A full and fulfilling weekend!

Friday

On Friday afternoon we left here a little after 4:30.  I took this picture after we backed out of the driveway.  I hardly ever have a chance to take a picture of my front flower beds this summer, because that mulch pile is on one side and the camper is on the other.  At some point both things will be moved and hopefully we can get a load of new crushed stone put on our driveway.  Blacktop would be much better, but a whole lot more money. 

As we drove the two-lane stretch out of town toward the big construction project it was exciting to see that we would actually be going on the new road up ahead.  But not for long.  The enormity of this project boggles the mind. 

Our destination was Bianca's 5th birthday party at her other grandma's house.  She was so funny and expressive over every gift she opened. I should have taken videos.  She had everybody laughing!

We gave her a collection of Calico Critters and a little purse to keep them in. 

When it was time for cake and candles she sang right along with us!  What a girl!

As we drove away from Duncannon afterward I got this beautiful shot of the sunset over the Susquehanna River. 

We drove to Manheim after the party and slept at Dick and Nancy's house.  What a wonderful gift I found on the guest room dresser!!

Saturday

On Saturday morning I dropped Dick off at his dad's place while I went to Loser's Music in Lebanon to pick up the Christmas cantata I had ordered for my choir.  When I got back to Dad Stauffer's place the men were involved in a big project - cutting down a tree!  Dick's brother Jim and his son Josh were there with a chain saw and something called a come-along.  I think it was used to pull the tree in the right direction.  Dad sat on his lawn mower to watch the excitement. 

Our next destination was Grace Community Fellowship, just a few miles away from Dad's house.  Our dear friend, Pastor Dennis Andrew, is retiring from pastoring and the next day would be his last Sunday as pastor.  The current worship leader, Kersten Harnly, had asked us to come and lead some of the music.  She had also invited Herb and Michelle Suereth, who had replaced me.  It would be a surprise to Pastor Dennis and his wife Cindy.  On Saturday we got together at the church to practice.  It was so wonderful to meet Kersten and to once again work with Lloyd, guitarist, and Jason, trumpet player.  They are both now in their 30's and had played with our worship team since they were teenagers!  In fact, Jason's young teen son Mason is now the drummer!  And he's really, really good!  

From there we went to Hilltop Acres, a favorite country grocery store nearby.  Hadn't been there for years.  It was their anniversary celebration and they were giving away free ice cream cones!  So we bought hoagies to take with us, got our free ice cream on the way out, and had our dessert first!  We stopped at Dick and Nancy's to eat our subs.  

Then we drove to Columbia, about 15 minutes from their place.  Destiny has gotten her own apartment!  A little third floor apartment just the right size for one person.  She was making rice and beans and chicken when we got there!  

Turned out she needed a few more ingredients, so Dick decided to catch a few zzzz's while Destiny and I made a quick trip to Weis Markets for a few things.  We had fun shopping together, as we always do!  She's a brave and motivated girl, and I'm so proud of her.  Working night shift at the candy factory and getting things set up to finish her last semester of high school online this fall.  

From Columbia we drove to Reading, about 45 minutes away, to see Frank and Lauren and the little girls, Jada and Alaya.  We hadn't seen them since Christmas!  Jada will 7 this weekend and will be a second grader this year.  Alaya is a sweet three-year-old.  We had a fun time together and some of their delicious food.  Why did I not think to get a picture of it?  Frank and Lauren are both excellent cooks.

Next we drove to Lebanon, about 45 minutes away, to Ray and Ashley's apartment.  We hadn't seen them since Easter!  Sam and the kids were there too, and we had the greatest time hanging out and eating together. 

It was late when we left to drive the half hour back to Dick and Nancy's house for the night.  We did not take long to hit the sack!

Sunday

Sunday morning came too soon!  We needed to be at Grace Community Fellowship by 8:30 for another practice.  Pastor Denny and his wife Cindy were indeed surprised when they walked in a while later and saw us and Herb and Michelle there! What fun! 

Here's a picture of him during the service. There were quite a few people who came for this service who no longer attend there, because they loved Dennis and Cindy so much.  He was a true "pastor."  It was almost like another homecoming.

Lots of music and worship with various arrangements of teams.  

Here I am with Cindy.  She was such a dear, dear friend, always sang harmony on my worship team, and she held a Thursday morning prayer meeting in her home that I was able to attend for several years.  Many, many times, including now, I have thought, "I need a Cindy!"  

We had a lot of fun reminiscing and catching up as we sat next to each other during the meal afterward.  There was also an open mic for people to share their memories and appreciation.  That was fun. 

Then we went to Ray and Ashley's apartment again.  Sam and the kids had stayed overnight.  First we relaxed inside for a while.  They have such a comfy sofa with recliners, and it was so nice and cool inside.  

But RJ was begging to go outside to play freeze tag with some neighbor kids.  So Sam went out with them, and I went out later to take pictures.    They were having a lot of fun.

It's a really beautiful apartment complex with all this play area and a little pavilion and some grills.  Maybe we can have a cookout there sometime.

Sammy and Bianca stood on this rock, and of course I wanted a picture.

Later I thought of this picture of them five years ago.  Oh my heart!  Children grow up toooo fast!!

Then we hit the road for home.  What a full and fulfilling weekend it had been!

As we drove we got the news that Hope Clark had passed away.  It was not a surprise.  We had been told that morning that her passing was imminent.  I think it was 1997 when Hope showed up at Grace Community Fellowship with her contagious joy and laughter and love and encouragement.  I always said I want to be like her when I get old.   A few years after we moved to State College she called me on the phone.  She was making her funeral plans and asked me if I would lead worship at her funeral whenever that would occur.  She said, "And I don't want funeral songs either.  I want the lively ones!"  So there is a memorial service being planned for her at GCF on Sunday afternoon, August 25th, and of course we'll be going down for that.  

Here are some pictures of her I had in my files.  The ones on top were taken after our children's Christmas musical in 2007.  The one on the bottom left was taken during our "pajama show" at a women's and girls' sleepover in 2008.  And the one on the bottom right was taken at a special joint worship service we held at Manheim Christian Day School in 2008.  I circled Hope on the picture.  A perfect picture of her worshiping!

Not too many pictures from this week.  I kept Hunter on Monday because his daycare is closed this week.  I was in the kitchen cooking when I realized he was really, really quiet, so I went looking for him.  And this is what I found, of course!  Books!

Each day I pick Austin up from his Ninja camp, which is at a facility near our place.  He always wants my phone so he can play Scrabble.  One day he REALLY his the scoring jackpot!!  He had already made the word "lazing" in a previous move.  Then he added the "G" at the beginning, which was on a triple word score, and the "S" at the end, which was also on a triple word score.  The "S" was also attached to the end of a vertical word, which was another triple word score!!  He got 177 points in one turn!!!

Some of you said you like my silly Snapchat videos.  So here are two little ones I sent to Sophie on Tuesday when I had a hair appointment.  Enjoy, haha!

I wish there were a way for me to save the ones she and Lisa send me.  They just crack me up!  So yesterday was their first day of school at Calvary Christian High School.  Lisa posted a collage of them on Sophie's first day of Pre-K ten years ago and her first day of 9th grade yesterday.  Again, kids grow up too fast!!

They both had a good day.  Lisa made me laugh last night when I saw her answer to my question about her day.  "I made it to all of my classes on time, I didn't get lost, and I got to meet a bunch of nice and funny kids."

Now I gotta get busy!  We have our annual camping weekend at the local KOA coming up tomorrow.  So much to do!!