For the Delong Family

My weekend went something like this:

FRIDAY--after work, I drove to the Sports Complex and coached 12 girls basketball players for a 2-day camp. Came home to my family + Johnny/Blythe + Dave/Jacqui + Mike + Shelby + Jo at my house for our weekly Friday night game night. They were engaged in an intense Catch Phrase (boys vs. girls) game...absolutely hysterical.

SATURDAY--Day 2 of camp in the morning (where I saw Jojo trying out to be a summer referee...keep reading to know why this is so cool that I saw her!), raced off to Mikala's bridal shower (a little over 1 month, and counting!), and spent Saturday night with my girls at Jess' house for makeup lessons, homemade peach cobbler, and girl talk. So I have an inspired post today, since I spent Saturday at Jess'...

I love the Delong family. When my parents first moved to Castaic, the Delong's were our neighbors! So we have technically been family friends for almost my whole life. But after they moved to Canyon Country, life changed drastically for them when their oldest son, Justin, was diagnosed with leukemia at age 5. After beating the cancer into remission, it returned and took his life when he was 15. He died July 2000.

In 2006, their youngest son, Jacob, was diagnosed with the same disease.

Out of her heartbreak, Lisa Delong has just published a memoir aptly named Blood Brothers, that will be available for purchase through Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and Target starting July 5. There is no wisdom like that which comes from suffering, and the Delong family has a lot to share.

While I was sitting in church today, feeling really distracted by a lot stuff that's been heavy on my heart and mind, I asked the Lord to draw close and let me feel him near. I was letting my mind just drift when God came near...

Saturday night, when I walked into the Delong's home, Jacob paused his video games, came over to me and gave me a great big hug. He wanted to show me his finger he smashed playing soccer and how he had to wear a brace on it to let it heal. Jacob is a quiet, reserved 11 year-old. But a few months ago, he came to Magic Mountain with Jessica and all our girlfriends and he was our "man of the hour." I absolutely loved riding Tatsu with him and running through the park playing carnival games with him. After that night, we were buds :)

While sitting in church, Jacob landed on my heart and I started to cry. I got to hug Jacob Delong last night. I love talking to their spirited mom and strong father . I have watched/cheered on Jojo as she finished basketball her senior year (coincidence that I saw her when I was coaching this weekend? I think not). And Jessica is one of my dearest friends--a true friend, a treasure of the soul. I absolutely love this family. As I thought about Jacob, I felt God move my heart, reminding me of the blessing of life and what it is to love someone. I prayed for Jacob today--I care deeply about his health and well-being. It breaks my heart to think that he, or his family, or any of my beloved family/friends would suffer. And what can we do? Suffering is guaranteed in this life! And there are things that God allows to happen in a broken world while he is redeeming creation--things we cannot understand. But how beautiful it is to hold one another, walk with one another, cry with one another, and be with one another IN suffering! That is deep love, my friends.

As followers of Jesus, this is where we are called. Do you know what Jesus did when he arrived at Lazarus' grave in John 11? HE WEPT. HARD. He grieved--why? He KNEW what he was about to do--that he was about to raise Lazarus from the dead, in front of the crowd, to the glory of God! Yet what caused him to cry was seeing Mary and Martha, who were DEVASTATED by the death of their brother. He saw their shattered, broken hearts and he was deeply hurt by their pain. SO HE CRIED WITH THEM. He didn't tell them to get over it, didn't roll his eyes...he sat with them and then asked them to believed in the saving, redeeming power of Jesus Christ. He was perfect in their grief, but he was WITH THEM. That is all that we are called to--be with those who are hurting. We will let him who is the resurrection and the life do the miracles.

The SOTD, when God pulled my heart close with the beautiful memory of Jacob and his family: "We The Redeemed" by Hillsong United

New Addictions

(picture)

Disclaimer: I am NOT GETTING MARRIED.
Proclaimer: I am really, really loving wedding webistes for the newly engaged and wedding photography websites. Allow me to share!

Websites:

Justin & Ellyn--Ellyn was my roommate senior year of college and a dear friend.
Zachary & Michelle--Zachary is my cousin who looks so much like my little brother :)
Aaron & Michele--Michele and I were nutrition major's at Pepperdine, and I love her!
Zak & Kellie--Kellie and I both went to Grace Baptist Church growing up.

Photography:

Kiss the Bride
Colling Photography
Jake Fiehler Photography
Beach Bum Photography

Another obesession of late? Movies about young women starting out in their careers, finding love and discovering themselves. For example:

13 Going On 30
27 Dresses
Bride Wars
The Devil Wears Prada
Legally Blonde
How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days

If you have more of any of these, please let me know!!

Song of the day: "Making Memories of Us," by Keith Urban. A classic love song that I just LOVE.

Hasta La Vista, 2009!

Hello dear friends! I have missed you all so much!! I NEVER know where to start when so much time passes between blogging...definitely a New Years' resolution, and you are welcome to hold me to it. BUT WAIT! Before I get to 2010, this is a good time to recap 2009--a year that has COMPLETELY disappeared! It is my opinion that pictures speak THOUSANDS of words and therefore, may my miniature picture calander take you back in time with me:

January.

This is Jesse and Claudia! I met them through Young Life while I was a leader in Malibu. Although their wedding was not the first of the year (can you believe that? I went to another one before theirs!), this one was near and dear to my heart. The wedding and reception were held at Malibu West Beach Club at sunset. It was small, intimate, laid back, and absolutely beautiful in the most southern California way. I remember sitting at my table, completely relaxed, watching Claudia dance with her nieces and nephews, with a beautiful 70 degree breeze blowing the sunset over our ocean view and tousling my hair. I said to myself, "if this is how my wedding turns out someday, I will be completely satisfied."

February.

This is David and Anna! I have known Anna since junior high, where we began an inside joke that neither of us can remember! Every week at church, she would say to me, "Brittany! I forgot your lemons again!" Looking back, neither of us knows how that started, haha! All throughout high school and much of college, Anna was one of my closest friends. She imparted so much wisdom to me at various times in my life, and I am very grateful to her for those times. And David? He's pretty much awesome :)

March.

This is Jenna and she is from Vermont! Jenna and I met freshman year of college--she lived in the same dorm that I did, in the suite directly above me. We became friends, then roommates, then dearest friends, and have really never looked back. On this day, we went to the Museum of Natural History in L.A. in search of the dinosaur exhibit (Jenna loves T-Rex's). This was probably my favorite moment in March because it was a really special time that we got to spend together--a quite morning together before finals and graduation were upon us. Jenna knew that she was going to Rochester after graduation and we were both struggling with knowing we would be apart. Thanks for this Jou Jou--I'll remember it forever :)

April.

And so the craziness began in April! From left to right: Ellyn, me, Kate, and Jessie. Ellyn and Kate were my roommates senior year and Jessie was an adopted roommate :) What a wonderful year we had together! This was the night of our Senior Ball at Monsoon in Santa Monica. It was a wonderful night to sing, dance, and say goodbye to the friends we made 4 years ago. The cresendo of the night was ending with "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey, with a couple hundred friends all singing along. Goodness Pepperdine, I will miss you forever. Near the end of the month, I also found out about internships--I had been accepted to Oregon Health & Science University!! Portland, here I come!

May.

This month was so busy, I HAD to put two pictures. The first is fairly self-explanatory: I graduated from Pepperdine University with a B.S. in Nutritional Science. It was a BEAUTIFUL day in Malibu that I got to share with my family (picture), my Uncle Vinnie, cousin Nicholas, the Galuppo's, and the McAhren's. Four years passed much too quickly, in the place where my heart experienced growth, pain, joy, peace, and bliss. Pepperdine, you will be in my heart forever ♥ The second picture is of my cousin Matthew and his new bride Kristina (with my parents). It was wonderful to be reunited with my aunt, uncles, grandma, and many cousins! Since they all live east of the Mississippi, I hardly get to see them. It was wonderful though, and I LOVE Kristina! Way to go Matt!

June.

Heaven help us--the girls have gone wild! These are some of my BEST friends (from left, Brittany, Kelly, me, Brooklyn, and Cassie). This was our very first Vegas trip together and it WAS QUITE POSSIBLY ONE OF THE GREATEST WEEKENDS OF MY LIFE!!! I love being with my girlfriends, all of whom are the precious jewels that bring light to my life. So when we get together ANYWHERE, I am happy. But being in Vegas together was just AMAZING!! Unfortunately, I can say no more about it because what happens in Vegas...you know. Just know that it had something to do with The Hangover, Robert Horry, Ross from England, and this: "We should have put our LIVES on that game!!" ;)

July.

This is my kitchen family (from left, Goo, Callie, me, Jake, Aaron, Mikey, Nunu, and Dan the Man--we are missing Marissa)! This summer, I went to a Young Life camp called Woodleaf and spent a month as a cook. If you want to talk about a near-God encounter, this was DEFINITELY a great one! These people became my family, and restored my faith in fellowship and in the value of being surrounded by people who are passionately in LOVE with Jesus Christ. I made friends for forever, learned what it meant to be loved by God and by brothers and sisters, learned what real faith is, learned who Jesus is and how he loves me, and how I can truly BLESS other people by loving them the way Jesus does. This is not church--this is Young Life. Thank you to EVERYONE I met, because you showed me what it is to be loved as Jesus loves me.

August.

This is my family at Disneyland (from left, me, Stevie, mom, dad, Brooke, and Rachel)! August was a very hard month because of all of the transitions I was going through. I had just come back from a life-changing experience at camp, only to have to say goodbye to my family and ALL of my friends in California :( Ugh, it was heartbreaking. This trip to Disneyland was a moment from heaven where we could all be together one last time and enjoy being together. Plus, Disneyland IS the happiest place on earth! What a fantastic day!

September.

That's me, in Oregon, holding a cake that my new roommate Debra made for me (awww ☺...). I turned 22 this year, which was pretty uneventful considering there was no one here to celebrate with :( BUT, that's ok! It's like I am starting fresh on this new life after college where I am entering a year of training to be a dietitian. September also marked the start of my program and so it was definitely a month of new things!

October.

These are my intern friends (Top left: Candace, Emily, me, Kimberly, Sarah, Annie. Bottom left: Baloo, Anna, Audrey, and Lucy)! This was our first party together (Halloween, as you can probably guess--I was a boxer) and it was so much fun! We played some beer pong, some Apples to Apples, and generally just hung out and got to know each other. I am hoping for much more of this in 2010!

November.

This is my BRAND NEW 2010 Toyota Camry LE. This is my BRAND NEW 2010 Toyota Camry LE on the side of the 5 freeway in Washington. This is my BRAND NEW 2010 Toyota Camry LE on the side of the 5 freeway in Washington after being rear-ended. My very first car accident EVER and I have been driving in Los Angeles since I was 16! This was on our way back from Seattle, a trip with my roommate and some of her friends. Between having to deal with the accident and fighting traffic, it took us 6 HOURS to get home. UGH! November also marked the end of the first term of my internship and MY FIRST TRIP HOME SINCE AUGUST!!! So happy :) :) :)

December.

Just three short weeks later, I returned home for a two-week break. Between Thanksgiving and New Years I saw almost all of my very dearest friends, which was SO WONDERFUL! I spent New Years in Colorado Springs, Colorado with my friend Marissa from camp this summer (the one who was missing from the kitchen family picture). This is a picture of me with her family (from left, me, Marissa holding Lulu, sister Bid, dad, brother Merrill, and Niles in the front--Pike's Peak is in the background). It was wonderful to spend time with her and her family--must do that trip again :)

So much has happened in 2009! These are merely snapshots of some of my favorite moments. There was so much else that happened this year: my sister transferred to Azusa Pacific, Dave had a bone marrow transplant, my brother started his senior year of high school, I made new friends, I lost old friends, I moved out of state, and on and on. Seriously, I have HUNDREDS of pictures from this year. These were just some of the good ones :) But I am definitely EXCITED for 2010 and I really cannot say why! So hasta la vista 2009! You were a good year, but I forsee GREATNESS in the next 12 months :)

I think one of my favorite songs of 2009 was "In Your Atmosphere" by John Mayer. It like an appropriate goodbye song too. I also am going to suggest "Older" by Colbie Caillat, for her sentiments on how tough it is to get older. Get them both--you will love them.