Countdown... Monday... 4

Don talking to Dennis Maloney on the phone while waiting for me to come out.

Ran some more errands for Mama Trudy.

Report on sis-in-law with foot injury is good.  Hopefully, she will get to go home today or in the morning.

We learned yesterday that Sunscape resident, Dan Bookey, lost his battle against cancer yesterday at his home in Michigan.  Please pray for Glenda and the family at this time.  Don spoke with her on the phone today and she and the family were planning his memorial service.  She's a strong lady, but will need prayers.

Talked to daughters Stephanie and Leslie today.  Steph is making plans to sell her "shabby to chic" furniture at the flea market in Tulsa this coming Saturday.  Leslie is excited about us getting there and going to church with them.  They love their new church. (Want to hear a good, relevant sermon? }}click here{{) Thank you, Father, for answered prayer and for Your faithfulness to your children.

It's evening now.  So nice to have the door and windows open.  Watching a little football.  Well, shocker... there's Brett Favre with AD making him look good.

Tomorrow, more preparation for departure.

We are so blessed.

Sunday is Here

What a glorious day!  It's cool, it's clear, it's a beautiful Sunday.

We attended Woodland Hills Baptist Church for the last time this year.  We are so glad we found this church while we were here in Oklahoma for the summer.  Bro. Bruce's sermon was very good: Ephesians 4:11-16 - "What is a Growing Christian?" 

A growing Christian is full of joy.  If joy is not present in their life, growth is at a standstill.

A growing Christian is a tithing Christian.  If a Christian isn't giving, they are not growing.

A growing Christian has a faith that will not crumble in crisis.  If they do, growth was at a standstill.

A growing Christian is in God's Word, daily. ("Give us this day our daily bread.")

A growing Christian is involved in fellowship with a focus on helping others on all levels.

A growing Christian is discovering and exercising their spiritual gifts.

Christian growth indicates an independence from the church staff.

Christian growth indicates regular church attendance.

Christian growth indicates Bible study and prayer.

Christian growth indicates a focus on Jesus Christ and His plan for their life.

From these points, this question came to me:  What is earth?  Earth is the place God has provided us to prepare for eternity.  When we leave this earth, and we will, we will enter eternity.  Have we taken advantage of the place God has provided for us to prepare for eternity?  Earth is the place God has provided us to practice for eternity. 

It was a very good time in worship with others today.

After church, Walt and Dianna invited us to eat with them at the Olive Garden.  As we waited outside and visited, I took this picture.  And this one of Walt.  He is so photogenic. They are good friends and we are going to miss them.  Dianna is ready to come visit us in AZ and so is Walt, if he can come on his Gold Wing.

We spent the afternoon with Mama Trudy, visiting and napping.  Why are naps always the best at mama's house?

Tonight, we went to a fellowship at friend's in Noble.  On the way out, we saw this classic.  Poor guy had a flat tire.  Also, as indicated by the license tag, he just bought it.  Wonder what he gave for it?

After a few hours of food, fellowship and Bible study with friends, we were invited to Rick and Jan's where we were introduced to Nutrazon.  (I will have a website soon.)  Here is a picture of Don after drinking two ounces of Nutrazon, being able to balance on one foot AND resist the pressure Rick is placing on his arm.  Don has not been able to balance on one foot in years.  We are expecting other positive results from Nutrazon as well.We will miss Rick and Jan, too.

It was a good Sunday and tomorrow the countdown to departure day begins.

We are so blessed.

Good-bye AT&T

After two years of having no cell service in the places we were in Arizona and then horrible service when we parked in Oklahoma for the summer, we said good-bye to AT&T and hello to Verizon.  I finally have unlimited texting.... look out!!!  Mainly because my my eleven year old granddaughter has unlimited texting only, and it's a great way to stay in touch with her. So, let me know if you are a Verizon/Alltel customer and we can talk, for free!!!

The report from my brother regarding my sis-in-law's surgery is good.  The injury in her foot due to the big rusty nail she stepped on involves no broken bones and the infection is clearing up.  She will be stitched up on Monday, fitted with a walking boot and released from the hospital.  She will have to go in everyday for an x-ray, so Jon is arranging for her transportation to an from the hospital.  Prayers are appreciated and needed.

It's cooler here since yesterday.  We're loving that.

Yesterday, home health got a BP monitor set up at Mama Trudy's and a nurse will be by twice a week to check on her.  She's feeling pretty good for about a week or more now.  We're so thankful for that.  Thank you for your prayers for her, past, present and future.

Don went fishing yesterday with an old long-time friend.  They caught about fifty bass and crappie and release everyone of them.  Mama Trudy was not happy that he didn't bring any of his bounty home.  But he had a good time out on the lake, in the boat, with a good friend, on a beautiful day.

We are so blessed.

Brother goes home

Yesterday, Monday, we had to wait for the street repair crew to finish pouring cement before we could leave Stephanie's.We were able to leave around 8:30 and had a nice trip back to the "Q." 

At 3:45, brother Jon and I took Mama to her doctor's appointment.  The doctor said that she would call home health with a recommendation that they check on Mama two or three times a week.  She has to wait until they call her and come for an interview.  Afterwards, Jon took us all out for dinner at Ted's.

This morning, Don and I were up at 5:00 AM.  I know... you can't believe I was up at that hour.  Anyway, we were at Mama's by 6:15 to take Jon to the airport.  Just hugs, no tears.  At least not while we were there.  She wouldn't allow me to take her picture in her robe. :-) At the airport, I got a picture of my preacher brother, Jon, and my preacher hubby, Don.Jon moves so fast, I almost didn't get a picture of him going through the doors.As we were leaving the airport and to prove that I was up before sunrise, here's a picture of the sun coming up over OKC.Again, the hint of the rising sun through the trees.And again, the same sunrise.

This afternoon, Don and I attended the life celebration of a dear friend who went home to be with his Lord on the 21st.  He was a wonderful, sweet, Christian friend whom we loved very much.

Tonight, to celebrate how good Mama felt, she wanted to take us out to dinner again.  This time we ate at Cheddar's.

And to prove that the earlier pictures really were the sunrise over OKC, here's today's sunset picture, from Norman.

I also have to add a few pictures of our Emma's first day of kindergarten.  She was so excited to be going to school and her mama did pretty good, too.  I can't believe she will be six in a few days.  When I talked to her tonight and asked her how her first day of school went, she enthusiastically said, "It was great!!" Don't you just know that teaching this precious girl would be a joy?

We are all so blessed.   

PS.. Late phone call from Mama Trudy told of Jon's wife, Carolyn, stepping on a long rusty nail today and spending most of the morning in the ER getting the nail pulled from her foot and shoe and also getting a tetanus shot.  This all happened while Jon was in the air going home to her.  Prayers for speedy healing for her, without infection, will be appreciated. 

Catch-up post

Let's see... more changes.  As of last Friday evening, Mama Trudy is not moving anywhere, yet.  And we continue to trust the Lord.  She is feeling much better the last four days.  No stomach pain or nausea.  Very little light-headedness.

Friday, we drove to Tulsa to visit Stephanie and family for the final time this summer.

Saturday morning, we went to the Tulsa Flea Market at the Expo Center and Stephanie, Taylor and Logan came home with a new puppy. Sam is a long-haired Chihuahua, eleven weeks old.   I know you may be thinking, "He doesn't look like a Chihuahua."While Stephanie and the boys went into Academy, Don and I stayed in the truck with Sam.  He quite the little snuggler.See, Sam is looking more like a Chihuahua now, isn't he?  Is that a cute face or what?Saturday evening, Rick took us to Los Cabos for dinner before we went to Logan's football scrimmage.Taylor and Logan.Getting suited up. On the field, number 12.Logan running for a TD, carrying the ball.  We lost count of how many touchdowns Logan ran.There's a strange rule in the Indian Nation first grade league.  If a player weighs over 60 pounds, they can not carry the ball.  Logan got to carry the ball during the scrimmage, but when the season starts, if he still weighs 63 pounds (or more), he won't be allowed to carry the ball.  That's kind of crazy, I think, and he will not like that at all.  However, he's tough on defense, too.

Sunday, we went to church, which was really good.  Afterwards, Steph packed a picnic lunch and we all went fishing at Lake Bixoma.Sam was wore out when we got home.Lake Bixoma is relatively small, but very pretty and peaceful.Dillon and Maddie came over for the weekend, too.  Maddie, I'm very upset with myself that I didn't get a picture of you after church this morning.  You looked so pretty, but you always do. Logan hunting for rocks to skip on the water.Another surprise for me... I didn't see the bee until I transferred the pictures from the camera to the computer. Sunday evening, we thoroughly enjoyed the brisket that Stephanie had placed in the oven that morning, along with pinto beans, Paula Dean mac and cheese, cole slaw, Earl Campbell sausages that Rick grilled, and hot rolls. And for dessert, a slap-your-great-aunt-LulaBelle-to-die-for homemade Italian Bread Pudding. Oh!My!  Yes, it's going into the Dessert Hall of Fame.  Over this, Stephanie poured a vanilla creme sauce (minus the brandy because she couldn't talk her dad into going to the liquor store to purchase it :-)).... oh, yum.Just goofing around with the pups is Taylor.Siblings, Kristina and Taylor.Well, after the fabulous dinner, Don decided we take a walk.  Rick joined us and he and Don and two golf clubs made it as far as the nearest fairway across the street.  Me?  I took off down the golf cart path with my camera.  Join me?The sun setting through the trees.Wow, I walked further than I realized and the walk back, up and down the cart path, was exhausting, but at the end of my walk, way off across the golf course about a hundred yards was this vision of beauty.  Looks like something out of a fairy tale, doesn't it?

I'm sure glad we decided to spend the night Sunday night at Steph's because we were both exhausted after this full and happy day.

We are so blessed.