We're........... back!  Here are some pictures & video clips first of the trip up to Spokane on Friday afternoon. (picture of Tri-Cities sky as we leave town)

 I am driving the van and Tom is driving the Fleetwood baby.  Videos... oh how exciting!!!

Next video clip is Ethan @ Tae Won Do  (sp) He's a green belt a little left of middle most of the time.  I tried to keep him in the middle but??? 

Now is Jack dribbling the ball and then Jack makes a basket, but starts with Jeff & Connie across gym. 

Some candid shots of kids etc., are next...

Now some Red Robin shots while we are awaiting a table. (Andrew had to work)

  Let me set this up.  Trying to get a good couple shot of Jeff & Connie went like this.

Finally, a good one of Jeff & Connie (left) & Thad & Jen (right)

Below is Uncle Tom & Auntie Kathy or possibly Dad & Mom sharing a raspberry shake.  (Jeff took this picture)

     On Friday night, I called a fellow who lives in Spokane, who I have never met before, but we have been e-mailing for years.  Asked if he and his wife could perhaps meet us for dinner and a movie.... he was very excited about meeting us so we met at Spokane Valley Mall.  He described himself as tall, white haired and handsome, so Tom said yeah, I am less white haired and handsome.... well, for some reason, we had no trouble spotting each other.  We had a good dinner with lots of visiting, went to see Amazing Grace, then he suggested we go for coffee & dessert at Red Robin.  So we did... they kept us up until almost midnight!    We really enjoyed meeting them and plan to get together again.  Found out Tom actually worked with his brother at Hanford.  They are very interesting people, who love the Lord.    PS  So we ended up at the very same Red Robin two nights in a row.  However, my all time favorite dessert is still the Sidney Sinful Sundae at Outback.  The price is right too!  Sorry Mud Pie!

 Plan to bring back pictures.... see you here on Sunday.

   Joseph is staying here while Mom takes the other two to the doctor's appointment.  So far we have read and looked a book on ancient weaponery, lots of pictures.  Joseph found a sleeve pistol that he really liked.  He said he really wanted one of those pistols, cause then if he found the guy who stole their camera from out of their car he could probably get it back.   Then he said he was having trouble deciding if he wants to run trains or drive dump trucks when he grows up.  I suggested he try both... he just shook his little head and said, "no, I think I will just drive a train."   For any who don't know, Joseph is four & a half years old now.  Right now he is watching a show on steam engines.  And this is Joseph looking at Tom's Company's book, "The Story of Parson's Corporation".  (Not your usual four year old material.)  Of course, he found trains in there and so is pointing them out to me. 

   Today I have lunch with the girls from the doctor's office.  Just for fun.

   Tomorrow, Friday, we head to Spokane to take our little Feetwood Baby to the roof repair man to get a new headliner and seal for the moon roof (if that is what they are called these days).  We will spend the night and spend the next day with the kids, finishing off with dinner and then a drive back home.... we will be driving two cars so we can leave the baby there.

Nina & Curtis Birthday Celebration... This is mostly Nina's song. 

Below are a couple of pictures of the room with all the peoples present for the opening of the presents.

Above, on the left, Zach sticks Isaiah with the sword.  On the right, Isaiah does Zach in, with the same sword, & Zach lays dead!

On the right, Lucy on Greg's feet... see video below for full account!

   While shopping I decided to go ahead and buy a single bottle of extra virgin, light olive oil.  I made my selection and placed it in my grocery cart.  The problem was that the place for babies legs to stick through was wide open so my oil promptly slipped out and onto the concrete floor shattering into pieces right between my feet.  This caused my shoes to be filled with olive oil, the floor to be covered in an ever increasing puddle of olive oil. The lid and neck of the bottle was still in tack, but the rest of the bottle was shattered in very small pieces everywhere.  I could not move without slipping. 

   There were about 6-8 people on the aisle with me.  An elderly couple said they would go get help... and I stood there.  A girl came and said, "oh, I am gonna need a lot more than what I have here to clean that up!"  She left and I began using a piece of cardboard I found to scrape up the pieces of glass.  They closed down the whole aisle.  Finally a young man came and he and I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned.  He said over and over, "I sure wish I had that degreaser stuff we used to have." 

   I ended up barefoot standing on a rag while he sprayed my shoes with some kind of cleaner.  We wiped and wiped and wiped...... it was some kind of mess, but at least it didn't smell bad.  They didn't even charge me for the olive oil.  When I tried to push my cart it left a little olive oil trail where the two wheels were rolling.  Had to wash the wheels and dry them numerous times.   

   The positive thing is my feet are really soft and smooth now... kind of like babies feet! 

Bananas

Was just thinking about bananas so enjoyed looking at these pictures and reading a bit about bananas.  They are actually pretty amazing.  Once again, praise to the Creator.... this time.... of bananas!!! 

 A bunch of bananas

A Banana Tree

     (The truth is, I am in so much pain in my heart that I just needed to think about something wonderful. I have lost a friend who I loved so dearly... not to death, but to something worse.  But then if it isn't death, there is always hope.... now that is a positive thought!  Thanks for listening.)

What a night!!!!

We went to Bible Study last night and made it through worship and about 1/4 sharing and questions.... when the lights went out!  They went out for a couple of miles to the West of the church.  We just sat there in the dark continuing the talk and then we started singing with a guitar only... and it was really, really sweet.  We ended up not having a Bible Study with our open Bibles because it was dark.  There were three emergency lights that came on for awhile.  The kids were left in the dark, but a couple people had pocket flashlights so it ended up being fun and exciting for the kids.  People in the sanctuary got their cell phones out and the ceiling was alive with pretty lights.  We got out early because there was no sign of the power coming back on. 

 Happy Valentine's Day

      Today is the day when people focus on love.  Love is when you give your heart to another.  When you truly love someone you give that one the power to hurt you.  Whether the object of your love knows it or not, they have much power over you.  They also have the power to fulfill and bring tremendous joy.  

     I have more to say about this serious topic, but first.... I must have my latte!   PS  I love my lattes! 

     Ok, back to love........  If you think about the facts stated above in the framework of God's love for us.... it can really impact your life.  Because we know God is Love and He loves us.... He has placed in our hands the power to hurt Him.  I believe Jesus is God's love manifested and we rejected and killed Him.  If one wants to know love, one needs look no further than the life of Jesus. 

     Love is powerful.  It can transform the object of it.  Truly love is the greatest power there is.  You want power- LOVE!  So go forth and love!  To love is to really live.  It is worth the pain. 

                                           PS  These are the things I have learned about love so far.... I am ready to learn more. 

In our mailbox today a bag with note as follows...

Dear Kathy,  Thanks for the great mocha yesterday and all your help, and your brother and Joel.  I have enclosed a bag of goodies and one of my CD's (I used to play music for a living).  Please share these with your family and tell them thanks.  Your Mailman, Roger Quesnell        Maybe I am just overly emotional today, but this just made me cry.  Here is a song by Mr. Roger Quesnell, our mailman. 

  This morning, the mailman came to our door and said he was stuck.  It had been raining pretty hard all night and the gravel, etc., was kind of like pudding.  First Joel tried to pull him out but it made things worse... this happened while Steve went to get the tractor.  The tractor was no help as it looked as though any more pulling would result in a roll over for the mailman.  He phoned the office and they came out took one look and said, hmmm, it's gonna roll over... better call a tow company.  So the pictures, then the video of the rescue. 

   The good news is the mailman got a steaming hot mocha with whipped cream and cinnamon while he waited.  Offered to drive the mailman on his route so he wouldn't get done quite so late, but he said he had finished late before, but thanks... then my brother said he could brag back at the office about having a chauffeur to drive him on his route.      The mailman said in over 20 years he has never had to call for help before.