ROL Tour - Days 1-5 (San Diego -Sebastapol)

Day 1! September 30, 2010!!! We are off! San Diego -Long Beach - Ojai
Smiles and Trials:
• After picking up the RV in Orange County yesterday and taking it home to pack up, having the Divona’s, Sonja, Stevo, and Janet all stopping by to say good-bye and send us off!
• Our RV trip began in pouring rain! I can’t remember the last time rain fell in San Diego. Russell was yelling and frustrated, Rohan was throwing banana and honey nut cherrios, Royce was hysterically crying trying to sleep (which he does once a month!), and me having banged my head, my face, dropped multiple items, doors swinging open left and right like a haunted house (I swear I hear muahhaha) coming out of them. Oh the irony!
• Turning ourselves back to love and getting into the love of the trip.
• Grandma Simi really enjoyed playing with Rohan and Royce and giving us treats of course
• We made it in time for a delicious meal at Nick and Fanny’s. Kids slept the whole way!
• We weren’t too critical of ourselves starting our inspiring journey shamefully!
Day 2: Ojai-Big Sir
• Slept in underwear it was so hot!
• Went to swim hole and played in water
• Went into town, played at park, walk with Fanny
• Drove to Pfiffer State Park (kids slept again)
• Were notified of our ¼ mi. hike into group camp
• Took 2 umbrella strollers packed with gear through a beach 1/4mi. trail and a board bridge over the low river (this was over the river and then through the woods to group camp we go – Cali style) – pitch black out- we laughed at the absurdity
• Had a bonfire with Meg, Chris, Lily, Dio, Jessie, Matt, Heather and Mallen – ate dinner, roasted s’mores and laughs.
• Finding humor in our haul
• Trying not to get frustrated with a 2 yr olds defiance and non-stop energy

Day 3 : Big Sir – Federal Beach

Smiles and Trials:
• Having some chill family time in RV in am
• Hanging at camp with crew
• Rohan and Lily playing soccer – laughing
• Our Beach Visit!!! So amazing – like another country. We hung out ate lunch. Then Rohan, Russell and I went up a giant sand dune and rolled down like kids! We went on a family walk along the beach. And watched Matt and Dio play Frisbee and Matt “Catch Frisbee and fall off the cliff into the water.” Says Rohan
• We didn’t give up on going to the beach after an hour of debating if or how to go and then all piling in the RV only to get there and see a “No RV or Trailers” sign! We went all the way back and piled in separate cars.
• When we drove all around trying to get to beach and right back to where we started when we got out Rohan says, “Are we at the beach?”
• Thinking, “There’s no place I would rather be”
• Matt hearing a ‘troll’ behind him (Royce asleep in the stroller behind him, waking up)
• Matt dropping 4 roasted starbursts in a row into the fire
• Everyone turning everything that was said into a sexual innuendo
• Rohan falling asleep in Auntie Booty’s arms
Day 4: Big Sir- Santa Cruz
• Haircuts by Meg Pie for Rohan and I!! Yipee.
• Having lots of loving time with Royce – nose nuzzling and breathing his sweet baby breath while in the ergo
• Hike to private beautiful swim hole with Matt and Heather
• Taking off shoes to cross river 2x
• The joy of Russell seeing the incredible coastline of the Northern coast
• Taking our 1st ‘special drive’ where Rohan could ride up in the cab over while we drive – The joy on Rohan’s face! Precious.
Day 5: Santa Cruz- Golden Gate Bridge- Half Moon Bay – Sebastapol
• Lounging in RV
• Russell biking into town with 3 loads of laundry in reusable bags strapped to the baby seat with his computer backpack and coffee to go cup in the water bottle holder, just like a local Santa Cruzian!
• Mauricio videoing and photographing the boys
• Sarah took us to Kelly’s French Bistro – cool vibe!
• Being able to exit the RV and use Meg and Chris’ old house to go potty, hot bath, have a picnic dinner on the floor, and bake fresh scones!
• Buying some new pottery
• Finding notebooks for Rohan and I for 75%off!
• Seeing cool roadside pumpkin farms
• Driving through Half Moon Bay
• Getting skunked out of Petaluma (we found out they just laid cow maneur)
• Rohan getting to drive in his ‘special drive’ spot looking out the window and pointing everything out in sight – the look of joy on his little face.
• Last minute visit to Sebastapol- where we parked in Patty and Tom’s driveway and played in their living room until 11pm!

RV is packed!

It is nearly 2am and we are 92% ready to depart. We have packed the RV and left some big things for last minute. Of course Russell (who did go to bed at about 12:30am is waking at 4am to finish what he needs to take care of with his Real Estate business (which he has an assistant helping while we are away). Many have asked, probably because they are wondering what on earth he does for a living that he can just pack up and go for a month. I tell them we are trust fund babies. Ha!

We love our Rv and are excited to begin our life and spiritual journey.
Tomorrow we are off to visit Grandma on the way to say good-bye and then to our brother and sister in law in Ojai! We will stay there the night to enjoy them and be closer to our Friday destination of Big Sur.

I have heard Big Sur is one of the most beautiful places on earth. The song, "I think I'm gonna like it here." from the movie Anne comes to mind. However, my next thought is Tupac's "Get rich or die tryin" song.

Prayer Makes a Difference

I begin my week on Thursday...for no other reason than I spiritually am lifted and supported by my 4 person Bible fellowship group who meet at an office in the middle of the day to revive our spirits. So you could say that I wake up on Thursdays. Yes I watch Church online or attend but it is in the small groups where I am face to face with my peers each a piece of the body of Christ. So I am face to face with the diverse face of the Holy Spirit. Okay I think I have hammered the point. So as I was saying, I wake up on Thursdays! Last week I was mentally struggling everywhere. At work, with Rohan, with Janae and unwilling to take the time to have a quiet time with God. So when I reached last Thursday I was ready to make the following week one filled with times of purposeful prayer and a daily quiet time. Now I use the term "quiet time" very loosely since Rohan is 2.5 years old and we share the mornings together which can be anything but quiet. So I fit in my Bible reading and prayer in between his breakfast and morning PBS shows. One of the many things I love about Rohan is that he can recognize when I am reading the Bible or praying...because he will ask me, "Are your reading the Bible Poppa."Anyhow back to last week and my big turn around. I learned many things last week reading about being in expectation of blessing, speaking the blessing to people around me and getting that I am to teach Rohan and Royce how to control themselves and not me controlling them. Some of these actions not unknown to me but last week through prayer and my submitting my day to God caused me to actually read some of the articles that Janae gave to me a week ago and receptive to try some of the suggestions and bam...my week transformed, my love grew and my headaches where lifted. In my stubbornness I know prayer and quiet time makes a difference; my task at hand is to shorten the time I fight the Holy Spirit's tug to get into God's word. I am a much better Poppa and Hubby and wouldn't you know it...I actually had some time to write this entry. God Bless and let me know how I can support you in having your daily quiet time. - Russell