Moving In

We spent the 25th and 26th at thrift stores, combing Craig's list, at Walmart etc......and reconnecting with my family.

Hmmmm.....the ole' height challenge again


ST. Vincent de Paul's gives a military discount here! NEW mattresses....Krista and Heather (sil).





Mom and Dad's garden


Will (my brother) and Mike


Mom threw a party for all the birthdays and Stacia loved her "Baby Annie".


Dad rescued these two chairs which the girls are redoing to match the "retro" table they scored from Craig's List for $20.

Shopping at Walmart to fill in the things that we couldn't find other ways.....

We all trekked to their apartment at 9:00 to unload the loot.....





Mike put one of two dressers together...we left when the neighbors complained. ::snort:: Just like old times....getting in trouble at EBC.


Everyone enjoys the nook.....

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~ Coram Deo ~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Apartments & Carousels

These girls are so sweet! They drove up from CA ahead of us so that they could sign for their apartment, open a bank account and sign up for electricity.....BUT they waited for US before they went into their apartment. It has been so FUN and a joy in the midst of a somewhat sad season to be able to be here and participate in the girls' first apartment.






At the end of the hallway above is a little study nook (Internet, phone etc) with a great view.....they put a chair/ottoman and end table in there. Great spot to relax, skype with Mom in Japan and read the word. Mom and Dad took us, the girls, my brother Nate and his family out for pizza this evening. Roaring Rapids is built right on the McKenzie river and features a carousel from 1923.

Heather (sil) plays with kids.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~ Coram Deo ~
Living all of life before the face of God...

I'm OK

Thanks for all the emails asking if I drove off a cliff....I didn't. I DID discover that if one drives on Hwy 199 - they CAN make THEMSELVES carsick.

I'll blog later. We are busy. Mom's Internet has been down. We're having fun and we're also coming down the home stretch here.....for instance I'm off now to complete that ill-fated shopping trip of months ago....and I need to buy some sort of gift to give out to those we inconvenience when we move in (a Japanese thing)....

The girls are in their apartment.

The boys are by Mountain Home AFB in ID and plan to be here tonight...I cannot believe they've driven all the way from TX in such a short time.

Boys just called and they are in OR - better hurry to the mall.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~ Coram Deo ~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Goodbye and Hello

Today we say "goodbye" to Dad Earl and Mom Mary.... This is tough and I've been working hard to find the "beneficial" side of it....remembering that we could also think of it as "God Be With Ye".

Dad Earl made a big speech last night. He said he wanted to be sure to say that I've become a wonderful woman, wife and mother all these years. I was a bit blown away, touched and sad, as I think he's saying those things he wants to be sure to say in case....

Hello - to my folks and the girl's new campus apartmet.

Once again - bittersweet....and once again I'm remembering to CHERISH our memories of times well spent with Mom and Dad G.....Cherish and not Cling.

We're off to say goodbye, then come back and hook up the trailer....do pray for us today. This will be hard for those of us who are old enough to understand long term goodbyes...and especially hard for Michael.

I'm not sure I'll be taking photos - here are a few shots. I've been capturing "sights of home".

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~ Coram Deo ~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Sights from the day...

Mike, the native, taught us that it is MUCH warmer to get down on the ground.....we climbed this grassy hill to get a view of the Point St. George Lighthouse and beach.






Windy....




Pelicans



Battery Point - Crescent City, CA














Cutting ivy away from the front of the house....





Um...did I SAY the house is built RIGHT on the river bank?

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~ Coram Deo ~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Work & Play & Work Some More

Here are some photos from yesterday in no order.....

Today, we visited with the folks.

We went out to lunch with Earl Jr. and then took him to the airport.

We went out to an old Coast Guard Station, drove along the coastline, took a zillion photos, walked on the pier and the beach. (Photos when I have the cord to load them to the computer/photobucket). LOL

Back at the folks' I made dinner while everyone else worked at various jobs still on "Mike's List". We had a taste of ice cream, visited a bit and then I brought Stacia home as she has had IT.

Stacia was up 4 hours last night crying for the older boys and saying she wants to go home....I'll be very happy when we are "settled" in Japan and she can begin to feel "secure"....though it will have to be a new security as Josiah and Jamin won't be there. ::sigh::

Oh yeah...photos from yesterday.

Jared, Mike and Earl Jr work on a plan to haul a tree they felled earlier up the bank where it will be easier to cut up.


Zander displays bugs under a chunk of wood....


Part of it is up....the power of a Ford - 15 pass van. ::snort::


Uncle Earl & Zander








Uncle Earl and Bre - he liked playing ferry....honest. LOL


Sweet - summertime photo


The Drunken Duck ::snort::


Zander swims from big rock


Krista


BreAnne


It floats...


Krista hitches a ride


Krista was about Zander's size when she got the wet suit. LOL


Zander took to this


One last chess game - Grandpa was too tired tonight.


Singing around the Summer stove

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~ Coram Deo ~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Balancing Act

Know why Zander is balancing so well?

He's using Jared's new and improved "Balancing Shampoo!" ::snort::

Yesterday was full. Rebecca went home to OR in the afternoon.

Mike, Earl, the kids and I spent the majority of the day hauling trees up the bank, splitting wood, cutting logs up etc.

We did hit the river with Uncle Earl...and had a blast. Lots of photos to follow.

We all split more wood and cut up more logs.

We had a cookout...and sat around the fire with Grandma Mary and chatted.....while Jared and Granpa Earl played another game of Chess.

Earl goes home today. This is our last day left before we head to OR. There are LOTS of things left on "Mike's List," which was handed him when we arrived....but honestly we've spent at least half of our days here working full days.....so there is only so much you can accomplish. LOL Not sure if we'll work or play today....my guess is both, leaning towards work. ::snort::

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~ Coram Deo ~
Living all of life before the face of God...