New beginnings

Here it is, my new job. It's not really down for maintenace. That was the only icon I could find. As of last week I am an employee of the best Italian Restaurant in Spokane, and I'm not even kidding. I am blessed to have a job. I am hosting by the way. It is a bit different from teaching, okay tons different than teaching, but I am still working with people and I am enjoying it so far. Other than that my life has consisted of wedding planning, church, pre-marital counseling, bible study and trying to find time to see Grayden. I went from having too much time to having not enough. It's all good though. I have been incredibly blessed since I have been back, being able to go to church again and hang out with friends who are in the same place in life as I am. I still have those days when I miss my friends in Japan terribly, but I know I'll be back there. Oh...and for all you who are wondering, we have set the date to March 24th for the wedding. Only 5 months away! Craziness. I found a dress I like, so hopefully it's in the budget. Oh, and winter is here..it snowed a bit last night. I know, unbelievable.

And she said "Yes!"

The day you've all been waiting for, okay, maybe it's the day I've been waiting for, has finally arrived...It's official-I'm engaged! Here's the story:

Every day this past week Grayden had been surprising me with a rose. Each rose was a different color and each had a note of what that color meant and how that applied to me. Let's see, there was white (humility), yellow (friendship), peach (admiration), red (beauty), pink (grace, joy), and purple (youth, new beginning). Yesterday we headed out to have a picnic at this lake that is next to the highway right as you drive into Spokane. I've always wanted to try to find out how to get there. So, after driving all around the outskirts of Spokane and spotting many other lakes, we finally found the one I had been looking for. So, we parked by the side and had a picnic in the back of his truck (do we sound southern?) Then, when we were finished he said he had another rose for me and asked me to close my eyes. Then he gave me the rose, with a card and inside the card was a ring tied by ribbon. So, he got on his knee and asked me to marry him. And of course I said, "YES!!!"
That's the story. I'm SO excited!!!



The roses
(were the best ever!)



us at Granite (re-named "Grayden and Shiona") lake




the ring
(also the best ever!)


In case you want to feel like you were there too :)

Fall is here!

The trees are changing color and falling and now when I get up in the morning, I need a sweater. It's official-fall is here. If I were in Japan I would be going to Kyoto and taking pictures of the beautiful Japanese maples, preparing for my school's Culture Festival and enjoying weather free from sweat and humidity. But, since I am
not in Japan (sniff sniff) I have gone back to my Spokane fall traditions and traveled to Greenbluff this weekend. Greenbluff is one of my favorite places in Spokane and it is made up of over 20 orchards. It's a fun place to pick apples, pumpkins, drink cider, go through a corn maze and just enjoy the weather. I went with my sister and her husband, Grayden and my friend Emika.


Chelsea and Fernando in the pumpkin patch


Fernando climbing the tree to get the best apple
NOTE: climbing trees was on the list of things not to do in the orchard


two cute sisters


Emika and I


Me posing (as usual) and Grayden looking skeptically at the brown, half-eaten apple Fernando had just handed him to pose with.

And, what can top off a party better than a Colossus pizza!