While I was packing for my mission trip this week and learning a few new words in espanol, I was also packing for a few days to help out with quatro grandchildren in Montgomery!
We took the 3 youngest to their gymnastics lessons and we enjoyed being the excited grandparents in the bleacher section while all the young mothers were texting and writing grocery lists etc...
We have taken them years before this so it was fun to see how they have progressed on the balance beams and other apparatus. Meanwhile teenager Chad is glad to be old enough to stay home and enjoyed his quiet time playing his games.
Second day on the job had Pops a little pooped! (I am gonna get killed for posting this picture but by the time he sees it I will be way far away...he he!)
Alex was quite amused to be in on my fun :) How he manages to sleep through our girlish giggles and barbie doll playing in the same room I do not know.
I told the kids if they let me take their picture in front of an azalea bush, we would take them to Krispy Kreme. There was no debate and all smiles on that offer.
Man, it is fun to be a grandparent! Who else can get away with no guilt walking into Krispy Kreme at 3:30 in the afternoon for a snack :)
We hit the place right when the "hot donuts" sign started blinking. I was just as excited as they were. The kids kept hollering for the "messed up ones" as we watched them cooking through the window. There was many squeals and ahhs as some donuts made it to the perfectly round track and the others dripped and drooped off the racks. All 3 kids asked the clerk for "the messed up ones please" and she replied that no one had ever requested that before. It made us all smile. I hope these children will remember that we are all just like those donuts. Some of us get off track at times but we can still be muchly loved and wanted even when we droop and get out of shape.
Harrison wanted a messed up chocolate one :)
Sydney was happy with her crazy donut.
Alex was mainly just happy to be at the park having a donut picnic!
That's all from me, folks, for this week. These girls and Harrison listened to my spanish songs for VBS and we had a big time learning them together the past few days. They think the ant theme sounds like a really fun time for the Nicaraguan kids and they promised to pray for our mission trip. It is gonna be neat to share with them later this month about it all. Who knows, maybe some day they just might go on a mission trip with me!

Everyone needs a Madge

She's the ups when I am the downs :)
she knows when to get on the cutting edge with me and have some fun
and she knows when to keep her mouth shut!
and she will go to the ends of the earth for you or even to the Equator and back :)

and she can show you the ropes on how to travel-she has been just about everywhere around the world!

Everyone needs a Madge in their life! I'm telling you she has been a wonderful friend and a double wonderful Mission trip partner/VBS leader/friend to me these past 4 years.

We have several things in common that bond us together besides a true friendship and the fact that we really don't like to paint but we do like to mud a wall now that we know how to!
We both have/had red hair (ha), same maiden name, grew up with wonderful maids named Inez, grew up in the Methodist Church, went to Auburn, retired in Auburn, love to sew, smock, embroider, love birds, love to take photos, love to play mexican dominoes, and now we both have red headed grandsons who carry our genes!

When we both signed up to go on our first Mission trip 4 years ago, it was a given that we wanted to room together. We giggled and laughed at each other through out the trip and were truly geeks over our theme of puppetts playing into everything that week in Ecaudor. Then it happened again in Costa Rica and we high fived each other every time we saw a heart that year. And we certainly were on cloud 9 when we got to raft down the river together in Costa Rica and see the howler monkeys in the trees together.

Now this year it is ANTS! We are so silly over how the ants have been such a good theme for our VBS plans in Nicaragua and can hardly wait to see just how God will use this whole Proverbs 6:6 theme. Right after we declared the ant verse was IT, Madge went shopping and surprised me one afternoon with this special little gift. It will always make me smile as it captures the last 4 years of our geeky theme loving natures and friendship!
Oh, how I wish you all had a Madge!

preparations

Preparing for a mission trip is like no other trip you can take. You travel with people you would not ordinarily travel a week or so with. You pack your clothes knowing they will become very dirty or may not even return home with you. You focus on the gifts in your heart that you will give instead of the gifts you might get while you are in a new place. You prepare to sacrifice your sleep and eatting routines and in our case our showering and daily water useage rituals (we can not drink their water or open our mouths while showering or brush teeth under water from a sink faucet - must use bottled water at all times). You know you will drag heavy trunks containing all our supplies needed for VBS and construction and medical needs.
Here I am today, a child born with a silver spoon in my mouth who spent the majority of my vacations in the nicest of hotels seeing the best of the United States. If anyone would have told me this is what I would be doing in my retired life and how I would be spending my traveling time and money, I would have disagreed and laughed with them at such an image.





Here I am today, a daughter of our Redeemer King, called to go and serve a poor part of this world, convinced that I have nothing to give of myself but everything to give through Christ who strengthens me, and anticipating every moment of the uncomfortable places we will travel with joy knowing I will share in the fellowship of my sisters and brothers in Christ. I am packing with abundant adrenaline because of the pure thoughts I have of playing and loving on the Nicaraguan children.
Lolli's loves are just days away from multiplying.

The beauty in each day

Even if there is a ton of pollen out, there is also a ton of beauty all around us right now.
the wisteria

the dogwoods


the forsythia

This circle garden was originally here when we moved and slowly but surely, we have been adding our own touches to it. My Daddy helped us with the day lilies, knock out roses and an azalea bush so I call it "daddy's garden". He and Jack have done all the work while of course I did all the bossing. I have been anxious to get rid of those bricks from the very beginning and...
today my bossing paid off!
When everything starts blooming again, it will be a pretty sight, especially from our porch and breakfast room window.


Hope you are enjoying this spring array of beauty as much as Tess and I are :)

Easter joy

our church
our tree
our flowers
our table
my bird's nests treats
my carrot cake (found these lindt chocolate carrots at the drugstore!)


my two hams for the day!!!
side note about this one ham was I realized I had no garnish at the last minute to complete the display then I remembered I had some leftover tinted coconut from the girl's cupcakes that I kept in the refridgerator. I also had some paper mache eggs that I have saved from my friend Kitty who lives in San Antonio. She gave them to me when we visited years ago as a momento of the type celebrations they have in south Texas. They are like mini pinatas and have confetti inside. I have saved them for a future celebration but for now they are deemed to decorate my ham platter :)

4 of the sweet friends who celebrated Easter lunch with us (the guys were on the porch solving the problems of all golfers)

Peggy T. brought me these beautiful flowers from her yard. They complimented one table where I already had purple placemats out.


and these 2 special guys popped in to complete our Easter celebrations for the end of the day.
Brendan is about to lose his first tooth! Pops really wanted to pull it but he was just not ready for that to happen :)
Beckett was beside himself on our hand me down slide/play structure from Mrs SuMe (it has been put to full use in one week already)
Scott was especially happy to share his brand new IPad with us (hot off the press as of Saturday). We enjoyed seeing all it's capabilities and maybe one day one can reside in my hands.
I am filled with joy to have had such a nice Easter celebration with all these people and most of all to know deep down that He is risen indeed. Pure Easter joy!

p.s. you might have read in my last post that Petunia rabbit was last seen on Easter day 2009. Well, Petunia showed up the day before Easter just outside our porch! She let me get this close to take her picture :)

Hippety Hoppety Easter's On It's Way

(Petunia Rabbit last seen on Easter Sunday 2009 in our backyard)

(Beaulah Bluebird last seen going from my backyard to Mrs SuMe's backyard this week-photo courtesy of Mrs SuMe !)


(Louie Lamb last seen in July 09 at the horse farm with the Downes grandkids)

(notable neighborhood best boyfriends last seen this week playing in Lolli and Pops yard on the hand me down slide from Mrs SuMe)

(Adorable Annie last seen eatting a chocolate bunny at the family party)

(Luscious Lily Kate last seen looking for some more chocolate in the Easter eggs she found alongside her adorable sister)