Winter 15-16

Since I last blogged, I had to replace my computer twice. I am not a computer whiz so this has really slowed me down. I also seem to get headaches while using the computer so I have avoided it. Today, I figured out a way to connect my computer to the tv and the bigger screen seems to help. 

We have only three families left here who were with us just a year ago. We have no singles left here from a year ago. I do believe God is using this transition time for us to make changes. We have a great chaplain we work with and he has some great ideas. So, we are excited for the future. 

In November and December, we had our usual Thanksgiving and Christmas parties. 

On Christmas Eve, we had dinner and white elephant gift exchange at our house. We had to say goodbye to one of our families then. It is so hard to always have to say goodbye. We then headed to the base chapel for the Christmas Eve service. It was great!

In January, our family celebrated "second Christmas". We had enough airline miles for Ed, Greg and me to fly to Anchorage to be with the Cornells. We had an amazing time there. They are very involved with our colleagues, the Caudles, at the hospitality house there. We got to hear Jesse share his testimony there. The next day I got to go skiing at the base ski hill with Greg and Julie. What fun! And of course, I got to spend lots of time with the precious grandchildren.

Summer 2015

This was probably the busiest summer of our lives. I traveled to Texas to visit all of our offspring for a week. 

Shortly after this, we took a trip out East for a staff conference and visiting supporters and friends. 




These are dear friends we made in Mt. Home who have since moved away. We had a little reunion in North Carolina. 













Sharlene and Elisha are "my girls" that I also met in Mt. Home. They both have since moved away. This mini reunion was in Nebraska where Sharlene lives. 

We saw so many more dear friends on the trip but can't include all the pictures. We are so blessed to have relationships with such wonderful people as part of our ministry. 












We are grateful for our dear colleagues, the Thimells. Here, we are pictured at the staff conference in Wisconsin.





We took a trip with our group from the Hospitality House to the beautiful Wallowa Lake area of NE Oregon for Labor Day weekend.











Jule and Jesse moved from San Antonio to Elmendorf AFB, Alaska this summer. Julie, children and friend Sara came to our house for 5 weeks. I adore those babies. So, while I was very tired, I loved every moment of their visit.  

 Jesse came for the last week and a half of the family visit and completely remodeled our bathroom. What a labor of love! 

The picture below is of the children in Alaska.

Five of us from the house took a trip to Moab, Utah in October. I walked over 20 miles and climbed the equivalent of 60 floors. It was so beautiful there and the fellowship was sweet.

Spring Has Sprung!

I LOVE Spring! 

At the end of February and beginning of March we were on a trip to celebrate my mom's 70th birthday and my brother's wedding. It was a great time with family. The picture below is of my nephew Kyle, my dad, mom, and Ed.

We got to visit Ed's folks too!

 Our car broke down outside of Hood River, Oregon

 The tow truck driver dropped us off at a church. It was a great sermon!

We stayed at the Hood River Hotel. It was like a mini vacation. The repair was costly but we had a full day in Hood River. The weather was lovely and the people there were friendly. 

With ministry to young military folks comes opportunities to minister to their children. We watch children in the nursery at chapel and sometimes they invade our house. The above picture is our patio that is nearing completion.

With young couples comes babies. We have done many baby showers here. This dress is my latest offering. Most of gals have had girls, so I make lots of dresses. The next few babies are boys, so I have figure out what to do for a boy. The picture below is our most recent baby shower. About half of these ladies will be gone in a few months.

We have recently learned that even more of our folks are leaving Mountain Home. My estimate is around 70% of our regular attenders will move this summer.

We have had record attendance here and were wondering how we could possibly fit any more people in this house. We probably don't need to get too concerned about it now.

The pictures above give you an idea of Friday nights at our house.
Sometimes, we serve each other by helping them move. This time, Elyssa and Scott are moving back to Mountain Home. Scott deployed and Elyssa moved near family while he was gone. 

Spring has been good for us. I get more hiking in when it is warmer. Recently we hiked to the top of Table Rock above Boise. It is quite a climb but great exercise.

Early Spring... I Mean Winter

For most of 2015 so far, it has been nice and mild here. I am very grateful as I have a hard time getting anything done when I am cold. 
Ministry here is going well. We have started having our folks share their testimonies on Friday nights. Matt was the first one.

We have a new couple here. He is a chaplain assistant. They both grew up in Cambodia. They brought some yummy Cambodian food for the Friday night dinner. It was so good, it all got eaten. 
















We went on a hike with Rex and Sovatta the next day to Bruneau Dunes. 

We have been encouraging our group to participate in causes outside of Mt. Home. One time we went to Boise to support Nagmeh Abedini when she was ready to speak to the President during his visit there. She asked the area pastors in the crowd to come up and pray for her. I nudged Ed up there for that.

We then went to a Rally for Life at the State Capitol. Ed got picked for an interview by the local television station.

We still are very involved with events at the chapel. We had a bunco party for the ladies. Unfortunately, in the military, other events come up that conflict with our programs. So, this particular night, we barely had enough. 

We figure we will be losing about half of our folks this spring and summer. We almost have to start over again on some things. So we are cramming in as much time with some of them as possible. Rachel and Jonathan invited me to go skiing with them. It is about relationships here. 

Christmas Season 14/15

Happy New Year! We have kept quite busy these past few weeks. 

Here is Chaplain Schrader giving his children's sermon taken from the balcony of the chapel on the base. I am usually up there running the song slides and sometimes the sound system. 

Amanda and Rachel sang Christmas carols with me at PWOC. I love these girls so much!

This is the gang we had at our house for Christmas Eve. 

We are so blessed to have family nearby. We got to spend Christmas Day with the Barnes family in Payette. This is my most successful "selfie" for that day. 

We got lots of snow right after Christmas. I was able to capture some snowflakes with my cell phone. I marvel at God's creation.

New Year's Eve we had a game night and prayer time. One of our young leaders, Colin, led us in a devotion. It was so well done! We all decided to celebrate along with the East Coast and did the countdown of their time zone.

I am playing the ukulele and guitar more these days thanks to Karla (pictured here with me). She has encouraged me so much!