Freedom

The problem with traveling in close quarters is some of us are night owls and some of us are early birds. 

This morning I worked out, had breakfast, sat in the hot tub, blogged....and then we all got up and met with the Jamin, Jared and Shelby for lunch.  After lunch we headed to Unidad Park. We began romping around this park when Jared was 11, Stacia was a newborn - with everyone else falling in between. Fun memories of park days with friends....it was a great place to reconnect and run off energy. 

Jamin and Jared are enjoying the freedom of having this semester COMPLETED! Jamin, especially, as he prepares to GRADUATE! 

Rousing rounds of various types of tag

Ninja

 Cody loved raging around Unidad too

They couldn't do THIS eight years ago - a contest to climb to the top began

More tag

Texting and tag....

We headed to Jamin, Jared and Steven's apartment to visit until Cy got off work and it was dinner time.  In the front seat is Jamin between Stacia and Arielle. Steven is in the middle by Nolan.  Larissa, Jared and Zander are in the back.  It was fun to get to know Larissa today. 

We had to go see Jamin's picture on the wall of Applebees - center in yellow. 

After dinner we ALL piled into the van and drove around looking at Christmas lights. We miss the lights in San Angelo.....we will try to get down the the lights along the river before we leave.  It was fun to have the van full again. We ended the night visiting at the boys' apartment.

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

We're Home in TX

Observant blog readers will KNOW that this was NOT published on the 11th (Wed) but hey - you do what you gotta do! 

We made the trip in TWO days.  The Southern route "felt" quicker - maybe because it was new territory for most of us. 

Here are a few photos....really not much to take photos of on this stretch of highway....I realized I could just post my FB snippets on travel days....so here goes....

First - I forgot to BLOG this....

December 10 via mobile

Wow just saw s meteor or something explode in the sky outside of Phoenix. It looked like fireworks shot from an airplane. And gas under $3. Exciting night of travel.

The little keyboard doesn't lend itself to lengthy comments - but this was IMPRESSIVE. We were outside Tucson before Phoenix. The sky EXPLODED. The colors were amazing...the night sky was huge. Kristine shared this yesterday. Yes, we saw red/orange/green....and I was SO happy Michael saw it to confirm I wasn't simply sitting in the van too long. LOL

Yesterday via mobile

Travel tip 4 men: if they look like whitey tighties, don't wear them in the elevator.

Travel tip 4 women: Stand back from the elevator, you never know what may be getting off.

Of course, there's a story - but you can guess it from those updates! ::snort:: 

 Just look at this - still dark and we are all situated in the van waiting to pull out! We rock road trips!

I can't say it better than Kristine:Beautiful scenery in your photos. And Phoenix--always makes me think of something you'd see in Dr. Seuss, with the mountains so low on the horizon, everything flat with the crazy cactus

Yesterday via mobile

Love the time of day when the sun blares in the wind shield JUST under the reach of the sun visors.

Yesterday via mobile

I miss Japanese rest areas...nikuman, topo, and VENDING MACHINES! — feelingmeh.

21 hours ago via mobile

AZ obviously pays more for road maintenance than CA or NM.

Back in the land of static electricity.

No room at the Inn....but we searched high and low and found a stable near the river. AND I won $5 when a train went by my room.....I wonder if it's $5 per train?????

There you have it. We found a hotel - it's $200 a night cheaper than it would be to be at Comfort Inn - but same company so we still get points. It's downtown and I think that will provide more to do in the mornings when some choose to sleep in. We weren't able to get into the Base's lodging...which would be $180 a night cheaper than where we are. ::snort::

HOWEVER - we get a nice free breakfast here, a hot tub, a fitness center right in the building, free wifi, AND the cast of Sesame Street Live is sharing the hotel with us. I think it may beat the oil men that overtook Comfort Inn last time we stayed there. ::wink::

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

Travel Day

We planned to take three days to drive to TX and  two days for the return trip. We got a bright and early start and find ourselves in Phoenix this evening. We'll be able to make it to San Angelo in one more day. California is a long state. 

Everyone occupies themselves differently while traveling  

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

Busy Day

It's been a busy day but everything on the list- and quite a few extras- is done. We're packed and ready to leave at 0darkthirty. 

 Yes, Stacia does have Chicken Pox. We have no clue how or where she got it. She's been immunized and therefore, has a "light" case...and it really does seem much lighter than when the older kids got Chicken Pox.  The doc said her rash may not get worse and may go away within a couple of weeks without scabbing. He (and the base doc) both encouraged us not to change our travel plans. We're going.

I made a giant pan of comfort food tonight - Yakisoba. I must say having Chicken Pox hasn't affected Stacia's appetite.

 Yuuki is checked in for her stay at the Dogie Hotel. Christmas gifts and ornaments are packed. Snacks are prepared. Suitcases are packed. A new series is downloading to the laptop.  I think we did it - we're going to get out of here bright and early.

Michael asked Nolan to select movies for the trip....evidently Arielle felt the need to be part of this chore.

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

Spotty Season

For the FIRST TIME in nearly THIRTY years Michael locked me out of our room last night. I went up and the lights were out, the door was shut and locked. I knew he was tired, fighting a bug and preaching this a.m. so I slept downstairs...but this house is SPOOKY when you are sleeping alone downstairs. ::snort:: I didn't sleep well.....finally called his cell phone this a.m. to rouse him when knocking wasn't raising him. ::snort::

Stacia woke this morning a bit feverish and itchy. She often has little quirky aches and pains.........

  

but I took notice of this.  They've grown throughout the day. Her tummy, back, shoulders are covered....but they are small...not sure what it is. Many suggest this has something to do with the hot tub. I'd tend to agree - but it's ODD as she's in the hot tub all the time, the chemicals were fine.....she's never gotten this before. Chicken Pox would be odder as we can't figure out where she would have been exposed to it and we were told her shots were current in Misawa. I'll be checking.  She and I stayed home from church. 

We are due to leave for Jamin's college graduation in TX on Tuesday morning. I will try to get in to the doctor tomorrow to make sure we are good to go.  She and I took advantage of the extra time to put out some more decorations.

We moved the Japanese nativity set and put the Alaskan set Krista made us on the ledge above it. It wasn't until we were all done that I realized the Alaskan set moons all visitors to our home.

Upstairs hallway 

Ledge at the top of the stairs

Michael and I captured some time for a trip to Walmart. We needed to buy a DVD/VCR combo as  much of our school and movies are still Video - we'll have to give them up shortly - but not yet. We also did our shopping for our Advent Scavenger Hunts. We will be gone for eight days. I've been gone for five days. We obviously won't get 25 days in....or maybe we will.

We ended the evening watching The Muppet's Christmas Carol - a decades long family tradition for the day after Thanksgiving...we're a bit delayed this year...but we're getting it done. LOL

I'm praying Stacia wakes up tomorrow spot free and we don't have to work a clinic visit into our already chaotic schedule, and there is no question about her and I traveling to Texas. 

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

Christmas Already?

It is cold! It's been snowing all around us - just rain and cold here. BUT cold enough I put on my Yellow Yokota Sweat shirt.  I woke up missing Japan...It's normal to wake up thinking of Japan on Saturdays as Saturday is the day the kids meet on Webex with Ryu and Kim to continue their Japanese lessons. This ugly yellow sweat shirt was purchased while I waited with two special ladies (Susane and Erika) at Yokota AB for the all clear to travel north after the quake and tsunami. I pondered the season when I learned to Dance in the Rain...learned at a gut-level God could be trusted with the Gherkins when I couldn't get to them and knew they were in danger. The week God dealt with deep fear in my life.

Stacia woke up and tried on her flower girl dress. She hadn't even combed her hair. I'm not posting a picture as I'm not sure BreAnne wants a photo posted....but I love that Arielle HAD to get right to Stacia's hair...here she sports "Princess Elsa's Coronation hair" from Frozen.

Michael prepared for chapel today. The kids and I had one goal - get some Christmas Decorations up before we have to pack for TX.  We took leaves off the Thankful Tree....

Michael joined us for a few minutes 

UM - CONTRABAND - not sure WHY they packed this -  must have been with our Christmas books.  It was fun to find unexpected Japanese fireworks in with the Christmas books. 

We have an excess of Christmas decorations. We didn't think so before we lived without it all for four years. ::grin:: However, we left many things on the shelves today. I don't think we'll get outside lights up. There isn't time before we leave and it doesn't seem worth it to do it for a week. I found this and it made me LAUGH all day. I think it would take care of the "dog problem." I could blast "Silent Night" or "O Come all Ye Faithful," when the dogs begin barking at 0200. ::snort:: I won't do it - but it's fun to think about. LOL

We opted to re-purpose the Thankful Tree.  into a Jesse/Adorenament tree! 

Our little tree

So happy to have purchased this last year....there are times when a memory from Japan surfaces and almost takes my breath away. It made me smile to see this.....praying for Japan as we prepare to celebrate Christmas here in America. 

Arielle and Nolan made a quick dinner of crepes. They like to do that. We ended the night soaking outside in the freezing cold....steam, warm water, bracing cold air....ah....it almost feels like an onsen in Misawa.

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

A Great Friday

The kids and I went to see Frozen this afternoon. What a great movie! Finally, Disney has gotten it right.

A true act of love is not a swooning kiss and  doesn't often strike like lightening.

Love grows from friendship.

A true act of love is looking out for another's best at cost to yourself, putting others before yourself, SACRIFICE! I can't believe Disney finally came out with a movie that portrays a biblical view of love.

The only drawback was choking on $9.50 for an afternoon matinee. OUCH.
We left the theater and went Christmas shopping for Texan Gherkins. Maybe we'll be ready to leave for TX by 0400 on Tuesday. Maybe.

I dropped the kids off at the house, started pizza, picked up Michael, dropped Arielle off at Matt and Rachel's and then we went out to dinner with Matt and Rachel. It was fun to connect in the midst of this busy season.

It was a full Friday.

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