Family, Weddings & College Reunions

Have you ever had one of those weekends that takes away all your energy, but by the end of it you are completely fulfilled? This past weekend was one of those weekends for me. Mike and I headed out to Southern Cali for one of my good college friend's wedding. We left early on Friday and got into LA around one and had In-N-Out with my friend and past roomie Kelly. We had a great couple of hours catching up on what's been going on in each others lives and showing off our wedding album that we received several weeks ago. My only regret was that I forgot to pull out my camera and get some pictures! :-( After a two hour break we hit the road again and drove out towards the Santa Monica area where we stayed at my Grandpa's old house.

Saturday flew by with an early morning visit from my family. I had made some banana bread and cranberry bread for a light snack/breakfast for our get together. Both my aunts--Sue and Kathy joined us along with my cousin's Bill & Andrea with their two precious boys, Ryan & Blake. We had not met Blake yet so it was a blessing to meet him! Ryan is such a good big brother--he loved giving Blake hugs & kisses. I wish I had captured some of those on my camera. Mike and I rarely make it out to CA with school being three semesters (spring, summer & fall) so it was extra special and fun to be able to have this time away from home and see family which we don't see often.

Bill, Blake, Ryan & Andrea

Bill, Andrea, A. Kathy, A. Sue & Danielle

Mike & Blake--I know precious! Mike did this on purpose.
He knows I love seeing him with babies.

My friend's Sarah & Joe finally got married! After 10 years of dating, they started dating in high school, God prepared such a lovely and perfect day for their wedding ceremony as they gave their lives to each other before God, family and friends. (Yes, I cried--it was too beautiful not to!) I also had the great joy of seeing some college friends that I had lost touch with. Sean moved to Chicago for a new job, and Grace, her husband Aaron and their two boys are back home in CA after four years of being in Hawaii with Aaron's service in the Army. Sarah, Grace & I were in a small group together and would sit and talk for hours about life, school, relationships & the day that we would all be married--we finally did it!!!

Grace, Sarah & Danielle
We finally did it!!! We all have our Mrs. Degree!

After the wedding Mike and I headed to my old stompin' grounds of Azusa Pacific University. I miss it there--it is so beautiful and has so many wonderful memories of friends, classes & events. I showed Mike where I had the majority of my classes on the University's west campus and we ran into one of my old professors Dr. Yarchin. He was so instrumental in helping me to find my passion of studying the Word. It was after my first Bible course (Exodus/Deuteronomy) with Dr. Yarchin that I changed my major to Christian Ministries and later added on my double with Biblical Studies. Thank you Lord for putting him in my life! Next we drove to east campus where the dorms are as well as other classrooms, various eating areas and everything else! I showed him around my dorm floor and met a gal who lives in the dorm right next to mine and chatted with her for a while. I also got to pop my head into my old dorm room before we left--that was a treat for me!

West Campus--they added a prayer garden

since I graduated. It's beautiful!

Every year a mural is added to the halls of 3rd West
(our floor & wing of the dorm) at the end of the
freshman year. 2001-2002

We left APU's campus and headed south to BJ's for dinner. We would often go to BJ's for birthday celebrations in college--sweet memories! Mike & I met up with my college neighbors Heather & Erin and my roomie of three years Karen and had a very yummy dinner. I love how we haven't seen each other in years and we could pick up like we had just seen each other yesterday. After a filling dinner we left and did one more APU tradition...Doughnut Man run! Of course in college we would go to Doughnut Man at midnight so we could fill up on a fresh, hot tiger tail. We needed brain food back then and it was a delicious and cheap way to get it! I left that night feeling extremely grateful for my time at APU and the life long friendships that were formed while I was there.

Karen, Heather, Erin & Danielle @ BJ's

Just when the trip should probably be over, we added in another stop to visit my Grandparents in Thousand Oaks. They moved there about a year and a half ago and are really enjoying the community that they are a part of. Mike and I had not seen their apartment before, so we got the grand tour. It's a beautiful place with enough space to feel spacious, but not too big. We had an excellent brunch there in the community dining room and an opportunity to hear how they are doing and share what we are doing as well. After brunch we hit the road and drove back to AZ through traffic, wind & dust. How blessed we were by such a wonderful weekend filled with family and friends!