Monday, 1/16/23, Gayla's Birthday, Bill went for coffee with Charlie, Bill and I went to Sam's Club, spent the day at Vikki's with Kimmy, Melissa and the kids

 

Brielle ready to go to U of M today and get her lump by her eye checked.  Praying they can help her more with it.

I had my yummy sandwich from Iowa today.  They sure make good sandwiches at that church

Isaac, Jack, Eli, and Peyton in the basement at Vikki's watching a movie

Adam relaxing on Aunt Vikki's new couch

Melissa putting the string through the board for her shelf

Kimmy, Vikki, me and Melissa with the shelves we made (with some help from Vikki and Kimmy)

Bill went for coffee with Charlie.  I put worship music on and worshipped for a while.  Did my morning reading, then had oatmeal and my coffee.  I unpacked my suitcase and did laundry afterward.  Melissa called me and said she was coming to Vikki's and would see me there.  Vikki called me shortly afterwards and invited me.  She didn't call me earlier because she didn't want to wake me up if I was sleeping in.  I finished the laundry, ate my sandwich, then went to Vikki's.  We had yummy homemade chicken noodle soup and also rice for lunch there.   The kids ate mac and cheese, which they were happy about.  I forgot to take pictures of Jacob and Evan today, but did get the rest of the kiddos.  Kimmy fixed a spot that had a gouge out of it in Vikki's entrance way floor.  She made it look great so you couldn't even tell.  Melissa and I watched streamed Bethlehem's church service so I could watch and listen to Jack and Evan sing in the choir.  They sounded so good.  So happy I could do that.  Vikki had got us all stuff to make hanging shelves.  They turned out so cute and we had fun making them together.  Such a fun day at Vikki's.  Sad that Vikki's tortoise, Manny, died today though.  

Sunday, 1/15/23, Left for home, Stopped at Gramma’s Kitchen, went to Olive Garden With Vikki and Terry

Saw this funny coaster at Gramma’s Kitchen lol

Yay, back in Michigan 

Terry, Vikki, me and Bill

We left our hotel at 8 a.m.   Drove 2 hours to Grammy’s Kitchen and met Al and Lucy, Doug and Sue and Dave and his wife there for breakfast.  It was a big yummy breakfast!  We left there and headed for home sweet home.  We stopped for gas once, then stopped another time to use the restrooms.  Bill decided to top off the gas tank there.  We spent $80 in gas for the whole trip!!

I messaged my friend Vikki and set it up to meet her and Terry at the Olive Garden around 6:30.  We texted back and forth. She called me to ask if we wanted to spend the night at their house.  We wanted to head home afterwards but it was sure sweet of her to ask.  She is the bestest friend ever!  We didn’t run into much traffic even by Chicago which we were happy about!  We got to the Olive Garden on schedule and Terry came and took me to the table, then went to wait for Bill to come out of the bathroom to show him where we were.  We ate and had such a great visit.  Bill and Terry worked together so they had lots to talk about.  They are great friends too.  Melissa called and asked for prayer for Abby because she moved wrong and now couldn’t use her legs and barked and yelped because she didn’t want anyone by her.  We left the restaurant at 9 and headed on the rest of our journey home.  I called Melissa after we left the restaurant and she said five minutes after we prayed, Abby let her come up to her without barking and let her pick ER up and carry her around.  She let her put her in Vader’s cage where she would feel safer and had some leftover medicine from the last time this happened to give her.  We all love our Abby.  

Saturday, 1/14/23, All day sessions at the leadership. Training.

Bill playing Corn toss baseball.  Iowa challenged Michigan to a game.  The two red lined holes are outs.  The hole under them is a home run, and the other holes are bases.  The bottom is a foul.  Jeff is on second base.  We had lots of fun playing.  I did get a home run.  I got a few outs too, but did get quite a few bases.

Ha Ha, our prayer partner took this picture of me getting my home run!

Jeff’s turn

Pat’s turn

Ziggy on far left leading worship with the team

Bill and I worshipping in the back

Jay introducing Jared.  He did an amazing job!

We ate breakfast at the hotel and then went to the church at 8.   Visited for a half hour and then we worshipped.  More good teachings after that. Good testimonies too.  Lots of snacking and good soups and sandwiches for lunch and a potato bar for dinner.  After dinner there was more awesome worship.  Ziggy worshiped with the worship team and played his guitar.  We had more good training after that.  Then there was closing prayer and we all helped put tables away and put the chairs back in place for church in the morning.  I talked with Vikki later on in the day.  She had called me from our house but I couldn’t talk.  We need up making $64 for Run For The Son on the card holders we sold.  We only have six card holders left.  We heard from the mission ministries Run for the Son supports and their testimonies we so amazing.  God is doing awesome things.  

Friday, 1/13/23, North Central Leadership Meeting all day! Learning lots, good fellowship, awesome prayer, and great food!

Leadership training 

Church entrance 

Great to see clear skies and lots of sunshine!

Michigan Leadership group picture 

Our Michigan themed table

Goodie Reps….our Michigan reps Al and Lucy on the  left side

We ate a good breakfast at our hotel in the morning.  We sat with Ziggy.  We got to the church at 8 for fellowship, then worship started at 8:30.  After that we had lots of good teachings with breaks for lots of good snacks.  We had prayer time with our wonderful prayer partners and we also got to pray for Ziggy. We were assigned our new prayer partners for 2023.  They seem really nice and are from Iowa.  Our previous prayer partners want to keep praying together too.  Such a blessing!  We had delicious soup and salad for lunch and then had a taco bar for dinner which was amazing!  Many amazing servants of the Lord here!  We left the church around 8 and came back to our hotel. I FaceTimed with Vikki a couple of times today and talked with Melissa.  Texted with Adam and Hailey.  We went down to the lobby and visited with everyone for a while.  Watched a group play a new fun game.  Texted with a friend from Faith Riders.  Got to know people better and meet new people.

Thursday, 1/12/23, Left at 5 a.m. for Iowa

Kit Kat when she was little 

Crossing the Mississippi River 

Bill in front of where you go in for Chic Fil A

Chic Fil A we went to. I forgot to take one with us in it

Picture I took at the Pizza Ranch

Bill wanted to see ale a picture of me there.  Ready or not he’s taking it lol

Isaac with a pig balloon he had made for Peyton when they ate at Leo’s

Peyton either her Goldendoodle balloon

I got up at 3:30 a.m.  We got ready, packed the last minute things and then left at 5.  Bill drove the first 200+ miles.  He drove while it was dark.  I drove the next 200+ miles.  I ended up getting in lots of traffic when we got close to Chicago.  The GPS told me to get off on the exit to the right and then stay left.  This was on a curve with two packed fast moving lanes and immediately after she said stay left she said now go right.  There was no getting over in that traffic.  We were rerouted.  By that time dad asked if I wanted him to drive.  I said yes, but there’s no place to pull off.  Our grand finale was when the directions were to exit and I was and dad had looked at his phone and said no stay on the one we’re in, it’s shorter.  I just had room to get back on in front of a Semi.  I drove another 80 miles in light traffic.  We stopped for gas and Bill drove the rest of the way.  Bill spotted a billboard for Chic Fil A.  He told me to Google where it was.  I did, so we got off two exits later.  My directions took me to where it said it was, but we didn’t see it.  I wanted to go back and see if it was close.  He saw a flag on the car GPS so wanted to see if that was it.  It took us about six miles away and there were only apartments.  We ended up going back to where my phone were waiting for our food and a guy saw dad’s CMA patch and came up to us and started talking to us.  He was a CMA member.  We told him we were going to the conference in Newton and he asked us if we would pray with some people there for him and his family.  His 4 yr old grandson who was very healthy, just die from cancer after being diagnosed 7 weeks ago.  It was so sad.  He was close to tears.  We prayed for him and his family right there.  And will pray with our prayer partners here tomorrow.  His family are all believers so he was thankful they will see him again someday.  

We ate our food which was yummy.  We got to our hotel about 2:30.  Relaxed for a while, then met Al, Lucy, Sue, Doug, Jeff, at the Pizza Ranch.  It was a fun get together and good pizza.  We went to the church after that to set up our Michigan table and then went into worship and heard a great message.  Jared and Jennifer McPherson from National Leadership we’re there which was so nice.  We walked through goodies afterwards and then came back to our motel.  Talked to Melissa, Kimmy and Vikki today.  Adam had his MRI today so praying for good results and answers regarding what to do to help him. He texted me and said it went good.  I’m so glad.  I sure love my Adam. 

Wed., 1/11/23, Bill met with Charlie for coffee, I baked cookies, we went shopping, went to Old Town Drive In, Went to Vikki's

Isaac and Papa

Peyton with her tiny hands lol

She loves her tiny hands.  We had so much fun with them.

Bill met Charlie for coffee.  I took my shower and got some stuff packed for our trip tomorrow.  When Bill got home we went to get a car wash, went to get gas at Sam's Club, and then went and picked up snacks for our trip at Meijer.  When we got home, I made some of the chocolate crinkle cookies Jared likes to take to Iowa for the snack area.  Vikki, Peyton and Isaac came over after they got out of school.  I let them each sample two cookies and so did Bill.  I packed up the rest.  I sure enjoyed seeing them before we go on our trip.  Peyton sure was fun.  Isaac played outside a long time.  He sure gave good hugs.  I talked to Melissa for a while today.  We forgot all about Jack's game tonight.  We will sure be going to his games when we get back.

After Vikki left, we relaxed for a little while, then went to Old Town Drive In for our favorite coney dogs, fries and root beers.  Yum!  We went to Vikki's afterwards.  He new furniture, light Vikki made, mattress and comforter, and the new light Rody hung over the dining room table all look so nice.  

When we got home, we packed everything except the last minute stuff.  We will pack that in the morning.  Leaving at 5 so will be up by 3:30.  Going to bed early tonight. 

We found out our niece was diagnosed with breast cancer.  We are all praying lots for her.  Prayers are sure appreciated. 

 

Tuesday, 1/10/23, Bill had a VA appt., I went to get another set of sheers, Went to prayer

 

It was 37 degrees out and the grass is green.  Weird for January, but I am loving it!

Bill took the garbage out and then left to go to a podiatrist appointment at the VA.  I ate my oatmeal and drank my coffee.  I put on some good worship music.

I went to try to find another set of sheers like the ones I have upstairs.  Now that we hung a double rod, two sheer panels aren't enough.  Two more are needed to go all the way across.  I went to the At Home Store, and picked up what I thought was the right ones.  I got home and they were too dark.  I took them back to exchange for the right ones.  I found some and remembered they were the kind because the name of them were Lourdes and that is our sister in laws name.  They only had two short panels and were out of the long.  I asked about having some in the back, but the girl said they are changing everything and may not be carrying that kind any longer.  She told me I could go on line and order, so when I got home I did.  The computer showed I could pick them up at the store.  Later on, I got a message saying the store didn't have them.  I ordered on line right away, because I wanted to get them while they still have them.  Boy, that took most of the morning.  

Bill got home and we both did our Bible study and devotion time.  I listened to Sunday's message which I missed because of working in Kids Church.  Got some good news today.  My K-1 class will have their own room now and will be separate from the older kids.  They get distracted easily so this will be much better for them and for me and the other teachers.

Bill went to drop off something at Wes's and then picked up Culver's for us for dinner.  I made chocolate crackle cookie dough while he was gone.  It has to sit in the refrigerator overnight, so I will bake them in the morning.  I went to prayer in the evening.  It was a good time of praying for God to purify our hearts, then interceding for the congregation and our nation!