Last Saturday we took a trip an hour away to buy a piano that we found on Craigs list. Jessica and I are especially happy to have a piano now. It was kept out in a garage for 2 years so it needed a good cleaning - there were several spiders and egg sacs behind the piano boards and some signs of a mouse house. But we cleaned it up and shined it and it's as beautiful as ever. It will need a tuning eventually but does quite well considering it's been in a garage for so long. On the way back from Canton, there was a road side stand selling homemade peach ice cream... all I can say is YUUUUUUM - MMMMY!!! We used to have a home made ice cream maker in AK but it's disappeared in our moves and I'd sure like to have it back. Home made ice cream is addicting. This Saturday there is a home made ice cream contest in down town Sulphur Springs at the Saturday market. If you don't participate in the contest you pay $3 for ALL YOU CAN EAT!!! SIGN ME UP! I'll have to fast all day Friday though, he he.
On Sunday we were going to Grace Fellowship church where we were invited by Shelley, a lady I had met - fellow teacher and planning to home school next year. Following my directions, we pulled into the parking lot of the church and were greeted by a kind old lady who promptly whisked our children off to children's church, which had 2 other kids in it. I told them that soon Shelley's children would join them and the dear old lady said she didn't think there was anyone with that name at this church. I then joined Russ in the sanctuary and looked around, noticing there were about 30 other couples... all over the age of 60! I realized we were in the wrong church. By then the music starting with 8 sweet old ladies singing their hearts out and the pastor playing his old electric guitar and murmurring, "I love you Jesus!" every once in a while. He was an awesome guitar player. There were no words on the wall or song books to follow the first 4 songs... everyone just knew them and sang them. I was determined to get the kids and make a run to the other church but at Russ's urging we stayed. I must admit I pouted for a couple minutes but then decided to just give up and see what I could learn. Wouldn't you know he preached on our attitudes!!! The sermon was very good though... and the preacher kept saying, "God bless ya reeeeal good!" Everyone was SO HAPPY to see us and meet a young family. :) They were very sweet people. The children enjoyed their children's church class but said they didn't want to go back there anymore. I second that... I need at least a couple other young families to be the pioneers. So I called Shelley and will see her next weekend... this time I have the correct directions. :)
Sunday afternoon we rode our bikes a mile down the road to Jason and Rebecca Tubb's house. They are the family with the pool outside and are planning to home school next year. Our children swam while Russ met Jason for the first time and I talked school stuff with Rebecca. They are wonderful people... and seem very down to earth with similar values. They leave this weekend for a week to go camping and made us promise to uses the pool often. I'm already planning picnic lunch and suppers to eat under their gazebo for the next week. :) We want to be good neighbors so ofcourse we'll do our best to use the pool!!!
I'm feeling rather popular this week... there's a CHICKFEST at a church with 3 different lady speakers Thursday evening, Friday evening, and Saturday morning. I had registered for it and now hope to attend one of the nights...maybe 2. I was also invited by a really neat lady named Jill to go to Dallas to see where to shop for spices and several different types of foods that Sulphur Springs doesn't have. They have mexican and american food here basically. When I asked for Tahini or bulgar I got blank stares in the grocery store. So I'll get a couple things... but not much on this trip. I'm more excited to get to know Jill and just see this place. She has her own blog if you want to check it out (www.simpledailyrecipes.com) ... so far I like it and plan to try a couple recipes. Lori and Jennifer... I know you'll like it... her links have lots of great ethnic foods!
Our neighbor Jody and her daughter JoAnna have invited me to go for a horse back ride tomorrow afternoon. I've only rode 4 times but am looking forward to it. We'll go after lunch and be back by 4 PM. I hope I don't melt...it's been in the 90's this week. I'll need to get a cowgirl had or a sombrero to help with the afternoon heat. Tomorrow is Jessica's birthday and she can hardly wait! She'll be 10 years old! I'm amazing thinking back to all God has brought us through in the past 10 years. He is so good to us!
So I've gone from being excited about going to S.S. to the library to actual invitations from people. That's exciting to me. It helps me feel connected to this are a bit more. And it's so nice to know that Russ will be home with the children when I go somewhere, instead of arranging child care. We've also had an invitation to swim at Shelley's Sat. afternoon. Also, Betty Sue's daughter and her family will be in this area this weekend. We really want to meet them so we'll have to decline something else. When it rains it pours... everything always seems to happen all at once.
Russ is all caught up on orders now. We are praying for more orders to keep him working. The money should start coming in for the work he's done next week. We've been told there are busy times and lulls when you catch your breath. We'd like to keep busy for several months to build up our bank account and know that in the lulls we can still make payments. If you feel led to pray for more P.O.'s we'd appreciate it.
I've been really enjoying biking. I only get out about twice a week and have to go before 7 AM. It's pretty warm by 9 AM. The wild flowers on the sides of the road seem to change a bit every other week. There are tall pink and yellow flowers probably 3 feet high blooming long the road now. And many wild rose bushes intertwined in fences. I've only seen 2 other snakes, very small ones, that were run over on the road. That suits me just fine! I enjoy all the back roads and so far haven't been chased by any scary dogs except one Rotweiller 2 weeks ago. I don't go down that road now unless Russ is with me. Since Mom went home we haven't had the chance to go together. It's nice to think that in another couple years Jessica can babysit.
The children will start VBS next week at the BIG baptist church in down town Sulphur Springs. They've also been invited to another VBS this Thur. - Saturday evening. And also one the week after this one at the Baptist Church. For now we'll just commit to one and see how it goes. I remember it as being very fun... but also very tiring. I have to remind myself to not get to busy and have to many commitments going on. There's still many little things I need to get done. The busier we are, the harder it is for Levi to remember the manners we're trying to teach him. He LOVES to be the center of attention and is really good at entertaining and being silly. I still have to concentrate on my facial expression (not to laugh) to discipline him. Today he took some ear cleaner for our dog (which the vet insisted we needed) and emptied it on Katlyn's flip flops, then refilled the bottle with water and was about to drink from it when I caught him. Then he found a piece of glass shaped like a gun, carefully washed it, and proudly showed us his new toy! I like that he can occupy himself and has an imagination but.... I'm constantly amazed at what he comes up with. He even remember the bible story we read last night and told us who Hagar was and how she had the 'bad son' and was Sarah's servant. Was Russ like this too? We have to keep a close eye on that little guy! I just smile thinking of his shinanigins.
The children are loving the pond. Especially if they have someone to swim with them. Russ has mentioned making a dock - which would be great! The pond immediately infront of the house is covered with green 'meal' I think it's called. Kind of like duck weed. Russ rigged up a motorized contraption to mount on a small boat and propel itself with a motor scooping up water from the ground and shooting it 10 feet into the air behind the boat to break up the meal. The whole thing is attached to a string running from one end of the pond to the other and turns the opposite direction at each end to go back and forth. It was pretty impressive! But it only lasted 1 day. Now he's bought something that will break up the green stuff for a fraction of the cost and won't cause a motor to be running all day long. I do have to say that his idea was quite genious!
Well, I guess thats all for now. I hope you all are doing well. We still look forward to hearing from you and the going ons in your lives. Our guest bedroom is available as well... hint, hint. :)
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