14 miles above Irelynd

No, we didn't spell Irelynd wrong. That's our nieces name and this past Monday, we were only 14 miles away from her and her parents, and we didn't see any of them. Ok, we were flying over them on our way to a layover in Houston, but that is probably as close as we'll get to them for a while. Kind of sad.

On a brighter note, we got spend the past weekend in much loved (and much warmer) Phoenix. Joanna's old roomate (Shannon) got married and Taylor was the MC. We saw just a handful of all our great friends and family there, but it was great to see who we could. It feels like there's never enough time to see everyone.

We're back in Beaver Falls now. The high today is in the twenties and the ground is caked in snow, but it's home and it's good to be back.

Today, I walked home in the snow. It was beautiful.

FYI

This week so far:

*Finishing renovation on Taylor's office (Pictures coming soon)

*Beat Taylor in Basketball 12-10...and pig;)

*Learning how to whistle (yes, I'm 22 and don't know how to whistle)

*Checking my dad's blog jaylorenzen.blogspot.com, He is in Africa!

*Getting ready for the Pura Vida (the coffee we serve) representative who is coming to audit my coffee shop tomorrow....I have a few suggestions for them:)

*Went tanning in order to prepare for the wedding we are attending Saturday in Phoenix

I know you are just dying to hear how the rest of the week goes.

Raising the Bar

Within the last twenty-four hours, we have had 6 cell phone numbers, with as many as four at one time. We had to work the system in order to keep our cell phone numbers. We were successful! We spent the evening dancing around our apartment with our new phones....that's right....we can now use our cell phones anywhere in our apartment. We no longer have to kiss the window to talk on the phone. So we are determined to catch up with family and friends who we have neglected due to horrible cell phone service. Feel free to give us a call!

Tears over Furniture

I had the bold idea to redo Taylor's office as a Christmas present. Let me just paint you a picture of my experience so far.... First, a coat of an ugle mint green. Then two coats of a basil pesto green, sounds yummy huh? Then a mini breakdown as I try to arrange furniture. The fear that there is no way to fit eveything in the room that needs to fit. Remember we live in a space the size of four dorm rooms. So I decided to buy more furniture to somehow get everything to fit. Off to Ikea. Then I spent an hour putting together a bookshelf. I normally brag about my ability to assemble furniture, but I am offically humbled. I called Taylor in to help me put the last few pieces together. We thought it would be best to stand it up in order to fit the top on. BOOM! Thats right, it feel to pieces. Then came a short laugh followed by tears. So I am headed to bed, a bit furstrated. Tomorrow will involve another trip to Ikea to return now broken shelves and another attempt to put the bookshelf together. Wish us luck!

220 Multiple Choice & 1 Essay

I have never been so excited that a day is over. Saturday from 7:30am till 5:00pm, I was taking the Praxis tests. I have to take 5 tests in order to get certified in PA to teach. Apparently I will be a good teacher if I can answer a question like "what is Marie Curie famous for?" Anyone know? So I have finished three of the five tests I have to take. I will take two more in March. Thank you to everyone who said a prayer for me. It really helped. I will let you know in four weeks if I passed the tests.

Oops!

A gift from Joanna...she is redoing the office. Furniture added and rearranged, EVERYTHING reorganized, and a new paint job! I'm pretty excited. Joanna let me pick the paint color and let me say I'm thankful for second chances. This was not the color I expected it to be. Too Minty. We got new paint and I cannot wait for my colorful new office to be done!

Dog for a Day

As Joanna and I were sitting in the Student Center today, just outside one of the dining areas, we noticed something very unusual coming down the stairs along the students. Out of nowhere and with no one came this adorable and energetic little beagle. No one was around to claim it nor did it have any i.d. tags. We waited and plotted, but came up empty as to what to do with our new friend. Joanna drove around trying to find it's home, we made phone calls, but in the end we didn't want to send this young, healthy, and smart pup (she could sit, shake and heel) to the Humane Society. So......we kept her for the day:) We ran around with her, introduced her to the boys, she peed in our office and somehow, in a matter of hours, Joanna grew attached. Unfortunately, we are not allowed to have pets and as the sun began it's descent, we had to find a place to send her... We sent her to you Jody! I'm sure the boys will love her!:) Actually a student who knew our situation and lives off campus took her into his home with the hope the we will find hers. All in all, it was pretty fun to have a dog for a day

We prefer a chocolate lab though:)

DREAM BIG!

Our New Baby!

Six months, not nine, but we were proud to bring home the newest member of our family. We've been searching for a replacement for our, um, firm futon since we've been here. Today we walked into Ikea and found a great deal on a sectional. The only problem is that the corner piece is a little beat up. We are headed back to Ikea first thing in the morning to hopefully replace the misssing link.
Missing Link + Red Slip Cover: Priceless

A bag of change

While some of our family is braving it in the snowy depths of Colorado, it's warm and rainy here today. The weather has been unusual to say the least, but we are not complaining. In fact, I've been trying to do the opposite. Sometimes I forget to appreciate the little things and the blessings that I am so barried in. As I sit here writing this, there is a bag of change plopped on the coffee table in front of me. No more than $15 shimmer through the plastic. It could be used for laundry, or our starbucks fund, or even for a night of cards. It's just change. But that change could change someone's life! It seems like we all have heard the stories of how one dollar could provide water for a village or an education and medicine for a child. So many times those stories have hit my numb heart, but the more and more I dig into the truth of what's happening outside of my bubble, it seems those stories are true. A bag of change and a change of mind (at least a reminder)...We are incredibly blessed.

Back to Beaver

We returned to Western PA today. Having our full of travel, we are now unpacking knowing we pack up again in couple of weeks for an Arizona wedding. It's like we're taking after the parents' Lorenzen:). We've had a splendid Holiday season and will fill the blanks of the last week or so soon! We have been challenged to blog more as a New Year's Resolution so this one's for you Jay. Thanks to all those who made this Christmas and New Years special.

Married Christmas

WOW! It's the night of December 26th. We have been in four cities in three states in the last nine days. We have seen so many people we love and have gained so many pounds eating with them all or sipping Starbucks. Our first Christmas as husband and wife has been quite the event. On the 17th of December we flew into Phoenix, AZ where we were amazed at the extent to which we missed the valley of the sun. We stayed with a much loved family (the St. Clairs) and scheduled every hour out for the three full days we were there. Each day was 16 hours of meals and mocha shared with some of the best people on earth. It was SO good to reconnect with friends we truly know and who truly know us. Needless to say we slept well those nights.

On the 21st, we drove down to Yuma, AZ to spend time with the Sprague Family for Christmas. I worked with my dad at the store and Joanna ran errands and wrapped tons of gifts. Christmas morning came fast and as we shared gifts and laughs, Jo and I felt very blessed and spoiled. After a delicious breakfast, we quickly packed up, drove back to Phoenix, and boarded a plane to snow covered Denver, CO.

As we flew in, the sun was setting behind the majestic Rockies; peircing the clouds and brilliantly illuminating the vast. We are in Colorado Springs now. Our "Second Christmas" was an all out paper shredding. When we got to the Springs, we quickly wrapped the gifts we had for the Armstrong household and drove over to their new abode. There are a lot of people in our family anyway, but we had the five neices under 10 gracing us with their presence as well. Once the first gift was opened, the rest came quickly after. It's always special when we are all together under one roof. We spent our "Third Christmas" this morning watching the joy of a two year old as she helped pass out presents and ripped into her own. Our niece Irelynd is a precious little blond who could make a man with no teeth smile.

It has been a whirlwind, but we wouldn't trade the past week and a half for anything. We are blessed with great friends, incredible family, and especially eachother.

Humbled,

The Sprague's

A few pictures in no particular order

Movie Stars

In the middle of a historic metropolitan, a glass castle surrounds an outdoor diamond rink. The sun is bursting through an opening in the modern day fortress and the rays warm a 30 ft. Christmas Tree in the center of the ice. The Spirit of Christmas fills the people wrapped in scarves and jackets as they follow eachother around the tree.

This past Saturday, we went ice skating in the middle of Pittsburgh. We felt like we were in the middle of movie. After the ice skating, we walked past a large display of gingerbread houses on our way to a warm cup of joy from Starbucks.

I think we found our new tradition (as long as we're in Pittsburgh)

My Red Headed Scottish Friend

So she's not really Scottish, but I did go Scotland with Sarah. This past Friday, Sarah Lovell came up from WVU to hang out with Taylor and I before she started her finals this week. It was great to see her again!

Let it Snow!

I know we are from Colorado and it is nothing new, but you would have thought we had never seen snow before. We woke up to flurries the other morning. It made our day! We even tried to have a snowball fight with the little snow the hit the ground. There is just something about snow that is romantic, beautiful, and a gift from God. I'm sure we will get tired of it eventually. But right now, it lifts our spirits and gets us anxious for Christmas!

Can you post a Prayer Request on a Blog?

The semester is taking it's final stride into the finish line of Christmas Break. Students have all of their big papers and tests do in the next couple of weeks, after being teased of peace and rest for Thanksgiving. Stress is running high and patience and grace seem to be blinking their empty light. There is no story of what's going on or pictures of our latest adventure. This is just heaviness of heart asking for plentiful petition. If Joanna and I ever cross your mind in the day or for some reason you think of college or a college student; throw up a prayer for Pearce. Pray that we would all be able to finish strong. Pray that TRUE community would happen here. Pray that God be ferociously present here. Thank you.
p.s. We can't wait for Christmas Break either! :)

Snubbed by Starbucks

For the past two years, Joanna and I have had a holiday tradition in early December. Starbucks has put on Holiday Parties at each of their stores, sharing Christmas Cheer and Joy by giving free tall drinks and pastry samples. People would come from all over to enjoy the spirit Starbucks created. Apparently the Christmas Spirit is not on top of Starbucks list this year. Our tradition was cut out from under us...no free drinks! That's what Christmas is all about right? Oh well, we paid for some drinks anyways and we'll just have to start a new tradition. Merry Christmas everyone!

Just Us

We are trying to get better at updating our blog. Unfortunately we don't lead very exciting lives or have children to write about. Our Sunday consisted of sleeping in (we go to church on Thursday), being lazy around the house, cleaning house, going to church for a Christmas open house, eating out at On the Boarder (Yea Mexican Food!) and a trip to Target to buy a movie to watch tonight. So that is our exciting life. And in case you forgot what we look like, here is what we looked like today!

What a Day!

This morning, we woke up to a overcast 64 degree day. By ten it was absolutely pouring and the high reached 68. Around noon, the winds began to pick up, the sky's cleared, and Beaver Falls got hit with 50 mph gusts. Tonight, the clouds have again covered the vast, and with the wind chill, it is about 18 degrees outside. Where are we living?

On the Same Note

"I have community with others and I shall continue to have it only through Jesus Christ. The more genuine and the deeper our community becomes, the more will everything else between us recede, the more clearly and purely will Jesus Christ and his work become the one and only thing that is vital between us." Dietrich Bonhoeffer Part of our Community: Chipotle with Jon (Taylor's RA) and Kelly (Jon's girlfriend)

Bound

"God does not choose to be bound to this poeple because it serves some need God has; on the contrary, God enters into covenant relationship with Isreal as a strategy of reconciling all of creation to it's Creator." - Philip D. Kenneson, Life on the Vine
This is an excerpt from a book my class and I are going through. As I was reading it I wondered how this applied to us. As I understand it, we are supposed to be reflections of God. How then do our relationships with others (Husband/Wife, Family, Friends) reconcile creation to the Creator. No answer for now, but the mouse wheel is going.

Home Safe

After a 9 hour drive through the night, we arrived home in Beaver Falls. Only a few more weeks till we will head out again for Christmas. We loved being with family. Our nephews always make us laugh, but keep us firm on our plan to wait 5 years to have kids. I love being an aunt! Teaching the boys how to skip rocks. We are sitting in Panera Bread right now, while Wes is "working" on a paper that is due when he gets back to Boston. He leaves at 6:00am Monday morning. Good Luck Wes!

Big Sister

I was talking to a friend the other day and I made the comment, "The older I get, the faster time seems to go." Joanna and I feel so behind as time is flying past us. There are so many of you whom we have neglected to call, so many things that continue to fall down the to do list, and so much that we have failed to blog about. The dilemma is that we feel like in order to do justice to our deficient communication, we must find a large amount of time to express and share life. We are currently in Iowa spending the Thanksgiving holiday with Joanna's sister(Jody) and Brother-in-law(Andy) and their four boys(Dawson, Gabe, Max, and Quincy) (our cousin Wes is here too.) Jody has proven our above theory bogus. Here is a woman who is chasing around four boys under 7, is in the process of painting a house before they move into it in less than a week, and has graciously hosted us all while keeping up her blog. Pathetic, lazy, lethargic...we feel all these things. Thanks Jody;). Apparently the key is to not think about it. Just sit down for a few minutes and let fly. So with our new inspiration, here's to hopin we can "let fly" and keep up with our big sister. We love ya Jody.

She's the one peeking out of the barrage of boys

Website of the Week

Over a friendly game of cards, music snuck it's way into the conversation. A website submersed in everything music was brought to my attention, I feel the need to share this great joy with you. The website is

Pandora.com

. It goes something like this: Type in the name of your favorite artist; Pandora compiles a personal playlist based on the same type or "gene" of that artist; You are exposed to hundreds of artist you otherwise would not be; If you don't necessarily like one of there choices, you tell them and they further narrow the playlist you are listening to...instantly. I've been pretty impressed so far. It's worth checking out. If nothing else, it's always good to see inovation, and this is exactly that. If you want check out the theory behind the site, it was born out of the Music Genome Project.

Emily Visiting = LOTS OF PICTURES!!!

Emily flew across the country from Seattle to suprise Joanna and spend the weekend with us. Apparently we have to fly our friends in:) It was such a blessing to have her here. She is an incredible friend.

Quick Thought

"The church is not a museum for saints, but a hospital for sinners."
-Morton Kelsey
Refreshing and Challenging. Thank God for Grace.

More Pictures!!!

Cash from Coffee

God continues to show us that we are supposed to be here in Beaver Falls. His latest confirmation has come in the form of a new job for Joanna. She is now the closing manager at the Riverview Cafe (Geneva's Brand New Coffee Shop). Her last day as a Therapuetic Staff Support was this past Thursday and she will begin working full time at the Coffee Shop this Monday. It's a good move and a big blessing.