Spring has Sprung

Fresno has a short spring. A VERY short spring. I'm talking a few weeks. Fresno has two seasons, gray skies and summer (and summer is the longest).  But since it's spring, we are SOAKING it up.  Cool mornings and cool evenings followed by sunny afternoons make Fresno, well, tolerable.  In celebration of the wonderful weather, we've been eating dinner every night on the back porch.  Our backyard has a wonderful covered patio, and we've set up the tiki torches from our wedding.  We've really been enjoying the cool breeze and wonderful conversation as we enjoy a beer at sunset. Here's some pictures of our backyard adventures.  Notice our high quality patio furniture - a card table (thanks Justine for the wedding gift), and camping chairs.  Got to love being poor newly-weds! Maybe one day we'll get real patio furniture =)

Honey-do List

So, it's spring break and we have been enjoying the relaxation.  Casual breakfasts, running errands together, walks in the park at night.....ahhhh, it's been wonderful.  Spring break has also been a time to catch up on house projects.

Dave, in his wonderful bachelor ways, decided to take the closet doors off of his closet before we were married because it annoyed him that he had to open a door to access his clothes.  The doors were stored in the garage until the bugs got to them.  So, we have been without closet doors, forced to look at our clothes while laying in bed.  We finally we able to get some new doors, I painted them and they were ready to hang.  Dave, still not excited about having closet doors, installed them yesterday!  Yippee, now I don't have to be embarrassed showing off our room anymore, fearing that guests will see our dirty underwear =)

Skiing? No. Snowshoeing? Kind of. Maybe we'll just take silly photos.

On Sunday, Dave and I were pumped and ready to ski. We try and take advantage of the weekends we are home and get up into the mountains. So, we had 2 lift tickets we had won from his school's silent auction. We packed the bags the night before, I rented skis, we set the alarm, and hit the sack. Dave was overly giddy with excitement (not a big surprise). As the alarm went off the next morning, we sprung out of bed, put on our gear, and were just about ready to walk out the door when Dave walked in the room with the BIGGEST look of disapointment on his face. He held up the ticket we had won that read, "Valid Monday through Friday." We were so bummed. Seeing the sadness on his face, I encouraged him to see if we can't work a deal with the ski resort. We called, and they denied our request. We had our snow gear all packed up and lunches made, why not go snow shoeing?

We set out for Kings Canyon. We both really love Kings Canyon over Yosemite simply due to the lack of crowds. The last time when went up to Yosemite we crossed paths with at least 50 people, not to mention the screaming kids and il-prepared teenagers complaining about wet clothes. Needless to say, it didn't feel like we really, "got away." With our luck, Kings Canyon would be quiet and peaceful - and it was.

We started out on our trek when I quickly became aware that my body wasn't happy I was there. My stomach cramped up and nausea overwhelmed me. It ended up being a VERY short snow shoe adventure, but we redeemed the time by taking some silly photos and enjoying each other's company.

Oh Sierra Summit Ski Resort, we'll be back for you next time!

Homelessness and Isaiah 61:1

This issue of homelessness and poverty has struck me in the last few months throughout my quiet times. It doesn't help that every time I go to the grocery store I hear a rap tap tap on my car window from a homeless person begging for money, or on almost every intersection there are beggars with signs asking for help. Fresno actually has the highest homeless rate in California, and the fourth largest in the nation. This issue has always bothered me, and my heart began to wrestle with God over what my responsibility was regarding this issue. Jesus says in the gospels that the poor will always be with you, but he also encourages the rich man to sell everything he owns to give to the poor. I was still caught in the middle of where or how much do I give? In talking with a local homeless shelter employee, I found out that there are various levels of homelessness, and some actually make quite a good living while begging. Others truly are at their wits ends and have hit hard times. Through the conversation, I also found that there are lots of resources in the city that can help and provide proper aid. I myself could be putting Dave and I in danger if I were to invite someone into our home, but a shelter could provide the assistance I could not. After much prayer and wrestling with God, an idea emerged. This idea, I truly believe, came not from me, but through my prayers by hearing God's voice. I would buy a Costco-sized box of granola bars, print out copies of all the homeless resources in Fresno, rubber band them to the granola bars, and give them out every time I encountered a homeless person. This feels right. I am helping to satisfy a physical need (hunger), while assisting with a deeper need (homelessness). Dave thought it was a brilliant idea as well, so here are some pictures of us preparing the granola bars. Praise God that he helps us wrestle through the issues of daily life such as poverty in our own cities. We don't have to travel around the world to make a difference.

The joys of having a dog

We have been having so much fun with Oliver. He has brought a lot of joy to our home and definitely keeps us entertained with his curious and playful personality. Here is Oliver attacking Dave while I was trying to give him a back massage on the floor. Then, Oliver took an interest in our beverages.