Happy Anniversary Martin & Jani!

Our last week with Martin & Jani

Since the last time I wrote, so much has happened. Most recently though, 2 of our closest friends moved back to South Africa. This past Tuesday they left Joplin to go back home indefinitely. Good thing their last few days in America is something they will remember for a long time!

They stayed at our house the week before they left. We met with our small group.




We had our last meeting with our Financial Peace University small group.



Jani made us Roobis tea almost every night and we sat around in our pajamas and watched Mythbusters! We ate the Donut Hole donuts on Saturday morning.



It was great!...until our power went out Sunday morning because of the ice! They were supposed to have a big "good-bye" party on Sunday night that ended up being canceled due to the ice storm.

We stayed the night at the Spurrier's house, which then lost power Monday morning. We had to scrape Jon's car off which I'm sure made Martin & Jani glad they were going back to summer in South Africa!!




We stopped at Starbuck's, picked up kerosene and drove back home so Jani & Martin could back pack the bags they were flying with. Martin felt terrible, so he laid on the couch the entire day while Jani & Jon crammed as much as they could in their 4 checked bags and 4 carry-ons...in the dark.

Thankfully we had gotten a kerosene heater from Jon's parents when we got married. We were able to keep the living room temperature at about 65 all day. We got a little creative with our meals and our house smelled like the Yankee Candle Company! We had a slumber party in the living room that night. Martin felt much better the next morning. We were able to warm water on top of the kerosene heater and on our grill, so Martin & Jani could at least feel somewhat clean before they traveled for 40 hours!

Tuesday morning Peter Buckland and Scott Boudreaux picked Martin & Jani up to take them to the airport. They left on time and arrived in South Africa on Thursday morning.

We love you friends and we miss you so much already!

Bald River Falls - Tellico Plains, TN

One of our core values at CIY is community. We add specific elements into our events that allow youth groups to experience community. I love when our staff gets to experience community! Because we have so much fun together!

Yesterday the TN 5 & 6 team got to sleep in, then we ventured about and hour and a half east to Tellico Plains, TN. We spent the afternoon playing in the river. Some of the guys went fly fishing while others climbed on the rocks and hiked some small trails. We ended the trip with a dinner at a hole in the wall BBQ place.

We all came back refreshed and ready for our final week of Conference, that begins today!




Bald River Falls











Sydney French









Jon & me






Jennifer & me








Jayson ready to fly fish











Everyone wading in the river

And the answer is....

YES!!!

Maggie Frazee and I waited at the Johnson City AT&T store this afternoon for 3 hours to purchase our husbands iPhones.

Not too much excitement during the wait. A nice lady gave us Klondike Oreo cookie ice cream sandwiches and we may have been in the background of a couple of live local TV broadcasts. We were numbers 10 & 11 in line. Some of the people had been there since 6am. By the time the doors opened there were 38 people there. The store had 40 phones.

Jon & Greg will probably be up half the night learning! They are so excited and proud to be "early adopters"!

Question of the day...

Will I go stand in line to buy an iPhone for Jon or not?

4 hours 28 minutes and counting...

My visit to Louisville and back

This evening I returned to Milligan with Jon after being in Louisville with my wonderful inlaws this past week.

Jon's parents came to CIY at the end of week 1 here at Milligan. They took me back with them to Louisville for some R & R.

We didn't have a whole lot scheduled which was nice. My 8 year old niece, Kelsey, stayed the night with us Sunday night. I don't get to spend much time with her, especially one-on-one, so this was a special treat for both of us. We did the usual girl things, painting her nails and braiding her hair, and we watched Flicka before going to bed. The next morning we went up to the neighborhood pool and played for about and hour until it looked like it would storm. She had to go home after lunch so she could make it to her dance classes on time that evening.

Tuesday morning we got up and met some of my inlaws friends for a horse farm tour at the Undulata Saddlebred Farm. We ate at Claudia Sanders Dinner House (wife of Colonel Sanders, KFC). Best fried chicken I've eaten! Then we went to downtown Shelbyville, KY for some antique shopping in the historical downtown.

Wednesday we picked up Kelsey and her brother Jordan and took them to see some movies. Jordan & Kinney went to see "Surf's Up", and Meredith and I took Kelsey to see "Nancy Drew" which was adorable! We had dinner at their house, then said goodbye to them as they were heading to Atlanta to visit their cousins.









Thursday I went to the pool again and we pretty much relaxed all day.

Friday my friend Amber came down from Indy to visit me! We went to the Highlands area and ate, walked around and drank coffee. It was so much fun! She came back for dinner that night and we laughed and carried on until 9 or so. Thanks for visiting me, friend!









Saturday Meredith and I went to a Garden Party with some ladies from her church. I was definitely one of the youngest there, but I had the best time. We all had to follow the derby tradition and wear hats! I felt like a southern bell, and reconfirmed my belief that I was meant to live in the south! You can see me and my mother-in-law below:












Jon and Seth came Saturday night, surprising Jon's parents, and brought me home today.
I had such a nice time, and I will miss them dearly. But I'm excited to be back at Milligan for week 3 of Summer Conference here. The new team and the camp team reps all showed up this evening and the churches all show up tomorrow!

Vacation Girls!

Last weekend was finally another Vacation Girls party! Our dear friend Carrie turned 50, so we celebrated in Kansas City.

These women are so special to me. My life is so much more full because of each one of them. We have shared many life moments together even though some of us live many miles apart.

At one point in time all of us worked at CIY, now only one is still there as an employee, and others are still directly connected to the ministry. I can't imagine life without these friends.



Love you girls!

What did you do when you resigned from your job...?

I went to Disney World!!!

It's been almost 2 weeks ago now. I love that place! I could go over and over and over again. If you recall, Jon & I went there at this time last year for an entire week. This time we only got one day for MGM, Epcot and Magic Kingdom, then one day at Animal Kingdom. Am I really 31? Because I feel like a little kid just looking at these pictures!

Jon & Me on the tea cups! I hate those things!

This is us on the new Clam-mobile ride with Nemo at Epcot!

These aren't the greatest pictures ever, but it's just a little taste of the fun we had. I can hardly wait to go back again!!

Day #3 of not working...

Last week this time, I had high hopes of crossing all kinds of things off my home to-do list...I've not gotten very far.

Here's what today looked like:
1. Took Jon to work

2. Went to the Y for a 30 minute cardio workout on the treadmill

3. Came home and cleaned up

4. Made 2 batches of yummy banana bread

5. Ate left over lasagna

6. Filed a few things while listening to Corinne Bailey Rae

7. Watched The Ellen Degeneres Show

8. Watched Oprah

9. Picked up Jon from work.

I didn't even do 10 things that were significant today! I'm going to "blame it on the rain"...isn't that a song Johnny?
I have high hopes for tomorrow...

The newest addition to my garden!

Can you see him???

Jon named him Curtis. He is living in my Burning Bush plant in the front yard. I noticed him while I was shaping the bush today. He started calling out to his frog friend across the street, who mimicked his call. Wonder what else I'll find this year!

I've come that they may have life...

...and have it to the full. ~ John 10:10

I've always loved that verse, mostly because I believe it. I believe that the time Jon & I just spent with 2 of our most favorite people is what Jesus means by life to the full.

Yesterday Martin & Jani B showed up at our house around 9am and we headed to Kansas City. Since we've been gone so much this spring, we've been missing our friends.

We went to the zoo and got rained on! But we saw some lots of animals and an IMAX movie on the Deep Sea.



Jani & I resting in Australia


A sweet little koala


A meek lion


A lazy tiger


Jon & I in front of the roos!

To the Plaza for dinner at the Cheesecake Factory and shopping at the Apple Store, Gap, Barnes & Noble and Restoration Hardware. To the Comfort Suites (thank you Choice Hotels points) for laughter in the hot tub and a long night's sleep. To the Pier 1 Clearance Store for a new coffee table for the Bravenboer's, and finally the Independence Center for more shopping.


I'm incredibly thankful for our true friends. We were realizing on the way home that this time last year all four of us were traveling with Believe, and we never would have imagined that one year later our lives would look completely different; all four of us making job transitions, but still living in Joplin.

Thank you, Martin & Jani, for sharing life with us. I can hardly wait to see how God will allow us to live life to the fullest during this next year.
We love you!

Wow.

I feel like life has been flying by too quickly.

I have 3 days left of full-time employment at CIY. We've just finished the 5 busiest weeks ever. I'm not even sure life has existed outside of a CIY van or venue. It's been awesome, but everyone in our Conference department is exhausted...and summer is almost here!!

This past weekend was the last Jr High Believe of the tour, and my last CIY event. As Johnny said, it was too busy to be emotional. Thank you, Lord. I was surrounded by some of my most favorite people who have become my closest friends.

It was all very bittersweet, as Jon & I are letting go of a huge part of who we've become. Everyone has been so kind to me, encouraging me and loving on me. I can't say how incredibly thankful I am that God has allowed us to stay at CIY. Our hearts are here. And I'm so excited for Jon's opportunities. Today, more than ever, I feel God's hand heavy on CIY. Sometimes He prunes and sometimes He allows fruit to flourish. In both cases He is at work, and I'm overwhelmed.

We've been so busy that I've hardly had to time to think about how much our lives are changing. I'm trying to get through all of my self-created to-do lists at work before Monday, while trying to not be overwhelmed by a huge to-do list I've started at home.

I'm excited about what my future holds. I'm praying hard that God will help me find my place in a real world that I've never really known here. I want to rest. But I don't want to get so comfortable and used to being at home that I miss out on actualizing the passions that God is developing in me.

What I do know is that my yard needs a lot of work. The grass is already too tall and it's been raining for 2 days! At least I know I won't be bored!!!

You might be a crazy old bird lady...

My dad has always taught me to notice the little things around me, especially in nature. We camped and hiked a lot when I was young and he would always be quick to point out a hawk high up in a tree or several deer or pheasant on the edge of a wooded area. So now I naturally notice those kinds of things everywhere I go.

I think this is why I am so fascinated with birds. I begged my dad for a pet when I was little. He never wanted us to have a dog because he felt they need a lot of room to run. He hates cats with a passion (sorry Teri). And I had no desire for smelly rodents. So one year for Christmas, when I was about 8, he bought me a little bird cage. We went to the pet store together to pick out a little parakeet. I chose one similar to this little guy:

http://www.thelensflare.com
Someone told me that if I wanted him to learn how to talk, I needed to give him a name with a lot of the letter "p" in it. So my brilliant self named my new little bird Pepper! Needless to say, he never even came close to saying anything but "SQWAK!!!" I loved my little bird and found great joy and mystery in watching him.


Somehow almost 20 years later, I reluctantly became the care taker for a 2 year old Umbrella Cockatoo named Presley. What an overwhelming task that was at times! What an amazing bird he was!

He on the complete opposite side of Pepper talked way too much! His personality was that of a learning 2 year old child. I loved him and was blown away by his human-like expressions and characteristics. I could watch him and be thoroughly entertained for hours.

I promised myself that I would not become a crazy old bird lady like the one I bought Presley from. However, I find myself looking out my back window waiting to see what kind of bird will eat from my 3 bird feeders in the back yard. Somedays I think I could watch them all day.

So many things about birds are amazing. Their tiny little fluffy bodies that can stand heat and cold. Their many different calls that each mean something very specific. Their migrating in the winter in huge flocks, flying hundreds of miles, then returning in the spring to the place they started. Their balance. Their eyesight. Their voices' volume. Their resiliant yet delicate features.

This morning I was fixing my breakfast when I heard an unusual call. It made me even more ready for spring that I could hardly get to the window fast enough to see what it was. I had noticed a bright red male cardinal eating from one of the feeders earlier this week, but I knew that wasn't his call. When I looked out the window I saw this proud little male red winged black bird. He was hanging sideways off the feeder, pacing back and forth claiming his territory. He was calling out as loud as he could to anything that would listen to him, letting them know that this was his feeder!


Now I'm pretty sure blackbirds aren't the most desirable birds to have in my backyard, however I can't help but look at him and see his beauty. The red on his wings is amazingly brilliant. He stretches and pumps his wings flaunting his color, warning those who can see him not to mess with him. He might be a bully, but I can't help but be amazed by his ability to communicate in detail through his many different calls and body language, and by the incredible detail God has given to him. And I can't help but be reminded of the very specific detail that God has given my life. I see it now more than ever. Doesn't God care more for me than for the birds of the air?

I'm totally a crazy old bird lady!

Digerati, I never will be.

I've never really considered myself computer illiterate. After all I sit in front of one all day long. I use a computer to pay all of my bills online, to do all of my banking online, etc. However I'm realizing that I'm not computer illiterate, I'm just Google and Blogger illiterate.

Tonight, in an attempt to begin changing over all of my online accounts to my new Gmail address (since I will no longer have a ciy e-mail address after April), I deleted our blog. That's right. I deleted our blog. jonandsara.blogspot.com no longer exists.

How in the world could this happen? I have no excuses except that I obviously didn't understand the ramifications of using my Google Account to log into Blogger. I have nothing but a sick feeling in my stomach.

Oh well, I guess now is a good time to start fresh. And now that Jon is working at CIY, this will give him and opportunity to start his own blog. So I am in mourning and have no motivation or intention to recreate what once was. Tomorrow I'll wake up and look forward to a clean slate, which can be quite overhwhelming to a girl who likes structure to her life. We'll see how it goes.

Goodbye "geekandgirl." Hello "I love flowers."