Vacation

We planned a "very last minute" vacation last week.  Due to the fact that Jeff had had a rather stressful week with ministry and knowing that he was starting a summer series in Revelation beginning next Sunday, we made a fast decision on taking last week off.  Sometimes that is the best kind, as you don't have time to stress over it.  We were blessed in being able to rent a beautiful condo on Table Rock Lake near Branson, Missouri for six nights.  This was the view from our patio:

 The spacious living room

 And beautiful open kitchen stocked with dishes, pots and pans, etc.

 This was the master bedroom

(the condo had 3 bedrooms, all with king sized beds

and two large baths)

 The first three days, Jeff and I totally relaxed.  We would go into Branson in the mornings, walk 76 Strip for 45 minutes or more, eat lunch, then come back to the condo.  I would spend some time at the pool, while he napped, read, etc. 

I did no cooking during those days!

Wednesday afternoon, Rachel joined us.  Jonathan has a new job, so didn't have any vacation days to take off, so we missed him.  Rachel and I spent Thursday doing what I had been doing the previous days.  Walking, sunbathing, relaxing!

Thursday afternoon, Andy, Carman, Laine and Ellie joined us.  Shortly after arriving, Laine and Rachel dressed for the pool. 

Aunt Ray Ray is showing her where they are going.

Letting her play with the frog fountain

  It was pretty cool, since it was late afternoon, so Rachel was the

only brave soul to get in the water with Laine.

 Papa and Ellie

 Andy and Carman enjoying the pretty weather

 DeDe and Lainey-Bug

 I had fixed dinner for the kids that evening and then we had a relaxing evening, playing games on the patio, etc.  Laine is at that age where she loves to wrestle and Papa enjoys every minute of it.

 After a big breakfast, Friday morning, we all headed to the pool.  Daddy with his girl.

 Papa taking his turn

 Ellie Kate just hanging out

 Precious girl.  Carman had taken her to the doctor on Thursday for her first month appointment.  Sadly, she found out that Ellie had broken her clavicle bone during the birthing process.  So that explains why she would cry out whenever she was picked up or moved around.  She also is struggling with acid reflux.  Thankfully the break is healing and the doctor prescibed some meds for the reflux.  She was a good girl in spite of it all during her time with us.

 Aunt Ray Ray and DeDe with the Bug

 Rachel left mid afternoon on Friday to head back to NWA where she was meeting Jonathan after he got off work and then going to his parents' cabin where they were joining all of J's family for a long weekend visit.

Josh and Erika joined us Friday evening for dinner and a visit.  One more time for some fun at the pool with Laine.  She loves to slide, so Daddy and Uncle J.J. fixed her up a mini slide and boy did she have fun!

 Momma and Ellie watching

 Then time to head up to the room.  Auntie E and Uncle JJ got to carry the girls.

 Once Laine was put to bed, we played a round of Buzzwords. 

Fun game!  Josh & Erika headed back home around 10.

Saturday morning it was time to pack up.  Andy & Carman ran to one of the outlet malls so Jeff and I got to watch the girls for a little while. 

I did a little "photo" shoot on the bed:

 Laine still seems like a baby to me -- till I lay her next to Ellie.....

 She's definitely the bigger sister :-)

 We took the girls and met their parents at a restuarant for lunch

before we all headed home:

 Again, so thankful for a relaxing wonderful vacation

with icing on the cake having the family join us!

I just thought I was caught up!!

After completing that LONG posting below, I went for an hour walk....and as I walked, I thought of several events in our lives that I forgot to post about.  Goodness!

So here goes -- most of the events were in March (along with Rachel & Jonathan's engagement announcement, which I did post about in March).

The first of March, I was privileged to go to Tulsa, Oklahoma with a group of women from our church for the "Extraordinary Women's Conference."  This was my second time to attend this conference and it was really good.  Great music and speakers.

 A very fun time!

 During the month of March, Mom was really sick.  We didn't realize what exactly was wrong, till she ended up in ER one night with deydration.  It was determined she had a urniary tract infection.  So I spent several days in Girard with her and taking her to doctor's appointments and tests in Pittsburg.  So thankful, after a really rough time, she is feeling 100% better and back to her normal active self!  Love you, Mom!

 During the middle of March was Spring Break.  Since we don't have any of our normal church activities during that week (Women's Bible studies; Wednesday night activities, etc.), we had the sweet blessing of Laine staying with us for 3 days and 2 nights.  It was her first overnight visit at Papa and DeDe's house without Momma and Daddy.  What a wonderful time we had!!

 Sure hoping this means she is going to be a pianist like her Momma.

 Watching Sesame Street with Papa and doing the motions

 Letting DeDe have some cuddle time.

 On Saturday morning of that week, Laine and I headed to NWA for a full day of activities.  I dropped Laine off with her Dad, picked up Carman and she and I went to Fayetteville to a Bridal Shop to meet Erika and Rachel for "wedding dress" shopping.  Rachel did good.....within an hour, she had the perfect dress picked out!  This is a "cropped" shot of that time as we do not want the groom to see the dress yet :-)!

 After shopping, we had lunch together at Jason's Deli, hurried home to freshen up, then headed to Bentonville for a baby shower for Ellie.   Here are the hostesses of the shower with the guest of honor, Carman (and Ellie):

 I love the opportunity to be with my girls!

 Presents time

 Cute!

 I drove home later that day, happy but exhausted!!

A couple of weeks later, was Easter!  We had a wonderful service at First Baptist that morning.  A beautiful day weather wise, record attendance, lots of visitors, a powerful time of worship and decisions for the kingdom of God.  Thank you, Lord, for your anointing on this special day and especially that Jesus did not stay in that tomb, but rose from that grave and is living on high, interceding for me......and preparing to come again!!

We had 3 or 4 Easter dinner invitations that day, which was so kind of our church family.  However, for the first time in a very long time, we were spending the day with all our kids.  I had cooked a turkey and made homemade noodles and several other dishes and we headed to NWA that afternoon.  Josh and Erika had so graciously offered to have the family in their home for our Easter meal.  Everyone contributed so we had tons of food and all of it was delicious!!

 Jonathan's baby sister, Jennifer, joined us (and we love her!)

 After we ate, it was time for a family picture.  Laine saw an airplane and yelled it out, so we had to look :-)

 Finally got that family pic

 Then it was time for the Bug to hunt eggs

 After that, we went over to a very nice park in Josh and Erika's backyard (built by a grant from J.B. Hunt)

 She loves the slide!

 Then it was kite flying time (perfect weather for it!)

 Josh and two of his three dogs......

 Going for a ride on Aggie

 After it got dark, we headed back indoors for her to find her basket from us and open the gifts.

This definitely was a wonderful day for us.  We spent the night at Andy, Carman and Laine's home.  Jeff and I, along with Laine, went to visit one of our FBC shut-in's, Miss Louise Ryan, at a nearby nursing home on Monday morning.  Then dropped Laine off at home and headed back to Galena. 

It will be an Easter to remember!!