NEW BLOG

YES, it's true, we're starting a new blog at last!!! Most likely no one even looks at this blog anymore, but JUST IN CASE....now you know where to find us. go to mattandcherylo.blogspot.com. :)

it's official....

I'm getting married to Matt Oldham...the man i LOVE!!!
he asked me on tuesday night...and i said YES!!!

SO many fun things to do now! and although the wedding planning and connecting with close friends is fun...the most amazing thing of all is feeling so increadibly blessed by the fact that God has brought Matt into my life. Although the time that we've known each other has been short, I've experienced Jesus' love through him in ways i never have before...it's amazing how much can happen in a few months when God is part of it, which has seemed very evident to us from the time we met(if you haven't heard the story, be sure to ask sometime)! Matt has become by best friend, my love, and i'm so thankful that he'll soon become my companion for life.

so...thought you'd like to know. :) also...if you respond to this, email, call, or try to get in touch and it takes me a while to get back to you...i'm really NOT ignoring you...my days are just VERY full right now. thank you for having patience with me. :)

MUCH LOVE TO EVERYONE

a few smiles

kids are great...they have given me many smiles in the midst of dark, wet days lately. Here are a few things they've said that i thought might give someone else a laugh too...

after asking a few boys to be careful after someone almost broke something, one of them responded "It's hard to be careful....we're MEN" :)

yesterday a 1st grader told me this after i had told everyone it was time to clean up..."cleaning up messes up the environment."

and here's a recipe for snow, as told by another little boy:
"Make a snowflake out of paper.
Write three snow wishes on the snowflake.
Fold it up and put it under your pillow.
Put your pajamas on inside out.
Flush an ice cube down the toilet and go straight to bed."

finally...internet access on my computer...

...and all along all i needed was the right cord!!! that's what i figured but only one person figured out how to translate my explanation of what i needed...and a day later...vuala!!!i have internet once again..only 6 months later. :) thanks weston!

so the problem is still my old computer and getting help making space on it for pictures so i can get them on here....hopefully not another 6 month process.:)

for now...here's one that matt sent to me of our christmas together...which was actually on a thursday...but it was SO good. we made a fabulous ham and dinner, watched christmas cartoons, and enjoyed being together. this is truly an amazing man! have i said that yet? :) Hope your holiday season has been a blessing ...and happy new year too!!

Matt is in town...

...can you tell?!?! :) sorry i've vanished from online world. i really haven't forgotten about this blog. i want to update it for those of you who i love who i never see anymore! i just need to decide to sit down and do it. :) until that happens...just know that all is well and i'm enjoying getting to know this amazing guy named matt much better. he now lives only 20 minutes from my house and he works at the starbucks closest to my job and other places i spend lots of time at. it's fabulous.

...gotta go get ready for thanksgiving festivities! If you're reading this...know that I am thankful for YOU! :) much love

5 more days!!!

MATT'S MOVING TO PORTLAND!! and I'm VERY happy about it! :) we had an amazingly awesome time in England and Scotland and after traveling from place to place (and even after stress and tiredness combined with the joy of crazy monthly emotions on my part) he still likes being around me...and i like being around him....actually, we enjoy each others' company quite a bit....most probably even more than before the trip! :) More upate to come on our trip once i can get pictures posted but for now i had to at least share what i'm currently looking forward to! wow...i get to SEE him EVERY DAY and not just talk on the phone once a week. aaaahhhhhh (said in a relaxed sort of way, not screaming), that's a nice thought! :)

waiting for Matt to call...

I was anxiously waiting for a phone call from across the ocean early one morning.. couldn't sleep anymore...so i got up and enjoyed the quiet morning looking over portland up on a hill by my house!

Summer Smoothies!

Making smoothies is one of my favorite things about summer! This one was the winner of the summer with great company....Autumn, who i can't believe is already in 7th grade. She was one of the first kids that i took care of at my childcare job. We had a good afternoon hangin out together listening to music, staining our fingers from picking blackberries, and then enjoying the smoothie results!

to the BEACH with the H.O.T. gals

Everyone from the House of Transformation took an afternoon to spend some time together at the beach!I think I want one of these cute little guys for a pet! If you've never gone to the aquarium you should. The seals are worth the trip!
I wish i had pictures of go-carting, which was a great way to end a good day! I really love these women and am thankful to have them in my life.

Baseball with Transitional Youth

The Transitional Youth houses have an annual baseball game against several employees of Prudential (many people in the company are main supporters of TY). Baseball is not one of the sports i enjoy playing so i took on the role of photographer!

These are some great friends of mine...
The things left behind after one of the guys hit the ball and took off running...
Sarah has become a great friend and mentor. She has been running one of the houses for several years.
Heather and I have known each other for years and we now get to work together !
Maybe they'll change the tradition to Basketball or Volleyball for next year :)...although I thinnk I'll be learning more about Baseball now since it's one of Matt's Favs! :)

First Seattle trip to see MATT!!

After Matt came down to visit me a couple times, I went up to see his world near Seattle. I remember wondering why I hadn't gone up there more in the past since it's such a fun place...and i LOVE that there is water everywhere...not including the rain! :)The first Troll under a bridge I've ever seen! this one is holding a real "bug" under his hand...and his eye is the hub cap! pretty cool!

and the cheesy pose! :)

good times at the original Starbucks
Loved the guys singing outside! they were pretty talented!
Of course we went to the market but i didn't get too many good pictures, and got to go on a ferry, meet some of Matt's friends, eat some good seafood....all in fabulous company!!! GREAT memories!

Catch Up...

So much has happened this summer...GOOD memories...things I wish i could have shared as they happened but i didn't have internet access. so i'm gonna play a little catch up with pictures. Hope you enjoy! :)

a little update on me...and matt :)

Yes, it's true that matt HAS become important enough in my life to take up some of my computer/blog time...i DO enjoy his face more than the computer screen's :)...BUT, since moving a couple months ago i still haven't gotten my computer connected to the internet , which gives a bit more reason for the lack of updates on my site. thanks for those who actually have missed me :)...today i had planned on catching up a bit at dave and trina's, but it turns out that before i can blog with pictures i first had to get some other things taken care of, which took up all the days time. hopefully sometime this week i'll actually get caught up a bit.

so a little update without pictures to hopefully satisfy some interest. Matt and I are doing great although extremely missing each others' company since he's been in Romania for what seems to be forever (we are both amazed at couples and families that have to be apart for long periods of time, such as refugees, military, persecuted believers that are put in prison, etc.) I think once we are together again even small things about getting to be together will seem amazingly wonderful! We're extremely thankful to live in a day where we can communicate over the computer and with text messages!

So if you haven't heard yet, i get to go on an overseas vacation to the UK! HUGE BLESSING (3 years without going to another country seems far too long)!! I'll be meeting up with Matt in London, we'll get to visit my good friend Andy and his wife for a couple days, then I get to meet Matt's WHOLE family at his sister's wedding and hang out with them for 4 days, then we will be traveling to Scotland, site seeing a bit with family and then staying with amazing friends, Rachel and Chis, in Aberdeen! Matt and I both love traveling and we're looking forward to getting to know each other better...even the stressed out-tired-grumpy parts...in the process of doing what we enjoy. We're also looking forwared to meeting important people in each others' lives. Lots of fun, learning and growing together! Please pray for us as God brings us to mind!

Yeah, so Matt has been a big focus of my life lately! I'm also back to work at the child care program as well as working at the women's Transitional Youth house. More pics to come...

Alright...if you have specific questions you'll have to ask. I hope to get some pics up before i leave Oct. 1. And after that you can be sure to get some UK pics!

Much Love