Fine Weather, Fun & a Family Throw-Down

So much as gone on the last week or two. I keep thinking of what I want to blog about each of these events but I haven't had the time and now that I do I don't know how to separate all the things I wanted to say. I should have entitled this entry "BLOB" because I feel like I am lumping lots together.

Rachel had her Spring Break the last two weeks. It is a challenge to know what to do with her when I have to work and she is out of school. While she can stay home alone it is not a great idea for her to spend long periods of her day by herself. Temptation is too strong. Over and over again I am blessed by friends and church family who spend entire days hanging out with my girl and graciously give her rides to different activities. It is very humbling because there is no way to show these people how thankful I feel for them.

At the very beginning of Rachel's break we were able to go camping with Emily and my Dad. The weather has been so beautiful here, refreshingly green and sunny. It's been inspiring to be outside as much as possible. We went camping at Arroyo Secco, a new spot we had never tried before. It was pleasantly warm when we were being toasted by the sun but a bit chilly in the shade and it smelled like spring! It was really beautiful and there was a freezing river that I have some great pictures of the girls throwing themselves into. It was more like a personal victory than fun to swim in that ice cold water. Poor Emily got sick in the middle of night while we were camping and kept having to stick her head out the tent to throw up. Of course we had just run out of bottled water before we went to bed and we had forgotten flashlights so Emily and I had to go stumbling around in the dark to try to get her some water. It was kind of sad and kind of comical all at once. She took it easy the next day and was able to keep everything down. I think it was a strange combo of calamari and oreos that made her get sick :-)

It's hard to resist driving the coast when it's beautiful like this. Last weekend we took Rachel's friend Felicia and my sister Emily to the beach. Once again the girls were willing to brave VERY COLD water! There is something about being a kid that makes you immune to cold I think.

Another big thing that happened was that Rachel's mom and brother's came to our house for the first time. We celebrated her mom's birthday and I think it really touched her mom. She has two very self-centered boys so the dinner and cake we made and the little gifts meant a lot to her. We were all a bit nervous about it but I think as we get to know one another more it gets more and more relaxed when we get together. It's a strange situation but I feel like it is good in spite of that. Today we took Rachel to the beauty school where her brother Nick is a student and he cut and highlighted her hair. The whole thing is strange because he is always showing us pictures of him all dressed up in his drag queen outfits and putting his feminine flare on display. I really enjoy him but it is hard to know how to communicate to Rachel that we can love him but his lifestyle is out of brokenness, not something we should just accept and glorify. Like any other relationships these bonds we have with Rachel's bio family are a part of a journey. I don't know what God's plan is but I just keep trying to love the people involved and I await the future with expectation.



Rachel and I have continued to have a lot of things come up day after day. We are working on "resolving" problems with one another instead of just moving on. This is a new thing for Rachel as her life experience is that she will just literally move when she has a problem with someone or they have a problem with her. Interestingly last night we went to my parents for a BBQ as my brother David just got home from Spring Break. Half way through the night we had some conflict and we spent the rest of the night "resolving" it. Anyone who has seen my family do conflict can attest to the fact that it is INTENSE! There was gesturing, crying, raised voices... and some solutions. Rachel just sat there watching the whole thing play out and she came away wide eyed. I think it was good. I hope it was good. It's another thing that's still in process.

The last thing I want to share is that God keeps putting these really special opportunities to share about him in my path. I go the chiropractor a few times a month to get these short massages, and I almost always get them from the same girl. She is a few year younger than I am and a very sweet and "good" person. We have talked a lot over the last few months and yesterday when I went in I asked her about the vacation I knew she was getting ready to leave on that evening. She told me her plans had changed because her mom was having emergency surgery. We talked about this for awhile and the about other things. As she was getting ready to leave I asked her if she was disappointed about not going to with her original plans. She paused a long time and then began sharing with me that her brother was going into rehab. She became very emotional and I asked her if it would be OK if I prayed for her mom and brother. She said she would appreciate that. We talked a little more and then I asked her if I could pray for her right then. I am not sure what she thought of my prayer but I lay there naked except for the little sheet over me holding her hand praying for her and I felt so blessed that God had allowed me that opportunity. There is nothing better than feeling God at work through us.

So tomorrow is Easter. I don't feel quite prepared. I am excited about the sun rise service we always go to. It's one of my favorite of the year for it's beauty and simplify. So I'm off to make some deviled eggs and try to get focused for tomorrow. The reality is that the hope of Easter is what has blessed me over the last few weeks. I have felt so grateful for so much and God is at work through the stresses of my job, the struggles of parenting and family, and the mundane things of life (cleaning house, budgeting...). I am blessed to know God day in and day out but I hope to realize a piece of the depth of his sacrifice tomorrow.

He has risen dear friends! He has risen indeed!