Carroll with Gail

I got up and headed to Carroll about the same time Denny went to work for Larsons.  I got the Prius back hinge fixed at .  Gail met me there and we went to thrift stores to look around and just hang out.  FUN!!!  She headed home about 11:30 and I headed to Walmart, then home and to study at Ginny's.  I came home and trudged 4 miles.  Uffta!!!  Denny called and I went to Wanda's to get him.  I headed to bed early.

Grands at Halloween:

 Einstein and a reindeer

                                                               

OGT and Awana

Denny's alarm went off at 6:30,  I got a phone call from Sharon I. and went to IG to help load the OGT semi that is shipping 1350  boxes, 7 twin mattresses, many walkers and shower chairs to the country of Georgia in Europe.  After I got there more and more came and there were enough workers that some of us just did the regular Tuesday am sorting and packing.  So Good.  Such a nice bunch of servants.  They use a roller system to load boxes on the semi.  I came home and worked out in the yard digging the rest of the dahlias and taking them to the garage to dry the mud off of them with a fan.  I trudged about 3 miles that night before Denny came home. 

 I'm not sure if "her shufflin' my feet" is the same as my trudging.   Do-wah.

Lazy day

We were up and showered and at the hospital for a procedure at 8.  Home by 10:30.  Guess you could say I am checked out from eye to end.  And all is well.  Denny went out to work for Larsons.  I napped and read and finished the book Present over Perfect by Shauna Niequist.   Good read.  Another good day.

Missy French braided Rose's hair

Cousins with animal pacifiers.

Missy with 2 year old cousins. 

Cousins in matching outfits from Aunt Missy.  

Just home

Oh, my,  It looks beautiful outside, but the temp is 25 degrees.  It is bright and sunny and the leaves in the front yard are gently falling to the ground as I drink coffee and look at this book that I got from Amazon about a week ago.  Lovely book ... I am not sure how I got it, but I have enjoyed it.  The Amazon slip said it was ordered Oct 17th ... not me.  Our Amazon account doesn't list it as something we ordered.  Don't think I ordered it last summer before Clay CF and it was back ordered.  So I guess the mystery goes on.  But I am loving the simplicity, beauty, and ideas of loving/enjoying/celebrating life and flowers.   So relaxing and grounding for my soul.  At 5 I started procedures for procedure tomorrow.  Denny came home from driving tractor about 7.

The book inspired me to take some pictures of beauty where I find it.

NOW TO MY REAL LIFE STORY...

as I leave the recliner I venture into a room 

to find a task I began and now need to complete.

Sure, I took everything out of bathroom closet and still need to go thru it.

So much for simplicity/beauty in my real world.  

Sunday ... funday

Slow am ... in bed til after 8.    Denny went to church and SS. I took a shower and washed my hair.  News by abc (only) about President Trump’s isis attack. Killing isis leader.  Thank you, Jesus, no USA casualties.  I finished going thru my medical info and put it in a three ring binder.  Slow afternoon, Denny carried plants from the garage and put them into the sunroom in blue swimming pools.  I moved in the pots with transplanted eucalyptus.  Around 4:30 we went to Bomgaars and bought an insulated dog house.

Home

Up around 7:30.  I took off my bandage, it had become loosened during the night. Sister call about 8.   Denny left about 9 am to go drive tractor for Larson's.   We had a quick family phone call.  SO good to see everyone.  I got out my medical records and tried to organized/complie a list of my medical procedures.  Uffta !  Hard to see/read with glasses over the bandage and my eye swollen.

Cute Grands

My eye is getting better?????? Need pretty eye shadow.

Friday Beautiful day

I spent most of the day just lounging around, lying down and listing to Netflix, putting away dishes in the dishwasher and doing nothing.  So I guess the cartoon could apply very well to me.  Denny drove mower for Larson's.  About 5 Lynn came over to visit.  She is in the area until tomorrow am.  Denny got off work about 8 and the 3 of us continued to visit.  Left over steaks and rice for supper.

Midland clinic

Early rise for devotions and a shower.   We left for Dakota Dunes about 9.  My appointment was with Dr. Chabra at 11.   After numbing the area he did a Mohs procedure.  Crystal O. was assisting.  After the Dr. finished the procedure we went out into a waiting area while they froze the tissue and checked the margins.  After about 45 minutes a nurse returned and said the margins were all clear and so we went back into a room to wait for the doctor to come and stitch my eye up.  In the room was the freezer where they slice and evaluate the tissue.  After about 40 minutes the Doctor came back in.  He grew up in India and I told him about my daughter and family in N. and how I visited there in March.  Then I told him how our airbnb had guests that grew up in India, lived in UK and mow were in Minneapolis.  I told him how they had come to our farm on 3 separate visits.  He comes to IG once a month and was surprised that we would have any airbnb guests.  After the sutures were done he left and the assisting nurse said she had never heard the doctor talk so much.  In fact, she said some patients had asked her if the doctor even spoke.  Funny!  She said he was interested in the topics you visited about.   To celebrate we went to Mr. Stir Fry for a late 2:30 lunch.  Such good food.  Then Denny stopped at Target in SC for supplies.  We stopped at Gordon's in IG to get a bulb for the front left car light.  Then to Lewis to get medicine for my stitches.  At home we chilled.  

The doctor measured and said the gap was 1 by 2.  

I asked the Doctor,"That's in metric, not inches, right?"

He said,"Yes, metric."  Whew....

He said he would pull the skin over and stitch shut. 

Fun day!!!

I got up this am and headed to Cherokee.  Phillip sent out a nice picture of Evan.  He is getting so grown up.  Also I got pictures of the N. people painting at Evoke.  Such a nice time.  Around 9 Mandy and I went to SC.  We stopped at Salvation Army and didn't get anything.   Now that's unusual.  Then to Dollar Tree, Chick fil, and Target.  Fun time watching the little guys.  I headed home about 3.  Denny was out cutting trees out of the terraces at Julias.  Awana banana split night.  We served about 130 splits.  Good night at church.

Wow glad I am retired

I showered and headed too OGT.  Then to widow's luncheon, then back to IG for a Dr. appointment with JoeyH. NP.  I got groceries for banana split night and took them to church.  Denny worked for Larsons.  In the afternoon when I got home, I did nothing.  Well, I take that back, I lay in bed and looked at my phone pictures from Texas.  Uffta!!  Wonderful...                                                                         

Monday at home

Great Day!!!  Nice slow am.  We took the Prius in to Gordon’s.  Then home for the rainy gray day ... sorting toys ... sorting the China closet ... cleaning the garage ..,, washing clothes etc etc etc.  

At 7 I went to see The Lion King at the King Theater.

This was an article on Facebook:

Take your kids to church.
Make the effort. Wake them up early. Fool with the belts and the buckles and the fancy hair bows. Endure the sleepy, grumpy faces and the misplaced shoes. Run around like a mad woman gathering everybody’s everything and trying to get out the door on time. Hop to the car with a shoe in each hand. Give those babies a pop-tart and some milk and let ‘em eat it in the car. If its raining, get wet. If its cold, get a jacket. If you’re tired, go tired. But take those babies to church. You know why?

Because Jesus is there.

He’s there. And He’ll meet them there. And you too, Mama.
He’ll be there in the sweet smile of their Sunday School teacher as she greets them into their room. He’ll be there in the goldfish and the apple juice and the filling of their little bellies and hearts. He’ll be there in the hug from a sweet friend and the encouraging smile that assures you that they “just barely made it” too. He’ll be there in the sacred words read from the Bible speaking truth to their little impressionable hearts. He’ll be there in the worship and the raised hands and the watery eyes and whispers of praise.

So take them. Carry all of their Bibles and drawings and toilet paper tube creations. Sit by them in worship. Open your Bible and open theirs. Show them how to find the scripture the pastor is preaching from. Show them how to worship. Explain to them why He’s worthy of worship. Let them see you laugh and cry and praise and study. Forgive their wiggles and paper rustles and know that they’re listening even when it seems like they aren’t. Ask them questions and answer the ones they ask you. Introduce them to Jesus. Tell them of His greatness - his power - his faithfulness. Tell them with your words and show them with your life. Tell them what he’s done for you and how you’ve been changed by His grace and forgiveness and goodness and love. Tell them how they can be too. Point them to Jesus. Over and over and over again.

Take your kids to church. They’ll love it there. It’s the only place where they can go and just be themselves. They don’t have to “be” good enough or smart enough or athletic enough. They don’t have to perform for approval or achievement. They just get to go and hear how much God loves them. Just because they’re them. Just because He created them, they’re valued. Wanted. Their worth isn’t based on the grades they make or their ability to throw a curveball. Its not dependent on their performance or skill level. And they need a little more of that, don’t you think? A little more grace and a little less pressure. A little more love and a few less demands.

Take them to church. Before you take them to the ballfield  or the gym. Before you take them on vacation or to grandma’s or to the backyard to play. Take them to church. Let them know its a priority. Show them it has eternal value. Let them see you set aside schedules and extra curricular activities and work and busy-ness to be present with the Lord in His house. I promise you won’t regret it. I promise you it won’t return back void.
Take them to church.

--Author:   Megan Breeland Woodham One Step Ministries.

St. Joe church and home

Pretty quiet around Matt's home until time to leave for 9:15 church.   We ate at Pizza Ranch buffet for lunch and then we left for home.   After Denny bragging about never ... not ever getting ... a speeding tickets ... outside of Maryville ...  #copstopwarning60in45  Not a "written ticket" ... so Denny said it doesn't count.  So funny ...  At home we put away stuff, did laundry, and watched Netflicks.  I ordered  a movie ticket for Lion King at the King.   Punkins and Cooks pictures.

TJ football game

Lovely slow morning with coffee.  Sara and Kirk’s family has been in KC for car race.   They stopped by for a visit and lunch.  Cousins played so well.  We left for the game around 4:30.  It was a beautiful evening for watching football.   TJ really did well hustling and hitting block the tacklers.

Ben B. placed 7th in Holstein XC meet today. 

Saying “Hopefully see you in June”

Up and pack  left at 8:15 for Walmart.
When we met Karen at McD I rode with her to the airport after she fed Lincoln.  Denny and Missy went down to check in Missy’s luggage.  Luke has arrived from Washington DC and met Denny and Missy.   We ate lunch at the airport before Missy went to check in for her flight and Minnesota Johnson’s headed home.  We headed south to Savannah (at Percival, a town with no gas stations) the fuel tank registered NO more miles left on the tank.  Uffta!  We did make it 5 more miles down the road to a Cenex station.  Thank you, Jesus.  We got to Matt’s about 4 and hung out with the boys until
Matt got home.

Time in Cherokee

We moved kinda slow this am, I was at Doses later than I had planned.  I got to Mandy’s about 10:30.  Karen, Carol, and kids arrived right after me.   Nice few hours together.  Play dough was a hit with the 2 year olds.  I took Missy to meet Renae at the rec center to walk the trail. When we got home we weighed and packed Missy’s 2- 50 pound suitcases.  Later Denny grilled steaks and we had a wonderful candlelight dinner.   The good news was that the Grimes pastor will take an extra bag for Missy in November, so she got a 3rd suitcase ready for Matt to take to N.

Megan came to visit

Megan got here last night about 8:30pm.  SOO good to have her here.  Our first wake up was when Mark knocked on the front door and came in (with a loud voice for sleeping girls).  This am we really took it easy and slow with coffee and visiting and looking at pictures.  Such a treat to hear the girls talking and laughing and enjoying being together.  Denny left about 10:30 to drive tractor for Larsons. He called and said I could have his haircut appointment.   YEA!!  Megan and Missy headed to see Rose and Lincoln before going to meet Tyler and Jack.  Missy is spending the night with Cooks and Megan headed north about 5 pm.   When I drove into IG a dummy light was on the car dash and so I left the Prius at the tire shop and walked to Trendue.  After the haircut I walked and had air put in the tires.   ALL 4 were at 25#, so the guy put in 40#.  I went to Goldsmith's and held a sleeping Lincoln while I visited with the 3 generations.  I went for a prescription and it was a 20 minute wait and so I worked at OGT until 4.  Awana tonight.
                                           

                         

Come and go visit

Woke up to a quiet house.  Luke and Karen left around 7 to take him to the airport.  He is flying to Washington DC for work to meet with Navy people.  Denny left around 8:30 am to work for Larsons until 8:30 pm.  Around 9 I went to town to get some groceries and drop off OGT donations.  Mandy drove down from Cherokee and spent the day at the farm until after 6pm.  Missy and Mandy went out for a country road walk,   I watched the 3 littles.  Karen came back from the airport.  Mandy and Missy went into IG for Missy's haircut.  Karen and I fed Rose and Jack and put them down for naps.  I got stuff ready for come and go visit with Missy.   At 3 Joann and Mary G. were the first to come.  Nice bunch.  Fun to see everyone and hear them visiting.   Kristin was here when Megan came from Minneapolis.

At the farm ... and purple park

Wow!  Lincoln slept 11 hours.  Denny slept 11 hours.  Wonderful am ... just being together.  Around 11, 5 of us went to the IG library and purple park.  So relaxing and nice.  At home, Denny vacuumed.  After we ate we read books and took naps.  Around 6:30 Pete and Carol came out for pork loin steaks on the grill.  Such a nice time visiting and watching the littles.  So thankful that Karen married Luke. We got another great set of in-laws for our kids.

Matt/Becky + arrive (and leave) Cooks leave

Woke up in coop about 6.  Quiet time in the sunroom... and through out the house.  I read until I heard 3-4 people stirring, then I fixed biscuits and gravy.  (TWO recipes of biscuits that the kids did a taste test and preferred the biscuits made with 7up.)  Luke went out for a run and Mo. Johnsons got to the farm about the same time he got done running.  (They had left their home about 5 am.)  We had the garage set up with 2 long white tables covered with N. curtains.  And we moved the patio furniture into the garage.  It was so fun just watching and holding and playing with the kids and littles.  AND TALKING  The brisket that Denny smoked yesterday was kept warm in the oven, plus party potatoes, bag salad, and scotcheroos.  They had a football game on the soccer field and pictures in the coop.  Matt's left about 7.  Thank you, Jesus, for the precious time together.  We had walking tacos for supper and Cooks headed home to sleep in their own beds.  AMAZING time.  It is hard to decide which pictures to put on the blog.  So many recorded memories.

Grands in cute jamies.

Chilling on patio furniture in the garage

Holding the babies

More holding babies

More holding babies

More holding babies

Eating Dad's brisket

SO GOOD Brisket for lunch

Full table   Eating in the garage  SO BLESSED

Smiling baby

Our family

So blessed   Our family

Football on the soccer field

Dad showing and explaining the repair of rust on the pickup, Four kids so interested.  

Mandy/Jason + arrive

Wonderful am.  Coffee.  Sunroom.  Scrambled eggs, bacon in the oven.  The 2 year olds were so happy to see each other.  I moved patio chairs into the garage, rolled out the carpeting set up 2 tables.  We ate brats out in the garage for lunch.  Almost everyone took naps, so the non-sleepers visited out in the patio/garage.  Carol and Pete came for supper.  SO fun to have the babies playing and being held.  Good to visit as the dishwasher ran ... and ran ... and ran.  LOVE visiting with my kids and being with my Grands.                              
                   

Cute 2 year old cousins.  

   

Pete and Carol joined us for chili supper. 

Nice flannel Jammies. 

Cute matching jammies.