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After lunch we piled back into the car and headed west, for Los Angeles. We passed the long hours enjoying the views along the way. We arrived at my sister’s place in Harbor City that night.
Over the next several days we visited several schools since Miles is thinking about college. Stops were made at Azusa Pacific, Hope International, Cal Baptist, Biola, Westmont and Point Loma. The boys and I even got to go camping and fishing with relatives at a nice lake east of L.A.
We visited lots of friends and relatives on both sides of the family. The day after Christmas we were at a huge family reunion on Hydi’s father’s side of the family. I think there were 52 people in all!
On December 31st Hydi and the kids left from San Diego and headed home. That night they made it as far as Arizona, where they stayed with relatives, and by the next evening they were back home in Colorado Springs.
I stayed in San Diego for several more days, visiting with my mom and my sisters. Then I headed back to L.A. on January 3rd by train. I love that ride, especially in the evening as it rolls along the coastline. We were just a bit too early for the sunset but enjoyed the scenery anyway.
On January 4th I visited one of our supporting churches, Rolling Hills Covenant Church. It is a big church with lots of stuff going on, but I was able to speak at two adult Sunday School classes and then had lunch with several mission committee members and others. It was a lot of fun to connect with that congregation again.
On January 6th I flew up to Oakland and then drove east to the town of Patterson. I have never been there before, but one of Hydi’s cousin is the pastor at the Patterson Covenant Church and so I was really happy to receive an invitation from them. They had a meal and evening meeting at Pastor Morden’s home and we had a great time! The meeting was well attended and I enjoyed getting to know a group of very friendly people. The Mordens have 5 kids, and needless to say, that added loads of fun to my short stay.
On January 7th I finally headed for home and arrived in Colorado Springs that evening, just in time to celebrate Eli’s 13th birthday! Wow! Three teenagers…
