Dustin reminded me today that three years ago today he proposed to me. It was a fantastic proposal. Dustin and I dated long distance, I lived in Tampa and he lived in NYC. I was getting a little, how shall I say, anxious for him to propose and didn't think it was going to happen before Thanksgiving where I was going to meet up with him in my hometown. It was a Thursday night and my best friend and roommate had our college girls bible study at our apartment. We "randomly" (or so I thought) decided to go out for ice cream afterwards. I carpooled with my friend Taryn, which I also thought was a random, non-important, decision. After enjoying ice cream, Taryn drove me home and on the ride Dustin called. I told him I would call him right back b/c Taryn was dropping me off. He was asking a lot of random questions and didn't want me to get off of the phone. Finally, I got off and said to Taryn, "I don't know what's wrong with him, he's being such a girl right now." I called Dustin back as I was walking up the stairs to my apartment, I open the door and all of the lights in our apartment are off and there are candles lit everywhere. I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT. He walked out of my room and I lost my breath. I had had the most stressful and frustrating week with work and graduate school and I just wanted to see and be near Dustin. I had, in fact, begged him on the phone to fly down and see me because I wanted his comfort. I said afterwards and I still believe that "it was like looking at an angel. All I wanted in the whole world was to see Dustin and there he was standing in front of me."

I ran to him and hugged him and then after many sweet words, he proposed. What made it even more amazing is that almost everyone in our student ministry and all of our friends knew and participated in making it the most special and the most secret occasion. I will be forever grateful for everyone who helped to make it absolutely perfect.

I still get butterflies in my stomach as I look at him sitting on the couch with his white undershirt on, watching football (which we've been watching ALL DAY), so handsome and kind and my perfect other. Yes, Dustin, I will marry you, all over again.

This year Dustin and I have decided to chill at home for Thanksgiving. I really wanted to cook a feast and so I will tackle my very first turkey. Any suggestions? I have the menu planned and Dustin has the entertainment planned, including football games and National Lampoon's Christmas vacation. I'm very excited!!

I will, however, miss my family. Every year my whole family on my mom's side gets together for Thanksgiving. There are normally anywhere from 50-75 people and we rent out a place to hold us all. I love the warm and comfortable atmosphere of a room full of people who see each other once a year and love each other. There's always tons of great food, awesome naps, and fun games. One thing my family does well is a room full of people and good food. I will miss have a house full, but I anticipate the comfortable feeling of being with those (Dustin) I love.

My sophomore year of coordinating the bell ringing efforts for Washington County Salvation Army is proving to be so much better than last year. We have great help this Christmas season which is taking A LOT of stress off of me. My assistant is fantastic and so I look forward to 50 hour work weeks instead of 70 hours. Dustin has already noticed my fairly stress free attitude and is loving it. I really appreciate beginning our mornings by reading a Psalm. It has helped me to keep the right perspective while at work. It's hard at times to not be overwhelmed by the workload and to get stressed and frustrated. But the fact remains that because of our efforts, THOUSANDS of families are being provided for. Because of the madness, thousands of individuals will be helped, and that's what makes all the work worth it. So, (and here's my plug) even if you're annoyed by the sound of the bell, be generous and donate to The Salvation Army's red kettle, it's for a great cause.

I found out on Friday that I didn't get a second interview for a job with Portland Public Schools. I was pretty bummed, still am really. It's weird because I felt like I was perfect for this job and financially, wow, it would have rocked our world. It's weird to come to a place and realize, "Maybe I'm not as good as I think I am." I think God is chipping away at my pride a little bit through this whole experience. (I think job hunting in general humbles any human.) But I feel like God is teaching me yet again to depend on him and not in my own abilities. No matter how good at something I think I am, or how qualified or whatever, my life is in God's hands, not mine. It seems a bit cliche, but I do believe that God has a plan for me and that there must be something better. I also know that I have NO IDEA what that is. So, I press on and continue to job hunt (thanks to my awesome husband for assisting with that) and to search for where God wants me.

Dustin and I went with our friends Roger and Tamara to the Rheinlander, a German Restaurant a few weeks back. It was awesome! That was the first German restuarant we had ever been to and I can't wait to go back again. They give you cheese fondue with yummy bread as an appetizer and have the most amazing lentil soup I've ever tasted. (I didn't even think I liked lentil soup!) Check out the HUGE steins! So much beer and so good!











My nieces, Savannah and Gabrielle, were a mummy and a red M&M for Halloween. So cute!! I love you and miss you!!

Because I haven't blogged in exactly one month, this may very well be the longest post in the history of the world. Prepare yourself.

Work is going well and getting crazy for the Christmas season. I have an assistant this year, her name is Melissa, and she is thebomb.com. I am so appreciative of her. We have hired 6 extra staff to help out for the next two months and they are all proving to be such great workers. So, I am feeling A LOT better about this season. This summer I was extremely nervous and afraid of what might happen to my body this year. (Last year I was on bed rest for a week!) But I now know that I won't have to work 16 hour days. I can have normal 10 hours days instead!

I am currently reading "Crime and Punishment" by Dostoevsky. I'm only about 50 pages in and enjoying it. The crime has happened and I'm awaiting the punishment.

Dustin and I are hanging with Devin and Larissa tonight and playing Settlers of Cataan, our new favorite game. John and Taryn, have you guys discovered this game? I think you would love it. It's the new Texas Hold-em. (Watch for Celebrity Settlers of Cataan!)

Last night Dustin and I watched "Reign Over Me" as recommended by Tara and Tarver. Wow, wow. I don't know what to say except wow. Adam Sandler and Don Cheadle were amazing. I highly recommend it although bring tissues because it is a tear jerker. It's about a man, Adam Sandler, who loses his wife and 3 girls in one of the planes that crashed into the World Trade Center towers and how he hasn't dealt with the tragedy except by remodeling his kitchen constantly and trying to not remember anything about his family. After the movie, I couldn't stop tears from falling, it was just a constant flow. I tried to talk to Dustin about something else, but tears just kept running down my cheeks. This movie portrays the 9/11 tragedy in a way that I haven't seen or understood until now. So many of us simply move on. But what about those families who lost husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, children etc. How are they dealing with it? I think this movie, rather than the 9/11 movie, is more appropriate for our nation to see. In my opinion, we don't need to see and relive the gruesome details, but we do need to understand how to help those whose lives were changed forever.


I got my hair cut a couple weeks ago from Tara. She did a GREAT job! My inspiration was Katie Holmes-Cruise. Dustin now calls me tomcat...for a variety of reasons...heheheheh. We're almost identical, don't you think? =)






















Last week Dustin and I visited the Portland Zoo. My parents had got Dustin tickets last Christmas and they were expiring this week, so I snuck out of work early for an afternoon of elephants, bears, giraffes, zebras and the like.

A mountain goat, a HUGE polar bear and a lizard shedding its skin, so crazy!





























This monkey was sleeping so peacefully on a branch by the window. It looked so beautiful with its long tail and contrast of black and white hair. This is Dustin on a tri-cycle that elephants ride in the circus. heheheheheh.



































This summer our house was painted. Instead of being a pretty soft yellow, we now live in a Poop colored house. It might be hard to tell from these pictures, but believe me when I say this color shouldn't even exist. We did, however, get an orange door, so I can't be too upset, right?