Ladies Only Celebration

Dianne smelling a
beautiful rose,
gift from Laura. 
Last evening the women from our small group had supper together as a surprise to Dianne for her birthday! We all had a good time and she was surprised to see all of us there! She thought she was only meeting Donna after work for supper...wrong! We each gave her a small gift. 

Dianne, Sharon, Laura

We all had a very good time. We met at Applebee's. Rose made a cake and brought. It was very good! (I do wish pictures would go where I want them to go...) 

A pretty scarf,
gift from Rose. She's modeling it here!

Dianne sharing
her cake made
by Rose.

Donna smelling a
candle gift. 

Donna, Rose, Dianne
Lord, thank You for the friendship of the ladies in our small group. Thank You for the men also. Together we make up a super group who are all growing closer to You.

More fun times on my trip

Niece: Lisa and Doug

Great nephew: Justin

 We were told we could order a meal from a restaurant in the area and have it delivered to the nursing home. Then we could eat together in the small dining room by reserving it ahead of time.

Brother: Bill and Vel

So we did...Chinese. We know now where not to go for Chinese! It was less than satisfactory.


But we still had a good time together. I don't have a picture of Mother here, sorry. She and I were both here too.

Myself and Janice

Bill and Vel

On Saturday, my best friend from 8th grade through 10th grade, Janice, came to visit. 

Janice and Wayne

Wayne was a good sport and came along too. Then it was decided they should go out to dinner with Bill and Vel and me! We had a really nice time and good food!
Thank You, Lord, for good times and good friends.

Pirate Radio

     This is my older brother, Richard or Dick, as most folks know him. He's been Richard to me all my life and I'm not about to change now! He has a radio program every Sunday evening from 5:30 to 11:30! It's an oldies program and is very good! I've listened to it on my computer clear out here in Michigan! He took me to work with him while I was visiting him last week. It was so good to see him at work. Now I can picture him talking to his radio audience. 

     The first hour of the show Richard and his friend, Abe, discuss old songs and recording artists, mainly from the 40's and 50's. Then Richard plays them for the radio listeners. It was so interesting to see and hear them talking to each other, over the radio! It's very easy listening! 
     I'm very proud of my big brother! 
     Lord, thank You for radio, good friends, music, brothers. Thank you for Richard. He's very talented in so many ways. I love him and You love him even more.
     

Happy Anniversary March 26

Happy Anniversary, Richard and Cookie!

     The years keep flying by. I guess you know that when you see how your grandchildren are growing! This picture is a couple years old but I don't think you've changed too much since then. 
     I was just out visiting you last week, except, Cookie, you were gone! It's okay, your dad's 93rd birthday was very important and I'm glad you got to go to celebrate with him. (I think it was his 93rd). I enjoyed  myself very much, Richard was the perfect host! 
     So enjoy your special day...Richard, take Cookie out for supper and buy her roses!
     Lord, thank You for Richard and Cookie. Bless their marriage. Please keep Your Hand upon them. Keep them close to each other and close to You. I love them and You love them even more!

I Wonder Why

     You know how it is...sometimes things happen and you just can't figure why it happened the way it did! That happened to me on my way home from Colorado.
     Here's the story:
     I wanted to take the shuttle from Greeley to the Denver International airport so before I left home, March 14, I got on line to schedule it. A message popped up saying, for some reason the site was down and to please try again later. Well, later became the day before I left for home, March 21. Too late, shuttles were all filled. Oh...that's too bad, Richard would have to drive me down to the airport. My plane was to depart at 6:00 AM so we'd have to leave at 4:00 AM.
     We set our clocks for 3:15 AM and were in the car at 4:00 sharp! There wasn't hardly any traffic so we made good time. We were almost there. I was helping watch the signs so we'd make the right turns. Suddenly a sign for United showed an arrow going right. We didn't see it soon enough and couldn't suddenly go right! There should have been a sign back farther telling us to merge right! So we missed the turn and had to keep going. We wanted to turn around somewhere but it's all one way so, of course, we couldn't. Another car a head of us was apparently having the same problem! We lost a lot of time here in our frustration. Finally we made our way back and then took the turn to the right. Checking my clock I thought I was still fine as far as my schedule went. 
     Richard and I said our good-byes and he went on his way back home. I prayed he wouldn't fall asleep driving. It was now about 5:00 AM.
     I had printed my ticket out the evening before and I only had carry-on luggage so I only needed to go through security. At 5:00 AM it couldn't be that bad... Oh, yes, it was! The lines were soooo long! It seemed to take forever to get through there.
     I finally took the train to F gates, of course going down two flights and then back up two flights! My gate was very close, thank goodness.
     I could see my plane out the window and it was time to depart. I hurried to the lady who looked at me a little perturbed and said, "I think you're too late." I told her I had hurried as fast as I could. She made a phone call to the pilot and said, "Anita -- is here now." She looked back at me and said, "I'm sorry, you're too late. They can't open the door now."
     The woman did some checking and got me on a plane to Chicago at 9:00 AM. I must have gotten the last seat available because it was the middle seat in the last row. (I hate sitting between two strangers.) I even had to check my carry-on bag through because there wasn't any more room in the overhead bins.
     Well, thank goodness Denver airport has wi fi so I was able to get on-line while I sat waiting for three hours for my plane to depart.  On the flight to Chicago I sat between two men, neither of whom, said one word to me! One read a book and the other had ear phones on. 
     On my original schedule I had a four hour layover in Chicago on my way home. Now I barely made my flight! But it was the same flight as was on my original schedule. So I arrived at home at the same time Jerry was expecting me. 
     He was there waiting for me and I was waiting for him! Home sweet home!
     Heavenly Father, I praise You because You are the Creator. You created the skies I flew through to visit my mom and others and You created the skies I flew through to go back home. I don't understand the glitches I had to go through but... Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Journal

     I'm home from a week in Colorado. I went for my mother's 97th birthday. It was a great week. I'll try to tell about it here. 
     I stayed with my brother and sister-in-law, Bill and Vel in their beautiful home. Neither one of them are well so I didn't want to be a burden on them. I found a shuttle to take me from the Denver airport to the town where they live! It was perfect and didn't cost too much! I asked Bill if he could take me to the nursing home about 7:45 each morning and pick me after 5:00 each afternoon. He was glad too. 
     This was so great. I ate breakfast, lunch and dinner with my mom every day! We had our own little table in a separate room from all the other residents. It was like eating in a restaurant! We were waited on like we were special! 
     I should add here that this is the best nursing home I've ever been in! It's so clean and odor free, loving and friendly, I can't say enough good about it! 
         My mom went ahead with her daily schedule of exercising, Bible study, resting, etc. and I either read a book or worked on my lap top computer while she was busy. They have wireless internet so I was able to get on line most of the time, when I wanted to. We, my mom and I, were just happy being in the same place all day for almost a week. It was so hard to say good-bye but the time ended. 
     Sunday morning my older brother, Richard, came down to get me so we ate breakfast with Mother and then left to go north to his town.
     Heavenly Father, I love You. Thank You for the good week I just had with Mother! Thank You for Mother! Thank You for her good health and her sharp mind. Please be with her, keep her well, safe  and close to You. I love her so much and You love her even more.

More Games

Richard, my brother, and I watched Heidi's kids while she gave piano lessons. They were such good kids and played games the whole time she was gone. Here are Jenna and Braden playing hang man! Jenna is four, Braden is six or seven, I forget. He has a twin sister, Courtney. She had gone with some friends this day.

Jenna playing hang man again.

Kimberlyn and I played Banana. It's a really fun game something like Scrabble. Kimberlyn is nine.
                                          Jenna is full of fun!
Kimberlyn and Braden playing hang man. These kids love to play games. They were so good!                                                                                                                                                                     Thank You, Lord, for these precious kids, nieces and nephew, of mine.

Richard (Grandpa) playing a game with Braden. We were in a restaurant for lunch, and we were all busy until the food arrived.
Richard is my older brother. Heidi is his daughter and my niece.

Kimberlyn and me. Isn't she pretty?

Heidi (Mama) and Jenna playing a game.
Thank You, Lord, for this part of my family. I love them all and You love them even more!

St Patrick's Day (One day late)

These were the Celtic Dancers that performed at the nursing home where my mother lives. They were excellent. They have such energy!

Even little girls performed!

Lord, thank You for the wonderful performance for these older folks. Thank You for this wonderful home where my mother lives and is taken such good care of.

Birthday Dinner

The nursing home gave her a stuffed dog, three balloons and a beautiful lap size quilt! Everyone else gave her money so she could go shopping! That's what she wanted!

Vel, Lisa, Mother, Bill

Me, Mother, Bill

Beautiful big balloon for Mothers Birthday!

Mother's birthday cake! 
click on the pictures to make them come up bigger.


Mother had a very nice birthday, I think. Everyone has told her Happy Birthday.
She also got phone calls from Pam, Richard and Lorraine.
Lord, thank You for the wonderful 97th birthday Mother has had.

Happy Birthday March 16, 1914

Happy Birthday, Mother! You are a young 97! I'm so excited to be here with you. You are so beautiful, inside and outside! You've been a wonderful mother to me. Oh, I know you've made a few mistakes, but haven't we all... You have shown me, my entire life, how to live a life pleasing to the Lord. Life for you, was not easy when I was a child, Dad was traveling a lot leaving the four of us children in your care, but if you were ever discouraged spiritually, I didn't know it. Money was scarce but you were so innovative, you raised chickens and rabbits for meat, you sewed all the clothes for Lorraine and me and yourself. There's so much I could write here but I'm going to stop and just say, "I love you, Mother." 
Lord, thank You for my mother. When You made her You made a masterpiece! You've been with her as her Personal Saviour for 70 years! Please be with her now in her later years. Please watch over her, keep her healthy and safe. Thank You for giving me this week to be with her. I love her so much and You love her even more!
Remember: you can click on the picture to bring it up close.

Grandkids

Making cookies

     Elmise and Armon are here this evening. At the moment they're both sound asleep sprawled out in the living room. Elmise is on the sofa and Armon is in Jerry's Lazy Boy chair. He didn't know it would go back so far. It was funny. But first we made chocolate chip cookies! That was fun! Rob and Jessica should be home soon. Jerry's in bed too. So I'm on the computer. I guess there's no surprise there!
     Jerry made a ham and cabbage soup today. He's hoping to have that to eat next week, along with the chili he already made, and the fried chicken he's ordered me to fix on Monday! for while I'm gone to visit my mom. I'm leaving on Tuesday. The soup turned out really good. Elmise and Armon love it too. It must remind them of something they used to eat in Haiti. They each ate a full bowl of it even though they had already had supper before they came over here. It's so funny to watch them. Most kids wouldn't touch it...
     Heavenly Father, I praise You because You are the Giver of Life. 

Grandkids and Basketball

Basketball Coach and Elmise

Elmise and her friend

     I went to the Community Center to Elmise's basketball game this morning. This is only the second game I've gone to. I've got to do better. She was very happy to see me.
     These games are a learning experience for the girls. The coaches get to be on the floor giving them advice and instructions. There is no keeping of scores. It's a fun way for the girls to learn the game and to learn sportsmanship. 
     Thank You, Lord, for learning experiences for kids today. Thank You for Elmise and her friends.

Chinese Family

Vincy, Koko, Andrew

     We invited our Chinese kids over for an all American dinner on Tuesday of this week. I worked all day preparing swiss steak baked in gravy with potatoes, carrots and onions, green bean casserole, tossed salad, clover leaf dinner rolls and apple pie.
     They appreciated my work even though their taste buds are not quite up to American  

Vincy, Anita, Koko, Andrew

 food yet. I understand that. I have a hard  time with foreign food no matter where we go in the world.

Anita, Vincy, Koko, Jerry

     Andrew loved the green bean casserole! Vincy and Koko loved the dinner rolls. They each ate some meat, potatoes and carrots. The apple pie was a little too sweet for their taste buds. 
     We had a very nice visit. This was their first time in our home. They wandered all over checking it out. I think it was probably their first time in a log home. I think they liked it.
     We're looking forward to getting together again soon. (I can hardly wait!)   
   Heavenly Father, thank You for our new Chinese friends. Thank You that we are even more than just friends, we are now family. Help them to see Christ in our lives and in our home. Please be with them in their studies, and in new situations they find themselves in. Help them to know we are their American family. We love them and You love them even more!

Happy Birthday Mar 9

Happy Birthday, Pam! My first born! You were such a beautiful baby and you are still beautiful today! I wish we could celebrate this day with you and I wonder what you are doing today. Your boys are grown and so life is a little different for you and Gene now. I wish for you a very happy, happy birthday. Are you working today? Are you taking the day off to relax and have fun? You are a very special daughter and I love you.


Heavenly Father, thank You for Pamela. She's a very special daughter, so loving and caring. Please be with her as she travels to downtown Chicago each day to work, keep her safe. Bless her with Your Presence. Help her to lean upon You for her strength each day. Please bless her as a wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, friend, co-worker. I love her so much and You love her even more.

Happy Birthday March 2

Happy Birthday, Marion! I can't believe another year has gone by! The older we get the faster time seems to be moving on. This is the time of year I feel guilty for not spending a little time with you. We are just so busy with grandchildren and other things we don't take time for each other. Something's got to change here. I always look for you on Sunday at church. Thank goodness we have that in common. I wish for you a wonderful, fun filled birthday with your children and grandchildren. 


Lord, thank You for Marion. Please be near her. Keep her close to You. Bless her with Your Presence. I love her, Lord, and You love her even more.