Everything Changes

After working today, I journeyed to the local mall to pick up a birthday card for a friend. A coworker had recommended a new bbq place in the food court area. Having not had lunch yet, I decided to give it a try. I love bbq & figured it couldn't be bad. I had not been near that part of the mall since Christmas time so I was very surprised to see that a diner had been added, McDonald's was gone & now, the bbq place was in it's spot. My how much things change in just a short amount of time. I recall as kids, my Cousin Chanda & I getting dropped off at the mall to "hang out." Our time there mostly consisted of us riding up & down the elevators for entertainment (specifically the elevator that was in SEARS), visiting Mr. Bulky's for Candy & also eating at Sbarros Pizza & Pasta (once Taco Bell was added, we ate there a lot because we had little money). Oddly enough, Sbarro's is one of the only remaining eating establishments at the mall that was there when we were young (did I really just say that? Am I getting old or what?). As I ate my bbq (which, by the way, was very good), I thought about all of our times there as pre-teens. Then, as I was leaving, I saw the huge DSW store across from the mall that replaced Dierbergs (grocery store) after many years. During my years at One Way at Mid Rivers (where I was hired on at & spent my first 4 years with One Way), I would oftentimes walk to Dierbergs to get a soda or snack. Now, Dierbergs is no longer there--it's just down the road from our home instead. I had done my shopping at the mall (I found the perfect card & was also able to buy a MIZZOU t-shirt with my gift card I received from someone) & was driving home. I thought about all of the changes that have taken place over the years. 15-16 (I forget) years ago, when my parents built this house, the land behind us was just that-land. My best friend, Stacey, & I would walk through the fields or around & up to HUCKS to get Clearly Canadian Flavored Sparkling Water. Today, the land behind us is home to a custard stand, Sonic, a plaza that includes a Chinese restaurant as well as Subway, insurance companies, etc. When we look out our windows, we no longer see SaltLick Road...we see a privacy fence between us & Sonic. Sometimes, I miss the way things used to be.

So Long, Farewell....

After a week of food, fun & fellowship with Jon & Jen, the time had come for us to say goodbye & return to St. Louis. Haley & I gave Jon & Micah hugs & "I love You's" & loaded up the car with our luggage. Jen went to Lisa's house to pick her up & we went into Raleigh for an early lunch before dropping Haley off at the airport. Once we had let Haley out, we still had 2 hours to kill before I would need to check in for my flight (for those curious, Haley & I had different flights because I purchased mine long before she did & when she tried to get on the same flights, the cost had went up immensely). Jen decided to take me to Duke University to look at their chapel. Unfortunately, we did not have a map with us & her memory was not serving her too well. I think we took the long way in getting there. At least we made it though. The campus of Duke was gorgeous as was the chapel. Our time at Duke was fast but hey, it was something to do & somewhere I had never been. I was pleased to have seen it. I did tell her that should I return to NC, we will need to find the exact location of UNC so that we can head to Chapel Hill & I can see what the campus looks like there. For now, I'm a Tarheel fan! We wandered back to the car & hit the highway going back to the airport. Jen let me out & gave me a big hug & I was rolling my suitcase on in through the doors. I watched a little of the news while I waited for the plane to arrive--heard more about the Chinese gymnast age scandal. I was hoping to snooze on the plane ride home. Such is fairly impossible when you have a kid behind you digging their knees into your seat & pounding on it with their hands. Not to mention, he talked from the moment we boarded the plane till the moment we got off. Oh well, at least I would have the next day off from work & could rest up then! I am glad that I had the opportunity to go & spend time with such dear friends. Even more special, I was able to do so with someone I love very much..my sister. This trip was probably our last trip together for a long time so I will look back on this for a long time in thankfulness.

Roamin' Round Raleigh

Having talked for days about shaving his head, Jon decided it was time to quit talking & do some acting. Jen was out for a run with her mom & I volunteered to assist Jon. Haley, wondering why, asked Jon why he was agreeing to letting me shave his head. He made a valid point when he stated that I couldn't mess it up. I mean, it's not like he was just wanting a trim, he was shaving it all. Only way I could have screwed up is if I gashed his head open while using the razor. I had not been in the barbor business until that moment & quite frankly, I just wanted to make Jon look funny for a moment. So, once I had my few seconds of fun with it, I was bored & ready to dart from my duties as his assistant. I allowed him to finish off his shaving. After lunch, we spent our final fully day in Raleigh visiting the capitol & eating supper at a pizza parlor. When Haley visited Jon & Jen in the spring of '07, she & Jen went to the capitol but arrived right before closing time so they were not able to see much. Fortunately, we had plenty of time. Though much smaller than our capitol building here in Missouri, North Carolina's capitol building is still beautiful within. Jon & Jen had taken Haley to a pizza place called the Mellow Mushroom & she was hoping that I would get to see it as it's very psychedellic & "groovy". A friend of Jen's had recommended another pizza place to try though so that's what we did. Jon had been to this place before & said something about the workers being a "different kind of crowd." I wasn't sure what to expect. The building itself reminded me a lot of many of the eating establishments you would find down in the Loop (for those that live in St. Louis) & the workers did as well. So, for Haley & myself, we were not to taken aback by what we saw in the place. More than the Loop, it really made me think of some of the people & places I saw in Seattle...the grunge crowd, artistic atmosphere, etc. We ordered our pizzas (2 of them-one for Haley & me & then Jon & Jen ordered one for themselves) & they were huge. Haley & I had leftovers. Hopefully someone ate the remaining pieces after we returned home to St. Louis. Tired from roaming around, we went back to the house where Jon all of a sudden had come down with a severe cold or something. In fact, we didn't know if he was going to make it through the night. I had even said my goodbyes. But, by the grace of God, God performed a miracle & Jon was still alive before my very own eyes the next morning. How happy were we all to see Jon up & walking...Kleenex free & all.

**No, Jon was not really on death's door. He just tired to get a lot of pity from us all. He had Kleenex hanging out of his nostrils & whined like a baby. Quite the actor.**

Family Time

On Sunday morning, we went to Coats Baptist Church for their traditional service. While the service was good, it seemed so different than the norm for us since it had been sometime since I'd been in a "traditional" service (Haley & I attend the contemporary service at our church as our Sunday School hour is during the traditional service time slot). After church, we went to Jen's parents house for lunch with her folks, her sister & niece & nephew. I had the honor of sitting by Jen's niece, Sydney during lunch. Sydney is 5 (I believe that's right--Jen, tell me if I'm wrong). She is North Carolina born & bred & has the cutest little southern drawl when she speaks. Sydney instructed me to mix my corn & green beans together because it taste good. I never did try doing so though. We had a good meal but even better was the dessert we had..Blueberry Cobbler. I thought if funny when Jen's sister & kids prepared to leave that Sydney said we (she & I) were going to have our picture taken together. I had not talked to her a whole lot but I guess she felt she had made a new friend. I told her that she could come to St. Louis to see me anytime. She let me know that she would & when she does, I can buy her a present. Kids are so funny. Later in the day, Haley & I rode with Jen to deliver blueberries to the homebound or elderly. During our outing, we paid her grandparents a visit. I really enjoyed meeting them--especially her grandma. Jen's grandfather sufferes from Alzheimers & fortunately, he was having a fairly good day while we were there. As Jen & I went into the kitchen with her grandma to try some of her Peach Cobbler, Haley talked to her grandpa in the other room. She said that several times, her grandpa told her he served in the NAVY for 6 years. Yet, with each story, his exit out of the NAVY was different. He kept telling us all that he wanted to go home. He does not understand that the house in which they live, is his home--has been for 60+ years. I was moved by Jen's grandma's love & dedication to her husband. As hard as it is for her, she refuses to put the man that she pledged her love to 67 years ago in a nursing home. She trusts that God will give her the grace & strength to make it through. Once we had visited a while, Jen's got a couple of carrots out to take & feed Dolly (their horse). Micah fed Dolly one & then it was my turn. Due to my panic & hurriedness in feeding Dolly, Haley did not have enough time to snap a picture. I was scared that Dolly might go for a larger bite & think my hand was part of her afternoon snack. Once we said our goodbyes to Jen's grandparents, we went back to the house where Jon was preparing Bulgoki (a Korean dish). We ate quickly & returned to church to hear the youth report on their mission trip to Buffalo, NY. I was pleased to listen to the youth talk of the joy that had in sharing Jesus with people. All in all, good day.

Day is Done

Trolley rides, Palace Tours, PEPSI-Cola & Moo cows...we were near the end of our journey for the day. We wanted to go down by the waterfront before we left though. We parked right by the water where seagulls & pigeons were covering the ground. Though Jen & I got out & began to walk, Haley was left in the car clamoring in fear as she is deathly afraid of birds (I guess that might happen if a bird decides to unload on you-twice). Finally, Jen & I turned to see her covering her head with her backpack & running as fast as a lightning bolt. We did not stay long--just long enough to take a few pictures (until our batteries died). After a quick stop at the Rite Aid heading out of New Bern (I needed some more Benadryl for my itchy legs thanks to those darn bug bites!), we were on our way back to Jon & Micah. We had a wonderful day seeing new things & spending time together but I also enjoyed our ride back. The three of us had some really good conversations as we discussed church & church life. We also ventured into the subject of dating, relationships, marriage. Though Jen is married, obviously, neither Haley or I are. Jen inquired as to what I am looking for in a future mate. Such is not a topic that I frequently discuss with people-doesn't get brought up often. It was nice to share with her & receive encouragement in waiting for God's best & not settling for anything less than that. I am glad that we were able to have such a nice day one with another.

MOOoo Good Time

We could not leave New Bern without ice cream. So, before we headed back to Coats, we stopped into the Cow Cafe. Decorated in Moo cows like crazy, I was so excited; like a kid in candy store (only this was ice cream--much better). I never order ice cream cones because I don't have the proper etiquette to eat them & I realize I need to act like a lady. On this particular day, I decided to forget my manners & go for the gold. I ordered 2 scoops of a chocolate (had brownies, fudge, nuts, etc.) ice cream in a waffle cone. As is typical, I did not find a neat way to eat it & looked like one big mess. I find myself funny though so I was getting a good laugh from the ice cream all over my face. My sister & Jen kept encouraging me to wipe it off but I figured it would make more sense to clean myself up when I was done--not in the middle of my cone. Jen had a banana split & when she received it, the banana had split..it went a different way because it was not with her ice cream. After pointing it out to the workers, they kindly added the banana for her. Once we finished the creamy milk ice cream, we walked to the back of the place. Do you ever go somewhere & you just know that the things that are there are not meant for you but they are way too enticing for you to pass them up? That's how we felt about the kids room at the back. Everything back there was calling our names. So, despite the fact that the room was to be used for children, we saw fit to play too. We're kids too right? Granted we might be big kids, we are kids. We had a MOOoo good time at the Cow Cafe.

Not Quite a Shack

Tryon Palace was the home of the first capitol of North Carolina as well as the Governor's Mansion. Before we entered in to the luxurious kingdom, we smiled for the camera outdoors. Like most historic sites, we were instructed that the use of cameras within the building was prohibited. Someone (won't mention any names...her name does start with a "H", end with a "Y" & has an "A-L-E" in the middle though), snuck a few photos though. Sadly, those few did not turn out well. Could that be that it was punishment for doing something she should not have? I think it's a possibility. Anyway, back to the lil' shack....we enjoyed looking at the 18th Century Furniture as well as hearing about what a day would have been like back then. In addition to touring the palace, we also toured 2 other homes--one of which housed an imprisoned Confederate spy during the Civil War. With our tour, we were also able to tour the garden outdoors. Though the heat had killed the majority of the flowers, the garden was still pretty. As you can see, we had ourselves a grand time.

So "Beary" Silly Are We!

Once our trolley tour had ended, we had time to spare before our tour of Tryon Palace. First things first...lunch! After I was appointed to decide where we should eat & then did not do so, we settled on eating at a Mennonite restaurant there in the midst of all of the shops. I am glad we opted to eat there as the food was excellent. I debated for some time on whether or not I should get the catfish or the country fried steak. I went with catfish & it was delicious. We still had time to look around so we checked out some of the stores in the area & then took a look inside the PEPSI store where PEPSI began. As you can see from the pictures, we did a bit of goofing around in Bear Plaza & surrounding areas posing with the bear statues as well as striking poses by the fountain. We brought great entertainment to an older man sitting across the street on a park bench. He was laughing at us & yelling at us as we acted out. Happy to have made him smile. After an extremely moving film about Tryon Palace (Ha! Ha!--Just had to be there to see it for yourself. I was cracking up it was so ridiculous!), a quick bathroom break & look inside the Palace gift shop, it was time to head to the Palace for our tour.

Clang, Clang, Clang Went the Trolley

Looking for a fun day trip, we decided to move towards New Bern, NC. Unfortunately, Jon & Micah were unable to go with us so we left them behind when we piled in the car at around 9:00 a.m. Shortly after we had gotten on the road, Jen HAD to go to the bathroom. We stopped at a little gas station for her to run in. We all got drinks & got back in the car. I got a cute little PEPSI bottle (as seen in the slideshow). We were moving right along when we had to stop once again. Amused greatly by the RightWay sign, we took a picture in front of it as Jen went in to see if they had any t-shirts with the logo. She had been wanting one for years but had never found one in her size. She struck out again, no such luck. After our 2 stops, we finally made it to New Berg. We bought our trolley tickets & within a short time, were seated & rolling around the town seeing beautiful old houses & learning the history behind the homes & the town. I have always enjoyed seeing old homes but the trolley tour was nice because it allowed us to know when the homes were built, who lived there & much more. During the tour, we all got off 3 times to see a bit more. We were able to visit the cemetery where many of the New Berg residents were buried & hear about their roots. We also were allowed to go into the old school. While we could have just walked around the town ourselves & admired the houses, the trolley tour was without a doubt the way to see it all (unfortunately, we never did take a picture of the trolley!)

A Different Kind of Seeing

"Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart." - 1 Samuel 16:7 (NASB)
Our friends had mentioned to us when we arrived in NC that they would like for us to meet their friend, Lisa. Hoping that we would be able to meet up & Lisa would be able to share with us, they really did not give us any information about her aside from the fact that she was blind. Jen talked to Lisa & we were able to pick her up at her home & then go to a bakery for lunch. Though I had seen blind persons before, I had never been with a blind person. Knowing that despite having her stick, she would still need assistance (an arm to grab onto), I offered my arm up. Unfortunately, I was not the best leader as I nearly ran her into a pole. We had a wonderful lunch & then went back to her home where she shared her "story" with us. Basically, 4 years ago, Lisa came down ill. Without going into all of the details, she was in a coma for 3 months & when she awakened she was unable to see. She informed the nurse of that immediately & quickly, tests were run & it was determined that throughout her experience, her optic nerves had died--she would be blind permanently. She went from having been born with sight, growing into adulthood & even watching her own kids grow to not being able to see anything at all. Lisa went to a blind institute to learn how to cope with her blindness as well as maneuver, read Braile, etc. She is now a teacher who enters into homes teaching other blind persons necessary skills & how to function as a blind individual. As Haley & I listened, our eyes were getting a bit tearful. As many of her kids' friends are getting married, her 3 children are both in relationships & will most likely marry within a few years. She said that she just almost cries when she thinks about the fact that she will never get to "see" her kids get married. In her mind, her children look just as they did when she went blind. That will always be how she remembers them. After much conversation, she asked if we had any questions. Of course, I did. I asked her if she felt like not being able to see people helped her in loving them because as a person with sight, I find that I am quick to judge someone by what I see before me. She was pleased that I asked the question..said it was a good one that people rarely ask. She was well-prepared to answer though. In fact, she has even written a poem about that very thing & she was happy to share that with us. In essence, the poem spoke of how we (people with sight) are the ones that are handicapped because we can see & because of that, we see the tattoos, the piercings, the warts, the fat, the toothless, etc. & since she is not able to "see", she gets to know the hearts of people. As she talked about the institute that she was in for months, she said that she grew close to a young 22 yr. old girl...probably because she had kids near this girl's age so she felt there was a bond. She said that one day, one of the workers said to her, "Lisa do you know what that girl looks like?" Of course, Lisa replied with, "Of course I don't, that's why I'm here." The worker began to tell Lisa that the girl wore all black (including black nail polish), had over 20 piercings on her face alone, smoked many, many cigarettes a day & so forth. They wanted to know why she would be associating with her. Lisa had a love for this young girl though. A love that she said she may not have had if she would have been able to visually see her. I do not want to tell too much more as Lisa is in the process of writing a book about all of this & when it is published & released, I fully intend to buy it & perhaps some of you will too. Listening to Lisa speak brought such joy to my heart. While no one here on Earth is perfect, Lisa is coming closer to seeing people as God sees them than many of us ever have for she judges not on their appearance but their heart. I pray that I may lose my sight when it comes to the exterior & just as Lisa & the Lord, look at the interior. When telling someone about Lisa, they asked if she was ever angry about her vision loss. She did not mention that to us while we were speaking with her. Probably very few of you in your lifetime will have the opportunity to sit & visit with someone that cannot see you. I was given that chance & I am so grateful that I got to meet this incredibly remarkable woman of God. In addition to writing her book, Lisa does travel to speak at conferences, churches, schools, etc. If anyone would be interested in speaking with her about possibilities of having her at an event for yourselves, please let me know. I know that you would be greatly touched by her story. Even though things can be difficult for her at times, Lisa has a super sense of humor. I'll end by telling one last story about Lisa. Before we were heading to the airport to return home to St. Louis, we had lunch with Lisa again. We sat down to the table (I should mention that I also helped her as she got out of the car on the cobblestone drive & we went into the restaurant. I did a bit better this time--just ran her into the table but that was it) & I realized that the man sitting diagonal from our seat was blind as well. I thought it odd that there would be 2 blind persons in the same room--not something you see everyday. When our friend Jen mentioned this to Lisa, Lisa said, "Where is he?" Then she said, "Oh, I can't see him anyway!" We all started laughing & Jen told her to turn her head to the right & back a little & there he was. Not kidding, Lisa turned her head back there & said, "OK." Lisa is an extraordinary lady & not someone I will ever forget. Meeting Lisa was such a special experience for me as I realized how different a blind person's life is from mine. As Jen read the menu to her, I thought about the fact that Lisa does not have the option to look over the menu numerous times like we do. She has to listen intently & even more so if the area is noisy. She has to rely upon others for little things that you & I take for granted in having the ability to do. Anyway, I look forward to the day when we can sit & visit again.

Day of R & R

Thursday, August 7, was the first day that the weather was a bit cooler & it was a bit dreary out. We spent the first half of the day inside just resting & taking it easy. We all played with Micah & watched some t.v. After a while, we ventured out to Sunni Skies for ice cream. While they had many delicous sounding flavors, I opted for a hot fudge sundae. We then went back to the house & were lazy bums. After pondering what should be done for supper, Jen, Haley & I left Jon at home with Micah & we went to Ron's Barn. I was excited for a couple of reasons..the first being that it was gospel night & there was a possibility that if we stayed late enough, I would get to hear some Southern Gospel. Secondly, I knew we were going to have some country fixin's. As we went through the line, I tried nearly everything available..fried chicken, chicken pastry (like chicken dumplings only a bit more soupy), okra, potatoes, mac & cheese, bbq & much more. Everything was so yummy in my tummy. The evening got even better when the singin' started early. Jen & Haley were not near as excited as I was about the music but hey, to each his own...I love many genres & close to the top of my list of favorites is gospel. I was more than ecstatic to be sitting there listening to this trio sing. I leaned over to Haley & said, "This is the highlight of my trip so far!" She, on the otherhand, was not nearly as amused. Though I would have been happy to have stayed all night long, my company tired of the joyful, uplifting, worshipful, Christ-centered music & suggested that we leave--early! So, we did. But, we did not go without first taking some pictures of the barn. I would glady return to Ron's Barn for food & music. I do think Haley would pass though.

"Just like Your's Daddy!"

You may recall the JIF commercial that ran a few years ago that featured a father & a daughter who were making their P.B. sandwiches when the dad folded his bread over & then, the daughter, after seeing her father do so, did the same? When the commercial first aired, my dad fell in love with it because it brought back fond memories for him of Haley & I as little girls--always wanting to do what he did & follow in his footsteps (we still do in some ways). I had not thought about the commercial for quite some time until I watched Steve with his daughter Savannah. As we prepared to eat, Steve asked Savannah if she wanted ketchup on her hot dog. She said yes but then watched him put ketchup on his own & then when he asked her if she wanted it on her plate or on the bun, she responded with, "I want it just like your's Daddy." Savannah is very smart for her age (3). She had won me over from the moment she entered in when she approached me & said, "Have you seen me before?" Too cute was she. Savannah is quite the little conversationalist too. While eating, she let me know that my hair was like her mommy's hair-short. She also was sure to tell me that her mommy had a friend named Heather. Over breakfast the following day (remember Steve & Savannah camped out in my friends backyard), Savannah all of a sudden stopped to tell us all that one day we would die & some of us would go to heaven. When her dad prompted her to tell us more, she said that our bodies would die but our souls would live on. To which she looked at her dad & said, "Daddy where is our souls?" She felt that it was in her side. Later, Steve asked Savannah to share with us what they had been learning at home from the Bible. She ran down all of Moses' life from A-Z in a manner of minutes. She was excited to tell me that her mommy was going to have a baby. They do not know yet what they are having but I trust that Savannah will be an excellent big sister & helper to her mom & dad. As I watched Steve & Savannah it brought back so many special memories for me of times spent with my dad as a kid. While I'm 29 & all grown up, I'll always be my daddy's little girl..as will Savannah with Steve.

Under the Stars

During their time in Wake Forest, Jon & Jen made many good friends at Southeastern Seminary. Of those friends, were Steve, his wife JoAnna & their daughter, Savannah. On our 2nd night in NC, I had the pleasure of meeting Steve & Savannah-she's 3. Our friends, Jon & Jen, live on a lake out in the woods. Thinking it would be a great time together & a special experience, Steve & Savannah came to camp out in a tent behind Jon & Jen's house. Not long after they showed up for the evening, Steve & Jon took Savannah out in the canoe for a ride on the lake. After we had a wonderful meal consisting of hot dogs (how could it be bad if hot dogs are involved--which, by the way, you may stop by to visit Jon & my's hotdog stand in the future...JB's Wieners), mac & cheese, broccoli, etc. we went outside so that Haley & I could learn how to play Bocce Ball. Before we began our game, I sprayed insect repellent on as I feared getting eaten alive. Out we went & while some did better than others at the game, just the mere company of one another was a blessing. In other words, I was horrible. I came in dead last place. Still, that being said, I do like Bocce Ball. As the sun was nearly gone, we began to make S'mores (I'm telling ya, we did some good eatin' in NC). In the midst, just a few sprinkles began to fall kind of cooling things off a bit as it was terribly hot & humid out. As night fell upon us, Steve & Savannah searched for stars in the sky. Haley & Jen found their way into the canoe & went for a late night paddle while Jon yelled at Jen telling her they did not need to be out so far (he feared their tipping over & falling in. No, not for their safety but because he did not want to have to swim in the lake full of moss & snapping turtles to rescue either of them). As Haley & Jen were out on the lake & Jon was busying himself, I was able to see Steve's interaction with his daughter & was deeply touched. I will follow up that in another blog though. In the meantime, luckily, Haley & Jen made it back safely. The time was late & bedtime was drawing near. We left Steve & Savannah to their tent out in the heat & went into our beds in the air conditioned house. When we did so, we discovered something...my legs & arms were covered in bites. We think they were probably chigger bites (which I had never had before). Haley couldn't believe it & said, "Heather, you've got like 50 on one leg!" The next day, I would attempt to count my bites but after coming up with 30 on my arms & having spots on my arms left to count, I gave up. I knew I'd never be able to count all of them. So, if you are wondering what kind of repellent to use, I would suggest a different one than I used or just ban the country life altogether!

The Battle Raged

Long before we arrived in NC, we were researching what we could do during our visit. Once we arrived, Jen picked up a number of brochures from at the airport. We read over them & decided to visit a nearby battlefield. Before we went, we ate lunch at a wonderful burger joint that was not too far away. They had frozen custard but I resisted the temptation (not really--I just knew everyone else was ready to go & no one was going to want to wait on me to eat since I'm such a slow eater anyway!) & did not partake. Once we arrived at the Bentonville Battlefield, we were able to watch a short film giving us a bit of history of the Civil War as well as the land which we were standing on.



After taking a look around the gift shop (while I did not make a purchase, I was giving great consideration to buying a songbook filled with battle hymns & songs), we were taken for a tour of the Harper House (shown above) that was used as a Hospital during the war. We were also able to go inside the buildings that were used as the slaves quarter as well as the kitchen. Both were quite small & I cannot imagine what it must have been like to live in them. Though Civil War history is not amongst my favorite things to study, I do enjoy seeing the homes in which people lived, learning of their lifestyles & much more important, remembering that this is just a rich part of our American Heritage. After our look around, we were on our way back to Coats for a big evening. So stay tuned to my next post for that!

Orange what?

On route from the airport to our friends' home, Jen suggested we make a pit stop at the drugstore for an Orangeade. You may be wondering (as was I), what an Orangeade is. We would soon find out. We parked across the street from the drugstore in this tiny town & went in to try the craze of Harnett CO. We each ordered a large one & I am glad I got a large because I downed it rather fast. Basically, an Orangeade is similar to lemonade--only it is made from fresh squeezed oranges rather than lemons. Of course, it has sweetener added to it as well. VERY GOOD! With our drinks in hand, Haley & I posed in front of the store for a snapshot. The older ladies working within were looking out the window laughing at us. They knew we were from St. Louis & we mentioned that we had never had an Orangeade. I'm sure they were getting a kick out of us "city folks" stopping in their little town for a drink. Perhaps one day, Orangeades will find their way to MO.

Headed to the Country

After completing my duties as a U.S. citizen by voting for the primary elections on Tuesday, August 5th, I was headed to the airport for an 8:45 a.m. departure out of St. Louis to Raleigh, NC. I was on a small jet for the flight. Though I did not mind the small plane, I will say that space was limited. I had no room for my feet whatsoever. However, all went well & I arrived at RDU on time. I had no difficulty in finding my way around as that airport is a good bit smaller than St. Louis'. As I headed outside, I was greeted by my friend Jen. We put my luggage in the car & headed to the Farmers Market for lunch. My sister's flight was due in a little later so we had time to to do a bit of sight-seeing. Once Haley's plane touched down & we had her in the car, we headed towards the small town of Coats in Harnett County, NC. This would be the beginning of my life in the country for a week. More to come later....

Chris

Long before I was born, my Mema was watching children & caring for them daily. Throughout the years, she babysat many kids. Of them, was one named Chris. Or, as some of the family called him..Buster. When we would travel to AL to visit, oftentimes, Chris was around. I remember one year, Chris came to St. Louis with my Mema, Papa & Uncle Roger. Chris came from a broken home & did not have the best family situation to live in growing up. He looked at my Papa as a father figure. Like most kids, Chris began to get older & no longer was there a need for someone to watch him. As he moved into the teens, he rarely saw my grandparents. Probably my last memory of seeing Chris was when I was around 10 or so. I never did see him again until he appeared at my Papa's funeral in 2000. Even then, we did not speak to one another. After my Papa died, he began to visit my Mema fairly often taking his wife & 2 girls with him. Several years ago, while my mom was down visiting in the spring, Chris showed up. He was preparing to leave for Iraq with the ARMY. He asked about me. I went to stay a week during the summer that year & he was home for his R&R time. He came & for the first time since we were kids, we sat down & began to talk. Though we had not seen or talked to one another in years, I felt like we had never been apart & I was talking to one of my best friends. I was so encouraged to hear him talk about his faith & meet his lovely wife & see how God had been at work in their lives. As we parted ways that afternoon, I promised to write to him once he returned back to Iraq. I kept my word. My parents saw him after he had returned home from his deployment & he had sent gifts for me--special things from Iraq that I will treasure forever. We have seen each other several times since & each time, it is a pleasure. After my health problems last year, I was shocked when he called me one day to ask how I was. He expressed great concern & let me know that if I needed anything at all to give him a call. I remember laughing & saying, "Yeah cause I'm sure you'll just hop on a plane & be right here to help too!" Which, I was getting at the fact that AL is not just a hop, jump & a skip away. Chris assured me that if I truly needed something, he would be headed here to help. Somehow, I know he was not kidding either. Despite losing contact for 15+ years, he has proven what a great friend he is & how much he loves me. I love him too. When I look at Chris, I see God's faithfulness as He has taken this rebellious kid headed down (& taken on) a dangerous path & pointed him to Himself & completely changed his life. Chris is still in the National Guard & thankfully, has not been deployed since his last tour of duty. He is married with 2 children-both girls. I am hoping that one day, they'll make it here to visit & allow me to show them around St. Louis.