The answers...

So, here are the answers...

1) What did Noah say what he was looking forward to most about camping last weekend?? Noah said he was most looking forward to "mama being cold." And I was, at night. Actually I stayed up the latest (surprise surprise) sitting by the campfire. I was surprised at the roller coaster of temperatures we had. At the dock in Florence it was 85, but at our campsite - 65. And then the wind. And then night time. The last two nights it was in the upper 40's. Yeah, that was cold for this southern girl. It was fun, but coffee (my down comforter) wasn't enough.

2) What was our "I'm having a good time" and my "this isn't fun - I don't like it" statement?? So there's a "woo hoo" statement and a "this stinks" statement. This was an ingenius idea by my hubs the last time he and the kids went camping. If we were having a great time, we'd say "flying goat" and when we weren't and felt "this isn't fun/I don't like it" then we would say "I could be at a traffic pull" So random, but so fun.

3) How far did we have to walk to the closest restroom? Too far. I'd guess that it was about a block. I'm not good at guessing yards. I just remember walking, and walking. I really didn't mind it so much (except for the night I heard bats overhead while sitting at the campfire, everyone else was asleep and I needed to take that one last walk before going to sleep - that night it was a little creepy). The best part of it though was that it the sky was filled with all those stars (I blogged about that already).

4) What's your favorite camping memory?? Hmmmm... I love watching Noah come alive when we camp. Not that he's not alive when we are home, but literally he goes into a lil' bit of a back to real world stupor when we get back - it's like a 2-day-funk to work it out. He loves the outdoors and everything that's a part of it...including the cold. He's so cute.

For another take on camping check out my hubs blog.... The Sounds of Nature and My dad… Crazy or Genius??

Whatcha think?? (A few guesses from you first...)

Tomorrow I'm probably posting about the beginning of the school year... the next day I'm planning to blog about camping. This past weekend we took a family camping trip to Florence, Oregon (not Italy). Bu before I post... I'd love to hear your guesses about a few questions...

1) What did Noah say what he was looking forward to most about camping last weekend?? (This was obviously a pre-trip statement). What would be your guess??

2) What was our "I'm having a good time" and my "this isn't fun - I don't like it" statement (Steve started this tradition so that we could celebrate or complain while no one around will know what we are talking about...so fun. So there's a "woo hoo" statement and a "this stinks" statement. Any guesses?

3) How far did we have to walk to the closest restroom?

4) What's your favorite camping memory??

Now...back to homework...

P.S. If you want to check out another camping perspective, check out Steve's blog to see it through his eyes...

It comes...and it goes... and I didn't even realize it...

...And that's ok. I didn't realize until Steve told me that my "40 days of blogging" are over. It actually ended on Friday, September 3rd. I posted that day. And the next. I missed Sunday. And that's ok too. There's no life requirement that I blog every day. But guess what? I realized during the course of this 40-day journey that I kinda like it. It really was a lot of fun. It still is. I like sharing life stories, faith stories, funny stories, heart stories... I like sharing life. People from 37 states have peeked in to this little blog called "Until... we can sit face to face..." People from 129 cities... 12 countries... that's just wild.

Long and short of it is lots has happened over the last 40 days... and lots will continue to happen. The next couple of weeks are just FULL of crazy and cool and fun things going on. And... I'm going to keep blogging about it. I don't know that it will be every day, but I hope it will be. Is there something you want me to blog about? Something you want me to answer?? Suggestions of changes I could make?? Let me know. Thanks for joining me in the blogging journey... hope we keep traveling it together...

It's a little surreal...

... that I'm sitting by a roaring campfire, looking at a sky full of stars, and I'm posting a blog by using my phone. I can't be the only one who thinks... Wow. That's crazy. I think we continue to take for granted the technological advances. Just like we take for granted the star-filled sky overhead. To say this sky is beautiful is an understatement. To say it is awe-inspiring is not enough. To say it is mesmerizing is true but not close to accurate.

Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens. Your faithfulness to the skies. (Psalm 36:5)

For as amazing and big and vast and awe-inspiring and mesmerizing and beautiful this sky is... God's love is bigger. And just when I think I can focus on how big it is, God's love is bigger still. And then you think of 1 Corinthians 13 that says Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast. It is not proud. It is not rude or self-seeking. It is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. It always trusts, always protects, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

Then... I think about it again but every time I say the word Love or It, I put in God's name... Or Jesus' Name... And then I stare up at this big ol sky and go ... Wow!! Thanks God for loving me this much. Thanks for loving me regardless, in spite of my faults, through good times and bad...and so on.

Maybe you can go take a peak outside tonight or tomorrow night and catch a glimpse of how big the sky is...and how big His love for you is... It's a lil surreal...

A confession...

Somehow during high school I never learned a foreign language. Nope. I got to use my extra elective credits to do more music classes, and yearbook. Last part of my Senior year I had Orchestra, Jazz Lab, Symphonic Band, English, Band Assistant, and Yearbook. That was a rockin' schedule!! Anyway --- I'm "old" enough that foreign language was covered under my humanities credits, and all these music classes got me through.

Now, I wish I'd had the foreign languge. It's weird that everyone else pretty much knows one except me (or at least seems that way). I can say I've learned txt msg language - I can say I've created my own new words, many a time... but no foreign language. I even have to ask friends to help me understand Geek Speak, but there are many times I'm lost by techno-talk that is above my head (I'm a techie-wanna-be...not a techie pro...).

Yesterday in staff coffee this youtube clip was shared. A complete foreign film. Watch and let me know what you think... I'm sure you'll probably understand every single word. (yeah, right! really...watch it right now... please???)

10 minute break...

So maybe not break... I had a busy day today, and just needed to get out for a little while, so I headed to Kohl's. Normally that wouldn't be a quick break, but I knew I needed fresh air, and I knew I needed to go today. Why? I had a $50 Kohl's Cash credit someone gave us, and today was the only day I knew I could use it before it expired...so off I went.

I got the parking space literally right by the bridge so in I went...fast!! Into the girls department. Yep I like that...and that. To boys department...n0 luck, no luck, no luck - oh that could work. Downstairs. I like that --- oops, Petites. That won't work. Where are the non-short people clothes. Oh over there. Yep - I like that and that and that. Nope can't do all that. I'll take this one and this one. Scoot over to the guys department.... hmmmm... nope. Back upstairs to check out... everything scanned and voila...


Whoa!!! No way!! Really!??? SCORE!!! Love quick and happy trips like this one. Thanks dear one for the gift of the Kohl's Cash...

When I got back to the youth center I still had time to sit in the parking lot and soak up the sunshine for just a few moments...before I got back to work. A busy day, a pretty good day. Good progress on a project, a visit from my hubs & kids at work, more progress on the project, my 10 minute break (ok, it was 20 w/ drive time), good progress on another project. A meeting (what day would be complete without a meeting), a trip to the grocery store, hang out with friends, interesting and conversations, dinner in the new Broadway Commons building to celebrate the teams who have put soooo much work into the building (I'm saving all those kudos for Grand Opening next weekend), back to hang out with friends (they were watching our kids), home, laundry, more discussions, a little Words with Friends, a quick blog...and a post. Done! WHEW!

A great celebration...

It's official. Steve can now wear this... his new pride and joy... his "retirement" shirt. He bought it to wear EVERY DAY (at least for part of the day) until he gets a new job. Oh, it's a "classic" --- check out the footwear too... He's a walking fashion statement to say the least.

So, since it's official... it meant it was a day of celebration. So we met a big group of friends at Adam's Rib for BBQ. (Steve always laughs that when you say BBQ in the pacific northwest that it means something you cook on the grill, versus saying BBQ and it means... well, BBQ - pulled pork, ribs, brisket, etc. And that's what Adam's Rib has... delicious!!!) Steve was ready to celebrate with all our friends...

We were a pretty big group (obviously) --- so it was a true gift that the outside area had no other patrons... so, we could take over... and literally close the place down (of course that's not so hard to do...) In many ways, it was like a family dinner... lots of stories and laughter and plenty of fun... I honestly wish we could do this every night...

So when dinner was over...there was CAKE!!! But first there was a little song...

And then... in rare fashion...as only Erik w/ a K can do... an "original" song for Steve --- hope you enjoy it as much as we did...

Thanks everyone for making today a joyful day to remember...

And Lobster... I may not like the shirt...but I love you...

And because I love you... I'll endure the shirt... but I will wash it!!! =)