Leavenworth

 

Matt had some selling points he used when he was talking me into moving to Washington and staying here while he was in Korea all those years ago. He had all sorts of wonderful things we could do or see and things that he thought would make me fall in love with his home state as much as he did. Now, we've done a lot of things on that list. He took me to see my Daddy's family before he left for Korea (and we've been down a few times since), he took me to the Space Needle, I've been on a ferry (although Laura took me on that while he was in Korea), I gained a whole new family in his and built a new extended one through friends. And I won't lie... Matt was the one who bought me my first latte and told me I would LOVE it... he was right. He had a lot of selling points we haven't done at all or as often as he suggested we would.

One of them was Leavenworth. Leavenworth is a village on the other side of Stevens Pass that in a bid to save their town in 1862, the citizens got together and developed a sweet Bavarian style village. He felt I would love it because it would remind me of some of my favorite places in Europe. Matt was right about the coffee and he was right about me loving Leavenworth. But we have only been once and while I was in love at first sight, Eli had a crick in his neck and was a grouchy pants all day and that had an effect on all of us enjoying ourselves.

Another selling point that has been sort of slipping aside was the whole fellowship aspect. Living out here in the country with only one car has been sort of isolating for me. When we lived in Duvall, it wasn't so bad because we were in a larger community and I worked at Curves, where I was around women at a minimum of three days a week. Here, it's a much smaller community and there aren't really activities for a stay-at-home mom with no little, little kids. And in the larger church we were at for a while, if we missed a week or two or four, no one noticed.

We've been visiting a small church closer to home, one that feels like there's a place for all of us. The kids love the youth group and Matt and I are observing and feeling our way a little. It's a bit of a stretch for Matt because he's used to churches with much larger congregations where he can sort of slip into the woodwork and to be honest, so am I. He likes it and I don't. But in the larger churches I also sometimes feel like I don't have a place. While we're still in the 'feeling our way' stage with Stillwater, I like it so far.

I believe everyone has an emotional fellowship bank and they need social interaction and encouragement with others to fill those banks. I've been seriously lacking in that recently and I've been able to feel it. Today, my bank is running over! Saturday, I got the opportunity to go to Leavenworth with a group of ladies from the church and I had a WONDERFUL time. I met some terrific ladies and reconnected with one of my friends from Duvall. And I got to spend some time in an area I have wanted to go back to after falling in love at first sight.

 

 

 

And on a healthcare geek note- when Matt and I were there, they were building the new medical center. Saturday, I saw it completed and I was overjoyed to see it fit right in with the town's theme and didn't detract from the magnificent view. It was beautiful!

 



OK, so there is another item off MY Summer Bucket list knocked off. When I got home, I told Matt we were going as a family sometime this summer and he promised we would. Someone remind me to pack the neck pillow we got Eli for napping in the plane. There's a store some of the ladies told the rest of us about and I got a dress there and I cannot wait to take Liz there... I found some AWESOME things she's mentioned getting for school next year there and they were seriously nicely priced.

 

Go out and do something fun! Enjoy your week! Oh and...

 

SMOOCHIES YA'LL!!!!