Point Reyes National Shoreline

The Light House Robby says he wants to be a park ranger when he grows up, because this is where he lives! There were deer everywhere! Robby infront of the pacific Ocean with his new beard! It was a little cold up there! This is my power picture! I loved this little island, I wonder if anyone has ever stood on it?

He was a little close to the edge of the cliff! The Ocean. In case you can't read this it says, " Dangerous surf: Surfing, wading, and swimming not advised. Shark area, strong undertows, currents, and sneaker waves. Enter at your own risk."!!!!!!!! What the heck is a sneaker wave!!!! Yep, sneaker waves......

The sand was little pebbles and it was very clean. There were these little blue jellies everywhere! Robby and I went to Point Reyes National shoreline. We have been there before, but on the other side of the shore where it is mostly forrest. This side was basically pasture lands and the ocean. I liked it better. In March and January you can come here and watch the blue whales migrate on their way to and from Mexico. We missed it this year, but we will see it next year!!! California, such a beautiful place. Dea

The boys!

From left to right: Harrison Brakefield, Thomas Brakefield, Jakob Armbrester, and Hudson Brakefield. We found a place to live!! It is beautiful! Robby and I met with a guy named Tony today to look at this apartment he had for rent. We were already excited about its location and had decided that if it wasn't a dump we were going to take it. Well, we get there and there was a little girl playing with her dad in the front yard of this big house. I was expecting to walk into the big house, but no, Tony took us behind the house to this tall wooden gate. I mean it was so tall Robby couldn't even see over it! When Tony opened the gate it was just like The Secret Garden! There were lattaces with red roses hanging off of them and it was so clean. Then, at the back of the garden was this cute little house. I can't remeber if it was a single house or if it is connected to anything, but I fell in love with it. The place is small, but it is no smalller then our apartment we had for two years in Auburn. It is clean and has a den, a kitchen, a bathroom, a bedroom, and a little study. Robby wrote Tony a check right there and handed it to him. I think that impressed Tony, he didn't know I just got paid Thursday! So, hopefully if everything works out, we will have a place that's a 0.2 mile walk from the hospital in a very nice neighborhood that is comparable to Homewood. It even has a whole street of little shops like Homewood and is walking distance to the Rockridge BART! I will take pictures of it as soon as we move in. We are moving May 31 when we get back from Hawaii. Thanks for your prayers everyone. We couldn't have asked for a better place. Dea

Just an update

Hello Everyone! I don't really have too much to write about today, I just wanted to say hi because it has been a while since I posted anything! Robby had his final reviews Friday. I know he is so happy to be done with that part of school. Thesis reviews can go pretty bad and the discussion about Robby's project was pretty heated, some poeple liked it, but some others really didn't. It's all good though, because the people who actually grade him are the ones who absolutly loved it! That's all that really matters. Anyways, we spent the better part of yesterday hunting for a new apartment. We have come to realize that unless we want to live in another dump we are going to have to be willing to fork over a good bit of money for a place. It is just crazy how expensive places to live are here! We have been checking Craig's List religiously and we have found at least a couple of apartments that we like. They aren't nearly as big as the two bedroom we are in now, but they will be just fine. We are going to meet a guy about one near the hospital today. If it is half way decent we are probably going to take it because it is in a nice area and it is literally like a half a mile away from the hospital. That would be great and safe for me to walk to and from work. Well, Hawaii is only three weeks away and we are so excited about it. I can't wait to share the trip with you guys. I better go now, I am washing clothes and they need to be put into the dryer. I hope everyone is having a great weekend. Love, Dea

The Shins

The Warfield, San Francisco The shins

Hi! Last night Robby and I went to a Shins concert in San Francisco. It was at this old 1920's venu called the Warfield and it was awesome! I picked Robby up from calss, we hopped on the BART and rode into Union Square. We ate dinner at this 1950's diner (Uncle Jackie would have loved it!!) and then we went to the concert. We both really love concerts, there is something about them that is amazing. There is no better way to experience a band. Man, the Shins were really great too; we had seen them before in Auburn, when they were still playing at tiny gigs and hanging out with the people after the show, and they have really grown since then. I was very impressed.

Michael's Birthday is April 15th!

Happy Birthday, Michael!! I love you!

Dea

Sunny day bike ride

Well, yesterday was a fun day! Robby and I started out our day by walking to the post office to mail his acceptance letter to SOM. It was kind of a strange feeling because it is the first real step we have taken towards staying here next year. After that we walked around and looked at apartments we could live in. We are hoping to stay around here, but just live a little closer to a BART station. Yesterday was an absolutly beautiful day, so we decided to go for a bike ride. I should have taken our camera with us because we went into the Berkeley Hills and the view of the bay was breath-taking. I just love the houses in the hills; they are so pretty and each one has to be so unique to the plot of land it is built on. It made me feel really special that Robby took the whole day off of school yesterday just to be with me. He is a great husband!!! I hope you guys have a good weekend. I have to go now, I have to get ready for work. I just wanted to say hi and tell you guys that Robby accepted the job with SOM. I love you all very much. Dea

I am such a PROUD Aunt

Beautiful M, Gigi, mom, and Nana The Brakefield boys!

Hudson, Thomas, Harrison Harrison Hudson Thomas and his monkeyThomas making gifts for his friends at school!

More from Ally and Jake!

These first few pictures are from Yosemite This is the famous Half Dome at Yosemite We saw a wolf!!!The Beautiful Lower Yosemite Falls We had a good dinner at Fisherman's Wharf in SF On our way to Alcatraz Island, it was windy and cold on the boat! Walking to the GG Bridge in Crissy Fields The GG Bridge Well, I just thought I would share some of Ally's pictures with you guys! Robby and I really had such a great time with them, as you can see!!! It still takes my breath away how beautiful things are here. I hope that everyone had a great Easter yesterday. I worked a double, so I was pretty tired when I got home around midnight last night, but I have today and tomorrow off, so I am looking forward to that. Gigi sent me some great pictures of the boys, so I will be sure to share those with you guys soon too. You know, I really have no idea who all looks at this website, but I wanted to thank you guys for being interested in Robby and I's lives and for your prayers and support, we will continue to need them throughout our lives and it is such a blessing to have you. We are both really nervous and a little sad about staying here another year, but we know that we have lots of prayers and very supportive friends and family to help us, and we are so grateful for you all. Love, Dea

Happy Easter

Fun with Ally and Jake!

Yosimite Yosimite, Allison and Jacob

Yosimite Falls Yosimite YosimiteAt the top of Mount Tam Jake and Nick Cage! Lumbard Street is at the very top! San Francisco The really tall silver and black building is where SOM is. I am standing on the steps to the BART station in Embarcadero! That is how close the BART stop is to the building! Robby and I really had a great time with Ally and Jake. We somehow managed to see everything they wanted to in 4 days! These are just a few of the pictures. When Ally sends me hers I will post some more. Well, everything is going just fine here. Robby is still interviewing with firms, eventhough he has really decided to work for SOM and he is finishing up his school stuff. I am just working and am going to spend the rest of today cleaning our wreck of a house and I have an education committee meeting! Oh yeah, and Robby and I had a great time eating dinner at Mark and Kristen's house the other night. They fixed us a great meal and we eneded up staying over there really late just talking. They are great people and I hope that Robby and I are able to continue to hang out with them. Anyways, I better go now, I have so much to do today! I'll post those pictures when I get them! ~Dea