Camping - The First Try

So Jess, Sarah, and I decide to go camping because...well...we just felt like it. We spent days figuring out where we want to go, starting with a spot in the Olympic Mountains and ending up at Camano Island (the girls really wanted showers). The bad thing about the state of Washington is that you can't make reservations at about 95% of the camp grounds and the 5% you can make reservations for are always booked. That week Sarah and I bought fishing licenses because we really wanted to catch at least one of our meals. Long story short...we didn't catch anything. We test our luck driving up Friday night after I get off of work to see if we can grab a spot...there are like 85 camping sites so we should be good...right?

We make it to the campgrounds all excited and turn in the the first section of about 40 camp sites. I'm driving through really slow in hopes of spotting that one open one. I start to get a sinking feeling after we make it through the first 40 sites with people already there but I shrugged it off because there are still 45 left. Needless to say, all the spots were full. We didn't want to leave yet though because I had printed off a star chart so we could sit out and look at the stars and know what we were looking at. We found a spot down near the water with a clear view of the sky and no lights, a perfect spot. We have trouble getting our bearings but as soon as we found the big dipper everything started to fall into place. It was so much fun...until a cop comes and says if we aren't campers we aren't allowed to be in this area after dark. He totally ruins our night vision too with his bright spot light.

So on the way back we decide that we aren't going to give up on camping since my car was already packed. After exhausting all other ideas we ended up camping...guess where...in Sarah's back yard. Here are pictures to prove it.

We had a ton of fun for camping in the back yard...totally worth it :)

Sounders Game!

I went to my first professional soccer game today! Had to teach Sarah a little about soccer before we went so she would enjoy it more and she totally caught on! It was funny to see her answering her parents questions about what was going on and this was her first soccer game ever! It was the Seattle Sounders versus the Scottish Celtics. We ended up losing 1-2 but I think the game would of ended differently of the ref didn't give that red card. Georgios Samaras had the advantage and scored the goal fair and square, there was no reason for the penalty kick and especially the red card. It was sweet to see Georgios Samaras, who I saw in the world cup, in real life on the Celtics team. He was a forward on Greece's team. Here are some pictures from the game!

Opening ceremonies

First touch of the game!

Sarah and I in our Sounders attire!

We had an awesome time and totally plan on going to more games :)

Geoducking

I went on my first geoduck (pronounced 'gooey duck') hunt yesterday with Sarah and Jess. It was AWESOME! It was a great chance to find geoducks because of the -3.0 tide at Fort Flagler.

We left mad early in the morning, around 5:45am after staying up till midnight preparing for the trip. For our caisson we had to buy a metal trash can and then figure out how to cut out the bottom without any kind of hack saw...a hammer and chisel was our idea, haha. It actually worked great! We started in Sarah's back yard around 10pm and then realized that we might get a noise complaint banging on a trash can with a hammer and chisel so we brought everything out to Mag Park to do the cutting. Sarah and Jess held the trash can as I banged on the trash can with the hammer and chisel with our only light from the headlights on Jess's car. It took a while but we finally cut the bottom out!

We decided to just drive around instead of take the ferry because we could actually make it there faster, for less money, and we could start digging sooner. The tide would be fully out at 10 am and we make it at 9am which gave us time to set up...then off to hunting. I'll let pictures do the talking of our geoduck hunting adventures :)

After geoducking we had lunch and decided we wanted to make s'mores so we bought all the stuff including these giant marshmallows and made them!

After lunch we saw this cool fort and Sarah and I went to go take pictures of the place. Most of it was pretty boring until we found a tunnel that at the deepest point was pitch black and had to use Sarah's flash on her camera to make it through...the flash made it very horror film like...expecting something to pop out in between flashes.                                                                                             

After we finished here we found Sarah's grandparent's old cabin where she has a ton of memories. From the pictures I have seen before everything looked pretty close to the same besides the drive in and Sarah went around taking pictures of everything for her grandma. Good thing the current owners weren't there...we were totally trespassing, haha. 

We then headed home from there, hitting traffic, going in circles because of my GPS and then finally making it back at about 8pm. A nice long day of fun...hopefully we do it again soon!

Lastly I would like to point out that I am slowly becoming more and more a seattlelite...I had Starbucks twice in one day :)

First Pro Baseball Game

I went to my first pro baseball game today! Go Mariner's!! It was against the Yankee's and we lost but it was still a great time! Here are some pics from the game

Sarah, her parents, and I waiting for the game to start

First pitch of the game!

Sarah and I trying to get the game in the background :)

A sweet shot of Safeco lit up with the Seattle skyline in the background 

What it means to be a MAN

Haha, you wonder why I emphasize "man"...just ask Susan. I come over for dinner all proud of my new tool box that I just got for my job at a bike shop. (This tool box...I must say... is a manly sized tool box, 4 drawers with enough room for all my tools and future tools I might need) She then decides to say that, and I quote, "you are finally starting to become a man." Basically, you were a boy and now, are still a boy but just closer to being a man. She was just messing with me and I knew it...it was a nice laugh.

I am a man, a young man, but still a man. The tool box does not make me one, but it does add to the manliness a little :) Every day I learn from Godly, wiser, older men like my father, what it is to be a man. God has made me into the one He wants and I pray that I will continue in His path that He has for me, as a man.

All I know is this, possessions, status, money and other things along these lines does not make you one. What makes you a one is that you fight for the weaker and the ones you love, stand for what you believe, and trust in God for everything. I love how John Eldredge in "Wild at Heart" describes what a man soul longs for, "a battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue." God has engraved these on my soul.

My new "Manly" tool box :)

Lead Me

I heard this song on the radio today and it really hit me. I love the words to this song by Sanctus Real. Listen to the song below.

I'm not married and I don't have kids yet...but wow, this song is really gripping. As a husband and father, when that time comes, I want to be able to lead with strong hands, stand up when they can't, show them that I am willing to fight, and that they will always be the loves of my life. What is so very true about this song is there is no way you can ever be this man with out first being lead by God. He is there to give you the strength and the confidence to be everything He has called you to be. The last three stanzas I want to make my prayer:

"So Father, give me the strength

To be everything I am called to be

Oh, Father, show me the way

To lead them

Won't you lead me?

To lead them with strong hands

To stand up when they can't

Don't want to leave them hungry for love

Chasing dreams that I could give up

I'll show I'm willing to fight

And give them the best of my life

So we can call this a home

Lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone"

Even as God prepares me now I pray I will take this to heart and keep trusting in God in everything I do. He is almighty, all powerful, glorious, and abounding in love. He has a plan for my life and I have to keep trusting Him, keep in His word, keep glorifying Him, and He will lead me in the path He has set for me. 

My new home in Seattle!

Ok, so here are just a couple pictures of where I now live. God is so good!

Here is the front of the house

Views from the back patio

My kitchen

My bedroom