Sumo Sunday

Two home runs on Sunday - of the sermon kind.  Michael challenged us to "Be Like Him" - I Peter 1:13 - 17 in the 11:00 service. 

Michael and I took Stacia and Zander bowling as the older two were attending the ecumenical youth kick off.

We headed over to The Grid after bowling. They had quite a crowd....looked like fun. Kim did a wonderful job with the event. 

We headed over to the 17:00 service where Ch. C challenged us to "Love Like Him" - Luke 15:8-10. 

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Voices in My Head

Saturday began with lots and lots of Japanese...and I wasn't quite sure why I was hearing Japanese voices in my head....maybe hearing voices in several languages signifies....

Ah.....harvesting the field on the other side of our fence.....makes perfect sense.

07:00 - 08:00 found me in a Skype conversation with all but one of PWOC Japan/Guam's Presidents. We hashed out conference, talked about upcoming years and regional activities....always a good time to meet with these dedicated ladies.

08:30 and I was heading to North Base....unfortunately....I forgot a triathlon was going on.....not to worry - I still made it in plenty of time to share with the local PWOC board three principles of spiritual formation/leadership.....Intimacy, Simplicity, Legacy.

I ran by the Misawa Inn, the  commissary and came home. Michael was at the office for the day.

The CHILDREN weren't impressed with my idea to take a nap...and so we headed for the swim beach. Their friends were there and they had a great time. I enjoyed a rare Mommy visit at the beach.

We settled for left-overs for dinner as Michael was still working.....watched an episode of Hogan's Heroes and headed for bed.

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

The Day After

Zander had Stacia out early this morning teaching her how to use her scooter. She seemed like a natural until this afternoon when she fell and was introduced to road burn.

Arielle gave Stacia a pedicure yesterday. Stacia is now sure she should give me one.... notice the big toe. LOL

I had a long list of things I needed to get done for regional  - I didn't get them all done....but I DID enjoy a two hour Skype meeting with PWOC Japan's Conference Coordinator and a friend who served as a Regional Conference Coordinator in the last 2 year term.  Lots of great information passing back and forth. I'm thrilled to see how God moves through Kristin to bless our ladies in November 2013. 

I also spent a couple of hours working on notes for a talk I'll give tomorrow. 

I had thought I'd make pizza for the kids and ratatouille for Michael and I....as he wasn't impressed with Annies Veggie pizza.....  Everyone loves the Sourdough English Muffin as a pizza dough...and I made it  vegan.....added chicken, turkey pepperoni and cheese on the kids....

I make homemade pizza sauce....and when I smell it - I just couldn't resist....so we made our own veggie....mushrooms, broccoli, jalpeno olives, red peppers,  green onions, tomatoes....I grated a zucchini - I hoped it would look like cheese ...but it got too fine...and lots of garlic....no cheese - totally vegan.

Michael ate it. I liked it. The veggies were a bit crunchy....next week I'll roast them first....or some of them....and I'll be sure to have some artichokes...Michael said it was way better than Annies.  I plan on trying the ratatouille tomorrow.

After dinner, I disappeared again to work on my notes for tomorrow. I'm condensing the general sessions from WILD to share at a local planning retreat.  I was working on a combined slide show but decided really - I would have to go get screen, projector, show up early to get it all hooked up and I think I'd be the only one using it for an hour - then have to put it all back- I'd rather catch the end of  Road to Bali with the family. Star Trek (original) and I'll call it a night.

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Our Baby is Seven!

Everyone was helpful with their emails and comments on Facebook. We sorted through our impending Birthday disappointment. Stacia has been planning for her birthday party for 8 months and then all but one of her friends moved.  She agreed we'd have a family birthday party and have a new friend party later. She wasn't the least bit worried about gifts - we had planned to ask for food donations for a family we know in place of gifts - she would like to have a friend party later and maybe then we can still collect for the family. Crisis averted.

LATE last night - when Stacia finally went to sleep; she was VERY excited her birthday was approaching..... the kids and I sprang to action.

Arielle made signs 

Nolan and Zander hung streamers

Stacia's birthday finally arrived! It rained a lot....I told her where she was born (San Angelo, TX) rain is precious and rare....this was precious rain to celebrate her birthday. 

Usually our birthday person picks the meal or dinner spot...but this day Michael had a Financial Working Group meeting he needed to attend.....so....we met him for lunch...she didn't get to pick her favorite spot (Papa Genos is what she requested) but she did get to pick where on base we would eat lunch.   

After lunch we came home and relaxed.  We also had a nice long Skype with BreAnne. I worked on upcoming PWOC projects. 

Finally, shortly after 8:00 p.m. we wearied of waiting for Michael.  I called and we agreed we'd go ahead and let her have her cake and wait for him for presents. She was happy. 

Nolan and Arielle made the cake so I wouldn't have to deal with my favorites (Chocolate/ice cream/peanut butter cups) while on this vegan plus adventure. ::snort:: 

Stacia sweetly asked to pray before she had her cake....and was so very thankful for her birthday and to be part of this family. Melted my heart.

Nolan seriously offended Yuuki. He moved her chair and sat in it. She stood up, looked at him, walked over to where her chair should be, looked around and then laid down like this and pouted through all the festivities. ::snort:: 

Zander tells me this is like Monopoly 

Stacia seemed to love all the cards as much as the gifts

Michael passed his Father's Day gift from Jared on to Stacia

Finally gave up on the BX saying "They'll be in soon" and bought a Japanese brand.

Jared Skyped in as we finished presents...so it's good we stayed up late to open them.....He got the boys together and Stacia thought it was great fun for her big brothers to sing Happy Birthday to her!

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Sunburned Nose - really?

Stacia and I went to the park and enjoyed discussing 2 Peter 2 with a precious group of ladies. I HAVE A SUN BURNED FACE....because I was running late and  didn't put on my make up which has sunscreen in it - I'm a believer. 

After study we headed for the commissary to buy the ingredients to make a Reeses Peanut Butter Ice Cream cake....anyone tracking with me on this? This was HARD...I gave up chocolate May 20th and am now doing vegan plus....which means this is my all-time favorite cake and I didn't lick a spoon. ::snort:: ONLY because Arielle and Nolan took the ingredients off my hands and made the cake when I got home. 

Kids enjoyed playing outside.

I got some regional stuff done...and then was surprised when Kristin Skyped me on my computer....I'd totally forgotten a Skype call we had scheduled. ::snort:: Grace was extended and a great call too.

I took Arielle on a play date and then met a friend for a play date of my own. We went to UNcafe - new to me. I'd assumed it was a deserted building. ::snort:: I loved parking on the sidewalk...they said it was fine....and I really loved that I was not the one driving and trying to find a parking spot!

Michael is  at work....dinner is done....I'm going to wrap up a few more quick projects and steal some time to work on prepping for Saturday's project.... Still praying about the best way to go with 7 hours of training notes.

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Lazy Summer Days

The morning began with an 06:30 Skype with the PWOC Japan Regional Board praying together for our ladies. What a joy it is to have two team members.....and more on the way. God is building His team in His time...and I couldn't be happier. 

Another relaxing morning of school. I could get used to this. 

Michael came running in the house mid-morning - sick. Must be a touch of the flu and I've quarantined him. 

Lunch presented the opportunity to spend time with an old friend and make a couple of new friends. While we were traveling, two chaplain families moved out and two new chaplain families moved in.  Such is military life.  We enjoyed lunch at an "organic restaurant" minutes from our home, bought produce and headed home. The kids had a good time getting to know Mike and Shannon's two little gals.

I think summer this year is going to be incredibly SHORT. I heard that it got hot the week before we came home. It was HOT that first week home. It rained all last week and this week is nice....but not unbearably warm....I felt bad that I spent the HOT week organizing and unpacking....so today I took the kids to the beach.  I remembered sitting on the beach with Twyla, eating hummus, and watching Jim's plane fly over on his way to his  second deployment....this was my first time back to the swim beach since the Tsunami. It wasn't opened last year.

Zander got Arielle a Boogie board for her b-day - fun. 

I've finally found a shortcoming of an ipad - don't want it at the beach

Just never know where those conference bags will show up!

And tonight - I discovered pure goodness! I added 2 T of this to my green smoothie. 

via google images

30 grams of protein in one drink.....though I couldn't finish it....less sugar and fat than peanut butter...less messy too.  Michael said they'd be great frozen....still working for some sort of dairy-free ice cream substitute.... LOL 

And...if you're counting it's now one day and a wake up until Stacia's long-awaited birthday. I have a sick feeling we are about to disappoint her....life is intervening....and I'm working hard to find ways to make this all she's waited for.  She was in tears when she realized her friends all moved while we were gone and she had no one to invite to her big party. I'm hoping for a big party in a bit of time - give her some time to make some new friends....and a family party on the 16th...but we'd promised her a friend party - her first ever - and none of us took the PCS cycle into account. UGH. 

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

New Team Shirts

We continue to work towards a strong start to the next school year...but we're well into our rolling start....we are working on language arts, math, science, phonics....

I was happy our neighbor who moved stopped by and asked if I would continue to give her daughter a ride to youth group. Sure thing....and so I took Arielle in for a "play date" with friends - ::snort:: - and then brought everyone else in at PYOC (youth) time....

I headed off base and joined the MOPS steering team for  the Misawa MOPS planning meeting. Good fun - great year planned.

Back at home and Michael showed us a package that had arrived from Krista! New G Team shirts.....I tried to get the front and back in one shot!

This is what Krista and I were designing the night before we left Oregon. They have a tree, say estab 1984 one one side and a verse on the other....and we used the PWOC theme "Generation 2 Generation" as it FITS for a family shirt.....Now - not sure you can see it here, but we'll come up with a prize for the person who points out the fun "mistake" first.

We hadn't figured out what to do with Mom G's, Michael's and mine.....but Krista made us 0, 1 and 2.....Stacia LOVES her shirt and wore it today... She's thrilled there is no doubt it is HER shirt as she is "number 11 G."

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...