PA Trip cont'd

Our second day on the road...at a rest stop eating somewhere in Virginia, I think.

Any way it was nice and cool there.On the road again...this is the Shennandoah River...it took us 45 minutes to go about 3 miles at this spot on the trip. Norman was not a happy camper. We decided to look for a different route to take home to avoid this delay.Finally crossing into Pennsylvania!!!

I had Googled our trip for directions and they were great...right up until the last 3 miles. Actually, the directions were not at fault...a road sign had gotten turned so it threw us off. We drove around up and down country roads for a good 30 minutes with me calling Jim and Phyllis' number every few minutes before we finally got Phyllis to answer the phone and give us directions. Anyway, as we topped the hill we saw Aunt Claudia and Jim standing near the road with waving arms and smiles on their faces! What a great sight!


Aunt Willa Dean thought she would never get to see Aunt Claudia again when she moved from Benton, so this was a sweet reunion of sisters.



Hugs for Mother

And Daddy is moving in position to get his hug!

Another sweet reunion for baby brother and his oldest living sister.

Time to take a look around. They had a 10 acre place with a huge red barn that had lots of country charm. They have 4 horses, a mule and a goat.

Phyllis's horse Beauty giving her a nudge in appreciation of the belly rub.

Daddy, Norman and Jim talking it over at the fence.

This was our view from the front porch..two swans on the pond across the road.

This is Phyllis and Jim's house...such a sweet peaceful place.

Here is where we spent most of our first day just talking, laughing and catching up...

out on the front porch in the nice cool breeze. Temp was in the 70's. Aunt Claudia said she had prayed for the weather to be cool while we were there...and God sure anwered her prayers!

Mother and Daddy enjoying the peaceful porch and the swing.

Aunt Claudia and Aunt Willa Dean in the glider on the porch...

(she is not asleep...just caught her with her eyes closed.)

This is where the men sat and talked while we women were on the porch.

We also spent a lot of time in the living room looking through the Curtis Family scrapbook and remembering old stories and funny tales. I thought I had heard all of them over the years, but alas they came up with some new ones that I had never heard shared. Oh my goodness, at the laughing and sometimes crying that went on in that room.

Tuesday, Dick and Debbie came to eat with us. Jim grilled T-bones for everyone.

They were yummy!

After dinner we sat around the table and heard more stories and enjoyed more laughter!

The next day we headed up to Dick and Deb's in Etters, PA for the afternoon and evening. In this picture we are enjoying some great homemade soup and cornbread...and it rained while we were there and was even a little chilly. We also got to see deer feeding in their back yard.

Here we are watching the Razorbacks in the college world series...at least some of us were watching...Aunt Claudia was "resting her eyes."

The crew in their kitchen before we left for the evening.

The last remaining children of the Curtis clan...only 3 left of the 14 kids. Aunt Claudia, who just turned 88, Aunt Willa Dean who is 79 and Daddy, who is 82 almost 83.

Norman and Jim listening to the stories being told.

This is the morning we left...it was very hard to leave, because at the ages they all are, the thought most prevalent in their minds was "this could be the last time we will see one another on this earth." There were some tears, lots of hugs and lots and lots of kisses.

Thankfully, we are encouraged by the fact that they each know Jesus as their Savior and even though "we may never meet again this side of Heaven, we will meet on that beautiful shore"...someday.

This was a wonderful trip. I am so glad we got the privilege of taking Mother, Daddy and Aunt Willa Dean to see Aunt Claudia. And Praise the Lord, no one got sick, we had no accidents, Renee's suburban ran beautifully and Norman did a wonderful job of driving. Of course he had excellent guidance by his trip navigator who sat right behind him feeding him the directions, exits, and rest stops all along the way! Maybe if everyone stays healthy we can make the trip again next summer!

Trip to PA with the Golden Agers...first day

We began our trip to PA for our visit with Aunt Claudia at 8 AM this morning. We departed with all on board in good spirits and in great frames of mind...ready for a good trip. We had a great day for traveling...partially cloudy with sunshine and a little haziness. Norman did all the driving with Daddy riding shotgun. Mother and I sat in the seats behind Norman and Daddy and Aunt Willa Dean sat in the middle on the back seat. We talked for a while, then listened to Dennis Swanberg which brought quite a few laughs. Then we played several of the Gaither Homecoming CD's singing along the way. Around 11 AM Aunt Willa Dean asked the driver if we would be eating soon. We pulled out the snacks which helped to hold us over until we found a good place to stop. We stopped at a beautiful roadside park to have our lunch consisting of sliced ham, potato salad, cheese, crackers and chips.

As we continuted on the trip Norman, Daddy and Aunt Willa Dean were interested in listening to the Razorbacks Baseball game. However, we were not able to find any stations airing the game on the radio. So, we had to rely on Blake and also Vicki to send us the score. Everyone was excited to get the message that they won their game 10-6.

We had set our first days destination as Knoxville, TN and planned to drive on in the rest of the way tomorrow. We felt that going much farther would tire out our passengers too much. We arrived in Knoxville at 6:15 EST, unloaded our bags, freshened up and went out to eat at Famous Dave's Barbeque where we all ate way too much.
Here are some of the pictures taken along our way.

Daddy resting up on Friday night
Mother, Norman and Aunt Willa Dean kicked back relaxing on Friday evening.

Aunt Willa Dean in her spot

Daddy riding shotgun

Mother right behind him

Norman doing the driving

And here I am behind Norman (no I am not back seat driving. lol)

Breaking out the picnic goodies

Aunt Willa Dean had prepared our meal

Norman and I at the picnic table (I had to take a picture of myself otherwise I would not be in any of the shots.)

Aunt Willa Dean taking her a little power nap.She is totally relaxed...

Unloading at the Microtel Inn in Knoxville.

Norman helping Aunt Willa Dean get out of the vehicle.

It is a little hard to get the legs working again after riding for so long.

Norman guides the cart in while Mother and Daddy push it.

And so we end our first day on our PA trip. More to come tomorrow.

Camp Victory Family Weekend with Camryn!!!

Victory Bible Camp Family Weekend is something I always look forward to. This place holds such precious memories for me because it is where my spiritual roots began. It was here that I made some of the most important decisions of my life that have shaped who I am today. I always love to go back to this place at the beginning of the my summer break to get my "battery recharged" so to speak after a long school year.

This year Bro. Sam (who was my pastor from age 15 until we moved from El Dorado in 1988) called on Norman and I do be in charge of the music for the weekend. Although we are certainly not musicians or of as high quality as some of the groups they have had in the past, we both have a deep love for Camp Victory and Bro. Sam so we agreed to do this. It was a tremendous blessing to be able to sing for and lead the music for the weekend.

Another blessing was getting to have our granddaughter go with us for the weekend. Her first reaction when we drove in the gate was, "Is this it?" Said with some apprehension and disappointment because all she was able to see at that point was the old "Big House" as it is called. We told her this was only the front, that there was alot more to see. As we drove on into the camp and parked in front of the dining hall, she said, with awe in her voice, "I think I am gonna like this place!" We had hardly gotten out of the car good til she was climbing up in the Beaudart tree that is there.

We checked in and found out that we were getting to stay in one of the front rooms of the Big House, which was a real treat. Not only that, they said we didn't have to pay for our weekend since we were providing the music. Now, I am sure you are thinking what is so special about the Big House. WELL, in my days as a camper, it was reserved for the camp director and the special speakers. I was in awe of the fact that we were getting to stay there following in the steps of some really super people.

We hardly got our things unpacked til Camryn wanted to go back down to the dining hall area. We said sure, because one of the neat things about Camp Victory, is that it is a safe place and you can let the kids run and play to their hearts content. I told Camryn there was only one rule she must adhere to...and that is when you hear the bell ring, you must come running to the dining hall because that means it is time to eat! Within minutes, Camryn had made friends with 3 little girls who were grandchildren of one of the cooks. From that time on, they were together all the time. As the weekend progressed, their friendship grew and it did my heart good to see Camryn love Camp Victory as much as I always have. She even said on Sunday that she did not want to leave...she wanted to stay as a camper. However, that will come when she has completed 3rd grade. At least she will know what to expect when the time comes.

Saturday they had meetings and then free time and that meant....Swim time! Camryn was a little unsure about getting into the pond and it took her a while to decide to get in, but once she did, she loved it too. Side note..it is a pond so they did have to get out at one point because the lifeguard spotted a water moccasin swimming off in the distance. It was quickly shooed into the brush by rocks being chunked at it. Here are a few pictures of the pond and Camryn swimming with her friends.

Camryn and Tenekias
Break time for the life guards...everybody out!

Camryn made friends with a dog of one of the campers.

A view of the pond

The dock

Camryn trying to make up her mind to get in again.

Finally in!!!

Love that sweet smiling face!

Camp would not be camp without game time with Vicki!

Norman and Chris attempting to catch the water balloon Leah threw to them.

And then there was the water cup relay.

They won! Filled up their can first!


Our dream is to own a Trike and take trips around the country with some of our friends who have bikes. One of the men at camp came up on his Harley Trike and we were both in awe of it. He asked if I would like to take a ride on it and of course I said, Yes!!! So, he took me for a short ride down to Princeton. It was great! Later, he also took Norman for a ride. Now, we (or at least I) have a real craving to have one. I am starting to save my money!

Don't we look good!!!

Papaw helping Camryn get off the see-saw so she could go see the horses.

She said, "He is blowing his nose on me!"

Bro. Sam and Ms. Dot sitting out in the yard of their cabin, visiting with friends.

Saturday night after the meeting is always special because Bro. Sam leads the group in some silly songs and Vicki has some crazy games planned. Camryn got to be in on one of them.

Spaghetti in the hair!

She is loving it!

Tenekias and AnTonyia are in charge of putting it in Camryn's hair.

How lovely you look!

She looks pretty pleased with her new do!

Bro. Sam asked she and her three friends to do a little hand clap rendition they had been doing earlier. Of course they agreed.

We found out that Bro. Sam and Ms. Dot celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary back in March. So, of course Sonny and Cher had to make a surprise apprearance and sing, "I Got You Babe" for them. They were very shocked and loved it.

Vicki with the duo

Sonny and Cher at their finest.


No Family Weekend would be complete without Bro. Sam taking a group of people to Paris. I felt we needed to capture some of the hilarity on video for others to enjoy.

It was a great weekend of fun, fellowship and relaxation. I forgot to mention that Al and Connie Areheart were the speakers for the weekend. We were so glad to get to catch up with them again. We had shared 7 or 8 years together as friends back when our kids were little. Al was the Youth director during that time. What a blessing to re-connect with them and to have him speak to the group again.

God has truly blessed the ministry of Camp Victory and as Zac Shepperson was sharing on Sunday before we all left, there is something special about being there because God visits Camp Victory. He has called many a young boy and girl who had a willing heart to be used by Him. I am sure there are untold thousands or hundreds of thousands of people who have been reached with the Gospel as a result of the numerous kids who have given their hearts to God to be used by Him while at Camp. We won't know until we reach Heaven! What a glorious day that will be!

School is out for the summer!!!

Woo Hoo!!!
Another year behind me and another group of kids have passed through the halls of ALS. It has been a good year although trying at times, but for the most part very good. I know I must be getting older but I swear we just got this year started a week ago. The years seem to go by in a blurr. I am grateful for the opportunity I have to work with a wonderful group of teachers who love their job and are dedicated to excellence. It is also my great pleasure to work with the students and families that God sends our way. What a joy they are. We have all said it many times, we are all just like one big family at ALS which is truly a blessing. It has been a terrific year, but I am ready for my 7 weeks off to enjoy some family time, friend time, patio time, yard & flower time and some scrapbook time.

The Price of Children...

A freind sent me this. It was just too good not to pass on to all. Here is something absolutely positive for a change.

I have repeatedly seen the breakdown of the cost of raising a child, but this is the first time I have seen the rewards listed this way. It's nice.The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140.00 for a middle income family. Talk about price shock! That doesn't even touch college tuition.But $160,140.00 isn't so bad if you break it down.
It translates into:
* $8,896.66 a year,
* $741.38 a month,
* $171.08 a week.
* A mere $24.24 a day!*
Just over a dollar an hour.

Still, you might think the best financial advice is: don't have children if you want to be 'rich.' Actually, it is just the opposite.

What do you get for your $160,140.00?
* Naming rights. First, middle, and last!
* Glimpses of God every day.
* Giggles under the covers every night.
* More love than your heart can hold.
* Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.
* Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.
* A hand to hold usually covered with jelly or chocolate.
* A partner for blowing bubbles and flying kites.
* Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day.

For $160,140.00, you never have to grow up. You get to:
* finger-paint,
* carve pumpkins,
* play hide-and-seek,
* catch lightning bugs,
* never stop believing in Santa Claus.

You have an excuse to:
* keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh,
* watch Saturday morning cartoons,
* go to Disney movies, and
* wish on stars.

You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodlewreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mother's Day, and cards with backward letters for Father's Day.

For a mere $24.24 a day, there is no greater bang for your buck.
You get to be a hero just for:
* retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof,
* taking the training wheels off a bike,
* removing a splinter,
* filling a wading pool,
* coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and
* coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless.

You get a front row seat in history to witness the:
* First step,
* First word,
* First bra,
* First date,
* First time behind the wheel.

You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren and great-grandchildren. You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match...

In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits, so one day they will, like you, love without counting the cost.
That is quite a deal for the price!!!!!!!

Love & enjoy your children & grandchildren & great-grandchildren!!!!!!!
It's the best investment you'll ever make!!!!!!!!!

This is why I am a great fan of Kris Allen...

I got this note from my daughter, Andrea, this morning....I think it says it all as to what type person Kris Allen is:


The pastor at NLC talked to Kris after he made it to the finals and told him we were all praying for him and praying that he wins etc. Kris told Rick not to pray for him to win, just pray for Adam’s soul because he has one more week. Adam is opening up and open to the idea of Christianity. He has said that he never knew what a Christian was or what they were about until Kris. Kris and Adam were roommates. So, let’s pray for Adam’s soul. God works in mysterious ways. I love Kris to death and think he can sing and is talented, but let’s face it…he should have been gone a long time ago with the little coverage he has had etc….God has a bigger plan…even if it’s just one soul. The Bible says all the angels rejoice when one soul is won for the kingdom of God. Pray pray pray!!! What a great reminder of what it’s all about…being that light in the darkness…and letting others see a difference in us.