Our Weekend!

I was so proud of myself for posting two days in a row, then I missed the next two days. So goes life.

Brian's only day off now is on Sat., so we take advantage of family time on that day as much as possible. With the huge building project going on at church, it really isn't as often as the kids and I would like though.

This past Saturday, we headed to Branson to Silver Dollar City; some friends of ours was singing in a Single Mic Competition and we were hoping to get to see them. We got up early (not as early as planned, but earlier than normal) to get there before the crowds. We ended up leaving here about 10:00 or so, and got there about 11:30-12:00. We usually park in parking lot 5 or 6, but we got motioned all the way past parking lot 6. We got to parking lot 7 and drove all the way through it, crossed the highway and ended up in some hole on the side of the road. There were men in yellow vests waving to everybody to tell them where to park. We finally got parked and caught the bus back up to the park, and they told us we were in parking lot JD, like, just dirt. We rode the bus for about 5-7 min. to get back to the park. So, needless to say, we didn't get there before the crowds. :o)

We went in and checked things out. We got a map/schedule to see when the competition started. We found out where it was and started walking that way to see if we could "spot" our friends. Sure enough, when we got to the Opera House there some of them sat on the rock wall. So, we stayed and talked to them for just a few min. We found out when they were going to be singing and then we went on.

After we left there the kids were ready to ride rides. So, we headed to the rides. I'm so glad my kids are getting old enough to ride "big" rides with their dad now. Brian loves to ride roller coasters and stuff like that, but I am terrified and would not step foot on one for any amount of money. So, for almost the whole 15 years of our marriage he hasn't ridden any roller coasters. Not because I don't "let" him, because I always try to get him to ride, I tell him I don't mind waiting and I wish he would do things he likes, but because I won't, neither will he. He says, he doesn't like waiting in line and riding by himself. So, that is why I am so glad the kids are getting bigger and wanting to try bigger rides and they are loving it. Bret rode the Powder Keg with Brian, and all four of the kids, yes, all four, even Carrie, rode Thunderation. Brian did have to ride one by himself. Bret "accidentally" rode Wildfire with his dad last time, and he claims he is still sick from it. I am having my doubts, but I think it scared him pretty bad, he will not get back on it. But Brian wasn't hesitant to wait in line and ride by himself this time. I'm glad, because they all had such a good time.

You may be thinking, what do you do, since you don't ride rides. I stand on the sidelines and take pics when they come in and out of the starting gate. And Carrie is too small to ride rides by herself, so Brian takes her on the "big" rides, and when we go down to the kiddie section, she still has to ride with someone, so I ride all the kiddie rides with her. You know, the ones that don't leave the ground. I'm brave, I can handle those. tee hee. I just enjoy watching my family have such a good time, and I am happy just following along behind as they run from ride to ride.

Later that afternoon, we headed back to the Opera House to hear our friends sing in the competition. After wards we got to visit with them for a few min. and catch up a little. By this time it was after 6:00. We hadn't eaten anything ALL DAY, me and the kids were starved. So, we headed out to leave the park. We went in to Branson and ate at the Grand Country Buffet. We had such a good time eating, talking and laughing with each other. We looked around and noticed the workers back and forth working busily doing their jobs, but that there wasn't anybody else around anywhere. A guy walked by and we asked what time they closed, he said, "Oh, we're closed now, but y'all stay as long as you like." We had closed the place down.

We finally got gone from there and headed home, but not before stopping by Wal-Mart. In our Sunday School class we always have doughnuts and chocolate milk for our class, so we had to stop by and get those so we didn't have to leave extra early Sunday morning to run to Wal-Mart before church.

We ended up getting home around 11:00. I was very proud of myself. We all had baths, minus Brice, because I never could get him awake, and were in bed by midnight. A huge task with 6, make that 5, people in less than an hour.

Sunday Morning rolls around and I felt like the night was so short, and I had barely slept at all. I didn't feel good, but I got up and around to go anyway. I had to get Brice up for his shower, since he had missed it the night before. We had a great day in Sunday School, and then in Children's Church as well. We went out to lunch with Mom and Dad. We came home and I laid down to take a nap, once again, WAY to short. Went back to church, Brian preached on Jonah. Had ice cream with Mom and Dad, came home, put the kids to bed, went to bed myself.

And that was the extent of my two day week end.

2 days in a row, how 'bout that!!!

Had another bittersweet moment this morning. I sold my van. God gave us a Chrysler Town and Country mini van several years ago. We have run that thing ragged. I drove it till it about fell apart then when Brian bought me my suburban he drove it till it DID fall apart. A few months ago the transmission finally gave up the ghost. It sat at the church for quite a while, because Brian didn't have a way to get it home. He finally borrowed a trailer from a guy at work to get it home. Since then it has been sitting in the yard.

A guy came by yesterday and said he had seen it sitting there and was wondering if we wanted to sell it. I said sure. So, I tried to get a hold of Brian, and finally did. Long story short, we made a deal. I came in the house to get the lock box all our "important" papers are in, neither one of the titles were in there. So, I called Brian back and told him I couldn't find it, so he said he would have to look for it when he got home. I told the guy and he said he would be back this morning about 9:00 with a trailer.

After Brian got home we searched high and low for that title and FINALLY found it. We also found the truck title, which is now safely resting IN the lock box.

The guy showed up a little before nine this morning, I watched him load it up and haul it away. It was very sad, because we are officially a one car family. :o( But that's okay, I'm praying the Lord will give me a new (to me) van soon.

Remembering!!!

I get up every morning about 5:00 to get Brian off to work. He leaves about 5:30 or so. After he leaves I usually change the block calendar in my window sill, go to the bathroom and then head back to my room. I usually go back to bed, but I don't always (well, hardly ever) fall right back to sleep. Now it is starting to get day light, which makes it even harder for me to go back to sleep. This morning, I played yahtzee on my iPod for a while, then I got tired of doing that so I laid back down. As I was laying there thoughts started streaming through my mind, as I'm sure you all can relate to. I don't know how or why, but I began thinking about one of "my boys" from Oklahoma. His face came back to my remembrance so crystal clear, and it has been YEARS since I have seen him. I began to reminisce about the times we had gone to camp, had youth activities at church, and even had the kids over to the house. His smile was captivating, and could cheer up a room upon entrance. He was always happy. I can't really recall the last time I saw him, but like I said it has been years.

As I lay there thinking of him my eyes began to well with tears, as the thoughts of laughter, camp, and fun times turned to the thoughts of his funeral and his wailing mother hugging Brian for dear life. The thoughts of that day brought such sorrow to my heart this morning, and even now as I write this with tears in my eyes. I got up and got online and began to look up pages, and realized that his death was a year ago this week. It made me even more sad.

Army Cpl. Gary Moore was a Military Police Officer serving in Baghdad, Iraq, when the vehicle he was riding in was hit by a road side bomb. I will never forget when Brian came home and told me the news that day. I was heartbroken. I am so thankful we were able to go to the funeral. I have been to several funerals in my time, but I have never been to a funeral as sad as that one that day. The church was packed with hundreds of people coming to pay their respects for a fallen soldier. Military men and women in uniform everywhere. Police and Firemen and women as well. It was an experience I will not soon forget.

As we arrived at the church there was David Hall's Traveling Liberty Bell. It was the saddest bell I have ever heard. It rang loud and long throughout the streets of Oklahoma City. I couldn't help but start to cry before we ever walked onto the parking lot of the church. Once we reached the parking lot, the Patriot Riders' motorcycles lined the parking lot with waving flags, with the hearse and family car close behind. We finally made it into the church, my make up was already shot. There were red, white and blue flowers everywhere you looked, and right down the center aisle a flag covered coffin. I began to bawl. They had a beautiful service. If there were any lost there that day, which I'm sure there were, they can't stand before God and say they never heard, after that day. Bro. Sam Davison, and Bro. Jason Gaddis did and excellent job. As they began to let people go, row by row, we were finally released. We went up the far row and across the back to head down the middle aisle in front of the casket. When we approached Gary's mom, Mrs. Vicki, she was standing there and when she saw Brian she grabbed him for dear life, and held on tight. She cried, and I didn't think she would ever let go. I just stood back and cried. When she finally let Brian go, she hugged me then we walked to the front row and hugged the other boys, and their wives. We finally made it back out to the truck, and headed to the grave site.

The trip to the grave site was quite a way. The funeral procession was long. We were pretty close to the back. As we drove by cars, they must have been sitting there for a while. I remember one guy was sleeping in his car he had been pulled over for so long. As we got closer to the cemetery there were flags flying all along the side of the road; and the closer we got, there were people standing on the sides of the streets waving flags, and with their hands over their hearts, and men with their hats off. Women in scrubs from the doctors office. Men in uniform from the lumber/hardware store, men and women of all ages, and children all waving their flags and paying their respects to a soldier they didn't even know. As we road by all these people I couldn't imagine the pride Gary's mom must have been feeling for her son at that moment seeing all those people gathered for her son. As we came to the entrance of the cemetery the highway was blocked off by fire trucks and police cars. They were angled to make an entrance to the cemetery. As we drove through the gates the way was lined with big flags, flying in the wind. We never got to the actual grave site, we had to park and walk forever. (I didn't wear walking shoes) As we got out of the truck we could already hear the bell. The grave side was just as sad, if not more so than the actual funeral. They had the 21 gun salute, taps on the bugle, and the presentation of the flag to his mom. All very emotional.

I guess I said all that to say, I am glad to be an American. I am glad/proud to have known, personally, a U.S. Soldier who fought and died so that I can live here in America and feel safe. I have known/know many soldiers, but never one who has died for our freedoms.