settling

No, I don’t mean settling in, or settling down. I mean settling FOR – as in, I’ve been looking for a perfect (fill in the blank), but I guess I’ll just settle for (insufficient substitute).

Like my water bottle.

For almost a month now, I’ve been on the look-out for a double-walled water bottle that I can keep in my purse (double-walled equals no condensation – yaya!). I’ve seen several wonderful options, all over $30 – mostly the aluminum or stainless steel variety. But I just couldn’t justify spending that much on a water bottle, right?

So I settled. For this bottle, found at Wal-Mart:

Nice, right? It was only about $5, double-walled, and I added this pretty little paper to the inside, just for kicks. Peachy.

Until disaster struck.

Note the contents of my purse: sopping wet cardigan, wet fan, and wet i-pod running thingy. The culprit?

Flip-open straw. Opened in my purse, spilling all of my water into said purse. No condensation, of course. However, much worse results:

No cardi to keep me warm at work, PLUS it’s stained red from this guy:

Not good. Bad things happen when we settle for substitutions rather than the thing we know will ultimately satisfy us…(enter conviction).

Hmmm, maybe I’m supposed to learn something from this? *gulp*

Abode

Well we did it – we bought a house! We’re officially old.

No really, I feel as though buying a house aged me several years. Bring on the depends.

So we bought this house:

…and some parts of it looked like this:

(PS – that’s not our furniture. Tee hee.)

…so then we did some of this:

(plus lots of painting, furniture-ing, installing, sweating, bleeding)

and now it sort of looks like this:

As you can see, we clearly have a lot more furniture-ing to do. And still some painting, and yard-ing, and things-on-wall-ing to do. But we’re open for guests, and will greet any visitors (minus the insect kind) with open arms and iced tea!

PS – PLEASE! If you have any decorating tips, I am in DESPERATE need of some decor guidance, and would LOVE to hear your ideas! Leave a comment and tell me what you think would be super cute/fun/fancy!

Louisiana

Yes, I’m in the state of Louisiana right now, awaiting the security check to open so I can enter one of the 4 gates in the tiniest airport known to man – all to travel home to the GREAT state of Texas (PTL). I have been sitting in the lobby of the subway, the only restaurant in the airport, for almost an hour and a half. Mine is the only flight leaving this evening…so basically I’ve been alone for a LONG time. What better reason to update the ol’ blog, hmm?

I realize that we (sure, I’ll include husby as a co-writer) have been remiss by ignoring our numerous blog fans (blans?) and not updating you on the things we said we would, so here we go:

1. THE RACE – we did it! Phillip ran the marathon in just over 3 hours, and I ran the half in just under 3 hours! That’s right, it took me almost the same time to run half the distance. Ashamed? No way, I have the fastest husby ever, and I’m so proud of him! It was a really fun and unique experience, as we were able to start (almost) together, and finish (almost) together, and my sweet parents were there to cheer us on. So fun! Phillip had some post-race issues with his knee, but he’s back up to 3 miles now, and continues to improve daily.

2. SOXER – I’m a little concerned today, because she woke me up several times last night trying to cough up a little hair-ball, and has not been eating the last couple of days. So we’re trying some new hair-ball goo (I know most of you have stopped reading by now, so I’ll try to get through this quickly) and are hopefull that she will return to her normal chipper self. She had been gaining weight the last month or so, which is great. We like a tubby kitty.

3. HOUSE – We’re applying for our mortgage, and looking at houses! Yay! That’s really all the news for now, but we’ll soon have a realtor, and can narrow down neighborhoods.

And then there’s number 4 – IRA. Never in my life have I seen such real-life examples of the parables than in our experiences with Ira. We’ve been learning more and more about the common phrase – give ’till it hurts. Finding out that in our experience, it hasn’t been hurting in the ways we expected, but in much more painful and personal ways: our marriage, our patience, our pride, our time…our faith. We’ve felt the hurt of unrealized expectations, lost time with one another, differing ideas, feeling like “parents” to someone my mom’s age, and feeling lost as to how to proceed. Trusting that the Lord has a purpose in our relationship with Ira is one thing, trusting that we’re following the Lord in our giving – completely different. We continue to struggle with this, and will continue to lift this to our sovereign and powerful God – please keep with us in prayer! We NEED it! Pray that God would open Ira’s heart to His word and love, and pray for us to open our mouths in faith, as well as to keep our hearts open to him without fear of rejection. *sigh* It’s been a long road, and will continue to be so. But we praise God that we’re continuing on in His strength, and that He is SO gracious to provide!

Welp, the security gate’s open. Time for all 6 passengers to board! Who doesn’t want to leave LA in a prop plane anyway?

So, what’s new?

So it’s official, Phillip and I are both registered for the San Antonio Rock N Roll Marathon (1/2 for me)! So come out and support us on November 14^th if you’re around, or (if you are not magically in San Antonio on that Sunday with nothing else to do) just send an encouraging text to me or Phillip the night before, as I’m sure we’ll need it!

In other (vastly more important) news, we have recently been given the opportunity to form a relationship with a new friend, Ira. It came as a surprise to us, but of course, not for our sovereign and good God. We’ve been going through the Fall campaign with Christ Chapel, which focuses on using the “detours” in our lives to bring glory to God through sacrificial giving. So when we were presented with one of these very obvious “detours”, it was clear that as an act of obedience we would open our hearts and resources to invite this man into our life.

As a social worker, I tend to find little ways to let my pride take over in moments like these by assuming that I can anticipate needs and focus on the person, not the problem, etc. However, I never quite realized how much my life smacks of this awful pride, and how odious it is not only to our heavenly Father, but I’m sure to those around me. I found myself thinking the very things I (pridefully) judge other people for thinking, and then try to justify them with inapplicable Christian-friendly terms, like “stewardship” and “wisdom-based giving”, which for me, is only a feeble attempt to justify wanting to control the way I give. I don’t even really think I can call that giving, so much as allotting. Either way, let’s be honest, it sucks. And my motives for giving? Let’s see…”the more we give, the better we’ll feel”…”if we keep giving, he’ll keep needing us”…”I can check this whole generosity thing off my to-do list”…”people will think we’re so awesome”…sucks…stupid…legalistic…prideful…yep, my motives are COMPLETELY offensive!

So I tell my heart, “C’mon heart! Let’s try that again”, “for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own free will, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints” (2 Cor 8:2-4). Hmm, when was the last time I begged to give? Do I see giving as a favor God has granted me? Have I ever given beyond my means? What are my true motives showing me about how I view grace?

The point is, no matter how I try to look at it, our new friendship is teaching me so much more about my prideful and arrogant heart and the goodness of the grace we receive daily than I could have ever anticipated. It’s changing the way I pray, give, receive, ask, budget, think…you name it, God’s changing it! He’s taking my selfish heart and molding it, helping me see Ira and his family with His eyes, rather than mine. And, seeing my sweet husband in a new light as well – what a generous and strong man He’s given me!

So, why write about this?

-First, you guys GOTTA pray! For Ira, his health, his wife’s health, their hearts to be drawn to the sweetness of Christ. For me, that God will continue to break my selfishness and pride more every day. For Phillip, that God will continue to give him wisdom as he leads us.

-Second, a great way to fight this pride is to shine light on it. So, I’m shedding some light by confessing my pride and desire to control what is (rightly) God’s to you all, whoever you may be. And by asking you to occasionally ask me how my how my heart is doing, however cheesy that may sound.

-I don’t really have a third, but I think having 3 points justifies bullet points, just having two does not.

At any rate, that’s what’s new with us. Join us in praying, por favor.

Love and kittens,

Camille

An Exciting Announcement!

No, we’re not pregnant, first of all. But our announcement is exciting all the same. For the first time in our life together, Phillip and I are running the same race! This is not an actual photo of us, but we’ll look something like this while running together:

You know, minus the beach and bathingsuits. But we’ll for sure be, like, 2 feet off the ground in most of our strides.

Actually, Phillip is running a full marathon (his second) and I’ll be running the half (my third) in San Antonio on November 14. And, as many of you know, Phillip is super fast, and I am quite slow. So, chances are there will be little to no hand-holding. At any rate, if any of you want to come and do this:

…or this:

…you should! Some of our dear friends and family have come to support us in the past (shout out to Mom, Cheryl, Faith, Kerby, and Katie) and usually have a good time.

In the next couple of months, we’ll both be training. Lots. So if we look tired, hot, sweaty, or red-faced, give us a smile, a cup of water, and a hearty “way to go, various spouse in the Adams’ family!”

Or, just hand us a towel.

Being Married For A Year

I have been married to a beautiful woman for a little more than a year now, and I must say, it hasn’t been what I expected. There have been many frustrating arguments and hard compromises, but all this has contributed to me growing to be a better person more in the last year than I have in my entire life. I have only God to thank for seeing to the unbelievable task of making sure that I ended up with Camille, who has sparked the drive in me for this incredible growth. Glory and praise to Him.

I have to say (this is Camille now, btw) that marriage is also not what I expected. Being married to Phillip for a year has taught me several things. Since I like to make lists, that is how I will commence organizing my thoughts:

1. I am completely selfish

2. I am often lazy

3. I’m kind of a wuss

4. God is completely and utterly sovereign and good

5. Nothing has ever been as beautiful to me as the forgiveness and mercy I receive from the Lord on a daily basis.

While I am learning and growing daily, I have a long way to go on this road to becoming a Godly wife. Good thing I’ve got great company!

Puerto Rico!

So, since I have a husband that has amazing vacation time (thank you, public school system), and since we started a new timesheet that logs our vacation hours per time period, we’re taking a trip over spring break – to Puerto Rico! We’re (mostly me) SUPER pumped, and can’t wait to soak up some culture, sun, sleep, and salt-water! On the docket for this trip: rain forest tour, snorkeling, fishing, and black-jack. That’s right, our hotel has a casino, much to Phillip’s delight. Apparently, I’m going to learn how to play poker as well, as Phillip thinks I would make a great poker-player. I’m obviously lacking in gambling lingo, as I can’t even think of another term for “poker player”, how dull!

At any rate, we’re getting ready for this trip, and another trip in the summer for Jen’s wedding – Seattle, here we come! I’m so glad that we get to see the Pacific Northwest in the summer! I think maybe we’re just ready for something green and warm – winter has been so long this year! Hmmm…warm, water, reminds me of a time not too long ago…

I thought about saying something cliched right here like, hey, Phillip here, but it will be oh so obvious that Camille isn’t writing anymore because, frankly, I stink at writing.  I am starting my masters right now and I am having to deal with the writing assignments the best that I can.  Thankfully I have someone right here that can do the writing for me…I mean help me.  Whoops.

Puerto Rico is going to be awesome.  Vitamin D here I come, and lots of it.  New place, new culture, new people and new experiences equals a great time.  Plus, my wife will be there and she is always a good time.  Take it from me, woo hoo.  Oww oww.

Not to disapoint, I will end with another cliche… OVER AND OUT.

Children

Camille and I are by no means thinking of having children at this point in our marriage but that hasn’t stopped us from having ideas for baby names.  A name for a girl came to me one day as I watched a commercial for eHarmony.com one day on television.  The woman who found a husband through eHarmony was named Anne Marie and when they said her name during the commercial I thought they said her name was Emry.  Ever since then I have had an affinity for the name Emry and wouldn’t mind naming my first child by that name if it is a girl.  Camille really likes the name Ella and also Bella, I think mostly because she loves Twilight so much.  I like Ella more than Bella but I couldn’t really say why, I suppose it just has a better ring to my ears.  Neither though sounds as good as Emry to me.  So let’s put the names to a vote by our blog fans, all 3 of you guys.  Emry, Ella or Bella? What do you say?

Wedding Pictures

So I had 3 amazing, generous, and tallented friends photograph the wedding, and I am STUNNED with the results! I can’t post them all here, because that would be more a task more daunting than I wish to attempt, but I will put a few up now, and then some later, and so on. Did I mention how amazing these girls are?!?!

 

Chucks with green ribbon laces

Hottt

Groomsmen lounging

Ur-shers

Mom and I

book club bridesmaids

Sibling love

tradition

Typical

These dreams, go on when I close my eyes….

Why we are NOT lame

I started feeling, as I created this blog, that we’ve now entered that phase of life where we send Christmas cards with our family picture on it, have a blog for people to keep up with us, start going to bed super early, eating “supper” at 5:15, and dressing our cat up in little outfits (which will never happen, fyi). I have to admit, I felt a bit lame.

But then I remembered that we are NOT lame, we eat really late at night sometimes, and we have yet to have Christmas cards printed. That, and Soxer remains arrayed in her glorious, God-given coat of soft fur and nothing else. So I thought our first entry might be a defense of our not-lame-ness.

Exhibit A: You probably can’t see the tiny picture in your tab, but it’s awesome. This picture was taken as we recently attended my fourth and Phillip’s first ComicCon, a cesspool of new comics, graphic novels, famous stars of some of the best television shows (yes, F-Troop was really that good), and the pinnacle of awesomeness: Star Wars memorabilia. If anything can convince you of our not being lame, it’s the fact that we love Star Wars (Phillip actually prefers Star Trek, but he claims not to be a Trekkie) and are not afraid to show it.

Well, I can only really think of an exhibit A for now. Maybe I’ll let Phillip present exhibit B. He’s WAY more not-lame than me.