Tues, 10/15/24, Adam had his surgery, Wes had his surgery, texted lots with Kimmy, Melissa and Vikki,

.  I was so happy to see a video before which I couldn’t post here and then get a picture after it was done

Jared and Kimmy had coffee and muffins while they played 3-13 while Adam was in surgery.

Ralph and Cheryl’s 50th surprise party after leadership training was done

Picture of Michigan leadership of those at Leadership Training 

 Woke up early. Kimmy was already posting pictures of Adam before he went into surgery.  The amazing thing God did was to have Adam and Wes’s surgery at the same time so they were in the waiting room together.  Gayla sent me a text saying how surprised she was to see them and then added My Framily! We always say we are framily- friends who are family. I had been thinking Adams surgery was going to be in Midland.  It was so nice that they all had each other to be with.  Adam texted me at 10:45 and said ….Surgery all done i get to go home at 11:55!  Wes’s surgery was done pretty close to the same time.  We were so happy to hear their surgeries were successful!  

We went to Leadership training and heard the good news while there and shared it with everyone who had been praying training was very good again today.  They provided great meals for us again today! 

Before we ate dinner, we went and visited Ron and Barb and Bill and Teri in the overflow East campground. A guy who came to meet us while walking his huge dog and a little dog, got pulled over by the big dog and fell. The guys help d him up.  We left and went to eat dinner, then took a few group pictures.  We were all walking to the ice cream vendor on the grounds but they were closed. Katy, Jeff, Bill and I went to Baskens and Robins for ice cream in town. Most of the others stayed here to watch a movie.  There were a lot of CMA friends having ice cream too.  

When we got back to our camper, it was dark. I tried to be really careful stepping up onto our cement patio, but somehow my foot caught on it and I fell onto the cement. At first I thought I broke a rip it was so oainful, but I stood up, Bill hugged me and prayed for me, and the pain was gone.  We sure were thanking the Lord!  We read our Bibles.  Ziggy got here about a half hour later and we had a great time visiting and catching up.  

Monday, 10/14/24, Went to Leadership Training at 9. We had lots of snacks on our table. All the National Evangelist’s shared about their regions, Wes had an accident and went by ambulance to ER, talked to Gayla to see how Wes was

 

I didn’t take any pictures today, but Adam sent me this cute one he took yesterday while they were at our house.   He said “We found the ice cream! THANK YOUUU!  They are just so cute!

We got ready and went to Leadership Training.  We took our trash to put in the dumpster .  A couple we didn’t know drove their truck up to us and told Bill to throw our trash on the bed of their truck because they were headed there with their garbage.  That was so nice of them because we have quite a long walk.  

We went to our table and visited until it started.  We heard good messages from Jared, Jay annd Doug.  We had a national evangelist.  We enjoyed lots of snacks everyone brought.  We took a break, so I walked to our camper quickly to get my phone. I didn’t want to miss any texts from Gayla.  She sent me one that said somebody helped get their motor home started but now they couldn’t turn it off so they were heading home.  I went back to our table and we all listened to each National Evangelist share about their states in their regions.  God did so many amazing things in CMA during the year.  It was great to see pictures and hear about every state.  Jay and Jane did an amazing job on our region!!! We went to Goodies and bought new vests and a couple of other things.  We met with Jay, Jane, and Bill and Teri who are becoming area reps for us in the UP.  That went really well.  Then we had lunch they had prepared for us.  There were brats, sauerkraut, chicken salad sandwiches and stuff for salad, plus desserts.  We sat with our group. 

Gayla texted me and said they had an emergency and to pray for Wes.  She said she would call me later  I texted the girls at home to get them praying and Bill and I prayed right away. 

I called Gayla because I couldn’t wait any longer to find out how Wes was.  She said they got home,unloaded the camper and then she was in the house and he was in the shed.  He called her phone.  She went out to the shed and he was yelling for help.  He had decided to put some blocks down and made a ramp to drive the motor home up so he could get underneath it and look at what was causing the problem.  He got in to drive it and opened his door and had his foot out of the door and was looking to make sure the wheels were going up the ramp when his other foot slipped off the brake and hit the gas pedal. The motor home went through the end wall into his workshop room. He had somehow gotten up but needed an ambulance to come. The paramedics took his shoe off and cut his sock and his foot was really badly cut.  They took him to the ER and they did X-Rays and found out he had a fractured tibia.  I let the girls all know what happened and specifically what to pray for.

Wes’s foot

We feel so bad that his happened.  We were happy to get to talk to Gayla and also get to talk to Wes too!

Saturday, 10/12/24, slept in, walked around campground, no ride today, another walk around the campground, saw Mel and Betty pull in, another walk to visit Mel and Betty, helped Kathy set up our leadership table, dinner with leadership of CMA,

Bill took this after walking up to see Mel and Betty

Bill when we left the main building after eating 

 We slept in this morning til 9! Wow!  Bill drank a protein drink and I ate breakfast, then we sat outside and read our Bibles.  Gail was walking back from Rayleen’s house and stopped to sit and visit with us.  She’s so sweet!  After she left,  we went for a walk and saw Pat and Art from the UP.  We sat and visited for a while.  They’ve got a dog with them that looks just like Stumpy did.  We walked back around the tent area and back up the hill where we are camped.  We saw Mel and Betty and let them know where to park their trailer they hauled their motorcycle on.   It was 88degrees out, so we came back to our air conditioned camper and cooled off.  We went for another walk  and stopped to visit Mel and Betty.  We sat inside their tent for a while, then left and were looking for Doug and Sue’s camper when Jay and Jane went by in their truck and offered to help us find them.  We said no, then walked more and couldn’t find it.  We stopped to talk to Bear and Tracy.  We met their son in law, Tim.  We  cut over to look ok where Bill thought the couple we were still looking for were.  I saw Jay and Jane driving back around and we told them we changed our mind and would love to ride with them.  We ended up going to where you first come in the campground and there were 5 RV spots way up on a hill we didn’t know about.  We were happy to finally find Doug and Sue, and very thankful for our ride there.  We visited for a while, then walked back to our camper.  Kathy called me and said they were here.  We took the Mackinac Bridge for our table and a couple of tubs full of decorations.  Kathy had some tablecloths from last year and had them on our table already and had really cute fall decorations and leaves on it too.  She used a couple of things out of the tubs with Míchigan on them.  Bill took the tubs back to our camper.  Then when he was done, we talked to our area reps and went and visited other people from states who n our region.  I especially was happy to see Stephanie and Eric who were our prayer partners one year and were the best prayer partners ever!    I talked with Rayleen and she said we have to come to her house to visit and we could even come tonight.  

We all prayed and ate great food, yummy desserts and ate lots off the amazing chocolate bar.  We visited more, than were too tired to go to Rayleen and Roger’s but jut came back to the camper and played 2 games of 3-13.  I won both games!  

Friday, 10/11/24, 82 degree day again, slept in, volunteer work is done, Sat outside of camper, went for a ride, the most thrilling yet I think, stopped for ice cream at Cruisers, Made lunch/supper when we got back, sat outside, went for a walk around the campground,

While Bill waited for three people to get their hair cut, then got his cut, I went to the coffee shop next door and had an Ice Capp.  It was a small but very cute coffee shop.  There were only 2 tables and one was taken, but everyone who came in wanted their coffee’s to go.  I sat there a long time drinking mine very slowly and watching up on things on my phone. One of the ladies at the next table left so I talked to the one who was a grandma and had her almost year old granddaughter with her.  I was old her about sweet Rehvyn.  It helped pass time.  Bill came in the door to get me and took off for a ride.

 

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The ride today was almost too thrilling for me…oh my goodness!!!!! The video of a short part of it is below. It went like that for miles. I about screamed a couple of times and Bill was driving good.

We stopped at Cruisers drive in again and pulled into a spot, ordered on the speaker, then sat outside and enjoyed our ice cream.

It’s filling up in the campground.  Met some new neighbors! 

 

Bill walking back to our camper, Roger and Rayleen’s house on the hill.  

It felt good getting to sleep in, especially after getting up early all week.  I sleep really good in the camper!  Bill ate breakfast outside, but it was 56 out and a little too cool for me.  We read our Bibles and had our prayer time, then sat outside for a while.  We decided to go for a ride.  Bill wanted to get a haircut, but the guy who is the barber was just going to lunch.  We walked through all the cute shops until the barber was back.  There were antique shops, a big flea market store, a peaceful cute shop with lots of cute Christian decor and shirts with Christian says on them.  By the time we got done, the barber was back, so Bill went in and I went next door for coffee.  Then when Bill came and got me we went for our thrilling ride.  We passed the Air B&B that we stayed at two years ago with Ziggy, Wayne and Lisa.  We never went the direction on the road we went on today.  We finally turned around and headed back to Mena.  We stopped for ice cream, then came back to the camper and ate dinner.  Then we went for a walk around the campground.  We came back and sat outside.  We met our neighbor on the hill behind us, and also said I to Ben and Rachael on the other side of us.  

We came in and played 2 games of 3-13.  I won the first big lots and Bill won the second by a little.  We sure had fun and lots of laughs!  What a great day!

Thursday, 10/10/24, went to volunteer meeting, cleared out large area of property of lots of brush, trimmed limbs on trees to 8 ft, high, loaded brush and limbs, relaxed at camper, went on ride to Queen Wilhelmina Lodge and restaurant, stopped at Walmart, relaxed outside, National Evangelists came to visit us

Ride down to Mena from Iron Mountain where we’re staying

Our ride today was back to Queen Wilhelmina Lodge and Restaurant 

Bill turning his camera on his sunglasses on 

Bill sitting on the porch after we got there

Me sitting on the ither porch

My chicken Alfredo and in the background, Bill’s chicken strip meal.  Yum!

We had a great view from our table

Bill by the bike when we were ready to leave 

 We went to meet with the head of volunteers and those volunteering.  Today’s job was clearing some additional property CMA just purchased.  There were a couple of chain saws going trimming limbs so the trees would be cleared the first 8 feet up.  There was someone with loppers, then the rest of us hauled the brush and limbs and put them in the trailer.  I had sandals and capri jeans on because yesterday he said we would be cleaning inside.  A couple of maintenance guys told me I should go get jeans, socks and tennis shoes on so I don’t get chiggars.  I told Bill, who had shorts on too, but he said he wasn’t going to change.  I headed back to the work site and passed Bill on my way.  They warned him too.  The guy had a can of off and sprayed my jeans and feet.  I sure don’t want to get those things!  I worked for about an hour.  I was the only lady at first but then another guy’s wife came and helped,  Then she left.  One guy with the chain saw decided to cut a tall thin tree down because it was leaning.  They were having trouble getting it to fall.  I decided I would leave that to the guys and headed back to the camper.  I took my shoes and socks off outside and hung my sweatshirt on the clothes rack.  I relaxed for a while in the no gravity chair.  Bill called me after an hour and a half and wanted me to bring him a water. I got it and headed back there.  I gave it to him and then one of the workers said it was time to quit and go to lunch.  Today is our last work day.  Tomorrow we get to sleep in.  

I made lunch and then we sat outside, then came in and tried to nap for an hour, but couldn’t. Bill was able to sleep a little.  

In the late afternoon, we went for another ride to Queen Wilhelmina Lodge and Restaurant.  Bill asked me if I wanted to eat there. Of course yes was my answer. They have the best food and the best view.  It was a great ride again today.  We stopped at Walmart to get a few things we needed. 

Came back to the camper and sat outside.  Life and his dog came and visited. Then after he left, Jay and Jane came and visited. 

We went in and played 2 games of 3-13.  I won the first by lots of points and Bill won the second by a few points.  

Wednesday, 10/9/24, Went to Bible Study, met to volunteer, went to Hot Springs, relaxed outside our camper, met new friends, played 3-13

Picture Bill took of me raking leaves and cleaning out the culvert

Our ride to Hot Springs was beautiful!  82 degrees out!

Hot Springs

Bill…We walked downtown trying to find the restaurant we ate at with Bev, Ron, Joyce and Rod a few years ago.  It was closed.  

Beautiful Bath Houses all down the main road 

Bill and I at Texas Roadhouse 

With our little photo bomber in the picture lol!

 We walked down to where we thought Bible Study was. No one was there.  Then we walked to the Building we always meet at and they told us it was in the Chapel in Hatfield.  We walked back, got our motorcycle and headed there.  When we got there it was standing room only.  A guy offered me his seat but I told him I would stand.  Worship was amazing. They sang Brandon Lake’s song, Gratitude.  Another guy moved and gave me his seat, so I sat during the message.  Jared M. Gave the message and it was so good.  People are so kind here.  We went back to the main building and met   .the volunteer group.  Today we all worked together raking leaves away from the many culverts on the campground.  It was a nice cool morning to do it.  We met Bruce, an area rep. From Tennessee.  He knows Wayne and Lisa who were Michigan state coordinators before Ziggy, than us.  Pam came up to me and I remembered her and her husband’s name from yesterday and she remembered our names.  We hugged over that one!!! We finished our  job, then came back to the camper and read our Bibles.  We relaxed for a half hour, the headed to Hot Springs which is a 2 hour drive.  We were on more amazing hilly and curving roads.  Such a great ride.  We walked downtown which was fun.  We found the restaurant we wanted to go to again but it was closed.  There was another restaurant, but it was closed too.  Then I told Bill I had brought a gift card for Texas Roadhouse.  It was our last gift card we received for our 50th anniversary.  I checked on maps and it was only 10 minutes away, and was straight down the road we were on.  We had a delicious steak dinner.  When we went to leave, we met a veteran who was in the same time as Bill.  Then another veteran came up to Bill and thanked him for his service and he was in the same time as Bill to and his friend came out to talk and he was over there the same time too.  It was so cool and they were all so happy to meet!  

We left to come back to Mena and the road we needed to get on was just around the corner.  We had another great ride back.  We sat outside for a while and met a couple who are state coordinators from Washington State.  I don’t remember their names but they both started with D and she told me I could call them D & D.  Then Leif brought his dog, Boulder, who is an Australian Shepherd over to meet us.  He’s from Arkansas.  

We sat outside and I wrote chapter names down in my notebook as Bill read them to me.  Then we came in the camper.  I talked to Vikki then to Melissa.  Melissa and I were remembering some awesome things God has done for us.  

We  played 2 games of 3-13. I won the first and Bill won the second.  

It wouldn’t let me delete the his double picture for some reason 

Tuesday, 10/8/24, Went to serve, good devotion, relaxed outside, another fun motorcycle ride, walk in evening

Today we served by washing all the tables and chairs  for leadership training and the rall

Bill really relaxing… I guess he needed it after all that work.  I napped in my chair next to him

The Mena Mountain Top Resort.  It our favorite hotel.  

Bill and I at the Queen Wilhelmina Lodge/Restaurant.  We stopped at the Lookout before going in

New Bear in the Lodge

More really fun roads to drive