Another update from our travels

Well, we left Wenatchee after a wonderful 10 days there. The weather there was anything but normal. Some sun, some rain, some clouds. But the move of God in service was definitely normal. Carlos preached 3 services, well not exactly. He preached 2 services and on the last one this Sunday God moved and the spirit took over. 2 1/2 hours later we left to eat at Applebee's. We had a wonderful time with the King Family and their extended kids, Cory, Kordell and Cara. The food was incredible as Sis. King held out no stops on her homecooking. She is an incredible cook and of course, an incredible hostess. We were spoiled, pampered and just down right taken care of while we were there. If all our stops are like that I could do this evangelizing for a long time to come :D !

We headed to Pendleton on Monday, where we spent the night at a KOA. It was a nice place with incredible wind gusts. Rather than use our own shower in the RV we simply used the campgrounds free (an oxymoron since we paid for the campsite), hot showers. The wind was gusting so hard we simply couldn't even keep the slide out because the noise was so loud. We woke to a dry, partly cloudy, cold day with the Blue Mountains covered in snow. Only one problem is we had to get to the other side of those mountains. We held off by going to eat at Shari's which has INCREDIBLE food and pies :D No one complained but once we were done we felt we better head over Meacham Pass in order to get to La Grande before dusk. Going over Meacham Pass was BEAUTIFUL. The snow was falling and the ground was pure white. Felt like Christmas. Getting in to La Grande was simple and there was no snow on the ground. We headed to Walmart where while we were there the snow started coming down hard. Unfortunately it did not stick. But it did look like cotton falling from the sky. We are blessed to be able to stay in La Grande at the Lighthouse Pentecostal Church where we are going to attend church tonight and enjoy service. Today it's been a really slow day. The kids have picked up their school books and done school. Carlos and I have gone through the stuff that we brought with us as we finished our packing. Hmm, we had to buy another small printer since the one he brought with us hasn't been used in over 2 years. Oh well, good thing they are cheap. Once I get home I will make sure and upload all the beautiful pictures that I have taken on my camera. The high today is around 38, partly cloudy and cold. Hopefully tomorrow will be a little warmer. We are hoping it warms up a bit. We are headed to Baker City tomorrow to the Neff's church. Can't wait to see Sissy and Nathan and all their kids too. I'll post a bit more if I get a chance but for now, chow.

Our travels

Well we've been gone a week now. I still have't updated this blog. It's really hard to update using my iPhone but I will attempt it. We finally left Elk Grove on Monday night at 2 am. Wow. Talk about fighting devils. Did we ever. But we got out of town. We headed north for about 40 miles, pulled in to a rest area and crashed. When I awoke around 8 it was storming so hard. I decided to take the straightest road across and that is exactly what we did. We stopped at Wal-Mart in Clear Lake to pick up groceries and let the dogs out. It was Cody's first experience with rain and it was hilarious. Carlos drove from then on and we headed up through the redwoods and it was beautiful. We arrived at a rest area in Oregon and again crashed. On Wednesday morning we did the best thing, bought my new iPhone in a state with no sales tax, went to Dutch Bros. Coffe, and then to Fred Meyers. I love these things. Carlos preached service at the Gold Beach church for Bro. & Sis. Champlain. It was a good move of God and afterwards we had pizza and then went to the Champlains home. The next morning Bro. Champlain took us to breakfast to a great little restaurant on the Rogue River before we headed out. As we left we were awed by the beauty of the changing seasons. We stopped in at Cranberries and Sweets to see my "other" mom, Pam Carlson. I had a hug to give her from Kim. From there we went to Eugene and spent an hour with Dad and Sharon. They had graciously put out a sandwich spread for us and we got to eat and enjoy their company for about an hour. Then we headed north to Portland where we had a full home cooked mea waiting for us. I think it was at that time I realized just how far we had gone, not physically but emotionally. We were "spent" as my husband would say. My mom and Gary were kind and had made sure the pool and hot tub was ready along with the washer and dryer were available. We spent the night there and was awaken to my Sis who had gotten up early to come over after getting home late from work in order to see us even for a minute. We left there before I really had a chance to get stuff put away. When I asked Carlos why he said he knew he needed to get me out of there or I'd get comfy at my moms. We headed to Wenatchee up the Gorge with a stop at Burgerville which I love! We arrived in Wenatchee, Wa late in the day at our dear friends home, Tim & Kierstin King. My kids were so excited to see their friends too. We stayed up late friday night catching up. Saturday they treated us to an incredible breakfast and then we headed to Leavenworth, Wa where Bavaria meets The Cascades. It was a cute adorable town. We had a lot of fun. The King's are ultimate hosts and have totally fed us a feast daily. Sunday we got to sleep inasmuch they have church at 2 pm. We had an incredible move of the holy ghost in service. It must have been moving because at alter call when Bro. Trevor asked me to sing I actually took the mike and sang. Wow, Sis Deathridge would have been proud of me. We fellowshipped at Red Robin and had an incredible dessert back at the King's. We wil be staying through Wednesday night as Bro. King has asked my husband to stay over. Who knows what God will do. Then again, who knew what God would have us to do as we wait on the Army. Better to plant while the season is ripe, than to starve in the off season. God is good ALL THE TIME! He knows, oh yes, He definitely knows! I'll try and keep posting. But for now, going to the church where the guys are painting today.

Basketball TRC style

Here are a few pictures of the team. I think the coach is extra awesome. He's my favorite every time my son gets on his team.

School is never a "burden"

As the school year progresses I am amazed at my children yet one more time. A mother is supposed to brag on their children and so yet here it goes again.

As we were doing the regimented school stuff today, my daughter asked me to help her with a synonym. This meaning the same or similar was easy. It's the antonyms that get me. The word was "burden". As she is studying the roots of these words and thus had the definition, she was stuck on an appropriate synonym. As we talked about the different meanings of the word and what would be a good response, the word "problem" arose. At that moment my son, who was diligently working on his math, said "Bear ye one another's burden, as so fulfill the law of Christ" Gal.6:2. Where did that come from? The bible of course but where in his mind had that been sticking. I'll tell you where. Recently we had been having a family discussion on gossip and the difference of when you would discuss other peoples "problems" versus never discussing them but taking them to God instead, thus taking on their burdens. It was a long drawn out discussion with examples of how gossip rather than prayer can do damage to someone else, versus prayer rather than gossip, can help a person overcome their problems. Caleb wasn't necessarily in the conversation, yet he had obviously listed and absorbed the information, placing it away in his mind to be used when needed. It was a scripture he had learned his last year in bible quizzing. That in itself is more "homeschooling" than any textbook can teach him.

Isn't it amazing that the bible tells us to "train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6. What would have happened if we wouldn't have had that family discussion nor put an emphasis on the word of God. "God is our refuge and strenghth, a very present help in trouble." Psalms 46:1.

School is never a burden, and if it ever feels like it, I can simply take my "problems" to the One who is my strenghth. The One I find refuge in. Jesus.

Our Beach Trip August 2009

The Anderson's Visit

Knott's Berry Farm

Natalia's Birthday Party

Family Picnic August 2009

Have You Forgotten

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_-x9kMPauc

Yvette & Gabriel's House

Just to slow the moment down

This morning was beautiful. After staying up late last night reading a book, I was awaken by our little puppy. Thankfully my wonderful son was out of bed faster than I to take him out. It was only 7:45 at that point and I sent Caleb back to bed while stayed up with the dogs. It's been a long time since I intentionally got up that early, but as school will start next week it didn't hurt me a bit. I've taken to walking a mile each morning with Bo, our 10 year old lab. He is the best dog in the world, obedient, protective and loving. Why I waited so long is beyond me. After years of training, the word "heal" simply means I'll walk right next to mama until she says "ok" then I'll run ahead and sniff and hunt for voles until she calls me again. Isn't that how God is with us? How often he simply lets us "heal" with Him right there beside us. We can simply wait on Him until He tells us we're "OK" and we can run off to keep doing what we were made to do. God is so gracious to us.

I needed to go grocery shopping this morning, and I had a wonderful companion to go with me, My beautiful daughter. Most of the time she would rather stay home than be forced to grocery shop with me but today was her idea to go. It was absolute enjoyment to have her help me pick out the produce, check off my grocery list and bag the groceries. Yes, it may be a simple thing to many but the time I have with her is short, therefore, I want to enjoy days like today. Next week she will start the 8th grade. Before long it will be high school and then college. I can't stop time but I can relish every moment I have.

As I enjoyed my morning with my daughter, my husband was home enjoying time with his son. Having Carlos at home now has taken a new meaning to family time. All day is family time. Morning coffee, walking while he runs, rebuilding the chicken coup, riding the dirtbikes, running the kids around. They have all turned in to family time. If only it would last forever.

I know, I know, I sound so sentimental tonight. Maybe I am. I've enjoyed another day that God has allowed me to spend with three wonderful people. I never want to take for granted the blessings He has sent my way. Tomorrow will be a different day. The kids may want to be with friends, Carlos could be sent away. Even my dogs could pass on. But I have today, and I only wish I could slow it down, if only for a little while.

Thursday Riverside Pictures

Visting La Familia in Riverside

OK I know if you follow my blog you know that I haven't even finished putting on our pictures from our last trip but hey it's the upload that takes so long:). We are here in Riverside and loving it. Rather than stay at a hotel this time we are staying at Carlos' Aunt Gloria's. Much better 'cause the food is incredible. Between Ashley, Lulu and Aunt Gloria I think we are all gonna need a diet when we get home. I'm gonna start posting pictures now so I can keep it up while we are here.

Whit's End

Trip To Colorado Springs Saturday & Sunday

The Beginning

10 States in 14 Days

We have finally returned from an incredible family vacation. I can't even explain in words how much fun we had, but I'll try.

First off, we only really had a 7 day notice we were going. Carlos & I had taken the kids to Rancho Seco to fish while the house dried after the pest control guy had been here. Bo leisurely lounged by our feet while we watched the kids cast over and over again. We decided right then and there that we would load up and head to PEAK, the WPF Youth Convention the following Thursday and see the country in which we so greatfully enjoy our freedom in.

We left on Thursday July 16th late in the afternoon after making several stops and even purchasing my birthday present, a Nikon D60 SLR camera. It was great to have the opportunity to take beautiful pictures all along the scenic highways. We arrived LATE into a small town north of Salt Lake City, Utah around 3 am. We had research ahead of time (very minimally) and found that we could park in the Camping World parking lot overnight in the RV free. We were really happy to stay there however, by the time we woke up the next day the store was already open and customers were coming in. No one seemed to even notice us.

Friday we had the opportunity to drive through Wyoming and the Northern Continental Divide. What a beautiful country we live in. The sky was clear and the gas prices were going down :D. We crossed into Colorado north of Denver and headed south on I-25 where we took Exit 138 in Colorado Springs. We were at our first stop, my beautiful niece Kelci, her husband Jon and the best nephews in the whole world, Kiernan and Lincoln. Unfortunately Kiernan had tried to stay up and wait for us but he had fallen asleep about 20 minutes earlier, but our sweet little nephew had waken up to spend some time with us. Bo had the opportunity to meet Cooper their large puppy. We stayed in their guest parking that night.

Saturday we headed back north with all the gang to Eilich Gardens Six Flag's Amusement Park in Denver where I had an opportunity to take lots of pictures of my family. It wasn't too hot out either. We checked in to our RV park, the most beautiful place on earth, that night. We stayed at the Air Force Academy FamCamp in the heart of the Rockies. And it was GORGEOUS.

Sunday Jon had to leave for training so Kelci was able to pick us up for Brunch. Not only was it a Sunday but it was my 39th birthday. My sweet Kiernan kept singing Happy Birthday to me at Cracker Barrel (which I absolutely loved). We had incredible thunder and lightning going on over Pike's Peak that I can't even describe. I finally got to go to Ft. Carson that day. If you don't already know, that is our first choice to be stationed at in the Army. And it definitely is a little piece of heaven up there.

Monday we had to unhook the RV because my niece had her daycare child with her but that was alright because we met her and the kids at Whit's End (yes as in Adventures in Odyssey). Kiernan is right at the age to really enjoy all the excitement of the place and he had so much fun. We got to take him back to the camp with us while the others went home to nap. Kelci rejoined us that afternoon and we had a barbeque outside. It was a lot of fun. The unfortunately part was Bo was getting sick from the altitude. At 7000 feet, we as humans get altitude illness but I forgot about the dog. We were sad to see them leave the campground that night but we knew it was only going to be a short visit. But we had great memories to take with us (and lots of pictures too).

Tuesday we were off through Colorado and into Kansas. As we drove East on I-70 I couldn't help but think that it looked very similar to the central California valley in spring. It was very pretty. And prices on gas were getting cheaper. We ended up stopping at a truck stop that night just north of the Oklahoma border. It wasn't a great sleep but it was free and in our own beds.

Wednesday I was up early and decided to be a kind soul and drive for Carlos. Needless to say up until that point all of the interstates had been incredibly smooth. Even some of the worst were better than some of California's best highways. However, all changed when we drove over the border into Oklahoma. I think my dirt road to my house is better than the highways in Oklahoma, yet they had no problem collecting my money at each of the tolls. I even lost a hubcap on one of the roads it was that bad. We did finally arrive in Tulsa in the afternoon and had to do two things before we could settle in to our hotel. First we had to take Bo to the Kennel where he would be boarded for the 4 days we were there and second we had to pick up our rental car so we could park the RV and take something a little smaller (and much cheaper on gas) around town. Wednesday evening started PEAK and what can I say, unless you were there. It was awesome. We were reunited with our new friends we met at the Apostolic Summit in April, the Anderson family from Michigan. We had already met their children but was glad our kids had a chance to also.

I spent most of Thursday morning sewing for Faith. I had only sewn 2 outfits before we had left and I had brought my sewing machine and fabric to Tulsa for that one purpose. I did manage to make Thursday nights outfit on Thursday so that I could go to church that night. The kids had gone with Carlos who was working the AST/Hope University booth with Dr. Baumeister. Hopefully they strummed up more business for school. Thursday night the kids had the opportunity to go out afterwards to Americas Incredible Pizza while we got to fellowship with the Baumeisters and Sis. Waage along with Baby Beaudrick. Of course we finally arrived back in our room around 1 am and I continued to sew while we "forced" the kids to go to bed. I noticed that my sweet but exhausted husband had fallen asleep to. Just as well, I was hard at work trying to finish my daughters outfit for Friday morning. Nothing like waiting to the last minute (as Carlos kept reminding me :D) I am not one who works best under pressure so it was a bit of a stress.
Needless to say at 5 am I crawled in to bed, only to wake at 9 to help Faith get ready and to fall back asleep until after noon. Once morning service was over, Carlos & the kids picked me up for lunch at Braum's with the Baumeisters, Waages and the Andersons. Because I was a good mommy, they even let me go to church service that night where again I was blessed. The kids had a lock in at the center and we again had a chance to fellowship with friends, also joining us was the Noland's who had finally shown up after preaching in Louisiana. What a great time of fellowship we had. We were sad to tell the Anderson's goodbye but we are really excited that they will be out to California in September. We are looking forward to it.

Saturday we were off. First to pick up my big baby Bo and then to drop the rental car off. Bo was so excited to see us and we had missed him as well. My dear teenager was sound asleep until 4 pm as any teen should have been after PEAK. We stopped in Oklahoma City for gas and it was BLAZING HOT! 103 outside but pleasant inside. The countryside of Oklahoma is a lot like the countryside of Texas. Very "plain". We made it all the way to Albuquerque, New Mexico to another Camping World that I had already mapped out. Of course by then it was 1 am. We locked up and were out in nothing flat.

Sunday I felt the need to drive once again and drove on through New Mexico where I was amazed at the sites. The flat hills are incredibly beautiful and I was awed by how God simply paints the earth. I stopped at a rest area that was really cool with coverings over the picnic benches that looked like cut outs of the cave dwellings that NM is so famous for.
I even attempted to take pictures while I drove down the road but they were not exactly great since I couldn't quite focus. I pulled over and took a picture of the southern Continental Divide. Did you know if the rain that fall on the Rockies runs down the east side it will eventually end up in the Atlantic Ocean and if it fall down the west side it will eventually end up in the Pacific. At least that's what the sign said :D. After pulling off in Gallup, NM for a wonderful breakfast at Cracker Barrel again we were off to cross in to Arizona. However, 4 miles in we were plagued with a blowout on our tire. It was scary at first but I managed to get the RV off the road to a nice Navajo Indian Craft Store. Thank God for AAA. It did take almost 2 hours to get a mechanic there but once there it was a quick change. We put the flat in the cabin and were heading out when all of a sudden we spotted the Horton's and Richardson's who had pulled in to go shopping. Imagine that. With quick hello's and goodbye's we were on our way. We had reservations at a KOA south of the Grand Canyon and we wanted to make sure we go there at a decent time. We did pull in right around 6 pm and we had ample time to start a campfire and roast smore's for the night before heading in for some nice sleep. Humorous as it was, I had removed all our camping clothes before we left since I was expecting much warmer temperatures on the trip since we usually camp in spring and fall. However it did get chilly and we only had wood for a short small fire. Again, we are relatively happy to have an RV as it was nice inside.

On Monday morning we got up, unhooked and headed out....to find a spot we could stop and get wifi. We are so 21st century. Carlos still needed to post his grades for the last class he taught. After finally getting done, we headed 50 miles north to one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Grand Canyon. Since none of us had ever been there we were absolutely amazed. It is GORGEOUS. We took the bus up to Hermits Rest where we were able to stop along the route and view the most majestic scenes imaginable. Only God can could have created that much beauty. We were only there for 4 hours but it was the most beautiful peaceful time ever. Even the kids found the beauty unreal. Caleb said he thought it was gonna be another dumb sightseeing trip and he was actually very impressed. We were even greeted by Mule Elk that decided it was their land and they were not going to move out of the way.
It was a beautiful time in a beautiful setting. Our next destination was the lights and sounds of LAS VEGAS.

We headed out and headed North to the dry desert HEAT. We had reservations at the Circus Circus KOA campground. As we drove the strip at 1 am the town was still full of life. The campground was...asphalt. We did have full hookups however when it's 114 outside it's hot in the RV. The poor air conditioner worked as hard as it could and kept it down to 98 inside. We had brought along a small fan so we kept that running to keep the air circulating. As we ate at a buffet and played at the Adventuredome where there is an inside roller coaster and water ride poor Bo was in the RV trying to keep cool. However, he enjoyed it better than the hot asphalt on his pads so he preferred to stay inside. He did get to meet other dogs at the pet camp. In the night we did get down to about 90 outside which meant it did get down to 80 inside the RV. We'd take it as it was still HOT outside.

We stayed in Las Vegas until Wednesday AM. The kids had a blast playing the games and just relaxing. But we had to get going. First stop was Big O tires to get that stupid tire replaced. Then we had the opportunity to go to Nellis AFB and see the F-16's flying over head. I still am totally fascinated with fighter aircraft and just hearing them roar overhead is exciting. Then it was a fill up and we headed WEST towards California in the heat of the day. I'm not sure if it ever cooled off that night. Our first place of eating in California was the same place we eat every time we come home, In'n'Out Burger in Fresno. Shortly after that, Carlos found a truck stop to pull into.

At 6 am Thursday morning I felt the RV pull away from the curb and head home. While I attempted to stay asleep the drive home, it was bumpy. Nevertheless, by 8:30 am we had pulled in to our parking place in Wilton. We were home. Our wonderful vacation had come to an end. I have over 700 pictures that I have taken but I promise I will only put a handful on here. In 14 days we have had time to relax, enjoy one another and get to know each of us better. Carlos has learned more about his kids in 2 weeks than he knew before. Not because he wasn't interested but simply because his time with us was limited. And we have had an incredible time reconnecting with Carlos. He's still our hero and we are so thankful that he is the kind of hardworking, dedicated man he is. We are all thankful that God has made a way for us to spend time as a family, forgetting the cares of the world and simply going back to a time when it was slower, at least for a short while.

Happy Birthday Mr. Bo Bo

Today is Mr. Bo Bo's 10th birthday. He was born in Oroville way back in 1999. His parents were Rolex Miller-Degmetich, an AKC black lab and Casey Musgrave, an AKC yellow lab. On paper his name is Bodrick Tillmannshofer, but we'd never dare call him that. I think it makes him mad. We just call him Bo. If you haven't guessed yet, it's my puppies birthday.

Bo is pretty special to us. We picked him up in August, 1999 at 7 weeks old (rather Carlos, Faith & Caleb did as I was at my CPR class). Shortly after we got him, we realized his left front leg "shook" when he stood still. We took him to see the vet at Bradshaw Veterinary Clinic and after a bit of money (it was still cheaper back then) and several x-rays it was determined that he had a separated growth plate, possibly from being stepped on from his mom at birth. The option was see if it bothers him or have surgery with a 50/50 chance of healing. We chose to wait, determined that $1500 for surgery we could buy many more AKC registered puppies!

Since Carlos was still heart-broken of having to put down his first dog a year earlier, he and Bo were not immediately bonded. It wasn't until at age 7 months, Carlos found Bo convulsing under a plant in our backyard and he rushed him to Bradshaw Vets did their bond form. Bo had gotten into the snail bait and ate most of the box. Just like a real emergency room, they were waiting for him when he arrived. They pumped his stomach and sedated him and for the next week fed him IV fluids and flushed his system. Carlos visited him every evening after work and when he returned home to us (not until we paid a whopping $600) Carlos and Bo became close friends (more like master and dog). Bo had to be babied quite a lot at first and Carlos took extra care of him.

When Bo was 1 1/2 yrs. we decided to get a female yellow AKC lab and breed him. Bo is a unique lab as he is considered 1. a field lab since his legs are longer and 2. a Dudley, because his nose and eye pigmentation is pink rather than the typical brown. We breed him with another yellow lab and guess what, we had 10 yellow puppies, all papered. They were born on Valentines Day, Feb. 14, 2001. They were ready to be picked up just in time for Easter that year. The next litter was born at our newer home, Jan. 6, 2002. We decided to keep one of the females that looked like Bo. Unfortunately she got her mothers yappiness and wasn't quite what we expected. We would eventually give her to a family that lived on acreage but 2 years ago she died of cancer. The female we had ran away shortly after the second litter was born. This left us again with just Bo.

That would have been ok, but we decided to try getting a couple of indoor cats. Poor Bo, he was doomed to be an outside dog with indoor cats staring at him from the sliding glass door. But we finally got wise and got rid of the cats and Bo finally made his way into the house, sleeping at first in his locked kennel at night and then eventually passed out on his dog bed next to us in our room.

Bo is an avid swimmer. There were many hot summer days that I would look out the back door and see him in the pool cooling off. If only he could learn to skim the pool to remove his hair.


Bo is our protector. Over the course of his life, Carlos has been a way a lot. Mostly for military and some for extended periods of time. Each time, I felt extremely safe knowing that my dog was laying on the ground next to me. With his long legs he can beat anyone to the fence (just ask Anthony). When we go camping he is always the first one to the door to get out unless Carlos is there, in which he relinquishes his protection to his Master. The only person he ever cowards down to is Carlos and just the tone of his voice can do that. However, he is extremely loyal to Carlos. He is Carlos' running partner (or will be again soon).

Now Bo has the most enjoyable life possible for a dog. No more track home yard. Even though he doesn't have the built in pool to jump in to, he just simply gets in his wading pool instead. His favorite past time is killing voles (they look like mice but they have little buck teeth). Just this past Saturday he killed 6 before the party even started. Even injured he killed 2 on Monday.

Getting to his injury....Bo is very injured right now. Even typing this tears me up. Mr. Bo Bo has a crucial ligament tear in his right knee (stifle). We saw his favorite vet, Dr. Gray on Tuesday. He was having GI problems to but they associate that with the pain. The knee was extremely swollen and xrays (I think they have raised their prices a lot in 10 years) showed no breaks but fluid and separation in the rt knee. Unfortunately the left knee shows degenerate joint disease too. Currently he is on 2 weeks of bedrest and immobility. I have in either on 1 of 2 beds in the house with the puppy gates around him at all time. When he gets up he won't put his right foot down. Just going out to go to the bathroom is a deal. The GI problems have subsided but that may be because he is on tramadol pain killers. After 2 weeks, he will have 2 more weeks of light activity. Walks on a leash, etc. No Vole chasing until after 4 weeks. And then if he injures it again ( the doctor said something more like "when") it will have to be decided if we are willing to spend the roughly $1200 for knee surgery for a dog who already has 1 bad front leg. I can't stand to see him hobbling around on 3 legs as is right now. Tonight was the first night Carlos ran without him since we have moved in here. Bo was laying on his bed watching his master put on his running shoes. Bo's tail was wagging and it was sad to see that he was trying to stand up to go. The real hard part was Carlos having to tell him he couldn't go with him. We are praying God heals our dog so he can go on enjoying his days running around in the country. When we found out he had the bad leg at 7 weeks we always said we would never let him suffer. We just never dreamed it would be a different leg he suffered on. So sooner than later we'll have to make a decision.

Bo is a great companion and if I believed in cloning I'd rush now to see if I could clone him. We are just praying he'll heal completely so that we can take him with us when we leave. For now we will just have to enjoy each day he looks at us with those puppy dog eyes and wags his tail as if to say "I'm here for you". And then when he's gone, we'll have fond memories to take with us.


Until then, Happy Birthday Mr. Bo Bo.

Boxer, the U.S. Senator, Chides Brigadier General for Calling Her 'Ma'am' - Political News - FOXNews.com

Boxer, the U.S. Senator, Chides Brigadier General for Calling Her 'Ma'am' - Political News - FOXNews.com

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Time just doesn't stand still

I was writing a check today (those are the things we used to pay bills with, but now we just click a button on the computer :D) when I realized it is already the middle of June. What happened to the middle of May? They say time flies when you're having fun and my life is definitely fun. But still, where did it go? When people asked when we are leaving, I used to say probably the end of summer, but now I say probably fall. I guess I don't really know when we are leaving. But I look back and realize we thought it would be more like June at one point and I'm not sure if I would have been ready then. Oh well, God knows any way. And when the time does come, I'll be as ready as God has prepared me to be and He'll go with me so it wouldn't matter whether I'm ready or not. His timing is not my timing anyway.

Graduation and ordination parties in hand, I have a very busy week ahead. The invitations are out the decorations are purchased and the menu is planned. I have helpers set up and a house to clean. I love a great party and again, this is one more way God is preparing me for the duties I will take on once we leave here. I look forward to hosting parties for those in the military and although my hospitality side hasn't always been clear, the excitement of doing just that is there. My dear side kick, Faith, is my alter ego. She loves to plan, decorate and host any kind of social event. Together, we make a great team. Until then, I'll have to keep listening to her tell me how to get her dad's party together. And yes, I'll take lots of pictures this week.

Still, time is flying by. Next it will be July and on and on and on. We can't stop time from going by but we can take everything in stride. When I think that I can't go any faster, I just hang on to God's hand tighter. I know He's taking me somewhere and as long as I trust in Him, I know it will be ok. He's got my best interest at heart.

Pentagon Quietly Sending 1,000 Special Operators to Afghanistan in Strategy Revamp - Political News - FOXNews.com

Sometimes I think we as American's know WAY too much. "But it's our right as citizens". Yes and it's our very safety that these special operators are trying to protect. Hello, how can it possibly be a secret if everyone already knows. Kind of like leaving your Christmas presents unwrapped under the tree but you are not really supposed to know that they are there or even look at them as you sit in your living room and stare at the tree. DUH!

Pentagon Quietly Sending 1,000 Special Operators to Afghanistan in Strategy Revamp - Political News - FOXNews.com

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Are you listening?

Listening to a screech owl fly above our property reminds me of how God talks to us. As I sit and stare into the black night, I wonder what God is thinking right now. On the northern side of the sky flashes of lightening reign. Thunder is not heard but ultimately it is there. Background noise of the kids in the bedroom and the sound of the water running reminds me that all around us are sounds to be heard, but are you listening? The birds are not chirping tonight mostly because of the impending storm, but they are there too. No crickets are chirping tonight, hiding out for a different night.

God speaks to us in every different aspect of our lives. From a gentle wind to the screaming of children, God's voice can be heard. But are you listening?

Are you waiting for answers but aren't sure if you've heard from God? Why do we assume that only the loud booming voice of God is the only way of an answer.

God still speaks. In the wee hours of the morning as the wind blows through the trees, He still speaks. What do you hear right now? Have you taken the time to stop and listen today? Not to your own whining and complaining and gripping, but to the very things God has placed in your path to hear. Is the music too loud at your pity party that you can't hear His soft, sweet love songs?

Stop, listen and know that He is still God.

Our first track day - Memorial Day '09

Caleb's Birthday

Mt. Vernon

Happy Birthday Caleb!

Happy Birthday to my wonderful son, Caleb. 11 years old already. Where did time go? Unfortunately since my laptop is not connected to the web right now we will have to forgo the picture of you. Of course I could put the one on here of you wearing the Chevy's hat tonight at dinner (only a parent would want to embarrass you that much).

For Caleb's birthday we did the one thing he despises most, go to museums. We spent the day at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum and American History Museum along with Ford's Theater. But he was a trooper and only complained most of the time LOL. But I will agree with him, it is not all it is cracked up to be. Obviously the internet has a way of making things look fantastically exciting. And the wait in line to "walk-through" the remodeled Ford's Theater (the box Lincoln died in is mostly the same minus the blood). I think our favorite time of the day is riding the metro. That has to be the most fun way to get around a city. Sacramento would have been smart to build one like DC or even SF years ago. It's just so fun to get around on.

All in all, it's been a great day. It's still hard to believe you've turned 11. Keep growing more Godly every day and you will become a great man. We love you! Mom, Dad & Sis.

Our second family vacation to DC

I posted pictures yesterday of our trip so far but need to recap where we've been and what we've been doing.

We arrived last week at Baltimore International Airport after a wonderfully long red-eye which allowed us to change planes in Houston. I'm an flying enthusiast and any chance to go on a plane makes me happy. The kids and Carlos took the bulk head and I took a window seat on the other side of the plane. Our change in Houston gave us a chance to wake up after sleeping the whole ride in. After Starbucks and a muffin, we were back on the plane for the 3 hour Houston-BWI flight. This time we all had a bulk head seat and were able to get a finishing nap before arriving at 11:27 am EST. My sweet son graced us by getting airplane sick in the bathroom. This is not new as he tends to get sick on any moving vehicle (except the RV). No fear though, he got sick in the car on the way to Ft. Belvoir too. Unfortunately, he got sick the next day and the next too. Motion is not his best friend. But as always he overcomes it after we have been on vacation a few days.

We spent the night in Richmond and traveled west the next day. Our first stop was Appomattox Courthouse, the site in which General Lee, CSA surrendered to General Grant, USA. It was a beautiful day and although the kids and I had been there last year when we came to Virginia with Carlos, they were happy to show dad around. I'm very humored when we venture to historical places because if you ask Carlos if he enjoys history he always says no, however, he is usually the one we are waiting for because he is reading the plaques or asking a lot of questions. This time was no different as the traffic was light and we had an opportunity to linger in the McLean House where the signing of the surrender took place. Park Ranger Price, a true Southerner was helpful in answering all of our questions. We even put him on the spot when asking about the Confederate reasoning for the Civil War since he was raised in Alabama. But he was able to answer the difficult ones. He was joined by another Park Ranger who had an incredibly thick southern accent who jokingly told there was only one side to the war, the Confederate side. Joking aside though there Southern hospitality and kindness was great.

From Appomattox we ventured West again to the beautiful town of Lynchburg, Virginia, home of Liberty University. The university is the heart beat of the town. The late Rev. Jerry Falwell created in 1971 a college that today has over 11,300 resident students and over 30,000 online students. Here we would relax and attend the graduation for Carlos. Friday Carlos had graduation practice along with a Seminary reception. While there he was able to reconnect with a fellow classmate from one of his intensives, Josh. Saturday Carlos had to be at the stadium and 7:30 am and we ventured out with him (Faith and I anyway while we let Caleb continue to get well). The beautiful Virginia sky was filled with clouds and rain, however, Liberty passed out beautiful white ponchos for our enjoyment. But God must have been shining on us that day because before the procession of graduates started the sun had come out and the humidity had gone up. There was 3500 students who were there for the commencement exercises. Thank God they split up the diploma ceremonies. After the commencement we picked Caleb up so that we could get lunch at one of our favorite restaurants, Cracker Barrel. While most of Liberty was getting their diplomas we were enjoying chicken and dumplings. The diploma ceremony for Carlos started at 2:30 and it was much nicer to have eaten than to starve. Caleb was feeling better and was able to join us for the ceremony. Once that ended we were invited over to Carlos' classmates home for dinner and fellowship. We had a wonderful time with Josh and Cindy Solovskoy and their 4 boys, Nehemiah, Micah, Zachariah and Jeremiah, along with Josh's mother Cindy from California.

Sunday we took our self East towards the Atlantic Ocean. Our stop, Colonial Williamsburg. Before going we had asked lots of people what they thought we should do once there. Thanks to my ES Jacey and her mom Janet, we chose not to purchase the outrageous tickets to Colonial Williamsburg. We weren't really interested in going in to each of the buildings which is basically what the $44 ticket would buy so we chose to walk through the streets where we were still able to see the riding of Gen. George Washington to the Revolutionary City area and where the re-enactment of the rallying of the city took place. Once done we were free to get dinner and go back our hotel.

Monday was a different story. We went to Jamestown, the first English settlement in the New World and were glad we purchased tickets. The villages of the Powhatan Indians and the James Fort was a delight to see. The replicas of the Godspeed, Discovery and Susan Constant were incredible and were even able to go on each of the ships. For you Disney fans, they even had a part of the museum dedicated to setting the story straight that Pocahontas does not marry John Smith but rather she marries John Rolfe after her kidnapping and conversion to Christianity and sails back to England to live out her life there. From there we traveled 150 years ahead in time to Yorktown on the other side of the Peninsula next to the York River. There we visited the Encampment of the Continental Army as seen in 1783 when General George Washington lead the final attack on the British General Cornwallis. Here is where Cornwallis surrendered to Washington after facing defeat and the American Revolution was over. The theater there has a short film that is very depicting of the time period.

Today, Tuesday we traveled North towards DC. Our goal today was to visit Mount Vernon. We had heard from my sister-in-law Tara that it was incredible and after visiting we all agree. From the moment you are on the premise until the time you leave you feel like you are a part of the history. The mansion is not as ornate as Jefferson's Monticello however the beauty of Mount Vernon is in the care that it shows. The view of the Potomac River is incredible and it would have been amazing to grow up there as a child playing on the greens of an estate such as that. Even Carlos and the kids were impressed. In the museum George Washington's dentures are on display. They are not made of wood but rather of lead along with animal and human teeth. Very interesting. There are also original uniforms and swords and guns from George Washington. All in all the afternoon was incredibly spent and well worth the time there.

Tomorrow...we'll let you know.

East Coast Vacation So Far