Oregon Coast

Whelp I have been a slacker when it comes to blogging and I have also realized heather is not into blogging at all. So I am renewing my commitment to blog! A few weeks ago (April 24-27) we and a few of our good friends (the Fitch's and the Christensen's) went to heather's family beach cabin called the "Chas Mar" named after heather's grandparents Charles and Margret. It is right on the beach about 15 minutes south of Short Sands in a little town called Rockaway. This summer we are going to spend 10 days there and it is going to be sweet. We got in two good surfs, read books, walked on the beach and played games. It was nice to get away from it all. Here's to the "Chas Mar".

all of us at short sands

sam bundled up on the beach

posing after a fun surf

Free Ski Day

I remember a time when a hated free ski day. The Grizwalls and the gapers all over the mountain. Now I live for free ski day, funny how things change. I went with Kevin Wright, Rick Cummings, John Fitch, Gary Christenson and Jeremy K. We slashed it up from summit to sunrise. Go free ski day!

Los Angeles Dream Center

March 24 - 30 I was in Los Angeles with 22 people from Oasis (mostly high schoolers). We spent the entire week serving all sorts of people. Physically it was exhausting: 15 hour van ride, loading trucks with food, cleaning, talking to people on the streets, sharing a room with 8 high school guys; but spiritually it was like taking a long vacation to an island where you just lay on the beach and get served pina coladas. I was reminded of Jesus' words "It is more blessed to give then to receive". Coming back was eye opening realizing how much of my week is devoted to serving myself. We gotta live to give, that's where we find abundant life.

the crew
Rick praying with a lady in the projects
2nd cutest little girl in the world (first is Samantha)

Skate Skiing

For the last 2 weekends hp and I have been able to go skate skiing! We have kind of been busy all winter having babies and stuff so we haven't been able to get out to much. It is Spring time now and the snow is melting quick.

Samantha & the mirror

Sam

Here are some recent pictures of Samantha taken over the last month. Now she smiles and loves to be propped up (she can kind of sit up on her own for about 2 seconds). Her eyes are still crazy deep blue, we don't know if they will stay that color or not. She has also been sleeping through the night since about 6 weeks (props to baby wise).

Samantha & the pig

Samantha is getting so big, she is starting to play with toys... well kind of.

Nicaragua

In July we will be taking a team of 15 to Managua, Nicaragua. We will be going with an organization called forward edge international who is starting to develop "village of hope" which will be a safe place for a community of people who presently live in the city's landfill. These people, mostly women and children, make a living by rummaging through the garbage to find food and items to sell. The girls have turned to prostitution as the only reliable source of income. It is our hopes that we can get behind this organization to help make villa esperanza a reality.

Sledding!

A few weekends ago our community group took a family from the Thurston apartments sledding! It was the first time these kids have ever been. We even brought Samantha. Wanoga snow park is crazy. If your not careful the sledders will take you out.

Bath Time

Today was bath day! The pediatrician only recommends giving your baby a bath every 10 days, so as you can imagine bath day is exciting. Samantha loves taking baths, she feels right at home in the warm water. It is crazy how big she is getting, she is filling up the bath now. Anyways baths are fun.