"Chocolate MnMs"

"Can I have a chocolate MnM? "


Distracted, I agree. 


"Oh, people...lovelys....Mom said I can share chocolate MnMs?" 


What in the world is she talking about? Has she gotten in the Daddy jar - our deployment countdown? 

No.....Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds.... ::snort:: 


Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

I think Zander did o.k. at VBS today. He went to bed early on Tuesday night to be sure.

We enjoyed lunch with Renee and Ricky.

We checked at the BX for magnetic tape strip (to hang PWOC fliers in the chapel). They didn't have any.

We stopped at Y100 and bought two rolls.

Jared took a nap this afternoon.

Arielle and Nolan went to the beach with friends.

Zander, Stacia and I prepared and  delivered a meal to a brand new baby gal and  her family. Enjoyed the visit immensely.

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Summer Fun

This week is full of VBS in the mornings.

We've also been working on school (reading, math, language arts).

I've been working on some local PWOC publicity...and trying to find time to work on regional PWOC projects as well.

We've found time for water fun....

The key seems to be to get YOURSELF wet. ::snort::

 Nothing like kicking back with a brother

We're still enjoying a bit of fresh produce from our garden. The strawberries are nearly played out. I pulled the romaine and broccoli. We now have some healthy watermelon plants but I'm not sure they'll produce an actual melon. We still have a red and green leaf lettuce that are supplementing our lettuce....those fresh salads lost a bit of their appeal when a slug crawled to the side of my plate one evening. ::gag:: 

I planted a pepper plant 3 - 4 weeks ago....and look at this. I think we'll roast some veggies for dinner. 

Renee B, shared a yummy lemonade recipe. I really should find time to get it into my recipe section....1/3 C fresh squeezed lemon juice, 2/3 C Agave Nectar (or Xagave) and 1 ltr Perrier Water (sparkling water of any type or tap water should work). I figure about 120 calories per 8 oz.

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

God Speaks Through Bread

I've been praying for a rainy day so I could get some bread baked.

I've prayed all week, "God, give us a small break, so I can bake bread before we run out." The break hasn't come.

This morning I took out our last mini-loaf. It was a hot and humid morning. It was hot after chapel at 0900. It was HOT after Sunday brunch. It was HOT all the way home...until we crossed the Log Cabin Pachinko/Circle K intersection about a mile from our home. In the middle of the intersection there were PUDDLES and LOTS of rain....and it poured out by us. POURED....very cool.

 I did NOT feel like baking bread when God supplied a break in the weather. I had just enough time to take a much needed nap before heading back to chapel to help transform our sanctuary into a Pirate's ship in the ocean. 

 I'd been PRAYING for this all week...."Just a quick break, God, so I can bake before I run out of bread." I couldn't forget, I'd ASKED GOD FOR A BREAK in the weather. Not to take a nap or get a breather from the heat, but to BAKE BREAD.

I baked...and I pondered how often I pray for God's intervention, and am napping when He provides the answer.....

Wake me up, God....Give me a constant dose of Holy Spirit inspired No Doze.

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Past Few Days

Friday a.m. - more VBS decorating. Friday afternoon is a blur. Friday night, VBS run through.

Saturday - the Kids were part of the bases Operation CODE (Children On Deployment Exercise). I'll load photos and say more about that soon.

After CODE, Jared, Arielle and Nolan had Human Video practice. The team is preparing for a youth rally at a local church.

Today we went to the 0800 service. We enjoyed the scrumptious breakfast buffet at the club....because we wanted to. Jared stayed on base to attend 1100 service too and run errands. We headed home and eventually met up with Akikosan. Akiko was going to make sure that I bought the right things for Stacia's yukata. She told me they are having trouble finding the right things for our tall boys...so the boys will have to go Western.  Akikosan surprised us with a gorgeous, brand new, yukata for Arielle. She told me that it was a "special price" and told me again, "no more special prices". ::snort:: I can't believe it and am trying to figure out what such a gift means and how we should respond.

Saturday we'll meet, drive to Hachinohe together and then enjoy the festival.....and she has offered to have us pick a spot we'd like to visit and she'll go with us on an upcoming Saturday so that I "don't need a GPS". ::snort::

After meeting with Akiko, we drove to the chapel to help finish up VBS prep.  A family walk and now our weekly Ice Cream treat....another week ending/beginning.

Zander had a ton of fun pretending he was driving a team of horses....

I warned him...run into us three times and you'll lose the buggy. He hit me twice....and others too....he lost his horse and buggy. LOL
Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Pajamas????? Humph!

We spent this a.m. decorating for next week's VBS. Quite fun. I met a couple of new women and enjoyed accomplishing something definite. LOL

Several of us ate lunch together. I've discovered most on base head to the food court, BX, commissary on hot days - AC.

We headed to the ocean for an hour of swimming. I bought a pump to blow up the air mattresses, but it doesn't work.

Ran into the W family...which was fun.

Back home in time for quick showers and Japanese lessons.

Akiko informs me that our yukatas are "pajamas, suitable for hotel wear".  Evidently, you have to do everything just right for festival.....sleeves, hem, hair, shoes....Sunday we'll go shopping for a real yukata for Stacia. Arielle and I will rent one.  We're looking forward to going to festival with Akiko. I invited her to church but she likes to sleep.....I may have to find an evening service. ::snort::

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Playing - Self Care at its Finest

When we lived in San Antonio I had a dear friend...Brenda. We would go to the parks, the lakes, Sea World...and we'd play with our kids. We'd visit...but we played a lot while we visited. We noted we were some of the few in our group that played with their kids..... In San Angelo, at Park Days, I'd be one of a handful of Mommies playing with her children instead of visiting under the pavilion.

Guadalupe River State Park, near San Antonio - site of many happy afternoons

Yesterday, I realized something. The kids were playing at the chapel outing. The moms had a great time visiting....as we should. Nothing wrong with that. I've ENJOYED and CRAVED the female friendships with which God has blessed me.  I realize, however, that I've transitioned from being the "playing mommy" to the "visiting mommy". This leaves a lot of the watching of younger children to Arielle - and she needs the freedom to enjoy her friends too. I'm also robbed of the "funnest Mom in the world title." My youngest two need to know I play. I've been fairly busy since they were born. ::snort::

Yesterday afternoon I donned my swimsuit when we headed for the beach. Instead of shorts and t-shirt. It was COLD and I didn't go in much.  Today, we went again. I swam the whole time with the little ones. I took Stacia and Zander way out to the rope with the big kids. All had a great time. At bedtime I heard things like, "Mom, thank you for swimming with us today," and "Mom, we had fun jumping over waves, didn't we?," and "Mom, you are the funnest"!  Not one of them commented on the fact that I look bad in my swimsuit (and I was glad to have lost that 10 lbs in the last few weeks).  ::snort:: Yes, I love visiting with my friends and I'm sure there are balances to be had...but I know I got it right the last couple of days. I wasn't sure the little ones would WANT to play with MOM - but they loved it. I did too.  Mike committed to me years ago to be "a fully engaged father"  - even though he's "getting up there in age". This week I realized that I NEED to play as much as possible with the children, while they still want to play with me.

Not the actual waves we jumped over...

THIS is self-care at it's finest!

Choosing Joy!

©2010 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...