Taylor’s Birthday

Uh-oh.  I think there are five baby Barn Swallows in that nest!

Stephanie has a wonderful collection of roosters in her kitchen and breakfast nook.  Here’s a few.

Word art is very popular in interior decorating and Stephanie uses it beautifully throughout their home.

From their backyard, they can see five other backyards, which makes it really nice when Taylor goes to play with neighbor friends.

The backyard where Logan was yesterday at a birthday party.

Steph’s Gerber Daisies.

Taylor was at football practice and Logan was bored and wanted to play this afternoon. He had already played with the neighbor kids and didn’t need to play outside in the heat anymore, as he had a baseball game tonight.  He was playing around with a Hacky Sack, so I thought up a game I could play with him. Stand at the foot of the stairs and toss the Hacky Sack to highest step possible for the most points, but the Sack must land on the step and stay there.  First step = 5 points, 2nd step = 10 points, and so on to the top step = 45 points.  I made up a score sheet on the computer and we played two games.  It’s tougher than you think and Logan loved it.  Sometimes the Sack would roll all the way back to the floor… zero points.  He beat me two games, fair and square.

Again, today, Stephanie has not stopped…. so many things to do with and for the kids.  We did take time to teach her how to play the card game, Zilch, however.

It’s time to go to Logan’s baseball game.  The highlight:  Logan hit an in the park homerun with two “men” on base.

He also got a double later in the game and scored again on another hit by his teammate.

Big brother, Dillon, showed up for the game!

For a change, there was hardly any breeze at all and it was really hot and humid at the ball park tonight.

Back at the house it’s time for Taylor’s 14th birthday party!  His birthday is the 27th, tomorrow, but there will be too many baseball games tomorrow to celebrate so we celebrated tonight.

I was setting the table but got side-tracked when I saw, through the window, the mama Barn Swallow sitting on the gutter on the roof.

And then someone yelled, “The ducks are in the backyard!!”  Get the camera, get the camera. 

Mr. and Mrs. Mallard.

Dinner, again, was outstanding: grilled steaks, chicken, and Earl Campbell sausage, twice baked potatoes (at Taylor’s request), mushrooms, Caesar salad, and of course, Mrs. Betty Shaver’s famous chocolate cake.

Beautiful big sis, Kristina, with brother, Taylor.

Siblings, Kristina, Taylor and Logan.

Kristina and boyfriend, Dylan.

Stephanie in the kitchen, where she’s been most of the day.

Papa Don with Kristina and Taylor.

After Taylor opened presents and we ate cake and ice cream, Stephanie, Rick, Dillon and I played a game of Zilch.  Dillon won.  Beginner’s luck.  Stupid game.  I’m just kidding.  We had fun.

It’s been another great day.  Don still doesn’t feel good.  Says he’s forgetting what feeling good feels like.  He’s drinking lots of water, hoping the UTI is not coming back.  Allergies are making him congested and he sounds like he’s losing his voice.

Lee DeWyze won AI… he seems like a good kid.  Hope he stays that way.

Rick and Wendy’s truck is in the shop in Seattle.  Alternator went out.  Sure hope they get it out of the shop before the weekend.

It’s late and I’m turning in.  Blessings to all.  We are truly so very blessed.

Tuesday-Crossing the Bridge

Today, was Taylor’s day as he had his Crossing the Bridge ceremony at his school.  To explain:  Today is Taylor’s last day in the 8th grade and to celebrate their promotion into high school they have a Crossing the Bridge ceremony.  The bridge is located between the middle school and the high school.  All the promoted 8th grade students cross the bridge as their names are called out over the PA system.  They each are given a certificate as they cross the bridge.  What a cool celebration! 

Don and I certainly wanted to be there, but Don was feeling really punky today (allergies), so Stephanie took pictures with my camera.

Here’s a picture that Taylor isn’t in, but it’s the only picture that shows a little part of the bridge.  It does show the long line of promoted 8th graders.

Taylor had football practice this afternoon and then he finally got to come home to eat dinner with us.

I finally got a picture of an adult Barn Swallow with all of her babies showing.

And a Mockingbird feasting in the back yard.

Logan had a birthday party to attend this afternoon.  It was conveniently just across the backyard.  I stood in Stephanie’s backyard and took a few pictures of the fun. 

This is Stephanie and Rick’s house, front…

back.

Flowers on the front entrance.

After a delicious dinner of grilled burgers, baked beans, potato salad, we played a partial game of Shanghi Rummy before the boys got bored and it was time to watch AI and Biggest Loser finale that we had recorded while playing cards.  We get to FF through the commercials that way.  Yes!!  I think Crystal won the night on AI, but I think Lee is pretty popular with everyone, so tomorrow night will tell the tale.

Hopefully, Don will feel better tomorrow.

Blessings to all who read.

Pat Moody update

I just received this update from dear friend, Heather regarding her “mum.”  Thank you for your prayers for this family as they travel through this valley.

Apologies for not emailing individually but time taken up caring for Mum.

For those who don't know, we couldn't bear to put Mum in a hospice and not be with her 24/7, so she's home and Dad, my brother Ian and myself do shifts in being with her.

Thanks for your prayers and concern.  Mum wants to get this valley of the shadow of death over with.  She isn't used to having everything done for her and is bed-bound, extremely tired and weak, and looks very depressed.  It is hard for me to see her like this and a blessing on the rare occasions she gives a laugh or smile when you see her eyes light up a little.  She "came alive" when I told her I was getting my hair cut, as this has always been a thing between us - what to do with my hair! and she always readily gives her advice about it!

She hasn't eaten for a couple of weeks and her drinking, recently insatiable for some reason, is diminishing.  Many times I don't know what to say to her.  I never imagined I'd want to see Mum's life end, but it is selfish to want to hang on to her now.

I'd really appreciate your prayers for her to stop worrying about us helping her and her being a huge inconvenience.  Of course it is not true and we try to convince her it is our privilege after all she's done for us.  Also, please pray the Lord would miraculously give her joy and encouragement and a very real sense of His presence - perhaps reveal Himself to her in a dream or something.  She has a very bright future but the wait is unbearable for all of us, and takes its toll on us all.

I want to say that even Dad has recognized and declared "divine intervention" from Mum's church - her wonderful, truly Christian in word and deed, friend Margaret, who has allayed the overwhelming prospect of where to start with a funeral (she knows a Baptist family with a funeral directors), and she has assured us that her church family will be delighted to arrange and hold a Celebration of her life at the church.  This is a huge weight off our minds.

Dad has been so overwhelmed, confused and depressed and it is my continual prayer he will cast his care upon the Lord and realize the peace, hope and joy that comes from trusting Him.  Thank you for praying the same.

God bless, everyone has been wonderful.

Love, 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

Tulsa Time 2010 – part 1

We got off around 9:45, excited to be on our way to Stephanie’s.  Of course, I amused myself with taking a few pictures along the way.

The Canadian River is quite full.  This is not a very good quality picture as I was taking it through the window (with reflections) and into the sun.

We were pleasantly surprised at the condition of Interstate 40 from OKC to Henryetta, that’s where we got off, so we don’t know if it’s in bad condition from there to Arkansas or not.  We will find out soon and we’ll be pulling the Q.

We got to Stephanie’s about 12:30 PM.  There’s a Kildeer pair in the area by their house.

Stephanie and Rick have done a lot of improvements to their yard.  The Impatients are very pretty and….

the Pink Geranium.

Logan has a baseball game tonight, so we met Rick and, granddaughter, Kristina, at Cheddar’s for dinner before the game.  One table took up three parking spots. :-)  It was great to see Kristina again!  (Remember her visit to see us in Arizona the 24th of April?  Hey! Exactly a month ago.

Logan (7) is a Lens Lover…. a photographer’s dream come true. 

I love this picture of Don with Stephanie, Kristina and Logan.

Finally!  It’s game time.  I was a little disappointed that there was not one single place to take pictures that wasn’t behind a fence, so all the pictures have wire in them, which accounts for the smudgy look in some of them.  I only took a few.  Ok, I took a lot, so I made a few collages.

Our little baseball player is very intense and this pictures reflects that.

Oklahoma has some very pretty sun sets, too.

Stephanie and Rick are big “24” fans, so we watched the series finale when we got home.  That is a very intense show.

A little before midnight, I looked out the front door to see if the mama Barn Swallow was with her babied in the nest and she was.  I would love to catch a picture like this:  http://www.naturfoto-cz.de/barn-swallow:hirundo-rustica-photo-1402.html 

The babies in the nest on Steph’s front porch are not as big as the babies in the picture online.  You can barely see their large beaks in the picture here.  Earlier this afternoon when I tried to take pictures of the babies in the nest, high up in the corner of the porch ceiling,  the mama was quite aggressive and would “dive bomb” me!  I was too busy ducking to get a good picture.

It’s wonderful to be with our Tulsa/Bixby family.

Share the New Song

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"Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
Matthew 5:16

"Our faith grows by expression. If we want to keep our faith, we must share it." - Billy Graham

Concert violinist Fritz Kreisler earned a fortune with his concerts and compositions, but he generously gave most of it away. So when he discovered an exquisite violin on one of his trips, he wasn’t able to buy it. Later, having raised enough money to meet the asking price, he returned to the seller, hoping to purchase the beautiful instrument. But to his great dismay, it had been sold to a collector. Kreisler made his way to the new owner’s home and offered to buy the violin. The collector said it had become his prized possession and he would not sell it.

Keenly disappointed, Kreisler was about to leave when he had an idea.

“Could I play the instrument once more before it is consigned to silence?” he asked.

Permission was granted, and the great virtuoso filled the room with such moving music that the collector’s emotions were deeply stirred.

“I have no right to keep that to myself,” he exclaimed. “It’s yours, Mr. Kreisler. Take it into the world, and let people hear it.”

We are to take the gospel to the masses and not lock it away in silence. Sharing the good news and proclaiming the truths of the Bible is not the work only of overseas missionaries, but also of every believer.

Lord, it amazes me that You have entrusted me with sharing the gospel message with the world. Give me diligence to follow Your calling. Amen.