Weekend up north

I'm in Burundi now, but wanted to share a few pictures from last weekend when we had the chance to visit San Francisco. We had the rare opportunity to see all of Bob's family, and had fun catching up with each of them. Here's a picture of our nephew, Dylan, feeding the ducks and Grandma and Grandpa's.
We also had the blessing of meeting with our care team from Menlo Park. Everyone was able to attend, and the gathering was a real encouragement to us! Here's everyone at breakfast:

Those are just a few of the fun highlights. We're so glad to have loving friends and family to go home to! I'll post a few pictures from Burundi in a few days when I have a few more minutes...things are still busy here!

wedding in New Orleans

Bob and I went to New Orleans this weekend to attend our friends' wedding. It was the first time for both of us to New Orleans, and we thoroughly enjoyed the brief peak at this famous city. Willard is from Kenya and Tara is from New Orleans, and they did a great job of incorporating both cultures in their wedding. It was an event-filled weekend where we got to know many of the relatives and friends who attended--a really fun mix of people!

Here are some pictures...

Will and Tara at the rehearsal dinner

Bob and Kristi with Mr. Nyasio, Willard's father

African mamas dancing at the reception

Our crowd on Bourbon street

The above picture is terrible, but I wanted to try to capture the experience. The night of the wedding, Willard and Tara escorted 30-40 of their friends and relatives through the French Quarter in downtown New Orleans. We did a progressive dinner at 3 different restaurants, and got to see the sights in between. A very fun experience, and I was very impressed at the energy and graciousness of the bride and groom to do that!

Both Bob and I got to participate in unique ways... The morning after the wedding (Easter morning), we had breakfast with family and friends and Bob shared a short message. I (Kristi) thought that I would be playing the piano at that family gathering, but found out the day before the wedding that actually, I was playing in the wedding! So, that was a first for me. : ) This was the first wedding we've attended in the US together since our wedding, so it was a fun chance to remember our own vows and to attend a wedding without the stress of planning it!

6 months!

Last Saturday Bob and I marked 6 months since we got married. Time flies! We reflected that it feels like we have come a long way in getting into a daily routine together, understanding each other, and adjusting to 'doing life' together. Although it certainly has been an adjustment and a learning experience (which will probably continue for years to come...), thus far it has been easier than either of us expected. We're grateful for how God had helped us in this journey, and very happy that God brought us together!

While Bob was writing a paper Saturday afternoon, I seized the opportunity to go hiking in the mountains with a friend. Los Angeles is NOT all Hollywood, and one of my favorite things about Pasadena is how close the mountains are. Our hike zig-zagged up the mountain until we really had a birds-eye view of the streets and cities in the valley. The area is called Bailey's Canyon--if anyone is in CA and wants directions, let me know!

Resting at the top with my hiking partner, Birgit
Working our way up the mountain!

Soup for a crowd

During Lent, our church is meeting every Wednesday evening for a meal and small group discussions about spiritual disciplines. Since Bob is interning at the church, he took on the responsibility of preparing the meal each week. Fortunately, it is a simple meal of soup and bread, which makes preparing a meal for 40 people each week feasible. We've had fun finding different soups, and most of them have even tasted good!

I should mention that our discussions have also been delicious. :) We've covered Lectio Divina, prayer, fasting, and self-examination (confession) so far. I'm learning to appreciate this season of Lent more and more, and the emphasis on 'taking stock' of our faith and making a new start in some areas. I also appreciate more now the diversity in Christian traditions, and the valuable things that each tradition has to offer to the development of our faith. Praise the Lord that there are some Baptists, Anglicans, and even Presbyterians in God's body. :)

Here is on of the soups we did that we thought was interesting:

Taco Soup

2 lbs ground sirloin (or ground beef if you are cheap)
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 16 oz. cans stewed tomatoes
1 can kidney beans
1 can hominy
1 can creamed-style corn
1 can pinto beans w/ jalapenos
1 pckg taco mix
1 pckg. hidden valley ranch dressing mix
2 cans water

Brown meat, add onion and pepper. Add everything else, simmer for 1 hour.

Optional condiments to serve it with:
cheese
chives
cilantro
green onions

Serve with cornbread. Serves 8-10. Enjoy!

Visiting parents!

My (Kristi) parents came to Pasadena to visit us last week. We were grateful for the chance to reconnect for the first time since our wedding--for me it felt like a bridge between my 'old life' and new life of being married.

We saw several of the local sites, including the Gamble House, the Getty, and a hike in the mountains. Unfortunately, the weather was rainy and cold (for southern California), but we still enjoyed ourselves, and the rain also meant that we saw a few rainbows! Here is one at the Getty:
The Getty museum is incredible--huge, with a wide variety of art, and free every day. How could it get any better? My dad felt a special kinship with a sculpture of Old Man Winter:
One of the great things about the Getty museum is that they not only have great art, but also beautiful gardens! Exploring the gardens was the perfect solution for 'museum fatigue'. Here is a shot from one of the gardens that also shows some of the immense size of the buildings.

Then, on Saturday we all went hiking. This was a miracle for 2 reasons: 1) The weather forecast for that day was cloudy and rain, but then spontaneously it was sunny, all morning. 2) Bob hasn't exercised or been outside much since he got sick almost a month ago (and he got sick the day after a hike, incidentally, so was particularly nervous about hiking). We drove a very scenic route through the mountains, then hiked a bit near the Mt. Lowe railway. It felt great to get outdoors and appreciate the beauty of creation!

The red-coated hikers. And yes, that is snow in the corner!