"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee"

Photo courtesy Matthew R. Throssell

For one of my favorite date nights on record, Cliff bought tickets for us to go and see "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee." I'd never really heard of this show and certainly didn't know what it was about, but it had come recommended from Cliff's parents.

Cliff surprised me with tickets and we attended the show two weeks ago. It was awesomely hilarious! The show was witty, the music was creative, and the venue for this show was small and you really felt part of the spelling bee. They even had audience members participate. Couldn't have been better!

Haven't seen it? You must go.

For our Seattle friends, you can buy tickets for $20 by clicking HERE. The show runs through August 14th.

Adoption Update: PRIDE Training

We began our PRIDE training on Monday, July 19. PRIDE is a Foster Parent and Adoptive Parent Preparation Course offered by Washington state. Completion of this class is the next step in our adoption journey. Essentially, this class fulfills a requirement of the state and our adoption agency, Antioch Adoptions.

To be honest, we weren't exactly sure what this class would cover. I thought it would mostly involve information about adoption and foster care law, whereas Cliff aniticipated it would be more about how to care for and meet the unique needs of children in the foster care system. After the first night of our class, we realized we were both right.

The class we are attending is taught by a social worker who works for Washington State's Department of Social and Health Services, Children's Administration (DSHS/CA). Over the course of the five nights, we will learn about the foster care system's organizational structure, foster care and adoption law, attachment, discipline, connections to birth parents, etc.

We're excited to learn about how adoption works in our state, learn about the unique challenges that some children in the foster care system may have, and connect with other people who are interested in adoption or foster care. We also will have opportunities to hear from children who were part of the foster care system, foster parents, and adoptive parents.

As always, we would love for you to ask us any questions you have and pray for us as we continue on this path. We pray for God's grace that we could be patient as we submit to his perfect timing.

Treasured Memories

Growing up, we moved a lot. Often when I talk with people about where I grew up and my transient childhood, they instantly guess I was a "military brat"; however, that is not the case. My dad was a college basketball coach.

The number of times my family moved proved difficult at times, but certainly had its benefits: I feel pretty comfortable in new situations, enjoy meeting new people, and have traveled much of this country. Occasionally, I think back to making the move from Alabama to the suburbs of Chicago just before starting high school and am amazed that I made it those first few weeks with my southern drawl, but I did. I actually met my wonderful husband there and am continually amazed at God's plan and provision for our lives.

One of the places growing up that continually felt like home was my Nannie and Pop-Pop's house in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Because my mom was a teacher and my dad often had more time off in the summer, we would head up to the Cape after school was out and spend many weeks enjoying the beaches, lakes, and time with family.

While my Nannie and Pop-Pop are no longer living and I haven't been back to the Cape in years, I have so many memories of that special place - the penny candy store; riding bikes around the many cul de sacs until dark and my parents forced us to come home; the "treasure hunting" we would do in my Nannie's basement; taking donuts to the beach in the morning; the crazy picture in my Nannie's house of the sea captain whose eyes always followed us; walking out on the rock jetties; and many more. It is such a treasured place in my memory that Cliff actually proposed there, knowing how important it was to me.

Now that I'm an adult, one of the things that takes me back instantly to the memories of the Cape are hydrangea bushes. There were hundreds of them all throughout my Nannie's neighborhood. I always loved the flowers - particularly, their amazing and different colors. The blue ones were my favorite and still are.

When we moved into our home four years ago, we planted two hydrangea bushes. I was desperately hoping that they'd bloom and do well here, and thankfully they have. This is the first year they're large and maturing with numerous blooms. As I walk past the hydrangea bushes each day, I enjoy memories of my Nannie and Pop-Pop, remember the time we spent on the Cape, and look forward to making sweet memories with our kids one day.

And the winner is...

A few weeks ago, Mackenzie and I decided to offer a chance to win a free copy of Russell Moore’s book, Adopted For Life, which has had an amazing impact on us. (By the way, the audio version of this book is now available from Christian Audio. And there's even a Kindle edition, too, if you've converted to e-books like my dad.)

Well, today’s the day we get to announce the winner. Congratulations to Karene Hill, a member at the Mars Hill Ballard campus. And thanks to all who participated in this giveaway.

If you come across any other resources you think would be helpful, please send them our way.

Ten Things I Like About Costco...

1. COMBO PIZZA - If I ever come home from Costco without their version of a supreme pizza, Cliff will disown me. :) It is huge, $10, has lots of delicious veggies, and warms up beautifully for lunches and leftovers. Hard to beat.
2. MEAT - Their chicken breasts, flank steak, organic ground beef, and rotisserie chickens are all so delicious. I also appreciate that they're prepackaged in meal size portions, so I don't have to come home from the store and separate it into one pound packages. Love that!
3. BEDDING - We bought our favorite sheets ever at Costco. They are flannel and so deliciously soft that we use them even in the summer! Recently we bought a new mattress from Costco and we couldn't be happier.
4. BAKERY - The croissants, apple turnovers, and ciabatta bread are the best around.
5. PRODUCE - I appreciate the huge variety of produce Costco offers, but the prices are what really catch my eye.
6. CAR WASH - I've never been much for paying to have my car washed, but after running one of our cars through the $8 wash, I'm sold. It did an awesome job and was very quick!
7. TERIYAKI SAUCE - The Soy Vey teriyaki sauce is incredible. It will transform any piece of meat into something truly amazing.
8. MOCHA FREEZE - Love, love, love it! Worth every penny of the $1.59. Such a nice pick me up on a warm afternoon...like today!
9. BOXES - I like that they pack my items into boxes and not into bags, which makes loading and unloading the car much quicker. Unique too - maybe that's why I like it.
10. VARIETY - Anywhere I can buy dog food, my mattress, flank steak, rugs, books, organic quinoa, and hopefully one day diapers is my kind of place!

I have to admit, it seems a bit odd that a two person household would have a Costco membership since they sell things in such bulk, but we love it!

What are your favorite Costco finds?