It’s a big day at the Koskela household…

My bride has her first day with students at her new job, as an educational aide at the alternative high school.

Aubrey starts 1st grade, going all day for the first time.

Hayley starts middle school, switching classes for the first time.

And Talli begins the high school journey.
I’m sure I’m […]

Posted in family 4 Comments »

After 42 hours and 35 minutes of driving, and 2,214 miles, we’re back home. But I’m still officially on vacation, and I’m glad for that! We had an amazing time, full of scenic beauty, adventure, and crisis. I’ll probably blog about the crisis first, but for tonight, my goal was simply to break my radio […]

Posted in family, rv 2 Comments »

Having too much fun to blog…just a little bit of internet tonight before we leave in the morning for Yellowstone.
Glacier was unbelievable! By the numbers, rapidly:
7 cutthroat trout at Old Man Lake
6 mile hike (one way) to get to Old Man Lake with Talli and Hayley
5 rested Koskelas
4 days camping in Glacier (1 at Fish […]

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This is the “celebrate Hayley” post that a proud dad gets to write. I told you I don’t play favorites with my kids, so I’m sure before too long an Aubrey-centric post will come. But tonight is Hayley!
Each year every fifth grader from every public school in Newberg heads to the high school for a […]

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18 years ago, on an overcast Oregon day, my best friend and I promised to love each other…and asked for Divine assistance to accomplish it. Which means, I guess, that our marriage is officially an adult today. And it feels that way. These last two years, and especially the last few months, have felt like […]

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We had a great time celebrating my birthday in downtown Portland–several hours in Powell’s Books, dinner at Noodles and Company, and then dessert at Sweet Masterpiece.
EVERYONE just LOVED celebrating with me:

Somebody was in a mood. Maybe this had something to do with it:

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1 hour, 44 minutes, and 54 seconds. I did it. 40 laps on my 40th birthday. And, since I ran in lane 4, I actually ran 10.5 miles, so I hit 10 minutes a mile almost exactly. Not nearly as fast as I wanted; but, considering a week ago I didn’t think I could finish, […]

Posted in family, finding myself 9 Comments »

So, I feel like I need to give a refund of everything you’ve ever paid as a reader of my blog. Your satisfaction guaranteed, or your money back, you know…but please don’t tell me if you are satisfied when the blog goes silent. I don’t want to know.
Easter dawned with hope, the beginning […]

Posted in family, this blog/blogging 6 Comments »

Fourteen years ago, pregnant with our first child, Elaine and I began a birthing class at the old Newberg Hospital. Our friends Shawn and Katrina joined us in the same group, and what a group it was. There was the romance novel writer and her husband, another couple from our church, another couple with more […]

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There are times when the best thing to help me get over a horrible or embarrassing experience is to attempt comedy in a blog post. Sometimes, it’s a therapeutic balm to my soul. But I’ve been trying, in my head, to write the salvific post I could really use for over 24 hours now, and […]

Posted in family 6 Comments »