Wednesday's List: Alabama/Oregon (Part 3)

It's Wednesday!  That means it's time for Wednesday's List. Join me and write a post in list form, then leave a comment and let me know you are joining me so I (along with others) can check your list out! I LOVE LIST!

  

The difference between Alabama and Oregon (Part 3)

 (Click HERE to read Part 1 and Here for Part 2)

- The Weather: Yes, again! I know I'm a little annoying but I forgot the most important (besides the rain!) difference about the weather.  Humidity!  I've grew up in the South and just grew to deal with it.  I knew when I went to Florida the humidity was worse and my hair either did better at the beach or worse.  I didn't realize how humid it can be in Alabama until I lived here in Oregon for 6 months and then went back to Alabama for a visit in July.  Walking out of the airport I couldn't breath! It just takes your breath away.

- Recycling.  I know cities in Alabama have great recycling organizations but I've never seem recycling like I have here in Oregon.  I wanted to take a picture of our trash cans (yes cans with an S) because our "trash" can is the smallest.  We have a large recycling can and a yard debris can and also a small box for glass recycling.   Where we lived at in Alabama we only had one trash can and it was for everything.  If we wanted to recycle we had to take it somewhere.  Now, there were cities close by that picked up recycling but from what I remember, you just place a bag out by the road.  When you go in most restaurants here in OR, there is almost always a place to put recycling when you are finished.  Go Green or Go Home! :)

- Land.  I've taken Land forgranted.  When we lived in Alabama we lived on 13 acres on Q's dad's land.  We lived in a trailer beside his dad and his wife Hilde.  Here in OR land is very expensive.  Most people I know don't have a lot of land.  There is a lot of farm land here but most of the people I know here live in a neighborhood with a fenced-in backyard.  Now, I don't know a lot of people here in OR yet but it just seems like it's easier to come across land in AL and it's way cheaper.

- Housing.  It's more expensive to buy a house here.  (I'm sure this is connected with the expensive land)  I know at one point I was told that if you bought a house here you would pay 50% less in AL for that same house.  I don't think those statistics are the same now.  It's a little closer now but it shocked me how much houses were here.  The price of living is just higher here on the West coast.  

- The Coast/Beach.  Here in Oregon when you go to the Ocean, you say "I'm going to the coast."  In Alabama you say, "I'm going to the beach."  They are both beautiful.  Both part of my favorite things about the landscape about each state.  Both so VERY different.  In OR I've been to the coast ah, maybe 7 or 8 times and never been swimming in the water or even in my swimsuit for the matter.  It's almost always cold, windy, and sometimes raining.  I tell you though, It's absolutely some of the most amazing views.  I could just explore the Oregon coast all day.  In AL, it's tropical.  White sandy beaches where you wear a swimsuit and lay out on the sand to get a tan or swim in the water....without a wet suit.  It's flat.  It's my favorite vacation spot EVER and I miss it!  In OR, it's rocky and cliffs over the water.  Just totally different but both hold a special place in my heart. 

-BUGS!  I can't believe I almost forgot about bugs and snakes.  I don't see a lot of bugs here in OR but in Alabama, especially in the Summer, you see bugs everywhere!  Also there aren't any poisonous snakes here in Oregon, from what I hear, but I'm not so sure I believe it...  Even so, a snake is a snake.  I hate them all. ;) 
 

(Again, I do understand that some of these differences could be because I lived in a "smaller" town in Alabama and now I live in a "Bigger" city...that's my disclaimer for this post. ha! ;)  

Happy Listing! 

Wednesday's List: Alabama/Oregon (Part 2)

It's Wednesday!  That means it's time for Wednesday's List. Join me and write a post in list form, then leave a comment and let me know you are joining me so I (along with others) can check your list out! I LOVE LIST!

The Difference Between Alabama and Oregon: (Part 2) 

(Click HERE to read last weeks Part 1)

- In Oregon you don't pay Sales Tax! If it says 4.99, you pay 4.99. In Alabama I think Sales Tax is 8%.

-Thrift Stores are EVERYWHERE here in Oregon.  I counted as many as I knew of around where we live and I counted 14... and I'm sure I'm missing some.  Some of these thrift stores are HUGE.  I find almost all of our clothes at thrift stores now. 

- Did you know that it's only a Southern thing to pull over for a funeral procession??  I don't believe I've seen a funeral procession since I've been here in OR but from what I've heard, people don't pull over for them.

-You hear people say that in the South women have BIG hair and wear lots of make up.  Well, the big hair is true for some but not always as bad as they can make it out to be in the movies.  Women in Alabama wear more makeup than in Oregon for sure.  Oregon is all natural.

- Some Oregonians are against Wal-Mart.  They would rather support local business which is great.  Where our friends Neal and April live in Albany they are just now building a Wal-mart there.  If they want to go to Wal-mart they have to drive 25/30 minutes.  Albany is a decent size town....it has an old Navy...but no Wal-mart.  I think every city in Alabama has one.

- You will ALWAYS see people riding bikes or running here.  I'm sure this one might be more of a big city/small town thing.  I lived in a smaller town in Alabama and now live in some what of a bigger city here in Oregon.  Oregon makes it really easy to ride bikes and walk.  There are bike trails everywhere and sidewalks everywhere.  There are also bike lanes on the road.  One place in town has a double bike lane.  One side of the road is for one-way traffic.  The other side of the road is a 2-lane bike lane.

- We've met several families that only have one car.  It's not the poor people either.  It's nice middle class families that have chosen 1 car.  I'm sure if someone would give them a car they would take it but they don't "need" it.  They can ride their bikes to work or take public transportation which is everywhere here. (another big city thing I believe)

- Weather. (Yes, I'm bringing it up again! ha!)  I take Deci to a public school for a speech class twice a week. I take her mid mourning when the normal school hours are going on and there are almost always kids outside playing for P.E. (Recess).  One day it was 38 degrees, sleeting and the kids where out playing, just as happy as could be.  Yesterday it was raining (sprinkling) and maybe in the 40's and kid were out playing.  I think 38 just feels warmer here...honestly.  But in AL you probably wouldn't see the P.E. class outside when it's 38 degrees....or even in the 40s. The weather just doesn't stop people here.  AND you will rarely see people here carrying an umbrella. 

- People are more direct here.  They tell you what they think when they think it...they aren't being rude (well, most of them) they just tell you straight.  I'm still having to get use to this.  The first month here I almost cried at the post office because a lady was so direct... I loved her after this...I just had to realize she wasn't being mean.  She just said what she needed to.  It seems in the South, people sugar coat things...by using words like sweetie or hunny... Haha, that just sounded like everyone in the South uses words like "sweetie and hunny"...I just mean that people in the South find the nicest way possible to say things without hurting someones feelings. I wish I could give you all an example of this difference.

- People in the South say "Y'all" and I hardly ever hear it here.

*That's it for now...I'm sure I can find more.  Please don't think I'm making fun on either state.  I love you both.  (there, that's the Southern coming out in me! ha! Gotta keep people happy!) ;)

Wednesday's List: Alabama/Oregon (Part 1)

It's Wednesday!  That means it's time for Wednesday's List. Join me and write a post in list form, then leave a comment and let me know you are joining me so I (along with others) can check your list out! I LOVE LIST!

I've been pondering this list for a while.  The difference between Alabama and Oregon.  Believe me the list is quite long so I'm going to break this into 2 parts. So...here goes :)

The Difference between Alabama and Oregon (Part 1)

- The Weather.  Oh, I could say so much about the difference in the weather...but then I'd get all depressed that I'm still having the Winter Blues...so I'll keep it short. It rains a lot here. A LOT...but not a lot all at once.  It drizzles all day long here, where in Alabama it pours for an hour or two then the sun comes back out (most of the time).  The Winter is LONG here and short Summers, BUT when it is Summer here it's WONDERFUL.  Absolutely perfect weather to play outside.  Alabama Summers can be Too hot for most people (I just so happen to love the heat...) and lots of humidity (which I'm loving living without).  Also no Tornado's here and I don't believe I've seen lightening (thunderstorms) since I've been here.

- If someone invites you to their house to eat here in OR usually you will not be offered Coke products...you will have water or wine. (or Coffee)

- Lots and Lots and Lots of Coffee here.  Everyone drinks it...even kids...  Coffee shops are EVERYWHERE.  There are these drive-thru coffee places that are about as small as a walk-in closet.  At our old house in Springfield, OR you could go a mile (or less) in any direction and hit one of these coffee shops. (I just counted 7 that were in a mile of my old house!)  We lived 1 mile away from 2 different star bucks.  Seriously! CRAZY and I LOVE it!

- Kids.  Kids don't wear hair bows here...or not a lot anyways.  Here kids wear layers.  Leggins, skirts, rain boots... RAIN BOOTS are everywhere.  Alabama kids wear dresses.  Frilly dresses and Bows!  I don't see a lot of frilly dresses here in Oregon.  Also it seems in the AL kids wear a lot of initialed clothes, bags...well anything you can initial.  I don't hardly see anything initialed here...especially not clothing.

 - Speaking of Dresses.  Someone once warned me about this one.  I got my hair cut by a girl about my age just after we moved here.  She was really interested in the South.  She said she really wanted to be a Southerner, wear a sundress, bake a casserole and show up at a picnic. haha! :)  I wondered why people in Oregon don't wear dresses.  Well, this Summer I figured it out.  It's only warm enough to wear dresses for about a  month or two here (for me anyways! ha!).  So, why buy a dress when you can only wear it for one month?  Or maybe for real Oregonians there is another reason...

-  ORGANIC.  Oregonians are all natural.  There are several grocery stores here selling all natural foods.  I know there are people in AL that eat all Natural foods, Organic and Gluten Free but here it's to the extreme! 

- In AL you have Rednecks.  In Oregon you have Hippies.

- I don't have to pump my own gas here in OR!!! It's actually illegal to pump your own gas and I LOVE it!

-  Dogs.  More people here have dogs than in AL it seems..  If you have a dog here it's really a kid.  You can take your dog to work, church, out to eat.  I see more dogs in the strangest places here than ever before.  It seems in AL people don't take their dogs everywhere with them...Dogs are USUALLY just pets...maybe in the backyard or some even in the house.  Some have hunting dogs.  

Well, there you go... just a few differences.  Come back next Wednesday for Part 2.

If you've been to both AL (or the South, really) and OR (or the North West), I would love to hear the differences you noticed. :)

Happy 60th Birthday, Dad!!

I miss a lot of people in Alabama and one of those I miss the most is my dad and today he turned 60!

I actually can't believe it.  60 seems so old and my dad seems so young.

I dedicate this blog to my dad because, well...60 years is a long time to live and I just so happen to miss him a lot.

I remember being younger and we were camping.  My dad was cutting up wood for the fire and hurt his leg.  He had to go to the hospital and I remember seeing him walk into the camper and I started crying.  I'm not sure how young I was but I remember not wanting him to be hurt.  I've been called a daddy's girl for quite sometime now.

There are 2 things that really stand out about my dad. 1. He LOVES the water!

 

 and 2. He LOVES ALABAMA!  Alabama Football that is... The picture below cracks me up and I didn't realize it until now but I think my dad has the same shirt on in both pictures...  The picture on the left is my dad holding Deci.  The picture on the right is my dad holding Journey. :) Roll Tide!

 I do believe it's the same shirt below also. ;) We don't help the cause any by buying him Alabama shirts for every birthday!

 Below: Mine and Q's wedding day

 My dad has survived a lot.  When I was younger he was in a really bad car accident where he could have died.  My little brother Kyle was in the car with him when it happened.  They were on their way to pick me and Lee up from school.  Also a few years ago the doctors found a spot on my dads head that was cancerous.  They removed it along with a patch of hair from his head that is still gone.  I am so thankful to still have my dad in my life...even if it's 2,800 miles away.

The Evans Family Reunion.  Left to right: My older brother Lee, Younger brother Kyle, Me (pregnant with Deci) and my dad.

 My dad is such a good cook! Especially french toast, chili and hamburgers!

The picture above, Deci was helping my dad make french toast.

 

My dad, his wife, my 2 step sisters and my 2 brothers.

Last night I missed my dads 60th Birthday Party.  This is the hardest part about living in Oregon...I hate missing these huge events.  So, Dad, Sorry I couldn't be there yesterday...and today.  I'm glad to call you my dad!  Happy Birthday, DAD! I love you!

Tuesday Challenge

Today I'm linking up over at The Williams Post for the Tuesday Challenge.

Although I did not do the Tuesday Challenge for this week, I'm going to write about life on a mission in Oregon and what God has been teaching me lately.  I'll have to thank Kerrie for making me step out of my comfort zone twice this month and write about something serious! ha! I'm actually guest posting on her blog on Thursday. :)

So about 2 years ago...give or take, we started praying about what God had in store for our family next.  Since before we were married, we always felt the call to "Go".  We've both gone on several mission trips to different places and always prayed that if God called us to move away from Alabama that we would.  I remember when we were engaged, our friends Chris and Lillie from First Baptist Albertville, AL were praying about moving to Maine.  We actually met with them and started praying about what it would look like for us to get married early and move to Maine with them.  We really wanted to go but after praying about it we didn't feel like it was the right time.  Then we started the Church plant (LifePoint) in Alabama not too long after this.  We definitely felt like we needed to be in Albertville at that time and LOVED being there and having a new ministry.  There is nothing like the feeling of being where God wants you and doing exactly what He has called you to do.  After about a year of the start of Lifepoint Church, our friends Neal and April were praying about moving to Oregon.  We started praying with them about us moving with them.  Again it didn't feel like God was calling us there at that time.  So 3ish years later is when we realized it was time to go.  This was about a year 1/2 or so ago.  We told our families and spent the next few months preparing with our team to move.  Last January (2011) we packed up and moved out to Oregon.

Why Oregon?  Well, first off I believe it's a place God placed on our hearts.  After we got here we discovered that the county that we live in is the #1 un-churched area in the United States.  We came out with a Team...our first Crash team in hopes to help with a church plant.  We've been here a little over a year and things are just now starting to come together... not that things haven't been happening this past year.   God had done SO much in the past year in our team.  We've learned what it means to really rely on him.  It's a great place to be when you don't know whats next and you earnestly seek God for whats next.  Honestly I've grown so much.  Oregon has changed me for the better.  To read more about the the past year you can read my one year update. 

I also wanted to say that I don't believe there is anything special about us because we moved to Oregon...and I don't think there is anything wrong with Oregon...or that Oregon is worse off that Alabama.  Or that Oregon has more "sinners" than Alabama... A friend here told me the other day that she thinks there needs to be missionaries sent to the South.  :)   I just want to encourage you to Share the Love of Christ where you are. You don't have to "Go" across the country to be a "missionary". (Check out Crashing From a Distance)

So, we've been approved to use a basement of a church in Eugene to start meeting on Sunday nights....this may not look like a typical church plant at first, with worship and preaching (but who knows) but more of getting out in the community and loving on people but having a place to invite them to join us.

And about what God has been teaching me lately: I need HIM.  I need to seek Him. Jeremiah 29:13 "You will search for me. And when you search for me with all your heart, you will find me!"  I need to draw near to Him so He will draw near to me. James 4:8

Click the link below to join this week's link up!

Lately

So, whats been going on lately? you may ask...  WELL... nothing really but also SO MUCH! ha!  First, I was asked earlier this week to guest post on another blog! EEEEEK! It's my sister-in-law's blog. Kerrie @ Williams in Love.  I haven't written it yet, it will be on her blog sometime in March.  I'm writing about my mission as a mom.  I'm honored that she would even ask me but also so intimidated (silly I know)...she has way over 100 followers and she writes so well.  I'm not sure I can measure up, but it will be fun. :)  Kerrie has started something new on Tuesdays and I love the idea.  Check out her post from this past Tuesday HERE.

Also,  we booked tickets to fly back to Alabama for a visit this Summer and I CAN NOT WAIT!!!  It's so expensive to fly back so it looks like we will only be able to fly back once a year.  We picked a few weeks last Summer and it turned out perfect.  I miss the Alabama humidity and heat!!  Honestly, I do!  I miss all of your Southern accents also!  I love it here in Oregon but honestly 3 weeks back in Alabama once a year is SO refreshing!

 We also have been praying about whats next for the Crash team.  My husband, Q, wrote a post called The Crash Update.  If you haven't read it yet, you should. :) Please pray for us.  Q and another guy met with this church staff on Monday.  So far we haven't heard anything back but we are excited about the possibilities.

Also on Monday Deci had a play date.  One of her friends from school came over with her mom.  We don't know a lot of girls here Deci's age so it was really nice to be able to get to know this little girl and her mom better.  If you didn't know, Deci goes to school twice a week for speech.  It's a free program here.  We got to pick if we wanted someone to come to the house or for Deci to go to a school type environment.  We thought it would be fun for Deci to be around other kids and she loves it!

Just in case any of you were wondering...my hair is fading slowing, which is a good thing.  It is no longer EXTREMELY red/purple at the top.
 
Well, I feel like I haven't updated you guys on life lately...so there you go!  I'm already working on Tomorrows "A Week Review in Pictures" post and then Saturday (hopefully) I'm going to be posting a photo an hour post about my day today.... like Kerrie's post today.  So fun!

Oh, ONE MORE THING: Have extra income tax money?? Consider helping my friend Breanna go to India! :) Check out how you can help by reading THIS POST.  She only needs about $100 more to have all $500 of her deposit!

One Year Ago

Where do I start... I've been excited about writing this post for some time now...we've made it a year away from Alabama.  I don't guess I ever doubted that we wouldn't but all the same it feels like a huge accomplishment just to survive here so far away from our friends and family. January 9, 2011 my husband drove me, the girls and my mom to a hotel close to the Birmingham airport to spend the night.  The next morning we got on a plane and flew to California to stay with my cousin for a few nights. Q and the rest of the crew didn't leave for a few more days but they eventually met up with us in California.  On January 15th, we made it to Oregon. 

I'm not even sure how to recap a year of living here.  It's not always easy but it's not always been hard either.  We've each had our own struggles to overcome but in the process we are learning to seek God's guidance.  It's been really neat watching God place everyone in Jobs and in communities where they can minister to people.  My husband got a job in June working with the homeless.  We are also getting involved in different churches in the community.  We aren't a part of starting a church plant yet but I feel (pray, hope, believe) that it's going to be soon.  That process has been slow here and sometimes it can make us feel like failures. I have not once doubted whether we are suppose to be here.  I honestly have a peace about it and with that peace I know that God has a plan.  Our friends told us that it would take us a year just to get to know the culture here. So we now have a years worth of knowledge about this culture.  We have lived this year just loving on people...loving on our neighbors. 

Below is a picture of our Crash Team from Alabama.

 

from left to right: Luis, Q, Journey, Me, Deci, Derrick, Breanna, Holleigh, and Alec. Photo by: Alec Woodward 

Not in the picture: Jeff, Richie, Sharee, and Zach.

These guys really are like family now.  Most...well all of them but Richie and Sharee, have lived with us at one point. We are so blessed to have a team here.  It would have been so much harder to live here without them.  We meet every Monday night at our house for Bible Study. It's so encouraging to hear their stories each week of what God is doing in their lives.

Last night we had the team over to celebrate Breanna coming back!

I want to thank all of you back in Alabama. Our friends and family. People who support us financially and by praying. We are so Thankful for you!! Living here would be so much harder if we had family that didn't support us. It would be so much harder if we didn't have the extra financial support because I wouldn't get to stay at home with my girls or Q would be spending less time with us and have to work a second job. It would be hard if we didn't have people praying and sending us encouraging text, emails and phone calls just to say they are thinking of us. I can't say it enough but THANK YOU!! We miss all of you in Alabama! That is the biggest sacrifice for me...to be away from you all.  But I know it is worth it. I'm living in the most un-churched area in the united states. I know God has called us here to love on people and show them His love. 

A Year Update. Part 2

June: We started off June with another visit from Q's dad, Rick and his wife Hilde. She is originally from Washington so it works out that they get to come out for a visit more often than most. It just so happens that we found a house about 5 minutes outside Eugene so we moved while they were here. Convenient huh? We loved having the extra help moving! Pictured above is Deci playing on our sidewalk! We've always lived in the country so Deci has never had sidewalk to draw on and she is loving it!

Also in June, Q's best friend from High school, Jason and his wife Brittany came out for Q's birthday. We loved having these guys here. If you can't tell we LOVE having visitors! It makes us less homesick.

July: We took the girls camping for their first time and they loved it, especially Deci. She is such a tomboy for the most part...

Towards the end of July we flew home to sweet home Alabama! One of my best friends from high school was getting married and asked me to be in her wedding. I was so excited and jumped at the opportunity to get to fly home. Q got a new Job at the Eugene Mission this month so he could only stay for one week, but the girls and I stayed two weeks. There were so many pictures I wanted to post for our trip home. We crammed in so much in those two weeks. Deci loved getting to hold her chicken Sarah.

We also played in the water a lot!

It was such a fun trip back for so many reason. We got to see family. We got to celebrate with our friend getting married and saw our high school friends. We had grandparents to babysit so we got to go out on dates with friends to Huntsville and stay up way too late. We visited our home church, Lifepoint and saw our friends who's support and prayers for us are unbelievable. Life would be so much harder here without their support.

August: We flew back home to Oregon August 2nd and Breanna flew back with me and the girls to stay with us! We are so blessed to have her with us. She came out to be a part of our Crash team here but she also is the best babysitter in the world and we are so thankful that she is here to help us. The girls love her so much. Journey calls her "Nana." :)

Journey's had her first birthday August 31st. Here is a picture when she was about a week old. Look at all that DARK hair!! I thought she was going to be the child who would look like me but over the year it has lightened up so much. She is so much fun! Who knew having two kids could be this fun? She is so spunky and dances with her shoulders, which I love. She takes life slow. She LOVES her sister. I can't believe it's been a year!

Q's Mom and her husband Alan got to come out a week for Journey's birthday. We loved having them here to celebrate with us and also for the great Southern food she cooked for us all week! One night she cooked enough for a Thanksgiving meal and we invited the Crash team and our neighbors over.

September: Q's Dad and Hilde got to come back for another visit! Yes again and we LOVE it! (Have I said that we LOVE having visitors!!) They took us to Florence to ride the dune buggies on the sand dunes. This was SO much fun!

We went camping again. This time it was a little bit colder, but most of our Crash team got to come out. We celebrated Derrick's birthday.

October: Deci turned 4 this month! I honestly can't believe I have a 4-year-old. This girl keeps me going...honestly she never slows down. I love her so much and she has taught me so much about being a mom. She is little miss independent. She is so much like her dad it's not even funny. God has truly blessed us with her!

Halloween!

November: I think November passed without me realizing it...I'm not sure much happened in this month. I guess we rested most of this month. Of course we spent many Saturday's watching football.

We had a few pretty days and we took a walk to the park.

And we spent Thanksgiving with some friends here. My wonderful husband made the chicken and dressing which neither one of us realized how much his mom did to make....seriously, homemade biscuits, corn bread, toast and all sorts of goodness.... we are slowly learning to appreciate how much our family (mostly moms) did to make the holidays happen!

Whew, that was long...That pretty much gets you caught up to December.