I will wait for you.

If you have ever worked in youth ministry, which I have for many moons now, you encounter the phenomenon known as the high school female. If you encounter high school girls, you just....really don't ever know what you are going to get. One day you are BESTIES forevs, the next she wishes she never laid eyes on you and you are either a) extremely uncool or b) ruining her life. (Insert plea to the Lord to freeze Davey Cate all together or just simply skip over pre-teen years.)


Anyhoo, one thing that is inherent not just to females in exponentially hormonal years (aka teens) but all ages is: the desire to be loved. To find the one. To be known, and pursued, cared for and treasured. At times the struggle of the female, be it highschool or otherwise, is to settle. To gratify the desires of the flesh for fear that God isn't really the best author of their lovestory.


I found something amazing. Better believe DCN and I will be sitting down to watch this during those years of, "God - are you out there? Is HE out there?" He is, and he is. My prayer today is if you are in a similar situation, that you trust the first, and wait patiently for the second.

Great Grandmas.

They are just the absolute best. Different in every way, but delightful both the same.

Mia bella Nonna - Grandma.
My dad's mom. She is spunky, full of more zest in life then you can shake a stick at, still does water aerobics religiously, and is full of PASSION - for food, family, friends, and great-grans. :) She is my Italian side through and through.
Mamaw - Momo.
My mom's mom. I just absolutely decree you are not going to find a more beautiful gentlewoman on the planet. She is well-loved and respected by any person she comes across. She and Papaw have the longest list of friends I know, and I'm convinced you won't find a more regal woman on the planet.

Love you ladies.

Josh Garrels

My bro is awesome at finding new music. This dude is ridiculous and totally worth a listen.

Man, I am so musicallish tonight.

"Zion & Babylon" - Josh Garrels from Josh Garrels on Vimeo.

Or Click here to watch him in a full window.

Mr. Vigilante.

Tonight being the Grammy's and all, I thought I needed to add another touch of music-lovers' magic.

You are welcome.



Again, you are welcome.

California Love.

Sooo inagural. First trip with de bebe. Check.

Way there? PERFECT.

Way back? A screaming wreck. Yup, we were THOSE parents. That will put some hair on your chest. For sure.

We LOVED visiting our amazing, smart, beyoutus friend D & J and their little pumpkin baby. D is a bigwig Stanford grad student. I toured the campus and just felt smarter. Even though I was pushing a baby around and people immediatley knew I didn't actually attend said University.

Some highlights:

The Dish. Great hikey walk up around the city. Was foggy as all get out, but I'm sure the views are gorgeous. :)

The Counter. Build your own burger joint. So Cool.

San Fran (can't call it anything else when you are there). Again, so foggy that Alcatraz was barely visible and pretty DERN chilly, but we loved it!

Little Davey Loo earns her first pair of wings! :)

(This was the angel flight)

Woah to the creeper in the background.

Ryan and Jill atop one of the Big Hills on the Dish hike. SOOO sunny.

I'm not kidding. These were serious hills.

Dish fam pic.

Our Stanford tour with the Stanford scholar and his trusty ipad tour guide.

The dads and their stollers. If that isn't amazing to see, I'm not sure what is. Did this really happen? Do we have KIDS?

The Boudin Bakery in San Fran. Best Sourdough I've ever had, and I hate sourdough.

Davey wanted clam chowder in a bread bowl. I said, "Pumpkin, you are too young."

Did I mention it was cold?

The Sea Lions at Pier 39.

OOOOoooh Alcatraz.

The couple that matches shoes will stay together.

Some street performers we watched. Forgive me if the angle I was shooting is a little....ahem....awkward turtle. But SO flexible!

He could balance on top of a ladder!

OH yes, the Ghirardelli Store. Beautiful building.

We love you guys! We had an amazing time!!!!

Goaly Goals.

My New Years' Goals.

Oh dear. She says with fear and trembling as she is about to post her most personal goals on the world wide web.

Here goes nothing. Hopefully me sharing a few of my goals will encourage and enable you to make and follow through with some of your own! Don't be discouraged. Even if it's February, and you have already bombed it on everything you set out to do, start over. Begin again, and don't let your fear of failing keep you from sanctification. Aside from eternal existence with Christ and abundant joy on earth, it's one of the greatest things about being a believer: You don't have to stay the same.

With that said...

My goals are divided into 5 Categories that connect with Luke 2:52 "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, favor with God and man." (NIV)

SPIRITUAL (wisdom, favor with God)

1. I'm dedicating each month to studying a different discipline. i'm following one of my favorite author's Richard Foster's Classical Disciplines in his book Celebration of Discipline.

Jan - Prayer

Feb - Fasting

Mar - Meditation

Apr - Study

May - Simplicity

June - Solitude

July - Submission

Aug - Service

Sep - Confession

Oct - Worship

Nov - Guidance

Dec - Celebration

2. I'm memorizing at least 2 verse each month. "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119:11

3. Meditate on Scripture

4. Using each day of the week to pray specifically for those in my life and those in the world.

Mon - Family

Tues - My Klife Girls

Wed - Ryan

Thursday - Work friends/the Lost/Top 10 List

Friday - World missions

Sat - My girl friends

Sun - Our community Group

5. Journal

6. Read at least 1 spiritual enrichment book per quarter

Q1 - Prayer, by Richard Foster

Q2 - The Reason for God, Tim Keller

Q3 & Q4 - Suggestions welcome.

PHYSICAL (stature)

"She girds herself with strength and makes her arms strong." Prov 31:17

1. Lose that baby weight!

2. Have a prayerful attitude about my body.

PERSONAL (wisdom, favor with man)

1. Become a doula.

2. Learn how to sew.

3. Marriage - Serve, Love, Respect, Uplift.

4. House and Home - Maintain personal to-do list. Finish baby thank you notes by March 1st. :)

5. Cultivate a life of Evangelism, even in early motherhood.

6. Be a personal, loving, and disciplined momma to one stinking cute baby.

REALTIONAL (favor with man)

1. Serve and pursue our community group and my friends.

2. Service - pursue time with my Klife girls

3. Outreach to Enrich - pursue older women in different life stages through lunches or walks to learn from their wisdom.

PROFESSIONAL (Favor with man)

1. Maintain momentum

2. Manage people and my time well.

Oh Lord. Help it not be about checking off boxes, but about growing as a woman in Christ.

2011, Here we come.

2010: The Year We Quit Talking

I actually think this had already happened before 2010, but this is a pretty insightful editorial on how technology has changed face to face social skills and interaction. This is kind of a high horse topic for me, as well as I'm sure for anyone who works with or has pre-teens and teenagers. Our bible study has even devloped a "Cell-phone bucket" that we take up cell phones during study because our cute gals are so addicted.

Take a read if you have a moment.

Working on goals for the New Year today. If I'm feeling self-disclosive, maybe I'll post them when I'm finished.

I know, I know, all 10 readers of this blog can't wait to here, "HOW WILL CALLIE BETTER HERSELF IN 2011?" Oh, I can just cut the suspense with Davey's talon-like fingernails.