Love Story: Engagement!!!

I am going to try to get the whole engagement story in one post but I guess we will see.

Easter Weekend always meant LTC (Leadership Training for Christ) I participated in LTC most of the time I was growing up and tried to stay involved through Highlands in Abilene and Pleasant Ridge. So, I drove into Arlington Friday night, met Josh and went straight over to the hotel LTC was at in Dallas.

My dad and my brother were also in town from Austin doing LTC with Westover. We had already planned for Dad to stay at Josh's apartment with me on Saturday night and come eat lunch with Josh's family Sunday afternoon.

Josh and I had planned to go out to dinner after the conference was over Saturday night. I was pretty sure we were going to get engaged. It was our year and a half anniversary AND exactly 8 months to when we had talked about having the wedding.
So, after LTC Saturday night we were both tired. Josh said we could just drive through some where and go back to his apartment for awhile before he went to his parents house to sleep. I absolutely would not go for that. So we started driving to dinner. He wouldn't tell me where we were going but he had directions written down. I looked at the directions and said "Oh, are we going to Cheesecake Factory?" He was obviously frustrated when he said yes, that was where we were headed. We got there and had an amazing dinner at one of my favorite places that I don't get to go to very often. After dinner we drove to his apartment to take my dad a piece of cheesecake we got for him, then Josh made me go back to the car while he got something from the apartment.

From there we drove a few minutes away to a park that we liked to go to. We walked around for awhile and then sat on a bench. Josh pulled out my "anniversary present". It was an amazing scrapbook filled with out story. It had pictures, funny stickers, letters we had given each other, cards, emails, the receipt from when Josh's car got towed when we were in Austin etc. The last 2 pages said "Jones is a good name, would you like to have it?" Then he asked if he could pray for me. He said a prayer that I am sure was beautiful but I don't remember any of it. When the prayer was over he got down on one knee and pulled a ring box out of his pocket. He said something that he had told me in a few letters "I love you. I'm in love with you. It's like I've always loved you, it just took me awhile to find you" and then asked me to marry him. I was crying, he was crying, I said yes and he put the ring on my finger.

Then I told him my secret- that Friday while I was at his apartment for the night I realized I forgot a shirt to sleep in and I was getting one out of his drawer and saw the ring box!! I can never wait to open a present so of course I looked inside. The ring was beautiful!!! I think he was totally shocked that I found the ring..he still likes to tell people that story.

After some hugs and kisses we went back to his apartment to tell my dad. On the way we call his parents (who knew he was asking) and my mom and sister. It turns out that early that day Josh and talked with my dad and asked for his blessing. Then, we drove all the way back to Dallas to tell my brother Sean and to ask my youth minister Rick if he would do the wedding.

The next day was Easter Sunday. I went to church at the LTC convention with my family and friends then my dad and I drove to Josh's grandmother's for lunch. His grandparents did not know we were engaged yet and when Josh told her them they were so excited!

After church Josh and I went back to his apartment to take a nap before church that night. Josh left early and I was going to come later. He had given an picture of us just after we got engaged to the guy doing the slide show for the LTC program that night. Unfortunately I slept in and barely made it in time - right as I walked in to the church Josh's dad was leaving to go wake me up. So, Terry the other youth minister was up making a presentation to the church about the LTC weekend. He was finished but Josh said "Wait Terry, there is one more announcement you forgot" Terry was totally confused and when he turned around the slide came up that said "Josh and Shiloh are engaged!" The whole auditorium started clapping and we were both mobbed by people hugging us. It was such a cool night.

I drove back to Abilene that night and Josh drove in later for my Pass the Key with Siggies. It was such a great weekend I will never forget.

Love Story part 4 - Getting Serious

Josh and I at a Servant Leader Retreat with the Pleasant Ridge Youth Group

When I finished the last installment I was thinking that this next one would be the engagement story....but I realized I left out some important details.

My junior year Josh and I were getting pretty serious. We had discussed getting married and knew that was the direction we were headed in. We spent a lot of time talking and praying about it all, wanting to make sure this was the right thing. We had talked about rings, talked about dates and even talked at times about what the wedding would be like.

There was a lot going on that year. I was planning a mission trip to Tsumeb, Namibia that summer that Josh would accompany me on. Since missions is such a big part of who I am I really wanted him to be able to share that with me. I knew (even though I was in denial) that marrying a youth minister would detour my plans to be a missionary overseas but I still wanted to be involved in what I was passionate about. I also had an internship that year at Hope Haven - a transitional living facility in Abilene. Then there was the usual family drama, homework, work and other ACU activities.
So, while I was busy with all of that in Abilene, Josh was busy working at Pleasant Ridge in Arlington as the youth minister resident. I finally had a car in Abilene that year and drove to, or got rides to Arlington whenever possible. It was a neat experience to be able to get to know the youth group kids Josh worked with, families at Pleasant Ridge and to be involved in that part of Josh's life. I went on retreats, Senior Night Out and all the regular stuff like devos as much as I could. People have asked me if it was hard to get married when we never lived in the same town for very long. It was hard but it was also a good experience to be dating while he was already in ministry. I got a clear picture of what life as a youth minister's wife was like - the good and the bad parts. I was able to form some close relationships with the kids he worked with and I looked forward to being around even more.
On a side note, one of the frustrating things was when I would come into town for the weekend and we didn't really get to go on a real date because Josh has youth group activities or wanted to go play football after church on Sunday.

As all this was going on we continued to think more seriously about the future. We looked at rings, talked about time lines of getting engaged etc. We wanted to get married the next December. Part of that was because I did not want to get married, graduate and move somewhere all within a few weeks time (we knew that Josh's resident program would be over in May 2004). Another silly reason for the engagement timing was that one of my good friends was the Keeper of the Key in Siggies and I wanted her to be able to plan my big Pass the Key night. That didn't end up working out, but it was OK. My best friend Jackie Beth and I had a code for when I called to tell her I was engaged. I was supposed to call and tell her that I "got a tattoo" so that if she was around other people no one would know what we were saying (remember that for the next segment). I had even started looking at dresses and beginning to wrap my brain around all that was involved to plan a wedding.

Continued soon....


a date at the Zoo



Senior Night Out in Arlington - Josh and "Partnuh" Jenny and me.

New Challenge

I decided a month or so ago that I wanted to memorize the Book of James. I'm not sure why I thought of this in the first place, but I have always been good at memorization. In my 5th grade bible class at Westover we all memorized a chapter in 1 Corinthians. Josh calls me frequently to ask where certain verses and passages are because knowing those things are just natural for me.

So, back to me challenge....I have been working on memorizing James. I already have the first chapter done and am starting on the second chapter. One of the things I am beginning to notice is how throughout the day I will just recite what I know so far or think of verses that pertain to a certain situation (for example, "everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry").

I think it would be a great idea for more people to memorize scripture - "Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates …” Deut11:18-20. I know that not everyone thinks they can memorize scripture, but I think that anyone can do it in small amounts. What a blessing to be able to recall from memory the words of God! I would encourage you to try and memorize or "bind" some scripture - whether it is a single verse, a paragraph, a psalm etc. I know you will be blessed by the experience. I will keep you updated on my progress with James.

This is what I have so far:

James chpt 1“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. 1For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.
If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

Summer is OVER

Josh and Justin exhausted....



After an All-Nighter on Friday night the youth group summer is officially over!! Ideally that would mean that Josh would be able to slow down and rest a little bit. It would be even better if it would mean that he will be home more often now. We almost need to reintroduce ourselves in September every year!

Seriously though, Josh worked incredibly hard this summer and I can already see ways that God has blessed those efforts. The kids grew in faith and relationships, people were shown Christ, memories were made and they all had a ton of fun.

But... I am so excited to be able to get back into a normal routine.


Cornerstone - Middle School Camp at OC


Mexico Mission Trip


Rafting IN Glenwood Springs, CO


Rockies Game

Readers Poll

Just because I am curious to see who reads this would you post a comment on this to say hi?

If you don't know how to do that just go to the bottom of this post and click the comments button, you can either log in as a user or publish an annonymous comment....but don't remain annonymous - tell me in the comment who you are.

There really is no real point to this other than I am curious who is reading my random thougts!

Visit with family.....

As previously posted, Jackie Beth was here for 2 weeks. The day before she left Josh's parents Gary and Sue arrived for a long weekend.

Everytime that they come to Denver it rains. This trip was no exception. We had all kinds of great things in the mountains planned but almost the whole weekend the sky was dark and it was nasty outside. One of the things that we were still able to do was to ride a train up to the top of Pikes Peak. A few years ago we tried to drive up but because it was snowing. This time, it was again snowing as we got to the top and it was cloudy so we didn't get to enjoy the miraculous view but we still had a great time.


Every time Gary is going to come visit he makes Josh and I promise to find a bear. He really wants to see a bear in Colorado and I think he doubts they exist since we have never seen one with them. I've only seen one bear but Josh has seen several. The best way I know how to see a bear is to sit in the woods at night with watermelon and steak. No one else thought this was a good idea.
Sunday afternoon we drove up to Golden Gate State Park which is our favorite camping site. There is a short (but steep) hike to a seculded fishing hole that just looks like a place bears would hang out. Showing other people the amazing things in Colorado makes me realized how blessed I am to live here. There are increbible mountains just 45 minutes away that people drive for days to come visit.


Westerly view from Panorama Point at Golden Gate State Park

I love it when people come visit. It is usually somewhat stressful and exhausting but completely worth it!!! As much as I love living in Colorado, one of the things I miss most is being close to our families. Driving here is a long trip and flying is just to dang expensive so it is always a treat when we actually do get to see family and friends.

**hint to all of you who think Colorado is a good place to visit or going skiing - you are more than welcome to come and we would love for you to stay with us or just come say hi!!!!

Jackie Beth Shilcutt

My best friend has been staying with Josh and I for 2 weeks while she takes aerial dance classes in Boulder. In honor of the fun we have had and her visit I decided to make a top 10 (its actually 12 things because narrowing it down to 10 was too hard) list of JB/Shiloh moments.
These are in no particular order other than the order I thought of them in.

1. Going to Canada freshman year at ACU for the World Missions Workshop - Pack to be Mobile!!

2. Jumping into the pool at her home house with jeans and leadership camps t-shirts on - then giving those pictures to Bob and Jan with a caption that said "This is how excited we are about camp"

3. Sleepovers when we talk for a long time, pray before going to sleep and one of us always falls alseep during the prayer.

4. Sharing the Tour of Italy at Olive Garden and knowing what the other one gets at Subway.

5. Stapling hundreds of dixie cups together and covering the floor of our frineds bathroom, filling the cups with water and even putting goldfish in a few.

6.Camping with armed criminals (that is a really fun story).

7. All of the times we made up silly poems or songs and left them for our friends. We also went to Walmart with 3 dollars in change to see how much random stuff we could buy for a friend's birthday.

8. Learning to Lead - all 6 weeks we did it together. For that matter, all of Leadership Camps.

9. Car trips - these are a great test of friendship. One of my favorite trips was driving to Colorado from Abilene one summer in a tiny car with JB, Andy Zimmerman, Steve Sargent and Kyle Pevato

10. Making up and repeatedly doing the Shackles and Hands and Feet dances

11. Jackie Beth getting stuck in the trash can at her home house because of a hip cramp. We were videotaping the process of making a pie for Clint Burns' birthday and she crawled into the trashcan hole in the counter to pop out and say "surprise"

12. Dressing completely alike (same shoes, shirts, hair and everything) for an entire week and no one noticing until Thursday.

I started out wanting to write a top 10 list, it then grew to 12, I have aleady thought of about 5 more things that I wish I could add!! Friendships like this are incredibly special. I love that we have had too many times to count where we have laughed until our stomachs hurt, been open and real with each other, sat in silence and just hung out, had converstaions about faith and really expereinced God in deep and powerful ways. JB is on of those people I feel totally comfortable around, I love her wonderful family and no matter how long we go betweet visits with each other, when we see each other we pick up right where we left off. This friendship is such blessing from God and I can't wait to see how it continues to grow.

My Pooh Bear

If you know me well you probably know about my pooh bear. I have had him since I was an infant although I didn't start to like him until I was about 2. When I was little I started twisting his fur off - I said it was tickling him. I started with his ears and worked my way down. When I was in high school a new puppy that we had (who I never did really learn to like) chewed off his ears. Also in high school, one eye fell off in the car and got vaccuumed up.

My brother and several friends (Danny Reese and Jeremy Pottberg) as well as my husband keep trying to get me to get rid of my bear. I cannot, and will not do that. No Way!! Danny and my brothers used to hide him from me when we were little. My brother Jeremy recently posted a doctored picture of pooh on facebook and made a petition to get me to get rid of him. When we were younger my brothers got in big trouble if they took pooh away, threatened to rip him etc.

This bear has been through a lot with me - every family trip, mission trips overseas, lots of doctors appointments, breakups, bad days, good days etc. When I got sick in Africa my mom hid him in her purse just in case the airline or hospital took him away because he may have had germs (like in Velveteen Rabbit). Pooh was also in my wedding. My mom sneakily put him behind a candelabra when she was lighting the unity candle. During a time when the wedding party was praying around Josh and I my youth minister Rick, who was performing the wedding, went and picked him up and then talked about him later.

I have half-heartedly tried a few times to put him away in a shadow box or something but never can seem to actually do it. I keep saying " I will put him away when..." and then it never happens. When I wash him I put him in a pillow case and tie the top shut so that if some of his stuffing comes out I can put it back in.

This picture is basically a before and after picture - my cousin got the exact same bear I did but never really loved his. We got them free from Sears when we were babies. My mom held on to the "before" bear all this time and finally gave him to me a few months ago.


I might grow up and get rid of him someday but I will always love him and snuggling him will always make my day better.

Coping Skills

The past few weeks have been unusually stressful. It hasn't been one giant thing but more like several smaller things that are all making me crazy. Last night I was thinking that what I tell my clients to do during weeks like this is to make a list of coping skills and things that calm them down. So I decided to take my own advice.

My List of Things that Help When I Feel Crazy
1. a nap - being tired makes everything worse
2. some kind of small treat - Starbucks, a interestingly flavored soda from Whole Foods, lotion, yummy fruit etc
3. a good, long, hard workout - when I am stressed I can't wait to get to the gym
4. reading a good book
5. time alone to just sit
6. a massage - duh!!!
7. talking to people who can always make me laugh
8. making a few cards
9. yoga
10. writting in my journal

I will definitely be using a few of those strategies today.

Love Story Part 3

It's been awhile since the last installment - sorry.

The rest of sophomore year was a busy. Josh came to see my at Christmas break and surprised me. He met my family and hung out for a few days in Houston with extended family. Sing Song was in February - actually it was on Valentines Day. Josh sent me flowers and then came in for the weekend.
The end of that weekend my parents told me that they were going to get a divorce. Josh occupied my little sister at Sonic while my mom and dad talked to me. Later - and still - he has been incredibly understanding and supportive even when I have been an emotional wreck and a pain in the butt.
Josh continued working at Pleasant Ridge and we saw each other every few weeks if we could. We also continued to email up to several times a day. I know I mentioned this before but those emails were great. I think it really forced us to be real and open without too much of the dating "game" stuff.
During this time I also told a few close friends to convince me not to like Josh - I was having a hard time with us being apart and it was just not a lot of fun sometimes. I did eventually realize that if I was having to work so hard to not like him then that must me I really did like him a lot!

A "Camp Appropriate" hug during the summer of 2002

Part 4 - Getting Engaged

Camping Adventures

This weekend Josh and I went on the annual University Church Family Campout. This is our 5th campout with the church. The first one was about a week after we moved to Denver. We have had plenty of adventures on these campouts including being colder than I have ever been in my life, learning new games, hanging out with friends, hikes, and this year - having a flood in our tent!

On Saturday afternoon while we were napping it started raining and didn't stop for several hours. Josh and I woke up and when Josh rolled over he realized the thermarest mat was basically floating. The water made a huge puddle under our tent and seeped through the floor. We were ready to go home and chalk it up to another camping adventure but some friends told us we could stay in their camper. I ended up staying in the camper while Josh decided to sleep in the tent since he had a cot that would have him off the floor.

The rest of the trip went well. One of my favorite parts of the yearly trip is Saturday night when the whole group hangs out at one campfire, eats popcorn and s'mores and then has a devo. It is always such an amazing worship time and I love that the group is so diverse. Sunday morning we have church outside as well. This year I was thinking "Why can't worship be like this every Sunday?" It is so real, honest, relaxed and passionate in God's creation.

David Michael and Elliott Curtis

Yesterday was David and Elliott Pittman's 27th birthday. This picture was taken at MoRanch when they turned 18. I have known these boys since I was 7...they used to push me down on the playground at church. In middle school they were out of control. In high school we all learned to love them. I have so many memories of both of these boys and different activities with the youth group, trips, hang out times etc.

Some of my favorite memories are:
-David wearing boxers and a purple, velvet body suit at the Mall of American in Minnesota - he didn't know we were going to take a picture.
-VIP camps
-Seeing these boys at Kadesh in 1999 after the Identity year.
-Elliott being my date to my Junior Prom
-So many nights hanging out at friends houses, watching movies etc.
- When the Pittmans and a few others wrapped a dead deer in Christmas lights and put it in someone's yard.
-The night they t.p.ed the Pottberg's house and got caught by the police.
-Working Leadership Camps together.
-Devo's at their house in Abilene.
-Elliott (I don't think David did this one) singing a Backstreet Boys song with some other guys in a talent show.
-David coming to Denver as the ACU recruiter and hanging out with Josh and I.

There are really a ton of great stories with David and Elliott and I am so blessed by their frienship. Happy Birthday!!!

Best Day Ever

Saturday was a wonderful day. I woke up, took my time eating breakfast and enjoying the last few hours with an empty apartment. I had finished cleaning everything the day before so I could relax and sleep in.

About 2pm my best friend/matching twin/partner in crime Jackie Beth Shilcutt arrived at my apartment!! She is here for 2 weeks while she takes Aerial Dance Classes with a company in Boulder. She has one set of classes this week and another set next week. JB did the same thing last summer and took things like Bungee, Trapeze, Fabric, Stilts and other cool stuff. I'm excited to see what she is learning this summer.

Then, Saturday night at about 9pm I went to pick Josh up from the church. He just returned from a week long mission trip to Mexico with 15 other people. They drove to Monterrey and back - 25 hours each way in a van. They were all exhausted but really excited about the things they had done and experienced that week. One of the coolest parts that Josh told me about was that on the drive home they encounter a sheriff in Eagle Pass, TX who was thinking about starting some kind of youth group for the teens in the community so they would not get involved in drug trafficking - he happened to look over and see the van and trailer that said "University Church of Christ Youth Group" so he stopped to talk to Josh. Then, in Raton, NM there was a group of christian bikers who were handing out burgers and chips at a truck stop - they said they were ministering to other bikers headed to party for the weekend. Our group prayed for their ministry and they prayed for the teens as well.

So, between a relaxing day, JB coming to visit and my husband coming home it was a great day!!