A Bible Smuggling Experience...

Today was an exciting time at church.  For months Sonlight church has been planning a Bible Smuggling Experience for the congregation.  We have church members that have traveled to China numerous times to bring bibles to the people and with their help an experience like no other was created. 

When we entered the church we stood in line to enter the prep room.  Here we were told to stuff the backpacks we brought with as many bibles as possible.  We listened as the leader instructed us on the check points we would encounter.

"Keep quiet, keep your head down, don't draw attention to yourself and don't make eye contact." 

We paid attention but I was determined to try to get some photos.  My discreteness was not discrete enough and my phone was promptly confiscated at the first passport checkpoint.  It was placed in the little red box.

Our goal was to get through 4 checkpoints with guards who only spoke Chinese.  It was definitely intimidating.  Our family of five was separated when two of the boys and I were detained for questioning and bag searches.  They found one of our bibles and sent us on our way.  We didn't meet up with the rest of the family for two more check points.  And I lost my coffee. Brutal - just brutal. ;-)

When we finally entered the elevator to take us up to the 2nd floor, we were home free and greeted with praise and snacks for getting the bibles through.  As well as the uniting of our family all together again.

We began our church service in a hushed and quiet way as if we were in an "underground" church, hiding from authorities that would persecute us.  We sang and read scripture by candlelight.

It was sobering.  It makes me thankful for the freedom we do have to practice our faith, but - it also made me realize how close we are, even in our own country, to loosing that freedom.  The war on Christians is on our soil, it's in our State and it's close to home. 

Winter/Spring 2014 Challenge ...

I didn't video tape this so I'm not the voice in the background.  :-)

 Challenge accepted - challenge given.

 Josh if fully underwater on the left.

 Almost lost his shoe.

OK - now lets welcome spring with some sunshine and warmer temperatures.

Guys And Guts @ WCC...

The Professor and I spent the day at Whatcom Community College with the Guys and Guts program.  This program aims to introduce middle school students to programs at WCC.  The one for Girls is called Girls Go Tech and is happening next month on April 19th. 
Our program introduced the Technical Associative Degrees and jobs available in the healthcare profession.  We learned about Medical Assisting, Physical Therapist Assistant and Nursing.

The kids were able to experience 5 different labs up close and hands on.
The Professor started off with a hand wash station and blood draw.  (Actually it was Kool-aid.)

Who's ready for a blood draw?  (Not me.  My arms ached just watching.)

 They checked out the robotic patients on the  nursing floor.  The boys were cracking up because...

the nursing student behind the glass wall was making the robotic patient blink, wink and make vomiting sounds.  It was creepy, but oh so cool for those kids.

 In the biology lab the kids checked out real hearts, lungs, skeletons and more.

It was a full day from 9-3 on the campus and I'm totally chalking this up to a mini health unit of schooling for the Professor. 

Februray 2014 Snow Storm

These pictures are to document the three straight days of snow we received out in Lynden, WA in February 2014.

 The first snow started out perfect for snowman making.

 This was suppose to be a snow dog, I think.  The boys tried to have a snowman building competition with their Uncle, but they were schooled.  Severely.

After two days of snow the boys put out a 15 inch ruler.  It stayed there for the next couple of days.

 Almost 11 inches.

And finally it stopped at 12 1/2 inches.  

We also kept an eye on this little Japanese Maple.

I always enjoy the view out my back porch.  Makes me feel like I'm back in Alaska.  (Except these trees are 3 times the size.)

 So in true Alaskan girl fashion, I tried to go x-country skiing, but the snow just caked up in huge clumps on the bottom of the skis.

 I quickly turned around and called it a fail.

Right before the snow started melting it did get cold enough for the skis to work and I skied over to my neighbors house looking for my kiddos.  I actually found them in my backyard sledding down the railroad tie stairs.

Educational Opportunities...

Wow, have you heard of this?  The Northwest Career & Technical Academy.

Josh and I took the Professor to an open house and informational night at Meridian High School.  The Professor has been interested in Renewable Energy for the past couple years and I've been wondering how we were going to help him explore that field.  

This Academy has a local, one year,  program in Sustainable Engineering which also covers renewable energy.  It's open to any student entering 9th - 12th grade in Whatcom or Skagit county. (I think that's what they said.)  I know they said they have a lot of homeschoolers.

Anyways, the big plus is that it's free!   The tough part is that it's a 2 1/2 hour class, 5 days a week for a school year. 

 This small scale solar and wind power unit was like eye candy.

We are still 14 months away from even applying to the program so there's plenty of time to think about it.  We had fun looking around and the Professor enjoyed the hands on aspect.  Especially the 3-D printers.  

 This printer prints in a powder encasement.

 When it's done the powder must be blown off.

 The black band on his wrist is another item printed from a different 3-D printer in the CAD room.

 You have to know that this kid was absolutely loving this!

Josh was also impressed.

The program will have a representative at the WHA workshops during the lunch break if you're local and you want to find out more.

Foster Update for February...

February was spent getting doctor appointments scheduled and more paperwork filled out to fulfill that portion of the foster care giver requirements.  TB tests and dTaP boosters.  Proof of immunizations on the boys and vacinations up to date on our dog.
Another big packet of paperwork into the mail.  Destination - Bellingham.

Now we wait some more.