It's been a while since I've written on here! The time has gone fast--I can't believe its been almost 4 months since we moved to Colorado. But at the same time, I'd say we do feel settled into our new home, and have found our "new normal", for now at least.
The last of the boxes are unpacked, each set of windows have been dressed, and the more immediate adjustments/improvements have been finished around the house. Like everything else this year, the process for transferring drivers licenses and car registration was complicated by COVID restrictions, but we finally got those done too!
So I guess it's officially official, we're Coloradoans now! We've been intentional about getting out and exploring our new state as much as we can this summer. Thank goodness this state is so outdoorsy, there's actually a lot we can still do!
We've found a favorite hiking spot near Boulder, that's easy enough for Molly to do, but still really cool. We've visited that spot a few times already!
Including one very early morning. We decided it would be neat to see the sunrise in the mountains, so we set the alarm for 4:30AM. That would give us enough time to get to the trail and hike to the top by sunrise, which was just before 6. Molly wasn't too thrilled about the adventure, though. Specifically, she didn't want to get up early and miss her usual Saturday morning breakfast. But once we got out of the car, into the fresh air, and made it to the top *just* as the sun was making its way over the horizon, she admitted it was pretty awesome.
The light from the sunrise gave everything a pink glow, like a great filter--but real! The cool and piney-smelling, early-morning air pleasantly woke up our bodies. Stillness and peace seemed to fill the vast open space. It was a wonderful morning, that we all agreed Drew was enjoying too, right there with us. It wasn't awesome to get up so early, but it worth it, for the amazing views and experience of doing something different and special together.
Many things are like that, aren't they? Most things that are amazing cost us something. We have to work for, sacrifice, give up things in order to gain something even greater. Before the payoff, you question whether it's worth it. But after it's over, you know the struggle only adds to the value of the reward...
We found more typical things to fill the long days of summer as well. Molly and I scouted out the best splash pads (that are open) and beat the heat from the hot Colorado sun. And recently we've signed up for time slots at our Rec Center's indoor aquatic area. We've even started a new tradition, getting 7 Eleven slurpees on Fridays!
We celebrated the 4th of July with my family who all live just an hour north of us.
The local church we've been streaming held a kid's day camp also in July! Even though it didn't look or feel like our usual summer VBS (masks, limited groups, and only 2 days of the week), it was still something!
We also drove back to Iowa to visit family. It was the first time spending extended time with both sides of our families since before COVID in March. We visited Coon Rapids, Emmetsburg, and Ames in a one week round trip.
Then Molly and I took a trip back to Austin, Minnesota, to attend to some Warrior Wagon work, but just as much to connect with old friends in town. And if I'm honest, just to *be* in the town we'll always consider home. It was such a great time for both of us to reunite with our family of friends that were such a huge part of our lives--and still are! Funny how there is always more pictures of kids than adults...
My family came to visit after our Minnesota trip, so we hosted house guests for the first time! It was wonderful to have them, and got us a little more confident in our new home as we took them to some of our favorite places so far and enjoy some local eats!
And we are slowly but surely making some connections in the community. We've met some really kind and friendly moms and kids at the splash pad, parks, and even at garage sales! It's a start, and we're thankful for each new person in our circle. We hope to expand that circle as our church has finally opened its doors, and some activities are started to get scheduled again for fall. Please keep praying for us on this front!
Gee. When I sat down to start this post, I was planning to write about how different summer was this year, how we aren't getting to do most of the things we had planned, or that we normally do. But now, I'm not sure that's true. We had fun in the sun, cool treats, some travel, many new adventures, a VBS week of sorts....Yes, 2020 has of course been different than we expected, but I guess there was some normalcy to it after all. It was just a little different this year.
I guess like all situations, 2020 is what you make it. Which doesn't mean we can't be disappointed, frustrated and even angry at times, but that we don't let those feelings get the best of us. You don't allow the situation to have any more power in your life than it already does. It's within our capacity to not let those negative feelings take over our experience of life, and steal the joy that IS there, if we choose to embrace it. All the while, doing what we can to make it better.
I'm writing all this to myself, as much as to you all as we transition into fall. Molly's school changed the re-opening plan twice, eventually having the school year start in an all-remote setting until at least the first of October. It's certainly not what we were hoping for as we're really needing to meet people and make some friends.
But her and I, after acknowledging our feelings of frustration and disappointment, discussed how we can make the best of it. What we can do to have the best experience for what it is. So on the first day, we were careful to make sure we had all the apps downloaded, username and passwords ready. We had her class station set up and ready to go.
First days of school may always be emotional for me. Not just because of how much more grown up Molly looks every year, but because of the empty space that will always be beside her. There should be two Becker kids on that step. Third and first graders this year. How much more grown up would Drew have looked? My heart can only ask, and wait for the answer in another life...
But so far, so good! She's able to navigate between "classrooms" and keep up with the discussions. She is completing the independent work, and even doing a pretty good job managing her time. While we pray that this arrangement isn't forever, I'm encouraged that we're off to a good start.
Josh is still working from home also, so we're just one big happy remote family :) And really, it is going very well. We all are genuinely happy here, despite everything. And this week I've been able to work on things while everyone is occupied in their respective work stations. Getting caught up around the house, yard, and also some Warrior Wagons work.
All three branches of Warrior Wagons are seeing a spike in new pediatric cancer diagnosis, and we've been scrambling to keep up! Between making sure the coordinators are stocked up with supplies, corresponding with staff at the hospitals to update procedures due to the pandemic, and fielding messages from families and supporters, Warrior Wagons really is becoming a part time job! Which I say with great satisfaction. There's not many other things and people I'd rather be giving my time to. And it brings my Drew into my days again in a very real and meaningful way 💗
Maybe you've heard, there are several big forest fires in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. You can smell it in the air, and see the smoke as a haze in the sky. Ash has even been settling on the cars parked outside overnight! We could see the smoke billowing up from the area of one of the bigger fires at sunset earlier this month:
Besides being in the air, the smoke has shrouded the mountains. At first, it just gave them a hazy look. Then you could barely see their outline through the smoke. And for the past few weeks, they are almost completely out of view.
Its so weird to stare at where the mountains should be, where you know they are, but not see them. Most days lately it just looks blank, like an extension of the hazy sky. Like we're back in the Midwest!
But I know they're there, they haven't moved. They are so much bigger, more solid then the smoke. Yet, the smoke seems to have won somehow. Erasing the mighty mountains from the horizon.
I've been thinking a lot about the mountains and the smoke. Isn't this just how this year feels spiritually? The haze from all the negative going on in this world seems to have shrouded God's light in our lives. If we only go by what we can see, it's easy to think the smoke from the current state of many of our communities, has won. It has succeeded in erasing God's presence and influence in our life.
But just because we can't see God, doesn't mean He's not there. Just like the mighty mountains is God's righteousness (Psalm 36:6)--big and solid. Like the smoke in the air this month over much of Colorado, it is no match for Him. It can't hide His glory for long. We can trust He's there, just like the mountains, even though after a while we are tempted to doubt.
I know the smoke will clear from the mountains. They will stand in brilliance again on the western horizon with their rocky and snowy peaks. In the same way, I believe the smoke will clear from this world too. Things will be restored. All will be made right. God will be a towering presence in our lives once again. Hopefully soon in this life, but for sure in the next. We can all cling to that promise when everything seems so smoky right now.
I hope the new season will be just that--a new season. One of more freedom instead of more restrictions. One of hope instead of despair. I'm praying that peace will be more abundant than conflict in the rest of 2020. That there will be more joy instead of frustration and fear.
But if not, I know that God is still there. Just behind the haze of 2020...
