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Here are some pictures of Louie in his new home. I honestly think he believes this is his cat house and he has us there just to amuse himself. I'd say he's adapting very well!





Here are some pictures of the inside of the trailer. When I look at them, I realize things weren't completely neat and orderly. BUT, I will post more pictures another time when I have everything settled the way I want.

Onward to Sumter!

After leaving Andy and Becky in St. Louis, we took a couple of days to drive to Sumter to pick up our 5th wheel. We got in on Saturday night and met our good friends Habberstads and Williams for dinner. Then we spent the night at Habberstads house.

On Sunday, we were so happy to be able to go to Alice Drive Baptist Church. It was great seeing so many of our friends again and being able to attend our Sunday School class. We spent Sunday and Monday night at Williams' house. They had a cookout on Sunday afternoon. We are so thankful to the Lord for these great friends. They have done everything in their power to help us in this huge transition in our lives. We thank God for putting these dear people in our path. (The picture is the Habberstads on the left, and Williams on the right!)




On Monday, we were very excited to pick up our trailer. We knew it would be an all day affair and it was. The truck had to have the hitch installed too. We didn't really get the trailer until early evening. We were able to store it overnight at our storage unit site. We celebrated by going out to dinner with our friends again!

The most tiring thing was taking the trailer to the storage area and filling it up, which we did on Tuesday. I had hoped to get everything in it in a more organized manner, but there just wasn't time or space to work. It was hot in Sumter that day, but we were still able to pull out and head for Myrtle Beach by around 3 p.m.

We made reservations for a month at Willow Tree Resort. The rest of the week was spent in cleaning cupboards, papering shelves, and unpacking boxes. The most important date was on Thursday. Craig and I celebrated his birthday. His cake was the first thing I baked in my oven. It was goooood too! Craig said it was a great birthday present....a new home and no more full time work!

Easter Week

We so much appreciate Andy and Becky collecting all of our mail for us while we were going across the country. We were glad we were able to spend Easter with them this year. We really enjoy attending their church...Windsor Crossing. We had a great time while there. We played games, and Craig did a little bit around the house to help out. One of the pictures shows Craig putting together the grill we bought them for Christmas. Spring is coming, even if the weather doesn't feel like it yet!

Another way in which they really helped me, was by getting me into one of the doctors that Becky works with, to see why my back hurt so much. It has been a problem for quite some time, but I didn't feel that I knew of a a good back doctor to go to. When we got to their house, Becky had already made an appointment for me. After xrays, a MRI and consulting with the doctor, I was told I have a pinched nerve due to some arthritis in my back. I was already feeling better, so I was thankful I didn't have to have an injection to relieve the swelling. I now call Becky my family doctor! I appreciate the time and effort it took to help me out.

We do want to thank all our kids for letting us stay with them while we've been traveling the country and waiting for our fifth wheel to arrive. Each of you are such a special blessing and gift from God. We are so thankful He has allowed us the priveledge of being your parents. Thanks for your love for us and your welcoming spirit. We love you all!

Meet Me In St. Louie, Louie!

After Oklahoma City, we were anxious to get to St. Louis to see Andy, Becky and Louie our cat! Andy and Becky graciously took Louie in while we were traveling in the Ford Focus across the country. It was interesting to hear how Louie was getting along with Simon, Andy and Becky's cat. Evidently they finally agreed upon peaceful co-existence!
I typically call Louie a "ripper" because he often does things he shouldn't....like getting on top of Andy and Becky's wall between their kitchen and dining room. The weather was cold in St. Louis while we were there, so I bought the cats some sweaters. Obviously, Louie is a lot bigger than I thought! At least they were on sale for only $1.00!
I was afraid Louie might not remember us, but he did! I've included some pictures of the cats and Andy and Becky.

Oklahoma City Memorial

After traveling through AZ, New Mexico, and the panhandle of Texas, we entered Oklahoma. We wanted to stop at the Oklahoma City Memorial. It was extremely cold that morning, but we were glad we were able to spend a little time. One of the pictures shows what was left of the original wall of the federal building. As you enter the memorial, there is an arch you walk under and then immediately see the reflection pool. On one side are all the chairs (they light up at night) in honor of each person who lost their life during the bombing. On the other side of the pool, was a living memorial tree...the only tree that survived the bombing. It certainly was a somber visit. This old world is so full of man's hatred and cruelty.

On The Road Again....

We were on the road again after visiting the Grand Canyon. We took Interstate 40 across the country this time. On traveling to California, we took Interstate 10 (a more southern route). We thought the weather would be warmer in April, but we were wrong. It was very chilly! I thought the countryside wasn't as beautiful as on Interstate 10, but we still marveled how it kept changing. We went from flat plains to deserts to majestic mountains. I'm so thankful God didn't make our earth the same all over. In a couple of pictures above, you can see the sun reflecting on the mountains as we drove past. It looked like the mountains were on fire. The moon in the sky was so huge at night that we felt we could reach up and touch it. The pictures just don't do it justice!

Grand Canyon, South Rim

After leaving Sarah's on April 1st, we headed for Flagstaff, AZ. We wanted at least a glimpse of the Southern Rim of the Grand Canyon. As we drove along, we could tell we were steadily climbing upward but had no idea how high until we came to a sign that said 8,000 feet above sea level. It was sad to see how in some places fire had burnt down some of the beautiful trees. A lot of the scenery made us think of upper Michigan.





It had started out as a rather chilly day in the mountains, but once we got there, it was quite warm and sunny. The north rim would be closed until May because of the cold and snow (not that we were even close to that!) Perhaps that will be another trip, another time!

As we approached the canyon, there was an IMAX theater which our friends the Habberstads had suggested we be sure to view before seeing the real canyon. It was an excellent account of the history of the people who had lived there and explored it many years ago. Of course, being an IMAX presentation, we felt we were right there as well!

We then took a short mile walk along a path among the trees. It seemed like suddenly we happened upon this HUGE, beautiful hole in the ground. I believe it is about 3 miles across to the other side, and a looooong way down. We couldn't see the Colorado River from where we stood. Words could not express what an amazing sight there was right in front of us. It made us wonder if the people from long ago, weren't walking along and suddenly came upon the very edge of this wonder. One would have no idea that a canyon was right there out of the blue.
Of course the pictures don't really give it justice for the vastness and beauty that surrounded us.

How could one look upon this and think it was all an accident and not created by God? Over and over again we have seen God's creation all around us and all we can say is WOW! By the way, please notice the 'dear' in the foreground of one of the pictures. (haha!)