Design for Life/Your Story Matters

I have attended many retreat, but never with my daughter, so I was really looking forward to this particular retreat. From left to right.  Heather's mother in law, Vicki Wilson, me, Heather, and Lori Vernon, Heather's friend.

The girls didn't get in from Dallas till Thursday about 7:00, so we did not attend the Thursday evening services. The next day we were sorry we had missed it because there was a concert with Cece Winans. We went to Hooligans for dinner and got caught up instead.

There were four speakers and they were all amazing. We had come to hear Priscilla Shivers.  She is the daughter of Tony Evans.  I had heard her father in Washington D.C. with Charlene Henard and Scot, when Scot was in high school. Heather and Vicki had heard Priscilla before and knew she was great.

Dianne Wilson, her husband was the former senior associate pastor at Hillsong in Australia for 28 years.  She and her husband Jonathan pictured below now pastor at a church in Newport, CA.

Christine Caine, also from Hillsong and founder with her husband Nick, of A21 Campaign, an organization dedicated to addressing the injustice of human trafficking. 

Debbie Lindell, she and her husband John, are the lead past pastors at James River Assembly of God church, which hosted the conference.

It was two fun filled tiring days,with much solid teaching, preaching, praising, and worshiping. 

Along with 4,100 other we enjoyed a great weekend.  

Heather, Vicki, Lori, and I enjoyed a lovely dinner at Lambert's where they throw rolls at you.  Down home food.  

We completed the weekend by heading to Branson's Outlet Mall to do a little birthday shopping for Heather and then dinner with Bob at Garfield's at Branson Landing.  I went home with Bob and the girls headed back to Springfield to fly off to Dallas in the morning.  Too short a visit.

Silver Dollar City

We have never been to Silver Dollar City, but it was a favorite of our daughters.  So this trip we decided to check it out.  They were having a Harvest Festival and honoring Cowboys of American.

As many of you know, Bob and I have been on diets.  We have done pretty well, Bob lost 15 lbs and I have lost 13 lbs.  We took two weeks off our diet while we were visiting my sister, but had been back on the routine again now for a few weeks.  Well the bakery here was beyond temptation.

There were lots of old building that had been moved her from all over Missouri. This was a small chapel where they had sing along with old hymns.

An old school house and bell.  But it was built here when the Beverly Hillbillies was filmed here. 

The old fire stove made me glad I didn't teach back then.

There was a blacksmith and a woodworking shop. Millie and Larry, Bob is thinking of joining you in Woodworking this winter.  He was checking out tools here at a shop. May need some suggestions for tools for Christmas.

Also a cooperage.

There was lots of entertainment. We saw a cowboy singer who was very good. And a trio called Pure Heart, that did gospel.

There was a horse trainer and a beautiful painted horse. Jackie, my friend would love this.  Sorry I don't know what kind of horse this was.  It was some type of mix but boy was it beautiful

and smart.

There was also many crafts, quilts, leather, and my favorite this cooper artist.

It was a fun filled day, we didn't half of the park.  We'll save the rest for another visit.

Springfield Missouri

After spending time with my sister and her family we headed toward Springfield, Missouri where I was meeting Heather, her friend Lori, and Vicki her mother in law for a women's retreat at James River Assembly of God church.

Bob and I got into Springfield about a week before Heather and her group.  Bob had lost a crown and needed to get it re cemented.  We called a friend of ours, who now lives in Springfield, and who used to attend church where we did in Ventura.  She recommended Dr. Bates and he and his office were wonderful.  While we were in Springfield we stopped by Evangel University, where Heather went to college.  This is a new administration building.  When Heather went to school here their were old barracks located at this spot.

This is the chapel.  When I dropped Heather off her first semester. The university had an orientation for parents here.  Faculty circled the chapel.  Students were called up and each student was positioned facing a faculty.  Last the parents came up behind their son or daughters.  The student was then prayed for by both their parent and a member of the faculty.  I remember it to this day.  Very comforting for a parenting leaving their child hundreds of miles away.

This too is new to us.  It was built in 2006.  Sign said all roads pass through Springfield, MO.

Back of the new Administration Building.

Next we headed to Bass Pro.  Springfield has the largest and first Bass Pro.  It is something to see, although not my type of shopping.

Animals and forests are the theme.

I enjoyed the fireplace and comfortable chairs.  Kind of like the chairs for husbands in Nordstroms.

Bob enjoyed the design of the building, even down to the outside lights.

Family

During the week, Andrea, my niece, and her children, Kody and Khloe, came to visit several times.

Saturday the rest of the family came out to the campground for a picnic.

My nieces Lucy and Gracie.

Their little sisters Lydia and Melanie.

All three of Charlene's daughters were here.  We missed only Allen.  He is now leaving in Virginia.

Charlene and I joined them.

All the girls,

and the boys.

My sister had a sweatshirt that said,  World's Best Me Maw. I told her I was the World's Best Me Maw, she never said anything.  Later that day Nikki, brought me this sweatshirt.

  I was thrilled.  I guess Charlene is the World's Greatest Me maw but I'm the World's Greatest Grandma. Thanks Nikki, thanks Nikki's friend for making it, and thanks Charlene for thinking of me and paying for it.  I love it.  Addie's comment was where is Papa's?  It's being made as we speak.

It was a great two weeks, but for me the time went by all too fast! I love you all.

Grandchildren's first day at Preschool

Addie is an old pro.  This is her 3rd. first day at preschool.

This was Asher's first, first day of preschool.

Notice his shirt.

North Canton, Ohio

We left Mohican State Park and moved up to West Branch State Park in Ravenna.  Bill and Charlene had to go back to work but camped with us, so we had evenings together.

We took a trip to visit Bob's home town North Canton.

This was the Gilmore home.

When Bob was in high school he caddied at a private golf course.

So we had to visit it.

It was still very nice, but now it is a public course.

Mohican State Park

We met my sister and brother in law at Mohican State Park for a week of camping.  It was a great week. Over Labor Day weekend, friends of Charlene and Bill joined us.  

This is Bob and Bill waiting for dinner.

I learned to make potato pockets.

We floated down a fork to the Mohican with inner tubes.  First day the river was low but after a few days of rain in was great.  No pictures.  My phone isn't allowed near water.  We played ladder ball, visited the Amish Hardware and ate several lunches in Amish country.

We visited a cover bridge.

As we walked through the bridge, some hiker from the river yelled up to us to check out the wasp hive.

We visited Landoll's Mohican Castle.

Bob, Bill and Charlene at the Castle.

My crazy sister.

This is a fire tower.  Bob climbed to the first level when he was a boy.  Charlene and Bill climbed to the first level, while Bob and I watched.

One evening some campers, Mennonites, paraded around the campground. What a light show!

We had many camp fires.  Bill was an awesome camp fire builder.