Munchkin Trips and God's Grace and Power

What a wonderful time the last week and a half has been.  Jerry and I have taken our annual "Gran & Papa"/Munchkins trip.  On July 18 and 19 we took Seth and Aaron, our two youngest, to Cincinnati and took in the Zoo and the Aquarium.  While the Aquarium is over-rated in my book, the Zoo is wonderful!!  Not only is the zoo part great but the "botanical gardens" part was a thrill for Jerry and I since we are both drawn to beautiful landscaping.   We enjoyed spending some time on the Levee in Newport.  If you haven't been there, I suggest you visit on a summer evening!  We also swam and played a little miniature golf.  The little ones seemed to enjoy it completely and so did us "old guys."

This week we have just returned from a trip to Cumberland Falls State Park with our oldest, Alex and Gracie.  I was a little worried about this trip for a couple of reasons.  One, I didn't know if a State Park would be thrilling enough in this age of water parks, museums and amusement parks.  Another concern was that maybe they were getting too old to enjoy being together.  I was wrong on both counts.  They seemed to still enjoy each other's company and I believe our experiences at the park was a lot of fun for them, as well as us.  We started the day off with a 45 minute horseback ride and you should have seen them.  They acted like little "cowpokes" (as opposed to Gran, whose butt was killing me toward the end of the ride and whose nerves were frayed worrying that they would fall off their horse, or that I would fall off mine!)  They wanted to go again when we got back to the stable.  We went swimming in the olympic size pool for the rest of the afternoon and went down to view the Falls after supper.  It is a real beauty to behold.  The power is unreal.  The kids were spell-bound.   After breakfast the next morning we hiked down to the falls and we all enjoyed the trek down.  The trek back up was quite a challenge, but the kids reminded me that it was good exercise.  I guess they have learned a little from me after all!

I feel so blessed to have been able to share these times with these precious ones.  I hope I never take them for granted.  Now that school is going to be starting back, I am so glad that I was able to spend some quality time with all of them this summer! I am so thankful for God's gracious gift of grandchildren!

Looking at the Falls had the same effect on me that the ocean does.  I found myself marveling at the powerful work of the Lord in His creation and again I was reminded that the earth and everything in it belongs to Him!

Psalm 24


1The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.  2For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.  3Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?  4He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.  5He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

We've Been to London to See the Queen!

WOW! What a grand day it has been. I have been to see the queen and back. It has been a piece of Heaven!

I guess you are wondering what I am talking about. I’ll tell you.

Today was a Gran and Gracie day. We had the entire day to ourselves to just enjoy the “girl” things. It began in the kitchen making and eating waffles together and ended with a “chic flick.”

In between we gathered all our dolls (hers and mine) and had tea with the queen and the princess. We used the real deal tea china too. We had scones too, but we decided we would rather have “boobie” cookies. (That’s what we call the chocolate devils food cake cookies because they have little mounds on them that the kids say look like boobies!”)

After having tea, we got all dressed up and went to the ball. The queen (my doll from childhood with my voice) danced with the king (cabbage patch doll made by my mother in the 70’s) and the princess (Gracie’s china doll given to her by an elderly neighbor, with Gracie's voice) danced with Prince Joseph (aka Joey Votto, who happened to be a cabbage patch Red’s baseball doll, also from the 70’s.)

After a couple of hours we came back to reality and decided to put the “royal family” away and go to Fazoli’s for lunch. This was Gracie’s choice and I thought it was a good one!! After lunch we shopped around a little and had fun looking at all the girl fashions.

My little princess slept on the way home and a little while after we got back. When she woke up we made popcorn and milkshakes and watched the movie Flicka 2 about a girl and her beloved horse. We loved it!

She has just left with her dad (Sir Nick) to play a softball tournament and I will be going over to watch her. I just love the way she transforms from “girlie girl” to athlete. I think she is the perfect combination and I wouldn’t want her any other way.

Yes, today has been one of those
“blessings” that God has allowed me
to have. I am praising His Holy Name
for this day and my “little princess!”



Above, the Queen and the Princess have Tea.

 
 
 
 
 

 

This is the Royal Family:  Left to right is
Queen, King holding nurse Cindy,
Princess Ann and Prince Joseph.

Here we are getting ready to leave for our shopping and eating trip!

Jerry and I are really excited about the
next couple of weeks when we get
to spend quality time with our
"munchkins" on our annual
Gran and Papa trips!

Hope you have fun with your
loved ones too!

Good Test Results!

I am happy to report that Jerry's colonoscopy went well and he got a good report! Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!
Actually he did fine.  It was me that had the problems.  As I told you in my last post, I was really feeling a sense of dread and fear about his tests and I think my mind finally got to my body.  The night before his test, I didn't sleep well at all and then had to be up at 5:30 to get ready to go for his test.  When his test was over he wanted to go for breakfast.  I thought that was too ambitious for someone who just came out of anesthesia so I suggested we drive through and get him something.  He said no.  He wanted to sit down to bacon and eggs.  I then suggested we go home and I would cook him some.  He didn't want to do that  because he "didn't want me to go to all that trouble."  He wanted to go to Granny's restaurant.  So, we did.  I also ate bacon and eggs and I guess where I had been so keyed up it didn't sit well with me.  When we got home I suggested we sit on the back porch and make sure he was going to be alright before I went to work.  He sat there chattering away and was very alert and awake.  I sat in my chair and started getting terrible indigestion that felt like knives in my chest.  When the pain would subside I would doze off, as if I were the one who had been "doped up."  It was probably two hours before I felt well enough to go on to work.  And, he never did go to sleep!  When I left for work I reminded of the nurse's orders not to drive a car or operate any machinery all day.  I also told him that his colonoscopy was killing me!  Later that night in conversation with friends I heard him say that he had gone and mowed two yards at 11 o'clock (in other words, just as soon as I got out the door!)  What am I going to do with this man???  I guess I just keep on loving him, in spite of his hard head!

Thank you Lord for watching over my man once again and thank you for giving him to me!!!

Enjoying our Freedoms

It’s July 3rd and a holiday weekend. I should be ecstatic but there is something heavy in my heart. It was one year ago today that Jerry went into the hospital where he was diagnosed with a blockage in his colon and subsequently operated on the 5th. A couple of days after the surgery the bomb was dropped that he had stage three colon cancer and would have to undergo chemotherapy. Odd how bad memories can haunt you and keep you from completely enjoying good times. I know we are so lucky that he tolerated the six months of chemo really well and for now has no known cancer in his body. I am greatly thankful for that. Why is it then, that I feel haunted to a certain extent? Maybe it’s because he is scheduled to have a colonoscopy Tuesday and that is hanging over our head. Maybe it’s because he complains of no energy and is losing weight. I don’t know, but I can’t shake this scary feeling, even though I feel his stamina is due to the chemo and his non-stop mowing and golfing. I am asking you, my friends, to pray for him this week that his test turns out good. I know how powerful your prayers have been throughout this last year and I am coveting them once again.


As for the 4th, I hope you have a really “explosively fun” holiday weekend. Be safe and enjoy!

The “F” word for today is Freedom, both for the Freedom we enjoy in our country as well as the Freedom we enjoy as Christians. As Chris Tomlin so beautifully sings it:

My Chains are gone.  I’ve been set free.
My God my Saviour has ransomed me.
And like a flood, His mercy rains.
Unending love, Amazing Grace!

Take time this weekend to listen to this song (You Tube) and praise Him for all our Freedoms!