Sweet Pea’s letter to the neighbors

Hi, my name is Sweet Pea, and I am the bird dog/terrier mix next door. Maybe you've seen me around. This is really embarrassing, but I have to admit I have a huge crush on your dog. He is so handsome! I tell my owners I really need to go outside just so I can look at him. My mom is getting really tired of this, but what can I do? He is such a dream.

Well I was kind of wondering if it would be okay to come over and meet him one day, actually muzzle to muzzle. Don’t worry, I’m not one of those girls, and besides, I had that spay surgery last spring. I would love to look into his eyes, and perhaps play spit head with the cute guy.

My mom says I act like a wild hyena around other dogs, but that is only till I get to meet them. Then I remember my manners. I have a brother at home, but he’s 12, and isn't interested in playing with me. Actually, he’s really grouchy. I’m only 3, so you see why I like to play.
You've never met me, and this is crazy, but here’s my number, call me maybe!
Sweet Pea

First Crush

My dog Sweet Pea has a huge crush on the fella next door. I mean huge! She'll beg to go outside, claiming an impending potty disaster, just to catch a glimpse of her beloved. Now she's never met face to face with this guy, but she is simply head over heels in love with the bull dog next door.

Up until this week, Bullet has been tied close to his owner's home,and he wasn't able to come close to our fence. Well Bullet received an early Christmas present this week when his entire yard was fenced. For the first time, he ambled over and said hi to Sweet Pea.

Now picture a giggly, movie-star/music artist obsessed 14 year old girl. Imagine the object of her infatuation walked up and said "hi" to her. That's pretty much how Sweet Pea reacted when Bullet greeted her yesterday. She spun around, huge grin on her face, and....this followed:

and this:

then this:

Finally:

I'd say I have a very happy dog!!

God bless,
Chela

Good Friends

Monday afternoon, a bank in our town was robbed at gunpoint in broad daylight. The assailants escaped in an SUV and have yet to be caught. This is highly unusual for a small town like ours, and left the residents on edge.

Although I was concerned about the situation, it was really up to the police, so after a prayer for those involved, life continued on in our house. Evening brought homework, dinner, baths and bed.

With the house buttoned up tight, I headed onto bed, and quickly fell asleep. I was awakened some time later by my dog. She started out growling, then woofing, then downright furiously barking. I started to chastise her for barking at her boyfriend next door, when I heard someone knocking on my door!

It's 12:30am, a bank has been robbed a mile from my house, I'm not opening the door! I jumped out of bed, cell phone in hand, and my finger hit the speed dial 5. No, not 911, but my best friend two houses down. I'll get to that in a minute. I run down the hallway, with my dogs carrying on like a pack of wolves, and my heart racing like crazy. Still someone is pounding on my door.

It's not college kid, it's not my husband, they both have keys. If it was the police, they'd announce that, right? So, this can't be good. Friend tells me to call the law, then says to hold on. She woke her dh, and they came flying down here to see who it was.

I soon found out everything was okay, the person outside was a neighbor of mine. She wanted to tell me about the bank robbery, and that the perpetrators hadn't been caught. I appreciate that, but she really frightened myself, and my children. Plus pulled my other neighbors out of bed, and surely scared them as well.

So why did't I call 911? I am not sure. I picked up my cell, and went straight for their speed dial. They're always there for me, no matter the hour or the problem. They are the best friends I could ever wish to have. By the way, they are the ones I had invited over for Thanksgiving just days before. When I mentioned this to them, that I really should have called the police, my friend mentioned that they would have been here first anyway-they would have heard the call over the police scanner.

So I learned a few things from this experience: lock your house at night, keep a phone by your bed, have a dog or two with a big bark, and good friends are worth all the gold in the world. Whether I need to talk, want to chat, or have a dire emergency, my friends are always there for me. Thank you T and T for everything, you are the best. Thank You Jesus for such wonderful friends, and for keeping us safe that night and always. Amen

Chela

A Thanksgiving to Remember

Ahhh..Thanksgiving...a time to gather with loved ones, enjoy a delectable meal, and remember the first settlers to make our wonderful land their home.

Sure...in a Southern Living magazine, maybe. Here is how Thanksgiving played out at our house! The week before the holiday, I had helped our zoo with a booth at the fair, talking to hundreds of people. Naturally, one of them was kind enough to share some crud with me, so I spent the next several days in bed.

After a visit to the dr, a sore hip, and a boatload of meds, I was starting to feel human again. Just in time for a pipe to break in our bathroom. Now remember, this is only one week before Thanksgiving. The break flooded both bathrooms, and left us unable to use the kitchen sink or dishwasher.

Friday, ds #2 has his wisdom teeth out. I also receive a phone call informing me of unexpected company for Thanksgiving. I thought college kid and his girlfriend were coming the week after the holiday.

Monday, college kid and I hit Lowe's for supplies to fix the pipe. Washing dishes in coolers is quickly getting old. College kid then informs me he is going to remodel our kitchen floor over Thanksgiving break, replacing the horrid brown linoleum with beautiful ceramic tile.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, he didn't get the first tiles down until Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving. Did I mention they can't be touched/stepped on/breathed upon for 24 hours? Fortunately, by the time I needed the kitchen to start preparing our meal, the floor was dry and able to be stepped on.

Since the kitchen/dining area was a work in progress, we rolled up our beautiful area rug, and ate in the living room. The day before Turkey day, dh and I had visited a friend of ours, and found out they weren't having a Thanksgiving. Due to a planned road trip on Black Friday, they were not going to mess with cooking a big meal. Before I knew it, the words, "Please come to our home, and share a meal with us. We'll have plenty of food" came tumbling out of my mouth.

I prayed as we prepared food, that we would have enough. Jesus multiplied the loaves and fishes to feed the 5,000, surely he could multiply our feast enough to feed eleven. (John 6:1-14) And He did. We ran out of only one dessert, and in fact, had enough leftovers to feed us for 4 days. Twelve baskets of leftovers indeed.

For all my stressing, worry, and craziness leading up to the celebration, we had a great Thanksgiving. Jesus keeps working on me, and I shall one day learn to trust Him to supply all our needs. Thank You Father for a great celebration. I love You, amen.

Chela

Unanswered prayers

Unanswered prayers....those times we pray, and think God isn't listening to us, or perhaps He is too busy for our little concern. Maybe God only listens to priests or nuns, or people who are heavily involved in the church.

Not so, of course. Our Heavenly Father hears all of our prayers. Whether it's a big one, 'please let me have this promotion' or a small one, 'please don't let me stumble over my words when talking to the boss today.'

Jesus wants what is best for us, and sometimes that isn't how we want to live our lives. He can see our past, present, and future. He knows how the book is going to end, and He knows that although we desperately want the promotion, it isn't in our best interest. Sometimes the answer is no, or not yet, or wait and see what I am going to do in your life. As hard as that can be, Jesus has a great plan for you, as He tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you. They are plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope."

What a good deal He has for us! Still, it can hurt when the answer to your prayer isn't the "yes" you've been praying for. That is when we have to remember that we aren't in charge of our lives; Someone much bigger is taking care of that for us. That can be a real comfort.

Recently, another job opportunity became available at the zoo. I was so excited, and applied right away. I mentioned the opening to my co-worker Sarah, and she also applied. Imagine, me as an assistant zookeeper. Taking care of cheetahs, wolves, big snakes. This was my dream job! Except I didn't get it. Sarah did. I tried to be cheerful, and congratulate Sarah on her new job.

I was happy for her, but it hurt so much. Why didn't I get it? I didn't even get a phone call for an interview! I was really crushed for a couple of weeks. Then I happened to be at the zoo, and found out exactly what the job entailed. Then, I was grateful I didn't get it. I don't want it. At all.

Sarah is taking care of the education animals, not the zoo animals. She is working hard caring for a variety of animals ranging from Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches, to scorpions, alligators, beavers, possums, owls and parrots. It is also a volunteer position I've been avoiding for 8 years. It's way too much work, and I just don't want to do it. Perhaps it's the ground floor for working with zoo animals, but it's not for me.

This time, I am thanking Jesus that He gave the job to Sarah, and not me. I'm grateful that He knew I wouldn't want it, and that He has better plans for me. When I heard about the opening, and through to when I submitted my application, I told Jesus, "Thy Will be done". I'm grateful it was. Thank You Jesus for taking my life in Your hands, and guiding me through each day. Please continue to prepare my future, to prosper and not harm me. I love You! Amen.

God's sense of humor

I completely believe that our Father in Heaven has quite a sense of humor. He proved it to me again this evening. Ds and I were volunteering at an event at our zoo, Walk on the Wild Side. It's an annual fundraiser, with dinner, live entertainment, and a silent auction.

Ds and I were handling animals, walking around, and talking to the guests about them. I had chosen a blue tongued skink-a good sized lizard with, as the name suggests, a sky blue tongue. They hail from Australia. Ds had our ball python, Poe.

A couple came up to me during the evening, and we started talking about the lizard, and reptiles in general. The wife was very afraid of snakes, and I told her it was okay, everyone is afraid of something. Then I mentioned that I am afraid of tree frogs. The husband started laughing and told me his brother is as well. We talked about how the frogs stick on windows, get in your car, or your home. I also mentioned I hadn't seen any this summer at all.

The couple moved on, and the evening progressed. Finally it was time to leave, and we headed out to the car. I got in the driver's seat, and ds went over to the passenger side. He excitedly told me there was something on top of the car that he had to show me. It was dark out, so I couldn't imagine what could be there.

After a couple of minutes, ds leans down beside his open door and shows me his treasure. A tree frog! Even worse, he loses the critter in my car! I told him he was in serious trouble, grounded for a week, and if that thing jumped on me on the way home, we were crashing.

We looked furiously, but the frog was no where to be seen. I couldn't believe it. Ds reluctantly sat down in the car, and shut his door. Then I saw it. The offender was on his door, just above the arm rest. I told ds to open that door, and get that frog out NOW! He followed the first part of my directions, but not the latter. He lost the frog again in the car!

The second time, I found him on the fan between the two front seats. Before ds could catch him, he...jumped on my leg!! I might need therapy now. Fortunately at that point, ds was tired of messing around, and caught the frog once and for all. He relocated him to some nearby grass.

Yes, the Father definitely has a sense of humor. He heard every word I spoke tonight, and the entire conversation I had about tree frogs. Haven't seen one all summer, huh?

Love You Jesus, and thank You
Chela

Couple of funnies

The other evening, the boys and I were eating supper. We had boneless pork ribs, a dinner that I (wrongly) assumed would be a huge treat for them. Ds #2 didn't like them at all, and refused to eat anymore after a bite or two.

We started talking about non-meat sources of protein; such as peanut butter, nuts, and tofu. I told the boys (jokingly) that we were having tofu for dinner the next night, here is the conversation:

Me: okay, we're having tofu tomorrow for supper.

Ds#2: Then I'm eating at T's house. (dear family friend and good cook who has NEVER made tofu in the 11 years I've known her)

Ds #3: No, I'm not eating raw fish.

Today, I was heading out to the store, and noticed a number of birds in a small tree in my yard. There were two mockingbirds, two cardinals, and a dove. They were hopping around the tree, and flying in and out of it. This commotion continued for a few minutes before I turned to get in the truck. I continued watching from the side mirror on my truck before deciding to check this out further.

I ran inside to tell ds, and we went back outside to see what was going on with the birds. The reason for the chaos soon became hilariously apparent. There was a locust around the tree, and all the birds wanted him for lunch. Yet every time a bird picked up the locust, it would buzz, and the bird would drop it. Then another bird would try, with the same results.

Finally all the birds gave up except the cardinal. After a few unsuccessful tries, he eventually decided that locust was his lunch, no exceptions. We know this because he flew across the yard with the locust buzzing his disapproval from the cardinal's beak the entire way. Sorry, locust, but you did provide some comic relief this afternoon, and fed a beautiful red bird.

Mini Vacation

We decided to have one last vacation this year, before getting too bogged down in school and work. So all 7 of us, (dh, kids, college kid's girlfriend and myself) all packed up and headed to a nearby theme park. It's a pleasant two hour drive through cotton fields and cow pastures.

First on the agenda was to check into our hotel, then we'd hit the theme park. Dh was sure he knew where the hotel was, but it took us a good 30 minutes to find it. Then we realized we didn't get what we requested. Okay, I admit I'm a bit spoiled when it comes to overnight accommodations. I want certain things like interior entrances, ( I feel safer this way), a continental breakfast, and wifi. A pool/hot pot combo is even better.

We had booked our hotel over the phone, telling the agent exactly what we wanted. Well..this hotel had none of it. It was cheap looking, and didn't appear safe or welcoming at all. Fortunately, we were able to cancel and find the hotel we really wanted.

After checking into the right hotel, and sorting out who was staying in which room, we headed out to the theme park. I started getting more and more excited as we approached the park. When dh was buying tickets, I decided the gig was up, and the truth had to come out.

When ds #2 graduated with his GED back in June, we told him we were going to this theme park, and when. We didn't tell him the whole story. So while dh was buying our tickets at the gate, I turned to ds and told him what was really going on,

Me: ds, when you graduated, we told you we were coming here this weekend, and said we had to save up the money. That wasn't the real reason we chose this weekend. We decided to come now for a very special reason. That reason is; Skillet is going to be performing a concert here in 4 hours.

His reaction was priceless! Skillet is his absolute favorite band ever. He was beyond excited, I was so happy for him, and knew we had scored big on this one. I give God all the glory, for without Him, none of this would have worked out. He definitely blessed us, providing for all our needs on this trip.

We spent the next 4 hours riding rides, and exploring the park. It was so crowded, and I was constantly bumping into people. Lines for rides were extremely long, and I kept hearing, "What time is the concert? See you at the concert, can't wait for Skillet tonight. See you at Skillet!" No, not from ds, from everyone else at the park. Ds kept saying, 'I can't believe Skillet's here. I can't believe I get to see Skillet!"

At one point, we went in the Lorikeet aviary to see those colorful goofballs. This always happens in these aviaries-the birds flock to ds, even though he doesn't have nectar. However, he does wear a big straw hat, and the birds love it. So he ends up with lorikeets on his head, trying to eat his hat. LOL

Mini Vacation part 2

Finally it was time for the concert. We found our spot, and ds was glued to the stage. I didn't see him take his eyes from the band for a second. I hope he blinked. LOL "Getting a seat at the concert" is quite a misnomer, by the way. We didn't sit down for the entire 90 minutes, because no one was sitting, and we wouldn't have been able to see if we did. 90 minutes of standing on concrete, after 4 hours of pounding pavement with our feet. Fun.

It was all worth it though, because ds had a really good time. He was so ecstatic, it was definitely worth it. Thank You Jesus!! I was surprised that Skillet is a Christian band, I really didn't think it was. I'd heard that they were Christian, but their songs didn't sound that way to me. After the concert, though, I took a different view of their music.

The special effects were really neat too. Remember back in high school science class when you used the bunsen burners? They had fire shooting up on the stage that reminded me of those burners back in school. Different parts of the stage could spin or rise up, or both. Lots of strobe lights, and a really spooky monster for the song of that name. Quite the impact when everything else is dark.

When the concert finally ended, we stood in a huge line to buy the boys tee shirts. I was surprised younger ds wanted one, but he did. By now it was late, so we headed out to the car. We had to make a stop at Wal Mart that took forever, so we didn't end up back at the hotel until 11:30pm.

I treated my poor feet to a soak in the hot pot until we were shooed out by staff. ( closing the pool for the night). The park has a neat perk; your tickets are second day free. So you can come back again the next day. We slept in a bit, and enjoyed our delicious continental breakfast. Then we packed up our room and headed out to the park.

What a difference! There was about 1/4 the number of people in the park as the day before. Little to no wait on rides, longer times on the rides, and no bumping into people. LOL This time the kids insisted I get on some rides. Hello, old lady here that hasn't gone on rides in forever, and did I mention OLD?

Turns out I actually found some that were fun, and not just the safari train. The Swamp Thing doesn't have any big drops, and doesn't go upside down. Just my kind of ride. I rode that one several times. Go Bananas was okay, but it's really jerky, and I ended up bruised and sore. The Ant something was fun too. Okay, yes, it's a kiddie ride, just hush. LOL

I did like the safari train, not just because it's totally tame. I like seeing the different animals they have out there. I've also just been hired by my own zoo to be a safari guide, so it was interesting to experience this one. I did have to correct the narrator on one point though. Fallow deer don't shed their horns, they don't have any. They shed their antlers. I know, it's nit picky, but one of my pet peeves. Horns are permanent, think goats, cows, bison, etc. Antlers are grown by deer, and shed each year.

Mini Vacation part 3

We hit the Lorikeets again, and this time bought two cups of nectar. Those birds were all over us! Nectar and a straw hat, what a treat. At one point, we were standing around talking, and college kid and his girlfriend had to duck to avoid a bird zooming around the enclosure. Thinking he was safe, college kid stood back up only to have the second bird crash into him. They were both fine, I think the two birds were playing chase, or bumper people. LOL

They also had some lions and tigers. It was so neat to see them up close, TV just doesn't do them justice at all. They are huge! They have an old safari jeep backed up to a part of the tiger exhibit, and the tigers are free to jump inside the back of it. You can climb in the seat and get some awesome up close pictures of them.

The giraffes are on the safari ride. They are cuties! You can buy a ticket and feed them, but we never got to it this time. We have done that in FL at the Lowry zoo.

Mini Vacation-the end!

I have to say the trip was a lot of fun. Relaxing like the beach? Not at all! Exciting and fun? Yes, definitely. My feet finally forgave me, and we have a lot of fun memories of our time together, and the craziness of a theme park. I am grateful to Jesus for the wonderful adventure of our vacation, and for blessing us with this trip. Thank You Father!!

Here's a picture someone was kind enough to take of us at the park:

Fun with beavers

These beavers have been such a joy for all of us working in the zoo. We have so enjoyed watching them mature. We bottle fed them as youngsters, then weaned them and watch them grow. They are huge now, probably a good 30 lbs or so. They still come up to the front of their enclosures wanting attention. Or food. LOL

They each have mulch, logs, hay and other treasures to keep them occupied. One of them, June, gave into her beaver nature, and built herself a dam. Now if her pool tips over, it won't flood her out. Smart beaver!

I'm not sure of this one's name, but he decided the best place to hang out would be in the pool. With temperatures in the upper 90's, and high humidity, I agree with him.

Here is a photo of June, the dam builder

I hope you enjoyed the beaver update. Have a blessed day!

Chela

Beach Weekend

The second week of July, we snuck away for a weekend at the beach before school started. (July 30th here). Dh had gone on ahead, as he had Air Force Reserves that week.

College kid insisted on taking his own car with his girlfriend, instead of riding in the van with the rest of us. I can't see why he wouldn't want to ride in a cramped van with 4 other people and no air conditioning. Goodness, a kid gets grown and want to do things his own way.

We finally get everyone packed, the cars loaded up, and set off on our journey. An hour away, there is some confusion about if we are stopping to eat, so I pull over at a restaurant. College kid comes walking up to me, (first clue, he always drives up to tell me something) and says, "I broke my car, Mom. I really broke my car."

Did you know a car's wheel can fall off the car? I had no idea this was possible, but happen it did. Apparently, the CV axle can break, and then...

So we had about a two hour delay in plans while we got ds' car to the shop. The car was blocking traffic on a road where people come speeding up to the stop sign. Luckily, a cop happened to come along and block the car from getting hit. At one point, I received an automated phone call from road service telling me it would be 45 minutes before the wrecker made it to us.

I relayed this to the cop, who replied, "I can't let you sit here for 45 minutes."

Really now. Do you have any other ideas up your sleeve? It's not like we can move the car. Finally the wrecker made it, and towed the car. After getting everything settled with the mechanics, we all piled into that hot, cramped van, and headed to the beach.

The first stop was the base, but dh was still in a meeting, so we headed to the water. At first, we were annoyed that we couldn't go to the lodging first, but this actually worked in our favor. The beach was beautiful, and I headed straight in to do my favorite thing-wade out until I can't touch, then tread water and relax in the swells. I could stay that way for hours.

I know quite a few people who go to the beach, sit on the sand, then go back to the hotel and swim in the pool. Not me, let me get sandy, seaweedy, and feel fish brushing my legs. I love the ocean! Do I worry about sharks? Nope! I firmly believe it's more dangerous driving to the beach than swimming in it. The worst thing that has ever happened has been a few jellyfish stings.

Beach Weekend part 2

Ds #2 and I were out in the deep, relaxing in the surf. College kid was in the breakers with his girlfriend, as she can't swim. DD was playing in the sand, looking for shells mostly. Ds #3 came out in the deep with us a few times. Last time we were there, we swam and swam and swam feeling for the sandbar, but it was gone! I'm so glad it has returned.

It starts getting dark, but I'm reluctant to head back. I just love floating in the ocean. Then it's seriously getting dark, so we had to concede defeat and head for shore. I had never been in the ocean at night, it was definitely a different experience.

To our lodging, showers for everyone, then out to dinner. It's strange that college kid is now old enough to order his own alcohol. How did that happen? He already has his favorites as well. I guess I have to accept he is grown now.

Many years back, I had found this boardwalk through a woodsy area with a creek beside it. You could swim/float/canoe, or walk on the boardwalk. The kids and I had been once, then I could never find it again. I had looked every time, for all these years, and had never found it.

On the way to dinner, dh points to something, and says, "there's that walking trail you've been looking for!" He found it!! Turkey Creek Trail. I couldn't wait for the next day to check it out.

The next morning, we finally get up and get going. We head straight to Turkey Creek. It was even better than I remembered! The trail is 3/4 of a mile one way. It dead-ends, and you can hop in and swim or float down the creek. The water is a constant 69 degrees. Brrrr...

One time down the boardwalk and in the water go the kids. They absolutely loved it. There are checkpoints every so often, to check in on the kids. You can also hop in at any of these, or just swim there. Most of the creek is pretty shallow, but there are a couple of places where it's over the guys' heads, and they are 6' tall.

There didn't appear to be any alligators, (we were in FL) but there were plenty of turtles. At one spot, we counted 15. Of course that happens if someone feeds them, but {cough cough} we would never break the rules and do this.

Beach Trip part 3

We finish up at the creek, and start piling back into the car to get cleaned up and go to dinner. I notice ds #3 is bleeding on his shin. I ask him what happened, and how did he get hurt. He reaches down to feel of his leg, and calmly tells me he isn't hurt, it's a leech. Ds has this uncanny ability to remain perfectly happy on the outside, even if he is panicking on the inside. This was one of those times. It didn't appear to be bothering him, but on the inside, he was pretty upset.

We leave there and head to the beach. What a different day than Friday. The beach was wild. The flags weren't out, but I'm sure they would have been red (rip tides, no swimming) if they were. The beach was covered in seaweed. Red tide, the ocean was doing some cleaning up shop. DD pulls out the sifter we'd gotten in a pack of beach toys, and went to sifting the sand. We found shells, crabs, shrimp, and a baby horseshoe crab.

We also found a dead Ramora, which is a sucker fish that attaches itself to sharks. I caught one when we went deep sea fishing last year. I was picking up sand dollar pieces as I strolled the beach. DD found me an entire sand dollar, but it broke when she grabbed it. I treasure it so much.

When it started getting dark, we packed up and headed for dinner at our favorite restaurant-The Crab Trap. We always eat outside on the deck, right on the beach. Last year, there was a bird in the restaurant, and he was swooping down trying to eat people's food. They give kids buckets with little shovels on them, and they have a playground right off the deck. We love this place. I think it was the most expensive meal we've ever eaten, but it was worth it. There were 7 of us, and we only go here once a year.

Sunday morning, back to Turtle Creek. This time the kids swam and floated down the creek twice. I was the holder of stuff. Quite a bit of stuff, by the way. Towels, shoes, phones, drinks, and whatever else the kids had with them. I logged 3 miles that day in the heat on the boardwalk. The kids had a ball though, and no leeches this time.

There is a side path to the boardwalk that someone donated to Turkey Creek. It curves around, and empties to a quiet sitting area maintained with beautiful hanging baskets. It overlooks the creek, and is a very calming place. It is a place for parents who have lost children. The archway coming in says:

I found out you can buy a plaque to have placed there in memory of your child, of any age. Sometimes places offer these for $300. Turkey Creek only charges $5.00 The first time there, we didn't see any plaques. Of course, we were looking at the snake College kid found. Sunday I sat down and rested, and noticed the plaques are on the ceiling.

Beach weekend part 4

It was very touching and thoughtful. We finally headed home after the kids wore themselves out swimming at the creek. They all fell asleep on the way home. I'm so glad they had as much fun as they did. Especially after only going in the ocean once. I'm sure this will become a staple of future beach visits. Did I mention that it's free? Pretty neat, huh? They have a big covered area to bbq, and security. Be careful feeding the turtles. hehe

Here is a the view off the back deck of the Crab Trap:

My daughter saw me taking pictures, and posed so I could take hers:

We had a wonderful time at the beach. This time we stayed on the AF base, which put us so much closer to everything. Usually we are 45 minutes from the beach. I told dh I want to stay there in the future. I hope you have enjoyed this long manuscript of our beach trip. I had no idea it would be this long.

God Bless,

Chela

Check Those Receipts

I went grocery shopping today, and as usual, kept a careful running total on my phone's calculator of how much I was spending. I do this to keep in my budget, and it works most of the time. As a result, when the cashier was checking all the groceries through, I wasn't paying any attention to the total on the machine.

Towards the end, I glanced over and immediately started panicking. My total was much higher than I had expected, and the cashier wasn't done yet. Luckily we had the funds to cover it, but it would really blow our budget. When the total came, it was $191.82. I had only planned on $134. Oh boy! So on the way out, I looked over the receipt, trying to find where I had gone wrong in my shopping.

Yes, I went back in the store and they refunded my money. How upsetting though. What if I hadn't insisted on checking that receipt, and just accepted that I spent too much money on shopping. I would have continued stressing and beating myself up for something that wasn't even my fault. I do that. I'm glad I had the inclination to check the receipt and see what had happened. Computers can be wrong sometimes too.

God Bless,

Chela

water balloons

A friend of ours gifted us with a package of water balloons recently. We have had so much fun with them out in the pool. I thought I'd let you in on a little secret about filling them. At first, the kids were using the hose, and I was stressing about my water bill. Then ds found out you can fill them with the jets in our pool. (We have an in ground, I'm not sure if above ground pools have jets like this)

Step 1: fit balloon onto the nozzle that comes with the balloons:

Step 2: fit wide part of nozzle over the pool jet, and watch your balloon fill. Be careful, it can get too full really quick, and will burst on you. If you would like your balloon to float, blow some air in it after it fills with water.

Step 3: Tie your balloon to keep it filled. Tie a knot around your fingers, then slide off, and you're ready to go!

Step 4: a full water balloon, ready for launching

We didn't throw them at people, we tossed them around the pool, then went balloon hunting to see if they had popped. As mentioned earlier, blowing some air in the balloon after filling really helps, especially at night. Have fun!

Chela

Random zoo pictures!!

The zoo's baby beavers when I first saw them. They were still on the bottle here:



And now! We have to wear welding gloves to hold them, and they are less than cooperative about it.



Our macaws, Zeus and Athena (the zoo's, not mine)



Our red shouldered hawk chick



Our red-tailed boa. She's too big and ill-tempered for us to use in education.



And one more, because I love green trees against a blue sky!!



I hope you've enjoyed the pictures!! God bless

Chela

I can't take credit for this one, I found it snooping around online. Enjoy!

I love the story of the tapestry.

There was a little boy sitting at his mother's feet as she was sewing a tapestry. After a long while of him gazing up,

he had this strange look on his face. His mother asked him, "Darling, What is the matter?"

His reply was, "Mommy, that is the ugliest thing I have ever seen!"

His mother turned her tapestry over, and he was right! It was ugly. There were knots, and strings and threads and they

were all crossed in various ways and it WAS ugly!

His mother replied, "Oh sweetie, you are right, but you are looking at it all wrong!

You see, if you look at it from up here, it is beautiful!"

With that she turned the tapestry over for him to see. It WAS beautiful. It was perfectly stitched.

"The little boy replied with joy, "OH Mommy! It is PERFECT!" I couldn't see what you saw!

That is exactly how this life is for us. We see things from underneath; from our human perspective. The entire time, GOD

is weaving the tapestry of our lives from up above, and He sees our lives from HIS perspective. He sees the right side

of that tapestry.

He is weaving something beautiful with the fabric of our lives. :)

Chela

Humbling

It's been an interesting, humbling time for our town. Every business had a sign up recently, it was "Vote for Phillip Phillips!!!" "Go Phillip" everywhere as our hometown hero climbed the ranks of American Idol. When he finally won on May 23rd, the town erupted with "Congratulations Phillip!" everywhere one looked. We were in a huge state of celebration. Someone from our little neck of the woods had won, and had done us all well.

Three days later, the celebrating came to a crashing halt. Another hometown hero, Lance Corporal Steven Sutton, was killed in action in Afghanistan. He was 24 years old, and died during combat operations. Lance Corporal Sutton leaves behind a wife and stepdaughter. All over town, the congrats came down, and "Remembering Steven Sutton" and "Thank you Steven Sutton for your sacrifice" replaced it. We went from laughing and partying to shocked and grieving. We shed many tears for our hero who won't be coming home again. A brave, selfless hero who gave his all to keep this country the best in the world, with all the freedoms so many have bravely fought to maintain.

God has a way of keeping us down to earth, and not letting us get a big head about things. Jesus could have come down as a king, born in a great castle, and treated like royalty from the beginning. Yet He chose to come as a servant, a slave for us. He was born under the poorest conditions, and His first visitors were shepherds, dirty from the fields. During His time of ministry, Jesus had no home, no money, and only His disciples and followers with Him. Then He was condemned, and all of those who had followed Him fled. Peter even denied ever knowing Jesus! Ultimately, He was crucified on a wooden cross, a death meant to humiliate Him.

Can you think of a time when you have been humbled by God? Recently a small event happened that brought the point home. I was washing dishes when the sink became clogged. I know how to handle this, I thought, and grabbed the plunger. A few plunges, and the sink was draining like new. Feeling pretty good about myself, I resumed washing dishes, only to have water come gushing out of the cabinet and fill up my shoe. I hadn't fixed the sink like I thought I did.

Perhaps these things happen when we take the credit for something God has done through us. Did you ace that interview today? Have you thanked God for giving your wisdom, grace, and the words to speak that impressed the interviewer so much? Did you finally sign off on that deal that's been nagging at you for months? Did you give God the glory, and thank Him for seeing you through? Your son graduated magna cum laude at that university, after getting in on a scholarship? Thank the Father as your son crosses that stage.

In Luke 17:11-19, Scripture tells us of Jesus healing the ten lepers. He told them to go see the priest, to be declared clean. On the way, their skin became clean of the sores that marked the disease. Only one humbled himself to go back to Jesus and say thank you. Jesus asked him. "Where are the other nine?" Then he told the thankful man that his faith had made him well.

I started this post with the intent of talking about humility, but it turned more into talking about thankfulness. Perhaps that is where Jesus wanted this to go. Maybe I need to be more thankful for things in my life. Have I let some things go that need praising and glorifying? I shall work on that.

In closing, I wish the best to Phillip Phillips. I wish you a long and illustrious career in music. Don't ever forget where you came from, and Who gave you such amazing talent. Lance Corporal Sutton, I so humbly thank you for your sacrifice for our country. All gave some, but you gave all. Thank you, and may you rest always in the arms of Jesus.

Chela

wild weekend 2

Apparently, you can run out of room on a blog, so here is the rest of the wild weekend post. Sorry they are out of order here.

DD finished at the track meet, and we headed home. Once we got out of the city, we stopped for drinks. I got an ice cream cone as well, and had a heck of a time eating it in the truck. It was really big, and melty, and a mess. It was really good though. We finally arrived home, but it sure was a long drive. The road just kept going and going forever.

We finally arrive home, and visit with college kid before heading to bed. Wake up early Sunday for church. I really don't want to go-my head and back hurt- but I'm serving, so I need to be there. We take two cars, so dh can get there early to teach his class. I head in a little later, when dd is ready.

We have a nice time at Mass, then pile into the truck to go eat lunch. Then the plan was for dh to take dd to do some shopping, and me to take the boys home. Except after we put gas in the van, it goes haywire on me. I can't steer it, the battery light is on, and it is overheating. One of the belts had come off, and the van is completely undriveable. I will stop right here, and give thanks to God for this. I almost took the van on our trip to the convention and track meet. Almost. Then dh and I discussed it, and decided the truck was more reliable. Thank You Jesus!

It was Sunday, and nothing is open, so we had to leave it (with permission) and will deal with it this week. At least we are all home, and we do have one working vehicle. Now you have my crazy, wild weekend. I have glossed over it a bit, left out all the traffic jams we sat through, and things like that, but you still have a pretty good idea of how things went. Hope your weekend was great.

God Bless,
Chela

What a Weekend

This weekend has been crazy and busy from start to finish. It's been run run run, with no break. For the most part, it's been fun, just so busy. Okay, enough of that; here's my weekend.

Friday I got youngest out the door, then was in my room before taking ds to school. As usual, I looked out my window to make sure that all was well with the pool. There was a splotch of dirt in the deep end that shouldn't have been there. I looked again, and it had a tail. I yelled for ds to come in, and he concluded that it was a possum. Blech, in the deep end, on the bottom of the pool.

I dug the hole for him in the yard, and fished the poor guy out with the pool net. I've held these at the zoo, so it's hard to deal with a dead one. On the other hand, I've also been bitten by them, so I'm not too heartbroken. I attempt to get the thing out of the net, but am having a hard time. I feel the 10' pool pole hit something. Oh my gosh, I forgot about the overhead power line! By the grace of God I was not electrocuted. Finish up what I am doing, and give thanks to God for sparing my life. I can't believe I was so careless, but thankful to my Savior for watching over me always.

Half day for the kids, and I'm watching my friend's kids after school. Finally send them home around 4. They didn't want to leave, even after their parents were back. They enjoy playing video games with my kids. There's a bit of an age difference, (mine are older) but it doesn't seem to be a problem at all. They've been fast friends for years. It seemed at one point that my friend would forever be in the land of sippy cups and potty training. Then one day, her kids just grew up on us. Now she's dealing with driver's licenses, and puberty. I guess it happens to the best of us.

DD had an FFA Convention Thursday-Saturday two hours away from here. She was receiving a state degree, a high honor for the organization. She also had a track meet two hours further north from the FFA event. On Saturday. She could work this out if we could figure how to get her from activity A to activity B. After much discussion, it was decided that I would go up Friday, spend the night in the hotel, see her get her degree on Saturday morning, then run her up to the track meet. Then we'd be home Saturday evening.

It worked out really well when college kid called and announced he'd be home Friday night, and stay the weekend. I had planned on my friend keeping the boys, but this would be even better. I left around 5:30 Friday night, and made it safely to the hotel. I was rooming with some friends of the family, and we had a nice time visiting. Up early Saturday to be at the convention by 8am. DD received her award, and we booked out of there. I was kind of surprised to see daylight when we walked outside, the area we were in was completely dark except for the stage. I kept thinking it was at night.

We hit a huge traffic jam on the way to the track meet, and were going nowhere for about 30 minutes. I was so worried dd would be late. It didn't help much when we made it to the school, and saw pole vault poles up in the air. Oh dear, this might not be good. It turned out to be the boys' pole vault event, and dd still had 90 minutes to spare. Thank You Father!

The meet was held at a Christian school, and it was just beautiful. Set up like a college campus, beautiful buildings, beautiful track and football field. They had this verse written on one of the walls: "No matter what happens, conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Jesus." Philippians 1:27 I like that verse.

DD's event was finally called, and she got 7 feet. She wasn't really happy with herself, felt that she could have done better, (she's gotten 8') but she gave it her best, and that is what matters. I'm really proud of her. I think one contributing factor was plain exhaustion. She had been at the convention for three days, rooming with three friends of hers, I know she didn't sleep. That's all she did in the car, and once we got home. Maybe if she'd been fresh, she could have done better. But she gave it her all, and I'm proud. (I can't say anything anyway, my fat butt surely wouldn't have made it seven inches, even with a pole.)

wake up, wake up!

It's Saturday morning, and I'm in bed, asleep. My under the bed monster Julie Bug, is on my pillow, and decides it's time to get up. Stage is set, here is what happens:

Pat pat with a paw on my shoulder.

Me: Hmm..what's up, bug (Julie's nickname)

Bug: It's time to get up

Me: I don't have to get up yet, Julie. It's only 6:30am.

Julie: Yes you do, Mom, you always get up this early.

Pat pat with paw

Me: what?

Julie: It's time to get up, you're going to be late.

Me: not on Saturdays, Bug. I get to sleep in some. I don't have to be at the zoo until 10am. I can sleep until 8 today.

Pat pat with paw on shoulder

Me: Let me sleep, I don't have to get up yet!

Julie: You need to get up! Quit ignoring me, and get out of bed for goodness sakes!

Me: Ouch! Why did you bite my head?

Julie: You weren't listening to me. I'm not letting you oversleep.

Me: Have you ever heard of the POUND Julie?

Julie: Sorry mom, night.

A View of a Zoo

Saturday was our zoo's Native American Festival. Ds and I signed up to work wherever they needed us, and spent the day manning a booth with biofacts and live animals. This tends to be the most popular booth at events such as these.

We were near the main arena where they held the entertainment-Native American dancers, musicians, etc. A tent blocked most of our view, but we got to see some of the action. The costumes were so rich, and elaborate. Some jingled and jangled as the wearers walked around. The headdresses of feathers were something to behold. I really wish I had gotten pictures, but was too busy working at the time to think about it.

There were several vendors set up under white tents, selling Native American jewelry, bows and arrows for the kids, arrowheads, and annoying little water whistles. They sounded like birds, and every single kid at the festival had one. LOL Thank goodness none of the whistles made their way to my house.

Our booth had a lot of biofacts-animal parts-for people to see. We had several bird wings, skulls of some native predators, an otter pelt, and turtle shells and skulls. People were most impressed by "Pete". He's our Reticulated Python skin, that was harvested after the snake died about 20 years ago. He used to live at Chehaw on exhibit, and was 21 feet long.

We had tree frogs, an opposum, corn snake, and a box turtle in the live category. We noticed a trend in the visitors at the event. If we were just hanging around the booth with no animals, we'd have no visitors. If we pulled out an animal, (especially the snake) we'd have a steady stream of people.

Ds and I had our box turtle U-Haul out for a while, talking about his hinge, that allows him to close up shop if things get frightening. He has gorgeous coloration, so that helps his draw as well. Unfortunately, U-Haul is a busy little guy, so we opted to put him back after he had visited some.

A while later, a visitor comes up, and informs us that our turtle is making a break for it! U-Haul had gotten out of his carrier, and was hauling shell to parts unknown. Praise God for the visitors that noticed him. After that, we placed water bottles on top of his carrier, and checked him frequently.

You meet all types of people at events such as these, especially when there are thousands of visitors coming your way. Children are usually my favorite. They are innocent, curious, and usually love the live animals. I love how their faces light up when they see someone with a critter.

The adults though-well I have to love them too. Like I said, you meet all types. Most are polite and curious, and at least listen to what you have to say. Some are familiar with the animals you are talking about, and share their stories with you. I enjoy that. Some people however...

One young lady came up to our booth, and loudly declared, "Oh my gosh, you murdered all of these animals!" Yes, we're a zoo, and we randomly murder animals for their parts to display to our visitors.

I calmly informed her that we're a zoo, and we love animals. All of the biofacts we are displaying came from animals that died of natural causes. In fact, I told her, the bobcat skull is a bone clone. It was handmade, and isn't even real. She then tells me she loves animals, especially turtles, and was going to go off (make an even bigger scene) if we had harmed the turtles whose shells were were displaying. Sigh.

At this point I was really done with her altogether. It had been a long day, I was tired and hungry, and just didn't care anymore. I kept my composure with her though. When she informed me that she picks up turtles in the road, and throws them in the back of her truck to relocate, I told her she is probably signing their death sentence. It's perfectly fine to move them on across the road, but you don't want to relocate if you can help it. They know where all the shelters, ponds, blackberries, etc are in their territories. If you move them, they are completely lost.

Sometime later, a young boy came by, maybe 9 or 10, and was asking me about the biofacts. As docents, we try to get our visitors thinking, instead of just throwing the names of things out there. So instead of saying, "That's a possum skull", we might say, "It's a nocturnal animal that likes to get into your trash can."

I had been doing that with this young man, and he had guessed one of the wings correctly. Here is the conversation that ensued:

Boy: I must have gotten it right because of my high IQ. Take a guess at how high my IQ is.

Me: It's been a long day, and I am done with guessing. Just tell me.

Boy: It's 119, and that's really good for someone my age.

Just a little self-absorbed there. Just a guess, but he is probably an only child.

I did talk to two gentlemen out of the many many visitors that really stuck with me. The first was an older man, and we started talking about the wings and feathers on display. We talked for a long time about everything, and the conversation flowed so easily. I could have listened to him all day. His father was a farmer, and would plow his fields with mules. The stories this man has to tell...

The second man was an Aztec dancer at the event. We were admiring the 21 foot python skin, and started talking about animals ending up as roadkill. He said that he picks up snakes (especially the venomous ones) after they are hit, and takes them home. He skins them, and throws them on an anthill. Then, after they are cleaned, he uses the bones for medicine. Hey, who am I to judge? At least the animal isn't going to waste. I hope he remembers the adage I taught my kids: A gun is never empty, and a snake is never dead. Yeah, a dead snake can still bite and inject venom into you for a while after death. To be safe, I'd wait two hours before handling. A lot of people don't know this.

It was a good day overall. We rolled and unrolled Pete countless times, chased the box turtle everywhere, talked and talked and talked some more. At the end of the day, I couldn't even speak right. It happens when I get overtired. It was really interesting, and the Native American culture is not something I am exposed to everyday, so it was really neat. We spent 8 hours there, and saw probably well over a thousand people.

God Bless,

Chela

Good Friday

This is a post by my daughter:

Today marks the day my Savior died for you and me. It was on this day the people He was dying to save continued to beat him and taunt him even while he was on the way to the cross and while he was on it. 3 nails were drove into his hands and feet on a cross . . . He suffered the death of a criminal even though he was perfect. Jesus knew this was the last moments of his beautiful sacrifice and that he would dine again shortly with his Father in Heaven. This is the price our loving Savior paid for us to join them in heaven. ♥ #GoodFriday

The Sickness of Sin

A friend of mine was recently very ill. She tried to avoid going to the dr, but eventually had to concede and be seen. The dr determined she was sick enough to need antibiotics and other medicines to recover. She told me,
"I have to come to terms with the fact that I am unable to beat whatever infection it is on my own. Basically, I have to admit that I need help."

Isn't this a lot like our relationship with Jesus? We flounder along in our illness (sin) and try everything to find forgiveness, and fill the empty void inside that has us so unhappy. But until we admit we need help, and turn to the dr (Jesus, the Great Physician and Healer) we will not get any better. We are unable to purge ourselves of sin and darkness. We have to turn to the Savior Jesus Christ.

In Romans 6:23, Scripture tells us the wages of sin is death. Yet God had mercy on us, and sent his Son to die in our place, to give us forgiveness, and eternal life with Him in Heaven. John 3:16. All you have to do is turn your life over to Jesus, and ask to be healed from your infection of sin. There are no insurance co-pays, no waiting room, no missing work, just a prayer to the Father, and your heart is healed. He even sent a Book to guide you along on your journey. What a Father He is!

Jesus wants us to live in the light, to be happy, and free from sin. He wants our eternity to be spent with Him in Heaven. He has buckets of blessings ready to bestow on you, if only you believe in Him. Peace, forgiveness, eternal life, and a Father always ready to sit down and listen to the concerns of your heart. He loves to hear how your day went, your concerns, and your worries. Don't forget the praise; Jesus loves to hear how much you love Him, and that you think the new spring flowers are beautiful.

Ask Jesus into your heart today. It's a simple prayer; admit you are a sinner in need of healing, choose to believe in Jesus with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. Mt 22:37-38 He will come to live in your heart, and you can know a peace that surpasses all understanding, and a love beyond all comprehending. A love that died on a wooden Cross, and rose again in three days to break the power of death and give us all eternal life. Thank You Jesus

Chela

Dance is...

 Watching your dancer perfect her dance moves day after day in the kitchen, restaurants, church and hardware stores.

Long hours of practice for your dancer preparing for competition.

So much make-up!

hotel reservations, and how far is it from the convention center?

managing the jigsaw puzzle of suitcases, dance bags, coolers, blankets, pillows and kids in the car.

Mom, I need a spray tan!

No sleep!

glittery, smiling faces anxious to perform on stage

hours and hours in hard plastic chairs

Too much Adele

Your eyes well up with tears watching your dancer perform, and she is dancing for Jesus

Waiting for results, although in your heart, your dancer is always number one

 Quit thanking everyone and just get to the results already!

Tears run down your face as you hear your dancer took first

Congrats and pictures

After sitting through 500 something dances, you could surely choreograph the next competiton routine

Getting home with a tired dancer at midnight, and still getting up at 6am for school

Arriving home sick and exhausted, then still staying up to brainstorm this, because writing is my passion!

Congrats DD!! We are really proud of you, keep dancing in your heart.

Chela

a day at the zoo

It was a cold and dreary day at the zoo. Not many people wanted to be out in the chilly, rainy weather strolling through the outdoor exhibits. I was starting to regret choosing to spend the day here myself. There had only been a few people in the reptile house to talk with about the animals. It was enjoyable, telling people little known facts about them though. Such as, that frog is so poisonous that if your dog mouths it, he has only 45 minutes to reach a vet. (Sonoran desert toad). Or that frog is only poisonous in the wild, where he consumes a certain kind of ant. (Poison dart frog)
Still, the visitors were sorely lacking in number. Where we can easily have 150-200 or more visitors in an afternoon, this dreary day found only about 10. All of them bundled up in sweaters and coats, huddling under umbrellas. With plenty of time to roam, I found myself over in the barnyard, petting our new mini donkeys, William and Steve. Their hair all wet and muddy from the rain. That brought out some serious jealousy in the mini horse, who apparently found it too wet to be petted, but didn’t mind some conversation brought his way.
The Servals didn’t seem to mind the weather, and were up stalking squirrels through the fencing. One of the tortoises was busy trying to down a clump of grass he’d pulled through the fence that was bigger than his head. His buddy decided to stay under his heat lamp in the tortoise house. I think he had the right idea there. The emu kept chest bumping the fence separating him from the Servals. Does he not realize what would happen if he got in there? The Servals would invite him for supper.
Finally it was time to call it quits. What a disappointing day at the zoo; quiet, and dreary and gray. Even the meerkats were staying below ground. I headed for the office to sign out, and head home. Just before I walked out the door, my boss called me into her office. Hmm…does she need help with an upcoming event?
I walk in to find her holding the cutest baby animal I have ever seen. Sitting on her lap, wrapped up in a towel, and drinking from a bottle, was a baby beaver. DNR had found three orphan babies, and brought them to the zoo. Their eyes were open; they already had beaver teeth, and little beaver tails. They were so very soft, and fit into my hands so easily. They tried to suckle my fingers around their big teeth designed to one day fall big trees and haul them to the river to make a dam. Their fur was incredibly dense and soft, they felt like stuffed toys.
I’ve never been up close to an adult beaver, much less a baby. Instantly my mood lifted, and I knew my trip to the zoo had been worth it after all. This is something I will never forget, and when these babies grow up to their adult weight of 25-55 lbs, I’ll remember how they used to fit into my hands, and drool milk all over me.
Beavers construct dams to create large marshes that are rich in aquatic plants, birds and fish. They also build dens that are reached by several underwater entrances. They live in large family groups, and the young from the previous brood stay to help raise the new arrivals. They mate for life, and have as many as 8 kits in the spring.. They are born with their eyes open, and fully furred. Kits can swim within several hours. The adults eat aquatic plants, thistles, twigs, bark, leaves, and roots. They can live 15-21 years.
Holding and bottle feeding a baby beaver…who ever thought I’d do that in my lifetime!

Thank You Jesus

Thank You Father for this wonderful weekend. Thank You for our hotel. It was inexpensive, and had everything we wanted and more. The heated pool was so nice to relax in after a long day. Thank You that dh was able to spend the weekend with us. This made things so much easier and less stressful for everyone.

Thank You for safe travels up to the dance competition. Driving in a big city makes me really nervous and flustered, but You kept us safe. Thank You for the waitress at the crab shack, and I add in a prayer for her son, for healing, if it could be Your will.

Thank You for the long hours of dance competition. Thank You for the talent you have given these young ladies and gentlemen. Thank You for sticking with me when I lost it after 8 hours, and carrying me through the remaining six hours of the event.

Thank You even that the light wouldn't change to get me back to the event after running out for drinks. You saw me through a round a bout way, and still got me back. I am grateful for that.

Thank You that everything ran so smoothly. Thank You for dd's talent, her courage, and her ability to perform so beautifully. Thank You for her first place award. There were so many talented young people there.

Thank You that dd's boyfriend was able to make it up for her performance. I ask also that You extend Your healing hand to his Grandma, who has been in poor health.

Thank You for ds and his friend, who were able to get both our computers up and running. Thank You for the restaurant that employed ds when he needed it. I really liked the set up. Sorry I didn't like the eggplant, but at least now I know.

Thank You for safe passage home, and that I didn't hit the car that stopped in the middle of the interstate. That was so scary, but You kept us safe.

Your hand was in this trip, and we were abundantly blessed. Thank You so much Father. I love You!!

Chela