Good-bye baby - journeying home

 I set my alarm for 5.  That is 6 Kansas time, so not really early for me.  I wanted to have time to have my devotions, shower, strip the bed, and clean up the bathroom before loading up the car.  Asking the Lord's blessings and hand over us as we drove home.

And I was hopeful that Tenley would wake up so I could give last snuggles!  I had given Mindy kisses the night before.  Also Tenley, just in case she didn't wake up.  I was grateful that she did!  Jason brought her down and I was able to hold her for awhile before Ruth arrived and we had to leave.

We found a Starbucks and then headed out of town. 

Drinking coffee = pit stop.

Wait, what?   Is it or isn't it?

We stopped at Colby and split a meal.

Ruth wanted to see Monument Rocks so we headed south at Oakley.

It was HOT!  You can see that my arms are sunburned.  

We did put on sunscreen, but....

Too hot to go to New Jerusalem Badlands this day.  Another time.

We stopped at the museum 7 miles away on Highway 83 as I needed to use the restroom.  They had an outhouse.  See it?  Luckily, it wasn't smelly.  It was a two-holer!  One of the holes even had a cushioney toilet pad!  I've used many an out-house or even the side of the road when I grew up in southern Japan.  Once in Kenya, when I was squatting, I noticed huge lion paw prints in the dirt!

We followed this road along the prairie and then it suddenly dipped down and hidden in a canyon of sorts was this campsite. Lake Scott State Park.

There were a few campers at the lake.  I wanted to show Ruth these Indian ruins.

Boy, did I pick up some dust!

Close by the state park is -

It just looks like out of an old cowboy movie here. 

to be continued....

Cuddling the new baby!

One of the reasons to be with a brand new grandbaby is so the new parents can get some much needed sleep while Nana and Papa hold the baby!

There is a lot of just gazing and admiring going on!

And lots and lots of snuggles!!

The love of parents and grandparents for a child is a little picture of what God's love for us is like.  How He loves us!!  Often people think that God is this "old man in the sky that looks with disapproval at us, telling us to shape up."  How very wrong that picture is.  "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God!  And that is what we are!"  1 John 3  Are you a child of God?  You can be!!  John 1:12 "But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God."

I love this song.

Al made it from Kansas in record time the day after I came.

Of course he was in love too!

Seems that Tenley is unenthused with all the attention she is getting.

While we were eating one meal, we saw a hawk swoop in across the street.  It sat for awhile then took off toward this lamp post.  There was something in his claws.  Ugh.  I know, they have to eat too.  But I don't like to even watch nature shows where a critter kills another.  Just gross and I feel so sorry for the one caught!!  In heaven, that will all pass away!  No more killing like that.

A crow swooped by the hawk several times.  Finally, the hawk took off, annoyed at the crow.  

Tenley enjoys her little swing, at least for awhile.

Of course, being held by Nana and Papa is a little sweeter!

We enjoyed several walks around the neighborhood.

Bear always is on the look-out for bunnies!

He never catches them, but he tries!

We enjoyed a few HGTV episodes while holding Tenley.  I was telling Mindy about a home I had seen in Arkansas that had been a remodel.  The home belonged to our granddaughter, Emeri's classmate.  And the next thing I knew, that house was on the tv!  What fun was that!!

Too soon it was time for Papa to return back to Kansas.  One day he will retire and not be rushed back by a work schedule!

First bath at home