It is amazing to sometimes stop and think about how we can make a big difference and influence a young life. A great example of that has been my friend Karen and her husband who several years ago adopted three orphaned siblings from Russia, Yuri, Vera and Polina. Children are a gift of God and a huge responsibility and blessing. Their lives can be guided and molded into lives full of joy and hope. On Friday, Grace, Naomi, Vera and I went to tea to celebrate Karen and Polina's birthdays.

A wonderful weekend in small town USA... last Thursday I boarded a red eye flight out to Pittsburgh, PA to visit my best friend Emily and her family. After a long flight we were on our way to a little town called Indiana. Emily & Gino just moved there in December from Texas. The Lord has blessed them in wonderful ways and provided a nice spacious home for them and their three kiddies. It was great seeing them all again. On the evening of July 4th we drove out to the middle of town to see the fireworks display. Saturday morning we drove out to a Mennonite farm to check on some furniture and then drove on to Smicksburg (Amish country). The countryside was absolutely beautiful and so green. Old fashioned horse and buggies passed us on the road and Amish farmers waved as we drove by their farms. It was almost as if you were transported to another time. The rest of the days I spent catching up with Emily, playing with the kids, watching fireflies and red robins (which we don't have in CA). Sunday evening Gino stayed with the kids so Emily and I could go out to dinner. We stopped by the middle of town to take the obligatory "touristy" picture by the Jimmy Stewart statue. Yes, Indiana, PA is the birthplace of Jimmy Stewart. Emily and I had great time talking, eating, laughing and crying together. All too soon it was time to come home. You can see more pictures here: http://chiarapics.spaces.live.com/

C is for Caroline

Last night I attended a shower for my pastor's wife Donna. She and Erik are adopting a precious little eight year old girl from China. After many months of waiting and praying and waiting some more they are finally going to go pick little Caroline up on the 28th of this month. We all had a wonderful time of sharing, praying and eating as we celebrated this wonderful event together.

Is it really July already!!?? Time seems to keep flying by faster and faster. Half the year has come and gone. This year I have been especially blessed by spending more time with all the AZ fam =) It has been a fun time full of many memories. This past weekend was one of those times. We drove down there to help Greg celebrate his big "Four-Oh" and what a time we had! Besides lots of eating we enjoyed spending Saturday in the pool. The kids (and adults) had a great time playing Marco Polo and Monkey in the Middle. It was fun, fun, fun!

Here I am being referee for Uncle Jon, Alyssa, Frank and Joshua =) More pics here: http://chiarapics.spaces.live.com/

Summer is here! This was the view from my dining room window Saturday morning. It's not just that Saturday was officially the first day of summer but summer temperatures also arrived with a bang! Friday as I was driving to Yorba Linda the outdoor temperature gauge read 107 degrees. Saturday dawned bright and sunny. I headed down to visit a friend in Dana Point and spend the day at the beach. It was beautiful and so relaxing! It was a day to de-stress, recharge my batteries and rest. Afterward we went to a sushi restaurant for dinner and actually ran into "President Palmer" from the TV show "24" who was also having dinner there. Sunday was church and then trying to stay as cool as possible indoors. I can't complain... I love the warm, sunny weather! Here is a shot of the pier at San Clemente at the end of the day.

In celebration of Flag Day here is an excerpt from

A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

The American flag has been our national symbol for 231 years, and it remains a beacon of freedom wherever it is flown. Since the Second Continental Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes as our flag in 1777, it has stood for freedom, justice, and the resolve of our Nation.

When Francis Scott Key saw the American flag flying over Fort McHenry in 1814, he believed that liberty would triumph. The flag that inspired Key to write our National Anthem still energizes and emboldens the American spirit today. As our Nation faces the challenges of a new era, Old Glory reminds us that liberty can prevail over oppression.

Since the first days of our Republic, Americans have flown the flag to show their pride and appreciation for the freedoms they enjoy in this great Nation. Every day, Americans pledge their allegiance to the flag of the United States, and our troops carry it before them as they defend the liberties for which it stands.

On Flag Day and during National Flag Week, we remember those in uniform whose courage and sacrifice inspire us here at home. We also remember the rich history of one of our oldest national symbols and reflect on our duty to carry our heritage of freedom into the future.

Tea & Friends... a recipe for a wonderful afternoon together.My friends Aida, Revy, Naomi, Tsige, and Indra all went out to tea at the Springfield Tea House in Fullerton. We try and do this every year. It was fun to pick out a hat to wear from the many colorful hats in all shapes and sizes. There is something very relaxing and comforting about spending a leisurely afternoon enjoying all the wonderful food and friends. My favorite flavor of tea yesterday was the Ginger Peach... mmm so good! You can see some more pictures here: http://chiarapics.spaces.live.com/

Today is the 64th Anniversary of D DayAs we remember those who fought so bravely let us also keep praying for all of our troops who are currently serving and fighting today. I posted this last year but I think it is worth reading once again. An excerpt from one of the speeches President Ronald Reagan gave at the U.S. Ranger Monument

Pointe du Hoc, France June 6, 1984.
"Forty summers have passed since the battle that you fought here. You were young the day you took these cliffs; some of you were hardly more than boys, with the deepest joys of life before you. Yet, you risked everything here. Why? Why did you do it? What impelled you to put aside the instinct for self-preservation and risk your lives to take these cliffs? What inspired all the men of the armies that met here? We look at you, and somehow we know the answer. It was faith and belief; it was loyalty and love.The men of Normandy had faith that what they were doing was right, faith that they fought for all humanity, faith that a just God would grant them mercy on this beachhead or on the next. It was the deep knowledge--and pray God we have not lost it--that there is a profound, moral difference between the use of force for liberation and the use of force for conquest. You were here to liberate, not to conquer, and so you and those others did not doubt your cause. And you were right not to doubt.You all knew that some things are worth dying for. One's country is worth dying for, and democracy is worth dying for, because it's the most deeply honorable form of government ever devised by man. All of you loved liberty. All of you were willing to fight tyranny, and you knew the people of your countries were behind you.The Americans who fought here that morning knew word of the invasion was spreading through the darkness back home. They thought--or felt in their hearts, though they couldn't know in fact, that in Georgia they were filling the churches at 4 a.m., in Kansas they were kneeling on their porches and praying, and in Philadelphia they were ringing the Liberty Bell.Something else helped the men of D-Day: their rock-hard belief that Providence would have a great hand in the events that would unfold here; that God was an ally in this great cause. And so, the night before the invasion, when Colonel Wolverton asked his parachute troops to kneel with him in prayer he told them: Do not bow your heads, but look up so you can see God and ask His blessing in what we're about to do. Also that night, General Matthew Ridgway on his cot, listening in the darkness for the promise God made to Joshua:

"I will not fail thee nor forsake thee.''
If you would like to read the entire speech you can find it here: http://www.reaganfoundation.org/reagan/speeches/dday_pdh.asp

June has arrived and even though today was a "June gloom" kind of a day, summer is right around the corner. This weekend I took advantage of the beautiful weather to do some cycling, swimming and a little laying out in the sun. Yesterday, I enjoyed a delicious dinner and a wonderful time with the Cline's from church. I also have been working on getting back into the "work out" groove. So far so good! It's hard to do it alone but I'm trying my best. Today after working out I came home and had a treat picking nectarines and blackberries in the back yard. The nectarine tree has so much fruit a big branch has broken off because of the weight. I made a blackberry nectarine cobbler that I'll be taking to work tomorrow for all to enjoy.

Holy Cow! We can't believe you are retiring!! Today we threw an open house at the office for our dear Naomi who is retiring soon. She has been working in our office for the past 20 years and we are definitely going to miss her. Lots of friends drop by to wish her all the best and enjoy some refreshments together. Holly came by with precious little Mary Mayes who is not yet three months old. I loved cuddling and holding her while she took a little nap. She is too cute!