SEEING THE WORLD THROUGH YOUR CHILDREN'S EYES...

My college son recently got home from touring the northwest United States with his acapella singing group!  Here's a few of the pics he shared with me:

Sculpture

Starbucks isn't the only coffee place they love!

The famous wall of gum in Seattle

He loves clouds

New friends

Waterfall in Wyoming

Bucket of donuts from VooDoo

 Yellowstone

Not sure but it's huge!  See the people near the top of the falls?

 Old Faithful

What a joy to see the world through his eyes...he had a LOT more cloud and nature pictures and just makes me smile to know he appreciates those beautiful things created by our Father.

TWO FOR ONE...

Don't you just love a good deal?  In this case, we got a great deal on a family visit!  We planned to go down to my husband's home town for a quick overnight visit for our nephew's 16th birthday party Friday.  We enjoyed the good food and visit with everyone at this lovely lady's house.  One of the many family members we got to see was our niece, who was expecting her second baby in August.  She looked plenty ready to have that baby, and sure enough, the phone call came just a few hours after the birthday party.  She had a healthy, beautiful baby boy at 3:00 a.m. Saturday.  Lucky for us, we were able to go by and visit baby K when he was only 7 hours old.  Pretty special!

Here's a picture of him - 8 lbs., 9oz., 22 inches long - I think it's a good thing he didn't wait until August to make his appearance!

Here he is with his Great Grandmother - my mother-in-law:

So SWEET!  

Giving thanks today for a healthy baby and godly parents!

I AM GUILTY...

For the last several days, I've been feeling sad.  Sad, mad, disgusted, maybe almost depressed!  One particular sin had been screaming out at me everywhere I looked:

My morning newspaper - I scan over much of the bad news and look for good articles, focusing on the death of a famous woman astronaut.  Only to find out at the end she is gay.  (Not going to try to be politically correct today!)

Same day, scrolling through facebook - boom!  A guy I know from highschool has lost his "partner" to Aids and has written a tearful goodbye with lots of pictures for all to see, just flaunting it.  Too much information!

Finally, before my head hits the pillow, I wonder about a young person who has chosen this lifestyle.  I did it again - checked facebook - only to be once again saddened and disappointed.  Couldn't sleep!

What does this say about me?  That I'm sinless?  Certainly not.  But sin gets us all down and it's repercussions are many.  But also it says to me - only took me a few days to realize this - AGAIN - that I'm guilty.  Guilty of spending my time, too much of my time, filling my head with garbage.  Unnecessary news, facebook junk,  yes, I'm guilty.  And the only way out: to fill it up with the good stuff.  God's Word, praise songs, prayers of thankfulness.

 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.  Phillipians 4:8

VERY COOL SITE...

This summer we've hosted a student from HU, and she is interning at a small company here in OKC.  She has worked hard at Wednesday, and taken 12 hours online as well.  Busy girl!  But we've enjoyed having her.  Check out their awesome SITE!  Scroll down and read the engagement story of Jess & Russ.  So entertaining and such beautiful artwork.  

TO MY SWEET SNAGGLE-TOOTHED BOY...

Somehow it happened.  

You grew up on me!  You now tower over me.

The snaggle-tooth has been replaced with straightened, adult teeth.

The chapped skin around your mouth is no more, but stubbled with whiskers.

Cute bowl haircut cropped into a manly style.

But the smile remains.  Your enthusiasm still shows!  

Your voice sings with a much lower tone.

Blessings to you, my son,

On your twenty-first birthday.

As you have blessed me.

FAVORITE LEFTOVERS...

What's your favorite leftover meal?  One of ours is Meatloaf Sandwiches.  Pretty much like a gourmet hamburger to me!  I've always loved my mother's meatloaf recipe, and I think it's because of the sauce.  It's got a lot of brown sugar in it!  But when we've got a few pieces leftover, I can't wait for lunch the next day to make it into a sandwich.  Here's my method:

Reheat the meatloaf in the microwave.

Toast a bun in the toaster.

Put the meatloaf on the bun, top it with cheese, and brown in the oven broiler.

DELICIOUS!

My husband goes all the way with the condiments:

That's the excitement for the week - Meatloaf Sandwiches!  

30 YEARS LATER...

Yep, just had my 30th highschool class reunion!  A few years ago I probably wouldn't have wanted to attend, but with renewed friendships from facebook, I decided to go to one of the events - a picnic at Stephenson park, along with admittance to the UCO Jazz Lab where one of our classmate's band would be performing that night.  It was really a lot of fun, and some people I would have never recognized had I not seen their name tag!

Class picture

I'm bad with this phone camera!

If you've never gone to the Jazz Lab, you should go sometime!  The band played some good 70 & 80's songs this time and I had some fun people watching from the balcony!

Also, I have a book recommendation for you.  This is written by one of my friends from high school who is a local lawyer and new author!  It's funny to think we were in soccer and band together - her energy amazes me.  Anyway, it's a good clean novel.  And very suspense-ful!

LATIN AMERICA VISION...

A few weeks back I was asked to help with a Missions Sunday project at our church.  It had been planned for many months, but someone else had been unable to complete this so they asked me... they know I can't say no!  Since my big project for the summer (TREK) was over, I was ready to work.  I did a lot of things at the last minute, but thankfully, it came together without too much stress.

Our minister had a vision for this 10th Missions Sunday!  He not only wanted the members to give sacrificially but to really connect with the different missions we support, to get to know the countries.  He came up with this idea for a World's Fair type thing in which we would recreate the different countries where we support mission efforts.  It turned out beautifully and as a congregation we gave $724,000.00!

Here's how I transformed Fellowship Central (our old auditorium) into Latin America:

The first thing I did on this wooden wall didn't show up at all.  So I had my sweet husband risk his life to get these borrowed Latin American rugs hung.  The rugs were gorgeous!

Then on an even higher ladder, I had him hang paper mountains - He called it "my impossible dream" but I had to tell these guys more than once I wanted mountains.  They wanted me to compromise on the height but I told them it was my VISION for Latin America!  All the countries surrounded by mountains. They had to go up high or they wouldn't be noticed.  I don't think I was their favorite person that morning.  But, I think it made the room complete.

It looks like mountains, right?  :)  Well it was the best we could do and about all I could get my crew to do after hanging all that cardboard over the brick walls (this was just one of the walls).

Some scenes from Sunday:

Take my life and let it be

All for you and for your glory

Take my life and let it be yours

Glory to God

Glory to God

Glory to God, Forever!

COVER GIRL KAYAKER...

Okay, so maybe it wasnt' the COVER.  But I still thought it was pretty cool!  

HIS FAVORITE FOODS...

Tuesday night we hosted a meal for a bunch of my husband's co-workers who were in town for some kind of testing.  It was 10 guys and one girl from Oklahoma, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee (I think).  My husband wanted to treat them to something other than restaurant food, so he made out the menu, which just happened to include all his favorite foods:

Steak

Smoked chicken

Mandarin Orange Spinach Salad

Roasted sweet potatoes

Fried Okra Salad

Baked Beans

Rolls

Banana Sheet Cake w/ Ice Cream

I thought it was kind of a funny menu, but we did it with the help of Hannah, the college student who is rooming with us this summer!  It turned out great even though I totally forgot about getting the okra fried until 10 minutes before every one arrived...

My husband deserves a shout out for not only preparing the meat for this meal, but also for donating his hard earned hotel points for a trip with my mother and sister recently.  PLUS, he did the dishes and laundry while I was gone! 

And only 1 plant died.  I think he's a KEEPER!

EVERYTHING'S UP TO DATE IN KANSAS CITY...

they've gone about as fer as they can go...oops sorry.  That song was running through my brain this past weekend while we were there!

We (my mother, sister and I) had a lot of fun checking out the city for the first time.  My mother had been there before, but we had not.  Which is surprising to me now that I have seen all it has to offer!  Forgive me if you've seen all this fun stuff before - Pay attention if you haven't!

The Hallmark Cards tour - FREE and fun!  Loved the Christmas tree room.  I wish I had taken my kids to the Hallmark Crown Center when they were young.  So many neat things for kids to do here!  Maybe it wasn't that way in the 90's though...

WWI museum and memorial - well done - and I learned a lot!

View of Kansas city and Union Station from the WWI Memorial

Eating at Webster House - an old school building restored into a restaurant/antique shop!

Even the bathrooms were gorgeous at Webster House - yes my sister thinks I'm nuts - but we bloggers have to share the wonders of the world!

My favorite activity!  The Steamboat sunk in 1856 in the Missouri River near here.  A family dug it up 23 years ago and the contents are on display - they say it's like walking into Walmart 130 years ago, and they're right.  So interesting.  Lots of interesting tools, clothes, and even china dishes to see.  The bonus was that Mr. Hawley (one of the men who dug it up) himself came into the theater where we watched a movie and talked to the group and answered questions!  He is now 82 years old.  We were all in awe of him!

We did find a couple of unique stores that I loved:  Pryde's and Planter's.  Forget the big box stores and malls!  Loved this chandelier made out of whisks at Pryde's.

Union Station - another FREEBIE we enjoyed!  The model train exhibit was excellent! I can't believe I'm telling you I like model trains...but you just have to see it yourself!  

This is an interesting church building in Independence, where we stayed.  I wonder what they are trying to say with that fancy architecture...but I like what the sign says.

The day we left we stopped to take pictures at Country Club Plaza - it turned out to be such a fun Girls Trip and a great way to celebrate Mom's 70th birthday!

THE BIG 7-0...

Just got back from a roadtrip for my mother's birthday.  Today is the big 7-0!  I think she looks pretty awesome for 70, don't you?

I bought her this adorable crown and made her wear it today:

Can you guess where we went?

It's 5 hours north of OKC...

It was a lot of fun and I can't believe I had never been there before!  More about it tomorrow.
  Time to survey the plants, laundry and dishes situation...all the fun stuff the family leaves for Moms to do!  :(  But I'm so glad I got to take my mother and sister and just do some girl stuff!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY...

"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, 

and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 

For kings, and for all that are in authority; 

that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 

For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour" 

(I Timothy 2:1-3). 

SEVENTEEN...

and he's not my baby anymore!  Glad we are past the first year of driving with him!  Thanks to God for no accidents (we'll be praying about that one for a while still) and only one ticket and trip to traffic court.  He's a sensitive, hardworking kid and is blessed with lots of good friends.  He definitely keeps us on our toes but we love him!

What does a 17 year old want for his birthday?  

An Eno, of course...do you know what that is?

A sweet girl to wake him up at 7:30 a.m. (truth be told, I knew nothing about this!)

Some of momma's home cookin:  Meatloaf, Green Bean Casserole, and Cheesy Potatoes.

And a few friends to pose weird for some birthday pics.

P.S.  If you didn't know, an ENO is a hammock. 

P.P.S. Hammocking is all the rage around here!