How Much Has it Rained?

Here are some shots from our afternoon walk - and they'll answer the above question too.  Earlier in the year (Nov/Dec) we walked along dry creek beds...they are no longer creek beds.

Dry Creek no longer

 

We stopped to enjoy the water, played Pooh sticks and examined some tracks. We think these are skunk? Anyone have a better guess?

This lake is full of trees - stumps and concrete at the bottom

This was before she slipped and whammed her tailbone pretty good - in the mud. When I checked to see how she was she wailed, "My hands are dirty!" After her hands were cleaned she was ready to continue the walk.

Alex, Stacia, Nolan

Nature Walk 

BreAnne and Bella enter Their 3rd Trimester

Today is the day! BreAnne is in her third trimester and we are thanking God for this baby every day - and praying for the remainder of the pregnancy to be healthy. This is a milestone......

Are the not ADORABLE? Izzak painted the nursery this darling pink and hung
the border as well! Go Izzak! 

And to celebrate this milestone - BreZaak (Bre and Izaak) are revealing our grandblessing's name - Isabella Michelle. Isabella means "consecrated to God," and Michelle means "who is like the Lord?" I love this name! 

 Bella (or Izzy if you are Izaak or Michael) is doing truly amazing things now. She blinks, coughs, sucks, hiccups and takes practice breaths. She is the size of a Chinese Cabbage and weighs 2 1/2 lbs. She is getting into position for birth and even has dreams at this point.

Sweet dreams, Bella. Granna and Grandpa are eagerly waiting to meet you in person. 

Tree - Caching

All the expected rain of the past two winters - which did not fall - has been dumping on Northern CA.  It's wet and windy and wet.....but yesterday - there was a break in the rain. We worked hard in the a.m. on school - commenting from time to time on how nice it was the rain let up for a bit.

Tailgating with Nolan and Michael 

 Michael came in with an alarming idea - he'd make a picnic lunch and we'd go out to the Spenceville Wildlife Area and plant our 2015 Christmas Tree.  He projected we'd be home in time for Nolan's Japanese lesson and we could finish school in the late afternoon. We did just that. We enjoyed our lunch amongst the cows, the trees, and the sun;  then we set out on a walk.

Note Charlie the tree in Nolan's arms - Yuuki refused to look

 Our idea was to buy a live tree for Christmas, and plant it after Christmas. We've marked the coordinates so we can revisit it when we're in the area in the future.  All participated in the transplanting and it was great fun.

Michael even went and found manure

Stacia insists she wants to be a farmer - so she got her hands in the dirt

Here are a few shots so we can be sure to find it again - and can compare it's growth.  It's located at  N39 06.628  W121 18.880.

Marking coordinates

I had taken a photo of this stump during lunch and knew that I wanted to try for a group shot here before we left.

Nolan, Stacia, De'Etta, Michael, Alex (ZANDER)

Some shots on the way out...... I was thinking it would be fun to boondock out here - but the road and this bridge are deal breakers. 

While Michael was taking photos of the above bridge, I noted this tree. I walked towards him to snap a shot before he was back in the car. He stopped and took the shot - and it is gorgeous!

Love it....

 It was good to get out of the campground for a bit of an adventure.  We're focused on school, school, school but we needed to get out and enjoy the sun. Good call, Michael. 

#WYFF - Living Present

Stacia gave me this canvas.  I love it - and it serves as a great morning reminder to live each  day fully engaged and intentional.

Today, living present, with intention, involves the mundane - but the mundane done exceptionally.

 

Yes, I've started and will master this pesky alphabet! 

As I work on laundry I can blog, work on hiragana and breathe a bit. I can also check in with my online Bible study group. I've done all.

We have finished two weeks of school again this week....while we schooled...Michael has worked on a Parenting seminar. He has taken material from a workshop I've previously done for women and added a "Father's" view point, his own material and I like the way it's all coming together.  I think we'll be presenting it in May....but maybe it was April? I'll need to change the slides as they are geared towards PWOC and women. LOL 

All in all - a good week. A bit of a boring week - but a productive week.  We like the way our Sabbatical is shaping up. We are finding our rhythm.

#WYFF (Where's Your Feet Friday) is sponsored by Fulltime Families. View more of our Friday exploits by clicking the #WYFF tab above. 

Questions with Stacia

Stacia's science text is MIA. It may be at the Airman's Attic. It may be in storage. We simply don't know. The boys both have science and she sits in on theirs......but Questions with Stacia have become a nearly nightly ritual in The Caboose.

It begins with a question, moves on to an answer from Michael and then discussion from all of us. We are calling it science. This curriculum only works if you happen to live with a science geek - which I do.

• Why do mountains become volcanoes?
• What makes volcanoes erupt?
• How does an airplane work?
• How does a helicopter work?
• How does a car work?
• How does a rocket work?
• What causes rain?
• How does a television work?
• How does a gas oven work?
• How does the internet work?
• How does the refrigerator work?
• Why are these rocks this shape?
• How do computers work? - Um o.k. after a discussion I heard, "Better ask Mr. Don more about that." 

Just Look at BreAnne

  BreAnne at 27 weeks - one week away from her third trimester. Thank you, Jesus! We are so excited at the fairly stress-free pregnancy she has had this time.

Baby Girl is the size of a cucumber - she's 15 inches from head to toe. It would be an understatement to say the family is over-the-moon excited to kiss all those little inches in a few months. 

The race is on - will Baby Girl arrive or will the VA appointments happen first??????

BIBLE STUDY

My Trailer Sanctuary

This week I began facilitating my first online Bible study group.  I've already learned much and I'm sure I'll learn much more in the next 8 weeks. This proves you CAN teach an OLD DOG new tricks. ::snort::  I'm truly enjoying this group of women, their willingness to be transparent and their hearts which beat with passion for Jesus.  On a personal level it has been a blast to have women from many different assignments participate - to study again with them and to watch pieces of our scattered years of military ministry form a mosaic. Exciting. There are a couple of family members in the study, we range from those exploring their relationships with Jesus to those who have been Christians for decades, we range from 22 to 60's, there are women from our first assignment and from our last assignment, military and civilian, full-time RVers and ranchers;  and yes, we cross denominational lines...the fellowship, however, is SWEET because we have the grace of Jesus in common.

I got up this morning and after my quiet time, I posted a bit to the group....and responded to some thoughts shared by others.....then took Yuuki for the walk she was promoting. Everyone was sleeping and I left my stuff on the table.

I got Holy Spirit goose bumps when I walked back into the Caboose to see this!

Love God Greatly has created kids' journals - I got one for Stacia. She doesn't like coloring so I can do the coloring sheets. I use the free PDF files and the coloring sheets aren't included. Stacia was doing Bible study on her own initiative. My 10 yo was excited to do the same study her 28 yo sister, 22 yo friend and mom are doing too. She was writing out the Scripture.

These pencils make a mess! 

I gave her a few pointers on what SOAP (or SOAK) stands for. I shared some abbreviations I use. I explained asking herself the 5 w's and an h; always looking to see what you can learn about Jesus/God in a verse; and if there is anything you need to start doing or stop doing as good ways to start observation.

I explained she could write out her observations and application or draw a photo. She told me, "I'm more of a word person than an artist." I loved that - I could have said it.  I left her alone....and as I snuck glances at her I noticed she was imitating me....and that's an o.k. thing if I'm following Jesus.

She finished up and asked to share it with me - and I got a glimpse that maybe, like her mom, her heart will beat with a passion to learn and share. We sat and talked and I commented if I COULD draw I would love to draw a throne of grace...and she drew....

I loved her prayer. Once again showing children do not have a Junior Holy Spirit. The same Holy Spirit who gives great insight to a 30 yo and 50 yo gives understanding and insight to a 10 yo.

No, I will not share her Bible studies every day and yes, I did have her permission this time. At its heart the blog is a family journal and this is a milestone in our estimation. LOL