Hi everyone! I hope not all of you have given up on me. I don't have internet access very often and it's hard to think of what to say after such a long absence from Blogger.

Yesterday was the eight-month mark of Anders' and my marriage. What a blessing! I am so very happy with this man. He is everything I've ever dreamed of and more. God looked beyond what I thought I deserved and He gave me what He knew I needed.

Today Anders and his dad are going to fall some trees for a lady near our church building. Also, a group from our church is going to Adna to do some work for the family we adopted. They had been flooded out last fall and lost everything. Because I have to work today I don't get to join in either event. I am trying not to pout. I have to work especially hard because I am sleepy. I wonder if my sister is going to Adna. My parents went to take care of some business at my late grandmother's house. They went to see my brother's family, too. I haven't seen them since before Christmas. I really miss them.

Since the last sentence written, I have spent time outside brushing my horse, Ribbon. She is a 6 (or so) year old sorrel and white pinto of Arabian and Saddlebred blood. She is dainty and sweet and very pretty. She is also very sure-footed in the woods and has the most comfortable gaits I have ever experienced. Before she was given to me by my in-laws as a wedding gift, she was hardly ridden. She has a cautious disposition that constant handling on my part has slowly overcome. I have spent a lot of time earning her trust and I think she knows we belong to each other. Because she is on the bottom of the 10-horse pecking order here on the farm, I stand up for her when the other horses try to chase her around just to affirm themselves. I groom her, take her treats, and scratch her butt. I am teaching her how to lead mannerly, how to respond to what I am asking through the bit, and what it's like to have someone love her. She lets me do what she doesn't let other people do, and she hardly ever shies away from me. She lets me pick up her feet even if she is out in the field not tied to anything. She used to spook at every little thing that was different or happened suddenly, but she is much more steady now. I love my Beauty-girl, my Ribbon-horse. I can't wait until the snows melt off the high mountains so I can take her on a long ride up high. And some day, she will carry me as we go hunting for whatever we hunt on horseback. Elk, I think. I'll have to get her used to rifles going off around her, though. That still makes her nervous. In the meantime, I ride her as much as I can, both alone and with a group. I'm going to sign off now. I hope you aren't too bored. If so, why did you keep reading? Silly.

Time...

Time is interesting.
Anders and I have been married for 3 and a half weeks. It seems like it's always been that way, and yet I remember before our wedding like it was yesterday. All of the struggles, the emotions and the stresses and the way time seemed to drag and fly all at once. And the wedding itself was over so quickly I barely remember enjoying the moment. Our first kiss (ever!) was a lifetime of warm, glittery, electric velvet, but it was over in a heartbeat. Our two weeks at the coast were wonderfully long, but as soon as we were on our way home, we wondered how that time had gone by so quickly!
What is it about time? The rate of time never changes, just our perception of it and how we experience it. Will it be the same way in eternity? Will the time of heaven be the same or will it exist at all? Questions are fun to ask when I know I will never know the answer with this brain. These are questions with glorified answers understood by a glorified mind.

Hi, All!

Here I am! Things are going great for me. Anders proposed to me on March 22, 2007 and we are getting married on September 9, 2007. We are so blessed by what God keeps showing us and growing in us. We are so happy to be engaged, and yet we fight to stay content in Today. Today is all God has promised us. We have no idea if September 2007 is even on God's calendar! So we strive in His strength to trust Him in the todays He gives us. Our wedding is going to be amazing. Tim, Anders, Rebecca, and I discussed the order of the service tonight and I am so looking forward to it. It is absolutely unique and right and beautiful and I am so glad and humbled to be apart of it.
God brought us to a perfect little rental home for us 17 miles west of our home town. Great location close to the insurance office (home for lunch!!!!!), but still with plenty of privacy. And a beautiful yard. And it's so clean and wonderful. And reasonable on our budget. And cute!
Okay, enough for now. I would've updated earlier, but it took me a while to remember my password!
Love you all!

I'm still alive!!!

No excuses, lame or otherwise, will be spelled out for why I haven't been blogging. I have a life and those who also have one will understand.
Things are pretty much the same in general, but a few perks and punks have taken place since October.
I have a beautiful niece named Genevieve Lynn who was born on December 4 at 3:33 pm. You can see the pictures and read the story on my brother and sister-in-law's blogger page at www.augurfamily.blogspot.com .
My dad moved to Portland to take care of his aging mother. She fell again and is coming home from the nursing facility tomorrow.
Anders started working at his dad's office and is really enjoying it. I love visiting him at the office and seeing him all dressed up in his office clothes.
Barbara got a job at the ski area and works 5 days a week. She really loves that, especially skiing and renting for free on her days off. She has a testimony of the Lord there and I am really proud of her.
My calling as youth leader at our church is coming to a close. I think there is a family willing to take over, all that needs to be settled is when. I'm not even sure of that.
I am more in love with Anders than I ever thought possible and I see no sign of it letting up. Though not yet officially engaged, we know that marriage is what God has in store for us.
I'm going to sign off now.
I love you all and thank you for reading.

The Fingers of God

I had a good week. Thursday Anders asked me if I had had any time with the Lord that day. I hadn't. I had all the time in the world, no school, the day off work, but I just didn't. So he took me in his arms and invited me to take some time in the arms of Christ and commune with Him. I closed my eyes and pictured myself in the arms of my Abba. I smiled and thought, "But God is always stroking my hair when I'm talking to Him." A few seconds later, Anders reached up and started running his fingers through my hair as we joined each other at the throne of grace in prayer and worship. It always amazes me how God cares about the little things and uses His children to bless each other with His heart. It was the most real worship time I had had for a while. I thank you, Father, for Your tender heart, and for giving Your heart for me to Anders. Thank you that I see my heavenly Bridegroom in his eyes. Thank you for giving him what it takes to be the spiritual leader a man needs to be for his family. Thank you for the love You have given us for each other. Again, and always, may it be a dim reflection of our love for You. Like the light of the moon is just a reflection of the light of the sun. You are our sun, and we will be the moon. The light is not of us, but we will show it to the world.

I'm so embarrassed!

My car was fine-ish. The reason it stopped running was because the gas tank was empty. Two miles from the Shell station. I thought it was related to the misfiring the engine had been doing lately. The mechanic put gas in it, changed the fuel filter and told me it needed a major tune up to the tune of around $400. It runs okay and my bank accounts are about empty. Actually, it hasn't been misfiring as much as before.
I have to take off. Friends are visiting my house and I should be there.
Anders is amazing. Friday he decorated his gramma's back yard like a fairy land with candles and white Christmas lights and served me dinner that he made himself. It was so beautiful and romantic! He is a genius!!!

Yeeehaaah!

Rejoicing!!!! Anders passed both casualty tests last night! He's done studying and testing! Now he can start working and earning money so we can get married. The next 5 years are going to be sooooo hard for him as he gets going in the business, but at least he'll have me to make sure his heart is okay. I love taking care of him. He loves taking care of me. We're going to have fun spoiling each other. As soon as things are "official" I will be sure to write all about it. Right now I have to get back to direct and inverse variations. Toddles, Noodles!

Hello, friends! Things here are pretty much the same as the last time I posted. Anders and I are more in love than ever. Emily is home and has been properly hugged and taken on a horseback ride. I have started Algebra II for fall quarter. Anders is taking the last two tests necessary for insurance licensing tomorrow evening. I bought a car, but it's broke down right now. I don't really have much to say right now and I have to get to class. Have an amazing day in the grace of our Abba.

Sheesh!

Don't you just hate it when there are so many emotions and thoughts and feelings running through your brain that you don't know which one to pick out and begin with? I know I do. I'm feeling a little lonely tonight. Barbara is staying the night at home with our dogs while I'm here at Jim's with Indie. Anders went to the Dalles with his mom and Josh to visit family. Mom and Dad are in Portland until Mom comes home tomorrow. I'm feeling emotional for the reasons above and for the reason to follow. I'm getting treatments that will cure my oral herpes for good. No more outbreaks. With the treatments come massage to get the lymph system flushing out toxins. When toxins get flushed into the blood stream to be dealt with in the liver, they cause the emotions to fluctuate. So I'm cleansing; I'm tired; I miss Anders, my parents, and my sister; and those seem very good reasons to be emotional. Remember that this comes with the territory with me being the woman I was created. There are times I wish I could turn them off and just see what it feels like to be "normal". Then I hear my sister's voice in my head saying, "Normal is a dryer setting." And God asks me if He made a mistake when He wired me. I hang my head and whisper no. I am the way I am because I'm the only one who can be me. No one else can do "La-la" with Katie like I can. No one can be Dad's favorite middle child like I can. No one else can make Anders come alive like I can. No one else can say the things I do, feel things the way I do, pray like I can. No one can give God the same love I can. No, I'm not better. I'm just me. And I'm fine with that. Confusing emotions and all. I am who God meant me to be.

It's so hard!

Well, here I go again. I don't know why it's so hard for me to make myself write/type out what has gone and how I feel about it. Regular journaling is a struggle lately, too. I think it's because what I would be writing seems too precious to be written out. Like putting happenings and feelings down on paper or online would somehow cheapen the beauty of it all.
I'm not really in the mood now, but I'll give it a try.
Today Emily comes home from Turkey! I really miss her and can't wait to see her. The insides of my arms are itching for an Em hug.
Tomorrow is Anders' and my eight month courtship anniversary. We're going riding with his dad and his dad's friend up to the up-highest place around. Yeah! We were wanting to do this for my birthday, but other, Priney stuff got scheduled and we've had to postpone.
I wish I could convey to y'all how much Anders and I love each other. Unfortunately, you would probably not care, get sick, get jealous, or not fully understand. Not only that, but I myself have a hard enough time wrapping my brain around it. Yesterday he was here in the house when I came home from work. He had hidden clues to a treasure and then hidden himself. He could hear me running from room to room, absolutely giddy and laughing my head off. "I don't have time for this, I have to pee!" Then I found the marble in the sugar canister, but I couldn't find Anders anywhere! I opened every closet door, looked under the beds, behind the washer and dryer, in the woodshed, garage, everywhere! My adrenaline was pumping, expecting him to jump out at me any moment. Then I saw his wonderfully masculine shoulder behind the entertainment center!
I get a taste of heaven on earth in his embrace. He and his name go together so well. Anders is the Scandinavian form of Andrew, which means MANLY! Yup, he's my manly man. Wild, dangerous, gentle, strong in character as well as in body, submitted to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, children love him, he rides a horse like nobody's business, and he makes me feel like the most beautiful, feminine Woman on earth. What more could a girl ask for?