Morning View

This has been my morning view from our patio for four years.  Until recently we had a little table and rocking chair out here and I love to sit here in the mornings, before anyone else is up (sun rises 0300 – 0400 around here),  and spend time with Jesus.

I will miss this view. 

Choosing Joy!
©2013 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

….All I Found Was Another Tire!

We love Shipwreck beach. It’s a bit further of a drive than the local beaches and we don’t get to go as often as we’d like. Today we went. This may well be our last trip to Mutsu Bay.  Arielle and Nolan are off with Club Beyond exploring new areas of Japan. 

We actually drove further down the road from the “Shipwrecks,” walked over a train trestle; along a sea wall….Michael described his trip to this area here.

We stopped at the Lawsons in Noheji – right at the swim beach – and picked up some food on a stick for the kids. We climbed over the train trestle and enjoyed our lunch sitting on the sea wall before we set out to explore.

My favorite quotes from the day come from this little one. “I am SEVEN years old and I’ve never found a glass float!”

“I am looking and looking for a glass float and all I find is another TIRE!” I think you may need to have been a beach comber in Northern Japan to get the humor of this statement.

  

We noted Zander loved wandering off alone, free to think, imagine and enjoy without any outside noise. ::grin::

  

She found a float…unfortunately….

Close – a perfect net – which means the float WAS in there.

Michael showed us the fishing hut he had found on an earlier trip. 

Do you spot Yuuki? 

I almost brought this new pair of running shoes home for Arielle. 

Yuuki also loved wandering the beach alone. She was happy to see us and RAN full tilt to each of us as she came upon us.

  

We opted to stop at Sand Dollar Beach on the way home. We explored  more thoroughly than we had before. This involved much climbing up and down of sea walls.

You can't really tell this board stretches over the top of two jetties....

 I attempted a family photo at the end of the sea break....

UM - this way PlEasE!

Our diligent search for floats continued until we saw this sign.  It was fairly clear to us – though the Japanese fisherman seemed to think it wouldn’t apply to him as he wandered up the shore to fish. I wanted to get close enough to say “Dame, Dame”. 

Choosing Joy!

©2013 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Blogging on Borrowed Time

They've not turned it off yet - but we only have 1.5 hours left in this business day.

Arielle and Nolan left this a.m. for an American/Japanese camp down in Sendai. I'm praying they have a great time.  It is a bit odd for Arielle right now as so many have pcsd in the last couple of weeks. I know that feeling.

We went to see WHY we'd not been called about a car we turned in last Saturday. We took that paperwork and delivered it to our insurance agent. We've junked two cars here...by FAR Tommy's was the best to work with. He's timely AND gave us money back besides the money we get on the road tax from at our insurance company.

We took the younger two - bowling. It's raining - what do you do when it rains all the time?  I didn't know Zander has an "end zone" dance. ::snort::

Good day for Dad! 

On the way home we stopped at the grand opening of the new neighborhood Lawsons. I think it is a good thing we are moving this week. I don't know that my discipline will handle driving by that 2 - 8 times a day.

It's hard to believe we leave this home in 4 days and a wakeup....and then 5 days and wakeup in the Inn and we'll be flying out.....not sure how it came so quickly.

Choosing Joy!
©2013 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Fourth of July 2013!

A Fourth of July hair style....and it would have been even more awesome if Stacia would have sat still for

Arielle to braid every arm of the star...and if the ribbons weren't all packed. LOL 

 Michael and I filled the morning with Skypes and video messages to family. We wanted all to know we are about to enter an  Internet black out until we move to the base on the 10th.

I took the trailer and van off of storage insurance.

I wired some money to Mom and Dad. Our van was vandalized at the storage area and needed some repairs. They were nice enough to clean it up and make sure the trailer is travel ready. I gave our 30 day notice at the RV storage unit.

Michael took the screen door off and took it to Sanwado where they fix them quickly and cheaply.....He dropped Arielle and I off at Daiso while he did that errand. This was nice as I've been told I MUST get ramen bowls and real spoons before we leave....done.

This is the moment when Arielle realizes her "coco yogurt" drink has chunks of rubbery "something" in it....

It's really not bad if you are EXPECTING chunks in your drink. ::snort:: By the time we got home a new plan was developing for the rest of the day.

I collapsed...I'm on four new meds this week and something is making me feel fairly crummy.  Michael took the kids to watch Monster University while I took a nap. My hero. I had thought I was coming down with fibro, which my mom has. But I've been pain free for six months. I was off statin drugs. I had to go back on statin drugs this week and low and behold the aches are back. I think I know the reason.

Zander has been instigating one last night on the beach. He wanted to roast veggie dogs and have s'mores...It all came together tonight. We got out there early enough to collect firewood in the LIGHT.

For the record, veggie dogs certainly are not a nutritarian item. They hardly count as "nutrient dense" and are highly processed...but my family will eat them as a replacement to hotdogs...and tonight...I needed a veggie dog....and a s'more made with a Reeses cup.....when you are going to splurge - splurge big. ::snort::

It was a happy coincidence to run into Dave, Melissa, Jake, Josh and Mckenna. The kids helped ours gather wood for a bit, while we adults caught up. We'll miss running into people we know most everywhere we go ::snort::

Zander has been collecting "roasting sticks" for the last couple of weeks. I could tell he loved pulling them out when Mike said, "Do we have any sticks?"

Ah - a happy young man. Finally roasting his veggie dog on the beach! AND we had some fireworks we needed to shoot off before we leave.

This is very likely our last fire on the beach in Misawa. Michael suggested we call the Jantz family to see if they wanted to join us. Ah, happy memories. I didn't grab any white sticks tonight....no one dunked in the ocean...we calmly sat around the fire and discussed what it feels like to be the "odd" man out at the end of an assignment...how transitions happen in the military....what we were grieving at the loss of the 6 acre home on Redhill...and then we remembered God's provision.....and realized if God wanted us to have chapel-wide cook outs in our back yard, He would have made it happen...and Zander said, "Well, the chickens always were a long shot." I must say the chickens are what hurt me the most...and yet God is speaking to Zander's young heart about prayer and His character.

I'm reminded of a quote: "TRUST - never put a question mark where the Lord has put a period." We sat with the sorrow of many little things tonight...but we also sat with the joy of knowing God has provided for us yet again...He is answering our prayer to put us in the neighborhood He wants us in...and that brings a sense of eager expectation.

Choosing Joy!
©2013 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Public Service Announcement

Sometime tomorrow our internet will be shut off in preparation for our final inspection here on 11 July. 

We will move to Temporary Lodging on the 10th and will have wifi there. 

Do not worry that the moving monsters have overtaken us if we don't have time to blog in the next few days.....

We will return! 

Choosing Joy!
©2013 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

The Provision of God

We have a home! Getting approved to rent  in CA is as much work as getting a security clearance! ::snort::  It was a challenge, but our new landlord was very patient, we all worked hard to make it happen and today we emailed the contract back and forth, and wired money to secure a two year lease!  

We weren't sure this would go through. When we first contacted the landlord there were two others looking at the home...they hadn't gone through all the steps of the application process. 

We had three homes we were considering...and all the owners had been incredibly helpful.  There was a fourth we really wanted - but it was a smaller home (would have been tight) on 11 acres, with many others looking at it already.   Our three realistic choices were a 2800 SF home in a gated community, a 2800 SF home in this same area or this home. This one is 3100 SF...and sewer, water, garbage and lawn service are included. 

We had a family meeting on Sunday to decide which home to pursue. Michael and the two youngers really liked the home in the gated community. The allure of the lake, grandmas and grandpas, and security were strong.  About this time we were told there would be an additional  $1000.00 security deposit because the home had NEW...WHITE wall to WALL BERBER carpet. This gave me a knot in my gut!  But the pull to live in the foothills with trees, lake and pool was strong. 

We thought this home was a long shot - but Arielle and Nolan really liked it best! 

I  liked the other home in the community. It was on a corner lot with vacant fields around it....but you can tell there was a plan to build more homes. No one else liked this home. 

Down to the two....and I needed to make a choice. I simply began talking (as I tend to do - Michael notes it's my processing style). I listed the advantages to the community. I then listed the advantages to this home...the biggest we've seen, a floor plan that will give us many more options for hospitality and family usage, the least monthly rent, very well kept, a fenced back yard, all utilities except gas/electric included, lawn service, a hot tub....and Michael said, "Let's go ahead and start the process with this home though there are others doing the same and see what happens. If this doesn't work out I want us to look again at the gated community."  With visions of learning what pickleball is and of joining domino and bocce clubs, I began the process of applying for the above home with a street name we love. (See I AM learning about security and am not posting that - nor many other pictures - and these photos don't give away the location).  

Meanwhile our landlord found this blog. That gave him a sense of who we are and that we'd take care of his home well....we passed the income thing, the credit score was good, I'm assuming our referrals were good,  the lease is signed.   Here we are - with a two year lease, a home to move into one week after the loss of the other home and three days after deciding to pursue this home. 

I'm sure we COULD have waited until we arrived to find a home...but we have one week in CA before we head to "the wedding." This way we can schedule our shipment to be dropped off the 23rd or 24th  (pending actual arrival) and unpack before we leave. It will be MUCH more relaxing in TX if we know we have a home when we return to CA...and yesterday, just as the contract arrived, the Realtor with the 11 acres emailed and asked us to start the process for that home....we told her we had moved another direction. I think the acreage would have been great fun, we could have had chickens, but even Zander liked other homes better. 

We're rejoicing in the provision of God. A bigger home, a nice spa, a FIRE pit (reminds us of camping), less rent than any other home we were looking at...we'll actually be able to pay rent and utilities from our BAH and continue our plan to live on 1/2 of Michael's salary for the years before retirement. 

We'll have neighbors close by - this is good prep for being missionaries in a crowded country.

I'm still not sure what to think about the Chicken thing...but I know our God cares, we always pray He places us in the neighborhood He'd like us in - and this is it. I will admit I'm tired of being placed next to neighbors who enjoy weekend/holiday keggers....but maybe this time.....

Choosing Joy!
©2013 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

ANOTHER Birthday Celebration????

Another birthday celebration? Wasn't her birthday in MAY? Yes. Didn't you take her and her friends to a mountain onsen retreat? Yes. 

Arielle has had four friendships the past four years which I believe will be life-long. Two were from chapel and two were in our neighborhood.  She had stated she'd like to get kimono pictures with Molly and Gracie. She had earlier photos with Alicia and Emily. 

Today...was THE day...and the girls seemed to enjoy themselves. Who wouldn't?  You begin by picking out your favorite Kimono from an upstairs filled with choices in various sizes....

Next you are given your special socks and sandals

You are dressed - just so! 

Your hair is styled - just so! 

 Then the fun of a photo shoot. They were a bit perplexed with Arielle's fingernail polish choices (red, white and blue stripes) and band aids.... The photos turned out GREAT. I have no way to scan them in so will have to do that later.

The girls were full of chatter and it was fun to enjoy lunch with them afterward. I thought they all looked really elegant for the luncheon.

Choosing Joy!
©2013 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...