The Steinacher Family : ~Oregon is Our New Home~

December 2015

Well, we have been in Oregon for five full months now and are still amazed daily at the fact that we are actually living here and are not just daydreaming about it.

There are a lot of changes that the boys have been experiencing but they are both coming through like champs! We were so anxious about their making new friends and becoming comfortable in such a big town (compared to where we were in Meeker that is) and in a new place that wasn't even our own (the rental house). After a just a month or so the boys had both settled into school and new friendships even more than we had ever seen them do before. We were watching them blossom into their own individual personalities, such an amazing sight and relief to witness.

Braden started sixth grade at one of the middle schools in town and was excited to hear that they allow the sixth graders to participate in certain sports. He was in cross country right at the beginning of the school year and got to meet a lot of other kids that he might not have met otherwise. There were some amazing places that they held meets that we were able to visit too! So many neat things and all so close~ He increased his PR each meet by at least a minute every time... pretty exciting! After break he is supposed to start practicing with a traveling team for baseball! So crazy to think that we can start baseball thoughts this soon~ but it is nice and green outside! He is learning how to play the trombone in band and is really starting to get the hang of it!

Elliot is growing and changing every single day. Physically he has grown 3 shoe sizes since June, not to mention the rest of his clothes! His new orthotics that he had to start wearing in July have not even slowed him down - in fact he is no longer that kid with the awkward gait when he runs... (he still can be a bit clumsy here and there -but he comes by that honestly!) Those giant plastic inserts that he has to wear have actually helped him become more confident and eager to try anything!

Elliot has also been able to come into his own making friends and becoming a person away from his brother's shadow since they are at different schools now. The elementary school that he is at is considered a "country" school - which makes me chuckle a little since I feel that being less than 10 minutes from Walmart and fast food hardly qualifies as "country". But their meaning of country is more the amenities and feel of the school is "country" and definitely a lot more open spaced! There are not any hallways - each room opens to the outside and they even have to go outside (rain or shine) to the building where the bathrooms are at.

Brett is thoroughly enjoying his new job at the high school. His hours are so much different than before! He is super exhausted at the end of each day dealing with all the discipline and new hats that he has to learn how to wear at such a large school~ but even so ~ being able to be home every night for dinner with the family and on the weekends too, around to help for homework... priceless!

I was planning to stay at home and just be a substitute teacher in the district until we were more settled in, but that was not meant to be... The district had an opening at Elliot's school for a first grade teacher and they had just created the position since they had such large class sizes from increased enrollment. This was a great opportunity to work with a really close knit group of people and I would be teaching a grade that I had a lot of experience in! So I was excited when I got the position- it has worked out very nicely for the boys too. They have each met some of the other teacher's own kids and have really made some great friendships there too. The school bus brings Braden to the elementary school (since the middle school gets out an hour earlier than us).

The dogs are enjoying the many trips to the beach and the river - they love any chance to run and chase each other, balls, sticks and the boys! The covered deck at the rental has been very nice for the dogs - as they are still getting used to the frequent rain showers. We are also experiencing the joys of "fleas" as it is our first time living where it doesn't get cold enough to kill them! The rental house is less than ideal when it comes to trying to keep the animals and ourselves "bug-free". Ugh...

Even though we are thoroughly enjoying our new adventure in life we often think about the amazing people we have met and grown to love in Meeker and throughout Colorado where we lived for so most our lives. I cannot begin to express how much we miss running into all those people during our everyday routines... I sure hope that we can not completely lose touch with everyone and can continue to talk, email, skype with as many people as possible~

Loving and missing you all

The Steinacher Family

P.S.
I will post pictures on here in order to label them and hopefully keep track of them too!