Anaheim

Cali day 4

Told the little boys and Angie bye and found our path with our pathfinder right out of Epps. I was sad to leave. 

We drove and drove and drove. Stopped for a hamburger at In n Out. The next couple hours of driving were amazing! The hills and mountains we drove through were green. A peak here or there was dusted with snow. Fences climbed the steepest hills and plunged down with the landscape of the land. Very few houses dotted the hillsides. A few perched on the top of them tho. Soon we hit palm trees and traffic became intense. We weaved our way into Los Angeles. Poor Saylor was puking. 🤮 I was surprised at how the Miningers handled the last two hours. But we all did really really good. Go us. But really Thank You to Jesus. Pulled in the parking garage of CHOC and went and found Seeeeeeeeeeeeeeth!!! We met one of his work coordinators and her and Seth took us on a tour of the hospital. So much generosity in a hospital like that. It’s strictly a children’s hospital with an underground tunnel from the main hospital for trauma NICU patients. Seen the child life play room where they work. The OR waiting room. That very morning Seth and Daisy told us it had been filled with crying humans. So much love and so much hurt. Walked to a chapel area that was silent. Grounding Silent. Thick stillness hung in the room. Two Kleenex boxes sat on one of the soft benches. It was dark and thoughtful. My eyes misted over when I thought about how many parents and maybe even children themselves had poured out there while soul and begged God, Pleaded with Heaven to make these awful ugly diseases leave their child’s bodies. I reckon everyone of them will be answered. Whether in the way we humans like or for eternity. 

They have a radio station for special guests and patients to come experience broadcasts. Or it can be streamed onto the child’s room if they are too sick to come out. A movie theatre for children and parents. One little child in a wheelchair and its mama sat there eating popcorn watching the screen. Go CHOC for making hospital life as normal as possible. They also have a room for ages 13 and up that doesn’t seem so kiddish. Decor for older kids makes it a great place for those kids to hang out and try to shake the “I’m in the hospital feeling.”

Last but not least a library that all the books are brand new and have been donated. Children in this hospital can come every day if they wish and choose a book for keeps. I left the hospital with faith in society again.

To the unit house with Seth and met Josh’s (his houseparents) and had a delish supper of wings. Such a cute house. I’ll see if I can send a link sometime and so yall can the teeeeeeeeny tiny little piece of earth it’s perched on. After supper we loaded up went to Joes. It’s custard and Italian ice.The line is hundreds of people long. But with 13 windows the line moves decently quick. Went by Disney all though you can’t see a thing and came home and crashed.

Cali

day three

Awoke to fog. The sun burned it off quickly and we had another beautiful day. Avocado toast and some good coffee for brekkie. Just sat around. Outside on the patio in the sunshine and breeze. Girls jumped on the trampoline. All sudden two blonde headed little boys showed up at the front door. Gotta love neighbors kiddos! Miss Yolanda’s little grands came and played with summer! And again I was reminded of how many years back when Angie’s boys went to Yolanda’s in the same fashion. Uninvited and welcomed. It’s nice to have good neighbors. Ask me how i know! Went and got Austin from school at noon and went to Los Gordos for lunch. (Taco wagon) was delightful. Glass bottle coke and all! Drove through the downtown of Mexico actually called Winton. Came home for some much needed naps. After Jordan came home from school Jace,  Summer, Austin and Jordan went riding dirt bikes on canal banks! Saylor, Angie and I went on a walk! Came home and ate popcorn and got a fire going for a wiener roast. After supper I put in a door dash for a sushi roll so we could try it. An 15 minutes later it was there. Unreal! Went to Baskin Robbin’s literally 3 minutes from the house pry. Back to Epps and soon to campy for night.

If your missing an Amazon package it could be along Santa Fe. On one of the many freight trains that ran along Uncle Jerry’s back yard, there was a prime shipping container with doors open and boxes that appeared to randomly dropping out.

Day 2

Day 2

Jantz bakery for a slice of avocado toast with feta cheese- tomato’s and balsamic drizzle. Also saw a former Macon girl! I love driving these faintly familiar Cali roads through little Mexico. There’s so much agriculture stuffed here and there in small pockets of land. Saw a couple of cows literally right out the bathroom window! Such a different culture! I did find out tho that I don’t want to live here!🤣 but I do want to visit again soon! Went to GMS to drop some stuff off for Austin. Then picked up some sourdough from where Ang D was working. Gordon’s wanted to meet us for lunch. Seen Waylon Jantz and a few other Mennos. We had left the girls with Angie and we got a good Cali boy tour.! Was super interesting! Went to Livingston church and seen the ancient Grace Home. Seen where they used to live. Watched them do sweet potato hot beds. Very time consuming and labor intensive. Came back to Epps and sat around. Sat outside in the sun and felt the HEAT.. was lovely. The girls rode scooter and Jace rode bike on Epps drive and I sat and watched them and remembered way back when my mom sat on the same railroad ties watching us ride scooter! Miss Yolanda came and talked to us and reminded me again of 2013 when I knew the neighbor lady and her family well. Jaylen roared by and screeched to a stop to tell us high. Then Dani came by and we got to say high! Jordan rose to Dutch bros on his bike to get a drink. Jace thought about riding with him but decided he wouldn’t slow Jordan down. Went to Barry’s for supper and felt a little like coming home as well.! Familiar people with slightly older faces! Bryce and Janae were there and Benny and Sherilees older boys. Benny’s stopped in later and said high! Came home and hashed abit and went to the camper for another good nights sleep. Did you know that trains roaring by in the middle of the night are a comforting sound?

Cali day

Cali

I can hardly believe it. Here I sit. In California. And more importantly at my aunt Annie’s. This place has always held my heart. But through years of not coming back I had forgotten the magic it holds. Today it pulled me in one of the tightest hugs I’ve ever had in my life without letting go. Its  majesty swept me off my feet and has me mesmerized. “Ohhhhh California that’s the place for me.” I beg Jace to move here. And keep profusely thanking him for bringing us here. I don’t know if I shall be able to sleep while I’m here for fear of missing out on a piece of this land that is so unloved my many but so lovable to me.

Home

Hi, welcome to HOME. You’ll be greeted by two dogs whom we love. A solid, grounded bulldog and a vibrant black Goldendoodle. This house is sometimes messy. Like thick messy. Hardly room to walk messy. It currently is. It’s such a good reminder of how much fun we had camping. Sometimes tho this house is tidy. I hope you don’t mind a few stray dog hairs on the floor or on a couch or two. And a bowl of water set in a corner.  Yes- we have children to. God graciously gave us two high spirited little girls. Just what we wanted. Along with those girls He gave a package of directions. Sometimes, on some matters, we can read a booklet and know just what to do. More often He whispers quiet lines while on the way to settle the fight. And sometimes He says “DO” and pray and ask Me to fill in the gaps. Anger frustration and selfishness also reside here, although they aren’t really supposed to. God is faithful in showing me the door to cast these out. Okay well that’s all for now. Thanks for coming over and seeing how we live. Also thanks for being my friend even though we don’t do everything the same. Sigh a prayer for me today that I can be okay with who we are an how we live here at 730 Corley road. Sometimes I think that the way you live must be better.!