The Enchantments

So these mountains really are all that they are "cracked-up to be." They are as beautiful as the competitive back-country permit suggests (they only let 20 people in per day and people register 9 months in advance to get one of these precious spots). The mountains are accessed out of Leavenworth, WA. In August, we met up with our friends Ponch and Kristen, camped along Icicle Creek, won the permit lottery to get in (we were one of 2 groups who got to get in this way) and were then on our way. The total trip was about 20 miles. Up one steep pass (Aasgard Pass-gain of 2200 feet in 3/4 mile and it took us 3 hours to do just this part) through the popular Enchantment Zone and then dropped down the other pass to the trail head where my sweet parents were waiting in lawn chairs to pick us up. We would highly recommend this trip. Extremely craggy peaks, tamarack trees galore, numerous glaciers and lakes full of glacial silt, goats, marmots, martens, squirrels, crazy fun friends, great weather.... it all truly was enchanting.

Andy and Crystal Lake.

Ponch and Andy near Inspiration Lake.

Ponch and his goat friend.

The mama goat and her kids who just lept onto the rock that we were sitting on and tried to gord Katie. Katie looked over to Ponch for support, but he was busy taking this photo.

Withrow Annual Family Beach Trip 2008

This year we decided to do something different.... instead of staying in our usual OR Coast cabin we braved it and went camping! It was awesome, windy and cold. Full of yummy food, card games, beach walks, salmon fishing and hikes. We had 3 sites, numerous tents, an RV and a yurt for our home for a week in July. It was awesome! We stayed outside of Ilwaco, WA near the mouth of the Columbia River at Cape Disappointment State Park (We were NOT disappointed).

Looking south into OR from the Column in Astoria, OR.

Photo of the lighthouse that Erin and I hiked to.

Ahhh... Cousin Erin and the lighthouse.

We call them Smore Betters because they are WAY better than traditional smores. Chocolate wafer + peanut butter + marshmallow = goodness.

Ummm.... yummy.

Hanging by the fire. Note yurt in the background.

They fit him almost too well.

Rachel by the beach. So precious.

Nathan by the beach. Also, so precious.

What we do.

Ohhh... the McDonells!

Well as many of you know, this has been a big summer for the McDonell family. We have had many great changes.

First, both my sister AND my mom and dad moved to Quincy, WA. Yes, they do live 3 houses away from each other.

Second, my mom retired. I am so happy for her and my dad. They go to mass everyday together and then go swimming and by that time they come home for lunch and take naps. They are so cute.

Third, my sister got married! She married her boyfriend of 7 years... Andrew. Their wedding was loads of fun. See photos below.

Fourth, my brother and his wife are having a baby! I am SO excited and happy for them. This will be the first grandchild for my parents (even though my dad has been mistaken for a grandpa for the last 25 years).

Mom and Dad at the reception doing "prom pose." Note Dad's hat. Don't worry he didn't wear it during the ceremony (but he did wear it every other moment the whole weekend).

Mom at the reception. She is what she refers to as "peaked." I think she is partied out.

I am not sure what my sister said that made Dad laugh so hard during the Father of the Bride Dance, but it was pretty cute.

And of course, there is never a set of wedding photos complete without one of Dad eating.

Us pretending we were at prom.

They are so cute.

Laura and her new husb.

Laura... so pretty.

Us at the rehearsal.

5 Years of Lovin

Welp, we made it to our first big anniversary... the big 5th! Yhessss!!!! We had a great time celebrating each other, our commitments and our togetherness by attending a conference about marriage by Gary Thomas (highly recommend his books and conferences), spending time with some of our greatest friends and visiting the spot where we were wed... Hovander Park. We can still fit in our wedding clothes (we'll see how long that lasts...), so we thought we should get some good use out of them. Wearing them each anniversary has become one of our traditions. We got some funny looks at Trader Joe's...


To love! And to all of the joys and struggles that come with being in community with another!

A Rocha

Here we are working planting garlic in A Rocha's 1 acre garden. The garden is cultivated to provide 25 shares for our Community Shared Agriculture (CSA) Project, 5 of which go to local shelters and community kitchens.



I work for A Rocha Canada. www.arocha.org/canada/ It is so great. A Rocha is an international Christian conservation organization who works to share God's love for all of creation.

A Rocha ("The Rock" in Portuguese), began in Portugal in the 1980s and is now working in 18 different countries around the world. We believe that God made the world, that He loves it and that He placed humanity as the stewards of it. Considering my loves, my passions, my convictions, I have found myself deeply committed to this work.

At the Field Study Centre in Surrey, we are working on salmon habitat restoration, migratory bird surveying, environmental education, Biblical theology of Earth-care education and funding it all. I have so much more to say about why I believe each of these categories are so desperately important, but I will let our extensive blog readership inquire for I could go on and on and on...

I am fund-raising right now and hope to take on my role as Community Organizer in a few months. My role is to connect the people in the community to the work of A Rocha Canada and make it accessible to people from all backgrounds. I will update you all more in the Spring as my role and work develop. Until then, I invite you all to the Field Study Centre to see our community and how we are working out our call to walk with care on the Earth.

To see a short film about A Rocha go to:

http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=-500919105068866289





Here I am with 2 of my biggest supporters, Caleb and Alissa McSharry. I love them.

Our New Home

We are just starting to feel settled in our new home with the Wiltons. Josh and Katie are long-time friends of ours that we have lived with on and off in Alaska and British Columbia over the past 8 years. They know us well and makes us laugh. We meet together on Sunday nights to pray for one another. We have really enjoyed living with Baby Eli. He is 3 months old right now. Sometimes he smiles in his sleep. Sometimes when you hold him, he puts his little arms around your neck.

The Withrows and the Wiltons... one big happy family.

Holding our godson and housemate, Eli.

Josh apologizing for one of his many bad jokes.

The Oregon Coast

There is nothing better to celebrate being back to the West Coast than to hang out on Oregon's Coast for a week with people you love. We spent a week at Gearhart Beach (just north of Seaside) with Andy's side of our family. Highlights include: funny children, sand castles, beach grass, board games, GREAT food, BBC's Planet Earth (amazing), reading, walks on the beach, great weather, hiking at Ecola State Park, wave jumping (you could actually stand the water this year), a little bit of boogie boarding, relaxing and the sheer presence of those that you love. It was so nice.

Dan, Matt and Andy work on one of the many family sandcastle. Note the monster crawling up the side.

Rachel (our niece) works on the forest.

Our nephew, Jacob, gets a little sandy.

Our nephew, Nathan, gives us "Crazy."

Nathan gives us "Sweet."

Nathan calls this one his "Happy."

Matt, Sally, Andy and Erin pose with another family castle. This one was awesome.

Andy proud of his work.