goodbye.

With this being my last service in Oroville, I feel the need to reminisce.

Oroville has provided great memories in our time so far here in California, not mention great friendships.

I will most definitely miss calling Bro. Krantz..."Pastor." I am glad, however, that for this short time I have been allowed to do so. He & Sis. Krantz have no idea how highly esteemed they are in my eyes. I don't think I have ever admired and "looked up" to anyone more than I do them. Not only do I admire them, but I love them and consider them to be my friends.

So, for the sake of being nostalgic, I will share my favorite "Pastor Quotes." Trust me, you're not ready for this...

"You're so weak, it only takes 3 demons and 2 sissies to push you out the truck."

"I'm beginning to think 'FAIR' is merely a place you show pigs and sell marmalade."

"He was broke out with all kinds of stupid..."

"Put on your big girl skirt....and do it."

"If your mama was a woman..."

"It doesn't take a genius to figure out that dumb ideas are bad."

"Be careful when everybody on earth thinks you have a great idea. There must be one smart person out there."

"Wikipedia is created & maintained by old, dirty, perverted guys living in their parents' basements in Seattle." (haha)

I'm sure there are more....actually I'm positive there are more. This will have to do. Bro. & Sis. Krantz.....thank you so much! I love you guys!

With that said, I feel the need to share my story of Sunday night. I didn't even tell anyone! What a surprise. (Don't worry, I'm not getting off subject.....)

So, as Bro. Krantz was preaching his last message as Pastor......something caught my eye. Of course, this doesn't take much. Shiny or moving things always grab my attention, no matter what the circumstance. But this night, it just happened to be a fly.

Flies are general irritating as it is. However, Sunday was unbearable. This one lowly fly repeatedly flew in my line of vision. Not once. Not twice. But all night! Back and forth. Back and forth. There was an entire room, but it had to stay in my line of vision.....all night. Do all flies hopelessly fly the same flight pattern over and over? Maybe this fly had ADHD and was simply too busy watching the ceiling fan...thus distracting him from his flight pattern. All I know, is that it made it hard for this ADHD kid to stay focused.

So, Bro. Krantz.....if you noticed me on the second row looking a little spacey, blame the fly.

mom.

Awesome week last week......my mom flew to sunny California for my birthday.

However, it wasn't quite so sunny when they arrived. Of course, I blamed this on them. Prior to their arrival, the weather was perfect. They show up and the storm clouds hover over head. Luckily it went away a couple of days later.

It's funny being around Texans after being in California for 8 months. Their southern accent cracked me up. I think because I'm just not used to hearing it anymore. I loved it! Of course they took no time to accuse me of becoming "Californian-ized" and losing my accent.

*gasp* I hope it's not true!

Moving on....

Just when I thought all of my gazillion birthday celebrations were done.....Sis. Kim provided yet another. We met up with the Oroville ladies in Sacramento on Saturday morning for some fabulous shopping.....

Easter hat, anyone?

.....and went to Joe's Crab Shack for lunch. Of course, Sis. Kim tells them it's MY birthday and I am then transformed into "Amberella the Splendiferous Birthday Fairy!"

Oh....I was amused. With this fancy new title, it was now my responsibility to dance around the restaurant sprinkling fellow patrons with my magical birthday dust.


Oh yes.

But....it was fun. I think every year we should celebrate "Amber WEEK" so we can get in all of these festivities again.

I was so glad Mom and my Aunt Sherri were able to fly out for my birthday. We had a great time.

I definitely miss my mom.

ily. <3

oroville...how i love thee.

Just when I thought I would never feel at home in California...I was proven wrong.

I feel like I've always been one to embrace change. I almost require it daily. Being an ADHD kid, I crave variety. One thing I've always been content with however, is the familiarity of home. Everyone knows exactly what I mean.

The familiarity of walking into your mother's kitchen and already knowing how it's going to smell.

Going into your favorite restaurant, seeing your favorite waiter or waitress and ordering "the usual."

Attending church with people whom you have known since you were a child.

Showing up to work and having the same conversations with your co-workers that you do every other day.

Familiarity is comforting.

In August, I left all familiarity and comfort to live in California. Something I never thought I would do. I love Texas and the pride that comes along with calling myself a Texan. I love my Texas sports teams and I love the Texas flag.

Now I'm in California: a state with a bear on its flag.

Honestly, I'm pretty excited about my new journey. I'm beginning to feel the thrill of stepping outside my comfort zone…and I like it.

Of course, I still miss the familiar. I miss the smell of walking into my mother's kitchen. Especially on "Feed the Children Night." These are the Saturday nights when my brother, his family and my husband and I join them for dinner.

I also miss meeting up with Dad at the ranch to fish.

I miss my weekly trips to Los Amigos with Jessica, and occasionally Misty, Kelly and my dad. Ordering my usual Old Style Enchilada and Diet Coke from Nick, Rebecca, Luke and the rest of the crew.

I miss my home church of 20 years, Savoy UPC. I miss seeing the many faces of people who have watched me grow up in that same church since I was a little girl. I miss the friends who grew up there with me.

I miss my "family" at Fannin Newspapers and the job that I came to affectionately call "the best job ever!" I don't know how I'm ever going to enjoy working another job. I'm not sure that it's possible to find TWO jobs in your lifetime that you absolutely love. I know it's not possible to find another Tim. My Fridays will never be the same without crunch time with Tim and Jessica.

My friends are greatly missed! I miss girls' nights with Gina and staying up until 4am...laughing until we can't breathe. I miss double dates with Amber & Michael. I miss seeing Blake nearly every day. I miss having dinner with Rick & Leta and hearing Taelor yell "Ammers! Ammers!" Playing drums with PS150 and the Texoma Gospel Saints. Drum lessons with Trey, Michael and Aaron. Seeing my swarm of neices and nephews. Dinner with Michael & Monica and rolling on the floor from Michael's comments.

So, this marks a new chapter in my life. While I'll miss the familiarity and comforts of home, I choose to believe that change is good. And amazingly enough, I have been proven right.

Since the first service I attended in Oroville, I felt at home. There's just some familiarity there. Something that feels comfortable.

I absolutely love Bro & Sis Krantz!! They're so amazing! The interest that they have shown in helping in Jeremy and I overwhelms me sometime. They're the epitome of what a pastor and his wife should be. I'm sure they have no idea how comfortable they have made me feel and just how much that means to me. It definitely means a lot when you are about 1700 miles away from your entire family.

I'm also enjoying getting to know my new friends in Oroville.

Sis. Amy and I have quickly learned that we are both capable of causing trouble. Because of this, it is probably a good thing that I only get to see her about once a week. More time together could be catastrophic!

Sis. Holly is the sweet, quiet one. I know that I need someone like that around to even me out. She does that most of the time. Sometimes the quietness causes me to talk more to fill in the space. Poor Holly.

All the Praise Team girls (you know who you are) made me feel welcome from my very first service. It really meant a lot seeing that I played drums in my very first service there. I was nervous, but they eased my anxiety and made me feel like I was just one of the girls.

Wow. I've rambled quite a bit now. I feel like I need an organ player to come to the platform and "give you some hope."

Needless to say, I have found a new home in Oroville. I'm so thankful for my new church family. I love you guys!