Quick update. I am in San Clemente, CA staying with our friends, the Cousineau family. (I am sure you all know Evan! - see www.caringbridge.org/visit/evancousineau) Juli and I have now effectively taken over Mary and Alaina's room! We love it so much! I bet some of you are wondering how we came to be here? It has been a while since I last updated. It has been quite hectic since then....so here you go!
I arrived here in Cali this past Monday as I escorted my 96 year old Opa back to his home here near San Clemente. (after staying with my 4-6 most wonderful, fun, loving, nieces and nephews and Opapa for the weekend at my brother's house!) Juliana came out here, too, for a few days and we stayed with my aunt Tillie and Opapa for a few days getting to know the surrounding area of Temecula and getting so spoiled by (my mom's sister )Tillie, seeing the sites, doing a little hiking in the National Park, and having tea and good fun in the evenings with Opa and Tillie! It was 'wunderbar'! Thank you so much Tillie, Opapa - and Michael for the use of your car!
Then Juli and I rented a car and drove over the Ortega MOUNTAIN! highway to find the infamous Cousineau family and spend a couple of days with them too. As we pulled into this town the sun was just setting into the ocean. So we quick parked the car and hustled to the beach as Gina gave us directions to find 'Evan's Beach'. It was a very W.E.I.R.D. experience!!! Get this! -
Not only did we find Evan's firepit with his name on it and snap some photos, but watched the surfers and walked out a ways since it was low tide. There, freshly written on the sand, were the words, "Evan's Island", Love, the Tieman family.....and also "Evan + Dom" and "ECC". We could not have timed it all better if we had planned this! Any later and it would have been washed away. We did not know that it was a year ago on the 14th(day of our arrival), that Evan was laid to 'rest'(?) on his beach there during his paddleout ceremony. It was like Evan was welcoming us to his home. Since Joel and Evan's hospital rooms at the U of MN were next door to each other for about 3 months, and they are still close now living in the Presence of their, and our, Jesus, it just seems I have come full circle visiting his home. His spirit certainly lives on in this community and will never be forgotten. Such a huge impact for such a little guy of nine (a day shy of ten) year old.
We found out that the family who had written the words in the sand on our arrival ( sans any knowledge of our arrival) is one of Gina's closest friends, Kari (Cali Kari), who we were able to spend a little time with tonight. Kari's husband is a CA firefighter so is not home as he is up the highway fighting the blazing infernos at this time. The smoke cloud from up there is visible from here and strectches out obscuring one end of Catalina Island. Please pray for the firefghters and officers and these pople in its path. I think I heard that 3100 more families have been asked to quickly evacuate their homes. So much devastation. The winds are shifting now to Santa Ana winds and that does not bode well for putting fires out. This is a close knit community and that part is such a blessing.
Even walking down to the beach today, Juli and I passed a bench that some neighbors had put up with a plaque in memory of Evan. (The only thing we have yet to see are some dolphins! )Mark Cousineau gave Juli her first-ever surfing lesson this morning and then on to 'The Bagel Shack' afterwards for some delicious bagels! The 'spoiling' continues!
At home(feels like 'home'!), Gina and Derek and I put on our tennies and made a quick hike up in the hills for some exercise, but we cut it short as the dogs were heating up too quickly. These Santa Ana winds are quite warm and I think it was 89 degrees here today with a hot sun. Quite a (nice) contrast to MN right now! Thank you Lord!
Thank you for being so patient with me in returning your emails. I have not had a wireless connection for my computer for a few days and don't want to sit on it when I could be with my family, and now the Cousineaus too. But I know I really need to let you all know what/where I am as you all bless me sooooo much with your emails and guestbook entries.
When I come home late Monday night I have one day to wash and repack as I am driving early Wednesday morning with Hannah. She is moving to NC too! (For a little while anyway) Now I will have two of my girls down there as she won't be too far from Whitney. I will also be getting ready to have my family over on Tuesday since it is Joel's 4th birthday and we want to celebrate and 'remember'(as if we can forget!) him together as a family. Thank you for all of your ideas about how to celebrate this day. I don't regret having him for one minute and consider it an honor that the Lord gave him to us, even if it was for only 3 days shy of 3 years and 3 months! I miss him ever so much. It is especially hard watching the little 3 year old boys playing on the beach. It is hard for me to imagne that his beach now could be any better than this one! So beautiful it is. So full of life here. So much laughter. Beautiful and sad all at the same time. Such is our life - and that of many others too I know. To only go back to Jesus. Again and again. More Joy and more Strength.
Well Juli is sleeping and it is only 10:00pm here .But we are leaving at 7:00 a.m. to watch Alaina run AND...of course Gina is setting up the bone marrow donation booth too! Juliana has not signed up yet so Gina told her tomorrow is her day! She is happy about that. The chance to save a life... I guess I don't personally know anybody who does not want to be able to do that. It takes so little really. So thankful are we. Bessings to you. Onward!
P.S. - I miss you David Wagner!
