Life Together "Plus One"

Our New Addition!

2010-01-01T13:27:00.002-05:00

We welcomed David Edward Lutz to the family on Monday, December 28, 2009, at 8:03pm. He weighed 8lbs, 6oz and was 22 inches long. We are both totally in love with him. Check facebook for pictures. More updates to come.

On Being Pregnant: 17 days and Waiting!

2009-12-09T10:54:00.007-05:00

We are officially in the home stretch of this pregnancy, anxiously awaiting the arrival of our sweet son, David Edward Lutz. In some ways 38 weeks has seemed like forever and in others it has just flown by. We finally feel a little more settled into our house here in Virginia Beach and Daniel stays quite busy with his new job at UCT One. Currently I'm taking the advice of other mom friends and enjoying all the peace, quiet and fun I can until this baby comes. I love the mornings when I can sleep and the days when it rains so it keeps me homebound. My days are spent around getting exercise, hanging out with friends, keeping the kitchen stocked with food, and the laundry clean. The latter two items will be Daniel's biggest challenge when the baby comes...I might have to write written instructions on the washing machine and hope he doesn't throw a red shirt in with the whites!

For Thanksgiving we ended up staying here. The drive was going to be too long, I was getting too close to the due date, and Daniel was having a hard time getting away from work. While we missed the opportunity to go to my parent's in TN, we persuaded my sister Leah to drive up from Birmingham for the holiday. We had so much fun cooking, baking, shopping, putting up Christmas decorations and went to Busch Gardens for their Christmas shows. It has been a long time since I've gotten to spend time with just her and it might be awhile before we see her again. I am thoroughly enjoying all my siblings growing up and our relationships changing into deep friendships.

The belly has become so heavy now and quite the brunt of our jokes! Things I never thought would be so challenging to do on my own: 1) tie my shoes 2) pick up something on the ground 3) get off the couch or out of the bed 4) sit in a small booth at a restaurant 5) eat an entire meal (my stomach is cramped by a baby!) 6) put on pants without holding onto something, and 7) keep my balance. Daniel finds it most interesting to stare at my belly and imagine a full grown baby inside there waiting to come out. We also enjoy feeling our son's kicks, which are ever so strong now. While feeling his life inside me is a true joy, we are very ready to meet him and hold him.

Some of you have asked, is the nursery all finished? You might be surprised that two perfectionists have not competed the nursery yet. We should be receiving the furniture either Friday or Monday. The most important things are done, all his clothes and blankets are clean, a diaper bag packed, our bags ready to be packed, some frozen meals in the freezer, and the carseat ready to bring home the newest member of the family. While we know it's typical for most first babies to be late, I'm secretly hoping and praying he'll come before Christmas so we can be home with the best gift of the year!

We'll be keeping you posted!

On Being Pregnant: 86 days to go!

2009-10-02T09:15:00.006-05:00

Praise God this pregnancy has been relatively uncomplicated. I am 28 weeks and counting down! This change to my body has taught me several things: 1) sleep is not my own anymore 2) my body will never look exactly the same 3) maternity clothes are a complete rip-off 4) my own bathroom is my best friend 5) I thought I loved backrubs before, but they are needed more often now 6) the feeling of my son kicking and moving inside me always brings a huge smile to my face regardless of the time of day/night 7) the expectation of a child and seeing him grow within creates a new and special bond in marriage! Daniel is my hero right now. He so often sacrificially gets out of bed to get the lotion and rub my back if I'm having a hard time falling to sleep at night. I enjoy watching his amazement when he sees my belly go up and down from kicks. He is going to be a very natural Dad and I'm so thankful.

Last month we celebrated our second anniversary with dinner at the Melting Pot. I'm not sure how, but we ate everything served to us! We also spent Labor Day at the beach and then several days in Houston for time with family and two baby showers. My parents even flew to Houston for the showers which made for a perfect time to introduce our son's name. We shared over dinner with both grandparents that he will be named David Edward Lutz. David honors my Dad and we pray that our son will be a Godly man like him and King David in the Bible. Edward is Daniel's and his father's middle names so we're continuing that tradition. We will call him David or the occasional Little David around my father.

A few days ago we scheduled a 3D ultrasound at an ultrasound center in town. We had heard good recommendations from friends. We spent an hour watching our son kick his legs, pinch his nose, open and close his mouth, blink his eyes, lick his arm and basically enjoy his time in-utero! He's one active little guy and we are so anxious to meet him. I think from the pictures he has his Daddy's mouth and legs, but we'll have to see.

This week we're headed to San Diego for Michael's BUDS graduation. This will be our last vacation before it's time to start planning for David's arrival. I'm beginning to feel quite uncomfortable and am more squirmy than a two year old these days.

On The Move -- Anxious to Settle!

2009-08-04T09:53:00.014-05:00

It's been a busy couple months, but we're now beginning to feel settled into our house in Virginia Beach...well when the outside siding is finished and pictures are hung it will be better:)

We started the summer off with Daniel's dive school graduation and a big family reunion where we announced the upcoming arrival of Baby Lutz in December. We were 11 weeks pregnant when we shared the news so we had time to think of a good way to announce it! As suggested by a friend, Daniel typed up one of his typical itineraries for the weekend and the announcement was printed there. As we passed around the itinerary at the dinner table, it was fun to watch the quick reactions of some and slow reactions of others as they read through and saw the news. The first to catch on were my cousin Tara and my Mom. Everyone else quickly picked up on the excitement. My mother-in-law who had already been in town with us was surprised and I thought for sure she had a suspicion (especially when I threw up dinner the night before!). It made for a fun weekend of celebration for Daniel for his accomplishments in more than just school:-)

As soon as everyone was out the door Sunday morning, the packing fury began. Of course, you always think you can accomplish more in an allotted amount of time. We thought our packup from Panama City would be quite simple, but with a U-haul whose lights were out and a sick wife, Daniel had a lot of the weight on his shoulders. We finally left Panama City Monday evening and since we had already made hotel reservations in Savannah, GA, knew the night was going to be a long one. Daniel drive my car with the U-haul and we settled in for a long ride. We arrived to our hotel room about 3am that night and slept until we woke up. We made it into VA Beach around 7pm Tuesday evening and I was beyond exhausted. We took care of a few things here and then headed up for a couple days of R&R in Cape Cod.

We spent a few days at a lovely B&B near Hyannis Port. Even though the weather was a bit gray, we enjoyed the scenery and food on Cape Cod. Our B&B offered a three course breakfast every morning prepared by the owner, a professional chef. Normally breakfast doesn't do much for me, but at 13 weeks pregant I was starving all the time! Daniel and I enjoyed some long bike rides (which was difficult with a growing belly!), some walks, a train ride along the coast, watching a local triathlon and a sunset cruise (which wasn't so sunny with the incoming rain) through the Harbor and to the Kennedy compound.

After our weekend, we headed back south to Newport, RI, where Daniel had a two week class to attend. I stayed a few days and hung out before flying to Jacksonville for a beach week with family. While Daniel enjoyed beautiful cool weather in Newport, my family suffocated in a FL heatwave...even the ocean brought no relief!

By the end of June, we were officially tired of suitcases and arrived back to VA Beach to move back into our house here. The first order of business was to paint the spare room, which will be our son's room. It was a very bold blue and at the time we weren't sure it was a boy and wanted to go with a more neutral color. Daniel spent hours painting and doing house repairs before our shipment was supposed to arrive. I couldn't have been more excited to see our bed, couches, and my dishes!! It had been a long six months and I had forgotten how much our possessions made home feel more pleasant.

We are getting close to finishing some major house projects...having a baby on the way makes you feel pressured in a good way:-) Our house has been resided this week and Daniel's brother Samuel has been here the last two weeks rebuilding our fence, hanging curtains, changing out light fixtures, and fixing our two jetskis who never want to work. I do what I can, but my naptimes on the couch are becoming more and more necessary.

We have jumped back into the church we met and married at here and are enjoying a Bible Study with other couples on Thursday evenings. This fall I am hoping to join a ladies Bible Study, do some more projects around the house (like scrapbook organization and more blogging!) and also begin making a nursery for our little boy. I have also made friends with other Navy wives who are expecting and enjoy prenatal yoga classes and walking with them. I am very ready for the weather to turn cooler and the leaves to change. It feels like it's been perpetual summer since we arrived to Panama City in January.

The fall time will likely fly by with a trip to Houston in September to visit family and have baby showers, a family vacation/celebration in San Diego in October to Michael's SEAL/Buds graduation, and we plan to spend Thanksgiving with my family in Tennessee. And, December should bring a baby!!

Spring Break Country

2009-04-02T22:32:00.007-05:00

Somehow March has just flown by! I don't know why we ever thought a 3-story, 4-bedroom house would be too big for us during out time here in Panama City. Since February, we've had 33 visitors and used every sheet and towel in the place. We've given new meaning to SPRING BREAK '09 in PCB! It's been so fun to have family and friends come from many miles away to see our beach vacation home and enjoy the beautiful gulf coast beaches.

Usually the beaches here are crystal clear and the sand white as snow. However, lately there has been some crazy thunderstorm action and the waves are crashing in and stirring up all the sand. It's not so pretty right now. We've fully experienced the spring break college crowds, learned not to drive anywhere near MTV's Club La Vela, and quit shopping at Walmart since everyone else and their sorority sister is there!

Daniel's schedule is beginning to slow down a little in dive school. Tomorrow will be his last dive and then supposedly they'll just be doing some classroom time until his graduation on June 5th. We're already starting to make moving preparations again!

We've had a lot of fun with our company. We had Samford University and Texas A&M represented with our college aged siblings down for their spring breaks a few weeks ago. We had one of the jetskis my parents lent us up and running and did some tubing and wake boarding. While Daniel has been at school I've been staying busy mostly playing with friends and enjoying the pool and beaches. Emily (my friend from Oregon who is now stationed at Pensacola with her hubby) and her three girls came over for a night and we checked out the local zoo. And our most recent visitors got the worst of the weather unfortunately. Daniel's highschool friend Dana and her family came out for a visit, but somehow we ended up with huge thunderstorms and tornadoes. I was thoroughly impressed with how well the kids handled the weather and we did get some fun in once the sun came out. We went to the airshow at TAFB and even the USN Blue Angels made an appearance! We did hit the beach one day and everyone but Zasia liked it! At age 2 she'd already figured out the sand just wasn't her thing!

We have a few weekend trips planned for April and May, but other than that just enjoying the beach as much as we can. Of course we'll still be at the beach in Virginia, but it is quite convenient to have it right across the street!

Welcome to the Sunshine State!

2009-02-06T17:47:00.005-05:00

It has been a long couple months, but we have travelled some miles since December 16th when we said "Goodbye" to our dear friends in Oregon and headed east...well south first, then east!

We started our adventure in the midst of an unexpected snow storm in Oregon. We must have left right in time because thankfully we made it out of the state before the weather really turned. With two cars completely loaded down and walkie-talkies in hand, we began the 4,000 mile journey!

Our fist night on the road was a hotel in Sacramento. We were so thrilled about getting a goodnight sleep and getting on the road early in the morning, until the fire alarm went off at 5:30am! The entire hotel had to evacuate. We grabbed the car keys and stayed warm there until the hotel was clear. Apparently somebody on the third floor had the bright idea of cooking some breakfast in their room and burned it. Rather than keeping the smoke in their room, they fanned it to the hallway and gave everyone an earlier than expected wake-up call.

After repacking the cars (we got really good at this!) we were hoping to arrive in L.A. late afternoon to stay with friends. But, L.A. also seemed to be getting the same weather as Oregon and the closer we got the farther we ended up being. The interstate was closed through what's known as the "Grapevine" or the pass that you go through before dropping into the L.A. area. Not only was the interstate closed, but every other road around it. A 6 hour drive turned into 14 and we never actually made it. We had to stop on the road and then head into L.A. via Hwy. 101 in the morning. This really put a damper on the trip, but we knew that would be the last of bad weather we would have...atleast snow and ice weather.

Daniel's brother Michael drove from San Diego to El Paso with us and then we finished the last drive on our own into Houston. We spent about 10 days with Daniel's family in Houston, New Year's in Dallas with friends, and then Daniel and I parted ways. He had a two week class in Gulfport, MS, and I rendesvoued with my mom and her friend in Panama City for a girls R&R time!

We were able to get into our rental house on January 15th and got out of our suitcases and cars as fast as we could! We were so tired of searching for this shirt, or that pair of shoes, or that book...etc! Moving is definitely adventure but, boy, can it drain the heck out of you!

Daniel started dive school on the 20th and his schedule has drastically changed since grad school. He's up and out the door by 5:25am every morning. It's been hard for me to get used to this schedule. I am making myself get up earlier too so we can go to sleep at relatively the same time.

The weather is starting to warm up a little and we're excited about hanging out at the beach. The water is so clear and the sand very white. We love taking walks, and throwing the frisbee and I'm enjoying sunset runs on the beach. We are very blessed and love Florida!

Come visit us in the Sunshine State!

Giving Thanks

2008-12-07T03:08:00.006-05:00

This Thanksgiving was bittersweet. Daniel and I started the day attending the Thanksgiving service at our church. That was a wonderful hour of concentrated time on praising God for the many blessings and gifts He has given us. It was also nice to take our minds off the turkey and all the sides yet to be made! But realizing the time was getting close to saying goodbyes made the day all the more special and emotional.

We hosted the dinner at our house and invited several of our friends over to share the feast. Our Navy friends, the Donathans, Daniel's school buddy, Dave, and our church friends, the Binneys, all joined us. We combined family traditions and everyone brought something they were used to having on Thanksgiving. The greatest success though was frying the turkey! Dave had a fryer and offered to do the honors. I purchased a 13 pound bird and he did the rest. It was delicious! I also roasted a turkey breast and it too was yummy. The ladies worked on everything else and other than me forgetting to let the bread dough for the rolls rise twice, everything went fairly smoothly. I have always helped out at my family's house with the Thanksgiving dinner, but it's entirely different when you are in charge of the outcome! I know everyone says it will taste good, but I didn't want to be the one taking blame for flat rolls, dry turkey or a burned pie! Thankfully, none of that happened and we finally sat down to eat around 3pm. Daniel was the official turkey carver and with two birds and a ham, we actually made quite a dent in all the food. Afterwards, I made sure everyone took home leftovers -- I didn't want to be left eating leftovers for weeks!

As tradition goes, we all shared several things we were thankful for this year. Even 3 year old Dorothy contributed! And what better than finishing the dishes and plopping down on the couch to watch some football...except for the part where the Aggies miserably lost.

Fall Fun

2008-12-07T02:44:00.011-05:00

This fall seems to have flown by! Surprised? Daniel has spent most of the fall going to class and preparing the paper and presentation for the major project he worked on this summer. I have stayed busy leading a women's Beth Moore study on Monday nights, babysitting, and maximizing time with friends.

We managed to go to every home football game -- GO BEAVS!! This meant that we were able to get tickets to the much anticipated Civil War game. I never thought of myself as much of a football fan, but it sure has been fun getting dressed in our orange and black and revving up our Beaver spirit!

Another highlight for me this fall was a visit with my dear friend Hayley. We have been friends since I first moved to Virginia Beach. She and her family now live in Naples, FL, and her husband generously offered to keep their three girls while she came out for a long weekend of "girl time." We would sleep in and then head out for the day. I was anxious to show her everything around here. We went to the coast one day and had lunch in Depot Bay. It was actually quite sunny that day, but there was this wierd haze and the waves were huge. I was hoping to spot some whales, but we never saw any.

Since the weather was so gorgeous that weekend, we did lots of hiking and one of our trips was up to the top of Mary's Peak. You can see this mountain from our house and it's the highest point on the Coastal Mountain range. We have been snowshoeing up there and hiked on our anniversary. This time we took a picnic lunch and the visibility was just incredible. Daniel came along and led us around the loop. We could see the Three Sisters mountains all the way in Bend (100 miles away!) because it was so clear. This was a really relaxing time and something Hayley doesn't get to do often without children. I was so glad she could come visit -- I am so blessed by her friendship.

The Grand Finale Trip

2008-11-03T18:38:00.016-05:00

In September, we ventured out one more time in hopes to capture as much of the Northwest in our memories as possible! Daniel's parents and their friends, Tyrell and Barbara, flew out from Houston to join us. We relied entirely on public transportation -- beginning at the train station in Portland, Oregon. We travelled by train all the way to Seattle, ferry to Friday Harbor, on San Juan Island, WA, ferry to Victoria, Canada, ferry to Vancouver, Canada, and then train back stopping in Seattle and ending in Portland.

In Friday Harbor, we were able to start our trip with a little relaxation and beautiful summer weather on this quaint island. We think of the San Juan Islands as the Outer Banks of the Northwest. You can only access the islands by ferry and there are just a few main roads around the islands. We toured the island via a tour van one afternoon, but the highlight for sure was our picnic lunch where we spotted two Orca whale not too far off the shore. Daniel and I had camped here earlier in the summer and weren't so lucky -- but this time they were out playing. It must have been the sunny day!

Our next destination was Victoria, Canada. I think everyone agreed this was a favorite. We spent three night in downtown Victoria. We saw the Parliament building lit up at night, toured the famous Empress Hotel, and took a very educating bus tour around the city one afternoon. But we didn't stop there. A must see on everyone's list was the well-known Butchard Gardens. We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day. With the sun shining and the weather warm, we spent a couple hours touring the unique gardens. My personal favorite was the Sunken Garden -- I wanted to just grab a blanket and some lemonade and sit out here for hours. A beautiful rose garden and traditional Japanese garden were among the many others. This is definitely a recommendation for anyone travelling to Victoria.

But, we didn't stop there! On mine and Marjie's to-do list was "High Tea!" Hey, this is about as close to London as I was going to get. We found a cute little tea place for lunch one day. And...yes, the men even came along! However, they probably don't want that being made public. We had a delicious lunch of tea sandwiches and scones. I think I could get used to that way of life!

Our third destination was a night in Vancouver, Canada. And, well, no offense to those who love Vancouver, but it was a unanimous least favorite vote here! From the minute we stepped off the ferry and had to wait for a crowded bus for over an hour, our appreciation for this major city quickly went downhill. That day happened to be Eldon's birthday, so we made reservations at the "Top of Vancouver" rotating restaurant. The excellent meal and view did redeem our views slightly, but we were all getting very tired by this point. In light of time, we also did a bus tour here and got an overview of the city in just a few hours.

After Vancouver, we boarded the train for Seattle. We were going to stop here before heading back to Portland the next day. Daniel and I have gotten to spend a lot of time in Seattle while living out here, so it was fun to show the family around Pike's Place Market. Even though the weather is typically grey in Seattle, the city itself is very clean and unique with lots of places to run, walk, shop, eat and board a ship to head somewhere else.

Portland was the final destination all together. We have seen so much this year that it's hard to pick favorites, but this trip sure was memorable. We are so glad to have had the opportunity to see so much of the Northwest.

More Adventures in Oregon

2008-08-30T14:18:00.010-05:00

This month we completed our tour of Oregon with a camping trip to Crater Lake and then returning up the Southern coast. Daniel's Mom, aunt, cousins and friend, came out for the trip he named "Women of the Woods" since it was 6 women and one man! Well, we atleast like to think we're that tough! We spent three nights camping at Crater Lake, which, at 1,943 feet, is the deepest lake in the United States. The weather was perfect and we had a great time hiking, driving the rim of the lake, and taking a 2 hour boat tour around the lake. Daniel and his cousin Samantha were the only brave souls to jump into the 53 degree water. They can proudly say they've jumped into a volcano now, since that is what Crater Lake originally was before it erupted and left a giant hole that has now filled with rain and snow. Personally I think this is one of the most beautiful places Oregon has to offer. Even though we roughed it camping, we all dressed up one night and had a delicious dinner at the Crater Lake Lodge. With a porch overlooking the lake and rockingchairs next to the fireplaces, this would be an ideal spot to stay another time.

A little rain came our way the morning we packed up to leave Crater Lake, but this didn't stop us too much. We packed up quickly and continued further southeast. We toured the Oregon Caves and then cut into northern California for a quick drive through the Redwood National Forest before heading back north along the Oregon coast. We saw several lighthouses and miles of beautiful rocky coastline. One of my favorite stops along the coast before heading home was the Sea Lion Caves. Not only did we see a host of sea lions playing and sleeping in these caves, but we even saw a few whales playing out in the water.

Daniel and I have now driven Highway 101 along the entire Oregon coast, and feel like we've been able to absorb as much of Oregon history, culture, and scenery as physically possible in a little over a year. We have been busy this summer with lots of visitors, but so glad our friends and family want to come out and visit us.

We have also had a ton of fun this summer hanging out with friends, especially our "little" friends. Daniel is the bicycle repairman for the neighborhood and enjoys hanging out in the

garage with our neighbor's children fixing his bikes and theirs. I usually go to the pool with them about once a week and often Daniel is able to join. This month we also kept our friend's daughter, Dorothy (3), for a weekend while they were away. After church we decided to take her and Karina (7) and Ruth (4) to the state fair in Salem. I think Daniel is reconsidering whether he wants to have little girls, because all he heard in the car was girly giggles and squeals! But we had fun!

We are about to celebrate our first anniversary on Monday and can hardly believe a year has gone by so quickly. We feel so blessed to have spent this first year in Oregon, for Daniel to go to school, and for all the new friends we've made. We have one finale trip in a couple weeks to Canada and then it will be back to the grind of school. Daniel has made great progress on his summer project and will be starting up his last term at OSU in late September. Our latest news is that Daniel got orders to go back to Virginia Beach next summer! We will be leaving Oregon in December, stopping in Texas around Christmastime, and then on to Panama City, Florida, for 6 months. Daniel will graduate from Navy dive school in July and we'll head back up the east coast to Virginia. We are so thrilled to go back there, be able to attend New Covenant again, and reconnect with friends. It will be another eventful year, but I don't think the Lutzs are capable of anything otherwise!

North By Northwest

2008-07-24T14:27:00.011-05:00

If you are checking our blog and wondering why we haven't been posting anything lately --- it's because we've hardly been home! This summer has been exactly what was promised as far as weather and we are thoroughly enjoying it.

We started off the summer with a camping trip across Oregon (from the Columbia River Gorge to the Wallowa Mountains and Hell's Canyon) and some triathlons/duathlons. We celebrated Daniel's completion of his first full year of grad school with an "A" average AND that he passed the Professional Engineer Exam!

Over July 4th week we had a family reunion with my (Erin) side of the family. Many cousins, siblings, and my aunt came out for a week vacation in Cannon Beach, OR. Then, my youngest sister Claire stayed the rest of July to hang out with us. We have shown her a lot of the Northwest, including a short trip up to Seattle with our friends, Jeff and Sara Nickel, for Jeff and Daniel to do a bike ride from Seattle to Portland known here as the STP (~200 miles!). While the guys rode, the girls checked out sights in Seattle and set up our campsites along the way.

Daniel is taking one summer diving class and also working on a project for his degree. We still have a few more trips before the rains set in and the semester starts. Oregon is so geographically diverse...enjoy all the pictures!

San Juan Islands Trip

2008-06-02T19:30:00.003-05:00

Over Memorial Day weekend we went camping with some friends in the San Juan Islands off the coast of Washington. Our friends, the Espings, had the great idea months ago and we quickly signed up! There were five couples and we spent the first night, well four hours of it, at the Esping's in Seattle and then all rose early to catch the 6am ferry as to avoid any holiday weekend delays.

We arrived in Friday Harbor, the main harbor on San Juan, just in time for the sun to really shine. We spent the morning hiking, checking out state parks, playing frisbee and waiting long enough until we could check into our campsite. The island had a very unique island/forest feel. San Juan is the main island and about 25 miles in circumference. One day Daniel and his friend Jeff rode around the entire island. I got to ride around a few times as well, but the hills just about killed me on the last ride!

Our campsite was perfect, set right next to a lake. We had brought most of our food and enjoyed creatively cooking everything over the open fire. The other couples had all headed home by early Monday morning, but Daniel and I decided to stay and tour another island. We took the ferry over to Lopez island on Monday morning. We'd planned on just staying the morning, grabbing lunch and taking an afternoon ferry back to the mainland and driving home that night. Everyone else had the same idea! So, when we realized the ferry line was about 4 hours, we decided to stay that night on Lopez. It was awesome! We drove around the island, did some hiking, walked around the Lopez village area and by mid afternoon had checked into a local lodge (we were done with the camping at that point!) and made reservations for a sunset kayaking tour. Since it was Memorial Day we had to find some ribs and the local's choice fulfilled the need! After dinner we set out on a 2 hour sunset cruise. It was so quiet on the island, since the holiday weekend was over, and we had the tour guide to ourselves. We saw some harbor seals and lots of birds. The sunset was just incredible!

We feel so privileged to be able to explore the Pacific Northwest while we're out here. Daniel has one week and some finals left before the summer begins. We are taking a camping trip/vacation in mid-June in between semesters and to do a couple triathlons. We'll be exploring a little more of Eastern Oregon on that trip. Stay tuned!

April Showers Bring May Flowers

2008-05-14T00:10:00.011-05:00

April sure did fly by! And while we had some April showers, we're still having May showers. Supposedly the rain doesn't let up until the Fourth of July. Guess that's just in enough time to start up the fireworks! The weather is warming up and we're gearing up for a beautiful Oregon summer. Daniel and I have many summer trips planned, including lots of visits from family and friends. We're so glad to be the vacation destination this year!

Last month started off a little hectic for my family. At the beginning of April my (Erin) grandmother went home to be with the Lord after living a very long and vibrant life. My mom had been her primary caretaker for the past several years, and while death is not normally associated with joy, our family was thankful she went to her permanent home. This gave me a good excuse to fly back to Tennessee for a week. We made the quick trip to my grandmother's home in Mississippi for the funeral, and then I drove back with my family to Tennessee to hang out for a few days. I got to spend lots of time with my brother and sister and parents. It was nice to have a relaxing trip home since I don't get to see them as often as I'd like.

While I was in Tennessee, Daniel took the much anticipated and studied for Professional Engineer Exam. To have this over was a huge relief for him! He is confident he did well, but we won't find out until July whether he passed it or not. Thank you to everyone who prayed for him and sent encouraging emails. Since then, he has been diligently working through the Spring semester. West coast schools are on trimesters, so he'll finish up for the summer in mid-June. He has identified and began working on a project which he'll complete over the summer. After that he'll have a few hours left in the fall and graduate in December. We feel like our time here in the Northwest is just flying by!

At the end of April we enjoyed a visit from my parents (Erin) and Aunt Sue. It was a much needed vacation for them and we took them all over Oregon. We started off the trip with a night at the Timberline Lodge at Mount Hood. They were all amazed that it was the end of April and there was still a 20 foot base of snow and it was still snowing. Dad, Mom, Daniel and I skiied one morning which was fun but wet and cold. Supposedly one of the ski resorts at Mt. Hood is open year around. Wouldn't that be cool to take a ski trip in July?!? While they were visiting, we also went to several wineries in Eugene and took a trip to the coast. The weather cooperated and was just perfect. Spring is in full bloom around here now!

So, the other major recent event is that Daniel pursuaded me into doing my first triathlon. I guess since I'd done a marathon and he bought me a bike...what else was left?? I refused to do a triathlon with an open water swim (don't like the idea of not being able to see what's beneath me!) so we found one locally that the swim was in a pool. I really liked it and for my first tri did pretty well. I get lots of complements on my bike and get to brag about what good tastes my husband has! Daniel and our friend Shilah also raced...it was fun doing it with them!

We are so thoroughly enjoying the time we have here and continue to make such great friends. The reality of another move in about six months is settling in for me (Erin) and I hate the thought of leaving behind such good friends. But, we know there are so many great people to meet everywhere and look forward to the next place the Navy (a.k.a. God!) takes us.

Spring Break in Texas!

2008-04-03T16:29:00.012-05:00

After a long hard semester for Daniel, we were able to get away for a week and fly to Texas for Spring Break and Easter with Daniel's family. The week was packed full of excitement and visits with family and friends.

We started off the week by going to the Houston Livestock show and Rodeo. My friend Anna Shurtleff who now lives in Dallas flew down to spend the day with us. We also met up with Daniel's high school buddy, Eddy, of the Houston Police department, who kindly offered us a police escort throughout the day (he was on carnival duty). While we road the rides, he kicked out annoying teenagers. Later that night we met up with Daniel's brother Michael and his girlfriend to go to the rodeo followed by a Dierks Bentley concert. Having only a few hours of sleep the night before, we made it through a couple songs before having to bail and head home.

Friday morning began the weekend we've waited for all year! The family tradition is to spend Easter weekend at the Dixie Dude Ranch in Bandera, Texas. We missed out last year, so were anxiously anticipating this year. Loading the car begins early Friday morning, and sometime before lunch the hope is to be on the road. Some of us stopped in Gruene, Texas, for lunch and then caravanned the rest of the way to Bandera. Arriving shortly before dinner, we unloaded a little before the weekend of eating began. The one thing you do at Bandera is eat! And then you eat again! It was so good to be back in south...where good ole' southern food is at your fingertips. Meals at Bandera are served family style in the dining hall. Our combined families took almost two tables. Apparently for twenty years now the family has monopolized the lodging, dining tables and ranch over Easter weekend. But, that just means we get special attention!

After a welcoming dinner of fried catfish and cornbread, we were entertained by a trick roper. Of course, everyone but me (Erin) knew this routine. So, when my sly husband had prearranged my volunteering for the trick roper, I was in for some trouble! He had me so tied up, blind folded and then was breaking off spaghetti noodles in my mouth with a whip. I don't usually mind being put on the spot, but I must say this had me a little nervous at times. I'm not one to enjoy the unexpected! We all watched the Texas sun go down and Daniel and I were too tired to do anything else.

Saturday morning came with a pancake breakfast followed by horseback riding. It was a beautiful day so I was determined to soak in the rays as much as possible. Between walks, horseback riding, reading by the pool, and chatting with family it was already lunch time. Saturday lunch is the favorite among most of the family. But, I would just have to say the meals got better over the weekend. Fully stuffed (again!), we took the afternoon to play some volleyball, swim, horseback ride again, and enjoy the ranch. Late in the afternoon some of us went into town and I found me some real deal cowgirl boots!! I had been looking, but no luck until then. I finally felt like I fit in with the rest.

Sunday morning brought Easter! For me, Bandera was different than what I'm accustomed to for Easter. But, it was a fun change. Of course, we had a giant Easter breakfast followed by an Easter Egg hunt for the kids, more horseback riding, and beginning to pack up. Sunday lunch was by far the best! I'm not sure where we all put it, but there weren't many leftovers from that fried chicken and all the fixen's delicious dinner.

Daniel and I left a little early on Sunday. I had never seen the Alamo so we were going to take a detour back to Houston and visit San Antonio and finish up with dinner at my cousin's house. We had a fantastic Sunday afternoon seeing the Alamo and the Riverwalk in downtown San Antonio. We then had dinner with my Cousin Gail and her family that evening. They had never met Daniel and vice versa so we had a great time catching up. Unfortunately, we had a long drive back to Houston that night...did I mention we were tired? The Lutzes know how to go!

Monday was a little more relaxed with a trip to College Station to visit Texas A&M, Samuel (Daniel's brother) and Sarah (his cousin). Marjie and Michael came along too. We got to visit with long time friends, the Kriels, and Daniel showed me a little more of A&M since the last visit before we were married was so quick.

Tuesday we picked up some more long time friends, the Buckleys, and headed to Galveston, Texas, along with Marjie. This was another part of Texas I had never been to and wanted to see. We saw the sea turtles, the city's museum, and had lunch along the water. Daniel and I both agree we love gulf coast seafood! It was a little chilly that day, but the sun was shining. Later that night we met up with Daniel's dad's side of the family for dinner. We had brought some Oregon wine to share and had a great time reminiscing from the wedding and sharing funny family stories. It's never a dull moment when you get the Lutz family together.

We flew home Wednesday, hardly believing how quickly the time had flown by. But, we saw lots of people and really enjoyed the vacation.

San Francisco and the Napa Valley Marathon

2008-03-06T17:18:00.006-05:00

This weekend finished months of hard core training and long Saturday runs! One of my goals was to complete a marathon before my life gets too hectic (like children!). Daniel has done several before, and agreed to help me prepare for my first. My friend and running buddy, Christie, and I have spent the past five months training together. The only spring marathon in the northwest was the Napa Valley Marathon in Napa, CA. We thought, this couldn't be too bad...26.2 miles of running through wineries! Also, San Francisco wasn't too far away and that was one place I wanted to visit while we we're out here.

So, before dawn Friday morning, we set out on the 9 hour drive to San Francisco. Arriving, late afternoon we had time to check into our hotel, rest up, enjoy the hotel's complimentary happy hour, and have a nice dinner. We were all exhausted that night and decided rather than staying out late seeing San Fran in the dark, we'd get a good night sleep and get rolling in the morning. The lights were out by 9pm!

Saturday morning we enjoyed breakfast and checked out of the hotel before heading down to the famous Fisherman's Wharf. Our mode of transportation for the day were the classic San Francisco Cable Cars. We even hung off the side! We checked out the Fisherman's Wharf, let Dorothy (Grady and Christie's 2 year old) see the sea lions, ate lunch over the water, got a Sundae from Ghiradelli's, drove down Lombard Street (the world's crookedest road), and rode the cable cars back. After lunch we set out to drive over the Golden Gate on our way to Napa. It was a beautiful drive...well, what I saw of it in between naps!

By late afternoon we arrived at the Marriott Hotel in Napa where we could pick up our race packets from the expo. After this, we set out to carb load before the big day. Thankfully, I'd researched an Olive Garden and we ate our fill of breadsticks and pasta. It was now time to hit the hot tub at the hotel and attempt to get some sleep.

At 4am we received our "time to run a marathon" wake up call. Grady drove us to the race finish line where we then took buses to the start line...26.2 miles away! The sun still hadn't risen on that drive, but just as we arrived at the start line a beautiful clear sky came into view. We knew it would be a beautiful day to run.

And THAT it was! It was 26 (.2!) miles of sun shine, warmth, a gazillion wineries, rolling hills, and California countryside. Honestly, the time and the miles seemed to fly by. Daniel, Christie and I stayed together until about Mile 18 when I told Christie to go ahead and keep running. I, apparently, had a prior knee injury which began hurting at the very outset of the race. I was able to run through it until this point, but after 18 miles, was forced to slow my pace to a run/walk. If you've ever run this distance before, you know that it almost hurts more to walk than to keep running. So I made Christie (who was my loyal running buddy) keep running and go ahead of us. Daniel was a faithful husband and stayed with me. This says a lot for a man who usually runs around a 3 hour marathon. We finished together in 5:27...28 minutes more than I'd wanted, but nevertheless, I finished. Christie rolled in about 25 minutes before us. After a visit to the physical therapist on site, an iced knee, and some warm soup and bread, we hurriedly went back to the hotel to shower and begin our drive back. That drive seemed like it took forever, but we made it safely back home.

The Holidays

2008-01-17T21:06:00.000-05:00

We had great intentions at the beginning of December to send out this comprehensive, snazzy Christmas newsletter. By mid-December it had turned into this great idea of just ordering something online and trying to get that sent out. THEN, by Christmas Day, it turned into this great idea of sending out a New Year's letter. When none of that happened, we were left with the bright idea of a blog post that covers all the recent holidays. We have been all over the country in the past couple months...surprised? We bear the name "Lutz" meaning "always busy and adventurous."

Thanksgiving was spent in Boise, Idaho, with my (Erin) cousins and aunt. They were our last stop on the move out here and since they are our only family within a day's drive, we decided to spend our first Thanksgiving married with them. Daniel was in much need of the vacation and we spent the entire weekend watching movies, sleeping, Christmas shopping, eating, eating some more, and playing pranks (along with my four younger cousins) on my Aunt Suzanne. Since it was too much to fly to either home for both holidays, it was special to still spend it with extended family.

Somehow the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas Break flew by. Daniel finished up his semester with mostly A's. He is adjusting well to the school shedule and really enjoying the program. Before we left for Christmas my friend Christie (whose husband is also doing the same Naval graduate program as Daniel) and I threw a Christmas Party for the guys and their families. We made a homemade dinner, decorated cookies and had a cookie exchange. It was a very fun night and great celebration of the completion of the first semester.

We flew out mid-December to Tennessee to spend Christmas with my (Erin) family. The first weekend we were there, however, we did a whirlwind trip to Virginia for a friend's wedding and then to Virginia Beach to visit our friends there. My friend Stephanie who got married was my roomate and friend while living in Honduras. This picture is from the reception...Stephanie, the bride, me, the Noonan family (minus Bill, also missionaries from Honduras), and Cesia (our Honduran friend who flew to the US for the wedding). We had a great time with them and then after the wedding, we drove to Virginia Beach to catch a Sunday morning service at New Covenant (where we were married) and lunch with many of our close friends. It was great to visit with everyone because we have missed them so much. After that quick visit, we were back on the road again and on our way back to Tennessee stopped for the night at Daniel's college buddy's house, Matt Cashatt. Matt was a groomsmen in our wedding and he and his wife have two of the cutest little girls (as you can see in the picture). Our visit with them was again short, but very fun. After that, we were on the road again and this time ready to stay put for awhile.

We spent the next 10 days in Tennessee with my family. It was very restful and fun. We got to visit with a lot of my friends who were unable to attend the wedding or who had never met Daniel before. A few days before Christmas, the company arrived...my cousin Donnie and his wife Tara and two daughters (our flower girls) came up from Jacksonville. My cousin Amanda, from Atlanta, also came up to spend Christmas with us. We had a wonderful first Christmas as a married couple. We went ice skating, hiking, and did lots of running and playing games. Somehow the time with family always seems to fly by. We left a couple days after Christmas to return home.

Daniel and I spent New Year's here in Corvallis. The weekend was relatively quiet. We went on a hike with our friends (Grady, Christie, and Dorothy) to Mary's Peak...well we got as far as the car could get through the snow and then stopped. We also had a few friends over for New Year's Eve. It was fun to bring in the New Year with new friends we've made since moving here.

On January 2nd, the party was still

not over! My three younger sisters and younger brother flew in from Tennessee to redeem their Christmas present...a ski trip in Oregon! We headed out for an adventurous few days in Bend, Oregon, to snowshoe and ski at Mt. Bachelor. Besides it being really windy and super cold, we had a blast and no broken bones. My brother had to fly back early for school, but the girls stayed and we toured coastal Oregon and hung out here in Corvallis. It was so much fun to have a full house and all be together again.

So, we have only recently gotten back into the swing of things and a normal schedule. Daniel started classes last week and is already into the grind. I have a feeling I will not see him very much this semester. But, I am making myself busy too. I am taking a Spanish class at the community college and also have just gotten involved with a non-profit organization reaching out to the Hispanics in Corvallis. I am helping teach English and computer classes and also attending some Spanish conversation groups to improve my skills. Daniel, Christie and I are also putting in the miles as our marathon is soon approaching. We'll be running the Napa Valley Marathon in Napa, CA, on March 2nd. I think I'll definitely be taking a break from running after all this! But, then Daniel says triathlon season starts so I guess I'd better get used to it:-) He says I'm a "Lutz" now!

Overall, we're really enjoying life out here! At times it's very quiet, but I've come to welcome those times and spend it reading or trying out new recipes. We are so glad to be married and thankful to have the opportunity to spend our first year exploring things out here.

Enjoying Each Other

2007-11-29T16:15:00.000-05:00

We are fortunate that there is so much to do in Oregon! As soon as we moved here, football season was getting started. We joined the other 25,000 students and Beaver fans for every home game. The stadium is about 3 miles down the road and while sometimes we drive, we've also been known to bike down there and freeze our tails off on the way home. We love football games because student tickets are free and it's also a great social time with friends.

We have also had the opportunity to have both parents visit us since we moved out here. My (Erin) parents came the first of October and brought my car. They thoroughly enjoyed their drive from Tennessee to Oregon with a few stops in between, like Calgary, Canada...is that on the way? Ha! We toured all over Oregon, some wine vineyards, the coast and the covered bridges. It was a very special time with them. Then in November, Daniel's parents flew out. OSU has a Dad's weekend in November where the students are encouraged to invite their Dads to visit. There are various events across campus and the Dads are also able to come to the football games on student tickets. We had a great time with them walking around Corvallis, visiting the Wave Lab where Daniel does some of his studies, touring the covered bridges, the football game, and driving up the coast. It was a quick weekend but so nice to have them visit as well.

Daniel and I are also busy staying physically fit. We joined the OSU Triathlon club and plan to do some triathlons together in the late spring and early fall. This picture is from a duathlon Daniel did in October. I volunteered at the race and cheered him on! We are also kicking up our running and training for the Napa Valley Marathon in Northern California in March. I (Erin) am excited and nervous because this will my first full marathon after doing a half last March. For Daniel, a marathon is a piece of cake!

We really are beginning to feel settled into Corvallis and are enjoying all the benefits of living out here. The rains have begun, but we know they will bring a beautiful spring and summer.

Oregon Life

2007-10-25T17:49:00.000-05:00

The past 6 weeks have flown by. We're now settled (well, there's a couple more pictures still to hang) and are already both very busy. Daniel started school on September 24th and is now in full swing. Here's a picture of him on his first day of school...somehow he never grows out of his silliness! When he's not studying or in class, he's been helping me finish getting settled, pictures hung and things organized. His schedule allows for him to treat school like any normal day job, leaving about 8:30 in the morning and coming home before dinner. I like it this way because for the most part we can enjoy our evenings together.

Our house has fit our needs perfectly! It's about 3 miles from campus and an easy commute for Daniel. We have plenty of room between a guest room, futon and pullout couch for those wanting a Northwest adventure! We live in a family friendly neighborhood and turns out the church we've been attending is the same as our neighbors...small world! From our back porch we have a beautiful view of Mary's Peak, the tallest mountain peak between the ocean and the Wilammette Valley where we live. The coast is an easy 45 minute drive due West and a great place to visit on sunny days. A few weeks ago my parents were out here delivering my car and visiting with us. We drove over to the coast for a delicious seafood lunch and saw some massive gray whales hanging out right on the shoreline! Most of the whales migrate south for the winter, but the locals informed us that about 200 of these gray whales stay throughout the winter and are so popular in the towns that many of them have been personally named. Even though the ocean is close, even the summers are still too chilly to get in the water without a wetsuit.

We have found a great church to attend while we're here. It's called Northwest Hills Community Church and is very close by. What we love most about the church is they have an awesome Young Marrieds Group who have their own Sunday School, Bible Studies and fun events. We've enjoyed hanging out with these couples who are all about the same age and pace in life. I (Erin) have also been going to a women's Bible Study on Thursday mornings and am meeting more women in the church. We're so grateful for Northwest Hills and glad to be involved so soon.

While Daniel's at school, I am staying busy with house work, new friends, and running. There is another Navy family here doing the same program as Daniel. Grady and Daniel have all their classes together and turns out his wife Christy loves to run! We hit it off immediately and are running together 3-4 times a week and training for our first full marathon in March.

Needless to say, God has been very gracious and good to us! We love married life and all that we're learning and experiencing together.

The Oregon Trail

2007-10-03T14:27:00.000-05:00

THE OREGON TRAIL
Daniel and Erin Lutz
September 2007

DAY 1: September 9, 2007

Virginia Beach, Virginia – Walkersville, Maryland
(Virginia, Maryland)
Lodging: The Noonan Family

Today was our last day with our friends from New Covenant. The past three days have been busy with packing and finishing all the last minute house repairs needing to be completed before we leave for Oregon. Daniel has been up since 5am working on fixing the bath tub and replacing all the fixtures in the bathroom. Elizabeth and I painted the entire bathroom yesterday which made a huge improvement. However, by the time we arrived at church this morning we were so tired. We were able to enjoy lunch after church with several of our closest friends from the church before saying our goodbyes. It was truly a bitter sweet goodbye and yet at the same time, Daniel and I both were so ready to be in the car and on our way.

Leaving Virginia Beach took three hours more than anticipated. Loading the car (which is jam packed) and a few more house repairs caused us not to leave until 5pm. At 6pm we were at the weigh station weighing the loaded car (a must for any military move, so I’ve learned) only to find out our car was overheating. Daniel quickly inspected the engine finding we had no coolant! Yikes! So it was well after 6pm before we got on the road towards Maryland. The rest of the drive was relatively uneventful. We arrived at the Noonans (sweet friends and a family I worked with in Honduras) about 9:45pm. After visiting with them and eating some dinner we hit the sack…thankful for a real bed to sleep on after a few nights on an air mattress!

DAY 2: September 10, 2007

Walkersville, Maryland – Dayton, Ohio
(Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio)
Lodging: Wright-Patterson AFB, Air Force Inn

After a good night’s rest, we were ready to hit the rode again this morning. We had a leisurely morning with Bill and the girls before they headed off to work and school. It was mid-morning before we left, but a beautiful drive through the mountains of Maryland, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. I drove most of today as Daniel was busy making necessary phone calls to cancel our bills from the house in Virginia Beach, get my car registered under his insurance, and make lodging reservations for our travels this week. It’s amazing how much work it takes to get married and move—ah, but how worth it!!

We arrived in Dayton, Ohio, around 7:30pm. Daniel made us a reservation at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Inn which is located on the east side of Dayton. You can’t beat a $37 hotel room! We quickly checked in and changed into running clothes taking advantage of the last little bit of light to stretch and get some exercise. We ended up grabbing dinner at the Officer’s Club on base right before it closed and headed back to the room for a much needed night of rest.

DAY 3: September 11, 2007

Dayton, Ohio – DeKalb, Illinois
(Ohio, Indiana, Illinois)
Lodging: Dan and Ginger Voogt

Our day started at 0500 this morning—I’m getting pretty used to military lingo now! I am a night owl, however, Daniel is my early bird and was quite happy to jump in the car this morning with his cup of coffee and get on the road while I went right back to sleep. I woke up on the north side of Indiana just in time for us to stop for breakfast at Cracker Barrel—maybe our last good southern breakfast for a while. They’ll probably only serve oatmeal and granola in Oregon!
We spent the afternoon today in Chicago. With only three hours, we hit the ground running and scheduled a boat tour along the Chicago River which showed us the unique architecture of downtown Chicago. We also ate lunch at House of Blues and went to the top of the Sears Tower.Today was a gorgeous day and the sun shining on Lake Michigan from the 103rd floor of the Sears Tower was picturesque!

After leaving downtown Chicago, we had a two hour drive to Dan and Ginger Voogt’s in DeKalb, where we stayed the night. Ginger is one of my best friend’s from college and she also got married this summer to her college sweetheart, Dan. We enjoyed a great evening of fellowship and laughter with them before crashing for the evening.

DAY 4: September 12, 2007

DeKalb, Illinois – Sioux Falls, South Dakota
(Illinois, Iowa, South Dakota)
Lodging: Residence Inn, Sioux Falls, SD

Today was a LOT of driving! We left the Voogt’s about 8am and decided to take the historic route Highway 20, also known as the Oregon Trail. Several quaint towns brought a welcome relief to the miles of corn fields and cows across the state of Iowa. Around lunch time we arrived in Galena, IL, and toured the home of former President Ulysses S. Grant. After crossing the Mississippi River, we were in Dubuque, IA, where we stopped to eat lunch at a restaurant sitting right on the river. The weather was gorgeous and it was a much needed break from the car.

After lunch and a stroll along the Mississippi, we jumped back in the car for five more hours of corn fields! I would hate to say a drive was boring, especially when your driving through your own country land, but we had seen enough corn and cows for one day! We had made a reservation to stay in a hotel in Sioux Falls, SD, and about 8:30pm we arrived there. I took a quick run on the treadmill, so tired from being cramped in the car. It was then on to a quick dinner and bed. The days seem so long and the nights so short right now!

DAY 5: September 13, 2007

Sioux Falls, South Dakota – Billings, Montana
(South Dakota, Montana)
Lodging: Fairfield Inn, Billings, MT

Today was another early morning on the road! But, we did get to stop and spend a few hours at Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse, the new monument in process. We arrived to Mount Rushmore and the weather had dropped about twenty degrees—we pulled out the jackets, warm socks, gloves and hats! It was a quick introduction to winter.

After walking around the base of the monument we jumped back in the car to visit the other monument before getting back on the road towards Billings. Arriving to our hotel late, we ate a quick dinner and hit the bed. We wanted to get off early again on Friday.

DAY 6: September 14, 2007

Billings, Montana – Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
(Montana, Wyoming)
Lodging: Old Faithful Lodge, Yellowstone

One of the most beautiful drives so far—we arrived in Yellowstone National Park about mid-morning. We stopped in a little western town outside the park to fuel up and get lunch before entering the park. We entered through the northeast entrance and were staying down at the Old Faithful Lodge in the southwest corner. It was a gorgeous several hour drive through the park. Of course, we stopped many times…to see a black bear or byson, other times to see mudpits and small geisers, and our last stop was a six mile trail we partly ran and partly hiked.

The cabins we stayed in at Old Faithful sat right behind the famous geiser and the original inn built in 1904. The cabins were rustic with public bathrooms, but made the experience all the more enjoyable and unique. We ate dinner that night at the restaurant in the Inn, one so popular it is reservation only! It was delicious--serving roasted bison, chicken and all the sides we could possibly want. Roasted bison tastes a lot like roast beef but is supposedly healthier and leaner. Needless to say, we were stuffed and happy after that!

DAY 7: September 15, 2007

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming – Boise, Idaho
(Wyoming, Idaho)
Lodging: The Goebel’s

We woke up to a cool, brisk morning in the park. After a filling breakfast at the Old Faithful Inn, we packed the car and got on the road. We knew it would take a while to leave the park since we were leaving through the south entrance in order to drive through the Grand Teton National park on our way to Idaho. The amazing thing about the Grand Tetons is they are massive mountains that jut straight out of the plains in Wyoming. On the other side of the Tetons is the well-known Jackson Hole, Wyoming. We stopped here for a delicious BBQ lunch and were on our way to Boise.

We arrived at my (Erin) cousin’s late and after visiting for a few minutes we all crashed. It had been several years since I had spent a lot of time with them and their four children so we looked forward to two nights and the Sabboth day with them.

DAY 8: September 16, 2007

This morning we had the privilege of worshipping with the Goebels at their new church plant. David planted this churchon the southern side of Boise this past year and while still a small congregation, it is obvious the Lord is in that church and has incredible plans for it. Later in the afternoon we were given the official tour of Boise which is one of the sunniest cities in the West. The restful day was a much needed pause to our busy traveling schedule. We stayed with them again before heading out for our new home in the morning.

DAY 9: September 17, 2007

Boise, Idaho – Philomath, Oregon
(Idaho, Oregon)
Lodging: Our new home!

Today we arrived at our new home! After an incredibly gorgeous drive along the Columbia River, through Portland and Salem, we found our home in Philomath (a small town outside of Corvallis) a little after dark. After looking around and setting up our air mattress (our bed until the truck arrived) we went out for some dinner and then eagerly hit that sack. It has been an enjoyable road trip, but very long and we were so anxious to begin making our home.

The biggest surprise of our new house was an orange guest room…we couldn’t figure out if the former renters really liked OSU or wanted the room to look like a huge tangerine, but it was the ugliest orange! We called the landlord and she said we could do anything we wanted to the room. We found leftover green paint from the kitchen in the garage and the next morning began the three coats of paint it would take to cover up the orange. So now, we have a beautiful green guest room for everyone to visit!

We're Married!!!

2007-09-06T15:12:00.000-05:00

We can hardly believe it's all over. It feels like the past week was an incredible dream and we don't want to wake up. We got back from our honeymoon yesterday, the movers came today and we head out on Sunday for Oregon. Thank you so much to each of you who made the trip to celebrate with us! Other than the day we came to Christ, it was the best day of our lives!

Back Together!

2007-08-13T22:49:00.001-05:00

Daniel is HOME! We have had a glorious 10 days back together now. Daniel's homecoming couldn't have been more perfect with both our entire families driving up to Virginia to celebrate and share with us. We have had some great afternoons at the beach, dinners with friends, and enjoyed the beauty of being back together face to face! We'll have some recent pictures up shortly.

Daniel In Iraq: "Coming Home"

2007-08-01T08:59:00.000-05:00

Friends and Family,

I am safely out of Iraq and out-processing in Kuwait. I will arrive in Norfolk, VA, on Thursday evening to a long-awaited homecoming with Erin, my family from Texas, and her family from Tennessee. My last week in Baghdad was very busy with the check-out process, turnover of duties, an award ceremony, a farewell luncheon, and plenty of goodbyes. I enjoyed my deployment to Iraq, and I learned a lot from serving with the Army and working for the Army Corps of Engineers.

Before I left on this deployment I was praying for several things that can be summarized by the acronym REAPP. These prayer goals were:

Relationships with believers and unbelievers
Establish myself early as a Christian
A servant’s heart toward my superiors
Purity
Protection

I developed these prayer goals with Pastor Mullen in Dec 06 and Jan 07, and I shared them with several of you before I deployed. I am overjoyed to say that God heard my prayers and redeemed every single one of them! And I must caveat this by saying that I was not the only one praying, but that all of your prayers were heard and answered by the Lord. I had great relationships with both of my bosses, my co-workers, and my Iraqi associates. My immediate boss, LTC Vann was a Christian and we had a weekly, Wednesday night bible study in his office with MAJ Lightner that was a great time of learning, fellowship, and prayer. God also used this time for LTC Vann and MAJ Barrick before him, to mentor me and teach me how to be a Godly husband to Erin. Finally, God protected me, and everyone on our two compounds from several indirect fire attacks with an unexplainable “protective shield” as our chaplain would say.

At the awards ceremony and my farewell luncheon I had the opportunity to speak and I shared the following verses:

“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his
friends.” (John 15:12-13)

This tour only confirmed the truth of these verses to me – that love is the only way. I also shared a passage from a book my mom sent me called Grace Under Fire: Letters of Faith in Times of War. It’s a collection of letters from service men and their friends and families from every major American engagement. It included a letter from a Navy chaplain serving with the Marines in Vietnam. Chaplain Stubbe came to an understanding about his situation that I also experienced in Iraq. He states:

“I am convinced as I have never been convinced before that the Gospel is the
only solution – that is, when people are more concerned with giving than
getting, with self-giving than self-fulfillment, with loving than being
loved, of understanding rather than being understood, or genuinely being
interested in doing good without expecting any returned reward, recognition,
and benefit, when people realize that complete forgiveness and selfless
service are the only way – only then will everyone be really living.” (Page
99)

I pray that God will bring peace to Iraq so that my friends there can have the opportunity to “really live”, and I know that with God’s grace and our country’s continued outpouring of love we may very well see it come to fruition, but again I say – that love is the only way.

Once again thank you for all your thoughts, prayers, letters, cards, emails, and care packages, and love. They were very encouraging, and as I said before, vital for my protection, purity, servanthood, and relationships. I can not wait to see some of you in a couple of days, especially Erin, and most of you at the wedding.

God bless,
Daniel

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (1 Timothy 4:7)

Daniel in Iraq: "6 Weeks Left"

2007-06-23T11:10:00.000-05:00

Only 6 weeks left to go in Iraq! LTC Vann (my boss) has gotten settled in and my replacement has already begun his 4-week training and transit process. I am hoping that July will really fly by with turnover of my duties and the Tour de France on AFN! The last week of May I finally got a much needed break. On 6-month orders, I am authorized a 4-day pass to Doha, Qatar. I traveled with three other naval officers and one army officer, and our 4-day pass turned into a week long trip…but who’s complaining?

We traveled from the International Zone (IZ) to Camp Victory near Baghdad International Airport (BIAP). It took us 2 days to get a flight so we had some time to kill…and there’s lots of stuff to check out on Camp Victory. The first afternoon we toured the Al-Faw Palace which is part of Camp Victory and the Abu Ghraib presidential site. Some government sites also list it as part of the Radwaniyah Presidential compound, and it is also know as the “Water Palace”. It includes a command bunker, sleeping quarters, and a large underground military and intelligence center. Site construction was ongoing during the 1990s and features extensive and complex water works. Saddam reportedly built it following the Gulf War to honor the soldiers who freed the Iraqi peninsula of Al-Faw from Iranian control. Saddam reportedly brought guests here to watch or hunt the wildlife and relax by the lakes.

The next day we visited the Camp Slayer. This camp is adjacent to Camp Victory and also has a series of man-made lakes with numerous buildings. The centerpiece was a huge, unfinished palace with several cranes abandoned in place. Also along the lake was the “Perfume Palace”. It includes an indoor pool, 2-story high military murals, a blue-domed ballroom, and gold-leaf wallpaper. It reportedly earned its name because it was a brothel for Uday and Qusay Hussein, causing it to always smell of the concubines’ perfume. Finally we visited massive playhouse for Saddam’s grandchildren. The building was designed to look like a “Flintstone” house straight out of Bedrock…or in this case, I-rock! (I should be getting paid to develop these great jokes over here!)

Once we finally caught a flight into Doha, Qatar, we were bussed over to Camp As Sayliyah, home of Central Command’s Rest and Recuperation (R&R) Program. The camp was a well organized grid of large warehouses that contained everything from living quarters, work spaces, the chow hall, a movie theater, gyms, the chapel, and two bars. The base also included an outdoor swimming pool, a Chili’s, and a PX. There was also a long list of tours to sign up for and get a chance to get off base.

We took a Cultural Tour on our second day and had a blast. We visited a camel market, a fruit and vegetable market, the gold suk (market), and the old market. In between we had lunch at a Qatari restaurant and then moved to another room for afternoon coffee, tea, hookah smoking, and some post-meal relaxation. In the afternoon we drove through the growing downtown area. You wouldn’t believe how many skyscrapers, office buildings, and luxury hotels are being built along the waterfront. We also visited City Center Mall, which had every high-end, western shop you can imagine, and did some ice-skating on their indoor rink. We ended the day with a drive to an impressive athletic stadium that hosted a recent Asian Olympics and another mall, decorated in Venetian-style to include an indoor canal and gondola.

On the third day we went on a Doah Cruise for a top deck barbeque and some swimming in the Persian Gulf. The water was surprisingly blue and clear, and the warm water was really great to swim in. All the servicemen were jumping and diving off the bow of the boat and it wasn’t long before we were tossing half-filled, water bottles and seeing who could make the most spectacular catches. After a fantastic barbeque lunch of kabobs, vegetables, hummus, and pudding, we were all sufficiently incapacitated, and we spent the rest of the afternoon working on our sun burns!

The final two days we stayed on base and just enjoyed our time off and all the activities and amenities Camp As Sayliyah had to offer. Of course one of the biggest draws are the two bars and the 3 beers every service member is authorized per night. Leave it to the Army to have a foolproof, “scan-you-ID-in-every time” system to regulate this. Every service member tries to order that 4th brew just to verify the integrity of the system – unfortunately…the system works! They even had a Karaoke Night, and one of my buddies shot an incriminating video of me (and dozen other soldiers that I must have called out to join me) trying to sing Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler”. Also while on base, I attended a chapel service, watched a movie, got a massage, participated in a 100M MWR swim meet, and got stuffed at Chili’s…twice!

When I got back from R&R, the work was piled up and the inbox was full, but I did feel refreshed and ready to get back into the work routine. LTC Vann, MAJ Lightner, and I started meeting on Wednesday nights for a Men’s Bible study which has been a great mid-week encouragement. We are going through Disciplines of a Godly Man by Kent Hughes and have really been challenged by the chapters and strengthened by the fellowship. I pray that the Lord has been disciplining you like He has us, and that in that discipline we find the love and comfort of our Heavenly Father. This email, plus some pictures, can be found on Erin’s and my blog site at http://www.danielanderin2007.blogspot.com/. Take care and God bless.

Possessing Everything,
Daniel

“We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.” (2 Corinthians 6:3-10)

Erin in VA Beach: "June...What happened to May?"

2007-06-16T21:50:00.000-05:00

May was quite the busy month! I'm not sure where it went but I know where I went...

The beginning of May started with being a bridesmaid in a college friend's wedding in Richmond. Following that I spent 5 days in Texas with Daniel's family. Daniel's mom and several of her friends hosted two incredible wedding showers for me that week. We had one with many of Daniel's family and friends and another with many of Marjie's friends from pool aerobics. We were showered with gifts and I felt so incredibly loved by everyone! I am so blessed to not only be marrying Daniel but to be part of his family. Daniel called me during both showers--what a thoughtful man I have! It was great to spend so much time getting to know Daniel's family and Marjie and I had an especially great time doing "girl" things that she never gets to do with three boys!

A week after my trip to Texas I headed out to California for another college friend's wedding. I guess you could say I'm getting enough practice in and definitely taking many notes! The weekend in Southern CA was so restful and a much needed last girl time with Danielle before her wedding. Danielle and I were roomates most of college and have remained best friends.

And, now it's the middle of June? However, I'm not complaining about the time flying by--the countdown has officially started and Daniel will be home in 48 days (the beginning of August)! It was great to do all this travelling and have a little vacation before the next couple months cranks up and keeps us busy. My sister Annie arrived last weekend and is staying up here with me for the rest of the summer. I am so excited about her being here--one because she's good company and two because she is thrilled about helping with wedding festivities...little does she know I plan on having her address 225 invitations! ha

Erin in VA Beach: "I'm a Nanny!"

2007-05-15T09:53:00.000-05:00

From business attire and the office to shorts, spitup and dirty diapers! I love it! Two weeks ago I quit my job and took a nanny job for the summer for a family in our church. Their mom was called up to active duty (Navy) for one year and desperately needed someone to watch the kids during the day. I had been praying for this exact job--something which would get me away from four white office walls and the computer all day! God is always so faithful. I will be taking care of Sarah (7), Anna (4) and Henry (14 months) until Daniel comes home. It's a tremendous blessing for me as I know it is for their parents as well. Afterall, it's good practice for the 10 children Daniel wants to have!!!

Erin in VA Beach: "My First Shower"

2007-05-03T14:54:00.000-05:00

This weekend three of my friends threw a "Honeymoon" shower for me! For those of you who are wondering what a honeymoon shower is...it's a lingerie shower plus other honeymoon necessities. It was a blast! I felt so loved and honored by all the ladies who came and showered me with their support and gifts. Christine did all the games--one requiring me to answer questions about Daniel and for every one I got wrong I had to put a starburst in my mouth. Thankfully I didn't have to eat too many!

Erin in VA Beach: "Passing Time"

2007-04-28T13:35:00.000-05:00

The best way to keep myself busy while Daniel is gone is to sign up for as many races as I can possibly afford! Here is my running partner (and cheerleader!) Kathleen Lennard and I before the Chesapeake Bay 10k this morning. The Lennards were friends with Daniel when he was stationed in Okinawa and moved here shortly before he did. Kathleen and I have become great friends and she also pushes me to new running goals each week! The race was along the Chesapeake Bay and the weather, though overcast, was perfect. I'm still not competitive enough yet to believe the ONLY way to spend Saturday morning is running...but it is nice to have finished your workout and showered by 10am! I know Daniel has plans to corrupt me when we get married and make every Saturday morning "long run" days.

Daniel in Iraq: "Walking on High Hills"

2007-04-27T00:54:00.000-05:00

Friends and Family,

Thanks for the e-mails, cards, care packages, and all your prayers. They are definitely being felt over here in that I am I am still safe, well taken care of, and nearly halfway done! My busy work schedule has been making the time go by quickly as well as some of the Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) Events available in the IZ. On Thursday nights we play horseshoes at the GRD Compound and on April 5th we had a tournament at GRD. At the end of every month there is a 5K at the Palace where the US Embassy is currently located. Lots of runners from the GRD participated, and our commanding general, BG Michael Walsh, was the honorary runner and passed the winner’s medals. It was very fitting that this Irishman was present at our St. Patrick’s Day 5K!

Last Friday I visited the Combat Support Hospital with my senior NCO, MSG Baldridge, and some of the donations you have been sending. I was unable to take any pictures inside, but I wanted to share a little about what I saw. First I visited the area of the hospital where the soldiers are treated. None of them were badly hurt…except for a bit of their toughness when I handed them a box of Girl Scout cookies! They thoroughly enjoyed the gift and the visit, and we felt honored to meet them, thank them, and encourage them. The patients that we saw on the Iraqi side were in worse condition. One man was very talkative and yet obviously upset about losing the use of his right arm. He had been shot through the right shoulder, severing a nerve, and had lost all feeling and movement below the elbow. Another man we tried to talk to was delusional after being awake for nearly three days. He has only been able to sleep sporadically due to the pain from his wounds. Finally we gave some cookies to a teenage boy’s mother who sat by the bedside of her wounded son. They were both looking at each other with great concern and unable to even smile when we visited with them. There was nothing that we could say or do for them except deliver the cookies, share their story, and pray for God’s grace and protection for them.

On Saturday, 21 April 2007, three Aggies from the GRD got together and did just what the campusology says: “On April 21st each year, on the anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto, Aggies gather together, wherever they are, to commemorate fellow Aggies who have died during the year. The tradition was begun 21 April 1903.” Attendees of the 2007 Texas A&M Muster held at the Gulf Region Division in Baghdad, Iraq were as follows:

Les Cramblet ‘70, company H-1 from Tennessee; Degree in Management
David Thomas ‘85 from Nacogdoches, TX; Degree in Maritime Systems Engineering from the Galveston Campus; 4th Aggie Muster in a war zone
Daniel Lutz ‘01, company H-1 from Houston, TX; Degree in Civil Engineering

This year’s list included six military Aggies killed in action in the last year. They are:

Maj. Matthew Worrell ’94, United States Army, who died May 14, 2006
Lt. Ryan Sanders’01, United States Army, who died June 5, 2006
Capt. Blake Russell ’98, United States Army, who died July 22, 2006
Sgt 1st Class Merideth Howard ’76, United States Army, who died Sept. 8, 2006
Lance Cpl Luke Yepsen ’08, United States Marine Corps, who died Dec. 14, 2006
Capt. Sean Lyerly ’98, Texas Army National Guard, who died Jan. 20, 2007

The three of us enjoyed dinner together, told some “good bull” stories, held a small ceremony at our table in the chow hall, read the names above, and departed that evening just as the Traditional closing states: “firm in our loyalty to our country and our God…and warm in our hearts our affection for each other and for our Alma Mater.”

We have had both arrivals and departures in the G-4 section over the last few weeks. My new boss, LTC Mike Vann, has arrived and I am busy getting him up to speed on our mission. I am truly blessed to be working for another Christian (something I found out the SECOND day he was here), and it’s just another answered prayer on this deployment. We also have a new civilian employee, Mr. Jose Lopez-Negron, who will be working in both the Supply and Property Sections. Finally, my former senior NCO, Se rgeant Major Earnest Lee has redeployed after completing a year long tour. He is headed back to his reserve unit in Mississippi and civilian job with the Department of Corrections. What do you get when you a cross a Sergeant Major with a prison warden? A loud and direct individual that expects to only tell you things once! At his award ceremony I shared a verse that all of us hope to be able to say after our service in Iraq: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7).

Thanks again for all your e-mails, cards, care packages, and prayers. God is definitely using my time over here for His purposes…and my best. (Isn’t that how it always works?) Take care and God bless.

Walking on High Hills,
Daniel

“The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, and He will make me walk on high hills.” (Habakkuk 3:19)

Daniel in Iraq: "Staying Busy"

2007-03-22T12:36:00.000-05:00

Things have been going well for me in Iraq - God has been keeping me safe, busy and encouraged. I am still the acting G-4 for the Gulf Region Division (GRD) until LTC Vann arrives in late-April; however, I have a great team of co-workers around me, and despite my newness, we are continuing to fulfill our mission. My staff consists of 4 Army personnel, 2 U.S. Corps of Engineers Civilians, and 8 Iraqis, and we manage the entire spectrum of logistical support for GRD including property, supply, transportation, maintenance, and facilities management services in direct support of the reconstruction efforts in Iraq. More information about GRD and its mission, its reconstruction efforts, and its successes can be found at the following website: http://www.grd.usace.army.mil/.

Since I have been here, I have had the opportunity to tour several of the sites in the International Zone (IZ) that I would like to share a little bit about. The first is the Grand Festivities Square. This area is comprised of a large parade ground, extensive reviewing pavilion, reflecting pool, and the Hands of Victory Arches that mark the parade ground’s two entrances. Apparently Saddam was confident of an Iraqi victory in the Iran-Iraq War, as construction of this site began in 1986, 2 years before the war ended. Saddam was known to review the Republican Guard from the pavilion while firing a rifle into the air.

The Hands of Victory Arches at the ends of the Grand Festivities Square are impressive in themselves. To celebrate his “victory” over Iran, Saddam decided to build a pair of triumphal arches that mark the entrances to a large parade ground. Each arch consists of a pair of massive hands emerging from the ground, each holding a 140-foot long sword. A small flagpole rises from the point where the swords meet. The arches were made from guns of dead Iraqi soldiers that were melted and recast as 24-ton blades of the swords. Captured Iranian helmets are in a net held between the swords. Surrounding the base of the arms are another 5,000 Iranian helmets taken from the battlefield. The hands that hold the sword aloft are replicas of Saddam’s own hands. The German company that built the monument was given a photograph of Saddam’s own forearms to use as a model. Additionally, an impression of one of Saddam’s own thumbprints was taken and added to the mold for one of the arches’ thumbs. When Saddam inaugurated these triumphal aches, he rode under them on a white horse – an illusion to the steed of Hussein, the Shiite Muslim hero martyred at nearby Karbala. The arches are also known as the Swords of Qadisiyyah, an allusion to the historical Battle of Qadisiyyah. This battle was a decisive engagement between the Arab Muslim Army and the Sassanid Army during the first period of Islamic expansion, which resulted in the Islamic conquest of Persia. Saddam often characterized the Iran-Iraq War after this conflict.

Finally, the Monument to the Unknown Solider is said to be inspired by the glorification of a martyr from the Iran-Iraq War. What looks like a flying saucer frozen in mid-flight represents a traditional shield dropping from the dying grasp of an Iraqi warrior. The monument also houses an underground museum. The artifact hill is shaped like a low, truncated cone, 820 feet in diameter. It is surrounded by slanting, triangular girders covered in marble. Elliptical red granite, stepped platforms lead to the dome and cubic sculpture. The steel flagpole is entirely covered with Murano glass panels fixed with stainless steel arms and displays the Iraqi flag’s colors. The cantilevered dome is 138 feet in diameter and follows an inclination of 12 degrees. Its external surface is covered with copper, while its inner surface features pyramidal modules of alternating steel and copper. The promenade is covered by a semi-circular, flat roof supported on triangular steel bracing. The monument does not include a burial vault.

God has also provided plenty of Christian fellowship for me in Iraq. I met Maj. Tim Barrick at Futenma Chapel back in Okinawa. I knew that he was stationed in the IZ, and I had planned on looking him up as soon as I got settled. It seems that God had different plans for us, and I ran into Maj. Barrick on my very first week in Baghdad at the chow hall! We had lunch together, and he told me about a Sunday morning worship service and a Wednesday evening Bible study that he was attending. Maj. Barrick and I have been meeting regularly at these two events and enjoying each other’s fellowship. Even more exciting (for me anyways) is the time that he and I have gotten to talk after Sunday morning service. We typically get a cup of coffee and sit outside for about an hour and Maj. Barrick has been giving me some informal marriage counseling – we’ve had some great discussions!

As I mentioned earlier, I have several Iraqi employees that work for me. Recently one of my employees received her visa to move to the United States. Her name is Eman and she has been working for and helping Americans since the beginning of the war in 2003. Initially she served as a translator for Army Special Forces, leading them in nighttime raids on insurgents in her neighborhood. She worked at GRD for over two years by day while still serving as a translator for U.S. Forces by night. Everyday she put her life at risk while traveling to and from work, and she had to conceal her actual employment from most of her neighbors for fear of kidnapping by the insurgents. Unfortunately, she has not been untouched by the violence in Baghdad as she recently lost a brother. Eman’s courage has been an incredible testament to the bravery of Iraq’s citizens and their willingness to stand up to insurgent violence. She has been an encouragement to me and the true embodiment of Deuteronomy 31:6 which states, “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

Another great opportunity that I have out here is to collect donations for people in Iraq. A lady named Paula in GRD’s G-1 (Personnel) section collects items for injured American soldiers at the Combat Support Hospital(CSH), injured Iraqi children also at the CSH, children visiting the nearby Prosthetic Clinic, local Iraqi families in the IZ, and other Iraqis outside of Baghdad. Here is an excerpt of an email from Paula:

Here's a list of “stuff” I could use. For the hospital, we take small baggies full of individually wrapped candy, granola bars, rice krispie treats, Little Debbie’s, etc. In addition, we take crossword puzzle books and cards. There are also Iraqi children who have been injured who love coloring books, crayons and small toys. We also need personal hygiene items, i.e., shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, toothbrushes, combs, deodorant, soap, razor blades, shaving crème, lotion, etc. I also collect clothing for the Iraqi’s and we have a huge need for children’s and infant’s clothing. ’ll take anything as long as it’s in decent shape, conservative and doesn’t have any American logos on it. We’ve got a couple of families in the IZ we deliver to and what’s left over we give to my contact civil affairs person and they deliver to remote tribes throughout Iraq....the poorest of the poor. There is also a Prosthetic Clinic in the Freedom Building that we give snack items along with toys the children can play with while waiting in the lobby. That’s about it. Anything your friends and family can donate will be put to good use…..I promise. Thank you so very much Daniel!!

If you would like to send a donation, please mail your care package to my address listed at the bottom of this email. Just this week we had a “Sorting Party” with G-1 where we opened lots of care packages, sorted the items, and repackaged them for distribution with in the IZ and the country. I even had some coloring books and crayons to donate that the Cashatts sent, and that some little Iraqi girl, about Amelia’s age, will love.

Erin and I have been busy making plans for our wedding on September 1st. We have also just finished our applications to Oregon State University. I am applying to the Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering Department’s Masters program in Ocean Engineering, and Erin is applying for the Contemporary Hispanic Studies Masters program. Our electronic applications, transcripts, and letters of recommendation are all in. Now we are just praying for acceptance and Erin to pass her Spanish assessment test! That’s all for now – take care and God bless.

In His Grip,
Daniel

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

Mailing Address
LT Daniel Lutz
GRD 1, G-4
APO AE 09348

Email Address
daniel_e_lutz@yahoo.com
danielanderin2007@gmail.com

Erin in VA Beach: "Sham-ROCK ON!"

2007-03-21T12:22:00.000-05:00

One down...many to go! This weekend my sister Annie and my friend Betsy came up and we completed the Shamrock Half Marathon here in Virginia Beach! The time=2 hrs 19 min (according to our watches...we couldn't help we started late!) After running a mile just to get to the start line, we took the 13.1 miles like PROS! It was special for me to cross the finish line with Annie. We have both worked so hard! The three of us rewarded ourselves with Outback and full body massages after the race. On Monday, we were all still limping! Nevertheless, I believe there's already talk about the next one. Stay tuned...

"Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather train yourself to be Godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." -I Timothy 4:7-8

Don't know what to do after our wedding? Run the Rock-N-Roll 1/2 Marathon along the Virginia Beach boardwalk! We won't be joining you for this one! www.rnrhalf.com

Daniel in Iraq: "The First Month"

2007-03-13T12:35:00.000-05:00

Hello from Baghdad, Iraq. I wanted to let you know that by God’s grace I arrived here safely, and that I am working hard and am taken care of very well. I deployed on Sunday, 14 Jan 07 from Norfolk, VA, to participate in a two week training course at Camp McCrady and Fort Jackson near Columbia, SC. There were 288 sailors in my NIACT (Navy Individual Augmentee Combat Training) class and we all lived together in open bay barracks with community showers, toilets, and sinks. All of our training was conducted by the Army through a cadre of very professional and motivated drill instructors. Our first week was full of gear issue, M16 zeroing, M16 qualification, reflexive fire, and classroom time. The second week was also busy with 9M qualification, heavy weapons, convoy operations, and urban operations. Overall, I enjoyed the training and found it quick and yet thorough.

On Friday, 26 Jan 07, I departed Columbia, SC, with 100 other sailors for Kuwait. We flew in a government chartered plane and made stops in Shannon, Ireland and Leipzig, Germany. Once in Kuwait we transferred to Camp Virginia via bus for a couple of days of acclimation. We lived in 12-man tents with cots, and we had shower trailers with hot water (sometimes) on one end of our road and deluxe port-a-johns with no lights on the other end of the road. There was a DFAC (Dining Facility), PX (Post Exchange), Library, Cinema, Gym, Chapel, AT&T Calling Center, and even a McDonalds! On Wednesday, 31 Jan 07 I took a combat first aid course with VERY realistic dummies that breathed and bled. It was pretty wild.

On Thursday, 1 Feb 07 our class headed out to Udari Range to take an Advanced Convoy operations course from MPRI (contracted military training instructors) for three days. Our time in the desert was interesting: middle of nowhere, no sinks or showers, and co-ed berthing on the floor of our classroom tent. We conducted live static and dynamic fire on the range while shoulder to shoulder with another sailor, received lots of classroom time (IED identification, convoy tactics, etc.), and participated in an all-day convoy operation. I was the gunner for our Humvee…and froze! Some cool parts about the desert were the random herd of camels, an extremely bright and full moon both evenings, and very dramatic sunrises and sunsets in the clear, dry desert sky.

We returned from Udari Range on Saturday, 3 Feb 07 and immediately transited to Ali Al Salem Air Base for the night. The next day we boarded an Air Forced C-130 bound for BIAP (Baghdad International Airport). We spent the afternoon at Camp Victory and later moved to Camp Stryker to await transit into the International “Green” Zone. It was not until 0300 (right as Billy Joel sang the last note of the National Anthem at the Super Bowl) that we loaded a Rhino (armored bus) and headed into downtown Baghdad. We JUST missed the kickoff! At 0500 our armored bus arrived in the IZ (International Zone), and a representative from the GRD (Gulf Region District) picked me up and took me to the GRD Compound – my new home. My room is half of a sub-divided conex box (a large metal container found on a ship or an 18-wheeler), and is tricked out with electricity, AC, a wall closet, a full size bed, a nightstand, a mini-fridge, desk, a TV/DVD with cable, and internet connection. There is a separate bathroom with a toilet, sink, shower, and hot water. Our accommodations are some of the best in the IZ.

I am the Deputy G-4 for the GRD, a United States Army Corps of Engineers organization responsible for the reconstruction of Iraq. My section (including military, civilian, and Iraqi personnel) handles supply, property, and transportation for the GRD headquarters in the IZ and our three districts throughout Iraq. I personally manage all power generation for the two GRD compounds within the IZ, which includes a 7.5 MW power plant, two 500 kW generators, and two 800 kW generators. I serve as the facility manager for over one million square feet of office space and living quarters for over 1200 personnel located in 33 buildings. I also manage the operations and maintenance of all life support functions to include minor construction, facilities maintenance, portable water, waste water removal, refuse removal, electrical power distribution, delivery of generator fuel, bottled water, janitorial service, and roads and grounds maintenance.

My job is pretty extensive and keeps me VERY busy. I’ve been trying to learn as much as possible as fast as possible before my sponsor (LTJG Farley) and my boss (COL Smith) head home. Afterwards, I will be the acting G-4 until another Army colonel arrives. I’ll send more emails later on talking about work and life in the IZ.

In closing, I have some exciting news that some of you may not have heard yet. First, let me give you two pieces of background info: a week before I deployed, I found out that the Navy will be sending me to Oregon State University to get a Masters degree in Ocean Engineering starting in late-Sep 07. Secondly, I've known (and many of you have too) that God made Erin SPECIFICALLY for me since the second time I met and talked with her. Given the situation that the Lord has placed me in and all the confirmation He's already shown me in regards to Erin, I decided to ask Erin's father for his permission and blessing to marry her. I received a unanimous "yes" from Erin's entire family, and we are planning to get married on 1 Sep 07. Now that’s something to look forward to! I miss you all, and can’t wait to see you in mid-August.

Serving God and Country,
Daniel

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” (Isaiah 6:8)

Mailing Address
LT Daniel Lutz
GRD 1, G-4
APO AE 09348

Email Address
daniel_e_lutz@yahoo.com

Our Story!

2007-03-06T09:07:00.000-05:00

By popular demand, it has been requested we share more of the details of "our love story!" You don't have to persuade us too hard on this! We like to tell it...

Daniel's Story: (journal excerpts)

I’m on duty today and Erin is out of town. It’s probably the first real down time I’ve had in our whirl wind relationship, and I wanted to document some stuff that has happened so far.

The first time I met Erin was during the summer at New Covenant. We met briefly in passing (as I was trying to conceal and give a cocktail recipe book to Julie Petersen), but I was immediately attracted to her! What can I say, I’m a dude…and she was hot! She also made a comment like “I’ve been waiting to meet you” or something that definitely got my attention. At this point, I was INTERESTED.

However, after a night of conversation at our second meeting (the party at the Petersen’s), I was totally blown away and infatuated with her. I knew hands down that God had made her for me, and I was going to marry her. Now all I need to do is convince her of that.

I had been praying for a godly wife, and that God would make it painfully obvious when I met her. I also prayed that He would close the door with any other woman abruptly. I saw this happen with other women and also with my work and neighbor situation – no prospects. Finally, God did not allow me to become attracted to anyone at church for nearly a year, AND He never let any of my friends/brothers/sisters set me up. It was Erin’s love for Christ, our numerous similarities, and my uncommon attraction toward her that I knew, without a doubt, that she was the one.

It’s funny how God works things out. He brought Erin to Virginia Beach via other circumstances. She got settled at New Covenant during the summer when I was NEVER there due to the Gulf Coast mission trip, house guests (the Godwin’s, Michael, Joseph) and races. Then once these distractions were gone (Joseph went home and the summer was almost over) I met her…and I haven’t stopped thinking/praying for her since…or gotten anywhere close to my normal amount of sleep! God worked it out that I didn’t go on IA, my house was presentable, and Erin lives 5 minutes down the street (with Godly roommates)!

Joe and Brenda Mullen (our pastor) have been praying for me, and Hayley and Rob (Erin’s close friends) seem to approve of our relationship. Our relationship is EASY because I love her…and not me. I only want to serve her and honor her. Our conversations are AWESOME and she really helps me to feel comfortable and communicate. Praise God!

Erin's Story:

My best friend and college roomate came to visit last August as final "baccalaureate weekend" before her wedding this June. I remember some of my friends here asking her how she met her husband and her replying "At church! It was easy." I thought, "If only it WAS that easy!"

As God had so perfectly planned, Daniel and I were to meet each other at church. We had actually met sometime in early July after the service. I mistakenly thought he was a friend's fiance and introduced myself saying "Oh, I've been waiting to meet you." Well, of course I'd been waiting to meet him--he was my husband!--but I had no idea that's who I was introducing myself to.

Daniel and I saw each other at several church social events over the next few weeks. We would talk occasionally but I honestly put no thought into it. In fact, it wasn't until later that I clued into the fact he was isolating ME in conversations! The first time I realized Daniel's strategy was an afternoon a bunch of us went out to lunch and then to the beach after church. Daniel and I sat across from each other and I remember him asking several questions about me and my life. But, it wasn't until we got to the beach where I was given a formal, intense "interview"!! I remember thinking, "This guy is nosy!" Of course he was, at this point he knew he was going to marry me so he better start getting to know me. Though still a little stunned by the interview, it was obvious to me (and my friends of course who sat on the beach watching all this!) Daniel was being intentional. Over the next week we corresponded through email and that Friday marked our first date! Who ever said you had to take it slow?

To this day I don't think Daniel actually counts this as our first date, but when you pick a girl up and walk her to the door at night, well, that's pretty much a date! Daniel's cousin Sarah had come in town for the weekend and they were going to see Leann Womack at the Little Creek base. Daniel emailed asking if I had plans and then called to see if I would like to go. Well, that's a dumb question! I went into my friend Deborah's office and screamed, "I think Daniel Lutz just asked me out!"

I hardly remember the concert. This was probably because I couldn't concentrate when I had the full attention of a hot date! Daniel couldn't keep his eyes off me and I think we finally bored Michael (Daniel's brother) and Sarah enough they got up and left! We talked through the whole concert, well I probably talked the most in order to answer Daniel's top 100 questions for the night! (If you ever need good silence breaker/first date topics, ask Daniel...he pulls out the most unique questions to ask!) But, I didn't mind. For the first time in my life, I already felt loved by and very important to this guy. He didn't play games and made his intentions clear...something I had prayed for for years, but especially in the weeks and months prior to meeting him.

Virginia Beach in the summer is the place to be! The boardwalk always has free concerts on the weekend and if all else fails, you can always spend the day at the beach with friends playing ultimate frisbee or volleyball. Daniel invited me to come join them the next day on the beach. As to not look too interested (you gotta play somewhat hard to get!) I begged my friend Deborah to join. That evening, again, was unforgettable. The thing I remember learning the most about Daniel that evening is how much he loved his family and how he has this unique way of making everyone feel important. Even though Daniel's cousin was in town, he made sure I felt welcomed and important to him. Daniel would sweetly walk by me, sit by me, and talk to me while still paying attention to his teenage cousin. I knew if he treated his cousin that well, he would always treat me well. At this point, I was willing to respond to Daniel's intentional pursuit. How could I resist?

I could say the rest is history, but it's too good of history to stop here. Over the following weeks Daniel and I began spending more time together, but primarily in group settings. The work weeks were long in between fun filled weekends with each other. Labor Day weekend brought more concerts, Daniel cooking dinner for me and my friend Stephanie who was in town visiting, beach volleyball, and a fabulous Labor Day cookout at my house.
Chef Daniel cooked about 50 burgers and after everyone finally left that evening, he stayed and helped me clean up. Who would have ever thought cleaning could be so romantic? That evening we took a moonlit walk around the lake. I think it was here that Daniel clued me in on the fact I would be his wife. And, he pretty much said it like that, too! Even though I still wasn't too sure about that, I knew Daniel was more special to me than anyone else I knew. And, he was right...a year from that weekend marks our wedding date!

Daniel is God's most abundant gift to me! When I prayed for a husband, I had no idea God would so far exceed my every expectation, need and desire. Daniel has romanced and pursued me like the Lord does with us. This has been so evident in his self-sacrificial, tender cherishing love. Daniel and I know God created us exactly for each other and has been preparing us to enter into this relationship and marriage. I can't wait to marry this man who is more than my wildest dreams!

We look forward to you sharing this special day with us!

"My lover is mine, and I am his..." Song of Solomon 2:16a

Our Wedding: "The Details"

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Date: September 1, 2007
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
Church: New Covenant, PCA
Hotel Reservations: Rooms have been blocked under the name "Troxler/Lutz Wedding" at the Courtyard by Marriott (5700 Greenwich Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23462) from Thursday, August 30-Monday, September 3, 2007. All rooms are $129/night, non-smoking and either king or double occupancy available. You can make reservations on marriott.com or by calling 757-490-2002. Rooms will remain available until August 16, 2007, at which point they will then be released to the public.
Airports: Norfolk (ORF) or Williamsburg (PHF) are both close. Norfolk is about 15 minutes and Williamsburg is about 45 minutes. We are happy to help arrange rental cars and also picking people up from the airport!
Questions? Email us: danielanderin2007@gmail.com

Welcome!

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Well, here it is! We finally broke down and entered the 21st century and all technology has to offer us. This is a distinguished moment for me (Erin) as I have never had any sort of blog, website, myspace, facebook, etc. In fact, I have been adamently opposed to all such things. But, now with a wedding to plan and the need to consolidate all our information and news for family and friend's convenience...we officially welcome you to Daniel and Erin's blog. We titled it "Life Together" because, well, that's exactly what it is! God providentially crossed our paths and now is joining them together forever. We are so excited for you to be part of this new adventure and sharing the excitement with us! God Bless You! -Daniel and Erin