Family visit to California

   I can't think of anything more important in life than family. When I consider my own life, it was family that stuck together through the hard times, through the illnesses, through the misunderstandings, through every challenge that came our way. It was that sense of community of belonging that held the bare threads together when the obstacles were greatest. Whether my Mother's sickness or my own sickness, whatever issues faced us, we faced it as a family; as a group of folks who loved each other and supported each other, no matter what.

    It is still so.

   My brothers and I act like we love one another because we do. I hope that we have passed that down to our next generation in a way that transcends the trials and turbulence of past mistakes.

   As I look at my descendants, I see the same bond of love and caring in the faces of my children and their spouses and all of my grandchildren. On the rare occasions when I get to visit them, I feel the bonds of love that bind us together. I see the care that each has for the other and it really does my heart good to be a part of it. Life is precious and caring is the root source that sustains the family tree.

And that includes the new limbs that are grafted in and become a part of the family tree to produce new fruit.

   My family tree is now growing in North Carolina, Colorado, Florida and California. What a joy to go and be with most of them in California. I saw four of my children with their spouses, seven of my grandkids and I actually visited with my two brothers in Phoenix on the way out there. I love my family and I pray God's blessing on each and everyone of us, everyday.

 

The Coastal Clan

Little Joshua

 

Kodi, Josh and Dave

 

Poppy and sweet Maci

 

 Poppy and Joshua watching "Happy Feet"

 

Three brothers - Chase, Josh and Tyler

 

 Darren on the Ojai Trail

 

 

 Pop on the Ojai Trail

 

Joshua and Dave

 

The Valley Clan

 

Little "G" kisses a frog



 

 

Alex is attacked by a bear

 

 

Sitting in the big brown chair

 

 

Auntie "M" with Lil' "G"

 

Feeding the goats

 

Not my favorite thing to do                                                            Watch me rope that steer

Alex and Lil' G find a treehouse

 

 The sunshine sisters in the "Golden State"

 

Garrett and Amy at the "Walnut Orchard Villa"

The Innkeepers Dan and Vicky (Garrett's folks)

 

 

Back to the Coastal Clan

                                                                 Dave and Kodi's Townhome

"Come back balloon"                           (Herein this pic lies a hidden family joke.)