Week 6 & 7: Work, work, work

For those who have been keeping track we are regrettably a week behind on our blog. We were told this would happen by friends, and it has. Sorry! Over the last 2 weeks Laura and I have pulled back from our mid-week/weekend adventures in an attempt to stay closer to "home" and relax. Life has become significantly more stressful, and our relaxation time is less and less, so it seems. Joel has been interviewing at several PT clinics in and around the area on Wednesdays, thereby eliminating his day off, and I have traveled with him to survey the surrounding area...after all, if I'm going to live somewhere it needs to at least have a Target, a nice grocery store, and a 7-11. :)  All of the interviews have gone well - for some reason the companies have really liked Joel.  The result is many conversations, a few sleepless nights, and the good feeling that comes from being marketable/having options.  To add to the complication, Joel's current clinic, Lynden Family Physical Therapy, has expressed an interest in hiring him.  I am not shocked they have asked him to come back as he has been a wonderful student and will make a trustworthy therapist.  However, this again is another blessing/point of confusion, and with options come hard decisions.

(Side note: we are exploring a couple of job options in other states as well; however, those interviews will not take place until March and April.  Yay!)

In other news, Joel and I have found our go to meals on Friday's have been Little Caeser's pizza with a can of Diet Pepsi, having now had this 5 of the 7 Friday's we have been here.  We also continue to learn we both experience life through our stomachs, which is great as we get to explore and eat great food.  Fortunately though the weather has enabled us both to spend a significant amount of time walking/running/biking/exploring, helping to balance our extremes :)

To add to some of the worry, Joel and I have been diligent in our search for a place for him to stay while in Manhattan.  I am worried, a little, for him to travel to an unknown place without me, as we all know I am like a guard dog...people fear me...grrrrr!  In all honesty, my biggest want is for him to have a comfortable, safe, clean and quiet place where he can recuperate from work and training. A few options have presented themselves, do to friends and family reaching out, and we are confident that within the next week we will have a definitive option.

In a little less than 2 weeks we will be heading to Birmingham, AL for the wedding of my cousin, AJ Burandt to Dana Woods.  This will allow us both a slight reprieve, maybe, from the "big kid" decisions of the northwest, as well as allowing us to see and interact with most of my "Burandt" family members - yippee!!

Outside of work, decisions about our future, Joel's training for New York, and sleep/eating we both continue to stay busy.  Joel has been working on several school-related projects which will need to be finished prior to graduation in May.  He found out his classmates nominated him to speak at graduation...he's not quite sure if this is a good thing or not as he now has to think of something to say...I know he'll do fine.  I continue to broaden my prowess in the kitchen...I've tried to cook more healthy meals for us both since being in Lynden, and though I'm not always successful I must say it has been fun.  To add to the enjoyment, Joel has really enjoyed several of the dishes.  It's always nice when he not only eats it but says it is worth repeating.  :)  Lastly, a week and a half ago we were able to take in the Lynden Christian production of "Hello Dolly" - the Korthuis' daughter had several friends in the play and the whole family was going...they were nice enough to include us in the mix.

 We returned to Whatcom Falls in Bellingham today, following church, for a walk.  The water was calm and clear...

The bridge was built in the 30's when Whatcom Falls was set aside as a city park.  A fish hatchery is not too far from the bridge.

 Imagine our surprise when we found a whole other world within the trees.  Do you see it?

On the 3rd Tuesday of every month, at 9:32 pm Frederick, that's the gnome's name, comes alive to bring cheer and tidings of good will to all the people of Whatcom Falls - at least that's what we're telling ourselves.

And what day would be complete with the launch of a home-made steam boat from the boat ramp of Whatcom Lake.  Underneath the smoke stack is a furnace, with a fire.  We watched from afar as this elderly gentlemen went through his pre-voyage checklist and prep.  Only as he began to assemble the engine and smoke stack on land, and subsequently light his fire on the boat, was it obvious that one, this was a steam boat, and two, that he had been doing this same routine for who knows how long.  The boat even had a steam whistle...I couldn't have been more happy :)

Chug, chug, chug....

So now you are "up-to-date" on the "nutty" aspect of our lives over the last two weeks.  We've loved hearing from many of you that you continue to enjoy our blog, as we have enjoyed sharing our adventures with you!  If you want to stay updated with new posts please feel free to "follow" our blog on the right of the page...you'll then get an e-mail each time we update it - hopefully on a weekly basis from now on :)  Many blessings to you all!

"Taste and see the Lord is good" - Psalm 34:8

Week 4: Seattle of course...among other things

We're a little late in getting our "week 4" update written and posted.  Life has surprisingly gotten a little bit hectic.  Laura and I are quickly realizing that our time in Washington is moving by quickly...and important life-decisions loom in the not-so-distant future.  To say we are a little "on edge" is an understatement.  Praying for wisdom, peace, and patience is harder than it sounds, especially for me.  I want to know now, and I want to know "yes" or "no."  Still need some work on the "patience" aspect.

Luckily, Laura and I are surrounded with wonderful people who remind us to breath and relax, understanding that sometimes there are not "yes" or "no" answers, but rather, support and blessings for whatever our decisions may be.  We continue to meet new friends at the church we attend in Bellingham, and I am beginning to form a closer friendship with one of the therapists I work with at LFPT.  To that end, we are consistently reminded of the blessings for which we are to be thankful.  

In order to take a break from the serious "life-stuff" we headed to Seattle for the weekend.  The weather forecast was for 48 deg and partly cloudy skies - if you've ever been in the northwest you know not to trust the weather man. The forecast changed to low-40's and rain/drizzle.  Nevertheless, Laura and I thoroughly enjoyed walking through Pike's Place public market, past the piers, through some of the Seattle underground, past the sculptures at the Olympic Sculpture Park and ending the day with fresh seafood from Ivar's Salmon House and B&O Espresso, a local desert/coffee shop (thanks to Rachel & Bob Lail for the suggestion).  All-in-all a good break from the clinic and Lynden.  Pictures are below

Lastly, Laura and I are realizing how much a part of our lives Riesling had become prior to our move.  (FYI - Riesling is our little cat which we have had since getting married)  Though we both agree we do not miss the pet hair or his random "freak out" sessions where he runs aimlessly through the apartment we do find ourselves missing his constant attention and snuggling.  That darn little bugger has turned me soft...and for a cat nonetheless!  Fortunately, for him and for us, he has a warm home, caring people to love him and with whom he can snuggle, and lots of time to sleep.

Life is an adventure...it just so happens we are taking a side trip to the amusement park/roller coaster for the next few weeks.  Hopefully this experience is akin to Laura's memories of Cedar Point's "The Raptor" and not mine of "Pharaoh's Furry" at the South Dakota State Fair.

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

Week 2 Recap: Clinic overview and Bellingham Explorations

Week 1 in the clinic is in the books, and I'm happy to say things are going well.  Some of you may know that my last clinical rotation was busy (and that may be an understatement); however, my current clinical has a much different feel and focus, one which I happily accept.  I continue to be challenged in providing holistic care, while building relationships with my patients.  I'm finding transitions to be hard, as I am at my best with patients when I know who they are and what matters to them.  This is much harder to do when starting at a new clinic, but I'm up for the challenge.  It also never ceases to amaze me that even though the anatomy and foundation of PT never changes, the exercises, exams and evals, perspectives and treatment approaches differ widely from clinic to clinic.  Confusing to say the least, but also nice to have a different perspective on treatment and care approaches.  The other "bonus" about this affiliation is the opportunity to learn more about private practice and the "in's" and "out's" of running a business.  My CI, Steve, has indicated he is willing to provide further mentorship to me on that front, and I am looking forward to learning more on the business side of the aisle.

Since coming to the NW I've had it in my mind that I am not going to take for granted the time Laura and I have while here.  To that end, Laura and I sat down this last week and made our "to do" list while here.  We're excited!!  (No, I cannot tell you what was on the list...that would ruin the point of coming back to the blog if you knew what our next "normal" was to be) This weekend was devoted to exploring our own "backyard" - Bellingham, WA is located about 12 miles to our south, and is the main city in Whatcom county.  It was incorporated in 1904, and has an awesome downtown just off of Bellingham Bay.  Here's your history lesson - "English Captain George Vancouver first explored the area in 1792 and named Bellingham Bay for Sir William Bellingham, Vancouver's British Navy provisioner" - you see A LOT of B.C. (British Columbia) license plates in and around Lynden/Bellingham.  The Canadian border is only 20 min. from Bellingham, and it turns out they love US retail and shopping, most notably, Trader Joe's and Costco.

First exploration was to Larrabee State Park and Whatcom Falls Park - both were AWESOME!  Trails abound everywhere around here, but both parks have an abundance of scenic and nature-esque trails.  Our hike at Larrabee took us over 5000+ ft of elevation gain in a little over 5 miles.  We weren't expecting to be hiking quite as much as we did, but could not pass up a view of Bellingham Bay and Fragrance Lake, a secluded lake a top Larrabee that can only be reached on foot.  It seemed as if we were in our own private rain forest as the day consisted of gray, misting fog.  However, the green growth and mossy trees "popped" so much more against a dull backdrop.  Pictures of both explorations follow:


Throughout the day Laura and I continue to notice two very distinct characteristics about the Washington state's population.  But...you'll have to read her post for more details...

Lastly, even though Whatcom county has the most churches per capita (Steve believes they actually may have the US record) only 2 LCMS churches are anywhere close to where we are, and 1 is a deaf ministries congregation.  That narrowed our choices.  (Note: most of the churches around Lynden and Bellingham are 'reformed,' and as such there are 5-6 varieties of the same church...i.e. "First Christian Reformed Church," "Christian Reformed Church" and the "Reformed Church of Christ" - too confusing for me)  We attended Trinity Lutheran in Bellingham, and, through a connection at LFPT (Lynden Family PT), already have felt welcomed by the ministry staff.  It's a smaller church with an "A" frame design.  Why that is important is because nearly half of the churches Laura and I have seen in and around Lynden have an "A" frame design.  I have no idea if it is an architectural fad or something else, but it definitely is a popular design.

Stay tuned in the coming days for an update from Laura, as well as more pics and stories.  Also, if you have a question or comment feel free to drop us a line at the bottom of the blog.  We'd love to hear from you!