Getting a baby fix!

It's been a long time since there was a baby in the family.  I'm always up for a baby fix!!

It had been 9 years since our last grandchild was a baby.  And our oldest is now 16.

Claire

Elijah

Sophia and Emeri

Hannah, who made me a Nana first.

Jason needed to travel for work so I was invited out to help Mindy while he was gone.  Jason called every day to talk to Tenley.  Sometimes she was not awake, but he needed to see her at any rate.  He just loves his girls!

Mindy is such a good mommy!

We went for walks.

My style of home.  I could live here.  Where do we live when we downsize?  Colorado?  Wisconsin?  Arkansas?  Pretty Prairie?  Stay where we are?  Well, we won't worry about it yet.  The Lord will guide us when the time comes.

We won't be living in a K-State house though.

Each morning while Mindy slept a little longer, I cuddled and loved on Tenley.  I sang her sweet little songs.  I love this "Nursery Songbook" for children by Katherine Royer/Norma Hostetler put out by Gospel Publishers, first published in 1935!  

Sing little children, sing, sing,

Sing little children sing.

God is good, He cares for you.

Sing little children, sing.

                Love one another, love one another,

                This is the happy way,

                Love one another.

                    vs. 2 Help one another

                    vs. 3 Share with one another

Sweet little songs to teach children about loving Jesus and living for Him.  I sing these to the little children at church.  My grandchildren knew all these songs and would sing them in the car with the CD.

I purchased this book for Mindy.  I used it to pray for each of my children and now for my grandchildren!  It is now reprinted for it's 20th anniversary.  The BEST gift for any young parent!

Jason came back a day early.  His brother, Brandon, from Lawrence, also flew out and the 3 brothers enjoyed being together to celebrate Cameron's birthday.

Mindy and I decided to go shopping.  

An adorable place!

Too soon, it was time to fly home.

Sadness.

But not for long!  I'll be back!!

Flight to Colorado

I love to drive places.  Flying used to be fun, but nowadays, not so much.  Recently I told Mindy to call me if she ever wanted me to come to help her.  Jason was headed out on a business trip and she said she would love for me to come and furthermore, they would fly me out!  

Allen dropped me off at the airport.

Not used to wearing masks anymore.  But to fly, I had to wear. one...for hours.  Ugh.  

I had read in my devotions this morning the following verse, so, I decided not to complain, but be gracious.

"Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity.  Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, that you will know how you should respond to each person."  Colossians 4:5-6

Salt does no good sitting in the saltshaker.  You have to shake it out for it to be effective.  Lord, help me to shake out Your kindness, mercy and goodness!

Mindy sent me a picture of Tenley.  "She is waiting for Nana" Mindy wrote.

Good-bye, Wichita!

Flying over Lake Cheney!

Flying over the church we were married in and plan to be buried at.  I wished I had my good camera, instead of just my phone camera.

Flying over Pretty Prairie!  This is where we graduated from highschool.  Al lived 3 miles south and east.  If I'd been sitting on the other side of the plane, I would have seen it!

A couple behind me wondered what town this was so I turned around and told them.  They said, "Oh, we got our puppy from there.  A Graber couple."  I laughed and told them that I was a Graber and the lady they adopted their puppy from was someone I knew and even used to babysit!"

I wondered what this was.  I found out that it is a dry lake, north of Garden City.

Made it to Denver!

I was literally the last person off the plane.  I prefer not to be pressured by people behind me to hurry off the plane.  And there are always those having to run for connecting flights.  I feel we need to give them the courtesy to get off first if possible.

Mindy gave me specific directions on where to meet her.  I was so thankful for her to do that!  She picked me up and instead of sitting in the front with her, I had to crawl in the backseat to sit with my precious granddaughter!

My sweet girls!

I had to take this picture to show Al that Tenley had grown into her skin!

See the difference from the last time we were out?

She's put on a couple of pounds.  Thank You, Lord!

Oh it will be a sweet week!

Rains

We've had our fair share of rain; unusual for this time of year.  Lots of rain!

My heart sunk when I went to my storage room one day and found water soaking up boxes on a shelf.  I took this picture after I had removed several boxes and scrap books, including my wedding book.  It is nothing compared to a friend of mine who lost all she had in a flood.  She almost lost her life!!  I can't even imagine what she went through!  It could have been so much worse!

The seal around the window frame in the study above had pulled away, allowing water to run down the wall into the basement storage room.  It didn't really get on the floor much, but the boxes that were pushed up against the wall were soaking wet!

Some of my scrapbooks were ruined.  I was able to dry out some things.  Here is a clipping of Allen, who was my highschool sweetheart, my heart throb! (and now my husband), who made the paper.  He was a good basetball player!

A scrapbook full of shower and wedding cards was wet.  I dried out some of them to keep.  They were just special to  me.

A telegram from the Aburatsu Christian Church 

in Japan congratulating us.

A note from a Japanese lady

Cards in German (our ancestry, many of the people in our church in Pretty Prairie still speak German) and also Japanese (my birth country)

Vintage

One of my saddest losses was an old prayer journal.  

All those prayer requests and so many answers to prayer! 

 Soggy notes with many of the words smeared.

But God knows each prayer I prayed.  I really do love to look back to see the many ways He answered prayers; some in such a different, unexpected way!

A scrapbook belonging to Allen's mother had gotten wet on the outside, but I was so happy that the photos and cards were not damaged!  I had to remove them from the scrapbook and actually, it was fun going through all of them!

Mom is the 3rd one from the left.  What a precious photo!  I didn't know everyone so I put the photo on FB and some people from Pretty Prairie helped identify  them!

Allen's parents

A page from one of my journals that was still legible. 

I  sent this to Jill and she read it to Hannah.  If you can't read it, it reads "Hannah called me.  'Nana, can you come to my house and get me and bring me to your house?'  I'm still in jammies and having devotions so I told her I need to get ready for my day first.  I'll take her with me to go get mulch."  

After Jill read this to her, Hannah said "Oh yes!  I remember that!  It's actually a core memory of mine."  She said she remembered I had to explain to her what a nursery was and that she helped me find mulch and spread it.  "To this day mulch is a favorite smell of mine!" she said.  This happened when Hannah was 4 years old!  What a memory she has!

Al resealed the window.

It rained again after this.

We had a "hurricane" a couple of weeks ago!

"He displays His power in the whirlwind and the storm."

Nahum 1:3

Several people in town lost big trees.  Our neighbor had a tree cut in half.

We had a few limbs that needed to be cut down.

Our creek behind the house was flowing pretty hard.

Things are quieter now.

And such a blessing that Al's seal job worked - no water in the basement!