Home time

Once I left the dogs out of the truck Kailey, our granddaughter, realized that I was awake and came over to the truck to say hi. I just love these kids. I quickly gathered up everything I needed to take into the house and tried unsuccessfully to carry it all at once. So I carried in the food items and computers first and then made a second trip for the dirty bed linens and dirty clothes and garbage.

Starla our daughter was at the stove making fudge when I came in. She was selling it to make money to aid the family of the boy who was badly burned. She had orders for over  60 pounds of fudge. So I sat in the kitchen chatting with her and the girls while she proceeded to make several batches of fudge.

A little after noon Pops, Bill and Hunter returned with no turkey and no turkey tales. They hadn't had any luck although Hunter shared a story of Pops falling asleep in the woods and also of Pops falling onto a log. Bill told us how Hunter, too, had fallen asleep for a little while in the woods. There wasn't anyone else who could tell us if Bill fell asleep. I'm guessing he probably did.

Everyone got a little bit of something to eat and then the guys settled down for a quick nap before heading back out to the woods. Us girls, we were going to the store for some groceries. I wanted to make a pot of spaghetti for dinner at the church tomorrow and we wanted steak subs and french fries for supper. Allison just wanted ice cream.

We had a nice time going to the store. The girls filled me in on what's been going on with school, their friends, their boyfriends and anything else they could think of. We picked up everything we needed and headed back to the house.

We had a fairly quiet evening in, but it was good. I was so tired and so was Pops.

The next morning Pops and I got up earlier than the rest so that we could be at the church building by 8am. I wanted to be there for the First Place Meeting and Pops would be there for the leadership meeting.

Our First Place lesson was led by Ginny Logsdon. We had a very nice discussion and wonderful bonding time with the ladies. These women lift me up so much. I love their dedication and strength. They are so faithful and they really love the Lord.

After that we had Sunday school. We had a discussion on baptism. Using the original greek words that the our Bible had been translated from we learned that baptism means to immerse completely. Also Ephesians chapter four tells us that there is only one baptism, so why do some follow the practice of sprinkling or pouring. Do they not understand what immerse means? Or maybe they don't understand what "one baptism" means.

We then went into our morning worship service. Dan brought us a message from Revelation chapter 2: 8-11. It was about perseverance and testing. He was on fire. He is such a truth speaking, down to earth, straight from the word of God, preacher. I love watching him and listening to him. He is so sincere in his love of the Lord.

I was really inspired by the message.

I love Wills Mountain. We have been to so many churches and have seen things done nearly the same way as here, or we have seen things done differently, but I don't know what it is about here, but it is the best. I really miss Wills Mountain when we are away. But I am encouraged by what I see when we are home.

More people are getting involved in the service and I love that. Shouldn't we all be so happy to be in the service of the King?

Our dinner was really good too. We had at least 6 varieties of soup and sandwiches and desserts and meatballs too. Everything was tasty, too bad I got full so quickly. I really enjoy the fellowship dinners that we have every Sunday after services. It really is a good time to sit with other members and chat and catch up with each other. There is always plenty of good food and then you don't have to worry about what you're going to eat when you get home. This has been a marvelous idea and about 75% of our people stay to eat.

Pops and I hung around for a long time just talking to friends. I do believe we were some of the last to leave the building. Of course it is always like that when we go to church at Wills Mountain.

When we did get home I helped Starla finish up her fudge orders that had to be delivered that evening and then a long time friend stopped by to visit. Then our son, Drew showed up for a visit too.

We had such a nice day. Drew stayed until long into the evening and went with us when Pops drove our truck over to the garage so that it would be there for the mechanic in the morning.

As his mother it was my duty to question him about if he is seeing any girls. He told me that he "hangs out with one." When I asked what her name was he told me he didn't know. Translated that means, "change the subject, Mom, I'm not telling you anything else."

Okay so then we talked about his job at the state prison and some of what he goes through as a guard there. I honestly don't know how they can put up with a job like that.

I loved our visit with Drew. I love my kids so much.

The next morning Pops and Hunter were going hunting again. Hunter play hooky from school so that he could hunt with Pops. His mother okayed that only because Hunter promised us that he would study harder and read more during the remainder of the school year.

So after Bill left for work Starla and I just watched some TV and I did some laundry. Around noon we got ready to go visit with my dad. My sister couldn't go and I hadn't heard back from my brother so it was just Starla and I.

We drove the many miles it takes to go see him but first we stopped by his house to get some of his summer clothes to take to the personal care home.

It was so good to see him. He was laying down, resting when we got there but got right up and we went to the kitchen table for our visit. It was a little too chilly and damp to go out to the porch.

We had a nice visit. We reviewed all of the postcards that I had sent to him and we talked about all the places that I had been since I had seen him last.We stayed about an hour and a half and then we left to come back home.

We did make a few errand stops for Starla on the way home.

I had put a beef roast in the crockpot that morning so when we got home things were smelling pretty good. I peeled some potatoes and cooked some noodles. I also made a bowl of cole slaw.

Hunter could hardly wait for supper. Pops said he talked about roast beef and potatoes all afternoon in the woods.

They did get to see and hear some turkeys this time in the woods so they were happy about that and also they saw a white deer. I wish they could've gotten some pictures of that. They are so pretty.

Supper was good and everyone had a full belly. It was time for Hunter to go home. We all told him goodbye and I reminded him of his promise to read and study. I hope he keeps it.

Then the rest of us settled in for a little TV.

Tuesday morning was a slow start to the morning. Pops was hunting and Bill went to work. Starla and I hung out mostly in the kitchen. I wanted to make some homemade coconut cream pies for supper tonight. We were having fried chicken, mashed potatoes, noodles, and peas and carrots. Our son, Tom, was coming up for supper tonight.

Tom came up around 3:00. He came out to the kitchen and chatted with me while I cooked. We talked about all the normal stuff, like his job (he is a prison guard also) and what he has been up to and girls, was he seeing any? No, he isn't right now. Of course as his mother it is my duty to offer up some suggestions concerning these matters and also recommend a girl or two that I think might make a suitable partner for him. I usually get some resistance when we get to this subject but he seemed a little more receptive this time. Hmmmm.

My boys are so handsome and they are good, respectful, hard working men. They have standards and qualities that are hard to match these days. I want so much for them both to be happy, but I don't want them to "settle" for someone just so they don't have to be alone either. It seems very hard to be in the dating world now. I will pray that when they are ready that God will bring them the right person. And I will begin to pray for that person now. That God will also work in their lives to instill good qualities and values in them too.

I loved our visit with Tom. I love my kids so much.

The next morning Pops decided to stay in from hunting. We have gotten so much hard rain in the past two weeks here that streams are flooding and everything is so wet. I actually had to get up during the night and go out to move my car. I was afraid with the little creek getting so high.

Pops and I woke up very early, 4:30am. We sat and drank a pot of coffee while we talked about what we were going to do. After about 3 hours we both got sleepy so we went back to bed.

I woke back up around 11am and Pops was already out of bed.

Starla, Pops and I sat and watched TV for a little while and then Starla and I went to run some errands and stop at the store. I wanted to get the groceries that Pops and I would need to take back on the truck with us.

When we got home from there I found out that we wouldn't be leaving until at least tomorrow sometime. Oh boy, as much as I love being at home, I hadn't intended to be home in the first place and I sure hadn't intended to be home this long!

We made an early supper of Lasagna. Starla also tried out a new fudge recipe: Birthday Cake Fudge.

Pops and I went to Wednesday evening Bible study and stayed late afterwards to visit and talk before returning home.

When we did get home we sampled the new fudge. Umm Umm. It was good.

I hope we get to leave out tomorrow around lunch time. But who knows? Maybe we'll still be here this weekend. I trust that God knows what we are doing and I trust that He is in control of all that.
And I am really enjoying my visit with Starla and Bill. I love my kids.