Happy Hollie

2011-01-29T08:25:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Mom! I wish I could be with you today to celebrate. Mom, I love you and admire the hard worker you are. You have been such a giver my whole life and I love you and appreciate that about you. Hope you have a great day.

2011-01-01T19:54:00.000-08:00

I have LOVED Christmas break. I was able to spend a good amount of time with Kelli and the girls. I really enjoyed it. Ivy is getting so big and I have LOVED snuggling with Lucy. They are so fun and I am thankful to have family so close. I also got to relax, spend time with good friends, work out EVERY DAY, get organized, and clean mi casa. I spent time re-doing my spare room which has been long overdue since it's been empty for over a year. My good friend Jen helped me make pillows for the bed so I've included some pictures of the room. I'm just looking for a bedside table and a couple things for the wall and it will be complete. I'm so thankful that I get to work for a place that gives me two weeks off! What a blessing. Mom, I missed you!

I can't believe 2011 is here! I have been thinking a lot about the things I have to be thankful for. One thing that I have been so thankful to the Lord for is the gift of JOY. 2010 was a hard year yet the Lord consistently has given me the gift of joy even in sad times. I pray that no matter what happens in my life whether good or sad that I will be able to Rejoice Always, Pray without Ceasing and in EVERYTHING give thanks. That's my prayer for all of us as we enter 2011. (Do you hear me my Sistas?!?!)

Happy Birthday Ivy....

2010-12-24T00:26:00.000-08:00

I can't believe Ivy is 5 years old today!!! I remember getting the phone call that Ivy was coming into the world and I was so excited to meet her. She has quickly become one of my favorite people. I LOVE talking to her and hearing all the new things she is learning. My favortie thing is to hear her talk about God. This picture below was taken the day after Ivy was born. What a memory! :)

Ivy, I LOVE you and think you are so special. I am so excited to celebrate with you. I don't think you could be more loved. You have become such a pretty little girl. I hope you continue to grow up loving God and others.

2010-12-23T08:39:00.000-08:00

The first week of vacation is almost over! I can't believe how fast the time goes by. I am getting so much done. I LOVE house projects and cleaning (although I haven't started the cleaning yet!) Last night was our bible study Christmas dinner. We had such a good time. We went to LA to an Italian restaurant called Louise's. It was so good. We had exchanged names and did a gift exchange. Laura drew me and I received a sweater, necklace and a wall decal (i will post it later.) I loved everything. It was so fun. We finished dinner around 7:45 and didnt want the night to end so we went to the Grove and walked around. It was another reminder of how blessed I am with the friends the Lord brings into my life. I love these girls and am so thankful for them!

2010-12-20T22:19:00.000-08:00

Today was such a good day spending time with new friends and catching up with old ones. I got to spend the morning with my friend Anna. I went to her house for coffee this morning and it was such a sweet time. We've gotten together a couple of other times and have always been in a hurry to get to work or school but not today. It was nice not being rushed and getting to visit for a few hours.. It's been so fun getting to know her better.

After that I went to meet up with some old TMC girls. I went and picked up Steffi and we headed to Hollywood to go eat lunch at TART. We met up with the Sander girls and it was fun hearing about their lives and how their last semesters have been in graduate school. This restaurant is cute and quaint and a definite recommendation for those in the LA area. It has the best outdoor seating for the summer and NON-RAINY days.

Tonight I got to meet up with Kristin for a good work out. We are already sore and it's only been a couple of hours. To top the night off I got to talk to my sister in law tonight. BECCA, I LOVE YOU! Thanks for being a good friend/ Sister and making me laugh so hard! Have I mentioned how much I LOVE CHRISTMAS break!!!! Thank you Lord.

Christmas Vacation...

2010-12-19T15:15:00.000-08:00

I LOVE CHRISTMAS vacation. It's only day two but I feel like I've gotten a lot done. The BUMMER is that I am sick. I should of rested all day Saturday because my cold got worse. I got to spend the morning with Ivy. Kelli dropped her off at my house in the morning and we went birthday and Christmas shopping together. We also went out to lunch at her favorite restaurant PANDA EXPRESS. :) Love that girl.After all of out adventures I took her home where I got to love on Lucy. She is such a snuggler. I love it.

Last night I put on my sweats and headed to Lynn's. We had such a nice relaxing night with the boys. We put them to bed at 7:30 and sat on the couch with our tea and cozies and just talked. I LOVED it! I left so encouraged and it was so good to be with such a treasured friend talking about all the Lord is doing in our lives. LOVE YOU LYNN! I hope I didn't contaminate your household.

Today I woke up and my cold moved to my chest. NICE. My head cold is now a blown out cold. It has turned into such a GREAT day though. I spent a good portion of the morning with the Lord. I'm studying the attributes of God which has been so good for me. I've noticed that the days that are hard for me and the days when I am not in the Word like I should be. You think I would learn a thing or two by that! I also have gotten some much needed crafting done today. What a SWEET DAY of rest.

I also got to talk to my mom who told me my dad fell on ice at home at broke some ribs. He is in a lot of pain so please pray for him if you think of it.

Happy Birthday Jenny...

2010-12-15T06:58:00.000-08:00

My Sweet Soul Sista! I hope you have a fabulous day. What a blessing you are in my life. I wish I was with you to celebrate YOU today. I love your zest for life and thankful spirit to the Lord for what he's given you... which is MUCH! I'm so thankful for the friendships in my life where distance isn't a barrier and when we come together it's like you never left. I'm excited to see how the Lord will continue to use you. I love you Jenny!

2010-12-12T15:31:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was our annual Intern Christmsa party. Every year all Admissions comes to my house in their pj's and the staff makes breakfast for the interns. We then have a white elephant gift exchange. It is such a fun time to be together and remember all we have to be thankful for. What a blessing they are all in my life.

2010-12-06T09:32:00.000-08:00

A WEEK OF GRATITUDE

1. Getting to see Jenny this week. She was here visiting from Yakima, WA so a bunch of us girls got to meet up with her for dinner. I love the type of friendships where you might not see them for a year but you always pick up right where you left off. That's Jenny.
2. I am blessed beyond meausre with friends out here who are FAMILY to me. Family with the Jackson's is no exception. I LOVE these guys and am blessed to have them in my life.

3. God's GRACE. Something I don't deserve yet NEED EVERYDAY. So thankful for such an undeserved gift. His grace is Sufficient!

4. I am so so so so so so so thankful for the girls in my bible study! I have never been more excited about a bible study group in my life. We get so excited to see one another to talk about the Lord and encourage one another. I enjoy each one of them corporatly and one on one. We see eachother throughout the week and they are such a solid group of girls that I LOVE!!!!! Tonight was a sweet night with Laura. We went to one of our favorite restaurants Granville Cafe.

5. Megan Schenk...yes MEGS YOU are a blessing in my life. So thankful we got to talk on Saturday. I love you and am thankful for your friendship! :) Send me a picture!

6. Psalm 145:17-20 "The LORD is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does. The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them. The LORD watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.

Satuday....

2010-11-27T11:23:00.000-08:00

I love Saturdays. Today was a FULL day. Saturday mornings are my favorite time of the week. I love sleeping in (who says 7 AM isn't sleeping in!?!) and the Saturday morning lounge. NOT today! I was at my friend Erica's yesterday and we decided to get up early and hike Towsley Canyon. We were both needing a WORK OUT and we got one. I will be feeling it tommorow. It's a 6 mile hike up a mountain and back down. It was so beautiful!

Psalm 104:1-6 "Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great. You are clothed with honor and majesty, wrapped in light as with a garment. You stretch out the heavens like a tent, you set the beams of your chambers on the waters, you make the clouds your chariot, you ride on the wings of the wind, you make the winds your messengers, fire and flame your ministers. You set the earth on its foundations, so that it shall never be shaken. You cover it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains."

I got to have lunch with two of my bible study girls (we missed you AMBER). I am so THANKFUL for their frienship. We have so much fun together and I ENJOY them GREATLY!

I got a Saturday afternoon nap! LOVE IT. The night ended with my dear friend Heidi. We went to WOKANO for dinner. It's this new restaurant in our mall. It is so yummy. Afterwards we went back to her house and went to the hot tub to soothe my sore muscles from my morning hike. It was hilarious....as we got to the community pool it started to pour. I went and got two umbrellas and we left our clothes by the front door, covered our head with the umbrellas and headed to the hot tub. It stopped raining shortly after so we didnt have to hold the umbrella the whole time. It was such a great night with a great friend.

Thankfulness....

2010-11-26T22:59:00.000-08:00

This is dedicated to my friends and MOM who have bugged me to start blogging again. :) I am not making any promises but I will attempt to be better. I have a lot of things that I could blog about but haven't made the time. There have been many things that I've been challenged with over the last year and God has been SO KIND to me. Even in the last week, I have been Overwhelmed by the way the Lord cares for me, provides for me and directs my life. I have been reminded that trials are GOOD for they develop me and make me turn to Christ. My friend said it best: Trials produce hope in me that doesn't disappoint (Romans 5). I am so thankful that I have hope. There are so many that don't know the hope of Jesus Christ. What a BLESSING! God calls me to look beyond my temporary circumstance and live in a continual state of thanks. As I experience trials, I need to remember that I have an eternal perspective and my hope is to enjoy an eternity with the Lord. I AM READY LORD!

Psalm 100:5 "For the LORD is good;

his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations."

Since it's been a few months I want to list a few things that I am thankful for.

1. Adoption of Lucy. She is so precious. She has a smile that can light up your day, a strong personality letting you know what she wants and she is the best snuggler. I love her.

2. Church. I love my church. John has been BRINGING IT lately. (not that he doesn't always) Maybe the Lord is just working on me and that's why I've been feeling like EVERY message is for me! He's been going over 1 Corinthians Sunday night in church and he did a small series on 1 Corinthians 13 which impacted me greatly! I've also been enjoying singing with the worship Team Sunday mornings and working in the Visitor Center.Oh, and my Pastor Tom is going through a solid series in Revelation.

3. The Master's College: What a blessing my job is. I'm so thankful that I enjoy going to work and that I get to work with some of my closest friends. This is my Family. I also have the most kind, humble, gracious, and hard working boss!

4. Small Group Girls: I was asked to be in a bible study this summer with three other girls. It has been such a HUGE blessing! I LOVE these girls. I didn't know two of them that well when we first started the study but I can say that they are a few of my closest friends now. We meet once a week to talk about the Lord and encourage one another. This is definetly one of the Lord's biggest blessings in my life this year.

5. Trials: I can't even begin to describe how the Lord has grown me through difficult times. I do NOT love trials. Who does? Yet, in the midst of them I cling to the Lord and am reminded of all of His promises to me. I am also reminded of how prideful and sinful I can be too! EWWW!!! Is it hard? HECK YES. But if I can perseve and keep my focus on the giver of all things and remember that God does as HE pleases and that which pleases Him is always for His glory and my good then I am trusting God. "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Reedemer." Psalm 19:14

6. Titus 2 Women: For any believer it is good to have older and wiser people in your life who emulate Christ and follow His teachings. They point you to the truths found in scripture and encourage you with the promises of God. I have a couple of these women in my life. What a blessing they are. They keep me in check and consistently point me to the Lord and show me my sin. This is a HUGE GIFT from GOD.

7. Family: I love my family. I have so many people that I consider family but I am talking about my birth family. What a gift to know that everyone in my immediate family is going to heaven. I adore my neices and nephews, appreciate my brothers and sisters and am thankful for the Rents. I wish there were more occasions when we were ALL together but blessed assurance we will all be together one day!

Happy Birthday Lynn...

2010-08-02T07:10:00.000-07:00

Lynn, HAPPY BIRTHDAY a day late. You know you were thought of yesterday and I wish I could have celebrated with you. I am so thankful for your friendship in my life. You are such a blessing to me and I appreicate you. I am so excited to see what the Lord is going to do in your life this next year. Continue to pursue him Sister. He is faithful and I look forward to walking the road with you. I love you so!

2010-08-01T22:34:00.000-07:00

I love San Diego. I went from Chicago straight to San Diego and I love both cities. The weather in Chicago was great and there is beauty all around in San Diego. I was just reading Psalm 92 tonight and the verses reminded me to give thanks to the Lord for the beauty of His creation and his steadfast, unchanging, merciful love for me. As beautiful as I think this view is in front of me right now, I know nothing will compare to the beauty I will face when standing before the throne of God in heaven.

Psalm 92:1-4

"It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night.,

to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre. For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy."

Legacy Conference...

2010-07-31T21:44:00.000-07:00

This week I went to the Legacy conference in Chicago to represent Master's. It was a great event. Pete, Terrence and Hampton were also there for the college. TMC was the main sponsor for the event and we got a lot of face time. Terrence even got stage time to talk about the college (picture below). He did AWESOME.

The conference is geared towards building disciples in an urban context. They had some great preachers who brought the WORD. I was challenged and convicted throughout the week. My favorite speaker was a guy named Paul Washer. I only got to hear him once but he loved the Lord and spoke on the gospel and how we have been justified through Christ. He challenged me on the motivations in my life and if there is anything motivating me more than the gospel that's idolatry. It was so good. Every night they had a different concert and I got to see LaCrae, Shai, Flame and many others. Another highlight was seeing my friend Blair who just got married. On Friday night we hosted a dinner for the college and the four of us all presented. It was a great time and I was so encouraged to see how everyone pitched in this week.

We went to an evangelism event on Saturday afternoon to wrap up the conference and then the guys and I headed to downtown Chicago to hang out. I love the above picture because this was the guys ALL WEEKEND. I have about 4 photos of them on their phones. Terrence was loving "Words with Friends" game. Hampton was texting and Pete was doing all the above. This is on a street corner in Chicago. I had an enjoyable time with these guys. They were good company and I am thankful for thier friendships and treating me like a lady all weekend (and Terrence calling me out when I needed to be called out)! :)

Kutless - Im Still Yours (2009) w/ lyrics

2010-07-22T21:31:00.000-07:00

I really like this song. Kelli introduced it to me about two months ago and I've loved it ever since. Was just listening to it tonight and wanted to share it.

My Brother....

2010-07-19T07:51:00.000-07:00

My brother makes me laugh....ALOT. I love him too. He did a Dairy Queen run for Becca and I and sent me this picture with the following message, "Dairy Queen run Iowa style." If you know my brother he is definetly the quiet one in the family but he has the most suprising sense of humor.

Kyle is a good husband, leader at church, works hard with integrity and is highly respected. He is also a great dad. I went with Kyle one night to put the kids to bed so I could see their nightly routine. He would pray with them and then we would sing a song together. We put the girls down first and then went and put Mason down. Mason asked for the "I love Mason" song and my brother sang him a song that he had made up for each of the kids. My brother was so embarressed singing it in front of me and we both laughed through the whole thing but it was the sweetest thing.

Of course, I need to mention my sister-in law here because she is really the one who keeps the house moving while Kyle is working. They are both great parents and I enjoy watching the love and fun Becca and Kyle have together....after 15 plus years together. Love you guys and thanks for a great time.

I love my Family....

2010-07-18T18:14:00.001-07:00

I really enjoyed my trip home. It was so good to see some friends and family. I got to spend all day with my brother and his family. I got back to Des Moines last night. When I arrived they had kept the kids up a little later than normal so I could love on them before bedtime. Becca and I sent Kyle to bed and we stayed up late talking and having some good laughs with Kelli on speakerphone.

Today was a great day with church and family. We grilled out, Becca and I got a pedicure while the kids napped and then we played basketball, went on a drive and played in the house. The kids are obessed with Pistol Pete Maravich (this is GREATLY influenced by my brother) so most things we did revolved around basketball and The PISTOL.

It was so great to be with them, play, laugh, and I will be missing them when I go back tommorow!

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Fullan...

2010-07-17T19:21:00.000-07:00

Jesse is married!!! The Fullan family is a family I love and treasure in my life. We started getting close about 12 years ago and we have remained close over the years. Even after moving to California we have kept in contact and have grown closer. The boys have been my little brothers and I've enjoyed watching them grow and see how God is using them. I was so excited for Jesse when he called to tell me he would be getting married. He put his soon to be wife on the phone and I got to talk to her and find out why she would choose to marry Jesse and commit to him. I liked her.

It's been fun getting to spend time with this family the last couple days. I love them and am humbled by their love for me, prayers for me and interest in me. I heart the Fullans and am so glad I got to be a part of your special day.

2010-07-16T11:45:00.001-07:00

This morning I got to go spend some time with some of my favorite IOWA friends. I've known Chad and Powers (Chris) for years. Before I moved out to California I spent most of my time with Powers, Chad and Stacey. I've known Powers since junior high and he was one of my best friends in high school. We've kept in contact all these years. I got to know Chad in college. Chad married Stacey who became a close friend and the four of us hung out a lot. Powers got married a few years back and they just had a baby who I got to see for the first time! She is precious. Since my trip home was so quick Stacey offered to make breakfast so we could spend a few hours together. Thanks for being so accomodating. I love you Guys!

Chris and I with his new daughter Taylor! The miracle baby! :)

Me and the Stacey's!

IOWA...

2010-07-15T22:54:00.000-07:00

Today was my first day back in Iowa. I got in at 11:00 PM last night and my sweet Sister in law, Becca, came to get me. I just love her. She is a great mom, wife and a good friend to me. When we got back to their house Kyle was anxiously awaiting our arrival acting like he was passed out on the couch. We had a good time talking until 1 AM! I am going to highlight some favorite parts of my day:

1. Waking up to Madison, Mayah and Mason wanting to cuddle with me in bed (even though it was 6:45!).
2. Getting see my new nephew McClain. He is so cute!
3. Mason asking me if he could come to my wedding, me explaining to him I'm not getting married, and then him going upstairs to pray that God would let me get married. He REALLY wants to come to my wedding
4. Mayah making up a song and singing it to me about how much she loves me.
5. Suprising my Grandma for a quick visit.
6. No 100% humidity like yesterday!
7. Getting to have dinner with my mom and dad tonight.

8. Going to the Fullans to hang out before the big wedding.
9.Singing with Aaron while he played the piano.
10. Getting to meet Sean and Jesse's soon to be wives.
11. Getting to lay in my cozy room at my parent's house while I type this.

Tommorow is more fun and friends!

I HEART the Schenks!!!!

2010-07-13T22:40:00.000-07:00

Tonight I got to spend time with my old Office Manager (aka a GREAT friend)! Megan was back visiting from Texas and I got to meet up with her, Brady and their new addition Riley. I LOVE this kid. He is seven months old, so tiny and chill. He looks identical to his dad, Brady. He was so tired after 8 hours in the car but he was still fun and amusing.

It was fun seeing Megan as a mom. We worked together for 5 years and she became such a great friend during that time. She moved to Texas a year ago and it has been fun staying in touch with her this year and hearing how God is using her.

I LOVE you Megan and am thankful for your friendship in my life. You are a blessing and forever friend!

2010-07-10T21:42:00.000-07:00

This morning Kelli, Ivy, Tiffany and I decided to go to some garage sales looking for some treasures. I have been looking for a black bookcase for all of my books and I haven't found one yet. We drove around for a couple of hours looking for good sales. The three of us decided we would put all of our finds on our blogs.

I didn't find much. My best find was an older hymal. I paid $1 for it. I've been looking on ebay at old hymals as I've been wanting to do some craft projects with old hymns. I love this one as it's antique looking and just what I was looking for. I also got a Cooking Light magazine.

The other two books "What to Expect When You're Expecting" and "What to Expect the First Year" are the ones that you are probably wondering about. :) I bought one of these books for a friend a year ago and it cost me almost $20. I got both books for $1.50 and they look brand new so I thought you never know when it might come in handy!

If anyone finds a nice black bookcase let me know. Still looking!!!

FREEDOM, FAITH, FRIENDS, FOOD and FUN on the Fourth...

2010-07-04T22:52:00.000-07:00

Today was a day to celebrate our freedom here in America, reflect on all of those serving our Country and fighting for the freedoms that we tend to take for granted. Going to church on this holiday made me reflect on my freedom in Christ and what a blessing it is to know Him. I've spent a lot of time with the Lord lately and this day was another sweet reminder of how blest I am to have my hope in Him!

Tonight I spent time with some sweet friends (another blessing). Lynn had some friends over for the evening for some good food, fun, fellowship and fireworks. We barbequed and had a great time. The kids loved the fireworks and had lots of sugar to keep them up! The picture above is Tiffany after the kids threw all their confetti on her...such a good sport! :)

I also got to do one of my favorite things....Cuddling with my sweet Tater Tot! Thanks Lynn for a fun evening.

Lucy Ann....

2010-06-14T02:23:00.000-07:00

Today is a significant day for the family! Lucy officially gets moved out of foster care today. Lord willing it will only be a matter of time before she is officially adopted. This is a huge answer to prayer and we are so thankful! She is so sweet. She loves to snuggle and has the biggest temper of any 9 month old I've ever seen. If you give her attention she will love on you all day. I love her and am thankful for another neice. Thanks to everyone for praying. God is good and faithful!!!

2010-06-13T19:21:00.000-07:00

The Rents are here! They got here last Wednesday and we've had an enjoyable weekend spending time together. Friday night my brother in law made us a yummy tri-tip meal.The man can grill!
On Saturday morning my dad and I woke up and went into town for some daughter/ dad time. He got his favorite Jamba Juice drink and I got my Starbucks and we sat outside and talked for a couple hours. It was nice to catch up with my Pops! He loves me. Afterwards we met all the girls and headed down to the Americana. They have an AWESOME Farmers Market. I bought some really yummy hummus. We went to In and Out for lunch and then headed back to Kelli's.

Saturday night was Girls Night Out!!! Kelli and I took my mom out for dinner and a movie. It was really fun. The picutre below is of my dad at the Americana. He left us girls and told us when we were done to meet him in the Welcome area. We found him out cold in their lounge area. That is SOOOO my dad! I dont know if he thought the glasses were hiding his closed eyes or not but it didnt work too well.

Reunited....

2010-06-10T23:09:00.000-07:00

I love these two!!! Jenny is here visitng from Washington and we finally got to spend some time together tonight. Tricia and Jenny have been such a big part of my life here in California. They have been FAITHFUL, TRUE, and LOYAL friends over the last 8 years. We have had so many memories, road trips, laughter, tears and joys together. It was so good just to be together and talk about how different our lives are. I wish we could do it every week! :)

They encourage me, speak truth to me, pray for me, and bring joy to my life. What a blessing to have such faithful friends. I love you girls and am so thankful for your friendship in my life. I am excited to see what the Lord is doing in your lives and you encourage me with the way you love your husbands and children. God is Good Sistas and I love you more than you know!!!

Happy Birthday Kyle!

2010-06-09T00:31:00.000-07:00

Today is my brothers birthday! Kyle, I am so thankful for you. You have turned into such a GREAT GUY. I love the way that you love Becca and your kids. You are a great husband and dad and you live your life to honor the Lord. I wish I could be there to celebrate with you. I look forward to seeing you and spending time with you soon. I love you!

Monday...

2010-06-07T20:35:00.000-07:00

Monday was mostly spent in seminars all day. We are learning some good stuff and making some meaninglful connections. It's also good to re-connect with people we have met over the years. Our last sesssion ended at 4:00 today and Johnny, Kristin and I headed to workout. We went to dinner and then we excitedly went to participate in NACCAP games. They split us up into different teams and we each participated in goofy games. We were ALL SO EXCITED to do this but we had to represent the Mighty Mustangs in a big way!

Needless to say Johnny and I took one for the TEAM. They had 10 different games that we all had to participate in and he got injured rolling a big tractor tire. Actually, as you can see the tire rolled over him. I was a human target for a hula hoop and got bruised all over my body as they hurled them at me and got wacked in the eye which is turning into a nice shiner. What we wouldn't do for TMC! Kritin's highlight was throwing and catching a cows tongue and let me tell you that is the longest most disgusting tongue you could ever imaging coming into contact with.
I think the highlight for the three of us is not only getting to spend the week together as co-workers but as treasured friends. It's been a blessing.

Sunday....

2010-06-07T14:06:00.000-07:00

Our trip is going good so far. I tried to blog last night but it wasn't working so I am a day late. We've been trying to document our trip so here it is. The first picture is of Kristin and I getting ready for the Laker game and trying to keep Johnny entertained. The second picture is of us road tripping to Indiana. Today was another good day in the mid-west. I have been having a lot of laughs with Kristin and Johnny. Here are some highlights and things we (Kristin and I) thankful for.

1. Sermon from James MacDonald at Harvest Chapel on Revelation.

2. Kristin and Johnny's excitement over having to play in NACCAP games.

3. Johnny making us smores and serving us all day without being asked too.

4. Great morning and evening of worshipping the Lord.

5. Thoughts of heaven….I am READY LORD!

6. A good run with a cool breeze.

7. Chicago pizza.

8. Hearing from Blair.

9. Safe travels to NACCAP.

10. Good road trip games.

11. Harmonizing with Johnny and Kristin in the car and laughing till it hurts.

12. The Body of Christ.

13. The hospitality of Brandon and Caitlin.

14. The shoulder shrug (Go Johnny!)

15. New Friends.

Chicago...

2010-06-05T19:47:00.000-07:00

Last night Johnny, Kristin and I flew into Chicago as we are on our way to a work conference. We spent the day in Chicago with our friends Brandon and Caitlin Wolf. It has been a AWESOME being with friends! I got to know Brandon and Caitlin a few years ago through Johnny. They moved to Chicago almost a year ago and they are missed. Thanks for great hospitality Caitlin! Love you!

My Mom...

2010-05-09T13:09:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day Mom. I wish I could be with you today. I am so thankful for you and love you. Thank you for caring for me and wanting the best for me. You're a hard worker and do it selflessly. I have learned a lot from you in that area. I appreciate all the love and prayers you have been sending my way. I look forward to celebrating with you when you come out next month. I love you!

Welcome to the World McClain Issac Gorsh

2010-04-27T20:13:00.000-07:00

I'm an Aunt again! I love it. I am so proud of my brother for the husband and dad he has become. I wish I could be there to see the new addition (THIS SUMMER). Becca, you are such a good mom and I am so thankful that you are my Sista! I love you guys and am so excited for you.

2010-04-19T23:07:00.000-07:00

Tonight I got to spend some time with Lucy and Ivy while Matt took Kelli on a much needed date (they started dating 15 years ago today). Ivy wanted to take pictures so here are some of the results. She is such a ham and kept telling me all the ways to pose. I didn't get any pictures of Lucy before she went off to bed but I hope you enjoy our photo session!

Happy Birthday Tate!

2010-04-16T07:37:00.000-07:00

A special birthday shout out to one of my favorite boys. Tate is such a sweet little boy who is full of energy and love. He has such a big heart and I love the joy he exhibits. I love his excitement when he sees me and all the snuggles he freely gives. Tate, I love you and am so glad you are a part of my life. You make me smile. I hope you have a great day!

Happy Birthday Mayah...

2010-04-08T00:30:00.000-07:00

Today is my neice Mayah's birthday. I'm in awe of how pretty, sweet and caring she is. I can't belive she is 7 years old today! Mayah, I love you and am so proud of the girl you are becoming. I wish I could be with you today to celebrate with you. I can't wait to see you this summer. I hope you have a great day!

He is Risen...

2010-04-04T17:07:00.000-07:00

I love Easter. It's a day to remember the resurrection of Jesus Christ. There is no hope of heaven, of eternal blessing and joy, without the resurrection of Christ. Easter is often thought of as a day of candy, family and easter eggs. How wrong we are! I choose to remember it as the day my Lord carried the weight of my sin and died so that I could live and then rose from the dead and is preparing a place in heaven for me.

1 Peter 1: 3-4 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you."

Girls Day...

2010-03-30T20:56:00.000-07:00

I took the day off today to stay with Ivy while Kelli and Matt went to court for Lucy. Ivy came over last night and spent the night. She is so fun. She slept in "her room" all night by herself and did great. This is the first night she stayed with me where she didn't sleep on top of me all night. I finally slept through the night! :) At 7:00 in the morning I heard her playing quietly in the room so I called her and she still came in for morning snuggles. She is sweet.

I loved our conversation last night as she talked about Jesus a lot. She saw a cross and pointed it out to me telling me that Jesus is no longer on the cross. I asked her where he was and she said in heaven. She told me that when we die everyone will get to go to heaven. I informed her that not everyone will get to go to heaven but only those who believe in Jesus. She was so excited as she told me loudly, "Hollie, I believe and so does my mom and dad." I almost lost it as I was so excited to hear my precious little neice talk about Jesus. It was a sweet little convo.

We met Wendy and Katie (Ivy and Kelli's best friends) at Starbucks at 9:00 and headed down to the grove. We had such a nice day being together. I was home by 3:00, got some emails and work done, went running tonight with Tiffany (YES SISTA!) and then came home to spend time with the Lord. It was a great day.

We are still praying that little Lucy would get to become a permanent part of our family. They go back to court in four months. With all the different trials going on it's an encouragement to remember that the Lord is in control over all. HE knows what is going to happen and all we are required to do is trust. I've been reading through Psalm 27 the last two days and it has encouraged this heart. In the midst of not knowing what the Lord has in store He says: "Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthn your heart, Wait I say on the Lord." Psalm 27:14 Love it!

Happy Birthday Crystal...

2010-03-15T02:46:00.000-07:00

Crystal is a new friend of mine that I met this year. We were at a lunch with a group of people after church one Sunday and she sat across from me. We started talking and found out we have so many mutual friends and a lot in common. Since that time, Crystal and I have become fast friends. It has been fun getting to know her and I appreciate her pursuit of our friendship. The picture above is Denise (left) and Crystal at one of our monthly girls night out. I Love you Sista and am excited to celebrate!

It's the little things...

2010-03-14T22:04:00.000-07:00

I had such a nice weekend but they always fly by which is the bummer. The weekend started with a good workout and pedicure with Kristin on Friday night then we headed to a birthday dinner for Hugh. It was so nice to be with friends and enjoy some good fellowship. After dinner, Kristin came over and spent the night. We both LOVE Saturday mornings! We slept in, had coffee and conversation in our pjs on the couch and when we finally got going we tried out a new hiking spot. We heard of some good trails off Pico Canyon and it was such a beautiful day to be outside.

After hiking I had to do some vaccum cleaner shopping. Mine broke a few weeks ago so I needed to purchase a new one. I did a little research and found reviews for a Kennmore Progressive cleaner. I wrote down three different ones I wanted to look at and headed to Sears. The first one I saw was the Progressive. It didn't have the box and had been returned but it was guaranteed to be in good condition. I ended up getting $80 off of it since it didnt have the box. I was so excited. (It is the little things)

Kelli called letting me know Ivy wanted to come over so she came and helped me do some cleaning. She would be singing to me "I Love Hollie" and we spent 30 minutes singing our conversation back and forth. Too CUTE! The evening ended with Lynn and the boys coming over for dinner. Ivy loved seeing the boys and they ran around tearing apart my house while Lynn and I had grown up time. (It was all worth it! :)) It was an end to a great day.

Happy Birthday Hugh!

2010-03-11T00:43:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to one of my most favorite people. I hope you have such a great birthday. I appreciate your friendship, loyalty and all the ways you show me you care. Thanks for being such a good friend. I love you and am thankful for you!

Good Times...

2010-03-08T22:25:00.000-08:00

Tonight I got to hang out with two awesome friends Jen and Erika. I met both of them at Grace Community church. Jen is my old bible study leader's wife and has been my go to for Godly advice. She is such an encouragment to me and I appreciate the way Jen and her husband look out for my best interests. I have gotten to know Erika better the last year and we decided to have a GNO (Girls Night Out) tonight. We went to dinner and then out for coffee.
It was such a good time to laugh, talk and they taught me some lessons that they have learned through the years. It was a good time and I am thankful for them in my life.

Congratulations Tricia and Koby!!!!

2010-03-07T14:16:00.000-08:00

Tricia finally delivered little Caleb (or big Caleb) last night at 9:10 pm. I got a call in the morning from Koby saying they were at the hospital but it would probably be a long day. It was. Tricia persevered and the little guy made it into the world. He is so cute and big. I loved his little feet and hands. He also makes the funniest faces. I couldn't be happier for my friend. She has longed for this day and as I was driving to the hospital I was so grateful that the Lord has blest her in this way.
Tricia is one of the most generous loyal people I know. She will make such a great mom. I'm so glad I get to be a part of it with her. Congrats my friend!

Straight Up - American Idol 2010

2010-02-28T16:38:00.001-08:00

I like watching American Idol once it gets to Hollywood week. This was my favorite performance (although I have not been impressed with this kid besides this performance).

I love what he did with this song.

Disneyland....

2010-02-28T16:23:00.000-08:00

This week at the college was Disney week. It ended with the school body going to Disneyland for the day. We got tickets for $30 which inclueded a $10 food voucher so it was a great deal. Kristin and I went down later in the afternoon so we could enjoy our Saturday morning. I really enjoy Kristin and her friendship. She is such a loving friend and we had a great time chatting on the way down there.

As soon as we got to Disneyland it started raining. We met up with some friends when we got there and then went on Indiana Jones with the Kellers. The picture of the Kellers is the first time Sam ever went on the ride so it was fun to watch him experience it. Afterwards we met up with the Jacksons and went on Space Mountain. This is the third picture. My favorite thing about this picture is Hampton and Kristin behind Hugh and I. After two rides, great people watching and good time with friends three hours had past. We ate dinner and were ready to leave just in time for the downpour! We got home by 9:00 so I headed to Lynn's to visit with her for a couple of hours, which is always a fun time! I love the weekends by they go by so fast...

Thankful...

2010-02-24T21:56:00.000-08:00

I am so blest. I have had a hard week and have been wrestling with a heavy heart. I've questioned God's faithfulness and have been in the word and prayer a lot over the last five days. I'm so thankful for the way the Lord works! I am not the only person who doesn't understand why he does some of the things he does but He is good AND Faithful.

Psalm 34:4 "For the Word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness." His love is steadfast and unchanging regardless of my limited understanding. God is so kind in the people he has brought into my life. I've had three people tell me this week that I have been on their heart a lot this week and they have been praying for me. REALLY?!?!!? That is the Lord he knew I needed that! That is a faithful and loving God. I wanted to list some of the things I am most thankful for this week:

*My favorite brother in law stopping to see me at work with my favorite coffee drink. He just wanted to stop by to encourage me and tell me that the Elliott's love me. LOVE IT!

*A great walk with my new friend Meredith.

*Kisses from Ivy and Lucy.

*Laughter with friends.

*Friends that speak truth into my life.

*Golden Spoon with Summer.

*Spending time with Tricia.

*Getting to see Voda.

*Jen Luedke and her wisdom :)

*Getting tasks accomplished at work! YES!

*The Lord IS Faithful and no good thing does he withold.

*My cozies....so good this week on the cold nights (sorry Mom...by cold I mean 50 degrees)

*A encouraging email from my mom and loving phone call from my dad.

*dinner with Matt and Kelli. Love you Guys.

There are another 50 things I can list on reasons why I am thankful but I will leave it at that for now.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is the will in Christ Jesus for you.

2010-02-23T01:12:00.000-08:00

A friend is one who strengthens you with prayers, blesses you with love and encourages you with hope.

I love this quote cause it is so true of my friends. They are a blessing to me and I cherish them tremendously in my life. My sister began to blog about special friends in her life and it made me want to do the same. The first friend that I wanted to write about is Heidi Shafer.

I met Heidi about 6 years ago at Grace Community. We became fast friends and close through the years. Heidi is one of the most encouraging friends in my life. One of the reasons why I love her is that she doesn't tell me what I want to hear but what I NEED to hear. She consistently points me to the Word and truth.

Heidi got married a few years ago and I got to stand by her side as a bridesmaid. What an honor for me. Heidi is such a Godly wife and mother and I love listening to what she is learning. She always has such great insight.

Heidi has stood out to me lately as a friend who strengthens me with prayer, loves me and encourages me with hope. I got to spend a couple hours with her in December catching up. Since that time Heidi has been faithful to reach out to me every week to see how I'm doing, encourage me and let me know she's praying for me. What a blessing that is in my life. I love you Heidi and am so thankful for you in my life.

2010-02-21T22:49:00.000-08:00

Tonight I drove down to Ontario to see Voda. She was in Cali for the NASCAR race and it was fun to meet up with her for a couple of hours. PK joined us for most of the evening and it was fun to hear about their lives as a married couple. We laughed a lot and had a great time. I love you guys and it was so good to see you!

Happy Birthday Kristin...

2010-02-21T12:44:00.000-08:00

I met Kristin about two years ago when she applied to work in Admissions. We have become good friends over the past two years and she has been a joy. I love how real she is and she can always make me laugh. She is such a good friend to many and is a huge encouragement to me. I love you Sis and I hope your day is fabulous!

I Heart Saturdays...

2010-02-20T22:46:00.000-08:00

I have been bad about bloggin but have received many comments this week about how I need to blog more. I spoke with a friend this week who told me that they know what's going on in my life by my blog and they love to hear but I'm learning so I will try to be better. I've been so thankful and grateful for the accountability of friends who charge me to seek, love and trust Jesus more. I have the greatest friends in my life and am overwhlemed with the goodness of this. Not many people experience the abundance of friends that the Lord has given me.

I love Saturday mornings and this morning was one of the best. I slept in and woke to spend some much needed time with the Lord. I also got to catch up with some friends which was such an encouragment to me. I feel so blessed today. When I awoke I knew the priority for the morning was to be with the Lord. It was so good. I started the day feeling down and defeated but was reminded of so many truths. It's so easy and natural for me to think of myself and what I have or don't have and this always leads to worry, fear or dis-contentment. I was reminded of my need to be thinking of the gospel everyday. It's not about me but about Him: His sinless life, death and resurrection. I need to intentionally think about this everyday as he did all of that for me! When I think of all He has done and given to me the other things in my life that I worry about don't compare to what the Lord has planned for me and has given me already. The Lord has taught me so much over the last couple of years on what it means to wait and trust. Hard lessons learned in which I am still learning. It's a decision that I need to make everyday: will I trust Him or will my focus be me?! I have seen how the Lord has used my trials to encourage others and I am so grateful to the Lord for this. I even hesitate to say that because it can sound prideful but I know that it's not me AT ALL but Him. It's the Lord working through my life in others. I can be such a weak person but today I am reminded that when I am weak He is strong and there is nothing that will happen to me that is outside His will for my life. I rest in that and for that I am grateful.

Kelli called me this morning and told me that her and Wendy wanted me to go with them for a girls night. I haven't hung with these two in awhile so I knew it would be fun. These two are a riot and I always enjoy being with my sistas! Wendy is my sister's best friend and we have become friends through the years. My sister is such an encouragment to me when it comes to trusting God. Watching her go through the different trials with adoption and her trust in the Lord encourages my heart. She is one who I can always count on to make me laugh or bear my burdens with me. Wendy is one that I know loves me and wants the best for me. I love you girls and thanks for a needed night out.

Mandy's here...

2010-01-30T08:59:00.000-08:00

Mandy is back in So. Cal visiting for the weekend. She came in Thursday night. It's so fun having a roommate again for a few days. We have been getting to catch up and hang out just like old times. Thursday nigth Mandy, Johnny, Justin, Hugh and I all went to Chipotle for dinner and then it was girl time back at the the house. I loved it.

Friday night the girls with Eric, Johnny, Justin and Stephen went to one of Mandy's favorites: Wolf Creek for dinner and then back to the Seston's for games. Mandy I love you and am thankful the Lord brought you into my life.

VODA gets Married...

2010-01-24T17:51:00.000-08:00

I just got back from Pittsburgh after a whirlwind week with Voda for her wedding. This girl thought of EVERYTHING and knows how to throw an event. There were so many details she thought of and everything turned out great! She put so much time and energy into the planning and things ran so smoothly. Did I mention she was one of the prettiest brides I have EVER seen?! It was a fun week with seeing old friends and family and meeting new.

Voda has been my longest running friend. We started the journey in kindergarten and have been together ever since. Distance has never been a hiderance to our friendship and we have sustained many years and miles. I was honored to be a part of her special day.

I flew in on Tuesday night and we took off running Wednesday morning. It was so good to see friends. The picture below is of Jepson and Clarke who were two of my three closest guy friends in high school and Angela who was one of my best friends too. I love all these guys and it might be months that we go without talking but we can always pick up. It was fun hanging out with them on Friday and Saturday.

Some highlights were getting to spend an extended time with Voda. Getting to see old high school friends. Getting to know Voda's college roommate Mandy better. Voda's perfomances at the reception. Catching the boquet. Hugs from Kim's kids, Riley and Caden. Father and Daughter dance to "Top of the World". Watching PK and Voda say their vows. I could name more but these are a few. Thanks Voda. i Love you!

Staff Christmas Party...

2010-01-19T07:27:00.000-08:00

I have been bad and updating the blog! I was just deleting pictures from my camera this morning when I realized I hadn't saved these Christmas pictures. This year the Admissions Staff went to Maggiano's at the Grove. I've tried taking everyone there the last few years but I could never get in before Christmas so this year we deicided to have our party AFTER the holidays and it was so nice.

This is Heidi and Joe. I love these two.
Nate and Kristin Strong the NEWLYWEDS!
I didnt get a group picture this year but these pictures are some of my favorites. It's become a tradition where we do a CD white elephant exchange and these are some pictures of the winners. Note Terrence's face in the top picture as he has my Hottest Hits of 2009! Boo!!! It rocked!

Once again I am so thankful for the blessing of these people in my life. I love them!!!

Happy New Year....

2010-01-01T19:16:00.000-08:00

Last night I was fortunate to spend the New Year with two GREAT girls Lynn and Holly! We started the evening going to Sicily for dinner. This is generally not one of my favorite places to eat but last night it was so yummy! I got the Chicken with goat cheese pasta and it was bueno! Afterwards we were so excited to go to my house to put on our pjs and have a quiet night welcoming in the new year. Needless to say it wasnt very quiet. There was a lot of laughter and story telling. ( I ALWAYS have a great time when I am with these two!)

We all slept in this morning and then got up around 9:30. Over the past few weeks we have talked making some resolutions and how we wanted to hold one another accountable. We had decided that this morning was going to be the time to share what we came up with. This turned into a couple hour discussion talking about the Lord and what we've been learning, what we need to learn and how we need to get there. It was so great. It's so cool to me how the Lord uses people in your life to encourage, admonish and challenge you. I love these girls and they do that for me in so many ways. We layed on the couch and talked until 2:30 this afternoon. It was such a great time to relect on the last year and prepare for the new year.

After the girls left I went to get my friend Tiffany from the airport. She is one more blessing the Lord has placed in my life the last year. It's been so fun to get to know her better, share with her, LEARN from her and be challenged by her. I look forward to that friendship growing as well. I am so blessed to have so many people in my life who love me and encourrage me.

The evening ended with going to see Kelli and the girls. I hadn't seen them since I got back from GA and they got back from WA. It was so sweet to get tons of hugs and kisses from Ivy and Lucy. I LOVE my family. They are a blessing to me.

Summer...time

2010-01-01T01:49:00.000-08:00

The night before I left for Atlanta I got to spend some time with Summer. I LOVE my time with her as it's ALWAYS a time of talking about the Lord and a time of encouragement. She spent the night and the next day she blest me by taking me to the airport. After a cancelled flight I went back to her house and we did crafts for a few hours.
When I am struggling with something Summer is someone I will call and tell her to speak truth to me and she ALWAYS points me to the Lord to encourage me. I LOVE LOVE LOVE you Summer and am excited for our friendship to continue to grow.

I Heart Christmas break...

2009-12-31T13:21:00.000-08:00

I have REALLY enjoyed Christmas break. For the better part of last week I spent time reading, seeing friends and resting. On Thursday I left for Atlanta to be with the Jackson's. I've gotten to know them over the last 5 years. It was such a great time. It started with Hugh five years ago as I took him under my wing at TMC and a great bond has been built over the last five years. You could say he is a "younger" brother although he acts like the "older one" and has grown into one of my best friends. I LOVE this kid!
This is one of our first pictures together. Since then two more brothers have come to TMC: Houston and Hampton and I have grown to love them all! They are such a blessing in my life. I've gotten to know the rest of the family over the past few years and was excited to spend Christmas with them. Hadiya is the only girl in the family so we had a great time! We made dinner for everyone on Sunday night and my last day was spent with her giving me a manicure and straigtening my hair!This is a picture of the matching glasses she gave me for Christmas and the finished hair!

I loved my time with Hadiya and it was so fun having a little sister to hang with for a week!
I loved all the kids and my time with them. We went on a hike one day and got lost but it was so fun being together.

Another day I went with the younger kids on a bike ride to the park where we played around.

One of my favorite momements was coming into the house and found that I had my own stocking! Loved it.
It was such a great Christmas. I love you Mr. and Mrs. Jackson, Hugh, Houston, Hampton, Hamilton, Hadiya, Haywood, and Halexander. You are a blessing in my life!

Happy Birthday Ivy....

2009-12-24T00:08:00.000-08:00

I love this girl! The Elliotts are up North for Christmas so I got to celebrate Ivy's birthday with her last week. We had a princess party at my house and 10 of her friends came over for lunch and fun. In the evening Hampton and I took Ivy and her best friend to Chucky Cheese for dinner. The girls had so much fun! Afterwards was a slumber party at Aunt Hollie's.

Ivy, I love you and wish I could be with you today. You always make me smile and I have so much fun when I am with you. I love love love you and hope your day is so special!

Intern Christmas Party...

2009-12-05T22:24:00.000-08:00

This morning was our annual intern Christmas party at my house. I absolutly love the people I get to work with. They are a joy in my life and we have a lot of fun together. This morning everyone rolled out of bed and came to my house for breakfast.
We ate, laughed and did a white elephant gift exchange which always brings out a few laughs. We ended at 10:30 as a bunch of us headed to Fresno to cheer on the Mustangs in the National championship. I will post about that later. Today was a good day.

Congratulation Mr. & Mrs. Strong...

2009-11-29T00:11:00.000-08:00

Tonight my beloved friend Kristin got married! It was a fun day that started this morning when Hugh and I took Johnny to Hollywood for breakfast at The Griddle. It is a yummy place that I love to go too with friends. It was John's 29th birthday and we wanted to do something special for him since he is such a good friend to many. I just love John! He is such a genuine, hard working, kind, caring, loving friend. (Happy Birthday Johnny. You are a treasure in my life)

This afternoon we headed to Kristin's wedding. She was a beaming bride! Kristin and Nate are one of the funnest couples I know as you can tell from the picture above. I have loved watching her in their relationship. She has been so patient and her day finally came! I am excited to watch her grow in her new role as wife.

Thanksgiving dinner....

2009-11-27T01:33:00.000-08:00

I spent Thanksgiving over at my friend Lynn's house. It was so much fun. We ate too much, laughed a lot and I got a lot of snuggles in with her boys. (which is one of my favorite things)
After dinner we played Pictionary. Tat wanted me to win all the time so if someone was yelling out the correct answer he waited for me to say and then he would get all excited saying I won! Loved it. Afterwards Lynn came over for a little slumber party. Rest and relaxation! Thanks Lynn for such a great day. You are a huge blessing in my life and I love you so much!

Things to Be Thankful for...

2009-11-26T12:38:00.001-08:00

I've been meaning to post the last two weeks but haven't gotten around to it. I wanted to post a couple pictures of Luke and Rebecca's wedding. As you can tell she was a beautiful bride.
This picture represents Luke to a tee. He is so fun and has been like a brother to me over the last two years. I am so excited for them as they start their life together.

There are a lot of things that I am thankful for but I will bring some things to mind from the last couple weeks since I posted.
1. My office. We have been spending a lot of time together lately and they are such a joy in my life. We genuinely love one another and enjoy being together. They really are my family.
2. Kelli, Matt, Lucy and Ivy. I don't know what I would do without them here in California.
3. Getting to talk to my brother and his family. I miss them.
4. The Rents. Love them.
5. Getting to spend some time with Tricia. They don't come more faithful than her.
6. An afternoon catching up with Jen Sharp. Love it and much needed.
7. Hugh working out with me even when he doesnt want to just to help me and push me.
8. A chai massage with Kristin. An experience we won't forget.
9. Dinner with Lynn and Holly. Love these girls.
10. Laughing with Johnny. So glad he is back!
11. Hamilton finding a cheap ticket to Atlanta. Thank you brother.
12. Getting to talk with Sean. Back from Afghanistan. I love you Sean and am glad you are home safe.
13. Getting to celebrate with Patricia and her upcoming wedding....a few short weeks.
14. Getting to catch up with Voda. Get to see her for her wedding in two months!
15. The gift of Joy.
16. That the Lord would choose ME!
17. Getting to see Jenny with Tricia. A GREAT time.
18. A new blessing in my life. Crystal Keating. Thank you Lord.
19. A great Thanksmas party hosted by Denise. so thankful for her.
20. I'm thankful that I could list a 1000 more things to be thankful for.

Visiting Jenny in Yakima....

2009-11-08T17:39:00.000-08:00

Tricia and I had such a good time visiting Jenny. I met Jenny about 6 years ago through Tricia and she quickly became one of my best friends. Tricia and Jenny have been such good and faithful friends to me over the years. I am so thankful for them in my life. Jenny got married three years ago to a GREAT guy and moved to Yakima, Washington. As excited as I was for her...I miss her and hanging out with her everyday!

Three years and two kids later, Tricia and I headed to Yakima to see Jenny and her family. It was so fun to see the places she has talked about and get a glimpse of what her life is like. It was so great to be with two of my closest friends again and just be together. I LOVE these girls.
These are the two additions to Jenny's life. Olivia and Malory. They are too cute. Olivia is two years old with the vocabulary of a four year old and the energy of an eight year old and Malory five months is super chill.

It was a great weekend of good food, fun AND my favorite....fellowship!

A Rocky Road.....

2009-11-07T21:25:00.001-08:00

Tricia and I have wanted to come visit Jenny for quite awhile. We got a really cheap ticket through Virgin Airlines and decided to go before she had her baby in March. I was so excited to fly Virgin Airlines as I heard they had great ammenities and good service.

I was loving our flight for the first two hours. I was instant messaging with friends, going through work emails and watching television. Then it came time to land. The last half hour was the worst travel experience ever! We started going through turbulance and I was starting to feel VERY sick. I was trying to take deep breathes so I wouldnt throw up and every time I looked at Tricia (who is six months pregnant!) she had a panicked look on her face. I couldn't even talk to her for fear I would throw up (sorry for the graphic detail!) All the sudden after 15 minutes of this I see lights, hear the landing gear go down and keep praying that I can make it to the ground before anything comes up. Next thing you know the pilot pulls up and we begin to go back into the air. I'll admit at this point I had a little fear creep in but that was overtaken by the sick feelings within me. The pilot came on saying we had to try it again from another direction in order to have a safe landing.

As we went up it was still very turbulant. My arms from my elbows down began to get numb and tingly. That was freaking me out a bit. I look at Tricia who started to cry and throw up. At that momement God was gracious to me and I was able to comfort her a little. I kept telling her to take deep breathes as I was doing. There were a few momements I thought I was going to pass out but about 12 minutes later we landed. You could other people on the plane crying and gagging!

I have never been so glad to be on the ground! I am so thankful that the flight wasn't my first time flying casue I would never do it again! God was so good to give us a safe landing and I can tell you I am NOT looking forward to getting back on the plane tommorow. More about our trip to come!

Happy Birthday Madison...

2009-11-02T09:35:00.000-08:00

Madison, I wish I could be there with you to give you snuggles and celebrate your birthday today. You're getting so big and pretty. You are such a brave little girl. Your Aunt Hollie loves you and hopes to see you soon! Have a GREAT day.

*Today I am thankful for my two year old neice Madison!

Would You Rather Wednesday?!?!

2009-10-28T00:18:00.000-07:00

"Would you rather limit yourself to TV viewing of ONLY QVC for a year for $30,000 or NBC only viewing for $5,000?!"

*Today I am thankful chocolate cake.

Gotcha Day!

2009-10-27T00:38:00.000-07:00

Happy Gotcha Day Ivy! It was three years ago that Ivy was offically adopted! I was out of the country that day and was unable to attend the court hearing but what a special day it was for all of us.
I can't imagine how different everyones lives would be without her. On Sunday I called Ivy and told her that I couldn't come to her Gotcha celebration because I had to work. I asked her if she would like to have some special time with with me on Monday where we could go to lunch and do something fun. Her response was, "Hollie I would love to do that but i need to ask my mom first." I just loved it.
When I picked her up today I asked her where she would like to go and she told me she would like to go to the mall. She wanted Mac & Cheese and she wanted to go on the carousel. We did just that. She also wanted to go into some stores to "just look" for Christmas. She has become my little buddy and I love talking to her every day and love watching her grow up.
Ivy, I love you so much and am so glad you are my family.

Would You Rather Wednesday?!!?!!?

2009-10-21T00:15:00.000-07:00

"You are in an extreme blizzard and could be stuck for up to three days would you rather have a blanket and 2 candy bars or cell reception?!?!"

*Today I am thankful for pumpkins.

Congratulations to Trevor and Patricia!!!!

2009-10-20T12:10:00.000-07:00

Last night I went to a Suprise Engagement party for my dear friend Patricia. She has been such a HUGE encouragement to me over the last year and a half. I call her my blessing from God cause it was completly HIM who brought us together. We sat by eachother in church one Sunday and afterwards she started talking to me. She was so kind and we soon found out we were both single and going through the same things in life. It's crazy how fast we bonded. The first night we talked on the phone it was like we had been friends for 15 years. Her friendship came at the perfect time and I am so thankful for her.
She met Trevor last Spring at Grace and she was smitten right away. He proposed tonight and then took her to this restaurnat where we were all waiting for the happy couple. I was just talking to her Saturday about marriage and she was hoping this was coming soon. :) Patricia, I am so happy for you and thankful that the Lord blest you with Trevor. He is going to be one HAPPY husband. HOLLA SISTA!

2009-10-19T17:03:00.000-07:00

Kelli found this frame for me at a garage sale and gave it to me. It was perfect for my bathroom. I had this paper and it fits perfectly on the wall.

This frame I have had for about 6 years and almost threw it out. It was originally yellow and I painted it black a couple years ago. It has been behind Ivy's toy box for the last two years and I decided to use a little paper and modge podge to see if it could be saved. I love how it turned out. Now I am just trying to figure out what to put in it.

My Creativity Sets in...

2009-10-18T23:39:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was a busy one. On Saturday 7 friends and I went to the Hollywood Bowl for a Jason Mraz and G Love concert. I love the Hollywood Bowl. It's such a great atmosphere and we had a great time. Afterwards Tiffany Seston came over and spent the night as we were heading to the the Rose Bowl swap meet the next day. I was really excited to go with Tiffany becasue she had never been before. (http://www.stephenandtiffanyseston.blogspot.com/) We had such a good time. We walked around for a few hours, let out creative juices flow, and had such a good time together. We also found some GREAT purchases. I had been wanting to find a table or chest to make a little coffee bar off my kitchen. I found the perfect thing and got it at such a reasonable price.

This is my new coffee bar. I am still working on it a bit. Tiffany suggested I get some cute hooks and then cute mugs and hang them and that's what I am on the look out for.

This was my next find. I got this frame for $10 and it matches my room perfectly! I just put some paper behind it and it looks awesome in my room. I have had a creative bug lately and will post pictures of them soon.

*Today I am thankful for fall smells.

2009-10-18T16:25:00.000-07:00

Fall is coming and I am excited. I have been real busy at work and havent had a chance to write. A lot is happening. My parents came out for a visit, Mandy moved back to the East Coast (boo), my sister in law Becca, came out for a sisters weekend which was a blast, the Iowa Hakeyes are 7-0 (holla), and I have spent time with good some good friends. It's been fun.

When Mandy moved I didnt know what I was going to do but the Lord TOTALLY blessed me AGAIN and my landlords lowered my rent so I could stay here without a roommate. I had a lot of people praying for me and this was such a blessing. I am living in a sweet 2 bedroom guesthouse and I love it here. I also love my landlords and enjoy getting to know them even more. They are a great Christian family with three cute boys. It's a blessing. I've been creative too and will include pictures as soon as I can find my camera!

*Today I am thankful for a fun afternoon with Tricia.

Would You Rather Wednesday?!?!

2009-09-16T02:36:00.000-07:00

"Would you rather have Swiffers for feet or venetian blind style eyelids?" Death is not an option.

*Today I am thankful for FALL!

Happy Birthday Kelli...

2009-09-15T01:29:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Kelli! I hope you have a great day today. I love you and am so thankful for you in my life. I am so excited to see what God is doing in your family and I am so excited that I get to be a part of it. I am so thankful you are my Sister. I love love love you!

*Today I am thankful for Kelli.

I HEART the Fullans...

2009-09-10T02:10:00.000-07:00

I can't even begin to say how much I love this family. I grew up with this family and got to know them through church. It wasn't until I graduated from college that we became real close. Debe has become like an older sister to me and the boys have become my brothers and I can't describe how much I love them. When I went home in August I drove to Dubuque, Iowa where the boys are going to college to see them with their parents. Sean is fighting over in Afghanistan so he wasn't able to join us. Love you Sean! The picture is me and Debe (mom), Jesse(left) and Aaron.
I forget how much I miss them until I see them. I felt like a celeb on their campus as most of their friends knew who I was due to a song they wrote for me. I will try to post that later. I'm hoping to get them out here to visit me soon. They were raised to Love the Lord and be true gentlemen which they are! I am so glad I get to be a part of their lives. They are such a faithful family in my life. I know they love me and pray for me daily! A BLESSING TO ME!!!!

*Today I am thankful for the Fullans!

Would You Rather Wednesday?!?!

2009-09-09T00:18:00.000-07:00

"Would you limit yourself to speaking 500 words per day for one month in order to gain $15,000?" Things to consider women speak an average of 20,000 words per day and men speak on average 7000 words per day.

*Today I am thankful for the nice big window in my office.

I Am Back....

2009-09-07T19:41:00.001-07:00

After a much needed Blogging break I am back. I had a really busy summer and I just couldn't keep up with everything. It makes me feel out of touch with everyone and after numerous comments everyone has felt out of touch with me. I have a lot of things I could blog about right now but I am going to do some highlights of my summer. I've attached ONE picture from the top of my summer list. This is Ivy and HOPEFULLY the soon to be Lucy Ann Elliott. She is so precious! She is tiny and not even two weeks old yet.

Things I am thankful for in no particular order:

1. Lucy!

2. Time with ALL my neices and nephew in Iowa.

3. Vacation: Vegas, Cruise, Iowa and East Coast.

4. Second trip to Iowa to see Voda, Fullans, Powers and delzells. (mom and dad too!)

5. Country Music: Lady Antabellum and Gloriana.

6. My roommate Mandy.

7. Tricia is pregnant WAHOO!

8. Malory McCown.

9. Weekend with Heidi Keller in Newport Beach.

10. New additions to the Admissions Office (PTL it's done!)

11. Hope and Joy through Jesus.

12. Engagements: Luke and Rebeka, Kristin and Nate, Summer and Denny!

13. Talking to Ivy every morning on the phone driving to work.

14. Seeing my Sin and repenting.

15. The Love of Friends and Family.

16. My walks and talks with Hugh.

17. Staff retreat in Ventura...FUN!

Hard Things:

1. Mandy is moving to the East Coast...I lose my roommate in less than 30 days.

2. Seeing my Sin.

3. Time management.

4. Sinus infections.

5. Air quality from the fires.

6. My $332 speeding ticket...Serious?!?!

7. Gaining 6 pounds.

8. Did I say Mandy is moving?!

9. Missing my brother and family, Heidi, Jenny and my Iowa peeps.

10. Trusting God.

11. Gebhards moving.

12. Megan Schenk moving to Texas

*Today I am thankful that Kelli, Matt, Ivy and Lucy got to come over for dinner.

Iowa 2009...

2009-06-29T01:46:00.000-07:00

I had a great trip back to Iowa. It was so fun being with my brother and his family. MY parents came on Saturday and stayed with us through Sunday. My brother, sister and sister in law all went out to dinner last night and had a great time together while the grandparents babysat. I wish they lived closer to me. MY neices and nephew are growing way too fast. The pictures are of this weekend.

I HEART GAVIN!!!

2009-06-26T20:57:00.000-07:00

Tonight Kelli, Becca and I went to the Des Moines Art Festival. They were having a free concert with Collective Soul and Gavin DeGraw. When we were walking in Becca spotted Gavin and I asked him if we could take our picture with him. I told him I loved his new album and I just saw him in San Diego and he high fived me. HOLLA! It was a great concert. He played a lot off of his first two albums. It was hot, humid and sprinkled drops of rain but it was SWEET!!!

*Tonight I am thankful for Becca and the time we got to spend together today! Love you Sister!

Travels...

2009-06-25T02:31:00.000-07:00

I have not been in the blogging mood and am taking a nice little break this summer. I have a lot going on the next couple months and will be doing some traveling. i already went to Vegas and last weekend I took a cruise with three dear friends.
Here are some pictures from the cruise. We had a great time relaxing, eating a lot, and just being together. I leave tommorow for Iowa and can't wait to see my brother and family. Kelli and Ivy get to go too so it will be extra fun.

*Today I am thankful that in a few short hours I get to see Kyle, Becca, Mayah, Mason and Madison!!!!YEAH!!!!

Would You Rather Wednesday?!?!

2009-06-24T07:52:00.000-07:00

"Would you rather have your eulogy delivered by Barrak Obama or Brad/Angelina?"

*Today I am thankful for a cool breeze.

Would You Rather Wednesday?!?!

2009-06-17T07:31:00.000-07:00

"On a cross country flight would you rather sit next to a heavy breather or a 2 year old child?" Death is not an option.

*Today I am thankful for the SUN!

Would You Rather Wednesday?!?!

2009-06-10T01:42:00.000-07:00

"Would you rather be able to highlight with your finger or be able to induce nosebleeds in people on live TV?"
Death is not an option. Things to consider: political debates, news anchors and NBA games.

*Today I am thankful for peanut butter filled pretzels.

Happy Birthday Kyle...

2009-06-09T01:33:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to my brother Kyle. I love you and am so thankful for you. I am so proud of the husband and dad you have become. I love the way you care for, provide and love your family. Wish I could kick it with all of you today. Can't wait to see you in two weeks. LOVE YOU!

Would You Rather Wednesday?!!?

2009-06-03T00:08:00.000-07:00

"Would you rather live without your cell phone for 30 days or have no access to computers/internet for 30 days?!?"

*Today I am thankful for all the days my computer DOES work.

2009-05-31T22:16:00.000-07:00

A Favorite....LOVE .....a GREAT show! It was awesome. This was also a picture that Mandy, Jeff, Justin and I took in an elevator....i thought it was cool!

*Today I am thankful for the gift of life.

A Favorite....

2009-05-28T01:58:00.000-07:00

I have a new favorite restaurant. It's called Granville Cafe. There's one in Burbank that I've been two a couple times and then I got reaquainted with it in Glendale (Americana) and I love it. It was voted Best restaurant in Glendale and Burbank 2008. It's a casual gormet cafe that has gourmet sandwiches, salads, soups, pasta, premium coffees and desert. It's a casual but upscale environment. It is sweet so if anyone is wanting to change it up CHECK it OUT!!!

*Today I am thankful for summer!!!

Happy Birthday Pops...

2009-05-27T00:27:00.000-07:00

I love my Daddy-o....I wish I could be with you today on your birthday!!

Dad, I love you. I love the way that you look out for me and my best interests. I love the way that you are consistently pointing me to the Lord and what His Word promises me. I love that I can call you to talk about nothing but you always leave me with something. I love that when I am REALLY sad and need encouragement you are the one that I really want to talk too knowing that you will be truthful and tell me not what I want to hear but what I need to hear. I love that you are faithful to pray for me. I love that you REALLY love me! I can't wait to have a date night when you come out this October. I love you Pops and am thankful for you!

Happy Birthday Mason....

2009-05-26T08:17:00.000-07:00

Today is my nephew's birthday. He is turning four! I can't believe how fast it goes.

Mason, I LOVE you! I wish i could be with you today to give you lots of squeezes. I am so excited to see you in a month. I hope your birthday present comes in the mail. You are such a tender-hearted, kind and loving person. I am so glad we are family. Love, Aunt Hollie

Day Away...

2009-05-22T08:28:00.001-07:00

I love my office. They have worked so hard this year. MArch and April were so busy for us. We were going non stop and we all were looking forward to May and a break. We took a day away from the office yesterday to go and play and just be together. It was nice and refreshing after a real busy semester. We went to Santa Monica and hung out there. We rented bikes and went down to Venice Beach. Luke, Kristin and I had a bicycle for three. It was fun and an experience! It was a great day and fun to be with everyone.

*Today I am thankful that I have a job!

Dinner time

2009-05-21T00:49:00.000-07:00

Mandy and I LOVE to entertain! We like to have our friends over to hang out and eat! This week we've had a lot of friends come by. On Monday night we had a roommate night with Kristin and her roommates. We had some yummy dinner made from our Cooking Light recipie book and then we watched the first episode of The Bachlorette! Heck YES! It was fun. We had a lot of laughs together. I LOVE my roommate and am so thankful for her. (A special word for my Sister who thinks I CAN'T cook....i made half the meal and I included a picture of the cake I made. I had to crop it so I didnt scare everyone with the way I looked.)

*Today I am thankful that I get to spend the day with my office at the beach!

Would You Rather Wednesday?!?!

2009-05-20T00:58:00.000-07:00

"Would you rather eat cotton candy made from belly button lint or suck on a human eye ball jawbreaker for 3 minutes?" Death is not an option

I know...I know..."gross Hollie", "you are so sick Hollie" and "how do you come up with these things Hollie"...I know!

*Today I am thankful for air conditioning in my home.

2009-05-17T15:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we had a picnic for staff and faculty and their families at TMC. I had Ivy for the day as Kelli and Matt had a class for foster care. Ivy had a blast. She got to eats lots of junk food and play with me all day. We had a great time. Ty and Jaden got to play with us in the morning as their dad was playing basketball. They came out to play with Ivy. There was a big bounce house that the kids had a ball in. It's such a priveldge for me to work at the college. A blessing!

*Today I am thankful for Mandy's cooking.

Would You Rather Wednesday?!?!

2009-05-13T00:26:00.000-07:00

"Would you rather only be able to open your eyes at 1/8 inch or open your mouth 1/8 inch?" Death is not an option.

*Today I am thankful for a productive day at work.

2009-05-10T16:25:00.000-07:00

This weekend has been a whirlwind. It started Thursday night as Lindsey and her parents came over for dinner. It was so good to see them. They are out here for Lindsey's graduation. We had a good night of fellowship and eats (Kelli, you would be proud...I'm getting MUCH better!). I will be missing Lindsey this summer. After they left I headed to the airport with Hugh to pick up his family.

The Jackson's came out from Georgia for Houston's gradutation. His brothers and sister stayed with me all weekend and we had such a good time and many laughs. We went to the graduation together and then the whole clan came over for dessert Friday night. The kids have so much energy. We would get to bed around 1 AM and they would be up by 6:30 AM all rearing to go! On Saturday I got to spend time working out with Tricia, had a luncheon for the President's Circle at the college, Tate and Ewan's birthday party then an evening with the Gebhards before the Jackson's came back. IT was a busy time but I loved getting to be with some of my favorite people.

*Today I'm thankful for a washing machine in hy house!

Graduation...

2009-05-08T22:51:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Houston and Lindsey. I love you guys!

*Today I am thankful for family.

Would You Rather Wednesday?!?!

2009-05-06T01:41:00.000-07:00

"Would you rather be critiqued by the hosts of What Not to Wear before you leave for work everyday or have all of your meals critiqued by the judges of Top Chef? Death is not an option.

*Today I am thankful for sushi....yummy.

Another Year Ending...

2009-05-04T21:41:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how fast the years fly by. Another school year is ending this week. Tonight Lindsey and I went out for a last hurrah before she graduates. We went to the Americana for dinner and spent the evening down there. I will miss this girl! She came four years ago and has worked in the Admissions office since the beginning. We became close over the last four years and I consider her a treasured friend. We always laugh at how she's a minature version of me as we have so many commonalities. I've loved seeing her grow the last few years and am excited to see how the Lord is going to use her.

*Today I am thankful for Lindsey!

Would You Rather Wednesday?!?!

2009-04-29T01:17:00.000-07:00

"Would you rather eat your home pet for $500,000 or do nothing and continue to be broke?" Things to consider: 500,000 is a sweet home here in Cali or how would you explain the missing pet to the family kids.

*Today I am thankful for Mandy and her friendship.

TMC Golf Tournament...

2009-04-27T22:12:00.000-07:00

Today we had our Annual golf tournament to raise scholarship money for students at the college. Every year they ask me to meet and greet and sit on a hole and give away a gift. The last three years they paired me with Hugh and this year I get to work with Hampton since Hugh graduated. We had a great day of conversation, sun and laughter. (he almost killed me on the golf cart too!) The school brought in around 40,000 in scholarship money today.

*Today I am thankful that Janelle had a healthy baby girl!

End of Year...Intern Party

2009-04-26T15:52:00.000-07:00

This weekend has been a busy one! We had Admitted Students Day yesterday where close to 200 students and their families came to visit the school and tonight we had our end of year party. I can't believe this is the end of the school year. Tonight we honored all of the Admissions interns. We had a Mexican fiesta, played games and enjoyed being together. It's definetly a bittersweet time. I am really thankful for all of them. We had a great group this yeat and they will be missed over the summer!

2009-04-23T03:13:00.000-07:00

Work..work...work that's where I've been the last 2 weeks. We've been really busy and I've been putting in some hours and haven't had time to blog. The following are a couple highlights that have stood out to me:
*God's goodness in my life
*My office...we have the best time. They make me laugh and help me keep it real.
*Going through Revelation..feeling grateful that the Lord choose to save ME!! It really overwhelms me.
*Spending a day with Ivy in Hollywood.
*Mandy (a GREAT roommate and friend)
*$75 ticket to Des Moines in June to see my brother and family (with Kelli and Ivy)...CANT WAIT
*night out in Pasadena with Caitlin and Mandy
*An overnight with Patricia...always an uplifting and encouraging time with my Sista!
*laughing with Kristin
*Getting to spend time with Tricia's parents.
*Getting to spend time with Sissy and Ivy
*AS I was leaving Ivy yesterday she yelled at me and said, "Hollie have a fun day, I love you...Your MY Hollie." i melted.

A couple hard things the last two weeks:
*finding out the judge ruled that Sissy would go to her grandparents. She'll be gone any day now. Pray Pray Pray!
*Sinus infection
*Too tired to be consistent in my time with the Lord.
*Watching loved ones who are going through a difficult time.

Through all of these good and hard times I'm reminded that our God is faithful and all praise should be given to Him!

*Today I am thankful for cute shoes...even though they hurt my feet.