Hi ladies!  The meal schedule for Claire has been added to the website under the Members tab.  Mary and Claire could both use your help this summer – especially since they are both expecting #3!

If you couldn’t make it this morning sorry we missed you!  Don’t forget – playdates at the park every Thursday morning during summer!

Thanks to Kari Feistner for telling me about this!

Some people have been prowling the hidden nooks and crannies of Evans Creek Preserve and playing a little game of “hide the lawn gnome.”
The activity has at least one member of the Planning Commission wondering how the practice got started.
“Who is the gnome master?” asked Brad Connor.
Who, indeed?

Conner and his 2-year-old son, Brody, were out in the park in late August or early September of 2013 when they first noticed the little gnome, similar to the kind seen in the ads for Travelocity.
The gnome was tucked away a few feet off the trail. When the pair investigated, they found a small tag had been attached on the bottom congratulating them for finding the gnome and encouraging them to hide it themselves.
Connor said he’s out in the park regularly and is fairly certain he found the gnome for the first time fairly soon after it started.
The pair did so enthusiastically, and Connor said the gnome helped make him want to make more use of the park.
“It encouraged us to walk the whole course,” he said.
Then, in the fall, the gnome went missing.
Whether someone took it, or it was covered in falling leaves, or it was simply using some sort of gnomish invisibility trick, Connor couldn’t tell.
“There’s all these little, unique nooks and crannies and gnome homes,” Connor said.
So, Connor replaced the missing gnome with one he went out and purchased. Then after he placed it, he discovered another gnome, different from the original (this was in 2013).
Now there are at least ten gnomes in Evans Creek Preserve, and there may be more. Kari Feistner found 10 & suspects they didn’t find all of them.
“It’s just fun, and it adds a bit of character to the park,” Connor said. “It brings the community together.
Parks Director Jessi Bon said the city doesn’t know how it got started, either.
“It just kind of happened organically,” Bon said.
She did ask that people hiding the gnome try to keep it within five feet of the trail. Evans Creek Preserve has some ecologically sensitive areas, and its best to keep them free of humans tromping around.
“Just enjoy the park and be respectful.”

Kari said her last venture on the trail they found 10 gnomes. Why not go add your own gnome & have a fun adventure right here in Sammamish! Just be sure to attach a tag or use a Sharpie to give your gnome a name & ID yourself as the donator of the gnome.  We My daughter named our gnome “Silly Sunshine” in case you run across him…

If you’re like me & you’ve had empathy for Denisse and her sweet girls as they waited month upon month for Drew’s return…the wait finally ended at 1:09pm at SEATAC when Drew stepped off the plane:

Here’s the photos of his arrival:

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If you’re like me you have lots of extra books hanging around. Why not donate them to the Starbucks by Safeway on 228th Ave! Books donated go toward Page Ahead for foster kids

We had a few extra (cute) helpers cleaning up today…😍

Living Your Strengths

Have you ever wondered about your life’s purpose? Do you want to explore the potential for your life that lies in the uniqueness of God’s gifts to you, and how you can recognize the unique strengths of others?

The Living Your Strengths Journey is a four-week, group study that seeks to help you find answers to those questions. It begins with the Clifton StrengthsFinder, an on-line questionnaire that reveals your top five signature talents. On the journey, you join fellow parishioners & MOPS mom’s to explore your unique God-given talents, recognize those same talents in others and learn how to apply this knowledge in your parish, personal and professional lives.

The purpose of Living Your Strengths is to take steps toward the discovery and fulfillment of a calling. It will teach you that to discover your calling, you simply need to listen to the talents God gave you—the ways in which, you, as a unique individual, naturally think, feel and behave. The journey will show you that to fulfill your calling, you simply need to follow and build upon your greatest talents to develop strengths. In its essence, the fulfillment of God’s calling for you means making the most of the nature he gave you.

Many of our MOPS mom’s have already done the class, so if you have questions please contact either Abbey or Sandy (both have done the class – click their names to email them).  If you’d like to sign up to do it, contact Kathi Rowley (click her name to email her).  Kathi is currently taking suggestions for meeting days/times.  The class runs for four weeks for 1 hour & 45 minute sessions each meeting.

While mom plays, we play

Please say a prayer for our MOPPETS caregiver Gerry Van Dyke.  She fell last night & broke her wrist, has 2 broken ribs & hurt her back as well.  We will certainly miss her on Thursday at MOPS.  MOPS is sending over flowers to brighten her day (in case the sun alone hasn’t!).  Keep Gerry in your thoughts & prayers for a speedy recovery!!