The Amerine/Teal Adventure!!!

Well life certainly is crazy in so many ways-

Saturday May 27, 2006 Jared Robert Amerine got down on his knee at Crystal Cove State Park in Laguna Beach CA and asked me to be his wife!!!

That moment that us women dream of as little girls, teenagers, and grown women has finally arrived for me. And let me tell you, nothing could have prepared me for this!

Once again Jared managed to surprise me like only he can. That moment when he dropped to his knee was truly amazing. As I described to my best friend Emily, seeing that act of humility for a grown man to get on his knee, offer all the love he has to give and ask me to spend my life as his wife was breathtaking! I could hardly form the word "yes" through my mess of happy tears!!!

I sit here on my couch 2 days later still in shock at this gorgeous ring on my finger representing a promise of a lifetime commitment! Our prayer is that the Lord would receive all the glory and honor through who we are and all we do!

Jared and I are currently working on a web site-we will have it up shortly! Your prayers are greatly appreciated as we continue on this adventure set before us!

Pictures from Youth Group last week!!!

New Hobby:

My boyfriend Jared has a new hobby. Selling our old crap on e-bay. I have thought about it before, but don't have the patience to read through everything and actually DO it. So if you are looking for a camera, cell phone, or I think he's even selling a labtop, you can find it all on e-bay.

P.S.
I just bought 2 TaeBo DVD's from e-bay. It's kind of cool.

My Ode to My Mother:

Nancy Jane Teal

Many people think they have wonderful moms

Maybe they are right

But they are missing out

because they don't have my mom.

Many people may think their moms love them

They may be right

But probably not as much as my mom loves me and my brother.

Many people think their mom makes the best deviled eggs and potato salad

But they are wrong

My mom does.

Many people think their moms are servants

And they probably are

But my mom has made more sacrifices then I can even count.

Many people may brag about how their mom does everything just right

But not me...

You see, I know my mom is imperfect

I know she feels pain

But I understand one thing

No matter what she does...

Or what she says...

It comes from the love given her by Christ

And that makes my mom the Greatest mom in the entire world.

I love you mom.

Me and Ailey and her mommy

MICHIGAN...

Well Jared and I just returned from our little visit to good ole' Michigan. We had an AWESOME time-every night before we would go upstairs (to seperate rooms of course) to bed, Jared would tell me "Ang, I am having so much fun with your family!" Here's a run down of all we did in a few short days we were there:

Thursday:
-Mom and Dad picked us up from the old airport at DTW and we drove out to LAMBERTVILLE (what a name huh?)

Friday:
-Jared and I ran off to Emily and Andrew's to see little baby Ailey-my favorite baby girl! We had an awesome time with them!
-Stopped by Vanessa's grave
-Met up with mom, dad, Alex, and Becky and Evan at mom and dad's house
-For a minute I am going to brag about my nephew. He is the smartest baby in the entire world. He's almost 2 and he can not only say his abc's, but he can fill in the blanks if you leave out certain letters! He knows actions to songs...seriously...he's so awesome. PLUS he totally knows who I am and loves me:)
-We played games into the night-speed scrabble is amazing!

Saturday:
-Did my Tae Bo dvd
-Went to McDonalds with the fam for lunch
-Played over and over with Evan

Sunday:
-Went to CrossRoads-what an awesome blessing in many ways! My uncle spoke on Marriage and did it wonderfully!
-Ate with uncle Tom and aunt Noni
-Watched a movie with mom and dad

Monday:
-Breakfast date with dad:)
-Shopping with Jared:)
-Trip to Ann Arbor with mom and dad:)

Tuesday:
-Made breakfast with Jared for mom and dad
-Left on a plane and came back to Cali!

What an awesome blessing this trip was in so many ways!

Birthday Week!

Jared's 23rd Birthday is tomorrow!!!! Happy Birthday Love! I am soooooo excited to celebrate our birthday's together as a couple this year for the first time!

My 25th birthday is Saturday! Yes! A Quarter century!!!!

We are going out to the LA Philharmonic on Saturday!!! What a way to spend my birthday!

This is my gorgeous Best Friend Emily and her new beautiful baby Ailey:) I am in love with so many babies now! My nephew, Ailey, my boyfriend's nephew Tommy. Good thing I'm not having one for a LOOOOONG time. I can just love eveyone elses:)

Seriously though-this picture is awesome

Well it is all official now! Baby Ailey Kaylen Smith has entered the world early this morning on Monday April 17!!! She was 6 lbs and some other ounces...close to 7 lbs and 20 inches long with a lot of hair i am told!

From everything Andrew said, Emily was a pro and did great! I am soooo happy for you guys and can not wait to hold her in my arms in a week and a half!

Congrats mom and dad Emily and Andrew! Wow! My best friend is a mom!

Hospital Days...

There's nothing quite like a visit to the hospital-especially several visits on consecutive weekends when they are checking your boyfriend's neck to see what the painful lump in his neck is, if he has cancer...

After a month of hospital visits, a needle biopsy, and a CT scan, Jared was quickly scheduled for surgery this week when the other results came up inconclusive.

Monday morning, me, Jared, his mom, and grandpa (his dad passed away from cancer a few years ago) checked in to the hospital for an hour and a half long surgery in which the doctor thought he may simply have an infected gland, however would not really know anything until he opened him up. I did my best to keep Jared in good spirits as we waited in the pre-op room...reading the Word to him, making jokes about the warming blanket on him that looked like an inflatable raft, and holding his hand that just had an IV put into it. As they wheeled him into surgery, his mom, grandpa and I waited in this lobby area for the longest hour of my life.

The doctor came out after an hour telling us the wonderful news that he removed the lymphnode which was inflamed because of an infection in his tonsils. No tumors, lumps, or cancer!!!!! What a huge relief!!!!

When we were finally able to see him, the nurse asked us which one of us were going to stay and help Jared get dressed, and his mom and I just looked at each other and slowly started backing away and pointing at his grandpa!

Jared has been recovering remarkably well-he hates the vicadin which makes it too hard for him to focus on his school work, and is expecting to be back in Azusa on Friday-Praise the Lord!
For me, my emotional breaking point was after the surgery when we were in his mom's kitchen and it all hit me like a ton of bricks...and then later on in Blockbuster-that was fun:) The Lord is good and I am overwhelmed at His power, strength, and love.
Thank you God.

When you Feel like a smoldering wick...

Much like myself and Jared-we are reminded the Lord will protect us and care for us-not leave us to be done for...

Jared goes in for surgery on Monday for the lump on his neck...It is difficult not having his dad with us anymore...Lord, when we lack the presencem comfort and strength of a father...would You remind us that you will care and be with us all the more...

Gaucho? Goucho? Groucho? Gaaaaaooooocho?



What the heck is a gaucho? Who was the moron that invented the goucho? Why would anyone in their right mind want to own a gawwwwcho? seriously.
In my recent discussions with Jared and his 2 two roomates, I have discovered that there are some serious problems here.
Problem #1: Permanent Wedgie. Enough said.
Problem #2: Not flattering in ANY way. Wear these if you are NOT trying to attract anyone in their right minds.
Problem #3: Let's face it. There is a reason spandex were outlawed in several states including Texas.
Problem #4: I was up Gauching all night.

WASH ME...

Many of us have heard the story of Jesus washing the disciples feet...A gross job but someone has to do it right??? But when was the last time we served someone? I mean really served them? Served someone when no one would notice...or when there was no "thank you". When was the last time you served someone who was in a lower position then you? Or someone who normally does not get noticed by anyone?
Jesus knew He was God's Son. He knew He was going back to heaven. And yet some of the very last things He chose to do, were make sure people around Him knew-He was there to serve.
I want to be like Jesus. How about you?

I Have 2 Favorite Nephews!

It is true! Not only do I have a favorite nephew already, but now I move onto favorite nephew #2! This little guy won't be around until the beginning of August, but I already feel how much I love him! More Teal boys to carry on the family name:)

Can you tell I'm excited?

It is over...

No longer am I the reigning Miss Azusa...am I sad???

Not really sad and not really happy either...kind of a weird state mixed somewhere inbetween. I am thankful it is over-pressure off of me...and thankful the night went well:
I was able to sing 3 times (the national anthem, The Impossible Dream, and I'll be Seeing You)
Jared was able to be there
I was able to boldly proclaim the name of Christ without being preachy in my farewell speech
I was able to crown the wrong girl-later take the crown off her head and put it on someone else...oh wait that was horrible!!!
I was able to be surrounded by My awesome roomates, Jared, and Dave and Shelby when all was said and done...

PLUS I got these awesome flowers!

My Favorite Number!

Four jobs you have had in your life:
1. Day Care worker
2. Library Slave
3. Area Director at Spring Hill Camp
4. Jr High Youth Pastor

Four Movies You Would Watch Over and Over
1. Pirates of the Caribbean
2. Sound of Music
3. Hitch
4. Jared's Home Movies so I can hear his dad's voice

What's on your desk right now?
1. Computer - harddrive, screen, speakers etc
2. Cards from Students
3. An Empty Coffee cup
4. Stuff I need to do and haven't gotten to yet

Four places you have lived:
1. Saskatoon Sakatchewan CANADA
2. Temperance, MI
3. Spokane, WA
4. Long Beach, CA

Four Books I Could Read Over and Over:
1. The Bible (I know I have to say this ... but it's true.)
2. The Heavenly Man
3. Redeeming Love
4. My Utmost for His Highest

Four TV shows you love to watch:
1. Seinfeld
2. Home Decorating Shows
3. CSI
4. Saved by the Bell

Four favorite places you have been on vacation:
1. Anything that involved my family and a long car ride
2. Hearst Castle
3. Washington State-my family doesn't just go to one city
4. Niagara Falls Ontario

Four websites I visit daily:
1. MySpace
2. Hotmail
3. Google
4. fullydevoted.com

Four of my favorite foods:
1. Mom's Stoganoff
2. Chicken
3. Strawberry's
4. Coffee

Four places I would rather be right now:
1. In Azusa
2. Out to lunch with a student
3. getting a massage-AMEN EMILY!
4. Snowboarding with Jared

Four favorite drinks (Non-alcoholic)
1. Butterscotch latte from Zadok's coffee in Pismo Beach, CA
2. Water with Lemon
3. Russian Tea
4. Water with Lemon

Four things I always carry with me:
1. My Phone-gotta make those calls
2. Cherry Chapstick-gotta carry on the tradition
3. Trash that people put in my purse
4. Picture of my nephew EVAN!

How to survive life in LA...

Sometimes it is just overwhelming to be a full time graduate student and youth pastor along with all the other things I attempt to do and do well. So here is how I survive doing all those things while living in LA:

-Catch up with my family and friends in Michigan while driving to Long Beach for work.
-Work out in the mornings
-SPEND TIME ALONE WITH GOD!!!!!!!!!!!
-Go to the salon to have my hair washed and styled since I can't cut it yet
-Spend the last few hours of each day either watching a movie with Jared, going on a walk with Jared, studying with Jared, reading the Bible with Jared, watching Jared make pancakes at 1:00 in the morning, driving with Jared...pretty much anything with Jared in it...
-Do all things well, but not put undue pressure on myself
-Enjoy each minute with my roomates-even though I live in Long Beach half the time...

That's about it...I will not only survive-I will make it through this and do my best:)

Jr. High Winter Camp!

These pictures say it all!

Really Clean!

This was the title of the tract that I signed on that fateful day I decided to "be a christian" in 1986. Of course I am extremely thankful for that day in my life, and more importantly everything that led up to that and ever since then. What I have been realizing more and more every day is that there is an essential NEED to become really clean that can only come through healing in Jesus Christ.

Healing whether it is healing from past sins, hurts, things others have done to wrong you etc, never comes in an instant (or I guess I could say rarely). True healing that lasts is a process that only comes to completion as we allow Jesus to strip us bare: exposing the root of the problem, allowing Him to clease us, and then re-clothe us in His beauty.

For me, this process is almost always difficult and is painful. I never like to see those things in me which I try to desperately to keep hidden. And yet as the healing process continues, I find that I am becoming really clean!

Thank you Lord for your power and patience to make me Really Clean!

Man of God:

Many people strive to be like the man or woman of God they read about in the Bible. We read in the Bible about David being a man after God's own heart, and so many others who are used by God to do great things. However, it is made clear in His Word that just BEING His is the greates thing we can do.

There are many different men and women I have met in life who have displayed different qualities and characteristics of a Godly person. However, I have rarely seen such qualities displayed so consistantly and so authentically as I do in my Best Friend and Love of my Heart: Jared R. Amerine.

For those of you who have not met him, I look forward to the day of that meeting: When you will see exactly what it is in him that has caused me to fall completely in love with him. This humble man of God shows me more of the character of Christ each new day. I look forward to today and tomorrow and then next day because I love seeing God through all that you say and do. (P.S. Just so you all know-He is imperfect. But that's where God is strong! That's what makes all of this work out so well:)