Summer At The Beach?

We are having the coolest summer that I can remember. It is foggy every morning and doesn't clear up until very late in the afternoon, if at all. We decided to go to the beach no matter how chilly. We had a fun time, even though we were COLD!

Happy Birthday America!

Father's Day Fiasco

At 6:00 am on Father's Day we found out that one of the newly added chickens to our little backyard flock could fly!! We got our first little brood four years ago and they have never flown the coop. I went out early to see how everyone had done on their first night together. When two others got into a little scuffle (don't know why), Dorris flew straight onto our neighbors roof. I stood there in disbelief as I watched her then fly next onto ours. I ran in the house to rouse Paul. "Happy Father's Day, we have a little situation." By the time he got outside, neighbors from both sides were looking on laughing as he pulled out the ladder and headed up on the roof.

He did persuade Dorris down, but not back into her coop. We spent the next hour trying to catch her with the help of our two dear neighbors. We cornered her several times, but that girl is fast and clever! At the end, she flew out of our neighborhood and disappeared. We got into our cars and searched some more. She had vanished.

We did go onto to finally have a nice breakfast outside, thinking we would never see Dorris again. However, the next day our neighbors rushed over to say that they had seen Dorris along the road behind our houses. Everyone piled into cars, grabbing large sheets to hopefully nab her in and headed out confident that this time she would be brought back home. To no avail.

We now believe that Dorris will become a Pederson Road legend. Folks driving by will wonder what they just saw at the side of the road, "Was that a chicken?" The many that frequently walk along that pretty little road may find an egg now and again and wonder where on earth it come from. And maybe, just maybe, someday she will hear the call of her former flock and fly over the fence once more to return home. The chow is pretty good and the door will always be open.

He Answers The Prayers Of His People, Memorial Box Monday

We entered the prayer meeting on Thursday night with very heavy hearts. An hour and a half later, we were praising God, rejoicing, singing, and heading home with our feet barely touching the ground. Abby was alive and well. We were all preparing ourselves and trying to find the strength to somehow praise Him even if the news was tragic. But when that Aussie airbus spotted our girl and the boat was right-side up in the water and Abby was able to communicate with them and let them know that she was, "fine," we were praising the Almighty God for protecting and providing for her and answering the prayers of His people.


For anyone who read this and might wonder about Abby and the merits of her trip, here's my two cents. We have known the Sunderlands for years. We homeschool in the same group together. Our children are friends. They love the Lord with all their hearts, souls and minds. And they know and love their children. Many parents in our hectic society don't know the hopes and dreams of their children. Many children don't have the time to dream or aspire to anything. The Sunderlands are countering that culture. They believe that the teen years can be useful and productive. They refuse to buy into the modern day trend of extending childhood and settling for foolishness, recklessness, and idleness in their teenage sons and daughters.


This was Abby dream even before it was the dream of her older brother (who completed his journey last year). Abby is an expert sailor and her parents made sure that she was in a vessel that would keep her safe. She was prepared for every situation. A forty year old sailor could not have handled the circumstances any better than 16 year old Abby. Her parents allowed her to take a calculated, well planned, expertly managed RISK. Life is all about risk taking. Growth doesn't happen without it.


In my humble opinion, many of our teens are in much more danger sitting in front of a computer or driving around their own home town on a Saturday night. So today in our memorial box, we will put a little sail boat that represents the dreams of a young girl and the mighty God whom she serves who is bringing her home safely so that she can continue to love Him and dream big!

Memorial Day

Today is the day. While we give honor to those who have served our country we are going to start a new project. I have been reading a blog for a few months. This mom of many (adopted and bio) started a movement and is encouraging others to remember what God has done -- how He cares for us -- and answers our prayers. I thought today was a good day for us to begin doing the same. I don't want to be like the Israelites......watching God provide in mighty ways and then forgetting when life seems tough. So, because it is Memorial Day, it seems very appropriate to thank the Lord for Paul's step father, Cliff. Before I even knew what to pray for or had even met my future husband, the Lord of All provided a loving man to step into my dear husband's life. Paul was a young teen and thought he and his mom didn't need anyone else in their lives. But Cliff stepped in and loved Paul and his mom dearly. He showed Paul what a loving husband looked like. And even before Paul was a Christian, Cliff was a committed believer living a life faithful to Jesus Christ. Cliff served in the Marines during WWII and lived many years after the war. Even though he eventually died because of war related injuries, God used him in many ways in all of our lives. So, into the Richert Memorial Box goes a small soldier that represents the Marine in Paul's life that loved the Lord his God and my dear husband.

Quinn's Bootcamp Graduation at Marine Corps Depot San Diego

Thursday was Family Day. We had several hours on base with Quinn. Happy, happy family!! Friday was Graduation Day -- Now its ten sweet days at home!

Two Weeks of Family Fun!

Auntie Pam and Julia from Switzerland and Auntie Jill, Gabby, and Max from Michigan were here to visit. We jammed lots into the past two weeks -- Dinners, Disneyland, the American Store, In and Out Burger, Uncle Tim's fire station, and lots of swimming.