Devon's Celebration @ Sweetwood Campground

Hi Everyone!

For the last 9 years until this year, Gail and Devon have travelled to So.Cal. during July. He usually celebrates his birthday with family down South.

This year I was feeling the pressure. Devon's 16th Birthday. I'm so busy and there is no time to plan, and how do I get the word out? Plus, we've never had a party for him up here in the past. But I thought that it would be good given what's taken place to have as many people come around in more of a celebratory environment. We are grateful to the Lord that he provided such memorable event that I'm sure that both Devon and I will cherish.

For the last few years, I have been wanting to host an event/retreat at this campground in Half Moon Bay. It is a group campground that can accommodate 50 campers, it is wooded and has a grassy field with a huge fire pit. It was cool as it was available with less than a week's advanced notice. Truly a gigantic God thing.

A friend that teaches special ed and works with Sierra Club has a bunch of rec. equipment that he brought out, including a volleyball net, frisbees and a football. He had some games to run, but he didn't have to because everyone was just doing their own thing.The campground is next to the coastside trail, so some of our friends biked to the campground to join the festivities.

We grilled a bunch of carne asada, corn and people brought other fixins.Devon had a greeaaat time! It was cool to see him laughing. The area is so safe and lots of places to explore. You wouldn't know that you are literally 5 minutes from Safeway. We don't usually have group activities with our hoops buddies during the summer, so it was good for everyone to run around and get a little crazy. I know Gail would be pleased. Mom Toguchi busted butt doing a lot of chopping for the tacos. It was good for Devon to re-connect with a bunch of people that he hadn't seen for awhile.

It was a great blend of friends of church and the community, and Special Olympics. Guys from Devon's small group came out to hang.

Devon is in summer school. It is kind of boring and seems like a waste of time. He hangs out at the boys club after school. He is still involved in Kuk Sool but I think that he wants a vacation from it. He ditched the other day and I kind of laughed. He took a detour to Burger King but eventually made it.

Mom Toguchi is leaving on the 26th. Brother Jeff Yoshimine is coming up this week and working on some house stuff, like getting the garage in shape to be a activity space for Devon and his friends. The following week Brice and Sandee are staying in town and will help do the same, then we will drive up to the Sierras with Brice and Sandee for the weekend.

Devon will be a Counselour in Training at Camp-by-the Sea the first week of August. It is at the local elementary school. He then be off to Redwood Camp. I'm staying home. My folks will be up during the week of camp, then the week after. We might try to get down South after camp before school starts.

A good friend, Deanne K. has offered her two boys to help tutor Devon in basic concept of Algebra. He came close to passing the Math portion of the High School Exit exam. This year's test is on November 7th and 8th.

Devon and I are trying to do the walk that Gail and I started doing a few months prior to her illness. He's pretty good about it. It's to talk in the morning. We are both in a pretty good mood. Please pray for our health and that we can both get healthy and stay healthy.

The church family has been providing meals for us 3 or 4 times a week and will continue to do so through August It has been great. (no fish!) We have not had to cook at all, which would be time consuming. Hopefully I can get things that I need to get done, done, so I can do some cooking. If you have any simple recipes, please send them our way.

I am going to check into a grief counseling for both Devon and I, just to get some feedback. It is through KARA in Palo Alto. Please pray for this. I don't know what 'normal' in processing my(our) sorrow and I don't want to over react and we need to be continuously receiving His Grace and Mercy. Devon has had a few 'touch points' with some close friends whom he trusts. I have had less so. Please pray that I don't try to process this by myself. It's hard to truly explain how I am doing because the emotions are mixed. I do have the same assurance that Gail is safe and sound and I do have concerns about the future. Having Grandma Merry here has been a tremendous help.

Please pray that we will follow the Spirit and not get ahead of Him and not be anxious. Time seems fleeting with work and all. Please pray for a healthy rhythm to our lives whatever that might look like. I know that the Lord has created space for something new. I don't just want to fill it with 'stuff'.

Thanks.

Love,

Jon and Devon