Only 87 Today

OK, so we're no longer assimilating to Austin. We're assimilating to Seattle. It's 87 degrees today - a scorcher for our new neighbors, but a piece a cake for us. Where are the jackets?

Plan B

Plan B. What the heck are these vagabonds doing now? Read the post, then decide for yourself.

Well, OUR plans certainly didn't work out as we had them designed. The idea was to slowly acclimate to a community. Jana would work full time for a little while, then she'd go back to part time once I found a teaching job. While teaching we'd find a good church where I'd eventually become a staff member.

Here's what went well. We found some good churches and began attaching to one in particular...that met in a school - of course. That's what we do. I found a great mentor, Pastor Jody Mayes, who came alongside me in my search for employment and significance. We found great friends in a short time: Matt and Maya next door; Meagan and Chase who've also adopted a great "Elias"; plus others I won't have time to mention who quickly embraced us. Our house is big and beautiful. My beloved running trail, mountain biking parks, and the gym we joined provided great opportunities to relieve stress. Places like Caffe Medici, Mozart's, Chavelo's, and Sonic became family favorites.

But one month after arriving, it was announced that a hiring freeze in local school districts were being instituted - even for substitute teachers! The economy in TX wasn't immune to the rest of the country's woes. It just came a year later. Teachers who had lost their retirement on Wall Street decided to work an extra year or two.

So I handed out tons of resumes - sometimes to jobs that I'd never have considered...and nothing came. Meanwhile Jana's job proved to be extremely difficult - for more details you can ask her to blog. You know when your spouse is filled with anxiety before a 12 hour shift that it's time to do something. So I did. I began applying for jobs out of state simultaneously with Austin jobs. We realized we loved Austin, but something had to change.

So I applied to jobs in a few places - big PNW cities, a few big CA cities, and Denver. I had a couple of interviews here and there, but along came an interview in a beautiful Seattle suburb - read "National Park" called Sammamish. After 2 phone interviews, one being in a non-air conditioned 100+ degree car - we were invited for an "in person" 3rd interview...which led to an all family 4th interview weekend.

If you remember the movie, The Firm, we became suspicious of this church's motives. We were given airline tickets, two beautiful hotels - the second with a 3 room suite, great meals, babysitters to watch the kids, and super friendly people. Hold on a minute - I couldn't get the time of day for other jobs that I was qualified for. Now, I find myself with a great job prospect in a beautiful location with generous people. Something's wrong, right?

It seems that four months wandering in the desert (Austin is pretty darn hot in the summer) enabled us to refresh, refocus, and submit to God's will. He placed neat people in our path - whom we could be friends with for life - and reminded us that no matter how hard we try (multiple applications, testing fees, drivers' licenses, etc.), it's always best to enjoy the crazy path we're on and to seek him first.

So in a few weeks, I'll be the Children's Pastor (get to hang out with my own kids!) with an emphasis on families and parenting at Pine Lake Covenant Church. It's 20 minutes from downtown Seattle. There are many Ethiopians in Seattle - one I met at the airport yesterday - and with Microsoft just around the corner, there's quite an international community. They're doing some great things at Pine Lake and with a huge population of kids in the area (the highest density in the state) there is tremendous opportunity. Thanks for your thoughts, prayers, well-wishes, and patience as we slowly found our spot...and come on up for a visit!!

As Sure as the Sun Rises

Well, it's a rite of passage - is it not? As sure as the sun rises (which I rarely see) and as sure as amusement park food is overpriced and inedible, Kiera cut her own hair.

Just a few days ago I heard the rumblings of a heated conversation about to begin between said child and her mother. I raced upstairs to witness the carnage - long strands of blonde hair strewn out across the bathroom floor. It took 3/10 second to realize what had occurred. I arrived just prior to the confrontation:

Mom: "What happened to your hair?"

Kiera: "Umm, Meris...umm, Elias pulled out my hair."

Background - Elias loves to pull his sisters' hair. It is common to find a significant tuft of blonde hair in his clutches - but this much hair, cut so cleanly?

At this point I turned around covering my mouth, trying to muffle my laughter. It was astonishing - not the lie, but her dangerously clever and quick response. She may have a future in politics. Of course her sister completed this act a few years ago and to this day will not fess up. Meris' hair-cutting was a group conspiracy. All three girls pointed to the other claiming, "SHE did it." Even when I asked her this week about it she replied, "I don't remember who cut it." Hmmmm. Two politicians.

You Know It's Humid When...

Yeah, we've lived in heat before - but I've never sweatted (is that a word?) so much in my life! Summers for us in CA routinely hit the 100s. But...all together now...it was a DRY heat. Okay, so what's the difference?

If you're sitting downstairs and there's a book you want to read upstairs...and you KNOW you'll break a sweat fetching it...then you know it's humid.

If you go to the gym to run indoors even in the early morning...it's humid.

If the AC in the gym is cranked up and in 20 minutes you still sweat enough to spatter the person running next to you and you have to wring out your shirt...it's humid.

If you're not obsessive compulsive yet you find yourself showering 3x a day because you stink...it's humid.

If you avoid hugging your three beautiful children after they jumped on the trampoline for only five minutes because they're sweating like pigs...it's humid.

Finally, we took the kids to JCPenney on Monday to get Elias' one year old photos - give or take 2 months. Like most JCPenney stores, this one too was indoors and had AC. For 20 minutes three grown adults (Jana, myself, and the photographer) surrounded, played defense, cheered, peek-a-booed, encouraged, chased, puppeteered, and danced with the hope of one or two smiles and camera eye contact, resulting in the perfect photo. The masterful and patient photographer caught some great images. Afterward, I had to sit down, stretch, drink Gatorade, take in oxygen, and take an I.V. just to recover - that's when you know it's humid...and you have an energetic son.

105 Degree Survival Skills

So it's been the hottest Austin summer in years apparently. We wouldn't know the difference because this is summer #1. We're used to 100+ at this time of year, but not with humidity...and not with 3 active kids. How do you get through a warm Texas summer? This isn't textbook; we're just kind of making it up as we go.

1. Swim:
We religiously attended the neighborhood pool our first few months. Taking a dip for 30 minutes is just what the Dr. ordered. Now that that pool's water temperature is 90 plus, we head to the pool at the gym (hereafter called the “Jum” acc. to the 3 year old).

2. Cold Beverages:
8am – Huge glass of water
9am – Coffee (OK, not cold but so tasty!)
11am – More water at the gym (Don't forget to wring out that sopping t-shirt from your 10 minute workout or it'll mold in your gym bag by tomorrow.)
2pm-4pm Cherry Limeade at Sonic – (for half price - they actually call it happy hour and my 6 year old now knows the term!)
9pm – Diet Coke to wash down the popcorn. Or substitute with any flavor of Bluebell Ice cream

3. Love the Great Indoors:
We head to the backyard at 8:30 for trampoline, sidewalk-chalk, and bike riding. Wear the kids out so they PLEAD for naps. Dad sees the dog lying on the cold kitchen tile and contemplates taking off his shirt to cool off the same way.

4. Appreciate the little things:
Even with summer cabin fever, the 3 munchkins provide much perspective and humor.

The one year old learning to walk, who looks like Frankenstein with a bobble head. Between shrieks saying, “Dah, dah.”

Holding hands with your six year old while walking to Starbucks for an apple cider.

Quotes from the three year old - “Girls don't like bbq; girls like candy.” Every bug you see is a “Red Ant!” Every time we drive up to the Jum we hear, “Mom, there's two jums.” Then we hear, “We've been to this Jum before!” Once in a while you'll hear, “Check this out!” and “What's goin' on guys?” And the best - After returning from errands, she'll greet me with a hug and yells, “Dad! You're my dad!”

Potty Humor

Life is funny sometimes. It's also funny to think back at the different stages of life. For those of you in the 30 something stage, isn't it funny to think about how we used to worry so much about things like what to wear to the dance? Now I could almost care less when my son sneezes scrambled eggs in my face and hair, then wipes maple syrup on my shirt (which happened this morning in public).

I think about the stuff that fills my schedule these days. Well, schedule isn't really the right word. Some days everything goes pretty smoothly. Other days are exhausting, unpredictable, and poopy. With three young children, a dog, and a cat there are times when I swear the only thing I've done all day is smell, wipe, and clean up poop.

The other day was a classic example. Elias was teething so you may know what that does to poop. Runny! Kiera has highs and lows. Though potty trained, there are still struggles with her independence. If there's ever silence for over three minutes, run to each of the bathrooms and find out which one she's in. When she decides to take care of business by herself, you never know what damage has occurred. It's on the toilet, it's on the stepping stool (no pun intended), it's on the floor, it's on her hands, and it's on her clothes. Then the dog, who wasn't let out for a while, just couldn't hold it any longer. Finally, save Meris, the cat was the only being not pooping. He was, however, acclimating to his new cat food. He promptly vomited on the stairs – five times.

My hands were practically cracking from the dryness produced by fifteen hand-washings that day. At the end of the day, the Bible verse for the day in the kids' devotional read (Philippians 4:4) – “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: rejoice!” O.K. Point taken!

Yonder River, How I Love Thee

There's something about water, don't you agree? Whether it's the ocean, a roaring river, or a scenic lake, there's an exhale or a sense of peace that comes over me.

We've realized that we love to swim. The kids will play in the sprinklers. When we used to vacation (pre 3 kids), we preferred places with available swimming. We go to the neighborhood pool 3-4x/week. Even if it weren't 90 degrees everyday (it's 99 today...but it's a humid heat), we'd be there just as much. We walk the three blocks to the pool (read: sprint) and Kiera screeches the moment she sees it. It's as if she had no idea why she had put on her swimsuit. After an hour of lounging, screaming, and "Motor Boat, Motor Boat, Go So Fast-ing", we head home at a crawl. Swimming time is over.

Ah, but there's always tomorrow. We might head over to one of the natural spring pools in town to cool off. But my favorite place so far here is hands down the river, er lake. The Colorado River (a different one) flows through town. It's dammed up a few places so certain sections of it are deemed lakes. So there's LadyBird Lake (aka Town Lake), Lake Austin, and then farther away Lake Travis. The centerpiece (for me) of Town Lake is the 10 mile, Texas red-dirt trail that snugly wraps around it. Everyone and their grandmother comes out to run. Short, fat, tall, thin. Old, young, collegiate, soccer mom, double-jogger pushing dad (right here, baby). They walk, they run, they sweat, they chat, they ipod. Then they all congregate under the MoPac bridge (freeway) to drink cold water provided by our local big running store (RunTex). This has become a 3x/week ritual. Running in the shade next to the cool river is almost spiritual. It has been a constant friend. There is hope there. There is community there. There is health there. There is beautiful nature there.

When we finally leave, packing our sweat-drenched bodies into the minivan I'm sad leaving this new "friend" for the next 48 hours. But I am consoled by the prospect of swimming in our pool. Or there are two other ways to cool down: "Oh Bluebell Ice Cream, how I love thee" and "Oh Diet Coke, how I love thee."