2011---Well that was fun.

2011 was a big year for us. Had we gotten pregnant before the year end, it would have been the year of all years! However – we’re holding off awhile for little ones, though we’re tempted every day to change our minds. Instead, 2011 held the beginning of new careers, a wedding, and a house purchase! Through the whole year, we were continually reminded just how blessed we are. We do not want to end the year without saying Praise! to Jesus for all that He has done for us. We are also so very grateful for each one of you that enrich our lives with your sweet friendship and fellowship.

We had only been engaged a day when we entered into 2011. Around 10:45 PM on December 30th, 2010, Josh got down on one knee at the top of the Space Needle in Seattle, WA. We stopped to have dinner there, while on our way to visit Josh’s extended family in Snohomish. Turns out I got more than just the salmon! It was a fun way to meet all his aunts, uncles, and cousins --- being welcomed with huge hugs because “Now you’re going to be family!” It was a wonderful weekend that filled my heart so full. I knew without a doubt this was a family I wanted to be married into. 

January brought my final semester at Corban University. And it wouldn’t be the final semester if it wasn’t the hardest one of them all! I was interning 35+ hours at an accounting firm, taking 17 credits (one being the horrendous senior business project that almost broke me), serving as the Activities Coordinator for Corban’s student government, and trying to plan a wedding.  Needless to say, I survived…but just barely. If it wasn't for my fantastic ASB team (pictured to the left), my girlfriends, and the fun college events to be a part of, it would have been  a much more miserable semester. I even managed to win 1st place at a dance competition at Corban with my sister Torie! 

   

In February, Josh coached his first collegiate baseball game as Corban’s grad assistant. He coached under the leadership of first year head coach Jeff McKay (my Dad!). As they continue to build the program, they are confident that each year will get them closer to where they want to be. Josh was promoted this fall to Assistant Coach and currently works with the outfielders and hitters. The 2012 baseball season starts February 10th against University of Puget Sound, as part of the Swing into Spring College Baseball Classic in Pasco, WA. Go Warriors!

Right in the middle of the busy semester, God brought us incredible joy and blessing. On March 9^th, Josh signed the papers for a brand new red house in Aumsville, OR! And because he was the best fiancé in the world, he let ME move into it, instead of him! One of my dear friends Meredith was a sweet companion and roommate in a time where we both just needed a quiet safe haven to come home to.

In May, I graduated – decked out in my blue gown and cap (which flew off during the processional).  I was so ready to be done, I think I practically ran across the stage.  I graduated with a degree in Business Management and a degree in Accounting and Finance (just like Josh did the year ahead of me!)

June made for crazy wedding planning – and a family trip to Montana!  My parents, Josh, Torie, and I trekked across the Rocky Mountains to my sister’s boyfriend’s family farm in Conrad, Montana. They own 4,000+ acres where they grow wheat and barley and raise cattle.   At the time, Montana was experiencing the most rain they had in 20 years – but we didn’t let it stop us from experiencing what it had to offer. And when the sun came out the final day, we gasped at the incredible beauty and found out just why it’s called Big Sky Country.  Garrett’s parents, Mark and Devra (pictured below), and both sets of Garrett's grandparents live on the farm. It made for a very family-oriented trip – and we felt completely at ease that Torie would be joining their lives in Montana in future months.  Josh and I also developed an affinity to Montana and the farm life, and together secretly dream of one day transporting our lives there. 

And on July 9^th, Josh and I joined our lives together at a barn in Salem, OR. Our beloved accounting teacher Bryce Bernard performed the ceremony – and our closest friends and family stood beside us witnessing the official union of two hearts that had known all along they were meant for each other.  On that day, we made a pledge to Christ that we wanted our home to be a safe haven for all who entered. That continues to be our prayer – that this house we were blessed with would become a blessing to those who enter. 

Josh and I spent our Honeymoon up north: 3 nights at Salish Lodge and Spa at Snoqualmie Falls (completely recommend it!) and 2 nights in downtown Seattle at the Marriott. While at Salish, we got full-body massages, sat in the jacuzzi, built wood-cracklin' fires in our room, played Ticket to Ride 5 times, and just plain relaxed. The end of our trip was spent shopping in Seattle and going to Mariner baseball games. It was just our speed and everything we had desired in our first days as husband and wife.

In August, Josh coached his BBNW team of high school seniors all the way to the Championship game at the Northwest Championship Tournament in Centralia, WA. This same team had won the previous year as well with Josh as coach. They were ready to take the trophy for year 2 and they did! Josh has found coaching to be a very fulfilling job and really enjoys being a mentor to the younger guys. I am so happy that God is using Josh right where he would be happiest...on the baseball field.

                                                                              

 The last week in September, I started my full-time job as an Associate Accountant at AKT CPAs and Business Consultants in Salem, OR.  Though it took me about two months to fully adjust to “being a grown up,” I finally feel like this is where I’m supposed to be. AKT is full of incredible people that make going to work each day easy.  

In October, we made the trip up to Snohomish, WA for the Warner Halloween Party in Uncle Steve and Aunt Jane's amazing barn. It was a great night of potluck food, creative costumes, and LOTS of dancing! We even won "Most Original Costume" with our Flo (from Progressive) and Mayhem (from Allstate) attire. When the Warners get together, it's always a good party.

As the sun continued to shine and the rain held off in a surprisingly dry November and December, we hosted Thanksgiving in our own little red house for both the McKays and Warners. (We have dubbed ourselves the McWarners for such holiday gatherings!) Christmas was spent split between both families--- cuddling with nieces and nephews, playing Ticket to Ride and pinochle, and remembering the birth of our Savior. 

As we look ahead to 2012...

I will be working 50-60 hours a week for tax season February through April 15th. Josh will also begin traveling with Corban Baseball the beginning of February.  The next four months will bring long work days and fewer hours together as husband and wife. It will even bring some nights that we won't get to crawl into the same bed together! Please keep us in your prayers as you think of us.  We know this is a season we just have to get through but are hopeful that we'll make the most of the moments we do have together. We are confident that we have a great Savior to keep us centered and amazing friends and family to hold us up.  

Thank you for supporting us as individuals and as a couple. We love each and every one of you and look forward to the many years ahead with you. 2011 was a heck of a year. Looking forward to trying to top it in 2012!

Life under the Christmas Tree

The other night, I found myself lying under the Christmas tree, looking up. It's a magical, relaxing place where I wish I could stay more often. It's as if that tax return I messed up on won't eat at me the rest of the night. It's as if the dishes did themselves. It's as if the homework turned itself in.  Life kinda stops under the tree.



As I lay there, my life verse - that I don't seem to be very good at doing lately - came to mind, "Be still and know that I am God." (Annie girl, your life has a purpose. Do not forget that the Lord your God is sovereign.) 

Without Christ, I would have no reason to celebrate Christmas and no Christmas tree to lie under.  In the stillness, when it's just me and the Light, my soul seems to realign. I've gotten lost in all the transitioning during the last few months. I've forgotten whats most important, as I struggle just to survive.  But all of a sudden, with a faint whisper from the Prince of Peace, life seems doable again.

I hope and pray this season that you'll take time to find out what your life looks like under the Christmas tree.

The AKT Way

I am an accountant.

Contrary to popular belief, accountants are not mathematicians. Really, the only math you have to know is arithmetic. Just some adding, subtracting, and percentages. And our handy-dandy ten-key calculators do that for us!

Accounting is more like grammar. And if you knew that, I bet you wouldn’t be surprised that I am an accountant.

Just like sentences have nouns, verbs, and direct objects, accounting has assets, liabilities, and expenses. There is a correct sentence structure that the parts of speech must be in order to make sense. In the same way, there is proper structure for accounts to be categorized.  Accounting is a lot about organization, and our organization must follow the rules set forward by GAAP, General Accepted Accounting Principles.  

Of course, it is MUCH more complicated than I have described it here. This is the bare bones of accounting.  If you add tax law, audit procedures, and a company with over 100 accounts, it’s a whole bunch of fun.

There are two sides of accounting: tax and attest services.  I won’t go into the differences, but all you really need to know is…I have a preference for tax. (But I will dabble in both for the next couple years!) 

Attest services verify that a company is doing their accounting according to GAAP, while tax deals with everything that must go to the government.

I work for AKT CPAs and Business Consultants in Salem, OR. It is a public accounting firm, which means that we are a third-party firm that businesses/individuals pay to audit their financial statements, prepare their taxes, and/or for business consulting and wealth advising.  I am a full-time staff accountant, the bottom of the food chain. This is the preparer level.  Accounting is unique in the fact that the lowest level does the “work,” while those higher on the food chain “review the work.” Don’t get me wrong, our partners work harder and longer than anyone in accounting - because they must ensure that what we send out the door to our client is the very best. They have to draw from their incredible wealth of knowledge concerning ANYTHING we may have missed or not considered when preparing the tax returns or performing the review or audit.

AKT’s motto is “helping our clients achieve their goals.” This focus trickles down from the very top, from our highest paid partner to our busy-season interns.

My goal is to become an expert tax planner for individuals and small businesses. That means, I would be able to tell you how to strategically pay less taxes.  Right now, I plug numbers into the tax returns. Glorious huh? But in every tax return, the partners of the firm remind us to think about the client on the other side.  We are doing tax returns for real people.   This is something very special about AKT. And why I am thrilled to go to work each morning!

AKT has a sense of camaraderie. We are a team, all in this together. Partners and staff accountants work together for the betterment of the client. In the largest accounting firms in the nation, an intern might never say one word to a partner. At AKT, I can enter a partner’s office at any time to ask a question about a client, or stop a partner in the hall to ask how his/her weekend was. 

I believe in AKT. I believe in their morals and values. I believe in their goals and their focus. I believe in the culture. That’s why it is easy for now to sit in a cubicle and plug numbers into a computer screen – because I know I am contributing work to a larger cause, to a greater picture, to an important and valued client.

So that’s what I do. 

And so far, I love every minute of it.

Roses are red...

Forget the violets. My baby sister is engaged!

Garrett and Torie trudged off to Multnomah Falls early in the morning on Saturday, September 17th. It was cold and rainy. After the Falls, Garrett originally intended to take Torie ring shopping to throw her off course, but they ran out of time and instead headed straight to Portland's Rose Gardens.

As I pulled into the parking lot, on a hill high above the city, my heart raced with anticipation. I hopped out of my car and peaked over the shrubbery outlining the edge of the gardens. Ope! I saw Garrett's bleach blonde hair. I sneaked back to my car so as not to be seen until it was time. 

I waited a half hour. [Hurry up, Garrett. I'm too excited!!]

Buzz. Buzz. My cell phone rang.

"Hello!" 

"Hi Annie. The ring is on the finger. Come on down!"

I found Garrett and Torie snuggled up together under a beautiful willow tree, smiles overwhelming their faces. 

Of course the first words out of my mouth were, "Let me see the rock!"

It was the ring Torie had picked out when the lovebirds went ring shopping this summer in Montana. Beautiful, delicate, and just perfect for her dainty hand. 

It was a privilege to be a part of their day, to be the FIRST to see the newly-engaged, and even more so, to follow them around and take pictures in the rose gardens. They were calm, collected...and beaming.

Garrett gave Torie an empty picture frame to fill with pictures from this day and every day forward. It was engraved with the words, "Garrett and Torie founded in the love of Christ 9-17-2011."
What a glorious day. 

"Love is like a rose. When pressed between two lifetimes, it will last forever."  - Unknown