The apple doesn't fall far from the tree ...

Tyler is in many ways just like Bob -- there are similarities especially from their childhood. When Tyler was about 2, he would love to preach -- as I understand it, Bob started about then, too!

One of the things we have noticed is how they both remember important information about people. For instance, the birthday party Tyler (and his parents) attended today. It was for a friend and even though the little gal was only two years old, it was important to get a nice gift.

"Mom, let's get something to do with The Mickey Mouse Club House 'cause that's what Elora likes." He actually wanted to buy her the house but that was a little far out of everybody's budget. Okay, let's see, for a two year old. Would they like that or is he speaking from a seven year old's mind.

"Mom, don't you remember when she stayed with us last year?" Elora had stayed with Sandi for a couple hours a year ago when Elora and her mom and dad had visited family here in St. Pete. (Elora's daddy in in the Air Force and stationed in Minot, ND -- a long ways away!) So, Tyler has only seen Elora a couple times but remembered when she stayed with them she really liked watching The Mickey Mouse Club House show. And remembered that they had given her a figurine from the show last year. Sadly, Sandi couldn't find anything this year so had to settle for something else.

I reminded Sandi that he inherited that trait from Bob and his ability to remember the little things that matter most to friends! Tyler remembered quickly and was anxious to get something she really wanted. Even if she is only two years old!

Well ... today was a in some ways a wash out! Only for rain purposes .. the rest of the day was wonderful! I had lunch with Diana Russell and her mother and what an awesome time we had. We reminisced about old times and old friends and new times and new friends ... we're going to do it again soon. I'm glad they moved down this way. Even though they are relatively close, it's one of those ... 'so close and yet so far away'! We'll not wait so long the next time. Thanks, Diana -- by the way, I realized I had brought my camera -- but it never got out of my purse. Guess I am getting old-er!

Conversations with little boys and dogs ...

The phone rang tonight and the ring tone told me it was Shonna. However, upon answering, I heard, “Hi!” It was RJ. Next question, “Whatcha doin’?” Well, I can’t remember what my first answer was but he reminded me that it was 9 o’clock and that was bedtime. Hmmm … “are you going to bed?” “Nope, we’re watching Indiana Jones”. "We" means Daddy and him since Shonna takes evening classes.

Then he said, “I wanted to call you to tell you I want you to come to my house tomorrow morning. About 10 o’clock.” Okay .. now I have a five year old grandson giving me orders! We chatted for a few minutes and then I asked him if he thought he would be going to school soon (he starts kindergarten this fall). He said, “Well, it’s not Sunday yet.” Good thought! I asked him if he liked Sunday School and did he have any friends there – “Yes, Emma.” Hmmm … is Emma your ‘girl friend’ .. okay, that’s pushing it but I always like to hear what he’ll answer next. "Yes, but I love Amanda, too. I see her everyday and everyday I say, 'I love you'. And she tells me, “I love you, too'.” (I didn't remember at the moment that Amanda is the teenage girl who works at Sonic -- they usually stop there everyday to get a drink.)

Then, he asked, “Do you want to talk to Bella?” Okay, Bella is the dog! And I hear him put the phone near Bella and say, “This is Nana, Bella. Say ‘hi’ to Nana.” He informed me then that Bella was quite happy that I had talked to her.

We began to wind down the conversation but not before he reminded me, “You are coming to my house. In the MORNING! About 10 o'clock. Remember that!”

So, probably in the morning, while I’m out on errands, I’ll run by their house and say ‘hi’ to RJ and also see his “Heads-Up Harry" guy (for the umpteenth time) – who lifts his head off. No, I’m not crazy but whoever invented that guy must be!

Since the anniversary is over ...

... I can tell a couple cute stories on my little sis which happened at my wedding! They were quite funny and have been told more times than I can imagine! First of all ... she did NOT want to walk down the aisle with a boy! And if she couldn't do that, well, she would rather take her doll. She was not quite 4 years old and quite opinionated with a little bit of a stubborn streak (little?) added. We weren't sure what we were going to do and time was moving along! Soooooo -- we decided to bribe her with a dollar bill (amazing how much value there was to $1 back then!) So, hmmmm ... that meant more candy (at the candy store where she could never make up her mind what she wanted in the first place and then changed her mind a zillion times before we finally made it out of the door!) She'll get me for sharing this, I know!

Well ... down the aisle she went ... she very nicely went to my mother and said, "I want my dollar!" I'm not sure if I had actually made it down the aisle yet. My mother, wanting to keep her at least a little quiet, gave her the dollar in hopes of shushing her just a little. Are you kidding? She waved the dollar at Bette Towle, our organist, and whispered loudly, "Bette, I got my dollar!"

Then .... after the wedding, it was picture time. Where was Rachel? Nowhere to be found -- she had decided that playing outside was much more fun than staying in there for boring pictures! We found her -- carrying around her bouquet -- but it was missing the orchid, the primary flower of the bouquet. In the second picture, you can see her holding a bouquet and since the orchid was light colored, I'm not sure if that is a "before" or "after" photo!. I think in the first photo, she is waiting to go down the aisle -- her bouquet on the floor beside her, some other treasures she had hoped to accompany her down the aisle in her lap!! I am so glad I have these memories -- it was part of what made our wedding day very special!

To my little sister and her husband on their 25th anniversary!

It’s hard to believe that my sister has been married 25 years. It seems like just yesterday she was the miniature bride in my wedding. (photo below) Then again, it’s hard to believe that Bob and I have been married for almost 40 years. If I remember correctly, Rachel was one day older when she got married than I was when I got married. (How’s that for sounded redundant?” )

Actually, Rachel liked Allen way back when she was about 12 years old, I believe. One of them was throwing rocks at the other one .. hmmmm .. wonder which one! I won’t tell! I remember when Southerlands came to our home in Danville, IN for a cookout. It was obvious that she was in ‘love’ .. well, in a ‘puppy’ love sort of way. Who would have guessed that some time in the future they would truly fall in love and now have been committed to each other for well over half their lives.

As Rachel and Allen were preparing for their wedding, Rachel asked me to take the music of a song and add some words that she could sing to Allen during the wedding (he was not to hear them until during the wedding ceremony). Wow, what an undertaking. While I had taken a stab at poetry as a child, this was something a little out of reach. And I was a little nervous – their wedding would be attended by around 600 people (yes, 600). It was held the first Saturday (if I remember correctly) of the Midwest Pilgrim campmeeting. (A family wedding photo below)

So, I began to put words together – a few weeks ago, I found those words and in the process of doing some much needed spring cleaning, cannot remember where I put them. Maybe I should attribute that to simply getting ‘older’ .. I didn’t say ‘old’ .. not yet!!

We were living in Pennsylvania at the time of their wedding so we traveled to Indiana so I could help her get things all put together. I remember working on he veil and wondering if I could figure out how to cut it out correctly. I am always a little jittery when it comes to sewing – I have no clue why since I made many of my girls dresses as they were growing up but have never been the detailed seamstress Rachel is! But we got it done!! (It was a little easier than when my mother and I made my wedding dress with tiers of lace in less than 24 hours!)

Life hasn’t always been perfect for Allen and Rachel .. is it ever for anyone? I admired them when they traveled for around the first 15 years of their marriage in evangelism. That’s not easy to take 1 child, then 2 – and now 6. However, for the past ten years, Allen has served as pastor of Spiceland Church of the Nazarene near Muncie, Indiana. I doubt their church knows how blessed they are to have such talent! Pastoral ministry, music ministry, etc. Yes, Allen is a great speaker/preacher/pastor and is willing to venture out sometimes during his messages in areas where others might fear to tread!

I’m sure somewhere over the next few weeks, Rachel will pull out scrapbooks of their married life – she is the most organized person I know when it comes to journaling, photograph albums and scrap-booking! She has her own personal journal plus a journal for each of their children – I’m good to keep up with a blog! This is the most organized I have probably been – “ever”, at least for an extended period of time. Projects I can handle to completion but journaling somehow falls into “humdrum” and I’m not very good at a daily schedule. So, I’m afraid daily journaling and getting photos into albums falls into that category. However, with modern technology, I love being able to just uploading/downloading photos on my computer – that I can handle much more easily than putting them in books.

Rachel does all this in the middle of being a wife (and pastor’s wife at that), a home-schooling mom, a daughter (who carries the weight of my dad’s problems). (Feeding a family of 8 and keeping up with sports schedules and directing the local church quiz team adds other dimensions to her life!) There are times when I stand in awe of what all she gets done. She and Allen balance each other – she’s more reserved, Allen more out-going (who, Allen????) I’m always intrigued when she asks Allen to call the kids for dinner when he is standing nearby. Instead of going into the other room, he bellows, “Kids” .. and she looks at him as if to say, “I could have done that myself!” Well, probably not since her voice wouldn’t carry nearly as well.

Lest I focus all my attention on my little sis, please understand that Allen has always had a special place in our home. He and Bob always jockeyed for the “FIL” position with my mother – “Favorite In-Law” and joked about who had that place at any given time. Truth be known – they both did as was evidence by them both speaking at my mother’s memorial service. (This is a more recent photo of Rachel, Allen, Jene', Shara, Jimmy, Shaley, Juliana, & Seth Mark.)

Allen does a great job in pulling his weight as a dad – and in giving Rachel times of much needed rest – like sending her down to spend two weeks with me here in Florida a few years ago. Or unloading the dishwasher early in the morning – or doing the Sunday dishes. Oh, don’t worry – the kids all have their chores and pitch in but it ‘does my heart good’ to see Allen take his responsibility as a dad seriously. They recently spent 14 days together on vacation here in Florida and a few days with my brother, Tim, in Georgia. When you can spend that length of time together just as a family and live to tell about it (just kidding), you do have great relationships.

Back to their wedding day … It seems like just yesterday I was standing at the back of the church waiting with Rachel. She had done well emotionally until the last few moments when the emotions of a large church of people began to overwhelm her and for a little while, tears flowed. But, then it was my turn to walk down the very long aisle at the chapel at Anderson College. She followed with my dad – and soon after, began to sing these words – faltering for a few moments after the second phrase. (I’m missing one of the verses and may have a few of the words/choruses mixed up – my memory just couldn’t pull it all together after 25 years).

So, Happy 25th Anniversary Allen and Rachel! You are special and we love you!

“I’m Going to Love You”

As I stand at this altar and I pledge my love to you,
In God’s presence we our hearts and lives unite;
It’s been God’s sweet providence that has brought us to this place,
So this will be my promise through my life ..

I’m going to love you, I’m going to trust you,
I’m going to love you all of my life;
I’m going to love you, I’m going to trust you,
I’m going to love you all of my life.

I will stand right beside you as your helpmate every day,
All your joys and your sorrows I will share:
I will be your companion, your wife and your best friend
And together, this will be our prayer.

We’re going to love Him, We’re going to trust Him,
We’re going to serve Him all of our lives;
We’re going to love Him, We’re going to trust Him,
We’re going to serve Him all of our lives.

New friends that were actually old ones ...

... except I don't necessarily remember them. How's that for getting old!

Over the past few days, I have been connecting with people from WAY back -- like 1958-1960 when my dad was in the process of helping to establish a Bible College -- which, by the way, is still in existence. The Bible Missionary Institute in Rock Island, Illinois. What memories I have -- some people might rather I'd forget a few of them but then again, they make for great stories!

I posted about 60 on my 'facebook' account last night! Wow .. what memories!!

Okay .. I've rambled enough ... here are just a few and how we looked way back when ...

I thought I lost a day!!

Do you ever think you lost a day? Tim, Sandi, Tyler and I were on our way back from Atlanta on Saturday night and drove into a torrential rain storm. Prior to the heavens opening up and giving us more rain than we could handle, lightning was illuminating the late night sky. We had hoped to drive all the way home but when at 10:30pm we were still north of Gainesville and everyone was driving with their 4-way blinkers on or else parked by the side of the road, we decided to call it a night. (We did stay in a hotel so we weren't stranded by the roadside!) For some reason, I must have had water on the brain because after I awoke, I told Sandi, "Oh, no! I forgot to call my dad yesterday -- Father's Day!" She said, "Uh, Mom. TODAY is Father's Day!!" Yikes! I must be losing it!!

So, I called my dad about 3pm after the family had descended upon Glenn Oaks and all had dinner with him. It was an exciting time -- around 25 were there. (On the third Sunday of the month, Glenn Oaks hosts a dinner for families of residents. Usually about 300 people are fed during that time!) I missed being there but saw him a couple weeks ago and then will see him again in a couple weeks. I called him primarily to read my tribute to him over the phone. He cannot see very well now so to have given him a beautiful card would not have meant as much as writing some beautiful words about a very important man in my life. (A special photo above of Rachel reading his Father's Day cards to him.)

So ... here are a few photos. What was Allen thinking? Probably that he was remembering that he had to drive ALL the way back down to Camby Camp to pick up sermon notes he had forgotten on Saturday -- got home about 12:30am?? I know -- too much information, right, Allen? One of our girls (can't remember which one) said, "Why didn't he just 'wing it'?" I'm sure he probably could have but reminded the girls that with the relatively modern invention of "Power Point", it is important that he keep somewhat on track. (Allen is a very good speaker so I can poke some fun at him ... side note, he doesn't always stay on track! LOL!)

(Okay ... Allen told me the facts about the photo -- he wanted us to remember that our family has never been the same since he became a son-in-law -- so, as the cameras were ready -- he jumped right into the picture with this pose -- leave it to Allen ... we truly have never been the same. But, we love him anyway!!)

Mark, Joel, Allen, Tim

Dad, Thad, Rachel

(Shelley, Mark's wife, joined the photo below)

It's funny -- perspective changes over time. My dad wondered (to Rachel) if he had portrayed that they were poor a little too much as we were growing up. (Across the tracks, etc.) I assured Rachel that Dad had told us true stories (verified by his family) of receiving one gift for Christmas - a pair of socks. Can you imagine what would happen today if a child received that as the only gift for Christmas? Wow!

Anyway .. while I wasn't able to be there, I knew that my brothers would post photos and so they did. So, Mark, I'm hijacking a few photos for my blog -- hope you don't mind! As you can see, they took up several tables!

Four generations!! Joel, Joel II, Joel Richard and Dad