beautiful bow

On Friday, Kyle the kids and I traveled north to Bow-Edison, Washington.  Our friends, the Barons, were requesting our help with laying new flooring in their home.  The plan was that we arrive to Geoff's parents' new home in Bow, Washington, on Friday night, have dinner together and enjoy a sleep over, wake up Saturday morning and send the Dads off to lay flooring while Amy and I wrangled the six kids and enjoyed the surrounding five acres... it was so beautiful.

The Baron's home sits on the Southwest corner of their property, atop a small hill that offers sweeping views of the flats, and on a clear day, a view of the Puget Sound in the distance.  The property grounds and structures are Martha's Vineyard meets Pacific Northwest farmland - the home is open and breathtaking when you walk in; the living room is grand but small with its high ceilings and cozy couches, pellet fireplace and multiple sitting areas; the kitchen is open and accessible to all parties involved... those sitting at the dining table are but 3 feet away while those drinking around the fireplace need not more than whisper and you're hearing all parts of their conversation - and you feel like you can breathe!  The room is full of windows - and as Amy and I mentioned to each other, it feels like you're outside... I could cook in there all day.  It was a wonderful room to put our feet up and converse in after putting the kids to bed.

On Saturday, we all arose to the squeaks and sounds of small children needing attention... not to mention, Ellie, the puppy.  We heated the water for the french press and began laying food on the counter for the children to consume.  The guys (Kyle and Geoff) took off no later than 8:30am and Amy and I began our day with the kids... we walked the 5 acres, inspected the adorable chicken coop, looked at the pond and as the kids began creating their own commune within the tree house, Amy and I walked back inside, kicked off our shoes...

 

and began preparing lunch.

The kids played outside in the tree house for a bit longer while lunch was being prepped...

After lunch it was time for quiet times and naps... the moms kids were needing some down time.  After the big kids woke, I curled up on the couch in the great room while Katie and Emily engineered how to fix the holes in Emily's rain boots -- they wanted to go play in the tree house again... but Emily needed to be warmer this time!  A sheet of paper, some sketching pencils and a little scotch tape seemed to be just what they needed...

Amy and I spent the rest of the afternoon maintaining children and our own sanity whist Geoff, Kyle and a handful of men from Geoff and Amy's church laid flooring...

After putting the kids to bed and enjoying a steak dinner with yams, beet salad and wine, Amy and I retired to our respective rooms... Amy took a bubble bath (or so I believe - I forgot to ask her this morning) and I crawled under the sheets in the guestroom upstairs - my head pounding with pain.  I rarely get headaches and lord knows I'm a baby when it comes to them... was I getting sick?!

We woke the next morning... my headache still there and the kids feeling less than adequate to traverse the day ahead.  We planned on church, more flooring being laid at Geoff and Amy's house in Bellingham and another day of Amy and I maintaining children.

Although, at about 8:00am, William stood in the kitchen and began vomiting... Katie was complaining about stomach pain as well... we put the two of them in the bath and began packing up to get home as quickly as possible.  Ben was seemingly fine but I believed we only had a matter of time...

On the way home, Katie lost all her stomach contents into her baby blanket and trailed off quickly into slumber land while Kyle and I pleaded to get home supernaturally fast.  Although it ended on a quick and unsuspecting note, the weekend was wonderful.

Thank you for having us Geoff and Amy... we love you guys so much.  Kyle's asleep as I write this and I'm trying to keep my eyes peeled as I finish this blog... we will be having an afternoon of movies, shows and the like, eating Quaker granola bars and tortilla chips while you guys enjoy time eating healthy foods and reading books.  I love that we get along so well...  even in our differences.

Cheers to your 'new home' and to the fine men (and women) that made it all happen!!

organized chaos.

the way of the Schei home.

yesterday was another snow day for the Everett and Snohomish School districts here in Washington and we made the most of it... I LOVE snow days.  Most parents are concerned with the affect that it has on the end of the year and that now we're getting out on whatever day.  That doesn't even occur to me - maybe I'm still a little immature at heart... or as some say, young at heart.  When the phone rings at 5:00am and the all familiar phone-tree recorded voice tells me that "Everett Schools are closed" I get giddy!

We went out sledding at 8:30am... Elijah arrived around 8:45am... we came inside around 10:00am... Madelyn and Nolan arrived to hang out at that time and stayed until 2:00pm... at Noon, Jess and the kids arrived giving us a 2:4.5 adult to child ratio -- it was a packed house!

Here's the day in photos... from sledding to wrestling... wearing each other out and making each laugh...

Reminds me of Elle MacPherson... Christie Brinkley... no?

Elijah just wanted to eat the snow... he was so funny!

William taking Riley down...

Ben befriending and loving on Eli - this was a blessing since he's really dealt with jealousy of Eli in our home - not anymore!

Hello Adorable.

Regan surprised Riley... awesome.

... then William surprised Riley and Riley did some crazy downward dog thing.

... when can we all do this again???

Until next time...

a picture's worth a thousand words

thumbs up to being together again

rebecca

She arrived last night at 9:40pm and I dropped her at Sea-Tac just an hour ago at 9:48pm ... 24 hours of putting on a pair of old jeans.

We stayed up too late last night sipping red wine - her a very small glass considering Thatcher's due to arrive in 8 weeks... but sipping none-the-less... enjoying time together laughing and talking about her recent year in Charlotte, North Carolina and my life here in Everett, Washington.  What our kids are up to and the moments that are creating in us a deeper love for our husbands... from jobs to dinner to parenting.  We talked until we couldn't keep our eyes open any longer.

This morning we woke and spent the morning and early afternoon out and about then made our way home for a dose of High School Musical 2 - something Rebecca had never had the honor of seeing.  The kids were sent upstairs for quiet time and selfishly we let the hour come and go without calling them back down... the majority of the time was spent just staring at each other and trying to comprehend the fact that we were in the same room together! 

We had dinner out with Kyle and the kids, eating Spaghetti with Mizithra Cheese and Browned Butter - a favorite of Rebecca's and mine... and then came home to put the kids down and soak in the last minutes of time together. 

It was my fault that there was a pregnant lady running through the concourse at ten o'clock tonight... she was late for a direct flight back to her family... back to her routine... back to the people that love her dearly... back to the people that need her the most.

But I'd be remiss to say that we here in Washington don't come in a close second.

Rebecca, thank you for taking the time to be here with each of us -- we owe you big.  Jaemi will be there soon and hopefully the Scheis will descend on your home before Winter arrives... sleep tight on the plane tonight my dear and kiss the girls for me, slap Mark on the a** and rub the belly. 

Love you.

a good life

... with wonderful friends.

Yesterday morning was lovely... we (our immediate family) rolled out of bed around 7:00am and began the morning routine - yes, we watch cartoons first thing in our house.  It allows me a moment to gather all the pieces of myself, grab a cup of coffee and get the waffle batter prepped -- all hopefully before the 'sweet' sound of Ben's voice says 'mooooooommeeeee, me hung-gweeee...'  If successful, I've already got his waffle made and his milk poured - with no time to waste he's seated at the counter, fork in hand awaiting his breakfast with just enough patience to not whine again.

And on the weekends, Dad's presence makes the house burst with excitement -- its just... brighter when he's here.  Thanks to the Lord's grace and mercy we've been transitioning rather well between his travels to Los Angeles and his times here at home - and to miss him makes his time at home all the sweeter.

We spent the morning cleaning out the garage and creating for the kids a place to play since we were going to be hosting upwards of 20 people at our house that evening... it was time to get the band back together.

The first Bellingham Reunion of 2011 was upon us.


Geoff, Amy and the kids strolled in around two in the afternoon.  Amy and I prepped food in the kitchen for the party while the guys went on a run for whiskey... the kids played here and there and everywhere doing whatever it is they do when they get together - Ben (2), Eva (3), Will (4), Ethan (5), Katie (6) and Emily (7)... they began pairing off, understandably.  With a mix of sewing and beading, Star Wars and computer games and some whining and hunger - Amy and I were feeling right at home with each others' kids.

The day was only going to get better...

Scott, Holly and baby Anders arrived mid-afternoon and I could not get enough of the kid -- either could my children...

Ben, Katie, Anders and William - Norwegian kids all look the same, no?

Soon Beth Knutsen arrived after having dropped off Dave at the airport on his way to Norway... he was dearly missed.  Then the Eickhoffs strolled in - all THREE of them!  Jessica was beautiful and Ben (her husband) smiled with pride as we all hugged each other and took turns rubbing the belly without even asking.  Mr. Stephen Shurtleff strolled in, potato soup in hand and hot dogs for the kids... unfortunately, Cindy and the kids were at home with 'the crud' and needed to pass on the party.

Soon we were all sipping good beer, wonderful wine, burnt whiskey and grubbing on great food -- some of us stepped out back to enjoy a social smoke and dive into deep conversation about what the Lord is up to in our lives.  Oddly enough, though the good beer and occasional smoke are a staple with this group of friends, the conversation and accountability to picking up your cross daily and partnering with Jesus every moment of the day is stronger with them than with any other community we have around us... I've said it before and I'll say it again, the day we dedicate our children (we never have) we'll find a lake, a bath tub, a watering hole, a jug of beer and commit our children to the Lord with the support of this group of people... oh the years are only getting richer.

We give a nod to...

Dusty and Jenny Haferbecker -- and the boys!
Darryl Graham!
Dave Knutsen!
Tim and Leah Dillman - and the girls!
Chad and Lindsay!
Shawn and Holly Ryan - and the kids!
Cindy Shurtleff - and the kids!

We had seventeen people at our house last night... and we were missing twenty!  Can you imagine what the next get together will look like?!  Thirty-seven people... thirty-eight with baby Eickhoff!

Wallace Falls is going to be a BLAST.  All cabins are reserved... and plans are getting made.

Ahhh... a good life.

the crescendo

(the orchestra begins to grow quiet)

Over the recent years, and more so the recent months, I've experienced God's hand continuing to strip down all of those dear to me. Not in exclusively difficult or exhausting circumstances, but in a growing-up-and-figuring-out-who-we-are in the eyes of those around us, to the Lord and to ourselves, kind-of-way.

The Lifers, mentioned multiple times in my past blog posts (see here and here), have not waned in their importance in my life but instead have become even more potent as we've spread out, found spouses, had children and dived into careers and minivans. We've kept in touch, even if every few weeks and/or months, and haven't lost sight of what it is we all desire for our families in the future - to be Second Generation Lifers. I guess I shouldn't speak for everyone, as some of them I haven't spoken to in literally months, but I do believe if we all had the opportunity to create for our children a 'scaffolding' for building relationship, we'd want to model it after how we've done it ourselves and with each other.

(the orchestra has silenced, you hear nothing but you wait in anticipation... then you hear a note and then another and then another... the crescendo begins...)

Just two days ago I called Jenny Haferbecker.  I was in the midst of spending my last evening alone with my kids before Kyle arrived home from a two-week trip to Los Angeles and I was making pizza... not your average pepperoni, mind you... my toppings included bleu cheese, candied almonds, caramelized onions, prosciutto and pears.  So I called Jenny cause my gourmet pizza just made me wish she was sipping red wine and helping me create yummy combinations.  Ok, to be completely honest, I called her because if she gives me a 'nod' than I know I've done a good job with my dinner and I wanted her to know that I can do something different than mac-n-cheese... I'm growing up!  She knows that about me already... but its nice to just 'put it out there' sometimes - and she's usually the one I want to tell.

During that conversation she says, 'so... we're moving to Tacoma...' with a grin in her voice. (... the crescendo...)  She had to wait a SPLIT SECOND before my voice broke and I was elated at the thought!  Our brains began racing with the horizon that was opening up before us!  Day trips and lunches and parks and sleep overs and... and... oh my this couldn't get better.  (... crescendo...)  Then I realized that it was only 4 months away and I could hardly contain myself -- still can't, in fact!  (... the crescendo is so loud and full!)

... and then I think about 18 months from now when my friend Jamie Forbes moves back to the states from the UK with her family and my dear circle continues to not only deepen but widen!  Not only do the roots run deep but now they are within arms reach and the day to day life will begin to unfold with these wonderful women and their families influencing our thoughts, our activities, our hearts...

As Kyle and I continue to focus our sights on the unknown and pray that God would order our steps, I feel stronger and stronger that we'll be on Bainbridge Island come Summer/Fall but those 'thoughts' are simply 'thoughts' until God gives us peace and we actually make the move.  Considering all of this, I'm excited!  This time in our life is wonderful and though hard moments have fallen on us with regards to life's circumstances and relationships, we've been aware of God's sovereignty and faithfulness through it all.

And now looking ahead and up at the mountain of opportunities in front of us we're reminded of His love and how much He desires to give us the desires of our hearts... I pray that the desires I have now are in sync with the plans He has for me... cause as it looks now, there's a whole lot of awesomeness that I could never have imagined - and boy, it'd be fun if it looked like what I'm picturing.

The crescendo is on top of me right now and as I walk outside into the sunshine beating down on me today I can almost hear the stringed instruments in my head... I put a leg up and hop into my driver's seat, I adjust my mirror and put down my visor so I'm not blinded by the unfamiliar Pacific Northwest rays.  I drive with a smile on my face and I walk with a skip in my step... Jesseca spent the morning hanging out and showering at my house... I talked to Rebecca yesterday... Jenny's moving home and Jamie soon thereafter... Amy's just a call away - life is good.  God is good.

I can't wait to hear the next song!!

Happy Valentines Day, Krista!!

Love, The Lord God Almighty

Establishing a new normal.

Today is Tuesday, February 1, 2011.  The first Tuesday of the month.

For awhile now - so long I can count in years - this evening has always been an evening I look forward to.  A time of building relationship, a time of giving and receiving, a time of sipping wine with the ladies - a time of taking off the Mom hat and putting nothing on in its place - a moment to myself with no expectations.

Considering that today is the first Tuesday of the month and I'm here in my home, husband is out of town and I'm sipping a glass of red wine on my own, I'm feeling disheartened and having to piece together all the emotions running through my body.  I'm having to establish a new normal.

Establishing a new normal is something that my husband's Aunt coined years ago and I cannot quite remember the reason she used the term in the first place but it has weighed on me heavily recently and I've used it often.  The unexpected loss of a friendship, the unpredictability of where we're to move next, going month to month on rent, not going to the same school next year, my husband traveling and finding more projects to take on...  There is no better way to describe the life whirling around me at the moment.

Establishing a new normal.

As I sit in my living room, listen to the buzz of the xBox, and consider where God has me - I think of the 'plumb line' and have this vision in my head that as things sway this way and that, I have this vertical weighted string to hold onto and choose to abide in.  He is my plumb line and all that I do, though others may judge my steps, must only be weighed against that which is righteous or unrighteous...

Isaiah 28:17  'I will make justice the measuring line and righteous the plumb line; hail will sweep away your refuge, the lie, and water will overflow your hiding place.'

When all that I know is gone, I hope that I have exercised holding tightly to the things that are eternal... those things that look foolish to the world but are concerned with what is right and obedient.  This evening I hold tight and swing from the end of the plumb line.  I close my eyes and ask God to reveal Himself once again...

Establishing a new normal isn't easy - but boy is it freeing.  It is exhilarating to uncover the next step that God has already created for me...

Ephesians 2:10, 'For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.'

... in the morning I will wake with a renewed sense of excitement over what He has called me to do.  I will continue to hold to the plumb line - by the grace of God - and joyfully open my eyes to a sense of purpose for what the day holds.

I will establish a new normal - a new ordinary.  But I will hold tight to that which is extraordinary.