Isn't she lovely?

Cuteous girl, eh? Raise your hand if you can't believe that Sarah and Christy let her gum that nasty, dirty bench! GAK!

Today is one of my first days home in more than 2 weeks. I LOVE being home! My foot hurts today, so it's not a good day to be climbing the ladder to strip wallpaper border. NOTE: If you have any kind of liking for yourself, or for others, DO NOT put up wallpaper borders, except with staples, as Sarah and I did in her kitchen. Can't see them.

I'm in a reArranging mood, as a cute little friend used to call it. My most favorite photo (other than family) of the lighthouse in the storm has been relocated. The dear B family gave it to us when they saw my admiring it in the "Christian" book store. It is so beautiful. Must be the moving so often that "moves" me to reArrange furniture, since, joy!, it doesn't look like we're moving anytime soon.

This might get the prize for the most boring entry ever! Hang in there with me; I'll get inspired again soon, I hope (don't you?)!

Yours and His,
Vivian, aka Emmie and Pee Wee

The Girl of my Dreams

Introducing my mom! Isn't she cute (on the left!)?! She is such a joy. I "kidnapped" her from the nursing home today so she could spend the night. Greg's in Angelo at Paul's, as he has a school workshop tomorrow, so the timing is excellent.

She is so precious! She is the most giving person I know.

And a mean domino player. We didn't grow up playing sports (obviously) when I was a kid, so my mom doesn't know about good sportsmanship, which is why she LAUGHS when she beats me or I have to pick up a bunch of dominos right before she goes out! We had a serious talk about that, but she still laughs, or, worse yet, tries to hold it in. I love her so.

Back Home

Let's see what "Georgia" font looks like, as I was born there.

We're back home! I about got out and kissed the ground when we hit Texas. What a long, fun trip! It was our best ever, and our first sightseeing trip. Usually we go visit family or friends and come home.

Gregorio was a great sport, and drove most of the way. We had two days of 17+ hours in the car. Boy howdy. You really get to know each other with that much closeness! Not to mention the car is a Mitsubishi. Greg managed to crawl into the back seat while I was driving, which I tried to discourage, as I didn't care to have his foot whacking my head while I was trying to drive! He made it without mishap.

The first night we made it to McCook, Nebraska. Nice motel room--we managed to get "inexpensive" rooms when we didn't stay on base. We ate at more than one Perkins, which we really liked. Greg had to start with the comments to the waitress on who we are and this is Pee Wee and I didn't eat all this, though it was very good, because my tooth has been hurting. (They look at him so strangely.... At least he introduced me.) [A pet peeve: I HATE when waiters and waitresses introduce themselves! (We don't get enough time together to really bond.) And I HATE when they ask me how the food tastes! I think that is SO tacky and unprofessional. If I don't like it, they'll sure know it! And, as I seem to be unable to stop myself on pet peeves, I HATE when they ask, "What would WE like to eat today?" GAK! "Well, let's see what you're having, and I might just take a few bites off your plate, especially since you're buying...." ENUF!]

More later! Welcome home, Pee Wee!

Supper time

Good morning! I woke up to the smell of cooking brisket. One of my favorites! Now, for you "foreigners" (non-Texans, but not the Ledbetters), this does NOT mean corned beef! We're having our last fling before leaving for South Dakota and Minnesota tomorrow. You're all invited!

Who's been to Mt. Rushmore? (CC-watching it on TV doesn't count!) Tell me about it! We got a great history lesson on the area from our dear neighbors, N and S, at Cici's last night. I'd like to take them along! It's great knowing history teachers....

It'll be interesting visiting another church on Sunday, though I will miss ours TERRIBLY. Someone asked me about singing "specials" at our church, and I told them that our singing (congregational, NOT mine and Greg's!) is so excellent that we really don't NEED specials. Very true. We are blessed!

And today I get to go to Stephenville and meet a friend of a friend, or, to be more accurate, the sister-in-the-Lord of a sister-in-the-Lord. (Are you thoroughly confused?) I told her I'd have a rose in my teeth, so she could recognize me (more likely it will be spinach from lunch...). Looking forward to a blessed meeting! She sounds like a dear.

Greg is trying to get me out on the lake with him in Minnesota, as the boat comes with the room. He's always said being with me in a leaky canoe is better than a homemake apple pie from Dr. Michaela Quinn (from Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman) (he thinks she's the prettiest lady on TV; lovely, as all you can see of her is her face and hands! whee!). (Also, he prefers a sharp stick in the eye from me than that apple pie.) (He is a strange man.) Anyway, I think I'll pass on the boat, even with a life jacket. I WILL wave to him from the safety of the shore. I don't like things that move, like oceans and lakes and rivers. They're pretty from a distance, or even from the shore, but I don't care for up-close-and-personal! I guess it's because it reminds me of being in labor, and driving on ice (preferably not at the same time!), the two times I'm not in control. (Is ANYONE following this train of thought?!)

Sorry, folks, but the high in Minnesota lately is in the high seventies! Can you say "BLISS"? It was 101 yesterday here, I believe. In a strange "twist of fate" (what a ridiculous phrase!), the last time I went, a 4th of July, it was 100 ther and 80 here! It was flooding here. Do you know that Minnows (people in Minnesota) don't have AIR CONDITIONING? Greg's friend had a 3-story house on the lake, full basement, and NO air conditioning! We went to a motel! GAK! I was sad.... The current temperature there is more normal for them....

More later! My most-wonderful son-in-love is lending me his laptop (I TOLD you he loves me!), so I can visit with everyone while I'm gone. It's worth a trip to Early to meet him. Plus you get to see Sarah and baby Mikayla, who just may exceed the cuteness-scale before she's a year old! My smiley baby!

Off to smell the brisket....

Some thoughts on tribulations

"For if you should see a man shut up in a close room, idolizing a set of lamps and rejoicing in their light, and you wished to make him truly happy, you would begin by blowing out all of his lamps, and then throw open the shutters to let in the light of heaven." --Rutherford in prison

"O how I pray that when God in his mercy begins to blow out my lamps, I will not curse the wind." --Piper

(This is paraphrased.) A woman long ago was thrown into a dungeon, where she delivered a child. The child was allowed to live with her, and never went outside. His mother could draw, and she would draw the outside world for him, which he had never seen, and try to explain the glories of it to him. He could not believe it could be so wonderful compared to what he had experienced, and asked, How can it be so wonderful if the lines (from the pictures) are gone?
--from When God Weeps by Joni Tada and Steve (forgot his last name)

What limited creatures we are! When our pastor prayed last week, this sentence from that prayer stuck with me. He said, Teach us to refuse sight, and take faith.

How we need our great God to open our spiritual eyes to behold spiritual things, and to think spiritually. How we need understanding! And how great is our God!

More later....

Yours and His,
Vivian
aka Aunt Vivian, Pee Wee, Emmie

Trying again

Good morning! Trying a totally new blog. Let's see if I can figure out pics and such. Come visit often!