Back in Iowa

  The last weekend that we shared together was so fun, and beautiful.  We enjoyed several beaches and hours of talking about our future and our feelings on the up coming separation.  We had many laughs, many tears (from me...) and made some last beautiful memories as a family. 
  I was expecting our final good-bye to be painful and filled with tears and sobbing, but it was quiet and some what...normal. Of course I was still sad, and it was hard to hug him for the last time...again, and let him go as I watched him walk away, but it wasn't the first time I had to let go, and I might have become some what "used" to it.  Even now, a week and a half later, I don't think it has totally sunk in, yet.  I was seeing him every day for 6 weeks, and now, I'm alone again.
  The next morning, after the van was packed and we all (me, the kids, and G's cousin and wife) had gone to the bathroom, we slowly drove away....away from the apartment I lived in for 4 weeks, away from the familiar roads, away from G's squadron, away from the parks the kids and I spent hours at, away from the safe, gated Navy base, away from the beautiful beach where the sand and the waves and the smell were my familiar friends and companions, away from the city that became my own, away from the friends I made....and away from my Best Friend, my companion, my beautiful husband.  That was the point where every mile we drove, was 1 more mile in between us.  I worked so hard to get to California, to be together as a family, to be side by side with my Best Friend, and now, mile by mile, I was being slowly ripped away.

   The trip back to Iowa was slow, hot, and beautiful.  We were able to stop at the Grand Canyon the second day.  It was Breath Taking!!  It was soooo unimaginably huge, and beautiful!  What an honor it was to experience one of the most fascinating places on earth.  It was very humbling.  The God that perfectly created that Canyon, so grand and breath taking, also created me, so frail and weak and sinful.  "How Great Thou Art, How Great Thou Art!"  The only thing that was missing, was that G was not standing there with me, holding my hand, and smiling at God's majesty with me.  Hopefully some day we can go back there together. 
   That night, we made it to Alamosa, CO and stayed with some of G's family that lives there.  That really was fun to spend time with them, and have a larger break from driving.  A day and a half later, through many crackers, candy, potty breaks, movies, naps, and laughs, we finally arrived at home.  

Me & my Hunny on our last night.  We're at the beach...yeah, too dark to see that :)

One of the Beautiful beaches we spent time at.

I took casserole along again.  I had to warm it up at a gas station in the big cups, and I provided my own drink....while we ate in front of Arby's :)

4 corners!  It was neat to see...but super HOT!!

Beauty in Southern Colorado.

Beauty in Arizona.

Grand Canyon!!

Another casserole for our meal.  I'm standing in front of Taco Bell where we ate, but I had to walk to the Mobil Gas station to warm the food up.  A guy working in the gas station was friendly, but kept ending his sentences with, "Bummer, Dude!" :) This was in Needles, CA which is right at the border before Arizona.

Last weekend as a Family :(

 (Written July 6)

  This weekend was the last weekend that we were able to be together as a family.  Thankfully, it was a long weekend (G had Saturday through Tuesday off :) and we made a lot of great memories and went to some beautiful places.  On Saturday we drove SE along the coast to Malibu and Santa Monica.  The drive was breath taking!  The Santa Monica mountains were to our North, and the ocean was to our South.  What a beautiful display of God's handiwork!  I feel honored that I was able to experience it...along with my best friend. :) 
   The Santa Monica Pier was huge and beautiful, but soooo crowded!  It took about 20 minutes to just find a parking spot for the van.  Then, it took forever just to get us and the kids ready enough that we could go to the Pier.  I changed into my swimming suit in the back of the van while sitting in a car seat, we packed some necessities in a back pack, and all 3 kids went potty in the little potty that has been living in the van since we left Iowa.  (That potty has saved us in so many emergencies!  At the park, at the beach, in store parking lots, and every where in between.  It's amazing what becomes normal to you!)  We did get a chance to squeeze down to the water with the kids so they could "have toes in the big water." :)  We didn't stay on the beach long, because there were so many people, we could hardly move.   Walking down the Pier was interesting with 3 little kids.  We didn't have a stroller, or leashes (which would have been the most appropriate:)  so the kiddos had to walk or be carried.  Yup, it was challenging...especially with all the people milling about.  G and I were pretty tired by the time we got back to the van to head home again.  Thankfully, the kids slept part of the way home, and we enjoyed the small window of quietness. 
   Sunday was pretty sad for me.  We went to the little Baptist church one last time as a family.  I enjoyed worshiping there for the last 6 weeks, and was sad to have to say goodbye to the friends we made and the church that I grew to love.  That little church will always be a part of my heart, and I hope that some day the Lord will provide a way for us to come back to visit. 
  Later, for supper, we had 3 of G's friends over to share spaghetti with us.  They stayed until 2 am, and we spent those hours laughing, telling stories, learning more about each other, and making a crazy Burger King run at 1:00.  It was fun to have that time with people from other areas of the country; South Carolina, Montana, and Louisiana.  Who would've thought that we would've ever been out in Southern Cali close to LA, spending time with new friends in the military from all corners of the country?
   After a late and lazy morning on Monday, we headed to a beautiful beach about 20 minutes away from us.  It was a beautiful and sunny day, and we spent our time with our feet in the path of the waves.  There was a HUGE sand hill/mountain by the beach.  I wanted to take some pictures from the top, so with my camera on my back, up I climbed.  About half-way up, I sat down and turned around to see how far I had gone.  The hill was steep, and I suddenly had fear wash over me.  "Hope I don't lose my balance and roll all the way down..." I thought.  I turned back around to face the top, and with determination, I pushed through my fear and kept going.  Several minutes later, I was out of breath, thirsty, but satisfied that I accomplished my goal and faced my fears.  The view was stunning!  I could see G and the kids, and miles of ocean stretching out before them.  What a blessing it was to behold that beauty!
   When we were ready to leave, we were stuck in a long stretch of cars that weren't moving.  After several minutes of being stopped and speculating that an accident was the cause, we learned from a bicycler that there was a motorcycle accident that resulted in a man dying.  How sad.  :(  We were only a mile away from it, and it made me so sad.  Some one's life ended there, on that beautiful drive tucked between the mountains and the ocean.  I thought of this man I never knew and his family that I would never meet, and I was grieved by their loss.  I was once again reminded of the frailty of our lives here, and the ultimate control that the Lord has over all things.  He is the One who orchestrates all events, and His timing is perfect and predetermined...and no accident.  I looked over at G, held his hand a little tighter, and thanked the Lord for His protection over us and for being our Mighty God who is our constant Sustainer, Rock, and Shield, and our SALVATION when He calls us home to Himself. 

Lazy Cali Days...

(Written June 24)   

   This morning was a lazy morning. The kids and I didn't wake up until 9, and we spent the next 2 hours eating cereal and crackers, and watching cartoons together. There was a part of me that felt like a kid again, and it was nice to momentarily forget that I was the parent, the responcible one. It also made me smile to be sitting with my 3 kids, my beautiful blessings, and to be snuggled with my youngest in her favorite blankie.
    When 11 rolled around, I figured that I should get ready for the day, and bring the kids to the park for a while so they could run around and enjoy some fresh air. At the park, there were 2 girls playing, and their grand parents chatting and watching them from the nearest bench. C, walked right up to the elderly couple and said, "Hi!" and then proceeded to tell them her first and middle name, and the names of my other 2 kids. I was warmed by C's kindness, and her lack of fear for the strangers. I also smiled, because I am constantly amazed that she is never judgemental or discriminates based on a person's age, color, or size. I good lesson that I need to be reminded of for myself and my own reactions to people.
    After I started pushing the kids on the swings, the elderly lady started talking to me. I have really enjoyed talking to strangers on the base, because for 1) I like to try to be social and make some connections 2)every one has such interesting and different stories, and 3) every one on base is connected to the military in some way, and it's nice to have that in common. Turns out this elderly couple is visiting their daughter and her family. This old lady was very proud of her daughter and son-in-law, and for the next 1/2 hour I was priviledged to hear the abridged version of their lives and the adventures that they have had. What a beautiful story of love, adventure, and commitment to family. This family has lived in Florida, Alaska, California, and Sicily following where the Navy and Air Force have led them. The wife has always been a stay-at-home mom, and has also home school her 5 kids along the way. The husband was a hard worker, and recieved his college degree and masters while in the military. We also talked about the beauty and importance of a strong and committed marriage. (She has been married to her husband for 57 years!) So with in an hour, she went from being a stranger, to a fun laday to talk to who has a big story to tell, and wisdom to share. I went back to our apartment smiling and thanking the Lord for His timing, and the many different people and different backgrounds that I've encountered on this journey.

(Written June 29)

   I am looking at the remaining time that I have here.  One week and two days left.  That's all the time that we have left together as a family before we face another 8 week stretch of separation.  I am sad because I don't want to leave.  I love it here!  I love living on base and experiencing the military life.  I love the weather, the lack of humidity and bugs, and I love having the freedom to go to the ocean.  I love being here with G.  The kids love being with him and picking him up from "work" every day.  Life is almost normal here, and I'm not ready to pack up and leave this all behind.  

    As much as I want to stay until G is done with training, I know that that's not possible.  I've been able to be here for 6 weeks, and I am over joyed that the Lord provided this time for us to be together.  I have no choice but to say good-bye to the life here, pack up myself and the kids, and only have the pictures left to remind myself of this chapter in our lives...the crazy chapter where my 3 munchkins and I drove across half the country, spent more money than I'm willing to admit to, and lived in an Inn and an apartment for 6 weeks...to be with the man that I love. :)

   Until I actually drive away, I'm going to try to enjoy every remaining minute, every ray of Cali sunshine, every splash of ocean water,  every grain of beach sand in my clothes, every drive to and from G's squadron to pick him up, every temper tantrum (by the kids...not me:), and of course every smile, laugh, and kiss between me, G, and the kids. :)

   Today I washed the van and saw another perk of living on the base.  For $2.50, I got 10 minutes to wash the van. :)  I wasn't used to that long of time, so I ended up leaving with 1.5 minutes left of running water.  (I know, I know...my Dutch-ness was screaming at me to use every drop that I paid for, but the kids were already fighting in the van.)  Wahoo!  Got to celebrate the little things! :)

Hippie Van with toys glued all over it

On the pier at Santa Barbara

Me and my Best Girl Friend...and driving buddy! :)

   I took the kiddos with me to get another week's worth of groceries.  *Phew* What a challenge!  Thankfully, I was able to use a cart that was like a car, and I crammed all 3 kids in the child part of the cart.  There they were.  My 3 little ducks in a row. :)  I sure got a lot of looks...like I usually do when I'm with the kids by myself.  The 2 most common comments that I've received here concerning the kids is, "Are they twins?" (referring to R & J) And, "Are they ALL yours?!?"  I love that one!  It always makes me laugh!  Yes, they are all mine, even though they don't look like each other. :)