The Neighbor Girls

Last week TJ found a swing in our back yard in a tree, so he pulled it down, and now our back neighbor little girls Caris and Payden (4 & 5) come over to play with us... pretty much every day. TJ and I are pretty busy every day, but it's really refreshing and fun to have them come over all the time to visit us. They follow "Thomas" (TJ) around every wear asking him to push them on the swing, and when they feel like he may push them too high they ask me, because they know I'm a little more gentle... :)

Also I have been needing some little someone's in my life... I have been feeling the lack of.

Our lives are a little bit crazy, but were not stressing out. Were getting married in 12 days, and doing what we can every day.

Cross Country trip

I was in Florida for a week and a half spending alot of time with 11 of the Shropshire family eating Shropshire meals and deserts, having some family talks, and getting to know each other better. I got to see where TJ and I are going to live after we get married. I even sang with the worship team at the church TJ and I are going to attend. I met people that mean a lot to TJ. I think it was a good time for me to see things before I get there an know what to expect a litte more. I can look forward to certai things and prepare myself for things that might be difficult. But I believe that God has prepared me for this season of my life, and he will continue to prepare me for the next season of my life as well. Okay... so on our trip across the country we first took Elin (TJ's younger sister) with us and drove to TJ's older sister Leah and her husband Shannon's house, we spent the night there, with them and their beautiful baby Ella, and we left Elin there. The next day we drove to Houston, Texas to stay with TJ's Aunt Nancy and Uncle Tim, then we drove from Houston Texas to Las Crusas, New Mexico to stay with family friends, then we drove from there to Pheonix Arizona to stay with Patty and Jack du Mee, and on the fifth day we drove form Phoenix to Fresno California. It was a fun drive, and it didn't feel to incredibly long because we had good compa

Trip to Florida

After visiting Michigan and Ohio I flew down to Florida where TJ was waiting at my gate holding a sign high above his head that said "WIFE TO BE" and held a dozen white roses, After I walked across the long hall I reached him, he gave me a kiss and a big hug while everyone around us started applauding the young "in love" rejoined couple.
I have enjoyed staying with the Shropshires while getting to know them all a little bit better, that including Gram, Mia, Elin, Harmony, Ruth, Peter, Kelly, Kyle, Lori, Mark, and soon I will get to meet Shannon, and Leah TJ's older sister, and brother in law, and their baby girl Ella.
When I got to their house they showered me with little gifts, and had a nice big sign that said "Welcome Lilly" and I felt very welcomed into their home.
The first day I went running Peter went with me, and it was a very sweaty run due to the humidity, so I had to document this lovely picture. I got to go to work with TJ and watch him climb the tower that he worked on, it was very interesting, and I felt like I got a little insite into TJ's work life (He works on Radio Towers for a living), I even got to wear a work shirt... :)
I experience4d only a minor tropical storm while I was here, but it gave us good waves, so I got to go take pictures of TJ and Peter surfing... something else he loves to do. The last picture is of TJ working on our car, and TJ has spent many years working in this shop.

Trip to Michigan and Ohio

On Saturday the 23rd I got on a plane to Michigan for the main purpose of speaking in churches that supported me, sharing about what God did though me in South Africa, and to reconnect with the people that have been partnering with me. I am very refreshed by these churches, and am very thankful that I got the opportunity to do this. While I was in Michigan I also got to spend some time with people at New Tribes Bible Institute, where I graduated from in 2007.
This is my friend Conni Dilworth, she accompanied me on my trip down to a church in Ohio (Grace Chapel). Thank you Conni... :) I was encouraged by people telling me they had been praying for me every day, and continue to check up on my life. God has really blessed me with a wonderful support team.

God provides encouraging people

This weekend my friend Ericka Reed and I got to hang out and talk a lot. I used to live just couple doors down from her and growing up, we used to spend every second together until she moved to Sacramento 6 years ago. So we reconnected this weekend, had an eventful time for a few different reasons, but I really feel like God blessed me with her this week. She, as the person God made her really encouraged me this weekend. The decisions that she is making have really encouraged me, and I can see that she is set apart for God's kingdom, and she is open to God using her.
God knows the people we need at just the right time, and right now that's Ericka.

Invitations and Registry

Wow, Wedding planning is a project, I must say. At the start of the whole wedding planning process, I thought to myself, wow I really don't know what I'm doing, but as you go you just think of something else to do, and I think wow how did we get to this place of the wedding planning process??? I didn't know what I was doing, yet the plans are coming together. The invitations are finally being sent out, thats what that humungo pile is... for those of you who receive an invitation, and are coming to the wedding or reception, TJ and I are registered at both
and

On a even more personal note, please pray for me that my focus will be on Jesus Christ, and HIS ultimate purpose for my life... to glorify Him. You know... things in this minute and in this world don't matter as much as I feel like they do, I really get caught up in the here and now situations, when I have no idea that maybe the Holy Spirit is working on me, or doing something so amazing, and here I am probably trying to do all I can to mess it up, good thing God is in control. Jesus is my life and what I live for, and that is my ultimate desire, but I foget that sometimes, so I guess that's what I want prayer for, I hope that makes sense... :)

Chicken curry and Roti

Tonight I decided to be ambitios and make chicken curry from the seasonings I brought home, and roti, and it turned our really good. I even made the rice with tumeric powder in it, the way

they do it over there, so that was seriously fun, and delicous. I like making good South African food way over here in central California. This goes out to all my buddies in South Africa... :)