My friend Jamie was the photographer at my wedding which is why I have amazing wedding pictures that truly capture the moment. She and Katie have begun a photography company so check out the website. They have used some of our wedding pics as example so those are fun to see too. Hire them for whatever your photography needs are!! They take the best pictures ever. Good luck ladies!!

I finished this book this past weekend and wow, so amazing. I've been wanting to see the movie, but am glad I read the book first. First of all, I love books and movies and all stories that are of actual events, and this one was, as expected, incredibly intriguing, heart wrenching, frustrating, and yet hopeful. If you don't know what happens in this story, please stop reading NOW. The story is about Mariane and Danny who are both journalists covering the culture in Pakistan after the Sept. 11th attacks. Danny is kidnapped and murdered by terriorists and this is Mariane's account of her journey on this extremely painful path. This book was moving for a variety of reasons, such as:

1. the love story. Mariane and Danny were so much in love and anyone who knows me knows that I am sucker for a great love story. I have always loved seeing people in love and hearing Mariane describe her love for Danny was...delightful. With so much divorce and adultery happening in this world, I often wonder how any couple can maintain that sacred bond, but I truly believe these two people had it. I often wonder how I would respond if something as terrible as this happened in my own life. Would I have the strength to carry on? Could I find hope again? It was inspiring to read Mariane's words and be reminded of the power of love even in the face of death.

2. the intricate details and conspiracies of the kidnapping. Mariane leaves no leaf unturned and does not hesitate to tell the truth, no matter who she might offend or accuse. I appreciated knowing everyone that was involved with Danny's kidnapping and murder, especially the part our government did/ did not play depending upon your interpretation.

3. the shallowness of the media is disgusting. I see more and more how the media actually contributes to the evils of the world. Because of their disdain for any kind of discretion or modesty, they slather the news with gruesome details that are not only inappropriate but painful. I saw this during the coverage of the Virginia Tech murders. Why did the whole world need to see the video of the murderer? What an awful image to have in my mind. I feel for Mariane and am appalled at the unprofessionalism the media showed towards her husband's murder.

I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. I believe it paints a truthful picture of the reality of our world today, from the love story to the power of friendship that yields so much hope to the responsibility our governments have to protect its citizens no matter what the cost.

Thank you Mariane for sharing such intimate and precious details of your life with us. Now that my eyes are opened, may I respond as you have, with courage, strength and love.

There are times that feel like we have been married forever and others where I am still stunned that Kelli Lashbrook and Dustin Bagby got married. Time is such a funny thing. Highlights from year two include:
- moving to Portland and spending time in Illinois on our way out
- the Evergreen Community
- visitors including my parents, Dustin's mom, and Abbie
- hikes including Bagby Hot Springs (I am still a bit tainted!) and Angel's Rest, Multnomah Falls
- a few trips to the Oregon Coast
- great beer and wine
- meeting new friends and having old ones to miss
- our basement apartment where we could lay in bed and watch movies
- our upper garage apartment with a big, beautiful window
- every day that I get to spend with Dustin. Sounds mushy, but I honestly can't imagine one day without him. He's my partner in this adventure called life and I want and need him. It's scary at times to think of how much our lives are meshing together year after year. It gets harder to give him over to God, trusting God to care for him, knowing that life is precious and nothing is guaranteed. (I don't mean to sound morbid or anything.) But even more, it's exciting to know that I have someone to experience everything with. My life is more fun, challenged, fulfilled, and directed having Dustin in it every moment of every day. Thank you God for giving him to me. I promise to care for him as a gift from you and enjoy your gift to the fullest!!!

A friend, Kimberly, gave me "The Cloister Walk" by Kathleen Norris for my birthday and I read it this summer. I don't think I've ever highlighted, underlined, starred, etc. a book more than I have this one. Norris is a writer who decided to join the Benedictine Order in order to learn how to worship God through their every day rituals and life. Dustin and I have talked many times about visiting a monastery in order to do the same thing. Joining an Order is a huge commitment that we are definitely not ready to make yet, but experiencing, if only for a weekend, their pattern of worship would be inspiring, humbling, and extremely refreshing. There are SO MANY amazing nuggets of wisdom, not only from Norris but quoted from others as well. One quote by St. Therese has been resonating with me A LOT this last month. She says, “I have come to realize, that the radiance of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not take way the fragrance of the little violet or the delightful simplicity of the daisy…perfection consists in being what God wants us to be.”

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about the future of my career, future ministries, future family, future everything. I have been reminded time and again that my path is with God and my desire is to be who He wants and created me to be. However, it's hard. There are times when I feel my mind drifting away to my own desires and ambitions, I find myself making plans and dreaming dreams without asking if those plans and dreams are God's. Sometimes I just assume that He's with me, without putting in the time with Him to really confirm that. No matter how perfect I strive to be, it's worthless without the perfection of Christ as my hope.

This self is a mystery. Thomas Merton says in Seeds of Contemplation, "In order to become myself I must cease to be what I always thought I wanted to be, and in order to find myself I must go out of myself, and in order to live I have to die." It's based on what Jesus said, "To save your life you must lose it..." What does that mean in my life today and tomorrow and the next? How do I lose my life every day? I know that it starts on my knees. It starts in God's word, understanding Him in all of His mystery in order to understand the mystery of myself. The more I know my Lord the more I will know myself and understand His plans for my life and how to follow Him more closely and obediently.

My prayer is that this is my priority every day- to know my Father and to walk with Him. He is my peace, comfort, love, strength, wisdom, laughter, and sigh of relief. I breathe easier walking with Him and I am in need of a fresh breathe.

I'm not for sure why it's so fun to see yourself as a cartoon character, but it just is.