Sister

I am the only girl in the midst of 4 amazing brothers. Naturally, while growing up, the one thing my heart always longed for was a sister. To me, a sister would be someone I could share the load of taking care of these crazy brothers with, someone I could day dream with, share interests, clothes and being pretty with. At some point, I realized what a blessing being the only girl in my immediate family was and that the status came with certain perks (i.e. not having to share a room and missing out on the "fun" fighting years most sisters seem to go through.) However, even as I came to realize how wonderful my brothers were, I don't think my heart ever stopped really wishing for a sister.

Then came the summer of 2001.

That summer, I began to fall in love with a certain boy named Josh King while we were leaders for our church's Junior High summer camp. Along with his stunning looks and awesome personality, he had another perk- two sisters! It was at this camp, that I began to taste what having a sister is like through my budding relationship with his youngest sister Chelsea.

Fast forward several years to present day and my beautiful younger sister-in-law, Chelsea, became a wife on August 21st. I had the extreme honor of being a bridesmaid in her wedding which caused me to stop and reflect on who she is and what an immense blessing she has been in my life. At her rehersal dinner, I wanted to make a toast, but the words wouldn't formulate fast enough for me to stand and say them before the moment had passed. So, here's my opportunity:

Chelsea, you were the first taste of a sister in my life. I think back to the early years my relationship with Josh in which you and I made countless batches of cookies together, had little movie dates, and engaged in heartfelt sisterly conversations. Those moments were precious to me not only because I was gaining a sister but because I was able to experience the joy of family with a girl!
As the years have gone on, I have loved watching you flourish in to a beautiful woman. I have seen such immense growth in you. You are a woman of action and boldness who will work hard to achieve a goal set before you. You are a woman of grace, extending forgiveness and support even when it is deemed unwarrented. You are beautiful, which comes not only from your natural good looks (he he) but from your groundedness in who you are as a woman of God. You are goofy and playful, in a way that lets you laugh at yourself and provides others with the freedom to set aside the facade of adulthood and revel in good humor and fun. I am so happy that you have found a man who appreciates and values all of these qualities about you. Nathan is an extremely blessed man to have you for his wife. Speaking of Nathan, thanks for picking out someone I can consider a brother :). I love you and look forward to sharing more of life with you as you become a wife and hopefully some day a mother.


My beautiful sister-in-law, Chelsea (now) Pogue

Writing her vows

Before she became a beautiful bride ;)

Adventures of an almost three month old

Things an almost three month old enjoys:


Tummy time that doesn't result in falling asleep.


Chubby little hands


Reading books...ok not quite.


Conquering of the hands...mastered the left, still working on the right.


Beating up my Cousin Levi with the help of my awesome Aunt Casey


Going on a ferry boat ride with Mom, Pop and Grammi


Blowing bubbles and drooling of course


All of that makes me tired...might as well sleep with my poto in the air.

Little Si

Hiking is a fond childhood memory I hold. I remember scampering up hillsides with my brothers, marveling at huge trees, delicate wild flowers and the beginnings of a longstanding family tradition of head dunking in icy mountain streams. Fortunately, I married a man who loves the outdoors. So, last Saturday we embarked on our first little family hiking excursion. Choosing the right hike was a bit of a challenge as we had to take in to consideration the challenges of packing an infant on your chest up a steep hillside and of course the every 2-3 hour hunger pains Owen was bound to feel. With all that in mind, our first stop was Snoqualmie falls. This beautiful spot is a mere 25 minutes from us and sadly neither of us have ever hiked to the bottom of the canyon before. Little did we know, the trail is closed for the next three years...guess it would have helped to know that before driving out there. So, we popped in to the gift shop, stole a glance in their "hiking with kids" book and found our next destination: Little Si.


Snoqualmie Falls

With determination in our eyes, warm sun on our shoulders, and a content Owen strapped to me we began the trek up the side of Little Si. Now, I've been pretty good about getting back in to a work out routine since Owen's birth but somehow free weights and elliptical machines can't compare to carrying a 12lb baby up the side of a mountain. So, in the moments where my lungs screamed "Darn you for forgetting your inhaler" I reminded myself that there are families with 6 year olds coming back down the mountain and I have 20 years of learned determination on them I should be able to make it to the top! So between that and daydreaming about doing this all over again when Owen is old enough to hike himself, we made it and what a beautiful sight it was!

The place

Dear Owen,

Two weekends ago we took you to Winthrop for the first time. You were 8 weeks old and I sat on the couch and told you about how this cabin is every little boys wonderland. It is a place where you will have grand adventures of exploration in the wilderness. You will learn about snakes, lizards, bugs and fish. You will come to respect the beauty, power and peace found in nature which is nourishment to the soul, especially to a boy's. You will bond with the men in your life as they teach you all the wonderful things there is to know about fishing, hiking, hunting and making spectacular fires on which I will enjoy roasting smore's. I can't wait to watch you explore, grow and learn about the wonders this place holds. But till you are big enough to experience them yourself, here is a smattering of images of the things that await you.




You will find snakes galore. Daddy and your uncles are commissioned to teach you the ones you can catch and the one's you run away from. As you will learn, catching wild things often results in biting.





You will be awed by these hills and mountains and will spend countless days and hours exploring them.


You will come to love the freezing waters of the Lost River. Papi will pass down his wisdom as to how best to ford the rushing waters. Daddy, your Uncles and Papi will teach you how to fish these rivers with it's sparkling pools and running rapids. I have no doubt you will become a mighty fisherman.



But for now you are tiny, so I will soak up the moments of you sitting on our laps as we tell you of what's to come.

The face of a baby...

Apparently when looking at a baby one must make this classic face: big wide eyes with a slightly puckered and open mouth. Most likely this face will also be accompanied by cooing or some other ridiculous noise. I have fallen victim to this particular face myself many a time in hopes of eliciting expression from Owen. After documenting Father's Day I realized that almost every person I took a picture of ended up making this particular face as well. Oh the things we do to connect with these tiny little people.

Running the Race

Ten years ago my sister-in-laws husband, Micah, heard those dreaded words "You have cancer." A man in his early 20s he wasn't supposed to hear those words, nor have the need for life-saving medical treatment, or wonder "will I beat it?" But he did. Ten years ago we were not a part of his journey; however, 10 years later we have the immense joy of celebrating Micah's life and health with him.

Micah is a wonderful man. He is steady and thorough. He has a bright mind that thinks deeply and loves knowledge. If you look at his bookshelf, you will not be staring at the titles of fluffy novels but rather books about how to love God, to love your family and how to be a leader. He is someone who strives for personal growth so that he can in turn pour in to others.

One handy thing about Micah is that he is a researcher. If you don't have the time or energy to sort through all the options Micah is your go to man, he will sift through the junk and present you with the gold. I think he gets a rush from finding the best product at the best price and being a person who loves a good deal for a quality item, I appreciate this skill Micah has refined.

Finally, Micah is a great Father and a strong role-model to his sons of what it means to love and care for his family and wife. Because he beat cancer I now have two beautiful nephews. Jude and Levi are built like tanks and each have such wonderful personalities. We like to joke that Owen will have to learn how to run fast to avoid becoming an "Owen-sandwich" between the Stroh boys. One thing I respect him for is how intentional he is with Casey, my sister-in-law. Not a week goes by that he doesn't stop and take her out. The dates are not always glamorous but they don't need to be he is giving her the opportunity to be refreshed and to reconnect.


Levi - Seven months and teething


Jude sitting on Micah's Dad's shoulders looking for Micah to run by.

In celebration of Micah's 10 year cancer free anniversary, Josh joined him in a 10k run this last weekend in Seattle...perhaps next year Owen and I will join in on the running fun. But either way, I am excited for the years ahead as our families grow, thankful that Micah is here.





Josh (the one in yellow) nearing the finish line.


Micah finishing strong!


Brother-in-laws


Owen dreaming of cheering on his Daddy and Uncle Micah to the finish line.

Day at the Cabin

This weekend (June 12-13) was beautiful in Seattle. When such marvelous weather occurs there is no question as to what to do being outside is simply a must. So after a rousing World Cup Party cheering on the USA to their tie with England we packed up and headed off to the King family cabin on Lake Rosiger. It was a lovely afternoon of sitting on the dock soaking up the rays coupled with the challenge of keeping Owen cool with out getting a sun burn! My doc sitting sun soaking days are numbered I'm afraid, before I know it this little man will have me chasing him around as he explores the wonders of the cabin on the lake.


Owen's first time fishing...never too early to start a King boy fishing!


Another fisherman in the making...


Every once in awhile there is evidence that I exist too!


Owen is five weeks old!




Fishing is hard work, time for a snuggle with Grammi.