Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Happy Halloween from the Hays Family!
Jenn: Tinkerbell, Darrick: Captain Hook, Jacob: Robin, Micah: The Human Torch
Monday, October 30, 2006
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Well I am back from my Weekend retreat.
On Saturday while I was gone Jenn and the boys went to a Halloween party and a going away party for the Shedd's.
The retreat was a good time of learning what a man of God looks like and what I need to do to be that man. I think something I struggle with is me trying to do good things for God rather than allowing God to do good things through me. Another thing is I sometimes get so mad at people when they do things they shouldn't do. The speaker said to remember they are lost and need Jesus. That will really help me to keep from getting angry.
On Saturday on the retreat we had free time so we played some basketball and went swimming. I did okay on the court but hurt my ankle again so it is pretty swollen tonight.
Today I got home in time to meet Jenn and the boys at Church and hear the message. When we got home we rested and Jenn actually slept. Then we went for a bike ride around the housing area. The weather was so nice today with a nice cool breeze. After our ride Jacob tried riding his bike without the training wheels. He actually did really good but we put the wheels back on because he needs a little more time. He still likes to look around when he rides and when he did that he would fall over.
On Saturday while I was gone Jenn and the boys went to a Halloween party and a going away party for the Shedd's.
The retreat was a good time of learning what a man of God looks like and what I need to do to be that man. I think something I struggle with is me trying to do good things for God rather than allowing God to do good things through me. Another thing is I sometimes get so mad at people when they do things they shouldn't do. The speaker said to remember they are lost and need Jesus. That will really help me to keep from getting angry.
On Saturday on the retreat we had free time so we played some basketball and went swimming. I did okay on the court but hurt my ankle again so it is pretty swollen tonight.
Today I got home in time to meet Jenn and the boys at Church and hear the message. When we got home we rested and Jenn actually slept. Then we went for a bike ride around the housing area. The weather was so nice today with a nice cool breeze. After our ride Jacob tried riding his bike without the training wheels. He actually did really good but we put the wheels back on because he needs a little more time. He still likes to look around when he rides and when he did that he would fall over.
Friday, October 27, 2006
The past few days I have been down and out with the flu. It hit me early morning Wednesday and of course, how it always goes, Darrick was leaving to go out to sea Wednesday thru Friday. I stayed home from work for 2 days and mostly in bed. But I am finally starting to feel better today and was able to go to work but took it easy.
Today after school was the Lehua Family Fun Fair. So the boys and I went and had a really great time. They had different games and a cake walk and yummy food like shave ice, nachos and hot dogs. Micah and I each won once on the Cake walk and Micah chose cookies and I chose brownies.
Darrick did come back tonight but later than expected so we did not get to spend anytime with him. Mike Ching from Bible Study picked him up soon after he got home and they rode together to HCWO's Men's Retreat. It is Friday-Sunday and even though we haven't seen him in days, I'm so happy that he can go.
Today after school was the Lehua Family Fun Fair. So the boys and I went and had a really great time. They had different games and a cake walk and yummy food like shave ice, nachos and hot dogs. Micah and I each won once on the Cake walk and Micah chose cookies and I chose brownies.
Darrick did come back tonight but later than expected so we did not get to spend anytime with him. Mike Ching from Bible Study picked him up soon after he got home and they rode together to HCWO's Men's Retreat. It is Friday-Sunday and even though we haven't seen him in days, I'm so happy that he can go.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Gold Bullet
It was so wonderful today when I started the van this morning and it was so quiet!!! What a blessing! We forgot to mention yesterday what the problem was. It was the tensioner (Don't ask me what or where that is). Darrick had changed the tensioner pulley but not the tensioner. So thanks to the mechanics at the Autoport for fixing our van. By the way the Gold bullet is what we call our van. The boys love Gold Bullet and think it is the fastest and coolest car on the road.
And we all seem to be adjusting to life without Moses. The boys did not mention him this morning before school so I did not either. And they didn't mention him in the afternoon. Only once in the evening they each asked me where he was but there were no tears. That was one of the hardest nights for me as a mom. I knew we were doing the right thing but it broke my heart to hear the boys cry like that. I had to lay in bed with Micah until he finally fell asleep. He kept saying the sadest things like "Will Moses forget me?" "Will they change his name?" "I love Moses"...
Hopefully the worst is over!
And we all seem to be adjusting to life without Moses. The boys did not mention him this morning before school so I did not either. And they didn't mention him in the afternoon. Only once in the evening they each asked me where he was but there were no tears. That was one of the hardest nights for me as a mom. I knew we were doing the right thing but it broke my heart to hear the boys cry like that. I had to lay in bed with Micah until he finally fell asleep. He kept saying the sadest things like "Will Moses forget me?" "Will they change his name?" "I love Moses"...
Hopefully the worst is over!
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Bye Moses
Well today was a bit of a sad day. The family that adopted Moses picked him up. Everything was going good until it came time for the family to take him away, Micah started crying, the hardest cry we have seen from him in a long time. It was hard but we feel it is the best thing for Moses. We took a picture with the family so you could see who adopted him. The little girls were so excited to get Moses, we could tell they will give him plenty of love and attention. Besides the little girls they have another dog at home and a big yard for them to play in.Also we have a huge praise. We got our van back today and it was nice and quiet. Not only was it quiet but it didn't cost even close to what we thought they would try to charge us and we got a screw taken out of one of the tires and the hole fixed so the van is ready for our next visitors.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Saturday
Well we finally decided that it is time to take the van in. The squealing is so bad, it is embarrassing. So we brought it to the Autoport on the Navy Base so hopefully they can figure out what is going on with it. But in the meantime that left us without a car so we rented a car. It is a Dodge Neon. We are really enjoying driving around in the car, and it is blue, which the boys like.
Then we had to go to Honolulu to pick up the papers that prove Moses is a pure breed Cairin Terrier. And here is another God thing. The Navy housing in Washington does not have fenced in backyards so we decided it would be best to not take Moses but we were not sure what to do. We wanted him to go to a good family, but how would we find one? Well last week Darrick was talking with some people on the ship and they were talking about pets and Darrick just threw it out there that we were looking for a home for Moses and one guy said he wants him. He has 3 kids who want a dog. So next week we will bring Moses to his new family. We are sad but we feel it is for the best.
Yesterday I got my haircut. It was just getting too long and I was starting to get headaches. So I got about 4 inches cut off and layers put back in it and the lady thinned it out. It feels so good.
We also got our first takers who are going to come visit us before we leave. They are coming the second week in November. We are so excited! Who are they? You'll just have to wait to see!
Then we had to go to Honolulu to pick up the papers that prove Moses is a pure breed Cairin Terrier. And here is another God thing. The Navy housing in Washington does not have fenced in backyards so we decided it would be best to not take Moses but we were not sure what to do. We wanted him to go to a good family, but how would we find one? Well last week Darrick was talking with some people on the ship and they were talking about pets and Darrick just threw it out there that we were looking for a home for Moses and one guy said he wants him. He has 3 kids who want a dog. So next week we will bring Moses to his new family. We are sad but we feel it is for the best.
Yesterday I got my haircut. It was just getting too long and I was starting to get headaches. So I got about 4 inches cut off and layers put back in it and the lady thinned it out. It feels so good.
We also got our first takers who are going to come visit us before we leave. They are coming the second week in November. We are so excited! Who are they? You'll just have to wait to see!
Friday, October 20, 2006
Letting God do His thing...
It never fails to amaze me how God works everything out for us in His time and not our own and also that He has such good things in store for us, better then what we think we want.
Once again, like I wrote before, I had our future all worked out. In the present moment I wanted San Diego so we could be 2 hours away from my family and because it was familiar to me. I wanted to send the boys the City Tree Christian School, where I use to teach when we lived there and I was going to try to get a job there. We knew living there was going to be expensive, but oh well, what could we do. Darrick and I have talked often about someday owning a home near the woods, we both love the outdoors and the forest. Darrick has also talked about wanting to live somewhere cheaper so we will be ok when he retires from the Navy. But those were our quiet desires for the future that we kept tucked away inside our hearts.
And then BAM out of nowhere God reveals His next step for our lives: Washington. God listened to our hearts and gave us what is best for us and not what I thought we needed. And today I had another comfirmation that this is the path God wants us on.
Today I talked to Jackie, who takes care of Jacob while I work, and told her that we are moving. She sat there a little amazed and said that her supervisors implemented some new rules for the providers that imposed on her family, like no home schooling your own children, etc... and she was considering quitting but was unsure what to do with finding another provider for Jacob. I told her we are leaving in December and that is the same time she was thinking of quitting! Can you even believe it? We love Jackie and the only reason we have Jacob there is because she and her family are Christians and that is the type of home we want Jacob in. But God is working it all out. I can't wait to see what He will do next!
Once again, like I wrote before, I had our future all worked out. In the present moment I wanted San Diego so we could be 2 hours away from my family and because it was familiar to me. I wanted to send the boys the City Tree Christian School, where I use to teach when we lived there and I was going to try to get a job there. We knew living there was going to be expensive, but oh well, what could we do. Darrick and I have talked often about someday owning a home near the woods, we both love the outdoors and the forest. Darrick has also talked about wanting to live somewhere cheaper so we will be ok when he retires from the Navy. But those were our quiet desires for the future that we kept tucked away inside our hearts.
And then BAM out of nowhere God reveals His next step for our lives: Washington. God listened to our hearts and gave us what is best for us and not what I thought we needed. And today I had another comfirmation that this is the path God wants us on.
Today I talked to Jackie, who takes care of Jacob while I work, and told her that we are moving. She sat there a little amazed and said that her supervisors implemented some new rules for the providers that imposed on her family, like no home schooling your own children, etc... and she was considering quitting but was unsure what to do with finding another provider for Jacob. I told her we are leaving in December and that is the same time she was thinking of quitting! Can you even believe it? We love Jackie and the only reason we have Jacob there is because she and her family are Christians and that is the type of home we want Jacob in. But God is working it all out. I can't wait to see what He will do next!
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Blessed
Tonight I am feeling blessed...not because I have a kitchen filled with dirty dishes but the events of the day.
Jacob woke up with an upset tummy today so he and I stayed home. He is feeling better tonight and his appetite is back.
So since I was home I did some laundry and while I fold clothes my mind wanders and I got an idea. For the past few nights I have been researching schools for Micah in Washington. I found an amazing Christian school that just seemed to have evrything we are looking for, it is called Nothshore Christian Academy. So my idea was that I needed to call them and see if they have any openings for kindergarten starting in January. The woman I talked to was the Admissions Director and she was great and very friendly. And she told me that she just got notice of a kindergarten opening in January! So we took it and she is reserving it for Micah Hays. God is so amazing and has everything so perfectly planned, it is almost hard to wrap your brain around. Here is the link to the school if you want to check it out: http://www.northshorechristianschools.org/
Then this afternoon I got a call from a girl named Linda. She is the sister of my friend Gloria Bracamonte and her and her husband, Josh, just arrived here on island yesterday because they just got stationed here. This is their first move and they were feeling pretty lost. So I went to pick them up to hang out with us.
The neighborhood was having another BBQ since we still had defrosted food left over from Sunday after the earthquake. So I invited Linda and her husband Josh to join us. I know I have said this many times before but I love our neighbors. We are so blessed to have them. We truly have become the dearest of friends and all our kids just act like one big happy family. We had such yummy food and Tonya made a yummy chocolate pudding pie (by the way Tonya, I already ate my piece, so good thing we split it between us).
Darrick is out to sea this week but will be back tomorrow, which is the last thing I feel so blessed about. Monday morning I woke up to find a note from Darrick on the counter in the kitchen. He was just thanking me for supporting him and loving him through all the Navy throws at us and to tell me that he loves me. It really made my day and makes me feel warm when I think about it. I love you too Darrick and would follow you anywhere-but I prefer somewhere close to family and in the USA!
Jacob woke up with an upset tummy today so he and I stayed home. He is feeling better tonight and his appetite is back.
So since I was home I did some laundry and while I fold clothes my mind wanders and I got an idea. For the past few nights I have been researching schools for Micah in Washington. I found an amazing Christian school that just seemed to have evrything we are looking for, it is called Nothshore Christian Academy. So my idea was that I needed to call them and see if they have any openings for kindergarten starting in January. The woman I talked to was the Admissions Director and she was great and very friendly. And she told me that she just got notice of a kindergarten opening in January! So we took it and she is reserving it for Micah Hays. God is so amazing and has everything so perfectly planned, it is almost hard to wrap your brain around. Here is the link to the school if you want to check it out: http://www.northshorechristianschools.org/
Then this afternoon I got a call from a girl named Linda. She is the sister of my friend Gloria Bracamonte and her and her husband, Josh, just arrived here on island yesterday because they just got stationed here. This is their first move and they were feeling pretty lost. So I went to pick them up to hang out with us.
The neighborhood was having another BBQ since we still had defrosted food left over from Sunday after the earthquake. So I invited Linda and her husband Josh to join us. I know I have said this many times before but I love our neighbors. We are so blessed to have them. We truly have become the dearest of friends and all our kids just act like one big happy family. We had such yummy food and Tonya made a yummy chocolate pudding pie (by the way Tonya, I already ate my piece, so good thing we split it between us).
Darrick is out to sea this week but will be back tomorrow, which is the last thing I feel so blessed about. Monday morning I woke up to find a note from Darrick on the counter in the kitchen. He was just thanking me for supporting him and loving him through all the Navy throws at us and to tell me that he loves me. It really made my day and makes me feel warm when I think about it. I love you too Darrick and would follow you anywhere-but I prefer somewhere close to family and in the USA!
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
We're okay!
Our life has been on full speed lately and it has been hard for us to find a moment to slow down.
We have a few items of really big news:
1. We survived the earthquake! Darrick had duty Saturday so the boys and I were getting up and waiting for Darrick to come home so we could go to church. And then the earth started shaking! It was strong and the biggest one I have ever felt. The entire island lost power! So everyone started to hang out outside. We borrowed a car to get to church because I was scheduled to Sunday school. There were people there, only a lot less then normal. Darrick was stuck on the ship. When we got home the neighborhood had an impromptu BBQ until about 4 pm when the power came back on. Thanks for the calls we got to make sure we were ok!
2. On Friday Darrick got a call from the higher up people in charge of Navy region west asking him if he would come to the USS Ingraham and be their Chief since they do not have one. Here is a little history. Our time in Hawaii is coming to an end September 2007 so this December 2006 it is time for us to pick our new orders. We were planning on San Diego. About 3 times Darrick mentioned to me "Have you thought about Washington?" "No of course not" I said, "we are going to San Diego!" Darrick couldn't believe it on Friday when they called and requested him in Everett, Washington! We feel really peaceful and sense God's leading but we were not planning on moving so quickly. This has all been verbal agreements so far and we are waiting for the paper orders. Darrick will leave the Hopper December 15, 2006 and report to the Ingraham January 15, 2007. So this holiday season we will be moving again! So if anyone wants to visit who has not, this is your LAST chance! We also found out today that Darrick will be leaving for another CARAT cruise (which he just returned from) around May 2007. So we are busy researching housing and where we can send Micah for school and learn all we can about the area.
We have a few items of really big news:
1. We survived the earthquake! Darrick had duty Saturday so the boys and I were getting up and waiting for Darrick to come home so we could go to church. And then the earth started shaking! It was strong and the biggest one I have ever felt. The entire island lost power! So everyone started to hang out outside. We borrowed a car to get to church because I was scheduled to Sunday school. There were people there, only a lot less then normal. Darrick was stuck on the ship. When we got home the neighborhood had an impromptu BBQ until about 4 pm when the power came back on. Thanks for the calls we got to make sure we were ok!
2. On Friday Darrick got a call from the higher up people in charge of Navy region west asking him if he would come to the USS Ingraham and be their Chief since they do not have one. Here is a little history. Our time in Hawaii is coming to an end September 2007 so this December 2006 it is time for us to pick our new orders. We were planning on San Diego. About 3 times Darrick mentioned to me "Have you thought about Washington?" "No of course not" I said, "we are going to San Diego!" Darrick couldn't believe it on Friday when they called and requested him in Everett, Washington! We feel really peaceful and sense God's leading but we were not planning on moving so quickly. This has all been verbal agreements so far and we are waiting for the paper orders. Darrick will leave the Hopper December 15, 2006 and report to the Ingraham January 15, 2007. So this holiday season we will be moving again! So if anyone wants to visit who has not, this is your LAST chance! We also found out today that Darrick will be leaving for another CARAT cruise (which he just returned from) around May 2007. So we are busy researching housing and where we can send Micah for school and learn all we can about the area.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Our New House Guests
This morning the boys and I went to the airport to pick up our next visitors: Charlie, Maud and Amelie Hays! Charlie is Darrick's brother, Maud is Charlie's wife and Amelie is their 8 month old daughter.
This is the first time we have met Amelie and I for one am heads over heels in love with my niece. I just can't get enough of her. She is sleeping now and I just want her to be awake. She is crawling and loves watching Micah and Jacob acting like goof balls. I am so happy to be an Auntie and to have an adorable little girl to love. We are going to have a wonderful week together!
After we picked them up from the airport we had lunch and then drove to Pali Lookout. It is super humid today and overcast so the view was not awesome but they still enjoyed it. Tonight we brought Subway to Darrick, he has duty, so we could eat dinner together.
Here are a few highlights since my last update:
The van is still having issues. It is still squealing really bad. Darrick changed the belt and the pulley and brought the alternator in to be checked but still it squeaks! And it is driving Darrick crazy and about every guy Darrick talks to about it. What is funny is that most guys will say to Darrick "Let me look at it" so they both stare under the hood and listen to the squeak and then they give their opinion.
Last night Micah had his first sleepover. We are on Fall Recess this week because we are in year round school. Micah's friend Jalen, who lives 2 doors down from us invited Micah to spend the night since there was no school today. I think it was harder for me then him. He did great and had fun-I can't get over how big he is!
Darrick's leave is over now and he has gone back to work as Chief. He is enjoying it but is still getting use to being in a new position.
My friend Sonya has still NOT had her baby! She went to the doctor today and everything is still fine. Her next doctor appt. is Wednesday and if nothing has happened by then they are planning to schedule her to be induced.
I love so much when family and friends visit-a piece of home here in Hawaii.
This is the first time we have met Amelie and I for one am heads over heels in love with my niece. I just can't get enough of her. She is sleeping now and I just want her to be awake. She is crawling and loves watching Micah and Jacob acting like goof balls. I am so happy to be an Auntie and to have an adorable little girl to love. We are going to have a wonderful week together!
After we picked them up from the airport we had lunch and then drove to Pali Lookout. It is super humid today and overcast so the view was not awesome but they still enjoyed it. Tonight we brought Subway to Darrick, he has duty, so we could eat dinner together.
Here are a few highlights since my last update:
The van is still having issues. It is still squealing really bad. Darrick changed the belt and the pulley and brought the alternator in to be checked but still it squeaks! And it is driving Darrick crazy and about every guy Darrick talks to about it. What is funny is that most guys will say to Darrick "Let me look at it" so they both stare under the hood and listen to the squeak and then they give their opinion.
Last night Micah had his first sleepover. We are on Fall Recess this week because we are in year round school. Micah's friend Jalen, who lives 2 doors down from us invited Micah to spend the night since there was no school today. I think it was harder for me then him. He did great and had fun-I can't get over how big he is!
Darrick's leave is over now and he has gone back to work as Chief. He is enjoying it but is still getting use to being in a new position.
My friend Sonya has still NOT had her baby! She went to the doctor today and everything is still fine. Her next doctor appt. is Wednesday and if nothing has happened by then they are planning to schedule her to be induced.
I love so much when family and friends visit-a piece of home here in Hawaii.
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