GETTING MARRIED!

I realize this blog hasn't been updated in FOREVER!!!
BUT - I'm ENGAGED!!!

check out the website here:
www.laurenandmicah.com

I'm so excited, but there is still lots of planning to do in the next several weeks, so please pray for Lauren and me (and our families) as we prepare for the wedding and the new chapter in our lives!
pictures on our website!!

Laguna Beach!!

It was a long but very relaxing day today! Amy and I woke up early and took several bags of cans, bottles and plastic to be recycled. Here in CA they have these little drop of sites where you get PAID for anything recyclable! The first place we stopped at was closed, so I called the number and got the address to the next closest site. That site was almost FULL and very busy! So we drove another 15 minutes to the next site! I think we came out with 12 bucks. I think I can get more for aluminum in MN still. But it would be nice to have those same drop off centers!
We stopped at a grocery store to get lunch food, then went back home to wake up the rest of the gang. We all ate breakfast, then drove out to...LAGUNA BEACH! It was SO nice! It was a weekday so the traffic wasn't too bad, and the crowd wasn't too big on the beach either! We same in the ocean, rode on the waves, went belly surfing, and made a sand castle with sand and seaweed! We walked the beach and saw crabs and other sea creatures. When we were swimming we even spotted two dolphins just a dozen yards away! I wish I had a picture of that! It was so great!! I think that was the highlight of my day!
Some people got a little redder in certain places, but for the most part we all got some pretty good tans and a lot of rest!
Later in the evening we met Amy's mom and Ha and they took us out to dinner - at a place called Korean BBQ. It was super fantastic! I had bulgogi and kimshi, fish, rice, and other Korean delicacies! It was sure tasty!
By the time the day was over I think we were all pretty tuckered out!
Road trip starts tomorrow!
Some quotes of the day:
"Is your hair really brown?" "I see you can drive farm equipment. Is that true?" ('I have driven a tractor before, yes sir!')
Pics coming soon!

Los Angeles!!

I worked today...nothing too exciting there. But what happened AFTER work was something worth blogging about! Just after work my coworkers celebrated the birthday for Angelina, our boss's 1 year old baby girl! That was a ton of fun! A lot of the co workers brought their little kids with as well to celebrate!
After the bday party I went over to Sue, Norms, and Grandma's for dinner! Sue made sweet and sour chicken! It was TASTY!!!! Norm recharged my car's A/C, and we looked at the Schaller wedding pictures, as well as pictures from Bulgaria (my aunt and uncle's missions trip this summer)! We also spent some time out at the new fire pit that Norm put in! It's so awesome!
After that I went over to CSF to drop my old house keys off for JB. Then I went over to Lauren's where she dropped me off at the airport (Sun Country). From there I flew to Los Angeles to meet Amy Fluegeman (one of my oldest, if not THE oldest friend of mine!), as well as Liz Argo (another good friend of mine and Amy's) and Hannah! And of course Laura - Amy's sister (who lives here in CA)! We are planning on spending a day at Laguna beach tomorrow, then road tripping back to MN! We're planning on seeing the Grand Canyon, spending time in Las Vegas, and spending a while in the Rockies! Amy's mom's house (Louise) is TIGHT! It is located in Chino Hills, and is on 6 acres of land. The house is surrounded by thick vegetation, and has a GINORMOUS fire pit in the back! The house itself is like a mansion, and the stars are incredibly bright! I didn't think I would be able to see the stars here in LA! But I was totally wrong! I'm so glad I was able to come out here! We all stopped at a place called "In and Out" which has FANTASTIC burgers and fries! For 5 bucks I got a burger, fries, and a shake! No joke!
That's all for now!!!

Cranberry Camping!!

Twas a beautiful weekend to vacation! Lauren's family took me with them this past weekend to Tomah, Wisconsin, which is about a two and half hour drive east from Hudson. Danielle (Lauren's sister) was sick, so she wasn't able to come with us. :(
I arrived at the Johnson's house shortly after work on Friday. No one was home yet, so I played with T.J. the cat and Izzy the dog for a while (then jammed on the piano for a bit)! Lauren's mom arrived about an hour after I did. We packed up the cooler, Lauren's mom took the dog to the kennel, then Lauren and her dad arrived shortly afterwards. We finished all of the packing (food, grill, suitcases, etc.) then loaded up the van and took off!
The ride was pleasant (of course I didn't have to drive either), and we stopped at Moe's "Almost World Famous" cafe! The food was pretty good, and it was fun just hanging out w/ the Johnson Family! We took some pictures by a huge chicken, then continued our drive to Tomah. We arrived at the Cranberry Lodge a little before 10pm I think. They had a sweet hot tub and swimming park indoors!
The room we stayed in was really neat! We stayed in the Blue Heron Suite - it had a kitchen, two queen beds, (two TVs), and a futon! Of course I got the sweet futon all to myself! We unloaded everything (food for the weekend, clothes, etc.) then hung out for a bit before going to bed.
The next morning I got up early to eat breakfast (we found out they had a delicious complementary breakfast at the lodge)! ,along with a "new" book" I'm reading (book 2)by John Piper, given to me by Dr. Ness when I graduated H.S. (I never made time to read it until now...lol)! Lauren and her mom met me later on in the lobby. After we all had breakfast we started out the day by visiting a farmer's market in town. Lauren and I visited the Amish table and were in awe of intricate and delicate work that these ladies toiled over. Many of their items for sale included beautiful bonnets, hats, loafs of bread, and various pastries. Lauren's parents bought some red potatoes and also bought us some Cranberry honey (though it's not made from Cranberry's, it has a distinct accent because the bees pollinated from these berries)! We then visted a cheese factory near our lodge! They had the tastiest cheese EVER! Lauren bought some smoked baby swiss!! I love that girl! I also got some crazy awesome ice cream there (I can't remember the name of it, but I'll let you know when it comes to me...OH! Makiato?) After the factory we went to a HUGE antique store (seriously HUGE) and art gallery. Lauren and I spent most of our time in the book section and Lauren found a book published in 1890, called "Manners, Culture, and Dress of the Best American Society." We totally got it and we read secions of it to each other for the rest of the weekend! It should seriously be read by EVERYONE! Most of the manners and culture is totally Scripture based and referenced to God's Word and the Christian lifestyle that we should abide by! It's fun to read too! (Start out with Chapter 17, regardless of status)!
The rest of the day was spent hiking, geocaching (yes, we went geocaching, and got eaten alive by mosquitoes in the process), walking through downtown Tomah, buying sweet corn, taking a nap at the hotel, visiting a European village mall, buying Jelly Bellies (that was a TON of fun!), then eating in a REALLY GOOD restaurant in downtown Tomah - TPs? I think it was called. Lauren and I ate a rack of some of the best ribs I have ever had! We relaxed back at the hotel in the late evening and eventually called it a night!
Sunday morning Lauren and I got breakfast early in the morning (she definitely surprised me by getting up so early!) and talked for a while until her parents woke up to meet us. We went to Bible E-Free Church in Tomah - and the hymns played were songs that I haven't sung in years! The pastor talked compared the Olympics to our lives. He mentioned that many athletes don't perform to the best of their ability during the qualifiers if they already know they're going to win. But all of the Athletes give it their best shot in the finals. Are we as Christians running the race like a qualifier or as the final run? Because we only live once and get ONE shot at it! And if we run, we MUST run to WIN. And if we struggle, God will be there to see us through to the end, just like the runner's father in Athens, when he tore a hamstring while running the final race.
After church we explored the cranberry capital of Wisconsin near Tomah. We took a fun tour and learned a zillion thing about the berry, from the name to the process of harvesting it! We visited a "mall" nearby, and have some great pics to show! We then drove to Black River Falls for a picnic in a State Park! Lauren and I played toss with a doughnut hole, we grilled brats, and listened to music! We arrived back to Hudson and then I helped Lauren load up some more furniture for her appt. We met Amy Brown and the gang for some park fun later that evening because it was Amy's last night in the cities this semester.
Even LATER in the evening, Lauren, Katie K, Amy and I went over to Lydia and Charles' house to watch "Chalk" and eat ice cream! It was a jam-packed fun weekend! God is to receive all of the credit though! He has totally blessed me with some fantastic friends! Thanks to Lauren's parents as well for treating us this past weekend to everything!! You guys are great! Pics to come shortly!

Eagle Mountain Pizza!

There are some who say that the priority of this past weekend's trip was to venture to the summit of Eagle Mountain - Minnesota's highest peak. There are others who claim that Sven and Olie's pizza, and Bridgeman's ice cream was the secret priority. A few others might even say that looking for Superior Agates or Thompsonite was the real objective in this expedition. What do I say?! I say - the whole trip was the objective, and this objective was most definitely completed!
This exciting but strenuous trip was composed of some of the world's most accomplished backpackers! Five members in all: Charles and Lydia Schaller (most feared for their ability to laugh in the face of danger. Also one of the most skilled couples in the area of climbing mountains (Lydia practically ran through the mountain!)! Next up is the greatly honored and respected Nigel Bennett from South Africa! His skills in the back woods are never to be questioned, as he has accomplished some of the most difficult trails in the world. His camping skills and knowledge of the Great Outdoors surpasses even the most knowledgeable man (Survival Man stands no chance again Nigel's mad skills). Finally we have Lauren Elise Johnson. Her wisdom, bravery, and wit is like none any as seen. She is known for her ability to conquer anything set in her way! If she had a different name it would be "Incredible Unbelievable Johnson"! Yes, the Johnson must be part of her name, for without it, it would be hard to look her up on Google.
So our excursion began shortly after work (and after looking at Charles and Lydia's network)! We piled into the Saturn, picked up Lauren and Nigel, and began our trek to the Great North! Many of the riders had not supped yet, so we drove through Arby's off Lexington and 35W. Because some of the travellers were also tired, we stopped in North Branch for Moo Lattes at DQ! Lydia and Charles most graciously footed the bill! (Wherever did that idiom come from?!)
The next stop was the North Shore! As night began to fall upon us we reached Duluth. We stopped at an outlook to stretch our legs and take a couple pictures (included at the end of this post of course)! We were then trying to decide where to camp for the night. We threw out the idea of Cascade Lodge's House, since the price was a little steep to split five ways. We decided since it was already too late to purchase a Boundary Water's permit (because Eagle Mountain is part of that organization), and because the permit was almost $100, that we would just camp in the parking lot when we arrived. The parking lot would be about 30 minutes northwest of Grand Marais, and would most likely be away from any civilization for the night. As we approached Grand Marais around 11pm, we turned into the dirt/gravel road to lead to the Mountain trail. We encountered a very rigid and therefore bumpy road. The car shook and vibrated the entire time we were on this road. As we neared our destination, we happened upon an actual camp site near Two Island Lake! It was only $15 per night, so we quietly drove to an empty slot (there were many cars and tents there to my surprise, and only a couple spots were vacant). It was now quite late and we began to pitch tents as quickly and as quietly as we could. The most beautiful noise was that of a Minnesota Loon far off in the distance. Lauren slept in her pup tent, Lydia and Charles in the 3 person tent, Nigel in his mosquito net (tied to a couple trees), and the car was also used for sleeping in :) It isn't as uncomfortable as one might think! Early the next morning (6ish) we awoke, packed up, and drove to the parking lot. It was a lot closer than we thought! We immediately geared up, said a prayer, then began our trek to the peak of the mountain. The first mile or so of trail (I will guess almost two miles) lead to the mountain base. The trail was narrow, but the weather was beautiful and still slightly cool. We saw a chipmunk and a brown squirrel holding a pine cone in it's mouth. It was quite a sight, but the sight vanished as quickly as it appeared, so only our minds were able to retain the images that time!
The hike was a bit strenuous. There were plenty of rocks, roots, and bridges to cross before the base of the mountain was reached. The potential to sprain an ankle or two presented itself many a time before the hike was finished. Thank the Lord this never became an issue.
Just before our vertical assent, we reached a gap in the foliage. This view outlooked a beautiful lake and a few mountains in the distance. We took a breather and gathered our strength, then ventured forth into the height of the Mountain. The first mile was quite steep, but leveled out after a while. The final mile was breathtaking. There were many openings in the trees and we were able to view miles upon miles, with streams flowing, birds flying, and mountains reaching far into the distance. If you read the series, it reminded me of Narnia. We followed some standing stones which led us to the plaque, and therefore the summit of Eagle Mountain. Some pictures were taken, laughs were shared, and a few minutes later we were joined by the presence of other hikers. I believe we were the first up the mountain this beautiful morning, but as we descended the mountain (which took most of the reserve energy out of our team), we ran into several other hikers heading the opposite direction. An entire Army unit, dressed in full fledged uniforms, and some carrying enormous backpacks met us while we were heading down. The weather was now getting warm and I felt bad for the unit heading up the hill ("mountain", excuse me!). We began our trek at 8am, and arrived at 12pm. A four hour and 7 mile hike!! We cleaned up a little bit (if one can truly use that word) and drove a different road to Grand Marais. This one was a lot less rigid and more dirt-like! My shocks were happy! We came to Grand Marais and went to Sven and Olie's for lunch. We were all famished. Lydia and Charles again spotted the bill (thank you again!) and ordered two large pizzas for the five of us! They were downed in no time! We took a rest at the beach of Superior while some of us looked for agates in the rocks near the shoreline. After some time we went back to Sven and Olie's for two La La Palooza Sundaes! If you don't know what these are, each one has eight scoops of ice cream, topped with caramel, walnuts, whipped cream, and more! We also ate these as well!! By then everyone was exhausted and ready to go home. We made it home in record time, and before 9:30pm (I think we left around 5pm)! We all wanted to do even more that day, but some of the bodies just couldn't handle any more fun for that weekend! We will definitely be back though! And soon!
Enjoy the pictures! Video links below as well!
Trek to Eagle Mountain
Eagle Mountain Nearing Summit
Dragonfly Blair Witch Project
Nigel doing a handstand on the Summit of Eagle Mountain

Home bitterSweet Home!

I am officially moved back to my family's house in Andover! It is definitely a mixed feelings of emotions. On one hand I am really glad to be back with my family. They were excited for me to move back, and I'm glad I can contribute more time with my family now. Not to mention I get a kitty cat this Monday!!!!! I'm probably more excited about that than other perks! My dad is finishing up a new bathroom for the basement as well! I would say that is probably just as equally exciting!
The downside is that I will be a good distance away from most current CSFers. I enjoyed being around the excitement and activities that took place at the Center all of the time! And the thrill of nonstop "things going on" was quite enjoyable! And any time I felt like needing a little quiet time (which does happen more than one might think) I always had a room upstairs to retreat to (as well as the adjoining attic). God has been good to me these past 3 years at the house (and 5 years with the ministry). Many life long memories are attached to my time with CSF and staying at the house. I'm so excited to see where God directs my future. I find that the "one day at a time" mentality brings in the best surprises!
Well - I'm off now to go on a camping/hiking/exploring expedition way up north (Grand Marais) with Charles, Lydia, Lauren and Nigel. I can't wait! Pray for our safety, for God to be honored in our trip, and to be surprised by God! Pics to come after the weekend is over! Oh - a quick shout out to my now former roommate Zeb! You rock!

Sunday Schaller Supper!!

Picked up Taylor and Lauren for church today! We made it just on time! Service was touching and powerful. Jeremiah and the Gamble performed a one-man skit of the impact Jesus had during His time on Earth, based on the Gospels! Pastor spoke on the need Meadow Creek has on the offerings we give to our Lord through our offerings and tithings. He also emphasized the importance of offering our time in the community as well. Otherwise what is the point of going to church, only to stay within our Christian bubble for the rest of the week?!
After church I began packing things up at CSF and getting ready to move back home. I have one week left at the Center. Dad came around 5:45pm to help move out the big stuff in the Suburban. Later that evening Lauren and I were invited to Charles and Lydia's house for dinner and a movie! It was a lot of fun! Lydia is an amazing cook, and it was fun to hang out with those guys for the evening! I'm so glad they're really close to where I live (even if I'm only close for one more week)!!
Pics to come?!