A Day Off From Work

I had a day off of work on Friday, and the weather was absolutely beautiful! I decided to go to Skamania Lodge to spend some time with God, celebrating feeling so much better. I wanted to do my quiet time, go on a hike, and read a book. I always love sitting in the rocking chairs in front of the huge fireplace in the lodge. It was great to sit and listen to the fire and listen to some nice instrumental music. I'm reading a book called "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World." It is a great book about being close to God, rather than filling life up with "busyness." One part of the book talks about how God has created a hunger for him in every person. The author talks about how she was making a four-course dinner one evening when she was having company over but was so hungry before dinner that she decided to have a Snickers bar a little bit before dinner was ready. When it came time for dinner she wasn't even hungry and couldn't enjoy the meal that she had prepared! She shares this thought...."The Lord spoke to me at that moment. He showed me that we often fill our lives with spiritual Snickers bars--things like friends, books, and shopping. They may be good things, completely innocent things--but not when they take the edge off our hunger for God." She goes on to share, "I constantly fight the tendency to fill the God-shaped hole he created in me with fluffy stuff. I don't like loneliness, so I fill the space with phone calls and social events and trips to the mall, but loneliness can be God's call to talk to him. I don't like quietness, so I fill up the silence with sitcoms and talk shows...but it was in the quiet of the night that Samuel heard God's voice." I feel like God has really been teaching me over the past several months. I've been slowing waaaay down lately, and I'm doing so much better. I'm sleeping much better at night, and I have much more energy. I was going to bed around 8:30 every night because I was completely exhausted, but now I am not tired until around 9:30 or 10:00. Over the past two or three weeks, I feel like I'm back to my old self, and I couldn't be more grateful for feeling healthy and for getting to learn some incredible lessons along the way. I know there will be many, many more hard times and lessons to come, but it's reassuring to know that God always takes me through the hard times and helps to strengthen me along the way.

Peter and I went on a long walk today by our old house in Northeast Portland.  We went all the way over there to go to Bakeshop, a bakery I read about in Portland Monthly. When we got there, though, they had sold out of most everything. All we ended up getting were some crispy cookies that were not that exciting.  At least we got to see this happy tree :). 

A few iPhone pictures from the past month...
Martin Luther King Day of service sponsored by United Way (Peter's work)
Yummy dessert in celebration of Mary's birthday!
Oregon game - the Ducks beat the Huskies!
Attending a workshop with Head Start teachers - this is Alba who is an amazing teacher and person.  I love spending time with her!

Happy Valentines Day!

We celebrated Valentines Day today by making heart shaped pizzas and exchanging some little treats. I went to a great training today for my job, and we learned about laughter, dealing with stress, etc. When I got home, I everyone my new clown nose I got from the workshop. I did some laughter exercises with them that I learned, and I also did a magic trick. The kids thought I completely went off the deep end which was pretty funny. I was also taking lots of pictures, which I haven't done in a very long time. It was a fun night (for me, anyway :).

This was the first year, though, since we've had kids in school that they didn't bring Valentine cards for all of their classmates! It was great to not have to buy lots of candy and write out lots of Valentines, but it was sad to know that they have outgrown this. Instead, Conner brought cookies to his girlfriend...The funny thing is that he gave her one of the cookies from his lunch, and she didn't really like them. So he decided not to give her the bag of cookies in his backpack that he had brought for her Valentines gift :). He told her that he ran out of time to make her chocolate chip cookies (and later told her that he really did have a bag of triple chocolate cookies that he didn't give her because she didn't really like them). So tonight he made her some that she will like, and he also drove to Starbucks to get her a gift card (he's actually driving on real streets now - yikes!!). Kenz got a special note from Evan, and Kelsey got a treat from her great friend at school. We stopped by Gram and Gramp's to give them their gift and also received some treats from them :). I ended the night going to my meditation class and then watching the Blazers lose :(. I am going to bed with a happy heart, knowing how fortunate we are to feel so loved.

Homecoming Part 2

I'm finally taking a minute to post McKenzie's pictures from homecoming. McKenzie's friend, Evan, asked her to homecoming by writing her a poem and putting it in her locker. Here is the poem he wrote which I think is really cute....

Hey, McKenzie, I thought I'd write this note, to ask you a question that I've been keeping in my throat. I think you're pretty and I really like your style. I hope that when you're reading this you crack a little smile. I thought about whom to ask for a little while, but you're the only one, there is no denial. You're the best girl in the whole school, and your personality is really cool. So McKenzie I hope you say yes by chance when I ask, "Can I take you to the dance?" Sincerely, Evan.

She said the actual homecoming event was a little boring, but she really liked all of the events before and after the party. She and her friends got manicures and pedicures in the afternoon, got ready at her friend's house, and then they all went over to one of the boy's houses for pictures and dinner. Afterwards the girls had a sleepover to finish the evening. I can't believe how fast the kids are growing up!!

Homecoming Part 1

Last night was Conner and McKenzie's homecoming for Westside Christian. It was quite a day and took some coordinating as both kids had lots of plans with groups of their friends. They made stops in Lake Oswego, West Linn, Tigard, Beaverton, and Portland all in the same night! Peter and I helped with pictures and driving for Conner's group. On the way to dinner at Oswego Grill, the kids were talking about what they wanted to order. A couple of them mentioned the kids' menu, but they also talked about ordering burgers and steaks. We gave Conner $70 for him and Marissa, and they ended up spending only $11.00!! There were eight kids in the group, and we couldn't believe they ordered off the kids' menu - that poor server! At least they could have given her a big tip! We have a little bit of educating to do :). Conner and Marissa both looked so happy throughout the evening and had such a great time being with their friends. After the party at school, they all went bowling, and Conner was dropped off at our house after Peter and I were in bed! He said he had the most fun that he has had "in a long time." We didn't see McKenize until we picked up her group at 11:15 to take them to a sleepover. She had changed into her comfy clothes, so I never got to see her in her dress :( I'm still waiting for her friend's mom to send me the pictures! (That's why there will be a Homecoming Part 2...). She had a lot of fun, too, and I can't wait to see the pictures.