Back from New Jersey

We really had a fantastic time in NJ. We spent a few days with Carl's parents in Whiting, and then 2 weeks at the beach--Schoa Beach (between Ortley and Seaside Heights). What a blessing it was to spend time together, with friends and family, take a trip to New York City with Maike and family, play in the ocean, go to the boardwalk, take the older girls to Camp Iroquoina, and relax!

Carl's dad celebrated his birthday while we were there.

Here's Uncle Steve and Romeo.
Don't they look alike?!
Uncle Steve, Aunt Cathy, and Carl's sister Carol came over too.
Grandma loves her grandkids!

Grandpa loves his grandkids too!
It was so nice to catch up with friends--here we are with Joci (my college roommate) and kids.

My friend Clare also came with her dad to visit for a day.

The Smiths stopped by for dinner.


Cousins Connor and Elliot are lots of fun.

My beautiful sister, Maike, and I.


Casino Pier Boardwalk rides...and then an enormous pizza!
Trey and Elliot
Off to NYC--we took the Staten Island Ferry, took the subway to Grand Central Station and dropped off the Copeland's things at their hotel, zipped back down to Battery Park, grabbed a hot dog off a cart, boated to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, walked to Ground Zero, grabbed some dinner to go at a pizzeria, said "Bye" to the Copelands, and took the Staten Island Ferry back to the car.







Carl and Carol

















The Delaware Water Gap is behind the girls--that's where Carl and I got engaged up at the top. We stopped on the way home from camp and put our hands in the Delaware River.

Just updated my art blog--what's available

http://artbykasteen.blogspot.com/2009/12/whats-available.html

So cute--my new neighbor Mallory Rose Klein

Gerle Creek Photos

Here we all are at sunset with Gerle Reservoir in the background.

Does this smell like vanilla or butterscotch or not?


We love each other!

We found the geo-cache!
Maggie likes to paddle and paddle and paddle and paddle...
Go!
Here comes Trey with another bouquet for Mama!






Trey loves loading up his truck and pushing it all around.
Our first evening.
Our friends' goat had a baby--here she is a few hours old.

Gerle Creek

We just got back from a sweet time camping in El Dorado National Forest at Gerle Creek. It was the most beautiful weather--warm with deep blue sky and cool, evergreen scented breezes. We played in the creek. Trey was leaping from granite boulder to granite boulder like a frog. Hanna and Maggie figured out different ways to jump into the pools with Lily judging their jumps. The creek with it's little waterfalls and rapids gave me such delight--I could bask in the sun and in the goodness of the Lord as I watched my little ones play. We also swam in the reservoir and boated. We jumped from a boulder on an island, hiked to find a geo-cache, had deep conversations, laughed and played, saw a baby squirrel with Trey, went for a dusk walk around the lake, had good time with friends, saw the children enjoy each other, made food over the campfire (hot dogs, croissants, smores), saw snakes, saw lizards, received many flower bouquets from Lily and Trey, tossed things into the creek to watch them go down, had a chipmunk jump in my lap, and watched a butterfly land on Lily. Trey's assessment of mosquitoes? "The bite me because they think I'm cute. And they want to make me itchy." What a wonderful time of worship. The beauty of His creation always causes me to worship. I had the opportunity to jog some trails around the reservoir and worship some more. This song was one that I enjoyed and took to heart:

"Good Life"

I've watched my dreams all fade away
And blister in the sun
Everything I've ever had is unraveled and undone
I've set upon a worthless stack
Of my ambitious plans
And the people that I've loved the most
Have turned their backs and ran

This is the good life
I've lost everything
I could ever want
And ever dream of
This is the good life
I found everything
I could ever need
Here in Your arms

Loneliness has left me searching
For someone to love
Poverty has changed my view
Of what true riches are
Sorrow's opened up my eyes
To see what real joy is
Pain has been the catalyst
To my heart's happiness

What good would it be
If you had everything
But you wouldn't have
The only thing you need

I keep learning more and more that He is my everything. I truly feel as if I have lost everything I wanted--but it has opened my arms and heart more to Jesus.

I was able to see thousands upon thousands of stars up in the Sierras--and see them reflected in the lake. What am I, that You O God are mindful of me?

A Wonderful Poem By My Sister-In-Christ

This poem is so beautiful and shows me how God has gifted us each differently. Enjoy!

I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
Psalm 84:10


The Sanctuary
By Jen H.


Weekly and weak
I return to this shore. Baffled,
Yet balmed to see

Brash sand sculptors mock the tide
With its too-soon waves
That lap, then leave, and lap again,

Till all is lost and
The barren shore rests
Flat, yet moist--

No trace of craft enduring,
Save in soul clay
Kingdom-bent.

Here, in the swish and grime
Bare toes, dizzied, curl tight,
Re-righting their stance at the rim of majesty.

A chin shakes; knees quake.
Ears --and fears—pop! Deafened by the din
Of rattled hearts and cancelled sin.

The world’s crimes hang clean
And sweet as slips on wash day.
The wind whips through and through,

Sets all in proper place--
Such rare force, grace--
God stretches; I shrink.

The ceiling’s not where I think,
Here, where chalk writing leaves
Indelible ink.