Goodness gracious!

....it has been awhile!

As you can tell....... I am back and all seems to be working well here on the blog. I spent about a month being blocked off and on because of google-analytics....some type of tracking device. It took me awhile to find a way to block it....but now the ghost device seems to be working.

I will have so much to catch up on with you all....I'll be by to do a fly over and catch up on the news on your blogs. I have missed you all!

I got back yesterday from my trip to La. and Texas.....can you say, HOT?!? HOT AND HUMID!

Julia and I were the only ones that got to go.....Keith has been doing some part time work for a pest control company so we didn't want to mess with that. Still waiting for a full time job to come in.

I will be filling out an app today for an agency that is looking for CNA's. Just don't think I want to work in a nursing home...this company is a temp company so it may work into something full time.

Back to the trip.

We got to La. and got to see Michael and Cassie (my son and his girlfriend)....I might also add that I got to feel Annalise moving in her Mommies tummy. I said, "Hey gir,l I have been praying for you." Since we have not yet decided on what she should call me......not terribly thrilled about being call grandma, grandmother or anything of that sort.....so I could not officially introduce myself. Cassie is getting real close to bringing this sweet bundle into the world.....I do hope that we will be able to go back to see her soon after she is born.

Our second night at Mom and Dad's was a tad rough.....I would gather the temps were in the mid 90's....and the air went out! OH MY GOODNESS!!!! how fast one realizes how spoiled they are! We should have gone to my sisters....... but since we were leaving early the next morning for Texas I thought I could handle it for one night. After a cold shower....no hot water involved here.....and very little sleep....and another cold shower....we were on our way.

Thank you Jesus for allowing someone to invent air conditioning!

Our conference started on Sunday.....and although we had been told we would be responsible for 18 kids....we ended up with 25. Mom and Dad have been doing this since I was 5...(I know that is a long, long time)...and so not much takes them by surprise. We had enough projects........the kids made the neatest lap table that they will be proud to use for many years to come.

Teaching went great. I mentioned that I was teaching Psalm 23..... by teaching a story about a boy named Manuel and his lamb named Mischief. It is an incredible resource.....and although it was actually developed to teach to adults.....the kids love it. I broke the story down into 5 teaching sessions...always leaving the story at a climatic point. Maybe it is wrong....but I just love hearing the groans from the kids when I stop the story and say.....well, we will have to find out tomorrow what happened. :)

At least I know they were listening. ;)

In the afternoons I had  plenty of time to read and rest while Julia spent time down at the river. I took two books and finished two and started another while back in La.....I have really enjoyed reading these books by Terri Blackstock.

After the conference we headed back to Mom and Dad's for a few days. We got to stop in Lafayette and have a shrimp po-boy with Michael......he was spending the weekend helping a friend on his crawfish farm. You know........ it is always hard saying good-bye......really strange thinking that the next time I see him he will be a Daddy. Still praying that he will get his heart right with God and raise this little sweet one in a God centered home.....He is faithful!

We spent Father's Day out at my sister's house....it was fun and Mom and I made the most incredible refreshing salad. Maybe I will share it since it was super easy and stores well.

I got to catch up with some friends that afternoon...would have loved to have had time to stay longer MawMaw.....but I will see you in a month! :)

That night I had a chance to catch up with Keith on details from home....it was a rather bizarre conversation. Well the info I got was anyway. You see Keith  had not gotten much sleep the night before because of an intruder. That's right.....an intruder! And yes, we will start locking our doors at night. Keith sleeps like a rock and so it was good that Juliet was at home with him.....she turned out to be a pretty good guard dog. I am not sure what time it was..... but someone (the police are looking for them and know who they are) just opened the camper door and happy as you please.....came on in. Juliet started growling and barking...which woke Keith....he sat up in bed and said, "Hey man, what ya need?" (kind of funny in hind sight) He actually thought one of the neighbors must have been knocking for awhile and finally decided to try the door. When the guy did not respond but took off running.....Keith jumped out of bed and took off after him-- but didn't catch him. With no shoes running across rocky ground...it was either his feet or catch the guy. He came back and realized that the guy had gotten a few items..tools...from outside before he decided to come in. We thought that it might have been a visiting camper......but it turns out that it was the adult son of one of the women who lives here. I would say that it is not very smart to break into any ones home......but especially not smart to break in when someone is home! So.....we have gotten the tools back and they are waiting for the guy to surface and then he will be charged. Sad.

Back to trip......

Monday was filled with camp planning. Since I am not sure if I will get to do the conference at Lake Junaluska....I wanted to make sure my sister and Linda were all ready to go. That went well and I left Jeannie(my little sister) with only a few details to take care of. I brought my missionary story home with me to study....we will see if God allows me to participate this year.

And then it was time to hit the road!   

Julia and I both got excited when we finally could look up and see our beautiful mountains looming ahead of us. We had a great reunion with Juliet and Keith yesterday.....and tonight I will make up for my absence by fixing him a Louisiana po-boy!

Isn't it nice when your absence can be fixed by such a small thing....well that and  a huge watermelon from Washington Parish! :)

It is great to be back.....both in my mountains and back to the blogging world.

I love ya and will be checking in with each of you real soon.

And maybe I can figure out a way of sharing what I taught the kids in a few post here.....I really think you would enjoy it.