ROUGH DAYS

 Rough Days for the last few days.

The Flu hit our home with a vengeance over the weekend.

At our ages its not such a good thing.

Ours has been more of the stomach kind than having to do with the lungs.

Very thankful for that.

Today we ALMOST feel human.

Tis a long road but we can see the end of the ick may be soon.

Peaking into better days ahead.

Always be Grateful

Always be Kind

MONDAY ... MONDAY ...

 In reading my devotions this morning  

I felt these words were especially for me

But perhaps they are for some of you too.

" Let Me prepare you for the day that stretches out before you."

You would like to see a map showing all the twists and turns of your journey.

You'd feel more prepared if you could somehow visualize what is on the road ahead.

However, there is a better way to be prepared for whatever you will encounter today:  Spend quality time with Me.

I will not show you what is on the road ahead, but I will thoroughly equip you for the journey.

My living Presence is your Companion each step of the way.

Stay close to Me whispering My Name and being in communication with Me. Then you can walk through this day .

My abiding Presence is the best road map available.

Exodus 33:14

John 15:4-7

Always be Grateful

Always be Kind

FRIDAY FLASHBACK and FORWARD

 Since I shared a bit about our time in Kenya yesterday, I thought I would bring you up to date on a wonderful man we were involved with, and remain friends with to this day.

His name is Solomon Saitoti Ole Tuukuo.  As a child he was sponsored through Compassion International.  It literally saved his life .  Fast forward to our time in Kenya.  Solomon was our friend, guide and had begun to "Give Back" by developing a school for the poor community of Namuncha through Compassion Int.

He was so young and full of caring for his people.

This picture is from 2009.

The necklace I am wearing was made by this beautiful woman since I was "Mama".

Now it is 2025/26.

Solomon is the Project Director for Compassion International in his district of Kenya.

He is married and has 6 kids at last count...  I know this photo only shows 5 ... ones in the oven.

in 2010 Solomon got his Undergraduate Degree  and then this past December 2025 he received his Master's Degree.

All during that time he was working in the community bringing wells to that drought worn part of the country, planting trees with another organization to refurbish the earth.  He was also helping in many ways at the Namuncha School.  This was all while he was studying and raising his family.

Solomon has been recognized as a major part of his community and furthering the Maasai culture.

He has been chosen incoming Nakuru County Senator and has received this honor from the President of Kenya and for the establishment of a new game reserve park in the area.

I am so proud of this Godly man and the future of Kenya through his endeavors.

His motto is :  "Chasing dreams no matter how long it takes".

Always be Grateful

Always be Kind

THURSDAY THANKFULNESS

 The weeks are flying by.

We are again at Thankful Thursday.

Where do I start?  I have been reminiscing a lot lately.  I guess the older I get the more I am prone to do this.

I am so thankful for all the serving and travel Dave and I were able to do.

Thinking back to 2009 and our time in Kenya.  It was such a blessed time for us.

Veronica is such a beautiful Maasai woman.  I will never forget her.

Living with the wonderful Maasai people on the Riff Valley floor was a once in a life time experience.

Being a part of these precious children's lives really sunk down deep into my heart.

I am thankful today for the beauty in our own yard.

Camellias brighten everything in the dead of winter.

I am definitely thankful for a silly sense of humor.

Thankful Words for Today

Always be Grateful

Always be Kind

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

 

Wordless Wednesday ... 

MONDAY MEANDERINGS

 

I do hope your weekend went well.

We survived the latest rain storm in our area.  There were the usual areas of flooding in our back and side yards.

Thankfully the pumps did their job.

And this is no longer the view today.

On another note:

Since many of you bloggers have been talking about journals for this new year of 2026, I thought I would show you my goal too.

I won this lovely blank journal from Shug and I just love it.

I am titling mine "Lessons and Blessings" for 2026 like several of you have indicated.

I probably won't make it a daily journal but it will be a special place to document Life this year.

 

I am excited to get started and be committed to writing on a regular basis.

Always be Grateful

Always be Kind 

HAPPY NEW YEAR and HAPPY BIRTHDAY

 

I hope your new year will be the best one yet !!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVE !!!

A new year and a "New Years Baby"

84 Years and Counting !!

Love you to the moon and back Dave ...

My best friend ... 

The best Dad to our sons

The best Papa to the Grands

A servants heart that is full of compassion and generosity

Loves the Lord with all of his heart

I am blessed to be by his side for the past 62+ years.

Happy Birthday 😗💗

Always be Grateful

Always be Kind

MONDAY MEANDERINGS

 Monday Meanderings ... 

There are only 3 days left to the year 2025 ! 

The year has been full of Ups and Downs but I am thankful and looking forward to what 2026 holds for us.

I am sharing one final Christmas batch of photos and then its on to "Life in the Fast Lane" ... NOT ... 

Since we don't really need anything we decided to go out to a restaurant for our Christmas Gift to each other.

We went to the Hibachi Grill.  We haven't been there since last June.

It was tasty and we ate too much since it's a buffet.  Once a year is about all our tummy can take.

I do love Panko shrimp and ate entirely too much, but it was so good.

I followed that with crab but its really not the season for it so it wasn't very good.

I'm glad it was a buffet and not the only thing on the menu.

Dave was in his Happy Place with the all you can eat ribs !

For our photo album I am sharing these pictures of our two sons and some of our grand kids.

Mark and Kellie ...

Allie and Maddie

Steve and Sigrid and Granddaughter Lauren and her husband Mark.

There is definitely more to Las Vegas than "The Strip"

I'm so glad that they could be together for Christmas this year.

Well folks, I think I have Meandered enough for this year.

Wishing you a great New Year.

Always be Grateful

Always be Kind

THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS

 Merry Day After Christmas !

Believe it or not, the sun is shining again though there is the "promise" of rain this afternoon.

Dave and I had a so called quiet day yesterday as all of the family was at other family celebrations.  Since the weather was so crazy we were really ok with staying cozy at home.

Its been years since we had such wild weather ALL Day Long.  The thunderstorms were centered right over our town and it felt like they were right over our house.

The rain came down in buckets...

There was a break in the weather and the sun came out.  I sat out on our patio and so enjoyed the warmth.

I enjoyed the long shadows in our sloppy wet yard.

Then the next wave of storm clouds rolled in, so I went inside.

And ...

Crash Bang ... the heavens opened up 

This went on all day,  Sunshine then Storms moved in...

It got cold and miserable so I went in for good.

Fortunately we never lost power and our pumps did their job though it was hard for them to catch up.

The night was quiet and we both were so thankful to sleep well.

Many in other parts of Northern CA.  had serious problems.  I feel so sorry for the people especially down in SO.CA that had flooding and mudslides.

Since I shared the gift of our son and daughter in law buying all of our early Christmas dinner and cooking it and then doing all the clean up afterwards, I thought I would show you what our other son and daughter in law gave us for Christmas.

When we opened this we got tears in our eyes.  Kellie had made this for us.

The Golden Gate Bridge and the Fort beneath it hold such a special place in our hearts and it is part of our History.

Kellie put together this picture bead by bead.  It truly was a labor of love for us.

We can't wait to put it up on our wall.

Make sure to enlarge it so you can see the detail.

We have the BEST Kids EVER !!! 

Love them all to the Moon and Back !

Always be Grateful

Always be Kind

EARLY CHRISTMAS !

 Early Christmas ... 

Yesterday, Sunday was a wonderful day of celebration.  Activities this year are a little bit different, but its all good.

After church our son Steve and daughter in love, Sigrid came to our home to have an early Christmas celebration.

Its always fun to have the lights twinkling and the atmosphere so full of peace and joy.

Steve and Sigrid cooked the entire Feast for us.  

Oh my it was so good.

Prime Rib roast and fresh crab !

The Roast all prepped and getting ready to go in the oven.

Dave is all about Beef.  

He was one Happy Camper ... 

Steve and I are the only ones who like crab.

We had these monsters all to ourselves ... 

Lots of good conversation and listening to Christmas Carols while eating the tasty dinner.

We even set up a Face-time call with our Granddaughter that lives in Las Vegas.  

I'm sorry that we somehow missed photographing her hubby during the call.

After dinner and opening a few wonderful gifts we went to a Christmas program and concert at our former church.

It was the icing on the cake for us. 

We found great seats on the ground floor.

Don't you love the Photo-bomber in the background?

Sure glad he was smiling 😊

We feel so blessed.

We missed our other son Mark and his family and our grands but we are so grateful for the computer/face time and cel phones.  It really helps us keep in touch across the miles.

God is Good All the Time

and All the Time God is Good

Always be Grateful

Always be Kind

FINALLY FRIDAY

 Finally Friday ... Five days to go ... Fleeting ... 

I have to share some good news for us.

We sold a good money-maker for our check book.

This is an antique educational toy model steam engine.  It was developed to show kids how steam energy could be produced mechanically.

It is from around the early 1900's.

We are so happy that the model is on its way and the money is in our pocket.

Thanking the good Lord for this timely sale.

Flashback Friday 

Fifty Two years ago!

Our 2 sons ( Steve holding his baby brother , Mark) and their cousins around Grandma's Christmas Tree.

Flashback of two years ago

Las Vegas Christmas with the Family.

That's going to do it for today.  Got a bunch of things to get accomplished.

Always be Grateful

Always be Kind