1/28/19 Ice Skating Joy

Dear Family,

                Sometimes the best thing that happened is nothing.  Ice skating with the youth group resulted in no one going home changed for the worse.  Safety first makes sense when it comes to the wellbeing of those we care for.  We did have fun, got to know each other better, practiced our ice skating technique (it had been over 10 years for me it seemed).  Bobby even bought food and carousel tickets for everyone.  How fun to have such colorful pictures.

                I believe talking with Adriel is good!  She is figuring out life.  She is listening, she is questioning and desires knowledge.  Oh that she would avoid my mistakes.  May she obey God more than I did.  May her desire be to serve Him.  Don’t we all want this for our kids?

                A favorite Adriel quote from her friends is, “That really tickles my toenails.”  She said, “That’s old,” and, “I don’t say that anymore,” but her friends were saying they loved it so, good memories.

                Adriel enjoys going out with friends and this Friday she had fun in Portland.  Yay, her.  I’m glad she can get out and be.

                Adriel drew an amazing picture this week.  She brings my words to life and gives them depth and feeling.  I am excited about the next book we are creating!

                Seth writes reviews on Steam about video games.  Wait – he writes!!  He never enjoyed writing before but finds this worth it.  How fun.  He is an expert in his field and needs to let others know his findings.

                Seth mowed the lawn this week.  I’m so glad he gets out there and helps us.  He is a great son.

                Having Seth drive me around town for an hour is good.  I love listening to him talk.  I’m glad to get errands done and he is much more confident driving in West Salem.  In a couple of weeks after he has driven 20 hours – it’s time to cross the bridge!

                I enjoy time with Bobby.  We had a fun date this week and we enjoyed watching Raising Hope.  Bobby is such a great friend to those who know him.  I love that he is a comfort to those in need.

                I enjoy home group.  Bobby leads well.  He has created a safe atmosphere for people to grow and learn more about God.  I love the different perspectives people bring for each other.

                Sunday night Bobby and I watched Ty Boice do a comic routine.  He used to be a youth in Gold Beach.  He is all grown up with kids!  How fun to reminisce about old times on the drive back.  How fun to see our youth grown up. 

                May you enjoy seeing those from your past.  May God bless you with good memories.  May your heart be full and your hands work hard.  Much love,

Cristy  

1/20/19 Cat in luxury

Dear Family,

                When the Dr. prescribes Hot and Sour Soup from Golden Crown I am suspicious.  Bobby did not expect me to believe him.  We all loved the soup.  Seth even sat down with an entire order and a spoon.  I told him I would give him a bowl – not the whole take out container.  He laughed when he noticed the bowl only held ¼ of the container.  Yes, that would have been too much.

                Antibiotics, hot and sour soup, and Nyquil are helping Bobby get better.  Seth is getting better without antibiotics.  He went to bed at 6:30 PM on Tuesday night.  Adriel did get better with rest.  Bobby asked the Dr.  It has been three years since he needed antibiotics.  That’s nice to know.  We always wonder if this is a yearly thing but, no – it’s been a while. 

                I take Cold-Eze, Zicam, and Cold-Calm at the first sign of any supposed sickness.  I remain well rested.  Naps are one of my favorite past times.  I am blessed not only to love sleep but I find it easy to do.  I usually do not get sick.  I am very thankful, sickness is not fun.

                Bobby continued to lead youth group and Sunday school even though he is a deeper sounding man.  He was told to go home this week and one person said, “I hope I don’t see you tomorrow.”  Yes, it was that bad.  Even so, Bobby also did his Monday night meeting and we were able to keep our board game date with the Fenns.  Love them J.  Bobby keeps plodding on.

                Teaching Seth to drive was insightful this week.  He taught me; why I would want to know the IP address of a computer, that the interface of a computer might not show its operating system and about operating systems in general.  I enjoyed learning more about computers.  It is his specialty and he liked talking about them. 

                Seth also said, “We live a pretty luxurious lifestyle.”  I do not need to get a better paying job.  If God wants me to stay with the one I have it is OK. 

                Watching, “Raising Hope” makes me laugh.  We waited till now because we knew Seth probably would not have handled some words.  At this age, in his development, the halls of high school are worse.  Now Seth knows the word lucid.  I love to laugh.  Comedy is the best.

                May you enjoy the gifts of life as well.  May you find peace in all you have chosen to do.  May you follow God and find in Him joy, meaning, and purpose.  Much Love,

Cristy

               

                

1/14/19 I can't feel my face

Dear Family,

                Sickness.  4 AM.  Adriel entered my world when she could not sleep.  I am up at that time, getting ready for work.   She is a sweet girl, my Adriel.  She was better, then not OK, then sick again this week.  Please pray she has wisdom enough to go to the Dr. if she needs to.  Amidst all this Adriel did make a beautiful drawing for our book and has managed to keep up on homework.

                Seth goes to the Bible study Bobby leads.  I love that.  Seth does not like it that his dad gives him homework but he does it, and life is good. 

During Wednesday night prayer group a person asked for prayer about finals.  Wait.  My kids have finals.  I wonder how they feel about this.  I asked Seth if he was worried.  He said he is not concerned at all.  “I have only studied for one class in my life and I have done fine so far,”  I asked Adriel about her feelings concerning finals.  She said, “Finals are easy.”  So the only person concerned about their finals is . . . me.

Seth’s Saturday driving is a great time to get West Salem errands done.  We have great conversation and he is learning about drive-through windows, the car wash, lines and not blocking traffic.  We both enjoyed imagining (NEVER will we do this) bringing the cat with us through the car wash.  I reminded him that he and Adriel cried their first time I brought them.  I love the beauty of being inside a vehicle while it is being cleaned.  We joked about the best time to open a window.

When Bobby and I asked Seth where Adriel was one night he said, “Maybe with Rian.”  He offered up more detail, “She took her computer and gave it to Adin!”  So, from Seth, we know more about Adriel’s computer than about Adriel.

During Youth Group Bobby was talking about messing up.  He mentioned Adam and Eve, when God said, “How did you know you were naked?”  The kids perked up then.  “What?” 

Home group was wonderful.  I enjoy the singing, people, and a lesson.  It’s a safe place.  I am glad we can be vulnerable with each other.

Bobby made Chicken Pot pie from scratch this week.  It was so yummy!  It is gone, that fast. 

Bobby gleefully told me he watched the cat walk on my face while I was sleeping.  I slept right through it.  Cats bring joy to everyone. 

May you also bring joy to those you know in your own way.  May you be filled with God’s love, overflowing, and may you be able to give out of your abundance.  Much love,

Cristy

1/7/19 Happy New Year

Dear Family,

            Happy 2019!  How fun that the years keep coming.  No rapture yet.  I am not done with this life.  I know God still has a lot for me to do.

            Last week I enjoyed having the youth group over New Year's Eve.  Bobby had an open house and movies going from 11:30 – 12:15.  I saw Adriel and Seth enjoying the company which warms my heart.  It’s fun seeing them laugh and talk with people.  I am glad the kids and I did not have to stay the whole time.  The relaxed, open house atmosphere was perfect.  I can go to bed when I want.  We even had a wonderful surprise visit from Adam and Alicia.  Yay for friends from College!

            Adriel was excited to work the Holiday, holiday pay!  She also drew her picture for our next book early.  I am so blessed that God gave Adriel the ability to make wonderful drawings that tell my stories with humor and class. 

            Because I help out at youth group, going to extra events is something I enjoy doing.  We met at Buffalo Wild Wings and it was fun seeing youth and helpers out of our normal context.  Even college-age people come and I love socializing with them.

            Bobby complimented me on how hard I work.  That was nice of him.  Bobby also is just an all around great guy.  I am glad he is mine.

            Seth helped me unload the car the other day.  He likes seeing what new food is coming in.  It is also wonderful how both kids help with dishes and cleaning bathrooms.  Poor Seth, we do make him exercise on non-school days.  I insist he gets his heart rate up at least a half an hour a day.  He doesn’t like being outside that long so he runs his summer walk.  Rich heckled him – “What are you doing outside?” 

            I am so glad Bobby had Seth drive into West Salem last week.  Seth gave no push back when I had him do it this week.  It’s so good to see true growth in our boy.  I also enjoy that we have an hour to talk and bond. 

            Reading, “The Night the Bear Ate Goombaw” by Patrick F. McManus reminds me of my childhood.  I remembered the first time Dad brought us out on our new Water Ski Boat.  He put the boat in, put the family in and had us tied up to the dock.  By the time he parked the trailer mom was yelling, “We’re sinking! We’re sinking.”  A crowd gathered.  Someone asked, “Did you put the plug in?”  This is how we learned that boats have a plug to let them drain every time they are taken out of the water.  There may be something to reading manuals.  Or – life can be a bit more exciting when you don’t read the manual.

            I also remember this beautiful bubble of water that went over our boat one time.  I think I was 7 and Anita was 5.  We were heading home after watching Jet Boat races in the Seattle area.  Dad was driving fast and cut through a large wake.  That bubble of water was so amazing, it was art.  Then it popped and we were wet.  It was OK until we ran out of gas.  Then we were surrounded by a mass of boats and the adults decided to paddle for shore.  I remember a man at the shore (a park I believe) shouting for us to go away, boats could not beach at that park.  Mom used the panicked, “We’re sinking” again and it worked.  The boat was beached, we ended up at a restaurant drying off while dad went to get gas.  I remember it felt special being at a restaurant.  McDonald's was very special to me.  The highlight of life was to have McDonald Birthday parties. 

            Funny thing though, I never felt fear.  I always had a feeling that dad would take care of everything.  Mom may have been scared to death but I don’t remember ever having any anxiety over things.  Well, there is the time our 5^th-grade teacher showed us “Watcher in the Woods” I had nightmares for months but that’s a different story.

            It’s so wonderful to look forward and be excited about what God has for us.  May your future be brighter than any past.  May you give your all to God and doing His will.  May you be glad and rejoice in the beauty that surrounds us.  Much love,

Cristy