Life is Hectic

Life has been a little hectic around our place lately.  My sweetie and I spent some time in prayer and with God's leadership we decided it was time for us to move to the Pacific Northwest to be closer to our daughter Marianne and family.  So for the past couple of weeks we have been packing and getting things ready to move.  Once we are there and settled in I am going to wait on God and His leadership to decide what to write about.  So stay tuned and we'll fill you in on the next adventure God has in store for us.

Happy Anniversary Stephen & Marianne

Happy Anniversary to you,

Happy Anniversary to you.

Happy Anniversary Stephen & Marianne

Happy Anniversary to you.

 

Twenty-three years ago you two said "I Do" and your love for each other has grown daily.  We love you two and wish you a day filled with love, joy, peace, laughter and sunshine as you celebrate your lives together.

 

Love,

Mom & Dad

Summer Vacation Part 1

 

In the early morning hours on July 27 my sweetie and I headed north to spend some time with the kids.  It was absolutely a beautiful drive up through the valley and into Northern California.  We had originally planned to stop and spend the afternoon and evening with Patty and drive on up to the kids place on the 28th but Patty had a couple of surprise visitors, her grandsons from Virginia.  Patty called to let me know that she and family were going to spend the weekend in the bay area which was perfectly fine with me as I know exactly how she was feeling, "You can never spend too much time with the grand kids."  I told her to go for it and we would catch her on the way back home.

Here are a couple of pictures of Mt Shasta area and the foothills around Yreka.

Whenever we are traveling through Yreka we always try to stop at Grandma's House for lunch or dinner.  We were heading there for dinner on our way home this past April but they were closed by the time we got there and we definitely wanted to stop this time.

Lunch was absolutely yummy and I spent some time in their wonderful gift shop.  The only thing I bought this time was a old time gospel CD by Jim Reeves.  When I was paying for it the owner came up and gave me another CD with some of the songs from the 50s and 60s that my sweetie and I grew up listening to.  We really enjoyed both  CDs as we continued to make our way north to Vancouver,WA.  Two very tired people arrived at the kids place around 6:30 PM.

 

Sunday morning we were up early so we could all attend church as a family.  My sweetie and I love the kids church and we feel like we are a part of their church family. 

 

Monday I pitched in and helped Awbrey get her things packed for Journalism Camp and then for our trip to Hawaii.  She agreed with me that it wasn't easy packing for two separate trips as I had just done the same thing.

 

Tuesday morning arrived and we packed up the car to take Awbrey to Journalism Camp.  Camp was at Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, so we had about a 4 - 5 hour drive ahead of us.  Traffic was heavy going through Seattle but then it always is, at least every time I have been there. 

 

 

We arrived at the university and Awbrey met with the counselors and checked into Nash Hall, her home around from home, for the next 4 days.

 

 

 

 

Once she was all checked in it was time for some lunch so we headed up to Viking Hall.  Had a really yummy lunch while sitting there looking out on the bay.

 

Here are a couple of shots I took while we were walking around the campus.

 

 It is now time for my sweetie and I to head back to Vancouver.  It was really hard to leave our sweet granddaughter there for the next 4 days.  I don't know who was having  hardest time leaving, me or Papa.  We knew we would be back to pick her up on Friday but that just didn't make it any easier.

 

Gary and I spent Wednesday relaxing and getting last minute things done for our trip Saturday.  Come Thursday morning, suitcase is packed and ready to head back to Bellingham, WA.  Neither one of us wanted to do a turn around trip Friday.

 

It is now Friday morning.  We have breakfast at the hotel and hang out while we wait for Awbrey's call.  Around 10:30 AM we head to the university, pick up Awbrey and head south.  Traffic is absolutely awful, it has started to rain and there are several accidents.  Hoping the rain and traffic will let up we stop for a bowl of hot soup, a cup of coffee and hit the road again.  It is still raining and the traffic is still awful and thinking it might be lighter I take the 405 around Seattle but it was not meant to be.  We finally reach Olympia and decide to stop, have dinner and fill the car up with gas.  Finally with tummy's full, a large Starbuck;s Hazelnut Latte, and a full tank of gas we head out again.  The rain has let up and for the first time since leaving Bellingham I can finally drive the speed limit.  The trip back to the kids place took us 10 hours, we averaged 27 miles per hour, the three of us are exhausted and we have to be at the airport Saturday morning at 5:00 AM.  Needless to say we decided to call it an early night and hit the hay.

 

 

 

Happy Anniversary Blake & Tami

 

Happy Anniversary to you,

Happy Anniversary to you.

Happy Anniversary Blake & Tami,

Happy Anniversary to you.

 

Thirteen years ago you two said "I Do" and your lives began as husband and wife.  May your day be filled with love, joy, peace, laughter and sunshine as you celebrate your love for each other,

 

Love you,

Uncle Gary & Aunt Shirley

Bless The Lord

 

Bless the Lord, O my soul, O Lord my God, You are very great.  You are clothed with honor and majesty, wrapped in light as with a garment.  Psalm 104:1-2

 

Dear Father as I go about my daily routine today may the light of your Son shine through me.  I thank you Father for the many blessings you have poured upon my sweetie and I.  I thank You for the way you have blessed Marianne, Stephen and Awbrey.  Father forgive me when I fall short and don't do the things I know I should.  I ask that you keep all our loved ones wrapped in your loving arms and protect them from harm.  I ask that you place someone in Kim and Ray's lives to tell them of Your Son's saving grace.  Father thank you for Your awesome unconditional love.  Amen

 

O Worship The King

by Robert Grant, 1833

 

O tell of His might, O sing of His grace,

Whose robe is the light, whose canopy space,

His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form,

And dark is His path on the wings of the storm.

 

Thy bountiful care, what tongue can recite?

It breathes in the air, it shines in the light;

It streams from the hills, it descends to the plain,

And sweetly distills in the dew and the rain.

 

 

God Will Take Care Of You

The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming from this time forth, and even forevermore.  Psalm 121:8

 

 

Today is the Lord's Day, spend time with Him and your family of families on this day of rest.

 

God Will Take Care Of You

by Civilla D. Martin, 1904

 

No matter what may be the test,

God will take care of you;

Lean, weary one, upon His breast,

God will take care of you.

 

All you may need He will provide.

God will take care of you;

Nothing you ask will be denied,

God will take care of you.

Search Me

 

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me the way everlasting.  Psalm 139:23-24

 

Dear Father I ask that you keep my thoughts pure as you guide and direct me on the path you want me to take.  Amen

 

Search Me, O God

by J. Edwin Orr, 1936

 

Search me, O God,

And know my heart today;

Try me, O Savior,

Know my thoughts, I pray.

See if there be

Some wicked way in me;

Cleanse me from every sin

And set me free.