Spring Break

It has been a few weeks since spring break, but I wanted to share what a wonderful time I had with 2 of my 3 daughters and their children. I realized after they left that I had half of my grandchildren here, and one daughter has the other half! Usually we all find time to get together about once a year.

We visited the Wichita Wildlife Refuge, and one day we went to the Mall to let them play in the indoor park there.

We were able to go to the park, make some cookies together, and just hang out. Our youngest granddaughter, Kate, was learning to do some pretty good walking and managed to learn to properly descend my two steps down to the den. In fact, that was one of her favorite activities! She loved our puppy, Parker, so we really had to keep an eye on her. Didn't want him to take a little bite of our precious little one!
The boys had a great time playing together. It was so hard to go back to work. It was just a great little piece of time!

A visit from a sister

Had a great visit with Sandra, one of my sister's, recently. She is the second oldest of seven girls. She came from Willow, MO with two of her friends I met for the first time, Laurie and Mike. I realized after we had been together a couple of days, I only new her friends first names, and not their last names. We had a great time together. On Saturday, we went to the Ft. Sill Museum, Geronimo's gravesite, and the Museum of the Great Plains. Saturday night, we played a great game of Balderdash. Sandra won the game. My husband had us laughing hard! It was fun. I made some fluffy tapioca and doubled the recipe - all but the sugar, that is!! It was tolerable, but a little disappointing. Laurie wouldn't eat it. She said it makes her think of fish eggs! She had ice cream instead.

The next day was Sunday. Before church, I hurriedly put my oven on time bake and slid in some some pork chops and rice for dinner. While in church, I had this sneaking suspicion that I had done something wrong when I set the oven because I couldn't remember setting the temperture. Sure enough, on my return home, the kitchen didn't smell like lunch was ready. The oven had not come on at all. But, we made the best of it. I slipped the pan back in the fridg and we went to Ann's Country Kitchen, a great place for some home coooking. Then we went to the nearby Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge, and to see some friends in Gracemont, OK. We got home at 7 or 7:30, so instead of cooking the chops then, we opted for leftovers from Friday and Saturday night. Saturday night, we played Sequence. Mike said he would never play that game again. I hope he was teasing. Laurie and I were the winners on all the games but one.

Unfortunately, I had to go to work on Monday. I did leave a little early, only to have a flat tire and got home around the same time as usual. At least dinner was easy - the chops and rice finally got baked. It was such a beautiful evening, we spent most of it outside just visiting. They left for Tucson, AZ to see Aunt Vickie on Tuesday morning when I left for work. I hope they have a good time. It was great to have company!

Cousins

I enjoyed a visit with my cousin, Bev, last weekend. The neat thing about us is that we are both the same age (well, actually she is older than I am by 5 months), we both had 3 daughters, she grew up in Indiana and I grew up in Wisconsin, but we both live in Oklahoma. Who would have ever thought!

Early Saturday morning, we began a busy day. First, we went to one of my grandson's basketball tournaments. Then, it was off to the hospital where I visited briefly with an international student. Next, we went to the BCM for a Friendship Family meeting to hear some missionaries to India speak (which I thought started at 9:30 AM, but apparently not, because we were late). After that, it was lunch at Atlanta Bread, then home to let the puppy out for a few minutes, then off to the Mall. We got home with only a little time to spare before we met with our daughter, Melissa, and son, Chance, to go to dinner together. Whew!! What a day. Fun and enjoyable! Bev had to leave early Sunday morning, but not before she reminded us that it had been 4 1/2 years since we had been to her home in eastern Oklahoma! How could it had been that long!! It seemed impossible. We really need to take "a little piece of time" to go and see her soon.

Taking a little time to enjoy life and others

Just got back from a trip to Tucson. It was kind of a 36 year wedding anniversary trip, since I was so busy on Jan 6th that we hardly saw one another. If I had done the math before we told my aunt that we were coming to Tucson for a visit, we probably wouldn't have gone so far for such a short time, but I am so glad we went. On the way to Tucson, we stopped in Truth or Consequences to enjoy a night at an Inn with some hot mineral springs that ran right into a bathtub in our room. Enjoyed a light Italian meal the night before, and a light breakfast at a nearby cafe before getting back on the road again for Tucson.

My aunt is quite a good hostess. It was great to stay a couple of days with her, and she is a great cook. She is 88 years young and seems to be doing great. We even watched the Superbowl together. She has a nice orange tree in her back yard that was loaded with oranges, so we got to take a bunch back home. They are so good! She also had a live Christmas tree that she had hoped her son would take. It ended up staying in her back yard. It now is growing through the patio roof and is quite large. We had a good chuckle together on that story.

On our return, we decided that the Wise Men "returned a different way," so we thought that was a good idea, too. We planned to go back through El Paso, but a very last minute change in plans took us through the White Sands Dessert (Missile Range), rocky mountains, a mountain forest with snow, a desert-like area, and oil fields, all in one afternoon! We targeted Lubbock for the night, but didn't quite make it, and spent the night in a small town south of Lubbock.

The next day, we got up in search of a rehab center/nursing home where a former church member was staying. We surprised her when we came by to see her. She had such a positive attitude while we were there. It was good to see her.

Back on the trail home, we went through old territory we used to travel frequently when one of our daughters went to Hardin Simmons in Abilene. That was deja vu. Back in Lawton, we picked up our puppy who was very happy to see us. His kennel charge for six days was less than we paid for a motel room the night before. It is always good to go, but it is always good to get back home again!

Taking a Time Out

I am sick today. Just a head cold, though. My daughter, Melissa, and my husband have had it for a few days. I was so happy I didn't have it. I have been so busy with new International Student and SEVIS registration, I felt I really didn't have time to get sick. The first International Club meeting is tonight at 5. I have all the stuff in the trunk of my car!!! I am taking some meds, so hopefully, I will feel well enough to drop the stuff off at 5 today and come back home. Or, maybe my wonderful husband can be persuaded to do it, since he is feeling better now.

I called my mom first thing this morning. Imagine that. My mother is 82, and I still need to talk to her when I am sick. She is such a prayer warrior. She said she prayed I wouldn't get sick, so I guess God has a bigger plan, maybe -- slow down, take a rest. Anyway, I have no choice but to do that. I just wish our puppy new I didn't feel good!

The Mom Song

I couldn't find our copy of Daily Bread this morning, which led me to the Radio Bible Class website, which led me to a youtube post of an obedient dog, which got me to thinking about the Mom Song I heard several months ago. For days, I have been wanting to find that site again and listen again to the song. I think it is just fasinating. I can't imagine how someone can talk that fast, much less sing it all in a song and still remain on key! I enjoyed both youtube postings about the doghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oz1mK5mLxu0 and the Mom Song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxT5NwQUtVM. It was nice to have the day off and have a little time just to waste a little time doing something fun.

It is cold outside. I am so thankful for a home to live in, a bed and warm blankets, and food on my table. What a blessing.