I've Got a Green Thumb!

I just wanted to take a moment to announce I have discovered I possess a green thumb! Yes, I know that many of you doubted this fact, as did I. But, recent events have lead me to believe that perhaps I can keep plants alive more than a few days. I have listed the evidence below.

Here is my favorite - a beautiful purple orchid, that has stayed alive for six weeks - 3 of which I was out of town for - I'm not sure if this is a proof of my gardening capabilities or that plants live longer when I leave them alone....I'll leave you to decide.

Proof #2: A second orchid, this one admittedly is having a rougher time than orchid #1 - but alive nonetheless.

My window garden, newly purchased - and still waiting to be taken out of the pots and planted in the window box. The flowers do wonders to cheer up the front of our house - they make me smile every time I come home!

I finally found some lavender plants - you could not imagine how hard it was to find them. I searched several different stores, many of which I had seen plants in only days earlier. Success at last - and now I get to enjoy the beautiful aroma of lavender wafting through my bedroom window!

This is not exactly proof of a green thumb on my part, it is just a cute watering can I purchased at the hight of my gardening-frenzy. Isn't it adorable? It makes watering so much more enjoyable!

And finally, the beginnings of a cactus garden. Every California home needs its own cactus - and I am faithfully cultivating mine. I've planted a couple of seeds per teeny-tiny pot, and placed them in a greenhouse/incubator on my kitchen windowsill. And today, what did I see, but a couple of green little shoots emerging from the soil - It is an exciting day indeed!

My Wonderful Husband

Saturday I had some serious baking to do....4 dozen cupcakes by the next morning. But, as the day progressed the cupcakes hadn't magically cooked themselves, and I had to go out - and didn't make it back till 11pm. As I was pulling into the driveway I was trying to calculate how long 4 dozen cupcakes would take to bake with only one cupcake tin.... I was ready for a late night.

But, as I walked into my house a wonderful aroma met me at the front door. The sweet smell of freshly baked goods. My wonderful husband had baked 4 dozen cupcakes while I was out - which I didn't even ask OR hint for. Now, part of the reason this is so amazing is the fact that Vince doesn't bake - I didn't even know he knew HOW to bake! When I asked him how he figured out how to make them, he replied, "You just follow the instructions on the box - it's really not that difficult." I underestimated his talent! Here's to a wonderful man who didn't want his wife to have to stay up late slaving over an oven.

Home

Vince and I made it back home to San Diego from my brother Joel and Emily's wedding in Oregon. It is so nice to be able to say that - "back home!"

We have been so blessed, we live in one of the most beautiful cities in the country, and we have a wonderful home to call our own! I have loved San Diego for years, and had the chance to intern at a church down here for a year after I graduated from college. When Vince and I were married I moved out of the area but my heart belonged in San Diego. I could never have guessed what God had planned, and 3 years after I first moved to San Diego, I moved back - this time with an amazing husband by my side.

Vince and I moved to SD in June of this year to be the Youth and Young Adults Pastors at Faith Community Foursquare Church. This is the same church that I had the opportunity to intern with back in 2006. The church has been wonderful in welcoming us and making us feel right at home. We get to work with amazing kids from jr high all the way through college, we couldn't imagine a better job!

We moved into a great home at the end of June, in a neighborhood called Clairemont, Sand Diego. Clairemont is a pretty central location in the city limits, close enough to get to downtown or the beach within a few minutes. Our neighborhood dates back to the 50's, and has lots of families and a cute old feel. We are still working on unpacking and setting up home, a few of the rooms are still stacked with boxes. The next big project is sprucing up the outdoors, I had a good talk with Aunt Nelle at Joel's wedding about what plants I should buy. I would love to get some colorful plants on the front of the house, and then create a little garden area off of the kitchen for coffee and a newspaper in the mornings - I can't wait! As the house progresses I'll post photos.