Our World

Well, after the episode yesterday we were not going to be deterred today. We first went to Moss Landing (found some wonderful beaches there, but they wouldn't allow Sam and the one that did was a little crowded). Then we went to "our" beach, Rio Del Mar in Aptos - the beach that was once the most polluted int the state.. ha ha. But now it is clean and very inviting. It was also not too populated for it being New Year's Eve... All I had

It IS a dog's world

I have been going through a lot lately. So in an attempt at some healing I cranked up my Amy Grant, then went to the beach (poor man's therapy). I spent quite some time on the internet last night and this morning trying to find a beach where Samson could really just be a dog: run around, get dirty, bug other dogs, whatever. I found a beach in Carmel (of course) and I was so excited to go. I had this image in my mind of sitting on the beach while Sam sniffed

Flowering Tea

My dear and loving husband decided to get the internet; there are a few reasons for this: he is in the process of applying to law enforcement agencies up and down the state which require extensive background information (such as old transcripts, estranged family members' addresses and phone numbers, etc.). We are also quite disconnected from important things like bills and our banking. So, with some restrictions, we are now online again.

Christmas Day 2008

Well, here is our Christmas - in pictures.


First things first - wake up, Uncle Gabe!!

Girl's Day

It had been far too long since I had seen my girls Nicole and Ashawnae. So we made some time in the midst of our busy schedules to have a little fun! We just went to the mall and shopped a little…

We found out that Ashawnae's trim was made out of raccoon fur... so she named it and became it's friend.

Beautiful women!

I missed her!

Goofy faces!

Little miss Nicole wanted to push down the display at Victoria's Secret... I really missed her, too!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is always a special day; anticipation swallows every child’s heart and the grown-ups are a little anxious about the stress of the next day… But everyone is content. It’s a very interesting sort of day… For us it was fairly normal (as normal as normal is) – Beth and I stayed at home while the guys went out to run some errands (and on Christmas Eve that takes a while).

Ayden woke up Uncle Gabe and read him a book.

Samson looking snazzy.

Beth and I cleaned the apartment because it was important to us to have a clean house Christmas morning (you know, before it gets destroyed). Anyway, she was being “fierce.”

He really enjoys eating oranges…

“YEAH – WE BE EATIN’ OUR FRUIT. GOTTA PROBLEM WIT DAT??”

Apparently oranges make one want to be upside down.

Then we all went to church – Gabe and I to First Baptist in Morgan Hill and the Balls to a church here in Salinas (a rather nice one actually). I really missed the candlelight service as it’s a long standing tradition and with the fragmented state of my family right now I am trying to hold on to the things I can. But it was nice to see Vickie and Jean and to hear Gabe give a little testimony about what God has been doing in our lives.

Of course, First Baptist is where we got married. So we took some pictures in the sanctuary.

“I still do!”

Very excited to be the Sedberrys!

After church Gabe and I went by Dad’s house to open our one gift each – Gramdad and Grandma Sylvia got us $100 to Amazon.com (sweet!). Then we went back to the Balls’ house. Completely humoring me, everyone opened one gift each – the gifts from my mom.

Oh yes, so excited. Can’t you tell?

Opening my gift.

Paper!!

The gift is attacking Levi!

Apparently Gabe is attacking the gift.

She got us all pajamas (which was perfect because Beth had wanted to start doing that anyway) so we all went to bed in brand new comfies. I think that one-present thing was the only “normal Christmas” thing I did. I am constantly reminded about the divorce and the division in our family, but the Holidays make it that much sharper. It was nice to share a special custom with these people I only met two years ago; people who have become our functional family. They were quite sensitive to the situation I am in this year and really made it a wonderful time.

Our 3rd attempt at a picture.

Then came the fun part! For the last few weeks I have been gathering goodies and putting together bags for Christmas Morning and finally I got to assemble the stockings! I don’t know how it is for everybody else in the world, but for me the stockings are the best part of Christmas. You know that you’re going to get some great presents under the tree. And you also know that you will more than likely get a few things from your list. But the stocking is a total surprise! You’ll get cheap things that will probably get thrown away, but you’ll also get some really neat things that you never thought to ask for. And you always get candy! Santa never leaves you wanting with a stocking…. Stockings are awesome. Anyway, I was so excited to have the opportunity to…. Er, help Santa. I think I enjoyed it more than anybody else enjoyed it on the other end! It was such a blessing for me.

Yay!! And my stocking most certainly did not remain empty. Gabe and I do all of our gifts for one another with the stocking so he filled mine before I got up in the morning and it broke the hook off… He is so wonderful! I’m spoiled.

Somehow, even though we are all broke, Ayden (and the Balls) got a million presents under the tree! God is so good!

Though not what I am used to, this was the perfect Christmas Eve…

Third Anniversary - December 23, 2008

Three years is not an extraordinarily long time, but for our 3rd year anniversary Gabe and I wanted to do something especially meaningful. For us it means more than the amount of time in marriage it represents. To us it is a celebration of all that we have been through together. It's a reminder that we are so blessed to be able to be with each other because we know what it is to be unwillingly separated for every significant day. It's a reminder of the day we promised to stick together no matter what and furthermore a reminder of the no-matter-what's. For this, our first anniversary out of the military, we needed to go (relatively) big. :-)

First, Gabe completely surprised me with this gorgeous purse (3rd anniversary is leather)!! He snuck my other purse out while I was sleeping and put all my stuff in the new one so that when I opened my eyes in the morning this was the first thing I saw. It was so sweet!!

Before we left, I was quite hungry so Gabe made me Macaroni & Cheese... This was me trying to keep my dress clean.

Before we left - all dolled up.

The view on the drive.... I cannot believe we actually live here.

My amazing husband...

So happy together!!

Life's a long road. :-)

I was so nervous he was going to fall!


For Gabe's senior prom he took me to Nepenthe, a small, beautiful restaraunt in Big Sur. So for our anniversary he surprised me with another visit there. It absolutely amazes me how gorgeous it is. God must really love us to give us this beauty.

The wooden statue in front of our favorite restaurant Nepenthe.

Our actual view while eating dinner...

Posing on the deck.

The Chicken!

"Hippies are so much nicer than rednecks."

Pretty, pretty California.


After our wonderful lunch at Nepenthe Gabe drove us to our next destination: Pfieffer State Beach. It is not easy to find - you will only ever visit it if someone explicitly shows how to get there. I, in my dress, nylons and long coat and Gabe, in his slacks, dress shoes and suede jacket decided to play! I cannot go to the beach without saying hello to the ocean (I am afterall from California) so I did. And then we checked out the tide pools and almost got knocked down by a wave! Well, kind of... I was startled and almost fell off my rock...

Going to Pfieffer State Beach - quite a journey to get there, but so worth it!

Like I told Gabe, you know you're in God's country when your subject makes the picture for you.

Gabe took some pictures of me playing in the water.

I think he did a great job with this picture!

Gabe on the rocks.

Even the rocks are prettier here.

There were a bunch of photographers taking pictures of this arch.

Ah, the beach at sunset... Does life get any better?

Why, hello, God.

I think that is where God sits and does His thinking.

I can't wait to go back.

Gabe carried me to the car because my feet were freezing!

It was a very large leaf.

My new favorite beach.

After the beach we went to see "Four Christmases" at the theater - originally Gabe had planned to take me to an Imax movie, but we didn't make it so we went to the one right here in Salinas. We did get to walk around Cannery Row for a bit (and get some yummy candy!). After the movie we went home and changed into our comfies for a quiet night.

When we got back we had a fun night at home with our family.

The love of my life.

It was a perfect day... Absolutely perfect!