If I understand the pic and description correctly, I'd recommend the following:

- Above the window, make sure that course immediately above does not have seams over the windows

- You won't have any seams for the height of the windows which looks to be better than halfway.

- Beneath the windows you should randomize. The eye will quickly pick up an alternating pattern, screams DIY.

Best advice would be to simply pick up some 10' boards for the section beneath the windows to elimimate the seams entirely.

It is a special type of wood that I ordered. Long story… but I have to make do with eight footers as a result. So your advice is to randomize? Do not try to bring order otherwise it looks hokey, right?

Yes. Randomize, for that style of cladding.

Here's a better view of the box as the stucco gets finished. The wood sales rep coughed up ten 10 footers so I'll randomize them in.

Random or sure anything else will draw your eye to the smae line of staggger everytime.The 10 s do not need a stagger at all why would you do random.