Four. More. Days.

I have a nice healthy to-do list sitting on the table next to me as we speak, yet all I want to do is pack and plan for vacation. Sure, my floors have a visible film on them and my laundry is begging to be put away. Yes, as a matter of fact that IS dog hair on every couch pillow we own, but I just can't seem to move myself toward a lint roller. sigh...

Four. more. days. I just need to get my lists done for 4 more days. Then we're off to pure serenity. We will enter into yesteryear where everyone in town knows everyone in town and cell phones are seen as over doing it. Our fridge and stove will be the perfect shade of 50's aqua and our walls will be thick smooth logs. Our days will be filled with floating, fishing, magazine flipping and ice cream licking. Our view will be nothing but sparkling lake and whispering trees and the noises will be nothing more than buzzing bees, kids squealing in water and great-aunties chatting in their ever-floating rafts.

Yep. 4 more days and the dog hair and dust won't matter. 4 more days of just us and pure bliss.

Drive By Blogging...

Hello All! We're keeping ourselves quite busy this week selling fireworks for youth camp (if your local come see us at 82Nd & Foster in the Fred Meyer lot). Brian and I are thrilled the week is cruising by...vacation is so close we can taste it! woo hoo!

I just wanted to take a quick moment and share with you a fun new link. I discovered this blog through Flower Patch Farm Girl (follow her and you're guaranteed a bright spot in your week). It's called August Fields and it's gorgeous! Make sure to have a napkin nearby because you may catch yourself drooling over her kitchen. I'm just sayin'.

There's a giveaway on their right now for some super fun art by Katie Daisy. (I'm crossing my fingers because she has a few prints that would be perfect in Elli's room.) So jump on over and check it out.

Highs and Lows

Brian and I ventured up north this weekend. It was so nice to have a quick get-away and enjoy his sister's family (and their lovely water view). The older cousins were so sweet to Elli and she had a ball playing with the "big kids". Brian and our brother-in-law ran the Seattle Rock n Roll half marathon and had what they classify as a "great time". Running for 13.1 miles sounds more like torture to me, but you have to be proud of husbands that can do something so difficult and still smile at the end! Overall the weekend was a high note. This afternoon, however, things came to a screeching halt. Texts, phone calls, drama and discussions revealed things weren't quite so awesome on the homefront while we were gone. People are broken, humanity fails and revealing Jesus' grace through the dirt is our job...no, our PURPOSE. Unforunately, with the purpose come some serious disappointments. When the lows come, however, I'm always reminded of lyrics I hold deep, "The shadows prove the Sunshine...". When we see how dark we are, we can more easily see how lovely He is to love us. Grace will always prevail when we accept it. Highs and lows. On both ends of the spectrum, Jesus was here. Grace came through. God is good.

Saga of The Beast

FINALLY! We have had an official break in the clouds and have basked in all of the sunshine glory! Our tiny back yard even offered a little toddler adventure... It was a bright and sunny post-lunch/pre-nap afternoon when the beast appeared...

He. Was. Huge. I'll admit, we were intimidated at first, but curiosity rang supreme.

He was a fast bugger...but we were determined. Little did the he know we had a beast of our own waiting in the wings.

You're going down now Beast! We laugh at your attempt to escape! We speak your name with contempt! We scratch at you in the manner of the animal kingdom. You. Are. Finished....or are you?

We have conquered the beast! He shrinks away from our attacks. The only thing we fear is licking the slime ridden leaf we used for capture. (ok, well...that only bothers mommy)

The worm..eh-hm..BEAST is done for.

Moral of the story: On occasion sacrifices have to be made for knowledge...or at least a toddler's curiosity. Our apologies to the entire worm population and the offense they may feel upon viewing this film.

End of an era

Despite the weird November like conditions outside it is now officially summer!  Our summer calendar is already jam packed as usual. From this point on we don't have a free week or weekend until August.  This has been our life for 11 years now.  Summer for us has never been as it was in childhood, a time to be lazy in the warm sun (HA!) enjoying otter pops and buckets of fresh Oregon berries.  No, our summer is filled with teenagers.  Amazing, incredible students that have changed our lives for the better. 
This is our last summer as official youth pastors.  It's hard to believe, really.  I'm sure as our church plant is still in its infancy we will be deeply involved with youth next summer, but it's not going to be our main focus any longer.  It's strange.  Students have been our life.  We have had our hearts broken by them, our fill of fun with them, our house brought to life by them, a renewed understanding of grace through them and a solid belief in hope established for them. 

While I am more than ready to move out of youth ministry, I will never ever be one that says it wasn't worth it. I have LOVED being in the youth ministry.  I have LOVED how passionate teenagers are about EVERYTHING.  I have really really loved seeing some of our students grow up to be faithful, passionate, generous adults who are now raising their own kids to love Jesus.

So, this summer, as I begin to complain about our crazy schedule I will stop myself.  I'll treasure the hilarious/delirious moments that are sure to happen during fundraisers.  I'll savor every life-changing, albeit late night, prayer whispered at camp.  I'll relish in the texts and emails about the latest friend-lationships. I'll pour out words of hope and belief with joy.

I'm overwhelmingly excited for all of the new experiences to come as a lead pastor's wife,  but there is a bit of me that is sad to close the youth chapter of our lives.  So, bring on the summer (with the appropriate weather, please) and the crazy schedules!  Bring on the teens and their crazy lives!  I'm ready.