“Decision ‘08″ July 28, 2008

As I type, our friends are on their way to FBC’s 30th annual youth summer camp…and we wish we could be there!  As we think and pray about our youth and the leaders, here are the top 5 things about camp that I miss the most:

1) Praise and worship with all those pre-teens and teens.

2) Team cheers and skits- creative, energetic and exciting.  One of my best memories is being on the yellow team in ‘94!  And who could forget “Search and Rescue”…

3) The common experiences that unite the campers – bad camp food, sticky bathrooms, pesky bugs and crazy antics.

4) I’m ashamed to admit it – people’s “Top 5″ list…if you know what I mean.

5)  The sharing, transparency and encouragement that occurs.  This year, as in the years past, may the campers encounter Christ and be transformed by Him.

Baby Moses July 24, 2008

Welcome baby Moses!  Isn’t he sweet and SO adorable?

Here are his proud and glowing parents:

Though he’s still so new, baby Moses has already been to church!  Don’t they look great?

Congratulations Stacie and Brett…you two will be kind, wise and loving parents. 

Moses, we pray that you grow up to be a boy…and then a man who runs after God.

More food and friends! July 24, 2008

This past weekend, we finally made it out to the Portland Farmer’s Market (I love their website).  After a late night catching the latest showing of the ”The Dark Knight” (we’re getting too old for staying up until 4am!), we met up with Rob and Mo.  They were one of our first really good friends here in Portland…we love them!  They also happen to live in the Envoy, a building with so much character and historic charm.  Whenever we drive by, I make sure to catch a glimpse of it…it makes me so happy!  I took some pictures of the outside, but honestly, they don’t do it any justice…plus I’m not a good photographer, as you can see.  The inside is even more interesting and wonderful, but I was too embarassed to take pictures.

After admiring their place, we headed out to enjoy the sights, smells and sounds of the market.

From top left, going clockwise: berries galore (this was just one berry stall out of many); Walla Walla onions, the sweetest onions around; enjoying a natural and organic lunch at Chef Naoko (I like how Mo’s raspberry matches her new shirt!); satisfied shoppers…

On Sunday after church we enjoyed more food with more good friends, Dave and Drenda.  We always have a great time with them.  This time, we went to Everett Street Bistro.  The french toast was so good, I ate all of it (so much for controlling my sugar!)…I ate it so fast, I didn’t even get a picture!  The food was very satisfying, and so was the conversation.

Catching Up July 24, 2008

Ok, so my travel schedule has been crazy and it’s also been busy at the office…when I get home I don’t want to stare at another computer screen! But it’s time to catch up.  Last Saturday, after hitting up all the street fairs in town we knew of, our last stop was at our neighborhood street fair.  Our faves were the Lifesavas.  I wanted to take a picture with them, but decided it would be dorky.

On Sunday, our very good friends, William and Rae, invited us to go on a garden tour with them after church.  This has become a pattern of ours – gardens, food and walking after church.  We love spending time with them -it gives us great joy to talk, walk and eat together.  This Sunday, we enjoyed people’s wonderful gardens.  For a black thumb like me, these gardens were amazing.  We had brunch at Hands On Cafe, located in Oregon College of Art and Craft .  My food was so good (as you can see below), but my favorite treat that day was the watermelon with candied ginger!

561 Miles…and counting July 17, 2008

This week, I have driven to Puyallup, WA, Gresham and Eugene, OR to visit some of our member schools.  I think I have spent more time on the road than in the schools!  Next week I’ll be in Seattle and Everett, WA.  The week after that I’ll be in Albany, OR and Lacey, WA.  It’s fun visiting the different schools and getting to know this region.  I just wish I had someone to travel with…or a chauffer!

There’s No Home Like Church July 9, 2008

We were profoundly sad to leave FBCSF.  It is where we grew up under solid and dynamic teaching and warm fellowship with church family.  Besides, Filipinos know how to eat good and laugh hard!  Our roots were deep into the soil of our church and as we found ourselves being uprooted, it hurt. 

Finding a good church up here was a priority for us.  After only several weeks of going to different churches (which we hated doing), much prayer and reflection, we decided to commit to Pearl Church.  There’s a comfort and familiarity which surprises me, since we’re still pretty new; it does feel like home.  

I love that all my senses are engaged in worship – seeing symbols of the faith on the altar, hearing the truth of His Word through songs and His servants, clasping hands with fellow sinners saved by grace as we greet one another, tasting the bread and wine as a remembrance of our reconciliation with God through Christ, and smelling the pizza and coffee from the shops below.  Our church is housed on the second floor of the EcoTrust Building, which has retail spaces on the bottom.  The smells and voices wafting up from the first floor remind me that I can’t stay cocooned safely in my church.  As soon as church is done, I walk down to the real world.     

God has also provided us with new friendships at Pearl.  This is where I learned that it’s better to just meet people cold turkey.  Now, it’s nice to walk in and see many familiar faces.  I’m excited about this community of believers that we are getting to know.  An added bonus is that they are introducing us to new places to eat!

Family blogging July 8, 2008

Wow – three posts in one day!  I just had to share that my sister and brother in law now have a blog to call their own.  I’m so excited!  Check ‘em out at http://lamplightandsolitude.blogspot.com/

Food…and Excercise July 8, 2008

Our three-day weekend turned out to be pretty laid back.  We ate out a lot!  Remember I was talking about Asian food?  Well, we tried out a Vietnamese place called Pho Oregon.  It wasn’t as good as the place some friends took me to called Pho Van.  I do have to admit, I miss La Petite Camille and Le Cheval and Kevin’s Noodles.  Pho Van is kinda like Kevin’s.  I know what you guys back home are thinking.  But it was nice to find another good place to eat Asian stuff.  Next time I’ll order the avocado shake.

Okay, so we went hiking too.  Fran discovered this great park that is about 5 minutes away from us.  It was so lush and peaceful.  Even when it started raining we didn’t feel the drops – the trees were so dense, their leaves provided a canopy for us.

Tres Leches on July 4th July 8, 2008

Every year my family’s tradition during Fourth of July is to have lunch and then watch the fireworks somewhere new.  This year, I was sad at the prospect of not being able to take part in that tradition.  Fran and I talked about going to the coast, but I didn’t have the heart to decide on anything. 

Last week, on our way home from BTown Kids, we noticed that one of my favorite houses in our neighborhood was having a yard sale.  (If you’ve visited us, I’ve probably pointed it out to you!)  I was so curious about that house, we decided to brave the heat and check it out.  We weren’t there for even a minute when the owner offered to show us around.  That’s when we bonded.  They remodeled the house and backyard themselves (HGTV, anyone?).  We were impressed!

We hit it off so well that he invited us over for 4th of July.  We planned to leave the party at sundown to watch fireworks, but we were having so much fun, that we decided to stay.  Plus, there was a homemade tres leches cake!  Yum!

As we walked home, we talked about how grateful we were to meet our neighbors and that though we can’t participate in our usual family traditions, we can make new memories together.

New Kids on the Blog July 3, 2008

New Kids is back!!  I liked them, but was never obsessed like some of my friends…I don’t even remember their names.  And the older I get, I like them even more because they were part of my youth.  But, now that they’re back and “current” again, I say, “meh.”  NKOTB should stay in the past where they belong. 

But this video is by far my favorite “Step By Step” rendition.  And also a great gift from Fran and the guys.  And in case you were wondering, no, that’s not how he proposed!