Another one bites the dust!!! Tree that is

Up to check and reservoir is still holding.  OGT 8-11  I stopped at Goldsmiths to say hi.  At home I seemed so tired.  Denny cut down a big dead old tree, but he dropped a power line when he dropped the tree.  He also relocated a HUGE pile of wood.  I rode with him to Bomgaars to get electrical insulators to repair the wire.  I got potatoes and hamburger at the store.  James R was visiting Phillip when we got home.  Remer kids were here while Renae and Missy walked 4 miles.  Denny had shooting targets with the boys.  Lynn called with a trapped groundhog.  Denny went over and took care of it.  Missy had a 5 pm haircut and Lynn came over around 7 to visit and pay Denny for taking care of the GH.

Luke to airport

Up, devos and the reservoir is still full.When I went into town I stopped to wash the  car.  Then to Goldsmiths to get Luke.  He drove and had conference phone calls for most of the trip.  We got to the airport, then I drove to Trader Joes to meet Jean.  It was fun!  At home Dennyhad cleared out 2 huge wood piles and then gone to Denison for more supplies.  I fixed Chinese for all and we ate when Denny got home.  Another great day.

Making bacon, Making bacon

Well, the dam held so far.  I went out to check it before others were up.  Denny made breakfast as sprinkles fell on the deck.  Gotta love Tiefentaller's bacon.  It was kinda rainy so we ate inside and there wasn't a slice left.  Susan came and got flowers for church.  Before Luke's left we took pictures by the flowers and Luke's reservoir.  After they left we took a nap.  Jensens kids went to friends house to spend the night.  Good day!!!
                                             

                                                 

                                       

Luke’s reservoir

Up for devotions  I left about 8 for Schleswig garage sales.  When I got home I was starved so ate lunch.  I had seen an item ar a garage sale and to I made a trip to Danbury.  Not really what I had thought it would be. garage sale. Last night Luke said his goal for Saturday was to build a dam in the creek behind the cabin. He did a lot of clearing, dirt digging for  hole for chain-sawed tree,   Luke got it working, but after supper it sprung a lead around the south side, so after when water channeled around log, Denny went and took bobcat to dump dirt/concrete in the leaking dam area. (He said that needed to be done in the first place.)    However it worked out,
                                         

                                         

Happy 16th Jensens Then Clearing to the creek!!!!

Congratulations Missy and Phillip on 16 years of marriage.  We are so thankful you chose each other!!

                                   

FIRST LISIANTHUS AND RANUCULUS
Brooks and I headed into Dose garage sale.  He got a wooden baseball bat and I got sofa lifts and a big basket.  All the family was up and around when we got home.  In the afternoon Luke and Denny continued to work on trying to get Brooks mower to go.  No luck.  Next job they tackled was Luke's vision of clearing the area by the cabin to the creek.  WOW!!!  First they put concrete squares along the cabin and leveled them.  Then Luke used the chainsaw and cut trees, bushes and etc to the creek. Jake L. was here playing with Evan.   Jensen's fixed a great supper meal of Thai curry.  We visited out in the patio until after midnight.  Such fun!!

Sweet Day

Mandy was awake and working on her computer in the sunroom when I got up.  The house was otherwise very quiet.  Phillip left around 6 for a cardiologist check up in Sioux City.  As the kids woke up Denny had some breakfast for them.  They played in the park and on the Jeep.   Oh, did they love the motorized Jeep that Jack got for his birthday!!!   Mandy left for Cherokee right before Tyler's am nap.  Jensens tackled the job of cleaning up the area around the cabin.  Lots of iron, wood, weeds and raking.   Denny said they did a MUCH better job than he ever anticipated.  AMAZING!!!

4 littles 3 biggers

I was up at 5:15, read devos, put paper towels and sandwich bags over 10 bouquets for Mandy's Clinic.  I made coffee on the patio 'cause Luke and Lincoln were in the sunroom.  sleeping??????
I left for Cherokee and got the 2 littles.  I drove Mandy's car and she took mine to work.  Lots of excitement when we got to the farm.  Cousin time together.  Such a happy time for me.  Love to see my kids and grands playing, laughing spending time together!!   Denny started the smoker about 7 am and the meat was done around 3 and kept warm.  (hopefully just staying warm and not overcooking in the smoker).  Phillip and Missy got home around 1.  Evan went to Larson's and Sophi and Logan are here for the afternoon.  Naps for the littles, Karen, and me.  When Logan B. got here and was playing with Brooks, he looked around and asked, "Do you have a daycare here?"  Pretty good observation with a multitude of brightly colored plastic toys out side, high chars in sight, signs in the house saying, "Lincoln is asleep, Shhhhh",   That was before the 4 littles got up from their naps, so the crying had not even begun.  :)  No, not really, there was not too much crying time.  I just thought that would be funny to say.   Mandy and Jason got here after 5:30 and we ate smoked pork butt, party potatoes, farm corn, tossed salad, guacamole and chips, pesto and crackers, and chocolate chip ice cream for dessert.  We got a chuckle out of Karen's story.  With Covid she describes what she is wanting, places a phone in order to the store and they deliver, so she doesn't know exactly what she'll get. We all laughed because the bottle they choose, fit our meal to a T.  The label said HOG WASH.  :)  Peter and Carol came out to visit after Pete got done golfing.  When it got dark, the kids played a robust game of Kick the Can out behind the carpet ball  table.  Lovely day ... only thing better would have been in all 4 kids and all 10 Grands were here.  I am SO thankful.

 

Tuesday Flew by

It was all quiet when I got up. At 7:30 I went to OGT with 12 bouquets of flowers.  One grand daughter (who  came to help) was carrying out her flowers and asked," Is there cilantro in it?".  I thought that was pretty cute that she recognized the smell.  Denny had me get 40 pounds of Foodpride pork at $1.39 a pound.  I got some other groceries, also. Brooks helped me slice cheese for wrap lunches.  Phillip had a Doctor appointment this morning and he stayed in town to get more blood work done.  Missy joined him for a while, but came back in time for kids to go to bed.  Thank you, Jesus they are in the States.  We fixed hotdogs on the bonfire for supper.  Plus smores for dessert.  Fun day!!  Evan was so happy that Luke is here to play board games with.

                                                            Hugs for the daughters:

Phillip's medical info:

As many of you know, we returned to the States three weeks ago.  After arriving we self-quarantined for two weeks.  During that time we also tested negative for COVID.  That is a definite answer to prayer.  We did not contract the virus during our travel. However, a routine physical exam this past Tuesday (June 23) showed that I (Phillip) had elevated heart stress markers and also signs of blood clots in my lungs. Following a night in the hospital, additional blood tests, a CT scan, leg ultrasounds, and a visit to the cardiologist it appears that my heart is fine.  However, I do have a number of blood clots in my lungs. As serious as that sounds (and is) let me first note our gratitude for the L^rd's presence in all this. Over the past year I can point to four unique events that we had labelled as "panic attacks."  In those events I had not been feeling anxious but had physical symptoms associated with panic/anxiety (difficulty breathing, heaviness in my chest, rapid heart rate, etc).  Following one event I visited the ER in Kathmandu in which my heart was ruled out as a cause of the symptoms. As the year went on I had more of these anxious feelings.  Things were slowly but cumulatively getting worse.  Again, psychologically I did not sense myself being anxious but I had physical symptoms generally identified with anxiety. Now, because of the COVID virus, we had essentially ruled out our planned home assignment in the US this summer.  We were beginning to make plans for next Spring/Summer when -- suddenly -- we heard of an unplanned, last-minute evacuation flight with a few remaining seats for Americans (the Kathmandu airport is closed and there are *zero* commercial flights coming or going). We decided to go for it. I had been planning on a physical exam during our time in the States.  But, over the past two weeks the physical symptoms of my (assumed) anxiety were only increasing.  I was having difficult sleeping.  I decided I had better get to the doctor. This all led to a doctor's visit which uncovered the likely underlying problem: a series of blood clots in my lungs. I do not like to think about what might have happened if we had stayed in Nepal for another year as my symptoms continued to worsen. During the past year the L^rd protected me from potentially far worse symptoms and effects of multiple blood clots.  He opened the door for an unexpected return to the US.  He brought me to some wise and competent health care providers who were able to read between the lines.  I am so grateful for all these things.  I am so grateful for Him. We have yet to determine the cause of the blood clots.  We are waiting for some test results.  I am taking blood thinning medication that should slowly and safely eliminate the clots.  I will also be wearing a heart monitor for the next month.  There are follow-up appointments next week.  We will go from there. I am writing because we want our friends, supporters, and partners to be aware of our situation.  And we invite you to join with us in thanks and pr@yer.  We are so grateful to the many of you who pr@y.

Home sweet home

Wonderful out this am.  Devo in hammock.   Watched Grands play together.   There are lots of lilies blooming.  Luke is using cabin to work.  Phillip is using coop to work.   In the afternoon Missy used the basement to work and came up with heavy sweat pants and big sweat shirt (... I guess it was a little chilly down there).   Brooks is wanting Denny to resurrect the old green mower.  Denny and I  mowed the lawn when he couldn't get Brooks running.  Fun day with Luke&fam and Missy&fam.  Zimmerman Johnsons got new carpet for their home and I talked them into using old carpet in garden area.

                                     
                                   
                                      

                                      

Happy Father's Day

                                

Thanks, Dads!

 You lifted us up!!!

Fun to wake up by the lake.  I went out to weed a little before I took my shower.  We ate it scotta before heading home about 12:30.  It took 1 1/2 hours to get out of Minneapolis and headed south on I35.   I am so thankful that we could see NoMinn family's home.  Mandy's and Missy's family met in Holstein for Casey's pizza in the am.

Lord, bless the fathers in our family.  May they keep looking to You always and all ways. 

More fixin'

I sat out looking at the lake when I woke up.  I listened to a podcast on Simon Estes, who grew up in Centerville, a Christian.  It was an amazing testimony.  I went up to house and got 2 thermal cups of coffee for when Denny got up.  Becky was still painting at the house,  I weeded in the garden area, L&D worked on the bottom step to the kitchen deck.  Lincoln did not take an am nap and fought the afternoon nap. Great lunch of Panera sandwiches and leftovers.  Most of family went down to work on the dock.   They got it repaired.  Right now Lincoln is getting much needed (that he fought against) nap.  Me, too.  I, also, got a nap.  It was Luke's idea to eat pizza around fire pit.  Great!!  Most projects are completed and still painting continues.    Another great day!!!