I realized the other day that I haven’t shared much about our whole purpose for moving here to Eastern Washington… Fuel- our new youth ministry, and the worship team that Andrew leads on Sunday mornings. We’ve been here for almost 6 months now- hard to believe, and have settled in fast. We were welcomed by our new church with open arms and have felt really supported since we first came. When we got here, the youth ministry had dwindled down to about 15 regular attenders, and has grown to around 50 youth now, and growing! We are so privileged to be youth leaders, and Andrew has done an awesome job shaping the identity of our group, coming up with the name Fuel, as well as leading the worship team and organizing special services and things like that. He’s been very busy but because we live about 2 minutes from the church we see more of him than ever and are thankful for more time as a family. One of the biggest blessings for me since moving here is to be in ministry with Andrew again. I have been able to sing on worship team with Andrew about once a month, and get to be on staff with Fuel. We have a wonderful friend that watches Jude and rocks him to sleep on Wednesday nights so that I can be at youth group, and I will be starting up a small group with about 6 girls on Monday nights starting next week. I’ve also made some wonderful friends and we have some really amazing people on staff with Fuel and on the worship team. We are so grateful that God called us here.
This summer we’ll be putting on a high school camp for our youth, as well as driving down to Eureka to visit family and friends, and Andrew will be speaking at a week long summer camp down there, as well as speaking at our old church and officiating his first wedding ceremony! We’re looking for a house right now- and love to have visitors (in our apartment too!) so come on over! This area is really fun and we’re excited to explore it more this spring and summer.
That’s the overall update of our life here, more to come!

Jude can make a great duck noise. I hear him say QUACK! several times a day, as he looks out our back sliding glass doors or at a picture of a duck. Since the lake is all thawed out the ducks are back and on the prowl for food. Andrew and Jude fed them some pretzels pieces and cheerios the other day, and even though Jude’s throw only landed the pieces a few inches from himself, the ducks were happy to come closer to get their prize!

I thought of a fun way to use Jude’s ‘art’…

Homemade cards featuring colorful scribbles by our little one year old Picasso!:)

Jude loves to color and draw with pencils- what is so cute to me is the way he holds them.

Happy Monday! We had a lovely day yesterday and this morning Andrew gets to take a little time off with us since he had a lot of set up over the weekend for the Easter service our church did at the local elementary school. Our church isn’t big enough to hold everyone for one big service, so we set up in the gym of the school and had around 300 people come which was great.
We woke up to sun today and had scrambled eggs with salsa, bagels and cream cheese, and yummy coffee. Jude didn’t have any coffee:) but he was crazy about the bagels!
I made these a few weeks ago but thought I’d share my first attempt at making a bag…

Two small tote bags- one for my
sweet friend Anna’s birthday and one for summer
farmer’s market goodies for me.

The flowers are pins that can come off and on-
made by cutting off the flower from it’s stem
(got them at Michael’s craft store) and then
wiring them to a pin base with craft wire
that you don’t see.

Once more to new creation Awake,
and death gainsay,
For death is swallowed up of life,
And Christ is risen today!
~George Newell Lovejoy

And he departed from our sight that we might return to our heart, and there find Him.
For He departed, and behold, He is here.
~St Augustine

Happy Easter everyone and may you know the Hope & Love that does not fail.

The first day of Spring was yesterday, and guess what we got?
Snow!! The robins and ducks must be a little confused…

Jude and I braved the snow for his first check up at our new pediatrician here. He missed his 12 month check up and we finally have our insurance set up. I was really pleased with the doctor and everyone else that worked there. They didn’t even question my desire to postpone/forgo some of his vaccinations. Jude didn’t mind the doctor looking in his ears and mouth, but wasn’t so excited about the lay down and get measured part! He’s in the 25% for weight and height, just a little guy! But everything is normal and I was really glad to find a pediatrician that I liked.

A few recent thrift store finds…

Sweater made of a blend of cashmere and cotton- I liked the flowery vines along the neck. Price? 99 cents!

White polka dot soap pump for the bathroom. On sale for $1!

Vintage wire basket holding blown eggs for Easter from a favorite antique shop where my parents live that my Mum and I found.

Here’s our little cutie- 16 months old! He’s handsome just like his Papa…

…and here’s a boat just floating down the inlet past our apartment- picture taken from our back porch. You know Spring is here when you see people fishing!