The Catch Up Post

Let's just say that I cringe when I see the last time I have even been on this site... But here I am nearly six months later with a few free hours alone, as Greg was off to work at 7am and I don't leave for another two hours.
I guess I should catch you up on our Spring and Summer 2012. The easiest and simplest way would probably be a little summary or bullet list, so here it is:

March highlight: Palm Springs trip with the O'Leary's for Spring break! a great time with lazy river rides, tanning by the poolside, golf day for the boys, shopping trip for the girls, and sweet family BBQs at the resort.

April: I was in a pretty busy season with school, but we did have the time to wake up at 3am and go to SLO for the Easter sunrise service at Mountainbrook Church and to celebrate Dad's birthday. We also went to my cousin Jonathan's graduation from Pepperdine University. And were able to attend a USC track meet with Mom and Dad Jeffrey, Uncle Ron and Aunt Janet, and Nana.

May: I supported my Freshmen year dorm-mates and friends as they graduated from Westmont College on Cinco de Mayo. Greg finally caught up to me in 22 years of life!! We had a fun get-together with friends at our place to party hardy (we've loved hosting even at our tiny apartment!). His parents came down to celebrate and we had a wonderful day with family going to church and lunch with Aunt Betty and Nana too. I also finished my first semester at Long Beach State with straight A's only because of my wonderfully supportive husband :)

June: The summer began with a big trip up through SLO to Lake Almanor for my cousin Johnny's wedding to Mae at the grandparent's cabin. We had a fun few days of wakeboarding and Grandma Nelson's cooking!

July: We were lucky enough to get work off to be in SLO for the 4th of July at the Jeffrey household which was a blast since Jenny, Bella, and Summer were staying there and the Hassons came in from Atascadero! We had great food, sweet conversation, and cozy bonfire while listening to the fireworks from the comfort of the backyard. Greg and I also ran the "Rock to the Pier" 10k with his dad (who beat us both!) in Morro Bay/Cayucos. Another highlight was a two-night camping trip with three other couples at Oneil Park about an hour's drive from LB. It has been really fun getting to know other married couples here in Long Beach :) Also, Greg started school online through University of Phoenix! I am SO proud of him for jumping in and being so diligent to work on it every day. He has two years left to finish a B.S. in Business, emphasizing in Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

August: So this month is only half over, but already a lot of significant events have occurred. Greg and I celebrated our first anniversary if you can all believe it!! That was seriously the fastest year I have lived yet! But the most blessed by far. I know both Greg and I have been stretched, challenged, and have grown incredibly in these 12 months. This "honeymoon stage" doesn't ever really end does it my married family and friends?! I think I fall in love with the man I married again every day. To celebrate our first year of marriage, Greg and I went back to Solvang where we stayed for our wedding night at the Hadsten House. We shopped around, tanned by/in the pool, played cards, went on a hike, went wine tasting, saw "Legally Blonde" at the outdoor ampitheater, had a lovely anniversary dinner and enjoyed each other! :) It was really a perfect weekend for us and took a couple of days to get back into reality.
The other highlight of this month is that Greg finally got another form of transportation that we've been thinking and praying about for months. We bought a used Yamaha motorcycle this week that Greg will use mainly to get to work and back. We are excited and thankful but I have Greg promise me every day to ride cautiously and defensively!

I hope you all feel a little more informed on our life and I am sorry if you felt left out! :P
We love and miss you all - our family and friends - and hope you will take us up on the offer to come visit any time.
Blessings,
Brooke A. Jeffrey

Content in my roles

Sad to say, but this is my first blog in 2012...Happy St. Patrick's day everyone (a very rainy green day in LB)! I've been telling myself that I really need to update this blog and inform you all on the happenings of the new Jeffrey household. Then I decided I was too busy and that was okay because I was in full time school and part time work and learning to be a "good wife".
My friend, Rachel, and I (who I met through our church in Long Beach and who also got married last summer) have been getting together for coffee once a week and just talking about life as newlyweds and students and employees. It's been really fun getting to know her more and more, and in the last few weeks we've picked up a book to go through together. Written by Linda Dillow, called "Calm My Anxious Heart" (the perfect topic for any woman really!). The first and second chapters really focused on finding contentment with our current circumstances. The third chapter "content to be me" was kind of a replay of high school girls small group lessons. But this last chapter hit me hardest with the title "content with my role". Seems simply enough right? I figured I am very content with my role as a new wife. But am I content with my role as a student, as a co-worker, as a low-income household, as a neighbor to the lost, as a habitant of Long Beach, as a big sister and first-born daughter.
There are so many roles that encompass my life now that I think sometimes I forget to enjoy them and take advantage of the ones that are only here for a season. I met with an advisor in the College of Health and Human Sciences this last week to discuss my plan to graduate. With all my transfer credits, it is still going to take me three more years (on top of my past four) to finally graduate with a B.S. Spring 2015. So my thought is to take as many summer courses and cut off at least a semester or two! But does God want me to be at Long Beach State until 2015? I didn't consider that. There are many other examples I could give you about realizations such as this one...God you have me here right now, let me use this place and position to glorify you.
I want to show you the closing of that chapter "content with my role" as it lays out perfectly what our response should be to God's portion for us.

"Our assigned role is also a trust. In His love He has given each of us the gift to singleness or the gift of marriage or the gift of widowhood. In His sovereignty, He has said it is in this role we can best glorify Him. Will you trust that your assigned cup and portion came from His loving hand? Will you choose to use your role as a place to serve others?"

 Every stage or role that we play in life has its joys, and heartaches. But I need to remind myself day in and day out to stop fighting against what God has given me and to ask Him for the courage I need to be a humble servant in my roles; to be faithful to Him, accepting His gift of making me a wife, a waitress, a student, a sister, a daughter, a friend..

Reflections of 2011

What a year it has been! I think we can all agree on the incredulous year 2011 was for all of us. At the end of each year and the beginning of the next I always love to think back on the highlights and look ahead to hopeful predictions. Greg and I talked this over last night so I will share with you what we came up with...

2011 Highlights:
-I come back from the UK (January)
-We get ENGAGED (February 19th)
-I live with the Georges, nannying Claire-bear (Feb-May)
-Greg turned 21, YAY! (May 6th)
-We both pass Anatomy, Stats, and Nutrition with "A"s at Cuesta College (May)
-We spend a week in Ripon with O'Leary Grandparents (June)
-I see Yosemite for the first time with adult eyes (my last visit was when I was a 3-year-old) with the (almost) whole Jeffrey clan (June)
-We work hard on Grandpa Nelson's ranch in Izee, Oregon (June)
-We get MARRIED - the best dang wedding we've ever been to! (August 14th)
-We move to Long Beach (August)
-We cut down our very first Christmas tree at Lake Almanor over Thanksgiving (November)
-I turn 22! (December 1st)
-Nana Jeffrey celebrates her 40th anniversary of her 40th birthday with a fabulous party and week of family visits! (December)
-And finally a San Luis Christmas with the Jeffreys and O'Learys :)

No wonder we are tired right?! It was an exciting year, filled with learning, growing, changing, and blessing. We are so incredibly thankful for each one of you - our friends and family - who have encouraged us and stood by us along the way as Greg and I have started our life together this year.

In looking ahead to 2012 we are predicting it will be a much more steady pace of life for us. We will both be jumping back into school to finish our B.S. degrees as soon as we can. This will most likely mean we will be living in one city for the next few years and will be able to settle in here a little more. We are looking to rent a different apartment in the coming months that will be closer to CSULB campus. Also we have kept our eyes open for a second form of transportation for us as well as it is getting trickier to share one car.

We have no doubt we will again see the Lord's hand in provision and protection over us and our marriage this next year. We pray a blessing over you all for a prosperous year 2012!

"But you shall cling to the Lord you God just as you have done to this day... since it is the Lord your God who fights for you, just as He promised you. Be very careful, therefore, to love the Lord your God."     Joshua 23:8-11