A Moment...

Hello Friends-
Finally I have a moment to write. The last two weeks have been quite a turnaround for our family. From joblessness to working full-time, being home working on projects in my spare time, to getting home barely in time to see the kids 90 minutes before bedtime, talking to Dana throughout the day, to maybe talking with her once a day while I am at work and then catching up after the kids get to bed.

It's a new reality.

I am loving my new career at Adventist Medical Center. I have been blessed to discover God's kindness and handiwork once again in my life. The hospital's mission is "to carry out the human expression of the healing ministry of Jesus Christ." When we were there for Dana's surgery and for Josiah's birth- we really felt a qualitative difference in the care we received from the staff of the hospital compared to other places we had been before. I attribute this to the mission of the hospital being expressed through its staff. You see this even moreso in the Administration- and its not only about healing and health, the people I am getting to know really demonstrate godly character in the way they live and work. Monday mornings we can go to worship at the hospital, a 30 minute opportunity to sing a hymn or two, and hear a devotional thought presented by a staff member, and time to pray. HELLO?? I still freak out about that. Fridays, many of the staff leave work early to prepare to celebrate the Sabbath, a time of rest and devotion to the Lord; It's amazing working in an atmosphere where you are supported in living out the mission of Jesus Christ.

I guess I wasn't expecting to be in another environment similar to the one I left. Sure there are differences. But foundationally it is a gift to be able to be in agreement with the mission of your workplace. This position is stretching me to sharpen in fresh ways and I am tired when I get home. But I wake up excited every day and ready to jump in to work at the hospital. God has been very good to me and I am so grateful for His kindness manifested to me in and through this opportunity.

Our family is doing well. We just enjoyed celebrating Dara's 8th birthday. We went up to our family's Island House on Andersen Island in Puget Sound for a fun weekend of BBQ, fishing, Olympics watching, cribbage playing and general R & R. We had a great time and Dara had a great 8th birthday. Josiah is turning 8 months old at the end of the week. He is sitting up (a little wobbly still), but getting more adept day by day. He is in the process of being weaned- and has been eating solid foods. Boy he doesn't like veggies much- we are a little concerned he has inherited a palette for sweet things like his big sister. We have doctored up peas and green beans with some applesauce and peaches to help things go down- and he seems to like it. Before he would just cry uncontrollably when we were feeding him things he didn't "have a taste for".

How's Dana? Well right now she is having a well deserved girls night out with a good friend, eating desert for the first time without having to be concerned about soy or dairy anymore because she's not breastfeeding. She has been a real trooper the last 10 days as I have been working again. You have heard the saying, "Behind every great man there's a great woman"? Well it's true- she's pretty awesome. Lastly here's some of the latest pics- even these are outdated- we haven't even taken time to download pics of the digital camera- so these will have to suffice for now. Enjoy!

These are a couple of shots from Josiah's 4 month pictures done by our friend Jenn Johnston of Polkadot Photography-





Summer BBQ'ing is fun


Able Baker Dara enjoys the fruit of her labor


Dara reading to Josiah on our bed