Theodore Barrett Rozak, March 14, 2016 Honolulu Hawaii

Big Brother, Maxwell

Joe and Max exploring the tide pools at Ka'ena Point

Whale spotting

Waikiki Brewing company.  In the rain.  Baby's first outing

The whole family

Building sandcastles

Spring sunset (in winter)

Kite flying with Grandpa

Spring flowers

Tejon Ranch : back road to Arvin

Our pretty pink flowering tree

What a week

 Last Valentine's Day as a teacher...

 Cute little lizard on the Sulphur Mountain Trail in Casitas Springs

 Hiking buddies

Digging the truck out of 2 feet of snow on the driveway

Morning and afternoon

Before the storm the sky was on fire

and then ice rolled over

Bully wind

It has been windy.  So, so windy.  And this house just collects currents that whip and moan and rattle around the house.  I should be reading Wuthering Heights or Jane Eyre or Rebecca... The sunshade that Scott put over the pergola is gone.  We listened to it flap all night and Scott pulled its loose end down this morning.  We don't really need protection from the sun right now, with temperatures hovering in the 30's.

Winter on Poppy Hill

Less gifts, more giving

So...in order to focus our attention on how blessed abundantly we are, to focus on how lucky we are to have EVERYTHING we need, I tried to change it up a bit this Christmas.  The western world's Grinchiness towards the Syrian refugees bothers me deeply to core of my being.  So, the kids got their pj's and a book.  The adults got something to open, just a token really, but still meaning "I love you and am thinking about you and here is something from me".  But after those gifts were quickly opened (because it was starting to SNOW!) my real gift was presented.  In the name of our blessed family, I gave to other truly needy families around the world.  Goats, rabbits, chickens, a beehive, a fish pond, a donkey, items to comfort and sustain people around the world just like us...but struggling just to live another day.  Although the kids enjoyed the "game", and I am glad to have spent my money on more meaningful gifts, I am left feeling a little bit of a letdown.  It is hard to turn away from the satisfaction of giving an exciting gift...but we will work on it. God's grace through Jesus the Messiah is the most exciting gift of all.  Yes.  All is good.

Samantha's first WHITE Christmas!