The 4th, 2013

Kayla, Abigail and Alora

Another WONDERFUL 4th at Gramma and Papas with the Ops, the Springers and the neighbors

Seattle with Gonyea Gang

 

The Gonyea fam was in Seattle on the 5th of July. We couldn't be so close to them and not see them! Thankfully, Chris had the day off, so we all drove up there for the day. Isaac was nervous at first because it had been so long since he saw the boys. As soon as Hayden said anything about Star Wars or Legos, they were the best of friends. 

There is something so special about our kids being friends with the friends we had as kids. There was never a doubt that Hayden (who is his mini-mom) would naturally, easily hit is off with Isaac (who is little me in a boy body). It is super special, now that they are getting older, that they'll remember the memories they are making when they see one another. 

Jason, Girl (Lindsay), Hayden and Trevor

They were so content with each other all day

Isaac ate 80% of his cheese and left nothing for the pizza

Abigail and Trevor making their own pizzas

Lots of love in this bunch

Baker's Dozen

Oh how young...20 and 24

I love this man! We grow closer with every laugh, fight, joy and trial. We entrust God to unite us when our selfishness divides us. When we are too busy with this life, seemingly going a million miles an hour in parallel or opposite directions (feeling like our paths don't cross except to exchange information...usually about the kids or something we committed to), the good Lord brings us back. He is so good! He has been the core of of why we have made it this far. He is the reason we look forward to all He has in store for the rest of our lives together.

Christopher William, thank you so much for making me yours! Thank you for picking me out of all the fish in the sea (though I know that it was God who made the plans before we even took our first breath). I am honored to wake up next to you every morning and have you come home to us every night. I love you more today than I ever have!!!

Summer Art Lessons

It is so fun to teach art at Isaac's school, but it's even more fun to have drawing lessons with my kids. Isaac catches on really well, especially when it is a subject he really likes. I am thankful to be home with them at times like this.

Angry birds (Isaac's big one, my little one)

Abigail joined in too. Pretty good.

Koren's new hobbie...

Happy Chris with a new hobbie...brewing beer.

Isaac made his "gas mask" to escape from the horrible smell

Yeast feast

Brew set-up

John making Apricot Ale

Chris doesn't really have a hobbie. He doesn't hunt, fish, play video games, watch weekend sports, build things, ride motorcycles...he drinks coffee (he does want to roast it one day). He discovered the science of brewing beer and loves it. Portland is huge on micro-brews and Chris decided to try it. He loves it. He loves the process, the product and the "male-bonding" that comes along with it all. It is fun that he has a "manly" outlet from work and all the way he serves. His very first batch was a "Hoppy NW IPA" that turned out great.

Memorial Day

Everyone dies...

So thankful to live in this great country

We went to the Willamette National Cemetery for the first time this Memorial Day. It was a sobering experience. I was so thankful for all who have served and sacrificed to make/keep our country free. At the same time, I was so struck by the sheer number of grave sites. I kept telling the kids, "Everybody dies." In the first several hills of the cemetery were not visited because of how long ago the people there had died.

As we continued on, we saw more and more visitors. We saw families paying tribute to relatives who served but went on to live a long life. We saw old people, past soldiers, who still wept as they paid tribute to fallen comerades who didn't come home from war. We saw grief, joy, sorrow, honor. Flowers. Balloons. Tears. Shared stories.

Besides all being soldiers, they all shared on thing in common...they all died. Some will be remembered with respect. Some have been long forgotten. Some are still missed by aching hearts. Some will be remembered with regret. Yet, they all died. They are no longer here. They are but dust. They are now gone and living in eternity...

This life is a vapor!!!

James 4:14 "Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away."

All we have are the moments  that God has numbered. It was a good reminder to me to live a life that honors God, that points people to Jesus, that reminds people that the time after this life goes on for eternity...that reminds them that eternal life is though Jesus' life, death, burial and resurrection to pay the price for our sin-scarred lives. 

May my days be fruitful so that I will make an impact in the lives of others beyond what could be written on my headstone.

We learned about and found the grave sites of two different soldiers...

Dahl joined the Army from Portland, Oregon in 1969,^[2] and by February 23, 1971 was serving as a Specialist Four in the 359th Transportation Company, 27th Transportation Battalion, U.S. Army Support Command. On that day, near An Khe in Binh Dinh Province, Republic of Vietnam, Dahl smothered the blast of an enemy-thrown hand grenade with his body, sacrificing himself to protect those around him.^[3]
Dahl, aged 21 at his death, was buried in Willamette National Cemetery, Portland, Oregon.^[4]

Mark Odom Hatfield (July 12, 1922 – August 7, 2011)^[2][3] was an American politician and educator from the state of Oregon. A Republican, he served for 30 years as a United States Senator from Oregon, and also as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. A native Oregonian, he served in the United States Navy in the Pacific Theater during World War II after graduating from Willamette University. After the war he earned a graduate degree from Stanford University before returning to Oregon and Willamette as a professor.
While still teaching, Hatfield served in both houses of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. He won election to the Oregon Secretary of State's office at the age of 34 and two years later was elected as the 29th Governor of Oregon. He was the youngest person to ever serve in either of those offices, and served two terms as governor before election to the United States Senate. In the Senate he served for 30 years, and now holds the record for longest tenure of any Senator from Oregon. At the time of his retirement, he was 7th most senior Senator as well as second most senior Republican. In 1968, he was considered a candidate to be Richard Nixon's running mate for the Republican Party presidential ticket.
Hatfield served as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations on two different occasions. With this role, he was able to direct funding to Oregon and research-related projects. Several Oregon institutions, buildings and facilities are named in his honor, including the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse in Portland, the Mark O. Hatfield Library at Willamette University (his alma mater), the Hatfield Government Center light-rail station in Hillsboro, the Mark O. Hatfield School of Government in the College of Urban and Public Affairs at Portland State University, and the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport. Outside of Oregon, a research center at the National Institutes of Health is also named in his honor for his support of medical research while in the Senate. Hatfield died in Portland on August 7, 2011, after a long illness.^[2]

LBS Children's Program

This year, God really put on my heart to serve in the children's program during Ladies' Bible Study. I love leading but detest recruiting people to serve with me. It is completely out of my comfort zone, to the point of wanting not to lead at all. I continued to pray about it; the Lord challenged me to trust Him.

I made my mental list of reasons not to do it...even down to "the kids are bound to get sick so I will have to miss." God continued to remind me that He loves the kids more than I do and want them to learn of Him beyond what my skill-set could ever provide (but He would do the work).

Long story short, He IS faithful!!! He brought the most amazing team of women to serve with me (who also have young kids) and even put on the heart of two moms to offer to "sub" when one of us had sick kiddos. There was never a day where we were understaffed. We were blessed with two teens who completed our team perfectly. How dare I think that God could not work out these details?!?!

The kiddos (ages 3-6) learned the book of Colossians in 13 weeks via a lesson, game, craft and even snack that reinforced the verse of the day. We were all blessed by hoe God worked.

The main theme verse was "so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord leasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”

Colossians 1:10

 We all memorized it and we pray that we all would live it more having gone through Colossians together.

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Col 3:2