Lindsey came to visit and play time in Mexico

One of my closest friends came to visit me in Tucson this past weekend! Lindsey McCrary and I had so much fun getting to spend time together catching up, driving around and playing in Mexico. We enjoyed a homemade dinner on Thursday night... God bless yummy chicken salad that we have bonded over since college, a fabulous and cooled temperatures drive up Mt. Lemmon where we walked around and enjoyed all the beautiful nature you see driving up the mountain and then walking around on all the big rocks. On Saturday morning, Lindsey, Megan (my new roommate), Shannon (my new friend) and I met Brian, Adam (his roommate), Gavin (Brian's cousin) and Kristin (Gavin's girlfriend) at Brian's house (soon to be Megan and Catherine's home!!) where we loaded up, tried to get the boat ready (we didn't and decided to leave it), and headed out for the 4 hour drive toward Puerto Penasco, Mexico.
Lindsey and I at Mt. Lemmon
Brian and Catherine at Puerto Penasco, Mexico
Catherine & Lindsey playing in the ocean
Catherine & Megan: My new roommate who just moved down to Tucson from Michigan. She is working for an International adoption agency. Her neighbor in Michigan is one of the board of directors for Family Life Communications, the company I work for. How great is God!!!
Me and Shannon falling while still looking of-so-beautiful for the camera!
That's my baby!!

We all had such a wonderful time. Who knew that just 24 short hours at the beach and playing in the ocean would be such a renewing experience. It took us 4 hours each way and through the border crossing. It was a great time for Lindsey and I to catch up while Shannon and Megan relaxed in the back. And a great time for old friends (Adam, Brian, Gavin) to meet new friends (Lindsey, Shannon, Megan, Kristin).

All in all, it was a wonderful trip and I want more friends to come visit!! Moral of the story... COME VISIT ME!!

Goode Lyndsey Goode has already canceled on my because of work so I how have an availability in August! :)

Love,
C

This past weekend Veeves came for a visit to Tucson! My first visitor since my parents moved all of my things out here back in September. It was so much fun to have her around even though it was for such a short time. She flew out Friday afternoon and had to leave Sunday evening. The Lord certainly was on our side though because her flight back to Dallas was delayed by two hours which meant two unplanned extra hours just to spend time together!! What a blessing and what an honor to love all of your siblings so much!!

This bunch of pictures are all from the drive up to and on top of Mt. Lemmon. Brian, Valerie and I drove to the top enjoying a climate that began around 103 degrees and ended at about 78 degrees at the top of the mountain... not much to complain about there! We did however stop at this very popular, considering it is the only one, cafe for lunch. It took forever to get service, it wasn't that great once we got it and Valerie NEVER got her food, oh, and it was WAY over priced. So, needless to say, the "experience" isn't worth it at all and I will not be doing that (stopping at the cafe) again... just in case you were wondering... :)


ain't she cute...
Looking out toward the city from the top of Mt. LemmonValerie took this one of Brian and I from the back... good job Veeves!
Valerie helped me pick out place mats and napkins for my kitchen table. I have been wanting to add some color but just wasn't sure what I was looking for. Praise the Lord for little sisters with an opinion and Crate and Barrel sales!!!!!


The end... so Lindsey McCrary (one of my sweetest college friends) is coming into town TOMORROW!!! We're so pumped! Then we are going to Mexico on Saturday to go sailing!!

Goode-Lyndsey Goode :) is coming in August!! YEAH VISITORS !!!! I LOVE IT!

Learning to be thankful... and faithful

It is official. I have actually been living, and I say living because I have gone out of town at least one weekend a month since I moved, here for ONE FULL YEAR. My first full day in Tucson was June 12, 2006. I can not believe one year as passed. I remember so vividly walking outside the Briar Church of Christ building where all of the Goode family was catching up and reunion-ing and walking to my fully loaded car with mom, dad, aunt Jeanie and Brian. We all hugged a lot, my dad shuck Brian's hand, we got in the car and drove away. Approximately 15 hours later we were pulling into the faint city limits of Tucson, Arizona.

A lot has happened in a year. Definitely a lot of tears. A lot of what in the world am I doing. A lot of what is God doing in me. I have realized that I really need to focus on this season of my life for just that... a season in time. I have spent so much time being negative, being angry and being uncertain. In deciding to smile and look at the positives that Tucson, Brian and my jobs hold there are great things happening.

Being able to glance back I am thankful that I have a heavenly father that doesn't allow His children to be complacent. He doesn't want us to be comfortable all of the time. I look at my wonderful cousins Randy and Kelly Vaughn and all they have done in Benin, Africa over the last 10 years... it wasn't always easy and it wasn't always fun but it was what they felt they should be doing.
I look at my older sister, Lyndsey. She is the struggling artist in NYC but loving every minute of what she does though the money isn't always flowing in and the roommates she has always desired were not the oh-so-NOT-enjoyable bed bugs that decided to move on in.

God places us for a season in time to learn, to grow and to trust and love Him more. What a blessing Tucson has been. I write this knowing that I need to listen to my words even as I type them. Being in Tucson isn't at all about me. It is about finding out who I am and ultimately whose I am. If I were moving to Tucson as James and Vicki's daughter or Lyndsey, Philip and Veeves sister, I would have moved back to Farmers Branch and heck of a long time ago. If I were just Brian's girlfriend I would have decided that Dallas needs me more. But what I have decided is that I am His and He can lead me where He feels I can stretch, where I can grow and where I can learn to trust more and more in Him the rest of the days of my life.

One year... really! Wow, it's crazy!!

Happy Birthday!!

Happy birthday mom and Aunt JJ! I wished I could be closer to both of you to give you big big hugs! I love you so much and am so thankful for you continuing to be my mom and my aunt! Mom, thanks for waiting $# years to finally have a daughter who is nice to be around!! :)
I love you guys! Happy birthday!

My "FOR REAL" trip to Dallas! :)

So, I finally was able to make it to Dallas twice without really any travel issues!! On May 19th two of Brian and my high school friends tied the knot!! It was so much fun getting to go home and see about bunch of childhood friends. My camera battery died after only two pictures so hopefully I will get more to add soon! But as of right now, these are the only pictures are got...

(Susan Harding, Catherine Goode & Mary Kha Ho... we've all been friends since we were 5 years old!!)

(Brian & I at the reception)

Then on June 2nd, Brittany & Zac got married!! Brittany was one of my sweetest friends I have made since I graduated from college! Zac, Brittany and many many more of us were all in the singles group together at Prestoncrest church of Christ. One of the things that was very important to both Zac & Brittany is that the engagement was not about the "ring". So Brittany just wore a silver band on her finger until the actual wedding ceremony. So, the picture below is us being excited about the beautiful ring Zac picked for her! Way to go man!

(Cat & Brittany)

(Zac & Brittany heading off after the wedding)

(Cat, Erin Ralph & Jill Henderson Horton... two of my fabulous Dallas friends)

(Brittany getting walked down the isle by her daddy... Mr. Northen also performed the ceremony)

I do!

(making it official)

(Kathy Hinds, Me, Katy Wallis...ummm, probably two of the coolest girls EVER!!!)

(Right before the ceremony... Me, Katy Wallis, Brittany (almost) Leslie, Tiffany Massmann Burns and Kathy Hinds)

Me & the Bride

Kathy Hinds and Catherine Goode... we've known each other since we were both in the womb... how precious!! :)

It was such a wonderful trip! Of course, I was not ready to get back to Tucson and Valerie thought I was being rude all day on Sunday though I was just trying not to cry a whole lot... however, I'll be back soon enough... but anyone can feel free to fly out and spend some time with me whenever you want!!!

LOVE!!
Cat