here we go!

We have exciting adventures ahead. On Thursday, we drive to Chicago - we get to stay with Will and Mandii, and I get to meet Ashyface! On Friday, we fly to Florence to see Mark and Connie and Ross and Lindsay and Colton...that's Florence, Italy, by the way - I'm SO excited to hang out with the fam (especially the little nephew), and getting to do that in Florence....that's alright too.

Another big change is a new program at work that I'm very excited about. I will be traveling to California straight from getting into the US, and getting a week of training, after which I'll be traveling around a bit - up to 1-2 weeks/month. It's all very secretive, but that makes me feel like ALIAS. Poor Robert and Rufus will have to be alone a bit more than now. A side benefit to this position is being able to not have to do as much freelance video work...I can take projects more as I want them, and not feel like I always have work to do even when I'm not at work.

Also, Robert's almost a server at Schlafly - he's nearly done with his training. He was able to not work his Sunday shift anymore, which is awesome because we'll actually get to have a day together. He got me "How to cook everything vegetarian", and I'm beginning to list cooking as an interest on surveys now. This is a new life-chapter for me. In fact, I just made hot chocolate from scratch because I'm a hoss like that.

i know, i know...

You've been waiting to see 3 Megapixel pictures of all the fun we've had over the past month:


Visiting Houston to see Mark and Connie (and learning to make a pillow), with a fun dinnertime rendezvous with KTBU.


Ash and Bek time - planning for a baby shower for Bekah this summer and generally enjoying her baby pooch :)


Onto Austin to see my family (two of which came with us to find a javelina in an antique shop) - lots of delicious food, a little get together with Aunt Nell and Uncle Gary, and it was so good to see my family because it had been almost a year since our last trip to Austin.


An all-too-brief coffee date with Lynnie - and the promise of a sleepover-filled return.


To Nashville for Julie's wedding, sleepover with Cassie, and cuddling with Amelia (who is almost 6!!!!!)


Super Bowl party stuffed our house with work and school and church friends

And in the biggest news of all, I just finished the Twilight series, and have to say that I just don't get it. Sorry to all the Twilight-lovers out there, but I don't understand the draw.

recent Rufus

Here's a collection of what I believe are some recent "best of" Rufus moments. When you watch the videos, you will hear our Rufus voice - it may sound like Robert or me doing the talking, but it's really Rufus communicating through us.


Rufus and Rogue (Rogue is our upstairs neighbors' dog, and we share her, and Rufus loves her)


A slightly staged picture since I wasn't actually asleep of Rufus learning how to cuddle (and no, I'm not sucking my thumb)

Helping Dad study - sorry about the immodesty



Meeting the kitty next door #1



Meeting the kitty next door #2


Rufus has really taken a liking to Schlafly since Robert started working there.

He's actually holding the bottle in his paws here - his goal is to be better than the Budweiser dalmation.



We've talked about how obnoxious he is when we have a bottle of beer out, but for those of you who have not seen this in real life, we took a video last week. He never drools otherwise, but if you look closely, you can see him drooling over the almost-empty bottle. (Important disclaimer in case you think we are being irresponsible dog owners: we only give him a couple drops at the end of the bottle, and this is not something we do frequently - and, most importantly, he LOVES it) We've thought about not giving him any more tastes of beer - but it's just too funny. It must be something about the bottle because when we have IBC root beer, he acts the same way.

things we have done in 2009

I made a list like this once on a birthday - I think 22, and it made me feel very accomplished and exciting...of course that year included my first job out of college, getting engaged and moving to nashville. This one might not live up to that, but I think it's still going to be pretty cool.

we joined South City Church (where Robert will do his intenship in 2011)
made the longest ever roadtrip to Texas with Rufus, who did quite well
the Taskers paid us a visit, which I think was the beginning of starting to like St. Louis
year one of seminary finished!
Robert got a new job at Schlafly and quit Starbucks
more Nashville friends, Chris, Dustin, Ben & Erin, moved here, making us SO happy
I nannied for the summer and fall, quit Alpine shop, and got a full-time position at the fruitstand
our third anniversary!
Robert had a reunion with all his BFFs from college and got to meet this little muffin
(along those lines, about a million friends had babies)
I have learned to like cooking (miraculous, really)
moved to a new house that gave Rufus a playmate and gave us some amazing neighbors
weddings for Kristin & John, Brooke & Brad, Chris & Lindsey, Kristin & James, Simon & Katie
went on my first real life business trip
saw U2 FINALLY! (as well as new york friends)
had a sweet (though brief) Christmas with Robert's family + the Taskers in Nashville, and then a fun surprise to see the Shays the next day back in STL.


we are so grateful for this year - it's definitely been hard at points, but as far as being able to see God growing us closer together, closer to our comunity, and closer to Him - it's been wonderful.
we already have new adventures planned for 2010 - and I will try to get back to my blogging ways so that I can let you know about them.

we took a trip

It had been fated since I met Mary Beth in RUF/Chemistry & Society that we would go see U2 together someday, so we did. We had been planning this trip since this past winter, so it was awesome to finally go. And Robert and I have spent a collective total of 2 minutes together this whole summer and fall, so he came along for NY, but not for U2. We had loads of fun and together time, and got to meet up with Steven and Hannah (our gracious hosts) and Sharee and Syndi and Jamison and Kat. It was so much fun, and only made us want to live there more! Here's some photo highlights:Right before U2 came out - Giant stadium was crazy looking!
Pausing in Central Park...
We went to Brooklyn Brewery, and Robert was a happy hippo.
This is halfway through a guava booty bun. So good. I miss these delicious treats already!

house tour

We finally got the house in fairly good shape. Most of our boxes have gotten unpacked, and there's only a few random boxes and things we had to stash in the closet/basement before we had our first little get-together over at the new place. I can't express enough how happy we are to have such fun landlords and such a wonderful place to live. Here goes the long-awaited (at least by our parents) house tour:

Front Door...yes, I did in fact letterpress that little nameplate for us - though I almost ruined the press in the process.


Entryway...our landlord, Mike, laid all that slate the week before we moved in.

This is Rufus' room - it's a little closet-room underneath the stairs where he sleeps at night and stays when we're gone. (Think Harry Potter at the Dursleys' house)


Bathroom with awesome blue tile


Living room, it's all one color (grey), even though it looks different with lighting.



Office/Dining Room/Middle Room-still kind of a work in progress


Kitchen - as suggested by Katie Rhea, we are calling this color "Love, Love" due to its tennis ball hue.


Bedroom....and


Rufus with his new friend and roommate, Rogue, who shares a backyard, hallway, and sometimes the house with us.

we went camping!

Here's why I haven't been blogging: 3, (now actually 3 + 1 consulting) jobs + husband with 2 jobs + trying to pack for our apartment move + housesitting/dogsitting/babysitting for 3 different people....whew! We are tired. Robert's been a champ, working really hard at both jobs until he goes back to school.

Since things have been so crazy, we decided to take one night and go camping this past week.

Rufus enjoying the creek with RobertAt the top of the mountain for the first time

I took my first iPhone video....here's us on the way up the mountain the first time.

You might have noticed I said "first" which is funny, because most people climb up a mountain, then climb back down. Well, somewhere along our hike, we must have taken a wrong turn and ended up hiking the whole 10 mile trail, which took us up the mountain twice. That would have been fine, except, thinking we'd be gone for an hour instead of 5, we only took one bottle of water for us and Rufus. We were so tired, hot, and thirsty by the time we found our way back. Next time, we'll learn some lessons like look at the map before hiking, get to the campsite before dark, and bring firewood.

The upside to this was that our tent and gear were awesome, and we'll probably head back this fall now that we know a little more about what we're doing.

And big, fun goal reached in our big debt payoff. We now have no car debt! We got the official letter from the credit union yesterday along with the title in our name. So exciting, and very encouraging on our journey to get rid of all our debt ASAP!

I'll put up pics of the new place when we get moved in and painted, but it probably won't be for a couple weeks til we're settled!