Seattle

After getting in to Seattle Thursday night, we decided that we'd go for a hike the next day.  We went to Seattle (and Portland, really) to visit our friends, Allison and David.  Allison and I went to high school together, and we just love any time we get to spend with them.  When we decided to go on a hike, both Allison and David assured us that this would be a pretty easy hike.  Based on my working knowledge of hiking, I wasn't intimidated, because hiking is just walking for extended periods of time in the woods, right?!  Maybe in Alabama, but we were in Washington.

 Lucas the Wonderdog getting ready for the hike

 Everyone is all smiles and goofing around at the beginning.

Notice that I am in the back of the line at this straight uphill ascent to the top.

Now, there are a few hours, and several thousand feet in between this picture and the next set of pictures.  I'm not sure that I really understood this at the time, but we were going to summit this mountain.  On our vacation.  We played games, had really great conversations, and pondered at the people who were running the trail we were struggling to walk with poles.  You read that right.  People were summiting this mountain for leisurely exercise.  I guess that's the difference between southerners and north westerners.  

Anyways...I digress.

We finally reached the top, and we were literally in a cloud.  (Disclaimer: We were, literally, in the cloud.  My brother has pointed out that sometimes I misuse the word, literally.  This is an appropriate use of the word)  We ate lunch on top of a rock, in the cloud, overlooking the town below.  It was incredible.  

 Almost to the top...

 Finally at the summit

 View while the clouds were around us.

 Allison thought this would be so funny.

 Then everyone wanted to feed the birds- so the birds hung around us for a while.

 I love Clay's face in this picture: pure joy.

He was so happy that we went on this hike, 

and even happier that the birds wanted to eat out of his hand.

Even though the clouds were still there, this is my favorite picture from this day.

 Al and Dave at the top.

And Lucas.  The Wonderdog.

We had resolved that the clouds were settled in for the afternoon, so we started to pack up.  All of a sudden, the clouds parted, and the sun came out, revealing the most expansive view I have seen.  It was definitely worth the hike.

After coming back down the mountain, we started to make plans for that night, since it was the last night of our vacation.  We stumbled upon a little treasure in this mountain town, The Dairy Freeze.  Everyone got a milkshake, and it was delicious.  We noticed the most incredible view of the mountain we had just climbed right in front of us!

Friday night we went to Ray's Seafood for some fresh, local seafood.  We had sablefish, calamari, and shrimp and crab cakes.  Everything was so delicious, but the view was incredible!

After dinner, we went to most delicious little dessert place, Hot Cakes.  They specialize in s'mores desserts, but Clay and I had our eye on a dark chocolate and salted caramel milkshake.  Since that didn't sound rich enough, we decided to top it off with a salted chocolate chip cookie.  I have a deep love for desserts, and this little combo blew my socks off.

Saturday morning we got breakfast and took it to the park next to the locks- where boats come in and out, and the salmon swim upstream to get to the ocean.  

 Just hanging out at the park.

 View under the Locks Bridge.

 Salmon going up the ladder trying to get upstream.

Last picture of the trip!

This was a trip to remember, for sure.  We absolutely missed George, but it was so great to just be with Clay, and be the couple that started our little family.  I absolutely love traveling with Clay because he keeps a level-head when things get tense, or we have 15 minutes to board our plane and we're still in the security line (this actually happened this trip), or I want to buy a souvenir that makes no sense whatsoever.  But he also makes me laugh so hard (and if you know me, you can finish this sentence), and when we're out of town, that's just what I need.  We laughed more in Seattle than I have in a really, really long time.  It was the most perfect getaway, and we came home rested and relaxed.

Hope everyone had a Happy 4th!

Vacation!

For Christmas this year, my parents gave Clay and me a trip, just the two of us, to wherever we wanted to go (within reason).  We decided that we'd go up to the Portland/Seattle area, and split our time between both.  George stayed with Saty and Pop, and we missed him so much!  But it was so rejuvenating for us both to have some concentrated time just the two of us, where I was just a wife, and Clay was just a husband.  It was awesome.  So awesome, in fact, that our trip will be split up into two separate posts.

Our flights out there were delayed, so by the time we got to our hotel in Seattle, it was 1:30am (3:30 in the morning in Birmingham).  We had to get up early to catch our 7:30am train down to Portland.  Needless to say, we slept most of the train ride.  

 View of our hotel at 1:30am.

Brief moments awake on the train ride.  It was so beautiful!

Once we got to Portland, we actually headed out to Newberg, Oregon, which is in the heart of the Oregon wine country.  I wish I could post the 100+ pictures I took there, but I would think that might be boring to you.  We felt like we were in Italy, and out in the middle of nowhere.  The views were incredible, and we definitely embraced the laid-back lifestyle of Newberg.

 View of the valley behind us

 Grass seed ready for harvest

The Willamette Valley

We thought we had seen the most beautiful views, and then we got to The Black Walnut Inn, where we stayed.  I walked out onto our little terrace, and the views literally took my breath away.  

 View from our balcony

 Baby grapes beginning to bud

 Black Walnut Vineyards

 Black Walnut Inn 

View of the Dundee Hills from the Black Walnut Inn

Heading to our anniversary dinner!

Anniversary dinner at The Painted Lady.  Unbelievable.

Thursday morning we slept in, had breakfast at the Inn, and toured around the Willamette Valley for the remainder of the day until we had to catch our 6:15pm train back to Seattle.  

If you squint hard enough, you can see Mt. Hood in the distance.

Clay and I both love to travel and experience new places. In our four years of marriage, we've come to tell a difference between a 'trip' and a 'vacation'.  Oregon was the perfect start to our vacation.  

Tomorrow...Seattle!

This is Love.

Love is continuing to date a girl who will wear overalls.  On a date.

Love is cropping Fritz out of this picture and keeping it on my
bedside table for 13 years.

Even when we weren't dating.

Love is dating a girl who didn't know she needed to pluck her eyebrows.

Thursday is mine and Clay's fourth anniversary.  I know there are some people who read this blog who have celebrated many more years of marriage than we have, and maybe some people who read this blog who are not yet married.  I remember when we got married, Andy, Clay's youth pastor growing up, was giving the homily, and he said something that has resonated with me since that day.  He said (and I paraphrase), that the only thing that is sweeter than young love, is old love.  This gave us something to look forward to on our wedding day, when I truly did not think life could get any better than that moment.

When Clay proposed, he gave me a wooden box that he made for me.  Inside the box he had carved 1 John 4:10-12:

"This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us."

Clay, when we got married, I was absolutely convinced that the Lord created you to be a husband.  You protect me.  You pray with and for me.  You absolutely cover me with your love.  You are the man I dreamed of marrying, but never thought I would ever deserve.  And I know I don't deserve you apart from God's mercy.

But then we had George.  And now I know not only were you created to be a husband, because you are still unbelievable at that.  But you were equally created to be a dad.  So a few nights before our anniversary, I am sitting here thinking, 'Our life cannot possibly get any better than this moment right now.'  I know it can.  I know it will.  I know, because of the way you pursue me, and pursue George, that the love our little family experiences on a daily basis will grow deeper and richer.  

Thank you for the way you seek out a relationship daily with me, and with George.  Thank you that even when I am unloveable- which can happen often- you love me in that moment in a way that shows me more of Christ.  Clay, you are a man among men.  You lead our family in such a way that it has changed me from the inside out.

Happy Fourth Anniversary, Clay!  I love you so, so much.

Nine Months!

How are you nine months old, George?!

Let's take an inventory.

4 haircuts.

8 teeth.

2 daycares.

3 bruises across your forehead right now.

and over 2,000 pictures!

I'd like to meet another 9 month old who has had 4 haircuts in his life.

If there was one word to describe you, George, it would be fearless.  

If you see a kid doing something, you absolutely believe you can do it, too.

I hope this will be an attribute you will use to your advantage.

Your big interest now is standing and cruising around on your feet.

However, the 'Curse of the Howell Chicken Legs' causes your little legs to give out before you're done playing.  Hence, the three bruises.

Those eight teeth made for some fun days, and even more fun nights.

But it sure does make the cutest smile on the planet.

You love to pull up on things!

Your favorite things to pull up on are your parents.

But really, you'll pull up on anything, anywhere, anytime.

I know this picture is blurry, but you also love that you've found the full use of your tongue.

Clay has said that nine months is the first true 'age' milestone for you, George, because now you've been in our world for as long as you were in my belly.  I wholeheartedly agree with this, because now I am seeing signs of you being an actual person, rather than just a baby.  I see strokes of independence in you, and your need for me to let you do things on your own-
even if that means taking a fall or two.
Or three or four.
This is a hard lesson for me to learn.  Being a teacher, it frustrated me to no end to meet parents who never wanted their children to experience pain, failure, or any type of struggle.  But now I know exactly how those parents feel.
But I know that struggle, in the end, will be what teaches you how to persevere.
Your failures will be what teaches you how to succeed.
Ultimately, with the grace of God, your sin will be what teaches you about Jesus.

So while it may take you 45 minutes to eat three bites of a banana, when I could have easily fed you the entire thing in 15 minutes, it's time for me to let you be the little boy you're becoming.

I've said it once, and I'll say it a million times over.
George, you are so so loved.

Happy Nine Months!

Dear Clay,

Dear Clay,

I know everyone truly believes that their husband is the best dad in the world.  And there are a lot of great dads out there, who are all being celebrated this weekend.  Both of our dads would top that list, for sure.  But everyday, when you whisk George into the back of the house while I cook dinner and I hear you talk to him and, in return, he belly laughs until he gets the hiccups, I know that you are the best dad around.

The other night I was singing George to sleep, and I am singing these songs from camp, it takes me back to the days when we were 17 years old, and just starting to date.  And now we've been married for almost four years, and I am rocking our baby to sleep.  When did we grow up?!  What a sweet, sweet life we have made for ourselves.  

One of my favorite things I've ever heard said about you, mainly because it is so true, was penned for you inside a book.

"Daddy is one of my favorite words.  You wear it well."

Clay, the way you father George is a direct blessing to me.

Thank you for the way you cover our family in prayer and love each and every day.

Happy Father's Day!

Love, Julie and George

On the Go

Now that we have a mobile (almost) nine-month-old, I find that I never have time to grab my real camera.

I've resorted to only taking pictures with the camera on my phone.

Now that school is out, George is home with me all day, everyday.

While our days are busy, they are never stressful.

Last Sunday we decided to fill our planter outside with some 

impatiens, hosta, and jasmine.

George looked on from his new favorite spot.

...and then a thunderstorm rolled in.  It was the perfect Sunday.

Then Clay went out of town for the week on Monday.

While I am inexpressibly thankful for Clay's job on so many levels,

we miss him so much when he is away.

So here's what we did to keep busy:

 We went to the zoo with our friends.

 We had the same friends over for dinner and bathtime!

We learned how to play in our crib during naptime and not make a peep.

The only way Mom finds out is by looking at the monitor.

 We went on walks.  Lots of walks.

We had lunch with fun friends!

 Have I mentioned that George is crawling everywhere?

Plus, he's learned to climb up on things.

Clay came home on Thursday night, and we have had a fun, low-key weekend.

I went to get a pedicure, and came home to George and Clay watching the UEFA Soccer Tournament.

Germany was playing Portugal, and Clay had George decked out for the event.

"Viva la Deutschland!"

Tonight we even built a fire, and George was enthralled.

Hope you're having a great weekend!