The Dombach's

Aquarium Day

2011-04-08T21:33:00.000-07:00

What a great day!! The boys and I headed up to Vancouver to explore the Aquarium with three other families and the rest of British Columbia (who must have been out on spring break as well). 4 moms and 9 kids under the age of 8. A bit crazy and a whole lot of fun! Elias eating his apple for lunch-happy in the rain and cold

Elias, Isaiah and our friend Isaiah in front of the Beluga Whales

7 of the 9 friends in front of the seal tank

Great Wolf Lodge Trip

2011-04-03T22:12:00.000-07:00

We took a very fun and relaxing trip south to get away from the busy season of life we are now in. After a morning spent at the Everett Children's Museum we went out to watch life at the Edmonds Ferry Terminal. Many rocks were thrown into the ocean, we got to see the Amtrak train come through and we watched two ferries load and unload. Dinner at the Spaghetti Factory and we were all ready for bed!

The next day we packed up and headed toward Grand Mound. Great Wolf Lodge was as much fun as we remembered it and if possible, we enjoyed it more this year than we did last year. Isaiah was tall enough to go on all of the slides and he went non-stop for two days! Elias liked the water and spent a lot of time jumping over waves in the pool and going down the little slides in the kiddie pool.
Best of all the trip was great for us to get away as a family. Life has been very full and it was perfect timing for us to forget about work schedules, Greek assignments and balancing the demands of life as a young family...at least for a couple days!

New pictures!

2010-06-17T22:05:00.000-07:00

Check out some new Dombach family pictures from this spring on our Picasa web album. The link is on the right side of our blog.

Fun Adventures

2010-05-12T11:28:00.000-07:00

We've had some great fun lately! Here are some snapshots of our adventures.

The Great Wolf Lodge in Grand Mound, WA

It is a family friendly hotel with a huge indoor water park. We went with several other families from my Bunco group and had a FABULOUS time! Isaiah absolutely loved the waterslides, the wavepool, the giant bucket that dumps 1,000 gallons of water on your head, the arcade, and the talking animals all around the place. Elias wasn't as confident in the water, but started getting used to it and will love it next year! Seth, well, he loved the waterslides as well-the kid came out in him and I think it was a good break from heavy-duty Seminary studying!

Seth and Elias (we are indeed in a cheezy smile phase)Family Photo before bedtime

At dinner, Isaiah is almost ready to fall asleep!

At the Locks in Seattle with Kristin!

Hovander Park in Ferndale

Follow the leader

2010-05-12T11:03:00.000-07:00

I currently have a sister and brother-in-law in Vietnam and a sister in Egypt. In this day and age of technology, it is great to be able to talk with them on the phone as if they were in the next city, not the next continent. My sister called on Isaiah's birthday and got the privilege of talking to both the boys at the same time. To some this would be confusing because Elias' can speak some words very clearly and the rest of his sentences are jibberish. And, he will speak while anyone and everyone else is speaking, just to make it more fun.

Here is first-born followed closely by second-born. I think they say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Grandma Rhonda's Visit!

2010-04-07T22:36:00.000-07:00

Elias' cake: train Isaiah's cake: bike

Grandma Rhonda came for a visit to celebrate both Isaiah and Elias' birthdays. As you can tell by the smiles, we had a full and fun weekend!

Amtrak and Aquarium

2010-04-01T22:16:00.000-07:00

Elias loves trains. He calls them chugga's and he talks about them all day, everyday. For his birthday we decided to take a family day to Seattle on the Amtrak. It was a long day, but it was great! We caught the 8:35am train from Bellingham and arrived in Seattle just after 11am. The boys were both in awe the whole ride down and Seth even got a little Greek studying done while we toured the train. We caught the train in Seattle at 7pm and finally got the boys into their beds by 9:30pm. Everyone slept well that night!

In Seattle we walked to the waterfront and made our way to the Seattle Aquarium. It was a beautiful day and both boys did great with all the walking and sightseeing. The Aquarium was fun and we managed to see all of the main "feeding" times. They have a HUGE fish tank as you walk in and it was fascinating for all of us. Of course our camera died about 10 minutes into the Aquarium visit so we don't have many pictures but we have many memories and that's what counts! We walked to Pike's Place Market, rode a carousal and pretended to play video games in an arcade, ate dinner at Red Robin overlooking the ferry terminal and spent the whole day together as a family-something that does not happen very often!

The ride to Seattle-Seth working on Greek paradigms, Elias studying the details of the table, Isaiah taking in the sights of western Washington out the window

Isaiah and Elias with Seattle in the background

At the Aquarium-at least the diver was paying attention to me! And that boy from Sonshine Preschool...

Winter walking

2010-04-01T21:23:00.000-07:00

We did enjoy a relatively warm winter in Washington. On the sunny days we tried to get outside and enjoy the fresh air. I'm not sure that Elias loves his winter suit but it keeps him warm!

Seth and Isaiah going for a ride on a brisk but sunny day. They are riding on what is affectionately called "the smooth road" by Isaiah. It's a private road just down from our house and the pavement is much smoother than the regular road. It also features a long steep hill that Isaiah LOVES to ride down really fast.

Ice Skating

2010-04-01T20:44:00.000-07:00

Isaiah's second time ice skating-he did so well and wanted to go on his own without the little blue helper. By the end of the time, he was skating all by himself.

Elias got to skate too! He started to get the hang of it and will most likely compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Boys will be boys

2010-02-18T20:37:00.000-08:00

We've had a fun last couple of weeks. Despite a minor surgery for Isaiah and a bout with a bad cold for the whole family, we've been able to enjoy some fun times both at home and away. Check out the pictures.

Everett Children's Museum

Splashing in the water

Thomas train tracks, a definite favorite

Fun at Home

Buzz Lightyear and Sheriff Woody

Finger Painting Fun!

White boys can dance

2010-02-08T11:14:00.000-08:00

One of the many perks of living with my brother Will is the free dancing lessons that he gives to the boys. Watch and learn.

Decorating the tree!!!

2009-11-27T21:18:00.000-08:00

Fa la la la la la la la la

2009-11-27T20:27:00.000-08:00

With Thankgiving celebrated and over, today was the day to cut our Christmas tree. We missed Joelle, Steven, and Bethany, but had Kimberly, Hannah and Sandi to enjoy the day with!

The back of the van on the way to the Tree Farm

Headed into the woods...
with a full load!

It was a tough tree but after MANY chopping attempts, we finally got it down!

Hannah cutting the tree

Isaiah and Elias cutting the tree

Will finally gets the job done!

A few pics

2009-11-20T21:30:00.000-08:00

A fun and cold day at Bellewood Acres with Isaiah's preschool class. We learned alot and had a great time!

Mud Puddles!

2009-11-06T21:52:00.000-08:00

I think that the pictures tell the story well enough. Mom was at work, dad was in charge of the boys. Mud was everywhere and they had fun!

Halloween Fun

2009-11-06T21:38:00.000-08:00

Between a local Harvest Party and our church Trunk or Treat, Isaiah and Elias had great opportunity to try out their costumes. My gorilla and lion were both ready to party!

Train ride at Trunk or Treat

Boffing with friend Kurtis
Harvest Party with friends, the Kettman's

A winning find

2009-10-22T20:40:00.000-07:00

Today at one of our routine stops to the local kids consignment store, we made a HUGE FIND! There stuck in between several very normal winter jackets was a Denver Broncos Jacket. Never mind that it is two sizes too big for Isaiah right now. Never mind that someone dared to get rid of a Broncos jacket when the team is 6-0 right now.

All that matters is that when Isaiah saw the Broncos logo on the front, his eyes lit up and he screamed (in the middle of the store) "Go Broncos!" All that matters is that Isaiah couldn't wait until Seth got home to show him the surprize!

Pumpkin Patch!

2009-10-22T13:15:00.000-07:00

One of the best parts of the fall is a trip to the pumpkin patch! This year was exceptional because we didn't lose anyone in the corn maze and we had a professional photographer (Will)along to capture some great moments.

Isaiah's First Day of Preschool!

2009-10-04T21:05:00.000-07:00

This fall Isaiah started going to preschool. He has Monday's with Teacher Daddy, Tuesday's with Teacher Danielle (a friend of ours who has a great preschool in her home!), Wednesday's with Teacher Grandma and Thursday's with Teacher Mommy. He LOVES to learn and really eats up everything we put in front of him. He's working on counting to 100, learning the sounds for each letter, doing basic addition, being a good big brother and having fun in life! He is really enjoying reading about the Parables from the Bible right now and is truly amazed at the miracles that Jesus did. It's great for Seth and I to read the stories from a 4 1/2 year old's perspective and to watch Isaiah process through the Word of God. It's great to be a parent!

Isaiah rides

2009-09-23T12:40:00.000-07:00

Late this summer Isaiah learned to ride his bike without training wheels. He is CRAZY! Neither Seth or I can keep up with him on our bikes and his sole determination seems to be in finding a bigger hill to go down so he can go faster than he's ever gone before. This was supposed to be my calm, relaxed, controlled child. I'm fairly scared for what Elias will be like in three years.

Isaiah says...

2009-09-05T21:58:00.000-07:00

Isaiah: I love you mom

Rachel: I love you too Isaiah

Isaiah: I love you more...because I love you as much as Jesus does

Pumpkin Spice Latte

2009-09-02T21:34:00.000-07:00

Fall is in the air and today I had my first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season!! It was a great treat and did wonders for giving a good kick to the work day! With the coming of a new season brings a reflection of that which is just past. We had a very full summer with all of my family living under one roof. Thanks to my parents for building a big enough house to hold us all! My sister Bethany was home for 6 weeks from Cairo, Egypt and my sister and brother in law, Joelle and Steven were back from Quy Nhon, Vietnam for about 2 1/2 months. My brother Will lives at home right now and works with my dad doing construction and remodeling. What a blessing it has been to be on the same continent for awhile.

Everyone is back in their respective countries now and we are getting ready for the transition back to school for Seth and back to preschool for Isaiah. Seth's mom comes next week from Colorado for a visit to help us kick off the new season and we are looking forward to that time! Here are a few pictures from the summer. More can be found on our Picasa Web Album-the link is on the right.

Camping trip to La Conner, WA

In the summer heat!

Hike up at Mt. Baker

Isaiah and Aunt Joelle on the Mt. Baker Glacier

Uncle Will, Isaiah and Aunt Joelle laughing...always laughing!

Boys day at Birch Bay

2009-06-27T22:24:00.000-07:00

Needless to say, they had fun!

Antics from Isaiah

2009-06-21T20:49:00.000-07:00

A little morbid perhaps, but a cute ending. While putting Isaiah to bed the other night we had this conversation:

Rachel: I love you

Isaiah: I love you too

Rachel: I love you three

Isaiah: I love you 'til you die

Rachel: I love you 'til I die

Isaiah: Will you die before me?

Rachel: Yes

Isaiah: Will dad die before me?

Rachel: Yes

Isaiah: Will grandma and grandpa die before me?

Rachel: Yes

Isaiah: Then who will make food for me?

Rachel (stifling a chuckle): I think by that time you will be grown up and married.

Isaiah: Who will I marry?

At this point it was time to pray and go to sleep...one more deep theological conversation with my four year old.

Isaiah's funny face

Isaiah's Birthday!!!!

2009-05-10T21:43:00.000-07:00

Isaiah turned four on April 29th when we were in Colorado so we celebrated his birthday for a whole week. He had a Cars themed party in Colorado with Seth's side of the family and then we had a Music themed party in Washington with Rachel's side of the family and Isaiah's friends. Both parties were perfect for a four year old. Cars is absolutely Isaiah's favorite movie and since he sings and plays his air guitar almost non-stop, it was great to hit both elements of his life. The Cars pinata in Grandma Rhonda's garage and the lip sync portion of our music party were especially fun! Friends at the Music Party
Black Guitar Cake made specially by Grandma!

Opening gifts with cousin Aiden in Colorado

Elias and Great Grandma Peggy watching the Pinata bash

Cars Pinata

Colorado Trip

2009-05-10T20:27:00.000-07:00

Garden of the Gods

What a trip we had to visit family and friends in Colorado! Flights went better than I expected with Elias sleeping a good chunk of both. We visited two zoos (Denver and Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs), the Denver Children's Museum, the Garden of the Gods, our old stomping grounds in Winter Park, and spent a lot of time with Seth's family. There was a lot of fun packed into a week's time and it was worth every minute. Isaiah's birthday and our anniversary landed during the trip and so we had a chance to celebrate the whole week too! For the picture tour of our time, visit here.

Feeding the giraffe's

Building with dad at the Children's Museum

Holding up Balancing Rock at the Garden of the Gods

Isaiah & dad at the Garden of the Gods

Isaiah and cousin Aiden, who are a month apart in age

Easter 2009

2009-04-18T14:19:00.000-07:00

A blessed celebration of the death and LIFE of Jesus! We are so thankful for our families, near and far, and for precious friends who share this journey with us. Dyeing Easter Eggs

Opening Easter Baskets

Elias...

Isaiah's Creative Photography

2009-04-18T13:40:00.000-07:00

Mom and Elias

Self-portrait

Reflection of the watch

Cars

Family Excursions

2009-04-05T15:14:00.000-07:00

Boulevard Park in Fairhaven

With Elias' birthday money we purchased a packback carrier from some good friends who had outgrown it. The idea was that it would be great to take on our trip to Colorado, but we've already found some good use for it here. Elias loves to be upright and looking around and yet we've also found that he can nap comfortably in it! It's been a great investment and I'm sure we will get good use out of it. Thanks Kettmans!

Isaiah is getting used to riding his bike (with training wheels) at different local parks. It's pretty much his favorite outdoor thing to do now, except for work with Grandma in the flower beds. We are just now getting some warmer spring weather to enjoy as well-so I'm sure we have many more bike/backpack days to come!

Cornwall Park in Bellingham

Colorado: Here we come!

2009-03-22T13:12:00.001-07:00

At the end of April we are taking a family trip back to Colorado. It's the first real vacation that we'll have taken since Elias was born and of course it's always great to get the chance to get back to Colorado! We are taking a few extra days so that we can make the trek up to Winter Park, where Seth and I met and lived for 4 years. We lived there when Isaiah was first born and we still have some very dear friends up there. Getting to stay in a hotel with a swimming pool the night before we fly out and the actual flight are what occupy Isaiah's mind right now. But not too far behind are thoughts about his Colorado birthday party and the chance to go to the zoo!!

Soccer Practice

2009-03-19T21:23:00.000-07:00

Isaiah has been doing a soccer clinic through the local YMCA once a week for 3-4 year olds. He has really enjoyed it and even though the time has been short, he has learned a lot already. Next year he'll be on a team and actually get to play games, but for now, it's fun for him to get some skilz. :)

Of course Elias goes with Seth and Isaiah to practice and loves to explore the gym.

We had to put this video on the blog because Seth and I both died laughing when we watched it. Isaiah is the one in the red soccer outfit (from Viet Nam!)So, maybe we'll work on coordination this summer. Or maybe we'll just let it work itself out. Does a large floppy bird come to anyone else's mind?

Family Outing

2009-03-19T21:13:00.000-07:00

A creek, rocks galor, two boys and daddy-a perfect combination for a fun family afternoon. Makes me look forward to many fun family times to come!

Elias' 1st Birthday!!

2009-03-16T21:06:00.000-07:00

What a year it has been! Elias is a precious boy and we are so thankful for him every day. We had a small birthday party with my parents, brother Will, and Seth's mom, Rhonda, who flew out from Colorado for the special occasion. Elias got to eat a whole piece of birthday cake and LOVED it! Isaiah was a big help and really wanted to teach Elias how to open his gifts. We'll see if that favor is returned in a month at Isaiah's birthday party.

Even though Isaiah and Grandma spent many hours teaching Elias how to blow out the candles, he was more impressed with the cement mixer, dump truck and backhoe that sat on top of his cake than the actual candle. Oh, yes, and he loved the giant helium balloon that will probably remain in our living room until his next birthday in 2010!

The Snow Fort

2009-02-27T21:41:00.001-08:00

Today while Elias and I were doing laundry...

Seth and Isaiah made a snow fort. Seth could stand up inside of the fort and I'm pretty sure it will be standing for a long time. I'd still rather be doing laundry.

Before and After

2009-02-26T20:52:00.000-08:00

Elias before his first "big boy" haircut.

Elias after his first "big boy" haircut. We call him "little Seth"

Hike to Haystack

2009-02-07T21:47:00.000-08:00

Had a great family time this morning hiking up Haystack Hill, which is very close to home, quite steep and gave a great view of the Valley. Elias slept in the jogging stroller all the way up while Isaiah climbed with Seth and I. We had snacks at the top and I worried about Isaiah falling off the cliff while Seth pointed out all the sights from the lookout point. Best of all, we had the chance to just be together, enjoy the sunshine and grow closer as a family!Can you guess where Isaiah learns to make faces like that?

It's been a long time in coming

2009-02-06T21:45:00.000-08:00

A brief update on the last couple of months:

December 2008 was a super busy month for our family. We packed up the house and moved in with my parents the week before Christmas. It just so happened that the week before Christmas it snowed and snowed and snowed...and yes, we moved.

Taking a break from packing, cleaning and unpacking, we enjoyed a quiet, snowy Christmas day with my parents. All three of my siblings were gathered in Viet Nam for Christmas and while we missed having them here, it was great that they were able to have so many adventures together!

The day after Christmas Seth and I headed to the Canadian border to get his Visa for studying at Regent College in Vancouver. Orientation was the first week of January and classes started the following week! He absolutely loves school, is challenged every day by what he is learning and is amazed at the opportunity and responsibility that he has to sit at the feet of great teachers for a couple years...great teachers who point him to The Great Teacher in every conversation. It's a huge blessing for me to see Seth work hard, study, read, and absolutely LOVE what he is doing.

Elias finally learned to crawl in January and when he did, it was an overnight realization for him that he was now very mobile. In just a week he has become unstoppable and is cruising around the furniture, mentally ready to walk, waiting for his body to get the last bit of balance he needs to take off running! He'll be 1 in a month, something I can't believe is true.

Isaiah continues to excel as the smartest kid in his preschool class. Of course he is the only kid in his preschool class since we do "school" at home during Elias' naps. Isaiah loves to learn: writing, drawing, coloring, matching, cutting out shapes, he does it all! With the warmer weather lately, he's enjoyed going for walks and playing at the park. He's anxious to get his new bike outside soon, although his track in the basement serves as a great way to get some extra energy out when it's rainy!

We just got wireless internet at my parents house, so my hope is to update the blog more regularily. As Isaiah would say...We'll see!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

2008-12-02T21:27:00.000-08:00

Last week we cut down our Christmas tree and decorated the house. We weren't initially going to do this because we are planning to move before Christmas, but I eventually decided that if we didn't do our best to fill our home with the Christ of Christmas, we'd all miss out on this special time of the year. Not that the tree and the decorations and the cookies bring Christ into our home, but they do help us focus on the season and the reason we celebrate. Perhaps the biggest element that we have been enjoying is the nightly tradition of Advent reading. Each year we go through the book The Advent Jesse Tree, which Isaiah understands more and more each year. We talk about an element of preparing our hearts and minds for the coming of the Christ child and then put an ornament on a little fir tree that we have. The ornament is a symbol of what we talked about during the devotion and helps to emphasize the ideas.
We still plan to move before Christmas and it is still a very busy few weeks ahead, but I trust that the peace of Christ will richly rule over us as we seek to honor him with the days. Blessings on your Advent as you prepare your hearts and minds as well.

Thankfulness

2008-11-22T14:00:00.000-08:00

How many times over the last month have I written a whole blog entry in my mind, where it has stayed because it's just been too busy to actually get it on the computer! Sometimes that frustrates me because the amazing tools that we now have to connect with people all over the world are still tools that we need to make time to use. So, while the boys are napping and the house is quiet, I come to the Dombach blog and find that one theme comes to mind. Thankfulness.
Yes, it's a season of Thanksgiving with a wonderful turkey, pumpkin pie and sweet potato meal just around the corner, but besides that it is just a time of thanksgiving for our family. Here are some of the reasons why.

Seth is officially starting seminary on January 6th. We spent a day up at Regent on Nov 12th and talked through classes, which degree he will be pursuing (now a Master of Christian Studies rather than a Master of Divinity), and of course finances. I think it's safe to say that there is some fear and trepidation happening as Seth reads through syllabi, orders 800 page text books and prepares to study again. But overall there is a feeling of readiness and an eagerness that I enjoy seeing in my husband.
Isaiah is taking preschool by storm. He loves to do school and is currently mastering writing the alphabet and numbers 1-10. He turns everything into a learning situation with questions and connections to concepts we have talked about and it really makes it easy to feel like we are giving him a good start to his education! He has an amazing memory and often recalls events and details from things that happened many months ago. And he is very handsome as well.
Elias finally popped his first tooth through! He is a very energetic 8 month old with a smile to light up a room and hair that does exactly what it wants to do-most of the time that means it sticks straight up. Isaiah calls him spikey head. He has strong legs and loves to stand holding on to something. Each day he gets more brave in letting go with one or both hands. And he is very cute.
My job transition has been amazing and I'm so thankful to be working in the Marriage and Family Ministry at our church. It suits me well and I think I suit it well too. As for everyday life, in the midst of piles of laundry, dishes, and cleaning it's wonderful to pause, remember the big picture of WHO we serve and why we do it and to be thankful for the gift of abundant life that we've been given so freely. So, let us always be full of THANKSGIVING.

Pumpkin Patch!

2008-10-12T21:43:00.000-07:00

Ahhh the joys of Autumn! We spent a chilly but sunny Saturday morning at Stoney Ridge Farm with my parents, sister Bethany and brother Will. It was fun to pick out a pumpkin of course, but other highlights included losing mom and Bethany in the corn maze, the goat with 4 horns, Will whacking everyone with corn stalks, apple cider doughnuts, trying to keep Elias' hat on his head, and of course the age old challenge of trying to get four Dombach's to smile at the same time for a family picture. Okay, so it's not age old since Elias has only been around for 7 months, but it's certainly a challenge. It was a great morning followed by a wonderful turkey lunch in celebration of Canadian Thanksgiving.

Cowboys, Cheerios and Crawling Lessons

2008-10-01T12:57:00.000-07:00

What do these three things have in common you say? Well, nothing really except that they are all part of the common household activities for the Dombach's these days. September has FLOWN by and here we are staring at the October calendar with awe. Here are a few of the highlights from the last month, in a blur, just like the month went!

Elias turned 6 months old! At his check up he weighed almost 17 lbs, which is in the 40%, and was almost 29 inches long, which is off the charts for height. No wonder he's wearing 12 month size clothes!
One day I wore my tall boots to work which prompted Isaiah wanting to wear his cowboy boots. Well, you can't wear just your cowboy boots and hence we have the stick-em-up cowboy dress up day. It also happened to be library day, so the cowboy showed up for story time all decked out-hat included.
Speaking of library days... the local library has a great preschool story/song time that we usually go to. Isaiah loves to sit and listen to new books as well as do the interactive songs. Elias loves the songs too! I've incorporated it into our weekly preschool schedule.
Speaking of preschool...it's pretty expensive around here, so we are doing our best to learn our ABC's and 123's at home. Isaiah is a fast learner and we have a couple of books that we are working through. It's been a lot of fun to see him so eager to learn and to have that one on one time with him-we usually try to do it while Elias is napping. Of course the whole world is our classroom, so we practice our letters by reading the Cheerios box, learn colors by playing "I spy with my little eye" while driving and work on writing when we make pictures to send to Joelle and Steven in Vietnam!
Speaking of Cheerios...Elias is a good eater and Cheerios are one of his very favorite things right now. He is still working on his hand to mouth coordination and when he gets fed up with trying to get the Cheerios actually in his mouth from his hand, he reverts to the good old mouth-to-highchair tray method. Sometimes this is very hilarious for the rest of us as the Cheerios end up stuck to his nose rather than in his mouth. He had no clue why we were laughing!
Speaking of laughing...we do a lot of it lately. Especially when Isaiah and Elias interact. As mentioned above, Elias makes us all laugh as he learns new things and is just his normal, goofy self. Isaiah is the best one to make Elias laugh and it's clear that Elias adores his big brother! Here is Isaiah trying to teach Elias how to crawl.
Speaking of teaching...Seth just started teaching a class at our church on Sunday mornings called From God to Us that goes into detail about how we got our modern day Bible. He loves to teach and has taught this material before when we were at Timberline Lodge. The feedback from the people in the class (ranging in age from 20-60) was great and they stayed around after the class for an extra 1/2 hour to ask questions.
Speaking of class...that's what we call our Wednesday night activities for Isaiah and myself. Isaiah goes to Adventure Club at a local church, learning verses, singing songs, playing group games and of course having a good snack! While he is there, I have a book club with a couple friends at the local coffee shop. It's a great time to talk about what we are learning and share in the journey of mothering young kids. What a precious time for me and one of the main times during the week where I get an hour to have great adult interaction that greatly encourages my soul. Elias gets to have daddy's attention all to himself and so far that has gone well too!
And last but not least speaking of encouragement...I got to spend a weekend with three of my dearest friends from college. We are spread out over many miles now, but these are the kind of friendships that can pick up right where we left off. I feel very privileged to have such good friends that have stuck around over the years. Friends who can laugh together, talk about nothing and everything together. Friends who can agree on the basics of life and yet disagree about how that plays out in the day to day. Thanks Kim, Annie and Kristin for being those people in my life. I love you all!

That's all for now! I'm sure that October will bring many more adventures, joys (pumpkin carving), and tears (my two siblings that are left in the US are both leaving for foreign countries this month). Press on toward the goal of a life lived well for Jesus!

Telling the tale

2008-09-13T20:34:00.000-07:00

Near the end of August Seth took a week off of work just so we could have some time together as a family. He has been working two jobs for a couple months and some weeks it has really been tough to feel like we are connected as a family. He took Isaiah camping for two nights in the rain during this week and they had so much fun! Isaiah loved the whole adventure, rain or not. They threw about a million rocks into the river, made smores, went hiking all over and of course told lots and lots of stories in the tent.

Isaiah has a vivid imagination and could tell made up stories all day long. He especially likes to tell of his adventures with JaJa and Lisa, his made up friends who live in his tree house near New Zealand. The three of them have had many journeys throughout the States, Vietnam, Egypt and New Zealand, not to mention the plethera of occupations they have held, most of which have to do with operating heavy machinery like excavators, dump trucks, steam rollers or driving trains, fast cars or motorcycles. He does have real life friends too and I find that many of them have great story telling capabilities as well, so for now, JaJa and Lisa remain part of our daily reality. Wouldn't it be funny if some day Isaiah really did make friends with someone named JaJa or got married to a great girl named Lisa.

All Aboard!!!

2008-08-17T14:08:00.000-07:00

On August 5th we took the boys aboard the Wickersham Train for an old fashioned ride through the hills of Western Washington. Isaiah is a train addict right now, probably thanks to the incredible marketing being done by Thomas the Tank Engine, Inc., but indulging his love of trains on this day was so much fun for the whole family. We arrived very early and got to climb all over an old steam engine that was being restored while being given a very thorough train anatomy and history lesson from the volunteers who run the Wickersham station. We met some of these guys a couple months ago when we visited the Bellingham train museum and they are, to put it simply, of a different breed. In any case they are very passionate about trains and were more than happy to let us explore, much to Isaiah's enjoyment. The actual train ride was only 3 miles, but what a thrill for Seth to take Isaiah all over the train, getting a ride in the engine and laughing every time the whistle blew. We stopped midway where Isaiah got to crank a handcar and then walked a short path to a beautiful waterfall set just off the tracks. Elias was a great passenger as well and even got to take a snooze on the ride back. For more pictures of our train adventure check out our web album.

A million and one questions

2008-08-17T13:51:00.000-07:00

If I had taken the time to sit down last week and write this blog entry, it would have been titled "A thousand and one questions", but since the week has lapsed we have gone WAY past the thousand mark. I am referring very lovingly to Isaiah's new habit of question asking. On many occasions he doesn't even stop for a breath between the answer to one question before he starts with the all too familiar "but why..." or "cause for what?"
Yes, it is endearing and pretty funny sometimes, but more than that I pray that he continues to be a learner all of his life. That he never stops asking questions and seeking the answers. That his mind would always be challenged to explore and not take for granted. That he would think and reflect and ponder the greatness of God and of this world. My challenge is to teach him how to think through the answers for himself so his questions can become deeper and stronger as he grows up. And when I've spent the whole day answering his questions and am on the verge of being exasperated, to remember what a privilege and a responsibility it is to be a parent and have the opportunity to interact with my son like this. I hope we can always keep talking so easily and that one day I'll be asking his brilliant mind to give me some answers.

Isaiah and Elias Video

2008-07-19T21:46:00.000-07:00

Just because they are my kids and I thought this was pretty cute!

Iblings Family Reunion

2008-07-19T20:59:00.000-07:00

On Friday, July 11th we traveled to Vancouver to pick up my brother Will who has been at Bible School in New Zealand this last year. (Check out http://www.capernwray.org.nz) I can't even explain how good it is to have him home-he is a changed man and it's awesome! Isaiah talks about him all the time and I don't mind one bit if he wants to emulate Will and the lifestyle of serving and loving and giving that I've seen come out in him even more since being away. Did I mention how good it is to have him home? For now that is...I know he'll be off again soon. Will was barely home three days when we all headed up to Cedar Springs Retreat Center for a reunion with my dad's side of the family. 70+ Iblings at one location can be a bit overwhelming at times, but it was wonderful! This season of life doesn't afford me much time to sit and talk to people without distraction (we'll call those distractions Isaiah & Elias!), but just being there to see the growth in our extended family was so encouraging. We meet every three years and spend four days together. How grateful I am to belong to such a group that loves being together and that takes great effort to gather from all across the US and Canada to celebrate our heritage and our Creator.

Isaiah and 2nd cousin Lillian spent most of the day chasing each other around the grounds, kicking the soccer ball, playing games and reading books. I can't wait to see what kind of mischief they get in at the next reunion when they are six instead of three!
One of the big blessings was getting to see my Grandpa Willard again. He is 86 and is starting to show his age both in physical and mental capacities. He connected very quickly and very well with the boys though and the picture of him giving high fives to Isaiah or just holding Elias' little hand will forever be etched in my memories. A firm reminder to love well and as often as you can while you have the chance here on earth. All in all the last two weeks has reminded me again about how thankful I am for family and how we are created to be in community with our families. Check back again in three years for the next Iblings Family Reunion Update!

Bouncy Bubbles

2008-07-03T22:21:00.000-07:00

We recently got the bouncy house out and it's been a great way for Isaiah to release some of that 3 year old boy energy. Seth asked if we had been watching WWF before we went outside to bounce, but no...that is all pure boy coming out. Can't wait to see what two boys in one bouncy house will do. For now Elias just likes to watch and blow bubbles. He is pretty good at the bubbles and had a nice conversation with Junior Asparagus today. He is working on getting those neck muscles stronger and loves to smile and giggle at Isaiah. He seems to LOVE attention when he gets it.
We have pictures AND video of the first time Isaiah rolled over-the whole family was there cheering him on. The first time Elias rolled over I was busy helping Isaiah. Elias was laying on the floor and when I looked down to check on him, he had rolled over to his tummy. We try to notice him more often now. :) Of course he is very capable of letting us know when we have not paid enough attention to him and rightly so. It's been getting more and more fun to have two kids!

The Big Three Ohhh.....

2008-07-03T21:34:00.000-07:00

Yes, the moment we have been waiting for has happened. Seth officially turned 3o and now is mature enough to start Seminary. (without a bachelor's degree you have to be 30 years old to get your master's degree) I'm ashamed to say that we didn't have a huge party for this event, but enjoyed a fun day together as a family and then had dinner with my parents and sister Bethany that night. Seth did hit a hole in one on the local frisbee golf course, a wonderful birthday present. He also received at least six books on the "must read before school starts" list and I'm pretty sure we will never leave the house without one of them along!

In case you didn't know, Seth will be starting school in January '09 at Regent College in Vancouver, BC, getting his Master of Divinity degree. This is one of the main reasons why we moved back to this area, so that we were close enough to my family and close enough to Regent for Seth to commute from this side of the border. He is so very excited to start school and I am so very proud of him for following this calling on his life. He loves to study and teach the Word and although we are not sure where we will be led once school is over, it's an amazing opportunity for him to be able to sit under such great professors at Regent. And yes, that is a Pocahontas birthday bag you see in the picture. It's been passed around my family for birthdays for at least two years now and has a tear in one side, but it is precious to us all.

Father's Day

2008-06-17T22:11:00.000-07:00

Seth had three days off in a row this weekend, so it felt like Father's Day was more of a Father's weekend. Isaiah loved having daddy around so much-his favorite thing to do is ride on Seth's shoulders, even if Seth is just walking around the house. On Sunday we relaxed at home before heading to my parents house for dinner and our official Father's Day celebration. On Monday we packed up the kids and the car and spent the morning at Hovander Homestead in Ferndale. It is amazing to watch a three year old explore new places-the wonder of what could be just around the next corner is something we tend to loose as we grow older.

After the park we went to a shop in Fairhaven where you can paint your own pottery. They fire it in the kiln and you can pick it up a few days later. Seth and Isaiah painted a triangle shaped plate with a train stencil and I think it will turn out great! After an ice cream cone and a visit with Dirty Dan Harris in the Village Green, we headed home worn out and thankful for the day together as a family. Elias was a champ-he smiles and laughs a lot now and really did well for only getting a few cat naps in the stroller all day.

3 years and 3 months

2008-06-14T08:10:00.001-07:00

Isaiah (3 years) and Elias (3 months) in their new digs from Vietnam
Why Vietnamese children wear pig hats, I'm not sure, but my sources tell me that this hat is legit

A 3 month old can't pose for you, so this is pure and unadulterated
This was a fun tower that lasted all of 15 seconds. The yellow dump truck in the background soon became a wreck and haul vehicle and the tower is no more

Sabbath

2008-05-14T13:41:00.000-07:00

There is something to be said for a Sabbath. Not that I want to get theological about it (although that is a basis for it), but when you really and truly experience the REST of time away from the normal rush and strain of life, you know that it is a divine moment.

A couple weeks ago, my family experienced a Sabbath time together-not on a Sunday, but on a day when Seth had off and we just took our time strolling through the woods near our house. Even with an energetic 3 year old and a 2 month old, we were able to see the beauty of creation and know that we are a small part of the big picture.

Then there is the blessing of a coffee shop break for a mom. An hour away from diapers, runny noses, ouches and yes, even away from puzzles, Thomas the tank engine and naps. My mom has given me the gift of time lately. Just an hour or two here and there while she watches the boys, but it has been a refreshment to my soul and I'm so grateful. Thanks Mom and thanks to the
Creator of our souls who formed us and made each of us exactly how He wanted us to be. He knows that I need breaks like these and realistically that we each need the sabbath time to rest and be re-energized for what He has next in our lives.

Joining the trend

2008-05-09T16:46:00.000-07:00

Well, here we are... the Seth and Rachel Dombach family and we are now officially online. I'm pretty sure that most of our pictures will be with our two beautiful boys in them, just because 95% of the pictures we take these days are of the boys! But, I'll do my best to keep you updated on the bigger picture of life too. My goal is to have an easy way to share our funny moments, great adventures, serious musings and of course, normal everyday happenings with family and friends. May this serve as a venue that will encourage and bless you even as our family is blessed and encouraged by the awesome Creator of the Universe. Christ plus nothing.