A Unique Place!

Driving around the backroads of the area one of our many beautiful sunny days here in Southern California we made a stop at this unique place. We always see it on the way to church every Sabbath and wanted to stop and look. This is the Silverado Trading Post on Rainbow California(about 10 minutes from Temecula). We learned that this is California's largest primitive antique dealer of mainly western and architectural antiques. It is a large outdoor showroom trading post. We think is a very unique shopping place. Don't get me wrong, it's not a shopping place for us. It was like going to a museum for us. There were all kinds of items to look at.

The prices of items had a broad price range. For example: the rusted cash register above has a price of $1.00, but the green wagon below had a price tag of $3,500

We enjoyed walking under the shade of the many trees there as we looked at all kinds of antique interesting items along the paths. This definitely is a place that shows that the old saying, "What is one man's junk in another man's treasure", it's true.

Lauren Redpath

Loma Linda University Church front tower

Sculptures located in the green area between the Loma Linda School of Medicine and the Hospital, the Dental School building and the University Church. The Sculptures represent Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan

Sabbath afternoon our friend David and us attended a concert at the Loma Linda University Church sponsor by the LLU media ministries. It was a free concert but an offering was collected. The artist was Lauren Redpath. She came from her home state of Minnesota. She had a great voice. Our favorite songs were when she sang accompany by a live acoustic guitar. She is a new artist for us. We have never heard any of her music before. We usually go to concerts of artists that we are familiar with their songs. This concert was different for us since we did not know any of the songs.

Temecula Hot Rod Car Show

Last Friday Paul, Matt, Hiedi and us went to the Temecula Annual Hot Rod Car Show. The event takes place in Temecula Old Town. The streets of Old Town Temecula were full of cars of people that are passionate about their cars and have put a lot of time and money in their cars. Some cars were parked on the sides of the road and others were cruising their cars down Main Street. Here are pictures of some of the cars.

"The Four Doctors"

Last Friday our friends Paul, David C. and us went to a great choir/orchestra concert at the Loma Linda University Church. It was the beginning of the annual special weekend honoring the Loma Linda School of Medicine. The concert was by the California Baptist University Choir and Orchestra.

Immediately following the concert we went to the unveiling of S. Wesley Kime's painting "The Four Doctor" at the School of Medicine building. Above is a picture of the painting. The photo is kind of dark so look closely and you can see The Four Doctors.

Sabbath Afternoon

It was great to go out for a short hike and get some sunshine and lots more oxigen than usual into our system!

Our friends Matt and Hiedi called us wanting to go for a hike somewhere and since we had the same desire off we went to the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve Trails. It was fun to go for a hike with friends. Above is a picture I took of Amor, Matt and Hiedi as we hiked.

Midway Museum

The chairs of the airplanes are automatic parachutes. They are designed to shoot out of the airplanes in case of emergencies.

Instrument use to help direct the airplanes landing and taking off the Midway runnway.

We went to the Midway Museum this last Sunday. The Midway is the longest serving aircraft carrier in the United States Navy. Used in War World II and the liberation of Kuwait in 1991. It is a real American aircraft carrier!
The Midway is now a Historical Museum located at downtown San Diego Navy Pier. We learned a lot about Naval-Aviation life and history.

Alden Thomson

Last Sabbath afternoon we had the privilege to attending the Tierrasanta SDA Church in San Diego to listen to Dr. Alden Thompson. Dr. Alden Thomson is a professor of biblical studies at Walla Walla College Washington. He is also a speaker, a seminar presentor and an author of many books.
Amor has read three of his books; "Inspiration" "Who is Afraid of the old Testament God?" and "Escape from the Flames". We had heard him before a few years ago when he visited the Sunnyvale SDA Church. It was very refreshing to hear him again.

Dotty

Last week we had to put our cat Dotty to sleep. She was not doing well at all. We have been taking her to the vet and trying different treatments and she was not getting better. Her health was deteriorating more and more. She was vomiting almost every day (some days even three times) and doing a lot of other things. We think she was suffering.
It was a hard thing to do, especially for Amor. Dotty was his cat for 15 years. We do miss her.

Dad Harty's Surgery

Last week Dad Harty had knee repacemet surgery in both knees. We went to Tracy where they live to be with them the day of the surgery and the first week of his recovery. The surgery went well.
His recovery is also going well. But it's painful and a lot of work because it requires moving his legs right after sugery, doing exercices, learning to walk with his new legs and therapy. Dad Harty is a good patience. He is recovering at home now and doing very well. We keep praying for God to give him strength to continue to make it to his complete recovery.

Taking Nany to San Francisco

Last Monday my siters, Carlos Amor and I took our cousin Nany to San Francisco. It was a completelly clear day!!!! Not a cloud in the sky. As you can see in this picture, the view was incredible clear in any direction. Perfect to go to all the sight seeing places of the city. It was cold but the sun was good in warming us up.
This is the first time we have been in San Francisco with NO FOG all day anywhere not even at night since we could see the moon and even the stars clearly. It was a Great Clear Day in Our Favorite City.

Visiting Elmshaven

Last Sunday we took our cousin Nany to Elmshaven. Elmsheaven is Ellen white last house. It is the house where she died. Nany, like many of us adventist have an interest to visit this place when in the area of Napa Valley and the Pacific Union college. We had a great tour of the house by the two sweetest innkeepers of the house. We love visiting historic sites, this one especially more so since was the house of a great woman used by God, a woman we have been learning about and reading her books all our lives.

Our Visit to the Historic Beringer Vineyards

Us at the Historic Beringer Vineyards We had a great time since we got together with my
sisters, my brother, Carlos and my father there to take our cousin Nany on a visit of the beautiful Napa Valley. It is our cousin's Nany firts time in California. My sister Ada lives in the area up the mountain in Angwin, PUC. Ada gave us a great meal at her home. She has a great place with a view of the Napa Valley.

Taking Nany to The California Napa Valley Wine County

Last sunday we took Nany to the Napa Valley. We took a tour of the historic Beringer Vineyards, one of the many in the Napa Valley Wine County. This winery is the oldest continuously operating winery in the Napa Valley. We learned a lot about the history of the Beringer Vineyards and also about how wine is made. The pictures show one of the stone cellar caves of the winery where wine is store. Very Educational.

Family Together for My Uncle's Jose L. Chavanz Memorial Service

Family that came for my uncle Jose memorial
service. My cousin Yohany (midle) came from Panama. Yohany(we call her Nany) is the only one that came. She came representing the relatives that could not come from Panama. We had not seen her for many years so we had a lot catching up to do. My sister Ada came from PUC, my brother Cesar, my sister Ana and her husband Carlos and my parents came from Sacramento and us from Temecula. Notice even the two family dogs came too.

My aunt Blanca had a house full. She was so greatful that we all came. She was always cooking and wanted us to eat a lot. She made sure we were all at the church an hour before the memorial service started. We are so greatful for aunt Blanca. She took the best care fo our uncle Jose.

My Uncle Jose L. Chavanz Memorial Service

This weekend we went back to Moorpark for
My Uncle Jose L. Chavanz memorial service.
It turned out to be a very special event. Friends
that my parents have not seen for years came.
My parents and my uncle went to the same Adventists
college in Costa Rica and they had friends in common
so it was great to see their friends from collage again.

My uncle's wished was to be cremated. Below is a
picture of his urn, flowers and pictures of him as it
was for his service. His memorial service was
beautiful. There was great music(my uncle loved
music), great testimonies from friends and family,
the reading of a letter he wrote a few months before
his death, a power point presentation with pictures
of his life from his parents to his last year of life, and a
sweet and powerful message from one of my uncle's dear
friend, Pastor Jurado who came from Canada for the
occasion.

My Uncle Jose Chavanz Dies

December 28 at around 5:30 p.m. my uncle Jose Lucio Chavanz dies at his home. He was my mother's younger brother. He had been having problems with his heart and other health problems especially more so the last two years.
It was hard to hear the news of his death. When my aunt Blanca called my parents to tell them that he was dying they packed to fly from Sacramento to Moorpark as soon as they could. My parents have been with her ever since. They were with her when my uncle's body was taken from his house, taken away for ever. They said it was a very hard moment.

Amor and I went to be with them Friday until after New Year. We were glad to be there to help. There is a lot of work to do when someone dies. The above picture shows my Mom, my aunt and a friend working in the details of his memorial service. Notice my uncle's picture in the middle of the table. His memorial service will be Sunday January 7 at 4:00 p.m. at the Simi Valley SDA Church 1636 Sinaloa Rd. Simmi Valley, CA 93065

We ask for prayers for our family as we go through this sad and hard time.