May Restaurant Pick

With Dad having a stroke this past month, we didn't know if we would get in our "Restaurants We Have Never Been To" for the month of May.  But one evening we had to run to Wichita for a quick run after some things so we were able to do it! 

It is not like the Noodles they have in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where our son and his family live.  We LOVE that place, but that one is more an Applebees style, whereas the one in Wichita is more fast foodish.

The menu was a little confusing to me, but Al figured it out for us.

The restaurant chain began in Boulder, CO.

Lotsa pasta!

The food was quite delicious though.

We ordered one serving of potstickers (gyoza-a dish I grew up with in Japan) to share.  We had never seen such flat gyoza ever, but they were ok. 

This next month, June, will be busy with not only Dad, but our 5th grandbaby's arrival and celebrating birthdays for my mother and me!  All the family will come home so we will go out with them on another adventure to a restaurant never visited before!

Storms

This week, Al put up my new rain chain.  I didn't think it would rain already.  I was hoping not just yet because the farmers have just started wheat harvest.  But last night the storms rolled through most of Kansas.  Some people had baseball size hail! 

Our back deck affords us a great view of storms.

 Here is a video I took of the clouds moving. 

 Here are a couple photos from a few weeks ago.

 And how about the young couple from Harper who got this wedding photo shoot with a tornado in the background!  Gotta love Kansas!

"He makes the clouds His chariot

and rides on the wings of the wind."

Psalm 104:3

Stepping down

We started attending Grace about 20 years ago.  That first year, we mostly got fed and nourished by the Word.  But then we began to get involved.  For me it was teaching 3-year-olds.  I can still remember teaching the older Lakey kids!  What fun they were!!!  True story - I once asked the children what was grey and had a bushy tail.  They all chimed in, "Jesus!"  I've heard that as a joke, but it really did happen in my class!

After several years, the Sunday School Superintendant decided she needed to retire.  Both she and Steve wanted me to do it.  I didn't want to.  I was a teacher.  That was my passion. 

But after much prayer (and dragging my feet) I knew that God wanted to stretch me and I said "yes".  The first year, I can still remember our teacher appreciation dinner.  10 teachers - and we gave each of them a gift card to Faith & Life.  Now, there is no way we could budget that.  There are 60 workers in the nursery alone! 

We built a new building in '05.  We didn't have enough classroom space in the original building!  I was privileged to be on the building committee.  How excited we were to move into the new facility!!  After we moved in, I continued the job but it got so big I told them it was time to hire a Children's Director.  So Kris  came on board (and later, Becca).  And I became the Nursery Director.  We got pagers, clip on name tags and security tags; we had lanyards for the teachers and began background checks.

That was 7 years ago.  In the nursery, we started out with using 3 rooms (with a 4th added shortly after).  Now we use 6 nursery rooms and have had to push the 3-year-olds into another hall. 

I have LOVED this job!!  Oh, there were parts that were terribly stressful and I won't miss those.  But overall, it has been just the place for me!!  But due to health issues and taking care of family needs I knew it was time to pass this job on to someone else.
 

As I packed up my files, I just cried.  I knew it was time, but I I would often find myself questioning "Why am I quitting?!"  I am so happy to have Lori taking over my position!!  I will stay on as an assistant to help her, but she will help the nursery go to higher level.  These young people have such good ideas and are so computer savey!

Thank you, Grace, and in particular Steve and Aunt Leonore (she was a former missionary to Japan and we call all the missionaries "aunt" and "uncle") for trusting in me to do this job!  God has given me the strength and ability.  Without Him, I could not have done it!  He went before me all these years, guiding me and providing each week!  And what a wonderful team of volunteers I have had to work with each week!!!  I can't begin to name them all.  But truly, SOOO great!!  And of course, best of all - showing the love of Christ to each of the little children in our care and teaching them about Him.  Praying for them, that they would grow up to follow Him with all their hearts!!

"We will tell the next generation

  the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,

His power,

and the wonders He has done."

Psalm 78:4

Improvements

We went to the hospital again, as we do daily.  I am so glad our local hospital has a rehab unit!  I would not want to be driving into Wichita every day.  And this way, Mom can drive herself too whenever she wants.

Dad was improved today.  Heart beating well.  During therapy, he was walking with the walker without aid.  Yesterday he could not as his knees were hurting so badly after the walking he had done the day before.  He is able to move his arm more today too.

We have enjoyed visiting with other families during the meal times and hearing their stories about why they are in rehab.  Some who were there before Dad have already gone home.  And new ones have come in since Dad came.  This is hard, but God supplies what we need.  Endurance, patience, joy, strength.

Here is a picture of my parents in their early years in Japan.

Baby birdie takes flight

This morning we went to mom's to help her with the computer.  And her tv. 

And I spent time with Aunt Millie (who now just lives across the street - so convenient!)

Then we went and had lunch with Dad at the hospital.

Time well spent with my sweet, precious family.

I spent about 2 1/2 hours this afternoon looking in on this family!

Some may think it was time wasted.

But Jesus Himself loves birds and cares for them.

 Last week, the nest in our redbud tree had 3 little babies.  But this morning, there was only 1!

 Mommy (or Daddy) was chirping at it.
"Come on, little one.  You can do it!  Come down here!"
"But Mommy, the nest is so comfortable!  I don't have to be squeezed in here anymore and I just like it so much."

"I'm hungry, Mommy.  Feed me please!"

"You'll just have to come down here.  I will give you a juicy bug.... That's right.  Step right onto the edge of the nest!"

"Mommy!  I'm out of my nest!  I did it!  I did it!"

"Ok.  Now flap your wings and come to me!"

"That is too scary.  I think I will go back to my cozy nest."

"Oh, little one.  I guess I will just have to bring the juicy bug to you."

"I have the bug, but you will have to try to jump out of this nest for it!"

"That's right!  Just hop right out of the nest."

"Here's your reward!  A nice juicy bug!"

"Now, you must learn to fly."
"Don't push me, Mommy!  I don't want to leave this tree!"
Mommy tried to push her baby bird.  She pecked at him from the side and from behind, but the little baby dug his claws into the tree.

"NO, no, no, Mommy!!"
"Good grief, little one.  You will have to go some time!  Ok.  I'll come back later."

"Maybe I can do it.  My brother and sister did it so maybe I can too."

"Yikes!  This is so scary!"

"Maybe if I go this way."

"No, I like the other way better"

"Mommy!!!  I flew!!  I flew!!"

"I knew you could do it!!"

"Let me try it again!!"

"Where shall we go, Mommy?"
"Let's go over to the brush so we can safely hide from any kitties in the neighborhood."

The End

Walking

Yesterday morning I decided to walk to the hospital to see Dad and have lunch with him.  I debated about it.  Since my illness, often exercize seems to make me feel worse, but I know it is good for me and I need it.  I decided to take it slow.

Does it seem later than usual for the geese to be laying eggs?  We had just been talking about the fact that we hadn't seen any baby geese about this year.  We always have little babies walking about the area.  They really are so cute!  (of course, the millions of geese that decided to winter here was absurd and hopefully that won't happen next year!!) 

 Look at this weed!  Like a GIANT dandelion!!

 It was a terribly windy day - good for the wheat.  Harvest is around the corner!

 My husband was here at the fire station, along with other hospital personnel.  They are doing disaster training - in case of a tornado or bombing.  They are learning what not to do and what to do; lessons learned from Joplin.

Notice the flags?  There were some firemen out there so I asked about it.  I guess the governor ordered them flown at half staff in honor of  Rep. Bob Bethell who was killed in an accident.

 My friend's husband's office.  (Check out her link - she has a new book out!)

 I wish I had my zoom lens.  The male is flaunting his stuff at the female.  Shortly after, another male came by and chased him away.

I think it is funny that the sidewalk needs a "curve" sign.  Isn't it rather obvious?





 The neighborhood we lived
at for 12 years.  I loved it there,
but love our new home too.

 This house belonged to our friend's kids who are now in Ethiopia.

 I finally made it to the hospital.  It took close to half an hour.  I walked s-l-o-w-l-y. 

We had a wonderful lunch together and then went back to his room.  We talked and also wept together.  This is hard.  We listened to some worship CD's together.  God is good.  He is ever present!

         He will call upon me, and I will 

           be with him in trouble,

                  I will deliver him and honor him.

      With long life will I satisfy him

              and show him my salvation.

       It is good to praise the Lord

     and make music to Your Name,

             O Most High,

             to proclaim Your love in the morning

                    and Your faithfulness at night....

                I sing for joy at the works of Your hands.

                  How great are Your works, O Lord...

              The righteous will flourish like a palm tree....

            They will still bear fruit in old age,

                  they will stay fresh and green.

                                    Psalm 91,92

Daddy is 89 and God has truly blessed him.  Such a man of God.

He told me that he and mom have a thing they do each night.  They always kiss and tell eachother that they love eachother.  Then he cried as he said he didn't get to do that last night.  But yesterday evening, as we left, he and mom kissed and again said "I love you, dear" to one another.  So sweet!