Mystery Solved!

Stacia sat straight up in bed at 11:19 a.m. and said, "Did we miss it?"  

Free breakfast from 7:00 - 9:30 a.m. 

Yep - you missed it.... I, however, went to sleep with you at 3 a.m. and woke up when the neighbors went for free breakfast. LOL  I spent the 4 hours of solitude "resting with Jesus"...but I'm tired now. LOL 

We were so late getting out this a.m.  everyone was trying to track us down. I took the two to lunch and then we headed to Gma and Gpa's to watch "the game".  We also got to watch Gma work her holiday magic....

A whole lotta nativities - Stacia is impressed

Yes, the Ducks won! Go ducks.  We visited with my folks for a bit, Bre went to work, Krista and the kids and I ran to Fred Meyers for "supplies" and then home to the hotel.  The kids swam. I did more onsen/hot tub research. I'm starting to gross myself out about hot tubs, really.  Krista, Arielle and Nolan headed to her apartment...

Look what we found in our room -  note from the housekeeper.

I have been perplexed about how CRAZY this hotel has been since Thanksgiving. I am amazed so many families would come to Eugene, spend the night in a hotel and SHOP......but TODAY...we solved the mystery! It's "THE GAME" - the Civil War - UofO and OSU...today...here in Eugene....Our parking lot is full of both Duck and Beaver cars.

Sampling....also yellow pom poms & all manner of Duck accessories

Beavers are serious fans too

One of my favorite Duck fans

I'm VERY HOPEFUL the hotel craziness and noise will calm down a bit tomorrow...I would assume even Ducks and Beavers have to be back to their routines by Monday. 

Supplies.....

Yes, I know it's horrible....Day 5 of jet lag and I'm ready for these younger ones to sleep......I'm hopeful....if Stacia would quit talking, I think she'd fall asleep. It's 10:30 p.m.  I tried for Calm Forte...but they didn't have it.....I medicated in the hopes we can get up in time for breakfast and make it to church tomorrow. Druggies for Jesus.  I'm off to take mine now.  FWIW the Tylenol pm has 2 ingredients. The kids stuff just one - the 2nd ingredient in Tylenol PM - I'm hopeful. 

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Hidden Treasures/Rest

Deeply enjoying rest.... I don't go to sleep until 3 a.m. (jet lag) but I'm up at 7:30 or 8:00....the older Gherkins are at the girl's and the younger two Gherkins sleep until I wake them.  Lots of uninterrupted time to spend with Jesus, which is the REST I need more than sleep.   I've been thinking about the secret life (ala Sermon on the Mount - Matt 6 - love my Misawa peeps)....it's become a huge tapestry with many threads to connect.  God is granting me TIME, alone for REST, RECOVERY, REFUGE and RENEWAL. 


Quick thought (one of many) this a.m. Col 2:1-3 -  a verse I found as I followed the thread from Matthew on "secrets" and "hidden things".... in Christ Himself are "hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." I wanted to dig a bit as this merged several themes I've been pondering....kingdom treasures, intimacy, secrecy, proper/opportune times....


The following is from Dr. Zodhiates' Complete Dictionary of Word study in Pocket Bible.

"secret/hidden" - Strongs 2927 - Kruptos - hidden, concealed, secret, in secret where one cannot be seen by others (oh this appeals to me as I've been in such a public season of service), to be covered.  


BTW Krupte (2926) secret cell or vault. 

 "God keeps certain things secret from us for a certain time, but this is for our good....One can never know certain truths which are treasures unless one knows Jesus Christ Himself. Our knowledge of what Christ knows comes only as we become intimately related to Him and in the growth of that relationship. The treasures of wisdom are hidden from people as long as they do not know Christ Himself. "

I want to KNOW Him, alone - intimately. HE is my treasure. So often we scramble around looking for treasures which are simply hidden until we KNOW Christ. We know Christ as we spend time with Him in the "inner room/vault" - in secret - He is THERE - waiting (matt 6:4, 6, 18).


In the midst of a public season, taking time to be hidden with Christ in the secret place is my lifeline, the solace and rest I crave. This is the  "cave" Abba Father lovingly grants  in this public season where I'm not allowed to "go anonymous".  I can be hidden/anonymous every time I enter the "secret place" with Him. 


Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

NESCO Simplicity (Michael)

Dinner has become the daily challenge.  Usually by the end of the day, Jared and I are just ready to eat "something."  Today, though, we had more than just "something."  The turkey that had been thawing in the refrigerator was too thawed to go back into the freezer.  So, another plan was hatched.  A quick check of the NESCO site, and we had a recipe for cooking the turkey.  Yeah, it is after Thanksgiving, but we had turkey at the Dining Facility on base for Thanksgiving.  Yesterday was too busy with airplane tickets and stuff, but today, well, that was very different.  Using the NESCO roaster was actually an easy way to cook a turkey, and it even got done a bit early (yup, 190 degrees inside).  Sufficiently satisfied!

Living large, loving life and choosing joy!!! 
Michael


Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Snippets

Rather than share all my witty thoughts throughout the day on Facebook, where they are not easily accessible for family posterity, I'll blog them - snippets:

• "May the Lord continue to richly bless them." (Stated when we were given fresh towels.)
• "Keep Santa Clause away from your sister!" 
• Researching the difference between onsens and hot tubs. 
• Zander says, "Stacia, raining is what it DOES in OR. Probably because it's so high in the mountains."
• The older Gherkins watched Wallace on VHS; Stacia and Nolan watch him on my ipad!"
• Zander at 11:30 pm as we entered our hotel room, "It's good to be home. Home is where ever you sleep." ::snort:: 
• I explain to Stacia that old men in America should NOT be rubbing her head or arms.

We woke up in time for our free breakfast at the hotel. Denny's is better for $2, $4 or $6. ::snort:: BUT we could go to breakfast in our pj's....then on to the POOL. 

See the little hot tube in the upper left corner - I AM diligent about my research. ::snort:: 

Today was a GORGEOUS day for a picnic in Eugene. Can you believe it? We drove to Skinner's Butte (because I was lost and trying to meet with the Girls and my folks at the park), had lunch in the park and then walked along the river. 

Six Gherkins and a Grandpa! 

Zander HARD at work! 

His work pulled this little car with several children on it

I played on this same whale as a child

After the park, Gma and Gpa went home.  We went to Bre and Krista's apartment. We admired the girls' Christmas decorations (put up sometime before or after midnight madness)....the kids played games....I napped....

Krista

 Shawn, Marsa, Kent and Taleena (7) came over and most played a rousing game of Monopoly. Goecker's rule as Krista won a hard fought game.  Taleena, Stacia and I baked cookies.

During the drive we saw this...and I figure I must not totally understand America's culture.

I've been pondering this all day. If you have valid complaints, how will sleeping in a tent on public property and being hateful to all who walk by help  achieve your objectives....and WHY would you occupy Eugene or Wall street rather than simply working to bring about changes? And do you REALLY think you are the 99%? WHAT does WALL STREET have to do with YOU being homeless? Maybe. I wanted to think of some creative and Christ-like response....but I was perplexed when faced with the question, "How many homeless does it take to make a billionaire?" The premise is faulty. It doesn't compute. I keep wondering what they are asking. First, I'm not a billionaire. And I would guess that THEY are probably part of the 1%, most of us are part of the 98% and the billionaires are part of 1%. If you take 100 penniless people you would have 100 penniless people....they would never spontaneously combust to form a billionaire. Like I said....the whole thing perplexes me. I can tell you THIS....food and supplies to TROOPS in the Pacific (as in Japan and Korea) have been delayed due to the Occupy Oakland. How is that helping them? Do they not care who they hurt to "be heard"?

  I keep thinking of other scenes with folks living in temporary shelters which I've witnessed....

Cardboard walls, all their belongings in a box

 

these folks lost EVERYTHING....yet they stood up and are fighting their way back to some sort of "normalcy".  Yes, I maybe should have kept quiet as I'm sure there are subtleties I'm not understanding...but it's been on my mind...and I'm still wondering if there is something the kids and I could do while here? Maybe they just want to be heard. I've been warned many of the drifters and rowdy elements of town are in the fence and it may not be the best idea to take the kids down.  But then the kids went into the devastation of Northern Japan....shining the light where it's dark.

On the way home to the hotel the gas light came on. I happened to be a mile from the cheapest spot in the area to buy gas. Done....gotta remember they like to pump for you in OR. ::grin::

I stopped by the front desk and they'll extend me a couple of days if I'd like. I will check for the best prices for flights to TX tomorrow - now that I know where the kids and I need to end up to find our way back to the pacific. We ARE going to try for Space A so need to eventually end up back in Seattle.  Which means I now know I need to fly from SEA to TX and back to SEA - rather than Portland to TX to Tokyo. LOL

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

The Morning After

Thankful for:

•  5 hours of sleep with Stacia and Zander. 
• Sweet EARLY a.m. whispers
• Getting all up for FREE breakfast (though I'm thinking $2 at Denny's may be worth sleeping in)
• Comfy beds to sleep in 

Thoughts: 

• No, sir and maam, your CHILD is not bad nor crazy....you are questionable for taking a toddler shopping at midnight and then screaming in hotel hallways about how bad they are at 03:30. 
• Strange santa men handing out treats and candy ONLY to little girls are to be held  suspect
• Swimming after such few hours of sleep may not be the most relaxing way to spend the day - but it will work....
• Can't believe we didn't take even ONE photo of Thanksgiving! 
• Observing families in the pool - one very sweet LARGE family with well behaved children is much nicer to share with than 4 extended families of two ill-behaved each....not to worry they shopped all night and should sleep soon. LOL 
• Wonder when the midnight lions and lionesses will check in. LOL 

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

A Very Full Day

Wow - what a day. Jet lag is whipping us around.  When I travel alone I just give in to it. With four children along (well only three at the hotel) that is not such a good idea. I'm thinking about blue pills in the pudding tomorrow night. ::snort::  Just kidding - sort of. ::wink:: 


Wonderful Thanksgiving meal at moms with six of our nine children, myself, Mom and Dad, Amy and Harmony and Andrew.  It was fun to visit with Will and Sherri's kids. We missed those not with us. 


Zander was thrilled when the Cowboys won at football.

We Skyped with Michael and realized the price of he and Jared's tickets to TX are quite a bit more than we expected. So much more that the four other children and I myself will have to take our luck with Space A when we leave the states. I was hoping we could fly from DFW to Tokyo....but oh well.  It cost $150 for us to fly from Misawa to SEA.... sure beats $10K. I am trying to get info on what flights may be heading back to any Japan location the week of 17 Dec.  I REALLY WOULD LOVE TO BE HOME A FEW WEEKS BEFORE I HAVE TWO TRIPS TO TAKE IN JANUARY. I'm really a homebody. LOL

Nolan and Arielle are out to experience "midnight madness" with the older gherkins.  I sent them with Christmas money and a clothing allowance. They'll spend the night at the girls apartment. I'm not sure what all they're planning for us tomorrow. I plan to sleep in until I HAVE to get up...this a.m. folks began dragging suitcases above our head, slamming car doors outside the window and yelling in the hallways....around 7 a.m. About 9:30 it quieted down and we slept until someone called to see if we wanted our room clean. I bit my tongue - so wanted to say "Um....do not disturb would mean no." ::snort:: Hoping for more sleep tonight.

I've been trying to Skype with Michael tonight but am not making connections.

I took Zander and Stacia to the pool for their end of the day swim. We've been spoiled by being the only family in the pool the last two nights. There were 28 people in it tonight. YIKES. Watching the family dynamics in the pool (not ours) was actually sobering and heartbreaking.


Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

SURPRISE - sort of!

We waited for Arielle and BreAnne to get out of the shower and for the girls to show up at our hotel. During this time, having slept through the FREE hot breakfast at the hotel, we discovered Denny's will feed us ALL - all you can eat breakfast for under $20. Now THAT'S a deal. LOL 


BreAnne and Krista drove over to my parents. Their mission was to get my parents out to the kitchen. The kids and I followed. We simply walked into the house and on into the kitchen.  I have a picture where my mother looks TOTALLY surprised - but she's sticking her tongue out so I won't post it. ::snort::

Mom said she knew we were coming. I'm glad we did (as we didn't even know we were coming until yesterday) or she would have been very disappointed.  She had seen a comment on Facebook early in the a.m. and said she figured we were coming. We still say she SUSPECTED we were coming but wasn't sure so it counts as a surprise.

Happy even if not totally surprised as we'd hoped and planned

Dad was in the back. She called for him to come help her in the kitchen. He came...and we SURPRISED him.....no doubt. 

Surprised! 

We spent the rest of the day visiting with Mom and Dad. Arielle decided to go to youth group with Krista. BreAnne was watching Harmony (our grandniece). I took them all out to dinner and then we split ways.

Oldest Gherkin and Harmony

BreAnne and Harmony agreed to meet the 3 younger ones and I at Target. I nearly had culture shock right there in the store. Wow. I DID get pants long enough for my thin, long-legged children. I scoped out a new camera (Cannon Powershot ELPH - on SALE Michael) but didn't buy it. I heard someone call my name and was thrilled to turn around and see our niece. How fun to steal a quick hug before the morning. We dearly love our Harmony lovin.

I'm having QUITE the time remembering NOT to get on the left side of the road. I'm not sure why this is so hard for me. Good grief.

The younger ones wanted to swim....so I took them swimming from 8:00 - 10:00 p.m. BreAnne went home, got her suit and joined us. Then we visited a bit. I dearly miss the heart to hearts with the older gherkins. What a blessing to be here!

It's now 1:27 a.m. on thanksgiving HERE - so I think I'm going to try to fall asleep so I can stay awake when I'm supposed to be awake tomorrow to EAT. ::snort::

Happy Thanksgiving All.

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...