Places I Have Lived

I was thinking today that I have been eavesdropping on all your blogs. But I haven't told anybody much about me.

For the next couple days I am going to list some stuff from my life. I hope you all are interested.

I thought that I would start with the places that I have lived.

I grew up in Santa Cruz, California. This was a great place to grow up. We went to the beach constantly. I lived about 3 blocks from the beach and I remember when storms came in I could hear the waves crashing at night. It was a very different time then. I use to take the city bus all over with my friends and we were never bothered. I look at my daughter now at 12 and I can't imagine giving her a bus pass and telling her to go have fun. Times have changed.

My mom was pretty nomadic when I was young. I do remember a time between third and fourth grade when she decided that we needed to move to Mena, Arkansas. My mom worked in the Levi's plant sewing on belt loops. That lasted two whole weeks and then we were on a Greyhound bus back to Cali. Besides that move there was usually one every couple of years. After Arkansas though we stayed in Santa Cruz county.

Two weeks after my 21st birthday (1989) I moved to Reno. I stepped out in faith that everything would work out. I had an apartment waiting for me and $500. I spent 1 day collecting applications and the next day I went to turn them in. I got hired at the first casino. The job was in Soft Count. Basically it means that I sat in the basement with a crew and we hand counted paper money for hours on end. I loved that job! It was fun! I met my husband in Reno. Both of my children were born there. The last position that I held in Reno was as a Promotions Manager at a local casino. That was fun because they sent me to Vegas alot. One thing I forgot to mention is that my mom is a compulsive gambler which made me a person who doesn't gamble. People are amazed that I lived in Reno for 10 years and never hit a Royal Flush. You gotta play to win.

In 1999 my husband decided that he wanted us to relocate to Pismo Beach. This was way fine with me. I am a beach girl. When we relocated my son was in 1st grade and my daughter hadn't started school yet. Pismo Beach is the only beach in California that you can drive on the beach. Yes actually on the sand. I remember Christmas of 2000 my Inlaws came and we spent Christmas day at the beach in 75 degree weather. It was a great day. I worked for wonderful people there and so did my husband. My Inlaws would come for Christmas every year. We noticed that in 2001 Mom was really deteriorating health wise. So Craig and I discussed this and decided that if we were ever going to make the move to Redding (his hometown) we needed to do it now. I wanted the kids to get established in school, make friends all before Junior High.

I have lived in Redding since July of 2002. I never wanted to live here but it has grown on me. It is a very beautiful place. It is also very Christian. Thank the Lord for that. It is amazing how He touches this community.

April 2006 My mother in law passed away. In August in 2006 my father in law had a mild heartattack. At that point we decided to move in with him to take care of him.

So here I sit in a ginormous Master Suite that if it was in NYC you could rent for $4500. It can be frustrating to blend the families but it is a decision we made before we married that our parents wouldn't be alone in their old age. My biggest fear is that my Mom's health will fail before Mel is gone and I will have to have them both here. Not nice I know. Sorry. I am only human.

If you could add Craig (my wonderful husband that I don't deserve) to your prayer lists I would truly appreciate it. He such an awesome man and I am so blessed to be his wife.

This scripture makes me laugh and not take life so seriously.

We can make our own plans,
But the Lord gives the right answer. -Proverbs 16:1

Sorry for the super longness of this. :)