Here Comes The Big One Pt. 2

I ended my last post by saying, and I quote, "We ended that evening well after midnight, with good intentions of picking up in the morning where we left the night before."

Except when I got to the church that next morning (Friday), I found out that when I had said "we", I  should have said "I". Because apparently I was the only one that thought they were supposed to be at the church at 8. 

GREAT APRIL FOOLS DAY JOKE FOLKS.

BUT IT'S OK, I'M NOT BITTER OR ANYTHING.

I brought my good buddy, Harmon/Kardon, and he brought Marvin Winans and Bishop Patterson along with him. So we had a good time singing together, whilst we worked, finishing up hanging the lights. 

Right before everyone arrived at 10, Ralph came by (one of the owners of Java Espresso, and Vanessa's brother-in-law) and dropped off a few vats of coffee for the workers. All the ladies really enjoyed having a basically unlimited supply of coffee, and I enjoyed it too cause it kept them distracted and I could leave for lunch. 

I was planning on making lunch at my house, but as I was driving past my grandma's house I noticed two shady looking characters foraging through the bushes in my grandma's yard. Leaping out of my car, I ran towards the intruders with my weapon drawn.....

And who should it turn out to be but my good friend Aaron Riffe from Salem, and my cousin Charlie!!!!!!!!! Quite unexpected. Charles has been attending Texas Bible College and I totally spaced that he was coming back for the wedding. I mentioned that we had restaurants in McMinnville and they really didn't have to eat leaves for lunch. And they mentioned that they weren't foraging for food, but searching for centerpiece decor for the rehearsal dinner tables. 

We decided on the Laughing Bean Bistro and they hopped into their Suburban, arms full of lavender and twigs, and we took off. 

While on the way there I received a call from the man of honor himself!! He was hungry and wanted to meet us for lunch. 

It was perfect. These guys right here......we were missing Caleb though.

After lunch, Charlie and Aaron left to go be with Caleb, and help set up for the rehearsal dinner, and I went to go help back at the church. 

Now, I must brag on the ladies a bit. I've already sung the praises of my ability to hang lights, but check this out.

Pssssssst. That's a basketball hoop right there.

THEY DISGUISED IT BETTER THAN THE FAKE MOON LANDING OF 1969.

When events are held in our church gym, they usually suffer from the basketball hoop. Yes, you can fold it up against the wall, and cover it with something, but why not make it look like it was put there on purpose.
I call it "The Four Cornered Kissing Cover".

I helped out in the gym for a bit, they were working on the great basketball hoop hoax, table settings, etc. Then suddenly we heard a knock on the back door...it swung open and in wafted a voice that said:

"Never fear! The Piano Doctor is here! It's about time I found this place, I've been driving all over this confounded neighborhood for two hours, the least you guys could do is put a sign out front."

Elder Morton walked in wearing a hat that read officially, "The Piano Doctor."

Wait.

That wasn't Elder Morton. That was the piano tuner.

Sammy always had this dream of getting a baby grand piano for his wedding. So when he had some business contact with a piano store that rented pianos, he was really excited and made early arrangements. 

He had Sis. Davies go up one week prior to the wedding and try out some pianos at the store and pick one to be delivered to the church, the day before the wedding. 

When they rolled that thing up the side aisle of the church sanctuary, my breath caught. 

(insert emoji with heart eyes)

I only got my breath back after 20 minutes of playing on it.This thing was SWEET. So much depth, quality playing action and beauty.
Buuuut when pianos get shipped and moved, they get bumped and need to be tuned.

Hence, the Piano Doctor.

When he first walked in, I thought Elder Morton had taken a wrong turn and somehow magically ended up at my church. But no, this wasn't Elder Morton. Even though it looked liked him, and even sounded like him. This was the Piano Doctor.

I led him into the sanctuary and over to the piano. I looked around for maybe a tuning machine, or something, but no, his guy was old school. He tuned pianos with his ear, a tuning fork, and some well placed triads. 

He would play a chord, then some single notes, and then jerk imperceptibly with the tuner, play another note and repeat the process, starting with the middle of the keyboard and moving out.

Here's some audio for context. It looks like a video, but it's not, just a recording.  

The clicking you hear is the tuner:

He told me that he had been tuning pianos for 60 years, and used to tune the piano for Frank Sinatra's band.

I took some pictures and then left him alone to do his work.

It was almost rehearsal dinner time!!!!!

I went back by my house to change into suitable attire for such an event. I called my cousin Katie to make sure that she was still planning on meeting me and Sis. Davies at the church before the dinner for a music practice.

I could launch right into the rehearsal dinner and the wedding rehearsal, but I will instead alter my preplanned course and end with this because I feel it deserves more than just a passing glance.

Many may not know this, but my cousin, Katie, is an amazing accomplished violinist. I emphasize amazing and accomplished. She can play by ear or reading notes, and she blows me away every time.

Sam had requested that she play a song with Sis. Davies, The Prayer.



They got all set up, and when they started to practice.....

Well...

Maybe you should do what I did.

Close your eyes and soak every bit of the music in.

I turned around and found Sam with his eyes closed too.

Magical is the word.

Sam stood up because one of the many last minute emergencies had surfaced and he had to leave. He leaned in close to me and said, "Tell Sis. Davies and Katie that the song sounds amazing."

After I snapped out of my musical educed reverie, me and Katie hopped in my car and sped towards the Evergreen Aviation Museum, knowing that Sam and Vanessa's date with destiny was having its kickoff in less than an hour.

The Early Bird Gets The Worm, But The Second Mouse Gets The Cheese

 A wise blogger once told me that if I didn't post on my blog regularly, I would disappoint my reoccurring readers, and a successful blog campaign would therefore be thwarted.

I have obviously failed at that, but not because of why you would think! I had a post all ready to go this past Saturday, but I am waiting on some group photos from our photographer (Melissa Jensen, she does amazing work), and would rather produce a delayed, more full featured and colorful post, than a hasty one.

So I beg for your leniency, and even if I finish blogging about Sam's wedding by the middle of June, at least you'll be getting the whole picture (no pun intended).

Here's a photo of Caleb working on his car, for your enjoyment.

Here Comes The Big One Pt.1

I think it was Thursday morning, the 31st of March, that I started to get this feeling of....

of.....

Well, I couldn't exactly place the feeling. But what I came up with at the time was this:

"I feel like there are things getting ready to happen. Big things...like a whole West Coast Conference full of things. Two things I know--#1, that I'm not prepared for it, and #2, all this stuff that's going to happen, its going to all go down in a 48-hour time period."

That was my mental state as was getting ready for church Thursday night, knowing that in a few short hours, I would leave church, change my clothes, and roll down to the Innovate office to grab my work van, ladders, and tools, because it was wedding set up time. 

WAIT. WEDDING??? THAT WAS LIKE 5 MONTHS AWAY AND NOW IT'S HERE?? THIS IS CRAZY. 

Maybe I alone suffer from events sneaking up on me, or maybe it's because it was my brother, but I was clearly not ready. 

Jacob's Life Rules: The nice thing about life is that something inevitable doesn't delay its arrival because of a lack of planning. 

Not lack of planning on Sam's or Vanessa's part though. They did splendid. Half because of planning, and half because of who they had hanging the cotton picking lights in the gym. #teamjacob&luke

And everyone else. We had a lot of good help that I will not list because I will forget someone.

Billy the kid.



Sam, the groovy groom and Bro. Burton, Father of the Bride.



Luke, a true Innovator.

C'mon folks, who else has a printed out plan of how they want their tables set up for the reception?

Color coded and complete with legend for bullet point accuracy??
Thankfully I didn't have to try and figure all this table stuff out. I had a special job. Well actually me and Luke did. He was stuck with me most of the night.

We had to cover the 5 windows in our church gym with black table cloths so that the sunlight wouldn't stream in and ruin the cozy effect from all the lights.

I didn't get a picture specifically of the perfectly straightly mounted window covers, but they will get featured in later photos of the reception.


I had heard about this idea that Sam and Van had about stringing lights from each side of the gym to the other, and thought it was a pretty cool idea until they told me to make it happen. Having not majored in the phosphorus and scintillant hanging arts, it took some trial and error.

What can I say? Thank God for zipties. And nails. And other people's brilliant suggestions.

Started out like this...



And by the night of the wedding, it turned out like this...



Featuring window covers, lights, and beautiful table decorating. All the ladies involved really did a great job.



We ended that evening well after midnight, with good intentions of picking up in the morning where we left the night before. 

Good Things To Come

This is just a notice to let you know that I have not died, albeit you wouldn't have known by how many posts I've released since WCC. But that is going to change, at least for the near future. Cause my brother JUST GOT MARRIED AND HE IS IN HAWAII EVEN AS WE SPEAK.

So I have lots of pictures and lots of wedding insight to share. 

Editing pictures and preparing my mind to expunge all the beautiful details, I am.

I'll be back. 

West Coast Conference 2015

Everyone has their own WCC, which is why you can read multiple blog posts about the same conference, and not feel like you've read it before. Everyone has their own memorable experiences, their own focus, their own moment that made the entire week worth it all. 

So I bring you my week, seen through the reflecting eyes that always look back on each WCC with fondness, and a hope for yet another year.

_________________________________________________________________________________

All my Southwest fans say Amen.

If you've never flown Southwest, you won't know what I'm talking about. 

Every Southwest flight is pretty bearable, and some of them are downright awesome. Over my years of flying, I have heard the flight attendants admonish the adults on the plane, "should we lose cabin pressure and the oxygen masks drop from overhead compartment, first put the oxygen mask on yourself, and then choose the child that might have the most earning potential down the road, and help them put on their mask."

I've also heard a brilliant Southwest poem that I cannot neither remember nor find on the Internet, so you'll have to trust me when I say it was hilarious. 

This flight however started off pretty normal, nothing really unique about it. 

My flight crew - I always demand the window seat

We took off and like always, Caleb was popping around the plane (not really sure where there is room to pop, seeing that there's just an aisle and a bathroom), and while he was about he struck up a conversation - and soon friendship - with the flight attendants. Caleb came back to his seat and introduced (I don't remember his name, so I'll call him Joe) the whole family to Joe. He had us cracking up in a matter of seconds - 

Caleb: "And this is my mom!"

 Joe: "Nice to meet you! And I really don't believe you drink as much as Caleb told me you did."

HAHA

So Caleb heads to the restroom and Joe kind of gives us a weird look. After Caleb had gone past him,  he walks up real quick and removes Caleb's seat and stuffs it in the overhead bin.

Caleb comes back and.....well you should have seen his face when he goes to sit down and there's not much there to sit on LOL

The flight was full of stuff like that, but when Joe came up and whispered something to Caleb, I knew something else was about to happen. 

We were just about ready to land when over the loudspeaker came Joe...

Joe: " We are going to be landing shortly but I wanted to bring something to your attention. He didn't want me to mention this because he's shy, but Jacob, sitting in seat H3, is flying to Fresno to try out for American Idol! He has a great voice, and if we all clap for him enough, he might he sing for us!"

Jacob: "........................................................................"

You know when someone thinks you can do something, but you really can't, and when you say that they are really mistaken, they just think you're being modest and so they insist even more?

Yeah. 

I had people following me into the airport wishing me luck and trying to get me to sing. 

THANKFULLY I ENJOY A GOOD JOKE.

When we got off, we waited for them to empty the plane of people, and then we got a picture with him in the terminal. 

Joe had a flight friend that was hilarious as well - from left
Guy#2, Sam, Me, Joe, and Caleb

Sam has been doing something great these past few years at conferences, and I am incredibly indebted to him. For without him, I would have never driven a Camaro, Challenger, or the new 2015 Mustang. And this year since I was helping pay for it, I got to drive it more, and it was the best year yet.

All of the muscle cars we've rented have been the V6 models, even so, it's been an amazing experience to get behind the wheel. 

This time, however, when I got behind the steering wheel of the Mustang and shifted into Sport mode.......

My eyes got wide. 

Never have I seen a car react like that to Sport mode. The whole attitude of the car changed from "I'm a low level V6" to "Can a V6 do THIS?"

Seriously. You gave that car some gas and it tore out of there. From the highway to the parking lot, I left WCC saying "How much does this car cost? Cause I want to buy one." Good job, Ford.

Did I mention it was a convertible?

Hitting Chick-fil-a is a must, which we took care of in short order. 

They keep on saying we're going to get one in Vancouver, just over the bridge from Portland. And I keep on saying PROVE IT.

We drove into Fresno and the convention center that Tuesday night, and since the entire week was pretty much one big memorial blur, let's start with the preaching. 

All of the preachers at WCC 2015 did an amazing and powerful job. Bro. Nathan Morton, Elder Morton, Elder Garrett, Bro. PJ White, Bro. Michael Brown, Elder Parker...

So much so that I didn't even think once to pull my phone out and get a picture while the Word was going forth. 

But thankfully someone did get a picture of the speaker that I was most proud of.

Pastor Davies (I see Sean, Luke, and Mikey's backs)

If you have read my previous blog on the subject, the pastorship of my church was recently handed down from Bishop Davies to his son, the now pastor of my church. 

And it just so happens that he was asked to preach Friday morning at WCC. I knew he would do an awesome job, but couldn't help stopping by and telling him that I was praying for him.

Let's just say that when the Holy Ghost started moving and it felt like Sunday back at my home church, I was rightly proud and thankful for my Watchman all over again. 

What are you going to do with what you've been given?

It was a good WCC. Did I already say that? So many friends from near and from far, from way back when and from recent. 

Wednesday night we went to Cheesecake Factory (it was Wednesday right??) and I convinced Cherie and Stephanie Marchbanks to ride in the back of the Mustang. That was a big mistake for all of us. 

The back seat of the Mustang is not really conducive to comfortably seat people that are taller than 5 feet. And all the way there, Stephanie sat on my bag of dried blueberries. 

Bethany, Stephanie, Nicole

Speaking of riding in the Mustang, I must give a shoutout to Justin. This young man rode with me through thick and thin, through front seat to back seat, spacious to cramped, warm to cold, top up to top down.... He was there for me, a true friend. 

Especially once you see that back seat.

Cherie, Cara, Me, Vanessa

Nicole, Stephanie, Me, Lindsey, Bethany

Ahh. Such a nice quiet group of young people. 

Or at least that's what we were trying to make it seem to the Yellowjacket so we could talk a little longer. 

I have to commend the young ladies that I hung out with. I believe most all of them showed up to hear all of the preaching of both morning services. 

I'm not picking! I give allowances when you SPEND 2 HOURS ON YOUR HAIR AND MAKE EVERYONE ELSE WAIT. 

Just kidding. 

Wouldn't be complete without an elevator shot.

I have to stop right here and tell you about Avonlee Hosey (hope I'm spelling that right). 

Chris and Cassia Hosey are a young couple that I have been blessed to know, and since they live in Mississippi, I don't get to see them much on the West Coast. 

Avonlee was born this past year and amidst circulating pictures and what have you, it was pain akin to the pain of not being able to see your niece or nephew in real life for several months after they've been born (or so I guess, I don't have any nieces or nephews).

So when Cassia came into church pushing a stroller, I knew I couldn't wait for the end of service to go see Avonlee. And when Nicole whispered to me that I should just go across the aisle and see her before service was over, so I could claim meeting Avonlee before certain individuals, I couldn't resist. 

And folks.......

She is a doll. 

She won my heart in about 2.5 seconds. 

They call me Uncle Jake.

She's already learned to wink!

I said at the beginning that everyone has their own special moments. Well, this picture represents one of my special moments from WCC. 

You put us four together, and you have no telling what will happen. 

I watched the baby while Bethany did Cassia's hair, and Cara kept us all entertained. It was a hoot, and one of the best afternoons I had all weekend.

Apparently Avonlee didn't think I was very entertaining.

SAVE ME!!!!

This kid was always smiling, so when she started crying, you know you did something wrong.

Friday morning keeping with tradition, we all met early and went over to the Starbucks behind the convention center. 

Did I mention that Marvin showed up?? It had been way too long since I'd seen this guy.

BUT. This year we had more than coffee and old bananas. 

We had mind blowing fruit. 

See, up until a couple years ago, I had no idea that there was fruit out there that I had no knowledge of. I thought I'd been there and done that. Bananas, grapefruit, pears.....

Until Lychee showed up. 

I was hesitant at first.....but there was no way I wasn't trying it. 

Aaaaaaaaaaand....

It was good!!! Kind of hard to describe it or I would try. 

My thanks to those who made that experience possible. 

There were lots of things that happened that weekend, and sorting through the memories, I've been trying to keep them in line with the pictures that I have, so as to provide visual stimulation to my stories.

But rest assured, there were a numerous host of good times, and special memories that no picture was taken to remember it outside of the minds and hearts of those who were fortunate enough to have been there.

One of those moments was when Denae Abbott went up to sing during one of the services.

If you haven't heard her music, or heard her new single, you best get yourself over to iTunes and check her music out. You'll find her under Denae Joy.
My newest favorite was her latest release, He Wouldn't Trade Us For The World, but I never thought I'd get a live performance of that song. So when she started playing and singing the first notes of the before said song, I couldn't help but smile. Nothing like Apostolic music.

Friday afternoon, a few of us went to Nordstrom Rack after we had eaten lunch. When I heard the yelling, I knew why the Lord had directed us there. Brand new, still with dealer license plates......

And as they say #nofilter.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooh.

The last night of WCC, so many good friends showed up!

Me, Emily, Heidi

Caleb, Eliana

Youth Lock-In 2015 - Never going to wash it off, as we say.

Emily, Jenny, Me

Every WCC is better than the last. Thanks to all my friends, the ones I got pictures with and the ones I didn't. We'll see you next year if the Lord doesn't come first!

I Was There When It Happened, So I Guess I Ought To Know; ROE (Rules Of Engagement)

Well folks....

It happened.

Sam decided that he couldn't live without Vanessa.

A proposal was imminent.

Since all the planning and preparation will be evident by the time I'm done telling you my tale, I won't drag you through any of that. Instead, we'll jump right in.

Into E-Day, as I like to call it.

Push the red button.

_________________________________________________________________________________


Just one thing.....

Sam had a great idea. The week leading up to the engagement, all of the family and close friends were armed with white roses and given simple instructions.

#1. Present the rose to Vanessa while she was at work.
#2. Get a picture with her holding the rose,
#3. Cause Vanessa much confusion about why all these people were bringing her flowers.

It was beautiful. She was so confused and the people just kept coming.

It was then she began to smell something suspicious.

And it wasn't me this time.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Saturday Morning @9:40 AM

It was the Saturday of the Hearn's 25th Church Anniversary, so I was going to drive Sam and Vanessa over to Keizer to hear Bro. Frazer and Bro. R. Davis preach. Which seemed innocent enough except for some reason we were leaving almost two and a half hours early.

Vanessa was coming over to the house at 9:45, so my parents had left 30 minutes prior to get things ready at the location where this thing would go down.

Sam's choice for the location of the proposal? A second floor balcony belonging to the historic McMenamin's Hotel and Restaurant. More important than its historical significant to mankind, it was the place where they had gone on their first date. It was also the very day that marked the 7th month anniversary of them dating.
 IT WAS ALSO THE SAME DAY THAT MY BISHOP AND HIS WIFE GOT ENGAGED.
(It was also the day that Johnny Appleseed was born. So Happy Birthday Johnny. And Happy Birthday to anyone else that may have had a birthday recently. We don't want to leave anybody out.)

The seeming coincidences just kept on stacking up. It was shaping up to be quite a day.

@9:45

Vanessa pulled up and asked me to store her extra shoes in the back of my car.

Studies show that in order to keep your readers attentive, you have to include pictures every once in awhile. So to keep you from clicking from my blog to a blog I'm linked to, before you've finished reading this post, here you go - a picture of the car that took us on our date with destiny.
Now sit still and let me finish.

 Vanessa didn't know what she was asking.
Put her shoes in MY trunk??? Along with the camera, trip-pod, note, and watch??? (actually two watches, but I'll explain later)

I opted instead to place her shoes in my back seat, and thankfully she didn't insist any further.

She did, however, ask why in the world we were leaving so early. Sam and I hadn't really conspired as to what we were going to tell her when she asked that, so instead of us both blurting out completely opposite reasons, I let him take care of it.

Vanessa: "Why are we leaving so early?"

Sam: "Ahhhhhhh HAHAHAHA BECAUSE! It is good to be early! Look, service starts at 12. And prayer starts at 11:30. I want to be able to get a good seat, so we need to be there by at least 11. To get there  by 11, we need to leave by 10. Which is why we're getting in the car at 9:45."

I'm not sure she believed him, but she didn't ask any more questions, and that's all we cared about.

I swung a left on 3rd St, and parked in front of the hotel. Sam explained that he had a real quick 7-month anniversary present to give her, and then we would be on our way.

All the details get pretty fuzzy at this point because I, with the sole duty and heavy responsibility of being the cameraman, had a lot of pressure on my shoulders. I believe I ran up and down the stairs at least 3 times before they made it up there, I had to make sure everything was right. So if I'm not as detailed on this part as I was on the part leading up to it, I do apologize. I shall rely on the pictures to fill in where I leave out.

Sam and Vanessa moseyed through the 1st floor lobby, up the flight of stairs,  around the corner, and opened the door that led to the balcony.

What they saw was a small courtyard, and the vase of white flowers that we had given to her all week long.

And a single red rose lying off to the side.

Down on one knee he went.

Carefully chosen words of dedication and love, a question, a few tears, and finally a yes.

Sam grabbed a box that had been sitting there, and presented Vanessa with a gift for her to remember this day by.

A WATCH SHE HAD GIVEN HIM A COUPLE WEEKS AGO HAHAHAHAHAHA

He had wanted to make sure that the watch he gave her would fit. So he causally requested one from Vanessa, and took both of them to a local watch shop to get his fitted to match the other one.
And put her old one in the new watch box.

Trust me. It was funny.

To save himself from getting bashed over the head with a vase of white flowers, he pulled out the striking silver new one he had bought, and helped her put it on.

See the one red rose?

Almost done got muhself runned over taking these pics.

(I want to note that these pictures were taken on my mother's wonderful camera, I love it. Also note that I edited all of these pictures on my computer, an experiment of sorts. First time without using any of my dear iPhone apps)

One of my favorite pictures. I think they were actually radiating light.

They're engaged everyone! Can you believe it?? An Avendaño is finally getting ready to say "I do."

He stole her heart, and she's stealing his last name.