Vossen Adventures

Grandma Faw

2012-01-12T20:41:00.000-08:00

2 weeks ago today my (Stephanie) grandma Faw went home to be with her Savior, Jesus, whom she loved so much. I know my grandpa was right there to welcome her home, too. We miss her SO much already. I (Stephanie) had the privilege of growing up next door to her, so there were very few moments and experiences in my life that she was not somehow a part of. I am SO thankful for that gift, as not many people get to have that close of a relationship with their grandparents. She was truly a heroine of faith. The things my grandma left in my heart? Keep your eyes on Jesus, give freely what you have been given, and love your family with everything you have. I am so thankful that I did not lose my grandma...we're just separated for a little while...for I know exactly where she is, and she is more alive now than ever before. I am so blessed to be a part of her legacy and heritage. I can't wait to see her again!

One of my favorite photos of my grandma with Anika at her first birthday party...they each had a special spot in their hearts for each other. :)

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-12-05T21:16:00.000-08:00

This year we got to spend Thanksgiving with our Vos family. It was so fun to see everyone, meet our two newest family members who were born last Winter/Spring, and introduce Anika to her great-grandparents. Anika had a BLAST playing with her cousins!

Fun at the park with Grandma!

Finally got to meet this CUTIE!!! Cousin Lauren!!

And this handsome little guy...cousin Gerrit!!!

COUSINS!!!!

Wagon Rides with Uncle Scott...

Story time with Grandma...

CHEESE!! :)

Buds! :)

Grandpa and Grandma Goemaat and all the great-grandkiddo's...

Thanks for a great time, family! Can't wait to see you again!!

YEAH 2!!!!!

2011-11-12T21:16:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Anika!!! We are so thankful for the gift of you! We love you more each day!!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!!

2011-10-31T13:16:00.001-07:00

Sunny, Sunday afternoon...

2011-08-22T11:08:00.000-07:00

WHOA....that's COLD!!!!!! :)

I don't mind, though. It's hot out, and a girl's gotta cool off somehow. :)

Nothin' tastes quite as good as a drink from the hose on a hot day. :)

Future Rockstar?!?!

2011-08-22T11:04:00.000-07:00

Five years!

2011-08-19T14:46:00.001-07:00

Wow! Five years ago today, we were celebrating the most beautiful and meaningful day of our lives. Thanks to everyone who helped make the day so special. We love each other more each day, and can't wait to see what God has in store for the years to come!

mmmmm.....garden fresh!!

2011-08-04T11:29:00.001-07:00

2011-08-02T09:55:00.000-07:00

First pony ride! She's a natural! :) Better go get her some cowboy boots and a hat. Gotta do our best to raise a country girl at heart!

2011-07-18T16:29:00.001-07:00

Yogurt???? Yes, please!!!!!

Fourth O'July water fun...

2011-07-05T17:08:00.000-07:00

Not quite sure what to do at first, but with a little help...

...and your best bud by your side...

...you figure it out! :) :)

HOORAY!!!!!!

2011-06-08T20:20:00.000-07:00

One year ago today we visited the courthouse in Seattle, and a judge told us what we already knew in our hearts from the moment she was born...Anika was our daughter forever. Happy Adoption Day Anika Grace!!! We love you more each day and we're thrilled God has blessed us with the gift of you!!!

COFFEE!!!!!

2011-05-05T11:07:00.001-07:00

Oh, my....I turned my head for a few seconds...I'm now thankful that she has been extra cranky and clingy this morning. I hadn't had a chance to drink my coffee yet, so it was stone cold when she got a hold of it. Obviously she is a true PNW girl, as she seemed to LOVE the coffee...oh, my dear girl...here's to trying to put a caffeinated child down for a nap soon! :)

Friends...

2011-05-01T13:02:00.000-07:00

I gotta admit...some days it's very hard not to live near our families. God is so faithful to us, though, by providing us with some very dear friends to fill the void. Thank-you, Jesus!

Taco Tuesday with Brian and Meg!!! Don't mind Anika...she's just making a quick call to the local country radio station (honestly) after finding Brian's phone...

I think these two are quite fond of each other. :) Anika loves her "Meh"!

Last night Brad and I had the privilege of being invited to speak at a fundraising banquet for Bethany Christian Services. Megan came over to watch Anika for us. I'm pretty sure Anika had the most fun Saturday night she's had in a long time...check out their adventures that Megan documented fabulously here... http://www.aplacecalledmeganville.blogspot.com/ .

The bike trailer...

2011-04-24T22:21:00.000-07:00

For his birthday Brad wanted a bike trailer that Anika can ride in, and can double as a jogger stroller. It's awesome! We've already tooled around town with it quite a bit. Any time spent outside is heaven on earth for Anika. The trailer is a HUGE hit with her.

Helping daddy assemble the trailer...

Sometimes the boxes are so much more fun than helping, though...

So excited!!!!

All buckled in a ready to go!!

It's gonna be a great Summer! :)

Chocolate Angel Food Cake!

2011-04-24T22:02:00.000-07:00

Every year on his birthday the only request Brad has is for Chocolate Angel Food Cake, which is a Vos family recipe and tradition. He told me this years was the best I've made so far. :) This year he was excited for Anika to share in the deliciousness. :)

He was pretty excited. :)

This is what the cake looked like by the time we sat down for Brad's birthday dinner...guess it really was a good one! :)

Her first taste...not quite sure what to think...

Mmmmmmm.......(notice the eyes closed in sheer chocolatey delight :) )

I think she likes it! :)

Happy Birthday Brad!

2011-04-11T22:26:00.000-07:00

Well, the big guys birthday was yesterday. Since we couldn't really do much to celebrate on his actual birthday, we took today to do something fun. He bought tickets a while ago for the Chinese Gardens in Portland, so he chose to go there.

Every good adventure must begin with a coffee stop. :)

We got to run around...

We saw some really cool landscaping, Chinese kites they had on display, and plants...

We had fun watching the goldfish and ducks in the ponds...

The birthday guy and his princess...

The girls...

Seriously?? More pictures??

What a fun afternoon! Happy Birthday, Brad! We love you so much, and we're so glad we have you to celebrate!

phone fun...

2011-03-23T20:18:00.000-07:00

Hmmmm.....someone found Auntie Staci's phone...

Busted!

2011-03-22T21:07:00.000-07:00

It was quiet for a little too long, so I went to investigate...UH-OH!!!! Caught red-handed! I guess those gold fishes are a little too delicious to resist. :)

Daddy's little helper...

2011-03-22T21:05:00.001-07:00

In rare form...

2011-01-13T16:05:00.000-08:00

"No!!!! Stop!!! Don't go in there, momma!!! I closed the door so you wouldn't see!! I promise I had nothing to do with the thousands of cd's we own being emptied off the shelves and all over the floor...not to mention, out of their cases."

"I'm outta here!!!"

Just another afternoon "chat"...seriously, she'll stand there and talk to herself for a while...it's pretty funny...

Let me help you, momma...scrub the floor with a clean sock I grabbed from the laundry you're folding...

Gotta love living with a toddler...

Happy Birthday!!!!

2010-11-12T21:27:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday Anika Grace! You are such a blessing to us! We are so thankful for your life. You are our most priceless treasure, and we love you more each day. Can't wait for your party next weekend! Love, mama and daddy

The Zoo!!!!

2010-10-14T11:38:00.000-07:00

Tuesday it was a beautiful fall day here. Tuesday is also Brad's usual "day off", so we decided to head to the zoo. We had such a great day! I know the quality of these photos is awful...we decided to take our little point and shoot camera rather than our good camera...but you can still tell we had a lot of fun. Anika LOVES animals. Her favorites were the elephants (just like her favorite stuffed elephant "Ellie" she has at home), and the giraffes. She was completely mesmerized, and it was hard to draw her attention away from them to take some photos. :) She also loved playing some of the drums in the Africa exhibit. It was a much needed day off and it was great to "re-group" as a family and spend the day together after the busyness of the last few weeks. Only one more month until we celebrate a first birthday! Can't believe it!

Happy Friday!!

2010-10-01T20:52:00.000-07:00

I LOVE BATHTIME!!!!!

10 months old...

2010-09-12T16:33:00.000-07:00

One year ago today we received a phone call. A baby girl was to be born in November, and would we want to be her mama and daddy? Oh, how our world was changed that day. We love you more each day, Anika Grace, and can't imagine our lives without you!

First Concert!

2010-08-30T22:08:00.001-07:00

This last weekend Anika got to go to her first concert. A Portland Christian radio station put on an outdoor music festival on Saturday. Some friends of ours won tickets but couldn't go...so they gave us the tickets. We made it in time to catch Brandon Heath and Jeremy Camp. Anika LOVES music. She had a great time being outside and dancing with daddy to the music. By the end of the night it was COLD (fall is definitely coming!), and Anika was sound asleep in my lap. Unfortunately my camera battery died, so I didn't get as many photos as I would have liked, but here's a few. :) It was a fun night!

Spaghetti Sauce...

2010-08-23T15:17:00.001-07:00

Last night after church was over, and the kiddo was in bed, we decided to make spaghetti sauce out of all the produce we had cluttering up our counters waiting to be eaten. Garden fresh tomatoes, shallots, celery, carrots, green peppers, and herbs went into the pot....MMMMMMMM....it was SO tasty and made for a great late night dinner. Now I just need to go get some pretty jars for the finished product!

Watermelon

2010-08-23T15:00:00.000-07:00

Mmmmmmmm........watermelon!!!! It's the little things that make perfect Summer evenings! :)

9 months old!

2010-08-12T21:18:00.000-07:00

Exactly three months from today, we'll be having a birthday in the Vos house! I can't believe it! I better get started planning. :) :) We love you, Anika! You just get more fun every day!

Coastal Getaway...

2010-08-01T23:07:00.000-07:00

We decided to make a quick getaway to the coast this weekend. We had a blast!

We walked for miles on the beach...

Love you, daddy!!

Swimming at the hotel...a highlight of Anika's. :)

What a water baby! :) :)

Flying her first kite with daddy!!

Wet and cold, but happy as clams. :)

We had such a great time, and only wished we could have stayed longer! Don't worry, beach...we'll be back soon. :) :)

8 months old!

2010-07-12T15:37:00.000-07:00

Happy 8 month birthday, Anika Grace!! We love you more each day!

Working so hard at getting this crawling thing down...

And, there she goes! Watch out world, once she gets a little faster there's no stopping her. :)

Just another day in paradise...

2010-07-12T15:17:00.000-07:00

The view from my kitchen this morning...

...definitely the best part of waking up. :)

Us...

2010-07-11T23:01:00.000-07:00

While we were all dressed up for Kevin and Meara's wedding someone snapped some great impromptu photos of our family...definitely a perk of having a photographer in the family. :) I think we clean up pretty good. :) Thanks again, Auntie Staci!! :) :) :)

Museum of Flight!

2010-07-07T10:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we ventured to Seattle to meet up with Brad's folks for the day. We decided to visit the Museum of Flight next to Boeing Field. It was AWESOME! We highly recommend it!

We had a blast! You gotta visit this museum if you are ever in the area. Thanks for a great day mom and dad Vos!

This week also marks both mom and dad Vos' birthdays. Happy Birthday! We love you and miss you already! Can't wait to see you again soon!

Happy Fourth of July!!

2010-07-05T14:25:00.001-07:00

First bus ride to Fort Vancouver to see the fireworks with mommy and daddy!

Dancin' to the music!

Waitin' for the fireworks to start...

She was SO mesmerized by the fireworks. I don't think she even blinked during the show! It was pretty cute. Happy Fourth of July Everyone!

HAPPY FATHERS DAY!!

2010-06-20T12:00:00.002-07:00

Happy Fathers Day, daddy!! You are the BEST daddy a girl could ask for. Thanks for loving me so much, and taking such good care of me. I love you with all my heart, and I'll always be your little princess. Love, Anika

Ellie...

2010-06-14T22:35:00.000-07:00

Did I mention that Anika was spoiled by her Aunt Nicole and Uncle Scott when they were here? :) We were at Ikea, and they couldn't resist gifting Anika a super cute stuffed elephant we saw there. Uncle Scott cleverly dubbed her "Ellie". Ellie is bigger than Anika is. It is SO cute to see her play with Ellie. She can't get enough of her! I think our girl has a new best friend!

Kisses for Ellie... :)

Thank-you SO much Aunt Nicole and Uncle Scott!!

Uncle Scott and Aunt Nicole!

2010-06-14T22:22:00.001-07:00

Anika FINALLY got to meet her Uncle Scott and Aunt Nicole. They came to visit for a few days last week. It was definitely worth the wait!! Anika had a BLAST!!! It was a jam-packed visit complete with a trip to Multnomah Falls, Cannon Beach, and the Oregon Zoo. (Unfortunately, all of the photos from those adventures ended up on Uncle Scott and Aunt Nicole's camera, so I will try to post them once I get some copies...hint, hint. :) :) ) She has never laughed so hard...between Uncle Scott's funny antics and Aunt Nicole's songs Anika had the time of her life. She just LOVES her aunt and uncle and already misses them! Thanks for coming! Can't wait to see you again! We missed you Uncle Randy, Aunt Nicole, and cousin Greta!

2010-06-14T22:04:00.000-07:00

Wow. The last few weeks have been extremely busy here in the Vos home. The most exciting happening was on June 8 when we had our court appointment to finalize Anika's adoption. What a great day!

Checking out the paperwork that declares her our daughter forever! Pretty cool!

Grandma Faw and Auntie Shelley were there for the big day, too!

We love you more each day, Anika Grace Vos, and are thrilled God has blessed us with you as our daughter!

Mothers Day!!

2010-05-09T22:33:00.000-07:00

The sight that greeted me after I got to sleep in while daddy and Anika made yummy cinnamon rolls for breakfast.

The cutest breakfast companion ever, and the reason I get to celebrate today. Love you, sweet pea!

Anika and daddy gifted me a beautiful orchid and a bag full of different kinds of lily's to plant in the yard. My favorite!

The prefect day to spend the afternoon in the park!

Mothers Day 2010

Playtime with daddy!!

2010-04-27T20:13:00.000-07:00

I couldn't resist grabbing the camera and snapping a few photos while Brad and Anika were playing tonight before bedtime...

She LOVES looking at herself in the mirror on this super cool toy she got from Uncle Randy, Aunt Nicole, and cousin Greta.

I guess she gets it from her daddy...caught redhanded checking himself out, too. :) :)

No one can make her laugh quite like her daddy! And yes...she's sitting all by herself!! :)

Well, that's all for now...here's to a good night's sleep!! :)

The Big 3-5!!

2010-04-12T21:06:00.000-07:00

Saturday was Brad's Birthday. We had a pretty busy weekend, so we are going to go do something fun to celebrate tomorrow. However, it was a good day together, complete with all his favorite meals (homemade waffles, steak and potatoes, Dutch Bro's coffee, and chocolate angel food cake :) ). We love you, Brad, and are so glad we have you to celebrate!!

2010-03-31T14:37:00.000-07:00

Wow. The month of March has been so busy for us. This last week Brad was at a conference for pastors who are planting a new church, so Anika and I hung out with the Faw's. Us ladies headed to Whidbey Island for a girls weekend. Auntie Staci, ever the prepared one, did an impromptu photo shoot of Anika while we were there. Go here to see a few snapshots of her handiwork... http://stacijdesignsandimages.blogspot.com. Thanks again, Auntie Staci...and thanks for a great weekend, ladies!

Four Months!

2010-03-15T22:16:00.000-07:00

Well, our girl is four months old now! Hard to believe! She gets more fun, and cuter (if that's possible :) ) every day! We love you, sweet pea!

Grandpa

2010-03-15T21:46:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday my (Stephanie) Grandpa Faw went to be with Jesus. I was blessed to grow up virtually next door to my grandparents, so they have always been a big part of my life. My grandpa was one of my biggest encouragers and prayer warriors. I am so thankful he got to meet and know my husband and daughter. His three main passions in life...Jesus, his family, and farming. I miss him like crazy, but I know without a doubt he is in the presence of the Jesus he loved with all his heart. I am forever grateful I got to be his granddaughter. I love you, grandpa, and I am looking forward to the day when I can once again sing praises to Jesus along side of you. I pray I continue your legacy and walk closely with Jesus every day like you taught me to.

In his element...

Meeting Anika at Christmas...this photo is a treasure to me.

Gotta love the weekends!!!

2010-02-28T15:14:00.001-08:00

Fun with Auntie Meara and Uncle Kevin!! They sure could make her laugh...or maybe it was daddy making funny faces in the background. :) :)

Happy Sunday!!!

In other news...Happy Birthday, Grandpa Goemaat! We wish we could have been at your party!!

First trip to the beach!

2010-02-23T11:02:00.001-08:00

This last weekend Grandma and Grandpa Faw came for a visit. The weather was beautiful on Saturday, so we decided to head to the beach for the afternoon. It was such a fun day! Anika loved it! :) Thanks for a fun weekend Grandpa and Grandma!

All tuckered out after a fun weekend. :)

Three Months Old!!

2010-02-12T15:33:00.000-08:00

Hooray, I'm three months old today!!

Could I BE any cuter? :)

Don't mess with me...I'm getting pretty strong. :)

2010-02-05T11:25:00.000-08:00

These smiles brought to you by the Bumbo chair, and the happiness that follows a very long morning nap. Happy Friday!

2 months old!

2010-01-14T13:25:00.001-08:00

Anika was 2 months old on Tuesday. We celebrated by a doctors visit complete with a few shots. Poor baby...she was a trooper, though, and was back to her smiley, happy self the next morning. Thank-you, Jesus, for our precious girl!

First snow!!!

2009-12-30T22:44:00.000-08:00

All bundled up and ready to experience the snow for the first time...she was pretty excited. :)

Backyard fun with mommy and daddy!!!

Fun with daddy!!

Ready to go in, mommy! It's cold out here!!!

The highlight of our days...

2009-12-22T16:59:00.000-08:00

Grandma and Grandpa Vos came to visit! We had SO much fun!! We took some adventures to do some Christmas shopping and go out to eat for the first time. We spent a lot of time at home just snuggling, too. Thanks for coming to visit grandma and grandpa! Miss you already!

3 weeks...

2009-12-03T21:05:00.000-08:00

Anika is 3 weeks old today. She is growing like a weed, and changing so much each day. Sometimes it seems like she's been here forever, and other moments it seems as though we've blinked and the last three weeks have gone by.

Naptime with daddy...

First Thanksgiving...pretty oblivious to all the holiday action. Our best Thanksgiving gift ever.

Caught a smile...

Vos, party of 3!

2009-11-17T20:21:00.000-08:00

We are ecstatic to announce that our daughter, Anika Grace, was born Thursday. She weighed 7 lbs. and was 19 inches long. The hospital was wonderful and set us up with a private room with her until we were released on Saturday afternoon. She is the most beautiful baby we have ever laid eyes on, but we might be a little biased. :) We'll let the photos speak for themselves. So far she is a wonderful, pretty laid back baby. She has her nights and days a little mixed up, but that's to be expected. Mom and dad are exhausted, but quite smitten and thankful for our precious gift.

2009-11-05T20:22:00.000-08:00

Baby girl Vos is one loved little girl! Her grandparents have already started spoiling her, and she's not even here yet! :) :)

This beautiful cradle that is waiting for her was built by Grandma and Grandpa Vos. They did such a great job. It's gorgeous.

All the goodies inside the cradle are compliments of Grandma and Grandpa Faw.

I think the grandparents are as excited as we are to meet this little one! :)

Well....

camera's have been charged...

Bags are packed and ready...

"Due date" is 5 days away now, so it could be any minute, or it could be a couple of weeks. I think we're ready, though. :)

2009-09-30T09:50:00.000-07:00

Well folks…exciting news in the Vos home…we were chosen by a birthmom to be the adopted parents of her baby girl who is due to be born the first part of November! So, barring any unforeseen circumstances we’ll be bringing home our tiny princess in about 6 weeks! We are ecstatic, and feverishly preparing to be mommy and daddy! Please continue to pray for us, our little girl, and her birthmom in the midst of this process. We'll keep you posted!

Girl's weekend!

2009-09-26T22:40:00.000-07:00

I just got back from an early birthday present from my wonderful husband...a girls weekend with my two best friends!!! We were college roommates. Amanda moved to Illinois a couple of years ago. Nikki and I both live in the Vancouver area, and decided it was high time we visited the Gentemann gang. :) We had SO much fun seeing the Gentemann's new life in Illinois...seeing all the sights (including the ghetto of St. Louis a couple of times by mistake :) ),meeting all their new friends, and seeing their extended family again.

Lunch at the "Loading Dock" on the Mississippi River. YUM!!! We still got it, girls. :) :)

We got to be there for Amanda's baby shower (baby #3, a GIRL :), is due in November) which was very special, and super fun.

MISS YOU, Gracie-girl!! Can't wait to play polly pockets and make chocolate cupcakes again soon!

The last morning we were there, we got to accompany Charlie on a field trip with his preschool class to an apple farm. Super fun!! Miss you, Charlie-boy!!! Can't wait to visit again and play lego's!!!

Hot mama's!!!! :) :) Can't wait to meet those little one's!!!

Thanks for a great time, Amanda! We miss you SO much!!! Love you both, and can't wait for the next time!!!

2009-07-16T21:34:00.000-07:00

The City of Vancouver has free concerts during the summer every Thursday night at the park downtown. It has become a Vos family tradition to go. You can't beat good music, lots of people, warm sunshine and some ice cream! Wonderful summer nights!

2009-07-07T17:51:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WEEK MOM AND DAD VOS!!! Today is mom Vos' birthday, and Saturday is dad Vos' birthday. We hope you guys have a great week! We're thinking of you, and wish we could be there to help you celebrate!! Thanks for all you do for us and everyone around you!!

2009-07-03T19:42:00.000-07:00

Mountains of paperwork-done. Background checks and interviews-done. Home Study-done. Now we just wait to see who God is going to bring into our family through the miracle of adoption. Stay tuned! :)

2009-07-01T11:14:00.000-07:00

Wow. I have really gotten behind in updating our blog. Sorry. Life has just gotten away from me. A few weeks ago my mom came to help me paint the main floor of our house. We went with YELLOW. Although it is pretty bright, and we are still getting used to it, I think it turned out great. We had a lot of fun together, too. :) Here's some photo's for those of you who have been bugging me to see the finished product (you know who you are :) ).

Hard at work...actually this was posed by Brad right before we left to go to the train station, but you get the idea :). We were amazed that we got the whole main floor painted in one day.

The finished product...

My mom rode the train back home. We have the cutest, nicest, cleanest, easy-to-use train station in Vancouver. It's SO great! And she could get off right in Ephrata! How great is that?!

Waiting...

Here it comes!!

All aboard! Thanks for a great few days mom, and all your help! It is greatly appreciated! Love you!

2009-04-27T21:10:00.000-07:00

When we were in Quincy over Easter weekend, Staci took some photos for us...they turned out great...here's some favorites...

...thanks for the good times and photog genious, SJ!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRAD!!!

2009-04-20T21:27:00.000-07:00

So, this post comes two weeks late...life has been pretty busy around here. Brad celebrated his birthday on the 10th. We were able to be at my folk's and celebrated with a steak and salmon dinner, mashed potatoes, and asparagus. All Brad's favorite. :) Followed by his chocolate angel food cake I made.

...the famous Chocolate Angel Food Cake that Brad's grandma Vos used to make for all the grandkids from scratch:) The Faw family was so excited to taste this famous deliciousness. Don't worry Mom Vos...the recipe was kept a secret. :) :) It was a major hit (even though it didn't taste quite as good as yours :) )!!

Dutch Brothers stickers...always a hit. :)

Brad pooled the money he was gifted, and bought a couple of tool boxes to go on top of the base unit he has, as well as an air compressor. He was super excited!! He is well on his way to establishing his "man cave". :)

Brad's folks had the great idea of getting him a nice jacket and a couple of really nice shirts that have our church name embroidered on them. Wow! Brad has worn them around a lot, and they have already generated questions/conversations about our church! And, he looks especially handsome in them. :)

I am so thankful for you, my knight in shining armor! I'm so glad I'm on your team! Here's to 60 more birthday celebrations!! I love you!

Garden!!

2009-04-05T20:08:00.000-07:00

We finally got a weekend of sunshine and warm temperatures here in the Northwest! I may be a bit biased, but I honestly don't think there is anywhere more beautiful than the NW in the Spring and Summertime. Yesterday Brad and I went to the local Farmers Market that takes place in Vancouver every Saturday morning. With all the great prices on vegetables and plants, we go the itch to buy some plants and build a garden in our backyard. So, we bought some strawberry and asparagus plants, many bags of our other main component...

...and got to work!!!

Really I did help... :) Someone had to document the moment while we worked. :)

Asparagus roots... MMMMM....asparagus!! :)

The finished product! Isn't it beautiful? We just planted the asparagus and strawberries, but bell peppers, squash, peas, blueberries, and spinach are to come. We might have to build more gardens. :)

A job well done!! Our next door neighbor kid came over to see what we were up to, so we got him to take a photo with both of us and our finished product.

Well, like they say....you can take the girl outta the country, but you can't take the country outta the girl. :) Our dad's would be proud. :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NICOLE!!

2009-03-25T14:51:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NICOLE!!! Hope you have a great day!! Have fun, relax, and make Randy spoil you rotten!! :) Wish we could be there to help you celebrate!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRIAN!!!

2009-03-20T17:33:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was my brother Brian's birthday. He is one great guy. He will do anything and everything for you. He loves Jesus with all His heart, is loyal to his family and friends, and works harder than anyone I know. I am so proud to see the man he is, and to call him my brother.
We love you Brian! We're sorry we can't be at your party tonight, but we'll be there in spirit! Here's to many blesssings on your next 28 years!

disclaimer: this photo is borrowed from Staci's blog, but it is one of my favorites of Brian. :)

Sister weekend!

2009-02-23T16:08:00.000-08:00

This last weekend Shelley came to visit. We decided to paint our Master bedroom. It was something I had been wanting to do, so we got to work!

We rewarded ourselves after the first long day of painting with a chick-flick and a bowl of Faw-famous caramel corn! The perfect end to a great day! :)

After we finished up the second coat the next morning we celebrated with a Dutch Freeze at Dutch Brothers....Glorious!!

We were quite exhausted by then end...

but the finished product is well worth it. I LOVE IT!! Now we just have to hang some art.

Thanks so much for the fun time and all the help, Shel! I couldn't have done it without you!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!

2009-02-22T19:24:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday, dad! We are so glad we got to spend the day with you!! We are so blessed to have you to celebrate today! We love you with all our hearts!

Saturday Night

2009-01-10T23:22:00.001-08:00

Wish you were here to share this, Shelley!!!

A few changes...

2009-01-10T23:12:00.000-08:00

Well, this week we took the plunge and bought new couches. We love them!!!!

I also tried my hand at painting the downstairs bathroom. It was a lot more tricky and involved than I anticipated due to the tight space, high ceilings, and open plumbing under the pedestal sink. I think I like the way it turned out, though.

"Arctic Blast 2008"

2008-12-22T19:46:00.001-08:00

Well...we are going on day eight of being "snowed/iced in" more or less...we haven't had snow like this in Portland/Vancouver in over 40 yrs. At least that's what the local weather guys are telling us. :) To date we've gotten about 20 inches.

Shoveling last night's snowfall off our driveway...

The finished product. :)

A corner of our backyard...the trees are about 4 ft. tall...

Glad we bought a cover for Brad's BBQ !!!!

Our street...

Well, the pictures really don't do it justice, but we are definitely set for a White Christmas here! The forecast???? More snow!!! It looks like this year I may be home for Christmas only in my dreams...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHELLEY!!!

2008-12-18T18:34:00.001-08:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHELLEY!!!
We love you!!

Iced In...

2008-12-15T11:05:00.000-08:00

Well, Saturday it rained very hard all day, and that night the temps dropped into the teens and low 20's. So, needless to say the roads around here are an icy treacherous mess. So, yesterday we just stayed put and kept warm.

I made some peanut clusters and white chocolate pretzels and put together some plates for our neighbors, which Brad then braved the elements to deliver for me.

There's nothing like a big pot of homemade chili on a cold winter day!

We ended the day with some of Brad's signature popcorn...

...and a few games of Settler's of Catan and Yahtzee.

I love winter days! What did you do? :)

Christmas Decorating...

2008-12-10T15:13:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I brought out all our Christmas decorations. I had a lot of fun, and it makes the house feel so cozy and festive!

I made a wreath for the front door...

Who wouldn't want to come into our house when you're greeted by this lil' guy at the front door? :)

I thought it was so fun when I found this gingerbread man candle in one of our Christmas boxes, as it goes with a gingerbread man table runner I have.

Our Christmas tree! It's not the greatest picture cause of the slider doors, but that's okay. I gotta find a tree skirt!

My favorite Christmas decoration that I can't wait to put out each year. My Willow Tree set from mom and dad Vos.

Gotta love filling up the counter with some greenery and a candy dish! At least for the next few weeks it won't be the spot for junk mail! :)

I did a lil' redecorating...this pictures is for you, Shel and Staci! :)

I hope you all are having a blessed Christmas Season!

The house...

2008-11-20T16:27:00.000-08:00

Here are a few photos of the house. We'll just go with the main floor right now, as I have it all
unpacked. We're still working on the top floor, so those photos will come later. Enjoy!!

view from the front door...

powder room...

view from the hallway where the powder room and coat closet are...

view from the kitchen...

view from the slider doors...

kitchen...

dining area ( the door opens to the laundry room that leads to the garage)

laundry room...

And there you are! We are very blessed and happy with our house, and our neighborhood. We are enjoying getting settled and meeting some of our neighbors. It is starting to feel more like home each day. Please stop by if you're in the Vancouver area. We would love to have you!

Grandpa Faw

2008-11-18T20:46:00.000-08:00

Today is my grandpa's birthday. He is 86. I am so thankful for him. Thank-you, grandpa for first and foremost loving and serving Jesus with all your heart. Thanks for loving and serving your family with all your heart as well. I am so blessed to have grown up basically next door to my grandparents, and for their place in my life. I love you grandpa, and I am thankful for you today. I celebrate having you in my life!

We're moved!

2008-11-10T10:39:00.001-08:00

We got everything moved into our house this weekend. It was a lot of hard work, but we got it done! Thanks so much to all our Faw brothers and sisters, and the Schwary's. We couldn't have done it without you! You guys are the greatest! Pictures to come soon...I can't seem to find which box our camera is in... :)

Papers are signed...

2008-11-05T11:12:00.000-08:00

Well, we did our final walk-through and inspection of our house yesterday. Everything looks good! Then, we went and signed the last of the paperwork. We will get keys on Friday. Now, we finish the flurry of packing. All of my brothers and sisters are coming for the weekend to help us out, and we have several friends who are helping us out as well. Please pray for safe travels on Friday for my siblings, and that the moving will go safely and smoothly this weekend. We'll keep you posted!

The Big 3-0!!

2008-11-01T18:42:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's true. I officially left my 20's behind and entered my 30's on Wednesday. Since we were going to be flying to Iowa on my Birthday, Brad took me out to celebrate on Tuesday night. We went to this amazing restaurant call the Portland City Grill. It is on the 30th floor of a highrise building in Portland, so it has an amazing view of the city and the mountains. Brad's suave line was that he was taking me to celebrate my 30th on the 30th floor. :) :) I had amazing crab cakes, garlic potatoes, and roasted asparagus for dinner, and then delicious breadpudding with seasonal fruit for dessert. It was amazing!!

Celebrating with my most handsome knight in shining armor!

The most amazing bread pudding I have tasted...

Brad's handiwork with some decorations that were sprinkled on our table at dinner...

A good book ("Emma", one of my gifts from Brad), some delicious chocolate (thanks, Amanda!), and a good glass of wine... is there a better way to end the day?? :)

I was also very surprised on the night of my birthday. We stayed at Randy and Nicole's (Brad's brother and his wife), along with Nicole and Scott (Brad's sister and her husband). When we got back to Randy's after the family viewing on Wednesday night Nicole and Scott surprised me with a delicious chocolate and caramel cake they had made. Honestly one of the best cakes I have ever had. So, we had a Vos family party with cake! Thanks guys, for helping to make my birthday special!

God has blessed me beyond my wildest dreams in the last 30 years. I am excited for the adventures He has ahead of me!

We're back!

2008-11-01T14:54:00.000-07:00

Well, we made it safely home from Iowa late last night. Uncle Paul's service went well. We were so glad we were able to be there and spend time with the Vos family. Please continue to keep them in your prayers. We can rejoice that Uncle Paul is home with Jesus, but it is still hard on those left behind.
7 day's and counting until moving day! Wow! We are getting so excited! This week will be extremely busy with packing up, and closing all our paperwork. We are both fighting colds, so you can pray for extra energy for us this week. We'll keep you posted!

2008-10-28T08:28:00.000-07:00

Hello, all. Well, we are gearing up to close on our house and move in next week. Tomorrow we are headed out to Iowa for a few days. Brad's Uncle Paul passed away on Sunday, so we are flying out for his services. Please keep Brad's family in your prayers, and us as we travel. Hope everyone is doing well!

Update

2008-10-15T10:53:00.000-07:00

Well, another busy week or so here. Things are moving along quite smoothly in our home buying process, and it looks like we are on track to close everything on Nov. 7. This is an answer to prayer. Please keep praying that everything keeps going smoothly! We are getting very anxious to move into our house and begin getting involved in our new community!
We spent time this last weekend shopping for some appliances we will need to buy (washer/dryer, fridge), as well as paint colors. Woo-hoo!
We are also very excited about some new friends we made this last weekend. We met them through a friend of Brad's. They are new to the area, and are really excited about joining with us in starting this church! Praise God! We are so excited to have them join us in this adventure, and we're excited to have them as friends!
Hope everyone is doing well!

Vossen Get Internet

2008-10-07T20:33:00.001-07:00

Well, I know this seem like a small think, but we got high speed internet installed today!

Keep praying that our loan goes through!!!

More news!

2008-10-06T11:23:00.000-07:00

We also put in an offer on a house last week, and our offer was accepted! Please pray with us that our loan process, home inspection, etc. goes smoothly. Barring any unforseen events we will close on the house on Nov. 7th. We are SO excited! We love the house, and the neighborhood will be great for us, too.

Ordination!

2008-10-06T10:38:00.002-07:00

Well, the last few weeks have been pretty busy around here. We were out of town for most of September. We spent time in Quincy celebrating my grandparents 60th wedding anniversary, and spent time with my folks and siblings. Then, we spent a few days in the tri-cities where Brad attended a preaching conference and then had his last examination to be ordained. the good news is...He passed!!! What a blessing! It was a fairly grueling examination, but he did very well and I am so proud of him!
This weekend we had his ordination service at a local church, which will be our calling church. Both of our folks were able to be here for the service, which was a blessing to us.

All of the elders (along with both of our dads) had the chance to go forward and pray for Brad.

Brad had a chance to share briefly how God had worked in his life to bring him to this point of being ordained, and being called to start a new church in North Vancouver.

They had a cake reception after the service. Here's the official ordination certificate! Virgil (pictured with us) is the pastor of our calling church.

Our new church family! We haven't known Bob and Hester very long, but they are already dear friends to us. They live in the Vancouver area, and are very excited to join with us in our church plant. We are very blessed to have them along with us in this journey. Their wisdom, energy, and love for the Lord and others will be a vital part of our new church.

Thanks moms and dads for being here with us this weekend! It meant a lot to us to have you here!

Pastor and Mrs. Brad Vos. :)

Its official! I am ordained

2008-09-27T17:15:00.001-07:00

Well, it is now official! This morning, I (Brad) passed an almost 3 hr ordination exam by the local group of CRC churches. Thus, I am now officially ordained as a Minister of the Word & Sacrament in the CRC! My ordination / installation service is next Sunday. We officially start working for the new church plant on Oct. 1.

We're back!

2008-09-09T20:05:00.000-07:00

Well, we just got back from a lil' vacation to Whidbey Island. It was WONDERFUL!

We took some long walks on the beach right outside our back door, and enjoyed the awesome weather...

...enjoyed some ice cream on the pier...

...soaked in some awesome sunsets and watched cruise ships go out to sea...

...and got hooked on HGTV...

Thank-you for sharing your cabin with us, Gary and Aunt Di! We'll be back soon!

The week in review...

2008-08-24T11:50:00.001-07:00

Well, another busy week in the Vos household. Wednesday they had a graduation ceremony at the hospital for the CPE program that Brad has been a part of the last two years. It has been a great experience for him.

Walking across the stage getting his certificate.

(Sorry it's a little blurry)

A job well done!

I am very proud of you, Brad! You did a wonderful job,

and impacted many peoples lives!

The whole gang that he has been working with.

Just a fun one...out on a date celebrating our anniversary. :)

We are down to the last wee of Brad working at the hospital, and me working at my internship. By the end of next week we will be completely done, and I will have turned in my thesis. It should be a good week. :) Hope everyone is doing well!

Two Years

2008-08-19T10:22:00.000-07:00

Happy Anniversary! Thanks for making these the best two years of my life! I love you more everyday! I am so excited for the years and adventures to come.

Vancouver, here we come!

2008-08-18T13:35:00.000-07:00

Well, we officially accepted the call to plant a church just north of Vancouver WA with the Christian Reformed Church on Friday. We will start October 1, after classis meetings at the end of September, and Brad being officially ordained. We are very excited. God has been so faithful to us in this process. We can't wait to see how He will continue to work. We are excited to be used of Him to further His kingdom. Please continue to pray for us. Specifically, that God would provide us a place to live, and that He would be preparing the community to hear and respond to His word. Above all, continue to pray that God would be glorified and people would come to live in a relationship with Jesus. What an awesome God we serve!

2008-08-11T11:43:00.000-07:00

Well, great news...drumroll please....just kidding :)... We have an official job offer!!! Yesterday we received an official call letter from a local CRC church to plant a church just north of Vancouver, WA (Salmon Creek area). It has been a little scary and nerve wracking to go through the job search process, but it has also been fun and exciting. We hope to make a final decision by the end of this week, so that we can let the churches in Michigan and California know how and if we fit into their search processes. We trust that God will help lead our decisions. Thanks for all your prayers and encouragment!

Taggged by Amanda

2008-08-04T10:56:00.000-07:00

You can only use ONE word to answer the following...enjoy!
1. Where is your cell phone? kitchen
2. Your significant other? wonderful
3. Your hair? blonde
4. Your mother? friend
5. Your father? encourager
6. Your favorite thing? family
7. Your dream last night? none
8 Your favorite drink? DP (pepsi, Amanda...really? :) )
9. Your dream/goal? mommyhood
10. The room you’re in? living
11. Your hobby? music
12. Your fear? cancer
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? home
14. What you’re not? sad
15. Muffins? pumpkin
16. One of your wish list items? house
17. Where you grew up? Washington
18. The last thing you did? slept
19. What are you wearing? sweats
20. Favorite gadget? computer
21. Your pets? none
22. Your computer? red
23. Your mood? happy
24. Missing someone? sister
25. Your car? Focus
26. Something you’re not wearing? shoes
27. Favorite store? Target
28. Like someone? Brad
29. Your favorite color? orange
30. When is the last time you laughed? today
31. Last time you cried? yesterday

2008-07-29T19:43:00.001-07:00

Well...today was my last day of taking
classes at Western Seminary!!! Hooray!!

It's true!!! My classes at Western Seminary have come to an end! While I still have a lot of work left to do on my Integrative (thesis) Paper, which I will turn in at the end of August, and I will be at my internship until the end of August as well, my classes are over! It feels good to have one more step in the process complete. Today I have been reminded again and amazed at God's faithfulness to me in this process.

We have an interview with local pastors and search committe on Thursday evening for the North Vancouver church plant position. So, please keep us in your prayers. We also continue in the interview process with the other two churches. We can't wait to make some decisions and start the next part of our life!

2008-07-18T11:09:00.001-07:00

Well, the phone interview with Visaila went well. Thank you all for praying!! We have another phone interview with a church in Grand Rapids, MI on Tuesday of next week. We have another interview with local pastors for the north Vancouver church plant position on the 31st of this month. So, you can continue to keep us in your prayers. We are excited to be on this adventure. We know God is going to lead us exactly where He wants us to be, and we are excited to go wherever he leads. Continue to pray for wisdom and discernement on our part to know where God is leading!
I have four more days of classes left!!! Yeah!! My last official class is a week from Tuesday. I am down to two major papers left to get done. So, I still have quite a bit of work left to do, but the light at the end of the tunnel is becoming brighter. :) Woo-Hoo!!
We bought me a bike a few weeks ago, so Brad and I have been having a good time exploring lots of trails around Wilsonville. It's been really good to get out and exercise, and it's something fun we can do together. I had been wanting a bike for a while, and we'd been looking around, so I was excited to get one!
I haven't taken a single picture all summer. I need to get better about doing that, so I can make my posts more fun. :) Hopefully I can add some pics soon! Thanks for all your prayers and support! Leave us a comment, we would love to hear from all of you!
-Steph and Brad

2008-07-10T12:17:00.001-07:00

Phone interview with Visalia , CA tonight! Please pray for wisdom and discernment!

2008-07-06T11:12:00.000-07:00

Hello, hello!!! Hope everyone is having a great summer!! We have been keeping busy, as usual!! I have a little over a month left of classes before I am completely done. YEAH! I am also busy working on my thesis paper, which I will turn in in August as well. The end is in sight, though, and I am SO excited!!!
You can continue to keep us in your prayers. This last week we heard back from two churches we turned our applications/profiles into. One is is Visalia, CA, and the other is in Grand Rapids, MI. We have set up phone interviews with both churches in the next week. We also turned in our application for the church planting position in north Vancouver, WA. So, we have three opportunities in front of us, and we'll see where the interview process takes us. We are excited to be in this adventure and see what God has for us. You can continue to pray for wisdom and discernment on our part to know where God is leading us. Thanks for all your prayers!

I am now officially a candidate

2008-06-17T08:30:00.000-07:00

Well, I (Brad) got this email this morning, so it is official. I am a candidate for the Minister of the Word & Sacrament ordination in the CRC. For those of you who this is foreign to, it just means that I have jumped through another round of hoops and churches can officially offer me a job now, which is a good thing! Please keep Stephanie and I in your prayers as we try and figure out what to do next. You can go here to see more information about the candidates. http://www.crcna.org/pages/candidates_pending.cfm

Dear Candidates,

On behalf of the Candidacy Committee, I want to congratulate you on being approved by Synod 2008! Blessings to you in the next steps you take.

David Koll
Director of Candidacy

2008-05-28T20:30:00.000-07:00

Well, things continue to move along here in the Vos house at a pretty fast pace. Brad is finishing up his Spring Quarter at the Hospital. One more quarter to go! He has been working really hard.
I am back in the swing of classes and internship. Two more months to go, and then I'll be completely finished! WOO-HOO!! I am really enjoying the classes I am taking this summer, though, so that helps.
You can keep us in your prayers in the near future. We have some pretty big decisions ahead of us. Brad is in the midst of the application process to plant a church in North Vancouver (WA). He has also applied for a position as the Pastor of Witness and Discipleship at a Christian Reforemd Church in Kalamazoo, MI. We are also keeping ourselves open to other possibilities that might arise. We are earnestly seeking wisdom and discernment as to where God is leading us. It is quite the adventure! We would covet your prayers in this process.
Take care everyone!

I've been tagged!!!

2008-05-17T16:27:00.000-07:00

Amanda tagged me! Here goes... :)
Four jobs I've had:
-lifeguard
-swim instructor
-raft/rock climbing guide
-barista

Four movies I've watched more than once:
-Say Anything (good times, Amanda :) :) )
-Anne of Green Gables
-What About Bob
-Hotel Rwanda

Four places I've lived:
-Quincy, WA
-Portland, Or
-Canby, Or
-Wilsonville, OR

Four places I've been:
-the Al-Can highway (drivign from Alaska to OR)
-Harrison Hotsprings, BC (yeah, for honeymoons!)
-Mardrid/Barcelona Spain
-Kailua, HI

Four TV shows I watch:
-The Office (love that show!)
-American Idol (I agree...David Cook will take it! :) )
-My dvd's of Friends (old habits are hard to break :) )
-What Not to Wear (it gets me through my workouts :) )

Four people who email me regularly (doesn’t include blogging comments):
-Nikki
-Brad
-Shelley
-Staci

Four of my favorite foods:
-Pizza
-Holly Meredith's mint brownies
-seafood pasta
-shrimp and spinach salad

Four places I would like to visit:
-Israel
-France
-The Seychelles
-Norway

Four things I'm looking forward to in the coming year:
-BEING DONE WITH SCHOOL!!!!! :) :)
-no more homework!
-no more classes!
-reading a book for enjoyment

Three friends I'm tagging:
-Brenda Scott
-Raychel Swallow
-Koren Faust

Graduation

2008-05-05T21:23:00.001-07:00

Here is collage of our graduation. It was a great weekend with family & friends