California loving

My new favorite mason jar from house of jars. You should go check out her shop! 

The mason jars are amazing and I want many more! Like I need more! HA! 

I dream of California a lot. 

Really, I dream of anywhere with better weather and the ocean. 

Like, Hawaii, our dream place to live, but California comes in second.

Not to mention, it's a teeny tiny bit more realistic. ;)

I fell in love with California...

the first time I stepped out the plane after my freshman year of college.

That's the summer I spent 2 and 1/2 weeks working with the homeless on Skid Roe.

That was such a life changing experience for me. 

It opened my eyes to something I'd never seen before. 

Homeless people with so little when it came to their needs being met, 

but still, so many of them had so much joy and love to share. 

I still remember a three year little boy wrapping his arms around my neck saying,

"You're my best friend!" It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it.

And his mom who needed a new stroller for all her kids, so she was given a brand new one.

She was so happy and so thankful. 

There were many instances like this during my short time there.
I still remember so much about that time there and at times long to go back to it.
Such a beautiful thing to be able to experience these people and God there.
I also met a dear friend there who has been apart of my life since.
Even though she's far away we've kept in contact and she's had an impact.
She helped me through a lot during my time there and throughout college.
That's where my love for California started, but there's more to it than that.

California was the place where my husband and I went on our first vacation,
when we were dating.
It's a special place for that reason and many more reasons.
It was a life changing trip that led us to be married, to our family, to our life now.
It holds a special place in our hearts for that very reason
and often the first place we think about going for vacation
(okay, again second place... but more realistic ;)
California will always be a favorite place of ours and I look forward to taking family trips there as often as life allows.
I can already feel the sand between my toes and see the waves.
Oh, and taste the IN-N-OUT. ;)