Saturday....

Alex went to work.

I sequestered myself in the study for an hour. 

Everyone else spent a relaxing morning, until.....

The Saturday morning quiet came to an abrupt end! The door slammed open and I KNEW...."Baachan, I'm HERE!!!"

Arielle and Benny came to visit. He played with Dash, Stacia's rabbit. 

Papa handed him a piece of wood on one of his trips to the woodbox...Benny was THRILLED.  "I'm Papa's big helper."

Oh....and Arielle and Kimber were here too! ::snort:: 

I booked my airplane tickets to CA for the Travis Women of the Chapel retreat. Krista bought that bright light - a happy light. LOL 

Nolan picked up Alex and the two of them went bowling  with a couple of guys from church.

Wayne, the original owner of our home stopped by. He and Michael enjoy visiting. 

I got out some old candlesticks and put the advent away. It's time....or so I've been told. 

When the boys got home we had our family gift exchange. I'll get to those photos "soon." 

Legacy, Time...thoughts from Arielle

Arielle said I could share this photo and her thoughts from her private Facebook account. 

Legacy, time. Precious memories fleeting moments. I'm obsessing

over this picture. That elephant lamp in the back is from Liberia and sat in my 2G's house. I loved staring at it while listening to Gma.

That antique coffee table is from grandma/grandpa G's river house and I loved how it sat in their river room and all the stories it held.

My sweet boy making new wonderful memories with his Papa. Learning and enjoying life and growing. Life is so sweet and precious. I cherish these days and am so thankful they're happening. Thankful for the safety and joy of this moment. And praying for all the military families having to say "see you later" to loved ones this week. Y'all are in our prayers and we thank you for all you do.🙏

Christmas Shopping & More

I didn't take a single picture until this evening.

 Dad opted to stay home. Nolan worked. Krista, Stacia and Alex drove in to JBER (Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson). Krista will begin drilling soon as a reserve chaplain with a unit based at JBER and needed to pick up a new uniform she was having readied. 

This left just Michael and I. I spent time studying this a.m. and we went CHRISTMAS SHOPPING around 11:30. This is a great time for Christmas shopping.  Our immediate family gift exchange is Sunday afternoon. By 3:30 we were done with shopping and ready for lunch. 

Michael is actually GOOD at wrapping gifts! I am not. 

Michael suggested Red Robin - always a win. We ran into Ed and Jennifer. Yay. Couple time + friend time + SHOPPING = rest, renewal, connection. 

I absolutely love our chaotic home and pace, but I do miss "alone" time with Michael...even if we fill it watching young friends or Christmas shopping. LOL the last two days have been rejuvenating. I think we may need to schedule dates this year. One year we went on weekly dates, we alternated single dates with double dates. It was a great year.

Michael dropped me at BreZaak's for my weekly play-date with Bella and Gideon. 

Bella and Gideon 

We were having a tea party when the DOOR OPENED! I picked my heart up off the floor and discovered Stacia had come to help. I locked the door after her. Bella made my day. Evidently, she was eager for evening to come...."Grandma is my friend." She greeted me with a request for a tea party. I'm always game!

Tea with the grands!

I love the lazy week between Christmas and resuming a  normal routine. 

We Played All Day!

Michael and I spent this 2nd day of 2020 enjoying a taste of what it will be like to have older grandkids.  We had a blast! Nora is having surgery in Anchorage. John drove her in. We played with the kids all day....

We vegged out with screens. We had breakfast. ONE of us went outside - it was 0* and that seems a tad bit excessive to ME. LOL 

We played Frozen 2....it was a delight. 

Noelani was SURE we would be great at TWISTER. Seriously, this is a very flexible gal....we explained our bodies quit making these moves a couple of decades ago...but it's always fun to play Twister...Even if you can't move like this. 

Big, friendly doggies!

I'm sorry Nora is in pain this evening, I am happy we are part of a church family that pulls together during these times.

I got up this morning and spent some time with Jesus, jumped on the elliptical for 45 minutes and then we headed to John and Nora's. We played all day - the perfect way to begin the year.

Cozy Start to 2020

 The snow is back. LOL We received at least 10 inches of new snow on our deck. Anchorage officially reports 9.5 inches, a New Years Day record snowfall.

 I spent much of this day cozily sequestered in our study, aka our library, after a bracing trek to the box for Dad's paper.

I will be speaking at a PWOC (military women's ministry) retreat in CA the end of this month. It was good to get words and scattered thoughts corralled on paper.

Everyone else read, cleaned, watched YouTube and Netflix...none of us HAD to be anywhere.😊

I joined GG, Michael and Krista for the final quarter of the Rose Bowl...just in time to see the Ducks win by one.

In Search of Margin

There's no doubt this has been a very busy season around our home. Dad has moved in with us,  which did bring a new list of responsibilities; Alex got a job - which adds a challenge to homeschooling;  WHO KNOWS WHY - but it's been a BUSIER fall than I expected, or scheduled for.  Contrary to Dad's oft repeated comment, I am NOT working 20 hours a day....but I HAVE been working hard to get life to cooperate in the search for more margin.

When things get chaotic - I organize! 

Don't judge me. Each camie brought me joy as I held it in my hands.  The ones that didn't spark joy were released to Bishop's Attic. It brought me joy to fold each one, and a sense of great satisfaction and order to color coordinate them in the drawer.... They've stayed that way. 

Michael laughed when he saw this on Nov 19th. It's a sure sign I was a bit overwhelmed.....but it also is a sure sign I was taking steps to alleviate the inner pressure. 

Women's ministry has been on a break since the week before Thanksgiving...just a few days after the great folding extravaganza. School has been on break. I have been on break...and during break....I've helped CoRielle move...and am planning for getting the basement usable for us....AND I'm convinced those organized t-shirts helped me find the time to break away and organize my thoughts for the upcoming PWOC retreat. I now have five sessions roughed out and feel like I may actually have something ORGANIZED to say by the end of January. 

I am feeling back in control enough to actually take the time to blog - rather than to sit in my chair and moan, "WHAT am I going to say to those poor women at the retreat???" 

It all began with organizing and color-coordinating the camies. Try it. 

Feeling overwhelmed.....just try it. You'll see. 

Ignore the playful ribbing from your family. 

More Winter Lessons From an Alaskan Transplant

Numbers 1 - 14 can be read here.

#15.....It takes a bit longer than 15 minutes with the autostart to dig out the car some mornings....

#16. Yikes. Watching out for other drivers is essential...even if YOU think the road is fine.