Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Anniversary Passed!

August 8th was the anniversary of our moving to North Dakota! Has it really been 12 Years? I've only been back to San Diego twice but we're going back this fall. A lot of memories, kids growing up, adjusting to new weather, different houses and towns, a great church, and now, Laurie's fantastic new career and my current job that's a departure from what I've always done. Wow... We first moved to Devils Lake into an apartment where some friends of Laurie's lived, Then moved to this house uptown. It had been fixed so two small families could live in it. One in the basement. We've become friends of the landlord and always stop to talk with them when we see them. The house was weird so we moved into this 80 yaer old huge house near downtown. It had one time been 5 apartments but was originally a single family dwelling. Here is where we spent most of our time in ND. Laurie eventually locked herself in the attic that was very big and studied for a year or so when she got into nursing school. It was here that we went through most of the troubles of raising high-spirited children. Here we lost Jeremiah. Then we moved outside Petersburg to our current place. 28 acres of hay and insects. There's a lot that needs to be done but I have never felt so at home in my life. I can sit out on the porch at night and listen to nature and sometimes I think I hear God. I know I see has hand out there. One day, it was evening and this fog rolled in. It was so low that it just sat in the channel that runs across our land. The sun was sinking behind it and the hay had been cut but more had grown. It was magnificent but faded before I could break my rapture and get a camera. One night I was coming back from the barn and walking towards the front of the house. It was lit up from the yard lights and there was this gigantic full moon just above the garage. I had no equipment capable of capturing such a sight but it was wonderous. It's August late, so football's starting which means the weather is changing. We'll be watching for tornadoes and soon the deer will be everywhere. I am so thankful for what I have. I know it really doesn't belong to me, God is just letting me use it. But until he calls me to a better place, I'll cherish this one. Selah.

2 comments:

Suzanne Lanoue said...

Very eloquent! I enjoyed reading it. When are you going to San Diego (I thought you said November or December)? Any particular reason or just to visit? It's a shame we will miss you...we're going around Christmas time. Hey, answer your email and comments once in a while!

JVaughan said...

I am afraid that I have you beaten by a considerable time since, if all goes well, I could be observing the 50th anniversary of my current residency on 12 February, 2010! As you can imagine, I have a lot of memories of this place, most of them _THANKFULLY_ good! Although this might end up not being practicable, I am dreaming of a rather-elaborate ceremony to mark that anniversary, though I think it would be difficult at best to get ceremonial support for such a private, non-official occasion, such as a colour guard, honour cordons and escorts/aids, though I _WOULD_ have recorded musical support, most of that from my favourite military musical organization as I think I have told you, "The President's Own" United States Marine Band!

Speaking of them, I am also considering going to Pittsburgh on 2 October to hear them for the first time on tour. Since out-of-town audiences do not get to hear them regularly as we do, I expect, and am told, that they are perhaps more appreciative, and thus that could be an experience worth having at least once.

J. V.

p.s. So your wife is a nurse? That is obviously an honourable and valuable calling!