2016: A Year in Review

It feels like the years are flying by around here and I often have no way of distinguishing one year from the next.  I wanted to take a few minutes to highlight some of the biggest memories of 2016, mainly just for myself when I look back later.  This year was marked mainly by adjusting to life with a daughter and figuring out how to be parents.  We continued our volunteering with Foster Parents Night Out, thanks to grandparents being willing to watch Dahlia each month.  Luke coached a soccer program for work and was heavily involved in the planning and execution of a neighborhood orchard.  I found myself often at the library for story times, and also found ways to volunteer, at my old school and also at Zenger Farm, continuing with their Healthy Eating on a Budget classes.  We were able to support many friends and families by taking meals after new babies were born and folks were walking through hard times.  We also had the chance to welcome many more foster kids into our home.  Since I stopped working, we have had the flexibility to have kids for longer periods of time, the longest being a little over a month.  Kids have been in our home as they are in the process of waiting to transition back to family members or if they need a place to go while a more permanent foster home is found for them.  We had 17 children in our home, ranging from 18 months to 16 years old.  We got to experience many ordinary moments with these kiddos like homework, playing at the park, reading books, and driving to appointments.  We also got to experience many special moments like birthday parties, taking kids to the ocean for the first time, and seeing families reunite.  That has continued to be a challenging and rewarding way to extend radical hospitality to young people who so desperately need it.  Now, month by month...

January:
*Welcomed the year hiking at Silver Falls State Park
*Luke went on a winter backpacking trip in the snow with some friends to Lena Lake, up in the Olympics
*We made soap out of the lard from a pig we butchered


 

February:
*We spend a weekend at Rockaway Beach with family- Dahlia's first time to the ocean!
*ML's sister Lisa and her husband Ray visited
*Bagby Hot Springs!

March:
*Nothing too out of the ordinary


April:
*We went to go see the magnolias blooming in Washington Park.  What an incredible sight we have always heard so much about!
*My parents sold their home in Vancouver

May:
*We dedicated Dahlia at our church home of Imago Dei Community
*Helped my parents move into a rental home that they will stay in until they are ready to make their next step
*Adelman Peony Farm down I-5 was an incredible sight with all the flowers blooming and it was free!  Way better than the tulip festival.

June:
*Chicago trip to see Hannah and Quilen's new place and all the work they're doing on the Chicago Eco House
*An awesome women only bike ride with folks from Bridger
*Early warm days at one of our favorite spots, Oxbow Park with our good friends, Brandon and Victoria
*My grandpa passed away and we got to see a lot of family during the memorial service and weekend

July:
*Some wonderful camping including up by Mt. Hood, where we got to hike two trails we've been wanting to check out for a long time, Ramona Falls and McNeil Point
*Avett Brothers concert at Edgefield
*Camping up by Mt. Adams- Dahlia is a real trooper when it comes to camping!

August:
*My sister and her family here for their annual visit.  Lots of wonderful time with them, including camping, floating at the river, lazer tag, and sleepovers.  The kids are 9 and 11- such fun ages!  And it was so great to see them interact with Dahlia
*Our dear friend and old neighbor, Theta, passed away.  It was so sweet that Erin got to be here for the funeral

September:
*Josh Garrels concert at Revolution Hall for our 6th anniversary date
*Bluegrass festival up at Timberline Lodge, kicking off a weeklong adventure, that led us to Bagby, Breitenbush and camping at Olallie Lake.  One last summer hurrah!


October:
*Cook at the MCC Sale down in Albany- delicious seasonal veggie sandwiches on homemade foccacia bread
*Our 4th annual neighborhood apple cider pressing party

November:
*I finally made it to a harvest with the Portland Fruit Tree Project and picked persimmons
*Hannah came to visit and travelled with us to Montana for Thanksgiving.  Much of our time in Kalispell was spent with Luke's aunt, Tauntie, who had just found out she had cancer and had surgery a few days before we all arrived.  Our feast wasn't the same without her!

December:
*My dad got his knee replaced
*I hosted my 2nd annual cookie exchange party with girlfriends
*We got to enjoy a week with Luke off of work, in which he did lots of little house projects and we got to snowshoe up on Hood
*We ended the year with a group of old college friends and their families.  I think the adults were outnumbered by children and the party might have started at 4pm ;)