Jeff checking in from a Coffee Shop

Tuesday Dec 7, 2010


It’s a Tuesday morning, and I sit here looking out the window at my favorite Golden coffee shop, The Windy Saddle. It’s a mild December morning, and people are out and about. The coffee shop is busy, but I have found a little space to reflect on the last 4 months here in Golden. There are days I still pinch myself, as if I am going to wake up from some dream and find myself waking to the view of Aspens out my bedroom window back in Westcliffe. Yet, I am here, taking things one day at a time. Some good days, some challenging days, and every day is a step of faith as we trust God for our future. As I sit and write, I just had a man put his hand on my shoulder , introduce himself, bless me as he saw me reading my bible from across the coffee shop. These are the moments when I receive just a little Manna from God to keep going, to keep trusting, and to keep knowing that He is in control. Thank you Lord.

Things in real estate are coming along slow, too slow for my liking. Yet, I know as a new realtor, I can expect nothing less as I seek to make contacts, learn, and prepare for the days I will hopefully get busy. It is hard to wait… Panic can set in as the clock ticks and money is not coming in. It is a roller coaster. But I have also gotten to know folks in my office well. I think I am bringing a breath of fresh air to them all, and I have enjoyed building relationships with people that are very different from me, but at the same time have fears, flaws, hopes and dreams just like me. My goal with them is to be a friend, to celebrate their successes, and grieve their losses and just be as authentic as I can. I am teaching ski lessons up at Loveland Ski Area a couple of days a week which has been fun, and a GREAT way to meet people. Of course I love to ski and be in the mountains, so it has been a renewing thing for me. Leslie now has a job with Love and Logic in Golden. It is a parenting organization that provides resources for parents needing help parenting their kids. Don’t we all? It is an awesome organization and their books are great. It is funny because Leslie had started reading one of their books just a few weeks before this job came up, and it was an amazing surprise when we found out the interviewers were Love and Logic. Of course they loved her!

Things in our neighborhood have been amazing. God placed us in a great place, with lots of activity and friendly families. It seems that every day I walk home from work (yes I can walk to work) kids are running all over the house, or out on the trampoline. Moms are gathering in the kitchen or the backyard chasing their kids or talking with Leslie. Last weekend we went and cut down our Christmas tree with our neighbors Greg and Laura and the weekend before I got my first taste of backcountry skiing in this part of the state with Greg as well. We do feel like our home is a lighthouse for our neighborhood and we have been blessed by all the folks we are meeting and getting to know. Because we are not overly busy with church etc, it has given us a lot of time just to hang in our neighborhood, and that has been a huge blessing to us.

Church involvement has been slow. We have been going to a big church, trying to connect with college students there and trying to get plugged in. It has been harder than we thought, and we are not sure yet if it is the best fit for us. We really want to be plugged into our community, and this church is not a community church, but rather draws folks from all over Denver. So, we are continuing to look around to see what develops. I met with the Young Life area director here named Mark the other day and we really hit it off. He has lots of dreams, and really wants to see his leaders discipled, as he personally does not have the time to do it. So, this could be another avenue for us to serve and connect with young adults. We shall see.

The girls are doing well. School is going ok, but new friends there are coming slow. We know over time this will get better, but the wait for good friends has been a challenge for all of us. Golden is a great place for kids, and they have loved their neighborhood too. Well, I will leave you with a verse I just read this morning here at the coffee shop.

“For all the promises of God find their Yes in Him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his Glory. “ 2 Cor 1:20

A great reminder to me that my life is not about my happiness or success, but it is at the core, about us bringing Glory to God. Amen

-Jeff

October Musings

We are well underway in calling this yellow house on this block in this town HOME.

With only a few months under our belt, it is not as though there are a string of memories built yet or tons of history established, but because the 4 of us are under this roof together, it feels like home. 

I was reminded of that truth the other day after we had all

lounged around in our Saturday PJ's then begun the mundane...

sweeping the floor, homework at the table, mowing the lawn...

just day to day life. 

But we are doing it all together. 

Now I'm not gonna lie:

 there are times we sometimes wish we could head back to our life in the woods.

At times, we miss it desperately.

Just scroll down a few posts to look at some of the reasons we miss it.

So we stay in the moments of remembering and being thankful for our season there, but then,

we have to turn

our focus

our energy

our gaze

back to where He has us now.

There are plenty of good, good things here.
Absolutely.

Rock'n neighbors.

A tranquil creek 100 steps outside our door.

A college campus a few blocks away.

PF Changs with in a 10 minute drive.

A house that heats with the push of a button - who knew?

But we are still very much
(at least myself and Jeff - and maybe the girls too!)

 caught in this in tweener stage of embracing and enjoying where we are,

yet very much remembering and reflecting upon where we were.

Not a bad thing, just our reality right now.

We all express it and feel it in different ways at different times.

It always makes my heart feel a bit of a pang when one of the girls talks about what they miss...

my natural tendency is to want to stop them
and make them look at all the good that is here.

Because I know it kind of hurts to remember.

But I stop myself and let them feel, reflect, miss.

It is good for them to do that.

And you know, they naturally, eventually become
engaged in their here and now

and recognize the good that is here
with out me even having to remind them.

Imagine that.

Below are some pics from our trek over to Aspen
via Independence Pass for the

Golden Leaf Half Marathon.

We've had a birthday this month...

our funny, spunky, leave-sweet-notes-under-our-pillow, caring, red headed wonder turned 9.

We celebrated with a fall bash with our buddies, the Bachalis.

What's a party with out dancing?

Greatest find over the weekend:

a perfect trampoline for 40 bucks off craigslist.

The girls raided their cash supply and below is the result.

So fun!

The entire neighborhood was over last night...no broken bones yet.

Fall blessings to you all -

The Foxes

Life in Golden

Remember that time we wrote a post about moving to a town called Golden?  Here we are, 6 weeks in, and all is well.

The move went super smooth, thanks to the helpful hands (and muscles) pictured below. 

Here is our final pic from Horncreek the morning we left.

And yes, those are tired - and maybe some teary - eyes.

The Hess family awoke very early for a good-bye and the rest of the crew (some not pictured) drove up to Golden with us to join in the fun of unloading.

Everything in that truck...

...was unloaded and unpacked by mid-night. 

Seriously!

These HornCreek folks amazed us on move in day. 

Such a reminder to us the beauty of loving not merely with words,

but with actions. 

Thank you. You filled our cups full.

So life since then has been good.

And I really mean that. 

We had our parents visit and help with settling in, plus a plethera of visitors...

James, Katie, Christian and his family, Hannah, Emily, Karen, Kelsey, Brendon, The Hoskins Family, Dom and Chelsea, the new crew of interns...
just to name a few.

The house we are renting is across the street from Clear Creek.

We have enjoyed it immensly!  Jeff will go in after a run, we'll take the girls and float down on inner-tubes or we'll jump into different rapid sections.  Super fun.

Some like going head first...

...others prefer feet first.

If you plan on visiting, plan on getting in.

Hannah, Karen and Emily.

So besides enjoying our location and the proximity to the Creek,

we have been really encouraged by our neighbors.

If you're gonna live what feels like inches next to someone

(I am still adjusting to this part of the transition...)

at least you want to sort of like them.

Well, we do. 

The folks on the right introduced themselves on move in day. 

They have one little girl that Em and Syd have not stopped playing with and caring for. It is a very sweet relationship.

Our front porch has been our little retreat of sorts. 

It faces the Creek and has an open view.

You know how we Foxes like space...

Along those lines, we did drive about 20 minutes last weekend to Golden State Park and boom, there we were in the aspens and pines.

You can bet we'll be there a lot.

The girls have begun school and it has gone well.

Even though Em is in the 6th grade, she is at a school that is K-6.

She and Syd are right down the hall from one another.

There have been a few tears as they think about and miss their old life, but even on those days, we have found things to be thankful for here.

First day...

Below are pics from our new world, right outside our front door.

Farmer's Market every Saturday across the bridge...

Historic homes and community garden...

 

 Scootering home from the creek with Grampy Tom...

Schhol of Mines is around the corner and

every year the freshman hike to the M on the mountain

 

A very large zuchini from our neighbor...

A great climbing tree in our backyard...

Will close for now.

Will fill you in later about job stuff, Sunday night dinners with college folks and other such ramblings. 

Thankful for much...

Warmly,

The Foxes