Monday, August 17, 2015

Then and Now

It seems fitting to share this photo today as everyone posts "first day of school" photos. We schooled through June and July. This allows us to have time off to adjust to retirement and move out of our home the next few weeks.

Here's a photo from the older three boys taken in Great Falls, MT - 18 years ago. They LOVED the Lewis and Clark Center and we spent many school days touring the center and playing in the park nearby.

They tried to recreate the photo for us while out here. They did fairly well - just couldn't find a ninja shirt for Jamin.  18 years...passes in the blink of an eye. I'm happy to have invested the years schooling them and am proud of where each of them are in this season.

Here is what Jared said when he posted it: "18 years later we recreated this photo from Malmstrom, Montana! Fast forward to now and Josiah is getting set up in Seattle, Jamin is starting his second masters degree in College Station, and I'm punching out for DC. The only thing that hasn't changed in the last 18 years is how awesome our parents Michael and De'Etta are! Love yall! Best of luck on the next phase in your adventure!"

Stacia's Milestone

When a military child turns ten, they are required to have an id. They will carry this with them, ready to display it at all times, until they are twenty-three.  Stacia has dreamed of having her own id. She's had an "imaginary id" since she was 3 1/2. She passed it up faithfully with all the other ids.  She's practiced signing her name for four years.
 
She turned ten yesterday. Today, she signed for her military id - such serious business. 
"Sisters" necklace - which she got on her birthday
She fit her WHOLE name Anastacia G in the little space.
 
 Stacia is blossoming before our eyes....we look forward to seeing the woman of God she will become. She's grown a lot this year. She's learning to curb "princess chatterbox" when appropriate. ::wink:: She's a big help to us and her brothers.
 

I don't know when I started calling Arielle "Baby Girl," but Stacia truly is my baby girl...and our plan is to totally enjoy the next 8 - 10 years we have with her before she flies the nest.

Happy Birthday, Baby Girl!

BTW, I renewed my id today and was THRILLED to get rid of the terrible photo from Misawa which made me look like a bearded lady. LOL

Final Five Leave

0330 comes very early. When I booked Jamin's flight, I was thinking it was early enough  Micahel would just take him up. He's a NIGHT owl....but he had a sleep study...so early this a.m. all stumbled out of bed to tell Jamin goodbye. Nolan came with Jamin and me and we headed for the airport.


 Mom and Dad left while we were gone.
Nolan and I had a bit of an adventure! I took I5 NORTH home from the airport...everywhere we go we head north to get home...but um..I should have headed SOUTH to get to 99 and then NORTH... it's final - I'll never be totally confident on the way home from the Sacramento Airport. ::snort::
This was an adventure as it was DARK and I was quite low on gas. The phone wouldn't pull up maps (it's SLOW) and so I pulled over and parked. We waited. Nolan suggested I lock the doors - which I did. We found a new town with a gas station and then headed home in time to catch Jared and Larissa and say goodbye to them too....that makes FIVE  leaving today. For the first time since 1 Aug there are just the five of us at home again - and it feels empty in this big house. I'm reminding myself, to "live fully present," and that the five of us are "enough."

Jared and Larissa were here for 16 days and we enjoyed every minute of it. We love Jared muchly - but we greatly enjoyed getting to know Larissa better. They'll be separated soon as he goes to DC..prayers appreciated for both of them.
Photo take on Saturday. LOL


They're off!
I always clean when the Gherkins leave...but really there isn't a lot left here to clean. ::snort::  I grabbed Stacia and we headed for Walmart. I'm not sure what we bought. We came home and baked cookies. I made some chicken stew/mush for Yuuki. Michael got home and we realized HE DIDN'T HAVE TO GO TO WORK!!!! We headed to base for a very important event (next post), to turn in keys, wash cars, return Cynthia's car, mail a package and visit with the Air Force's sweetest Sgt.

I put a roast and veggies in the pressure cooker - the guys are playing Cribbage and I'm catching up the blog. Why do I work so hard to keep the blog caught up? Because this is our Family PHOTO JOURNAL....I have kept "up" for 10 years...I'm working to get a couple of decades of photos in photo albums....I'm determined not to get behind on the electronic album. LOL

We'll probably play a few games and go to bed early....we've had early mornings twice in a row...