California...5 months later :)

So...as I promised 5 months ago...here are some pictures from my time with Kim DeVine in California! I really do have a good excuse you know... I didn't have a digital camera, and after receiving one for Graduation I took pictures of my pictures so that I could finally put them on my blog :)

I spent a week with Kim in February and had such a great time! I hadn't seen her in like 3 years...way too long, and it was SO good just to have time to talk, go to Barnes & Noble (plan our big trip *wink*), and finally see her world down there :)

Every afternoon I'd go with her to the Tutoring Center which has been her heart beat for the past two years! The Center was started to provide a place for inner city kids to go after school, play with friends in a safe environment, get homework done with extra attention from volunters, have a healthy snack, and have FUN :) It was a really neat experience to meet these kids that I'd heard about, to help them with their homework, and watch Kim keep a "tight reign" and have a blast with 30 kids all at the same time :) She has a gift--but's that just my opinion :)

There was one little boy that I helped every day to learn english (quite a few of the kids come from Hispanic families and some struggle in school becuase they don't know enough english to excel). His name is Eduardo and we had a lot of fun :) I would hold up these english flash cards that he would have to read and tell me what the spanish equivalent word was (turns out he could read and pronounce the english words just fine...but had no idea what the meaning was...which was why I was trying to get him to tell me the spanish word too). I would go over all the words with him 3 times, and the ones he kept getting wrong we'd go over until he got it right! He would laugh at me when I made him do them again, but much to my surprise, the ones he kept getting wrong were the ones you'd think were the easiest...like "I" and "you." One card I actually drew on to help him remember, it was "up" with an arrow...but he never would remember it anyway...and we would laugh alot...he has a beautiful laugh :) This picture is of Eduardo...he is pointing..."up" :)

Kim and I also had a little fun of our own! We went to San Francisco one day...did a little shoping, ate some clam chowder by the pier, looked at Alcatraz from afar, got lost trying to find some crazy steep & winding street that I don't remember the name of, ate some of the best chocolate I've ever had (then almost threw up :), went to the top of a hill where there was this lighthouse/church (can't remember!) and a really awesome view of the city and the stars ("Orion where's your belt!??"--that's for you Kim), ate more Salt Water Taffy than I ever could have imagined, and of course, crossed and took pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge :)

That wan't it though...we also went to a Farmers Market, had coffee with Sara (a girl from our Hall at BBC that I hadn't seen in 4 years), went to youth group, had a tour of the Jelly Belly factory, shopped some more, did some detective work on the computer...but that is top secret isn't it Kim :), went to the gym (had to do something healthy after all the Taffy, Jelly Belly's and Ghirrdelli Chocolate!!), AND watched "Run Away Bride"--an absolute must tradition :)

Overall, as you can tell, it was a wonderful time...This girl is a huge Blessing in my life...Highly Esteemed by God and me :)