My new life

Changes. Changes it seems have been my life as of late. Good changes, it's true, but changes all the same. On August 8th, 2009 I married Seth Finley, the love of my life. It was a beautiful wedding (what bride doesn't think her wedding was beautiful?) but we had a truly lovely time, it was great to see everyone who came out to celebrate with us, we were really blessed by all the people who were able to join us.
Afterwards we headed off to eastern oregon, idaho, washington and Nelson, B.C. and then back to Astoria, OR where we enjoyed a splendid couple of weeks relaxing and wandering about aimlessly. Such bliss. Coming home we have spent the last few weeks settling in as I started my new job as an assistant Montessori teacher in McMinnville and as the Mandate School started up again. (We are helping out with the Mandate school randomly this year - Seth is at this very moment off with the students on NIKO a five day outdoor leadership program.)
This was my third week at my job (first week with students) and I absolutely love it. I think it will be a really good fit for me. We are loving being in this community (Sheridan) and have settled nicely into our apartment. We even picked up a roommate - Dawna Jager, a great friend of ours. God has been faithfully providing for us, like always, and blessing us in so many ways. I can't wait to see what he has in store for us this next year!

Spring

Time is slowly starting to fly by. Sounds like a contradictive statement, I know, but what I mean is that while time seemed to drag by it's slowly picking up speed. Or something like that. It seems to me that just as cold winter days can seem to drag by hour by hour somehow spring days can sometimes seem to skip by all together in a blissful kind of way. Of course this is still Spring in Oregon, so this only happens every few days, but I will enjoy it anyway!
Also, as I find myself spending more and more time here in the Valley (that's the Willamette Valley for those of you folks who are a little confused by this termanolgy) spending time with friends and family (especially a particular someone) the time totally seems to be getting away from me! But with my wedding in just four months, I'm actually okay with time speeding along for once! Hurray!

Engaged!

So last weekend was pretty freakin' awesome, if I do say so myself. (smile!) I drove over to Silverton, Oregon for the leadership conference on Friday night and spent a great two days surrounded by amazing people, encouraging words, and a good atmosphere. (Whatever that means!) All in all, though a little exausting, it was nice. Then on Saturday night I drove to my parents house and then spent the day in Sheridan (Sunday) going to Open Door (surrounded by people who "didn't know anything about the possiblity of Seth proposing, I'm sure") There lack of knowledge or assumptions was shown in many ways (winks, slaps on the back, and knowing smiles. haha. You've gotta love it! Anyway, that afternoon after spending a couple of hours at Seth's parents house we drove to Portland. (The Cambodia team of Mandate students was staying up there Sunday night at my brother's house, since there flight left early Monday morning. So Seth and I drove up before they did (Seth was their ride to the airport) and we stopped at a coffee shop on Hawthorne near Mt. Tabor, took our coffee to go and decided to walk up to the top. This was a great idea, but for stability challenged people such as myself, apparently walking up a hill, drinking coffee (even with a lid) and holding a conversation, this can prove to be too much (even for great multi-taskers such as myself, perhaps adding one more element like holding one of the triplets would have made me better at it, who knows.) Anyway, I ended up spilling about a quarter of my cup of coffee (i know, how awful is that?) and this was good coffee, so though Seth offered to hold my cup for me (show off - his was perfectly un-spilled) I was determined to drink it (while hot - it would be a clear waste not to.) So (being a sensible person) I saw the futility of continuing on the path we were on (walking, drinking coffee, talking) and decided to sit down and drink the rest. There was a convenient retaining wall between two houses which made a fine bench to sit on (apprently looking out over Portland - since we were on a hill, but for some reason I don't remember the view. I just noticed my coffee, an rv parked to the left of us, and of course, my companion.) He told me later it was a nice view, and I'm sure it was. haha. Anyway, we sat there talking for a while, then he turned toward me and asked me if I would marry him! I (of course being so calm and collected -not) gave out a little shriek of an answer (which he said he didn't hear) and hugged him (but being smart as he is, he took it for a yes. I confirmed this later with a more clearly pronounced "yes.") Then he pulled out the ring, which (amazingly) fit perfectly. Wow. That's cool. (He hadn't gotten my ring size or anything, but was just planning on sizing it later.) Anyway, then we walked the rest of the way up Mt. Tabor and around the resevoir and gorgeous view (just in time for a beautiful sunset and great view of Portland at night.) It was perfect. I feel so overwhelmingly blessed to be marrying this amazing man (who was right under my nose for years - like 12 years actually!) and didn't even know it! So, for those of you who will be around Amity, OR August 8th, you should come join us for a sweet celebration (that would be our wedding.)

Quick review of my life as of late.

The longer I go without posting a blog, the harder it is to write one, maybe I'm just getting out of practice - or perhaps there is both way too much and at the same time not enough to write about. What I mean is, to fill you in on all that is going on in my life would take pages and pages, and would bore you to tears, and yet to tell you what is going on this week (though being much shorter) would also cause you to lose interest (is it gone already?)
Anyway, I'll do my best to highlight points of interest in outline form, just to keep things simple.
Work- going well, the babies are almost 9 months old, I can hardly believe it! They're doing great, (other than the cold I gave them last week!) Will and Lydia are almost crawling - Will even sits up all by himself, and Clara has started rolling over (finally!)
Roommate - LOVE her! Beth is awesome, I have so much fun hanging out and just being together. She always finds ways to encourage and bless me.
Church- My church "city church" (used to be "oasis") has gone through a lot of changes lately(name change, location change, people leaving, etc.) but I'm really excited about it over all- it's always so sad to see people go, but I understand it - well, somewhat.) I truly believe their (the pastoral staff) hearts and visions are in the right place - truly following Jesus is not often very popular or easy, when you really get down to it, but it's the only way to go!
Bend - beautiful as always, if not having some tempermental weather changes (sun warm, snow, sun cold, rain, fog, etc. and that can all be in one day!)
Significant other- hehe. I actually have one. He's pretty much amazing! (of course!) Seth is an amazing blessing in my life, I am so grateful for him! Our first "unofficial" date was snowshoeing up Tumalo mountain, so you know he's gotta be a keeper!
Youth Group Girls-They are so much fun, they keep me young (or at least I use them as an excuse!) and continually teach me so much!
Misc.-I've been reading several amazing books, most recently "The irresistable revolution" (not a book for those who don't want to be challenged and grow.)
Yeah, so that's about it for now. (Hope I didn't bore you too much!)

Summer's Over

As I took a walk this afternoon while babysitting a little 8 mo. old girl, I couldn't help but revel in the beautiful weather we are having. It was still warm out, but that very distinct, slightly cool Autumn wind has definately kicked in. It made me grateful that I took advantage of the last of the summer weather while I could and went white water rafting in Maupin, on the Deschutes River last Saturday.
I've been back in Bend exactly one week today and am finally feeling settled again. Some of my good friends from Mustard Seed Fellowship helped me move the last of my stuff on Sunday, what a blessing! It's amazing how quickly things go when a bunch of people are helping, it would have taken me all day, and I couldn't have moved some of that stuff alone. Thanks guys!

Canyonview Camp

Having spent the last eight weeks at Camp, I thought I would post just a couple of pictures. Camp is awesome. The second picture here always reminds me of Genesis 3 for some reason. And the last picture is a perfect image of the saying "like father, like daughter." That's all I have to say.

rainy day

I awoke this morning to the sound of rain pelting the roof, and as I lay there on my mattress (my bed is already packed up) snuggling up in my comforter I was tempted to be annoyed by the rain, for today I must pack all my stuff into my car (I was going to use Norma's truck - but not in the rain) and take a million trips back and forth to my storage unit. As these thoughts began to overwhelm me I suddenly remembered something - I like the rain. It's true. I do. I love going for long walks in the rain, it's very soothing. So, right then I made a decision. I decided to go for a walk in the rain, a walk to my favorite little bakery (the Sparrow bakery...mmmmm!) and get some coffee and a delicious ocean roll. So that's exactly what I did. I got up, grabbed my (really cute) orange umbrella, and walked to the bakery. At first it everything seemed chaotic (the cars rushing back and forth, splashing water everywhere as they sped through puddles) but as I looked more carefully a beauty began to emerge, a rythm of its own to which every noise and action only adds to the wonder of it all. It was lovely. After my coffee and ocean roll, as I was walking home I began to think about how much our attitudes affect us. For some reason it reminded me of one of my favorite poems:

The Road not Taken
By Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood and sorry I could not travel both And be one traveller, long I stood and looked down one as far as I could to where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, and having perhaps the better claim because it was grassy and wanted wear; though as for that, the passing there had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay in leaves no feet had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -- I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference

I have always thought of this as referring to physical choices, decisions we make, etc. And perhaps it is talking about that, but today I realized that we can also choose to take a different "path" simply by changing out hearts and attitudes, and it really does make a difference.
It is still raining outside. I still have to move today, and I'm still not done packing, but I'm no longer dreading it and I'm not longer annoyed at the weather, but am rather enjoying the beauty of it all. And that's a good thing.

Smith Rock

Today Linda, my friend Michelle, and I hiked up Misery Ridge at Smith Rock State Park. We had such a great time! Jolie, Norma, and Charis came to Smith with us too, but decided to chill in the park while we hiked. That's such a great hike, challenging, but not too long. I should go there more often. Anyway, it was really fun.

Earth Day

April 22, 2008. Earth day. It's Spring right? I thought so too, but Bend seems confused as I woke up to an inch of snow on the ground. And this isn't even that uncommon this year, it's been snowing off and on all week. Enough already. Next December I'll be begging for it, but not now thanks. But that's okay, because I've already had a lovely day anyway, and it's only noon! hehe. My day started early this morning, meeting with some lovely ladies from my community group at backporch coffee. So fun. After that I went on over to Townshends tea shop to meet up with my dear friend Jennie. We just chatted, caught up with each other's lives a bit, and played a couple hard core games of pick up sticks. She totally beat me both times. That's a tough game, I don't care what you say! hehe. Now I'm procrastinating from actually working (cleaning my house that is) but it's all good! I'll get there eventually...I think.