Oregon

This was our first trip to Oregon. I was surprised by how beautiful it looked.

Don't get me wrong. I thought Oregon would be pretty with lots of trees. But I didn't know it had a 611 foot tall waterfall (Multnomah Falls) that's taller than Niagara Falls.

Unfortunately, the boys and girl were were not as impressed with it as Sandy and I were.

But they did enjoy the International Rose Test Garden in Portland.

With thousands of roses, it was a FABULOUS place.

The girls definitely loved it.

But after strolling for a while...

The boys got wiped out in the sun and heat!

So we cooled off at one of the large and amazing rivers in Portland. There are so many rivers in Oregon that are so wide, they look like they could be lakes.

We also explored some of the coastal towns in Oregon. It was very scenic. This might be one of the few moments in his life where Andrew was quiet and seemingly reflective!

Sandy even got in a little mother son bonding! All in all, we really liked Oregon...in July!

The Farm

We were blessed to visit the Petta Farm recently. It was so good to see the Petta's!

 

Unlike us in Kansas, the Petta's jumped right into farm life in Washington. The boys had a blast on the farm. Though you can see that Andrew just isn't quite so comfortable with chickens...at least not on his shoulder.

Emery on the other hand LOVED the chickens.

And the bunnies.

And the goats. She even tried to milk them. Excuse the view.

 

But this is what the boys' really liked - driving the tractor! Matt was barely big enough to drive it, and he managed to not hit anything.

Tractors and guns! What's not to like?

Thank you Petta family for hosting us! It was a great time with great friends.

Look Who's Here!

Well, it finally happened....Sam and Char moved to CA! Welcome!

 They arrived just before July 4th, so they came over to watch the Benicia fireworks show.

 This was our view from where we were sitting. Unfortunately, we were pretty far from the fireworks and that tree on that left partially blocked our view. Next year we'll know where to camp out for the best show.

The kids are SOOO happy to have them nearby. They can't wait to visit their new place for a sleepover party!

Happy Birthday Emery!

Our little princess turned 8 over the weekend. I can't believe it!

Finally, after 7 years of trying, I finally got Emery to 7-Eleven to have a free Slurpee on her birthday, 7-11. For years, we never lived anywhere near a 7-Eleven in KS and NM.

We celebrated with some donuts first thing in the morning, thanks to the Petta's (more on that later).

Since we were on a trip last week, we didn't have time to celebrate her 8th birthday with her promised earrings so we got them today. About 2 years ago, we told Emery that if she proved herself responsible and mature to not overly focus on her appearance but to focus on her character, we would let her get earrings. She kept checking in - How am I doing mom? Am I still on track to get earrings? - for years. And she showed herself ready for them. So she picked herself up some cross earrings. I still remember how much she loved her first pair of earrings 6 years ago (click here and here).

It is so fun to have Emery as our daughter. I know Sandy loves having her to do all sorts of fun girl things together. Emery is so helpful in the kitchen and all around the house. She loves to cook and be a hard worker. She loves animals, roller skating, singing and especially, gymnastics. She loves crafts and drawing too. She definitely loves God's Word and works hard to truly receive God's Word in her heart. She is conscientious, careful and quite disciplined. She has started reading very well recently too.

She's my little girl, and hopefully, I have a few more years left of carrying her close! We love you Emery! Happy birthday!

1 Peter 2:11, Proverbs 7:24-27 and Psalm 37:4

After almost a year here in NorCal, we've started to get back into some sort of a normal routine, sort of.

Which means that we are memorizing our verses again. Andrew continues on with 1 Peter 2:11.

Here is Proverbs 7:24-27. It is the conclusion to the warning about the adulterous woman. You really should read Proverbs 7:1-23 to get the full context.

Lastly is Psalm 37:4. May the Lord be Andrew's delight.

Home Free!

After 6 weeks in an uncomfortable and itchy cast, Andrew is finally free! The doctor said his arm looks perfect! He will go to physical therapy for 4 weeks and then see the Dr. one last time (hopefully).
There were many steps to taking off the cast. First, they used what looked like a mini circular saw. Bits of cast material flew all over. Then, some sort of clamp looking gadget to open the crack made. Finally, scissors were used to cut through the layers of gauze under the cast. Then out came the arm in all it's skinny glory! Thank you God for a well healed arm.

Father's Day

I have always looked forward to being a father. After 12 years, it is everything I hoped it would be and more.

I love playing with the boys and girl. I love playing cards, Yahtzee, Sorry, frisbee golf, soccer, and especially basketball.

It doesn't quite seem fair, but I try to get on their level. Actually, Matt plays tenacious defense even if he isn't very tall. I tell the boys that by 14, they should be better than me. If they work hard, it will be earlier.

But for now, the old man still has it going on! We had a great day at the park celebrating Father's day with a bbq. Sandy grilled up some fantastic steaks. Thanks babe.

And Emery made me one of my favorite desserts - lemon bars! She just started cooking, and I can't wait to eat more. Hopefully, she'll cook just as good as her mom.

But as much as I love playing with the boys and girl, and as much as I love going on trips with them, doing activities together, talking with them, working together, and so many other things, there's one that tops them all. I love talking about God's Word with them. I absolutely love our family Bible times at night.

We read the Scriptures together, talk about what they teach us about God and about how they apply to our lives. We also hide God's Word in our hearts so that we may learn the Words of life and that we may not sin against Him.

Being a father is harder than I ever knew it could be. I don't think I ever understood the magnitude of the burden that I would have to bear for the long-term decisions I have made that affected them so greatly. But I am so happy and thankful that God has allowed me to be the father to Andrew, Matt and Emery. What a privilege and what a joy!