RARE Friends

This past weekend we celebrated 15 years of the RARE program that Kevin served as an AmeriCorps through in 1998-99 PD (Pre-Darcy). RARE stands for Resource Assistance For Rural Environments and is organized by the University of Oregon as a service-learning opportunity statewide. Kevin served his year in Talent, Oregon where we were later married, just north of Ashland. It was a great chance for him to dive into the day-to-day life of small town planning after years of studying.

After finishing his Master's in Community and Regional Planning at the UO, he was lucky enough to land the job of his former manager at the City of Talent. So that's why after a brief year of living together in Portland we moved down to Southern Oregon for a few years. During Kevin's year as a RARE volunteer (participants get a meager stipend), he met some exceptional people who were equally dedicated to public service. Among them were Chris and Shareen, and when they moved down to Southern Oregon we became very close friends. We were together almost every weekend, and they were the type of friends you could call up on a moment's notice to take a hike or grab some food. Not really a short story, but that's the story...

Fast forward a few years, and we both have young kids...not quite able to run off on hikes anytime we like, but still enjoying a new pace of life. Chris and Shareen stayed at our place for the RARE celebration/reunion, and we enjoyed a night out on the town (while my cousin's daughter, Jessica, patiently babysat our three kids!) Then we got up early for a morning service event out in the Gorge at Cascade Locks. The guys painted while Shareen and I prepped for the lunch-time bbq and were entertained by our kids. It was great to see and meet other RARE friends, and it feels great to be part of such an organization.

Kevin and I both agree that we want to raise our kids to give back to the community, and to show them the tremendous positive impact our actions can have on a place, even small ones. I may not have served in RARE, but as a girl from rural Douglas County, I certainly see its need and put in my share of community service growing up. Individuals do make a difference. And RARE shows us that together we can impact communities and create life long friendships.

Green Means Go!

In honor of the new MAX Green line, today's post is all green...

I haven't written much about our work on this family blog, but that's obviously a big part of our life too. Kevin is coordinating a street fair today for the opening of the new light-rail station in Lents Town Center, the Urban Renewal Area that he is working hard to revitalize. Kieran and Kevin went out to Ramona Street last weekend in the pouring rain to clean up the street, and were on the local news for their volunteer efforts. So, when Kieran wakes up from his nap, we'll head out to celebrate the new train....which, needless to say, is a 3-year old's greatest fantasy!

Green also means go for our little girl these days...I just caught this pic of her gleefully pulling herself up:

Here's a video from the street fair itself...a fun time was had by all:

Back to "School"...Back to Work

Makenna and Kieran had their first day at CityKids, the childcare and preschool center in my building. While it will be a transition for us all, we definitely think that it will be best for the kids and our family. It was so nice being able to nurse Makenna on breaks today!

Kieran was super excited about starting at his new "school," and last night when he picked out his clothes, he told me "Mommy, I want to look like a really nice boy, not a mean one!" I wish I had a photo, because he did look pretty darn sweet. When I visited Kieran in the morning, he told me "Mom, go back to work!" I also overheard him telling an administrative staff person "My name's Kieran, nice to meet you!" Another teacher told me that at one point he her the babies out in the common area, and he told the class "That's my baby sister crying." In the evening, he didn't really want to leave the climbing wall and other kids bouncing balls, but going on the bus is still enticing enough to lure him away.

In addition to a new school, I'm back to a full-time schedule. I'm also switching to a flex schedule, so I'll be working an extra hour to get every other Friday off (we had been spending that time commuting before, so the kids are still in care the same amount of time.) It's still a long day though...up at 5:45, walk the dog, get dressed, breakfast, out the door by 7 to catch the bus, back home by 5:45, make dinner, eat, clean up, play for a little bit and then off the bath and bed...oh and prep for the next day. Needless to say, our full-time schedule will take a lot of stamina. Don't worry, we'll still have fun along the way (although, Kevin's home sick today, so that has forced me to go to plan B on some things...like schlepping all four bags, and making mac n' cheese and tomato soup instead of steak fajitas) But if we can flow with the change, we'll continue to learn and grow together from our everyday adventures.