FANTASTIC FRIDAY

Today is Josiah and Shelby's one year anniversary. This year has gone fast. We're proud to be parents/parents in law of Josiah and Shelby. Happy Anniversary Kids.

We started the day by moving much of the stuff from our couch - retreat stuff- to the newly emptied closet at Foothills. We'll have our Fall Rally at Foothills and two studies before we move over to the new campus. It is NICE to have most of our couch available again. 

However.....lunch is when the day got GREAT. Dear friends are to be treasured. We met these dear friends in Misawa.  Ah - we've missed them. It was fantastic to hear they were "driving through" and stopped by for lunch.  Marvie is from the Philippines. It's always fun to reminisce. She's just been back. I still dream of gong back with her. It's been 32 years since I've been to the Philippines. 

Me and Marvie

Alex, Ashley and Jim 

Jim and Michael

Alex G has grown much in a year

Our Two Alex's

Stacia, Marvie and Ashley 

Stacia and Ashely

I had shared with Marvie....the girls were coming home today! We didn't want the kids to know, but due to their health we asked them to cut their mission trip short and come home.  Marvie was disappointed they would miss Arielle. The R's were running behind, the girls made good time and walked in while we ate! 

We TOTALLY surprised our kids - the girls WILL be here for Stacia's birthday - and the R's got to see Arielle. Win, Win and Win. 

Stacia in front; Middle - Krista, Arielle, Me, Marvie, Ashley; Back Michael, Jim, Alex, Alex, Nolan

My love tank is full! Dear friends and two daughters home! The girls are thin. They've not thrown up since leaving Mexico, but still are having some gastrointestinal issues. I think our plan is to feed them bland food, fruit and clean water and see what happens over the weekend.  We'll talk with medical friends at chapel and see if we should have them checked out regardless of symptoms.  THIS is why I worked so many hours this week. Now I have a few crafty things to do for the retreat - which the girls will love to help. Michael is taking leave the 18th and we'll go play. This upcoming week is a bonus week - but it's mostly for the girls to get well. 

Arielle really, really missed fresh produce  - Michael stopped at a stand on the way home and we have many melons to eat. 

And there was one more hello - Yuuki ran in and focused on Krista but when she saw Arielle.....the video won't load but here are a couple of photos. 

The Gherkin moving company - tremendous helpers! 

Choosing Joy!
©2014 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Another Moving Day

It was a joy to attend our local PWOC Facilitator Training. Stephanie did an awesome job communicating our vision for care groups, her heart and passion for people and also giving us practical tools. 

After training I grabbed facilitators and took video clips. I spent time this evening learning how to put them together to make a promo video for our fall studies. 

I spent the rest of the afternoon moving things from the PWOC closet in the Foothills Chapel to the new "PWOC storage closet" in the Far West. These gentlemen were SO nice to help us move things.....I loaded a few boxes so full of books I couldn't scootch them. LOL 

Our Leadership Team Rules on the door marks our storage closet. 

I was still working when Michael got off duty. He came and found me.  All these closets are filled with big bins.

All our studies and books on shelves....

A spot to sit and chat....

It was another very long volunteer day but I have a plan. Our dear friends are visiting tomorrow and we have a big family surprise. I didn't want the "moving" hanging over my head while....well....I'll share more tomorrow.

Choosing Joy!
©2014 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Moving to Far West

My kids are TROOPERS! We left the house early to set up, teach and clean up at PWOC. Today was our last week and we had 2 new ladies - I love that. We've had new ladies nearly each week of study. All promise to be back in the fall. 

I met with Stephanie -  listened again to her heart and vision for upcoming Spiritual Life events. She blesses me each time we snatch moments just to share.  After hearing her heart, and the heart of Alex and Cheryl - CWOC gals - I'm excited. It's gonna be good! 

After a quick lunch, I grabbed Cynthia, the kids and a key to our new facility. For those who have missed it  - we are moving into an old school on base - in housing.  We headed over to CLEAN. Well the KIDS CLEANED a storage room for PWOC. Cynthia and I made rudimentary drawings of the buildings and mapped out what PWOC/CWOC  will need on a weekly basis. We really, REALLY want to work it out so the women aren't having to move tables and chairs each week. We needed to be sure we had a room for grown up or big kid RE on Sunday which  mommies  could meet in on Wed. If not, we'd have tiny chairs and tables and STILL be moving tables each week. It was a giant puzzle but I think we came close to getting it. We tried to take into account the needs of both parishes and various groups. Brighter minds than mine will wrestle with it from this point! 

We dropped Cynthia off at Foothills Chapel to continue her work day and the kids and I went to Valley Chapel and unloaded one of the PWOC closets. MY WORD. I am AMAZED at all the stuff in that closet. 

This would have taken me so much longer without the boys. They reached the TOP of the closet to pull down bins full of glass, they hauled it all to the van, and then unloaded it to this new home! They even helped me sort through bins. I need to empty the other closet and then really eyeball it all to get some organization going. 

Marveling at all that was in the closet and all the new SPACE.  Maybe I'll take more from the other closet over tomorrow.....or maybe not. 

We made many unique discoveries - these were my very favorite find! 

We had just enough time to grab dinner for the kids and make it to Family Bible Study. 

Moving to a new facility means all our facility requests for the year needed to be resubmitted and they'd like them ASAP. I did that bit of paperwork here at home and realized I'm exhausted. As I went to log volunteer hours, I realized I'd put in 8.5 hours today.....I'm too cranky to work full time. LOL

Not to fear I'm working diligently now so  I can pull back for a week or so in the near future. So much work to do before this old school can become our new parish home - but it will happen.

Choosing Joy!
©2014 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Retreat Shopping

First, hop on over to the Girl's blog and check out the darling aprons and monkeys they make at the orphanage to sell for support. If you're local and would like some let me know how many and I'll get them here. 

Today began with 3.5 hours of PWOC paperwork. I swear we kill a forest to keep this ministry going with AARs, Board Reports, CMPs et al.  I also worked through all the Fall Rally (a retreat without a sleep over) lists to make sure I had a comprehensive plan of attack for shopping. 

I spent oodles of time trying to figure out what supplies I needed to buy for a little Rally surprise. Turns out that the crafts stores here didn't have exactly what I wanted...and I'm sure I could have driven to Roseville but that would have been two hours of driving today - and it was much quicker to find what we needed on Amazon Prime. It will be here Thursday and I'm too busy to try a craft tomorrow anyway. ::snort:: 

After lunch Stacia and I headed out for 2.5 hours of - you've guessed it - Rally shopping.  She was a GREAT help. I was shopping from two fund's requests...so we put supplies in one cart and food in the other.....and got as much as we could which won't spoil before 22 Aug.  I'm working hard to be able to enjoy leave with my family without thinking about Rally things I've not finished. 

The funny for today involves Stacia.  I've trained her well. She's shopping for  a retreat AND considering the why behind the purchases.

Walmart Man,  "Wow - you've got a lot of chocolate there. You must really like it." 

Stacia, "No, we're shopping for a Ladies retreat."

Walmart Man laughs, "They should be happy." 

Stacia, "Ladies like chocolate! Even if they don't like the speaking, they'll have chocolate!"

Back at home I did a bit more PWOC stuff...cooked dinner - while the kids and Michael played...and then three of us enjoyed the hot tub.

We love productive days. It's starting to look like retreat planning in the living room. 

Choosing Joy!
©2014 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

A Fully Fantastic Day

NOT my thyroid - just looks similar to what I spied
I believe my masses were smaller

Every decade or so one of my docs  get hyper about my Hashimoto/Hypothryoid gland......My new doc is concerned he feels masses on my thyroid. This is normal for Hashimoto. He is also concerned that one side is more swollen than the other. He ordered an ultrasound. He's called twice to make sure I put it in and that it was scheduled. I was glad I didn't tell him I was downwind when Fukishima blew or he'd be really antsy for the test. ::grin::  I was supposed to go last week but had the fever that day. Today was THE day. I was at the computer doing work when I realized I had just enough time to get to the town a few over for the test. I made it.  I felt accomplished. I had a lovely conversation with the tech.  

I spent the rest of the a.m. shopping for the Fall Rally. I'd really like to make something but a trip through both Michaels and Marshalls was fruitless. I DID find canning jars at Winco.

I spent the bulk of the afternoon meeting with some lovely CWOC women. I'm excited about what God is shaping up for both Catholic and Protestant women at Beale this fall.

I am very happy Michael was running late getting home. I beat him home, started potatoes, pasta, made lemonade (not from the can ::snort::), salad, fresh fruit and set the grill master to work. It's all warming in the oven now and we'll be ready to eat when my boyfriend gets home.

Alex is very pleased with his newly crafted spear.....though he's not as stealthy as he believed he was. LOL

Choosing Joy!
©2014 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

August is FINALLY here!

Yes, this is August. The month this girl has been counting down since January! August is THE best month of the year. It is Stacia's birthday month.  She will "finally" be nine years old in "12 days and a wake up!"


For weeks she kept track of the days for us.....43 days and a wake up....I. AM. NOT exaggerating. 

She had hoped for a tea party again this year, but her friends are going to be on vacation or unavailable..... We don't often do friend's birthday parties....family parties are usually enough. Stacia isn't sure there is enough family to count these days. 

She has told us over and over, "First Jared missed my birthday, now Arielle is missing my birthday." Krista and Arielle are scheduled to be back 23 August...but shhh....only because I KNOW she does NOT read the blog....They plan on walking in on her birthday to surprise her! It will be priceless! We need to set up a video as well as still and be ready. LOL

She has asked for a flute, a sewing machine and either a smart phone or ipad/kindle. Um...Yeah....about that....these parents have a birthday budget and I suspect none of THOSE options are going to be in the budget.  But I can guarantee she is going to be on ecstatic gal on 16 August.

Now....shhhhhh......keep the secret!

Choosing Joy!
©2014 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Relaxing with Jesus

I spent a lovely hour this a.m. preparing a session for the Fall Rally.  It's been rattling around in my mind for months - but it's time to collect thoughts, do word studies, brainstorm hooks and illustrations - figure out how it will all shape up for this one session.

The verse is simple - Eph 5:1....

I was surprised to find three pages in the word dictionary on "therefore." I thought I'd found something very profound - but it didn't hold up to the breakfast test. You know - the point in time when you share it with the household theologian over breakfast and realize it wasn't so profound after all and wonder WHY you were so very excited at 0500? Therefore. Seriously.

I moved on to "be." SIX pages!  I'm having fun digging into this.....it's my kind of relaxing....and I have until 22 Aug to finish the session.

Choosing Joy!
©2014 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...