Montana Adventure

Family vacations are fun for me. I don't mean it sarcastically either. My family is FUNNY and the vacations are FUN. We left last Wedesday for Missoula, MT and spent the week in Whitefish with my brother, SIL Sara, their unborn child, my mom and her husband. Instead of chronicling our time, I thought I would just post some lessons learned.

Lessons learned while vacationing in Montana:

1. Washington State patrol doesn't care if you don't have cruise control. They don't care about anything really...except bruising my soul with a $175 ticket.

2. I don't know how families road tripped successfully previous to the invention of the DVD player.

3. Jordan and I can be creative when confined in a car for 10 hours. Here are the following terms we created for people that live in Missoula...we don't know or care which one is actually correct. Missoulians, Missoulagorians, Missoulorinthians, Missourangatangs, Missoulippians.

4. You can be instant friends with people before ever actually meeting in real life. Gloria, Chris, Elizabeth, Craig, Noah, Katie and Lolo....thanks for letting us be part of your family. (I remembered all those names without referencing facebook BTW)

5. I am a bona fide mountain biker.

6. My husband is a very very very good mountain biker...and he looks sexy in action.

7. Grizzly bears hide very well in their country. Tree stumps can look like a grizzly bear and scare bona fide mountain bikers.

8. In Glacier National Park, chipmunks think they are actually the same size as the griz. They are fearless and majestic...they also seems to appreciate my singing.

9. My stepdad may actually be part griz due to his deep desire of all things huckleberry.

10. When I say the word "griz" in Montana then I feel like I fit in.

11. Some families talk politics, some entertainment, we however choose to debate biblical and medical ethics for hours. Then we laugh at hot pockets.

12. My mom is my favorite woman in the world. I could just sit in her presense without speaking and feel satisfied.

13. When I hear my brother talk about his love for Christ, I am overwhelmed with every spiritual emotion.

We really loved Montana and can't wait for the next trip! This was the conversation while pulling into our neighborhood last night after 10 fun filled hours in the car:

Austen: "Mom, are you so excited that we are back home now?"

Me: "Yes baby I am very excited."

Austen: "Well, I'm not."

Me: "Why not, sweets?"

Austen: "Because Uncle Matt and Aunt Sara are still in Montana."

Glacier National Park

I blog when I want.

I am secure enough to know that I am not witty enough to blog on a frequent basis. Mostly it's because I have nothing interesting enough to say. HOWEVER, this weekend was the most interesting/fun/exceptional/awesome/appreciated I have had in a while. Leah and Gracyn came to stay with us for a few days and here is our journey of love. The pictures are totally out of order. I haven't figured out who is dumber...me or blogspot. Beware, your computer may in fact be crashing at this very moment due to the insane quantity of pics I uploaded. Sorry about that.

There is so much joy that it is unbelievable.

Ian. How stinkin cute are you?!

Rachel, Mily and G handed out the bday love.

Ballerina in training.

Landon is in training for something else...professional caloric intake master.

Cute kids eating cupcakes the sizes of small baby's heads.

Seriously...do they not look 16 years old? What is happening?

Ian beware...she is cute but she will attack.

Hiking with the Aunt Tops and Uncle Joels.

Deuce coup.

Oh yeah...that happened. There is no shame in the deuce coup.

This is what NW peeps do when it doesn't rain...play in the fountain. We get confused when dry.

He's on a boat.

A and G on their very first roller coaster ride. They chose front seat b/c they are hard core.

Cheesin it up in front of AGCI.

Not too much longer!

The view from the rooftop of Joel and Sara's crib.

Who needs a car when you have blue Papa?

Reunited BFFs. They never skipped a beat.

There are so many things that I loved about this weekend...I can't even put it into words. Some friendships are so sweet that explanations and adjectives only do a disservice. I have no idea why God would gift such people in my life. I am wholly un-deserving.

Today is the day!

I can't believe it!  I have gone from fear, to sadness, to complete excitement today!  A couple last minute things I wanted to share.

Communications:  This is going to be a social networking nightmare for some of you, but here are the options...

Twitter:  www.twitter.com/haititeam09  ---  This is our team's twitter account. It will randomly updated with the Haiti happenings.

Blogs:  simplyjy.wordpress.com  ---  This is Jordan's blog and he will update whatever communications the two of us are able to have

sarahcase.wordpress.com --- This is one our team members who will be blogging while we are there.  She has taken multiple trips to this same site and has plenty of valuable insight I'm sure!

I found out from T-mobile that there is chance I may have "some" service with my trusty blackberry.  It will cost me $2/minute to make calls.  35 cents to send a text and FREE to receive a text!  So I will only call/text Jordan when able but if you want to send me one, then I may actually be able to read it.

Okay...I have one more hour with my family so I am closing this computer and kissing babies.

Haiti FAQ

I will be leaving on Thursday afternoon for a much anticipated trip to Haiti to work with a medical team. I get a lot of questions about this and I thought I would take the time write out my answers here.

When is your trip?
I leave March 5 and come back March 15.

What will you be doing there?
I'll be working with a team of about 15 people offering medical care to a village of people who otherwise have no access to care. We will be seeing people for whatever issue they may walk in the door with. We treat them the best way possible with the means available. The clinic has a pharmacy full of medications and we try to give each person is given a bag of rice.

Who are you going with?
A team from my church, Mosaic, who is teaming with the Haiti Foundation of Hope. There is good info on the HFH website!

How much does it cost and how did you pay for it?
Total cost is $1700. Our families were very generous this Christmas :)

What if you die/get AIDS/get kidnapped? Isn't Haiti dangerous?
This question may seem kind of funny...but it could be the most common question. What if I do? It is obviously not my goal or plan to become sick, stolen or dead. The leader of the team we are going with has been travelling to Haiti for 25 years. They lived there for 2 of those years. There are a number of precautions we are taking to protect ourselves and I take that very seriously. I work in an area of nursing where bodily fluids flow freely at will. It will not be a new concept to protect myself from that!

Why Haiti anyways?
My answer may not satisfy some people. God placed Haiti on Jordan and I's hearts over a year ago. Since college I have been exposed to mission opportunities, taken mission trips and heard hundreds of missionary stories. While I felt propelled to help in some way with these trips and stories...rarely did my heart break for them. I am saddened by a lot of things, but not moved into action. In summertime of 2007 when I started reading some of the blogs listed on the bottom right of my blogroll...(the Haiti ones and the Ivey's) I literally could not stop myself from being consumed by it. God was molding and shaping my heart for those people for some weird reason. I convinced Jordan to read the stories I was seeing, so we read and we cried and we prayed. We still don't know what that all means, but when we moved back up here and visited a church who had a partership with Haiti and was taking a medical team there in March...it was obvious to us what our first move would be. I honestly believe this is just the first step to what He is doing in us.

What about your kids?
Teaching the kids about this trip has probably been the best part so far. Let's be honest, Noelle is 2 she doesn't know what the crap is going on. Landon is about to turn 4 and he is very much aware of things, but no so great at processing the why's and how's. Austen is 5 and needs to know every detail about everything everywhere all the time. We have been talking casually about Haiti for over a year now, so when the idea came up of me going...they just expected it. We talk about how fortunate we are to have food, housing, medicine, mommies and daddies and school. We talk about how God has given us those things to be His hands and feet. We were not chosen to have these things because of good things we or our parents do. By His grace, we have been provided for and by His grace we will continue to provide for the needs of others. It's simple really.

Are you scared?
Yes, of dumb stuff mostly. Nothing to do with kidnapping or HIV. I am afraid that I will be dysfunctional after not being able to kiss my husband and babies for 10 days.

What can I do to help?
You can pray for us. I have an excellent prayer letter that I would love to send anyone who wants it. It outlines what we will be doing and where we will be day by day. You can also call my husband and be sure he hasn't listed any of the kids (Landon) on craigslist. Maybe even cook him a meal or bless his heart bring him coffee. If you don't live near us then just call him to let him know you love him and be willing to assess his mental status.

How did this happen?

How did this teeny tiney little 5 pound baby turn in to a crazy pot bellied 2 year old girl? I can't believe it.

Spiritual advising

I have told a few people about this conversation the boys had the other day in the car, but it just keeps getting funnier.

Setting: My car, me driving, and boys in the back seat. Going to a friends house.

It is mostly quiet and then Austen starts with the questioning...

Austen: Mom, do you know who some people love more than anyone in the world?

Me: Who is that?

A: Jesus.

Me: That's true, some people do love Him more than anything. I do.

A: Me too.

(Enter Landon)

Landon: I don't love Jesus. I don't love boys. I only love girls. I only love one boy and that is McQueen.

A: Landon, yes you do love Jesus. He lives in your heart and He talks to you and you love Him!

L: (voice a bit louder) NO Austen, I don't love Jesus. I can't hear Him with my ears and He does not talk to me! I only love girls!

A: (now screaming a bit) Landon, yes Jesus does talk to you. He talks in your heart and that's why you can't hear Him with your ears. He talks to your heart!

L: (his loudest most irritated voice) I do not love Jesus and I can not hear Him!!!!!!!!

A: (addressing me this time, quietly and soft) Mom, don't worry. Landon does love Jesus in his heart, he just doesn't want to say it, but I know that he does.

L: (screaming at this point) I can NOT hear Jesus with my heart or my ears Austen, stop saying that to me!

A: (Louder than any TBN preacher you've ever imagined) Landon, Jesus does talk to you in your heart and He is talking to you RIGHT NOW. He is saying "Landon, STOP COMPLAINING"

I decided to interject at this pivotal point before Austen demanded that Landon close his eyes and raise his hand.

So that was about a week or 2 ago and then today while at the table coloring Landon proceeded with this conversation:

Landon: Mom, we can never be God.

Me: That's true baby. There is only one God and we are His people. He made us and He loves us.

Landon: Yeah. (short pause then he yells to Austen in the other room) Austen is that true?

Austen: Yeah Landon that's true.

Landon: Oh. Can God turn people in to pieces of paper?

Me: He won't do that to you, sweets.

L: Oh (short pause) Austen is that true?

A: Well, God CAN turn your in to paper, but He won't. God can do anything.

L: Yeah, God can do anything.

So I stand corrected. I thought for sure Austen had lost his effective witness to Landon that brimstone and fire day in the car. But apparently he has gained respect and became Landon's closest spiritual advisor.

We got elfed.

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

7 Years

7 years doesn't seem like much when I am expecting a lifetime, but a lot of has happened in these years! I seem to be in to making lists lately so why stop now?! Here is what we have experienced so far!

• Convincing people to come to a wedding 3 days before Christmas...true love right there!
• Graduating nursing school one week before our wedding, moving across the country one week after.
• Starting a married life in a new time zone with no family around.
• Finding lifelong friends that we couldn't imagine living without.
• Finding out we are pregnant one week before our first anniversary.
• Finding out we are pregnant when Austen is 10 months old.
• Moving from WA to NM on Austen's first b-day.
• Finding out we are pregnant when Landon is 14 months old.
• Breastfeeding 32 out of 84 months of marriage.
• Buying/building our first house
• Selling (kind of) our first house.
• Moving back to WA on Austen's 5th b-day.

Typing all that out seemed a little crazier than it seems in my head! Throughout all of these circumstances we have learned to fully trust God with ALL things. He has molded us, challenged us, tested us, disciplined us, provided for us, blessed us, and loved us. It's overwhelming to think of all we have learned in 7 years and is incomprehensible to imagine what will take place for the next decades to come! I will never understand the mercy and grace He had planned for me when I met Jordan. That man is beyond what I could have ever dreamed! I love you babe! Here to a lifetime of more anniversary's....but hopefully the last one snowed in!

Makeover

I switched up my layout a little bit...cute?! Yes, I know. Too bad my screen widths changed so the pictures I already have posted were too wide. I can't fix it, but all future pics will fit...don't worry mom!

I am a really bad blogger lately, but want to be more up to date.

Here are some things we are looking forward to:
1. Cutting down our Christmas tree tomorrow from my favorite tree farm ever. Love it
2. Road trip to MONTANA to stay with Matt and Sara for a few days.....YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!
3. Spending time with friends here.
4. Wassail.
5. Getting Noelle a Christmas dress and seeing how cute she looks it it. (vain I know)
6. Mailing New Year's cards instead of Christmas cards because I am ridiculous procrastinator.
7. Haiti trip - SO scared/excited/mortified/elated.

Probably the best weekend ever

I had to post 2 entries today only because this one deserved it's own. My mom, Matt and Sara came to visit us this weekend and we had SO much fun! It was jam packed with fun and we did a lot in a short amount of time. Too bad they couldn't stay longer because there is so much more I wanted to do!

Here is the run-down in a fun format to show what went down!

My mom came in on Thursday night and we basically kissed kids and laughed until it was time for bed.

FRIDAY

I took my mom here in the afternoon. She had never been (sad). But she thought it was just as awesome as I do! We even had the swedish meatballs for full effect. The kids wore themselves out at the play land so we came home took naps and at leftovers. All around fun relaxing day!

SATURDAY

First thing we did was go here. I love it and I got the most amazing bouquet of fresh flowers for only $8...i wish I had picture evidence, but I don't!

I was really going for the whole "northwest experience" for my mom and basically rejecting anything that can be done or eaten in Albuquerque. So we went here for lunch and it did not disappoint...sweet potato french fries never do.

We picked up Matt and Sara from the airport at 4 then hopped on this (because we are so urban now) and ate dinner here. They thought it was just as cool as we do! This is the first place we ate at in Portland almost 7 years ago and it only gets better.



Matt and Sara representing OTP. I could not possibly say in words how much I love them.



Me and my mom at OTP...photo courtesy of Austen :)

After dinner we walked here (love it) then hopped back on the train to our car. We had to save the best for last and go here for dessert. GOSH...it is the best ice cream ever created...it seriously makes my heart race just thinking of it. It was a hit all the way around and it got brought up at least every other hour for the remainder of the weekend!



The Young family shared this brownie sundae beast. Ice cream flavors included are as follows: chocolate, pumpkin pie, coffee addict's choice and peanut butter blitz. 6 dollups of whipped cream, 1 fresh from the oven walnut brownie, 1 million chocolate chips and drizzles of hot fudge and caramel made it by far the best sundae ever created.

SUNDAY

I didn't think we could possibly top the ice cream experience of love, but Sunday was pretty awesome. Here were the 3 goals of the day: have fun, see the coast, have fun. Mission accomplished. We left the house about 10:15 then stopped here for lunch. YUM. Any place that has makes and sells cheese and ice cream will be a hit with this family. The bonus...who has ever seen "smiley face fries"??



Now we all have. Let's move on.

Next up we saw this and this. We loved it. Tillamook coast is really beautiful...It was really God's creation at best. Here is some proof.



Okay...so that's not scenic, but it's cute.



The lighthouse...we walked all around in the top of it...awesome.



"AAHAHHHHHH the sun is in my eyes mommy!" "Shut it kids, we are taking a family picture"



Pacific ocean via Tillamook.



A loved the octopus tree.



That girl likes to walk :)

We had to pull over on the side of the road on the way to our next stop to take advantage of this unbelievable view.





After Tillamook, we headed here and it was AMAZING. I think everytime I have been to the beach here it has been cold and rainy. This time it was different...so beautiful. It was the first time the kids have seen the beach and the boys loved it...Noelle actually hated it, (not surprising) but she'll like it next year!











A perfect weekend. They left yesterday morning and I have looked at these pictures about 50 times since! We are heading to Seattle on Friday to see Jordan's sister and family. Did I mention that we really are loving it here?

October catch up

This is my attempt to catch up on blogging after a month. I enjoy reading other people's stuff MUCH more than posting my own...but my family seems to want to see pics a bit more frequently than I am posting!

Me, Austen and Noelle spent some time in the backyard doing "yardwork" a few weeks ago. There are 4 big garden boxes that we are going to attempt to use to grow a vegetable and fruit garden next year. I have NO idea how to grow things, so any tips would be much appreciated! Me and Austen did plant some bulbs yesterday...the bag said they were VERY easy to grow. We'll see come spring!



This will be the veggie garden!



Thankfully Austen is willing to handle the garden wildlife, because I am NOT.



This is where we planted the crocus bulbs! There will be a spring update pic!


Crusin the trike.



Apparently cleaning the feet was just as much fun as dirtying the feet.



Overalls are only approvable for the pumpkin patch...otherwise just don't do it.



I just realized this post is a little Noelle saturated...oh well :)



Austen is very excited to have the biggest pumpkin...too bad he couldn't even pick it up!



Landon...he does exist.

On a side note...the weather has actually been amazing here so far. I keep expecting the rain to come, but it hasn't yet and we have been taking advantage as much as possible. We feel so blessed to be here at this very time!