic to a chemical cleaning agent before you scrub with it for hours...

We've grown a lot, learned a lot, and laughed a lot. I'm thankful that those aren't traits we have to turn in once we start working. It has struck us, however, how being married all the sudden has turned us into old people! Jesse commented the other night, "I was driving home from youth group, and I realized that it was already 8:30, and I thought to myself, man, it's late! if we turned on a movie when I got home, it would be nearly 11 before it was over. And that's when I realized oh no! I've turned into an old man!" Yes, times have changed. Gone are the days when staying up until 3am was no big deal!

Tomorrow will be exciting. Jesse gets to move into his new office at the church and prepare for his career as the Director of Christian Education at Hope Lutheran Church, and I get to see what my first day is like as one of the day camp leaders for the summer program for the children at the church. I'm so happy to get a chance to be around kids again! I've missed my preschoolers so much in the past 2 months, and I'm really looking forward to surrounding myself with little ones again for the rest of the summer.

We had such a wonderful day today. We left early so that we could be at church in time for Sunday school. It was Jesse's first opportunity to sit in on what he will be leading next week! I got to join Pastor Terhune's class on Romans, and I am excited that I will be getting to partake in such an in-depth study with other adults every week. After church, the Terhune family invited us to lunch with them, which was a wonderful time of getting to know them better and enjoying lighthearted conversation. I know that we are so blessed to have such a wonderful pastor, and family, and congregation! They have all made us feel so welcome. In fact, the theme for the next Wednesday Night Fellowship Meal is "Meet the Brubakers"--that's this upcoming week, and we are both really looking forward to it!

When we got home from church, Jesse and I crashed on the couch and watched "My Fair Lady" (it's basically a crime that Jesse's never seen it--especially since he even acted the part of Henry Higgins in a scene his freshman year of college!) After that, we enjoyed sitting together and reading some "joy-reads" we picked up at Costco the other day. I think today was seriously the first day we haven't painted a room, or polished a floor, or organized a closet, or dusted a shelf, or unpacked a box since we moved here. Knowing that it was our last day before working, we decided to enjoy it. It struck me today how much I love being married to Jesse. It's so amazing just to be able to spend so much time with him, to laugh over the silly things we do, to enjoy being together, even just to hear him breathing beside me. I love being married to my best friend.

Mr. and Mrs!

We now have 17 days of married life under our belt, and have decided it's the best thing we ever could have done. In fact, we're recommending it to everyone!

June 8th was the most beautiful day of my life. To have so many of our friends and loved ones gathered around us to share in our special day was incredible. We had so much fun!

We married at the Lamos' ranch in Ojai. It was the perfect setting to our "happily ever after." So many dear friends helped in whatever way they could, and we are so blessed by all of the personal touches that were put to our wedding with love! About 230 people attended, ranging from friends from college to church friends, cousins, aunts and uncles, grandparents, friends from church, friends from work, and people we've known our entire lives. How wonderful to share it with everyone!

I could write everything about it, but you know what they say about pictures...

(go check out Jesse's dad's website and see our sneak peek slideshow!)

11 days!

Jesse came home from his handbell tour on Sunday night around 11:30. I drove to meet him at Concordia to pick him up. What a wonderful reunion! I've missed him so much in the past two weeks.
On Monday, we went to Home Depot and chose all of the paint we will be using in the house. It was so exciting to be able to dream about our house and decide what it will look like! We chose a very soft blue for the master bedroom, a light sage for the dining room/living room, and a cream for the den. The colors are all so light that when the guy at Home Depot put a dab of paint on the lid of each paint can, I worried for a minute that he had actually given us 8 cans of white paint!
We drove back to Concordia on Tuesday for my interview with the supervisor who will be placing me for student teaching. After that was finished, we made a quick visit to Turtle Rock Preschool to see Dalia (my co-teacher in Room 3) and all of my other friends there. The kids were all sound asleep because it was right in the middle of their naptime, but even so, it was so good to see them! I miss them all a lot.
Jesse and I picked up his wedding ring! I was so glad that it was ready to go yesterday and that I didn't have to make a special trip to Irvine just to pick it up. We also ate at Ruby's Diner for old times sake, and then took a trip to the beach.
It was such a perfect day! The ocean was so blue and full of life. We saw a whale, a seal, and a hoard of pelicans. I was so happy to be back at the beach with Jesse. It's one of my favorite places to be with him.
Anyway, just had to share with you that Jesse is home, we have our paint, I will be placed for student teaching, and...we're getting married in 11 days!

Our house

I just realized that the last time I said anything about housing, I said that it was a possibility that we might already have somewhere to live. Well, it's been settled for quite a while that we will be living in the house that Mrs. Yurada currently lives in. Everything worked out so perfectly, we truly are blessed! Jesse and I went to see the house about a month ago, and I just fell in love with it. Granted, it is going to need a lot of work, but that is something that Jesse and I are both happy to put into it. It is so cute!
The Yuradas are original homeowners, and the house was built in the '50s. Apparently, Mr. Yurada was quite the craftsman--the house has so many beautiful touches to it! Handmade wooden bookcases on either side of the fireplace, beautiful woodwork in the cute little kitchen, and neat little curio shelves and closets throughout the house. I am so excited!

It still just amazes me that 2 days after we knew we were going to be in Glendora, a place was already provided for us to live. The Powers family (children of Mrs. Yurada) is being so generous, we can do nothing but praise God for them!

Jesse is on touring Canada right now with the Concordia Concert Handbells, and will be coming home late on Sunday night. I can't wait until he's home!

We're Concordia Graduates!

I only have 3 hours until I have to have this dorm room completely packed up, empty and clean (and believe me, it's going to take the whole three hours!) but I just wanted to share a little bit of yesterday with you!
The graduation was beautiful. It was a day that we had anticipated for so long, and now I can't even believe that it is already past...
Jesse and I were so showered with love, it was such a blessing! My parents and sisters were there (my brother Jon is still traipsing around Europe), Jesse's mom and godparents Jan and Robert, my grandparents, my Uncle David and Mrs. Dinwiddie and Emily. After the graduation, we all went over to my grandparents' home for pizza, cake, and lots of goodies :)
I don't have many pictures right now, but here's one just to prove

We Did It!!!

God is good!

We picked up our caps and gowns yesterday.
It's happening: we're graduating!

Sometimes it's still hard to believe. I was looking around the cafeteria today at brunch (it's Saturday, the only time I can eat brunch in there!) and thought about the community we've been living in for the last few years here in college. Where else can you walk to a public eating area to join your friends for breakfast at noon in your pajamas?
The closer we get though, the more ready Jesse and I realize we are to move on and see what exciting things God has in store for us. And exciting things are certainly in store!
Graduation is three weeks from yesterday. Wedding is seven weeks from tomorrow. I'm so happy!

And God is so good. It looks like we might already have a place to live! Some friends of my mom's have an elderly mother who lives in Rosemead (about 15 minutes from the church) and she is moving in with them next month, which leaves this adorable little three bedroom house in need of residents! As soon as they heard we would be looking for a place around there, they offered to let us live there, and set a monthly rental price that we can't pass up! What a blessing! As soon as I found out that we would be in Glendora, I began looking for places for us to live. Even the smallest one bedroom apartments in the creepiest areas are extremely expensive, and here, we have the opportunity not just to live in an apartment, but a house! I cannot believe how good God is. Rejoice with us!

We are driving out to Glendora tomorrow night to attend the evening service and be introduced to the congregation. I am so excited to meet our future church family!

I realized that this blog functions as a wonderful way to share our praises and prayers, so I will try to add something to the bottom of each one with ways that you can hold us up in prayer:
please pray that Jesse and I will make it through the next few weeks, and that even with all of these exciting things going on in our lives, that we will remember to be diligent in our studies and finish out our college careers strong. Also, pray that if it is God's will for us to live in Rosemead, that details will work out smoothly as far as the little house is concerned.

There are many things we need to do in the next seven weeks, but as my Gramma reminded me in an email today, "you've really got a lot on your plate, but it's all wonderful things. Try to to take one day at a time and deal with what you can. God will take care of the rest. He always does."

beginnings

Ok, so we're not officially "The Brubakers" yet, but we're getting close (8 weeks/55 days/1320 hours...) Anyways, thought that it would be ok to title it that way, because that's what it's going to be the rest of our lives!

We found out on Friday night that we will be living in Glendora! The Celebration of Ministries service was Friday at 7:00, and it was absolutely beautiful. Jesse's mom, Bianca, came and she and I sat next to each other and tried not to cry the whole time, we are both so proud of Jesse! It's at the Celebration of Ministries that all of the DCEs (Director of Christian Education--Jesse's major) find out where they are going for their internship. They walk up on stage and it is announced to them there in front of everyone! Definitely a rush :) Jesse's name was called, he went up on stage, and was told that his internship will be at Hope Lutheran Church, in Glendora, California. We are so excited! We met the pastor that night, Reverend Terhune, who is actually the father of one of our friends here at school. Jesse said that night "that's awesome! I even know their dog!"

Anyway, we are very excited to finally know where we will be living after our wedding. But first things first:
Graduation: May 9th
Marriage: June 8th
First day of Jesse's internship: July 1st

God has really answered our prayers! Because I am working on my California Teaching Credential, we knew we had to stay in California for Jesse's internship. He has provided a church that we are both really excited about that has opportunities for both of us to get involved and use our talents in. He's also kept us relatively near our families! Jesse's mom will be about half an hour away, and my family will be within 2 hours. Pastor Terhune told us that he would start looking for an apartment for us right away. Eee!

I'm so excited about this new chapter in our lives, and can't wait to begin it!