Happy Birthday Steven!! 8 years old....cool dude!!

Home safe

Arrived home safely from Portland with Natalie. Alas, the good physicians there confirmed what docs at Children's hospital had already said...That there really is nothing they can do to help Nat's scoliosis. Nat was disappointed, to be sure, but she wants to move on and continue with her life. This brave young lady has had 10 operations in her life, some of them life threatening, and still she has a beautiful smile (like her Mom's) and a wonderful outlook on life that is contagious.

Our van is fixed. We decided to bite the bullet, use the old credit card and get it fixed. We are off camping for a week in August to recharge and keep away from all forms of electronic media in order to hear "that still small voice". (And thank you Derek and Simone for thinking of us)

Elissa is home this week. Yahooh!

(Jeremiah 29: 11-12 NIV) For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Car troubles and more...

Alas, once again our family van has expired. This time it is a "front-end job", which translates into $2-thousand and I am, as usual, not flush with cash. The van has been a blessing to us, though, and the 300,000 km on it have really gotten our family around. With children growing up and reaching for their dreams, we are almost at the point where we can down-size to a mini-van. But, that too costs money...thank God for our wonderful little Echo, which manages to transport various members of the Gerk clam to and fro and even makes 2 trips to Church so we can get everyone there and back. Not sure what we will do

Tuesday will see Natalie and I travel to the Shriner's Hospital in Portland. Nat is having an assessment done regarding her scoliosis. Please pray we have a safe trip and that the examination goes well. They may or may not be able to help her, but we wanted to at least try!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDREW!!!

(Epheseans 5:20 NIV): "...always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Currently Watching:
Batman Begins: 2005

Wow, a great movie. Marina and I took Kimmy to see this, and we all agreed you can pretty much dump the old Batman movies and start again...which is what they are doing. Well done, believable and once again pointing to the age-old battle between good and evil.

(Revelation 17:14):They will go to war against the Lamb but the Lamb will defeat them, proof that he is Lord over all lords, King over all kings, and those with him will be the called, chosen, and faithful."

Currently watching (and listening to)
Mr. and Mrs. Smith: Original Soundtrack: 2005

Marina and I went to see this movie...certainly not for kids, nor is it a "family" movie. Best scenes: The Assassin's Tango and the scene where they both hunt each other in their home. Best music from the soundtrack: Mondo Bongo and Assassin's Tango. Other than that, stay at home.

Currently watching:
The Pelican Brief
(1983: DVD)

Currently watching:
Runaway Jury: DVD
(Widescreen Edition) (2003)

A Moment of Silence

(Thanks to Small Dead Animals)

Honest, I wasn't driving....

The Captain of this vessel deserves a medal. David told me as we heard the horn blow non-stop: "Well there's no doubt that ferry has a horn". Little did we know....

Home again...

Got home after my whirlwind trip to the island with David. I will sure miss him!! (He's working with some friends for a month) With the ferry mishap (photos on the way) to the wonderful and interesting drive to the middle of no-where, it was another Gerk adventure.

We sure do pick em.