A Picture…

…is worth a thousand words!

This photo was taken on Saturday on our kids driveway. We were so thrilled to have clear skies again instead of smoke filled ones.

We are back on the western side of the Cascade Mountains again making an early morning drive today. We have one more load before we lock up the shop and hand over the keys to the new owners who have been gracious enough to let us take the month of August plus a few days into September to empty it. In the last load are some of Dear’s Willys project. A cab, axles, engine, etc. Just in case you were wondering why it’s taking so long to empty the shop. The bed and other parts went in another load. Doors, hood, fenders yada yada yada. He has a Willys and lots of tools and I have lots of dishes. Hopefully, after we move to the country he’ll finally have time to put the Willys back together and get it running. Here’s a small peek into that shop that is getting emptied. This is one quarter of the shop.

And in October I hope to be using those dishes again! Happy September everyone!

Update: Here is a photo I took yesterday at 6:20 PM of the empty shop with our good helpers. You can just see the loaded trailer with the blue Willys cab and our truck outside the door. The locks are changed back for the current owners. We made it to our current abode and tucked the trailer into the garage till our final trip over to Colville to stay. We sat down on the comfy couch by 8:00 PM and were in awe of all that had transpired in this one day. Thank you Lord for watching over us and giving us the strength we need and extra helpers to accomplish what had to be done.

Gird on the Royal Armor ~ Hymn

Gird on the Royal Armor

Gird on the royal armor,
Go forth in Jesus’ name;
To those who sit in darkness
The Light of Life proclaim.

Refrain

Gird on the royal armor,
That we the foe may face;
And trusting our commander,
Be victors through His grace.

Lift up the royal standard,
Go forth our cause to win,
With helmet, shield and buckler,
Against the hosts of sin.

Refrain

With righteousness our breastplate,
The Spirit’s sword in hand,
Still conquering and to conquer,
Press on at God’s command.

Refrain

Words: Fanny Crosby, (1820-1915)

In the month of August I tried to read the book of Ephesians every day for my morning devotions. I’m moving on to Galatians for the month of September. Since I’ve concentrated on Ephesians I wanted to post hymns that reference any of the themes and truths of the book. The sixth chapter covers the need to put on the whole armor of God.

The Weekend Roundup “I”

Starts with “I.”

A Favorite.

Inside

This letter wasn’t an easy one for me but I know as soon as I visit other entries I’ll think, “why didn’t I think of that?”

Starts with I: Island

This was taken on Whidbey Island in Washington State looking towards Camano Island. Washington State has several lovely islands to visit. Some you can drive to using bridges and others you can enjoy with a ride on a ferry.

A Favorite:

Interesting scenes in Indiana that we don’t see here in Washington State.

Inside:

Inside Rory’s looking out to the Puget Sound in Edmonds, Washington.

Parting shot:  From Whidbey Island

Linking up with Tom for The Weekend Roundup “I”.

I’ll try and visit as many as I can this evening as Dear and I head out early again tomorrow morning for our 6 hour trek to Northeastern Washington with another truck and trailer load. This trip I’m following behind in one of our cars and we’re leaving it in Colville just bringing home the truck and trailer to pack up the very last load!

 

The Wild Turkey Capital…

…of the Pacific Northwest.

Colville lays claim to that title. All of these turkeys were on our son’s property last weekend and we’ve seen many a rafter of turkeys on the roads we travel around Colville and Chewelah.

Now we haven’t seen one of these on the loose but this bull was spotted just a couple properties north from our new house. We definitely won’t be in the big city anymore.

It’s good and it’s scary with many unknowns but we look forward to be settled in by the end of September with all our stuff around us again. We also look forward to meeting our new neighbors. We hear they are good neighbors and will strive to be good neighbors as well.

Twists and Turns…

The air quality has been better in Northeastern Washington and Addy was able to go outside and help her daddy do a little lawn work.

We just got a call from our real estate agent saying the sellers will be ready to vacate by September 11th and we could close 9 days earlier then expected. Yikes! We are scrambling to get our ducks in a row and our trips east planned.

Tuesdays With Moisi

The Reception:

After the graveside ceremony we all got in our cars and headed to Fullerton for a luncheon reception at an extension of EVFree Fullerton. We are thankful for them allowing us to use their facilities.

Our brother Tim left the reception before we thought to take a sibling photo.  There are 8 siblings that have survived our parents. Seven of us were together for our Pop’s funeral gatherings. We have one brother who made the choice along with his family of 12 (wife, 4 children, their spouses, and 3 of our pop’s great grandchildren) not to attend and we don’t know why. Just keeping it truthful and real. I haven’t seen this brother who is a couple years older than me since 2009. They didn’t attend our mother’s funeral, either. I’m sure they have their story but it’s a bewilderment and causes sadness to the rest of us.

But…the rest of us gathered and were comforted with all our extended families and friends who did honor our dear old Pop and us by showing up and giving us hugs and encouraging words, grieving and rejoicing together.

Our parents’ grands and great grands minus about 17…

Dear’s side of our family. Bottom left is Dear with his only brother. One of his daughters, who was in Southern California, was able to attend the funeral with him.

A few more photos from my DIL’s phone. We had a good time of impromptu singing some of our favorite songs in Russian with a few of our former church buddies from the Russian Baptist Church in Los Angeles that we were part of for many years.

Josh with his cousins Hope and Andrew and his niece Addy.

Addy with her cousin once removed, our niece Debbee.

Starting next week Tuesdays with Moisi posts will begin to share the story of my Pop’s life that was given verbally by him and transcribed by a journalist from Russia.

This photo is of Pop barbecuing Shashlik (Marinated Lamb Kebobs) for his birthday party in the early 90’s.

Happy Tuesday y’all. The air is clearer in Northeastern Washington, woohoo! So thankful!

Before the Fires…

We were celebrating just across the water from where the Boyds Fire would start one week later. You never know what a day may hold.

Love this photo of our sweet Addy looking up at her Great Granny and Great Uncle Scott.

We have made trips back and forth across the Cascade Mountain Range from Western Washington to Northeastern Washington for every weekend in August. We know the route along I-90 and Highway 395 North like the back of our hands. Since the Boyds fire and other fires in Washington State and British Columbia started the skies have been smoke filled and unhealthy to very hazardous. This weekend was no exception. We left for Colville early Saturday morning and the skies were smoke filled from Seattle to Colville, 350 miles of smoke filled skies. It is disheartening to say the least. On our way back to the Seattle area on Sunday we started with very smoke filled skies in Colville to Spokane and then traveling west we had relief. We had rain on Snoqualmie Pass which was a blessing to experience. Here in the Seattle area the air is clear again and we’ve enjoyed some light rain.

We will be making the round trip again on Labor Day Weekend. Still praying and hoping the fires will be contained and that Northeastern Washington will experience their beautiful clear skies again soon. Looking forward to future weekends when we can stay put!

Hope all is well in your corner of the world.

O Lord, Look Down From Heaven ~ Hymn

The Thames 106O Lord, Look Down from Heaven

O Lord, look down from Heaven, behold
And let Thy pity waken:
How few are we within Thy fold,
Thy saints by men forsaken!
True faith seems quenched on every hand,
Men suffer not Thy Word to stand;
Dark times have us o’ertaken.

With fraud which they themselves invent
Thy truth they have confounded;
Their hearts are not with one consent
On Thy pure doctrine grounded.
While they parade with outward show,
They lead the people to and fro,
In error’s maze astounded.

May God root out all heresy
And of false teachers rid us
Who proudly say: Now, where is he
That shall our speech forbid us?
By right or might we shall prevail;
What we determine cannot fail;
We own no lord and master.

Therefore saith God, I must arise,
The poor My help are needing;
To Me ascend My people’s cries,
And I have heard their pleading.
For them My saving Word shall fight
And fearlessly and sharply smite,
The poor with might defending.

As silver tried by fire is pure
From all adulteration,
So through God’s Word shall men endure
Each trial and temptation.
Its light beams brighter through the cross,
And, purified from human dross,
It shines through every nation.

Thy truth defend, O God, and stay
This evil generation;
And from the error of their way
Keep Thine own congregation.
The wicked everywhere abound
And would Thy little flock confound;
But Thou art our salvation.

Words: Martin Luther, 1524.

Weekend Roundup “H”

I’m early for The Weekend Roundup. I’ll add the link when it becomes available.

Starts with “H.”

House, as in our new house. We looked at so many properties and this one just seemed right to Dear and me.

We get possession on September 20th!

A Favorite. Hobby Horse

Addy looks quite pleased holding the “reins” on this hobby horse!

Horse: The famous White Horse from Banbury Cross.

When I was a school teacher we had a training session on how important nursery rhymes were to a child’s language development and future reading skills. So take that baby on your knee and have fun with all the nursery rhymes out there. Sing them instead of just saying them. I remember bouncing our three kids on my knee with this one. Now with our little granddaughter I’ve enjoyed bouncing her on my knees and repeating this rhyme.

Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross
To see a fine lady upon a white horse
With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes
She shall have music wherever she goes

In 2014 Dear and I visited Banbury in Oxfordshire specifically so that I could see this sculpture in the town center. You can read about this statue and some of it’s history in a post from 2014, Banbury~Oxfordshire

Thank you Tom for hosting The Weekend Roundup!

Hallelujah!

We are happy to announce that we are in contract for our new home in Colville, Washington. We will take possession on September 20th. Once it is ours you will see many more photos.

We are so thankful and so relieved to know where all our stuff will land. We will be 8 miles from our Colville kids. The driveway is level and the home is all on one level which is good for our aging muscles.

Thank you so much to all of you who have been praying and hoping with us. We appreciate all of you!