Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Time with Extended Family

Last weekend after some confusing emails and phone calls, we had a great evening with extended family.  It was great to be reconnecting and meeting the newer members of our extended family...

Conversation and laughs around
the backyard fire pit

Alissa, Thor, Stephen, Mike & John

John, Anthony & Casey

Marsi and Matt

 
***********
 
My thoughts after that night



Alissa, Stephen and Thor

We still feel like we are adjusting back into "real" life at home. I am finding that getting settled into a new apartment isn't all there is to being home again.

Yes, falling into a regular daily routine - school, work, meetings and daily errands - is a great part of it all. But this last weekend brought to mind that others have new adventures of their own (I guess the world doesn't really revolve around S&J's Adventures...) and daily challenges we face are the same as others who are on their own adventures.

Stephen Cherry (my cousin-once removed??? - son of my cousin, Ann) got married last year.  He is in the Air Force and has been stationed in Florida (or maybe it was Texas...). Anyway, Stephen's new assignment is in Okinawa, Japan.  He and Alissa have been on a cross country journey before leaving the states.  On this last leg of their journey, they stopped at Mike and Casey's (Stephen's father and step-mother) in La Selva Beach. This was our first opportunity to meet Stephen's bride and their dog, Thor.

Listening to their experiences traveling with their dog across the country and getting ready for a life in another country, it occured to me that they are really having a great time figuring out how to make a "real" life together with a generous future.

I guess that's what we are doing here at "home."  Every day is an adventure with it's routine and challenges that insures that we have a secure and happy future whereever we are.

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Another Viewing of Life in Apt. 3


Welcome to the 17 Mile Dr. Village Apartment Complex

We have been here for two months now.
We have moved as much of our stuff in this apartment
as we felt was needed and wanted.
Anthony has arrived and is settling into school.
John has finished his manuscript and sent it out.
I am learning how to cook for a 17 year old man/boy.
We are feeling like this is a home, now.

***

We love the grounds around the apartments.

The wild life...

The inter complex street and driveway


Amoung the trees there is the pool, jacuzzi and workout room.

The workout room looks onto the pool

John makes good use of the workout facility and I try to use the pool
(the key word here is try)
Anthony meets friends at the jacuzzi often.


Around our apartment...

Outside our kitchen we've started a woodpile

On our patio, the beginnings of a garden



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In our bedrooms, we've set up "office/studys"


Anthony's desk is by the window


John and I were able to squeeze our computers
into a space at the foot of our bed

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We've made our furniture fit into the living space...

The Livingroom

The Dining Area

And here's the kitchen full of the men of the house.
Anthony has just arrived from a long day at school.

Maybe Grandpa will fix Anthony
an after school sandwich...?

***

And now, a nap after a hard day at school


Next week John starts going to work at CSUMB...
I think Anthony is going to have competition for the couch.

***

and so
The New Adventures continue...



Monday, August 6, 2012

Life at Apt.3


Getting into study mode



Can't believe it's been 2 weeks since the last posting.
We've been busy...

Took a student lead campus tour at CSUMB.
Got a phone for Anthony.
Made a day visit to Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo to
visit the Wickstroms and Averys as well as
a self guided tour of Cal Poly SLO.
Got all the paperwork done to get a reg packet from PGHS.
Got registered for classes.
Got an appointment for proficiency language test at CSUMB.
Picked up books for classes.
John got a new computer so Anthony could have his.
Drove to UCSC for a quick tour and stopped at
CSUMB to finalize paperwork for the medical insurance.

***

With his own computer, Anthony is now all set for school to start.
This last weekend was dedicated to studying for
his Japanese proficiency test for high school graduation.

Happy to be able to study on his own computer

School starts for Anthony on Wednesday of this week.
I guess we will be seeing this
a lot more instead of iPod and TV viewing...

The Ultimate Student...


***

I think we are all adjusting very well to each other in Apartment #3.