Sawyer Knows Her Children's Catechism

This kid has got it down pat! 

Alex + Heidi

Sometimes news is so huge it goes straight by the stratosphere and moves immediately into the blogosphere. This is one of those times.

The short story: Heidi and I are engaged!
The long story: In process.
The manageable blog post story: Here goes . . .

As many of you know, Heidi and I both have fantastic jobs working for federal judges. The downside is that we are some distance away. However, we have still been able to visit each other pretty often over the first six months of our clerkships. About a month ago I accepted a job in DC to end that geographic gap. However, the engagement still awaited.

So I traveled to DC last weekend on President’s Day weekend, the day we all know is near and dear to the hearts of lawyers and patriots everywhere. Perhaps it was the encouragement of a Lincoln or a Washington that opened my eyes to see that this was the moment I had been waiting for. The day was full of fun and surprises. I showed up with a surprise rental car and we went on a day trip of fun. Like any good day, we began with the most important meal of the day—brunch! Afterwards it was on to the main event.

By the falls

We officially got engaged at Great Falls National Park, which is a really cool park with a series of waterfalls on the Potomac near DC. While walking around the park I was in search of a target of opportunity, a secluded spot perfect for the engagement.

From the inside looking out

And here it is. A cool-looking alcove with a view of the river and just the right amount of privacy. After waiting for a few minutes for other hikers to clear the area, it was go time. I sprang into action and onto my knees. Yes that’s right, knees plural. One knee would have been precarious, and tumbling out of the alcove would have been an inauspicious beginning to an engagement.

Anyways, the important thing is that Heidi said yes! I could not be more excited, and we are both so happy with how God has blessed us.

day of birthday adventures

This year was the first year I was not home for my birthday at all.  To my surprise, my birthday was FULL of surprises, shenanigans, adventures, food, and friends.  It started when my friends filed into the room where some of us were watching a movie at exactly 12:01am to sing Happy Birthday to me.  (We also went downtown on Saturday to celebrate.)  Later that day, after a full night's rest, church, and lunch at the caf, I received a facebook message from my best friend, Allie, who is doing mission work in Africa...TOTALLY unexpected and great!  All afternoon I got phone calls from family and friends from home, including the kids I babysit who called to sing to me.  I skyped with the Flipses, my "second family" as I like to call them.  My mom, Marky, and Scott came to Trin, took me to Aurelios for dinner and gave me some gifts from home.  When I got back I went to my RA Bible study where my friend Kara surprised me with a chocolate cake and ice cream.  Then the true adventures began.  

My friends (Melissa, Kate, Kirsten, Kaitlin, and Ellie) told me to wait for them in my room after Bible Study.  They ran into my room, dressed in all black, told me to get my purse and camera, and gave me the first clue to a scavenger hunt.  We went all over campus getting clues until the final clue took me to the BBC.  (The video below contains footage from the hunt) As they read me the last clue, I was taken by surprise when someone came up behind me, put a pillow case over my head, picked me up and started running away with me.  (I would have included a video of this as well, but it was too dark to see.) My two kidnappers put me in the back seat of a car and sat beside me in silence while we drove around like crazy.  The destination...Applebees for half price appetizers.  

After all that madness, we went back to school where I found yet another surprise when I got back to my hall.  The girls on my floor left a note on the door telling me to follow the arrows on the ground.  I opened the door and saw giant arrows made of Kool-Aid Jammers on the ground.  On each Kool-Aid Jammer was a word that described me.  It led me to our floor lounge, where I found a table full of cards, more Jammers, and Pizza Rolls. They know me very well. 

For some reason this is the first time in my life I actually feel older after a Birthday.  I think it's because 20 begins a new decade...yikes.  At least the teens went out with a bang!  

Video of Yous Kids Doing the Holy Land Tour

Shalom, Brian!

My favorite picture of my dad from the trip.

Yous Kids Do Israel

Yeah, there's my parents on a camel. I've never seen my mom on a camel, but this is exactly how I would have imagined her riding one. (BTW... Kristin's parents on the other camel- looking much more camel-compatable!).

So for those who don't know Nick and Karen, Brian and Kathy, and Chuck and Deb are in Israel on a tour of the Holy Land. The organization that they're with does an awesome travel blog. In case you're interested in regular updates from this trip, I've linked the website in the "yous links" column on the right side of the blog.

Seems like a potentially life-changing trip to walk where Jesus walked! It looks like they're having a great time. With Jason abroad as well, we've got a lot of Yous Kids overseas. Please continue to pray for safety for all of them!

Just for convenience, here's a couple helpful links:

Travel Blog: click here

E-mail subscription to travel blog (auto-emails you when a new post from this travel blog is posted): click here

p.s. thanks to uncle Mike for throwing this travel blog link my way!

Who's in?

How much weight will Jason lose in Ethiopia? What do you think, people? Grandpa says 14. Grandma says 8. Submit your guesses and the winner will receive a fabulous prize from Jason and I !

update on Jas

Jason left at 3 this morning. He called this morning from D.C. at about 10 and said that his plane has been grounded in Rome with all the snowstorms in Europe. So he would be waiting at the D.C. airport for about another 8 hours. Blah! Hopefully they will be able to get out at that time. Thanks for your prayers!