Soon.

Heading to the NYC in a few weeks. Looking forward to it. Will have baby brother Brian with me. So excited to show him around the town.

Queen of Class

Booyah.

You're Beautiful

When we arrive at Eternity shores, You're Bride will come together and WE will sing You're Beautiful.

Far more beautiful than even this.....

Don't mind if I do...

...say that men look so nice when dressed like gentlemen.

Lately.

--> A smattering of things going on in the last week or so-->

-- Hosted six New Zealanders at our house. Friend Jean and her Husband and his band. www.allleftout.com It felt like being in a Flight of the Concord episode. Which, naturally, was wonderful. Great peoples.

-- Grateful for friends near and far. Missing a certain MS. Bell.

-- Said good-bye to three good friends: Jordan (to China), Lauranne (Invisible Children) & Frank (to LA). Man it feels like a lot of people are moving out of Orlando. Good thing there are a lot of gems left.

-- Got some heavy family situations going on. I guess these are the things that make up life. Just wish I had an easy button for this stuff.

-- Nursing a bum knee. Need to find a pool.

-- Working on planning a vacation.

-- Working on Clothing Swap, which is a week from today.

-- A little obsessed with the song "Beautiful" on Phil Wickham's album Sing-A-Long. You can download it for FREE at www.philwickham.com.

-- Around $100 donated to www.charitywater.org for my birthday. Stellar.

-- In search of the perfect curtains for my room. No luck yet.

-- Raining a lot here. Makes me want naps.

-- Paid $60 for a >15 minute doctor consultation. And that was the discounted price? Ouch.

-- Watched "Everything is Illuminated" for the 2nd time last night. If you haven't seen it, you really should.

-- Have to say goodbye tonight to new friend Teresa that lived with us for a month while doing a design internship with Relevant Magazine.....which is right down the road from our house. Enough of this goodbye stuff already.

-- Making more milkshakes than is necessary for one individual.

-- Feeling the absence of corporate worship. Need to remedy that.

-- Heard one of the best quotes of all times. "Ever since the moment I heard my first love story, I've searched for you." Dang. So true: with things above and below. Interested to see how my love story works out.

Happy Birthday to Moi.

Yesterday was my birthday. Normal day. Dinner at The Ravenous Pig (incredibly good). Milkshake party at the house (delicious). Largest game of Apples to Apples games played EVER (as noted in picture/20 people maybe more). Good times. Another year older & wiser.

Two Faces But Not Two Faced

"You cannot serve two masters"

"Either he will hate the one and love the other or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." Matt 6:24

Simply put but not as easy to eradicate from your life. I saw these words today and it hit home as this has been weighing heavy on me for the past few months. I am not sure if this subtle evilness has silently crept into my life/heart. I don't feel like my main goal in life is to make money and I feel I have a healthy habit of giving from the heart. BUT is my life too comfortable...or better put am I staying where I am because it's comfortable? I have most definitely been blessed to have a rather interesting/unique job that has now gotten to the place that pays well, but is now slowly killing me. I don't have any desire for this to be my career, but the money is good and the schedule works for me. But I fear I stay because it makes my life comfortable instead of seeking out the passions that God has put in my heart. (I will say that it is a blessing because it does allow me free time to do some of the things I do love.) I also question where is the level of comfort that God truly wants us to be. No matter how much money I make.....millions, billlions, whatever....I could give it all away to better the lives of others and leave me in poverty again. We could always do more, give more, love more. And where do I stand in that? I just feel lacking. I do believe that is an individualized plan for each person and God knows what that is. But I feel I don't exactly have that understood in my life. All I know is that I feel God is requiring more of me. I don't know what this will look like, but I do know that He has more in store for me than I could ever imagine. I guess I have left imagining at the door a long time ago.

Two more verses that are challenging me right now:

"You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand." John 13:7

"Test me in this...and see if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." Malachi 3:10

New Hair cute

UP:

DOWN:

A Preview

OPP photo shoot today. More to come.

Team Bearcat

Wildcat....whatever. New obsession of kickball while at work. Fun Fun Fun.

Should have been stretching instead of taking pictures. Nicely pulled a muscle first time at bat.

Bearcats in Action. Wins again. Booyah.

Big Sky Above.

Sitting out most of the game. Boo. But had trusty Ethan to take my place. Run Ethan Run.

On the way.

To Chicago. Many stellar sunset images. This represents it like crap...oh well.

A-Mazing.

Friend Parker Young took this. Blown way way a way.

www.parkeryoung.net

Vegan BBQ

Old friends & New took over Andy, Dorian & Gerry's backyard and shared some Veggies and baked beans. Good times.

i am dana

Duh.

Garden Walk

On the way to Armitage Street. We stumbled upon, by accident, rows of houses displaying their gardens. Envy was in full effect.

Symphony in the Park: Chicago Style

Chicago: such a tremendous city. A perfect evening for it.

The Spread. I kept eating until they put the food away.
Sunsets. God's creativeness on display.
Our Hosts. Dorian & Tess.
The Ghost of Dorian Past.

A Room with a View

Out my hotel room in Moline IL. A surprisingly really great little town. Amazing architecture & affordable burgers. Glad to have these opportunities to see places like this that I wouldn't have any desire to see otherwise.

I Wish.

This Girl was my Friend.

Yes Please!

Loads of Lately

1. Jana's Home! Gone for over 5 weeks traveling all over China and India. Great heart. Greatly missed. Glad she's home to me now.

2. Mea ma roommate for about 6 months moved back home today. She spent a full year here in Orlando working for Disney. Quite a talented lady in making of garments & costumes. She taught me a lot about sewing, etc. Her future looks bright as she is going back to school and hopes to end up in London.

3. Summer seems to be flying by. HA. Places I have been lately. Philadelphia, OK City, E Lansing, MI and now Moline, IL. Home is getting harder to leave.

IF I could...

I would. Wear my hair like this. I think some day I may even try out a perm, but I don't think my hair would hold it. Drats.