2017 wilderness backpacking, hiking and exploring!

Our pictures here:
https://youtu.be/AvhdrKru0wY


Our adventure took us to Dog Lake, meadows, front yard few of Cathedral Lake with granite rock faces. We hiked to sunrise camp through meadows and creeks. Nothing compares to the quiet and the journey of "one step" at a time in the beautiful landscape that leaves city noise, business and work. Unplugging leaves room for the spirit to breathe.

18 years photos of Jerrol, Charis, Bryant

Finally received my photos from Legacy Box. My children will not have to work as hard to preserve photos. Enjoy! To my children, if you can find a  song to add then this project will be perfect.

My time in Prison

As a visitor of course. After 7 months of pen paling to an inmate, I realized that I could visit her. My motivation? A bad diagnosis of cancer with her fear, a family that gave up on her and a scripture that says go visit the sick and those in prison.  You can only prepare so much for the experience of driving up to the fenced in compound, being processed to go inside, stepping in the walkway with the gate closing and entering the visitor area. I was careful to follow the rules and not wear blue (like the prisoners) but sadly missed the other color not to wear- green like the guards. thankfully a small house that assists friends on the outside had a small closet for those of us that would be turned away unless we changed our clothes to match dress code.  So, wearing not my own clothes, not having any of my identity items except license and a small purse of quarters, I entered in a place that i knew would only I would be for a short while. I tried to imagine day in and day out of not having freedom. I sat in the room which seemed forever waiting for admittance. I watched as families waiting and then finally greeted the mom or sister or daughter on the other side of locked doors. Finally it was my turn to enter. My new friend had not had a single visit in 5 years. My new friend had to wait 2 hours in a medication line for her pain medications. When she went to treatment for chemo and radiation, she had 2 guards with her chains, escort her. Can you pray that God will give her courage as she battles her cancer? she is so sick with nausea and vomiting. Can you ask God to comfort her and let her know He is with her in a special way?...thanks.....

Kona

Kona 2017

So when a winter storm decided to change our plans.......

Here is our video with pics...tried with music but then you can't hear the talking and we had fun scripting our intros

https://youtu.be/iUXwoysQ0xE

The Dog story

 So all of a sudden this desire to have a dog just materialized as well as all the reasons to not have one.

A co-worker had to show me a picture of a puppy that had just been rescued.

Those puppy eyes grabbed my heart. The foster mom named her Shasta. All we knew is she was found Los Angeles and was probably hit by a car requiring surgery. She couldn't walk.

So, when Tim and I went to see this dog we learned that she had surgery to her pelvis and femoral head.

So for 3,000 dollars the rescue organization gave this critter a chance to walk. You can see how the stars are aligning convincing us this dog is for us. That is too many coincidences between the name, and the injury that are similar to Tim's.

So we said yes we would adopt her. The next part of the story becomes painful as we began a journey

of a series of no's we would not be allowed to adopt this dog. A bunch of miscommunications, the foster mom did not think this dog would fit our home with small grandchildren and a dream went poof. After some grief and disappointment, my coworker who was involved felt bad for me after telling me about this dog. She decided to go back to her friend and plead my case. So we had a second home visit and a shock when the foster mom gave me the leash, puppy bed, puppy toys, and puppy food.

So Tizzy is now part of our family!!