Skype

Today Jeff installed Skype and we called our cousins Cassia, Ashlyn, Hunter, and Zach and Uncle Eric in Franklin, TN. Skype is a program that lets you talk for free over the internet. A little camera on the tops of our screens filmed us while we talked to each other. It was amazing to see them talking to us as if we were face to face! We're hooked.

All things vintage

Do you have little places in your home that when you look at them, they just make you smile? In our bedroom, there's a chandelier and old pink door that do just that for me. Our apartment was built about 100 years ago, and there are still some bits of character left. I love these crystal door knobs and the subway tile in our bathroom (even though it will never be "bright white" again...).
I also appreciate our crown moulding. I wonder who else lived here and noticed these details.

Joshua Tree

This past weekend we went to Joshua Tree National Park with several of our friends from Fuller. It was fun to explore the desert, climb around on the rocks, and enjoy good times with friends. I loved the fact that the boulders were accessible to anyone. Kids and adults could climb to their hearts' content.

Here Jeff takes the hill. We saw some beautiful desert flowers.The Motley Crew

Looking forward

On Monday, Clay and I were talking about our week and all the fun things we'd be doing. He exclaimed, "Mom, I have so much to look forward to!" I don't know why, but it just hit me in a spiritual sense... about the eternal life to come.

"And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." (Rev. 21:3-4)

The King is coming! We have so much to look forward to.

Style

This weekend I went to a church sale where I found a pair of $1 cowgirl boots for Emma. They are her new favorite shoes to wear. Today she paired them with a dress and her trucker hat. I guess they say, "Anything goes" with style nowadays...

Seeds

Recently, my friend Karin invited us to come plant a garden at their apartment complex. The kids enjoyed preparing the soil, planting the seeds (carrots, onion, squash, lettuce, and some herbs) which came in all sizes, and then watering. Now is the waiting time. We're hoping to see some sprouts soon. Thanks, Karin, for a great learning experience!
Clayton wore a doctor's glove on his one hand... I thought it was ironic that the hand used for digging had no glove on it! Emma liked the tiny seeds.
What is a garden

Large or small

'Tis just a garden,

After all.

-Reginald Arkell

Big Sur, CA

The Greatest Meeting of Land and Sea
Mom Rack was visiting us this weekend, and we all drove 4 hours north to the beautiful region of Big Sur. We drove past one of the biggest cities in the country, through the rolling green mountains covered in poppies, and onto the Pacific Coast Highway next to the vast ocean. We saw redwoods, creeks, waterfalls, beaches, rocky cliffs, deer, a coyote, seals, and sunsets. We kept saying, "Wow, it's so beautiful..." but all our words seemed insufficient to express the magnitude of it. Often we were just speechless. We came home with an empty tank of gas, filled camera cards, and filled in our souls at the measure of beauty we saw of God's creation. One of our favorite views was this waterfall (above) flowing into the ocean. We had a picnic lunch here.

Keep close to Nature's heart...and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean. --John Muir

Friends

Jeff and Krista, our good friends from Elkhart, came to visit us last weekend. We went out for dinner at Houston's, hiked through the woods, and enjoyed the beauty of a beach in Malibu. My favorite part was our late-night talks and laughing til our sides hurt!
Thanks for coming out, Jeff and Krista! We had such a wonderful time with you. We love you.