Hey Gorgeous Friends,

This day would mark our last day in California. I started out by visiting with grandma while the kids went to the skatepark again.

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This is my grandma’s dog Gigi. She rarely leaves my grandma’s side. She is very protective of my grandma. I think it’s so amazing that this sweet girl not only watches over my grandma, but also doesn’t cause any trouble for her at all. When my grandma goes out front, this sweet girl again listens to her and doesn’t wander off. And when it’s near bedtime, Gigi starts herding her toward bed. Just amazing that this sweet dog brings companionship and care to my elderly grandma. She is the perfect match for her.

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While hanging with my grandma, she was admiring this cross on the wall. We talked about my cousin Lindsay who is an artist that creates pieces of art out of dots. She has done a variety of crosses, bowls, rocks, and even salt and pepper shakers. You can check out her work on Instagram at: decorativedotsartist

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Next, we loaded up for a trip into the city of Riverside for a Ramen lunch. Today would be our last day in California. Ayden was leaving in the morning with Mike to head to Wisconsin and we were going to start the long drive home.

As soon as Ayden found out that our trip to California was a go, he began dreaming of Ramen. I didn’t realize that Ramen restaurants and Pho restaurants were much different from each other, but Ayden explained that the noodles and the broth are different.

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So we found a Ramen place called Kaz Ramen. The music was too loud and the restaurant was really warm, but the food was delicious and spot on!

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You choose your broth, your noodles, and then all of your toppings. It was a fun experience. We ended it with a new icecream called Mochi. It tastes like a large soft Gummi Bear.

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Chuck did a quick Google search and realized that the pastor that led him to Christ was located here in Riverside. Chuck gave his life to Christ in 1993 while listening to Greg Laurie on the radio. He was turning the dial looking for Rush Limbaugh when he heard a radio pastor. He paused to listen and at the close of the message when there was a call for salvation, he pulled over on the side of the road and gave his heart to Jesus.

Greg Laurie’s church was just a 10 minute drive from where we were having lunch! So we headed over to check it out.

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We were able to go in and order coffee and browse the bookshop.

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Then, we sat and drank coffee and chatted. You could feel the peace and Presence of God. Chuck was hoping that by some coincidence or God Wink that Greg Laurie would be walking the grounds and he would get to meet the man who introduced him to His Savior.

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After that, it was time to drive back to grandma’s house and say goodbye. These pictures show how pretty it is  driving through some parts of California.

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Goodbyes are never easy. Right after these pictures, I held my grandma and kissed her and cried and cried. I told her what a good grandma she was and reminded her that she still had work to do for the Lord. She is very much the matriarch of our family and a strong woman of faith. She leads and guides and imparts wisdom.

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I am so thankful for this time with my family. It was a week to treasure.

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After saying bye to grandma, we had to say goodbye to Ayden as well. I packed his bag for the airplane and dropped him off at my uncle’s house who would be driving Mike and Ayden to LAX first thing in the morning.

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We drove to the closest Walmart parking lot, put the kids to bed, had coffee, and started to plan our trip back home. This was also the first we heard of Tropical Storm Elsa, so that became something that could change our plans if needed. For now, we would just watch it. But we are set to be in Georgia on Wednesday, which is the same day Elsa is forecasted to go through there.

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And that’s a wrap on day 13.

Blessings!

Vanessa Lynn

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