On A [Christmas Card] Year in Review.

A virtual Christmas Card to You and Yours from Us and Ours,

What a year for us! 20bakersdoz turned out to be just as eventful as expected.

We started off 2013 by parting ways. Adam had just got a job on the Oregon Coast, and I flew back to Missouri to tie up loose ends at my job, sell most of my belongings, and move back to Oregon after over 7 years in the Midwest.

We picked out our apartment after only looking at a couple places, and Adam moved in the first of January with only a mattress given to us by friends.

Before I headed back West, I went south to Galveston for the wedding of my college and post-college roommate, Bethany. We had so much fun playing in the ocean the week leading up to their gorgeous outdoor wedding.

I got to Oregon in early April, and the next 6 weeks were full of wedding prep, pre-marital counseling, and finally having real dates with Adam. My family was amazing in helping so much with the wedding, especially since I was out of state for the majority of the time leading up to it. My sister, Janey, through me an amazing French-themed bachelorette party.

photo by Mason Photography

Finally, May 11 came and we GOT MARRIED! We went to the San Juan Islands for our honeymoon, where we could finally exhale. We also ate some great food and made tons of amazing memories, like kayaking in the ocean with the first Orcas of the season!

Photo by Katie Shroy Photography

Kayak tour by San Juan Kayak Expeditions with our awesome guides AJ and Gina.

June, July and August flew by with youth camps, FINALLY finding a new job, and exploring all around our new little town. We picked a LOT of fresh fruit and berries, and I even caught a fish! I turned 25, finishing up my 25 before 25 list.

Blueberries!

In early October, we flew out to Baltimore to visit family for Adam's dad's retirement. We had such a fun time, and I loved that I was able to see some places Adam lived and worked before he knew me.

We had a super fun Thanksgiving with friends, and are looking forward to a wonderful Christmas with family. We could not have asked for a better year to start our lives together. Happy Christmas!

On Gift Pacts and Christmas Tags.

This is our first married Christmas together, so we are having tons of fun coming up with our own traditions.

We made a gift pact, which basically goes a little like this: only buy gifts that don't hurt other people. This translates that we are trying to only buy from local artists and/or companies that are committed to treating their employees ethically. 

To make things even simpler, we decided to get each other four gifts: something you want, something you need, something you wear, something you read. 

I had so much fun choosing gifts for Adam, though I did have a moment where I semi-panicked that he wouldn't like one of his gifts. Then he sent me a direct link to that exact thing...so I guess that means he will like it. (He sent me lots of links, so maybe he won't be able to figure out what I'm talking about here...lol.)

People often complain that men are hard to shop for, but I find it to be the opposite with Adam. The problem I run into is limiting what I get him (or getting it for him before he gets it for himself!). 

I wrapped up his prezzies, and found myself in possession of zero gift tags. Luckily, I had reached the end of the wrapping paper roll...which was just thick brown paper and not a real roll. I cut little rectangles out and made my own tags. Add a sharpie and some ribbon and voila. Christmas magic.

On [the possibility of] Something New.

Because knowing you are loved feels like jumping on colorful pillows in the heart of Paris.

As far back as I can remember, I've found great peace in the solitary act of taking scissors to the pages of unwanted magazines. I find joy in the hunt for a word printed in a cool font, or a breath-taking photo on glossy paper. I find hope in the possibility of something new.

I never set out knowing what the end result will be. It's about the journey, the practice, the art. It's about waiting for the puzzles pieces I didn't know had shapes to form by way of my hands and dull scissors.

Once my fingers ache from holding the scissors a little too tight (the way we hold our dreams), I lay everything I've found out around me (it is my safe circle, like in A Little Princess).

Most of the items never get used. They are swept into the trash or a "next time" folder. The lucky few articles I want to used are layered and glued and re-cut to lose what it was and become something new. Always something new.

Today I made that collage above.

What does it feel like to know that you are fully and completely loved? It feels like jumping on colorful pillows in the heart of Paris. Let me tell you, that's how it feels.

Christmas Craftng: On Glitter and Glue Guns

Crazy news:

November 2013 (ie: last month) I had more page views than EVER before. Thanks for being faithful readers. I appreciate all your views, shares, likes, and reads. 

In other news, I went to craft night last week. I walked through the door and was actually transported to Pinterest-land. Oh, you didn't know it existed? Well, I know it does, because I went there. 

A friend of mine hosted a night for a bunch of ladies to do crafts, with stations, instructions, and materials all set up and ready to go. Everyone brought some supplies off the list to off-set the costs.

I love being creative, but "crafts" sometimes make me uneasy. However, the way this was set up was so perfect for non-crafters and seasoned-crafters alike. There were suggestions and instructions to follow if you were unsure, and there was tons of freedom to do your thing if you had another idea.

Also, there were cookies, so the kitchen was always a safe bet.

Here are my creations.

All I had to do for this one was use stencils to paint the letters. Others wrote "Merry & Bright" or "Peace on Earth" on theirs. I stole a line from my favorite Christmas song. It was Adam's brilliant idea to hang it over the coats at the entrance to our little home. We got those awesome faucet hangers on our honeymoon in the San Juan Islands.

I used glitter scrapbooking paper, the TR- section of an old encyclopedia (hence references to the TRinity and TRombones on my TRees, and burlap on my trees. I'm particularly fond of that old man that ended up on my tree (see below).

These are hymns taken from old church song books (hello, 50% off books at the thrift shop!), with a little glitter scrapbooking paper, and letters cut out in a huge font.

Have you done any crafting this Christmas? Does that question make you excited or uneasy? Would you rather eat Christmas cookies until your belly hurts than get tangled up in glue guns and glitter?

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On [a beach devoid of people under] A Cloudless Sky.

I had a mid-week day off last week, which hardly ever happens.

I sat down to write a blog, because I want to have something important to say, but nothing came. The "maybe I'll have something to say when's" tempted me, like when I have babies or when we move somewhere foreign or when our real lives start.

I remembered something Sarah Bessey wrote about writer's block recently, "that place where I’m feeling stuck and where I feel I have nothing to say – it’s usually because I have nothing that I’m living and nothing I’m experiencing and nothing I’m taking in. You can’t really write out of an empty well." I didn't have anything to say, so maybe I just needed to live.

I put on my shoes, and stopped feeling sorry for myself. I engaged in that sacred practice of lacing up sneakers.

I live in a postcard. I'm serious. People drive hundreds of miles to visit this painfully quaint little town that I have the privilege of living in. And while they don't see what I see: the drug problems, the poverty, and the lack of access to entertainment or educated people my own age, I see what they see. But I have to remember to look for it.

I got in our car and drove not 10 minutes up the road.

I put in my headphones and It is Well filled my ears, and I walked. I walked, due south, parallel to the waves on a beach devoid of people under a cloudless sky.

I noticed the subtle sinking of wet sand beneath each deliberate step. The roar of the ocean drowned everything out, but the words played crisp and clear and into my heart, where there is no escape from thoughts or beauty.

And then Spring Up, Oh Well, and for the first time that was a prophetic prayer. 

I remembered that I am a Beloved Child of God. The ocean is powerful and big, but God is oh, so much more powerful and bigger.

So, Spring Up, Oh Well for It is Well.

On [Part One of] Wedding Photos: Getting Ready.

The morning of our wedding, I woke up, took a shower and headed over to the salon. I got my hair and make-up done at Blush, which was conveniently located right next door to my venue. Adam sent me the cutest hand-written note while I was getting gussied up, which almost made me cry off all my mascara. It also made my make-up attendant giggle with delight!

After my nails, hair (including veil), and make-up were perfect, I walked next door to get my dress on. Adam and his boys were banished to their room, located next door to ours.

The boys didn't take nearly as long as the ladies to get ready. But they sure looked smashing! I had an entourage to help me get into my massive dress. Kristy and all of my bridesmaids were absolute lifesavers!

The boys wore ties from the Tie Bar, and boutonnieres from Costco, because we are classy and brilliant.

I loved my dress, but it sure required a lot of adjustments to get on! Luckily, Kristy is a master at weddings! Yay for talented family and friends!

Since I had so much help, it was seriously such a fun and relaxing morning for me. Stay tuned for our portraits, and pictures from the ceremony and reception! 

All photos by Katie Shroy Photography