Devin

Right now, I am eating a McFlurry in Ritzville, WA and it's one of the happiest McFlurries of my life... Which is saying something, because these were GREAT as a kid! But today, it's a great day because I'm on the road to celebrate...

DEVIN! (With the sweet red scarf! This is the only picture I have of us that I can figure out how to upload, but Tricia and I will have to join in the picture!)

Today, I celebrate the Devin Whitmill I have been blessed to know for five years. Devin and I met our freshman year at Whitworth when we were both fall-sport athletes who had no time for friends, fun, or much of a social life at all. But as time grew on, Little Dev began spending more and more time on our hall. Second semester, she became an official Bat Cave member when she moved in with Tricia, across the hall from me!

One of the first things anyone who meets Devin will notice is the joy with which she approaches life. So much time has been spent on the Giggle Train with this girl that you can't help to just love being in her presence. However, some of my favorite moments with Devin have been e-mails that spill our hearts to each other, late night talks in the Burrow about anything and everything, conversations in Boppell about Jesus and mercy and love... Times when Devin is so great at being exactly where she is, digging into people and truly, honestly wanting to learn more about them every day. Devin, I am grateful for the way you have continued to love me, even when I struggled to be present in your life. I am grateful that you loved me both when you were in China and when I was in Ghana, making sure you shared updates of your life and encouraged me through thick and thin. And thank you for loving me when I returned-- messy and broken, but you took me in anyway.

Tomorrow, Devin Whitmill becomes Devin Bushy... Ryan sure is a lucky guy! Watching these two grow with each other over the last 3 years has been such an adventure. I am so proud of the way they have leaned on each other, forgiven each other, loved each other, and most of all, loved Jesus more than anything. I am so excited to celebrate the continuation of their life together, and the start of their journey as husband and wife.

Devin, I just want the world to know how grateful I am for you, your wisdom, and your intentional, consistent love. You are going to be the most beautiful bride and I can't wait to see what God has in store for you and Ryan. Happy wedding weekend, Mrs. Bushy! I love you!

Montana

Today, I celebrate 24 years of Randi Leigh Stephens and the beautiful week I got to spend with her a few weeks ago! Happy birthday, Dizzle :)

Big Sky Country... The Treasure State... Whatever you want to call it, people who live in Montana tend to LOVE Montana.

And I can see why!!

Matching big black blob sweats! Our favorite!

About a week and a half after I returned to the States, I was blessed to be able to accompany Caty to Bozeman, Montana for a week-long stay with our sweet friend, Randi Stephens!

Right before they thought I died rock climping... WHOOPS!

 Randi and I played volleyball together for 3 years at Whitworth and she has been such a blessing in my life. Randi is one of the most sincere, laid-back, genuinely joy-filled people that I know. Sometimes it takes a little bit to dig past her outer shell, but once you get her laughing with her mom, cheering me on when I'm driving a stick-shift, or reminiscing over volleyball memories with me, you can see it come out plain and clear.

Getting this time in Bozeman was such a blessing. I have been trying to get out there for two summers now, and it just hasn't worked out... Either I was working, Randi was helping her sister move into her dorm, I didn't have a car, or something else came up... But finally, God provided the perfect opportunity to get a week of good, quality Randi time... And it came at the perfect time!

The week started off with a 12-hour drive from Seattle to Bozeman with me, Caty, Randi, and Randi's mom Susan. Thankfully, with the right company 12 hours can seem pretty short! We were greeted with this beautiful rainbow at our last pit stop in Butte on our way.

A Sunday morning church service, breakfast at different downtown restaurants, visits to friends, coffee dates and walks in the park, Farmers Market visits, hikes, rock climbing adventures, a trip to  Yellowstone (with moose, deer, bear, antelope, and bison sightings!), seeing the classroom where Randi teaches, games of Who-What-Where, cribbage matches, embarrassingly bad games of Holy Board, attempts at teaching me to drive a stick-shift, evenings watching the Bachelorette and Big Bang Theory... The whole week was a beautiful, laid-back Montana experience. Randi, I hope you have had a beautiful Austrian birthday and are being celebrated so well with you family.

Happy birthday, Dizz!