All About Arielle

This is going to be a long post. Read at your own risk.

 

First, some things we either discovered or learned about Arielle in the process of packing up for her big move to Oregon.

 

Earlier this week Arielle asked if I thought it would be o.k. for her to wash a pink blanket. Turns out it was one of my favorite pink blankets - given to us at our wedding 31 years ago. I had been looking for it. It is one of Arielle's favorites too. I told her I'd been looking for another favorite - the last quilt Mildred made me. Mildred was a saint we met in Hardin, MT.  I have another from her as well - but this last one was priceless. I described how it was pieced together from scraps of other projects - some being dresses I can remember Mildred wearing. I told her I KNEW it was in Japan and that I'd never have gotten rid of it  - but I couldn't find it since moving to CA. Can you guess? It is Arielle's all-time favorite quilt too. It's fun and comforting. We've washed it and I am debating with myself if it should go into storage or if I should let Arielle take it to college and store it for me. It's over 20 years  25 years old now - and it's been well-loved and used. It's starting to wear thin in places....not sure what I'll decide. We learned Arielle has my love of snuggly blankets! She's taking the pink one to college.

At nine years old Arielle created the following check list. She found it while packing. It's priceless for the glimpse it gives into not only Arielle's personality, but our family life in that season. We had no clue she loves lists and checking things off. No clue at all she had taken it upon herself to create a bed-time check list and LOVED her routine.  Now I know why it was so easy to put her to bed - she LOVED checking off her boxes each day.

For Stacia:
1. Bottle
2. Mary Did You Know (guarantee to put Stacia to sleep)

For Me:
1. water filled
2. Stacia asleep
3. Teeth brushed
4. PJ's on
5. Watch Set
6. Hank the Cowdog on

Alas, we also discovered she has Michael's love of random cords and such - a whole drawerful

 Today, we packed. Arielle will move in the upcoming week. I was busy packing in another part of the house and asked Zander to grab some photos.

 

This one fell off the shelf during the Quake and has internal injuries

 

 

Stacia made Arielle's hat. 

Prayer appreciated for the week ahead. It's hard each time a child leaves home, but Arielle's departure signals a shift in our family. The Babies, or "Four Young Ones," -as we try to remember to call them - are starting to leave home. This will be the first time in 28 years that any of our children have had their own room while under our roof.  It will be the first time for Stacia or Arielle to have their own room.  It's a very good thing - but it's a hard thing.  Of course, we are avoiding the implications of Stacia having her own room by moving into a trailer where all 3 will have their own "cubby."

Arielle's last Saturday at home began with a girls' breakfast out and ended with the girls watching an Episode of Andy Griffith.

We'll miss Ms. Arielle and the color she brings to our home.  She  is a beautiful young woman of God.

Deployment Messages

During Michael's last deployment to Afghanistan, the kids and I decided to send him a puzzle. He likes to do puzzles.  We chose a challenging puzzle. We added a personal touch by writing notes on the puzzle. We shipped it off and smiled when we thought of Michael putting the same puzzle together and finding our notes. (You should know that HE is the puzzle pro - but this was an act of love).

Michael loved the puzzle....he put it together...flipped it over and wrote us all notes...and mailed it back to us....so this puzzle was purchased in Japan, traveled to Afghanistan, back to Japan, to CA and now will go into storage.

 We were surprised when we received the puzzle back. We put it together, read our notes and glue it together. We weren't sure which side to display - I've been looking for a double sided frame.  However, with the move coming....and everything in the house being either donated, stored or moving into the trailer...I knew something had to be done with the puzzle. We framed it in a poster frame. Arielle and I decided the letters from Michael should be displayed at this time.

The funny thing is that a couple of pieces have been missing....  In the course of sorting today we found this....I guess I'll un-frame it and add the found pieces. LOL

More School Fun

Nolan led Stacia in an experiment....they lit some candles....

 

Then they covered the candles with a jar - sucked out the oxygen....

 

The gas expanded, created a vacuum and  sucked up water....

Interesting Walk

Look what I found when I was out walking one recent morning.....

Arboga Japanese Relocation Center - 1942....I'd not heard of this being part of the local history. I am trying to find out more. This is the one photo I found from the time period.  It seems it was also called the "Marysville Detention Center."  The description of the centers seems to be the same location so I think there was one and it was at this site.

 

Michael and I walked back so I could show him the sign - we enjoyed a nice sunset out there.

Why am I bringing this up? Because I feel this was a time in our history when our government acted very badly. I know there have been books written, but it seems there should be more of a museum/memorial telling this story.  This is a small area - maybe there ARE museums and memorials somewhere - I'm going to look for them.

It seems to me if we ignore our history - we very often repeat it. There are some ugly things in our country's history. I sense "government" could act very badly again - because we are humans and we will not learn from mistakes we refuse to acknowledge.

Note - this find came after being chased by 3 dogs....so it was worth it to face the barking frenzy. LOL

We're Not in Osaka or The Middle of the Story

I've shared our plot twist. We are not spending 13 hours on a plane today and we will not step off the plane into Osaka.  It is totally natural we'd be "feeling it" during this time when we expected to be on a Vision Trip in Japan. It's totally natural I'd be more emotional about it than the rest of the family - I live big. ::snort:: 

God's story has not changed. Our understanding of the story is being refined. His timing will prove to be better than our timeline.

It is still His will we

Rejoice always

Pray without ceasing

In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for (me) in Christ Jesus.  (I Thes. 5:16 - 18 and it really goes on but I had to stop somewhere).

We choose joy in the plot twist - in the middle of the story.

I read this on a friend's blog - Ann really voices it so much better than I.

Ann Voskamp

... so look, there's a whole bunch of us who are up tonight and sorta stuck here in the middle of the story, God, and we don't know what the next chapter holds.

We've got no idea how our hearts are about to get broken or when, what the doctor could end up saying tomorrow, how the kids will turn out, or what's on the next page or the one after that.
And when you're stuck in the middle of the story? Well, honestly, it's easy to feel at the end of your rope.

And You pull us close, real close: "I’d never forget you—never.
Look, I’ve written your names on the backs of my hands." Isa49:16(MSG)

You've etched the very letters of our name, of who we are, right into You.

You haven't forgotten us or this chapter or this story, and if You haven't forgotten us, we're not about to go forgetting that Your stories always work out in the end -- and if things aren't working out quite yet, it just means we're not quite yet to the end. We'll literally practice our faith -- we'll practice saying thanks in the middle.

Faith thanks God in the middle of the mess,

Faith thanks God in the middle of the night,

Faith thanks God in the middle of the story --

Because it believes in the relentless goodness of Him who will not stop writing till there's good at the end of this story. 

Projects

One area I knew had to be downsized was my "PWOC t-shirt collection."  My friend Rose suggested making a quilt.  Arielle began making squares from my pile of t-shirts. We added in some other favorite t-shirts that are either showing wear or are too small: Nolan's shirt from climbing Mount Fuji (I need to find him another one), a PMOC t-shirt, a couple of squadron shirts...

Yuuki must be involved in all projects

 I've made quilts before - I just need to remember the next steps....Michael is mentioning a border. I need to think on this.  I feel much better making a quilt than donating our favorites or taking nothing by PWOC t-shirts to wear for our life in the trailer.

 

Michael began his first day of leave today. We are "supposed" to be flying to Japan tomorrow. Instead, we worked on a chart listing  aspects of living in various states. We made arrangements to get an estimate on needed water damage in the trailer.

 

We set a date to move Arielle to Oregon. The 23rd of July. This upcoming Sunday will be her last Sunday with us at Beale Chapel. While I listened to the kids Japanese lessons - I remembered. We googled and sure enough - there is a Japanese church in the town Arielle will be in. She is thrilled to attend.

 

Time is marching onward.

Oral Surgeon Part 2

She's  a trooper. I'm not sure WHY this simple tooth extraction bled for hours beyond when Arielle's did....but we're glad her stubborn tooth is out and hoping the others will move into place quickly.

Arielle saw the Oral Surgeon today, too. She's cleared for moving. LOL