Houston, we have a yard!

Well, Jon and I have made a bit more progress on the yard. The grass is in and growing fairly well. The parking strip may have been a bad idea or maybe it was just a bad idea to skip the step of automatic sprinklers to the parking strip. Regardless, it's turning a lovely shade of crispy. We did make it out to the nursery and picked up some plants. As is always the case with us we are a bit impulsive and typically don't think through our purchases. When we got them home and planted them I had wished I had gone with a color scheme. Ah well. We had fun putting them in the ground and it sorta made it look like it was coming together. We re-purposed the flagstone pieces we had and made a little path. Pretty much in an attempt to acknowledge that our children will run across the flowers so we might as well give them a guide.

We also discovered that the second huge rock we couldn't move actually makes a nice little piece in our front yard. The brown thing you see behind it is a plant I tried to save from the parking strip. It still looks like this so I'm throwing in the towel and buying a replacement.

Well, a few weeks later and all the plants along the fence are toast. Let that be a lesson that just because it says "full sun" apparently does not mean full sun. And, yes, I am watering them! I'm not too heartbroken however because like I said, I should have had more of a plan. So I'm chocking this up to a lesson learned and will head back to the nursery for some replacements. As much as I hate to admit it perhaps there was something to be said for the drought and sun tolerant plants we ripped up to put in the lawn.

Smiles

Eli swinging away at the park

Ava and Jillian with our first harvest from our garden

Its a tough life living in a house full of girls. Eli often willingly plays their games but decides that enough is enough with the princess garb. I suppose the puffy sleeves were tolerable but the headband definitely had to go.

Eli is working on a mouth full of teeth right now. It just looks painful. This was shortly after the tops came in and I think he had no idea what to do with his mouth. Will it close? Ha! He now has four on top and two on the bottom.

Hey, Mom! I'm growing!

Some days we are reminded that Eli can grow. We walked into his room one day and saw him standing straight up in his crib just smiling away. The kid could have completely toppled over the edge, especially with his scaling abilities. Yeah, you'd think we'd get a hint after three kids. Really I think you're super safety-conscious with the first and it all goes downhill from there. We did lower the mattress (in case you were wondering).

See, proof we do fun things.

We took advantage of the free transit day two weeks ago to ride light rail downtown and check out the Alice in Wonderland exhibit at the Children's Discovery Museum. The exhibit was only so-so but we had a good time. The train ride is always more of a hit than anything we do once we're there.







We accidentally discovered a free drumming class at our local library. We were there for our regular library trip and heard drumming coming from down the hallway. Ava opened up the door and we saw a handful of children drumming away. The instructor invited us to stay...and stay....and stay. Turns out the drum class lasts an hour. The kids had an amazing time and Ava went up to the instructor at the end and asked if they do this every week. Just for added clarification she then asked if they are there every week from 4:00-5:00pm. When he responded yes

she declared that we would be there the very next Thursday and every week after that. So we have gone pretty much weekly since then. Jillian isn't a huge fan but is warming up to it. Her favorite part is when they pretend to be a marching band and occasionally she shouts out that she is a rock star! Eli and Ava however are in heaven when there. I have never known an infant to sit for an hour and do anything but he is incredibly content to sit and bang away. I'm amazed sometimes at the hidden gems you sometimes stumble upon. Turns out the instructor is a librarian who
purchased the drums himself and teaches the class each week.

Free is good but a class with an instructor who loves what he does is even better.

Dos and Doodles

Jillian surprised me today with a fist full of her long blonde locks. "Mama! I cut my hair!" She was just beaming and I was just in shock so I grabbed the camera trying to minimize the situation so she wouldn't be tempted to do it again. "Just taking a picture for Daddy" I responded while knowing I was really trying to capture the humor of it all. The child is obsessed with fashion, color, hairstyles and everything sparkly. In fact, Jon and I just commented the other day that we should put the scissors away as any day now she would take them to her golden hair. Well, Jillian, here is the first picture for your style portfolio:




Now normally we wouldn't worry too much about her attempts to style her own hair. The child knows what she wants! But we are worried as she seems to also have a propensity toward tatooing. Take a look at what literally happened in the backseat of our van on a ride home from church:



I wish I could say this was the first time. If given a marker, the child instantly begins to draw on herself. And not small, tiny little marks but gleefully all over any patch of skin she can reach. She thinks its simply fabulous.

And I am simply making sure she stays far away from motorcycles.

Is there a doctor in the house?

Ava picked up this book a month or two ago and has been reading it non-stop ever since. Today she brought it to me and asked me to read through the sections on choking, drowning and teething. She tells me she likes it because it has babies in it. She is now even discovering symptoms and diagnosing Eli and Jillian for me. I have to say its a bit disturbing to read passages on drowning to your five-year old but hey, maybe she really is a doctor in training. The kid has a memory like a steel trap which should come in handy for memorizing the bones of the body and all sorts of weird diseases. What a crackup! Give us a call if you're needing some medical advice for your little ones. Perhaps Ava will act as your advice nurse.

He knows the way to San Jose

Who is this guy, you ask? Only our last possible chance to break this awful streak of luck our San Jose Sharks have faced year after year, playoff series after playoff series. Yep, the San Jose Sharks are announcing tomorrow the hiring of Detroit Red Wings assistant coach Todd McLellan as Sharks head coach. Woot!

By the way, to the guy who sits in front of us at each game, I'd just like to point out that former coach Ron Wilson made a statement today that Vesa Toskala (now of the Toronto Maple Leafs) is one of the NHL's finest goalies. I would like to officially state for the record that despite Evegeni Nabokov's fine playoff performance (well, okay, most of it was fine) I still hold to my belief that they never should have let Vesa go. VESA! VESA! VESA!
[jon would say that all the opinions provided above are limited to sara and are in no way the expressed opinions of the olson family collectively]

We can't let it go by--Ava's Fifth Birthday

I can't let my children get skipped over so here are pictures from Ava's fifth birthday. Can you believe five years have gone by? She is such a blessing to us. We are thankful to God every day that He gave us to her as her parents. Its amazing to look back and recall the events of her birth, the injury to her arm and the fervent praying we did for her healing. There are so many friends and family members who prayed for her...even strangers! We are constantly amazed at the "first miracle" (as we tell Ava) that God performed for her. Not only is her arm moving but it doesn't hold her back at all. She even completed her first season in baseball, something we weren't sure she'd ever do. Wow.

She is such a joy to our family. Her strong spirit, her thirst to learn, her care and compassion for others makes her special. We're excited to see her grow and change. We love you, Ava bug!

The clown cone, our family tradition

Ava's birthday gift, she was so excited!

Riding her first bike

Ava had a princess dress-up party with friends the next day, here is the cake mama made!

We made crowns together

Grandpa O and Grandma B get into the dress up spirit

Jillian shows off her design

Grandma O made Ava a puppet theater, beautiful!


Uncle Andrew comes dressed in his uniform

Summer is a comin'!

Summer is here and here are pictures of the kids enjoying the outdoors and the beach with our friends, the Johnsons!

Ava busy reading in our front yard

Jillian and Ava enjoying some backyard splashing

Finn and Eli hanging out at the Boardwalk

Eli riding his first Merry Go Round

Ava completely enthralled with the Merry Go Round

Swimming at Grandmas

Girl Power-less

Ladies, have you gone to a Bible study lately? Let me guess... A study on motherhood? A study on what it is to be a good wife? Maybe a study on joy? Peace in a rushed life?

When was the last time you sat around the table or in a coffee shop or on the phone and had a true discussion on Christianity, the Word, the power of God with another woman? Not a pastor. Not your husband. Not your dad. Another woman.

See, I've been struggling with this lately. I dont know if its a soon-to-be-30 thing or what but I've really been looking at who I am and why I've become this person. I find myself lately struggling spiritually and not having an outlet to share. I'm not having a crisis of faith but rather a growth spurt of faith but I find myself limited as a woman to this false belief that Christian Women aren't interested in the down and dirty truths of scripture. Instead we're limited to exploring ourselves as Christ created us femininely. I've been invited or shared in studies studying what are supposedly five aspects of women (really? just five?), studies on what it means to be a faith-filled mother and a really bad study on what it is to be a faith-filled wife (it involved carrying a notepad around and writing down all the things my husband had to say. Ha!) But when I lately attempted to explore the concept of Holy Spirit power with a group of girlfriends I was given a blank look and a conversation change.

It extends into ministry as well. I've been involved in a fairly large ministry geared toward women and let me tell you that the time spent making things pretty (or thinking about making things pretty or shopping to make things pretty) far exceeds the time spent on thinking about what it means to be Christ-like and share Christ in a life-changing way.

I don't want to grow jaded but I'm beginning to wonder if the women in my life care. Has Christianity become just another thing to wear? A label to stick on ourselves? Or does it have a life-changing power that is evident in all things? Do women just not want to talk about scripture or challenge the way we do life? Or do they not know how?

I find that as women we're in a tricky spot as well. Since I don't have girlfriends to talk about these things with, it means I am left to discuss them with men. And I can only go so deep with another gal's husband or boyfriend. As I told Jon yesterday, its not like I can ask Jack Doe to go out to coffee with me so we can read through the book of Acts together. You all know it just doesn't work that way.

So instead I hold the three (yes, only three!) women in my life who I feel I can really be open and honest with close to my heart. But what's holding the others back? Is it feeling that you don't know scripture well? Is it feeling uncertain of your faith? Is it a feeling that someone else can say it better than you? The Word is powerful stuff but only if we're speaking it! A God-changed life is amazing but only if we're living it! And we can only grow if we're reading it, talking it and praying it. Clearly, I would love to do all three with you.

Jesus for President

I've been trying to read this book written by Shane Claiborne. Its been a tough read and challenging to some of my ideas about God and how we view government, war and the like. Anyhow, I wanted to share that Shane will be in SF in July discussing his book and I imagine discussing intentional communities and new monasticism. Very intriguing stuff! I can't say I'm about to sell everything I have and intentionally move to the inner city quite yet but it inspires me to think about what God intended for the church and us as believers. Let's just say Paul wasn't working a 9 to 5 job with a mortgage while he was spreading the gospel an establishing the early church.

Here's a flyer for you. Let me know if you want to go and perhaps we can all head up together. I make no promises for content or theology only a promise for good food for thought. (They are touring nationwide so I'm sure he'll hit up a city near you as well)

What a day!

So before going to Germany back in March, I received support for the trip from Sara's aunt's Church, Oasis Bible Fellowship(http://www.oasisbiblefellowship.org/) in Roseville, CA. Thats about 2.5 hours north of us in San jose and about 20 min north of our state capital, Sacramento (For all the non california readers).

Well they area a small church of about 50 members and so I was really surprised when they came forward with support. They have a heart for outreach and viewed me as a direct missionary for there church this year. What a great honor. Well their gift came with a stipulation, they would give me one amount guaranteed but if I came up and shared about the trip, they'd increase the amount. Well, since I really wanted to make sure the trip was paid for, speaking didn't seem to bad, as long as it was not a whole sermon! Today was the day for that sermon. Well just 5-10minutes. So I made up a presentation in powerpoint, not knowing what the church would have available. The speaking was good, people were interested in the Ship ministry which is really great. So just before church starts they tell they are way up on the technology! I'm talking live streaming video of the sermon on Sundays and recast all week on their website. This was a little daunting. So I was seen throughout cyberspace today. Like I said, it went great and really helped me remember why I went, what God touched me with since going and how God's love does shine through. Well we ended up going to the church picnic, sharing food and fun with a lively congregation. Even a little kick ball in the field. It was a long driving day, but the kids were perfect. Hope God touched you this Sunday, because Church is about connection to God and his people, not just a time to fill the hours between breakfast and lunch.

The art of saying no....to ourselves.

Jon and I have been taking classes through Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University the last few weeks at our new church home, Twin Oaks Church. Its been an interesting time. Our valley is full of people who are hurting financially right now. We are fortunately not in a tough situation but we were recognizing how lazy we were with our money. At the end of each month we were looking at each other with an expression of, "Where did we spend all our money?" Now Dave Ramsey has seven baby steps to financial freedom which include (in order!):

1. $1000 to start an emergency fund
2. Pay off all debt using the debt snowball
3. 3 to 6 months of expenses in savings
4. Invest 15% of household income into Roth IRAs and pre-tax retirement
5. College funding for children
6. Pay off home early
7. Build wealth and give!

Our class totaled up their debt and aside from home ownership (which was something like $10 million dollars worth) the class had about $3 million dollars in debt. Can you believe that??? At first I was just flat out shocked at that number and could NOT figure out how people could be so "irresponsible" with their money. But after working through our budget I realized that we really aren't any better. Sure, we live within our means and aren't operating in debt. But we're working without a plan. We'd just head out to dinner because we could. We'd start that home project because we could. We'd take a quick weekend trip somewhere because we could. But long term? Oh, that was so far off and besides, we contribute to a 401K so we don't have to worry. Right?

Anyhow, I'd like to say we've had some big epiphany and have scrimped and saved for our 6 months of expenses savings but we're not quite there yet. But it has changed how we're viewing our finances and our life. What are our priorities? How are we using what God is giving us to bless others and bless his church? I (Sara) am going through some growing pains as I humbly pull out my cash envelope system and pay cash (horrors!) for my groceries and document each penny I'm spending. But its been good and its disciplining me in ways I have never been disciplined before. Its causing Jon and I to look at our financial choices and our goals and develop a real plan to get there. We're thinking before we start a project and trying to learn the art of saving for our wants. None of this is new for our parents or grandparents but in this age of excess this is a new challenge for us. I suppose one could call it "the art of saying no....to ourselves."

Anyhow, I hope maybe this is encouraging to our friends and readers out there. We are seeing people in our class get serious about their debt and others get serious about their spending habits. I would wholeheartedly recommend this to everybody. The lessons aren't new but its that accountability that has helped us finally bite the bullet and make a budget. And its been fun. We're working our way through the Baby Steps and currently thinking a lot about our home, the high cost of Bay Area living and how this works with the things that we know God has called us to. We'll keep you all posted and maybe we'll all live long enough to see us make it Baby Step #7.

Germany - HFOT

So over the course of the week, my main roll was to assist Harold and Karl in the engine room. Taking the engine head apart, cleaning, and rebuilding.

Along the way we got to spend a lot of time with the other ship mates. Dinners are a big end of day relief. People are tried from the hard labor but then each night there was something to do. Monday is worship night. Always nice to just have a time of worshiping God. Tuesday was swing dance night.
We had decided to walk into town as a group to find ice cream. It was a nice cold night - <40 deg F (4C)
Wednesday the group wanted to get dinner in town. So off to the local brewery we went. It was taste, I had the schnitzel. We also had a n appetizer of raw meat, disgusting. Wednesday night was also a speaker night with a guest from the Wycliff bible translators. What a great ministry. Please look them up on the web. They are working really hard and have advanced the process to translate the bible into new languages. We still have a ways to go until God's command to reach all people groups is completed. there is time for all to get involved.
Brewery shot
Sterling in mid bite.Thursday night was Pray meeting night. This is an "open mic" type setting where people bring up anything or any group they would like to pray for. We prayed for a orphanage in Thailand started by a surfer. We prayed for water wells in Gianna. A school in Ethiopia. The Logos hope and al the individual needs still required by the ship. It was really fun to interact more with other ship members. After Rod and I sat and talked for a while with two individuals, Sue Kim from Malaysia. her and her husband spend 2 years on the Logos II doing mission work and now are doing 9-months on Logos Hope. Bethia an Aussie surfer from Australia had been on Logos Hope only 1 month when we talked and was really enjoying her time. She was looking for God to work in her during her stay, but was on fire for God.

So as we moved on to Friday, the last work day for most, not us, but getting ahead. The Friday work day was busy, we were working hard to finish a couple of the engines we had dismantled. It was a nice completion day. Then I ran into Jana - the engine room project worker coordinator. All week she would ask me about the Heavy Fuel Oil Tank cleaning operation and if I would go into the tank. The HFOT is a large vat where all of the oil for the engine system is stored. The new generators they are planning to add to the ship were going to be welded above this tank, so it needed to be drained and cleaned. Most of the sludge had been scoped out during the previous weeks, but now they needed people to do detail cleaning. So I asked what was required. She said that you have to be ok with very small spaces, loud noises and darkness. We'll I'm usually not ok with any of these things, I thought this was what true mission oriented people would volunteer for. So Saturday morning, it was off to the tank. First thing is to be completely gowned up. Heavy boots, heavey gloves, head covering, coveralls, disposable oil coveralls over these, ear plugs and a head lamp. Head Lamp!! There is no lighting in the tank. So Jana, pulls out this paper with a grid layed out. Looks to be about 10 x 15 rectangles on this grid. She points to on side of the shart and shows me my grid marking and then shows the other volunteer (sucker) her grid marking on the complete other side. She hands us a bucket with a toothbrush, a larger brush, diesel fuel for cleaning oil and rags. Then its off to this openning in the floor of the engine room.

Hole in floor.

Look carefully b/c you can see the side hole I had to climb into. My dark dungeon. So the Heavy Fuel oil tank is made up of compartments, each about 4.5 feet long, 3 feet wide and 3.5 feet high. There is a 24" hole between each compartment. Down the ladder and turn left, stoop into the black abyss and start the up down process to get to my compartment. Last one on the row. My job was to sit in this box and clean the weld joints in all the corners. We would be in there for at least two hours and Jana would signal us with a loud bang noise when it was time to come out. Its pitch black, its supper loud and you have to get really close to the welds to clean them with the tooth brush and diesel fuel. God was testing me. I did the best I could and when I was done I knew I had completed my week on the ship. I even got an award. :)

Thanks again to all that supported me financially or with prayers. I feel the trip has helped be more attentive to God's workings in my life and how he plans to mold me moving forward. Thanks again.

Jon