Time Sure Flies...

...when your life is on the road.
Sometimes it feels like we are living in some sort of time warp. Time doesn't seem to exist for the most part. Maybe we will use a clock if we need to meet someone somewhere, but otherwise...
Our time here in Southern Oregon is about over. We were actually planning to be on the road today, but the first people that we were planning ton seeing are going through a rough time and asked if we would skip them on this leg of the journey. Hopefully we will be able to see them on the way back down in a month!
We have had a really good time with family and our church friends. Since both our parents live here in this part of Oregon it is somewhat easy to spend time with both of them and let them hang out with their grand-daughter.
I've gotten to go surfing and paint-balling with Jen's brother as well as hang out plenty with my five brothers that live here.
Here are a few pictures of our time here and I'll update when we get on the road!

Here is Isabella with her cousin Kacee Raye picking pumpkins.

We went to Jen's old high-school for the Homecoming football game. We sat directly in front of the cheer-leaders and Isabella informed me that she was going to be one when she grew up...that is still under negotiations. Jen broke out her old letter-man jacket and had a blast yelling with everyone else. She got to see some people that she knew and went to school with, so that was fun for her. I just sat there and laughed at my family and froze...

When Bryan, Brianna and I went surfing we found this huge sea-lion and we tried to get it in the picture with us. He is in a weird position so you can't see from this picture how ginormous he really was. I only found out later that here in Oregon sea-lion attacks are more common then mountain lion attacks...ooops.


Isabella and her first "alone" ride. Putting up her hands to show us she isn't afraid!


Here we are in California during the almond harvest. Isabella is on the tractor with her great-grandfather. That is the same tractor and lap that Jen used to ride on when she was Isabella's age! Pretty cool!

Through California

We had a relaxing time with Jen's grandparents in California. A couple weeks if helping around the almond orchard, seeing the sights and just hanging out visiting. It sounds like they are going to try to make it up to Oregon for the Christmas Holidays, so that will be fun.
Jen and I haven't been with our families for Christmas in 3 years so we are looking forward to hanging out this year. Three years ago we were in Germany. Two years ago we stayed in our home in Baker City, Oregon and then last year we were in Wisconsin with Anarazell.

Speaking about Anarazell, we are swiftly coming upon her one year birth date...
Not really sure what that is going to look like. Then two weeks later will be when she died...again not really sure what to expect. Please keep us in your prayers.
We have a fake cell phone that Isabella runs around with and "calls" people on. The other day she was animatedly talking away on the phone saying stuff like, "Hi, Sweety...it is good to talk to you, how are you"? Then she ran to me with the phone and with eyes shining and told me it was Anarazell and asked if I wanted to talk to her.
Wow
To please my Isabella I was try to "talk" to my Anarazell on the phone...talk about hard! Jen just instantly started crying.
It is still hard and I figure it will be this way for sometime yet to come.
But at the same time...you still live. Sometimes I feel fake. Inside I am one way, and outwardly I am portraying something different, but that is life for now.

More Arizona Pics

Some more pictures of our time with our family in Arizona.

Here we are at Aly's volley ball game. As you can tell, everyone is watching the game intently, but half the fun of going to a game is just hanging out with family.



Aly and Dori, her Laberdoodle...(a mix between a lab and a poodle.) Dory is an excellent hunting/retrieving dog, but sheds less then most dogs and Aly like her father is an excellent hunter. You should see their trophies hanging in their house. It is amazing.

We went to a little town called, Oatman, where there are "wild" burros all over the place. They were brought in for mining years ago, and after the gold ran out they were let loose. As you can tell they don't look too wild to me. Especially if you have carrots to give them!

Jen trying to find some shade on a sunny day!

Behind me on the rocks are ancient Indian drawing. I love this kind of stuff and would go miles out of my way to see them. Sadly no one knows what the drawings mean anymore.

Me just hanging out with my Aunt. Unlike Jenny I try to find the sunniest spot to sit in. I've been in school too long and it is time to get out and lose some of my pallor!

Isabella learning how to steer a boat by Uncle Ward. It gave me a little glimpse into the future when she is going to be wanting to drive the car...Pretty scary!

We have so many more pictures of our trip and so many that I want to share, but this will probably be the last post of Arizona pictures for now. We have been in California for over a week now, and it is time to get some of those pictures on here as well! We really enjoyed our month in Arizona and are looking forward to visiting there again.

Our Time In Topock

Our time in Topock with my family went by really fast. Part of that was because we were only there for a week and the other part was because we stayed so busy! They live right next to the Colorado river and so we went out on their boat several times. So fun and relaxing...and you are amazingly tired when you get home! With that went fishing, swimming and wake-boarding. Isabella made sand castles and tried to reel in a carp that weighed almost half of what she does! We have so many pictures from there, but I guess that the limit is six pictures on at a time, so I will put some more on in a day or so.

My cousin Aly, the dog Dory, my Aunt Eve and my Uncle Ward. (And of course Bella!)

Uncle Fred and Isabella making their sand castles.

The finished product. Pretty good, with a bridge and all!

The Three of us soaking up the sun!

This is me trying to wake-board. This is about as far as I made it out of the water...

Jen got pretty close to getting out of the water, but not quite. You can tell by her face that she is enjoying it!!!