Sunday, January 4, 2015

Winter Time

It has been unbelievably cold for California this winter! Well, it's been incredibly cold for Californian natives. Today in church I saw a lady wearing what I would have been wearing when we lived in Russia when it was below 0.....I had to chuckle on the inside when I saw her. I never thought I would say this but I miss the snow! My boys especially miss it also.  I particularly miss those days when we would get big snowflakes and it was so quiet outside when we would go on a walk. Meanwhile, I'm going to enjoy some winter wonderland pictures from Russia

Novosibirsk, Russia

Jojo in the forest in Novosibirsk, Russia.

Ice sculptures in downtown Samara, Russia.


Sledding fun with friends in Samara, Russia.

Friday, January 2, 2015

Happy New Year


Happy New Year to you! We started 2015 with a family hike. We have all been sick for the last 2 months. Josiah has been on 3 different antibiotics and both Jon and Nathan have been on antibiotics also. Thankfully for the first time in 2 months we all felt better so we thought we'd get outdoors for a bit. There's a great little park near home with some easy trails. The weather was also just beautiful.......cool but the sun was bright and shining.

cool bridge at the beginning of the trail

this swing is a blast


lots of sticks to make guns out of


At the beginning of the year there is always a little bit of trepidation for me. I never really know what is coming. This morning my husband sent an email to our Bible study and I'm just going to copy and paste it on here because he expresses very clearly what I've been thinking about all day yesterday and today.  I hope it's an encouragement to you as it was to me:



"Happy New Year, brothers and sisters in Christ!

The Lord has blessed us all in many ways in 2014 and as we reflect on His goodness, even in the midst of the trials we may have faced, let us all give thanks for His sovereign care over us. I look forward to 2015 with confidence knowing that He will direct our paths as we seek to please Him in all that we do. 

The reality is that some of us may face even more difficult trials in this coming year than we did last year while others will enjoy new highs, but every event we will come under the providential hand of the Lord. As I write these words, I am reminded of a wonderful old hymn, “Like a River Glorious,” especially the last verse: 

  1. Like a river glorious is God’s perfect peace,
    Over all victorious, in its bright increase;
    Perfect, yet it floweth fuller every day,
    Perfect, yet it groweth deeper all the way.
    • Refrain:
      Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blest
      Finding, as He promised, perfect peace and rest.
  2. Hidden in the hollow of His blessed hand,
    Never foe can follow, never traitor stand;
    Not a surge of worry, not a shade of care,
    Not a blast of hurry touch the spirit there.
  3. Every joy or trial falleth from above,
    Traced upon our dial by the Sun of Love;
    We may trust Him fully all for us to do;
    They who trust Him wholly find Him wholly true.

May you find perfect peace and rest in our Amazing God as you face each new day in 2015! And remember, if you knew all that God knows, you would understand that there is no better place for you to be than where He has you right now. He makes no mistakes, nor does He cause us to endure more than His grace can handle. "