Busy Weekend

Jessica went to Arkansas over the weekend, so it was just Sheila over for Friday night supper.  After supper we watched "Mirror, Mirror", a cute adaptation of the Snow White story (the dwarves were a hoot!).  I was feeling pretty bad most of the day...suffering from a bladder and sinus infection.  Thankfully, I felt better Saturday morning.  After mowing and cleaning up, I drove to Arlington to see my new kiddos.  With the 3 hour round trip drive and 1 hour of visitation, that took up most of my day.  It was good to see the baby out of the hospital and doing well!

Saturday evening, Rob and Charlotte and the girls spent the night.  They were on their way to Nacogdoches.  Charlotte's dad, Randy, is having triple bypass surgery this morning.  (Please keep him and the family in your prayers!)  We enjoyed our visit with them, as always.  After attending services at Highway with us and then going out to eat together, they heading on their way.

My sinuses were acting up pretty badly all day yesterday, so when we got home from the restaurant I napped the rest of the afternoon.  After a hefty dose of meds, I made it to the evening assembly.  We were pretty short in number last night.  We had a lot of people out traveling and all of our morning guests were gone.  Daddy and Bobbie showed up unexpectedly, so that helped out!  We are really blessed, tho.  Even with more than half of our guys gone, we still had plenty to carry on the assembly.  (Plus we had 22 in attendance, which is more than some congregations have on a normal day!)

A day full of laundry awaits me, so I'd better get busy.  Try to stay out of the heat this week!

From James' wonderful lesson yesterday:  Col 4:6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

I'm in love!

I got a call from my CASA supervisor yesterday morning, asking if I was willing to take on another case.  (I still have a case, but it is in "monitoring mode".)  I accepted and went today to "meet" one of the kiddos involved.  He is an infant in the hospital.  I arrived at the perfect time!  The nurses were just finishing up some tests, for which they had him fasting.  So it was time to eat, and I was allowed to feed the little guy.  I spent the next hour holding, feeding, burping, cuddling and talking to this sweet baby.  His doctor also came in during that time, so I was able to get "the rundown" on his condition and prognosis.  I alternated between sadness at what this adorable little guy has suffered and extreme anger at the parents who did this to him.  I longed to bundle him up and bring him home with me, so I could shower him with the love and attention he needs!  According to his doctor and all the nurses, EVERYONE who has had contact with him since he arrived at the hospital feels the same way.  I had to fight tears as I left his room to head home.  I look forward to spending MUCH more time with this little fighter.  I will be his advocate as long as he remains "in the system". 

1Th 2:7  But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:

Good news and randomness

Caidem and I are slowly getting to know each other better and getting into a routine.  I talked to Anita yesterday and she agreed to keep him every Wednesday.  Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are Debbie's long days (she has him here at 6:30), so that will allow him to sleep in one of those days.  It will also give me a day to take care of things that I couldn't do otherwise (doctor appts, CASA visits, mowing, etc.).  I think it will work out good all around.

Well, Dennis had offered to take me to Pappadeux for my birthday last week.  However, I guess a virus was going around and it found me that day.  I just wasn't up to a 2 hour roundtrip to eat food that would probably not have settled well on my stomach.  So I took a rain check and we ate at a local Italian restaurant (cause you can never go wrong with pasta!).  Turns out Sheila had the same thing the same day and Dennis and Jessica had it the next day.  But I truly enjoyed all the cards and wishes I received from friends and family.  I am very blessed!

Heather P. came down Friday to spend a week with the girls.  They were all over Friday night for supper.  I sure enjoyed getting to spend some time with the three of them!  Most of the time when Heather is here, it is for a meeting when there are a LOT of people around.  I think this was the first time I had to just have Heather here.  She is such a sweet girl, and I hope to have many other opportunities to visit with her.

The guys had their study/business meeting Sunday between services.  They always carry sack lunches when they do that and spend the entire afternoon together.  So I like to use the opportunity to have my ladies over for our study group.  Josephine was feeling poorly, but Heather stepped in to "take her place" (as if ANYONE could take Josephine's place!).  It was a really good study/discussion!  I'm excited that now that Debbie is living here, we will be able to start back on a weekly schedule.  I really treasure our time together!

I awakened this morning to some wonderful news!  Ricky's girlfriend, Angie, was immersed into Christ last night!  I'm so happy for her.  I haven't had opportunity to really get to know her (only met her at Josh and Brittney's wedding), but she seems like such a sweet, good-hearted person.  I look forward to spending more time with her in the near future.

The weather has really been HOT lately, with high humidity.  It sure makes it difficult to try to do anything out of doors.  I really feel sorry for all the people who have to work out in it.  I know it takes a hard tole on Dennis!  Hoping for more moderate temperatures and the occasional rainy day!

SAVE THE DATE:  We are planning a meeting at Highway for Sept. 28-30.  Mark your calendars and we hope that many of you can make it down at that time!

Well, that is about it for my ramblings today.  Hope this week finds each of you well!

Ps 119:63  I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts. 64  The earth, O LORD, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy statutes.

New "job" and a funeral

Update on Debbie:  I told how she decided to quit her job in Granbury and try to relocate here in MW.  She started her new job Monday, working for Solaris Hospice.  She will be working Mon. - Fri., having better benefits and making more money than in her previous position.  I'm so happy for everything working out so well for them.  Until she is able to sell her house, she will be living with Anita.  I'm keeping her son, Caidem, while she works.  Talk about a life adjustment!  I haven't been responsible for caring for a child in MANY years.  I'm having to learn to readjust my daily routine and find activities to keep a 9 year old boy busy!  I see many hours spent playing Parcheesi and going to to library in store for the summer.
Our dear sister, Joyce Phillips Williams, passed away Saturday night.  She was one of the reasons we decided to move to the Highway congregation.  She was such a loving, hospitable woman...making everyone feel so appreciated.  Her health had started declining by the time we moved here and she has suffered from Alzheimers for a number of years.  It has been a long time since she has been able to attend the assemblies.  Such a sweet spirit that was an inspiration to all who knew her!  Her funeral was yesterday morn, and then we served dinner to the family.  It was the first time Caidem had ever been to a funeral.  The Highway congregation + a few others did the singing and he sat with us and was a perfect little gentleman.  I know it was a long, boring day for him, but he held up really well.

Sheila was "sworn in" with CASA last Thursday and already has a case.  Her's is a brand new case, so she will be getting a lot more experience than I have so far.  My case is drawing near to an end, but it has been good experience and a good way to ease into the job.  I have submitted my first court report which went well.  I will make my first court appearance next week.

Hoping that your summer is going well!

Ro 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Arkansas to Amarillo and back + FIREWORKS!!!

Whew!  The past week has been quite eventful.  The girls and I left Friday when they got off work to head to Clarksville.  They had hoped to get off by 4:00, but a computer problem set us back a couple of hours.  So it was 1:00 a.m. when they dropped me off at Gena and Terry's.  Their warm hospitality made me feel right at home.  Some of the guys ended up sleeping there, too (mostly during the day on Saturday), after the "bachelor party" that lasted most of the night.  I got to spend a little time with Ricky before he crashed.  I really enjoyed the time I had to visit with Terry and Gena's bunch.

Josh and Brittney's wedding was beautiful!  Lesa and Sherry did a wonderful job of decorating everything.  Josh and Brittney were so happy and everything went off very well.  (I can't believe with the line-up of groom's men Josh had that it went off without a prank!)  I left with Shelley K. to spend Saturday night.  I thoroughly enjoyed the visit with her!  I'm so thankful for wonderful Christian friends that are so willing to open their homes to folks...even when self-invited! 

After attending services in Booneville Sunday morning, Chris and I headed to Amarillo for the Camp Meeting.  My girls thought it would be awkward for us to travel together.  We actually had a great visit for the 7 hours on the road!  I think I've figured out that it is more fun to travel with someone who you don't spend a lot of time with normally.  You have a lot more to say to each other!  I think Chris and I know each other a lot better now.

It was good to see everyone in Amarillo!  The crowd was pretty small, but it allowed us to have better visits with the ones who were there.  We got to spend time with some "new" friends that I'm looking forward to visiting with again.  Thanks to the Amarillo congregation for all of their hard work...also to the guys who gave such great lessons!

Sharon A. had mentioned to Dennis and I that if we ever wanted to take a scenic route home that she knew a great one that would take us through Palo Duro Canyon.  When we left Amarillo Wednesday morn, we weren't in any hurry, so we decided to check it out.  Am I glad that we did!  It added a little time onto our trip, but the scenery was well worth it. 

We made it home around 4:00 yesterday.  I had talked to the girls about coming over for a cookout for supper.  Leah and Bekah were there for the day, so the four girls came over for hamburgers, french fries and cold watermelon.  Yum!  A little later we met up at our usual spot to watch the firework display.  IT WAS AMAZING!!!  I think the finale gets better every year.  What a great 4th of July holiday!

Ps 104:24 O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.