It's really happening

So we are down to less than 2 weeks before we leave LA. There certainly are a lot of mixed emotions right now. We are very excited to begin a new adventure in London for a year, but are really sad to be leaving all our friends behind. I don't know what I will do without my weekly hang outs with Kimberly or my car rides to dance with Katie :( We are just going to have to skype a lot!

We are done packing everything in the house to put in storage on April 7th, except for a few dishes we are still using, as well as pictures and curtains. After we put stuff in storage and move out, we are going to stay with the Feistel's for a few days until we head out on the 10th for Las Cruces, then Bandera, then Houston to see family before we fly out April 19th for LONDON!

I am really excited for our going away party on the 9th at the Wolfe's house! Hope everyone can make it!

Robin :)

And the packing shall commence...

Tomorrow I really need to start packing. It seems so far, but I know it is not! We will be moving to London faster than we think! Jared and I have already been dumpster diving, but still need a lot more boxes since we are putting most everything we own in storage. I don't think we have fully comprehended this undertaking. In the past, we have moved our stuff without fully boxing and packing everything up. Just taking loads of stuff over to the new place. Well, now we have to make sure everything will be safe and sound for a year...

Any suggestions?
And yes, I am going to try and give away some stuff that we don't need...does this excite me....always! Will Jared be on board? Probably not! Hehe!

:)

Ode to the Impala

So many good times were had
Even though you were born in a land that was bad
I inherited you from my kin
And drove you there and back again
You hold a special place in many hearts
Your seats have even braved many farts
Road Trips have been had
Your plush seats and Cool AC have made many glad

Although your life is not at its' end
You have to leave me in two thousand and ten
I want to tell you not to worry
Your new owners seemed in no hurry
I hope many memories will be had by them
And maybe I will see you again
Even though my sadness wants to make me holla
For one last time I have to shout "Impala, Balla"!

V-Day

Hello,

Just wanted to share about my FUN Valentine's Day! Jared and our friend Corey surprised me and his wife Kimberly to a fun night out on the town Saturday. It was nice to share valentine's with some of our best friends!

First, they took us to The Standard roof top bar! It was gorgeous! There was a pool and bar on the roof of a hotel in downtown LA. We got to watch the sunset. Next, we walked to The Nickel Diner where we had delicious Mac and Cheese, a bacon and avocado burger, and to finish it off, red velvet cake! YUM! Everyone needs to go try this restaurant! Then we went to another bar where there was only a giant black door with a Lion Knocker on the outside. It felt like we needed to give the secret knock before entering!

Thanks guys for a wonderful surprise valentine's! It was wonderful!

Books

I never used to like reading. I was the student who always used spark notes or cliffs notes. I hated sitting down and taking the time to read...anything, really. I think I was always more of a hands on person (playing sports, playing outside with the neighbors, playing flute and piano). I was never the kid who got lost for hours in a good book.

But, somewhere in the last 2 years, something has changed. I think with my new found pursuit of being more calm, patient, and relaxed, I realized that I do have time for books. That I even like books. I used to tell myself that if I had time to read, I should be practicing the flute. Now, I can schedule time to read in to my day. Maybe I do have more time now, which definitely helps!

After I realized I have the time, I started reading all non-fiction. This still has to do with a part of my personality that needs to be productive. That non-fiction books have something to offer that improve my life in some way. I really like statistics and true stories. In this way, I am still not the kid who gets "lost" in books, but I do get "hooked" on books now, and can't put them down.

Some titles I have finished in the last 2 years that I have loved include:
"Crazy Love" and "Forgotten God " by Francis Chan, "Master your Metabolism" by Jillian Michaels, "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" by Donald Miller, "The Great Divorce", and "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis.

Books I have started and quit because they were too tough to get through:
"Pride and Prejudice", Seeing Through New Eyes: Counseling and the Human Condition", and "The Shack."

Titles I am currently reading:
"Counterfeit Gods" by Tim Keller, and "A Grief Observed" by C.S. Lewis.

Let me know what you are reading!

And P.S.:
I am even thinking of starting a book club with my friend Katie! I have come so far!

LaPhil + this weekend

This past Saturday Jared and I got to go tot he LaPhil for free! I entered a contest and won two tickets to the concert as well as champagne/wine at intermission, and a tour of the hall after the concert. The best part was the tour after the concert. We got to walk around backstage, and the best part was getting to walk on stage after everyone had left. A quiet concert hall with us on the stage. Very cool. The Disney Hall is so intimate. On stage the audience surrounds you. Our tickets were on the side one level up from the stage...right on top of the second violins! Anyway, if you haven't checked out the hall yet, you should! I have been 4 times since I moved here, and am dying to back soon!

Tomorrow night I get to go to a reading of a few chapters of my friends' unpublished book. She is an actress and it is all about her time in the industry as a Christian. I am really excited to hear it! Also, I get to go to a really cool art show/concert Saturday with another friend! There is never a lack of fun things going on here! That's why I love it so much!

<3

So many documentaries

I have been home sick for the past few days, and I have watched a few really great documentary films in which I highly recommend to you. This is my reaction to being home and not being able to do anything. I might as well watch something educational, right? This is a tragic curse to my personality. I always try to fight it, but somehow I always seem to find a way to make productive use out of my time.

The first film I watched was The Business of Being Born. It follows women who are giving birth at home as well as in the hospital, and how some hospitals have a system for getting patients in and out, regardless of whether they want to take their time through labor. Very eye opening!

I also watched Maxed Out, a documentary about credit card companies in America. This one was a lot more frustrating than the first one I watched because this has effected so many people in a negative way. Just watch it and see what I mean.

Third, I watched Ballerina, a documentary following three Russian ballerinas. This was interesting in its' own light. I saw a lot of parallels in my own flute journey in these young ballerinas. They are always striving for more perfection. Even the one who was traveling to perform with all of the major ballet companies in Europe and America. I highly recomend this one, too!

Lastly, I watched Food, Inc. This one was very disturbing! I guess I am glad I switched to eating all natural foods before I watched this movie, or else I would have been freaking out more than I was! Anyway, watch it and let me know what you think! All of these films, to a certain extent, left me disturbed by the corruptness/selfishness of people in the world. No matter how much we try to reform all of these broken/corrupt systems, the fact remains that Jesus' return will be the only thing that truly redeems everything on this earth.

I found all of these on Netflix Instant/Streaming, so most of you should be able to watch them and let me know what you think!

-R