Our last night in Venice!
One month has passed under the keel, and today we are beginning our voyage southward to Islamorada in the Florida Keys. What an amazing month we have had…met amazing people, worshiped at an amazing church, and learned amazing things in boat school/life.
I think the people God so beautifully crosses our paths with brings me the most joy.
Sherry and I met on the first Sunday we worshiped at Covenant Life Church. She invited me to join her table at the women’s Christmas Brunch. 
Each woman decorated her own table…she loves the farm! So wonderful!
We met Madge as she was conducting an outdoor art class at Venice Beach.
Katherine (with her new found love of drawing) attended. Madge spent 45 minutes with Katherine after class, looked through her sketch book, and encouraged her in all she was accomplishing in her art~great symmetry, proportion, layout, & focal point. “Hands and faces are the hardest, but you have got it!” These are Rin’s 30 min “doodles”…with pen. (2nd is sign language for “I love you”…one we use often in our family.)
Amber, Shane, and little Eli! Sweet young couple, expecting baby #2 very soon, and who are preparing a boat to live aboard. They joined us for lunch on the boat and got lots of questions answered.
We got to meet Rick’s friend, Martin, a great pianist, friend to Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top), and daddy of 3. Wonderful to go to their live concert in St. Pete.
Jonathan and I loved the tiki hut where we would enjoy watching college football every Saturday, 
with some football passing time between games. Perfect spiral!
We all LOVED being able to spend Thanksgiving with our daughter, Marilee, and her family.
We played
and played
and played.
My husband/Captain loves being “Pop,” so I found his name on a boat!
We also celebrated his 2nd Birthday! Happy Birthday Cristopher!!
We didn’t get to see everyone for Thanksgiving. Stephen & Sam were in Israel
Andrew & Tania are getting closer and closer to having baby #2. Mara will be a big sister!
Courtney & Julian were in the mountains
David stayed in Chattanooga due to lack of car…sorry David!
and Emily, well she loves her “Keys family”
and all at the dive shop gathered together for good food and fun.
“Boat School” is awesome! Jon’s Science reading was about Barnacles,
so afterwards, he went out to find some.
We learned about “wind dispersed seeds,” and we found them.
We learned in History about St. Boniface who wanted to share Christ with the people of Germany in 718. He took an EVERgreen fir tree and compared it to the EVERlasting love of God. Many credit him with the original symbolism of the Christmas tree so we made these to remember him by.
I will continue trying to 
We all sat on the top of the boat Saturday night as the Christmas Boat Parade went by the marina. Thirty boats went by, all decorated with lights, blow up decorations and music to boot!
I am so thankful we stayed in this hospitable, beautiful, peaceful place.
From sunrise,
to moonrise,
to sunset,
every day was AWESOME on this boat!
On my one walk on Venice beach, I found this drift wood. Jonathan says it looks like a shark’s tooth, but to me it resembles a heart! A big “I love you!”goes into my collection.
The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; Psalm 37:23
intoaboat.wordpress.com 