Friday, July 13, 2007

Here's the Latest!

Well, it has been a quick 3 weeks, already.

The Sunday afternoon after we arrived, the boys and I drove to Stonewall, OK, to take Andy to go Falls Creek. It just so happened to be the evening of the Shrimp Boil at the church where I
pastored. Needless to say, I caught up on the shrimp that I haven't eaten in the previous 3 1/2 years. After dropping Andy off Monday morning, we drove back to Longview.

The next morning my brother-in-law, Jeff, and I drove to Houston to pick up the van we will be driving for the next 6 months. It is a 1991 blue Custom Chevy Van. It's really nice with only 140,000 miles on it. I don't think it will be too friendly on gas, but I am very thankful for the Lord's provision. I guess if He provides the van He can also provide the gas at $2.90 a gallon. What a wake up call that is - when we left I was choking at $1.35 a gallon - oh, for the good ol' days!!!! And to top it off, I have to pump my own gas!!!! In South Africa, they pump it and check all the fluids. Oh well, at least there is Wal-Mart here.

The following days were preparation for Tommy's wedding, Jody's youngest brother. He had 12 nieces and nephews in the wedding - basically they just paraded up and down the aisle in matching attire. Andy, however, was an usher and Josiah was the ring bearer. They both did a great job. Andy made it back to Longview after Jody's other brother, Matt and his family, drove down from Marlow, Oklahoma.

Jody's sister, Niki, and her six children and Jeff have remained here in Longview. It is quite the ordeal for all of us, them, and parents to go out to eat. There have also been other cousins and aunts and grandma's that have been here also. So it has been fun and tiring to be all together.

Andy is getting ready to go back to Falls Creek with both of Jody's brother, Matt and Tommy who are youth minister in Marshall, Texas, and Marlow, Oklahoma. At the end of next week, Josiah will be going to his camp.

My camera broke right after we got here so my pictures are borrowed and hope that I can copies of what others have taken.

We are headed out to Richmond, Va, for the last week of July.