New experiences....

I've recently experienced a totally new kind of stress. The kind of stress you experience while driving on the freeway with your son who is a novice freeway driver. I have to give him credit...he did a good job. I did a lot of praying.

Another new experience...having three teenagers. Why don't they ever want to go to bed? Gone are the days when we'd put them in bed by, say 8:00 and we'd have the whole rest of the evening to ourselves. Those days are gone...long gone. Thank goodness we have a large bedroom with a TV and a couch and a lock on the door.

I love my life!

Summer

Summer...a time when my entire household is home. Husband, kids, everyone. I don't have to make school lunches, don't have to run out the door in the morning, sleeping in, staying up late. Last night the power was out and we all played Uno by flashlight until after 11:00 p.m.

We just got back from our summer vacation. Lots of driving on winding roads. Visited family in Bakersfield, then stayed with family up in Kelseyville. We are always spoiled when we stay with our dear friends the Moser's. Lots of good food, old movies, sleeping in, wonderful conversation, and beautiful scenery.

On Friday we went white water rafting. We highly recommend Rock-N-Water on the American River. Support our Christian brothers and sisters! We had an awesome time...so much fun! Taught us a lot about working together as a team and as a family. Also saw special friends Dan & Jackie with their beautiful new daughter Charlotte! They were nice enough to feed us and let us spend the night after our day of rafting when we smelled like "river funk".

Before we left my wonderful husband coordinated the re-stucco of our house. Gone are the "eyebrows" (that's what the kids called them) that was above our front windows for a year and a half! We are very happy and blessed with the wonderful home God has provided.

Before

After

Happy Fourth of July!

Mema

This is the coolest picture of my grandmother taken in 1933. She died almost 21 years ago so my kids never knew her but she was the best Mema to me and I really miss her. Thankfully I'll see her again someday!

Very sad....

How sad that it's been over a year since I've touched this site! Who knows if anyone will even read it after I give an update!? My daughter Jillian said "Yay!" when I said I was finally going to work on it. I guess since I've started working I just haven't had that much extra time. I was inspired to resurrect my own blog after reading other faithful bloggers sites (Kim Givens!).

Jav & I are working hard at raising teenagers right now. Jesse is learning to drive, which is a completely new adventure! He's also run cross country, done track & field, played basketball, and soccer at his school. Jillian always seems to be doing homework (she's an exceptional student) but is also an exceptional runner and went to State CIF championships this past fall. This past Saturday she participated in a local 5k. Josh is a committed soccer player and was chosen for the all star team for the second year and also plays with his school. He ran the 5k with his sister yesterday and actually beat her...a future cross country runner. In a few years we'll have all three kids on the high school team! We love attending all of their sporting events!

Blessings upon blessings...a brief description of our life! I'll try to write more often and with regularity...hey, anything's better than what I've done in the past!