Week 3: A taste of winter and snowshoeing

After spending the last part of our 2nd week and into the weekend battling colds, Laura and I were determined to get out and explore at the end of week 3.  However, our chances looked bleak as Lynden and the surrounding area got hit with a mid-west style snowstorm this last week.  Amazingly, the Korthuis' kids (we are staying with their parents) got the ENTIRE WEEK off from school (as such, the kids, along with Robin, were home much of the week, and Laura was able to hang out with them, while also getting to know the family better...change of pace for Laura who has spent much of her time catching up on "me" time and reading).  We (Laura and me) dreamed of such a scenario when we were their age.  But they got lucky - Washington handles winter weather a bit differently.  Normally, only the mountains get much snow, so in Lynden they are panicked when they get more than about 5 days of snow, with a total accumulation of about 6-7 inches.  During this storm they got wind chills in the single digits (unheard of around here), 8-10 inches of snow over 2 days, which then drifted with 20-35 mph winds (they call it a "noreaster"), followed by freezing rain.  Most everything, with exception of the clinic and few other businesses, closed!  Fortunately for Laura and me the weather pattern moved out, allowing us a near perfect day of snowshoeing on Mnt. Baker.

I think Laura may have had a little too much time on her hands this week, as I returned from the clinic on Friday night to find the following in our bathroom.  Have you heard of "Pinterest?"  Laura has gotten some awesome recipes, ideas for a future home, and random other items as showcased by this pic...

A quick overview of the clinic - I am continuing to learn on a daily basis from Steve, as well as the other staff and therapists.  Steve has formed a very well respected practice in Lynden, and as such, has a wealth of knowledge on business, customer relations and value vs. quality.  I am extremely grateful to be learning from him, as well as getting a first hand look at how he is implementing his words into actions on a daily basis.  The other really neat aspect, which I have mentioned to Laura repeatedly, is that every day I get to discuss my faith or how faith intertwines into every aspect of our lives.  Lynden, as mentioned in previous posts, is a small, Dutch community, with a "reformed" heritage.  As such, even though Lynden is located in Washington state, which is said to be one of the least "churched" states in the country, most everyone in town is very open about their faith.  I am constantly hearing stories from my patients on how God is working in their lives, or how they are amazed at the intricacies of the human body and creation, or.....  This is rare in healthcare, and a nice change for me to be experiencing.
(Side note: it is encouraged at LFPT to be a "shining light" as a staff member. The idea is to be "shining His light," and, if another staff member wants to recognize an exceptional effort on behalf of another staff member then they are awarded a "shining light."  In other words, faith in action as God does not need our good works but our neighbor does!)

After our "taste of winter" during the week we decided this weekend would be a great opportunity to play in the fresh powder on Mnt. Baker.  (Mnt. Baker got 78 inches of fresh powder from this last week's storm, adding to their already impressive base...they currently have one of the deepest snow bases in North America!)  After renting snowshoes from REI, which I might add is dangerous having a really nice REI so close with such awesome outdoor items, we headed for the mountain.  Surprisingly, the base of Baker is only about 3500 ft. with the summit reaching just over 10,000 ft.  However, they get an immense amount of snow per season.  This makes for great winter recreation.  Laura and I got the scoop on trails for snowshoeing and spent 3+ hrs. hiking around the mountain.  Unfortunately, falling snow and thick cloud cover kept us from getting some good views of the summit; however, this is merely an excuse to return on a sunnier day :)  Below are some pics...

We continue to enjoy our time in the northwest, in case you cannot tell.  There is still much left "undone" on our list, and we look forward to sharing it with you in the weeks to come.  Hopefully, our weather will begin to cooperate in order to allow us to complete a better portion of our "northwest bucket list."  We continue to pray for God's blessings for all of our families and friends - just as our lives have changed much over the last weeks and months we also know the new year has brought new challenges and changes to many of you.  Thanks for your encouragement and your prayers.

More to come... :)

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.  O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His steadfast love endures forever!  Psalm 118:24, 29