Credit Where Credit is Due

While California has taken some getting used to for Matt and I, there have definitely been some advantages to being here that we are enjoying! I think it's time to highlight some of the positive points of living here!

We've been able to make really great use of Craigslist while we've been here. I know I've mentioned it in many of our blogs. For those of you who are new to craigslist, it is like online classified ads. You can buy or sell a car, or furniture, look for a job, find childcare. Sarah and I even found her wedding dress on it!! (And it was stunning and brand new, might I add) Although all states have craigslist, it originated here in the SF Bay and it is incredible! We have advertised and obtained all of Matt's weddings through the free ads we can put in the events section. We've gotten our furniture and should we need a new car...we'll probably find it on there also.

We have also been lucky enough to find a church home at All Nations Presbyterian Church. Matt has joined the worship team and alternates between playing guitar, keyboard or leading worship. I'm hoping to begin working in the nursery and we've really enjoyed making new friends in the church and enjoying times of good fellowship! Here are some pictures:

We had our friends Mark and Rebecca over Saturday night for dinner. Rebecca is the daughter of our new Pastor, and we have really enjoyed getting to know her and her husband Mark, both teachers. We got to make Matt's famous Sri Lankan curry (our favorite meal to make together!) for the first time in 2 years! mmmmm!
Pineapple curry, Beef curry, Sri Lankan noodles and Roti (bread - not in this picture)
Gotta love the curry!
A picture from our church Christmas party. You can see Joey in the arms of one of our future elders.

California has also brought us closer (although in real distance we still live about as far apart as we did in Santiago) to our friends Jamie and Lexie. It was such a cool thing for God to bless us with a friendship in Chile that we could continue in a place where we didn't know anyone. Jamie and Lexie were/are our first non-family babysitters for Joey (we have gotten to see 2 movies with him in their excellent care!) and we are so blessed by their kindness! They also watched Mocha for us, both in our apartment in Santiago, and here in CA.
(I borrowed this picture of Mocha from their blog. This is from his latest exploration of their house just after Christmas)

And lastly, although I know they'll be more (blessings) to come, we have to give the state some credit for delivering our little CA baby. We had a great hospital, great nurses, great experience. It almost didn't sink in, even after we had a birth certificate that said Berkeley, CA, but our boy will always be from California. Sounds a little wild to a couple of east-coasters, but I'm sure he (and we, in time) will grow to love it.




A little bit more exciting news on the west coast/California front... Matt's brother Rob just was accepted to a residency program at UCLA and he and his wife Amanda will be moving to Los Angeles, where I will be visiting so that Amanda and I can go to Starbucks and wait around for stars to come and get their coffee! Now if that's not exciting than I don't know what is! Congratulations Rob!