We've been here a year

This has been an exciting month. I guess, they're all exciting, I'm just writing about this one. This month is our 1 year anniversary here in Washington. Can you believe it's been a whole year?

Michele's parents sold their home in Virginia and arrived out here last Wednesday. It's so good to live near them again. They're such a joy to be around and a big help to us. Liberty started rolling over a week ago. She is the sweetest baby. Her personality is great, she laughs a lot and her face lights up whenever she sees you. She is looking so much like Nathan when he was her age, bright blue eyes and blonde hair. Speaking of Nate, he's doing great. He is talking a ton, using two and three word sentences. He's more interested in what other kids are doing now, but he still likes to do his own thing. He loves being outside, he'll play outside all day by himself. Michele is also doing good. She stays busy with the kids, but has lots of friends she is able to hang out with during the week. I've been working a lot. We've had a shutdown out at the paper mill I spend most of my time at. We've been working 7 ten hour shifts a lot. It kind of wears on you, but there's light at the end of the tunnel because I gave my two week notice. I got a new job! I'll be working for the Army Corps of Engineers starting next week. I'll be welding at one of the nearby dams. It's great because I'll be working 4 ten hour shifts and have every Friday through Sunday off. I've been trying to get a federal job since I got out of the Army three years ago. I'm really excited about this change.

Church is going great as well. We are still going to that new church, which is about 5 months old, it's called Crossview Community. I feel like we've really connected there and I've become good friends with the pastor. It's cool because I feel like it's a give and take relationship. He's actually asked me to teach sometime next month. I'll keep you posted on that. He's also asked me to pray about starting a home Bible study. I'm a little reluctant. I know I've been praying about this since we moved here, but I also know how consuming preparing is for me. It's a totally different thing having kids and working a lot and preparing a study and teaching and getting to know all the people who come and spending time with them and my wife and still trying to find time to mow the lawn and maybe even go fishing now and then. See what I mean? I think Michele is wondering why I'm procrastinating in this area and I don't blame her for wondering. I guess I'm just scared to lose our family time and some of my freedom. Is this selfishness or wisdom or what? I guess I'm still sorting it out. On a slightly different note, their is a big Mormon population here. About 6 months ago, a pair of them knocked on our door. Since then, Mormon missionaries have been coming over almost weekly. We've had probably 15 different Mormons in our home over the past 6 months. I proclaim the true gospel to them and give them evidence for the Bible and present to them a lack of evidence for the book of Mormon and they keep coming back. Sometimes they bring other leaders from their church to back them up, but they keep coming back and bringing more people. I haven't had any noticeable breakthroughs with them, but I hope seeds are being planted and at the least I know that their not at someone else's house when they're at mine. Please pray for them and what seems to be my ministry to them.

Anyway, that's most of the big stuff I think. I'll try and post some more pictures soon, I just don't have them on this computer.

Peace,

Harold

Churc

I'm getting worse at this blogging thing, sorry. Anyway, I'll write something of substance soon, but for now some pictures will have to do.

Peace,

Harold

Jesus Rocks!

(Finally, a picture of Michele)



It’s hard to believe that it’s already February 2007. Things have been going well for us this year. Liberty has doubled her birth weight and is doing excellent. She is starting to sleep longer through the night (3 ½ to 4 ½ hours straight). Nate is doing well. He and I went to an outdoor show a few weeks ago. They had a fish pond where Nate caught his first two fish. He loved catching them, but he didn’t want to touch them. Also, Michele said she thought he looked like he had a mullet so, I shaved his head.

Also, some friends of ours are part of a new church plant and invited us to check it out. We went this past Saturday night and really enjoyed it. It was a smaller group, about 40 or so, which is what I loved about it. The church we've been going to is so big that I feel really disconnected. But, I was stoked to actually talk with the people I went to church with. The teaching and worship were also great. I'm excited to see what God will do through this fellowship, in our lives and the community here.

Besides all that, I'm working and hanging out with the family. I thank God for all of His blessings.

Peace,

Harold

A New Year

I think we are still tripping out that we now live in Washington let alone that it's a New Year and we have a new family member. God has been amazing to us!

Well, everything is great. Liberty is doing excellent, she surpassed her birth weight on her first trip to the doctor. Nate is also doing well. He loves his little sister. He always wants to help with her or hold her. The dogs haven't even batted an eye, they sniff Libby occasionally, but that's it. Michele is a little sleep deprived, but she is handling it well. As for me, it seems like Nate is my primary responsibility now, which I enjoy. It's like my own little gang.

Christmas was good. We had a lot of family at our house. Michele's brother came down from Spokane and her parents were here. Nate really got into opening the presents this year, which he got too many of. We ended up spreading them out over about five days.

It was really cool when I sent out that mass e-mail announcing Liberty. We got so many cool e-mails back. I actually reconnected with a few old friends and heard from a lot of you that I haven't heard from since we moved. Thanks.

Besides that, everything else is fairly normal, we're just learning how to live with two kids. It's a lot crazier, but super fun. Anyway, I'll write more soon.

Peace,

Harold