Bouncers & Curve Balls

A friend of mine had this quote a few months back, "When life throws you a curve ball...hit it out of the park!" For my Kiwi friends, Sam makes sure to tell me that "bouncers" are the equivalent but much more dangerous and therefore a better analogy. :) The way he describes what a bouncer is I will stick with a curve ball...these have been trying enough in my life as of late.

It has been a long while since I had the time or the energy to sit down and write. The lessons I have learned over this last 5-6 months have been massive, but they came in such unexpected ways. An old mentor of mine said to me in college once, "these hard and trying moments in your life are gifts, they might not come in the package you want them too, but they are still a gift to you."

Really, some of the gifts in this last few months I wished came with a gift receipt, but nonetheless I think she was right. Part of my lack of writing, too, has come from this crazy inability to not be able to keep up with the circumstances that were out of my control and the lessons I was learning. When I would feel ready to process some of my learning it seemed like a new curve ball was coming.

I remember, ironically sitting in the parking lot of a Taco Bell in Redding, thinking there are always missing pieces to some one's life story that we are unaware of. I was unaware at the time what God was doing in me, but I think that Taco Bell moment was significant. Also, in my time at Mosaic in LA I had a boss that mentored me and challenged me consistently, and the thing I walked away from after working for Eric was "always believe the best in people and give them the benefit of the doubt." Eric is very wise and constantly pushed me to live a life that exuded belief in people and challenged my heart to really give people the benefit of the doubt. Now I have to say this was not an easy or pretty process. He was relentless in his belief that this is how we should treat people. Eric always did that with me and I can remember the feeling of getting off the phone with him or walking out of his office and being aware of my shortcomings and places of growth but somehow at the same time I didn't feel defeated, just the opposite in fact. I felt like I could conqueror the world...and of course deal with the area of character that was pointed out.


I share all that because so many times in this last season of life I have drawn on that wisdom. Not necessarily just finding the good in others in the place I worked in Florida, but just a gentle reminder of that feeling that I so needed in this last few months that God sees us and God believes the best in us and God gives us the "benefit of the doubt." I said to Sam last night, I wonder what God has been doing in me as of late. And as I lay awake at 5:30am (the east to west coast time change has me a little off kilter) I was just quiet allowing God to just be in my heart and thoughts with me. It wasn't easy, I must admit. I was reminded of my good friend Jill who with words and also silently by the way she lived her life taught me that there will be times it will feel like you just can't stop the thoughts and fears that roll through you head...just be still a little longer.

I did lay there a bit longer and allowed the pain and fears of this last week to just be. I tried to not run away from it, but looked for the gift. There was no loud voice speaking to me, or clear thought that seemed to make the circumstances of our life go away, but then gently I felt peace.

It's been a season full of curve balls & bouncers that we just haven't been able to share with all of you, but everyone knows what a curve ball (or bouncer) feels like in their life. For me, I have HATED these, but eventually you have to learn to navigate your way through them. And while this last 2 weeks where we have had to make some huge life decisions that we never expected to have to make, especially in our first year of marriage, this has become the main and gentle lesson that I believe God just might be trying to help me understand at new levels. We have left Florida because of job situations, and now we are heading to NZ to live in October. We have had many other curve balls, unfortunately in this week, but the thing I love is that there really is a gift for us in this. Sam and I have become more of a team in this last season of curve balls and bouncers. We can't control the curve balls, but we are learning to trust that God is for us and we can control our reaction to the curve balls. If we really believe God is for us then it makes a curve ball season that seems to be like a batting cage gone bad, actually becomes a little easier to respond in love and peace.

Life has taken us a few places over this year, thank you for following our journey. It isn't always pretty but I do love sharing the different learnings. One doesn't always need to share the circumstances to be able to communicate the deep lessons that have been learned. I will keep you as posted as I have the energy to do so. We are visiting family and friends this month, then will head on to NZ on October 26th. There are so many unknowns and fears and I am sure even curve balls and bouncers waiting for us there but my prayer and hope is that I will not only continue to experience trust and peace, but also that I would continue to see that there are always unseen things in others lives that we just don't have the privilege of seeing, so in light of that, much like how God has treated us and responded to us, we will respond with grace and love.

Until next time....here is a picture from my Birthday last night. Sam got me this dress for my bday :)

Check this out

http://www.samuelackland.com

My husband is an amazing photographer. I LOVE seeing his work and each time I am more and more impressed with his ability to capture a story. We just took some engagement pictures on the beach and I was awed by how he caught Shea & Mitch's story with each picture!


Enjoy looking at the webstie! And a HUGE HUGE HUGE thank you goes to our friend Chad at Structured IS. If you EVER need anything done computer-wise (you can see how technical I am by that very official "computer-wise" word) got to Chad! He is one of my dearest friends from Mosaic, and also one of the most talented computer bloke I have ever seen! www.structruedis.com)

Happy Birthday Mum

We love you and wanted to celebrate you on your Birthday!!!



We wanted to send you the perfect gift....but couldn't think of anything



Then we had a GREAT idea!



What's better then pictures of your miracle child and his new wife?!?!?!



Happy Birthday!! You will get your CD soon!! We love you!!!

A Day In The Life of Dana

Okay now really, I know that sometimes my life is sitcomesk but today was ridiculous. I worked all day in a center (9am to 7pm) super long day for sure. But I woke up fairly alert and thought I would finally head down stairs for some quiet morning moments. Those quiet mornings have been few and far between lately. I decided to open my blinds and let the sunshine pour in....mainly because in CRAZY Florida the sunshine is ONLY in the mornings and the rain is EVERY afternoon and night. As I opened my blinds I was surprised to see a little friend on the window...



It actually scared me a bit, but then I smiled HUGE because one of my most favorite memories of my wedding was Lakey and his two best friends..."his fwogs." So I did what any good best friend would do for one of her best friends kids, took a picture and posted it on facebook, pretending like the frog had not only found my house looking for Lakey, but also pretended that the frog was talking. The best part of my day was getting a phone call that I quickly took to say I couldn't talk because I was at work, and then was pleasantly surprised to hear this sweet little 3 year old voice. Lakey had called to ask how the "fwogs knew where to go to find him." I love little things that make you smile in your day.

My day progressed and was SO busy. I have no idea how 2pm rolled. Well, my amazing photographer of a husband has been editing some pictures he took of Shea (my boss) and her fiance. The day he took their pictures he also took this shot....



Shea and Mitch have a dog, Lila, they LOVE. They wanted her in their pictures and of course me and Sam said yes...fully knowing that I would be watching this dog at many moments, I still said yes. I LOVE my husband and his career! I was joking with him and said you should get a picture with me and Lila because Sea Jay (who relentlessly teases me about my lack of love for animals) will LOVE this shot. Well, he did. And he sent it to me at work today. I just laughed out loud when I got it.

A little relief in the craziness and the HORRIFIC migraine I had today. I needed to put something cold on my neck to help ease the pain. I didn't have anything, but I was drinking a cold Diet Coke. Perfect. Or so I thought. I figured that I would put the can on my neck for a few seconds, like the crazy NZ lady taught me, and it would relieve some of the pain. I did that. It felt so good though I left it there and was trying to move it around on my neck...then I felt a little cold, then a little wet. CRAP! I had spilled the Diet Coke down my back...sitting at the front desk of a center and the main head quarters of my company and I was wearing a white shirt. Seriously?! What the heck was I thinking? But it did make me laugh a little and I wondered how I could really be a professional that is working for a very business savvy company....I guess we all need a few laughs and air head moments in our days. If you don't have them, live vicariously through me it is quite fun.

The day was FINALLY over and my neck and migraine were SO bad. I drove home focusing, trying not to throw up I was in so much pain. Three things happened that made me smile though. One: my LOVING husband made me dinner so I walked into a YUMMY dinner, my lunch ready to go for tomorrow and a HUGE hug. Does it get any better than this? Two: I went around a round about that I go around every day, but today it made me smile more than usual. Every time I drive on a round about I hear Mich's voices in her wonderful Kiwi accent saying, "dana indicate! I hate it when people do not indicate!" It makes me smile every time but today I think I was missing Mich more than usual and it made me smile huge in the midst of the migraine pain. Three: I checked my email after seeing Sam's AWESOME pictures he had finished of Mitch and Shea's, and I saw this email that ended my day perfect:
(I had sent Kerri's little boy, Jacob, an old picture of us on vacation making a fun dirt dessert with Oreo's and pudding and gummy worms)

"I love that! I remember... we really are making dirt and worms. I like the picture. I love you Auntie Dana.
Good bye."

Even in the midst of the worst migraine I have had in awhile I had so many things that made me smile. Life is like that...good and bad. Loss and gain. Hurts and joys. Happiness and sadness. I am continuing to learn over and over that life is a journey of coexistence. Today was a VERY fun reminder!

For Mom....Mum

Sam made us retake it...

Wedding Jogger

Here's a fun memory from the wedding that i didn't have when I was posting wedding pictures.


This lady really jogged right behind the wedding, not once, but TWICE. She jogged past...turned around and jogged back. All I remember is looking over and seeing my mom and Sea Jay cracking up....loudly. When I looked towards what they were laughing at this is what I saw. I only could shake my head and laugh and think to myself...only at my wedding. It added to the drama, chaos and adventurous FUN of the day!

>

The Wedding Planner

My new job...Official Wedding Coordinator.

Yep you read that right. I am taking on a new adventure. My friend/boss just got engaged. After planning the little wedding I planned in Florida I thought I might have some good ideas for her, but then she surprised me and asked me if I would officially help her plan her wedding. I was flattered and I have to say it, a little bit excited.

I have helped friends do weddings for years and love helping people discover what they really want. When you mix those things together you get....Jennifer Lopez in the Wedding Planner. Hehehehe...well, maybe not quite, but I did laugh at the idea of being paid to help someone plan a wedding.

We had our first meeting and it made me smile and leave with heaps of energy. It wasn't necessarily fun to research what was out there in service and prices, but it was fun to present it to her and cast a vision for how I will help her make their special day unique to them and a memory. I loved digging deeper and asking her questions and helping her discover what she really wanted, what didn't matter that much to her, what is tradition and not what she really wants and then begin to help her see a vision for creating a day that expresses her and her fiance. It was such a fun moment, mixing so many of my passions together. I can't say I ever thought I would be doing this, but at the same time I wasn't that surprised as I was sitting with her at this small deli in the middle of Florida.

Sam is going to help me...he is already the Wedding Planner Police. I was telling him one of their ideas, but hadn't got the idea out yet and he says to me, "Dana, they can do WHATEVER they want. It's their wedding." I laughed because I was just trying to tell him their unique idea, but my husband who is always challenging me to be open minded kept me in line...and I think will continue to help me keep my vision....helping them create their Big Day, not anyone else's Big Day.

I will definitely keep you posted on this job. The Weight Loss Job is going well still. I can't believe some of the stuff that we are beginning to serve our clients with this month. The company I work for has been in business for over 24 years, yet the latest things they are finding and now making available for our clients are things that are actually helping me. I sat in a seminar on Friday fighting back tears as I listened to one of our Doctors we work with, who is a Hormone Specialist, describe my life in the last 5 years. I didn't feel crazy for the first time about some of the stuff that I have struggled in the past. In fact, I had some doctors want to put me on some crazy medicine because I was a "tad" bit emotional (well...okay I was super emotional). I always said no because in my gut things just didn't add up they were saying. Well sitting in this seminar I was floored at hearing why these doctors had most likely prescribed things for me. They were right about some of the things I was struggling with but were giving me very dangerous and ineffective answers. I called Sam in the middle, during a break, and just cried as I shared with him all this guy was saying. And of course, in true Dana fashion I had to go say Thank You to the doctor. And in even truer Dana fashion I began crying as I told him thank you and shared 2 minutes of my story. He was like a gentle grandpa that seemed like he had heard my story time and time again. Sam laughed when I told him and asked if the doctor said...you definitely need my help once I started crying. I love my husband that always makes me laugh when I take myself too seriously!

We don't know why we are in Florida some days, but on Friday I wondered if I was here not only for me find some resolution and healing on some things, but I had to wonder who else will benefit from the things in life I am learning. Life just never seems to be about us solely....time will tell.

For now I will enjoy these two endeavours Sam and I have and enjoy the beaches of Florida...when it's not POURING every afternoon!!! :(

Sunday Roast

It has been a LONG time since my last blog...some of that is due to our time schedule and some is due to a lack of internet! I am so sorry!!

We have been trying to settle into new life. We have quite a year. This time last year we had just started hanging out...this year we are still hanging out but now we are married. Sometimes we just look at each other and can't believe the events of last year. My hours at work have been a bit nuts lately. I have worked until 7 most nights and then come home exhausted and ready for bed. I would love to say I am ready for bed because I am getting up so early for a good morning beach jog...but NOPE! I haven't put my running shoes on since LA...and I even bought a great pair on vacation in Redding. The rhythm of our life is no rhythm. When I can be okay with that I enjoy this season of life more than ever, when I don't...I have a few melt downs.

I realized this week that this time in Florida has been a gift that we have been given. There have been some hard moments here that I would never ask for or wish on another person, but it is this gift that I have come to cherish. We haven't really had a chance to make friends here and we are still trying to adjust to the culture...the culture shock for both of us has been a bit high. But in the midst of all that we have each other. And if I was surrounded by friends I wonder if I would have enjoyed some of the slower moments that we have had on the weekends. I can feel so guilty if we are just sitting watching a DVD or doing nothing....I am learning to be okay with being slow and recovering after a long crazy year.

One of the new things I have done is a Sunday Roast. We used to have those when I was a kid, but in New Zealand it is an iconic part of their culture. Sam was missing New Zealand...and so was I. I emailed a couple friends and asked them exactly how to do a roast. Sweet Georgia emailed me back on behalf of my dear friend Sally that was helping me make my Kiwi husband smile. I went and bought a lamb...not sure I have ever done that before. Grabbed some white wine, added some spices threw in some potatoes (Sam doesn't like kumra/sweet potatoes) and heavens knows I couldn't get pumpkin here :) But I still did a good kiwi "meat and 3 veg" for dinner. It made Sam smile that I even tried, I think.



Here it is! Lamb, corn, potatoes and salad. I did have a friend tell me cucumbers weren't a part of a roast...but I am sure at Ali's I had salad with cucumbers at least once :)


I hope he likes it...


There wasn't much talking, so I took that as he really liked it....I did ask him, "do you like it cuz I am your wife and I love you?" He said it tasted like it was supposed to..


I think he liked it....nothing at all left!

We started a new tradition....Sunday night roasts or yummy comfort food dinners :)
I will blog more, when we have some more good pictures or exciting adventures....we try to do stuff here but those dang afternoon thundershowers just kick us out of so much. I was missing baseball games, so Sam was going to take me to their little team here...but it poured all night! I was so bummed...but instead we watched Once Were Warriors...which my friends in NZ said would be a bit rough for me...Sam had to fast forward a lot and I cried a lot...let's just say it was rough. We then had to watch something to make me laugh so we watched hours of Arrested Development. SO FUNNY! Kind of sad that we are at the end of the last season. I have to say good bye to the Bleuth family soon, and they make us feel like our bad luck isn't so bad with all their crazy bad luck, and....thanks to Scott & Amy ate TONS of yummy as popcorn :) Perfect Saturday!

Mr. & Mrs. Ackland

I thought you might like to finally see some pictures....Sam is AMAZING!!! He edited all the pictures and the pictures he isn't in, he took!

It really was the most MEMORABLE day of my life....between crazy cake guy messing up the order, thunderstorms so bad Sea Jay had to pull over on the way to the wedding, having to create a plan B in the restaurant, inappropriate jogger at the wedding, and other miscellaneous drama it was for sure a day no one that was there will forget.

I will have to say that my most favorite moment was a quiet few minutes before the wedding that Sea Jay and Stacie set up for me and Sam to have all by ourselves. It was the most incredible to feeling to walk onto this quiet little deck with the wind blowing and the sea raging and see my husband. I took in every moment and made the memory stick in my head forever.

Then we looked at each other and smiled and entered back into the chaos and drama that was our wedding. We had to end up creating a Plan B to get married in the restaurant but Raya assured me that I could still get married on the beach because she had prayed for it to stop raining....well Raya was right (with the help of my little Jacob in CA who was also praying that it would be sunny for me) we were able to get married on the beach. After about 2 hours of hard crazy rain it just stopped. Stacie ran outside and put some flowers on the beach, Sea Jay herded everyone down stairs and we spent the next moments in utter bliss enjoying the most fun thing we had ever done. The wedding was PERFECT. There was so few people there that we had all spent the last 3 days being together experiencing EVERYTHING together, so there was so much intimacy and feeling known throughout our wedding. Banning married us and did an incredible job at making everyone laugh and making the wedding feel like and expression of us. My most favorite part of the wedding was seeing my husband at the end of the aisle...there was no greater feeling.

Then the fun began! Pictures were SO fun to do on the beach. The kids were having a blast, Lakey had his frog that had become his best friend, I fell in love all over again with Sam when I watched him take the camera and take our wedding pictures. It was moments filled with laughter, as Sam was always making us laugh and memories that are for a lifetime.

We headed up to the restaurant and enjoyed such a fun night. My Dad said something special to everyone, Sam's mom said something so wonderful just for us and we just laughed and enjoyed being together. The kids took frosting cupcake and wrote all over our car and added quite a bit of toilet paper...I think that came from the restaurant.....

It was a dream fulfilled...








Ray Ray loves her Sam...I kind of think she thought she was marrying him that day :)














.
My husband had just done something inappropriately appropriate to make us laugh...it worked. Tricks of the trade



He loves her too...can you tell?

This was Lakey's bwest fweind all weekend. We, of course, let him come to the wedding....

Sam's Best Men...they kind of liked me too I think







Here you go Aunt Denise...can you see the ring now?

We went with cupcakes...which was a big stretch for Jacksonville...but we LOVED it! Sea Jay and Stacie and our mom's did a great job decorating the cake table!




Our Parents Who LOVE us SO MUCH!!! We both LOVE LOVE LOVE our in laws!!!

4 Days...

I got my official name take for work the other day...it says Dana Ackland....

It made me smile HUGE! I can't believe how incredible it felt to see that and then have someone say Dana Ackland out loud. Crazy that after almost 33 years I will go to the beach, but this beach trip I will leave a COMPLETELY different person. Sam makes me a better person. In 4 days I will marry my best friend.

I have to say though that through the crazy story that we seem to have written there have been some surprising moments along the way. It has been so fun to share our story, the ups and the downs. One of the ups this week has been realizing how great old friends are. My best friends decided to be creative with making me feel special. Sam and I have loved the choices we have made and love our little life we are building in Jacksonville and I LOVE that I don't have to say good bye to him for a year....Yay for America letting people stay once they are married no matter what that visa says :) But the choices we made meant we are far away from our family and friends. It has made me not only adjust my dreams which at times was hard but more than that I received this incredible gift...when you let go of what you thought you wanted you often times end up getting more than you ever dreamed....

A couple of my friends organized people to send me gifts in the mail all week...so in the midst of week that seemed semi normal...go to work, come home, clean the house, do wedding things, and get ready for the weekend, I ended up feeling like I had girlfriends around all week. I never in a million years dreamed my wedding shower would be through the mail, but how cool is that? I bet there aren't very many brides that can say every day after work she got at least one piece of lingerie in the mail...and after all is said and done I will say it one more time....I will marry my best friend on the beach in 4 days....I knew I ALWAYS loved the beach but now it will be the place we will never forget.

To make a long story short....here is our little story in three pictures...

Back in NZ when I was pretending I had no interest in Sam at all...I am pretty sure this day I told him I was going to America, going to break his heart, and there would NEVER be anything between us, other than a sweet little fling in NZ....we see how that turned out...


The night we got engaged at our favorite beach...that ended up being the beach we live right next to...Who knew? Florida, Engaged, Married....I am so glad my man moved us to Florida...it was the best decision we ever made!


Last week at the beach....about one week left until we are married in this picture and I couldn't be more happy...Our story is different and at times our story has been nothing either of us ever expected, but it is the story that is who we are and we couldn't be happier!!


Thanks for supporting us and loving us and encouraging us...I am not sure how much I will be able to blog, but I PROMISE there will be pictures up from that day...

The next time you see me I will be Mrs. Dana Ackland....the happiest women in the world.

A Day At The Beach

After dinner tonight we decided to go for a walk on the beach. Life has been crazy hours, crazy learning, crazy fun, but some days just plain crazy. Tonight I got off a little earlier than normal and we were able to have a yummy dinner before 8pm. Which in my life has been a feat the last few weeks. Then we decided to head to the beach for a little walk on the beach.

Life has seem to find a rhythm to it I think. There are still moments I am not sure what end is up in our lives, but I have really enjoyed all that was in this season of life. As we were walking just chatting on the beach I just stopped...I couldn't believe that we live by this beautiful beach that we could just walk down after dinner and enjoy. There is just something about the waves and the sound and the calmness of the ocean. Life is always just a little better at the beach. There are times when the beach helps you sort life out and others where the beach helps you plan your life. I think every significant moment for me and Sam has been at the beach...there is just something magical about it for us.

In 12 days, on a beach in our quiet little beach town I will become Mrs. Ackland...who would have ever thought? I can promise you this, at this time last year I was under no circumstance even thinking my life would look anywhere close to what it does...really? Florida. In love with my best friend. About to get married on the beach. Not in a million years did I guess this.

But....I am so glad that this has been my life...at times it has seemed like a movie, but really at the end of the day I want to live a life that is full of adventure and excitement and love. Isn't that why we go to the movies in the first place? To see other people do that? I can't believe this is the life I get to lead. As much as I have seen my faith seem so scarce when so many things weren't coming together, I am so glad that God's faith in humanity and God's faithfulness never once wavered. To live your dreams....a job where I can love people, use my talents and enjoy it so much I forget I am going to work....a best friend that has turned into the love of my life, and in 12 days will become my husband....life just doesn't get much better than this...

Laundry

So many things make me smile these days...

But laundry is the one that made me smile the most yesterday. It's been over 5 years since I had a washer and a dryer in my house, to pull warm clothes out and sit on the floor folding clothes as Sam and I watched Friends on DVD yesterday just made me smile.

There are so many other things that make me smile these days as well....

Spending the day at the beach, watching Friends with Sam, hearing from friends on the phone, feeling energized by my new job, reading an email from a friend that just makes me remember how lucky I am to have the friends I do, Wednesdays, playing with Jensen kids, thinking of getting married barefoot on the beach in 21 days...

I will become Mrs. Ackland in 21 days in a small sweet beach wedding and next summer we will have a wedding that will include all our friends and family at a beach in CA. I thought it was time to announce the next piece to our fun and out of a book life we seem to be leading these days. We will be married on June 8th, before Sam's visa is up and instead of rushing to plan a wedding where so many important people couldn't attend, we decided to get married in Florida then plan the "wedding album" wedding with all Sam's family, my brother and sister in law, our friends from New Zealand and all our friends from California. I want to get married on the pacific coast beaches...I'm a west coast girl at heart. So we will do the wedding in Cali. If you didn't know we got married out here, you wouldn't know at the wedding next summer. It will be the one me and Sam dreamed of, it won't just be a party or reception I PROMISE :) I need to catch my breath a bit after the last few months and life seems to be coming to a bit of normalcy for me...the laundry yesterday makes me feel like life is heading in a more peaceful place. Once I catch my breath we will set the official date for next summer...

But for now...barefoot on the beach with the love of my life in 3 weeks is the what is evoking the biggest smile ever!

New Seasons

New job, planning a wedding, new city, new place, searching for all new things...hair dressers, where the post office is, grocery stores, and the like....what a whirl wind.

Today I was sitting in a New Hire Training for my job and couldn't believe all the new in my life. While I have had a few melt downs, for the most part, I haven't totally lost it. I am not sure if I have grown or if the vitamins and herbs I am on, testing stuff for my new job, have really worked to keep stress low and energy high. Either way the new in my life is SO exciting, so refreshing, and even so scary sometimes...but the new is the promise of each new season. When a season ends a new one begins, I think it is the same with life, when one season of life ends a new one begins. Sometimes the newness is overwhelming, but there is something refreshing about it.

I LOVE all the new in this season. It makes me smile, makes me laugh, makes me shake my head in wonder and often times make me crazy. But I love it. We live by the beach and each night after work and on the weekend I feel like I go on vacation. I think that after my crazy 20's and even a crazier start to my 30's I am ready for a little quiet, a little slow, a little remembering what makes life so wonderful. I will never be a slow person, but I think this season has something special in store for me, a little slowing down for this moment is good for my soul. Life has been so crazy and insane that slow is what I am craving...sitting at home just being quiet sounds so refreshing. And really? Can you complain when you live at the beach?

I promise that I will put up condo pictures soon...it still is not really put together, but maybe this week and maybe not. If it doesn't get down in the speed I want it the world will NOT cease to spin. I know, who knew? There doesn't seem to be enough hours in my day, but finding my priorities and living those out is so much more important to who I am and how I will serve humanity. My other favorite part of a season is that it has an ending, and while my seasons of CRAZY busy seems to not really ending, I know that it will and a new pace of life is coming...

Though, the reality is sometimes life's seasons are like Florida summers...hot, beautiful, fun in the sun...then BAM! A huge lightening storm, massive winds, or even a hurricane. You just can't predict life, but you can roll with it and accept where you are and what you can actually offer. Here's hopin' for no hurricanes in our world any time soon :)

SNEAK PEAK AT SCHOOOL

HEy dana georgia here i am at school tring to talk to you and i am about to get caught and pretty dodgey but it's a secret between me and you . oh and mum i come and try to get on my blog while i am supost to be doing my work but it is so boring . i will try adn call you tonight.
tap tap
Georgia
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Georgia
Tapp tapp tapp love you heAPS
PS STILL SAVING TO COME AND SEE YOU
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxooooooooooooooo
PS:PS: sAY HI TO sAM xxoo

Job Searching is OFFICIALLY OVER!!!!!

After two and half weeks that seemed like 2 and 1/2 years the job search is over! The day started out a bit rough.

HORRIFIC night of sleep.
Moving company coming with ALL our stuff, with no where except storage to put it.
Rushing to an interview.
Feeling like we are in the Twilight Zone because....
The event planning company interview was a CRAZY pyramid scheme. Which sent me to a run down JC Penny's in an even more run down strip mall. (20 miles outside of Jacksonville)
Asked what we were actually doing at the event planning interview that was supposed to be observing an actual event....the answer "we sell things outside of places like JC Penny's."
My answer....."not exactly what was told to me. Thank you. Bye."
Drove home in disbelief.
Sam and me laugh because at this point, there is nothing left to do.
Go for a quick beach trip to clear our head.
Sam got a call from our friend Kimi that Sam can have a room next door to them for a steal, fully furnished!
Went to interview #2.
AMAZING INTERVIEW!!!
Got the job at a company called, Metabolic Research Center, focusing on holistically helping people get healthy.
They saw my resume last week. Interviewed me on the phone. Brought me in today. Hired me on the spot.
Great Pay. 8-5. Never in the same office all day long. Using all my strengths.
Tomorrow we can sign on one of two amazing apartments we saw in our apartment searches now that I have a job.

Bottom line: wins

Sam and I both needed wins today, and we just stared at each other in disbelief that we made it this far. We celebrated with a little Chipotle....nothing says HOORAY like Guacamole :)

The next chapter of Jacksonville will start in the next week.

You can't rush a Sunrise

One of my most favorite moments at the Mount in New Zealand was my morning jog down the beach and watching the sunrise when I was done. There was just something so peaceful about running next to the ocean, listening to music or sometimes just the crash of the waves, and timing my run each morning so that on my jog back home I could watch the sun slowly rise. At the end of my jog I would sit on the beach and watch those last few seconds when the sun pops out from the horizon and blast the sky with gorgeous light.

I was writing my mom an email today and I was telling her about our job searching, apartment searching, living with people after 9 months of doing that and just the long emotional week we have had. A lot has happened in the last week and half in our lives. SO GOOD, the best week of my life for sure, but in the midst of all the excitement comes two little words I had...waiting and change.

As I used to stumble out of my warm electric blanket bed at Ali and Uncle Neville's in NZ, and put on warm clothes to survive the cool jog down the beach I would often wonder, "what the heck am I doing?" The house was usually dark, the sky was dark, littered with stars, and the chill was biting in the air I wanted to die. But each day I would get and jog down to the beach and the minute my eyes saw the surf and my feet hit the sand there was just a calming peace. It was as if I was up before the rest of the world. I mean, there was the occasional dog walkers that scared me to death...because it was so dark on the beach you couldn't see people (or dogs) until they were right in front of you. So many times I would be lost in the peaceful moment or rehashing something in my head that I would know someone was there until it was right up on me...and in a lot of the dogs cases they did get right up on me. You can imagine how well that went over with me.

I don't know though, there was something about those quiet, still mornings. I can remember one morning hesitantly saying, "good morning God." It was as if he was the only one that was up in the world with me.

I timed my run so as I turned around down at the Mount I would began to catch the morning light peeking out above the horizon. It was a memory I knew I was making and one that I knew I would never be able to replace. I ran along, not caring how tired my legs were or how winded I was because I was mesmerized that the Sun, once again was rising. It didn't need my help, nor did it depend on my day or my mood, it just consistently rose and set each day without me. There was a peace knowing how small you are in this universe. As I ran next to a massive, uncontrollable ocean, watched the beauty of a breathtaking sunrise, in a country I wasn't even sure of the location of less than a year ago, does something to remind you of God. Whether you believe in Him or not those things colliding made him more real than he has ever been to me.

This morning as I watched Sam drive away, I walked back into the house in tears. Now the tears started because my bath and body car freshener which I love broke this morning. But I don't think it was really the cause of my tears...I think it was just the object that reminded me that it is still the dark part of morning...kind of like the dogs that used to come up on my so fast in the dark at the Mount on my runs.

I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we are supposed to be here, and this morning I think I remembered that it is just the dark of morning. We can't see yet the sunrise which will enable us to see the waves, and the sand, and the mount and the life that is before us. It is just still a little morning dark as we wait for jobs, sort out immigration, find places to live, and learn to be us in the midst of all this change. The sun is rising. It always does. It is just a late Sunrise. But this I know, once it rises it will all be worth it. And as much as I would like too...you cannot rush a sunrise. The slowness and quickness of it once it peeks out above the horizon is where its beauty is held. Patience...waiting...change....it is always hard for me, but always worth it.

Each morning as I sat and watched the sunrise I marveled at what I was seeing....so glad I got out of that warm electric blanket, endured the run and took the time to watch a sunrise.

It will be no different here, of this I am sure.

A little visual reminder of why we get up and run each day....we love each other...


A date at Daytona Beach


The smile says it all...

My fiance was saying last night....

Yep.
He asked.
I said YES!!
A thousand times YES!!!!

It was a PERFECT Dana Day yesterday!!!

We spent the day working for our friend Brad, putting 100's of flyers on door handles in neighborhoods. We were so tired and so hot, but it was in the sun, excercise, work, and being together! I sent out some more resumes and emails, then we went to the beach in the late afternoon to just relax for an hour or two.

We had SO much fun, laughing about our life, being excited about our future, wondering what the next few months will hold...we just love the beach and love being their together. We talked in the sun, played a bit in the water and just were together as we walk through this crazy adventure.

We headed over to our friends Kimi and Brad's for dinner, but I started crying about something...as you do when you are SO overly tired and emotionally drained. Sam ended up taking me to a different beach that he wanted to show me, so I could calm down a bit and feel a little more composed. We got to this beach and then we listened to a song by Dave Dobbyn, a NZ icon. The song is called Hopetoun Bridge. It is the song he used to listen to every night he would leave Ali and Uncle Neville's house in NZ where I was staying. It says, "Go get that girl and never let her go." Dave was his coach over and over while I freaked out too scared to hope that Sam was for real. He was. He is. He got me. And...He is never letting go.

After listening and looking Sam in the eye, silently assuring him that he got me and I now trust that he is never letting go.....we walked to the beach. Wheat Thins and Diet Coke in hand, because we never ate dinner, but had those in the car. Along with our Fiji towel...we were ready for a sweet night on the beach. It was a beautiful night! We still had our togs on (or in america, swimsuits :) and just needed a hoodie...it was just so great out. We walked for awhile just talking and enjoying the beach at night and each other. We found a spot and watched the waves and stars. He looked at me and said...."I have something in my pocket I want to show you."

And I did what any girl that loves her man so much would do...I burst into tears.

He got down on his knee and had me look him in the eye and said, "Will you marry me? I choose you."

I said, "A thousands times YES!"

He placed this GORGEOUS HUGE ring on my finger (he did have to ask which finger it went on :) It fit PERFECT. Which made the night even more special and perfect than it already was. See, it was his Nana's ring. (His dad's mum) His mom told me that Sam was super special to her and Sam can vividly remember her and feels so connected to her. The ring actually feels like it was made for my finger. We just looked at each other in disbelief. I asked him, "Do you think the night your Nana had her special moment that she ever in her wildest dreams thought we would be having our moment with her ring?" It is the coolest feeling to have a ring that has shared love and one that has so much history, yet is the start of a new future.

I LOVE being in my swimsuit, and LOVE the night after a long day in the sun. It is quite possibly my favorite feeling ever. To get proposed to still in my swimsuit, with a sun dress on, Sam's hoodie (that I used to always wear in NZ...purposely not taking a hoodie so I would have to wear his each night....) and sitting on our towel from Fiji...was the PERFECT DANA way to get engaged.

We are creating our future and writing our story...we couldn't have planned a better one....


(Talking to my mom!)

The middle of the story

What a week...I forget sometimes how tiring it is to not only move, but look for jobs. I LOVE newness and the excitement of seeing new places and experiencing new things, hence the life I have seemed to lead. Yet at the same time I HATE change. How do you figure that one out? I have such an intense need for it but cry my way through it.

I think at the end of the day I love a good story. The best parts of a story are often the beginning that draws you in and makes you wonder what will happen next. And the ending that ties up your moments of escape with a happy ending or leaves you thinking and so glad you experienced people and places in your mind. The middle though...sometimes it is uneventful. Needed. Informative. Even funny at times. But never quite as good as the beginning and end. I always must remind myself in moves that the middle starts soon after the beginning just gets good. This middle, or we can also call it REALITY, came quite fast this time. To look for jobs can be a long degrading process, especially since I have been on a job search since September it feels like. It isn't bad or even genuinely degrading, just wares on you. You walk in a place or send an email selling yourself only to hear...nope not now. It takes a ton of mind work to keep going for me some days. But the reason I am here makes me smile. We knew and know Jacksonville for some reason was the place to head, so I keep plugging along, reminding myself Rome wasn't built in a day (well Sam reminds me that...I sometimes think it could have been if they just worked a little harder :) think I have issues?)

I have learned so much this week and am excited to see what this adventure holds. I have pictured myself so many times being asked years down the road, "how did you and Sam get together? What was your dating experience life?" And I just smile, my mind and heart full of memories that almost seem unreal. It is easy to remember at that point that this is the "middle." A job will come, an apartment will come, life will be so busy I will wonder where time has gone, but these are memories I am trying to enjoy and take in. Sometimes it is easy, other times it is hard. That is just life. And I am learning to just let me be me and take each day.

Jacksonville is filled with SO much and so much I love discovering. There are differences for sure for this California girl, and moments I have to remind myself that I am in a brand new culture, but I think this is going to be a good place to call home for awhile. And it's by the beach...really can anything be that hard when you live by the beach? Plus, LA has made me so tough, that driving here is a breeze...their "traffic" is like driving around in LA on a Saturday or Sunday morning. Gotta love that!

Until next the installment of the midlle...

Tornado Warnings...Thunderstorms...Welcome to Florida!

OUR LAST DAY OF DRIVING!!!!



5 Days of driving, too many gas stations to count, 9 states, one near accident, and memories of a lifetime....
WE MADE IT!


We pulled into Jacksonville yesterday at 3pm, just in time to SURPRISE the twins! Sam's favorite little friends had NO idea we were coming today, they thought we would be in Florida in a week or two. We tricked them good! They got off the bus and saw a rugby ball get kicked out of their garage and they said, "they knew it was him!" It was so fun seeing them and getting to surprise them.



We also pulled into Tornado warnings and a massive thunderstorm last night! Sam and I looked at each other and just laughed...why would there not be Tornado warnings our first day in Florida!

We hung out with the Jensen family for awhile, then headed off to Mama's (Sam's grandma's) for our first look at our new home for awhile. She is SO gracious and had everything all ready for us...I took some pictures of my room so you can see where I spent my first night in Jacksonville


The room actually made me think of my Aunt Velma and Aunt Alamay so I did okay my first night in a new place.









I also, in tornado weather, went and looked at apartments and hunted for jobs today while Sam worked. It was quite ridiculous for me to be doing that but...I needed to, for my own sanity if nothing else. After living in LA apartments are so cheap, I feel like they are giving them to me! I found some great ones by the beach and by a fun shopping area. I have a job interview tomorrow and even gave my resume to one of the apt. places that was hiring...we will see.

We are glad to be in Jacksonville and excited to see what this new adventure holds...already the stories make me smile!!!