ZumwaltOhana.com

Happy Mother's Day, Tutu!

Almost a year ago we took an abrupt leave of absense from the ZumwaltOhana blog.  Our family went through some incredibly life-changing events that I (Kathy) wasn't even sure how to put into words. And quite honestly I don't even know when I would have done it because life became such a whirlwind at that point that most days I barely turned on my computer. However, since that time, there have been plenty of opportunities to sit down and catch up and let The People know what has been going on. However, one significant detail has kept me from it. I don't know who I am writing to anymore.

You see, from the moment we started this blog, there was one person we could count on to anticipate, read, and weigh in on anything we had to say and any picture or video we had to add. There was always one, loving, gracious, amazing woman sitting on the other side of the computer from me when I was writing. I always knew she was. Sometimes as we would publish a post we'd say things like, "Oh, Tutu is gonna' love that!" or "That's gonna' freak Tutu out!" In recent times there was more, "Tutu wants more pictures." or "We should probably make a post for Tutu!" It was fun to anticipate her reactions. Even if we never talked about it I ALWAYS knew she was one of the first to read it...and re-read it. I actually didn't know how much that meant to me until she wasn't there any more. Every time I have tried to start writing again I just ended up taking a long hot shower and crying for half the day.

Ma/Tutu/Regina, Zak's mom, abruptly passed away last year on June 20 when she went in for a heart transplant. She never woke up. I still find it so hard to believe. She was always such a strong, resilient woman and had been through so much in her life. So it just really did not occur to me that she wouldn't make it through this surgery that had the potential to bring her a new lease on life! I knew it was huge and there were risks, but I also knew she was tough and I couldn't imagine my life or my kids' life without her.

Regina, was born without the pericardium around her heart--perhaps this is what made her the tender-hearted individual that she was. She cried easily and loved deeply. I know daughters-in-law by nature are supposed to dislike their mothers-in-law (it's just how the world works, right?) but Regina made that completely impossible. She was the kindest and most considerate mother-in-law I could imagine. Certainly, she and I didn't agree on everything. I'm pretty sure there are some things about which she thought I was a complete lunatic! But she was always gracious and considerate no matter what. She always gave Zak and me plenty of space to live our own lives and make our own crazy decisions and she was there to help in whatever way she could. She gave me fair warnings like, "You're married to a Zumwalt. You will never recieve a gift that doesn't plug in." and then gave me gifts of jewelry every chance she got.

She was an amazing Tutu who loved her grandchildren as much as anyone can! I always hated that we lived so far away, but she made every effort she could to see them when possible and to spoil them any chance she had! Likewise she adored her sons and supported them in any way she could. She modeled for me the importance of having really great girlfriends and being a really great friend. She demonstrated how to put your whole heart and self into everything you do. For years I heard about the amount of time and effort she put into her classroom and I always marveled at how much prep work she was putting into a class she had taught for over 20 years. While we were in Virginia for her memorial service we got to see some of the fruits of that labor. That was such an honor to witness. Most importantly, Regina modeled for me the beauty of living for, loving and following a loving, all-powerful God.

"Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me." Psalm 23:4

I don't think I will ever see or hear these words without thinking of Regina. I know she is whole, healed and home, and for this I am thankful, but without a doubt I still miss her very much!

We love you, Ma/Tutu/Regina! Happy Mother's Day!

M-DIV for Hire!

Well, Friday evening (May 18th) I officially graduated from Multnomah Biblical Seminary.  I finished with a 3.56 GPA.  I was also a member of the school's 75th anniversary graduating class (they gave us all medallions to wear with our regalia).  Our ceremony was held at Rolling Hills Community Church - a mega-church a lot closer to Sherwood than campus, which was nice for us.  We had rehearsal the day before in order to figure out where to line up, where to sit, the order of events, etc.  Usual graduation stuff.  The ceremony was for all graduating students of Multnomah University, not just Master of Divinity students, so there were people getting their BA, BS, Master in Counseling, Master in Teaching, Master in TESOL, Master in Pastoral Studies, Master in Biblical Studies, and Master in Divinity.  All told I'd guess there were about 150 graduating students.  Only about 20 of us were MDIV-ers.  But the auditorium was packed!  It sat 2500 people, yet Kathy said it was very hard to find a seat.  A lot of friends and family must have come celebrate.  Wes and Jessi came to the ceremony, but sadly, my parents who were planning on being in town for my graduation are instead still back in a Virginia hospital.  My mom is having heart problems again, and the doctors couldn't get them cleared up fast enough for my folks to make the trip out here.  We're all really bummed that things fell through for them, but glad to hear that my Mom is (slowly) on the up and up.  We're all praying for you, Mom!

Our guest speaker at my graduation ceremony was Luis Palau, who is a Multnomah Alum from 51 years ago and now sits on the school's Board of Trustees.  Luis is also the creator of the Luis Palau Association, which a worldwide evangelism organization.  I guess he's kind of a big deal in evangelical circles.  Anyhow, his talk was quite entertaining - he has a great sense of humor and an amazing passion for Jesus Christ and evangelism.  So his talk helped pass the time (the entire ceremony took about 90 minutes).  As has been the case for all graduation ceremonies I've participated in, I was dead last to cross the stage and receive my diploma, so whatever helped pass the time was appreciated!

Speaking of past graduations, I skipped my undergrad ceremony a couple years back because I was still on active duty in Hawaii...and the school I graduated from is in New Jersey!  So Friday's graduation was the first I'd participated in since High School way back in 1999.  What this meant was I was totally out of touch with all the pomp and circumstance associated with graduating!  I had no idea what the Baccalaureate was, what to wear under my gown/robe/PJs, when to "flip my tassel", when to "get hooded", etc.  Apparently some people take these things very seriously, so I had to be careful throughout rehearsal and then the graduation ceremony not to faux pas!  I ended up wearing my red tassel on my left because I'm a college graduate, and carrying my red, green, and gold hood draped over my left arm, velvet edge out, because as I crossed the stage to receive my diploma, I was stopped and "hooded" by the dean of the seminary.  I was NOT to wear my hood prior to that!  And yes, all those colors have specific meaning to my degree and school.

After my graduation ceremony we retired back to our place with Wes and Jessi (it was after 10pm at this point!).  Kathy made an awesome banana pudding and we all chatted until about 1:30am.

While I'm still on the topic of my graduation, I should take this opportunity to say one last thing:  While I enjoyed my ceremony, I didn't really care much about going through with it.  I’d really have been fine with just skipping it, as I did my undergrad.  I'm definitely happy to have received my degree, but remember that receiving my degree was never my goal.  My M-DIV has always been just a means to an end - to get back into the Navy as a Chaplain.  In fact, even now with my degree, if I don't get back into the Navy, I will probably consider my plan foiled!  I've had so many people congratulate me or ask me how I'm feeling now that I'm done with seminary, and I really appreciate it all.  Everyone has been so kind!  But I'm not celebrating yet.  Success for me will come in about two weeks when I hear the results of the Navy CARE Board.  Even on my last day of class I wasn’t focusing on completing my degree, but getting my final transcripts for my Navy package completed!  Kathy rightly points out that we don't know what God will use with my degree in the future, regardless if the Navy works out or not.  So perhaps my degree will come in handy someday and I should celebrate it!  I acknowledge that.  But for now, we're looking forward to REALLY celebrating when I am accepted into the Navy.  That is when I'll have accomplished what I set out to do when I started seminary.

We are SO blessed to have made it through my masters program in one piece.  Our lives are nothing like they were when we moved here and started four years ago.  We have been shaped for the better not only by my education, but also by our ministry at Agape and Sherwood Community Church, our new friends we've made here in Portland, and our loving and supporting family all over country.  God has truly done some amazing things in our lives to prepare us for what He has in store for us in the future.  So now on to the Navy!

 

Happy Done Day, Dad!

The Zumwalt Ohana is very proud to announce that Zak has completed all of the work for his Master of Divinity degree!!! Yay! His last final was taken on Monday, May 7th, and after much footwork and the coordinated efforts of many people, a certified copy of his transcript has been added to his application package (along with all of the other requirments) and submitted to the Navy. Now we wait to see if the Navy will take us back. There is SO much more to the story and maybe soon we will resurrect this dusty blog and fill The People in on the details....maybe. Is anybody still out there?....Ping...

May 2012 Update

It’s us again, back with another update.  Perhaps these updates will regularly come on a monthly basis since important things are happening much more frequently.  Thank you so much for all the phone calls, emails, and texts on Monday regarding Zak’s last day of seminary and his final transcripts.  I’m happy (and amazed!) to report that all our prayers have been answered!  It’s a long story so here it goes…

As I said in my last update, Zak had gotten his professors to agree to send in their final grades as close to May 7^th as possible and his registrar to agree to process his final transcript as soon as they possibly could.  So then we were just waiting to see if they would all follow through with their agreements.  By Monday morning, 4 of his 7 professors had already submitted their final grades, even though the semester wasn’t even over yet!  Then after his 8:00am class his professor immediately posted Zak’s final grade, making 5 out of 7 grades in.  We knew Zak’s last class grade wouldn’t come in until Monday night or even Tuesday morning because that class didn’t get out until 6:30pm and involved a final exam that had to be graded.  So everyone’s concern mid-Monday was with the 6^th professor.  He was an adjunct that taught a weekend elective course on Domestic Violence about a month ago, and even though he also agreed to have his grade in by May 7^th, no one had heard from him since!  So after discussing it with the registrar (Zak and the registrar were emailing each other throughout the day), Zak decided that if he hadn’t received the professor’s grade by close of business Monday, he would call him that evening with a more firm reminder to get it in first thing Tuesday morning.  But unbeknownst to Zak, the registrar herself contacted the 6^th professor mid-Monday and lit a fire under him, because he sent in his grade just an hour or so later!  So by the time Zak took his last exam from 4:30-6:30pm on Monday, that class was the only class that hadn’t yet sent in its final grade.  And when he turned his final exam in, his professor let Zak know that he had asked his grader to come in and grade his exam that evening instead of waiting until Tuesday morning!  So Monday the 7^th went as good as it possibly could have gone since the registrar’s office was closed by the time Zak’s last class got out.

The high of Monday was replaced by the low of yesterday (Tuesday) morning.  It felt like it was going in slow motion!  It didn’t help that Zak’s recruiter called around 8:30 saying that he had just heard that the CARE Board will be meeting a day earlier, which meant all applications had to be in a day earlier – Wednesday (today) instead of tomorrow.  So Zak anxiously kept waiting to hear from the registrar that she had received his final grade and had begun processing his official transcript.  The concern was that the registrar was going to be out of the office from 11:00-1:00, and then the printer who would print the transcript leaves for the day at 1:15.  So if the registrar didn’t receive Zak’s last grade and process the transcript before 11:00, it most likely wouldn’t be until today that it’d get done.  So we waited and waited…  But again, unbeknownst to Zak, at some point during the morning the registrar actually called the professor and told him how short on time we were!  That got his attention, and around 10:30 yesterday Zak got an email saying all his grades were in!  So Zak hopped in the car and started driving to campus so he could grab the transcript as soon as it was done.  Unfortunately 10:30 was already too late for the registrar…but then she offered to come back during her lunch break to process the transcript so it could be done before the printer left for the day!  So Zak got to campus, waited about half an hour until the registrar took her lunch break and processed his final transcript, and then waited a little longer while the printer printed, certified, and enveloped his transcripts.  He had the transcript in hand around 1:00pm.

As soon as he got them, he got in the car and drove directly to his recruiter’s office to drop them off.  On his way he called his Ecclesiastical Endorser to let him know that his transcript would be scanned and emailed to him in the next couple minutes.  This way as soon as he received it, he could finalize his endorsement form and email it to Zak’s recruiter to also be included in his application package.  And things went exactly as planned - while Zak was standing there at his recruiter’s desk, they emailed Zak’s endorser his transcript, waited a couple minutes, and received his endorser’s endorsement form!  So Zak’s application package was completed yesterday afternoon around 3:30pm, and because of the difference in time with the East Coast, it was formally sent to the CARE Board this morning.  Remember that today is the last possible day it could be submitted!

Needless to say it has been an incredible last couple days!  It’s amazing how many people have been involved in getting Zak’s package completed, and even then it was just barely in time.  It’s still incredible to think that though Zak’s transcripts would normally have come out in mid-June, everyone worked together to get it done the day after his last class (Zak sent the registrar’s office some flowers), and that once Zak had his transcript, everything else fell into place so that his package was done in about an hour!  We think this is even more clear evidence that God’s plan for us remains Navy Chaplaincy and that all of your prayers really make a difference.  So thank you all for keeping us and this process in prayer.  You are truly God’s blessings to us.  And now it’s all done but the waiting!  Zak’s package has been submitted and the CARE Board meets May 23-24 to review it (it was moved up a day).  We will be spending these days between now and then to get reacquainted as a family now that Zak is done with seminary (Yay!), celebrate Zak’s graduation with his parents visiting, and catch our breath before a potentially very busy Summer.  Obviously please remember to pray hard for us on May 23-24 that the CARE Board will accept Zak onto active duty as a Chaplain.

April 2012 Update

We figure it’s been long enough, and we have some new things to fill you in on, so it’s time for another Zumwalt family update.  I know you’re probably thinking, “Wow, we just got an update last month. Is this the same Zumwalt family?”  Well, yes, and sorry to startle you!  But as you can imagine, things are really moving fast for us now, which means there’s more to report more frequently.  And lots of things to be praying about!

In my last update I said Zak was finishing up his Navy Chaplain application package (in the midst of everything else he’s had going on).  Well now it’s officially all done, with the exception of his final transcript from Multnomah and his ecclesiastical endorsement from the Churches of Christ.  But neither of those things will happen until after he graduates.  When his final transcripts come out, one will go directly in his package and another will be sent to his endorser, who upon receipt will finalize his endorsement letter and send it in to his package.  So now we’re just waiting for graduation…  Which is only about 2 weeks away!  It’s so hard to imagine that we’ve been here in Portland and Zak has been going to seminary for almost 4 years.  Time sure has flown by.

However, there’s a catch with Zak’s final transcript (isn’t there always a catch with us!?).  Zak spoke with Multnomah’s registrar and they said final transcripts usually come out around the middle of June.  Obviously this isn’t good news considering he’s trying to submit his package in time for the May CARE Board!  It’s almost laughable how the odds just continue to get stacked against us, so we’re chalking this one up to yet another weird scenario that God will use to make it obvious when we get back onto active duty that it was He alone who made it happen and nothing any of us did.  God’s REALLY whittling down Gideon’s army on us!  So Zak spoke with each of his professors this semester, and then again with the registrar’s office, and they all worked out an agreement where Zak will try to get his assignments turned in ahead of schedule to give his professors a chance to grade them early.  His professors have also agreed to grade his final exams (on the last day of class) first, and then send his final grades straight away to the registrar’s office.  The registrar’s office has agreed that they will process and send out his final transcript as soon as all his final grades are received, which could be as early as May 7^th (Zak’s last day of class).  So if everyone holds to their end of the bargain, instead of Multnomah releasing Zak’s final transcripts in mid-June, they could release them around May 7^th.  As I said earlier, getting his final transcripts as soon as possible means he can (hopefully!) submit his Navy application package in time for the May CARE Board.  So please be praying that our crazy plan goes smoothly and that everyone does their part to get Zak’s transcripts out early.

Also, just today Zak was on the phone with his regional Chaplain recruiter who told Zak that the May CARE Board will take place on May 24-25.  He also learned this may be the last time the CARE Board assembles for this year (because they may have reached their quota for the year).  So please mark those dates in your calendar and pray hard during that time that Zak will get accepted onto active duty!  This also gives us a deadline to try to get his package submitted by.  In the past the CARE Board has wanted all application packages that it will be reviewing that month 2 weeks prior…which in this case is May 10^th…only 3 days after Zak’s last class.  So we definitely want to get Zak’s final transcripts turned in as close to May 7^th as possible!

Thank you so much for sharing with us in this faith building experience! Please let us know if there is anything we can be praying about for you also! As always, we feel blessed to be on this journey with you!

March 2012 Update

It’s already March and we now have a 6 year old! Where has the time gone? Rest assured it is not slowing down! This year has taken off like a rocket for our family and we have a lot to look forward to and a lot to pray about. So, we are writing to give you a brief update and also to solicit prayers on our behalf.

Koa celebrated his 6th birthday at our Sherwood YMCA with about 15 of his friends from church, his kindergarten class, and around town.  We reserved their party room and their climbing wall - and all of Koa's little friends loved it!  We weren't sure how he or anyone else would handle climbing the rock wall, but none of the little ones had any reservations at all.  No one got scared and a handful even made it all the way to the top!  After climbing for about an hour, we went into our party room where we opened presents and ate an awesome birthday cake made by our good friend, Chris Flores, who is a cake decorator.  Koa requested a volcano cake, so Chris built a 1 foot tall cake with a hole at the top where he could drop dry-ice to make the cake smoke!  Then the volcano was decorated with lava and Dinosaur Train characters.  Pretty cool cake!  And a very fun birthday party.  A big success!

Shifting gears, Zak is now in his final semester at Multnomah and has started the process of applying to go back into the Navy as an active duty chaplain. He worked hard to get as much of the package (which is really complex and multifaceted) done as possible during his Christmas holiday.  He didn't get it all finished, so between classes, work, and homework assignments he is trying to take care of the final interviews and paperwork that needs to be done to complete the package. As soon as he graduates, that should complete his portion of the process and his portfolio will be presented to a board who will decide whether or not the Navy would like to take him as a chaplain. The board meets every month to make these selections. When Zak went for one of his final interviews with an active duty chaplain last week he was informed that currently they have about 22 chaplains applying each month and only 5 slots available. When we started this journey the Navy was hurting for chaplains and it was almost a guarantee that if you meet the requirements you would get in. Now, with the change in economy and changes in military budgets the tables have turned. Maybe you can imagine that news made us a bit uneasy.

We know that God did not bring us here to abandon us and we have felt all along that this was a clear calling in this direction. We have been given many opportunities to see God’s faithfulness in this process and have full confidence that if something has changed and the Navy is not the way He wants us to go He will show us that and how in the world to get to that next place. We do want to be open to all possibilities and not get so tunnel visioned that we miss the message.

Our request for prayers is for peace in the uncertainty. Satan has been working on Zak to really distract him from the work at hand with this uncertainty. We also would like prayers for the timing of everything. Much of our funding will cease as soon as school ends for Zak (over half of our monthly budget). So, I don’t want to say we are anxious because we have seen God provide for us in amazing ways but we are definitely excited to be accepting a regular pay check again and I’m sure most of our donors would say the same. We also would like you to pray for open hearts and open minds for all of us. If God is re-directing us and the passion for Zak to become a chaplain was just the tool to get us to this place that we will be ready and able to change directions and see where God is guiding us next.

Thank you so much for the love and support you all have shown us all along this journey! We are inspired and empowered by you. Thank you for your prayers as we finish up this chapter of our lives and move on to the next. I’m excited to see what the next chapter holds!

December 2011 Update

Now that we're living in Sherwood, and on staff at Sherwood Community Church of Christ, we're trying to develop a totally new missional mindset. Now we are learning about ministering to those in a more affluent, self-reliant context.  The struggles are ultimately the same as those who live in the city, but they take on a different hue. Right now we are facilitating a recovery group for co-dependency and helping with a home community group focused on this book, as well as whatever else we are asked to do. We spend a lot of time just trying to get to know members of our community and see where Jesus is already working so we might join Him.

Between moving and starting groups here in Sherwood we also took a road trip as a family to Tennessee to attend a retreat/conference that we try to attend every year. This year I was asked to teach one of the classes which was quite an honor for me. I prayed about it and felt like it was something I was supposed to do. So when we got the news that we would be moving we only considered for a second not going to the retreat. We decided if God wanted me to be there He would also provide what we needed for that to work out. As always, He did. We moved in and unpacked our last box on a Friday, packed our bags, made food, etc on Saturday and left on Sunday. We took about three weeks to do the whole trip and got back in time to have about one week before Zak got on a plane and headed to Great Lakes, IL to do his summer Navy Chaplain drilling for three weeks.  Zak got back from drilling on a Friday, we celebrated Arwen’s first birthday on Sunday, and Zak started this fall semester on Monday!  And that was the end of our busy summer and the beginning of our busy fall! 

Just as Zak started back to school, Koa was starting school for the very first time. He couldn’t have been more excited!  One of the great things about moving to Sherwood is that we made a dramatic upgrade in public schools!  His teacher is amazing and he is learning so much so fast that it is hard to keep up!  He only goes to school from 11:40-2:15 every day, but he comes home and wants to practice everything he has learned. He is quite the budding artist now, and is making great strides in his ability to read and write.  Just this morning he wrote and directed a play for him, Caspian and Arwen to star in. In the interest of sanity and naps we cut it down to the bare bones and Santa just delivered packages with Caspian as Rudolph and Arwen as the helpful elf. J We had our first parent-teacher conference a couple weeks ago and we couldn’t be more proud of him. Mrs. Thompson wrote that Koa is “a delight to have in class, hard working, polite and cooperative, a positive leader in the class and well regarded by his peers.”  Whose kid is this!?  Koa is also on par or ahead in everything he is learning. As a side note, I get to volunteer in his classroom every Friday, and it is a joy to see how everything works and to interact with some of his classmates. We are so thankful for such a great first school experience for Koa (and the rest of us)!

When Koa is getting ready for School in the morning I sometimes hear Caspian tell him, “Koa, I’ll miss you while you are at school.” Then Koa will reassure him that he (Caspian) will have fun while they are apart and that he’ll be home soon. Caspian will wave and yell, “Bye, Koa! Bye, Koa! Bye, Koa!” at the top of his lungs until the bus pulls away. If Koa can’t hear Caspian calling once he gets on the bus, the bus driver will point it out so Koa can go to the window and wave goodbye.  It melts my heart every time! Of course, they also fight like brothers a lot, too, so we have to have lots of intervention for that. Sometimes I have them sit on the bottom step and work it out before they can resume playing. One day I heard Koa saying, “Caspian, one day Daddy and Mommy aren’t going to be around anymore. You wanna be friends?” I’m not sure what that means or if Zak and I should start watching our backs!

Caspian has become quite the talker now and loves to tell stories and sing or recite rhymes. He is as tough as nails and built sooo solid – you pick him up and it’s like lifting a bag of cement. We’re pretty sure he weighs the same amount as Koa.  And he’s scared of nothing…which is scary for us. This summer he borrowed a balance bike from a friend and rode that thing to death. Literally. He broke the front wheel completely off. This summer we went pretty much everywhere by bike. Koa in front, Caspian next then me pulling Arwen in a bike trailer. We were like a little family of ducks. Riding behind Caspian was 1 part delight and 2 parts terror all the time. He loved it so much and he was really good at it, but soooo daring that it was a little freaky. When he did crash he would usually jump up and say, “I’m ok!” or just get back on while he was still crying and go again. Caspian also loves to go to StoryTime at the library (Ms. Theresa is a very gifted story teller and author!) and will listen intently to every story, but won’t participate in any of the other activities…until we get home. Then he recites everything word for word or wants to play the games over and over. He still loves to help me cook and was a junior chef for Halloween. Now he has to share the folding steps in the kitchen with Arwen,since she also wants to be in the middle of whatever we are doing.

Arwen is a delight! She is sooo sweet and sooo right in the middle of everything. I can’t believe how aware she is of everything that is going on around her and constantly trying to keep up and be involved. Someone commented the other day about her awareness and said, “It’s like she’s a four year old in a very tiny body.” She is. She just “gets it” all the time. She is an eerie combination of Caspian’s determined spirit and Koa’s carefulness. The other day she was throwing a fit and was about to throw herself to the floor in anguish when she noticed that it was a tile floor. She stopped crying, carefully lowered herself to the floor so as not to get hurt, then continued with the anguish. It’s hard to take the anguish very seriously at that point! She also loves reading books and singing, but I think she loves dancing more than either of the boys ever did. Anything with a rhythm will get her attention! When she’s on the potty she will grab her little baby iPod and turn it on, set it down next to her potty, and then grab a book to read. She’s gotta have her music! She’s starting to sign a few things and says just a few words and phrases, but nothing really consistent, yet. I’m convinced that just like when she started walking, she won’t talk until she decides she is ready and then she will start by telling entire stories.

The boys really miss our Portland back yard and the neighbors that they could just run outside and play with. It’s a bummer that we don’t have a yard, but it keeps us more active in the community trying to get out of the house more often. It was easy to stay home back when we had our own place for them to play. We have met a lot of new friends at the playground and the local toy store where we like to go play when the weather is cold and dreary. Other than that, we really like our new house. It is much warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer! The lay-out is really conducive to having friends over for meals. We love that!

When we made the decision to move to Sherwood it was a leap of faith in a lot of ways, but maybe the most dramatic leap was financially. Our rent almost doubled by moving here! Also, Zak is not getting the same financial aid he has gotten the last three years because the scholarship he was awarded was only for three years. For a move that was not planned and prepared for, these financial changes were a REALLY big deal. We were confident that if this was the direction the Spirit was leading us it would work out, but it was a nervous time since the numbers just didn’t add up. In addition to that, Zak didn’t get paid for the drilling he did in the summer until last week (yes, four months late)!  I’m sure most or all of you have been there when things just aren’t making sense and sometimes you barely have enough hope, much less faith to get you through.

I was having one of those mornings one day and I woke up praying that God would just be very obvious and show us what we were supposed to do financially.  Was I or Zak supposed to get a job somewhere?  How would that work with schedules and kids? Who is going to hire someone that can only work for 12very specific hours a week!? So, I committed that I was going to be open to ANYTHING and I was going to be aware of His leading. Later that day I walked into the local donut shop (where we stop on our way to and from StoryTime at the library) and the owner said, “Hey Katie, I’ve got a name tag for you. Are you coming to work for me?” I looked at the name tag and said, “Haidar, my name’s not Katie.” This was a normal joke for us because he could never remember my name. He said, “Oh, well if I get one with your name on it will you work for me?”  I know I must have had a pretty dumb look on my face, and jokingly said something like, “Sure, if you want me to...”  But I didn’t say anything to Zak about my prayer or this conversation with Haidar.

A couple days later Zak was talking with Haidar in the donut shop (this was atypical, we don’t usually go to the donut shop that many times in a week! J), so when I walked in, Zak said, “Haidar says you’re going to work for him….is this true?”  Again with the dumb look, “I think I’m supposed to….”

Zak: “You know you’d be selling donuts, right?”

Me: “Yeah.” More dumb looks.

Zak: “You know they’re not local, or organic, or fair trade, or sustainable, right?”

Me: “Yeah.” More dumb looks.

Zak: “You know you’re a personal trainer, right?”

Me:  “Yeah.” More dumb looks.

Zak:  “You know you will probably be making minimum wage, right?”

Me:  “I don’t think this is just about paying the bills…”

That’s when I told him about my prayer and the fact that Haidar offered me the job without me asking. I told Zak we would pray about it, talk details, and see if there was any way it would work. There would be lots of opportunities for closed doors. About that time, Haidar came back out and told me to go home and talk with Zak, decide what hours I would be available and let him know. So I did and he said, “Perfect.” Haidar needed some extra help in the shop while they would be away in the coming weeks.

So, that is what I have been doing Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings for 12 hours a week while Zak watches the kids. My new job doesn’t solve our financial issues since I get paid so little, but it certainly helps. I even met a retired man who comes in regularly who raises organic, grass fed beef sort of as a hobby and he gave us a smokin’ good deal on a quarter of a beef!  In fact, between the donut shop and volunteering at Koa’s school, I have met nearly everyone in town at some point (isn’t it amazing how God strategically placed us where we can be most visible). I have had the chance to work with some really great people and meet lots of new Sherwoodians! Haidar and Lama came over for dinner two nights ago with their youngest son, Isa (who is a year older than Koa). He and Lama are Muslim and had just gotten back from their month long pilgrimage to the Middle East, so we got to talk about their experiences in Mecca and Medina. And Grandma’s chicken noodle soup is a winner even with halal chicken!

I’m sorry this letter is so long. I hope it communicates to you what has been going on over the past months. More than that, I hope it shows how much fun we are having learning new things and being stretched. I’ll be the first to admit it’s not always comfortable, but that’s not what it’s about. We are hopefully learning more every day about bringing the kingdom of God into our every day lives and letting God really work in us personally. It’s tricky when we know we are being prepared for a long term goal to try to be present in the moment and effect the lives of those around us right now. Isn’t that true for all of us? We can have our eyes set on eternity and forget about the here and now. But when Jesus taught his disciples how to pray he said, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” I hope as we are learning this important lesson we are encouraging you, too, to be present and aware of how you are bringing the Kingdom of God to those around you.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support! May you have a wonderful holiday season as you celebrate the birth of our Savior! 

 

To Kindergarten...and Beyond!

Well, today was Koa's first day of school.  Wasn't he just born!?  How is he already our big kindergartner!?  He's going to Hopkins Elementary School here in Sherwood, which is close enough to ride our bikes from our house.  So we figure we'll ride our bikes back and forth as long as the weather's good, and then when it starts raining for the rest of the year, he can take the bus.  Koa's excited about both.  So for his first day of school we rode our bikes.  This district does half-day kindergarten, and he's in the PM class, so he goes from 11:40 to 2:15.

Koa had Orientation 2 days ago which was an abbreviated day to let him see what Kindergarten is going to be like.  We called it his "Practice Day".  We got his backpack all set and found where to lock up his bike and where his classroom was located in the school.  I (Zak) was actually not there to drop Koa off for Practice Day (I was in school myself), but Kathy reports that Koa was about 30 feet in front leading the way towards his room.  No timidity in that boy!

For the last couple days we've been discussing with him various topics in preparation for Kindergarten, and school life in general.  Most of these things we've been working on for years now, so whenever we broached the subject again this time Koa would say, "I KNOW that already, Dad!"  We think maybe he does.  He knows that not only is he not to be a bully, but that we expect him to defend those who can't defend themselves against bullies.  To stand with the weaker kids.  He knows that bullies aren't bad kids or even intend to be mean, but that they maybe haven't had a good example of how to treat other people.  He needs to be a good example to bullies.  He knows that the only people allowed to pick him up from school are Mom, Dad, and Uncle Wes - if anyone else tries to pick him up, he's to tell a teacher.  And he knows that his pistole is for him alone - no one else is allowed to see it or touch it.  If someone tries he's to, tell a teacher.  I think those were the big things we've been preparing him with.

So, all 5 of us rode our bikes (well, Caz and Arwen rode in the trailer) over to Koa's school to take him to his first day of Kindergarten.  Ms. Thompson's policy is that everyone lines up outside the classroom against the wall and then she'll let them all in together.  So when we got there Koa stood in his line with his new little classmates, and we stood in our line on the opposite wall with the rest of the parents dropping their kids off for the first time.  When Ms. Thompson came out she welcomed everyone, gave the kids some instructions on what they were to do once they got in, and then they all started filing towards the door.  But just as Koa was about to go inside, he looked over at us, stopped, and told Ms. Thompson that he had to give his brother a hug real quick!  She chuckled and said that was fine, so he jumped out of line, ran over to Caz and gave him a big hug, gave me a quick hug, then ran into his classroom!

A few (short) hours later we peddled back over to Koa's school to pick him up.  When we got there, his class was already outside walking towards the queue of buses.  When Koa saw us, he jumped out of line and ran over to leave with us, but was stopped by his teacher's aid.  Apparently the default is to put Koa on his bus; not to have us pick him up.  So now we know that if we're going to pick Koa up on our bikes in the afternoon, we need to send a note in the morning saying as much.  Tomorrow Koa will ride the bus back and forth just to see what that experience is like.  He's pretty excited about it.  Luckily, the bus stops right here at our house!

From what we've been able to get out of Koa, he enjoyed his first day.  He didn't miss us at all, he says.  He made one new friend (Bradley) and had 2 storytimes on the carpet.  They began working on a class picnic basket that when completed (based on their behavior), they will use to go outside on a class picnic.  He learned a new song (something about 8 pigs in a row) and had a fruit snack.  Koa told us that his fruit snack had corn syrup in it, but he decided that if we were there with him, we would have allowed him to choose for himself if he was going to eat it or not.  So he chose to eat it!  Also, the class's "person of the day" taught them the letter of the day (his teacher dressed as a magician and pulled a motorcycle, a mug, and a moose out of her magic hat.  Can you guess what the letter of the day was!?  

You can see the handful of pictures we took today in Koa's photo album.  Now we'll see what Koa's second day of Kindergarten brings...

Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen, We Have a Bi-ped!

Happy Birthday, Baby Sister!

It's hard to believe it's been a whole year...what a whirlwind year it has been!! And what a joy getting to know our sweet Arwen! She is an incredible little person! Her smiles can light up a room and they come easily and often. She loves hanging out with her big brothers and is just now trying to say their names. Sometimes she just defaults to "browa", though. It is so delightful to hear the three of them laughing together! Of course, sometimes they are too rough and there are tears instead, but for the most part they are pretty, well sort of, careful.  But she is pretty tough so they usually get by just fine.

Zak was in Great Lakes, IL for three weeks playing Navy and missed Arwen's actual birthday by three days, so we decided not to celebrate until he returned. On the day of her birthday we just celebrated by watching the video from the day of her birth when the boys first got to meet her. That was so fun to see their reactions again and to see just how much they have changed in this year. When Zak returned we spent one evening celebrating as a family and opening gifts together (you can see her sweet little vintage rocking horse which she loves in the picture above!), then the next Sunday we invited friends to join us for Sunday Parkways immediately followed by her party at a playground. There were a few mishaps and disasters along the way, but it turned out to be a great party with friends both new and old from Sherwood and Portland! We enjoyed ice cream cones together and sang "Happy Birthday" as well as her favorite song, "Skinnamarinkado". She loved the coconut ice cream and had a ball playing on the playground. She even climbed up the slide and turned around and came back down all by herself for the first time! And she was delighted by it!

Afterward we all rode our bikes around the park a bit more (well, Arwen rode in the trailer) and then we went to our favorite wings place (Fire on the Mountain).  Usually Arwen loves chewing on the chicken bones, but on this occasion she was crashed out the entire time! I guess we wore her out!

You can see pictures of Arwen's first birthday in her photo album.