Walk for Hope

 Yesterday our family participated in the Everett Gospel Mission's Walk for Hope!  They gave out blue beanies to all of those who walked.  We had to be there at 8:30 am.  After we checked in we were able to have a tour of the Women's shelter which is where the walk started. It was a 1.8 mile walk to the Men's shelter.  We brought a stroller because Naomi was crabby and did not want to walk.

There were about 20 people from our church who walked and we raised over $1800 for the shelter from just our church.  When we arrived at the Men's shelter we were given breakfast which was a breakfast sandwich, muffins, fruit and juice.  After our breakfast were toured the Men's shelter.  We took a shuttle back to car and enjoyed some warm soup after we got home!

Following Lewis and Clark

 This weekend we decided to take a last minute outing.  Sunday after church we were having lunch and decided to go on a little trip since Darrick had Monday off and the boys have no school.  One of the classes the boys are taking this semester at Port Gardner is called "Lewis and Clark".  So we thought it would be fun to see some of the places they were.  We packed up and drove 4 hours south to Astoria, Oregon.  We stayed the night at a Holiday Inn Express with a pool and an awesome view of a bridge out our window.  We had fun swimming and then had a goodnight sleep.  We enjoyed our continental breakfast and then hit the road to do some learning!

Our first stop was at Fort Clatsop, Oregon.  Naomi was entertained by crafts while we viewed the museum and watch a short film.  Jacob really took a liking to Lewis' dog, Seaman, which is why he is hugging him in the picture below.  For his souvenir Jake picked a stuffed Seaman and a picture book about him.  Micah picked a postcard and 3 pencils. 

Jake ready to travel with Lewis and Clark

Micah and Jacob with Lewis and Clark

 After the museum and movie we headed outside to view the Fort.  Darrick and Micah had fun pretending they were guards.  We looked all around before we headed back to the museum.

 On our hike back Jacob spotted a salamander under a log.  I have no idea how he saw it because even when he pointed it out to me I still couldn't see it.  He picked it up and held it for a bit before he set it free again.

Micah also found some neat things.

 Then we drove across the big bridge(in the first pics) to Washington to Cape Disappointment and the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center.  It was very hands on and the kids got to try out a lot of things and do a lot of exploring.

It was a fun time and we all agreed that we would like to visit again in the summer, when the weather will be nicer!

Happy Valentine's Day

 If you know me, then you know that today is my favorite day of the whole year!  We were busy with appts. and classes today but we still found time to celebrate!  For our afternoon snack I made homemade soft pretzels in the shapes of hearts.  I served them with spicy hot chocolate.  Everyone LOVED the pretzels but only Darrick and Jake liked the spicy hot chocolate.

 For our annual candlelight dinner we had chicken Parmesan, noodles, Caesar salad, strawberry pretzel salad and sparkling limeade and pink lemonade.

 After we got dinner cleaned up, we all sat around in a circle, ate the chocolate covered strawberries we made and read our Valentines we made for each other.  We read them one at a time and have a lot of laughs.  Below I will list some of our favorite poems this year.

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone! xoxo

To: Naomi "Roses are red, Violets are Blue, You are Brown and I love You" From: Micah
To: Jacob "LEGOs are red, Footballs are brown, I'm so happy, when you're around" From Micah
To: Jacob "Apples are green, blueberries are blue, Bananas are yellow and I love you" From Mom
To: Micah "You are as awesome as awesome sauce" From Jacob
To: Mom "Roses are red, violets are blue, Honey is sweet but not as sweet as you" From Jacob
To: Dad "Seahawks are good, Dad you are better, in every situation, especially headers" Love, Jacob
To: Naomi " Roses are red, violets are blue, brown sugar is brown, but not as brown as you" Love, Jacob

Father Daughter Dance

 Saturday, February 11, was a day Naomi has been waiting for for a long time!  Everett was holding their first annual Father Daughter Dance.  Naomi picked out her own dress and accessories and could hardly wait for Darrick to get ready!  It was from 6:30-8:00 pm at a hall at Forest Park.  Naomi and Darrick were going to met her friend Opal and her Dad Jason at the dance.  Darrick said they danced the whole time and Naomi only let him have one 3 minute break for some punch.  They had a photographer to take their pictures and each girl got a cup Valentine cup with some Valentine candy.  She already said she can't wait until next year!

She loved to pose for pictures!

Micah turns 11

 On February 8, Micah turned 11!  It is so hard for Darrick and I to believe.  He did not want to do anything big for his birthday so we kept it low key.  On his birthday he picked all the meals for the day.
Breakfast: Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Lunch: Pigs in a blanket
Dinner: Ribs, onion rings and potato salad

His birthday fell on Wednesday, which is the night Darrick leads Bible Study at our house, so we had cake and ice cream with those who came.  Micah wanted to make his own cake and ice cream this year with me helping.  Usually I make it and he helps me!  He picked a chocolate cake with chocolate icing and chocolate ice cream with PB cups in them.  He did great and needed very little help!  The one thing he did want to do for his birthday was to go out to Red Robin for dinner with the Timmermans so we did that on Thursday.  He was a bit embarrassed when they sang to him but he had a great time!

Enjoying Shakes and Rootbeer Floats

Happy Birthday Micah!

Making a house a Home

 When I was growing up, for as long as I can remember, my parents measured me and my brothers and marked our height on the wall.  It was in the kitchen.  One year when my Grandma was helping my mom clean, she did not know what it was and wiped the whole thing off the wall.  It was completely by accident but after that my parents kept our growth charts in a closet in the hall.  But by then I had pretty much reached my full height, but not my brothers.  The big joke now, is how I would still ask my dad to measure me and there are all these marks, at the same height, that represent me.  I never got any taller.

Darrick and I both wanted to measure the kids growth on a wall in our home now that we bought a house.  We decided on a door frame from the kitchen to the stairs that go up to the kids rooms.  Everyone was so excited to get measured and the kids insisted Darrick measure Oliver and put his mark on the wall too!

Naomi is first

Next is Oliver

Now Jake

Finally Micah

Micah is only 3 1/2 in. shorter then me!!!

The Good Life

The other day I found Oliver like this on the couch and had to take a picture!  On of the kids put the heating pad on him and he was loving it!  He was so warm and toasty and I even saw him dozing off.  What a life!

Seven Lies about Homeschoolers

Port Gardner Parent Partnership

Here is the new video made to promote our school! By good friend, Melana (mom to Culver, Hollis, Opal and Verona) and Culver, Jacob's best friend are in the video! You can see our awesome teachers and a glimpse of Jacob walking in line!

Refresh

This weekend my friend Brandi, treated me to a wonderful weekend event called Refresh.  It took place at Overlake Christian Church on Friday evening and all day Saturday.  This was the first ever Refresh Conference and was for "connection, support and healing for adoptive/foster parents.

We heard amazing speakers and there were about 200+ people in attendance.  I have never been around so many people who could understand what my life is like-the joys and the sorrows of adoption.  Some of the talks I heard were

• Dealing with Difficult Children by Gary Benton
• Anger and Arguing: Avoiding Both to Parent with Humor by Claudia Fletcher
• Hope in Hard Places by Lisa Qualls & Kathleen Hamer

We were also totally pampered with delicious goodies all weekend, bubble baths, lotions, free coffee bar coupons, amazing worship.  I feel like I have come away from the weekend with a new perspective and ideas.

One thing that I am really struggling with right now is how to make our family work.  It has taken 3 years for me to comes to terms with the fact that we are not a "typical" family.One of our kids has experienced severe trauma in their early years and in order to parent her right we need to do things different.  To be honest, things are not working well for us right now.  Things our not structured enough for Naomi.  We love our loose schedule which is one of the benefits of homeschooling.  But Naomi has a hard time with it.

This weekend I was blessed to talk with and hear Lisa Qualls speak.  She also is a homeschooling mom with 7 bio kids and 4 adopted.  She said that some of her adopted kids need to be in traditional school for the structure and for everyone else at home to regroup and have a break.  When I heard that I cried because in my mind everything should be equal and the same for all my kids even though I know what we are currently doing isn't working. 

Other parents have hired people to come in and help them for a few hours because kids who have experienced trauma can be so all consuming.  Darrick and I feel like we have a lot to think and pray about.  We want to do what is best for each of our children and also what is best for us as a family.

Port Gardner Open House

 Last night Port Gardner had their 1st semester Open House.  This semester the boys took "The Science of Sound", "Super Sleuths" and an "Art Class".  Once again they really enjoyed their classes.  Darrick and I enjoyed seeing all their hard work and projects.  Naomi even had one on the wall!

Micah's Wire Sculpture of a wolf

Micah's African Mask

Jacob's Sound Science Project

Micah's Sound Science Project