Times Together with the Kids

David made me a wonderful sugar free vanilla americano misto... YUM! good job David
OHHH who is cute in a uniform?
Anytime is good for a photo shoot! Emily sure looks cool! :-)
David wanted to take a picture of me so I jokingly said, How's my hair? And fluffed it up. A guy was walking by and he started to laugh which is turn cracked me up. David managed to capture me BURSTING out laughing. It is the classic 'almost falling over backwards laugh!' We have laughed alot together. It's been wonderful. I will miss them but am grateful for our times together over the past few days.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOB!! (he wishes!!!!!) :-)

Happy Birthday BOB!

Guess who is 52 today?

We went to John's Place for breakfast! Oh YUM!
It is so good to see the kids again.
Unfortunately the boys both need to work so we have to work today.

I asked the guys to give me a birthday shot so here it is:


David looking normal, Matt pretending to be a birthday candle and Bob drooling because he is getting so old!!

Welcome to our crazy world! :-) So great to be together!

Driving away from Vernon

This is a shot of our storage unit!! On Thursday a bunch of guys helped Bob put ALL our house into one small space! It was an incredible task and we are thankful for their help!!

I took this out the window as we were leaving Vernon.

August 29 Blog

We drove out of Vernon under grey rainy skies. So thankful that Wayne and Shauna showed up this morning to help us load the trailer with the stuff for the kids and our stuff for Roatan. We found out that the trailer weighs 1400 lbs (didn’t think it was THAT heavy) so that allowed us to only pack 600 pounds of our stuff. We decided not to take the trailer to Florida but simply to take the kids stuff and leave our stuff (except for personal items in storage here) Life is full of changes. I am learning that trust is a condition of the heart, it is not circumstantial. Many people believe that God’s blessing is linked with everything going ‘our way’, but truly I believe that He is interested in a consistent state of trusting in Him to work out whatever comes across our path.

Emily put the trailer on Craig’s list in Victoria and we are trusting it will sell in good time OR they could rent out that trailer with all the students who are moving into apartments before school!

Here is a bit of Bob humour:

"Hey honey I found us a great hotel for our trip!" then stood there smiling outside the trailer!!

Yesterday I was talking to Naomi and mentioned that I was looking forward to a simpler life…well… this will be simple alright!!!

Oh yeah, and here is the latest thing we are going to need to believe that HE will work out: just as we were leaving we realized that my passport was not with the rest of Bob’s papers. Needless to say, that was a bit of a throwback for us!! YIKES!! We looked through all his files, my bags, purse, and I even called a few business where I had presented my passport. It was simply NOT TO BE FOUND!

Okay, so new trust level: we will be able to apply for a lost passport and get the process rolling on Tuesday morning. Okay…calling all ‘prayers’…!! Then we will see if it can be fed ex’ed to our friends in Florida. If not, then we will be lingering in Victoria… which is okay by me since that would mean more time with the kids.

Know what is remarkable?? I had such a deep sense of PEACE. We were able to let it go without blame or guilt. Amazing? Yes a miracle I’d say!

Leaving Vernon is not easy because we have connections there that run deep. Some of my goodbyes pulled so deeply on my heart strings that I couldn’t breathe. Tears flowed.

All that Bob and I can do is promise that distrance will not destroy the bonds so tenderly established.

On another note: Travelling music ~~

Bob and I like a variety of music but I find great on the road music is Ashley McIsaac’s first CD called “Close to the Floor” So there we were ‘step dancing’ our way over the Coquihalla Pass. Cape Breton music is so bright, and lively that it lifts my spirits.

One of my favorite songs on the CD is #10. Everytime I listened to that song in Dartmouth NS I would snap my fingers and say to our dog Sandy “You wanna dance ol’ girl?” Of course she did! She would jump up and away we’d go!!

The weather around Hope was torrential rain. It was quite the challenge for Bob to not hydro plane or for the trailer to fish tale. Thanks for praying…

3 cheers for friends

These last few days have been marked with many goodbyes. That is the hard part.
But it is good to be sad to see people go.. means that love was there.
On Monday we had our last small group together. I will miss them tremendously! I know that the Lord orchestrated that group, drew us together, lifted our heads and hearts weekly, and brought many of us back to life again spiritually. It was REAL!!!! (missing from photo: Nancy and Emilie)

Today the cleaning crew and the packing posse showed up which was great because I have this frenzied packing style which means that nothing really ever gets done in a room. Well these ladies really saved the day!
Here's to the cleanest bathroom on the block!!! Thanks Julie!

WHY ROATAN?

That is the big question.. why go to Roatan.
It is interesting the way things unfold. We never dreamed that we would be moving to the Caribbean.. especially pre-retirement but life has never been typical for us so.. onward we journey.

We had visited the island a few times and really fell in love with the slow pace, and the people. It is just such a different way of life there. We bought into a time share a couple of years ago and enjoyed going down. The last time Bob was there with Matt (in March) he just said that he was so burdened for the people. After much prayer, counsel, and more prayer we felt God leading us to move there to see what we could do to help the people on the island. They have many needs: clean water being one, there is an orphanage there and I hope to get involved in loving the kids. Most importantly they need HIM!
Bob will also be doing a bit of property management on the side.

I look forward to a slower pace where people aren't in such a hurry, they have time for long talks over coffee and the simple life isn't a concept.

There are basically 3 types of people on the island: the locals, the white people who have moved there, and the tourists. I can't wait to get to know all three!!

Here is a cool God story. I am turning 50 on October 1st and I was a bit disappointed that I wouldn't be here in Canada to celebrate with GUSTO, but I just let it go. A couple of days ago Bob was talking to our friend Lisa and she asked when we'd be coming to the Island. We said we'd be arriving on the 23rd of September. She was so excited and said, Oh good well then you can come to my birthday party on the 25th. I am having a sock hop!! Bob said, Oh great that will be fun. So your birthday is on the 25th eh? She told him that she was having her birthday party early because friends were down visiting but her birthday is on October 1st!! Can you believe that??! She laughed, and said, ahh no wonder I like Debi so much!! So I will get to have a big party after all!! Who knew? HE did! :-) He cares about the big and little details of our life.

It is exciting to follow Him. We will keep you posted. Anyways, I have lots more to do around here so that is it for now. We are leaving on Friday. Can't wait to see the kids in Victoria!!

Farewell Sunday

Leaving is never easy. But that is a sign of love being exchanged like a gift from one to another. We have loved. Some people are like our brothers, and sisters, some like our own children. They have been like family. It is rare in this world to have that kind of connection but the blessings of pouring out our very lives for others is so rewarding.

Bob and I aren't surface, chit chatty kind of people. We tend to go deep and have a reality that is lasting. That is what makes leaving a bit easier. The love that was poured out will remain. It will.
Love has been mined in our hearts like gold and that doesn't change just because of a geographical change.

I was so proud of Bob as he shared his heart for the last time. He is so practical and real that at times it feels like we are all in the livingroom and we are having a 'family time' together. So listen up kids! :-) He spoke from Heb. 10 about not forsaking the gathering together which is the habit of some. He challenged them to CONNECT and to GATHER together. It is so tempting to live isolated lives and then complain because 'no one calls me'. Well pick up the phone! If I waited for people to call I wouldn't have anyone to miss here or to cry with as they hugged me goodbye. It is worth it to reach into each others lives and share deeply together.

The farewell potluck was wonderful. Everyone had on hawaiian shirts in lieu of Bob's passion for wearing colorful shirts Sunday after Sunday! Carolyn handed me a grass skirt which I put on then I asked Ed about it and he said, "well Deb, there are going to be pictures tonight and I am not sure you will want that skirt to be part of the memory!" Man, I love that kind of honesty!! I felt ridiculous in it.. I am all hips these days and well... it just wasn't working for me.



It was a fun night of great food, shared stories and testimonies, gifts exchanged, many hugs, goodbyes, tears and prayers.

A couple of things that really choked me up: the watercolor painting they gave us of Kal Lake (my lake), listening to people's thankful expression of our input into their lives, and saying goodbye to certain ones (you know who you are)

So ends a chapter in our lives. I will post pictures later. I am too tired to do that now.
GBC, we will not forget you. You hold a dear place inside. We believe that He is able to keep you from stumbing and to present you faultless in His presence. Thanks for your support, love, and your prayers. Stay true to Him no matter what.

oh by the way:
the amount of the garage sale change was over 92.00!! (see yesterday's post)
can you believe that. it was such a nice surprise to find that tucked away in a drawer. it is like finding unexpected money in a jacket pocket except wayyy better!! :-)

oh one more thing.. being kidnapped is fun!!

This morning Denise came by bringing me a Canada Post rainjacket.. deluxe ... lightweight gortex! Nice. (there is going to be a rainy season happening soon after we get to Roatan)

Then she kidnapped me. I went without too much of a fuss. We took Cody, the dog to Lake Okanagan for a swim and had a lovely visit! It was a delightful change to get out of the house!!! Truly a change is as good as a rest.
This is a terrible picture of us.. my eyes are closed, and I look rather 'challenged' and Denise looks like she just woke up but that is what we get by asking a stranger to take a picture.. sorry to say that Dave, the guy from Quebec City!! You tried.. but.. next time I will bring a tripod and a remote. Oh I don't have one.. put that on the list: buy tripod and remote for trip! :-)


Cody loves the water and he got a lot of exercise while we were there! Go Cody GO!!!!!


I was glad I went for a drive with Denise. This next photo speaks of the calm often sweeps over my soul. It is awesome. I should be a racked with anxiety but I am not. A miracle? I'd say so.


So Denise thanks for sweeping me away, making me laugh, listening so well, and being the kind of friend that makes leaving so terrible!

singing in the morning

This morning I had just started to walk down the hallway and I heard the sound of Bob singing:
"You are my sunshine,
my only sunshine,
you make me happy
when skies are grey,
You'll never know dear how much I love you,
please don't take my breakfast away!"

Made me laugh!!!
It is such a blessing to live with someone who makes me laugh within one minute of being awake.

Some of you know that I am doing a 365 Project with my shells (that means I take a different shell picture every day for flickr) Anyways I was going to use the picture of Bob sitting in his chair with all his lists, paperwork, maps etc around him until he put a shell up to his ear and then made this face!! It is a perfect shell shot. We are having fun in the midst of the mayhem!


Show me the money!!


I had a little surprise yesterday while cleaning on one of the kitchen drawers. I found this plastic bag.. quite heavy and it was full of MONEY! Yup! After our garage sale I had a whole wack of change and I stuck it in a bag and put it in the drawer. Don't ask why.. I don't know. But I do know I had forgotten about it totally. Lovely surprise!!


Alrighty! Can you guess how much is there? Julie can't guess because she counted it. Kathy don't guess because you know too. *NB to my American friends*- the gold coins are a dollar, and the silver and gold ones are 2 dollars (we call it a toonie) That will help you guess better!

I will post the amount tomorrow. Goodnight fine friends. xox

J.U.N.K

J.U.N.K!

J - Just about everything you don't ever use
U- Useless things
N- Never been used in 3 years!
K- Kiss it goodbye!!!!!!!!!!

It sounds simple to do but it is soooo time consuming. The house is starting to look like a bomb went off. Does it sound like I am complaining? I am!
In all the moves that we have done this is the stage of things that I really don't like at all.
Why do we have 8 different water bottles, 4 thermos, a whole drawer full of pie lifters, spoons, spatulas, wooden spoons, old business cards, dull knives, mis-matched dishes, piles and piles of lists of things to do and not forget...and on and on it goes!

the orchids have left the building!!

It is a really strange feeling as the house empties out more and more each day. One dilemma was what to do with all my orchids. Yesterday a lady I worked with came over and took them to 'babysit'. I felt strangely sad as she drove away. It is just another thing to let go.

She took about 10 of my plants, my stand, and my grow lights....thanks Sonja!

I am learning to hold loosely to stuff. Plus someone reminded me that I will be able to get some amazing orchids on the island...

help has arrived!!

Yesterday Dale showed up with his trailer and helped Bob move the big stuff to the storage. Dressers, china cabinet, chairs, pull out couch (ouch!!!), sideboard!! It was a great help! The place is starting to empty out as you can see by the empty space in the dining room!



Today Julie showed up and helped me pack and wrap the dishes that I am taking to Roatan. It was alot of work so I appreciated her help! I am so grateful for the help! Did I mention how thankful I am for people who step out of their world into ours!??! :-) It is getting done little by little.


I went out to lunch with Sandra and then we came back to the house to do more packing. Julie was here too so we sorted between Roatan and storage stuff. Roatan is in the family room. Storage is in Matt's old room. Up and down the stairs we went, back and forth! And Julie cleaned under our kitchen sink! I wish I had a medal to give her for that!!

Maybe some flowers will do...




Anyways its getting done! HALLELUJAH!! Bless you all! xoxo

This is some of the Roatan pile:

pictures still up!!

If you came over today you'd see that my pictures are still on the wall. I leave them up til the end. Why? Pictures make a home feel like a home. So I leave them up because I don't like the feeling of bare walls around me. I have spoken to 3 different people who take the pictures off the wall right away when they move. I can't do that.

Nope. They stay til the end.
Is it a form of denial? A level of comfort? Or could it just be that I like beauty around me right to the end. I am not a bare wall kinda girl. I love beautiful things around me.. right to the end. That is also why I will keep making time for friends instead of hiding away before we go.

Storms... ha!

Storms! I love them. They make me excited. There was a terrific, dark clouds rolling in storm yesterday afternoon that produced a wack of lightning.

Do you know how hard it is to actually get a picture of lightning??! It happens fast. I missed alot. I got one shot.

Storms... some people hide under the table. No me. I go outside. I stand on the lawn. I do all the crazy things you shouldn't.. like stand under tree branches so I won't get too wet.

It is this part of my personality that will help to explain partly why I can go to a foreign country. Deep down, even though I say I am too old to make any more changes, I love the thrill of it!

I need to tap into that.
And here's another thought: the Lord designed storms.. they release pressure. Even the storms that sometimes brew in our own lives... they are designed to release some otherwise pent up pressure. I am not saying to 'let it blow'. But when the storms come, and they will, I want to be standing, yes standing in the midst of them. In the eye even. Still standing, still believing, that He is with me through it all.

Fear not.

Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
Selah

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.

God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.

Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah

Come and see the works of the LORD,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.

He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,
he burns the shields with fire.

"Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."

The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah

(Selah notes a break in the song and as such is similar in purpose to Amen in that it stresses the importance of the preceding passage. It denotes a 'stop and listen' note)

Busy extraordaire!/Divine Appointments!

This past week has been a bit crazy in the busy department.Both Bob and I helped out with VBS every morning, we attended a funeral, went to two weddings, met with 3 different friends for either lunch or dinner, got various shots for our trip, had a garage sale, and tried to find time to pack.



I told Bob that this week coming up needs to be less booked up. It is a delicate fine line because we have people we want to see before we leave plus people want to say goodbye but we need time to actually get ready to leave.

I have met some amazing people this week in the midst of the madness who I believe God brought across my path. They were life changing experiences for me. You can read about
Laura if you like. The other person who 'dropped' into my world in a powerful way was a guy named Tim. We had decided to make the rest of our garage sale stuff free so I met him there. We talked for hours. It was profound. I will write about Tim another time because it would take too long.

Here is what I am noticing though. In the midst of extreme busyness the Lord is once again directing me to have connections with people that truly matter and have a profound impact on both of us! Life is short, in fact, to quote Tim, 'this isn't a dress rehearsal, this is it! We need to learn to live life following Him, listening to Him, and being sensitive to do the things that HE wants" YES!!