Oh the weather outside is... delightful!

Hello friends and family!

Jeremy and I spent a wonderful Thanksgiving break with my family in Sacramento! It was a great time to be with them all and get geared up for Christmas!! So thankful for times at home :) :) Life is going by real quick! Do you agree? I can't believe in 3 weeks I'll be a college grad, 6 weeks Jeremy and I will be getting married and transitioning to our new life in El Centro! Yey!

My prayer is that in these next three weeks I can cherish every moment. Never again will I be in classes and work at APU, surrounded by the friends I am with on a daily basis. I feel sentimental as I think about my time at APU and how I am different because of it. I have l.o.v.e.d. these last 3 1/2 years and am so, so, sooo extremely thankful.

Something I'm also so thankful for is the peace from the Lord I have about getting married/moving/getting a new job/etc. Usually I'd be stressed about something, worried about another, and preparing like a mad woman. And I'm not. At all. I have literally not one worry in my bones. I am so assured that the Lord has this under control. I'm just moving one foot in front of the other, getting ready and looking forward to what he will bring!

Already the things I have prayed for urgently have been covered. I prayed for a church and a friend. I'm not even in El Centro yet and a man from my home church has a son who lives in El Centro and invited Jeremy and I to his young marrieds group. Who knows if we'll end up attending regularly, but the things I've even been wondering about I'm not even spending time thinking about. It will be good. I'm sure of it.

Life has been hard, really hard, for so many people I'm around. Totaled cars, job losses, court dates, overdue fees, unhappiness, crappy family situations, debt, depression, anxiety, fear... just to name a few.

I pray that we can keep a kingdom perspective throughout all of this... aka remember who God is and our role in this life. The Lord recognizes or struggles, sympathizes with our weaknesses, but often does not take them away. As we try to walk through the muddy, sticky path of life, let's remind each other of our real purpose: to further the kingdom of God, all the time, in any way possible. It will take courage, trust, optimism, faith... but it's really the only way we will find fulfillment or purpose in living life in the midst of unfortunate circumstances, I think.

:)

Some upcoming, exciting events:

December 18- Graduation! Then home to Sac.

Dec 25- Duh! Christmas!

Dec 31- Kalie's wedding

January 8- Our Wedding

January 9-15- Puert0 Vallarta!

January 15- Move to El Centro

To be continued... :)

With love from "The Well" (aka my home),

Paige

Blues and Woos

The blues: goodbyes never get easier. They actually get harder the more you grow to love someone.

The woos: This weekend I had an ammmmazing bridal shower! I am so, so blessed to have gotten pampered by Melinda Delahooke, Jacquie Aufhammer and Mindy Robinson, dear friends of the Aarons. The lunch was to die for (and handmade!).


Every detail was thought of:


Grilled chicken panini with roasted red bell peppers, cheese and pesto, a butternut squash soup with hot chili oil, and delicious Gorgonzola cheese and some sort of seed salad. Delightful. :)

It was so fun to have such a variety of people I know in one place! I rarely get the Aaron family & friends and my college friends & mom in one spot. It was really nice to be able to have everyone meet an mingle! Not to mention open fabulous and thoughtful gifts!!

My momma:

Aaron women:

Gifts:

It was SO great for my mom to be able to be down here this weekend!! We both stayed at the Aaron's house and spent time with Bill, Mary, Liz & Jeremy, and others hanging out, eating great food, and finishing INVITATIONS!!! I looove them and am so happy with the way they turned out!!! My gracious friend Abby McLellan designed, printed and cut them for Jeremy and I. She has been SUCH a life saver & so generous of her precious time and resources! They will be in the mail soon. Makes the wedding a reality that it's quickly approaching!! :)

8 weeks and 4 days you were curious ;)

This week is filled with the normal work load, life, a few added tests, and wedding preparations.

Today I began getting my resume ready for El Centro! Soon starting to apply for bid kid jobs. :) Favorite part: the idea. Least favorite part: the work it takes to scrutinize a resume! Good thing I have Jeremy!

Trying to stay focused on the things that are really important in life and letting go those that are not. Focusing on advancing the Lord's kingdom in whatever that means. Learning to be faithful. Devout. Giving God my best, not my leftovers. Giving him time.

Also a HUGE wonderful and amazing thing: my Freshman roommate and wonderful friend and bridesmaid Becca got into Teach For America! It is highly competitive and she ROCKED her interviews and got placed in Mississippi Delta teaching secondary mathematics!! I'm so proud of her and can't wait to visit her in the south!!!


With love from the coffee shop at APU (where Jer and I met. Ahhh!),
Paige

Home.

Look up!

No, not there. Up on the screen! Do you see it? 2 months and 1 week? It's COMING! The wedding that is :) Yey!

Today as I was flying away from Sacramento and into Ontario, I was reminded of the many places I come home. I realized I have my primary homes: Sacramento, Azusa, Pasadena, San Dimas and El Centro. The place where close family resides. The places that hold pieces of me :)

Then I have my secondary homes: Rapid City, Spicer (MN), San Diego, Maui, Prescott, Pietermaritzburg... places when I arrive I am instantly comfortable and usually among family and close friends. Places that carry fond memories.

And all of this contemplation has made me so thankful for my many homes. And so excited for the memories future cities will hold. (Shout out to El Centro!)

On a similar note:

This weekend I went to Sacramento to visit family. It was so fun being with the kids for Halloween and starting off my Dad's birthday with him!!

For Halloween Evie was Tinkerbell and Chet was -adorable- and Peter Pan! I LOVE them and spending Halloween with them is SUCH a fun time! They loved trick or treating and showed everyone their candy after each house! For more pics check out my sister's wonderful blog.

Excited to have all of my family in one spot for the wedding! :) What a fun time that will be.

With love from Cougar Walk (APU),

Paige