Thanksgiving

[John and Janet Ruiz]

Well, it's time for my yearly blog entry. John here, Janet in spirit, as always. If you've ever listened to the band "Orleans" they have a lyric in a song that reminds me of the relationship we have, husband and wife - "sometimes I forget where I leave off, and you begin, anymore..."It speaks to the closeness that comes over years and years of sharing life together. Separate, yet together. Joined, but independent. Two, and one. God never ceases to amaze in the diverse complexity of life that He's formed and made in this creation we enjoy. Not always understanding but never ceasing to appreciate.Tomorrow's Turkey Day and our kids and family will be together. As a parent I can feel the warmth gathering now and I look forward to our time together. Dinner will be a fine time, but really - it's all about the day and then the leftovers.Good leftovers - can't beat 'em. Our preparations figure on that - packing up the kidlings with some of this, a lot of that. No, take more, it'll just sit in the fridge here.I was thinking looking through all of you fine folks gathering on the pages here of all those years ago when we were kids. Those years we were forming, developing, literally learning who we were and what we were to become. What else can you do when you're 20? With more years ahead than you have behind, life is all about learning, going, starting, giving, getting, building. There's no need for any "do-overs" when you're doin' it. You do it like there's no tomorrow and then you get up the next morning and do it again. And again.Each of you forms a wonderful piece of the landscape we see when we look back over our lives together. We've done a lot of things, been places, done stuff. The years have past and we've gone our own ways but joined in our heart's memory and under God's watchful eye, not so far apart as it might seem I think now. The real currency in our lives is made up of the people we've known and the love we've shared with one another. In that regard you've made us rich and we're very thankful for that.Now - here we be. I sense in the community of Way Corps here depth, success, wisdom from both our victories as well as our failures. I'm sure some thing have worked out better than we could have ever expected. Others not so, on the betterness. But all in all - like they say and at the least, any day we wake up and have a pulse - is a good day. Present, accounted for, moving forward. Upward and onward. What else can we do? Persist till we succeed. And once we do, start persisting again.Anyhoo - we have much to be thankful for. Our best to all of you for a safe and happy holiday.

[John Richeson]

Glad you are having a great weekend. I went to the gym today to pretend I am keeping myself in shape. I am sore! we liked NAPA Valley so much we will return I am sure. Think we will skip San Francisco this time. We would love to see you again when we do. We talk in our tongue some more WOW, LEAD, WAY PROD, SIT, PFAL, CORPS, BRC, VPW and much more.

Love to your family and enjoy the long weekend.

[John and Janet Ruiz]

Thanks John. One turkey done, and down. Desert is waiting and the collected tummies here are quietly awaiting reinforcements, as my two sisters will arrive soon to renew the effort. Huzzah!

Janet and I thoroughly enjoyed our time together. You and Hope look great. Pretty well behaved, considering, although that photo of you on the Golden Gate - yikes! Ha! It's a real wonder, that bridge. I still love going over it, in all times and seasons. You've got some great pic's there!

What made our time so special for us was exactly as you said - things only we can comprehend. We "make sense" to each other. That right there may be a bad sign!

It's really great to ponder the powers that be that brought you and Hope together. You've made a wonderful life for yourselves, your family and those you know and work with. Good job, both of you. No small accomplishment. Peace!

[John Richeson]

"The real currency in our lives is made up of the people we've known and the love we've shared with one another."

".......any day we wake up and have a pulse - is a good day."

John, you would never know it but you made my day with your words and your blog post. I am grateful to know you and Janet.

The highlight of our Cali trip this past year was not all the wonderful tourist things we did and saw. Those 1,000 year old trees in Muir Woods were awesome but they were not the highlight.
Getting tipsy on fine wine in California's own Garden of Eden called NAPA Valley was not the highlight either.

I love prison history and prison related movies like Shawshank Redemption. So Alcatraz was great fun but still not the highlight.

Old hippies all have to eventually visit Haight Asbury almost like children being drawn to Disney World. We We found ourselves there too, of course. Far from being the highlight!

The highlight was not even reaching my long desired goal of illegally standing on the edge of the Golden Gate bridge.

No, the highlight was spending a couple hours with you guys over lunch and talking about things only we would understand or comprehend, conversing as if we had seen you yesterday, even though it had been 20 years since our last face to face!

Those kind of things are priceless and can't be found in any tourist guide anywhere.

Love to your family. Happy Thanksgiving.

John & Hope

[Tracy Gregory]

Oh Johnnie,
We do have much to be thankful for. How I remember those days! How thankful I am for these days. Ever onward and upward!
Tracy

[Wayne B. Fortier]

Very nice and inspiring. I remember those days well

[Dan Haas]

I wish you'd blog more, brother!

Thanks! And the same to you from me and mine.