Elizabeth and her first Mission Trip

Elizabeth went with our church on a mission trip to West Virginia for a week. What an experience for an 13 year old. It was the first time she has been away from me with no contact at all - the leader did use Twitter to give us updates from the day which was very helpful. Just to know they were out there. I went to Charleston for a few days however, by the time I got home Wed. night I had hit the wall - I needed my kids - too much time away. I would never stop them from going and being independent but it's just been alot of that this year. Anyway, what an experience. It made me cry to think about her serving others in a way that will make their lives different. What I didn't know until she got home, she worked construction all week!!! She and a buddy had signed up to work with the kids and they were switched to the construction group. Just goes to show and she and I talked about it - god knows where he needed you most. She and her friend loved it and painted the entire inside of a house, scrapped a deck and painted some of it. She is still telling me stuff even today about what she did - like moving all the furniture out of a room but the couch and needed help with that!! It was just an overwhelming experience that I know changed her. She said she wasn't going to buy but a couple of outfits to start school because she just sometimes buys things and doesn't really need them. Aren't we all that way. They even made make shift knee pads with papertowels and some wrap she puts on her head for a headband but used it on their knees. Of course, the night before she left, Chris had asked me if I had bought her safety glasses and jokingly I stated "I did not because honestly, I didn't think she had the training to do any job that might require safety glasses!!!" She did wear sunglasses when someone was trimming bushes. Amazing what they know how to do!!! There is a slideshow of a few pictures of the group - yes, there are a few in there of the girls picking up trash on the side of the road - that was the first big story - E had picked up a rotten carton of milk and they didn't know the bag had a whole and it ended up spilling out all over her friend Nicolette's jeans. She is off to Camp Grier next week and that should be all her comings and goings.

Got a nice surprise on Friday when Joe texted me and asked if we had plans on Friday night because he was thinking about coming home. Wow!!! We were so excited. I slept like a baby that Friday night. He was only home until about 4 on Sat. afternoon but we had a meal with us all around the table, all of us around the washing machine alot, all of us to the lake for the afternoon before he went back. It was just great. We will see him a bit when we drop Miss E off at Camp on Sunday.

Trying to do better!!!

How out of date are we?????

After the big win at UNC!!!! We do not know who the "gangsta" guy is...he wanted to be in the picture!!!

Working at MaMere's

Elizabeth's baptizm day!!

Well, it seems that this year just went by. From January until now, I have not done a good job updating the blog. Truly, not much has gone on but on the other hand, ALOT has gone on that has created many diversions from keeping this blog up. Recapping the last few months in a few words:

1. Elizabeth finished up her 7th grade year and will move into 8th grade come August

2. Joe finished up his freshman year of college and will be returning as a sophmore at UNC Chapel Hill in the fall.

3. Both kids celebrated birthdays this spring.

4. Mom ended up in the hospital for 4 days - still not sure why because all the tests coming back show I am o.k. Still have a few things to work out in the health department but those are hopefully all age related.

5. Elizabeth was baptized.

6. A biggy for mom, Joe has let his hair grow out again - we can call him Joe Fro again and I love it. Oh yeah, he is learning how to play the banjo.

7. Joe is back working at Camp Grier this summer and we are all thankful he has a job. So many don't - he seems to be enjoying it. We miss him but like I said, we are so thankful he has a job.

That's a pretty quick recap.

June found us on vacation in Naples, Florida for the week. Hot, Hot, Hot. First 3 days the heat index was 110. Unbelievable. Elizabeth got to bring a couple of friends since Joe was working and we swam, took boat rides, saw some of the everglades and did something mom has always wanted to do - take an airboat ride. Ever since those Gentle Ben days, I have wanted to ride on an airboat - what a blast!!!! Got up close to the alligators.

Joe did get the week before the 4th off and we got home on Sat. afternoon, spent an evening at home and Elizabeth and I were off again to Charleston, SC. Chris's siblings rented a house at the Isle of Palms and so it was back to the beach for us. I came home on Wed. night, E stayed and Chris went down on Thursday night until Sat. They got home in the afternoon of the 4th. Still enough time to go swimming at a friends and see fireworks off their dock. Joe left on thursday with his friend to go back to her house on thursday of this week, so I felt badly I didn't get to spend much time with him. He should be home some before he heads back to school in the fall. I am getting used to him coming and going. It still seems hard to believe this is where we are in life with him. He is so grown up.

What else? Let's see. Elizabeth is going on her first mission trip this summer to West Virgina with church next week and will be going back to Camp Grier for a week also. Seems my kids just love to be on the go.....

I am trying to keep my flowers pretty but it has now stopped raining again so that is full time job. I even planted a garden of squash and tomatoes but I have lots of blooms, just no produce yet!!! It's been years since I have done this so I didn't know how it would work out. I am actually going to take off while E is gone and go back to Charleston and see my friend for a few days something I haven't done in a while. These are always very restful visits and stress free and cheap!!! As sad as I was during the spring about Joe in college and Elizabeth pulling away, (really sad) I do like my time for me.

Chris finally got bumped up to a 2009 IPOD. Like most parents, we get the hand me downs. Folks couldn't believe the IPOD he was using still worked!!! It was one of the first ones. He now has an iPOD that holds up to 30,000 songs. 120 GB. He's in heaven. Spending hours putting music on it.

Well, now I will add some pictures. Not too much more news......will try and do better.