Well, this year is quickly coming to an end.  Just 6 months ago we were celebrating our 46th wedding anniversary and now - well it is winter, cold, rainy and now December.  Not only do the years seem to fly by but so does technology.  When I started to blog, everyone was doing it, well almost everyone.  So like a little sheep, I followed.  Now it is no longer blogging but FB and yup, I have signed on as well.  I enjoy FB because I have connected with people that I have often remembered but lost track of.  I am not a wordsmith and so to write a long blog is often hard but I can make a one sentence comment or push "like".  Tonight tho I sat down and look at old blogs I have bookmarked and saw mine and decided to post a note to two.  What have we been doing since last February when we moved back to Sonora - learning how to live the "sort of" retired life with me working 4 days a week & Steve giving music lessons.  It has been a "Mr Toad's Wild Ride" to say the least but God has always, and I mean always provided for our needs and even some of our wants.  So as 2012 closes, we are praising God for His faithfulness even in my whining and worrying and wondering.  Psalm 3:5,6  I lie down and sleep; I wake again because the Lord sustains me.  I will not fear the ten thousands drawn up against me on every side.         

Tomorrow, June 11 will be our 46th Anniversary.  I really find it hard to believe that it has been 46 years since my love and I said "I do".  I remember our high school days, the dating days, and wishing for the time when we could be married. Then Z-O-O-O-M here we are, 3 daughters, 3 son-in-laws and 11 grandchildren later.  There are more gray hairs than I would like and more wrinkles too but there IS one thing I know - I still love the "husband" of my youth (Prov 5:18 Karen's translation).

   

Home Again Home Again Jiggity Jig

Here it is May 7, 2012 and we have moved back to our beloved Sonora and into our mobile home.  We did that on February 29 - as Steve said "we leaped forward into a new life at our old home on Leap Day."  A week and one day later Steve went in for nasal & mouth surgery so it was back down to Hanford, CA for that.  I won't give you the graphic details but they straighten this and removed that and shaved a bit off here all to help him breath better and so he wouldn't have to have a C-pap.  He is still recovering from that.  It will be a long slow process.  He is still waiting for the day when he can say "I'm glad I had the surgery done."  Not there yet!  Also, I started working again.  I have a part-time job as church secretary for the Twain Harte Bible Church.  I am enjoying this very much.  I only work 4 days a week from 9am to 3pm.  I am learning so many new and wonderful "techy" things.  Steve is on the lookout for music students.  He has 4 at present and is hoping to increase that to 13.  He has also been approached to teach creative writing and tutor in English.  On top of all that he is "Mr. Fun Music" at several retirement and care homes in the Sonora area.  He puts on his wild and crazy suspenders, grabs his guitar and silly instruments and spend an hour or so at the care home entertaining the folks there (and he gets paid for this).  Yes, our life has changed and we think for the better.  We still love the Lord with all our hearts and enjoy serving Him in any way we can, but we have stepped out of the formal, professional ministry.  Oh, we'd like someday to return to Japan for a short term missions trip and see our many friends, or maybe expand our world to other countries but for now we are resting, healing and revitalizing.

Amid all this new life, we had to say good bye to an old and dear companion.  Our sweet little Daisy dog passed away the end of January.  We had her for 14 years but her old heart just couldn't keep up anymore and so she wasn't able to make the move with us in life but she is here in death.  We brought her "home" and buried her here before we got moved.  We loved her and miss her but her playmate Daphne (the fuzzy one) has been a source of comfort for us.  Daphne is fascinated by all the wild life she see around our place, the deer, birds, squirrels and enjoys sitting out on our deck with her head through the railing slats watching and waiting.   

So there ya have it. We are home and enjoying it very much.  Getting reconnected with good friends and making new ones at our new church home.  We have gone back to bowling and Steve has taken up racquetball again.  Semi-retirement can be a scary thing, especially in these times, but we trust in a great and powerful and loving God who promises never to leave us nor forsake us.  We may not be taking much to the bank but we can sure bank on the promises of God.  He will never break His word.