Ready for a couple of random pictures from the last week or so?
Let’s start back in Columbus – and our early morning departure.

Brrrrrr….
When your take-off is delayed due to de-icing the plane, you know it’s cold out there.
But our flights to Chicago and then to LA were mostly uneventful.

I think this would be considered a weather front.

Here are some shots of LA from the roof-top parking lot where we had left the truck-



I was able to take the time to photograph LA from the rooftop because our truck had a dead battery. Fortunately the garage had a portable battery charger/air compressor thingy-bob that got us started, except that jump starting the battery activated the security mode and it wouldn’t actually stay started. Oh, and the horn kept beeping. Since we only had a single key with us (and not the little official beeper thing) it took a little bit to figure out just how to shut off all the noise and flashing. So while Gary was working on that puzzle (I could just tell it was better for me to just walk away and not offer any helpful suggestions. Trust me. I know.) I took the opportunity to document the view.

We did finally get on our way, only to be met by this wonderful sight -

It was a v.e.r.y. long drive to Cherry Valley.

But we did eventually arrive at our little nest, and the following day we were busy getting settled -

This is Gary putting our luggage away in our “attic”.

We’re getting settled in quite nicely. Our fellow workers have all arrived and we’ve been getting to know each other. It seems like it’s going to be a great group! And while our parking spot might not be as scenic as some we’ve had, we’ve been blessed with absolutely beautiful sunsets -
Friday night -

Saturday night -

and tonight (Sunday)

I think it will do just fine!

Ah, after a lovely post-Christmas holiday in Marysville, Ohio, where we were able to hug ALL of our children and grandchildren, we are back in our own little 300 square foot house. And I confess, it feels great! We did have a wonderful visit with our gang – for Gary it was the first time he’s seen some of them since last Christmas. And even if we had seen them several times throughout the year, when your grandchildren are 2, 5, and (almost)7, you know the changes will be great each and every time you are together. We were amazed at how verbal little Maddie was (age 2), what a great game player Hayley is (age 5), and how well Ellie is reading.
Here’s Maddie -

And Hayley -

and the biggest sister – Ellie -

Ok, I know I’m their grandmother, but really….cutest ever?
Just sayin’.

Since we were there for over a week, we were pleased to see that Toby had come up with a project for us (Well, Gary really. I’m pretty happy to play Sorry with the big girls or read another book to little Maddie) to work on while we were there. They tackled the basement – building shelves and then working to fill them up.
From this -

to this -

By the time we left, those shelves were pretty full, the “garage sale” stuff had been separated and the girls’ play area had been pretty well organized. By the way – those boxes that are on the shelves? That is all our “stuff.” Literally, that is all we have that we don’t have with us.
But our holiday wasn’t just about playing with the grand-girls and staying out of trouble in the basement. It was also about catching up with the Big Kids. To see how Lara is doing after her first year in Texas (just fine!), to see what great parents Toby and Tammy are becoming and to see how Josiah and Abigail are blossoming where the Lord has planted them in Lancaster. So here is our family picture – with a little visual on how interesting is to actually GET a family photo!

(The big beautiful puppy, Nali (age 7 months!), lives with Lara!)
What a wonderful family we have been blessed with!

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But, as I said earlier, we are Home. And Home this month is Cherry Valley Christian School in Beaumont, CA. We’ll be getting better acquainted with the area over the weekend ahead, but right now it’s been nice to enjoy the beautiful weather (it was sunny and in the high 60′s today), get ourselves unpacked, and generally just kick back and take naps.

Home. Sweet. Home.