Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

Husband and I laughed as we thought about the title for this particular blog. We thought about, "A San Francisco Treat" but the above seemed more appropriate because we literally took about every form of transportation while on our fun anniversary trip to San Francisco. I think that the only thing we didn't take was a boat, and that could have easily been accomplished but we opted to do that on another trip out there.

Our adventure really started on the Thursday we were to leave. I went with Husband to work so we didn't have to juggle two cars here and there. So, to get to his place of employment back to our home "should" have been about an hour and fifteen minutes. Do you want to take any guess as to how long it REALLY took? If you start singing the "Gilligan's Island" theme you will realize the answer when you reach "a three hour tour, a three hour tour!" AH! We saw one of the worst tractor trailer accidents ever and then there was another accident near Husband's place of work and then there were continual hiccups as a residual effect from the tractor trailer accident trying to get home. Needless to say, we left at 6:30 AM and I got home at 9:30 AM. Nutty.

Thankfully, the rest of the day went smoothly. I got all I needed to get done at home...some cleaning and last minute packing details. I picked up Husband from work and we were off to the airport. (See, this is where the planes part of the title comes into play)

We arrived in San Francisco late Thursday night. Friday morning we enjoyed a fun breakfast at the hotel and then off to Sonoma County area which would be better known as wine country. We finally made it there and did some tasting at Chateau St. Jean. It was a lovely place and the wine quite delicious. For a variety of reasons we opted to just drive around and tour the area and then decided to head down to the Monterey area (Marina to be exact) and check into our next hotel. Once again we had another "three hour tour" plus 15-20 minutes for a trip that should have taken about 2.5 hours. Such is life on Labor Day weekend and traffic accidents I suppose. We eventually ended up at the Marina Dunes Resort. It's fun because a) it's right on the beach and b) they give you a golf cart to drive around in while on the grounds! It was a lovely time of relaxing and enjoying time together.

Saturday, we went to Monterey (about 10 miles down the road) and went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which is quite extraordinary. I would highly recommend not going on the weekend and it is worth the price, indeed. Especially, if you have kiddos. Then we had lunch at fun little Thai restaurant across the way from the aquarium. After some yummy Pad Thai and Chicken Curry we meandered down Cannery Row which is filled with shops, restaurants, and interesting people. On the way out of town we saw a little Irish pub and filed it in the back of our minds as a possible place to eat. We had originally planned to eat at a micro-brew in Marina but after we called the pub to see if they served Magners (a hard apple cider that is known as Bulmers in Ireland) and when they confirmed that they did we opted to go there instead. You see, Magners is only available in limited places in the US and I have been really wanting one since we got back from Ireland. What we found at Shane's Irish Bistro was a quaint little place that reminded us of the Irish countryside. The owner talked with us a bit and pointed us in the direction of an Irish market when we got back to San Francisco. Good times, good food, good beer.

Sunday, we worshipped with the congregation of Church of the King where Husband knew the pastor on previous visits from him to our congregation in Phoenix. It was a delightful time to meet new people and be welcomed so warmly by their community. After worship, we headed back to San Francisco. We ate lunch at some random diner near our hotel, checked in, and then dropped off our rental car (see, AUTOMOBILE). From here on out it was public (and hotel) transportation. We took the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit...i.e TRAIN!) to the center of town. We walked to Pier 39 and enjoyed all the sights and sounds. San Francisco is a people-watchers dream. And for those who know me well, I love to watch people so this place is AWESOME. It is probably one of the most interesting places because it is quite the international city. We headed over to Little Italy where we had a yummy dinner on the sidewalk dinning area of Mona Lisa's. It was a pretty place and quite fun to watch Italian exchange on the street. I think after that we went to Ghirardelli Square where we had a decadent Espresso Dark Sundae. Yep, espresso flavored ice cream with dark chocolate sauce. That was gooooood!

Monday, we tried to contact the Irish market but they, so we thought, were closed (we found out later they just opened later than usual). We had breakfast at Noah's Bagels and then headed off to see more fun things like Chinatown (totally cool), Fisherman's Wharf, and Palace of Fine Arts (Intruiging and beautiful Architecture). We had crab cakes for lunch and I checked out a really neat gallery on Pier 39. We also watched one of the shows there... kind of corny but it was funny, too. We stopped in for a drink at an Irish pub in the afternoon and then grabbed a cable car to tour the city and plus it was something that we just wanted to do. I was so excited that we were able to grab a place where you have to stand. Although, it was a little chilly it was totally fun going up and down the crazy, hilly streets of the city. The driver would tease us like he was really going to "let her go" on the downhill side of things like a roller coaster. It was a neat way to see different parts of the city. Taking the cable car is not really a practical way to get across town in a hurry but it sure is fun! When we got down near Union Square the line ended and we walked around a bit (Neither of us are really shoppers, just observers) we decided to track down our dinner restaurant which was in the Financial District. It wasn't until we were about two blocks from the place that we thought it might be closed because of Labor Day. Sure enough! We got down there and there was another couple discovering the same bad news. Just the same, we recovered and took an old street car (they are all old and really interesting!) back to Fisherman's Wharf where we enjoyed some seafood. We were pretty tired (and a little sunburned) so we headed back to the hotel for a restful night.

Tuesday morning, we checked out of the hotel and had them hold our bags until the afternoon. We jumped on their shuttle to the BART station and took that for a bit into town where we jumped on a MUNI Train to a random part of the city to find our little Irish Market. We called to see if they still had breakfast and they did but they also informed us that they usually run out by 10 AM. We were arriving close to 11 AM! So we hoped that today would be an exception. Sure enough, they had PLENTY for an Irish Breakfast Roll (includes eggs, bangers, white pudding, Irish bacon, some other trimmings, and HP Sauce) This market was incredibly cool and so very Irish. We picked up some Magners to take home and some other fun things that reminded us of Ireland. We took our "brunch" to Golden Gate Park where we ate in the Shakespeare Garden. We were visited by a curious and cute little squirrel who munched on some of our Tay-to chips. I like pretty places and Matt has a knack for getting us to some amazing places. This was such a nice place for a meal as there we no other people (until we were leaving) and it was just beautiful. You could see where they probably have readings of Shakespeare in the summer evenings and how fun that must be! After our delightful meal we headed back towards Pier 39 via bus and a nice little jaunt via our feet for a few little things we needed to pick up for family. While at the pier I had to stop and see the Sea Lions one more time. I mention them only here because each time we went to Pier 39 I had to stop and watch them for a bit. They are so FUNNY! (There will be a video of them at the end of this post) Husband thought it was funny how I was so easily amused by them. What can I say, I find them highly entertaining! By now, I was a bit tired so I asked if we could head back to the hotel to get our luggage and head to the airport. Husband is diligent to be mindful of my frame agreed to end our tour about town and mentioned it was about time to head back anyway.

So concludes our fun little trip. It was nice to get out of the heat of Phoenix for a bit... but it is always nice to return to our home...and home is Phoenix. We have one more trip planned this year to see Husband's grandparents in Denver and then we will be home for the rest of the year... holidays and other such fun stuff (lest we decide to make a jaunt or two over to New Mexico to visit my Papa).

Oh... here's my favorite video of the Sea Lions at Pier 39 (They like to play this game ALL day!):

One Year...and a Couple of Days.

One year. It's hard to believe that it has been one year. Sunday was our anniversary and it was so much fun and we are STILL celebrating. Although, I must say that everyday is a celebration of our marriage!

In a year I have learned so much about my husband, so much about God, and so much about myself... and all of that points to how I relate with others. There have been lessons in giving and receiving grace... it seems as though receiving grace is much harder at times than giving it because I love Husband so very much. It makes me understand my relationship with God a bit more... and I laugh at just how stubborn we "sons of Adam" and "daughters of Eve" really are. I have never laughed as hard or as much as I have with him. For some of you that may be hard to believe because I like to laugh a lot. I have never been more aware of how the things that I say can hurt a person and never have I been as emotionally sensitive to someone as I am to him(as it should be!)

I once heard someone mention to another that they were giving up their single life to get married. My heart broke. God created marriage before the fall... it was not part of the curse. I think many hide behind Scripture to not pursue marriage (that's a whole other topic for another day) - they hide behind the pretense of being content in their singleness but inside they desperately want to be married. Anyway, I digress... I would "give up" my single life again and again to experience this life that I have with Husband. For me, it is a priceless upgrade. Married Life... I HIGHLY recommend it! ;)

The year has gone by so fast! Yet, it seems like Husband has known me all of my life. When I think about things it feels as though he has always been a part of my life... the reality is that he only entered my life in October of 2005! He is the greatest and my most cherished blessing. We have had a great time and look forward with eager anticipation of what the Lord will bring us in the coming years!

**The photo is of a stone that was placed in the "Legacy Walk" at the church where we were married. It was a gift from a dear sweet friend.

Down on the Farm

Wow... I had been doing so well to post on a regular basis. Then a couple of weeks ago (July 29th-ish) Husband and I came home from visiting family/friends in Fallon, Nevada and I got ridiculously sick! I was down for the count for the WHOLE week. Temperatures of 101 and I felt like my body was raging war against me... I guess it kind of was. Not a fun week to say the least. Husband was very kind and gentle to my frame as he took care of dinner responsibilities and made numerous trips to the marketplace for a sundry of things that I needed or wanted.

I will say, though, that we had great fun at the dairy farm. We played with all the new calves (who are quite the characters and love to suck on your fingers- Jersey cows are fun!), drank raw milk (which could have caused me to be sick but I don't think so with the time frame), had great fellowship, and just had an all around wonderful and relaxing time. It was my first time to Nevada and it was nice to say that it wasn't to the "strip" in Vegas. Although, we were intrigued by the lights as we flew through there. Fun times.

On top of being sick another dear friend, Virgina Bahnsen, passed into glory and I missed her memorial service because of my illness. I was able to read and listen to what people said of this lovely woman of the faith but it would have been nice if I had actually been able to make it. She loved my husband like one of her own children and it was a delight to get to know her and spend time with her over the last year. She will be missed.

The week after I was sick I felt like I was playing catch up to get our household back in order. It was crazy but it seemed like the better our house became the better I became. But I had to be careful not to wear myself down too terribly much. At some point Husband and I decided that we would go to New Mexico this past weekend to see my dad, go to a new church with him, and pick up our top layer of wedding cake so we can eat it on our first anniversary. Then during that trip we realized that the green chile season was starting in New Mexico so of course we wanted in on that action so we brought home just over three bushels of roasted green chile and have packed it all into our freezer which is a feat in and of itself! But we are quite content with our finds. Papa also let us raid his store of Oryx meat which is always a plus. Hopefully, he will fill his freezer again this hunting season with other yummy wild game.

Now, two girls that were in a bible study that I led (and one of them I actually discipled) at the University of New Mexico are here to visit for the week. Should be fun as we have all sorts of fun things planned. There is only so much that we can fit into one week.

Greenbelt is Now Waterway

Monday we had a crazy storm! Husband came home and declared that there was a dust storm (which is usually followed by rain) coming in from the North. I looked out the window and asked, "Are you sure? From the North?" Because as I saw it there was one coming in from the SOUTH. Well, sure enough there was one coming in from BOTH directions and they would precisely converge over our house. To say the least it produced some phenomenal rain, thunder, and lightning for most of the night. In the morning we woke up with this as our view from the fence in our backyard. There is a sidewalk under there somewhere where people daily walk their pets and traverse the area to get to the pool and the fitness area. Not so much for the last few days. Now, I think it is just muddy back there with more rains in the forecast. It did absorb pretty fast and I need to go to see just how much is still back there.

On Tuesday morning I discovered that it was still ever so slightly raining. Well, I decided that this would be the perfect time to go pull those few weeds out in the front yard. Seriously there were probably three in all but they are those funky ground cover ones that just drive me crazy. I could pull weeds all day when the ground is wet... so simple. I even pondered pulling my neighbor's weeds. But I refrained considering I don't know them very well... they may have taken offense. However, although I didn't mind pulling our few weeds and took delight in keeping our home lovely in front, I was thankful that Husband had opted to pull out his store of "pre-emergent" early this spring and spray all of our rocks with the stuff. It basically keeps most of the weeds from seeding and then somehow doesn't allow the seeds to grow back. Pretty plant friendly and less work for us throughout the year by spraying everything about twice a year. Good stuff. I wish we had used this stuff when I was a kid!

So, that's the word from us here in rainy Arizona... that just sounds and looks funny. It's cooling off a bit... but its still reaching into the 100's from time to time... which isn't so fun with humidity. Oh well... we will survive!

How Sweet and Awful Is the Place

How sweet and awful is the place
With Christ within the doors,
While everlasting love displays
The choicest of her stores!

While all our hearts and all our songs
Join to admire the feast,
Each of us cry, with thankful tongues,
"Lord, why was I a guest?

Why was I made to hear the voice,
And enter while there's room,
When thousands make the wretched choice,
And rather starve than come?"

'Twas the same love that spread the feast
That sweetly drew us in;
Else we had still refused to taste,
And perished in our sin.

Pity the nations, O our God!
Constrain the earth to come;
Send thy victorious Word abroad,
And bring the strangers home.

We long to see Thy churches full,
That all the chosen race
May with one voice and heart and soul,
Sing Thy redeeming grace.

- Isaac Watts, Hymns and Sacred Songs, 1707 (Old Irish hymn melody)

I remember the first time that I really sang this song and the power behind the words met my heart and the Spirit really moved to show me what a gift God has given me through being included in His covenant and His kingdom...His Church. We first sang this, or when I really remembered it, when Husband and I came back from Ireland. We had just been in a beautiful country where church and Christ are not highly looked upon. They, like the U.S., are removing religion from their schools. Churches are having to close their doors and sell their buildings, which are then being turned into offices or others things of that nature. For example, St. Andrew's in Dublin now houses the Office of Tourism rather than gathered worshippers. And the churches that are open are reduced to opening the doors to tourists and charging them a fee to come in so that they can stay afloat.

Lord, "We long to see Thy churches full..."

I cry every time we sing this song in church. Maybe it's in some part that it is an Irish melody, but mostly it's because it is filled to the brim with the richness of who God is and His love for His bride, the Church. It is quickly becoming one of my favorites because of its potency. I think it may be taken from the book of Acts, but I need to look into that more. It moves me with the vastness of my sin and the need for a Savior in a fallen world. It speaks of unity and the Gospel going forth... there's so much here in these six little verses!

You can hear a midi file version of the hymn here - it's pretty much how we sing it at church (minus their noted second verse). I found some other versions online that just kind of scared me. :) But, I guess each to their own musical interpretation and arrangement. I will take our traditional piano any time, thanks.
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Photo is of a small little chapel in Ireland, used only on holidays.

Psalm Singing

This quote was found on Doug Wilson's blog and I thought it bared repeating...

"Without a restoration of the psalms to an honored place in worship, our musical worship of the Lord will continue to have the gravitas of a glad bag full of styrofoam packing peanuts"(Mother Kirk, p. 138)

So true. In the word we see the admonition to be singing hymns and pslams at the very least. What could be better than singing the psalms, the very WORD of God. Yes, many of them are set to music and are in a "hymnal" type form. Makes one think about what one is singing in church, yes?

I'm not saying that other songs are bad... but when we really think about worship what are we really singing about? Ourselves and our worship or about the character of God? How could it be any better than to sing the Word of God back to the One who wrote it?

This is some of what I have been learning and I find that I am singing these things when I am around the house, driving, and even in the waking hours of the morning. There are times that I find myself in tears in church at the sheer magnitude of God through the gift of song and of the singing of hymns and psalms.

A Life and a Class Remembered...

It's interesting how things in life can take a person down "memory lane".... things like the passing of a beloved family friend or a class reunion. Both of these are present in life right now and it has been fun and quite sad in both regards.
On July 4th, much to my unknowing heart, would be the last day that a dear friend breathed her last here on this earth (three days after her 73rd birthday). Shirley Quillin passed into another life free from her ailing body here on earth. Shirley was the wife of Norm... Norm the hunting buddy and dear friend of my Dad (They reminded me of Fred and Barney from the Flintstones at times). As I think back on childhood it brings fondness with great sadness and a lump in my throat. Norm was there for my Dad when my Mom passed away - just in that they have been friends for over 28 years. Now my Dad is here for Norm. Norm and Shirley were always at our house on Sunday afternoons if Norm and my Dad were not out on some hunting trip. Although, I remember a couple of times that we joined them on their excursions to the woods. Shirley would read until I came and asked her to play games with me... we would play for hours. I remember the hours spent at our house where she would watch Disney films with me and when I was older she taught me how to play Canasta and Dirty Canasta. (Oh what I wouldn't do for a refresher course from her now) I remember how she and my late Aunt Dee would sit and talk and laugh for hours. There are more memories than I can really recount. She was loved dearly and I wish that I had made more time to visit her over the last few years. What I am most sad about now is that she never met Matt. But through the grapevine, she knew that he made me happy. Shirley will be deeply missed by her friend, her grandchildren, children, and I am sure she will be missed most by Norm.
Ten years ago I graduated from Los Lunas High School... big deal, right? Many will say what's the big deal... well, I had fun in high school (much more in college) but high school was a good thing for me. Granted, I really only keep in touch with a hand full of people anymore it was fun to think about people I hadn't thought about since high school and finally to hear from people that had poked their way through my memory over the last 10 years. One of my classmates decided to put bios together of those who thought to send them in so those of us unable to attend, like me, could still catch up with some people. It was great to see what some people have done since those four short years in high school and to see how they have changed. Unfortunately, there were a few that... well... haven't changed at all and it came shining through in their bio. Many thought they were in better places than they could have imagined back then... many said they were still working on figuring out who they were... and others thought (in a negative sense) they were in a place they never thought of when we were just 18. People are married and have children, some are divorced, some have advanced degrees, others do not. Some are following Christ... others are running away. Some have even passed away... what a thought.
It has been a week of remembrance...however, I am so very blessed by the present and I look to the future with excited anticipation of all that the Lord holds for our household.