After the record-breaking blizzards in February 2023 in Southern California, the mountains were still snow covered more than a month later as seen from below near Ontario, CA.
For those who follow me on social media or here on my blog, you may have noticed it’s been a little quiet from our corner of the world in recent weeks. So many of you who have written, texted or emailed to check on us and I sincerely wish to thank you for your concern. Your notes of love and support mean more than you could ever know! I’ve tried to answer each one personally; I hope no one was overlooked and if you didn’t receive a personal response from me, I apologize. It was not intentionally done.
For many weeks we’ve been continually dealing with day to day chaos and transition stemming first from our hasty relocation back to the USA from Australia in early 2023 for personal safety and other reasons. Our home was broken into by armed men while Kent was asleep upstairs (caught on Ring camera). I can say with assurance it was by the grace of God he was not harmed. But my goodness, it shook us both up! That incident was closely followed by living in complete survival mode because of the catastrophic damage and subsequent “red tagging” of our home in the mountains of Southern California from the historic blizzards in February.
From the amount of shoveling our son did to help us survive the blizzards, the casualties were two heavy-duty shovels. The metal actually ended up flattening and the wooden handles cracked. We estimate this strong young man singlehandedly shoveled several tons of snow to help us get out, along with helping countless neighbors get free from their homes and uncover their gas meters to prevent gas leaks and fire. God bless Josh!
In January, we were in the process of planning a new beginning and transition to another state. We put a contract on a home with “good bones” very near to where hubby was going to work (a short commute for the first time in more than 30 years!) but we knew the house would need a lot of renovations. We thought we had time. In early February we began to prepare our cabin to be listed for sale in mid-March. We even had professional real estate photos taken and were well on our way to listing the cabin for sale.
Mother Nature had other ideas. THE blizzard hit. The weight of 10+ feet of snow, followed by two subsequent heavy snowfalls with an additional 4+ feet of snow, was just too much and our cabin succumbed. It wasn’t just the deck that buckled; the joists running through the house supporting the deck also sustained major damage causing the entire structure to be unsafe. We were given a short amount of time by the fire department to salvage what we could and then vacate so utilities could be disconnected from the house, due to fire hazard.
Sweet Cheeto hung in there with us through the entire salvage operation. He did a super job as Quality Control Manager, even though the packing was done hastily over the course of some very long days and nights. During the wee hours of the morning, he fell asleep on the job once or twice. But who can blame him?
With so many local folks dealing with similar property damages and other tragedies, and no one but residents allowed to even drive on the mountain roads for almost a month, it was left to only Mr. Kim, our son, and myself to rent a U-Haul truck to save the things we could. We worked frantically for several days (and nights) to pack, load, then carefully maneuver the winding, icy roads to reach a storage unit. Back at the cabin, with every creak of the fractured support beams or gust of wind, we were terrified the deck would collapse 26 feet to the ground and tear the back wall of the home away at any moment. I’m sure you can imagine the intense stress, fear and heartbreak of the situation. We barely slept. There were lots of tears. We were absolutely poised to get the cats and ourselves out of the house at any moment to safety.
Last view from the loft on the morning we said good-bye to our cabin home, which had been paradise to us for almost 8 years.
Ultimately, we were living out of suitcases for more than six weeks. The new mortgage company moved heaven and earth to get the closing date on the new-to-us home moved up and thankfully, we were able to settle and sign paperwork at the end of March.
Traveling cross country, Cheeto style!
Mr. Kim had to fly ahead to begin his new job, so it was left to Josh and me to caravan our way from the San Bernadino mountains on Interstate 70 East. I never thought we would make a 14 hour drive in one day, but we did. And it was an amazing and breathtaking experience! On this trip, with four cats in my car and three cats in Josh’s car, and we wound through some of the most beautiful sights in the western states!
We took plenty of stops along the drive to stretch our legs, enjoy the incredible vistas, and simply take in the majesty in this part of the country. It was good to finally take a step away from the turmoil of the past six weeks.
My caravan travel buddy. We had fun taking some selfies along the way.
Somewhere in Utah….
We arrived just about two weeks ago to our new state and new-to-us home. We had to immediately dive in and begin major renovations, all while trying to keep the cats calm and sequestered so they don’t escape while workers are going in and out all day long! Don’t misunderstand: I’m grateful to have a home so we’re not living in a hotel (very expensive) or some other temporary digs, but we hadn’t planned to live here while all the work was going on. And the furniture we managed to bring with us is temporary because our household goods are on a cargo ship somewhere on the Pacific Ocean and won’t arrive until June or July. Back in January, if we could we have seen into the future the events which would unfold in February, we would have opted for a move-in-ready home located further away from hubby’s office. But only hindsight is 20/20, right? So we’re adapting. Taking things one step at a time.
Fortunately, the painting inside the house was finished by the end of the first week. Let’s just say the former owners’ decorating style was different than ours.
This is a before shot….
This week, new floors are being installed. The workers’ saws are running about 11 hours a day (not an ideal way to make friends with new neighbors) and the grit makes it seem like an indoor sandstorm! Next week major kitchen reno begins. There is still so much to do but I keep reminding myself, “one step at a time.” We are making progress.
On the very first day, there were backyard visitors to greet Cheeto and pals. Do you see them?
They aren’t Roos, but these deer are sweet and we love seeing them in our backyard.
Plus, there is this handsome fellow and his raffle of ladies living very nearby.
Some of you know the new state where we have relocated, but for those of you who don’t know, would you like to venture a guess? How about another hint?
We’ve moved to the Denver, Colorado area, and we’re embracing everything “western.” I’ve never worn a cowgirl hat in my life but I own one now. I’ve already learned to love wearing cowgirl boots. There’s a first time for everything, right?
Speaking of firsts, our eldest son chose to relocate to the area with us and he’s on the verge of an exciting new career here in the area. He’ll be moving into his own bachelor digs soon, but I love the blessings of having family living close by, which hasn’t happened for us in about eight years. We view this new beginning as a time for our family to rally, recover, and regroup. I’d like to share these sweet photos of the day this past week our son received a fabulous job offer from a local bank.
This is the moment he shared the exciting news with his Dad.
It was such a joyous day!
These past two years have been — there’s no other way to say it — tumultuous. The past six months have been amplified by being filled with angst and actual trauma. There’s no doubt we need to take some time to recover and get ourselves settled into what we plan to be our future and forever home. We’re both done moving. We are choosing to plant roots, build relationships, and nurture family and friendships. A huge blessing is we have already found a wonderful local church to call home. We’ve been attending faithfully and I snapped this photo as we emerged from the Good Friday Service last week. I believe it is a sign of good things to come as we work to put the past two years behind us.
This morning, I awoke to this view from our bedroom window.
I can get used to seeing this view for many years to come. We still have much to process, accomplish and overcome. The demolition and rebuilding of our CA cabin will be arduous, stressful and will take time before it will be ready for another family to call home. And it will take time to make our new-to-us house into the home I envision in my mind. We must wait for our household goods to arrive from Australia and they are still months away. But I’m already in the planning stages to create a beautiful new sewing studio (the walls are already painted and they AREN’T blue or any shade of blue! Any guesses?)
Let me just add this: Everyone goes through seasons of turmoil. No one is immune. We’ve just been through two years I wish we would have never had to endure. It’s been probably the toughest two years of our adult lives. There were some good things along the way, but there was so much hardship, hurt, angst, fear, frustration, and tears. These seasons of life are never easy, but they are (unfortunately) necessary and a part of life. We’ve grown through them; we’re still growing through them. I can’t say for certainty we’re past the hardships even now. If you’re hurting, going through trials and tribulations, I honestly pray for you and want to send you hope that you will come through to the other side. Lean in to the Lord, He will sustain you and give you strength. (Psalm 55:22.)
Just as I remind myself every day, simply take one step at a time.
I read this through tears….so very sorry you had to go through all of this. But. You are resilient and with God on your side…….things will be better than ever. As you said….one step at a time. Hugs.
I have been thinking about you and your family. What a tale that is just like a movie. But I am hoping it’s like a Hallmark, lovely ending in a beautiful community. I too moved due to a break in that was very scarey. It refuffles every nerve in your mind, body and soul. I can not imagine being in another country. May you contune to be blessed in the new beginnings.
Thanks so much for your update – Y’all have certainly had a lot of hardships to deal with and I’m hoping all the “bad” is behind you. Looking forward to more updates.
Wow! I am so happy you have a new home! The Lord puts us through these times for a reason. But we see that we get stronger a d can see the light up ahead. It makes us appreciate the good times!
Prayers and hugs as you can continue your home renovation.
Our daughter and her husband are in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
Enjoy this new part of your life! And yes, one day at a time!
Kimberly, I am so happy to hear that y’all are OK. You and your family have been on my mind. You are such an inspiration to everyone…I am so glad life for you guys is finally on an upward turn. Continued prayers for you all.
You have truly endured far more than your share!! No to sound pollyannaish, but the praise is that all of your family is alive and healthy!! Such a scare from Australia, I didn’t know about that and wondered why you left so abruptly! Your son is a testament to your sound parenting and good roots in God! Praise God for the blessings you can find and the strength you have gained!!
The sunrise photo is especially spectacular–a sign of the good things coming your way!
Wow! The Lord has surely brought you through this!
Dear Kimberly, Kent and Josh,
It is so unbelievable the trials and tribulations you have been through. I hope now that you are in Colorado, you are well on your way to a peaceful normal life. We used to live in Highlands Ranch in Douglas County. We loved it there; Colorado is a beautiful state and the people are so friendly. We just might return. We had to come back to CA for our elderly parents, that have now passed away.
A little advice. It takes about 3 months to acclimate to the elevation. You’ll notice that you get very winded when doing aerobic activities…like vacuuming..who knew? Also, step up your water consumption by about 50%. The climate is very dry there, and the risk if dehydration is real. . Lastly, stock up on moisturizer. This sounds like CO is a bad place to live, but it is not. You just have to adapt to the climate and thinner air.
I do wish you all good things in the weeks and months ahead.
Love,
Janet
So happy you are all safe and together! I have been praying for you and your family! Maybe now you can set up this place to be your forever home! Feel safe from all harm and make new friends! Get back to work on making more beautiful quilts! God has something in store for you! MayGod bless you and be at your side at all times!
I am glad to read this! What a lot to ho through! When I divorced my 1st husband I had to move to Denver. I lost my beloved cats in the divorce. My 2nd late husband worked for United Airlines then. I was teaching quilting class in Australia. So he was with me and had a job offer in Boulder with IBM.
Keep me posted! Best wishes. Xo Ann
Thank you for your inspiration and encouragement through your witness. Yes, I have been going through a trial nothing compared to yours, but it is your faith that speaks to those that need to hear truth. Praying for you and your family.
I’ve been praying for you. We used to live in Denver near Parker and absolutely loved it. Wishing you the most quiet and peaceful time.
A friend of mine keeps reminding me to just take one small bite of the elephant at a time.
So sorry to hear of Kent’s experience in Australia. So glad that he is ok.
Like you said just take one day at a time.
So glad you and your family including the fur babies are safe. I hope your new home brings you lots of happiness and peace of mind. Make sure you take all the time you need to recover from all you when through.
I’m looking forward to seeing new quilt tutorials in the near future and pictures of all your fur babies.
Rickie Tims lives in Colorado as well…
Green! A nice bright Spring green!
So happy to hear that you’re on the upswing to a new start!
I’m so glad for the hope and faith we have that bless us even in the tough times! He is faithful. I’m so thankful you’re safe and looking forward to your future in CO. We visit there on a regular basis and just drove that gorgeous drive ourselves. It never grows old. Hope to see you again in person some day!
So glad you are settling in Denver. I am just 100 miles north in Cheyenne. Your trials are behind you and your faith and fortitude is in front of you. Can’t wait till you start teaching quilting classes again. I will definitely be seeing you at them. God bless and thanks for sharing it all with us.
What tumultuous journey you’ve been on the last few years. I have faith that your new home will bring you many years of peace and happiness. Take care my woolie friend.
Good lord Kimberly. It reads like a novel. I hope that a quiet time comes to you now and you can enjoy your forever home.
Take care
Greetings from Germany 🇩🇪
Whew so good to hear the update! I think the past 2 years have given you a great testimony and extra dose of compassion. It is wonderful that Josh will be living nearby – so many positives are happening and I hope the trauma will eventually recede to a minuscule memory. I admire you for so many things— faith, love, perseverance, attitude and the willing to keep going. What beautiful vistas surround you to feed your soul. You rock the cowboy hat. Add some rhinestone wear and fringe – go horseback riding! Woohoo! All I remember from Denver was the Royal Gorge(?), red climbing rocks and Mile High Pie! If you run across it, be sure to indulge. I’m going to guess your room will be lavender or yellow…
Embrace your progress and hang on to your beautiful smile! Many, many blessings! Love and hugs, Nancy
So glad you are all OK. I can’t believe Mr. Kim’s story – don’t they have gun control in Australia?? Just shows that doesn’t work well, huh? Blessings to all. Stay safe now and relax soon. Candy
It wasn’t guns. It was rocks, clubs, and machetes.
Oh my goodness. Brought tears to my eyes. Thank God you are safe and sound and looking ahead to calm days.
You remain in my prayers. When you were our speaker in Frankenmuth, MI and teacher in Millington, Michigan, the love of our Lord shone through you. Blessings to you and your family.
Dearest Kimberly, everything was said in previous comments. I am just adding, I admire your strength, enthusiasm, patience and faith in better future. Thanks for sharing all bad and good events. You have skipped all tears and share optimism only. You are a wonderful person!!!
Kimberly, thank you for the update, you are one strong lady. I was thinking of Cheeto yesterday.
Was fortunate to attend three of your classes in the Pigeon Forge Quiltfest 2021 and I read your section of the ASQ magazine before any of the other articles.
May the Lord give you some much needed blessings in the coming months.
Oh my! So sorry this happened to you. Best wishes for a new and exciting future.
Wishing you bright blessings and all good happenings. Life hands us whoppers sometimes. Thankfully you had the faith and stamina to get through. Please keep posting progress. Bear hugs to you, Kent, and Josh. You are all three amazing. The kitties are warriors, too.
Dear Kimberly and Family, I am speechless at hearing more of your story post-Australia and post-blizzard. I am thanking God that you are all safe after the potential risk to life from humankind and nature. Your work together as a family is inspiring. Sending you all love and continued prayers for a safe, peaceful and comfortable new home and community! And of course sending love to the kittens too!
I am so thankful that you are safe! I pray for you and your family daily. I cannot even imagine what the last two years have been like. Now that you are in a house in a beautiful place (Cowgirls are cool….just ask me how I know!) I will shift my prayers to a speedy delivery of home goods. Since I can relate to that dilemma I will boost them considerably! Stay firm in your convictions. Hopefully, it won’t be long!
What an incredible journey and testament to you and your family’s determination and resilience. God’s blessings be upon you abundantly as you begin anew. Prayers for much comfort and peace ahead.
So glad things are looking up!
So glad to hear you and ur family are safe. I can’t imagine going thru something like that. Men breaking into ur home was that where u use to live?? Enjoy your new home. Share pics when u can.
We were still living there — I was just not in the house at the time. It happened in Australia. So very terrifying.
Oh dear I am so sorry you have had such a difficult time. I unfortunately understand and have been on my own journey. Your post gives me hope and comfort to know I’m not alone. Sounds like you are emerging and that there will be good things to look forward to. Thanks for sharing and best wishes on your new adventure. I look forward to future posts to see how you all are doing. You are an inspiration!
Hang in there, Patty! I completely and totally empathize with the hardships you are going through! It is SO not easy to endure, but please know I’m praying for you. It WILL get better!
What a blessing to have your son there with you! You all obviously did an amazing job with him. Thank you for sharing with us what has been going on. I hope this is the start of a much calmer period for your family. I can’t wait to see the new sewing studio!
Praise God you are safe and the harm done to things can be fixed or replaced. Enjoy your new beginning and I know you will always see the good things in life.
I look forward to seeing many photos and enjoying Colorado with you.
Thank you for the update. What trials and tribulations you and your family have been through! I am glad that things are looking up and that you will soon be making your new house into a home. I am glad that Josh will be nearby. My son and his family live in Littleton and my sister lives in Castle Rock. Keep us updated and send pictures when you can. Hugs and prayers to you and your family
Welcome to Colorado. You’ll fall in love with the beauty of the Rockies. Glad you made it safely to your new home and what a bonus to have your sons close by. Take care and before you know it, you’ll be at your machine again.
Thank God you are doing as well as you can. You have been through so much. We will keep you in our prayers
So sorry to hear about what happened to Mr Kim here. It’s a sad reality of this place. Glad you guys have stuck together and made it to the other side of a rough/urgent vacating of two different homes in a hurry. Here is to sunny skies and blessings. Glad you are safe, and have started building your community.
God Bless.
Dear Kimberly, Thank you for the update and sharing your extreme situation. Thank the Lord you and your family came through the fire and are now on the other side. It is a testament to your courage and an revelation to us all about resilience and the power of prayer.
On a happier note, congratulations on your new home and continuing adventures. It will be exciting to see what creativity comes from this episode of your life; as you know, all quilts tell our stories and where we are at any given moment. Please continue to be an inspiration and life light. I look forward to seeing what’s next.
God bless, Lori
I have been waiting to hear….what a relief that have you managed to get out and are already starting to settle in to your new home. I knew your Aussie adventure had to have been something that frightened you…wow…you have been protected, through all of this. It seems it is not only cats that have nine lives. I am so happy to read your update and that things have turned around, for you and your family. My mother and her husband lived in Loveland for years. Colorado is a lovely state. If you are near Fort Collins, you must go to the yarn shop Lambspun, featured in novels by Maggie Sefton. Onward and upward!!! Wishing you showers of blessings on your new journey.
I have been waiting to hear….what a relief that have you managed to get out and are already starting to settle in to your new home. I knew your Aussie adventure had to have been something that frightened you…wow…you have been protected, through all of this. It seems it is not only cats that have nine lives. I am so happy to read your update and that things have turned around, for you and your family. My mother and her husband lived in Loveland for years. Colorado is a lovely state. If you are near Fort Collins, you must go to the yarn shop Lambspun, featured in novels by Maggie Sefton. Onward and upward!!! Wishing you showers of blessings on your new journey. God is definitely in charge!
Kimberly,
It was wonderful to hear an update from you. I have been wondering what was happening with your cabin as your last update was quite a cliffhanger. Your blog brought me to tears for all that you have endured. I agree that these trials in our lives make us stronger and have a purpose. We experienced a two year span of trials just recently and we too survived with thanks to the Lord for seeing us through it. I can’t wait to see your new sewing studio. My guess is yellow for the new paint color. Bright and cheery. Enjoy your new home and community. I look forward to your next update.
Oh my goodness, Kimberly! So much in such a short time and things that most of us never have happen during our lives. They say that the Lord doesn’t give you more than you can handle but please, tell Him that it’s enough! 😉 I’m so glad that things are looking up for you – although there is still lots of renos in your future but I’m sure having one of your sons nearby is so helpful and makes your heart sing. I hope that your renos on your “new” home finish soon and that the cabin can be ready for sale in the next few months. Keeping you and your family in my thoughts. Hugs! ❤️
Thank you for taking the time to post Kimberly. I learned so much more of what you’ve been going through, and didn’t feel I had the right to ask about. I never could of imagined what happened in Australia to make you leave so soon, and it was way worse then I could of thought. I’m sure your new to you home will allow you to get inspired for designing it to your own tastes, although I always did love your blue walls. Maybe a light butter cream yellow this time? Enjoy the process and having to wait for the furniture has the added benefit of not having to move it from room to room every time the workmen are doing their thing. Your stuff will arrive just in time as the house is completed and I can’t wait to see photos. Tell Mr. Kim I am so relieved he is ok, I shudder to think….. take care of you all, it will be done before you know it.
Thank you for sharing. I am glad you gain your strength through God and each other. Day by day, step by step.🫂
So sorry to hear these additional parts of your story. How frightening that must have been! I’m happy you have found a new place. It looks like you’re near Boulder or even Estes Park. Colorado is beautiful. Enjoy!
So happy to read that you were able to get out of the cabin. Congrats on getting into the new house and finding a church. Enjoy your new adventures.
Praise the Lord that you survived all the tumultuous and challenging times. Your reliance on God pulled you through and will continue to do so. I am sure of that. Welcome to Denver!!! I live in the northwestern suburb of Arvada. I am so happy that you found your forever home regardless of the massive remodel that you are experiencing. When it is all done, you will look back and wonder how you ever survived through the last 2 years. It takes powerful and steadfast faith to do just that!! “One day at a time” is a great statement to continually follow each and every day! God supported you with His outstretched arms and will continue to do so (I am sure)!!!! Welcome to the pleasant and fun city of Denver. So much to do and appreciate in this beautiful state of Colorado. I will keep in touch and hopefully we might be able to meet soon. May all go well with your renovations so you will be able to relax and enjoy your new “digs”!! Love you all!! Stay SAFE!!!
So glad you all are safe and of good cheer. What an ordeal your family has gone through. I pray you have continued strength as well as joy in CO. Your smile and personality is contagious and your neighbors will all love you.
I hope you have come through the storm and found your rainbow in CO. My brother and his quilter wife live in Thornton and just love it there. Peace be to you and your family and I hope your household goods arrive in good order and sooner than expected.
I’m sorry for all you’ve had to go through, but you’re all safe now.
Praise God from whom all blessing flow.
What a story to add to your book of life. My goodness, you have been through it, and you have all come out stronger. I thank God for your safety and for Josh, that he was with you to help you and (I’m sure) keep you grounded, as you did for him and Kent. You still have a lot of work ahead, but you’ll do it in safety.
And your travel to your new home, what a healing adventure that must have been! Several families from a church in my area moved to that part of CO years ago, and I have a brother in Fort Collins. It’s so beautiful out there and so many things to explore. I’m very happy for you and your family. Congrats to Josh on his job!
PS–I think it’s soft green, like the colors of the tall grasses in the meadows of the foothills.
Oooh — good guess. We did paint the guest bedroom (the one with the wild plaid!) and guest bath in a soft green. But the studio is another color…. 😉
I wanted to let you know that you and Mr. Kim have been remembered fondly many times since you left Dayton on your amazing journey. I very much enjoyed our short time with you. Especially the “conventions” with SAL. And my oh my what a journey you have had. Welcome home!
Welcome to Colorado, Kimberly. I hope you will come to love it like I have. I moved here more than 50 years ago and I would never live anywhere else. I’d love to meet you one day and see your new studio when you’re all settled in. I built a house for my quilting studio and I love it. I’m retired from longarm quilting (mostly) now but I have 100’s of my own projects to finish. Email me and let’s meet up for coffee or lunch.
I am so very sorry you and your family have had to go thru all this stress, after stress. I hope the work on your new to you home goes smoothly and soon you are able to enjoy and look back on this nightmare as a past memory.
So glad to hear you are in Colorado and hopefully the beginning of a more enjoyable time in you and your family’s lives. Hugs and prayers from Texas
I am so glad you and your family are okay. What a lot you have gone through.
It will be so good to have your son nearby. Sounds like a lot of work ahead of you to renovate your new to you home. I am sure you will find quilters there and they will be so glad and fortunate to meet you.
Like others who have commented, I too read your post in a state of near tears. I cannot imagine the terror you must have felt in AU. Then to have such a fearful winter in your cabin. I thank the Lord for His watch over you and your family and know that you are all still in His care. I hope that all the turmoil and fear is behind you now, and that spring arrives with hope and beauty for each of you. How very wonderful that your son Josh will be nearby! Our wonderful Lord continues to bless and provide. Take care, dear Kimberly!
I am so happy you are all safe. I am very happy Mr Kim was not harmed. Life has been so very very hard for all of you even the cats who had to be quarantined for six months before their move to Australia.
Happily looking forward to your current posts of happier times. Just being safe now is the greatest. Things will fall into place maybe slowly but safely. Look forward to your happy family future. Keep smiling !
Hug all the fur babies for me. Thistle and Cheyenne (my cats) send their love to your fur babies.
By the grace of God you have come this far….my prayers for your happiness in your new home. Be sure to book a concert at the Red Rocks Amphitheater. It’s on my bucket list.
Yellow?
My prayers are with you and your family. What experiences you have gone through.
Kimberly, I’m so relieved to hear that you are all “ok” (or as ok as you can be) after two incredibly challenging years. As always, your faith has sustained you through many unexpected and horrible events. Please know that my thoughts have been, and continue to be with you, Kent and Josh as you all adjust to a hopefully calmer future in Denver. It’s a good thing we don’t know what’s coming in life…we’d run and hide, for sure. Stay as strong as you are, my friend.
❤️❤️❤️ to you all,
Pat
You are showing amazing grace thru all of this. Thank those beautiful sons from all of us to help their mamma. Hope spring brings a burst of new good things.
Kathy Mcneil
Kimberley,
I guess I really can’t say anything that has not already been said regarding these last couple of years for you. I was at a retreat with you over ten years ago, I don’t remember the exact year, when your father passed away suddenly and I saw the inner strenght you had then. I have been following you all these years and hope that someday I can meet you again on another adventure.
Blessings to you and your family! Congratulations to Josh on his new job!! And to Mr. Kim for always being your rock!! I hope you enjoy your new home and I can only guess that the paint color will be something light and beautiful and will not reflect too much on your fabrics!! I have found that the paint color can change the way we see the colors of our fabric. Happy Quilting to you!!
Wow Kimberly! All that, and you still manage to get your AQS column out.
I hope you don’t let the kitties out..those turkeys can be very aggressive, and the deer while fun to see, have very sharp hooves. Learned all that while living in California. I’m keeping good thoughts that the best is yet to come.
Roberta — our kitties are all indoor kitties only! They have adapted very well to not being outside cats…..so they are happy, healthy and well. We couldn’t dream of putting them in that kind of danger — being outside. I’d never get any sleep worrying about them!
Dang, Kimberly! I’ve really be enjoying reading your stories (although enjoying is not the right word); the storytelling is captivating. Someone else said this could be a Hallmark movie and I agree. Or a whole tv series! God has protected you through all these storms and for this I am grateful. I look forward to hearing more about what you have learned and how all this has transformed you as you get farther away from the trauma.
In the meantime, let’s all be thankful for men with pickup trucks and power tools!!!!
So very happy for you. It is a beautiful area. Daughter #2 lives in Parker and knows many of the great places to hike. I love visiting her there. We are currently in the Phoenix area but may be heading back to VA.
Best of luck to you all.
Mindy Cavanaugh
Dearest Kimberly, your strong faith and kindness and your strength to overcome such difficult times. You have always been there for anyone in need and any one in pain. God does his job through you. We pray for you, Mr. Ken and the kids to make these difficult experiences one more reason to continue being the amazing loving family you all share. We love you and miss you. Monika and Yoyo.
Kimberly and family,
Thank you so much for sharing the truth of the past several years & most recent months of angst. Your family has been tested and you are due all the rest and recovery needed to restore your calm and confidence once again.
As always, sending love and prayers as you settle into your new home. May you be blessed in all your days and your efforts be rewarding and successful. With sincerest love,
You have a beautiful home and location to build new dreams and make cherished memories. The past is painful but hopefully these difficult memories will recede to the back and just blessings surround you going forward. You are a strong, faithful, and caring woman- you continue on!
Oh, my, you and your family, Kimberly, have been through so much over the past 2 years, and i am so glad that you are safe after all those tumultuous experiences—I would never have survived! What is even more amazing to me is you are prepared to regroup, repair, rebuild, renovate, etc., and still continue with upbeat messages and feelings! Your new home and those breathtaking views of scenery and sunset skies are so calming. Glad your son will be near you, and I truly hope you can get back to your quilting days and loving life everyday and everywhere you go. You are now able to come back to visit AZ, so you best start planning to visit Tucson, etc. again! Take care and may God keep you safe and happy until the end of time!
Wow, just reading this is unbelievable all you have been through! Your faith and perseverance are to be commended. Yes, one day at a time trusting the Lord. I hope
you are happy and fulfilled living the good life in your new forever home. Keep posting,
Hugs.
Now that’s quite a story. But welcome to Colorado! I think you will enjoy it here- I came here after graduating and never left! We are doing a complete remodel down here in Colorado Springs and living thru challenges as well. Just remember, it will be nice one day, and snow the next. So be prepared.
I am so glad you all made it home to America!!! I’m also glad to hear you have decided to put down “roots!” Some day hopefully, you can look back and see the purpose of all that you went through and thank God for it. I’m sure it was a great blessing to actually get to live in Australia for a while! I cannot tell you how utterly impressed with the fact that you traveled 14 hours with 7 cats!! There just are no words except “unbelievable!” I can barely make it 45 minutes with my “Buddy Cat” to the Vet office!!! How in the world did they use the bathroom without you losing them in that wilderness on that winding road for 14 hours!! Kimberly, that is truly AMAZING!!!! You should run for President! Anyone with your experience, strength and COURAGE to drive 14 hours with 7 cats could EASILY conquer the entire country’s problems without straining a single muscle!! LOL!
I am so glad you all made it home to America!!! I’m also glad to hear you have decided to put down “roots!” Some day hopefully, you can look back and see the purpose of all that you went through and thank God for it. I’m sure it was a great blessing to actually get to live in Australia for a while! I cannot tell you how utterly impressed I am with the fact that you traveled 14 hours with 7 cats!! There just are no words except “unbelievable!” I can barely make it 45 minutes with my “Buddy Cat” to the Vet office!!! How in the world did they use the bathroom without you losing them in that wilderness on that winding road for 14 hours!! Kimberly, that is truly AMAZING!!!! You should run for President! Anyone with your experience, strength and COURAGE to drive 14 hours with 7 cats could EASILY conquer the entire country’s problems without straining a single muscle!! LOL!
Dear Kimberly and Family. What a horrific experience you endured. However, God is good, he leads you to it and leads you through it. He knows when we suffer but he is always with us the strength to carry on. I have thought a lot about you all even though I have not written my thoughts were with you. It’s been a rough two years for us as well and I have really not communicated very much with my friends. We lost our daughter in law to COVID 9 month after we lost our daughter then COVID hit and we all became hermits. I did go to Houston last year and became the main attraction of the show. On my way to class Monday morning I took on the elevator. I had to get this old to become such a nerd. However, like I said God is good and I am still here. I suffered a cracked wrist and lost a lot of skin on my upper arm, since it took them a while to turn the thing off and the teeth were having a smorgasbord on my arm. So finally I got to get up and they bandaged me up and off to class I went. Then everyone said I needed to go to the hospital, Kimberly they made me go. Well I got a tetanus shot and found out about the cracked wrist, oh well, I just went back to class. However about 2 month later I developed an edema on my leg where I had hit the escalator. There was no black and blue mark but here is was. Ahole in my leg, that thing did not close for 3 month even though we have one of the best wound specialist. So needless to say I could not do a whole lot walking with both legs wrapped in multiple bandages sort of distorts your stride. Well I did not go out only if I had to but all is well and I finally can sew again. Kimberly I am working on the Spinwheels quilt and all is going well I just don’t know how to trim it. I totally forgot where the 45 degree line goes to measure the 4.5 inches. I think I fell on my brain and did not know it. So I think I will bring the thing with me to Houston so you can show me again if I cant figure it out between now and then.
Sorry to bore you with my wild and dumb adventure but I thought I let you know what happens when you are not in Houston. I prayed to God and ask for a calm and dull time and see what I got. I missed you all hope to get into a couple of your classes until them my friends stay strong God loves you.
Bea
Hope all is well I keep checking back to see if there are any updates about your move to Colorado ?