Movie time with Grands

Today opening day for the movie Marmaduke, so we treated grandkids, Lydia and Blaine and LaNae’s boyfriend’s two youngest boys, Kody and Karsen to lunch at the Warren Theater Diner and then the movie.

I know you are shocked, but I took a few pictures.

Lydia, 12, and going into the 7th grade.  Unbelievable.  She’s growing into a beautiful young lady, so sweet and thoughtful.

Karsen, headed to kindergarten next fall, is kind of quiet, but he did flash me his cute dimple.  Kody, on the right, will be in the fifth grade and was a perfect gentleman. Cute, cute kids.

Blaine and Kody were showing us that they are the same height.  Blaine will be in the third grade.

Blaine sat beside me at lunch and in the movie, so it was difficult to get a good picture of him.  Boys.  You tell them to smile and this is what you get.  He’s a handsome boy and the picture above is so his mama at that age.  That turned up nose is all hers.

Time for the movie, Marmaduke!!  It was really cute, if you enjoy talking animals.  We did.

Got another picture of Karsen.  Even though he’s kind of shy until he gets used to you, he didn’t mind me taking his picture.

After the movie, Don took us to Braum’s for an ice cream cone.

Lydia was wishing I would sit down and put the camera away.  That’s Birthday Cake flavor ice cream.

Ice cream of choice for the guys was Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Karsen and Kody are thoroughly enjoying theirs. 

For Blaine, ice cream is a serious subject. Oh yesss, hmmmmm good. Seriously.

We had a great time with the Grands and enjoyed every minute of our time together.

Just having fun.

It really is amazing what you can do these days with a picture.

And this only skims the surface of picture enhancing possibilities.

Even more amazing are the plans that God has for Abby’s life.  

Moving furniture

It’s finally dry enough in Don’s sis’s backyard so we can move our dining table, three chairs and a few other items into our storage shed.  We had to be careful and not get in the garden, so we had to carry the items a few feet to the shed.

That’s our storage shed back in the corner beyond the garden.  There’s already small yellow squash in Debby’s garden!

After we got everything securely inside the shed, we walked over to see what brother-in-law Steve was doing. 

He’s laying salvaged concrete pieces on the floor of the gazebo he’s building for his wife, Debby, Don’s sister. Always in the shade, this is going to be really nice.

A view of the backyard toward the gazebo area from the garden area.

Mom’s “house” from the gazebo area.  It’s the travel trailer under the shed.  She loves her view of the backyard from her home.

Not really a fair question since I don’t have a picture of Don’s dad to compare, but I think Don favors his mom.

Steve recently built Debby this really nice hot house.

She planted all her tomato plants here and then set them out when they were ready.

Flowers in Debby’s yard.

Along the roadside..

After enhancing Abby’s picture in the previous post, I enjoyed playing with the above picture.  Here’s just one of the results I liked.

David Wilkerson is one of my favorite Christian writers and if you need encouragement, his “Where Do You Turn for Encouragement?” is very…. encouraging.

Pat Moody is with her Best Friend now

Thank you for praying.  My precious mother went to be with the Lord this morning at 6:30 am. (yesterday 6/2/2010)

She will be sorely missed but I am so relieved she is no longer suffering.

Please, no calls, visits or flowers.  Thank you.  If anyone is interested please donate money to Harris Hospiscare, in liew of funeral flowers, thank you.

Heather.

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.  Isaiah 41:10

Thank you for continued prayers for Heather in the coming days and for her dad, Alan, and her brother, Ian.

Photo enhancing contest

I don’t have a clue what I’m doing here, but Brent Riggs (Abby’s daddy) over on one of his websites … that pretty much nailed it down, didn’t it.  Oh, hush and just click on the bold.  Anyway, I chased a rabbit… back on track >> Brent is having a photo enhancing contest to help readers/bloggers learn how to have better blogs.  I’m supposed to take this picture of sweet Abby….

and enhance it any way I want to.  I played with it a lot in my limited enhancing program and decided I like this one the best.  I’m partial to the softness because it causes the eye to focus on Abby’s sweet face and then the eye drifts to the scripture text.  That’s my prayer for Abby.

(Remember that clicking on the picture will enlarge it a little on a new page.)  

What do you think? 

I invite you to look up the scripture and pray this for Abby.  Matthew 8:8 & 13

Matthew 8:8
But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed.

Matthew 8:13
Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour.

Wednesday-Wash Day

It’s time to do the laundry from our weekend.  But before I could get started, my cell phone rang.  It’s Snookie, “Hey, LaVon, can you hear that background noise?  Can you hear those waves washing onto the sand on the beach?”  To which I replied, not looking forward to another mid-nineties temps day, “Snookie, do you know what?  You have a cruel streak!!!”  Yes, she laughed.  And then she started ooooh-ing and ahhhh-ing at the big fish Bob was reeling in.

Getting out a little today, I finally got a picture of hay baling.  Poor cows here won’t be getting a square meal.

Two horse that I admire every time we travel this road.

That’s clouds… thunder clouds… weird formations at sunset.

We went to the Town and Country Church tonight with Richard and Susan Boyanton.  It was great to see them and we will spend at least one more evening with them before we leave Oklahoma this summer.   

Don’s Sunday’s Coming was posted this afternoon.  We both love the devotional Inspired Faith and Don was inspired by it today.

Kris report from Carol and George

Blessings to you all on this very special day: Memorial Day!

For years, we have received a "Thought for the Day" from a dear friend.  When I opened my email this morning, I found today's thought:  You cannot do a kindness too soon, because you never know how soon it will be too late.  In view of our daughter's situation and the very minute her life changed forever, I ponder thoughts such as that quite often.  So never miss a chance to tell a friend how much you appreciate them, say I love you to those you love, and remember how quickly our lives can be altered, changed or simply stop.  Life is just too short however you look at it.

And, to the task at hand: the latest update on Kris.  I wish with all my heart I could say she's awake and talking, but that will come.  I can tell you that she has been breathing so well through her mouth and nose, they (the apparent medical officials there at the rehab facility in Austin, Texas) decided to downsize her trach and cap it.  If she tolerates the new smaller one as well as the larger, more open one that was surgically inserted while she was yet at the base hospital, they will remove it all together.  Another small step but a giant hope nonetheless.  Anything less invasive is always good.  I am hoping to speak with the care plan coordinator there at the neuro rehab facility on Tuesday to initially plan what part I can have in her rehab when we get there.

She is still tolerating her feeding tube well, and all functions are performing normally, which is always a good sign, too.  I spoke on the phone with a family friend who was there with her on Saturday, and he said it appeared as though she were moving her mouth more as if trying to say something.  When I spoke with the nurse-on-duty on Sunday, she said the same thing, which surprised me even more.  Obviously, no one can be certain but just the additional movement is a welcome sign.  Russ continues to read cards and letters to her that arrive, and surely she hears and knows his voice.  We call almost daily and, as often as possible, the nurse will place the phone next to her ear so that she can hear our voice.  I know her sisters do the same thing, and I am just so certain that she can hear us and it all helps. 

For us, the days are passing so quickly here in Pennsylvania, but we keep extremely busy to help make that happen!  There is so much preparation before pulling out in the RV to head for Texas and, of course, we still have two shows in the immediate area as well as two in western PA.  But then we're on our way to Austin.  There is a very nice campground just a few miles from the facility and our site is already reserved for the first month.  (They work on a month-to-month basis, and we plan to stay as long as it takes.) 

Kris was 45 on May 23, and I know cards and well-wishes poured into her room there in Austin.  We continue to receive emails and folks tell us everywhere we go they are praying for Kris.  She has been added to so many prayer lists and it does us so much good to know she is being lifted up all over the country.

Another dear friend sent this very simple Memorial Day wish this morning, so I'll send it along to all of you.

To all those who have served, are serving and who will serve..thank you for your courage, commitment and sacrifice.  Wishing everyone a safe and Happy Memorial Day!!!  God Bless the USA!!!

I couldn't have said it any better.  Do remember our men and women who serve to help keep our freedom free.  It does not come without a price!  George put the attached photo on our bathroom mirror of Kris on one of her deployments to Iraq.   It reminds us every morning and every evening what a little fighter she is, and it keeps everything in perspective when we think we're having a bad day.  I love the look of determination and courage in her eyes, and I just know she will be okay. 

God bless you all!

Carol and George (Kline)

Count the barns

It’s time to travel back to the Q, so climb in and enjoy the scenes.

Highway 65 from Branson to Springfield.

Just one of the reasons why I hate interstate traveling.  Yes, I said “hate.”  So glad we aren’t pulling.

One.

Same one only closer.

A full picture would have been nice, but I like this.

I love this house.  It just screams, “Life was simpler.”

Two.

Three.

Four.  Another reason why I hate interstate travel… great picture and then…. what??? a tacky billboard.

There!  I fixed it.

Does anyone know why I took this picture?

I call this one “Wires and Flags.”

Continuing my romance with Old Glory.

We are now officially in the same state as our Q!

Five.

Six.

What cows do when it’s 95 degrees in Oklahoma.

Unusually blue water for Oklahoma.  Peaceful.

What is this???  This can not be good.  How in the world did this happen, we wondered.

Seven.  Not old barns, but a nice farm scene, anyway.

The very red Arkansas River in Tulsa.

Just a little contrast to all the countryside scenes.

Taken just before we stopped at the McD over that last hill and Don gave me the keys to drive the last hour of our trip “home.”  That was the end of my picture taking for the day.

We had a wonderful trip and it’s great to be back in our Q.  Thank You, Lord, for our safe trip.  [Somewhere on the highway above, a sink hole appeared the next day, tomorrow, June 2 (I’m almost caught up with my blogging)]Yes!  Thank You, Jesus for protecting us!!!