Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Busy Year for our Golden Years

Andrea texted me about an October weekend that where thinking about traveling. I told her we would be in Istanbul that week! She said we were busy for our "Golden Years"!
We do have a busy fall scheduled. We have certain business trips that we take annually. And we have some additional activies and trips that I scheduled. I purchased season passes for Celebrity Attractions and the Children's Theatre.
We have always worked so many hours in the summer, it's the nature of the business. Long hours in the heat of the summer! Ron has worked especially hard this summer. Ron is a 60 year old man, back to working in the radiator shop! And in one of the hottest summers on record! He's still got it! There were mulitple days of 106 degrees plus, and a heat index of whatever! And he never complains about the hard work! or even the heat! I would melt if I had to walk across the parking lot.
This is why we have a busy schedule! After the long hot summer, Ron deserves some rest and relaxaton!
I decided to organize my schedule and print it out, so that the activities would not conflict. Also that my kids will know where we are and when we will be home!

                                     Schedule 2010-2011


September 5 Sunday Bird Island Trip Lake Ouachita

September 6 Monday Day Trip Mount Magazine

September 11 Saturday Babysit Jackson & Tucker

September 13 Monday Diaper Dinner/Baby Shower Amanda and Fiona

September 17-Oct 3 Fri/Sat/Sun Tom Sawyer Ark Children’s Theatre

*need to go Sept 17 weekend due to travel- Jackson, Tucker and Veronika

September 19 Sunday East Union MBC Homecoming

September 22-26? Wednesday-Sunday Knoxville Business Trip

October 1-3 Friday-Sunday Gaston’s White River Resort

October 9 Saturday Babysit Jackson & Tucker

October 16-24 Week Istanbul Turkey Business Trip

October 30 Saturday Babysit Jackson &Tucker

October 31 Sunday Fall Festival - Grandkids Hayride

November 1-4 Week Las Vegas Business Trip

November 5 Friday Amanda & Josh "Wicked" Babysit Evie/Fiona

November 6 Saturday Ron & Donna "Wicked"

November 12 Friday Andrea & Steve "Wicked"

Babysit Veronika, Violet and Phoenix

November 13 Saturday Brad & Paula "Wicked" Babysit Jackson & Tucker

November 25 Thanksgiving

November 27 Saturday Babysit Jackson &Tucker

December 3-19 Fri/Sat/Sun Junie B Jones JT&V

Holidays

January 21-Feb 6 Fri/Sat/Sun The Jungle Book JT&;V

January 23 Sunday The Color Purple

March 11-27 Fri/Sat/Sun If You Give A Pig A Pancake JT&V

March 31 Thursday The A Aluminum Show

April 29-May 15 Fri/Sat/Sun There’s A Boy In The Girls Bathroom JT&V

Mixed in this schedule are birthdays, holidays, parties, dinners, play times with the grandkids. I am so excited to have such a busy year planned!

Monday, August 30, 2010

Fiona's First Church Visit

Fiona Lori Thomas was brought to church for the first time last Sunday! Amanda, Josh and Evie, along with the Long family, brought their little baby girls to church. Our church presents the baby, prays for the family and for the child, that they might be taught about Jesus and his saving grace. The babies are presented their first Bible also.
Brother Paul was pretty brave to hold both of these baby girls. Fiona and Abby will be loved and cherised by their church family!
Noah, the little red headed boy, has been in my Sunday School class this year. Evie and Violet will join my class this Sunday. I am so excited about that. And in 2 short years, Fiona and Abby will be in my class, provided they still let me teach.
God is good! I cannot wait to share the Bible and the love of Jesus with these little ones.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Happy Birthday to Me!

Today, August 12, 2010, I turned 55!

I spent the day working, picked up dinner, came home, sat and the couch eating in front of the TV, just like I do most nights. I am not saying this to have a pity party!

I kind of like my boring life. I like my work. I love my house! I love a boring evening at home with my husband, even though he didn't get home from work until after 9!  And besides, tomorrow night, I have a date planned with Veronika, we are going to see "Annie" at Murry's Dinner Playhouse. Saturday night, Ron will be taking me out to eat and to a movie. Sunday night, I get to have dinner with all my kids and grandkids! Life is just GRAND!

I decided a few years ago, rather than risk being disappointed about my birthday, I plan it out myself. And I usually get my own gift from Ron. This year, Ron will be buying me a "macro" lens for my camera. I love to take pictures of flowers, butterflys, and hummingbirds. I don't really know what else I will use it for, but I have so many butterflys around my garden right now, I really want to capture some on camera.

There are so many changes around me right now. A new granddaughter, Baby Fiona! Jackson will start kindergarten! Those things are so exciting. We recently found out that Phoenix has some health issues. This is pretty frightening. We will not know what exactly he has until he sees some more doctors. But we do know he is a really happy baby boy, with great parents, and a bright future ahead of him. He's smart and loving, so we know he will be fine.

Through the exciting and the frightening, I am so comforted to know that God is in control! When we worry and fret about things we cannot control, and we will do that, we are actually wasting our time. God is in control. I have to remind myself of that often!

I used to wonder about getting old. And about dying. Today, Aug 12, 2010, Dan, lost his Dad, Durphy Credeur. Ann texted me and told me she was sorry it happened on my birthday. It's ok, there are always reminders of our loved ones. And you want those reminders to be pleasant, to bring back happy memories. So they can remember his better days, when they think of my birthday.

When I am gone, I want my family to remember good times. To remember how much I loved them. But more imortantly, how much I loved the Lord. I want them to know that I cared about the spiritual relationship that they had with Christ. I feel so blessed that we can worship together! I am blessed to see my grandkids in Sunday School and Chapel. I am allowed to wittness the spiritual growth of my grandkids! Jackson has been asking questions about God. He told us about learning about heaven in Vacation Bible School!  This fall, I will have Violet and Evie in my Sunday School class!
I am a blessed woman!

I am so very thankful to God for my salvation! I know where I am going! And I am loving the journey to get there!

Monday, August 09, 2010

Happy Birth Day Fiona

The Thomas Family

Dodi and Fiona

Poppa and Fiona
Friday, August 6, 2010, Fiona Lori Thomas was welcomed into the world, bounding in at a respectable 9 lb, 14.4 oz! Fiona is a beautiful baby girl, thick dark hair, chubby cheeks, just precious! From early reports from Amanda, Fiona is going to be a calm, easy baby.

Being invited into the birth room of my grandchildren is one of the most exciting, precious, unbelievable experiences of my life. I am so proud of my daughter in law and daughters for how they have nurtured their babies before birth, during the birth and nurtured these precious children as they grow.

And they have all allowed me to be a part of that experience. I am truly blessed!