Summer Recap

The Guddats at Riverside Youth Conference 2009

Well a lot has happened in the last months so I will just lay it all out:

• Our summer basically got off to a really fun start when my best friend Kathy and her husband Dave came to visit us for Memorial Day weekend. We had a great time together which involved seeing Tahoe, Virginia City, getting awesome Basque food and them teaching us how to mix a mean margarita. Kathy and I have been friends since 9th grade and what makes our friendship so special is that there is no pretense. If we don't talk for weeks or months at a time we fall right back into place.
  
• June was busy. My childhood friend Case came to visit (he grew up on the dairy next door to my dad's dairy). Our good friend Dave married a lovely lady named Tiffanie. Dave's family was able to stay with us during the week and the next day after the wedding we headed down south for the Riverside Youth Conference. For those of you in the know, Eric and I met in 2007 through this event when we were both chaperones. This year we had 35 kids attend from Grace Community! Now that is quite awesome. It was a bit interesting getting the caravan down there but I think DH did a great job executing all the plans, details and cracking the whip (kidding with the last part). Stephen Gambill from Nashville, TN was the speaker and he addressed the kids on "Living Christianly in All of Life." It was pertinent and convicting to all.
• July was visitor month. We had my mom, stepdad and little bro come up 4th of July weekend. More driving around Tahoe and Virginia City with Truckee in the mix. We had a BBQ on Sunday night with Jeff, Harmony and Alicia. We utilized our fire pit a lot over the summer to make s'mores...mmmmmh. We made an incredible 36 hour trip to So Cal for our friend Cameron and Joy's wedding. Adam came with us and it was so much fun. Our friends Dave and Robyn put us up for the two nights while we were there. The wedding was a lot of fun and it was wonderful getting to see our friends down there. Later that month my dad and stepmom came up. Virginia City again, no Tahoe. We went shooting (but unfortunately not long enough). Lots of margaritas (I made sure to put that after the shooting).
  
• We started off August by hosting Newly Marrieds at our house. We had 7 couples, the food turned our great and the discussion/fellowship was really edifiying. August also means that we have been married a year and what better way to celebrate than to hang out with family? No, seriously. My brother-in-law (for lack of a more clear term, maybe I could call him my Mike-in-law?) has been working in Reno a lot lately. He is a professional navigator for trophy truck races. The company he races for sold a truck to a racing company in Reno which means he is up here during the week a lot. Reno is still too far to see him on a regular basis (especially when I work in Bridgeport). All that to say, Mike, Zabrina and the kids decided that they were gonna be here the weekend of our anniversary. Mike was up here already so my dad and stepmom drove up with all the fam. We rented a boat on Tahoe and it was a lot of fun! We also did some more shooting this time. I shot the AR for the first time and I must say that I kind of like that. The following weekend Eric had a bachelor's weekend for his buddy Brandon. He was gone camping and fishing and I hung out with some girlfriends. I played Bunko for the first time and, went to Dawn's bridal shower, exercised, watched movies and stayed up way too late. I eventually got my special date night for our anniversary which included a nice dinner at Walley's (for those that don't live around here please don't think I am talking about Walmart) and a blingy watch as a gift. The next day we went to see G.I. Joe (I know, I love my husband) because I had already seen my girly movie choice, Julie and Julia, with my friends the weekend earlier. Later we went to Firkin & Fox and watched the UFC fights.
  
• September and Labor Day weekend mean the end of summer but apparently not our busy lives. Our friends Brandon and Dawn got married Labor Day weekend and it was a great experience with very happy bride and groom. I got better acquainted with Eric's firefighting compadres and spouses or SOs which I enjoyed. Labor Day we actually labored and went woodcutting...all day. I was sore later but it felt good at the time.
• In general, Eric is busy teaching the high school/junior high age at church on Wednesay nights. He tag teams on Sunday mornings. I have started working 4-10s which is fantastic in that I get an extra free day (I am choosing Fri.) but difficult in that 10 hour days are 13 hour days with the commute. Some days go longer and when I leave at 6 something and get back at 8 it's hard physically because the drive really takes it out of me (especially the 300+ mile field days). I am blessed to have a husband who packs my lunch, makes me my protein shake, my green tea and helps get me on the road. He really shows me how he loves me everyday. I am trying to get back into exercising after my back injury which is hard but overall I am feeling better. I had an MRI and I have a disc that potentially is damaged or it might just be degenerating. I was bummed when I was told I couldn't run because that is what I love but remembering I am blessed to be able to exercise in general. Eric's shoulder is doing pretty good. He is going to be going back to the swim center for work outs since that is good for his rotator cuff.

Check out the photos from our summer plus others at the following link from our Facebook album (and if you are on there please add us!)

March Update

So the big news for March was our So Cal vacation and we really had a good time. I think the biggest thing that I am learning as a new wife is that no matter what activity I engage in with my husband, I end up having the best time if I am determined to make the most of that time with him. Case in point: Eric had been signed up for a fire arms class and as it was approaching I thought to myself, "Hey, why not do it together?" I was able to get into the same class as him and it let us spend a good chunk of the weekend together as well as allowing me to gain a greater understanding and appreciation for something my husband enjoys. I walked away from the class feeling more confident around guns. It is easy for people to feel intimidated or scared of something that they don't understand. The reality is that guns are inanimate objects and it is only when a person improperly uses one that tragedy happens. This is where education about fire arms is key. I have been so impressed lately learning how much the National Rifle Assocation (NRA) has done to reduce fire arm casualties through its Eddie Eagle school education program. I am grateful that I have the right to protect myself within my own home and to protect my family (although as it stands now I think Eric does all the protecting). For any of you who have an interest in gun ownership and might not be aware, there is currently a bill being proposed that would outlaw gun ownership by anyone who does have a valid license through a program determined by the Attorney General. This would be a huge infringement on the 2nd Amendment as only those who have been deemed criminals should be prohibited from owning fire arms. To check out the language of the bill, H.R. 45, Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009, click here.

If you look at the pics you will see that Eric still has a chicken wing. He did really well however despite being a one armed gimp!

As for other news, Eric and I have been praying for some time regarding involvement in the Youth program at our church. The gentleman who currently heads it up will be heading back to seminary in the fall. After some discussion with the elders it was decided that Eric would shadow Josh Harmon, the current Youth Program coordinator in these next months. Eric can learn Josh's curriculum and be better prepared for the transition. So we get to go to the Youth Activities, Wed. Night Service and Sunday School. All that to say, we are very excited and grateful for this opportunity. Eric and I met through the Riverside Youth Conference so it is a great joy to be able to continue this kind of ministry through our married years.