Sat., 3/19/21, Went to Builders Show with Wes, Gayla and Joel, went to Dennis Ward's Birthday gathering, Jacob and Adam spent the night

Dennis with his Birthday Hat and Glasses on for his 50th

Bill having fun at the party

Group picture at the party

Dennis

I took a picture while we were playing cards and because of funny Jacob, I had to take a retake.  I didn't realize he was making a face until I sat back down and looked at my picture

Adam while we watched the movie Last Ounce of Courage

Jacob

It was still raining out when we got up.  Lots of water in the yard to make it even soggier. We did our morning reading, had our coffee and oatmeal.  Gayla messaged me to wish me a belated happy birthday and invited us to go to the Home Builders Show.  We met them there around noon.  It was good to see Joel with them.  He was happy to see us too.  There weren't many there, so it didn't take long to walk through it.  It was nice because we have had so much done, that we didn't need most of the things we walked by.  Bill always likes to collect lots of candy for the grandkids as he walks through. 

When we got home, I composed a letter for a girl who used to be in my Sunday School class when she was little.  She is in boot camp, so I am writing her while she is there to encourage her.  At 3:30, we left to go to Dennis Ward's birthday party.  We got there before him because it was a surprise party.  He was surprised and so happy everyone was there.  We had fun and the food was great.  Kimmy texted me that they dropped Jacob and Adam off at our house.  We were going to pick them up from their house after the party was over.  We left and headed home to spend time with them.  They carried the snowblower that Bill took off the tractor up to the loft in the shed.  Bill sure appreciates their help.  When they came in we played a game of 3-13.  Bill was the winner.  Then we played Skip Bo.  It was Jacob's first time playing and he won.  We all had fun playing.  After that we ate ice cream and watched the movie Last Ounce of Courage.  We all love that movie!  We watched some Funniest Home Videos, then Lucy before going to bed.  Hailey sent me lots of pictures and texted with me today.  We are going to her concert tomorrow with Jacob and Adam.  Texted with Adam and Eli too.  Talked with Vikki and Melissa.

Pictures Hailey sent me

Pictures Vikki sent me of their time at Bill's sister, Carol's house. Rody set up her computer and Vikki and the kids helped her make chex mix.

Friday, 3/18/22, Bill took me out to breakfast, Vikki, Rody, Peyton and Isaac, Kimmy and family, and Charlie and Sue came over to celebrate my Birthday.

 

Vikki, Peyton and Isaac came walking in today with these beautiful birthday balloons they got for me. Made me so happy!

Hailey sent me a very sweet text for my birthday today and also sent me some cute pictures of her and her friends

Breanna, Levi, Hailey, Ally and Emma on their music tour

Hailey and Ally

Levi and Hailey

Bill relaxing

Jacob in a bedwar tournament

Rody and Jared

Adam playing in the bed war tournament

Peyton playing 3-13 with her mom, Kimmy and I.  It took us a couple of hours to finish one game.  We each ended up with 73 somehow lol...which we decided would be the winning score because it is my birthday age.  Truthfully though, I actually won with the lowest score.

Rody, Charlie, Sue, Bill and Vikki

Jacob, Peyton and Adam

Isaac and Eli

Eli

Rose and stand Bill gave me this morning first thing.  He gave me a beautiful pink heart necklace too.  He had everyone over for my birthday and we had pizza.  Kimmy baked an angel food cake and a yellow cake with chocolate frosting.  Both were delicious.  I mashed strawberries for the angel food cake.

A friend of mine works at Mary Freebed and sent me this picture of Melissa in the new building.  They had these pictures in the old building, but it was so nice they are still displaying them in the new building.  They helped Melissa so much when she was there and they loved her great attitude how hard she worked to get better.  She is one amazing girl.

Me at breakfast with Bill this morning at Nori's.  It was delicious!

My notifications started going off early in the morning.  I got nice birthday texts from Adam, Jared, Hailey, Kenzie, Eli, my sister, Brenda, and then they just kept coming all day.  What a blessing to have so many kind and wonderful people in my life.  I had 117 birthday messages on my FaceBook page and a hundred birthday comments on posts Bill and Vikki put on.  Everyone made my day special and made me feel very loved.  Melissa called me and wished me a Happy Birthday.  Bill and I enjoyed a great breakfast in the morning, then we went to Menard's to get a knob for my jewelry cabinet.  Kimmy called while we were there to wish me Happy Birthday.  We talked for a while, then Vikki called me to wish me a happy Birthday.  We did our Bible reading when we got home.  Bill worked out in the shed for a while, and I mashed strawberries for tonight.  Vicki Beemer came over and brought me a card and a gift card to Olive Garden.  Vikki, her and I visited for a while, then I opened the card and saw the gift card, but didn't know how much the gift card amount was until I turned it over after Vikki went out the door.  I hurried out to tell her it was way too much ($75) and wanted her to take it back.  We wanted to take her and the kids out in a week to the Olive Garden and treat them.  She made it so it will be paid for.  She sure is a sweet friend.   Everybody came around 3, except Charlie and Sue came a little later.  When Rody got out of work, he picked up the pizza's Vikki called in and brought them so we didn't have to run get them.  We were very thankful.  The pizzas and breadsticks were delicious.  After we ate, everyone wanted me to open my gifts even if it was before cake time.  I got such nice gifts...

a mug with my two favorite scriptures on it and my name by the word Faith from Vikki and family.  Vikki has a mug like it and loves it.  They also gave me yummy candy bars. She had already given me markers for my journal.  Kimmy, Jared and family gave me two dishwasher safe Rada knives which are my favorite.  The ones I have can't be put in the dishwasher, so I will use them in the camper and have these ones in the house.  I love Rada knives.  They also gave me a beautiful spoon rest that is flatter and matches my other one.  I put it under the higher one and it looks cute on the stove.  I always use the one, but sure need two.  Their spoon rests are my favorite.  Sue and Charlie got me a beautiful hand soap from Bath and Body Works, and a big bag of my favorite candies...chocolate covered nuts and chocolate covered orange gel.  They got them from St. Laurents in Bay City.  So yummy!  I got a Pay Day candy bar from them too.  I guess it was pay day lol.  Bill gave me a couple of summer tops and an electric water kettle (mine broke last week).  It is so cool that we all had fun watching it turn colors as it, heated, changed temps, and was turned off.  

Eli and Isaac spent lots of time roller blading in the basement.  Adam and Jacob had fun playing bewares on their computers.  Sue, Charlie, Bill and Jared played Euchre in the kitchen and Kimmy, Vikki, Peyton and I played 3-13 in the living room.  Sue and Charlie won all the games, so Bill and Jared kicked them out lol...  Just jokingly of course.  What a fun party.  

Thurs., 3/17/22, Had breakfast with Kimmy and Vikki, Melissa, Bruce, Max, Jack and Evan brought a birthday cake and celebrated my birthday

 

Breakfast picture of Vikki, me and Kimmy at Bob Evans this morning

Me with my birthday cake Bruce and Melissa made and brought me

Max, me, Evan and Jack

Melissa cut the cake, dipped the ice cream, served me first, than served everyone else.  She wouldn't let me help because I was the birthday girl

Everybody enjoying their cake and ice cream....Brill, Jack, Evan, Melissa, Bruce and Max.  Hailey is on her Music Tour and is in Wisconsin today

Max loved Kit Kat and was so good with her

Evan loved playing with Kit Kat

He was really good with Kit Kat too

Jack and Evan loved roller blading in the basement

Evan

Playing Air Hockey

Papa and Jack playing ping pong

Saw lots of robins today...the first ones of the year here

What a great day it was today.  I got a wake up call from Vikki inviting me to come to Bob Evans to meet her and Kimmy for Cappuccinos.  We decided to have breakfast too.  It was so nice and so much fun.  The cappuccinos were delicious as well as breakfast.  Free refills on our cappuccinos so that was nice.  Kimmy had to pick up Jacob from Delta, so she had to leave.  Vikki and I went to Goodwill and walked around.  I found some measuring cups with sizes in need that I didn't have.  Vikki found a pair of nice legging pants that looked really comfy.  When she got home and tried them on she said they were and she wanted to try to find more.  I came home and started cleaning the house.  Bill went with Charlie to look for a vehicle with him.  I had the house cleaned except for mopping the floor when he got home.  We sat and read our Bibles and did our praying, then I finished cleaning.  I talked to Melissa at noon for a while.  

At 4, Melissa, Bruce, Max, Jack and Evan came to visit and brought me a Birthday Cake.  Bruce baked it for me.  Max smiled big at me when he walked up the side walk and I looked out the door at him.  They all came in and I got a big hug from Evan, Jack, Melissa, and a stiff hug from Max, and hugged Bruce.   They even brought paper plates and plastic silverware so I wouldn't have any dirty dishes.  So thoughtful and sweet!  We all went out to the shed to look at Papa's new central vacuum system he put in himself.  It is pretty cool!  I will have to take a picture sometime.  He gave Max lots of nickles to look up to see if any are valuable.  He told him they would split it if they made big money.  Max was pretty happy about that.  

Evan went with Melissa and picked out a package of balloon birthday plates for me so we could have pretty plates for my birthday.  She had some picked out but he knew Nana would like the balloon ones.  They sure were pretty too!  So sweet of him.  Jack and Evan went downstairs and were so excited because they haven't been in the house since Covid started.  They loved playing air hockey and roller blading around the basement.  Max had fun with the cat.  They all sang Happy Birthday to me, then Melissa cut the cake and served it.  The cake was delicious!!!  Thank you Bruce!  We took some pictures, then went into the living room so I could open my gift.  I got the sweetest cards from each of them.  This year Max wanted to buy one.  He picked out a funny one and wrote a joke in it.  I love how he signed it so sweetly.  The other boys made me such nice cards.  Melissa always picks out such meaningful cards with words that say just how she feels.  They are always so sweet.  I am very blessed!  I loved the top they got me.  Melissa, Bruce, Max, Bill and I sat in the living room visiting.  We talked with Max about our wonderful trip with him to Montana.  He wants to go back there and have his family see it.  He was smiling and we sure enjoyed our time and our memories.  After about an hour, Bruce took Max home because he had a lab appt. today and so he had to go home and work on school work online to catch up.  I sure could tell he loved being here.  He gave me a big loving hug before he left, and then went to find papa to give him a big hug too.  

Melissa, Jack and I went to pick up pizza and breadsticks at Little Caesars and a small pizza from Hungry Howie's for Bill with no cheese.  It was really good pizza.  The boys rollerbladed some more.  Evan spent lots of time playing with Kit Kat while Papa and Jack played ping pong.   Evan gave me a wonderful massage on my back and arms.  Melissa showed me how God is healing her of her foot drop.  She can move her ankles now and lift up her feet.  So much answered prayer God has done for us.  At 7:50, I took them home because the boys had another school lesson to do too.  What a great time and what great kids!  Now tomorrow I get to do this all over again with Kimmy and Vikki and their families.  God is good!

Wed., 3/16/22, Beautiful day today in the 60's, Maddy had her ultrasound, Hailey left for her Music tour, Bill went to Marine Corp League

 

Hailey and her band and choir groups left for their Lenten Tour.  They are doing concerts all over in different states, then in Michigan.  Jacob and Adam are going to the Michigan concert with me.  Hailey is really happy they are going to be there.  

Last little bit of snow is just around house and shed,  plants are coming up

Hopefully this year I get plants in around the pool

Bo....Eli sent me these three pictures today

Eli with Bo

Drawing Eli did...not real fond of the creature, but the drawing is amazing.  Eli did an amazing job.  Very talented kid.

Hailey in symphonic band practicing for their concert tonight.  She is in the second from the last row in the black and grey striped sweater

I got up early and walked on the treadmill before Bill got up.  Bill met Charlie for coffee this morning.  I had my oatmeal and coffee after I finished walking my 2 miles.  I am a little sore, but it feels good to be exercising again.  I talked to Stacie for a good hour today.  She had called to tell me she was trying to encourage a friend going through cancer and wrote her a message.  After she saw my post of John 3:16, she called me and said that one scripture summed up her whole message to her friend.  We talked about the Lord, our families, the Word and how important it is to read it and so much more.  She was so sweet. 

After Bill got home, we did our reading and prayer.  Praying for the Ukraine and it's people. So sad and heartbreaking to hear what is going on.  Sad to see all of the reporters being killed mercilessly too.  Praying for God to intervene.  Bill mentored Alec and Maddy, Alec's wife and I got together.  She just had her ultrasound today and had pictures to show me.  I am so happy that baby looked amazing and is measuring good and the heartbeat was good.

Next time she goes, they will find out what it is if baby cooperates.  Maddy is 20 and has arthritis.  It is affecting her hands so I am praying for her.  She just had a vision early this morning of hearing a trumpet, then seeing Jesus coming in the clouds in His glory.  She was pretty excited about it and so was I.  

When I got home, Bill's truck was here which made me worry because he was no where to be found.  He had said he was leaving right after me.  I texted him to check on him, and he told me he rode the motorcycle.  It was fun texting with Eli this morning.  He sent me some nice pictures.  Such a fun kid.

I talked to Vikki for a while, then Kimmy for a while, then Melissa.  Texted with Adam and Hailey.

Tues., 3/15/22, Went to West Branch, Went to Funeral Home for Kim's mom's showing

 

Our ride was a little slick this morning

The Free Methodist Church we looked at in West Branch this morning.  We will probably be having our Seasons of Refreshing for CMA there next year.  The pastor was so nice and knows the pastor that used to be at Kimmy and Jared's church.  He is a CMA member and rides a motorcycle.

Our old church, the original Amazing Grace.  This is the church where we met the Gager family and became like family.  It was really nice back then.  Now it has been turned into a house and has had several owners. Sure is a junky mess now!

Gary and Peyton

Peyton and Liv

The kids old school....looks so junky now.  It used to be such a nice school.  There were lots of cars and trucks around it.  Not sure what it is now.  Below is the muddy driveway ad parking lot.  Yikes!

 

When we went stopped at McDonald's in Hemlock, Vikki noticed that gas was 4.19 instead of 4.24 like all the other stations.  I told her we would stop on the way back through.  By the time we went back through it had gone down to 4.17.  Gas prices are so outrageous, it was great to at least save 7 cents a gallon.

Bill and I went to West Branch this morning.  It was nice starting out at our house, but the roads got slippery after we got past Sanford.  We met Sandy, Jerry, Doug, Marie and the pastor at the church.  The pastor took us all through the whole church, so we could see if it would work for our Seasons of Refreshing next Feb.  We all thought it was great.  The only thing we wondered about was a room for the goodies store.  Some of the guys said they would build a divider with a door so that half of the gym/dining area could be split and our goodie reps said that would work.  This church is even donating the food for the Sat. lunch, but we told them they should have their youth group do the lunch and we would give donations so they could earn money. 

At 4:30 Vikki and I left to go to Kim's mom's showing.  We stopped at McDonald's and used our app. coupons and ate dinner.  We went by our old church and were shocked to see how awful it looks now.  We got to the funeral home and got such warm greetings from the Gagers.  We have known them since our kids were all little and we became like family.  It was like a family reunion with them.  They were so happy to see us and it meant so much to them that we came.  We were so happy to see them and touched by all the love they showed us.  We haven't seen them for a long time, but it was like we have never been apart.  I am thankful for Facebook that keeps us in touch. but in person was amazing even though it was sad that Kim's mom passed away.  

Talked to Melissa before going to bed.  She had a big birthday surprise for me she told me about. Can't wait.  Today, I texted with Jacob and Adam.  

I found out that my friend, Lisa's, mom doesn't have cancer.  They just did surgery on there throat and she found out today.  I am so thankful for the answered prayers.  She is in her 80's and that would have been so hard to go through.