Exploring Blaine

We continue to be blessed with nice weather. After church we decided to do a local exploration of Blaine. We live in Birch Bay which is technically part of Blaine. We hadn't really explored what was beyond Birch Bay so we decided to take a look.

This is Semiahmoo Park. It's a beautiful area with places to have a picnic, beach comb, and just enjoy the views. There were many sailboats out.

Semiahmoo also is the home of the Semiahmoo museum. It's small but very interesting. Native Americans occupied a village on the spit for hundreds of generations, making a living from land and sea. The Alaska Packers Association Cannery was a center of salmon processing for nearly 80 years .Numerous artifacts from the cannery are displayed in the museum to tell the story of fishing and canning in days gone by

Tons of cans, and they all were filled with??.....Salmon.

We headed over to Peach Arch Park. Which is a park that straddles the United States and Canada. We think it's pretty neat how we lived in a border town in Calais, Maine, and now on the other side of the country we are in another border town. The park is really beautiful. The flowers alone were worth the visit. On the United States side there is a US flag made with flowers. It's huge.

Here is Isaiah with one foot in Canada and one foot in the United Sates.

The Peace Arch stands on the international boundary between Blaine, Washington, and Douglas, British Columbia

And not to be outdone, on the Canada side there is a Canadian flag made with flowers.

This is Blaine Marine Park. This is an Orca Whale sculpture. I really want to go whale watching out here because these are the whales we'll see. In Maine we've done whale watching and we see Humpback whales. But I have always loved the Orca whales.

Saturday Fun

Ok I am not trying to brag but the weather here has been amazing. Seriously we've been here since the end of May and it's only rained once and that was just in the morning. We are very thankful and we are trying to take full advantage of the nice weather. Because we hear rumors that it rains allot here. So yesterday we took the kids to a park in Bellingham, took a walk in downtown Fairhaven for homemade ice cream and then to the driving range. The boys of course had a blast! And Peter enjoyed teaching them how to swing a golf club. I have a sneaky suspicion some golf clubs will be purchased in the near future. =)


Isaiah getting ready to swing. He was getting the hang of it.

Elijah only wanted to use the driver. He has a very aggressive swing so back up.

The park we went to has a playground and then this water spouting area. The water shoots out randomly and seriously it was endless shrieking with delight from all the kids.

Video from VBS

Blast OFF!

This was Elijah's favorite song!

Elijah and his new Spiderman Bike!

One of the things the kids love the best about where we live is the freedom to ride their bikes up and down the street. In the gated community we live in it is very quiet and the speed limit is strictly enforced at 20mph. Isaiah has had many new bikes. But Elijah has always gotten the hand me downs. The bike we had that had training wheels was just way too small for Elijah. So we decided it was time for him to have his own brand new bike. Of course he picked out the spider man bike. He has been having a blast cruising up and down the street and I really don't think those training wheels will last all summer. He seriously is walking around with a permanent smile on his face. It was worth every penny we spent on it!


All smiles with his new bike.

For those of you who know Elijah well you know that sticking out his tongue is his trademark "concentration" face. He usually makes it when drawing or practicing his handwriting, But today it was riding his bigger new bike. LOVE THAT TONGUE!

4th of July T-shirts

So today we went to Birch Bay State Park to create 4th of July t-shirts with a group of kids from here. The kids were both very shy today. It took them a really long time to warm up to the kids. But they seemed to have a good time. It was good for us to get out and meet new people and do something hands on.

Day one Operation Space

Last night was the first night of VBS. I can't tell you how excited the boys were to go. They asked all day if it was time to go. The first night they made robots from boxes and tin foil. They were very proud of their creations. They also got "operation space" t-shirts. I never thought t-shirts would make two boys so happy, but they loved them. They talked my ear off on the way home of everything they did and learned.

Ultrasound

We had another ultrasound today to monitor a cyst they found on our baby girl's brain at 18 weeks. I was so nervous. I didn't sleep well last night. But all is just perfect. The cyst is gone and she is just perfect and growing nicely. God is so good to us. It was just so amazing to see her again. I think that no matter how many I have the awe of seeing that little baby will never go away. At 18 weeks they were pretty sure it was a girl. But I still had a lingering doubt. I even had a dream last night we had a boy. But today she made sure this baby is 100% girl. And she is. We celebrated by heading to Macy's to buy a take home outfit. Pink, and all girl! I love it. I am so thankful that this pregnancy is going well and although life on the outside as been pretty crazy, her little life has been peaceful. The boys and Peter came with me today, and it was so cute to see the boys watch her on the flat screen tv they had set up. They are very proud big brothers already.


Beautiful girl. I love her profile and those cute lips.

All GIRL!

New Friends and fun in the sun!

We had a great time at the beach yesterday. It's the bay so the water isn't as cold as the actual open water ocean and the kids love it. We went with our new friends who live up the street. The kids had so much fun. They act as though they have been friends for years. The mission yesterday was hunting for crabs and they accomplished it. Then the sun really came out and it got really warm, so they all just jumped in the water.

The Catch! There were about 20 little crabs they found!

The crew looking diligently for the little crabs.
Cooling off. They loved it!
Drying off on the warm rocks.

My boys...they are so cute. Look at Isaiah's face here, he is so handsome!! And of course our Bubby...who loves to dress all preppy, he picked out his own outfit.
Here's the refinery that we can see from the bay. We always wave and yell "hi daddy"

The Beach looking at the other direction.

So after an afternoon at the beach I was tired. So we headed home and I took a nap. I woke up just in time to make dinner. The kids had conspired with there friends to ask if they could all meet up at the pool after dinner. So we did. After dinner swim was just what they needed. They are still sleeping this morning as I write this.

A few Reflections....

We have been here in Washington for a little over two weeks, but it feels like much longer. We've been so busy trying to settle in, unpacking, calling to have things changed over, a million errands, I haven't had time to blog about all that has gone on.

So we're all moved in to our house..well our rental. There are still boxes that need to be unpacked but I am happy to report that the unpacked ones are in the minority. There are still lots of things to be done to make it feel more like home, all the little touches. Those will come in time. We are in Birch Bay Village which is a gated community. The speed limit is 20 mph. So as you can imagine it is very safe and quiet. The boys are loving the freedom to walk, run and ride their bikes. Speaking of which we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Elijah's new spider man bike.

We have been enjoying CC Lynden. The church reminds us a lot of Lincoln. It's almost set up exactly the same. The chairs, the lobby, the nursing mother's room all set up the same. It may sound silly but it is comforting to have it that way. Everyone at the church has been so welcoming and helpful. We have been really blessed to enter into such a great group of believers. We hope to be as much of a blessing to them as they have been to us the past few weeks. The boys really love it. They ask during the week if it's time to go back to church. That is a great thing. Next week every day it is VBS. They are beyond excited for it.

We have met some local homeschoolers and there is a huge homeschool community in Watcom county. The summer is slow but we are looking forward to field trips and clubs in the fall. For now every Wednesday local homeschools meet at various parks around the area for fun. We went to our first park day yesterday and although the boys took a little longer than usual to meet some kids by the time it was time to go they met some great kids. I got the chance to meet many homeschool parents and it was really great to get connected.

The boys and I have been enjoying all there is to offer here. There are so many parks and playgrounds I don't think we'll hit them all this summer. We went to one in Lynden last week that was like something out of a story book. It was huge and really creative. The beach is but a small drive or longer walk right in the village and there are so many sand dollars when the tide is out you loose count. They are just beautiful, and always remind me of how creative our God is.

Peter is settling in at his new job. We are adjusting to the new hours. He is gone from about 6-5:30. And we are more than ready for him to get home and eat dinner. But on the up side he has a four day week and has every Friday-Sunday off. So the extra long weekend is nice. His refinery is very close, we can see it from the beach in the village.

The baby is growing, I know this because I am growing!! We have an ultrasound scheduled for tomorrow to monitor a cyst they found on her at 18 weeks. The doctor has assured me it's nothing to worry about and I am doing my best not to. I am trusting that the Lord is forming her exactly the way He wants and that His way is perfect. I am hoping to get some great pictures to post tomorrow.

On a more personal level I must say that I have good days and not so good days. I really do like it here. Part of me wishes I would hate it so we would figure out a way to come back to Maine. But honestly it's really beautiful here and there is just so much opportunity for Peter, for the boys, for ministering to people. I have days that I don't feel like I am on the other side of the country and then I have days that I am homesick. But through it all I have realized a few very important truths.

First God is the same here in Washington as He is in Maine. And that He is the true comforter. The other day I was just so sad and just begged Him to be with me and help me not feel so alone. Instantly I just felt Him with me and whispering words of comfort and grace. I have also come to realize how important my marriage is. Peter and I have been on some pretty crazy rides before and we've been isolated before, but this time around things just seem different. We are in this together, for life. He is my very best friend and I couldn't imagine going through this life without him. The other thing I realized is the call the Lord has put on my life...first to be a wife to Peter and then to be a mom to these amazing kids. With all the hustle and bustle of the move I think I lost sight of that. But I am so thankful that the Lord is calling me back to His purpose for my life. I am really excited to see all that the Lord is going to do in our little lives. I expect big things, great things, and even if to the world it seems small, there are no small works of God.

Back Online

So we're finally back online. We got hooked up this afternoon. We have been so busy unpacking and settling in. I'll be back in a few days with lots of updates.

We found a place to rent!

So it's official we signed a lease and we've found a place to rent. PHEW! It's in Birch Bay Village which is a gated community. The speed limit is 20 mph and strictly enforced. So the kids and I can actually take a walk without fear of getting run over by an 18 wheeler. There is a bit of a front yard and then the there are sliding doors that open to the back yard. First order of business ..bird seed! The entry way is beautiful and off to the side is a small bedroom. For now it will be set up for a guest room, and if we are still there when the baby is older it will be hers (we keep the babies with us for a long time). Next is a hallway with two huge closets and the first bathroom. At the end of the hall is the boys room. From the entry way into the main house is the living room. It has very high ceilings, a huge window for lots of light and it opens up into the dinning area. From there is the kitchen. AHHH the kitchen. So many cabinets and counter space what's a girl to do? Off the kitchen is the laundry room with another two walls of cabinets. The mater bedroom and bath is off the living room. It's huge. We could fit our bed, the treadmill, ALL the baby stuff and still have room to dance! LOL.

So today is moving in day. Not sure how much we'll get done but I slept 10 hours last night so I am ready to go. Here are some pics.

The boys at the front door.

Here's the kitchen. I can not wait to cook our first meal. 2 weeks of eating out, yeah sounds good but not. Kids requested my homemade pizza.

The living room/dinning area

Living room with the fireplace.

Outside of the house.

Update on finding a house.

So we think we have settled on a house. It's beautiful. We are going to sign the lease this morning if all goes well we'll be out of the hotel by the weekend. I'll take some pictures today and post later. Things are moving along. All of us will be happy to settled in and we can have a normal routine...as normal as we can anyway. The weather here is so beautiful. I am wondering if we'll ever see rain. Thank you for all the prayers and your friendship across the miles.

Greetings from the Pacific Ocean.

So we keep hearing it rains a lot here...but so far we haven't seen even a dark cloud in the sky. It was so beautiful yesterday. We drove to the "Fairhaven" part of Bellingham. This is where to ferry to Alaska comes in. We told the boys they could dip their feet in the water since we didn't bring a change of clothes. HA it took Elijah about 10 minuets to get knocked down and he was completely wet. So we just let them go for it and Peter went back to get dry clothes. They had so much fun.
After their dip we walked through downtown Fairhaven that has the cutest little shops. One store we went in called "wild blueberries" had cute one of a kind type of toys. We hit a book store in search of a book that features birds of Washington. We found one, by the same author who did the birds of Maine book we have. The boys keep talking about setting up bird feeders and discovering new birds. We've already seen a few.
We got an ice cream from a stand that was a bus that was converted into a little place that sells ice cream and fried foods. The ice cream was soft serve but they had every flavor you could imagine. Isaiah and Peter got chocolate, Elijah got orange, and I got cheesecake. They were so good.
We ended the day with dinner and then took the kids to see "Up". I must be super hormonal. I cried like 6 times during this movie. I highly recommend it. It is such a sweet love story, which probably went over my kids heads but I appreciated it.
Today we look at a few more houses and will most likely make a decision today.



The Pacific ocean. It was so beautiful this day.

The boys wet head to toe.

The waves were pretty good.

Excuse the man, he wouldn't move. But this is the little bus/icecream place.

First Sunday in Washington

We headed to church Sunday morning. There are two CC's within a 20 min drive or so, but we decided to try CC Lynden first. The church reminded us a lot of our church in Lincoln. It was an old service building transformed into a church. It was about the same size as the church in Lincoln and maybe a few more people. Everyone was super friendly and very welcoming. They all wanted to know what brought us all the way from Maine. We felt at ease bringing the kids to children's ministry. The classes were divided into age groups of 2. So Elijah was with the 4-5 and Isaiah with the 2nd -3rd graders. They had separate smaller buildings for children's ministry so Isaiah was in one small building and Elijah in another. The worship was wonderful, singing many of the same songs we know and the teaching was really great. (the pastor was away but the guy who filled in was really good) The boy came out of children's ministry beaming. They loved it. They both met some kids and shared with us what they had learned. We asked if they wanted to go back and they both answered with a "YES" That was very comforting because it's so important for us to be in a fellowship that values children and teaching them they way we feel we are called to by the Lord. So we are excited to go back and meet more people and get to know them better.





After church we had lunch at a Jack in the Box...I loved it. =)





Then we went to look at house in Ferndale...which is North of Bellingham, west of Lynden and East of Birch Bay. This house was HUGE, a redone farm house. The downstairs was so big I honestly don't know what I would do with all the space. Surrounding the property is farmland. It was beautiful. Literally next to the house is a horse stable and the horse come right up to the fence. In the back is the most amazing view of Mt. Baker. It's so hard to decide on where to live. We have more to look at today.





After dinner we went back to Watcom Falls Park and this time I took pictures. I'll let them do the talking for me.








This is the town of Lynden where church is. It is a huge Dutch community. This is the windmill right in town.

This is the view from the backyard of the property we looked it. Seriously I never get tired of this mountain. It's just so beautiful. It stays snow covered all year round.

The waterfall at Watcom Falls park.

Flowers are everywhere in the park. They are so bright.

From the trail that wraps around the park. It's all woods and the best part is NO BLACK FLIES.

They are just too cute. They are having so much fun exploring.