Rain, Rain, Go Away, Come Again Another Day.....

Well, we've had 3 days of rain. After today it will be 4. And, we possible have the affects of Hurricane Ike to look forward to.

Poor Houston, poor Gulf Coast!!!!

Have I ever told you how much I dislike indoor recess? Thank goodness I only have to help with one recess!!! I'm with Sam, a sweet little guy. He and I have become good friends. Anyway, I'm with him during recess this year. We've been watching movies on the days we've stayed indoors, so far. I think the teachers feel that their classes at this point can't handle being up and moving around during that time. They are pretty crazy and really don't listen to the teachers very well.

Anyway, I'm ready for some sunshine! Not sure when we will have any next. Seems like we will just get through with this tropical depression from the West Coast in enough time to possibly get the weather from Ike.

Half, Whole, and Home Again......

We worked half a day on Thursday, which is day 6.

We are so proud. We got all but the last coat of paint on the little house we work on. For some reason paint does not like to stick on wet surfaces!!!

Yes, the heavens opened up and soaked us and the house!

The house owner had home grown watermelon, that was just wonderful, for us to eat the last day!

We learned later that the supervisors all went back when the house was dried out and finished the last coat of paint, so the house that had been worked on all summer was finished!!!!

Thanks be to God!

We spent the rest of our day in Port St. Louis, at the beach!

Aron and Kayla both got stung by jellyfish, and went back to camp early!

For dinner that evening we went to a local place called 'Pirates Cove'. They specialize in Poboy's!

I had a fried shrimp poboy, corn nuggets (which are to die for!), and had a few french fries dipped in brown gravy! Who knew that would be so delicious!

We walked down at the wharf and looked at the different boats in their slips.

That evening we went back to camp and the kids started up a game of 'Apples to Apples' with new friends they had met from different states, and countries! Yes Canada had a group here working with us! We pretty much thought they'd melt, but they did really good in the heat and humidity.

The kids stayed out playing until they were told to go to bed, lights out!

Day 7 was spent in New Orleans, LA.

We walked the French Quarter! Went through the French Market! Ate bienets and drank cafe Au lait. Went to the Aquarium! Walked down Bourbon Street, and ate at The Gumbo Shop!

I even had to drive the 15 passenger van, for the first time, in New Orleans!!! I couldn't figure out why everyone kept honking at me! I did a great job driving that monster in traffic! Then I remembered we had 'Honk if you Love Jesus' written on the back window!!!

As I said we ate in a lovely Restaurant called 'The Gumbo Shop'. We split 2 orders of Alligator Sausage, and I had the Chicken and Andoullie Sausage Gumbo! Several of the girls wanted dessert which was a chocolate cake with ice cream and fudge drizzled over the whole thing! OH MY!!!!!

On our trek back to the van, the fortune tellers were setting up for the evening. Soooo, what do good Presbyterian children do when in New Orleans?...........

They get their fortunes told of course!

We got back to camp late so missed the closing chapel! But it couldn't be helped! We had a fabulous last day in 'The Deep South".

Kids played games and talked to friends until told to go to bed, lights out!!!!

Let me say, This was a very worth while Mission Trip! Unless you go and see, you just don't understand how devastated it still is in Mississippi and Louisiana!. Hurricane Katrina was 3 years ago, and some places still look like the hurricane just happened. A person can not help but be changed by the devastation. Some have left and will not be back. Others are still struggling to get back what they lost!

God's Grace and Peace to those still struggling, and to those who had to give up their place and move on!

Amen

We packed up the van, and the Home Again portion of my story begins.

We left at 7am, after hugs and last minute pictures!

Back to Memphis and Balmoral Preabyterian Church, where we spent the night. We got our first GREAT shower than we have had in a week! (The showers at camp were nothing to write home about!) We got out what we were going to wear the next day and got everything we could pack back up packed.

We went for a walk down Beale St, home of a lot of Jazz greats! We went into the Peabody Hotel to see the ducks in the fountain. They were getting ready to take the ducks back up to the penthouse when we got there, so we couldn't see the ducks. Doug was tall enough that he was able to hold his camera up and get a picture as the ducks walked up the red carpet to the elevators. Then we walked back to Beale St. and went to the Hard Rock Cafe for dinner.

Back at the church we played card games, pool, air hockey, and everyone took turns getting on Facebook!!!

Next morning the last leg of our incredible journey began! We left at 6am and we were home by 3:30pm! Of course Rick and I still had to take the van back to the rental place, so still had and hour of driving left to do!!!!

Thus ends the Mission Trip To Mississippi!

Thanks be to God!

Days 3, 4, and 5 Work, work, work, sweat..........

Day 3 started off with coffee!!!! Yeah! I needed a cup or two to get going.

We had breakfast at 8am and headed for our first day at the work site.

We briefly met the homeowner, and had a short devotion. Then, the fun began!

Brittany was scared of heights, and doesn't like to get dirty! Oh my! So, I was really proud of her when she climbed the shakiest ladder in the world and tried to do some painting on the trim. Finally, she had to get down, we found her a shorter ladder and she worked a little lower on other trim. Leah, was a little scared of climbing the ladders too, but soon was climbing up and down like a pro! We stressed getting water to stay hydrated, and taking a rest to cool down. I don't know how many have ever been to the coast of Mississippi in July/Aug. but it's hot, humid, and muggy!

Hannah, Kayla, and Aron all did a great job up and down the ladders all day. Everyone took their turn climbing the ladders, and holding the ladders for others. Rick and Doug worked with our contractor butch on learning how to reinforce the beams of the soffits and how to make the soffits and put up facsha, (the board that goes along the front of the soffit). At 3pm we packed up our tools, took the ladders down and stored them out of the way and headed back to camp.

As soon as, we got back to camp we went to the beach and walked into the water and sat down, yes some of us were still in our clothes!!!!!!! It was nice at the beach. There was a nice breeze coming in off the water. When we got back to camp we showered and got ready for dinner. Dinner was at 5pm and worship service was at 8pm. We broke up into small groups after church. We went back to the camp. Most went to sleep, I think mainly because we were all just wiped out from the work of the day, and getting use to the climate and working in the heat.

the 4th day was pretty much the same as the 3rd, but I noticed that Brittany was going up the ladders without the trepidation of the day before. Where she was shying away from us when we poured the paint into her cup, she was pouring her own paint! The guys had figured out what we needed to do as far as the soffits were concerned so was having the kids help them some. Hammers and kids, hmmmm......l

The other youth group leader was having a migraine headache and didn't eat dinner with us or make it to church with us that night.

Kids still went to bed earlier than lights out.

Day 5 was our last full day at the job site. It rained some during the morning but dried out and we kicked butt trying to get as much done as we could! We only had one more morning to get the job done! During the day the brother of the property owner came with a piece of heavy machinery to smash some cars that were in the back and had been there since after Katrina hit. After Katrina the police came around and told people they would have to get their cars that weren't running off the streets. Some were brought out to this property with the promise that the owners would part the cars out and then take them to the crusher. Well, here it is almost 3 years later and they had never heard from the owners, so they parted the cars out and the day we were there they were going to crush them up, put them in a wagon and take them to the junkyard. It's amazing how easily a car can be crushed!!!! It was a great lunch show!

When we got back to camp that's all the kids could talk about!

We had dinner and worship was on the beach that evening. The kids started making friends from other group and stayed up playing Apples to Apples. Until they were told to go to bed.

That was fun.

Thus ends days 3,4, and 5..........

Off to Mississippi We Go......

I got to bed at 1am July 26th, and got up at 5am the same day!!!! Oh my!

We got to the church at 6:30am. Everyone was there on time! I couldn't believe it. I thought for sure that someone would be late. I guess we were all too excited to get started on our adventure.

At the church we got the van all loaded up, and we were ready to leave by 7am, which is what I wanted.

We took the driving the first day kind of easy. It took us about 10 hours to get to Memphis. And so the adventure began! Because there was no one at the church we were to stay in to let us in. I was racking my brain to think of what might have gone wrong. Thank goodness I had the for thought to bring all the information about both of the churches we were staying at with me. We started looking up the numbers of the Pastor, asst. Pastor, secretary, even the choir director....... No one was home! We left messages, and decided to go get something to eat.

We ate at this wonderful BBQ place called Interstate BBQ. Yummm.......

We still hadn't heard from any of the people we had left messages with, sooooo we went to the river front and walked on the Riverwalk. That was nice, but Memphis is very hot! We were all dripping with sweat by the time we had walked about a mile.

We got back in the van and decided to drive by Beale St. to see what that was all about. Just as we were looking for a place to park, we got a phone call from the Pastor of the church apologizing for the mix up, and that James my contact was headed for the church and would meet us in the parking lot.

James let us in, and showed us around, where light switches were, and showers, etc....

We were none of us late in getting to bed that night.

Sunday morning we got up those who still needed to shower, showered, we got coffee and breakfast, and were ready to make the last leg of the trip to Pass Christian, Mississippi.......

We ate at a rest area for lunch. My friend and co leader Denise downloaded our Pastors sermon for us to listen to on the way. Technology is wonderful!

We were all excited when we hit the coastal highway and got our first views of the Gulf. We got to the camp at Pass Christian about an hour early. Our trailers were set up in the cemetery behind the church! Yes, I did say in the cemetery!

We unloaded our stuff from the vans and dumped it in our trailers and took off for a walk on the beach. (about 2 blocks away.)

We all gathered at 8pm in the church to find out what we would be doing and have a worship service...... We went to bed! Thus ends the 2nd day of our adventure!

Starting to Make Lists!!!!!

I'm starting to make lists!

Lists to get ready for us to go to Pass Christian, MS on our Mission Trip.

I can't believe that a week from Saturday we will be on our way! It seems we have been raising money and talking about this for a looooong time. Now the time to go is upon us!

I'm in charge of getting all the drivers, drivers licenses copied, and copies of their car insurance to prove they are insured drivers.

I also have to get a copy of the church's insurance policy stating we are covered by the church, as this is a church sponsored trip! And, the tax exempt letter to give to the truck company who is renting the van to us.

I have to make lists for personal items.

Yes, I am a list type person!!! haha

I'm looking forward to getting on the road and promise pictures after we get back!

Your prayers for us as we go, are there working, and as we return would be greatly appreciated!

Grace and Peace!

Oklahoma, and Family Reunions!

We went to Oklahoma for our family reunion this past week. We left on Thursday. We knew it would be different this year because my Uncle passed away a year ago. He wouldn't be there this year, also my Uncle's wife Elizabeth, who is a little older than I am, has met a man and they are getting married at the end of August. Over Labor Day weekend to be exact.

She was introducing him to the family during the family reunion. Now, most would say why would this be a big deal? Well, it wasn't to the majority of us, but this family reunion was the Uncle who passed aways side of the family. His brother, and sisters, and their children.

It was a bit strained some of the time, one of the family did not act well. In fact was down right rude.

Another story all together!

We all met Elizabeth's choice, who is John. John is a wonderful man and really just what Elizabeth and her younger boys need right now.

Anyway, enough of that!

Alyssa was bit by a dog so for part of the 4th, I spent time in the ER in Sapulpa, OK.

She is fine but has some pretty good bite marks in her hand.

We watched fireworks. They were very pretty!

We spent a lot of time laying around the pool and in the pool. I've got a nice little base tan going on! I also learned how to shoot a rifle. I did a little shooting of the clay pigeons, which do not look like pigeons at all! haha I hit one of six, which I felt was pretty good for my first time. My brother-in-law said I did really well. So, I'm feeling pretty proud of myself right now.

We came home on Sunday the 6th.

I got to sleep in my bed!!!! Yeah!!!!

Then, Alyssa and I headed for Illinois on Monday, after her dentist and doctor's appointment.

Now I'm here, Alyssa is back in Carbondale, and I will leave to go home on Wednesday. I'll be ready to sleep in my bed for more than one night!

(Oh, and a new romance may have started for Alyssa) I'm whispering! (We'll see what happens!)

It Is Finished!!!!!! And, More Stuff

It is FINISHED is referring to the pink flamingos our youth group has been moving from yard to yard for so long now. We flamingoed our last yard Saturday night the 28th of June, and we are done with that fundraiser for our Mission Trip. I will be very happy to place the pink fellows in my recycle bin.
We made hoagie sandwiches on Sunday morning and congregation members who had ordered them were able to pick them up during fellowship time! That is finished too! Now, comes the waiting for our Mission Trip to start!
This week we will be traveling to the Tulsa, Oklahoma area for a family reunion of my Mom's siblings and children. We are looking forward to it a lot! Then, Aron is taking off for a couple of sessions at boy scout camp to be on staff. He's filling in for a scout who wasn't able to return after 3rd session. He will be there until the Friday before we leave on the Mission Trip.
Alyssa has had her first experiences of embalming. She help with the embalming of two people and then they let her do the 3rd by herself. She was very excited about the experience! Which is good since this is her chosen field!
I'm trying to think of anything and everything I need to get done in the next few weeks! Wish me luck as I start to make my lists! It's gonna be nuts!
Grace and Peace!