i'm pissed

first off, because i'm at work and it is BEYOND freezing. my car door was frozen shut this morning. had to pull really hard to open it. ice was stuck to my windshield. had to sit in my car for 7 minutes with the defroster on so it would melt. as i got on the freeway the gas light goes on and it is now bumper to bumper. my panic increases to a psychotic mess as i'm begging Jesus that i don't run out of gas on the freeway in this freeze from hell. not sure why in texas some exits or 1/4 of a mile apart and others are 5 miles apart. oh texas, the little things you need to work on. i finally see an exit after 15 minutes in normal time of traffic, but 5 hours in "i'm freaking running on empty" time. get off...no gas stations on my side of the freeway...of course not, why would there be? ah, I see one on the other side. i flip a u-ie to get on the otherside and pull up to the shell. pull lever to open my gas door thing. rad...frozen shut. go inside to find help and finally a sweet old country gentleman helped me. fill up and get back on the freeway. completely miss my exit. awesome. and now i'm finally at work exactly where i did NOT want to be in this weather.

this weather was cold enough to cause all the calamity of my morning YET not cold enough for work to close down. i'm not a happy camper. i'm a pissy camper.

S.e.v.e.n. Dollars

If you are followers of this blog, you will know that I have a huge passion for the nations and specifically Africa. I don't know when the love brewed in me for this continent, but I believe God put it there for a purpose and I want to live my life sharing this love with others.

You don't need to go there to know that Africa has poverty and disease taking the lives of their people at a rapid rate. There are some who choose not to recognize what's going on so that they don't have to feel bad or guilted into giving money. But I truly believe there are a good handful of you who are aware of what goes on, see the injustice being done, and are broken by it. You may want to even help in some little way, but not sure how. The number of organizations out there who are dedicated to helping out Africa can be overwhelming.

There are a few that I support on a consistent basis and Mocha Club is one of my faves. Why? Because they make it so simple. $7 a month from you can...feed, educate, save, and provide. $7 a month. Is that too much to ask for to help Africa??

So I just wanted to provide an opportunity for anyone who has been looking for a way to send a little bit of money to make a HUGE difference. My friends and I have a team called Love Connects Us and if you would like to be a part of Mocha Club and join our team, you can click HERE! Teams can be made so that the money from that team goes directly to a specific cause, so our team's money goes to supporting orphans in Africa.

I want to encourage you guys with the thought that your $7 a month can do something so powerful in a nation and ultimately show love to others across the globe.

Welcome, Mr. President!

Caitlin from Cali

Thanks again for hanging with us, Caitlin! Now you've experienced radness. =)

Toured UT campus

Walked around Town Lake

Ate some P-Terry's (Almost as good as In-N-Out)

Watched the African Children's Choir (SO stinkin cute!!)

Africa

I went to Africa the summer of '07 and I haven't been the same since. There are so many amazing places in this world that are cool to visit, but Africa is one of those places that needs to be experienced by all. Not only are you overwhelmed by this vast canvas that God used to paint the land with His glory, but you will encounter beauty in the things you never knew possible. In the midst of the slums, conditions you could never fathom existed let alone inhabited by people, you will find children and women singing and dancing because they have an inexplainable joy that can't hold them still. You will have a conversation with a man who has found healing, forgiveness and love in His Savior and has turned his life around to devote himself to minister to others in broken places.

You will also look into the faces of children who have lost either one or both of their parents. You will pass by many who are infected with diseases that could have been prevented. You will encounter young women who have been brutally taken advantage of at an early age so that a man could "cure" himself of AIDS. You will see a nation living under corrupt leadership and the fear that goes along with that.

Amongst all this, these people end up teaching you more than you could ever show them. I went with the intentions to serve them in whatever way they needed and to be a blessing in some way to them. I came back overwhelmingly humbled at the hospitality these people lavished on us and I was inspired by their lives.

I say all this because I believe EVERYONE could use Africa in their lives. Mocha Club is a non-profit organization that I've supported for awhile and have fell in love with their heart for sending help to Africa where it's needed. They have trips going to Africa this year and are looking for people who have compassion and love overflowing from their hearts to join them. If interested, you can go HERE. If you have never been or are looking for who to go with, this would be the perfect organization to go with.

I'm so excited because one of my good friends, Lena, is actually going to be going on one of the trips to Africa with Mocha Club this year. I can't wait to hear how God rocks her world through this experience.

Africa is almost addicting. While I was there, I was already planning my next trip to go back. It is a life changing experience and I pray that you will each have the opportunity to "need Africa."

We are loved

I have been so encouraged by the number of our friends that have come out to visit us since we've moved to Austin. So many of our friends and family have shown their love for us just simply by buying a plane ticket and taking time out of their busy lives to come hang with us gals. Whether it be for a long weekend or a week the time we spend with them is always awesome and filled with memories. Since we've been living here, we've had peeps come from Oregon, Oklahoma, North Carolina, and Cali, and most likely by the end of the year, more peeps from Tennessee and Florida will have visited...crazy!!! I feel loved beyond words.

This weekend Caitlin came to hang with us to have some rad times in Austin. She was in youth group when we were helping out at our old church back home and it's been great to keep our friendship tight now that she's in college. Pics will be up soon of "Mariko and Jamie as Austin Tour Guides."

Visitors, past, present, and future, I want to thank you for your precious time that you take out of your busy schedule to spend with a couple crazy gals in the best town ever. Thank you for showing love!!!

Things I've realized about myself:

I love watching kids eat their food - they can make ANYTHING look yummy.

I drive big cars better than I do small cars.

I don't have a favorite color.

I need to work on my patience.

I am not meant to be at an office job for the rest of my life.

Every 3 months, practically to the day, I get an insatiable urge to get a new purse.

I put myself in other people's shoes a lot.

My pride is the hardest thing to get rid of.

I miss Japan THIS much.

community

I have been praying about going on a missions trip this year for the past several months. I was overwhelmingly excited to see that there were so many opportunities to go serve all over the world through my new church here in Austin. I thought my main problem would be to choose which one to go with.

As I have been asking God for wisdom with decisions regarding not just missions trips, but with every aspect in my life I have been sensing a theme that has continually popped up lately. Community. More specifically, the love that is shared within a community. This theme has popped up in the most random ways too; movies, sermons, family, friends, and even tough circumstances. I've been seeing the importance of community and the love that is shared among the people.

My family, in this country and in Japan, are a part of my community. My tight friends who are spread across the U.S. are my community. My friends here in Austin are a part of my community. Work peeps are a part of my community.

I have a close friend who is a great example of someone who has always placed the people in her life above all other material things and circumstances. Wherever there is a friend or loved one in need, you can guarantee she will be there in a matter of a day or 2. Whether it's being support for a friend going to a funeral or a friend who has a speaking engagement, being there for friends giving birth or going through a tough time, or just being there for the sheer giggles of it, she's always up for it. I am so encouraged by her portrayal of love to her community of family and friends and I am blessed to have her as my friend!

I have served in other countries and I know that will continue in my future. I'm drawn to go and touch the nations with God's love. But I'm realizing that I can do that right where I'm at now for the time being. I feel that the Lord has been showing me that I need to look around at my community and focus on loving them and spending time with them. I'm in a stage of life where I don't have a family of my own that I need to tend to and I want to take advantage of this time to spend time with those close to me.

What does that possibly look like for me this year? Going to CA for weddings and friends, going to Portland for a girls weekend, going to Japan to visit my grandparents, spending more time with friends here in Austin, visiting my family in NC and Florida, and just being available to my community.

God created us to be in community, to share our lives with others; the good, the bad, and the ugly. To do that, you also need to be available to the good, the bad, and the ugly in others and love on them.

So, friends, I dedicate this year to loving you with all that God's given me! Cheers to 2009!

No Mo' Joe

I haven't really made any New Year's resolution because, let's be honest, they're usually broken within the first 5 seconds of the new year. That word "resolution" sounds so definite and legit that if broken it makes you feel as though you've broken the 11th commandment which leads to depression and then you just screw it all and go back to living life before the goal setting of losing 50 lbs or consuming less alcohol or budgeting your money better. Then by the end of that year you're broke, 500 lbs and an alcoholoic. No thank you. I don't appreciate guilting myself to feel like a useless waste of space so I choose to make general "aspirations" and if I fall back on them it doesn't cause the depression-fest and I'm more apt to overcoming my moment of weakness and continue on the path of pursuing that aspiration.

So, one of my aspirations is to wean myself off of coffee...this sort of derived from my aspiration to be healthier. I've attempted this probably 5 other times before. It usually goes somewhat okay, but then I get a whiff of that creamy brewed cup of divine radness and then...me and my cup-of-Joe are BFF's again.

I am now substituting tea in the place of where my BFF Joe would fulfill my every need. So far so good...it's also only been one day. =)

So, Internet friends, I need you guys to hold me accountable to this...all 3 of you, that is. I give you permission to ask me, "Have you and Joe hung out lately?" and if I say "uhhh, yes" then I fully allow you guys to publicly berate me.

Fredericksburg, TX

Saturday we decided to drive down and explore the cute little German town of Fredericksburg. I loved the old architecture and cute boutique shops all along the main street of downtown. Besides it being -22 degrees with 80 mph winds, we had a great time strolling around, feeling as though we were apart of a small town with quaint shops filled with southern hospitality.

Thank you, Fredericksburg...

Wife Making

During her visit with us, Lisa wanted to make us a home cooked meal as practice for her new role as wife come May. Heck yes! I'm always down for people wanting to cook for me!

The menu:
Mal's special chicken
corn on the cob
mashed potatoes

And what better to top of a yummy meal than a yummy dessert.And, yes, this is a delicious confetti cake in the shape of Texas. Now, I know what you may be thinking, and the question shouldn't be why do we have a cake pan in the shape of Texas, but the more important question is, why does a cake pan in the shape of Texas exist?? (Oh, and if any of you have seen one of these puppies in the shape of the great state California, please let me know. I'm all over that!!)

Great meal, Chones! And let this also be an opportunity for me to volunteer myself for any of you who are to be future wives and would like to practice your cooking skills...I would love to help with that. =)

I just can't handle it

I sat in the chair as the tears streamed down my cheeks, down my neck and soaked the collar of my shirt. I gripped 4 tissues in my right hand while using my left hand to dry my neck with my jacket. My body is heaving from repetitive mini convulsions of sobs. What caused all this??

...and this is what I looked like this morning: (and, no, my eyes are NOT normally that puffy)

I've come to the conclusion that I handle human deaths way better than I handle pet deaths.

Lonies is in Town!!!

Lisa (Jamie's sister) came into town last night and is staying with us for a week. I've known Lisa probably as long as I've known Jamie and she's grown to become a great friend of mine. She truly has a giving spirit and beauty that shines from the inside out. I'm so happy she's decided to vaca with us and I'm excited for some rad girl times with her as she prepares to tie the knot of wedded bliss this May!

Tonight, we ate at Mongolian Grille in Round Rock. Can we say Scrumptious with a capital SCRUMP! I think I ate my body weight in beef, but it was so stinkin worth it.

After we attempted to walk off our dinner while doing some shopping we came home and watched, my new fave show, Jon & Kate Plus 8. I have never seen a more adorable family in my life! I mean, just look at them...

Pee-Ewwww

As I arrived in the parking lot of work this morning I saw for the first time in my life a real-live skunk! Well, I've seen skunk carcasses and sure as hey smelt them before, but never seen one alive and skuttling around. It ran across the front of the building into the bushes where I believe it will gather it's munchkins there and put them to bed.

Skunks are actually cute little fuzzy suckers that have kind of a snuggly appeal to them, but I won't attempt to capture one as a pet for my own...and apparently according to this picture, it's possible!