Luke's family visits...part one...

"In the eyes of a child...there is joy, there is laughter, there is hope, there is trust. And a chance to shape the future." -Air Supply

The twins come visit the Roswell clan.  Pawpaw and Mimi were glad to have them visit them.  

We had our typical unpredictable spring weather while they were visiting.  It would be hot one day--91 degrees, then 66 degrees the next.  On the day it was 91 degrees, we took the boys to the park for some fun.

Real swingers here.

Such handsome guys.

Mimi and the boys!  Mimi was certainly happy they came!

Our park trip did not last very long since the playground equipment was blazing hot.  Stay tuned for more adventures with the Roswell clan.

Mini trip...

Remember what Bilbo used to say, "It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door.  You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to." -J.R.R. Tolkien

We had trouble getting out our front door.  We would set the house alarm, get in the car, then think of something we left, or had forgotten do to.  We did this not once, not twice, but three times.  Yes, the third time is a charm.   Warren had an appointment in Albuquerque to get his bike fitted to him.  He asked if I wanted to come along.  Sometimes, I like being able to stay home while Warren travels because there is no pressure to cook meals, I can stay up as late as I want, and sleep in the next morning, but this time I wanted to go.  While he was being fitted, I planned to go shopping or take pictures.  I had gotten the book on CD called, Calico Joe, by John Grisham about a baseball player.  It was fantastic especially if you love the sport like I do.  It was only 4 CDs, so I knew we'd get the whole book listened to in this one trip.  I give it 4 stars.

Finally, we were on the road headed toward Albuquerque.  The skies looked awfully dark like a rainstorm was brewing, but we only got a couple of drops during our trip.  Rats.  I sure wish it had rained.

No rains means we have to irrigate.  I read somewhere that we have a drought worse than in the dust bowl days.  The only difference is our technology so we have a means to water.  They did not.

As we drove, I kept noticing what appeared to be horse manure on the road about every mile or so.  I mentioned it to Warren.  He did not notice the horse dung.  He was busy driving and listening to the CD.  Men don't notice small things like that, but this was not small.  It was huge piles on the road.  I wondered how he could miss seeing it.  He thought maybe someone had gone horseback riding.  Well, I thought, that horse sure had to go to the bathroom a lot.

We had driven just past Encino when I noticed what had caused all the poop on the road.  Amazing...

I could not believe my eyes.  A double covered wagon.  He pulled to the side of the road, and I had Warren to stop, so I could take pictures.  I asked, of course.  It was one man who came from Arizona. He intended to go across as many states as possible to share the gospel.

 I was wrong, too, about the poop; it was not horses, but donkeys.

The man thought I had stopped to tell him where he could camp for the night.  He was pretty disappointed that I did not have any good suggestions.  His donkey was too!

I like to take pictures of the old buildings along the way.  Encino and Vaughn have some great old buildings.  Thank goodness, Warren would stop and let me take pictures.  Fast ones though, no lingering, or traipsing off road to get shots.  I was happy with what I got.  

One of the things I have noticed as I have driven this road many times are the crosses on the sides of the road marking where someone has died, I assume, in a car accident.  I wonder if I know any of the them.    I decided I would start taking pictures of the road side crosses.  Only, I did not notice them in time for Warren to stop and let me take pictures, but I jotted down the mile markers so when I go back that way again, I can be on the look out for them, stop, and take pictures.  I counted 10.  I did notice one in time for Warren to stop.  

It was a short trip.  We came home the next day just about sundown.  Rather than go directly home, I talked Warren into going out to get sunset pictures.  There were clouds, and I thought it would be a good sunset.  I was wrong again.  It was not the greatest, but I did like the place we stopped.

Love this sign.  Jesus is indeed Lord!

"Day is done.  Gone the sun...

Fading light, dims the sight...

Thank and praise for our days...

This we know.

God is nigh."

( -Taps, selected lines)

Be blessed!

Art Journal pages...

"God not only hears our words, He listens to our hearts." -author unknown

I started doing Erin Leigh's 31 days of scripture journaling several weeks ago. http://artbyerinleigh.blogspot.com/2012/09/31-days-of-scripture-art-journaling-day.html.  She had 31 days listed, but the "how to" is only there for 16 days.  I sure wish she would finish up her 31 days. I would like to learn some new techniques.   When I started the project, I wanted to journal the scriptures God gave me each day in my quiet time.  I like how Erin explained why she art journaled her scripture verses.

"So often I'll read a verse or a passage from the Bible
and close it and go on with my day and forget about it.
I wanted to journal scripture as a way of keeping it with me,
meditating on it, and hiding it my heart.
I wanted to use it as an extension of my quiet time.
to listen and explore verses in a different way."

Bingo.  That is exactly what I want to do.  I try to devote one hour to the art journaling, but have found that soon time gets away from me, and before I know it, I have spent 2-3 hours creating.  It is addicting. 

I have had to divide my work throughout the week taking a day to prepare the page background, then adding the scripture the next day, and doodling the third day.  Here is how the Lord has recently spoken to me through His word.

This page was an experiment with stencils.  I like the soft colors.  My verse is from Psalm 145: 18:20

This verse was given to me by my grandson.  I think his mom uses verses to work on handwriting.  I loved it, and decided it was definitely meant to be journaled.  Psalm 28: 7

This says it all: Psalm 144:15

John 13:34

I love the whole Psalm, but I just used portions of it to journal.  Psalm 150

This is how I envision the Lord pouring out his Spirit, then we drink it in.  Proverbs 1:23

Everything on this earth will pass away.  Only His word stands forever.  Isaiah 40: 8

The Proverbs 31 woman.  Proverbs 31:30

 This is not part of my scripture journaling...just a monthly reminder of the days.  I am not so sure I am going to continue with this.  It takes a lot of work, and my diligence to add something everyday is sometimes lacking.  This one is in my regular art journal.

I have done a calendar for my family album that I do digitally each year.  March had a lot of days so I divided into a left and right side. 

 

Sewing lesson...

There is no better illustration for teaching my granddaughter to sew than this one above.  She loves the movie, "Sound of Music", and I cannot tell you how often I have heard her sing, "Doe a deer a female deer; ray a drop of golden sun; me a name I call myself...sew a needle pulling thread."  Everyone knows that song.  The second reason the illustration is so great is that she is learning how to be a pianist, and a very good one I might add.  See the treble clef and the lines, spaces, and "d" note?  Finally, she has been asking me to teach her to sew for a long time.  We finally got started on her sewing lessons.  What enthusiasm she has.  Her first project is a small quilt made from a charm pack that I purchased for her.  Charm packs are 5"x 5" squares of coordinating fabric.  Usually a package will contain 40 squares.  She is sewing a Martha Vineyard charm pack.

This is not the Martha Vineyard charm pack... it is only an illustration of a charm pack.  

We laid the squares on the floor putting them in rows for the quilt.  Then I showed her how to pin right sides together, and then sew them into rows.  In one hour, she had two rows done, and she was pretty much done with sewing for the day.  Her attention span was fully expanded, and she was on to bigger and better things.  She has done an excellent job of sewing a straight, 1/4" seam which is no easy task.  I think she is going to be another Betsy Ross, or fashion designer.  She sure likes to draw ladies dressed in fancy clothes.  She can design what she draws.  Talent, talent, talent.

Lining up the edge for the 1/4 inch seam.

Here she goes...

Such concentration...

I set the speed of my machine to its slowest setting which was just right for her...

I stressed the importance of not sewing over our pins that hold the pieces of material together.  She is multitasking here.  She keeps sewing while she removes the pin, and puts it in the pincushion.  

I am so pleased that my granddaughter wants to learn to sew.  Who knows what we will make after our mini-quilt.  The sky is the limit.  Maybe she will make all her Christmas gifts this year.  You never know.  Keep checking, we will have the finished quilt sometime soon.

Result of my mole, and most hated job...

"Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord." Psalms 27:14

This quote has nothing to do with my posting today.  I just liked it, and who doesn't need such advice.  The verse kept coming up in my reading, so it must be for me.

My poor back where the mole was still has a very nice hole in it.  Warren had to restitch me after I managed to pull them out.  Well, those stitches did not stay in too well either.  2 of the 4 were out last Wednesday.  I wanted him to go stitch me up again, but he said the healing process was too far along to stitch it.  I would have a scar, but with it being on my back, it did not matter much.  True, true.  My follow up appointment was this afternoon.  My diagnosis is Melanoma in situ which is a fancy term for a melanoma that has not invaded the dermis.  Here's what is says on the web: "Melanoma in situ comes from the Latin phrase "in situ," which means "in place." Melanoma in situ is cancer in the very early stages, when it affects only the top layer of the skin. At this point, the cancer has not spread deeper into the body. Cancer diagnosed at this early stage also means that it is less likely to recur or spread to other parts of the body than melanomas that are diagnosed at a later stage." 

Melanoma in situ

It is a good thing Warren made me go have it checked out.  See, he's my hero again. Doesn't he look like a super hero here?  I wonder what his super hero name should be?  I'll have to think on that.

Saved again by my super hero.

The treatment is pretty easy to do.  I have to go back and have more cut out from around where the mole was just make sure everything is gotten.  I think he said it had to have 5 mm all around it, and he only got 1.6 mm.  I had not realized how deep he cut.  He said he went down all the way to the fatty tissue.  No wonder I have such a huge hole.  I have an appointment for April 29, which is right before my trip to NC to babysit.  I thought by not having any exercise classes the stitches would be more likely to stay.  Hmmm.  I wonder how picking up toddlers will affect it?  After that,  I have to be checked every 6 months for awhile to make sure it does not come back.  I pray it will not.

I have many household jobs that I do not enjoy, like emptying the dishwasher, grocery shopping, folding clothes, putting away clothes to name a few.  But the one I detest the most is putting away, and getting out seasonal clothes.  Too bad we cannot just go buy new clothes each season.  I decided to tackle this chore last Thursday.  I knew I was in trouble when I did not have enough room to store our winter items when the summer ones were cleaned out, and in the drawers.  Warren had T-shirts from  before we were married.  They got tossed.  I have a trash sack of clothes for Good Will.  I asked Warren if he knew he had a whole drawer...a very large drawer that just had sports socks in it.  I thought at least 2 months worth.  He said, "well that would mean 60 pair of socks.  I do not have that many."  I wanted to bet a million dollars on it, but he would not.  That night, I counted the socks in his drawer...there were 56; he had a pair on his feet, and 3 pair were in the dirty clothes.  60 pair exactly.  I lost my chance to be a millionaire.  Rats.  When my friend Debbie came to visit, she asked me what I had been up to, and I told her about the 60 socks.  She said that did not compare to her husband who has 75 pair of dress slacks in his various closets.  I wonder how many sports coats Warren has... a lot.  I wonder how many vests I have...a lot.   The plan for the summer is to get our closets under control.  I wonder if that is really possible.  

Fun filled Friday, and Friends...

"It takes a long time to grow an old friend." -John Leonard

My dear, and long time friend, Deborah, came with her husband for a car-hunting trip. (They live in Carlsbad). She let her husband do the car hunting while she came to visit me.  I was thrilled.  We have been fast friends from the time we met playing softball for Charlie's Angels.  Let's see, that was about 40 years ago.  She played first base, and I shortstop.   She was the only one who could handle my throws and was not afraid of the ball. (I throw hard...well, I used to throw hard).  She seldom let a ball get by her.  There was nothing we would rather do than play ball!

Charlie's Angel Softball Team.  Charlie is the man in case you did not know.

People got us mixed up all the time.  People would ask me something about how certain things were going, only they would be referring to Deb, thinking I was Deb, and vice-versa.  We just answered them without correcting them, because we knew what was happening in each other's lives we were so close. Even her husband got us mixed up when we came up to the plate to bat. He would call me Deb, and her, Rob.  The really strange thing was when I met her brother.  I thought I was looking at my own brother, Tom.  Her brother looked just like him, right down to the curly hair.  Amazing!

Back to my story.  We had a lot of catching up to do over lunch, then I took her to my favorite store in the whole world...well, my little world, Down Home.  They have remodeled the outside.  It is now painted pink, and everything in the yard is pink.  It is cute, and interesting.  So naturally, I had to take pictures.

We decided the first place to take pictures was on the old pink sofa with the dead end sign, and the bug standing there.  Deb and I would still look alike if I did not get my hair color from a box.  My natural color is pretty much her color.  One of these days, I am going to give up coloring my hair. 

Deb and her husband moved a lot...let's see there was Oklahoma, Texas, and Kentucky.  I  visited her in all those places.  We have stayed friends, and we have so much fun when we are together.  It is like we have never been apart.  

Next, it was my turn to get a picture taken.   I posed with this beat up old pick-up truck that I wished I had in my yard.  Notice the ice cream cone by the steering wheel, and the lollipop antennae , and the butterfly by the driver's side.  So cool.    I do not think Warren will let me have one though.  Maybe he'd be more open to the chicken!

Deb and the rooster.  Too, too cute.  We did a fast trip through the store, then went to join her husband, since he wanted her to drive some of the cars.  The whole purpose of their trip was to find a car after all.  I came along for the test drives because we were still not done visiting.  Besides, I might want a new car myself.   After the test drives, we were off to SAM's to pick up a few things.  It was getting late, and they still had to drive home, so we had to part company.  I am revived and refreshed from her visit.  The Lord knows the right timing to bring some adventure, and Christian encouragement into my life.  I am so glad she came.  I sure needed it!  I am better for it.  

My measle face, and Egg coloring events...

"After a certain number of years, our faces become our biographies."  -Cynthia Ozick

The spots are really showing up in all their glory.  My face looks pretty scary after getting my brown spots zapped at the dermatologist. This is only one side of my face, and you cannot see under my bangs.  Not only do they look horrid, but they itch.  I sure hope going through all this works, and they disappear when the scabs all go away.

We were at Burger King with the grandkids when we took these.  There is a lot of great natural light in the place, so I could not resist taking a picture of my man, and my hero.  They are one in the same.  I am so lucky!

While the grandkids were over, we colored eggs.  This was a new experience for them, and they enjoyed it a lot.  It got kind of messy, but messes are the best kind of fun!

 After we colored eggs, had Icees at Burger King, we went to the fish pond outside of Lovelace Regional Hospital.  They spent their time trying to catch the minnows in the pond.  They did not have much luck though, but they had fun.  There are about a dozen Carp, and a couple of Catfish.  We forgot to take the Cheerios to feed them.

All in all, it was a pretty good day, and they did not seem to mind being seen with their very spotted faced Mimi.