Greetings from California,

Spring is here, the wildflowers are blooming, and we are finally settling into life in the Southern California desert.  Living in different time zones, it is not always easy to communicate with family and friends on the east coast.  Therefore, we wanted to take the time to update you on what’s new in our lives and to ensure that you have our new address. 

Our first three months in California have already flown by.  Scottie has adjusted to his new routine as an instructor at the communications school on base.  His shortest workday averages at about 12 hours, but he usually works more hours than that.  Scottie’s daily 30 minute commute to and from work takes a toll after a while, but we elected not to move onto base housing because we are incredibly happy with the house that we found out in town.  After witnessing some of our friends’ negative experiences with base housing here, we are even more confident in our decision to live off base. 

Our beautiful home is located in Yucca Valley which is about 35 minutes from the Palm Springs area.  The dry air and high elevation take some getting used to (approximately 3,700 feet above sea level).  The town is quite small, but has been recently blessed with a Starbucks, a Quiznos, and a Home Depot.  Sonic and Coldstone Creamery should be coming soon, yummy!  With so little in Yucca Valley and Twentynine Palms, we make frequent trips to civilization (Palm Springs area) to satisfy our appetites and shopping lists. 

As for Ali, she just started working part time at a local high school working with special needs kids.  We feel greatly blessed that she found a job in the school system, especially with California’s budget crisis.  49 teachers recently received pink slips in the local district and will not be teaching in their current positions next year.  Since Ali loves the gym, she is also working towards obtaining her certification to be a personal trainer as well as continuing her Master’s Degree program in education. 

Although we do not have much time to spend together during the week, we are usually able to enjoy each other’s company on the weekends.  With the pleasant spring weather, except for the occasional sandstorm, we enjoy hiking in Joshua Tree National Park which is practically in our backyard.  In our free time, we frequently enjoy the company of the Fenenoz Family:  Joe, Jenn, and their two kids Jake (4 ½) and Jadyn (2 ½).  Scottie met Joe and Jenn when he was stationed in Okinawa years ago and also spent a lot of time with them when he was station here 4 years ago.  Without them, our desert experience would not be as enjoyable.  We will be spending Easter with Joe’s family in Upland, CA.  

Here are some highlights from our visits to Joshua Tree National Park.