Driving to Wisconsin to "baby" sit

 Our daughter, Jill and husband Adam, were going to go on a study tour with Albert Mohler to Turkey and Greece and asked if we could come to watch their girls.

You really can't call it "baby" sitting.  They are teens, after all.

We began before the sun rose.

The sun did not rise until we got to Strong City, about an hour after we'd left home.

We were not sightseeing on this day.  Driving straight through. 

Our first stop was at Cameron, Missouri, 3 1/2 hours down the road.  Usually we try to drive only 2 1/2 hours to take a break (our car even has a reminder to do that), but the rest stop we were going to stop at was closed, so we just kept going, taking turns driving and napping.

We got to Wisconsin as the sun was setting.

And it was almost completely dark by the time we pulled up at the kids' house.  

It was our first time at this new house of theirs and after hugs and kisses, they gave us a tour of it.  What a gift from the LORD this place is for them!

On Friday, Adam mowed the lawn, trimmed some bushes and did some house cleaning.  He was telling Jill all he had planned for the day and she said "You should pack!!  We ARE leaving for an international trip tomorrow, Adam!"

Sophia was at a volleyball tournament all day.  In the late afternoon (after Adam had packed), we took Claire to ballet/dance.

Then the four of us went out to eat at The Sweet and Salty Pig.  The food was delicious!!  We went over what we needed to do as grandparents while they were overseas.

Later we went to the Worship Circle.  It is a group of worship leaders that bring local churches together to worship once a month.  What a sweet time!

Sophia is a part of the worship team.

The next morning, Adam and Jill said their good-byes to the girls.

Ready to embark on an amazing study tour!!

A day trip to Lawrence

The day after our trip to Gardner, we turned around and drove to Lawrence for a sibling get-together.  We could have stayed in a hotel, as Gardner is only 40 minutes from Lawrence, but we enjoyed our church van trip with our Community Life Group and would have missed out on that.

We chose to go on a different route from the one we'd gone on the day before.  We took 1st street to Cassoday, up 177 to Council Grove.  We found lots of people were out on Sunday drives.  The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve was filled with cars.

We stopped at the Flint Hills National Scenic Drive.

Bluestem grass, the grass of the prairies of Kansas.

At Council Grove, we drove east on 56 all the way to 59.  We had not done that last stretch before.  A new road for us.

Turning north on Highway 59, it took us into Lawrence, where Allen's sister lives.  Before stopping in, we drove around.  Lawrence was where we lived as newlyweds, for 4 years, while Allen attended the University of Kansas.  It feels like "home".  It was our first home, afterall.

Stouffer Place, the newly married housing where we lived, is no longer there.  It has been torn down.

It was good to see Allen's 2 younger brothers and their wives and 2 nieces, one married, and 1 nephew.

The cousins who were able to come.

Julie and 2 of her kids. Susie and her husband live with Julie and Simon is a firefighter there in town.

Tall tales being told.

Gayle and Sid, Reuben and Brenda, Julie, Allen and me

I think the brothers look alike.

This is Al's family back around 1967 I think.  His parents have passed away, as well as his older brothers.  

Josh and Susie, Julie, Simon

Cousins - Bailey, who lives in KC, and Susie and Simon.

How we treasure our family!  What a good time we had.

A day trip to Gardner

When our friend Tarenda moved to Gardner, our Community Life Group at church made plans to go visit her and see her new home.  We were able to do that last Saturday.

We met at Culvers.

Her garage was so organized!  She even had pictures of the puppies she has had up.

She gave us a tour of her home.

We told her we would help with projects.  One project was to take apart her outdoor table and chairs.  It wouldn't fit through the door.  She wanted it in the basement for the grandchildren to use as a paint table.

Good job, fellas!

I told the guys to act buff.  Only Brian complied to that!  Ha!

The ladies were helping her hang photos.

Loving on Susie.

We also shared together in the basement and spent time in prayer.

Sarah was spending the night with Tarenda. but the rest of us left and stopped in Emporia at Pizza Ranch for dinner.

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”

                                                                                        – 1 Thessalonians 5:11