Website Overhaul

Well, sort of. I went onto my photography website the other day and shifted a bunch of stuff around to round it out a bit better, add some newer work, take some older stuff off that didn't fit, and just make things a bit more presentable. Go check it out! Definitely check out the blog post "Lights, Camera, Free Time!" for a look at where I'm hoping to go over the next few months with lighting and such. Hopefully, there will be much more to come! Thanks!

CLICK ON THIS LINK HERE!!!!

The weather was perfect today.

There hasn't been too much going on in the Wilson house, but I thought we were due for an update:
- Last week we took our first camping trip as a family. We purchased our very own "FAMILY" tent the day before. The thing is huge... sleeps 8 people. We went out to Oxbow Park, which is just 20 minutes outside of Portland. The place was peaceful and beautiful and full of fun animals with no fear - including a squirrel that unzipped our tent and stole some Cliff bars and trail mix. :( We hiked in the "Enchanted Forest", played on the beach, spent some time reading and playing Carcassone. It was pretty great.......... until I got sick from eating a brautworst. I have a weird reaction to super-processed meat (brautworsts are usually okay, though) and we finished the trip a night early with migrane and vomit and 11 hours of sleep in our own bed. Overall, it was a really fun experience and we're definetly going to do it again.

- Upon our arrival home, we began our teary goodbye to our dear friends and neighbors, the Fudge family. The Fudges have three little ones - the youngest is two weeks younger than Josiah. We were REALLY BLESSED to share a wall with them for one year. Saying goodbye was harder than we imagined and has wiped all of us out for a few days.

- Yesterday Steph, Josiah, and I went down to the Farmer's Market in downtown Portland. The air smelled of fresh herbs and veggies and berries..... it was magical. :) We purchase some beans and peas and raspberries - all of which are so much more delicious than the ones we buy at the store. I was pretty amazed.

- Today our neighbor, Ali, and I went to pick up my new bike! After two years I finally have a bike again... now I will be on the hunt for a trailer for Josiah. I'm really, really excited about this and have been saving for MONTHS for this very purchase.

This week will be our last week before I start watching Ivy. Ivy will be almost 3 months old and staying with us for just 6 days or so a month as her mom returns to work as a nurse. I'm excited to start adding more routine to our weeks..... we've been taking the month of June to do some extra, much needed, resting - and now we are ready for a bit more demand.

Happy Anniversary!

My grandparents have been married for 60 years. That's over twice as long as I've been alive. Last week, we made the trek up north to visit family and friends for a bit, and then we all gathered at Semiahmoo (a little resort community like Sun River way the heck out on the northwest corner of Washington state)for an anniversary celebration. It was a surprise for them, but they spotted Rach and Josiah as they were walking out the car. My grandma kept glancing over at Rach suspiciously because she looked familiar, and finally my aunt (who orchestrated the whole thing) spotted her, too, and came over. Too funny! Anyway, we took some pictures out on the beach as the sun started going down, so here's one of my grandparents. They are a super inspiring couple, and if you ever get a chance to hang out with them to talk, it will be well worth your time!

HIKING!

The Lord blessed us with a GREAT garage sale find.... a backpack to carry Josiah! We decided to try it out today in the gorge. Here are some pictures from our grand adventure out to Horsetail Falls. It was so much fun!

A post about Minnesota, plants, potty, and other fun things!

Josiah and had a great trip to MN a couple weeks ago. We were able to hang out with each one of the awesome Daniels/Daniel family members - some more than others... and as always it leaves us yearning for more! Royce Daniel (my sister's first baby and the main reason for our visit) is still a tiny little peanut, but soooo strong. The boys did really well on the six hour drive up to mom and dad's and a little less than well on the way back down. The drive is what kills me, but it's worth it. I often think to myself while enduring the endless hours of nothingness "why do my parents live so far away from everything!?" - and then once we arrive and are sitting on the back porch next to the peaceful river I remember "oh yeah, this is why". It's so removed from everything - I think this was the first time I was able to get cell phone reception at their house - and the Lord uses that place to restore my soul. :) Thanks mom and dad!

A few days after our return to Portland the sun decided to come out and stay! We've been having an AMAZING time playing outside. Yesterday we picked up some plants to pot on our front cement area (we are hoping the children don't tip them over....). We are hopeful and excited to partake in hot peppers, blueberries, tomatoes, and our own fresh herbs!
The Lord also blessed us with a backpack to carry Josiah in! It the best garage sale take we've ever had - whoohoo! We are planning a camping trip for the end of June - the Wilson family FINALLY returns to the great outdoors. We'll see what Josiah thinks about that.

Most of our neighborhood friends are camping today and Patrick is at work with the car - so Josiah and I decided it would be a good day to start learning about potty and all things involved. I let him run around the house naked for a couple hours hoping he would go to the bathroom... he's been really good about sitting on the potty, but not going potty yet. I swear that kid is holding it - I had to go twice in the amount of time he ran around diaper-less. I may be in for a long ordeal.

One last fun note: Today we were riding in the car with a friend and the little 3-year-old she nannys. The sky was really clear with just some patches of clouds. Lukie looks up through the window and says "somebody cut up that cloud... that's not very nice." :)

And so it begins........

The last few days have been full of rejoicing (!!!) and yet a solemn rememberance of what is to come. School is OUT! PW finished and he finished well. We are so excited to have completed our first year of seminary and look forward to long summer days in the courtyard, a couple camping trips, chances to visit family, and the opportunity to just be together as a family. As I stood in the sunshine today outside our little townhome I watched our neighbors begin to carry out their boxes... because they are moving. Many of our neighbors and friends have finished their final semester at Multnomah - and we are SO EXCITED for them. And now they have to go.... and we are bummed. So bummed.
I've always related the constant coming and going of dear brothers and sisters to us being in school - which makes sense. But the longer I've seen friends come and go the more I've realized it's a part of being in the Kingdom of God. They came because they were being faithful to God's calling in their life and they go now because they need to be faithful. I hope that we too will be faithful to go when our time comes. This will be a hard year as several DEAR friends move away - some to be near family and some to enter into ministry and some to start a new job or school... but I'm so blessed that I can rejoice in these moves because it is for a great purpose.

So.... if you're in the area please come visit! Josiah will entertain you to no end. He is quite the little ham and is full of new words: squirrel, truck, car, stick! all of the important things a little boy should know about.

Here's the verdict

Josiah had two ear infections, one in each ear. No wonder the little guy was in such rough shape. The doctor gave us some antibiotics and even after one day he looks a TON better.

Seriously folks, he had a dark Jedi, Darth Josiah look going: oozy eyes and nose, deep dark circles under the eyes, general crankiness.

First wedding of the summer was today and I'm beat. It was a weird experience, and maybe I'll have a bit of time to reflect on it. But for now, lentil soup and bread and filling out an adendum form to our tax return that I neglected to furnish.

Bummer...