Moving to Far West

My kids are TROOPERS! We left the house early to set up, teach and clean up at PWOC. Today was our last week and we had 2 new ladies - I love that. We've had new ladies nearly each week of study. All promise to be back in the fall. 

I met with Stephanie -  listened again to her heart and vision for upcoming Spiritual Life events. She blesses me each time we snatch moments just to share.  After hearing her heart, and the heart of Alex and Cheryl - CWOC gals - I'm excited. It's gonna be good! 

After a quick lunch, I grabbed Cynthia, the kids and a key to our new facility. For those who have missed it  - we are moving into an old school on base - in housing.  We headed over to CLEAN. Well the KIDS CLEANED a storage room for PWOC. Cynthia and I made rudimentary drawings of the buildings and mapped out what PWOC/CWOC  will need on a weekly basis. We really, REALLY want to work it out so the women aren't having to move tables and chairs each week. We needed to be sure we had a room for grown up or big kid RE on Sunday which  mommies  could meet in on Wed. If not, we'd have tiny chairs and tables and STILL be moving tables each week. It was a giant puzzle but I think we came close to getting it. We tried to take into account the needs of both parishes and various groups. Brighter minds than mine will wrestle with it from this point! 

We dropped Cynthia off at Foothills Chapel to continue her work day and the kids and I went to Valley Chapel and unloaded one of the PWOC closets. MY WORD. I am AMAZED at all the stuff in that closet. 

This would have taken me so much longer without the boys. They reached the TOP of the closet to pull down bins full of glass, they hauled it all to the van, and then unloaded it to this new home! They even helped me sort through bins. I need to empty the other closet and then really eyeball it all to get some organization going. 

Marveling at all that was in the closet and all the new SPACE.  Maybe I'll take more from the other closet over tomorrow.....or maybe not. 

We made many unique discoveries - these were my very favorite find! 

We had just enough time to grab dinner for the kids and make it to Family Bible Study. 

Moving to a new facility means all our facility requests for the year needed to be resubmitted and they'd like them ASAP. I did that bit of paperwork here at home and realized I'm exhausted. As I went to log volunteer hours, I realized I'd put in 8.5 hours today.....I'm too cranky to work full time. LOL

Not to fear I'm working diligently now so  I can pull back for a week or so in the near future. So much work to do before this old school can become our new parish home - but it will happen.

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

Retreat Shopping

First, hop on over to the Girl's blog and check out the darling aprons and monkeys they make at the orphanage to sell for support. If you're local and would like some let me know how many and I'll get them here. 

Today began with 3.5 hours of PWOC paperwork. I swear we kill a forest to keep this ministry going with AARs, Board Reports, CMPs et al.  I also worked through all the Fall Rally (a retreat without a sleep over) lists to make sure I had a comprehensive plan of attack for shopping. 

I spent oodles of time trying to figure out what supplies I needed to buy for a little Rally surprise. Turns out that the crafts stores here didn't have exactly what I wanted...and I'm sure I could have driven to Roseville but that would have been two hours of driving today - and it was much quicker to find what we needed on Amazon Prime. It will be here Thursday and I'm too busy to try a craft tomorrow anyway. ::snort:: 

After lunch Stacia and I headed out for 2.5 hours of - you've guessed it - Rally shopping.  She was a GREAT help. I was shopping from two fund's requests...so we put supplies in one cart and food in the other.....and got as much as we could which won't spoil before 22 Aug.  I'm working hard to be able to enjoy leave with my family without thinking about Rally things I've not finished. 

The funny for today involves Stacia.  I've trained her well. She's shopping for  a retreat AND considering the why behind the purchases.

Walmart Man,  "Wow - you've got a lot of chocolate there. You must really like it." 

Stacia, "No, we're shopping for a Ladies retreat."

Walmart Man laughs, "They should be happy." 

Stacia, "Ladies like chocolate! Even if they don't like the speaking, they'll have chocolate!"

Back at home I did a bit more PWOC stuff...cooked dinner - while the kids and Michael played...and then three of us enjoyed the hot tub.

We love productive days. It's starting to look like retreat planning in the living room. 

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

A Fully Fantastic Day

NOT my thyroid - just looks similar to what I spied
I believe my masses were smaller

Every decade or so one of my docs  get hyper about my Hashimoto/Hypothryoid gland......My new doc is concerned he feels masses on my thyroid. This is normal for Hashimoto. He is also concerned that one side is more swollen than the other. He ordered an ultrasound. He's called twice to make sure I put it in and that it was scheduled. I was glad I didn't tell him I was downwind when Fukishima blew or he'd be really antsy for the test. ::grin::  I was supposed to go last week but had the fever that day. Today was THE day. I was at the computer doing work when I realized I had just enough time to get to the town a few over for the test. I made it.  I felt accomplished. I had a lovely conversation with the tech.  

I spent the rest of the a.m. shopping for the Fall Rally. I'd really like to make something but a trip through both Michaels and Marshalls was fruitless. I DID find canning jars at Winco.

I spent the bulk of the afternoon meeting with some lovely CWOC women. I'm excited about what God is shaping up for both Catholic and Protestant women at Beale this fall.

I am very happy Michael was running late getting home. I beat him home, started potatoes, pasta, made lemonade (not from the can ::snort::), salad, fresh fruit and set the grill master to work. It's all warming in the oven now and we'll be ready to eat when my boyfriend gets home.

Alex is very pleased with his newly crafted spear.....though he's not as stealthy as he believed he was. LOL

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

August is FINALLY here!

Yes, this is August. The month this girl has been counting down since January! August is THE best month of the year. It is Stacia's birthday month.  She will "finally" be nine years old in "12 days and a wake up!"


For weeks she kept track of the days for us.....43 days and a wake up....I. AM. NOT exaggerating. 

She had hoped for a tea party again this year, but her friends are going to be on vacation or unavailable..... We don't often do friend's birthday parties....family parties are usually enough. Stacia isn't sure there is enough family to count these days. 

She has told us over and over, "First Jared missed my birthday, now Arielle is missing my birthday." Krista and Arielle are scheduled to be back 23 August...but shhh....only because I KNOW she does NOT read the blog....They plan on walking in on her birthday to surprise her! It will be priceless! We need to set up a video as well as still and be ready. LOL

She has asked for a flute, a sewing machine and either a smart phone or ipad/kindle. Um...Yeah....about that....these parents have a birthday budget and I suspect none of THOSE options are going to be in the budget.  But I can guarantee she is going to be on ecstatic gal on 16 August.

Now....shhhhhh......keep the secret!

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

Relaxing with Jesus

I spent a lovely hour this a.m. preparing a session for the Fall Rally.  It's been rattling around in my mind for months - but it's time to collect thoughts, do word studies, brainstorm hooks and illustrations - figure out how it will all shape up for this one session.

The verse is simple - Eph 5:1....

I was surprised to find three pages in the word dictionary on "therefore." I thought I'd found something very profound - but it didn't hold up to the breakfast test. You know - the point in time when you share it with the household theologian over breakfast and realize it wasn't so profound after all and wonder WHY you were so very excited at 0500? Therefore. Seriously.

I moved on to "be." SIX pages!  I'm having fun digging into this.....it's my kind of relaxing....and I have until 22 Aug to finish the session.

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

Joy's Pillow

Is there anything sweeter than Joy with the pillow Stacia made her?  Rachel says she takes it with her everywhere.

This little gal has helped me confuse numerous people as she calls me "Gamma" or "Gemma" - sort of a cross. I can tell people trying to figure out how my daughter and I are both active duty at the same assignment.....and Rachel doesn't look a lot like me.....but Joy has adopted me and I'm happy to be adopted.

She REALLY loves Stacia and Arielle - guess I came with the package.

I really tried to find her some blingy flip flops like mine - but they were sold out. I should have picked out a pair when I bought mine. I was right there in the kids' department.





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

Nevada City

I was determined to be functioning  today!  The flu would not take away the luxury of another Saturday unfilled with Sunday Prep.

United Methodist Church 

Last Saturday Michael wanted to hike in the mountains. I have been wanting to get out and explore. He asked the kids if they would like to go hiking or bowling. NEVER in a million years did he think they would choose bowling. They haven't caught the outdoor hiking bug as our older crew did. It is  also blazing hot in this part of California.

Michael planned for us to go hiking today. We weren't giving the kids a choice THIS week.  Then we remembered, I've been in bed all week. Maybe a long hike in screaming heat wasn't the best plan.  We settled on driving to Nevada City - a spot we've wanted to check out - instead.  We asked the kids if they were coming or staying. We'd have been perfectly happy for it to be a date day. They wanted to come.

We told ourselves it was "less hot" in Nevada City - but I'm not 100% sure that is true.  We enjoyed strolling down the Historic District.  The buildings are beautiful.

Alex

We would have looked if he'd called our names - but this is the only one of
Nolan and I. 

There were MANY Buddha Shops - which surprised me.  Grass Valley had more artsy fartsy things to buy - like the really cool sand art/frame I still think about.  However, we DID manage to buy two things..... In an antique shop run by a WW2 vet (a very old gentleman who I enjoyed talking with while the others tromped around).....

No, I don't collect Depression Glass - yet. I did sort of say I wasn't starting a new collection - these were just pretty. I had it in  mind that I needed to be on the lookout for a sugar and creamer. These turn out to be vintage Jeannette Glass - Cherry Blossom Pattern and from what a quick Google search shows I got a great deal.  They were out with the other fancy dishes. They were on a shelf marked "Private" - down a hallway. I told the gentleman I loved them and he said, "They're for sale."  I hoped I was getting a good deal but figured I wanted some Depression Glass and these will remind me of our conversation AND our family day in Nevada City. 

I remembered later,  I was on the lookout for a creamer for the CHAPEL - I believe I'll keep looking and keep this. 

It was a hot day. We spent a couple of hours walking up and down streets......we ended our trip with a visit to the Ice Cream Parlor....even though today is NOT Sunday.

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