We were up at 2:30
yesterday to get the girls off to the airport (Bethany, Emily & Stefani).Our Caravan left at 3:40 am.
Got them checked in and thru security ok. Really helpful people working there. Then
stood on the parking level 5 to watch as the plane pulled into the sky. I was
doing pretty well. We had good-by hugs without tears. Had watched them go. But as the plane whisked
passed us pulling up the landing gear the words from a familiar cradle roll
song whispered echos of the past into my
ears. “ Missionary …. Missionary…. Go your
way, Missionary, missionary, go your
way..... help the little children who are far away……… missionary go your way.” Then the teas began to come. Haven’t I been
preparing for this day with every task, with every educational endeavor.
Knowing that there is a needy world out
there. People to reach. I turned to see Michelle who was commenting on
them leaving. Then she saw my moist eyes.
That did it. We were both smitten I had started it. I asked her if she
remembered when we used to put them into the little cradle roll boat and sing
that song. There are so many firsts in parenting! You’re never fully prepared for any of them……….. It’s always a road of new beginnings. ………… This was a first time flying since they were
babies. First time away for a
significant amount of time. What an adventure. I know
they had angels with them. Glad they negotiated ok in SEA* T*E ok, and were
very glad to hear they arrived safely in Tx!!
We’ll I’m virtually
alone in the house this morning. My exhausted hubby is finally sleeping after
an extensive day with a 6 hr trip to the airport and a 12hr night shift,
including a co*de strong –wow he still
knows how to give a headlock! Angels protected him though, as the guy was drunk and
swingin’ at the nurses and threatening. Finally another fellow showed up and a
big doc, 6”+ 250+ so they got the guy tied down. Not exactly an easy night! Heidi
is also sleeping after her exhausting bout with a bad cough this last week, and
the early outing yesterday. Coughing still so much in the night. Graci slept in the house as the garage was
still so warm, even with her shorter summer coat. Glad to see her leg is continuing to improve.
She did a nice twist on some loose rocks a few weeks ago. Using turmeric for nerve inflammation and
also M*S*M which seems to be really helping
The house was so hot after the electricity went off due to a
thunder storm that moved through very slowly last night. I had just taken some
extra fans to my in-laws as their air/conditioning was broken. But when I
pulled up at home I discovered the electric was off when the garage door didn’t
open. We slept very warm last nite.
Would have opened the west windows wider but it was threatening to rain,
which it finally did now this morning. Wondered if we would have enough water,
as the sprinklers had been on and the tank could be nearly empty. Went
to shower this morning but after getting wet discovered the hot water heater
had tripped (again) and so will wait.
It’s been giving us trouble. Ron drained it but perhaps there’s too much buildup over the thermostat or heating
rod. At least it works with prompting
and patience, and fortunately I woke up early enough to discover it in time so the girls could have hot
showers before their long trip. We left @ 3:45 am.
We got to talk with them this morning. They sound happy in
their new adventure. They arrived at
their location about 7:45 last evening, after being picked up they went to the
other airport to pick up others. At the dorm the girls played a get to know you
game. Moved in and are rooming together with Stefani Johanna and Dakota. Stef is sleeping in another room until her
cough is better- no one else needs to get that, it’s a bugger. Poor girl she had the same thing as Heidi. (They
must have gotten too wet and cool from the hike in the rain after Heidi’s
Baptism last Sabbath. Of course the river water was about 48’ though sunny till
the storm hit.) Felt sorry for her
traveling yesterday. She needed a day to
just sleep! At least she wasn’t running
a fever last night. Hope none of the others
get it…. They had pancakes this morning with raspberries
and strawberries but said our berries taste better! (Well Tri-stars aren’t very big, but they are
sure flavorful!! Which we’ll need picked again today or tomorrow. ) Things are
going well and of course we miss the them. But I’m not feeling sorry for myself
with them gone. We have wanted for them
to have a “mission” adventure for a long time.
Also the training for door to door and evangelism are excellent opportunities to aid them in
realizing humanities’ great need of Jesus. So I’m thankful that they can go. Thankful for all the bread sold and odd jobs
they got which helped towards their
trip. They will undoubtedly value it
more for the time and effort they put
into getting there.
This past couple months has been very full. Prep for their trip. Beth’s Graduation. Heidi’s Baptism. Garden to plant. Etc…etc. We have had lots of sewing, mending,
shopping and planning…. They each sewed three new skirts, but had to shop for tops and
shoes. I can’t boast that I taught my daughters to sew at an early age, as they
were learning a lot of construction skills with our transition at that time.
But the time spent in the open air was
worth a healthy constitution. Now they
were ready to take hold and do much of it themselves. Heidi did piles of ironing. Good Job girls! I
had a lot of mending to do which had piled up for a while, is so nice to have
so many misc things done. Special thanks Barbara for showing us the fast way to do zippers! Stitch up the seam, lay the zipper face
down, tape it in place. Stitch it in place.
It saved many frustrating hours.
Am using blue masking tape, need something a little more adhesive, but
not to sticky. Scotch tape is harder to get off especially if you stitch
through it. ….. I feel a bit like my huge marathon is over- at least the
deadline. Until we pack for our trip to the Rockies- hopefully there will be
something left of them.
For Sabbath I made a large batch of Millet Pudding. We had
fresh Rainier cherries,- am getting more tomorrow! mangos, raspberries and
strawberries on it. Took it for our
breakfast yesterday too. Also made a potato vegetable bake and despite
my efforts to be careful the veggies got
over soft. So………. Am planning to add a
cheese sauce, sort make like a potato cheese casserole out of it. As there is plenty left for the three of us to
eat!
A few hours later.......
It’s going to warm up again this afternoon,
and at least we have air conditioning with electricity today. We’ve been
puttering around. Ron and Heidi woke up after noon and ate breakfast. Ron
started some laundry and we’ve been straitening the house up. Still have another load to run with the dishwasher
before we’re caught up.
Hopefully it will cool off this evening so we can pick some
strawberries. In the next week or so we need to pick blueberries too. Still have
some in the freezer but would like to can more sauce. It’s such a staple on pancakes, waffles and
millet pudding. I took millet pudding to
potluck with blueberry sauce….. That was the rave! And I was out of creative potluck of ideas-
or so I thought.
Since the girls don’t have computers there I think I’ll copy
this off and mail it to them with Emily’s watch that she forgot at home. Tomorrow there’s ortho for Heidi. The fill in Dr. did something different with
her rotated tooth. Put a sprig to increase the gap between two other teeth then
put a bent heavy wire with twist in it to spin it around. Pretty interesting
set up. I think he came up with the plan
on the spot. Emily remarked that she thought this generation has lost much-
that is: how to solve it’s own problems. May see if one of the ladies there
want’s strawberries again. Some time we’ll
do them for ourselves. But we just have so much jam in the freezer and a lot of
sliced ones too. Hopefully we will get enough
raspberries. Something has nearly eradicated a whole row and the hardiest ones
to boot! Not sure what. Half of the other row looks very good. Will have to transplant again this fall. Tons of blackberries coming on though, and
katadah berries too. This year we have artichokes !!! May have
needed a little more water though. We wintered
them under heavy straw and then put chicken wire over and anchored it down to
keep the straw in. Am wondering if we should put more in, in a better/permanent
location. We had lots of kale and more coming. Several different stages
too. Even though it’s now July there
are still a few things I’m planning to plant- hopefully!! Figured out this last
year to seed the onions in the fall, let them winter over and they will do well
in the spring.
It’s been so long since I’ve blogged anything and I’ve been
so busy that I keep thinking of things to write about. Have a greenhouse idea now that might work
with our high winds, and be sturdy enough. But have to check out the particulars
yet, and the costs. Idea: Using hog
panels ( heavy goat/stock fencing) to arch over. Tee beam down the middle and plastic over the
top. Definitely idea formation phase…………Do I really need another
project? Or my husband… Just seems that
some things can’t go in early enough here due to the cold and a green house
would be a good option. Also would like
to have more greens active through the winter too!! Haven’t gotten a handle on how to do that effieicntly-
that is REALLY do it.
Such a long post! Oh
well the girls will get it as a letter too, that just doubles the advantage of
writing.