Lots of travel! (pictures)

This last month plus has had a ton of traveling in it (for me)! My Aunt Kelita and I went to the Philippines for 10 days. It was an awesome trip!!! Met lots of new people. It truly is amazing how at home I felt at convention- It brought home to me that our Father's way is truly the same the world over. The spirit doesn't change at all. We came home without my Aunt Nancy due to some paperwork issues but she showed up a couple of days later! We had two weekends home and then took off to Klamath Falls to see my dad and Aunt Belle and the next weekend to La Grand I went to see where Christina has been laboring and then bring her home for a few days. She is now off to Parma Preps. She has come through the first year very well I would say!

The Philippines trip was something else! The traffic is amazing. No expectations from drivers makes things work when it seems like they shouldn't. People pull out to turn and the people in the lane they're blocking just simply wait until they can finish turning. People walking weave their way across the lanes from one side to the other with, what seems like, no fear. One nice thing is that, due to 100 plus years of American influence, everything is written in English on the signs but they do speak the Tagalog in the Manila area along with English. The American Cemetery for WWII was awesome and sobering! (Pictures below) It truly was a world war. They have what routes the submarines took and those lost, and the same for ships and planes etc. It's quite amazing! The names of those lost from the Philippines are included in the list. After all the cemetery IS in the Philippines! The little shops along the roads are something else too! I can see how they can shop for the meals everyday. They really don't have far to walk no matter where they are, at least in the Cavitie area. There are a lot more cars now then there used to be but the motorized tricycle, the jeepneys and buses are still a big part of the transportation. And they pack the jeepneys and buses just as full as they can! Another thing is the hot water... very little of it anywhere unless heated separately!

And, for now anyway, I'm home for a while!!! It's been tough getting business done the last few weeks but I have some wonderful employees so something has gotten done!! :) A couple of new clients this month are keeping us busy too!!

Ready to go- What I took for my 10 days in the Philippines 

Flying into Japan

In Manila- Traffic lanes are simply there as a suggestion!!

Plants being sold!

A typical driving situation...Notice how close everyone is!

Sticky Rice wrapped in a banana leaf- YUM!!!!

Lots and lots of these types of 'stores'

More stuff being sold

A hole in the wall store

Meatballs cooking!

They have two microphones at convention-one for the translator 

and the other for the one speaking.

A Jeepney- They pack the people in!!!

Panorama looking towards front entrance at the American Cemetery  

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On the left are those that were identified from WWII the

right side are those that aren't (some have been and they have a

little star next to them that indicates remains been identified)

New building project going on next to the American Cemetery 

Mall of Asia- One of the largest in the world! It's HUGE!!

College and stores

Manila

Amazing clouds going to Klamath Falls- they ripple

At a rest stop coming back from Klamath Falls

The Three Sisters-part of the Cascade mountain range

Babies!!

Amazing clouds heading to La Grand

Storm clouds!

Mountain Blue Bird

What a peaceful setting! If it wasn't for slow internet issues...

Love the clouds against the blue, blue sky!

La Grand area. It was a gorgeous Sunday!!

Well, I guess we do look a lot alike!! 😄

Auntie Christina and Teagan enjoying coloring.

Pictures!! :)

I finally got my pictures downloaded to the computer!!

It's been a busy, busy last couple of week so it's taken me a while!

Megan, Christina and friends

Shirley and Christina

Grandma and Scarlet

Saw a lot of this this last winter! Ice on the front window from freezing rain.

Just a tad icy!!

The Snow Storm! Feel at an inch plus and hour. Highly unusual for this area!

The end result of the snow storm- We got 9 inches.

Love the sky on this one!

Packing paper makes pretty awesome drawing paper!!

Scary story!!! Love Scarlet's reaction. Erika does an awesome job at reading the books!

Garibaldi sea port. 

Sunset at Garibaldi- absolutely gorgeous evening.

Sun through the clouds- I believe it'd been hailing not long before

Scarlet and Teagan 3 and almost 5!

Handsome boy! Pippy

A very happy girl! Mia

A note from Christina to Dad (Dave)

Hello Dad,

I'm writting this while on the road (though when am I not nowadays!). My thoughts turned to you while I look at the prospect of a very busy year. I know I havn't had that much to say on this blog, but to reach out was layed (is that the right form?) heavily on my heart.

Everyone can see this, but I know that is the only way currently to include you.

I thought I might use this opportunity to perhaps include you in a few things that you might have missed.

I love flowers and the color purple, just like mom. However, I still often pick blue if given the choice.

I still dislike the color yellow, as well as weeding, that hasn't changed. :)

Traveling is something I truly enjoy, and I am beyond happy in this place that I've been brought to.

Everything I've gone through has been a process and a half. Everyday is a learning experience, and I look forward with a mix of anticipation and joy to the experiences yet to come.

Though most days are a struggle, I wouldn't wish ultimately for anything else.

I find the only thing lacking these days is the knowledge and assurance that you are there for me.

Perhaps one day you will be, perhaps you are, but I don't know that, so I only hope.

Much love and care,
Your daughter,
Christina
♡

What a day!

I had an old, old friend give a call today that I haven't heard from in ages! Dave would know him from our college days. Life hasn't been easy by any means for this friend but it sure was awesome to hear from him!! That led me to think of Dave this evening and, as I do every so often, I looked up his name on Google. Looks like he's actually in a few more missing person web sites but other then that nothing new. Looks like maybe his name was submitted for a couple of finds but no matches were made, but I would expect that since I fully believe he's out there somewhere. We ended up getting a new detective on the case since the other one went and retired. :)  But, unless something totally unexpected shows up, they have many more cases to work on that can actually get solved fairly quickly!

It's so hard to believe that mid March has come and gone!! Once again the year is flying by! I'm loving having some employees to help get things taken care of. By the end of this month EVERYONE'S year-end books will most likely be done. That will be a first. In the process I've also gained 6 new clients!! Yay!! Then first part of March the quarterly payroll taxes will get taken care of and then a nice break! And an amazing break it's going to be! Something will be marked off my bucket list! I'll post pictures by the end of next month. But a post will be coming soon with grandkid pictures since I need to empty my phone! :)

Christina got her first two G. Meetings in a day! Burns (morning) to Redmond (afternoon) and then back to Burns, all in one day. Whew!! Here soon she'll be headed to Northern California for a week or so! I've got to say that I have some of the greatest kids in the world!! They're some pretty awesome girls!! 💗  And those granddaughters!!!

Onward!!

This is next week will be tough due to Dave and my anniversary would have been next week. But there is much to look forward to- one being meetings tomorrow. :)  Then my Aunt coming home and me being able to help her home!! That will be a May post with pics!

I really have no clue if Dave reads this but if you are... Might want to call IRS if you don't owe any taxes.... That's one issue with IRS, they don't give up! Regardless of having multiple letters sent back, regardless of sending missing person report via fax and mail, regardless of personally calling and saying he's not here. The letters keep coming. I wonder how long it'll go on!?!?

Christina is in Burns now. There's been an adjustment time but she's doing good! They will have a Sunday morning G. meeting there. I'd really like to get over there sometime next month! That would be awesome!!

Erika and the girls were by yesterday and today. The girls are growing up so quick! Teagan will turn 5 in a month and a half!!! Crazy! Scarlet won't turn 4 until the end of September. She share's her Grandma Bobbie's bday as well as a cousin. It's a very popular date in our family!! :) They're all doing really well. Scarlet's diabetes is pretty much under control and she is doing very well! I was very impressed with Mia (my cat) yesterday. Scarlet came in carrying her and she was just limp as could be. Once she was put down she took off like a shot but it's good to know she does well with them!! Up to now she's managed to avoid them. :)

Business is going good! I've picked up 4 new clients. A couple of larger ones and a couple of small ones. Mia and Amanda are doing really well. I'm looking forward to getting on top of everything in the next few months! And yes I have a helper and a cat with the same name! LOL!! Becomes a bit awkward when both are in the same room and I use a scolding tone for the cat doing something, using the name! ;)

Lots of business change

Due to my business growing at a nice decent clip the last few years, I'm to the point of desperately needing a business coach. I've gotten one and that means lots will be changing. I've been the one doing a lot of the work over the years. Last year I hired a couple of ladies to help me. One is still here but the other didn't work out and is now at a job she absolutely loves. In December I hired another young lady. Both are college students in accounting so they're getting real life experience while in school. :) Now the step is to start having them work on certain accounts each month. And for me to start working ON the business and not just IN it. That's going to be super hard for me because it means lots of change and naturally speaking I don't handle change real well. There's something called DISC that gives insight into ones personalities and is actually super accurate! I have a low D and it click on a mastermind call Friday that there in lies why i have issues with change. It means lots and lots of accountability is needed otherwise the natural inclination is to drag the feet and allow oneself to get distracted from making any change.  And that is NOT an option if the business is going to continue growing!

Ever since Dave left my bodies way of handling change is anxiety in the gut and although that has pretty much disappeared it is now back and then some! The wedding anniversary coming up doesn't help either! Add that to the natural inclination to drag ones feet on change and yep... lots of accountability needed to make sure I'm following through. And lots of strength from my Father!!

Deadline met!! Whew!!!

Christina is in the La Grande area now. She's so happy and excited to be starting in the ministry. They'll start gospel meetings Sunday. I know when things slow down a little bit that I'm going to really miss her but then with my Auntie coming home there will most likely be someone else around for a little while. (That's my assumption and I could very well be wrong!!) Lots of change this year for all us! I got to say I'm very, very thankful for the strength that is available from my Father. It's beyond amazing!

The weather this month has been pretty crazy! Luckily this last week and half has been good!! We had a huge snow storm (for Portland standards) a couple of weeks ago. I've never seen it dump snow like that here. It was actually falling at an inch plus an hour! When all was said and done my place ended up with 8 or so inches and the next week was been stuck and home. Luckily there was more then enough work to work on.

All payroll and essentially all 1099's have to be to the employees AND the government by January 31st. Last year I didn't have to worry about the government at the end of January. One more step to do tomorrow and all is done! That will make sure a much more restful Sunday! :)  Then onto finishing all the year-end bookkeeping. I patch information together for the 1099's and then go back and fill in the holes. :)  It'll be a couple of months of employee training so they can take some of the work off my back! I was invited to a tour of a non-profit company called ALSO. Pretty cool non-profit! They help those with disabilities become more or less independent. I say more or less because they actually provide 24-7 care for those that need it while living on their own or with one other housemate in an apartment. It frees up the parents. Often the parents that need the help are getting to be older and are unable to handle the care it takes to help their child and they're often at their wits end of how to handle a child that they love very much. I was very impressed.

Where in the world did this first month disappear to??? Crazy how fast it has disappeared!