Pam’s Blog

WOW! It’s over, the month is over. That is crazy I swear I think it just started.

So much has happened this month. The good, the bad, the crazy!!! It seems to have all happened so fast and hit so hard.

Jason and I experienced a week of heavy discouragement and honest spiritual depression. We began to question our calling. Where we meant to be here? Had we made a mistake? What exactly did God want from us? Had we failed the people who sent us here, the people who welcomed us here, ourselves and God?

Everyone told us it would come. These bleak days of fear and the feeling that failure was immanent. We yelled, we cried, we struggled. It came to a head on the night we realized we would not be able to go back for a visit to Maryland but it had been building for a few weeks. Then over the next 48 hours something amazing happened. Something I can only credit to our Amazing and Wonderful God.

Peace, renewal, hope. It started with asking a handful of close friends and family to pray. Realizing that we were fighting a spiritual battle and brining in our most powerful weapon. Prayers. For all those we confided in that week I thank you for your prayers and supportive words.

God answered the prayers and showed us in wonderful and exciting ways how He is working here. He gave us the courage and hope to continue even though we were afraid. He gave us renewed vision and commitment to this place and the people who live here. God gave us hope, reminding us that He is in control and He holds the future. No matter what happens to us here, no matter what becomes of Ethos God CALLED us HERE. We will live here, we will serve here and we will be true to Gods call.

God has called us to the journey here in Seattle. We will walk this journey and God will do the rest. Following the first 48 hours when it felt like God just filled us up again things started to happen. Jason made a connection at the coffee shop he frequents and will be starting guitar lessons this coming month. Next week a couple we have connected with will be back in town, they live a few blocks from us and are very interested in what we are doing here. Willoweve has made a friend and we will be getting together with her again in a few weeks when they return from their family vacation.

I made a brief comment to this situation in the post “An Interesting Week” however I was not far enough removed from the feelings yet to truly write about it.

August holds much excitement. I have the month before school starts off again. YIPEE!! I like my job, don’t misunderstand, but I like being home with the kids more. We plan to go to the Mountain, we want to go play at the beach, whale tale park and the wading pool. Jason will be beginning guitar lessons. Willoweve will continue her OT. Quinn will grow another month bigger. Xavier will be reading and writing better.

Life will continue. God will be good. Seattle will become more of a home and less of a place. We will live our calling, in today, and try not to worry about the future. After all we are not in charge and even when the day seems insurmountably bad how do we know God doesn’t have a day of blessing and peace ahead for us.

1 Comment »

I woke up this morning reminiscing about an event that happened several years ago. I ave no idea why my mind pulled this event out for review today but it did and I enjoyed it. So I thought I would share it with you. Some of you will remember this and I hope remembering it will make you smile the way it made me smile. For those who didn’t know us then I hope this will tell you a bit about Jason and I, and hopefully you will enjoy the story too.

First the setting. It is February 2004, late in the month. The weather is typical Maryland February weather. Gloomy and cold.

Xavier is a cute and sweet little four year old. Years away from his current obsession with burping (have I mentioned what a BOY he is!!!). Observe:

Isn’t he CUTE!!!

Willoweve was also adorable with her blond hair (she already had a few curls even then) and lack of speech. She had twice our energy, even then! See:

Beautiful, simply beautiful.

And Quinn, WELLLLL, he wasn’t even on our radar yet – give it about 3 months and we will find out he’s coming

OK OK the story.

Jason is about to turn 30. I’ve just finished my last class of my Bachelors in Human Development. We are transitioning from our position as youth group (Frontline) leaders to our position as young adult (Xaris) leaders. We are just beginning to recognize the call God has placed on us to plant a church and Seattle is not even in our dreams at this point.

Jason and I both want to do something special for each other. I decide to plan a surprise 30th birthday party for Jason. Jason decides to plan a surprise graduation party for me. It’s great – except of course for the very awkward position we put all our friends in by planning the parties for a consecutive Friday and Saturday nights. UHM, OOPPS.

My graduation party is planned for Friday night at the church (of which I ave no idea) Jason’s birthday party is scheduled for Saturday night at his mom’s (and he is clueless)!!

No one can say ANYTHING to either of us because of course that would ruin the surprises! I have to wonder if the night we both announced this at Xaris (I am pretty sure we both told people the same night, although I cannot be certain) people wondered if it was some kind of joke. Were we seriously planning surprise parties for each other the exact same weekend – within 24 hours of each other? Uhm, well yeah, we were.

Fortunately for all our friends Mom Kay and Pastor Bruce intervened. They got together and made some modifications to our plans, and managed to surprise us both. They combined the parties into a single birthday/graduation party on Friday night at the church.

It was a great party and I think everyone had fun. I remember being so surprised that Jason had planned a graduation party for me and I remember how much we laughed at the fact that we both planned parties for the same weekend. Mostly I remember how much fun we had with all our friends.

So here are a few pictures from the party I wanted to share with you. Some of you are in these pictures and I hope you enjoy seeing yourself 3 years ago. I had fun digging these out

Xavier and God-daddy. With Jason and Willoweve off to the right. She was SOOOO tiny!!!

Our current worship leader for Xaris with our former worship leader for Frontline.

Susan and Amy (in the days before Zeke and Josh)

Can you find yourself in this picture?

I miss you all – Thanks for all the great memories.

2 Comments »

Yeah ok original name I know. Sorry I am feeling a distinct lack of creativity. No doubt the result of head trauma. (Please no one panic – I’m kidding)

Happy Birthday Dad.

So I fell down some steps today. It was right after work I was not longer working but had gone to use the rest room before driving home. And OOPPS.

For those of you laughing, well, I am glad I made you smile. I would laugh too but my head hurts. Ok seriously, no permanent damage I didn’t even hurt my ankle but I did hit the back of my head on a cement step and I do now have pain in my head and neck. If I were anymore clumsy walking in a straight line would be dangerous. Oh, wait – it already is. (If you can’t laugh at yourself who can you laugh at?)

So next week is going to be REALLY busy (this week being only moderately busy). Monday I work, then Jason works while I come home and host a play date tea party for Willoweve and a friend she met at PT. Then after the play date Willoweve had OT. And all that’s just Monday. The week gets crazier from there on out.

Anyway I hope everyone has a lovely weekend this weekend.

Comments Off

Right now at this VERY moment Jason is booking our flight to Maryland. We are going to be in MD from November 12th to November 28th. WE will be there for 16 days – Two full weeks with no air travel.

I am a little (hehehe – exaggerate much) excited. We actually booked the tickets tickets and locked in the rate. All five of us are flying for less then it was going to cost just Xavier and I to fly in August and we get to be there for Thanksgiving. Overall not a bad deal. Xavier will end up missing 9 days of school. However 4 of these days are half days and two are right before Thanksgiving break. He is a smart kid so I think he will do ok with this. I also plan to talk to his principal and teacher and work out a full make up plan for him with his school work.

I am looking forward to a really fun trip and I am excited at the idea that I will see you all soon.

Amy, sorry our trips won’t over lap, I was looking forward to seeing you. However I am glad you are getting to go back to MD to see Susan run and I hope that you guys have a really great trip.

Miss you all. Talk to you soon.

Our family on Easter Sunday 2007.

Comments Off

Willoweve had OT today. It went well. She is doing better and better at her therapy sessions, and throughout the week too.

Willoweve has gone 16 days with NO ACCIDENTS!!!! Yeah Willoweve.

She has also graduated from Physical Therapy. YEAH WILLOWEVE. Here Therapist was very please with her progress and her range of motion has increased significantly. Also Willoweve is now toe walking less and less often. Usually only when she is excited or tired. So her therapist felt she was ok to stop therapy and just continue to do her stretches at home. She is of course continuing her OT and if they see any increase in toe walking or loss of range in motion then they can refer her back to PT.

We still have not heard anything from the School system about Speech therapy or preschool next year. Her OT told me today that they would call the public school system for us to see if they can advocate for Willoweve to be in a developmental preschool based on the needs they have seen. This is really huge to me as I am totally unfamiliar with the system out here and to have tem offer there aid is GREATLY appreciated.

Overall I am very pleased with how Willoweve is doing and I really think that the OT is helping.

Willoweve on Easter Sunday 2007.

1 Comment »

Tonight I watched the Orioles play!!!

No I didn’t fly to Baltimore. This was the third game of a three game run here in Seattle.

They lost. Bummer – but it was a fun game. We went with the PSBA Church planting group and we all sat together. It’s a lot of fun to go to baseball games with a big group. You don’t worry about the person next to (or behind you) getting drunk and puking on you. Best of all it was a treat so the Baptist paid. Thank you!!!! We greatly appreciate your kindness.

I met two other O’s fans too (I was all decked out in Orange and Black ) One was visiting from Baltimore and the other was a fan from Detroit. WE got to share some conversation with both and it was a lot of fun.

I was the only one cheering for the O’s in our group. Even though they lost it was a really good, and close game. I always think games are more fun when they are close. It is kind of boring when one team shuts the other out to easily.

I hope everyone had a pleasant Wednesday.

Comments Off

On Saturday we went to the junction street fair down at Alaska Junction.

Ok so let me start by telling you a little bit about the Junction. It is what the rest of us would call an intersection. Alaska Junction is the meeting of California Avenue and Alaska Street. Admiral Junction (which we live just 5 blocks from) is the meeting of California Avenue and Admiral Street. These are the two BIG junctions in West Seattle however I have heard people refer to any intersection on California as a Junction.

California Avenue is big around here. It bisects that area of the peninsula that most people think of as West Seattle. Well here, let me show you:

The square with 2652 next to it is our house. The yellow line right above it is Admiral St. California is marked and you can see Alaska towards the bottom of the map. This is where we live

Anyway we went to this Junction Street Fair festival thing. It was a lot of fun. They had big play equipment for the kids, lots of booths selling stuff and even community service booths. I found at least two volunteer opportunities I want to get involved in.

I ended up getting FRIED. I am still recouping form the sunburn but I will be back to normal (whatever that is) by tomorrow. So I wanted to share with you a few of the pictures I took of the kids at the fair ( a few are closer up then the park ones )

SO here you go: (oh also – click on them they get bigger)

Quinn and Willoweve on the bouncy slide.

Willoweve and Xavier getting ready to go in the maze.

Quinn being cute.

And here is a shot of the fair. They had California avenue shut down for about a mile. It was a lot of fun. the kids had a blast and Jason and I enjoyed walking around being part of the community.

This weekend is the Mediterranean Fantasy Festival up at Hiawatha play field. That is a park with a wading pool about 5 blocks from us (just one block up on California from Admiral Junction). Then next weekend is the Alki Beach Art fair. It’s down along Alki Avenue. (Bet you couldn’t guess that huh ) the best part. They are free to go walk around and get out in the community meeting and talking to people.

I am wearing LOTS of sunblock to both those events.

Happy Tuesday everyone.

Comments Off

This has been an interesting week. I didn’t get to post a lot since I was working every day.

To summarize the week, Jason and I realized we would not be able to go to MD next month. We rescheduled our trip until November. This was difficult for everyone in the family to accept but we are adjusting. At first this news led to a lot of discouragement for Jason and I but God has been showing us in the past 48 hours or so where and how He is working around us and it has really encouraged us and made us ready for the weeks ahead. My excitement over being here is renewed.

I worked every day this week, teaching summer camp is fun. The kids are not used to me being out all day though and Quinn in particular was not happy about the change in routine.

On Thursday after I go home from work we all went to the park. We played Frisbee, “soccer”, and with a kite. I took some pictures for you all to enjoy.

Daddy and Xavier playing Frisbee, Quinn was trying to play too.

Willoweve and Quinn playing soccer.

These pictures were taken while we played in the field between Xavier’s School:

And Whale tail park, where we went after playing in the field for a while. As a frame of reference. We were out playing at 6:30pm – the sun was still high and it was warm enough that all the kids were sweating.

Here are a few pics from Whale tale.

Xavier on the whale tale.

Willoweve and Quinn taking turns steering the ship at Whale tale.

Well I hope you all enjoy the pictures, one last one just because it is so cute – there is of course a story with it.

We were walking to the pizza place after playing to get dinner. Willoweve and Xavier were walking next to each other. Willoweve glanced behind Xavier and saw how he was holding his arms, then very intentionally put hers the same way.

How precious is that.

4 Comments »

We had a pretty good weekend this weekend, despite Quinn being sick. On Saturday Jason and I took turns going to the movies. He hit a matinee and I went late, after the kids had eaten dinner. We both went to see Transformers. The movie was very enjoyable, good action and at part laugh out loud funny. Jason really enjoyed it too.

On the weird note we got our rent check returned in the mail on Saturday. I immediately called the landlord and explained that we had sent it and it came back. He was really nice about it and I read him the address which he confirmed was right. He said he has been having some problems with his mail so we are going to try again today to send it and see what happens.

Sunday Jason took the kids to the Quest church picnic and they had a really good time. I had to stay home with Quinn since he was running a fever and had a really runny nose and a cough. He seems a little better today.

I had my first morning at summer camp this morning. It was a lot of fun. the kids seemed to have a good time and I let them throw water balloons at me which they enjoyed.

Willoweve had occupational therapy this evening at five. I am hoping it will go more smoothly then last week which was a little rough.

Our update went out today as well so hopefully you all know this Blog exists now – how existential is that, cause of course if you didn’t know it existed you wouldn’t be reading it.

See – above is why me with a blog = dangerous. I might hurt myself.

Wishing you all a happy Monday.

Comments Off

Next week I start working at summer camp. I am very excited. I really like teaching science and I enjoyed my school clubs. I am looking forward to the summer camps. I am teaching on Mercer Island one of the richer areas of the city.

Willoweve had PT today, it went ok, she has had a rough couple of weeks and it showed today, her range of motion was back down, but not severely. She will have at least one more, possibly two more weeks of therapy.

I am not sure I have a lot to say today but I wanted to let you all know I am still here.

Our update should be going out soon. I hope you all enjoy the new format Jason put together. I will post again soon. In the mean time, enjoy the view from our living room window.

Comments Off