Spring break in Northern CA

We just returned from one of our most life-giving spring break get-aways! We left early Sunday morning (3/21) for our long 9 hour road trip to the Travis home in Etna, CA! Whew! The kids were tired, but did so well. Thanks, Mom L, for winning a portable DVD player! We gave each of our kids a set of headphones – made for adults, ugh! – but a film toward the end of the drive was a true blessing.

We arrived at Drake & Serena Travis’s home in time not only for dinner, but also for lots of fun play. Drake has set both a regular swing and a tire swing, both roped from way high up in trees that reach to the heavens. Can these swings ever take the kids high! What a time they had! The next morning, we went hiking with the Travis family, as they live in the absolutely beautiful Shasta mountains. The beauty of the mountains symbolized the beauty within our hearts as we enjoyed delightful fellowship together.

After a lovely time with Drake, Serena, Luba (16), Hannah (15), and Josiah (12), we headed to the beach cabins we reserved in McKinleyville to meet the Lain family. Larry, Krista, Averi (9) and Eli (turned 6 while were there!) are home on furlough from Mongolia, and we had the blessing of enjoying their own birthday break at the beach. Both Krista and Eli celebrated their birthdays during our spring break, so they were already hoping to use a few days away from their home-base in Redding to enjoy the beach. We stayed up late catching up with stories, laughs, prayers, and play. The kids couldn't get enough of one another and Andrew & Averi are writing a story about their adventures. They plan to e-mail each other to finish co-authoring their story!

What a delightful time! Stay tuned for more details, but for now, we’ll say that all of us were glowing when we left. Spending time in God’s beauty with friends who glorify Him filled our hearts and spirits with great joy.

Until we've processed our time sufficiently to clarify more, enjoy some of our pictures!