Doing the WILD THING? 

That seems to be the most asked question in my PCT adventures.  

To catch you all up.  I am taking off on April 9, 2017 to section hike the Pacific Crest Trail, more commonly referred to as PCT.  The trail is about 2650 miles long and ventures from the Mexican border to the Canadian border through California, Oregon, and Washington.  I have had a desire to do this since I was a youth backpacking with Campus Life of Nevada County and the First Baptist Church youth group.  We backpacked each summer along with my family loving to camp, ya know tent, hard ground, cook around the campfire.... CAMP...  and so I caught the "camping bug".  I have had it ever since.  

In December, 2016 I started planning to section hike the PCT.  I was going to start in March, 2017, however, the weather dictated differently.   

I have all of my gear, a little heavier that I would like. 

I waited too long to book my flight to San Diego and the cost ended up being more than I wanted to pay. 

I have researched San Diego transit system from airport to the trail head in Campo, CA.  

I needed a trail name and my cousin/sister gave me the name Poppy!  I love it! 

I will hike for 5 days and see what adventures I can experience.  

I will blog my journals when I return.  Praying for safety... as they say 80% of the journey is mental!

Though don't tell my husband who has supported this costly venture.  Over $2000.00 and counting. 

Doing the WILD THING....
Follow my FB post....PCT Back to the Basics

Poppy

Continuing on with our adventure through the fruits of the spirit. Joy is next.....

Continuing on with our adventure through the fruits of the spirit.  

Joy is next.....  looking at the upcoming year and what this world really needs is "Joy", not a fake happiness, but a true delight and inner happiness.  

We bring joy to God in our lives.  Joy is a gift from God and because we believe in Him we can receive His gifts.  His salvation is joy, an expression of His love in us. God created us and He desires for us to have His joy.  True joy shines as a light on ones face and in their lives. We have access to the gift of Joy and all we must do is ask, He will give joy completely.  

There are many ways we can express our joy... through music, singing, dancing, instrumentals.  We only express joy because of His gift to us. We can shout joyfully to Him. We will desire to lift our voice up to the Lord in praise and worship when we have His Joy and trust Him to Fill us with joy daily.

We can begin by thanking Him for all He provides and for the gift of His everlasting Joy.  

In our lives we have the promise that He will turn our mourning into joy and comfort us in times of sorrow. Only He can replace brokenness for Joy.  He is joyful when we repent and gives us a promise of peace and joy in heaven. 

praying for His Joy in my life this year.  A joy that will not fade and is not circumstantial. 

Joy-Delight, happiness

1 Chron. 15:16

Job 33:26

Ps. 51:12

Ps. 89:12

Ps. 132:9

Is. 61:7

Jer. 31:13

Matt. 2:10

Luke 15:7

Rom. 14:17

Gal. 5:22

Phil. 2:2

Joyful-feeling gladness

Deut. 16:15

Ps. 21:6

Ps. 126:5

Prov. 17:22

Joyfully-Full of joy, happy

Ps. 66:1

Is. 52:8

Luke 19:37

Fruits of the Spirit Series~Love

Join me in an adventure to looking at the fruits of the spirit...

let's start at the beginning, a very good place to start... everything begins with LOVE!!

God is love as designed to be a noun and a verb ~in action~

All love is from God, no one has more love than God.  

God is the author, creator and keeper of ALL love and ALL things love.  

God’s love is unconditional ~which we as humans cannot even imagine what that means~  

Nothing is greater than His love.  

His love is unchanging, steadfast, never will grow cold, give up, nor run out. 

1 Cor. 13  God’s love is perfect, patient, kind, gentle, hopes, endures, compassionate, and perseveres. (and we can have this love also from Him)

Love is the fruit of the spirit given by God through the Holy Spirit and we are to act upon the love He gives us.  (Verb)  We are to abide in His love and love ALL people (neighbors).  The action part is us expressing the love He gives us (through our asking and receiving, trusting Him and keeping an attitude of repentance with Him)  God expressed His love through His Son and His outpouring on the cross. 

I am to ask God for unending love, accept it, use it to serve others, change the world in His name.  He will always give me more. 

Love is a Noun…..Compassion/devotion

Prov. 10:12

Micah 7:18

John 15:10

John 15:13

Romans 5:8

Romans 8:37-39

1 Cor. 8:1

1 Cor. 13:4

1 Cor. 14:1

2 Cor. 5:14

Gal. 5:13

Eph. 4:15

1 John 4:7

1 John 4:16-18

Love is a Verb….

Galatians 5:22

1 Cor. 13:4-8a

Col. 3:12-14

Deut. 6:5

Prov. 17:17a

Amos 5:15

Matt. 5:44

John 3:16

John 13:34

Eph. 5:22-31

1 John 2:15

John 15:9

 

The job I am interested in is Youth Services Librarian I at the Madelyn Helling Library in Nevada County, CA. The job announcement is located at: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/mynevadacounty/jobs/1409473/librarian-i/apply/jobdetails

 

As the Senior Library Technician at Hub Zemke Library I etablished and maintained cooperative working relationships with those contacted in the course of work, established and maintained priorities and objectives for myself and others, and developed and implemented library services consistent with community library's goals and objectives as well as patron's needs.

My cover letter is:

Dawn Marie Brindley  

15640 Ant Hill Rd

Penn Valley, California, 95946

530-913-7501

 

Dear Hiring Manager,

As a Youth Services Librarian I, I can provide excellent administrative support and communication skills.  I believe my skills would be a positive asset for the Nevada County Library system. My background and abilities in youth services, school library management, and program coordinator for youth programs lead me to be qualified both educationally and experientially.

I am skilled in performing professional library work in the Nevada County Library System; I currently manage, direct and implement major service areas at a community library.  I perform a variety of administrative and operational functions in support of a community Library Department.

I am prior military and Library management is my highest aptitude for employment.  I am proficient in writing, organizing, computer use, filing, record keeping, policy, and procedure maintenance.  I have attention to detail and a desire to ensure quality work and customer relations.  I have the discipline to succeed in all that I do and strive to meet goals with attention to detail.

The accompanying resume will provide you with additional details of my accomplishments and skills.  I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you and learn how I can make a positive contribution to Nevada County Library system.  I am convinced that a face to face meeting to discuss my qualifications would be mutually beneficial.  Should you have any questions in the meantime, please feel free to contact me at the phone numbers above.  Transcripts are included and references are available upon request.

 

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Dawn Brindley

Traditional vs. Learning Commons in Libraries

There are many ideas that our library would like to try, however, some of the users are not having it!  They want personal touch or at least communication face-to-face with a human.  They do not want the technology driven library with self-sign-in’s and self-check-outs. Some do not want the impersonal-ness in the library of the future.  Then you have those who thrive on the impersonal, and wish for the library to be a quiet space, non-distracting, and yet still comfortable.  How do we balance it out?  How can we please everyone?

We have many patrons who do not “feel” the need to explore our databases online and who shy away from the technology tools, whether they be eReaders, Playaways, or Computers in general to do their research.  Then we have the patrons who can do it themselves and want too, or at least try. 

As a library we want to shift to the Learning Commons Model and have so many users, of all ages, who prefer one way versus the other.  We try to slowly integrate the changes and yet give instruction to those who are uncomfortable or feel the “old” way was better.  I think either way the shift must be deliberate, keeping all informed, and updated on the shift with the users in mind.  The positive attitude of the staff will be key to the shift.  With a willing-ness to assist all users.

Life-Changing Seminar

I'm back!!   The past year has been a ride for me, with coordinating Women's Ministry events, completing my Bachelor of Arts in Library Science and Media through Ashford University and working almost full-time at my dream job.


I recently attended a Spiritual Warfare conference that Living Ministries International hosted with speaker Cecil Peasley.   I felt like I was in a revival, except the focus was on my walk with God and my diligence with my walk with God and how the "culture" around me affects my attitude and my decisions daily.


Remember the theme of this blog is "Living Love Outloud".  So with that being said here are the highlights of the conference that was presented in 5 sessions over the course of 4 days. 


In life we are responsible
In death we are accountable


Satan wants NO Christianity in our world and will do whatever he can to detour us in our lives


Corinthians 4:16-18     New International Version (NIV)
¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ¹⁸ So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.


In the analogy if we are the boat, Jesus is our anchor and the Holy Spirit is connecting us.


In one day we are deposit from God 1440 minutes to spend.  Are we using or losing the time?  Are we wasting the time God gives us?
FAITH is our most valuable asset.


GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN ME THAN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD!!




Psalm 139   New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 139

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

¹ You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.
² You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.
⁵ You hem me in behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too lofty for me to attain.

⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee from your presence?
⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
    if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,
¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me,
    your right hand will hold me fast.
¹¹ If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,”
¹² even the darkness will not be dark to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

¹³ For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.
¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts,^[a] God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸ Were I to count them,
    they would outnumber the grains of sand—
    when I awake, I am still with you.

¹⁹ If only you, God, would slay the wicked!
    Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
²⁰ They speak of you with evil intent;
    your adversaries misuse your name.
²¹ Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord,
    and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
²² I have nothing but hatred for them;
    I count them my enemies.
²³ Search me, God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
²⁴ See if there is any offensive way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting.

~Radical Disease calls for Radical Surgery~

God is alive and active .... Is He in my life?


What must I do? 
                 Everyday submit to God.  RENEW...

Good Grief!

Grieving....


The past year has been, what I would consider, a year of loss for our family, friends, and church family.  I have kissed the cheek of many tear stained loved ones.  As I hold them in their grief, tasting their tears on my lips, I pray for strength, peace, and healing from this hole in their heart from the loss of their loved one.  My heart aches for the loss and though I personally have never lost (to death) anyone, who I has left a sizeable hole in my heart.  I have felt loss and felt that sizeable hole in my heart from losses of either friends and family who have chosen to not choose me.  I desired to please them, to be part of their lives, to do whatever to be "in" with them.  What I found was my conviction to Jesus Christ in my life being a stronger life commitment that any person on earth.  My loss OR My gain?  I choose life with Him over life dependent on pleasing any other person on earth.  I know my Father is pleased with this decision (maybe not other decisions in my life), but putting Him first should be my #1 priority. 


Our pastor recently spoke on "Let the Chips Fall".  In the process of our living here on earth we have a choice to speak up for what God wants, to lead our world in His path and trust Him to take care of the "Chips".  The decision to follow Him or to follow the world.  When we put our faith in human's and their choices, it will fail every time.  When we put our faith in God and trust Him with the repercussions of our words to stand for Him, He will take care of us.  He took care of Daniel, Shadrach, Medshach, and Abednego, Paul, Peter, and many others throughout the Bible.  He will take care of us.  The decision I made to put God first in my life and to follow Him has been a process and will continue to be.  I have watched the "Chips Fall" many times and know I am held in His arms first and foremost.  As a human I miss and sometimes look back to what choices I made, I do not long to live in Babylon and my desire to live with Him.  Can there be a balance?  I have questioned the balance of living in the world and not being of the world.  There are so many choices in this decision including gossip, drinking, partying, homosexuality, drugs, lying, lust, pro-choice, etc.  So if I compromise in one area then my life will be a compromise in all areas?  The grey will suck me in and I will be like the rest of the world.  There will be no light in me, there will be no difference.  I would have conformed to the life of the others, but I will fit in?  I will have lots of friends and family....but not have God.  I will be just like them... and not be like Him. 

Through the losses and through our choices we still have a will and a choice to live for Him or not.  The holes in our heart can and will be healed through our faith and trust in Him.  He will be our Abba, our Father, our Healer, our Protector, our Strength, and our Peace ALWAYS.  We do not need to look to the world for this only look to Him, on our knees, in humility, and reverence.  He holds us in life and in death.


Whatever grief we experience....

Pinterest Educational Tool

Pinterest Educational Tool.....

Animoto is an amazing Educational tool, you can create a video, post it, and share it.

https://www.pinterest.com/brindley7/educational-technology-tools/

Future of Educational Technology

The rapid progression of technology in our world has made and will continue to make a huge impact on education.  The trend that are noticeable to me and will continue to rapidly move through the educational field are:  Virtual learning, mobile capabilities, open content, ease of information access, and global or cloud access. (NMC. 2013)  The school districts should pay close attention to these trends, they are impacting schools, families, and communities already and will only become more prevalent in the next few years. 

The use of computers is in every home, workplace, and personal use and will continue to be an accessory in all of the above areas.  The schools must embrace and engage the students in learning the different technology tools out there.  Classrooms will become more virtual than they already are and in most high schools will be completely virtual in the upcoming years.  If the student is old enough to stay home and care for themselves, the need for physical classrooms will diminish.  The world is a mobile society, with devices in our hand to access content and information from anywhere, at any time, as long as there is wireless or data capabilities. (OEBd. 2013)  I see the wireless and data capabilities becoming an anytime/anywhere soon.  The areas that will be most affected by this will be rural areas with agricultural base and little or no service connection. 

Virtual learning will enhance the classroom environment and bring the world to their fingertips.  The teacher will be able to lead the students anywhere and at any time through online searches.  The accessibility of content and information being just a search away will bring a more engaging learning environment for all learners.  The idea of a flipped classroom is not new to many school districts and the idea of being able to attend school anywhere is going to increase in need and in functionality.  The students will desire to learn at their own time and in their own environment, such as this class does, and have the flexibility and to have the mobility and freedom to take their class with them anywhere.  Any curriculum can be enhanced by the virtual, mobile, ease of information and content access, and the global aspect of incorporating any culture, topic, and interest into the classroom to engage and teach the lessons needed to be taught.

References:

NMC.  2013.  Horizon Report.  Retrieved from:  http://www.nmc.org/pdf/2013-horizon-report-k12.pdf

OEDb.  2013.  7 Ed Tech Trends to Watch in 2014.  Retrieved from:  http://oedb.org/ilibrarian/7-ed-tech- trends-watch-2014/

Technology Standards in Education

No this is not a picture of me... I do not look quite that enthusiastic at this moment in my life.  

Many of my friends and family know I am completing my coursework for my Library Science Degree.  

This is one of the reasons my Blog has sat empty for the last few months.  You will see some action in the near future with my current class of Foundations of Eductional Technology.

This week I am assigned to blog on the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and the standards teachers use as a guideline for their class.  

Unless you stay home and not go anywhere, you will need to utilize technology in some form or another. How soon is too soon to start promoting technology with our children?  I heard on the radio that no age is too young to teach how to use a digital device.  Then I was talking to a friend and she said her two year old granddaughter knows more about the iPad and how to navigate through it than she does.  Now she is 70 years old and kudos to her for trying her hand at the iPad, let alone keep up with the two year old.  I know many in that age bracket who would not touch an iPad, let alone desire to learn to use one everyday.  

Teachers today are taught and encouraged to incorporate the ISTE Standards for Students or Standards*S into their classroom.  

The standards are:

1.      Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity.

2.      Design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments.

3.      Model digital age work and learning.

4.      Promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility.

5.      Engage in professional growth and leadership.

With all of the newer standards being introduced with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), incorporating the Standards*S into the lessons should be a positive and enriching practice for the student and teacher.  When a teacher chooses a goal for the unit from the CCSS and then selects one or more forms of technology to teach with and use for practice and assessments the lessons can flow positively and improve learning in all students. 

When I was in school eons ago there were no computers, calculators were a new concept, and white boards weren't even a thought yet.  We had overhead projectors and teachers were still learning the uses for them.  We had chalkboards and much of our assignment tasking was listed on them.  We used the chalkboards for mathematics computation, vocabulary, and spelling words and not much else.  I do remember using a driving simulator for our practice driving exam.  It reminds me of the Atari driving game with the steering wheel between your lap and the controls to manuever.  I do not think it really helped me learn how to drive, though.  Nothing compares to the actual behind the wheel. 

For me I think the ISTE Standards for Teachers are great for today.  There are so many tools that a teacher can use to promote creativity, engage the students in the lesson, explore the world through digital tools and resources, increase in knowledge faster than ever before.  With the backward design of lesson planning the teacher can select the standard they wish to teach and for the students to master, then they can choose their tool to design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning and assessment for all learners in their class.  Students now are more educated and technologically advanced than I was in school for sure.  I think the standards now taught would have brought the digital age to the forefront, with faster thought processes, and deeper thought processing in my education and enhanced my education.  

References:  

EDU 352 Classroom Instructor Guidance.  2015.  Retrieved from:

      http://classroom.ashford.edu/re/DotNextLaunch.asp?courseid=11921658&userid=33531020&sessionid=89e436bac3&tabid=nNOqV0ANUpOFochjnA1lLsQ74rSEAKG5aHOLuO+tOBzEG2yjIIGp5uF9HTqw2skNpOTUKyJH52AogrJsXlU+1rIpLZEB/7jKgTaHSX096Gs=&sessionFirstAuthStore=true&macid=spbYa+d7DjF6dptJ2lZb/gGApI7GQPufyNtRV2PJ8D1/1Bv+NA6DcuGB/R52jHMYl2k8b7iQBSQGTKy4mMtszXDJARRE9tyj7GR6mocTUKHLFJR8Nt8mUKJOkcDpIZDEBy+0az4NJNFH++6CZM8V/jiTrE5MMnWiAunziQbFwD3QJ8Ps/W3AdFieAzfF2Z0mKOIOEP8ttE85uq/Y2INMfvuwCJQ2UHifZfRxfKX654rFu2yIV3JPclJRXHr+tTliRLmHElFuGRFeLY2+sWGZ+iziU35L/Zi7r1+bJ9Ubhg8= 

ISTE. 2015.  ISTE Standards Teachers.  Retrieved from:  http://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/20-14_ISTE_Standards-T_PDF.pdf 

Kayaking Adventure

Today was an amazing day!  Started off with practicing for the Amazing Grace Easter Program 2015 at First Baptist Church.  We have an amazing program on Saturday, April 4 at 6pm and Sunday, April 5 at 9am and 11am services.  The program will consist of Bells of Praise, the accurate rendition of Jesus' death and resurrection in song and drama.  Including the Lord's Supper.   We have been practicing for weeks and are almost ready. 

After our practice my husband and I took some kayaks out to Scott's Flat Lake and kayaked from the Deer Creek river to the dam.  We had just gotten set and ready to row to the creek, when I dropped the sunscreen in the lake, I leaned over to retrieve it and dumped my kayak.  We had already had the conversation about whether to wear our bathing suits or not.  I had said, "I will not be getting in the water today."  Well, that came back to bite me...  Within 5 minutes of being on the lake, I was in it. I did dry in the few hours we were out there.  and All in all....Beautiful day!  I did not want to leave the lake in the late afternoon.

We came home to barbeque and clean up the rose garden and house. 

Kauai 2015 family vacation

We always knew this day would come.  Invite the kids and families on a family vacation and have some fun making memories.  We started planning this family trip in September of 2014, after an amazing family time with our kids at our sons wedding.  We invited all the kids and once we found out how many were going to be able to make it, took advantage of the VRBO at Puamana in north shore, Princeville, Kauai.  My husband and I flew in on Wednesday, March 11, 2015 in the afternoon.  We hit some head winds and went around a really turbulent patch.  The flight took 6 hrs  and 19 min.to Honolulu.  The a 30 min to Lihue, Kauai.  We picked up our car and headed to Barking Sands to shop, pick up beach supplies(chairs, snorkels, mask and fins, umbrella (for us really white people), and boogie boards.   We shopped for food at the NEX and walmart then headed to the condo.   Love seeing the chickens everywhere, smells so tropical, so lush and green.  Very tired tonight!  Rainy at condo.
Thursday, March 12, 2015 we start our sunrise walks each morning at 6:40am.  We are on the North East side of the island, so sunrises are a must.  We see whales breaching each morning and enjoy a different sunrise each morning.  We walk to Wyllie Beach down the trail by the condo, breakfast and then drove to Anahola Beach for a couple hours to boogie board, sun, walked on path.  Drove to Ke'e Beach.  Grilled at the condo and hung out.  Rainy and condo.
Friday, March 13, 2015 during our sunrise walk we saw dolphins.  We walked the princeville shops, found lapperts ice cream.  Drove to pick up leis for our son and his wife, then to a beach near the airport.  We picked up the kids at the airport, went to the fish market to eat
 In Lihue, stopped at Safeway then the kids chilled at the condo.  My husband and I drove to Anini beach, then laid out on Westin pool deck. Chilled at condo.
Saturday, March 14, 2015 Sunrise walk, farmers market in Hanalei at 9:30am, sunning at beach then picked up kids to go get leis and go to the airport to pick up the rest of the kids(my youngest daughter, her boyfriend and best friend).  We all went to local coffee and shaved ice in kapaa.  We stopped a t Anahola beach....first time for a few on a boogie board, on Hawaiian island and in warm water.  We grilled at the condo...fish tacos' watched Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca.  My son and daughter went out to get Lapperts with me.....Kauai Pie mmmmmmm....
Sunday, March 15, 2015 Sunrise walk, coffee and beach in Hanalei, church at Amazing Grace Baptist Church in Hanalei, lighthouse, a private beach, where we saw Bethany Hamilton, boogie boarded, falls, Hanalei for lunch, Ke'e beach, Na Pali coast, wet and dry caves' Haena beach, Tunnels beach' Dolphins for dinner, Lapperts for dessert.
Monday, March 16, 2015 Sunrise walk, so many whales, beach snorkeling with turtles, fish and Anini Beach.  Kids went to Smith's fern grotto and luau.  My husband and I walked to Queen Emma's Bath then sunset near St. Regis.
Tuesday, March 17, 2015. Sunrise walk, hiked 8 miles or 6 hours to Hanakai'kai Falls!  So beautiful...
Grilled at the condo.
Wednesday, March 18, 2015 sunrise walk, drove to Poipu Beach' spent 3 1/2 hrs on the beach, boogie boarding, snorkeling, drove up the Waimea Canyon, drove to Barking Sands for beach, returned the beach equipment, dinner at Shenanigan's for dinner, drove home.
Thursday, March 19, 2015 no sunrise walk, rainy, our son and wife go home today, my husband and I go to beach, the kids shop and go zip lining.
Friday, March 20, 2015 travel day home.  The rest of the kids get one day to chill.....next family vacation???
What an amazing trip that was! Great family memories and....Fun!   Heads up, beached bodies and laughs.  Lots of love showing to each other!!!!

Join the Air Force...Travel... See the World!

We were really excited to get orders to Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany in 1997, then the airman in my husband's job position over there extended his tour.  I guess he really liked it!  I would have loved it!  Did he not know he was depriving a homemaker and her young ones of the greatest adventure of their lives?  
Then we waited and my husband guaranteed that we would go somewhere.  So in 1998 he gets a one year assignment to Osan AB, S. Korea ALONE.  Unaccompanied!!  Meaning we cannot go with him.
So I start praying for God to give us the opportunity to go as a family.  The closer it got, the more that dream was going to come through.  Now, it is not as perfect as it seems.  We are going unaccompanied, which means we will live on the economy, no support from the military.  We may not be able to shop at the commissary, the children will not get into schools, we may have no healthcare on base.  This was going to be living off the grid for sure. 
Around the middle of July we packed up our base housing and moved up to my parents house.  We were only allowed to "hop" or take with us on space available flights two pieces of luggage, we chose a box and a suitcase each and a carry on.   My husband was allowed to bring 500 pounds of household belongings and a vehicle, that was shipped prior to him leaving.  We had sold our newer van and bought a 1984 Ford Econoline van.  It was red and sparkly (glitter paint), with shag carpet on the walls and floor and no windows.  WOW!  This means there are 7 people with 21 pieces of luggage total to live on for one year, oh, and the 500 pounds of mostly uniforms and duty necessities for my husband.   We checked on the space available flights leaving Travis AFB, CA and on August 11, 1998 my mom and dad drove us down in their motor home.  They dropped us off at the terminal at Travis AFB, CA at 6am, my husband signs us up to "hop" to S. Korea.  After waiting for hours to see if we were on a flight, excited with 22 pieces of luggage and 5 children,  we do not get on a flight this day and my husband checks all flights for the following day.  We are essentially stranded on Travis AFB.  My husband rents a truck with a king cab and of course a bed that can fit all of our luggage.  There is no room at the inn!  (on base)  So we drive around looking for a hotel, remember this is before cell phones and the speed of Priceline.com (which I now love when we travel).  We take naps, because it has been a long start of the day and take a swim and enjoy the budget hotel.  After a tight night in a small hotel room, we wake up early and arrive at 5:30am at the terminal, we sign up for a space available flight to Yokota AB, Japan on a KC10. We got on the plane and actual had airline seats.  The flight was supposed to cost $12 per person and this included a box lunch.  We felt God's presence with us.  The children were super travelers, the $12 fee was never charged and the boxed lunches were decent.  The flight was about 10 1/2 hours.  We departed on August 12, 1998 and crossed the dateline, so our youngest son's birthday, August 13th only lasted a couple hours.   As a treat for the kids, they were allowed to, one at a time, go visit the cockpit, we sang Happy Birthday and a special cupcake was presented to the birthday boy, who turned 7.   We arrived in Yokota in the afternoon and we were soooo tired, still had 22 pieces of luggage and 5 children.  Yay for us.  While we were waiting in the terminal for our next move...a room, next flight, and food, an airman had seen my son wearing a football jersey with our last name on it.  He followed him until he met my husband.  Then introduced himself as Sgt Brindley and wondered if we were related somehow.  After coming to the conclusion that he was not related to us, he asked about our plans.  My husband mentioned he was stuck in the terminal with the luggage and no way to get around with it.  This man was one of our angels.  He offered his office, there at the terminal, to store our luggage.  We packed in the backpacks all we would need for the evening and stored the rest of the luggage in his office.  My husband stayed at the terminal to sign up for the next flight and get us a room somewhere.  So hungry and tired, I checked out the base map, what could we do to kill time and for dinner, so the kids and I took off on the Yokota bus around base.  The first thing we notice is how muggy it is.  We are sweating just driving around on the bus.  We had Burger King for dinner and went to the base pool.  Which was an indoor Olympic size pool with basketball, volleyball, and games for the kids.  We rested and played and the boys all got their energy out.  Where do they get all the energy from?  We met back up with my husband later and he had gotten us two rooms on base.  We crashed early and were up early the next morning for our flight to S. Korea.  We retrieved our luggage and waited for the flight.  While we were waiting we met a family who were stationed at Osan AB, S. Korea they tried to discourage us and told us there was no way we were going to make it unaccompanied.  There would be no resources available to us and I should turn back now with the children and go home.  They became some of our good friends while at Osan.  We worshipped with them at the chapel and enjoyed many church and base functions with them.  While this news was very discouraging, we ran into an airman that used to be our neighbor on Beale AFB.  His sons and daughter were our youngest children's age and very good friends.  He negated all of what they said and reaffirmed our goals and our plans.  He became our angel and later comes to our rescue.  He had already spent 6 months at Osan AB and knew how to get around and where to go.  Our flight was a short flight on a C130 to Kunsan AB, S. Korea.  We had to get our Passports stamped to enter S. Korea and the nationals wouldn't let us through.  My husband was escorted to a back room for interrogation and we were in a very small holding area.  My husband had been warned by another Korean National that they may try to get bribe money from you.  Little did they know, we did not have a dime to rub between us.  After hours of waiting for the planes and process to in-process the country we were allowed to board the plane to Osan AB, S. Korea.  We flew on a C130 to Osan.  Our neighbor angel still with us and encouraging us all the way.  We arrived at Osan AB late at night, our neighbor angel helped us get two taxis and a room to stay.  The room we ended up getting ended up being a suite with a kitchen.  The weather was so humid and the children kept saying it was hard to breathe.  The rooms we stayed in were NQR (not quite right) , which became a regular sighting while in Korea.  The ceiling was uneven, the shower was not square, the toilet was crooked.  Hmmmm.... not in Kansas anymore!  The next day my husband went out to look for a place to stay and check into the base.  The kids and I hung out, walked everywhere.  Within a few weeks my husband was able to get the commander to sign off on his family using the commissary, clinic, for medical care, and to register the kids on space available at the DOD school on base.  So off we go to register the 4 older children, 14, 10, 10, and 7 at the school on base.  We loved the chapel on base and within a few days my husband had found a furnished 700 sq ft apartment in Pyongtaek, right outside the base.  Another blessing from God!  We were able to walk to base from the apartment.  The only thing we needed were beds.  So I went shopping for futons for the kids.  I went into a shop with the kids, while my husband was at work and actually got kicked out.  Most of the businesses will not do business with women alone.  They must have a man with them.  So 50's!  By August 28, the 7 year old had been accepted into the base school and the rest were going to be homeschooled.  We were settled into our apartment and ready for some structure.  I loved homeschooling the kids.  They called me Mrs. Love during school hours and the youngest was even doing preschool curriculum.  My class consisted of 4 very bright students, an eighth grader, two fifth graders and a preschooler.  Bring it on!

Erma Quotes

One of my favorite authors is Erma Bombeck~anything Erma.....

Here are a few quotes to live, laugh and love.....

Motherhood is an art.  And it is naive to send a mother into an arena for twenty years with a child and expect her to come out on top.  Everything is in the child's favor.  He's little.  He's cute and he can turn tears on and off like a faucet. 
There have always been schools for children.  They spend anywhere from twelve to sixteen years of their lives in them, around other children who share the experience of being a child and how to combat it.  They're in an academic atmosphere where they learn how to manipulate parents and get what they want from them.  They bind together to form a children's network, where they pool ideas on how to get a bigger allowance and how to stay home when their parents go on a vacation.  Their influence is felt throughout the world.  Without contributing a dime, they have more ice cream parlors, recreation centers, playgrounds, and amusement parks than any group could ever pull off.  They never pay full price for anything. 

Class Ideas for School for New Mothers:
Creative Nagging 101, 201, 301
Seminar for Savers
Investments and Returns From Your Children
Perfection:  How to get it and how to convince your children you've got it
Legal rights for mothers
History of suspicion and its effects on menopause
Threats and pomises
Guilt:  the gift that keeps giving

Have you ever used these?  
Which did you use the most? 

This is going to hurt me worse than it hurts you
When you grow up, you'll thank me for being so strict
we'll see
Don't talk with food in your mouth.  Answer me!
I'm doing this because I love you. 
Never Mind, I'll do it myself
I'm not going to speak to you again
Children should be seen and not heard
no sense crying over spilt milk
do you believe everything you hear?
I'll give you something to cry about
keep your hands where they're supposed to be

why don't you grow up
someday you'll be old
you're not getting any younger
you'll grow up fast enough.  when I was your age....
when are you going to act your age?
I'll treat you like an adult when you start acting like one
You'll always be mama's baby

I'm going to send all that food you left on your plate to all the starving Africans
Do you want mommy to leave the house and never come back?
If you sleep with dogs, you get fleas
You're going to drive me to an early grave
This is the last time I'm going to ask....
We're not asking you not to get married, we're just asking you to wait
That's what you get for not listening
I'm only one person

Just wait till you have children of your own!
Do you think I was born yesterday
If you don't listen....
That does it.  I'm sending you to military school
Where did I fail? 
Why me, God?
You made your bed, now lie in it
I  may not always understand you, but I am always willing to listen
What's a mother for but to suffer
Fool me once, shame on me---fool me twice, I'll get you. 
If your friend jumped off the bridge would you do it too? 
If you fall off that swing and break your leg, don't come running to me. 

(from Motherhood-The Second Oldest Profession)

Books

I have been negligent in listing my current books and films.

Books:  Again I read 1776 by David McCullough, Family, The Ties That Bind and Gag, Motherhood the Second Oldest Profession, I Want to Grow Hair, I want to Grow up, I want to go to Bose, Forever, Erma,  The Grass is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank, All I know about Animal Behavior I Learned in Laehmann's Dressing Room-all by Erma Bombeck and Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity by Bill O'Reilly.  

I am watching Lark Rise to Candleford.  Very Good!  Watched Pride and Prejudice this weekend.  Classic!

F16 Night Launch

While on deployment with my husband to S. Korea from 1998-1999....
One very cold night in February, 1999 I was on a mission with about 15+ youth from the chapel at Osan AB, S. Korea.  We had gone into Pyeongtaek and fed the homeless at a local mission.  The evening was such fun, with good food, great people and service.  On our return to base to drop the youth off with parents at the chapel we saw the F-16's taking off/landing.  We had a little time to spare and so we watched them and cheered them on.  The sound of the jets, the afterburners and such power.  We were talking about Top Gun and singing in my van.  Oh, yeah the van was a 1984 Ford Econoline with no windows, red in color with glitter all over the outside, shag carpeting on the inside, an awesome 70's ride.  This is how we could fit 15+ in the van.  It was dark on this evening and we were hyper.  All of a sudden we are being escorted from the van and held up at gun point by the S. Korean Security Forces who share a base with us.  We are all forced out of the van and lined up facing the van outside, with arms up.  I was trying to explain, with no luck. Then the American Security Forces squad pulls up with about 7 of them and after interrogating me, they explain to the first squad what we were doing.  Well, what I did not know until afterward, was that the base was in an exercise and I had parked on their bunker.  OOOOOPs.......My husband's commander was notified and memories were made. 

1. General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon
2. The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force. Wikipedia
4. Wingspan: 33' (9.96 m)
5. Length: 49' (15 m)
6. First flight: January 20, 1974
7. Unit cost: 14,600,000–18,800,000 USD (1998)
8. Engine type: General Electric F110
9. Designer: Robert H. Widmer
10. Manufacturers: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics

Manzanita Tree 2006

My husband for three years, since retiring from the US Air Force after 22 1/2 years, owns a small lawn maintenance business with himself only as CEO, Foreman, and Laborer. He has utilized the services of our boys as laborers, also.  One day in early fall, 2006 he and my 15 year old youngest son had been working and a customer had a tree in a pot that he wanted my husband to dispose of.  So he loaded it up and headed for home.  We keep a rather large compost, due to the many materials my husband brings home.  So my son decided the tree was pretty and he would display this rather unusual  tree near the compost.  The compost pile is at the gate to our driveway. 
Later that day I was driving past the newly acquired 'manzanita' tree and I stopped.  I am a native of Nevada County and had never seen a "manzanita" tree quite like this one.  It had the largest pink blooms all over it.  They appeared to be growing on each limb of this 3 ft tall tree.  The way it was positioned I could not see the pot it was sitting in and thought it was actually growing out of the compost.  Why had I not noticed this before? 
Being in a bit of a hurry I didn't tarry too long, however, I got to thinking about the five acres of manzanita we owned and if this manzanita had bloomed so beautifully then all of mine would.  So when I arrived home later, that day, instead of rushing to my home duties I took a walk around the property looking for blooms on the manzanita trees.  Not one bud on any of our manzanita.  So the incident was filed in the "ask my husband later" part of my mind and on with life.   This was long before we all had phones that had unlimited calls and we could just pick up the phone, text, and get the answers immediately. 
So a week or so went by and then I ask him why the manzanita was growing there and he laughs, because it was a fake plant.  Not even a manzanita, just painted to look very similar and the blossoms were not real at all. 
Back to studying the native plants, flowers, and trees for me.

This is a true Manzanita bush in bloom.


This is the full growth of Manzanita Tree that would overtake our property with the poison oak, if we allowed it. 



I have loved Manzanita since I was a child.  I used to make forts under the shelter of the tree, played hide and seek with neighbor kids, and played pretend within the little forests of the trees.  I enjoy the red bark, such a unique tree.  When we moved to our property and started clearing the trees, I sold the trees in parts.  Terrarium Logs, Money Trees, Marshmallow Roasting Sticks, etc.  As with most of my other sales efforts, I made little or no money with this venture, also.