Tenth Day of Christmas - Enough

I determined when we moved from Japan not to wish away the present for a past or a future. In other words, I would live fully in the present....and it would be enough. I would not always wish we were "in Japan," or "in OR," or "in TX," or back in the "good ole days when all the kids were home."  I would also be careful not to let social media, Internet surfing etc rob me of face to face time with my real life people.   I decided the present is enough.  When others remind me something IS missing, I've been quick to remind myself or say out loud, "This is enough. I'm choosing joy. I'm content."  Part of this "enough" has also been learning  I am enough. I can never please everyone. I can never do all I would like to do. I can only do what Holy Spirit leads me to do - and that's enough.

Stick with me....Christmas Day when our household was six  plus Krista - it was enough. Christmas Evening when BreZaak and my folks arrived - it was enough. Yes, I desperately wished the boys could be with us - but God had provided enough - all that I needed.

Monday, 29 Dec the Gherkins surprised me BIG TIME when the boys drove up. Michael was missing. Others we love were missing - but still it was enough. I was over the moon content.

Michael arrived back home on Wednesday 31 Dec and for three glorious days we had all nine Gherkins, a beloved son in law and my parents in one spot. Time stood still. The house was FULL and noisy and busy and jumping -  I loved it all. It was so, so much more than enough.

However, it seems time didn't REALLY stand still and at 0530 our home got busy this a.m.

One by one the boys, Krista, and various family members staggered into the living room.

We suddenly remembered Zander had asked us to wake him up before everyone left so we had to wake him up....

 Krista and the boys planned an 0600 start.

Brr - a cold CA morning 

 

These three discovered the heating vent by our trailer was a warm spot to be!

 

They loaded up and just like that our household of 14 was down to 10.

We came back inside and Michael and the kids went back to bed. I sat in the hot tub and decided it was enough. The visit was enough. Having our four guests still under the roof was enough.

I showered and made cinnamon rolls. I had promised Bre I'd make her some when she missed out on them on Christmas Day. Mom and I discussed missions.

 Bre came inside and another round of farewells began...

Yuuki thought she'd go with Izaak
 

 Just like that we are down to a household of six!

It is still enough. All that God provides is more than enough, if I choose to live fully in the present, to choose joy, to be content - it's enough.

I began to think of the big goodbyes which will be required to be full-time missionaries...and I wondered why we would pursue such a lifestyle... I suppose all the talking and planning of giving away things brought our choices to the forefront of my mind.

I did what I always do on farewell days - I cleaned.  There wasn't a lot to clean as Mom and Bre are great cleaners.....but I went through a few desk drawers and a junk drawer.

Michael is at work - catching up on some things that need to be done before surgery on the 7th.

The kids played games.

I made yakisoba for the kids.

Choosing Joy!
©2015 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Ninth Day of Christmas

The boys, Michael and I headed to Sam's Club to be there when they opened. I discovered they are carrying more organic products and renewed our membership. The boys purchased a couple of new tires.

 

We came home to fully enjoy our day together.

 

We played a lot of games.

 

We visited.

 

We went through boxes to send childhood treasures home with the kids. We will be selling or giving away most everything, putting the rest into storage and moving into a trailer in a few months. We really do plan to explore moving to Japan.  As we get rid of things it becomes more real.

 

We burned burgers and steaks.

 

The kids and Michael played Snowboard Kids.

 

We all met in the living room and played Guesstures - we need to do this more.

 



Yuuki loved all the extra loving this week

 

A team member threw me my glasses and things became much clearer. LOL

We ended the night with Tim Hawkins, That's the Worst.

Choosing Joy!
©2015 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

2015 Michael & Kids' Reading List

A sampling of what the kids and Michael are reading.....

Stacia (9)
Little House on the Prairie - Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Bobbsey Twins of Lakeport - Book 1 - Laura Lee Hope
Sarah, Plain and Tall - Patricia MacLachlan
Sarah Whitcher's Story - Elizabeth Yates
The Bobbsey Twins Adventure in the Country - Laura Lee Hope
The Big Wave - Pearl S. Buck
A Picture Book of Davy Crockett - David A. Adler
The Cabin Faced West - Jean Fritz
Bound for Oregon - Jean Van Leeuwen
Bonanza Girl
Birdie's Lighthouse - Deborah Hopkinson
Araminta's Paint Box - Karen Ackerman

Zander (12)
Les' Miserables - adapted by Monica Kulling
Davy Crockett - Constance Rourke
Kingdom's Dawn - Chuck Black
Kingdom's Hope - Chuck Black
Kingdom's Edge - Chuck Black
Oliver Twist - abridged
Kingdom's Quest - Chuck Black
On to Oregon - Honore Morrow
Behind Rebel Lines - Seymour Reit

Nolan (15)
Les' Miserables - Victor Hugo
The Scarlet Letter - C.S. Lewis
Swiss Family Friendly Robinson - Johann David Wyss
Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austin
The Dragon Spell Series - Danita K. Paul
The Ranger's Apprentice Series - John A Flanagan
Tom Swift Books
Billy Budd - Herman Melville
Samuel F. B. Morse - John Hudson Tiner
Brotherband Chronicals - John Flannagan

Arielle (17)
Einstein's Refrigerator - Steve Silverman
A Yankee in King Arthur's Court - Mark Twain
The Chosen - Chaim Potok
Teresa of Calcutta - Jan Watson
Cost of Discipleship - Deitrich Bonhoeffer
Veiled Freedom - Jeanette Windle
The Glass Menagerie - Tennessee Williams
Congo Dawn - Jeannette Windle
The Old Man and the Sea - Ernest Hemingway
The Crucible - Arthur Miller
Lilies of the Field - Leslie Barrit
Cry of the Beloved Country - Alan Paton
Broom and Gloom - Christy Barritt

Michael (Dad)
The Holy Wild - Mark Buchannan
The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkein
The Secret Of the Cave - Hardy Boys - Franklin Dixon
Tom Swift Books
The Rest of God - Mark Buchannan
Rumors of God - Darren Whitehead

Choosing Joy!
©2015 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

2015 Family Read Alouds

Island of the Blue Dolphin - Scott O'Dell
George Muller: The Guardian of Bristol's Orphans - Benge
David Copperfield - Abridge - Charles Dickens
Moccasin Trail - Eloise Jarvis McGraw
Hudson Taylor: Deep in the Heart of China - Janet and Geoff Benge
Shipwrecked! The True Adventures of a Japanese Boy - Rhoda Blumberg
Commodore Perry in the Land of the Shogun - Rhoda Blumberg
The Door in the Dragon's Throat - Frank Peretti
The Magician's Nephew - C.S. Lewis
Escape from the Slave Traders - Dave & Neta Jackson
Hero Tales vol 1 - Dave and Neta Jackson

Lots of books I forgot to list!

Choosing Joy!
©2015 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

8th Day of Christmas

How about our Ducks? 59 - 20. I'd say they are "physical" enough to be in the Rose Bowl. LOL

We were all very aware this was one of our two final days with family in our home.  I wasn't sure what we would do with the day - but I got up early and put in a turkey (my turkeys take 12 - 16 hours to cook) and waited to hear the plans.

Josiah said it well when he said he didn't need to run around and see everything - the best part was just hanging out together at home. All agreed - so we hung out.

Arielle helped Stacia put together her new Lego set. Stacia has thanked me five or six times today for the set. This was our gift to her.

 

 I'm so happy we were able to stream the Rose Bowl and did not have to split up with the Duck Fans racing around town looking for a spot to watch it. LOL While the game played some watched, some played gin rummy and watched, some decorated sugar cookies.

I loved being able to put the final touches on dinner and watch the final quarter of the game at the same time.

Michael and I wanted to be sure we got alone time with each of the older Gherkins and so we scheduled "Pastoral Assistance Visits" with each.  So very Air Force - but it works. This gave them time to ask us any questions they had for us - this tends to happen when Parental Units begin to talk about moving overseas with younger siblings.  This also gave us time to check in with each one, hear anything they wanted to discuss in private and pray for each one individually.  Good times. The "interviews" were scheduled for 10 minutes but some took considerably longer. We'll catch up with Josiah today.

It was reminiscent of old times to find this when we were done with visits for the night....all in one room....late at night....yep - fun times.

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

2014 Gingerbread Competition (3 of 3)

Last year we had a gingerbread competition - men against women - at Thanksgiving. This year we had one gingerbread but didn't feel like doing it. We saved it.....and decided to do it on New Year's Eve. 

This year we aren't soliciting  votes - it's pretty apparent to us which team won. ::wink::

The women definitely won for cuteness....

Love Olaf's sled

2014 winners

The men? Well - the castle walls they made from the Ninja kit collapsed. Sensing they'd lost the cuteness factor, they shifted to "creativity."  The more you look at this village the more gruesome it gets - though it is creative. They lost Dad and Michael when they began decorating. ::snort::  I will say I've never seen a gingerbread village like this one.

Izzak brought the darling penquins....

The fated collapsed walls

Silenced Night

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

Family Photo 2014 (2 of 3)

When we took this photo on Christmas Morning, I said I'd like to have a photo with all 9+ Izaak......and then I was given a frame with a "family rules" and eight slots. I told them I needed to fill each slot with an "awkward family photo." The older Gherkins don't seem inclined to go relive THOSE memories.  We did take a few photos.

 

"Look thoughtful - like smart homeschoolers."

 

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