Date Announcement

Carolyn just got back from the doctor. She is 4 1/2 weeks pregnant and the due date is June 6!

Announcement

DRUM ROLL!! We have an exciting announcement.


Carolyn and Jason are expecting a baby sometime in June.

We had been thinking that due to the recent acquisition of two puppies that the possibility of grandchildren was very low. In fact when Jason said he had new names for us, Grandma and Grandpa, we thought he was referring to the puppies being like our grandkids. But we quickly realize that was not what he meant.

Congratulations Carolyn and Jason! All of us are very excited. However, we think it a good thing that it takes nine months to adjust to the new life. By the way, that new way of life never goes back to "normal."

62nd Class Reunion

Lucy and Curtis took Mom to her 62nd class reunion of Gonzales Union High School (Class of '45). She had a great time.

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Do you think Mom has changed in 62 years?

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Above is some of those who attended. We did not get everyone.

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However, this is a picture from the 2005 reunion. I am told that everyone who attended this year was also at the 2005 reunion.

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Above is in honor of those who have passed on.

Quick Trip Home

Briana made a quick trip home for the weekend to go to a friend's wedding, of course, with Robby.

Introducing Sasha

All these dogs tire me out!
Aha! Now Saydee can't get me.

Jason and Carolyn have gotten another puppy. Sasha is an eight week old Australian Shepard mix. She is adorable. Jason has been leaving her here with Lucy this week since Saydee has been here.

Lucy's Birthday

Lucy with her fishing paraphernalia from Jason. Weather provided we plan on going fishing Saturday the 29th. Also we now have a "maid" of sorts. Saydee does not like our "maid" and constantly tries to distract it from doing it's job. The Roomba 535 is a vaccum cleaner. ( Saydee is spending her days here while she has to wear the cone. She was spayed last Friday.)

Mother Bear Project

A while ago I saw an article in the paper about the Mother Bear Project. People knit or crochet these bears and they are sent to children in Africa. I sent for a pattern and made a bear. They have pictures of bears people have made as well as children who have received them.

Here is the bear I made.

My Father's Landscaping Project

Curtis was privileged to experience His Father's landscaping project (in Big Basin). Curtis has made some feeble attempts at landscaping in the backyard. But His Father knows no limits to the beauty of His creations.

Incidentally while Curtis was hiking on this Saturday, Lucy played two tough doubles matches. They lost but it was close.

This view is from the peak looking to the ocean.

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This is Berry Creek Falls, just one of the falls that Curtis saw today.
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Above and below Curtis enjoys one of those perfect moments contemplating the glory of His Father.

Gethsemane Pond

This is Curtis' favorite place of quiet and restoration. This place of peace is only possible because of Christ's agony (see the next paragraph).

Gethsemane (from the Hebrew "Gat Shemanim", which means "oil press") was the garden where Jesus and his disciples retreated to pray after the Last Supper, the night before he was crucified. According to Luke 22:43–44, Jesus' anguish in Gethsemane was so deep that "his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." As the oil is pressed out of the olives so Christ's blood was pressed out of Him by agony which we will never know.

Trip to Southern California

Lucy and Curtis took Briana to Azusa University and helped her get set up. Then they went to see Mike and Becky at Cedar Pines. Lake Gregory was beautiful and the dogs really enjoyed the water. The people walked or ran around the lake.

OK. This is a survey. Lucy says Curtis is skinny. Agree / Disagree?

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Mike and Becky's cabin was a wonderful place of rest and beauty. Their balcony hosts many birds and squirrels. It was the first time Curtis was ever woken up in the morning from a noisy squirrel.

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This is Bell. She is very old.

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Darcy loved the water.

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Zari loved the water and the dirt.

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On the return trip Curtis, Lucy and Darcy spent a very miserable three hours in 105 degree heat on the Grapevine with van problems. We know that both the good times and bad times (as we perceive them) are in God's hands. Our God is sovereign and a good Father to us even when we are not thrilled with his plans for us.

Grandma's Birthday

Grandma (Mom, Lorraine, etc.) had a wonderful birthday with the special guests of Dennis and Suzi, who came all the way from Dallas. Grandma is now 81 years old.

Monterey

We all went to Monterey on Saturday. It was a beautiful day and we had fun shopping and sight seeing. Here are Suzi and Grandma taking a break.
Lunch time.
Jason & Carolyn

Curtis and Dennis
Here are Curtis, Lucy & Briana at Lover's Point.
Rob & Bri
Even Darcy got to go. But she was sad she didn't get to play at the beach. She loved seeing all her four legged cousins that were at the Wharf. She was very well behaved.

Family Get together

We managed to get everybody in one spot for a picture, not an easy task with this group. But we got it with even the dogs! The dogs had to have their own picture.
Gustavo and Trisha are home for a visit. Trisha and her employees came and stayed with us when they weren't at their gymnastics conference. The conference ended Saturday and Gustavo and Trisha will go home Tuesday morning.

Carolyn's Baptism

Today we rejoiced in the wonderful step of faith of Carolyn. As a beautiful testimony of her transformation from death to life she was baptised. The pastor and his wife (at the organ) bore witness to how God had led Carolyn through many stormy waters to a new life. Carolyn's family and even the children (shown to the right) watched the awesome occassion with joy and some with tears. We were deeply moved by the love shown in this fellowship of believers.

A Special Night!

The kids gave us a special surprise night. They served us dinner by the pond with menus and all. Jason was the waiter. Carolyn and Briana were the cooks. They started us with bread and soup. The main course was catfish, rice pilaf and asparagus. Followed by croissants with chocolate filling.

They then gave us tickets to a play here in Fremont called On Golden Pond. What a beautiful evening we had. When we returned from the play they served us a delicious cheesecake dessert. What great kids we have!

Monterey Bay Kayaking 7-28-2007

Here we are all suited up. The place provides wet suits, jackets and life jackets. Robbie chose to wear only the life jacket, too cold for the rest of us to do that. They started out with a quick lesson on how to kayak and then sent us off with our kayaks. It is fun to see the wharf area from a different view than what one is used to.

We saw lots of seals and otters. Those seals can be real noisy. Briana and Robbie called them the dogs of the sea because they bark like dogs and they called the otters the cats of the sea because they spend lots of time grooming.
This is the kayak I used. It is a single kayak. They also had double and triple kayaks. I liked being able to go by myself and paddle wherever I felt like it. We had a group of 59 of us from church, so there were always people on the water to say hi too. Curtis took off right away so I hardly saw him. I think next time I will make it my goal to stay with him, although I like to paddle and look around, but he likes to go for speed. Briana and Robbie had a double kayak. I saw them once while I was out. They had a seal follow them that they named Skippy.



The ride home after a long fun day.

Shinn Pond Swim

On Monday we went to Shinn Pond along the Alameda Creek Trail. The boys had a great time throwing sticks for the dogs. They made a makeshift fishing pole out of items they found. What fun!Doesn't Skyler look happy? Who says a dog can't smile?
Shasta and Skyler share a stick.